Reduced NFAT1 protein expression in human umbilical cord blood T lymphocytes

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells from related and unrelated allogeneic donors have emerged as novel treatment for patients with hematologic malignancies. The incidence and severity of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after UCB transplantation compares favorably with that observed in recipients of matched unrelated donor allogeneic grafts, but remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It has been shown that stimulated lymphocytes from UCB have reduced production of cytokines including interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which play a role in GVHD pathophysiology. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying this reduced cytokine production by analyzing expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells-1 (NFAT1) in UCB T cells. We detected no constitutive expression of NFAT1 protein in unstimulated UCB T cells compared with adult T cells. Moreover, although NFAT1 expression in UCB T cells was upregulated after prolonged (40 hours) T-cell stimulation, it was only partially upregulated when compared with adult controls. Our observation of minimal NFAT1 expression after stimulation correlated with reduced cytoplasmic IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production in UCB T cells studied simultaneously. Reduced NFAT1 expression may blunt amplification of donor UCB T-cell alloresponsiveness against recipient antigens, thereby potentially limiting GVHD incidence and severity after allogeneic UCB transplantation.

Expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant human glutamine synthetase

A bacterial expression system has been engineered for human glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) that produces approximately 60 mg of enzyme (20% of the bacterial soluble protein) and yields approx. 8 mg of purified enzyme per litre of culture. The recombinant enzyme was purified 5-fold to apparent homogeneity and characterized. It has a subunit molecular mass of approx. 45000 Da. The Vmax value obtained using a radioactive assay with ammonia and l-[G-3H]glutamic acid as substrates was 15.9 micromol/min per mg, 40% higher than that obtained in the colorimetric assay (9.9 micromol/min per mg) with hydroxylamine replacing ammonia as a substrate. Km values for glutamate were 3.0 mM and 3.5 mM, and for ATP they were 2.0 mM and 2. 9 mM for the radioactive and spectrophotometric assays respectively. The Km for ammonia in the radioactive assay was 0.15 mM. The midpoint of thermal inactivation was 49.7 degrees C. Hydroxylamine, Mg(II) and Mg(II)-ATP stabilized the enzyme against thermal inactivation, whereas ATP promoted inactivation. The pure enzyme is stable for several months in storage and provides a source for additional studies, including X-ray crystallography.

'Late onset' ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency: function of three purified recombinant mutant enzymes

Although many mutations in the ornithine transcarbamylase gene have been correlated with 'late onset' of hyperammonemia in patients, the effects of these mutations on enzyme function are largely unknown. Three recurrent mutations (R40H, R277W and R277Q) found in patients with 'late onset' disease were incorporated into 'mature' human ornithine transcarbamylase cDNA and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The three recombinant mutant enzymes were purified to homogeneity on an affinity column and their biochemical characteristics were compared to the wild type enzyme. The R277W and R277Q mutants display markedly reduced affinity for L-ornithine, loss of substrate inhibition, alkaline shift of pH optimum, and reduced thermal stability compared to the wild type enzyme. These differences, particularly the reduced affinity for L-ornithine, are sufficient to account for their biochemical effects. In contrast, the 'mature' R40H mutant was biochemically indistinguishable from the wild type enzyme in vitro.

Expression, purification and kinetic characterization of wild-type human ornithine transcarbamylase and a recurrent mutant that produces 'late onset' hyperammonaemia

Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency, an X-linked disorder, is the most common cause of inherited urea cycle disorders. Approx. 90 mutations that produce reduced levels of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTCase) activity have been identified in patients [Tuchman (1993) Hum. Mutat. 2, 174-178; Tuchman and Plante (1995) Hum. Mutat. 5, 293-295]. A model of the three-dimensional structure of OTCase, developed on the basis of its homology to the catalytic subunit of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase) [Tuchman, Morizono, Reish, Yuan and Allewell (1995) J. Med. Genet. 32, 680-688], and in good agreement with the crystal structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa OTCase [Villeret, Tricot, Stalon and Dideberg (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92, 10762-10766], indicates that many mutations that produce severe clinical symptoms are at the active site or buried in the interior of the protein. However, one of the few recurrent mutations, R277W, an alteration that produces a milder phenotype of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, is located in the model in a loop remote from the active site that is analogous to a similar loop (the 240's loop, a flexible loop of the catalytic chain of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase, comprised of residues 230-250) of ATCase. Human wild-type OTCase and the R277W mutant have been cloned and overexpressed in E. coli and a rapid and efficient purification method utilizing the bisubstrate analogue, Ndelta-(phosphonacetyl)-L-ornithine, has been developed and used to purify both proteins. Gel chromatography indicates both are trimeric. The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters of the wild-type enzyme is similar to that of E. coli OTCase [Kuo, Herzberg and Lipscomb (1985) Biochemistry 24, 4754-4761], suggesting that its catalytic mechanism is similar, although its maximal activity is approx. 10-fold less. Compared with the wild-type, the R277W mutant has nearly 70-fold lower affinity for L-ornithine, shows no substrate inhibition, and its thermal stability is reduced by 5 degrees C. Its reduced affinity for L-ornithine, which in turn results in lower activity at physiological concentrations of ornithine, as well as its reduced stability, may contribute to the clinical effects that it produces.