Immunopharmacologic activity of 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid

Zusammenfassung Es wird gefunden, dass 1-Aminocyclopentan-1-Carboxylsäure (ACPC) die Bildung humoraler und zellgebundener Antikörper in verschiedenen Tierarten hemmt. ACPC ist überdies fähig, die chronische zelluläre Phase des Entzündungsprozesses zu unterdrükken. ACPC hat keine peripher pharmakologischen Angriffspunkte und wirkt offenbar nur auf zelluläre, lymphoide Elemente, welche für Entzündung und Allergie verantwortlich sind. Aufgrund dieser Eigenschaften dürfte ACPC bei Homotransplantationen und immunologischen Krankheiten Verwendung finden.     

Metabolism of aflatoxins B1 and G1 byAspergillus parasiticus

Résumé Un examen préliminaire fait avec une préparation d'Aspergillus parasiticus est rendu évidente la conversion de l'aflatoxine B en G. Il est probable que l'aflatoxines B₁ est le précurseur biogénétique d'autres aflatoxines produite par le champignon.

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K. K. M. is grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India, for the award of a Senior Research Fellowship.     

Binding of aflatoxins B1 and G1 to human serum proteins

Zusammenfassung In vitro Experimente mit¹⁴C-markiertem, gereinigtem Aflatoxin zur Untersuchung der Bindung von Aflatoxin B₁ und G₁ an verschiedene Serumproteine ergaben, dass Aflatoxin B₁ hauptsächlich mit-Globulin, G₁ dagegen vorwiegend mit Albumin bindet.

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This work was supported by part by a grant from the China Medical Board of New York, Inc., and was performed during one of us (S.S.L.) received a class C. research award from the National Science Council, Republic of China.     

Fank1 interacts with Jab1 and regulates cell apoptosis via the AP-1 pathway

Regulation of apoptosis at various stages of differentiation plays an important role in spermatogenesis. Therefore, the identification and characterisation of highly expressed genes in the testis that are involved in apoptosis is of great value to delineate the mechanism of spermatogenesis. Here, we reported that Fank1, a novel gene highly expressed in testis, functioned as an anti-apoptotic protein that activated the activator protein 1 (AP-1) pathway. We found that Jab1 (Jun activation domain-binding protein 1), a co-activator of AP-1, specifically interacted with Fank1. Reporter analyses showed that Fank1 activated AP-1 pathway in a Jab1-dependent manner. Fank1 overexpression also increased the expression and activation of endogenous c-Jun. Further study showed that Fank1 inhibited cell apoptosis by upregulating and activating endogenous c-Jun and its downstream target, Bcl-3. This process was shown to be Jab1 dependent. Taken together, our results indicated that by interacting with Jab1, Fank1 could suppress cell apoptosis by activating the AP-1-induced anti-apoptotic pathway.     

Multiple roles of the DSCR1 (Adapt78 or RCAN1) gene and its protein product Calcipressin 1 (or RCAN1) in disease

The DSCR1 (Adapt78) gene¹ is transiently induced by stresses to temporarily protect cells against further potentially lethal challenges. However, chronic expression of the DSCR1 (Adapt78) gene has now been implicated in several pathological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome and cardiac hypertrophy. Calcipressin 1 has been shown to function through direct binding and inhibition of the serine threonine protein phosphatase Calcineurin. Pharmacological inhibition of calcineurin, by the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK506, affects a wide variety of diseases. It is, therefore, likely that this endogenous calcineurin inhibitor, calcipressin 1, may also play a role in a variety of human diseases. ¹Please note that the mammalian DSCR1 gene is also called Adapt78 or RCAN1, and its protein products have been named Calcipressin1, MCIP1 and RCAN1. A proposal to adopt a single gene name of RCAN1 and a protein name RCAN1 (for Regulator of Calcineurin) has been endorsed by the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee, but final approval must await agreement from a majority of researchers in the field. Received 2 March 2005; received after revision 27 May 2005; accepted 19 July 2005     

Synthetic peptides related to caerulein1. Note 1

Riassunto Vengono descritte le proprietà di una serie di peptidi sintetici affini alla ceruleina e si discutono brevemente i rapporti fra attività e struttura.

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A. Anastasi, V. Erspamer andR. Endean, Experientia23, 699 (1967).

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This work was in part supported by grants from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma.     

Synthesis and properties of 1-deamino-, 9-decarboxy- and 1-deamino-9-decarboxy-bradykinin

Zusammenfassung Es wird über die Synthese von 1-Deamino-bradykinin, 9-Decarboxy-bradykinin und 1-Deamino-9-decarboxy-bradykinin und über deren biologische Aktivität berichtet. Nach dem verwendeten Testsystem scheint die endständige Carboxylgruppe für die Aktivität bedeutsamer zu sein als die endständige Aminogruppe.

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See H.Schröder and K.Lübke,The Peptides (Academic Press, New York 1966), vol. 2, p. 65.

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Part of the PhD Thesis of W. D.Johnson.     

In vitro translation of human placental pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1)

Synthesis of SP1-glycoprotein by the human placenta was directly demonstrated, by in vitro translation of RNA extracted from full term and from early placentas in a cell-free wheat germ system followed by specific immunoprecipitation of the radioactively labeled nascent peptides. De novo synthesized SP1-glycoprotein in both RNA preparations accounted for 1-1.3% of total protein synthesis.     

In vitro translation of human placental pregnancy-specific beta1-glycoprotein (SP1)

Summary Synthesis of SP₁-glycoprotein by the human placenta was directly demonstrated, by in vitro translation of RNA extracted from full term and from early placentas in a cell-free wheat germ system followed by specific immunoprecipitation of the radioactively labeled nascent peptides. De novo synthesized SP₁-glycoprotein in both RNA preparations accounted for 1–1.3% of total protein synthesis.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Drs A. Nirapatpongporn, V. Sirivasin and Professor H.F. Lodish for kindly providing placental tissues and wheat germ respectively. This work was supported by The Rockefeller Foundation (RF-8031).W.H. was supported by a Graduate Studies Fellowship, Mahidol University.     

DNG1, a Dictyostelium homologue of tumor suppressor ING1 regulates differentiation of Dictyostelium cells

dng1 is a Dictyostelium homologue of the mammalian tumor suppressor ING gene. DNG1 protein localizes in the nucleus, and has a highly conserved PHD finger domain found in chromatin-remodeling proteins. Both dng1 disruption and overexpression impaired cell proliferation. In dng1-null cells, the progression of differentiation was delayed in a cell-density-dependent manner, and many tiny aggregates were formed. Exogenously applied cAMP pulses reversed the inhibitory effect caused by dng1 disruption on the aggregation during early development, but formation of tiny aggregates was not restored. dng1-overexpressing cells acquired the ability to undergo chemotaxis to cAMP earlier and exhibited enhanced differentiation. These phenotypes were found to be coupled with altered expressions of early genes such as cAMP receptor 1 (car1) and contact site A (csA). Furthermore, disordered histone modifications were demonstrated in dng1-null cells. These results suggest a regulatory role of dng1 in the transition of cells from growth to differentiation.Received 29 December 2004; received after revision 24 May 2005; accepted 26 May 2005