A terminal 6-sulfotransferase catalyzing a synthesis of N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate residue at the nonreducing terminal position of chondroitin sulfate

A soluble enzyme from quail oviduct which incorporates sulfate into position 6 of the nonreducing N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate end group of chondroitin sulfate has been purified. This enzyme (termed "terminal 6-sulfotransferase") was partially separated from a 6-sulfotransferase present in the same tissue which catalyzes the incorporation of sulfate into interior portion of unsulfated chondroitin. The basic requirements for the terminal 6-sulfotransferase reaction were shown to be 3'-phosphoadenylyl sulfate (donor) and chondroitin 4-sulfate (acceptor). The substitution of unsulfated chondroitin (prepared from squid skin) for chondroitin 4-sulfate resulted in a total loss of activity. These results suggest that the organization of the proteoglycan-synthesizing apparatus may well involve hitherto unrecognized mechanisms for the sulfation of chondroitin chains.

Inhibition of lipid-linked oligosaccharide synthesis by aryl phosphates

Our previous work has shown that phenyl phosphate acts as an exogenous substrate for GDP-mannose:dolichyl phosphate mannosyltransferase in rat liver microsomal fractions to give rise to phenyl phosphate beta-D-mannose, a compound which, unlike Dol-P-Man (dolichyl phosphate beta-D-mannose), cannot act as mannose donor for further mannose-adding reactions in microsomal fractions. The study has now been extended to the action of various aryl phosphates and structurally related compounds on several other glycosyltransferase systems in the microsomal fractions. (1) Examination of the ability of these compounds to accept sugars from various sugar nucleotides indicated that the individual compounds have specificity as sugar acceptors. Thus phenyl phosphate acted as an effective acceptor for both mannose and glucose, whereas benzenephosphonic acid was active only in accepting mannose. p-Nitrophenyl phosphate was a more effective glucose acceptor than phenyl phosphate, but had only 8% of the mannose-accepting activity of phenyl phosphate. (2) Phenyl phosphate had an inhibitory effect on the transfer of mannose form GDP-mannose to lipid-linked oligosaccharides and to glycoproteins in rat liver microsomal fractions. The inhibition depended on the concentration of phenyl phosphate and on the extent of inhibition of Dol-P-Man synthesis. It is proposed that phenyl phosphate has a direct effect on the synthesis of Dol-P-Man and that its inhibition of synthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides and glycoproteins could be a consequence of this effect.

Uterine teratoma with lymphoid hyperplasia

A mature teratoma of the uterine cervix, which was found nine months after delivery, was presented. This case was the ninth in the world, the first in Japan. Differential diagnosis and histogenesis of the uterine teratoma were discussed on the basis of histologic findings of this tumor and a review of literatures. Among the microscopic findings obtained, the conspicuous lymphoid tissue in the tumor was worthy of note, because it could be speculated to be an immunological reaction to the cells composing the tumor. It was also suggested from the post-partum occurrence that a fetal-cell origin would be possible in the histogenesis, although further positive studies on this opinion should be necessary in coming cases.

[Effects of quinazoline-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione compound, H-88 and pyridopyrimidine-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione compound, HN-37 on pituitary-adrenal axis in rats (author's transl)]

Anti-carrageenin paw edema effects of 1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-quinazoline-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione [H-88] and 1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-ethylpyridopyrimidine-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione [HN-37] in rats were dissipated or reduced markedly by adrenalectomy. The effects of both compounds on the pituitary-adrenal axis were therefore investigated in male Wistar rats at 5-6 weeks of age. Oral treatments with H-88 in a dose of 100 mg/kg and HN-37 at 10 mg/kg induced the same degree of responses in intact animals, namely, a marked increase of blood corticosterone level at one hr of the peak time (360%), a decrease of adrenal ascorbic acid level at 3 hr (52-59%), an increase of blood glucose level at 6-12 hr (25-59%) and of liver glycogen level at 12-4 hr (97-153%). In addition, a significant hypertrophy of the pituitary and adrenals (p less than 0.05) at 6-12 hr and/or atrophy of the thymus and spleen at 3-24 hr were noted. The effect of HN-37 on blood corticosterone level was approximately 10 times as potent as that of H-88 as well as on the carrageenin paw edema. The effects of both compounds on blood corticosterone level were dissipated by adrenalectomy, and those on blood corticosterone level and adrenal ascorbic acid level were abolished by hypophysectomy. These results suggest that hypophysis-adrenal axis stimulation may play an important role in antiedematous effects of N-88 and HN-37.

The effect of oestrogens on human calcitonin secretion after calcium infusion in elderly female subjects

The effect of oestrogen administration (4-6 weeks) on the response of human calcitonin (hCT) secretion to 5 min calcium infusions was studied in ten elderly women. There was no significant difference in mean basal plasma hCT levels before and after oestrogen administration. However, the mean increment in plasma hCT in response to calcium infusion (delta hCT) increased significantly (P < 0.001) from 21.9 +/- 6.6 (mean +/- SE) before treatment, to 79.6 +/- 15.5 ng/l after oestrogen administration. Mean serum calcium levels decreased significantly (P < 0.001) from 2.42 +/- 0.06 before to 2.19 +/- 0.07 mmol/l after oestrogen treatment. Mean plasma immunoreactive PTH (iPTH) levels increased significantly (P < 0.05) from 521 +/- 41 before to 696 +/- 96 ng/l after oestrogen treatment. To exclude out the possibility that the decreased serum calcium level itself might have influenced delta hCT, 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (1 alpha-OH-D3) was administered with oestrogens. While this resulted in a slight increase in serum calcium level, there was no significant difference in delta hCT in response to calcium infusion following oestrogen treatment alone, and after combination therapy of oestrogen and 1 alpha-OH-D3. The primary action of administered oestrogen may be in stimulating hCT secretion which results in a decrease in plasma calcium concentration and an increase in plasma iPTH level.

Visceral larva migrans caused by Trichuris vulpis

Two brothers with visceral larva migrans caused by Trichuris vulpis were diagnosed after they had been investigated for an eosinophilia. Both patients were almost asymptomatic. The diagnosis of visceral larva migrans was based on the results of immunoelectrophoretic studies and no liver biopsy was performed. After administration of thiabendazole, the number of eosinophils and serum total IgE levels gradually decreased, and the patients have remained well.

Mesothelioma with lung cancer complicating asbestosis

The patient had been employed in an asbestos factory for four years from the age of 16. Five years ago, she complained of sputum and cough, and she was treated for chronic bronchitis. From March, 1977, when she was 53 years old, hydrothorax and ascites increased, her weight decreased and she was hospitalized for cachexia. The clinical diagnosis of malignant diffuse mesothelioma was made on the presence of atypical cells in the effusions. Atypical cells showed a positive colloidal iron staining test and positive hyaluronidase digestion test. Asbestos bodies were found in the sputum. The patient died on February 1978. Postmortem confirmed asbestosia and mesothelioma which was scattered over the pleura, pericardial sac, diaphragma, peritoneum and pancreas. In addition, bronchiolo-alveolar cell type lung cancer was found localized in the lower lobe of the left lung. The electron beam diffraction disclosed the asbestos as amosite (brown asbestos).

The common identity of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase, nitrocatechol sulfatase (arylsulfatase), and chondroitin 4-sulfatase

Evidence is presented indicating that three sulfatase activities towards UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate, nitrocatechol sulfate, and chondroitin 4-sulfate are functions of the same hen oviduct enzyme. Using chondroitin [35S]sulfate from chick embryo cartilage, it is shown that hydrolysis of ester sulfate by this enzyme is limited to 4-sulfate groups occurring in the non-reducing terminal N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate and N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate residues.

Phenyl phosphate as a water-soluble analog of dolichyl phosphate in microsomal mannosyltransferase systems

Incubation of rat liver microsomes with GDP-[14C]mannose and phenyl phosphate for 30 min, followed by paper-chromatographic analysis, revealed the presence of a new radioactive compound that was isolated and characterized as phenyl beta-D-mannosyl phosphate. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction was very closely related to a dolichyl beta-D-mannosyl phosphate-synthesizing activity found in the same microsomes. The two activities were affected in a parallel fashion by mild heating and were found in the same proportions in whole microsomes, in rough-surfaced microsomes, and in smooth-surfaced mirosomes. Increasing the concentration of phenyl phosphate from 0 to 15 mM resulted in a progressive reduction in the rate of mannose incorporation into endogenous dolichyl phosphate. It is concluded that the two reactions are catalyzed by a single enzyme. The labeled product from phenyl phosphate was rapidly excluded from the microsomes, while the product from dolichyl phosphate was retained in the microsomes, suggesting that phenyl phosphate may act as a mannose-trapping agent, thereby inhibiting mannosyltransferase reactions involving dolichyl phosphate as a glycosyl carrier.

Changes of urinary cyclic AMP excretion and plasma parathyroid hormone levels before and after parathyroidectomy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

Urinary cyclic AMP excretion and plasma parathyroid hormone(PTH) levels were examined in three patients with primary hyperparathyroidism before and after parathyroidectomy. Plasma PTH and urinary cyclic AMP in the individual patients decreased in parallel following parathyroidectomy. During surgery there was a statistically significant correlation between PTH levels and cyclic AMP excretion in individual patients. These findings support the claim that the rate of urinary cyclic AMP excretion reflects endogenous PTH activity in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

The occurrence of uridine diphosphate N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulfate in quail egg white and characteristic distribution of sulfated sugar nucleotides in different avian eggs

A sulfated sugar nucleotide has been isolated from quail egg white, and accounts for nearly 80% of the total sugar nucleotides found in the egg white. Evidence is presented that this nucleotide is uridine diphosphate N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulfate, an isomer of the 4-sulfated derivative of uridine diphosphate N-acetylgalactosamine previously found in chicken egg white. Further studies on the distribution of sulfated sugar nucleotides in egg white of various birds (chicken, quail, pheasant, peafowl, turkey, goose, and duck) demonstrate that each species has a characteristic composition, differing from one another regarding the relative amounts of 4-sulfated, 6-sulfated, and 4,6-bissulfated derivatives of uridine diphosphate N-acetylgalactosamine.

Separation and properties of five glycosaminoglycan sulfatases from rat skin

Chondroitin sulfates, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, heparin, keratan sulfate, and oligosaccharides derived from these sulfated glycosaminoglycans have been used for the measurement of sulfatase activity of rat skin extracts. Chromatographic fractionation of the extracts followed by specificity studies demonstrated the existence of five different sulfatases, specific for 1) the nonreducing N-acetylglucosamine 6-sulfate end groups of heparin sulfate and keratan sulfate, 2) the nonreducing N-acetylgalactosamine (or galactose) 6-sulfate end groups of chondroitin sulfate (or keratan sulfate), 3) the nonreducing N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate end groups of chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate, 4) certain suitably located glucosamine N-sulfate groups of heparin and heparan sulfate, or 5) certain suitably located iduronate sulfate groups of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. Two arylsulfatases, one of which was identical in its chromatographic behaviors with the third enzyme described above, were also demonstrated in the extracts. These results taken together with those previously obtained from studies on human fibroblast cultures suggest that normal skin fibroblasts contain at least five specific sulfatases and diminished activity of any one may result in a specific storage disease.

Eigenvalues of a nonconfocal laser resonator with an output-coupling aperture

A nonconfocal laser resonator that has output-coupling apertures has been analyzed using the matrix eigenvalue technique. Numerical calculations of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are performed for the interesting resonator consisting of one plane mirror with a coupling aperture and one spherical mirror. The effects of the coupling aperture are also discussed for several kinds of modes when both the mirror and coupling- aperture Fresnel numbers vary. It is found that the power loss of the TEM(00) mode becomes nearly constant in a finite range of the mirror Fresnel number. In such a range, the major source of a resonator loss is the power coupling through an aperture, and the coupling loss can be estimated independently of the loss caused by the spillover at mirror edges.

Comparison of human calcitonin secretion after a 1-minute calcium infusion in young normal and in elderly subjects

Human calcitonin (hCT) response to a 1-minute calcium infusion was studied in 6 male and 4 female young normal subjects and in 6 male and 6 female elderly subjects. In the young subjects plasma hCT levels increased significantly (p less than 0.01) from mean basal value of 82.3 +/- 48.7 pg/ml to maximum level of 407.5 +/-198.0 pg/ml in the male, while it increased from 96.3 +/- 89.2 to 216.3 +/- 89.1 pg/ml p less than 0.05) in the female. In the elderly subjects, it increased from 80.3 +/- 56.9 pg/ml to maximum level of 229.2 +/- 130.6 pg/ml (p less than 0.05) in the male, while it increased from 109.2 +/- 43.7 to 163.3 +/- 55.7 pg/ml (p less than 0.005) in the female. There was no significant difference in the basal hCT level of these 4 groups. In both the young and the elderly, however, mean increment of hCT level was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in the male than in the female of the same-aged group. In both the female and the male subjects, it was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in the young than in the elderly of the same sex. A 1-minute infusion of calcium can be used as a reliable provocative test for hCT secretion in human subjects.

Purification of two types of sea-squirt antigens

Under monitoring the antigenic activity by radioimmunoassay (RIA), one of the major sea-squirt antigens was isolated by gel chromatography after treatment of the extract from internal organs of sea-squirt with QAE-Sephadex. This antigen was fairly homogenous as judged from its elution profile in chromatography on a column of Ultrogel AcA 44 with respect not only of the antigenic activity but also to UV absorption. Furthermore, the antigen inhibited the binding of the 125I-labeled tracer antigen to rabbit anti-sea-squirt antibody in a similar mode to the case of Ei-2, one of the sea-squirt antigens previously prepared, but its specific activity was as high as 2.33 times that of Ei-2. Accordingly this isolated antigen was corresponded to the major antigenic substance in Ei-2 and referred to as Ei-M. In addition, the other antigen of Gi-x was also isolated by chromatography on a column of Sepharose 6B as the major antigenic substance in Gi-2, the other one of the previous antigens. Gi-x was apparently different from E-M in the mode of inhibition of the binding of the tracer antigen to the antibody, although its antigenic activity against the asthmatic patients in vivo was as high as that of Ei-M. Thus, it was considered that sea-squirt contained at least two types of antigens of Ei-M and GI-X.

Radioimmunoassay of human calcitonin using labeled [Asu1, 7]-human calcitonin analogue

Application of synthetic human calcitonin analogue ([Asul,7]-hCT) was attempted, since it is chemically more stable than native hCT. [Asu1, 7]-hCT was successfully labeled with 125I to a specific activity ranging from 410 to 540 microCi/microgram. Sensitivity, recovery and reproducibility of the assay system using 125I-labeled [Asu1,7]-hCT analogue, standard synthetic hCT and its antibodies, were 49 pg/ml, 99.8 +/- 4%, and 7.95% (C. V. within assay) or 21.9% (C. V. between assays), respectively. The dilution curve of the sera obtained from patients with medullary carcinoma paralled well with the standard curve. 125-I-labeled [Asu1, 7]-hCT analogue can be used for routine radioimmunoassay of hCT.

Re-evaluation of exercise as a screening test for ruling out human growth hormone deficiency

Human growth hormone (HGH) response to exercise was studied in 27 normal children and 152 children with a chief complaint of short stature and in 9 patients with HGH deficiency. Of the 152 children 107 could be ruled out of HGH deficiency since HGH level increased to more than 5 ng/ml during exercise, and of the remaining 45 children of non-responders to exercise, 22 were ruled out of HGH deficiency since bone age to chronological age ratio was more than 0.9 and/or height increment for the past 3 years was more than 15 cm. Seventeen patients were hospitalized for further examinations, which resulted in finding normal HGH secretion in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, arginine infusion and/or propranolol-glucagon test in 12 children and also in finding no HGH deficiency in children higher than -2.0 S.D., but 5 HGH-deficient children in those lower than -2.0 S.D. Exercise can be used as a screening test for ruling out HGH deficiency when HGH secretion in response to exericse is evaluated by height, bone age and height increment of the patients.

Hydrolysis of sugar nucleotides in chicken egg white in response to embryonic development

The egg white of newly laid chicken egg was found to contain about 45 mumol of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate, 34 mumole of GDP-mannose, 6 mumol of UDP-N-acetylhexosamine, and 1 mumol of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate per liter. There was no significant difference between infertile and fertile eggs in the initial levels of the sugar nucleotides. During incubation for 4 days, the nucleotide levels in infertile eggs showed little change while those in fertile eggs fell continuously until the complete disappearance of the nucleotides on the fourth day. Initial removal of the blastoderm from fertile eggs resulted in cessation of the reduction in nucleotide levels in the 2- to 4-day period after the operation. The decrease of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate was followed by an increase of 1-phospho-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate then N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate in the egg white. When UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine 4-[35S]sulfate or GDP-[14C]mannose was injected into the egg white of a fertile egg, the main feature of the metabolism of the labeled compounds was the successive hydrolysis of their pyrophosphate and phosphate bonds, with the formation of sugar 1-phosphate and sugar. A significant activity of nucleotide pyrophosphatase was detected in the egg white in newly laid eggs (0-day egg). However, no such activity could be detected in egg-white specimens from 1-, 2-, and 3-day eggs. The results suggest that although the decrease of sugar nucleotides in the first day could be ascribed to the hydrolytic action of the enzyme originally present in the egg white, the decrease in the subsequent 3 days results from a more complex process in which the hydrolysis of the sugar nucleotides is related to the development of the embryo.

Prolactin and TSH responses to TRH, chlorpromazine and L-dopa in children with human growth hormone deficiency

Prolactin (PRL) and TSH responses to TRH, chlorpromazine (CPZ) and L-DOPA were studied in 23 children (15 male and 8 female) with human growth hormone (HGH) deficiency. Eight patients (group I) showed normal PRL response to TRH and CPZ but TSH response to TRH was delayed in 4 of this group. Twelve patients (group II) had normal (4 patients) or higher (8 patients) baseline PRL level and showed lower PRL response to CPZ than that to TRH. TSH response to TRH was normal in 3, blunted in 1, and delayed in 8 patients. Three patients (group III) had no PRL response to either TRH or CPZ. TSH response to TRH was normal in 1 but blunted in 2 patients. Of 8 patients with a higher baseline PRL level (group II and III), L-DOPA suppressed PRL secretion to less than 50% of the initial value in 7 patients, but not in 1 patient, in whom the diagnosis of hypothalamic tumour was established on brain surgery following these examinations. These results suggest that hypothalamic disorders are involved in more than half of 23 children with HGH deficiency.

Studies on the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid from putrescine in rat organs and purification of its synthetic enzyme from rat intestine

The formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from putrescine was examined in organs of rats using radioactive putrescine. Radioactive GABA was detected in all the organs of a rat injected intraperitoneally with radioactive putrescine, and the highest radioactivity of GABA was observed in the small intestine. The enzyme involved in this formation was purified from small intestine and identified as a diamine oxidase, histaminase, from the properties of the enzyme. Activity of the enzyme was found in all the organs of rat, and the highest activity was observed in the small intestine.

IgE-type antibodies to Ascaris antigens in man

IgE antibodies to Ascaris antigens were detected by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) in the serum obtained from a person experimentally sensitized with Ascaris suum antigens prepared from the body fluid of worms. This serum passively sensitized human skin in vitro and histamine release from the sensitized skin was observed by challenge with antigens. The allergenicity of A. suum antigens was present over a very broad spectrum of molecular size. The present results suggest that specific IgE antibodies to Ascaris antigens might be in Ascaris-infected patients and allergic symptoms which belong to type 1 reaction might be mediated by IgE in these patients.

N-Acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate in rat urine. II. Occurrence in rat cartilage and blood

The intraperitoneal injection of inorganic [35S]sulfate to rat was followed by the rapid appearance in urine of a labeled compound which behaved as N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate on paper chromatography and paper electrophoresis and when treated with two sulfatases with a high degree of specificity toward the sulfate bonds at positions 4 and 6, respectively. Enzymatically-prepared N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-[6-35S]bissulfate was injected intravenously into rats. Of the injected dose, 90% was excreted unchanged in the urine during the subsequent 12 h, suggesting that the urinary N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate may derive from blood as renal filtrate. Examination of the rats injected with inorganic [35S]sulfate revealed the presence of labeled N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate at significant levels in the blood and cartilage, but at much lower levels in the liver. The cartilage component was highest in its rate of 35S uptake, suggesting that the blood component may derive at least in some part from the cartilage. Exposure of surviving cartilage slices to inorganic [35S]sulfate, followed by extraction of the slices with hot 50% ethanol yielded a number of radioactive compounds, of which three were characterized as UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine-4,6-[35S]bissulfate, N-acetylgalactosamine-1-phosphate 4,6-[35S]bissulfate and N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-[35S]bissulfate. By subjecting the prelabeled tissue to chase incubation, it was possible to show that the UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine-4,6-bissulfate in the tissue disappeared with an approximate half-life of 10 min with a concomitant appearance in the medium of N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate and its 1-phosphate ester. These results suggest the occurrence in cartilage of an enzymatic system which is responsible for rapid turnover of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine-4,6-bissulfate and possibly required for the rapid secretion of N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate into extracellular field.