Glucose does not influence the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding to carrier proteins (IGFBPs): Analysis of rat and human serum by western ligand blotting

The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) circulate bound to specific proteins (termed IGFBP-1 through IGFBP-6) that modulate IGF bioactivity in tissues. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of glucose on IGF binding to IGFBPs in rat and human serum by means of western ligand blotting. Serum samples were incubated with increasing concentrations of glucose (0 to 50 mmol/l), and EDTA (25 mmol/l) was added to inhibit protease activity. To analyse the effect of glucose on protection of IGFBPs from protease activity, serum from pregnant women (reported to be very rich in proteolytic activity against IGFBPs) was added to rat serum previously incubated with glucose. Glucose did not affect the¹²⁵I-IGF binding to rat and human serum IGFBPs. The intensity of IGFBP-3 bands decreased considerably during the incubation. This appeared to be due to endogenous protease activity, since the decrease was blocked by addition of EDTA. The incubationi of rat serum with pregnant human serum produced a marked attenuation of IGFBP-3 and disappearance of IGFBP-4 bands. In conclusion, our study shows that glucose does not influence the IGF binding to IGFBP-3 either in rat or in human serum, confirms the presence of endogenous proteolytic activity in normal non-pregnant serum, and demonstrates that glucose has no protective action against protease activity.     

Failure of calcium to stimulate Na,K-ATPase in the presence of EDTA

The effect of calcium on Na,K-ATPase activity of rat brain homogenates and its modification by the chelating agent EDTA has been investigated. In the absence of EDTA, free calcium (approximately 10(-6) mol/l) stimulates Na,K-ATPase activity; in the presence of EDTA the same concentration of free calcium is without effect on the enzyme. In the absence of EDTA the stimulation by calcium of Na,K-ATPase activity is enhanced by the additional presence of calmodulin but in the presence of EDTA, even when calmodulin is added to excess, calcium still fails to stimulate the enzyme. The possibility that EDTA interferes with an interaction between a calcium-calmodulin complex and Na,K-ATPase is discussed.     

The role of distinct membrane components of the enzyme in the ouabain sensitivity of Na+/K+ ATPase]

Purified plasma membranes from a cell line derived from the murine plasmocytoma MOPC 173 exhibited a 50% inhibition of the Na+K+ ATPase by 120 muM ouabain. EDTA treatment of such membranes induced a drop in the ouabain concentration needed for 50% inhibition to 0.4 muM. Supernatants obtained after EDTA treatment were able to complement with Ca(++) + Mg++ the washed EDTA treated membranes which recover their original resistance.     

Failure of calcium to stimulate Na,K-ATPase in the presence of EDTA

Summary The effect of calcium on Na, K-ATPase activity of rat brain homogenates and its modification by the chelating agent EDTA has been investigated. In the absence of EDTA, free calcium (approximately 10^–6mol/l) stimulates Na,K-ATPase activity; in the presence of EDTA the same concentration of free calcium is without effect on the enzyme. In the absence of EDTA the stimulation by calcium of Na,-K-ATPase activity is enhanced by the additional presence of calmodulin but in the presence of EDTA, even when calmodulin is added to excess, calcium still fails to stimulate the enzyme. The possibility that EDTA interferes with an interaction between a calcium-calmodulin complex and Na,K-ATPase is discussed.The expert technical assistance of Mrs Paula Jarvie is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are due also to Professor Philip Kuchel for assistance with the calculations to determine the concentrations of metal-ligand complexes in the experimental media.     

Small,novel proteins from the mistletoe <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phoradendron tomentosum</Emphasis> exhibit highly selective cytotoxicity to human breast cancer cells

Four novel proteins (phoratoxins C–F) have been isolated from the North American mistletoe Phoradendron tomentosum. The amino acid sequences of these phoratoxins were determined unambiguously using a combination of Edman degradation and trypsin enzymatic digestion, and by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry sequencing. Phoratoxins C, E and F consist of 46 amino acid residues; and phoratoxin D of 41. All proteins had six cysteines, similar to the earlier described phoratoxins A and B, which are thionins. The cytotoxicity of each protein was evaluated in a human cell line panel that represented several cytotoxic drug-resistance mechanisms. For the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀ values) of the different cell lines in the panel, correlation with those of standard drugs was low. The most potent cytotoxic phoratoxin C was further tested on primary cultures of human tumor cells from patients. The solid tumor samples from breast cancer cells were 18 times more sensitive to phoratoxin C than the tested hematological tumor samples. Received 30 September 2002; received after revision 28 October 2002; accepted 7 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

Membrane-traversing mechanism of thyroid hormone transport by monocarboxylate transporter 8

Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) mediates thyroid hormone (TH) transport across the plasma membrane in many cell types. In order to better understand its mechanism, we have generated three new MCT8 homology models based on sugar transporters XylE in the intracellular opened (PDB ID: 4aj4) and the extracellular partly occluded (PDB ID: 4gby) conformations as well as FucP (PDB ID: 3o7q) and GLUT3 (PDB ID: 4zwc) in the fully extracellular opened conformation. T₃-docking studies from both sides revealed interactions with His192, His415, Arg445 and Asp498 as previously identified. Selected mutations revealed further transport-sensitive positions mainly at the discontinuous transmembrane helices TMH7 and 10. Lys418 is potentially involved in neutralising the charge of the TH substrate because it can be replaced by charged, but not by uncharged, amino acids. The side chain of Thr503 was hypothesised to stabilise a helix break at TMH10 that undergoes a prominent local shift during the transport cycle. A T503V mutation accordingly affected transport. The aromatic Tyr419, the polar Ser313 and Ser314 as well as the charged Glu422 and Glu423 lining the transport channel have been studied. Based on related sugar transporters, we suggest an alternating access mechanism for MCT8 involving a series of amino acid positions previously and newly identified as critical for transport.     

Induction of cell contact sites by Ca2+-EDTA pulses inDictyostelium discoideum

Summary The effect of extracellular Ca²⁺ on the differentiation of the cellular slime moldD. discoideum was examined. In the case of sustained application of calcium, cells required at least 60 min for the presence of calcium to show the induction of EDTA resistant cell contact sites (csA). However, the application of 12 pulses of calcium, followed after 30 sec by EDTA, giving a total time of Ca²⁺-exposure of 6 min, could induce csA on the cell surface.     

Effect of high doses of somatostatin on adenylate cyclase activity in peripheral mononuclear leukocytes from normal subjects and from acute leukemia patients

In normal lymphocytes somatostatin non-competitively inhibited basal (ID50 5 x 10(-4) M) and isoproterenol- and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity (Ac). In acute leukemia blasts, non-responsive to isoproterenol, forskolin, which activates the catalytic subunit, stimulated and somatostatin inhibited Ac, thus indicating the leukemic enzyme, though defective, retains the inhibitory pathway and catalyst function.     

Host defense against infections and inflammations: role of the multifunctional IL-6/IFN-beta 2 cytokine

IL-6/IFN-beta 2 appears to be one of the important mediators of the response to viral and bacterial infections and to shock. The biological effects now associated with IL-6/IFN-beta 2 include: stimulation of immunoglobulin secretion by mature B lymphocytes (BSF-2 activity), growth stimulation of plasmacytomas and hybridomas (HGF activity), activation of T cells, stimulation of hepatic acute phase protein synthesis (HSF activity), stimulation of hematopoiesis, cell differentiation (DIF activity), inhibition of tumor cell growth (AP activity) and other IFN-like effects. As a typical cytokine, IL-6/IFN-beta 2 is secreted by many cell types and acts in various combinations with other interleukins and interferons.     

Retinoic acid modulates gap junctional intercellular communication in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells

Gap junctional communication permits the direct exchange of small molecules and ions and has been implicated in tissue homeostasis/metabolite exchange. The lack of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) plays important roles in the promotion and progression of carcinogenesis. In the present study, we demonstrate that treatment of human hepatoma Hep G2 cells with retinoic acid (RA) results in increased amounts and phosphorylation of connexins, their stabilisation in plasma membrane plaques and enhanced GJIC. In cultured fetal hepatocytes, which represent a non-transformed, proliferating and incompletely differentiated liver system, the effects of RA are limited to the establishment of connexin in areas of cell-cell contact and the improvement of GJIC. This suggests that modulation of cell-cell channel communication by RA occurs differently in these two experimental models: while RA is able to revert cell transformation in Hep G2 cells, in fetal hepatocytes it may induce the expression of a more differentiated phenotype. Received 19 June 2002; received after revision 29 July 2002; accepted 8 August 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

The functions of mucosal T cells in containing the indigenous commensal flora of the intestine

There is an immense load of non-pathogenic commensal bacteria in the distal small intestine and the colon of mammals. The physical barrier that prevents penetration (translocation) of these organisms into the body is a simple epithelium comprised of the single enterocyte/colonocyte cell layer with its overlying mucus. In this review, we discuss the roles of intestinal T cells in initiating and regulating innate and adaptive mucosal immune responses of the mucosal immune system that avoid or limit penetration of the commensal intestinal bacteria. Received 9 August 2002; accepted 9 September 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

Epithelial supporting cells can differentiate into outer hair cells and Deiters' cells in the cultured organ of Corti

The organ of Corti is a complex structure containing a single row of inner hair cells (IHCs) and three rows of outer hair cells (OHCs), supported respectively by one row of inner phalangeal cells and three rows of Deiters' cells. When fetal rat organ of Corti explants are cultured, supernumerary OHCs and supernumerary Deiters' cells are produced, without any additional cell proliferation. Analysis of semi- and ultrathin sections revealed that supernumerary OHCs are produced at the distal edge of the organ of Corti. Quantitative analysis of cell types present in the organ of Corti demonstrates that when the number of OHCs increases: (i) the total number of cells remains constant; (ii) the number of Deiters' cells increases; (iii) the number of tectal cells decreases and of Hensen's cells decreases. Using specific HC markers, i.e. jagged2 (Jag2) and Math1, we showed that in addition to existing OHCs, supernumerary OHCs, tectal cells and Hensen's cells expressed these markers in embryonic day 19 organ of Corti explants after 5 days in vitro. The results of this study suggest that Hensen's cells retain the capacity to differentiate into either tectal cells, which differentiate into OHCs, or into undertectal cells which differentiate into Deiters' cells. Received 15 May 2002; received after revision 18 July 2002; accepted 7 August 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

The CD40/CD154 receptor/ligand dyadRID="†"ID="†" Review

Until recently, the expression and primary function of the cell surface receptor CD40 and its ligand CD154 were considered restricted to B and T lymphocytes, and their interactions required for the thymus-dependent humoral response. However, current work from several groups challenges this view of the CD40/CD154 dyad as a mere mediator of lymphocyte communication. A variety of non-lymphocytic cell types express both receptor and ligand, including hematopoetic and non-hematopoetic cells, such as monocytes, basophils, eosinophils, dendritic cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle, and endothelial cells. Accordingly, ligation of CD40 mediates a broad variety of immune and inflammatory responses, such as the expression of adhesion molecules, cytokines, matrix-degrading enzymes, prothrombotic activities, and apoptotic mediators. Consequently, CD40 signaling has been associated with pathogenic processes of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, graft-versus-host disease, cancer, and atherosclerosis. This review focuses on the synthesis and structure of CD40 and outlines CD154/CD40 signaling pathways, and emphasizes the previously unexpected importance of the CD40/CD154 receptor/ligand dyad in a spectrum of immunoregulatory processes and prevalent human diseases. Received 10 January 2000; revised 16 June 2000; accepted 5 July 2000 RID="&dagger;" ID="&dagger;" Review RID="*" ID="*" Corresponding author.     

香烟烟雾提取物对人内皮细胞细胞色素C氧化酶活性及细胞凋亡的影响

目的探讨香烟烟雾提取物（cigarette smoking extract,CSE）对内皮细胞细胞色素C氧化酶（cytochmme Coxidase,COX）活性及凋亡的影响。方法体外培养ECV304,分别给予0％、0．5％、1％、5％CSE刺激12h,及5％CSE刺激0h、6h、12h、24h后,生化法检测COX活性;投射电镜和流式细胞仪观察细胞凋亡情况。结果CSE引起COX活性下降,且随着刺激浓度和时间的增加而下降（P〈0．05）;电镜示CSE干预组细胞出现明显的凋亡形态学改变;流式细胞仪结果示不同浓度CSE分别作用12h后凋亡率依次增高,除O％CSE组和0．5％CSE组间比较无统计学意义（P〉0．05）,余各组间比较均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;5％CSE作用不同时间后,随着干预时间的延长细胞凋亡率逐渐升高（P〈0．05）。结论CSE抑制内皮细胞COX活性,呈浓度和时间依赖性;CSE诱导内皮细胞凋亡,呈浓度和时间依赖性;COX活性的下降可能在CSE所致的内皮细胞凋亡中具有重要作用。     

ERKs are the point of divergence of PKA and PKC activation by PTHrP in human skin fibroblasts

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) receptors, coupled to trimeric G proteins, operate in most target cells through at least three different transduction routes: Gαs-mediated stimulation of adenylylcyclase (AC), Gαq-mediated activation of phospholipase Cβ (PLC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. In this study we investigated the relative role of different pathways in human skin fibroblast prolifera-tion. Using chemical inhibitors and activators of signal transduction, we demonstrated that: (i) AC/cAMP and PLC/1,4,5 inositol triphosphate/diacylglycerol second-messenger systems are simultaneously activated following PTHrP binding to its receptors; (ii) the mitogenic response to PTHrP derives from a balance between two counteracting pathways – an activating route mediated by protein kinase C (PKC) and an inhibitory route mediated by protein kinase A (PKA); (iii) PTHrP mitogenic effects are largely dependent on MAPKs, whose activity can be modulate d by both PKA and PKC. Our results indicate that MAPKs are common targets of both transduction routes and, at the same time, their point of divergence in mediating PTHrP dual and opposite mitogenic effects. Received 2 August 2002; received after revision 10 September 2002; accepted 18 October 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

Impaired apoptosis in lymphoblasts from Alzheimer’s disease patients: Cross-talk of Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>/calmodulin and ERK1/2 signaling pathways

We have analyzed the intracellular signals that allow lymphoblasts from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients to escape from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. The following observations suggested that modulation of ERK1/2 activity by Ca²⁺/calmodulin (CaM) is involved in preventing apoptosis: (i) ERK1/2 activity seems to support lethality in control cells, as PD98059, the inhibitor of the activating MEK prevented cell death; (ii) control cells show a persistent and higher stimulation of ERK1/2 than that of AD cells in the absence of serum; (iii) CaM antagonists have no effects on control cells, but sensitize AD cells to death induced by serum withdrawal and increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and (iv) no apoptotic effects of CaM antagonists were observed in AD cells treated with PD98059. These results suggest the existence of an activation threshold of the ERK1/2 pathway setting by Ca²⁺/CaM-dependent mechanisms, which appears to be the critical factor controlling cell survival or death decision under trophic factor withdrawal. F. Bartolomé, N. de las Cuevas: These authors contributed equally to this work. Received 14 February 2007; received after revision 16 April 2007; accepted 23 April 2007     

Characterization and relative abundance of maxi-chloride channels in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) producer: B95-8 cells

Several Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed cell lines were used to investigate the pathogenesis of lymphoproliferative diseases and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The studies focus on the events occurring inside the membrane. On only one occasion, the cell membrane of EBV-transformed B lymphocytes from a cystic fibrosis patient was found to express defective Cl channels (CFTR; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator), as in the airway epithelial cell. No other type of channel in EBV-transformed cells has so far been investigated. In this study, the cell membrane of the B95-8 cell was examined by the patch-clamp technique and compared to the non-EBV-infected BJAB cell. The high conductance (300 pS) maxi-chloride (Cl) channel activity was the most frequently observed event in inside-out configurations. Under similar experimental conditions, we have found a significantly higher probability of detecting maxi-Cl channel activity on the cell membrane of B95-8 cells (69%) than on BJAB cells (27%), or as previously reported on resting murine B lymphocytes (38%) or intact human T lymphocytes (37%). The relative abundance of the maxi-Cl channel on B95-8 cells may be linked to EBV infection and/or secretory ability.     

VIP receptors and control of short circuit current in the human intestinal clonal cell line Cl.19A

At the maximally effective concentration of 10 nM, VIP induced a marked (12.5-fold stimulation above basal), and sustained increase in short circuit current in the human intestinal epithelial cell line Cl.19A grown on permeable filters and placed in Ussing chambers. Half-maximal increase of Isc was observed for 0.1 nM VIP. This was well correlated with the VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity (ED50:0.07 nM). Binding studies using 125I-VIP indicated that Cl.19A cells express a peptide-specific VIP receptor with a dissociation constant of 0.07 nM. Covalent labeling of receptors followed by SDS-PAGE analysis of membrane proteins resulted in the identification of a 63,000 dalton binding protein in Cl.19A cells.     

HLA-G protein processing and transport to the cell surface

Data are presented on the intracellular trafficking of HLA-G protein, taking the unique features of this non-classical molecule into consideration: the existence of seven isoforms resulting from alternative splicing (HLA-G1 to G7), and reduced tail length compared with HLA class I antigens. Biochemical studies and analysis of viral strategies for escaping the host immune system led to the demonstration that (i) both the membrane-bound (HLA-G1) and the soluble (HLA-G5) forms of the molecule require peptide association for cell surface expression, using TAP-dependent or TAP-independent pathways; (ii) peptide loading onto the HLA-G protein plays a critical role in controlling the quality of the molecule reaching the cell surface; (iii) surface expression of truncated HLA-G molecules is possible, and (iv) HLA-G expression may be restricted to soluble HLA-G5. These data reveal that HLA-G presents specific cell trafficking pathways and strongly support the contention that the primary function of HLA-G is as of an inhibitor ligand for immune-competent cells. Received 4 June 2002; accepted 2 July 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.