Angiotensinogen synthesis in the liver is independent of physiological estrogen levels

We determined the physiological importance of endogenous estrogen in the regulation of angiotensinogen synthesis in the liver. The plasma levels of angiotensinogen and hepatic levels of angiotensinogen mRNA were studied in the rat in comparison to those of T-kininogen, a plasma protein whose synthesis in the liver is primarily estrogen-dependent. Plasma levels of T-kininogen and hepatic levels of T-kininogen mRNA were 3- and 2-fold higher in adult females, respectively, than in adult males, whereas there were no sex differences in levels of either plasma angiotensinogen or hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA. Ovariectomy in female rats abolished the sex differences in the levels of plasma T-kininogen and hepatic T-kininogen mRNA, but it did not affect those of plasma angiotensinogen and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA. These results suggest that, in contrast to T-kininogen, angiotensinogen synthesis in the liver is unlikely to be controlled by endogenous levels of estrogen.

Transport of oral cephalosporins by the H+/dipeptide cotransporter and distribution of the transport activity in isolated rabbit intestinal epithelial cells

Transport of cephalosporins was studied using isolated rabbit intestinal epithelial cells. Cephradine uptake by the cells was concentrative and was inhibited by the addition of glycylsarcosine. The accumulated cephradine was effluxed from the cells by the addition of a protonophore, carbonyl cyanide 4-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP). Amiloride, an inhibitor of the Na+/H+ exchanger, reduced the steady-state uptake of cephradine, suggesting that the exchanger contributes to the maintenance of an inward H+ gradient as a driving force. Cephradine uptake by ATP-depleted intestinal cells was actively driven by the inward H+ gradient and was inhibited by FCCP and glycylsarcosine. The distribution of cephradine transport activity along the small intestine and villus-crypt axis was also examined in the isolated cells, and the transport activity was higher in the upper parts of the intestinal segments and in villus cells. These results indicate that the uptake of oral cephalosporins by intestinal epithelial cells in concentrative and reversible and that the H+/dipeptide cotransporter and the Na+/H+ exchanger play an important role for the active uptake of these drugs. The activity of the H+/dipeptide cotransporter should be higher in upper segments and in villus cells of the small intestine.

Rainbow trout ventricular natriuretic peptide: isolation, sequencing, and determination of biological activity

Ventricular natriuretic peptide (VNP) is a new type of cardiac natriuretic peptide initially isolated from the eel ventricle. VNP has been isolated from cardiac ventricles of the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and found to consist of 35 amino acid residues carrying a C-terminal tail sequence with 14 amino acid residues. Thus, the long C-terminal sequence characteristic of VNP was also conserved in the trout VNP. A VNP with 4 amino acid residues truncated from the C-terminus was also isolated from trout ventricles and sequenced. Sequence identity of trout VNP to eel VNP was 77%; while it was 56% to eel A-type natriuretic peptide (ANP). Trout VNP caused characteristic biphasic vasopressor/depressor effects in the trout similar to those produced by rat and eel ANP. Trout VNP and human ANP were almost equipotent in their vasopressor and depressor activity in trout. Unlike eel VNP, therefore, homologous VNP did not exhibit greater activity in the trout. In the rat, however, trout VNP was more potent than eel peptide and was almost equipotent to human ANP for both vasodepressor and natriuretic effects. The high potency of trout VNP appears to be due in part to its longer-lasting effect compared to human ANP.

Effects of internal chloride on ATP-sensitive K-channels in mouse pancreatic beta-cells

The effect of internal Cl- on the K-ATP channel of pancreatic beta-cells was examined. Reducing Cl- from 140mM to 14mM potentiated channel activity (NPO) approximately 4.5 fold in 60% of patches but was without effect in 40% of patches. The Ki for channel inhibition by ATP was not changed. The inhibitory effect of Cl- interacted with the stimulatory action of MgGDP. In 140mM Cl-, 1mM MgGDP increased NPO in Cl(-)-sensitive patches only: when NPO was potentiated by 14mM Cl-, no further increase was produced by MgGDP. These observations suggest that MgGDP and low Cl- solution may increase channel activity via a similar mechanism.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of catecholamine metabolites and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in human urine using a mixed-mode column and an eight-channel electrode electrochemical detector

An HPLC system for the simultaneous determination of acidic catecholamine metabolites, related compounds and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in human urine was developed. A mixed-mode (C18/anion-exchange) column with isocratic elution using citrate buffer and an eight-channel electrochemical detector were used. Vanilmandelic acid (VMA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyllactic acid (vanillactic acid, VLA), homovanillic acid (HVA), vanillic acid (VA) and 5-HIAA in urine were determined simultaneously. Detection limits and inter (n = 5) and intra-assay (n = 5) coefficients of variation were satisfactory. The mean of analytical recoveries (n = 3, +/- C.V. (%)) were between 97 +/- 3.2 (VMA) and 105 +/- 4.8 (VA). Correlations between the analytical results for VMA, HVA and 5-HIAA obtained by an established method and the present method were satisfactory. The mean +/- 2 S.D. of the excretion rates of VMA, DOPAC, VLA, HVA, 5-HIAA and VA in urine from healthy adult volunteers were 0.61-4.36, 0.13-1.02, 0-0.35, 0.67-6.55, 0.50-5.14 and 0-0.55 mg/g creatinine, respectively.

Cloning, sequencing and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene for alpha antigen from Mycobacterium scrofulaceum

The gene for the extracellular alpha antigen of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (S-alpha) was cloned by using the alpha antigen gene fragments of Mycobacterium bovis BCG as probes. The complete nucleotide sequence was determined. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene encodes 330 amino acids, including 40 amino acids for the signal peptide, followed by 290 amino acids for the mature protein. The deduced amino acid sequences were highly homologous to the alpha antigen of the species of other mycobacteria. Interestingly, the alpha antigens of MAIS complex (Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare-M. scrofulaceum) were closely homologous even at the C-terminal regions which were variable among those of M. bovis BCG, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium kansasii.

Critical period for degradation of adult rat retinal ganglion cells and their regeneration capability after axotomy

The optic nerve (ON) in adult rats was transected intraorbitally followed by retrograde labelling of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with fluorescence dye (DiI). A two phase reduction of axotomized RGCs was represented in the retina until 15 days after ON transection. The critical period of RGC loss is around 7 days after axotomy. In this period, the capability of neurite regeneration from RGCs in culture was strongly intensified by ON transection. These findings indicate that the 7th day after axotomy is important for both RGC survival and regeneration.

A cis-acting element and a trans-acting factor involved in the wound-induced expression of a horseradish peroxidase gene

The mechanisms that control the wound-induced expression of the prxC2 gene for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) have been investigated. Analysis of the regulatory properties of 5'-deleted promoters showed that a positive element involved in the response to wounding was located between -307 and -99 bp from the site of initiation of translation. In in vitro binding assays of tobacco nuclear proteins and DNA fragments of prxC2 promoter, the binding site was the Box 1 from -296 to -283 containing the CACGTG motif. To identify the functional role of Box 1, the prxC2 promoter that has been digested from the 5' end to -289 with a disrupted Box 1 was fused to a reporter gene for beta-glucuronidase (GUS). No induction of GUS activity was observed in transgenic tobacco plants with the prxC2 (-289)/GUS construct. These data indicated that the expression of prxC2 in response to wounding required the Box 1 sequence from -296 to -283. Furthermore, a tobacco cDNA expression library was screened and a cDNA clone for a protein, designated TFHP-1, that bound specifically to the Box 1 sequence was identified. The putative TFHP-1 protein contains a basic region and leucine zipper (bZip) motif and a helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif. The mRNA for TFHP-1 was abundant in roots and stems, and it was not induced by wounding in leaves. In tobacco protoplasts, antisense TFHP-1 suppressed the expression of prxC2(-529)/GUS.