The miR-183/96/182 cluster regulates sensory innervation, resident myeloid cells and functions of the cornea through cell type-specific target genes

The conserved miR-183/96/182 cluster (miR-183C) is expressed in both corneal resident myeloid cells (CRMCs) and sensory nerves (CSN) and modulates corneal immune/inflammatory responses. To uncover cell type-specific roles of miR-183C in CRMC and CSN and their contributions to corneal physiology, myeloid-specific miR-183C conditional knockout (MS-CKO), and sensory nerve-specific CKO (SNS-CKO) mice were produced and characterized in comparison to the conventional miR-183C KO. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy of flatmount corneas, corneal sensitivity, and tear volume assays were performed in young adult naïve mice; 3' RNA sequencing (Seq) and proteomics in the trigeminal ganglion (TG), cornea and CRMCs. Our results showed that, similar to conventional KO mice, the numbers of CRMCs were increased in both MS-CKO and SNS-CKO vs age- and sex-matched WT control littermates, suggesting intrinsic and extrinsic regulations of miR-183C on CRMCs. The number of CRMCs was increased in male vs female MS-CKO mice, suggesting sex-dependent regulation of miR-183C on CRMCs. In the miR-183C KO and SNS-CKO, but not the MS-CKO mice, CSN density was decreased in the epithelial layer of the cornea, but not the stromal layer. Functionally, corneal sensitivity and basal tear volume were reduced in the KO and SNS-CKO, but not the MS-CKO mice. Tear volume in males is consistently higher than female WT mice. Bioinformatic analyses of the transcriptomes revealed a series of cell-type specific target genes of miR-183C in TG sensory neurons and CRMCs. Our data elucidate that miR-183C imposes intrinsic and extrinsic regulation on the establishment and function of CSN and CRMCs by cell-specific target genes. miR-183C modulates corneal sensitivity and tear production through its regulation of corneal sensory innervation.

Panobinostat sensitizes AraC-resistant AML cells to the combination of azacitidine and venetoclax

The majority of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients respond to intensive induction therapy, consisting of cytarabine (AraC) and an anthracycline, though more than half experience relapse. Relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML patients are difficult to treat, and their clinical outcomes remain dismal. Venetoclax (VEN) in combination with azacitidine (AZA) has provided a promising treatment option for R/R AML, though the overall survival (OS) could be improved (OS ranges from 4.3 to 9.1 months). Overexpression of c-Myc is associated with chemoresistance in AML. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been shown to suppress c-Myc and enhance the antileukemic activity of VEN, as well as AZA, though combination of all three has not been fully explored. In this study, we investigated the HDAC inhibitor, panobinostat, in combination with VEN + AZA against AraC-resistant AML cells. Panobinostat treatment downregulated c-Myc and Bcl-xL and upregulated Bim, which enhanced the antileukemic activity of VEN + AZA against AraC-resistant AML cells. In addition, panobinostat alone and in combination with VEN + AZA suppressed oxidative phosphorylation and/or glycolysis in AraC-resistant AML cells. These findings support further development of panobinostat in combination with VEN + AZA for the treatment of AraC-resistant AML.

Proteolyzed Variant of IgG with Free C-Terminal Lysine as a Biomarker of Prostate Cancer

Simple Summary

We have discovered that immunoglobulins digested with plasmin, one of the enzymes of blood clotting cascade acquire a capability to bind to one of the chains of plasminogen. We investigate here the mechanisms and localization of such binding. We also show that levels of this digested immunoglobulin molecule are higher in patients with prostate cancer. Therefore, this digested immunoglobulin could serve as a biomarker for the detection of patients with prostate cancer from patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. We observed that the diagnostic accuracy of blood levels of digested immunoglobulins is dramatically higher than that of PSA.

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of prostate cancer is problematic due to the lack of markers with high diagnostic accuracy. We previously demonstrated the increased binding of IgG to human plasminogen (PLG) in plasma of patients with prostate cancer (PC) compared to healthy controls. Heavy and light chains of PLG (PLG-H and PLG-L) were immobilized on 96-well plates and the binding of IgG to PLG-H and PLG-L was analyzed in serum from 30 prostate cancer (PC) patients, 30 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 30 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results demonstrate that IgG from PC sera bind to PLG-H but not to PLG-L. This interaction occurred through the free IgG C-terminal lysine (Lys) that becomes exposed as a result of IgG conformational changes associated with proteolysis. Circulating levels of modified IgG with exposed C-terminal Lys (IgG-Lys) were significantly higher in PC patients than in healthy controls and in BPH. We used Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis to calculate the sensitivity (SN) and specificity (SP) of circulating IgG-Lys for differentiating PC from BPH as 77% and 90%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.87. We demonstrated that the diagnostic accuracy of circulating levels of IgG-Lys is much higher than diagnostic accuracy of total PSA (tPSA).

Environmentally-induced mdig contributes to the severity of COVID-19 through fostering expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptor NRPs and glycan metabolism

The novel β-coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has infected more than 177 million people and resulted in 3.84 million death worldwide. Recent epidemiological studies suggested that some environmental factors, such as air pollution, might be the important contributors to the mortality of COVID-19. However, how environmental exposure enhances the severity of COVID-19 remains to be fully understood. In the present report, we provided evidence showing that mdig, a previously reported environmentally-induced oncogene that antagonizes repressive trimethylation of histone proteins, is an important regulator for SARS-CoV-2 receptors neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and NRP2, cathepsins, glycan metabolism and inflammation, key determinants for viral infection and cytokine storm of the patients. Depletion of mdig in bronchial epithelial cells by CRISPR-Cas-9 gene editing resulted in a decreased expression of NRP1, NRP2, cathepsins, and genes involved in protein glycosylation and inflammation, largely due to a substantial enrichment of lysine 9 and/or lysine 27 trimethylation of histone H3 (H3K9me3/H3K27me3) on these genes as determined by ChIP-seq. Meanwhile, we also validated that environmental factor arsenic is able to induce mdig, NRP1 and NRP2, and genetic disruption of mdig lowered expression of NRP1 and NRP2. Furthermore, mdig may coordinate with the Neanderthal variants linked to an elevated mortality of COVID-19. These data, thus, suggest that mdig is a key mediator for the severity of COVID-19 in response to environmental exposure and targeting mdig may be the one of the effective strategies in ameliorating the symptom and reducing the mortality of COVID-19.

C-reactive Protein Levels in Plasma and Chronic Venous Ulcer Exudate of Persons Who Inject Drugs: A Pilot Study

Background. Persons who inject drugs (PWID) in the groin, legs, and/or feet are at high risk for chronic venous ulcers (CVUs). The plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level is a marker of systemic inflammation. Objective. This pilot study examined CRP levels in plasma and CVU exudate of PWID. The aims were to (1) compare levels of CRP in plasma and exudate; (2) examine if the CRP level in exudate changed over 4 weeks with wound treatment; and (3) examine the relationship of the exudate CRP level with CVU area, CVU age, number of CVUs, and number of comorbidities. Materials and Methods. Persons who inject drugs seeking wound care were enrolled in this Institutional Review Board approved prospective, longitudinal, descriptive study. A blood sample was collected on the first visit (week 1); the plasma was then separated. Wound exudate was collected on swabs during the first visit (week 1) and 4 weeks later (week 4). All samples were stored at -80° C. Samples were eluted from swabs using mass spectrometry grade water then aliquoted for CRP analysis. Results. The participants of the study included 14 PWID (mean age, 62.14 ± 4.52 years; mean number of comorbidities, 5.71 ± 1.90; and mean number of ulcers 2.07 ± 1.07 that were present for a mean of 7.96 ± 11.91 years without healing). C-reactive protein level in plasma was a mean of 6.47 ± 8.56 mg/L, with lower levels found in wound exudate but highly correlated (rho = .925). Exudate CRP levels decreased from week 1 to week 4, and the 2 were highly correlated (rho = .895). Exudate CRP level week 1 was not significantly related to wound area, wound age, number of ulcers, or number of comorbidities. Conclusions. Plasma and exudate CRP levels were highly correlated. Exudate CRP levels decreased across time. Future large-scale wound healing studies should examine CRP levels over a longer duration and as they correlate to wound healing.

Novel protein and immune response markers of human serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma of the ovary

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic diseases in the USA and Europe. High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) of the ovary, the most aggressive type of ovarian cancer, is typically diagnosed at advanced stages when the 5-year survival is dismal. Since the cure rate for stage I HGSC is high, early detection of localized initial disease may improve patient outcomes. Serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) is considered to be a precursor lesion of HGSC. Discovery of biomarkers associated with STIC could aid in the development of an HGSC screening algorithm. Using immunohistochemical staining, we have demonstrated overexpression of UCHL1, ADAMTS13, and GAPDH in patients' STIC lesions, but not in cancer-free fallopian tubes. We additionally demonstrated a marked increase of T cells in perineoplastic stroma surrounding STIC lesions (largely CD4 + cells), but not in normal fallopian tubes and HGSC. FOXP3 + T regulatory cells are absent in STIC lesions but are present in HGSC. These observations indicate the microenvironment surrounding a STIC lesion may be immune promoting in contrast to the immune suppressive microenvironment of invasive carcinoma. In summary, we have identified UCHL1, ADAMTS13, and GAPDH as novel potentially useful markers associated with early stages of HGSC tumorigenesis and possibly contribute to STIC immunogenicity. The lack of immune suppression in the STIC microenvironment indicates that the immune system can still recognize and keep STIC controlled at this stage of the tumor development.

The USP10-HDAC6 axis confers cisplatin resistance in non-small cell lung cancer lacking wild-type p53

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) stabilizes both tumor suppressors and oncogenes in a context-dependent manner. However, the nature of USP10’s role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. By analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we have shown that high levels of USP10 are associated with poor overall survival in NSCLC with mutant p53, but not with wild-type p53. Consistently, genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of USP10 dramatically reduces the growth of lung cancer xenografts lacking wild-type p53 and sensitizes them to cisplatin. Mechanistically, USP10 interacts with, deubiquitinates, and stabilizes oncogenic protein histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6). Furthermore, reintroducing either USP10 or HDAC6 into a USP10-knockdown NSCLC H1299 cell line with null-p53 renders cisplatin resistance. This result suggests the existence of a “USP10-HDAC6-cisplatin resistance” axis. Clinically, we have found a positive correlation between USP10 and HDAC6 expression in a cohort of NSCLC patient samples. Moreover, we have shown that high levels of USP10 mRNA correlate with poor overall survival in a cohort of advanced NSCLC patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy. Overall, our studies suggest that USP10 could be a potential biomarker for predicting patient response to platinum, and that targeting USP10 could sensitize lung cancer patients lacking wild-type p53 to platinum-based therapy.

New discoveries of mdig in the epigenetic regulation of cancers

Mineral dust-induced gene (mdig) encodes a member of the evolutionarily conserved JmjC family proteins that play fundamental roles in regulating chromatin-based processes as well as transcription of the genes in eukaryotic cells. This gene is also named as myc-induced nuclear antigen 53 (MINA), nucleolar protein 52 (NO52) and ribosomal oxygenase 2 (RIOX2). Increased expression of mdig had been noted in a number of human cancers, esp. lung cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that the oncogenic activity of mdig is most likely achieved through its regulation on the demethylation of histone proteins, despite it lacks the structural identities of the demethylases. Here, we discuss the latest discoveries on the characteristics of the mdig protein and its roles in a wide variety of normal and carcinogenic processes. We will also provide perspectives on how mdig is involved in the maintenance and differentiation of the embryonic stem cells, somatic stem cells and cancer stem cells.

Lead (Pb) exposure promotes diabetes in obese rodents

BACKGROUND

Pb (lead) exposure occurs at elevated frequency in urban inner city populations that also have high rates of obesity and diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if Pb can promote the development of diabetes in a setting of obesity, we examined the effect of Pb exposure on glucose metabolism in a rodent model of obesity.

METHODS

Adult female ZDF rats were exposed to Pb in drinking water for 24 weeks. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, and glucose tolerance were measured at regular intervals. Expression of hepatic gluconeogenic genes was measured in exposed and control animals and in cultured hepatoma cells treated with Pb.

RESULTS

Pb exposure induced fasting hyperglycemia after 8 weeks and glucose intolerance after 12 weeks of exposure. In addition, Pb-exposed animals showed elevated hepatic triglyceride levels and increased expression of the gluconeogenic genes PEPCK and glucose-6-phosphatase. In cultured rat hepatoma cells treatment with Pb stimulated PEPCK and glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression, suggesting a possible direct effect of Pb on hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

In the setting of obesity, Pb exposure is prodiabetic, causing fasting hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in rats. A contributing factor to the metabolic effects of Pb may be the direct stimulation of hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression.

Classification-based quantitative analysis of stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) data

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) is a practical and powerful approach for quantitative proteomic analysis. A key advantage of SILAC is the ability to simultaneously detect the isotopically labeled peptides in a single instrument run and so guarantee relative quantitation for a large number of peptides without introducing any variation caused by separate experiment. However, there are a few approaches available to assessing protein ratios and none of the existing algorithms pays considerable attention to the proteins having only one peptide hit.

METHODS

We introduce new quantitative approaches to dealing with SILAC protein-level summary using classification-based methodologies, such as Gaussian mixture models with EM algorithms and its Bayesian approach as well as K-means clustering. In addition, a new approach is developed using Gaussian mixture model and a stochastic, metaheuristic global optimization algorithm, particle swarm optimization (PSO), to avoid either a premature convergence or being stuck in a local optimum.

RESULTS

Our simulation studies show that the newly developed PSO-based method performs the best among others in terms of F1 score and the proposed methods further demonstrate the ability of detecting potential markers through real SILAC experimental data.

CONCLUSIONS

No matter how many peptide hits the protein has, the developed approach can be applicable, rescuing many proteins doomed to removal. Furthermore, no additional correction for multiple comparisons is necessary for the developed methods, enabling direct interpretation of the analysis outcomes.

Abrogating phosphorylation of eIF4B is required for EGFR and mTOR inhibitor synergy in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients suffer from a highly malignant and aggressive disease. They have a high rate of relapse and often develop resistance to standard chemotherapy. Many TNBCs have elevated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) but are resistant to EGFR inhibitors as monotherapy. In this study, we sought to find a combination therapy that could sensitize TNBC to EGFR inhibitors. Phospho-mass spectrometry was performed on the TNBC cell line, BT20, treated with 0.5 μM gefitinib. Immunoblotting measured protein levels and phosphorylation. Colony formation and growth assays analyzed the treatment on cell proliferation, while MTT assays determined the synergistic effect of inhibitor combination. A Dual-Luciferase reporter gene plasmid measured translation. All statistical analysis was done on CalucuSyn and GraphPad Prism using ANOVAs. Phospho-proteomics identified the mTOR pathway to be of interest in EGFR inhibitor resistance. In our studies, combining gefitinib and temsirolimus decreased cell growth and survival in a synergistic manner. Our data identified eIF4B, as a potentially key fragile point in EGFR and mTOR inhibitor synergy. Decreased eIF4B phosphorylation correlated with drops in growth, viability, clonogenic survival, and cap-dependent translation. Taken together, these data suggest EGFR and mTOR inhibitors abrogate growth, viability, and survival via disruption of eIF4B phosphorylation leading to decreased translation in TNBC cell lines. Further, including an mTOR inhibitor along with an EGFR inhibitor in TNBC with increased EGFR expression should be further explored. Additionally, translational regulation may play an important role in regulating EGFR and mTOR inhibitor synergy and warrant further investigation.

Identification of an intrinsic determinant critical for maspin subcellular localization and function

Maspin, a multifaceted tumor suppressor, belongs to the serine protease inhibitor superfamily, but only inhibits serine protease-like enzymes such as histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). Maspin is specifically expressed in epithelial cells and it is differentially regulated during tumor progression. A new emerging consensus suggests that a shift in maspin subcellular localization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm stratifies with poor cancer prognosis. In the current study, we employed a rational mutagenesis approach and showed that maspin reactive center loop (RCL) and its neighboring sequence are critical for maspin stability. Further, when expressed in multiple tumor cell lines, single point mutation of Aspartate(346) (D(346)) to Glutamate (E(346)), maspin(D346E), was predominantly nuclear, whereas wild type maspin (maspin(WT)) was both cytoplasmic and nuclear. Evidence from cellular fractionation followed by immunological and proteomic protein identification, combined with the evidence from fluorescent imaging of endogenous proteins, fluorescent protein fusion constructs, as well as bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) showed that the increased nuclear enrichment of maspin(D346E) was, at least in part, due to its increased affinity to HDAC1. Maspin(D346E) was also more potent than maspin(WT) as an HDAC inhibitor. Taken together, our evidence demonstrates that D(346) is a critical cis-element in maspin sequence that determines the molecular context and subcellular localization of maspin. A mechanistic model derived from our evidence suggests a new window of opportunity for the development of maspin-based biologically competent HDAC inhibitors for cancer treatment.

Abstract 1026: Combating resistance to EGFR inhibitors: eIF4B as a novel target

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients suffer from a highly malignant and aggressive cancer that currently has no efficacious therapy. These patients have a high rate of relapse and often develop resistance to chemotherapy. Many TNBCs, both in vitro and in vivo, have elevated levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) but are resistant to EGFR inhibitors as a monotherapy. The TNBC cell line, BT20, has increased levels of EGFR and is resistant to EGFR inhibitors. To identify the signaling pathways that remain phosphorylated after treatment with gefitinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), we used mass spectrometry based phospho-proteomics. Through these assays we identified many components of the mTOR pathway phosphorylated in the presence of gefitinib and further sought to explore this pathway as a mechanism of resistance to EGFR inhibitors in TNBC. mTOR inhibitors have been investigated in the clinic due to their ability to inhibit the PI3Kinase/Akt pathway thus decreasing cell survival and proliferation. Inhibiting mTOR also importantly inhibits translation. Despite activation of these pathways our TNBC cell lines, BT20, MDA-MB-123, and MDA-MB-468 are resistant to temsirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor. Our studies have found that dual treatment with an mTOR inhibitor and an EGFR TKI has a synergistic effect on decreasing TNBC cell viability, but the mechanism of this synergy is not understood. We have found that the abrogation of both EGFR and mTOR signaling does not alter the phosphorylation status of key signaling pathways including MAPK and Akt. Instead, our preliminary data have identified the translational control protein eIF4B as potentially key fragile point in EGFR and mTOR inhibitor synergy. Therefore, in this study we hypothesized that mTOR inhibition will sensitize TNBC cells to EGFR TKIs through the inhibition of eIF4B phosphorylation. Small molecules have yet to be identified to abrogate the function of eIF4B, which when phosphorylated enhances the helicase activity of eIF4A critical to translation. Therefore, we knockdown eIF4B expression and found a decrease in cell survival comparable to the decrease observed with gefitinib and temsirolimus treatment. In addition, we have identified p70S6K and p90RSK as kinases directly responsible for eIF4B phosphorylation, such that both molecules need to be inactivated in order for eIF4B phosphorylation to be inhibited. This inactivation correlates with a loss of cell growth and viability and a decrease in clonogenic cell survival. Lastly, we have shown that the downstream functions of eIF4B phosphorylation are abrogated with EGFR and mTOR inhibitors. Therefore, taken together these data suggest that in the presence of activated MAPK and AKT, EGFR and mTOR inhibitors have the ability to abrogate cell growth, viability, and survival via disruption of the translational control mechanisms through eIF4B.

Citation Format: Julie Madden, Kelly Mueller, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, Paul Stemmer, Julie Boerner. Combating resistance to EGFR inhibitors: eIF4B as a novel target. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1026. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1026

Abstract 1068: Inhibition of the phosphorylation of eIF4 molecules sensitizes EGFR expressing breast cancers to EGFR inhibitors

Triple-negative breast cancers have a poor prognosis and lack an effective targeted therapeutic. Even though ∼50% of triple-negative breast cancers express epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), they are resistant to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Although the activation of several tyrosine kinases including Met, c-Src, and IGF-IR have been found to correlate with EGFR TKI resistance, the mechanism of this de novo resistance is still being elucidated. The BT20 breast cancer cell line has amplified EGFR expression yet is resistant to EGFR TKIs. Phospho-proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry was used to identify proteins that remain phosphorylated after gefitinib treatment. These proteins included Raptor, PDK1, and GSK3, implicating the Akt and mTOR pathways in EGFR TKI resistance. Despite activation of these pathways, BT20 cells were resistance to the mTOR antagonist temsirolimus. However, temsirolimus was able to sensitize BT20 cells to gefitinib which led to a synergistic decrease in cell survival. Similar results have been observed by others using different inhibitors; however, the mechanism of this synergistic decrease in cell survival has not been identified. These data suggest that EGFR and mTOR activation regulate cell survival through parallel signaling pathways and that both pathways need to be inhibited to abrogate growth and survival. This is supported by the observation that the PI3Kinase/Akt signaling pathway was unaffected by gefitinib or temsirolimus treatment alone. In addition, the combination of EGFR and mTOR inhibitors had no effect on PI3Kinase/Akt or Ras/MAPK signaling, despite the synergistic decrease in cell survival. However, further immunoblotting showed a pronounced inhibition in activation of the eIF4 family in the mTOR translational control pathway with dual treatment of gefitinib and temsirolimus, an abrogation not significantly observed with either treatment alone. These results suggest that inhibiting mTOR signaling alone is insufficient to modulate the translational control pathway in BT20 cells and that EGFR signals independent of mTOR to activate this pathway. These data demonstrate that phosphorylation and subsequent regulation of these translational control molecules may be critical to the survival of BT20 cells. Indeed, the combination of gefitinib and temsirolimus stimulated apoptosis in BT20 cells, supporting the idea that inhibiting the mTOR pathway will sensitize breast cancers expressing EGFR to gefitinib inhibition. In summary, these data provide strong evidence for the presence of a de novo EGFR TKI resistance pathway in breast cancers that occurs through the activation of the mTOR pathway and therapy for EGFR positive breast cancers could be improved with dual treatment of EGFR TKI and an mTOR antagonist.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1068. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1068

New insights into hard phases of CoCrMo metal-on-metal hip replacements

The microstructural and mechanical properties of the hard phases in CoCrMo prosthetic alloys in both cast and wrought conditions were examined using transmission electron microscopy and nanoindentation. Besides the known carbides of M(23)C(6)-type (M=Cr, Mo, Co) and M(6)C-type which are formed by either eutectic solidification or precipitation, a new mixed-phase hard constituent has been found in the cast alloys, which is composed of ∼100 nm fine grains. The nanosized grains were identified to be mostly of M(23)C(6) type using nano-beam precession electron diffraction, and the chemical composition varied from grain to grain being either Cr- or Co-rich. In contrast, the carbides within the wrought alloy having the same M(23)C(6) structure were homogeneous, which can be attributed to the repeated heating and deformation steps. Nanoindentation measurements showed that the hardness of the hard phase mixture in the cast specimen was ∼15.7 GPa, while the M(23)C(6) carbides in the wrought alloy were twice as hard (∼30.7 GPa). The origin of the nanostructured hard phase mixture was found to be related to slow cooling during casting. Mixed hard phases were produced at a cooling rate of 0.2 °C/s, whereas single phase carbides were formed at a cooling rate of 50 °C/s. This is consistent with sluggish kinetics and rationalizes different and partly conflicting microstructural results in the literature, and could be a source of variations in the performance of prosthetic devices in-vivo.

Effects of cathepsins B and L inhibition on postischemic protein alterations in the brain

The effects of selective inhibition of cathepsins B and L on postischemic protein alterations in the brain were investigated in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Cathepsin B activity increased predominantly in the subcortical region of the ischemic hemisphere where the levels of collapsing mediator response protein 2, heat shock cognate 70 kDa protein, 60 kDa heat shock protein, protein disulfide isomerase A3 and albumin, were found to be significantly elevated. Postischemic treatment with Cbz-Phe-Ser(OBzl)-CHN(2), cysteine protease inhibitor 1 (CP-1), reduced infarct volume, neurological deficits and cathepsin B activity as well as the amount of heat shock proteins and albumin found in the brain. Our data strongly suggests that the decrease in heat shock protein levels and the significant reduction of serum albumin leakage into the brain following acute treatment with CP-1 is indicative of less secondary ischemic damage, which ultimately, is related to less cerebral tissue loss and improved neurological recovery of the animals.

Peptidolytic monoclonal antibody elicited by a neuropeptide

We report evidence that a monoclonal antibody raised by immunization with a vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-carrier protein conjugate selectively hydrolyzes VIP and a fluorescence quenched decapeptide (FQ14-22D), representing the region of VIP most susceptible to autoantibody-mediated cleavage (residues 14-22). A high affinity of the antibody for VIP and a lower affinity for FQ14-22D were revealed by kinetic studies and further substantiated by potent inhibition of FQ14-22D cleaving activity by full-length VIP. Sequencing of FQ14-22D hydrolysis products indicated selective cleavage at one peptide bond. These observations suggest that antibodies induced against naturally occurring polypeptide antigens can express peptidolytic activity targeted for specific sequences in the recognition epitope.

Serine/threonine phosphatases in the nervous system

The cloning and sequence determination of cDNAs encoding different types of serine/threonine protein phosphatases has provided a molecular basis for the protein phosphatase classification proposed by Ingebritsen and Cohen. Each of the phosphatases, phosphatase-1, -2A, -2B and -2C, exists as multiple isozymes raising the possibility that isozymes selectively expressed in different tissues may perform specific functions. The recent discovery of potent toxin inhibitors specific for protein phosphatase-1 and -2A will undoubtedly play an important role in the elucidation of the role of these enzymes in neuronal function.

Comparison of changes in transit time ultrasound, esophageal Doppler, and thermodilution cardiac output after changes in preload, afterload, and contractility in pigs

The purpose of this study was to compare how well changes in cardiac output (CO) measured by esophageal Doppler (Doppler) and thermodilution (TD) followed changes in CO measured by transit time ultrasound (TTU). Simultaneous Doppler, TD, and TTU measurements of CO were made before and after changes in preload, afterload, or contractility in seven piglets. Mean changes in each CO method for each type of change in CO were compared by analysis of variance. Changes in TTU CO, TD CO, and Doppler CO were compared by correlation, linear regression, and bias and precision statistics. Of 86 TTU changes in CO greater than 10%, Doppler changed the same direction as TTU 59 times, changed in an opposite direction 6 times, and changes less than 10% 21 times. Thermodilution changed in the same direction as TTU 72 times, in the opposite direction 4 times, and changed less than 10% 10 times. Changes (% delta) in TTU and TD measurements of CO were not significantly different in any group. Changes in Doppler CO and TTU CO were different for two afterload and contractility groups. Percent changes in Doppler CO had a correlation coefficient (r) = 0.74, m = 0.72, and bias (mean % delta Doppler CO - mean % delta TTU CO) = 6.3 +/- 29.7 with % delta TTU CO. Percent changes in TD CO had an r = 0.90, m = 0.92, and bias = 5.7 +/- 19.1 with % delta TTU CO. Cardiac output measured by Doppler underestimated changes in CO due to changes in preload and contractility and exaggerated changes in CO due to changes in afterload.

Electrostatic repulsion between molecules of like charge can be misinterpreted as binding

Spectroscopic methods have shown that Ca2+ chelators interact with Ca2(+)-binding proteins. These spectral alterations have been interpreted as evidence for the binding of chelator by the proteins. We show by direct examination of EDTA interaction with calmodulin and alpha-lactalbumin that these proteins repel EDTA rather than bind it. The repulsion is reduced by increased salt concentration but is unaffected by Ca2+ binding to the proteins. The acidic protein, alpha-lactalbumin, repells the negatively charged EDTA and inorganic phosphate whereas the basic protein, lysozyme, repells the positively charged spermine. Thus, spectroscopic changes induced by negatively charged Ca2+ chelators on negatively charged Ca2(+)-binding proteins are due to electrostatic repulsion, and not to binding. These observations underscore the possible pitfalls of using spectroscopic methods alone to analyze protein-ligand interactions.

Effects of Ca2+ on the sodium pump observed in cardiac myocytes isolated from guinea pigs

It is presently unknown whether Ca2+ plays a role in the physiological control of Na+/K+-ATPase or sodium pump activity. Because the enzyme is exposed to markedly different intra- and extracellular Ca2+ concentrations, tissue homogenates or purified enzyme preparations may not provide pertinent information regarding this question. Therefore, the effects of Ca2+ on the sodium pump were examined with studies of [3H]ouabain binding and 86Rb+ uptake using viable myocytes isolated from guinea-pig heart and apparently maintaining ion gradients. In the presence of K+, a reduction of the extracellular Ca2+ increased specific [3H]ouabain binding observed at apparent binding equilibria: a half-maximal stimulation was observed when extracellular Ca2+ was lowered to about 50 microM. The change in [3H]ouabain binding was caused by a change in the number of binding sites accessible by ouabain instead of a change in their affinity for the glycoside. Ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake was increased by a reduction of extracellular Ca2+ concentration. Benzocaine in concentrations reported to reduce the rate of Na+ influx failed to influence the inhibitory effect of Ca2+ on glycoside binding. When [3H]ouabain binding was at equilibrium, the addition of Ca2+ decreased and that of EGTA increased the glycoside binding. Mn2+, which does not penetrate the cell membrane, had effects similar to Ca2+. In the absence of K+, cells lose their tolerance to Ca2+. Reducing Ca2+ concentration prevented the loss of rod-shaped cells but failed to affect specific [3H]ouabain binding observed in the absence of K+. These results indicate that a large change in extracellular Ca2+ directly affects the sodium pump in cardiac myocytes isolated from guinea pigs.

Isolation and enrichment of Ca2+-tolerant myocytes for biochemical experiments from guinea-pig heart

Isolated myocytes for biochemical experiments must be homogeneous and highly enriched in viable cells. For cardiac myocytes, isolation of Ca2+-tolerant cells in high yield and with good viability has been possible from rat. This paper describes myocyte isolation and enrichment procedures which are effective for several species including guinea-pig and rat. New methods for selection of collagenase and viable cells are presented. Using Ca2+-tolerant myocytes obtained from guinea-pig heart and enriched in viable cells, dihydropyridine binding sites are shown to be accessible only in depolarized cells.

Sodium-pump activity and its inhibition by extracellular calcium in cardiac myocytes of guinea pigs

Myocardial sodium-pump activity was examined from ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake using myocytes isolated from guinea-pig heart. Either sodium loading or the sodium ionophore, monensin, increased 86Rb+ uptake by over 400%, indicating that the amount of Na+ available to the pump is the primary determinant of its activity, and that the sodium pump has a substantial reserve capacity in quiescent myocytes. Moreover, the degree of the above stimulation is markedly higher than corresponding values reported with multicellular preparations, suggesting that diffusion barriers make it impossible to observe the capacity of the sodium pump in the latter preparations. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ increased ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake, probably by enhancing turnover of the sodium pump rather than increasing availability of Na+ to the pump.

Comparison of [3H]ouabain binding sites in intact cells and cell homogenates: apparent lack of glycoside receptors unrelated to sarcolemmal Na+, K+-ATPase in guinea-pig heart

In intact heart muscle cells incubated in a physiological solution, i.e. under the condition in which the cardiac glycosides produce pharmacological and toxicological effects, receptors for these actions of the glycosides should be available to ouabain. In cell homogenates, [3H]ouabain binding observed in the presence of Mg2+ and inorganic phosphate represents binding of the glycoside to Na+, K+-ATPase. Therefore, numbers of these two types of [3H]ouabain binding sites were compared using viable myocyte preparations obtained from ventricular muscle of guinea-pig heart. The number of ouabain binding sites observed in viable myocytes in the absence of Ca2+ and K+ was not different from the number of ouabain binding sites on Na+, K+-ATPase observed with sodium dodecylsulfate-treated homogenates prepared from isolated myocytes. These results do not support the hypothesis that there are receptors for the pharmacological or toxic actions of ouabain other than those that are associated with sarcolemmal Na+, K+-ATPase.

Apparent cooperativity of [3H]ouabain binding to myocytes obtained from guinea-pig heart

Kinetics of [3H]ouabain binding to intact cardiac cells were examined using myocytes obtained from guinea-pig heart. In intact cells, the use of excess unlabeled ouabain results in an under-estimation of nonspecific binding, presumably due to cytotoxic effects of the unlabeled glycoside; estimation of the specific binding, as that to rapidly releasing sites yields more accurate results. Specific [3H]ouabain binding to myocytes is promoted by an increase in Na+ influx, indicating that normal intracellular Na+ concentration is insufficient to fully stimulate glycoside binding. High concentrations of [3H]ouabain seem to increase the apparent affinity of binding sites for the glycoside via increases in intracellular Na+ concentration resulting from sodium-pump inhibition; hence the binding reaction may be regarded as having a novel type of cooperativity. This cooperativity has kinetics different from those of classical positive cooperativity based on binding-site interactions, and is apparent with toxic concentrations of the glycoside that cause marked increases in intracellular Na+ concentrations.

Concealed positive force-frequency relationships in rat and mouse cardiac muscle revealed by ryanodine

Increases in stimulation frequency between 0.3 and 2 Hz decrease developed tension in rat, seemingly inconsistent with the explanation that an elevation of intracellular Na+-ion concentration is responsible for the positive force-frequency relationships observed in most species. Thus the force-frequency relationships were reevaluated in isolated atrial muscle of rat and mouse heart that show negative relationships, comparing them with ferret and guinea pig that show positive relationships. Ryanodine (2 nM, 45-min exposure) markedly reduced potentiated postrest contractions in all four species and caused a marked negative inotropic effect especially at low stimulation frequencies in rat and mouse, a moderate effect in ferret, but only a modest effect in guinea pig. In the presence of ryanodine, all four species showed positive force-frequency relationships. These results indicate that activator calcium in rat, mouse, and ferret cardiac muscle has a large ryanodine-sensitive component that shows a negative force-frequency relationship, masking a component for positive force-frequency relationships that exists in all species.

13-Propylberberine reduces response of guinea-pig myocardium to inotropic interventions including changes in extracellular Ca2+

Berberine has been shown to increase developed tension in cardiac muscle but its derivatives have been reported to inhibit the catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase. In the present study, the cardiac actions of the most potent derivative, 13-propylberberine, were examined. It produced a transient increase followed by a sustained decrease in developed tension in paced left atrial muscle preparations isolated from guinea-pig heart. In the presence of 13-propylberberine, isoproterenol caused only a transient increase in developed tension; marked desensitization to the positive inotropic effect of isoproterenol occurred within 20 min. After washout of isoproterenol and an additional 15-min incubation in the presence of 13-propylberberine, the muscle lost its sensitivity to isoproterenol. Moreover, the positive inotropic effect of ouabain or effects of decrease or increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentration on the force of muscle contraction were markedly attenuated. Isoproterenol-induced elevation of tissue cyclic AMP concentration was inhibited by 13-propylberberine; however, 13-propylberberine did not alter the basal cyclic AMP concentration and its effects on inotropic actions of ouabain or extracellular Ca2+ appear unrelated to tissue cyclic AMP concentration.