The properties of neuraminidase-treated crystalline ceruloplasmin

Résumé On sait que la plasmine céruléenne crystalline rétroplacentaire humaine ainsi qua la plasmine apocérulécnne empêchent l'hémaglutination virale. Cet effet pourrait être attribué aux résidus d'acide sialique, car l'action préventive disparaît après traitement de la plasmine céruléenne par la neuraminidase.     

Highly purified noradrenaline storage vesicles from bovine splenic nerve trunk: Preliminary electron microscopy

Résumé Les vésicules de la NA du nerf splénique de Buf ont été obtenues par gradient de centrifugation («sucrose-heavy water»), Le rapport NA/protéine observé est de 4 à 7 fois plus élevé que celui qui a été mentionné précédemment. L'examen préliminaire de cette fraction, par microscopie électronique, révèle une couche importante et pratiquement pure de vésicules à la surface du sédiment.

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Supported by Research Career Program Award No. 5-K03-HE-0592 from the Nat. Heart and Lung Inst. and Research Grant No. 5-R01-GM15490 from the Nat. Inst. Gen. Med. Sci., U.S.P.H.S.

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Supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council No. K70-14X-2479-03A and Knut and Alice Wallenbergs Foundation.     

Effects of estradiol on the in vitro incorporation of acetate-1-14C and choline-1,2-14C into the phospholipids of human peripheral arteries

Zusammenfassung Bei Bebrütung von Arterien in Gegenwart von Östradiol wurde der Einbau von¹⁴C-Azetat und¹⁴C-Cholin in Phosphatidylcholin deutlich vermehrt.     

New intermediates in phaeomelanogenesis in vitro

Riassunto Mediante esperimenti in vitro, è stato accertato che i primi stadi della biosintesi delle feomelanine conducono alla formazione di derivati diidrobenzotiazinici, ai quali sono state assegnate le strutture III e IV.

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This investigation was supported by a grant from the Laboratorio di Chimica e Fisica per lo Studio delle Molecole di Interesse Biologico del C.N.R., Napoli.     

Metachromasia in cultured fibroblasts of subjects with glycogenosis type II

Riassunto Frammenti di cute di due soggetti affetti da glicogenosi tipo II e dei loro genitori e fratelli sono stati coltivati in vitro. Sia nelle culture dei pazienti che dei loro familiari si è osservata la presenza di materiale metacromatico dopo colorazione con blu di toluidina 0. Nei leucociti di tutti i familiari esaminati l'attività della -1,4-glucosidasi è risultata ridotta.     

Significance of cyclic AMP in the regulation of exocrine pancreas secretion

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass die Zufuhr von dibutyryl-zyklischem AMP (DcAMP) in vitro die Enzymproduktion erhöht und zwar mit nur geringer Gewichtsveränderung des Kaninchenpankreas. Die Enzymproduktion wird ebenso durch Theophyllin vermehrt und es wird vermutet, das DcAMP der Vermittler der pankreozymen Wirkung im Kaninchen ist.     

Galectins in cell growth and apoptosis

Fourteen members of the galectin family, proteins with conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains that bind β-galactoside, have been cloned and more are expected to be discovered in the near future. Many aspects of galectin biology have been thoroughly explored, and functional studies have implicated these proteins in cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis, in addition to cell adhesion, chemoattraction and cell migration. In some cases a galectin can either promote or suppress cell growth, depending on the cell types and doses used. Galectin-3 is the only member known so far to inhibit apoptosis, while galectin-1, -7 and -9 promote this cellular process. Galectins can act either extracellularly or intracellularly to exert effects on cell growth and apoptosis. RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

Changes in calpastatin localization and expression during calpain activation: a new mechanism for the regulation of intracellular Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>-dependent proteolysis

The amount of calpastatin directly available in cytosol is under the control of [Ca²⁺] and [cyclic AMP]. Prolonged calpain activation also promotes degradation of calpastatin. The fluctuation of calpastatin concentration in cell soluble fraction is accompanied by an initial decrease in calpastatin gene expression, followed by a fivefold increase in its expression when the inhibitor protein is degraded. This process can be conceptualized as a mechanism to regulate calpastatin availability in the cell. This conclusion is supported by the fact that calpain, the other component of this proteolytic system, undergoes changes in its levels of expression in a much more limited manner. Furthermore, this process can be observed both in cells exposed to different natural stimuli, or in other cell lines. Modification of calpastatin gene expression might represent a new tool for the in vivo control of the regulatory machinery required for the modulation of Ca²⁺-dependent proteolysis.Received 18 July 2003; received after revision 3 September 2003; accepted 23 September 2003     

Lymphatic reprogramming of blood vascular endothelium by Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

Kaposi sarcoma is considered a neoplasm of lymphatic endothelium infected with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. It is characterized by the expression of lymphatic lineage-specific genes by Kaposi sarcoma tumor cells. Here we show that infection of differentiated blood vascular endothelial cells with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus leads to their lymphatic reprogramming; induction of approximately 70% of the main lymphatic lineage-specific genes, including PROX1, a master regulator of lymphatic development; and downregulation of blood vascular genes.