Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding mouse Cdc21 and CDC46 homologs and characterization of the products: physical interaction between P1(MCM3) and CDC46 proteins

Two new mouse genes encoding proteins that belong to the yeast minichromosome maintenance (MCM) protein family, which is involved in the initiation of DNA replication, were isolated and their nucleotide sequence was determined. They were a putative CDC46/MCM5 homolog and a putative cdc21 homolog. About 30% amino acid identity was obtained between members in the family, and > 40% between the putative mouse and yeast homologs. The expression of these genes was cell-cycle specific at the late G1 to S phase. Immunochemical analyses showed the physical interaction between mouse P1MCM3 and CDC46 protein. These results suggest that MCM proteins function in co-ordination for DNA replication.

TGF beta 1 suppresses EGF-induced increase in nuclear type 1 protein phosphatase activity at the G1/S transition of hepatocyte proliferation

Nuclear type 1 protein phosphatase (PP1) activity in primary culture of EGF-stimulated hepatocytes was significantly and transiently increased at the G1/S transition, being about 2.5-fold, while that in non-stimulated hepatocytes showed almost no change. On the other hand, non-nuclear PP1 activity was gradually increased until the G1/S transition, but the activity showed no difference between EGF-stimulated and non-stimulated hepatocytes. Under growth-inhibited conditions in the presence of TGF beta 1, the increase in nuclear PP1 activity was completely suppressed, whereas non-nuclear PP1 activity was little affected. Such close correlation between nuclear PP1 activity and growth factor-induced positive or negative growth signaling strongly suggests an involvement of PP1 in progression from G1 to S phase of hepatocytes. On Western immunoblotting using antisera for PP1 alpha, PP1 gamma 1, and PP1 delta, no isoform showed any change in amount under these conditions. Mechanism(s) of growth-associated alterations in nuclear PP1 activity is discussed.

Tissue distribution of isoforms of type-1 protein phosphatase PP1 in mouse tissues and its diabetic alterations

The amounts of four isoforms of the catalytic subunit of type-1 protein phosphatase, PP1 alpha, PP1 gamma 1, PP1 gamma 2, and PP1 delta have been determined in extracts of various mouse tissues including brain, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, small intestine, heart, lung, spleen, thymus, and testis by Western blot analysis. Immunoreactive bands for PP1 isoforms were detected at 39.5, 38.5, and 40 kDa for PP1 alpha, PP1 gamma 1, and PP1 gamma 2, respectively, and at 39 and 37 kDa for PP1 delta. The amount of PP1 alpha was at comparable levels in all tissues examined except skeletal and heart muscles, in which it was detected slightly or not detectable, respectively. The amount of PP1 gamma 1 was at higher levels in brain, small intestine, and lung, being 2 to 3 times those in other tissues except heart and spleen, in which PP1 gamma 1 was not detectable. The amount of PP1 gamma 2 was extremely large in testis, small in brain, lung, spleen, and thymus, but it was not detectable in the other tissues. The amount of PP1 delta was at comparable levels in all the tissues except skeletal muscle, in which it was at a low but detectable level. Then, the amounts of the four PP1 isoforms were determined in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The amounts of PP1 alpha were progressively decreased in livers of NOD mice as a function of increasing concentrations of blood glucose, whereas the amounts of PP1 gamma 1 and PP1 delta were unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Preliminary report on an automated screening test for detection of antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in whole blood

We developed and evaluated an automated screening test for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) using EDTA-2Na-treated whole blood and an extract of paper disk-absorbed dried whole blood from 60 hemophiliacs infected with HIV-1 and 210 diseased and healthy controls. The specificity and the sensitivity of this system were judged to be 100% with both the whole blood and the extract. This test allows measurement of HIV-1 antibody in whole blood and dried whole blood on a small paper disk and gives a result within 13 minutes; the system can process 150 samples per hour. Therefore, it may be useful at many testing sites, such as emergency departments, intensive care units, blood banks, and commercial laboratories, as well as for mail-order testing from remote areas and developing countries.

Purification and characterization of arginine amidinohydrolase from Bacillus brevis TT02-8

A bacterial arginase was purified to homogeneity from a strain of Bacillus brevis. The native enzyme, with an estimated MW of 143,000, migrated on SDS-PAGE as a single polypeptide of estimated MW of 33,000. The enzyme, highly specific to L-arginine, showed the maximum activity at pH 11.0 in the presence of Mn2+ ions and the pI was 4.8 by isoelectric focusing. The enzyme activity was increased significantly by the addition of Mn2+, Ni2+, or Co2+ ions, and inhibited potently by chemicals such as HgCl2, N-bromosuccinimide, or glutathione. The Kms for L-arginine and L-canavanine were 0.69 and 22.2 mM, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited competitively by gamma-guanidinobutyric acid, and non-competitively by L-lysine, L-ornithine, creatine, blasticidin S, and edeine B1. Analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified bacterial enzyme found 33-36% homologies with the Agrobacterium, yeast, rat, and human enzymes.

Cloning and characterization of a chromosomal gene cluster, pah, that encodes the upper pathway for phenanthrene and naphthalene utilization by Pseudomonas putida OUS82

A 25-kb DNA SalI fragment cloned from the chromosomal DNA of Pseudomonas putida OUS82, which utilizes phenanthrene (Phn+) and naphthalene (Nah+), carried all of the genes necessary for upper naphthalene catabolism. Cosmid recombinant pIP7 complemented both the Nah- and Phn- defects of OUS8211 (Trp-Nah-Phn-Sal+[salicylate utilizing]Hna+[1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate utilizing]) and only the Phn- defect of OUS8212 (Trp-Nah-Phn-Sal-Hna+). The results indicate that strain OUS82 uses different pathways after o-hydroxycarboxylic aromatics in the catabolism of naphthalene and phenanthrene.

Identification and characterization of genes encoding polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dioxygenase and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dihydrodiol dehydrogenase in Pseudomonas putida OUS82

Naphthalene and phenanthrene are transformed by enzymes encoded by the pah gene cluster of Pseudomonas putida OUS82. The pahA and pahB genes, which encode the first and second enzymes, dioxygenase and cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, respectively, were identified and sequenced. The DNA sequences showed that pahA and pahB were clustered and that pahA consisted of four cistrons, pahAa, pahAb, pahAc, and pahAd, which encode ferredoxin reductase, ferredoxin, and two subunits of the iron-sulfur protein, respectively.

Selective increases in isoform PP1 alpha of type-1 protein phosphatase in ascites hepatoma cells

The amounts of four isoforms of the catalytic subunit of type-1 protein phosphatases, PP1 alpha, PP1 gamma 1, PP1 gamma 2, and PP1 delta, have been determined in extracts of rat ascites hepatomas, AH131A, AH13, AH13NMOR, AH143A, and Yoshida sarcoma, and compared to those of rat liver by Western blot analysis. The amount of PP1 alpha was increased over three times in all five hepatomas. The amount of PP1 gamma 1 was increased over two times in AH13, AH13NMOR, and AH143A. The amount of PP1 delta was selectively increased about 4 times in AH131A and AH143A. The PP1 gamma 2 protein was undetectable in both liver and hepatomas. There was good parallelism between the general increase in only PP1 alpha protein in the hepatomas and the previous data demonstrating the general increase in PP1 alpha mRNA in numerous ascites hepatomas. These results suggest that PP1 alpha plays important roles in the expression of malignant phenotype, that its amount is under strict control at the transcription level, and that PP1 gamma 1 and PP1 delta play different roles in the expression of some phenotype(s) of the ascites hepatomas.

[Carcinoid tumor of the thymus]

Carcinoid tumor of the thymus is a rare tumor. It is difficult to detect thymic carcinoid tumors by conventional chest X-ray films. As a result many cases of thymic carcinoid tumor are discovered at an advanced stage. While it is difficult to make a definitive pathological diagnosis preoperatively, percutaneous needle biopsy by Surecut needle is possible. Median sternotomy is better than thoracotomy, as thymectomy and lymph nodes dissection are necessary. Of the 6 cases of thymic carcinoid tumors, 5 were diagnosed as atypical carcinoid histologically, and in 3 of those 5 cases lesions resembling small cell carcinoma were observed in some specimen. The causes of these advanced atypical thymic carcinoid cases were not good.

Inhibitory effect of nonenzymatic glycation on ubiquitination and ubiquitin-mediated degradation of lysozyme

We examined ubiquitination and ubiquitin-mediated degradation of glycated protein by rabbit reticulocyte lysate fraction II (ubiquitin-free preparation). Non-glycated lysozyme and three glycated lysozyme preparations with different glucose binding ratios were used as substrates. Glycation sites of the lysozyme were mostly the epsilon-NH2 group of lysine residues, since modification at the alpha-NH2 group of the amino terminal was not detectable. Ubiquitin was conjugated with three glycated lysozyme preparations, which contained 1.4, 2.8 and 4.5 mol glucose per mol, by fraction II supplemented with hemin. The extent of formed conjugates was reduced 81, 72 and 56% of those of ubiquitin-non-glycated lysozyme conjugates, respectively. Additionally, ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the resultant conjugates was reduced and their respective rates were 97, 56 and 19% of that of the non-glycated lysozyme. These results indicated that both ubiquitin conjugation and ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the lysozyme were inhibited by nonenzymatic glucose binding to the lysozyme.

Growth of a human yolk sac tumor cell line with yolk sac-derived functions in selenium-supplemented chemically defined synthetic medium

A human yolk sac tumor cell line, TG1, which was established from a testicular yolk sac tumor, was found to replicate continuously in a chemically defined medium supplemented with Na2SeO3 (ISRPMI). TG1 produced several plasma proteins and growth factors: albumin, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), ferritin, carcinoembryonic antigen, beta-2-microglobulin, polyamine, neuron specific enolase, tissue polypeptide antigen, transferrin (Tf), epidermal growth factor, and platelet derived growth factor. By analysis of lentil lectin (LcHA)-affinity electrophoresis, to examine the microheterogeneity of carbohydrate chains of synthetic glycoproteins, TG1 cells cultured with ISRPMI produced only LcHA reactive Tf and AFP based on core fucose attached to asparagine-linked N-acetylglucosamine residues instead of LcHA-nonreactive Tf and AFP produced by TG1 cells cultured with fetal bovine serum (FBS)-containing medium. alpha 1-6 Fucosyltransferase activity was significantly greater in the TG1 cells cultured with ISRPMI (39.9 +/- 1.5 pmol.h-1.mg-1 protein) than cultured with FBS-containing media (18.2 +/- 1.2 pmol.h-1.mg-1 protein). These results have indicated that the selective increase of alpha 1-6 fucosyltransferase occurred when the cells were cultured with the FBS-free synthetic media.

Isolation of Pseudomonas pickettii strains that degrade 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and their dechlorination of chlorophenols

Three strains of Pseudomonas pickettii that can grow with 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) as the sole source of carbon and energy were isolated from different mixed cultures of soil bacterial populations that had been acclimatized to 2,4,6-TCP. These strains released 3 mol of chloride ion from 1 mol of 2,4,6-TCP during the complete degradation of the TCP. Of these strains, P. pickettii DTP0602 in high-cell-density suspension cultures dechlorinated various chlorophenols (CPs). Cells that were preincubated with 2,4,6-TCP converted isomers of 4-CP to the corresponding chloro-p-hydroquinones, but those preincubated with 4-CP converted CPs lacking a chlorine atom(s) at the o position to isomers of chlorocatechol. The ability of DTP0602 to dechlorinate 2,4,6-TCP was induced by 2,6-dichlorophenol, 2,3,6- and 2,4,6-TCP, and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol and was repressed in the presence of succinate or glucose.

[A case of lung cancer with Mallory bodies]

This paper is a report of a large cell carcinoma (solid carcinoma with mucus formation-WHO) which developed in the right upper lobe of a 71-year-old woman and in which cytoplasmic Mallory body-like inclusions (MBL) similar to Mallory bodies (MB) often found in alcoholic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma were noted in the tumor cells. MBL was an eosinophilic massive or reticular hyalin, and showed staining properties similar to those of MB in general stainings. Electron microscopically, it was made up mainly of a fine granular amorphous substance with high electron density and was not surrounded by a membrane. A part of the margin was in close contact with filaments approximately 10 nm in diameter, with tonofibril-like structures around it, which suggested a relationship with cytokeratin. On immunoperoxidase staining using a couple of cytokeratin antibodies, definitely positive findings were not obtained with MBL themselves. MBL of this case basically has the same character as that of MBL which appears in fibrous lesions in the lung and MB in liver disease. It was concluded that it is necessary to preoperatively distinguish this entity cytologically or histologically from pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The facilitated effect of retinol on rat hepatocarcinogenesis induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene

To examine the influence of retinol acetate (retinol, known as an inhibitor of tumor promotion) on 3'-methyl-4-dimethyl-aminoazobenzene (3'MeDAB)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, rats were fed with a diet containing 0.06% 3'MeDAB for 4 or 7 weeks and then with a normal diet for 21 or 18 weeks. Rats were given retinol (0, 6.25, 12.5 and 25.0 mg/rat, dissolved in DMSO) i.p. every 5 days from the 10th week to the 20th week. As a control, rats were fed a basal diet and given retinol at the same doses as mentioned above. At the 25th week, the incidence of hepatoma (hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma) of each group was checked. In rats fed diet containing 3'MeDAB for 7 weeks, significant increases in the incidence of hepatoma were seen in retinol-treated groups at various doses. In rats fed 3'MeDAB diet for 4 weeks, all three doses also moderately, though not significantly, increased the incidence of hepatoma. No liver tumor was found in rats fed normal diet followed by treatment with retinol at any dose. Except for slight but detectable elevation of cellular retinoic acid binding protein levels in tumor tissues obtained from rats treated with retinol, no obvious differences in cellular retinol binding protein and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in the tumor tissues were observed between retinol-treated and untreated rats. Phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis of the tumor-bearing rats with or without retinol treatment showed approximately 50% inhibition compared with that of rats fed normal diet without retinol treatment. These results indicated that the administration of retinol in the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis enhanced the tumor induction, possibly due to the fixation of malignant transformation of the cells.

An evaluation of ovarian carcinoma-associated antigen defined by murine monoclonal antibody CF511 in sera from patients with ovarian carcinoma

Murine monoclonal antibody CF511, raised against human ovarian clear cell carcinoma, detects a glycoprotein (Mr 600 kDa) called CF511 antigen which is elevated in the serum of many patients with ovarian carcinoma. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to detect CF511 antigen in human serum and used to detected CF511 antigen in subjects with ovarian carcinoma and other diseases. No raised levels (less than 18 unit (U) ml-1) of the antigen were found in the serum of 220 normal individuals or of patients with germ cell tumours (n = 6), granulosa theca cell tumour (n = 1), gastric carcinomas (n = 10) and colo-rectal carcinomas (n = 8). Raised serum levels of CF511 antigen were found in 6/46 patients (13.0%) with benign gynaecological tumours (including endometriosis or ovarian cyst), in 5/7 patients (71.4%) with breast carcinoma and 16/21 (76.2%) lung carcinoma patients. In patients with ovarian carcinoma, 42.3% (11/26) of stage I and II, and 96.0% (24/25) of stage III and IV had levels of greater than or equal to 18 U ml-1. In all patients with serial determination of CF511 antigen levels before and after the surgery, the levels of antigen correlated with the clinical course of disease. Determination of CF511 antigen levels may be useful for detection of ovarian carcinoma as well as lung and breast carcinomas and for monitoring progress of disease and response to therapy.

Clear cell carcinoma of the human ovary synthesizes and secretes a transferrin with microheterogeneity of lectin affinity

Human ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line (transferrin (Tf)-non-producer), HAC 2, cells were adapted to grow in chemically defined synthetic medium when the cells were cultured with medium containing 10 micrograms/ml of insulin at least for 6 months. They synthesized and secreted constantly the 80 kDa protein immunologically similar to human serum Tf (15 +/- 12 ng/ml/10(7) cells/3 days). By sensitive lectin-affinity electrophoresis followed by antibody-affinity blotting technique, a concanavalin A weakly bound or unbound, lentil lectin, a strongly reactive abnormal band, which was rarely found in human serum Tf, was detectable in the Tf synthesized by HAC 2 cells (HACTf). These findings suggest that the HACTf may act as one of the autocrine growth factors and that this heterogeneity of HACTf for lectin affinity is ascribed to differences in the carbohydrate moiety of the Tf.

[A case report of mediastinal malignant lymphoma with long survival following combination chemotherapy using adriamycin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide]

Mediastinal B-cell malignant lymphoma of a 22-year-old female was successfully treated by combination chemotherapy including Adriamycin, Vincristine and Cyclophosphamide. She suffered from dyspnea and axillary tumor in September 1984. Roentgenological examination revealed a large anterior mediastinal tumor. Biopsy of the axillary tumor yielded a diagnosis of metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma from thymus by hematoxylin and eosin. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy including CDDP and ACNU resulted in a symptom-free period of only 2 months. Superior vena cava syndrome and massive pleural effusion recurred. Salvage chemotherapy including Adriamycin, Vincristine and Cyclophosphamide resulted in rapid therapeutic effect. Six courses of chemotherapy were administered, and she is alive and well 4 years after the first salvage chemotherapy. A definitive diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma was made after review of biopsy specimens using immunohistochemical procedures. To select adequate treatment for mediastinal malignant lymphoma, reliable diagnostic procedures including immunohistochemistry are needed. Intensive chemotherapy with appropriate drugs may obtain good response even in advanced cases, such as this.

Determination of ABO blood groups from saliva and saliva stains by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies

The detection of A, B and H blood group substances (ABH-BGS) in saliva and in saliva stains has been investigated quantitatively by an indirect ELISA using a horseradish peroxidase conjugate in combination with the use of monoclonal antibodies. Through this method, the reaction specificity to BGS in the saliva was very high and its detection sensitivity was found to be approximately 1,000 times greater than has been achieved in a hemagglutination-inhibition test. The monoclonal anti-A and anti-B reagents reacting with both secretor and non-secretor saliva in a hemagglutination-inhibition test and in this ELISA method were selected from among commercial monoclonal antibodies. However, no monoclonal anti-H reagent was found to react with non-secretor saliva. The BGS level was determined by the use of calibration curves of A, B and H standard BGS from human gastric mucosa and was expressed in units, based on the inhibition titer of the standard BGS. In 230 saliva samples, ABH-BGS were detectable, except for H BGS in non-secretor saliva. The BGS levels in saliva stains experimentally prepared were found to be approximately proportional to the levels in the original saliva. As for actual and aged stains, it was possible to detect BGS in most cigarette butts and in aged stains, however, such detection proved impossible in saliva samples from postage stamp.

Multiple molecular forms of cytochrome P-450SCC purified from bovine corpus luteum mitochondria

Cytochrome P-450 related to side-chain cleavage of cholesterol (P-450SCC) was isolated from bovine corpus luteum mitochondria in the form of its stable cholesterol complex. The isolation procedure included ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatography on omega-aminohexyl-Sepharose (AH-Sepharose). Corpus luteum P-450SCC was resolved into one minor (AH-I) and two major (AH-II and AH-III) fractions by the chromatography. Results of re-chromatography suggested the possibility that AH-III Fraction was originally complexed with lipidic material. The two major fractions purified by the re-chromatography (AH-IIR and AH-IIIR Fractions) showed essentially a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and their absorption spectra were indistinguishable from each other. Both fractions were further resolved into two major and some minor bands of P-450SCC by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gel in the presence of a non-ionic detergent, as detected by protein staining, heme staining and immunoblot analysis with anti-bovine P-450SCC monoclonal antibody. Both AH-IIR and AH-IIIR Fractions were further resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on SP-TSK gel column into two fractions, SP-I and SP-II. These fractions had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence, showed similar catalytic activity and resolved into one major and a few minor bands on isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gel. Much more heterogeneity was observed in purified P-450SCC preparations from bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria. These results indicated the presence of multiple molecular forms of corpus luteum P-450SCC as well as adrenal cortex P-450SCC. Computer simulation studies were carried out in order to analyze the mechanism of formation of multiple bands on isoelectric focusing. The multiple bands of corpus luteum P-450SCC could be explained by postulating the presence of two isozymes (or molecular forms) having a pair of sites each with or without a charged group.

Mouse strain variations in the magnitude of induction of liver DT-diaphorase and hereditary transmission of the trait

1. Strain variations among mice in terms of cytosolic DT-diaphorase activity were studied in liver, kidney, stomach and heart tissues with or without the administration of 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA). 2. BHA induced DT-diaphorase activity in all strains examined, and the magnitude of induction varied depending on the strain and tissue. Among the 10 inbred strains tested, BALB/c and C57BL mice showed relatively large magnitudes of induction for liver DT-diaphorase, whereas C3H and CBA mice showed relatively small magnitudes. 3. Results of examinations of BALB/c-C3H-F1, -F2 and C57BL-CBA-F1 mice revealed that smaller magnitudes of induction of liver DT-diaphorase were inherited essentially as a dominant trait. The hereditary trait could be adequately explained by postulating two gene loci that regulate the magnitude of induction. 4. The possible significance of DT-diaphorase activity in chemical carcinogenesis was discussed.

Molecular characteristics of many hemoproteins: a survey of molecular weights, sedimentation coefficients, other molecular parameters and amino acid compositions

Data on molecular weights, sedimentation coefficients, other molecular parameters and amino acids compositions of many hemoproteins were collected from the literature and studied. The results of the survey gave a general view of the molecular characteristics of hemoproteins and also revealed the presence of various statistical correlations among the molecular parameters and amino acid compositions. Some of the correlations were found to be practically useful for the estimation of number of heme per molecule, molecular weight or partial specific volume. Discussions were made on the possible structural basis of the molecular characteristics of hemoproteins.