Spin-filter tunnel junction with matched fermi surfaces.

Efficient injection of spin-polarized current into a semiconductor is a basic prerequisite for building semiconductor-based spintronic devices. Here, we use inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy to show that the efficiency of spin-filter-type spin injectors is limited by spin scattering of the tunneling electrons. By matching the Fermi-surface shapes of the current injection source and target electrode material, spin injection efficiency can be significantly increased in epitaxial ferromagnetic insulator tunnel junctions. Our results demonstrate that not only structural but also Fermi-surface matching is important to suppress scattering processes in spintronic devices.

Inhibition of cell adhesion by high molecular weight kininogen.

An anti-cell adhesion globulin was purified from human plasma by heparin-affinity chromatography. The purified globulin inhibited spreading of osteosarcoma and melanoma cells on vitronectin, and of endothelial cells, platelets, and mononuclear blood cells on vitronectin or fibrinogen. It did not inhibit cell spreading on fibronectin. The protein had the strongest antiadhesive effect when preadsorbed onto the otherwise adhesive surfaces. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the globulin is cleaved (kinin-free) high molecular weight kininogen (HKa). Globulin fractions from normal plasma immunodepleted of high molecular weight kininogen (HK) or from an individual deficient of HK lacked adhesive activity. Uncleaved single-chain HK preadsorbed at neutral pH, HKa preadsorbed at pH greater than 8.0, and HKa degraded further to release its histidine-rich domain had little anti-adhesive activity. These results indicate that the cationic histidine-rich domain is critical for anti-adhesive activity and is somehow mobilized upon cleavage. Vitronectin was not displaced from the surface by HKa. Thus, cleavage of HK by kallikrein results in both release of bradykinin, a potent vasoactive and growth-promoting peptide, and formation of a potent anti-adhesive protein.

Purification and characterization of a tumor lipid-mobilizing factor.

Cancer patients with weight loss showed urinary excretion of a lipid-mobilizing factor (LMF), determined by the ability to stimulate lipolysis in isolated murine epididymal adipocytes. Such bioactivity was not detectable in the urine of cancer patients without weight loss or in normal subjects. The LMF was purified using a combination of ion exchange, exclusion, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies to give a single component of apparent Mr 43,000, which showed homology in amino acid sequence with human plasma Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein. Both substances showed the same mobility on denaturing and nondenaturing gels and the same chymotrypsin digestion pattern, both stained heavily for carbohydrate, and they showed similar immunoreactivity. Polyclonal antisera to human plasma Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein was also capable of neutralization of the bioactivity of human LMF in vitro. Using competitive PCR to quantify expression of Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein, we found that only those tumors that were capable of producing a decrease in carcass lipid expressed mRNA for Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein. These results provide strong evidence to suggest that tumor production of Zn-alpha2-glycoprotein is responsible for the lipid catabolism seen in cancer patients.

Purification of nucleosidediphosphatase of rat liver by metal-chelate affinity chromatography.

A procedure is presented for the purification of nucleosidediphosphatase (nucleosidediphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.6) of rat liver by affinity chromatography using metal conjugated to epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B. The enzyme is eluted from the conjugate by a solution of L-histidine. The enzyme, when bound to metal-chelate gel, is active in a suspended form, suggesting that the catalytic site is different from the site that binds to the metal-chelate gels. Substrate specificity and Km value of the enzyme obtained are similar to those of the enzyme obtained from the same sources by a conventional procedure, indicating that the metal-chelate affinity chromatography does not bring about any substantial change in the catalytic properties.

Solubilization and partial characterization of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine: globoside alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase from dog spleen microsomes.

UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine:globoside alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.-) synthesizing Forssman hapten was solubilized from dog spleen microsomes by a combination of Triton X-100 treatment and sonication. The solubilized enzyme was partially purified by calcium phosphate gel, ammonium sulfate fractionation and then DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The enzymatic activity of the purified preparation was stimulated by exogenously added phosphatidylserine, as found in the particulate enzyme. When the properties of the purified enzyme were examined in the presence of exogenous phosphatidylserine, the enzyme had an absolute requirement for Mn2+; this was not substituted by Ca2+ or Mg2+. Apparent Km values for UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine and globoside were 1-10(-5) and 5-10(-4) M, respectively. It had a pH optimum of 6.55 regardless of the presence or absence of exogenous lipids. Since the partially purified enzyme was completely free of uridine diphosphatase which was found in the particulate preparaton, the effect of UDP on the transferase activity could be studied. Thus, UDP inhibited 85% of the activity at a concentration of 1.5 mM. p-Cholormercuribenzoate inhibited over 90% of the activity at 2 mM, indicating the transferase to be SH-enzyme.

Affinity purification and some properties of nucleoside diphosphatase from rat liver cytosol.

Nucleosidediphosphatase (nucleosidediphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.6) of rat liver cytosol was purified up to 336--fold by the procedure including affinity chromatographies of concanavalin A- and alanine-Sepharose. The final purified enzyme showed a single protein band upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Its native form was found to be a tetramer with molecular weight of 120 000 which consists of subunit with molecular weight of 30 000. The enzyme was found to be a glycoprotein on the basis of its chromatographic behaviour with concanavalin A-Sepharose and positive staining with periodate-Schiff reaction in polyacrylamide gels. Furthermore, the two molecular forms with isoelectric points of 4.7 and 5.0 were demonstrated by electrofocusing, though they did not show any significant difference with respect to their catalytic properties.

Dipeptidyl peptidase II from porcine seminal plasma: purification, characterization, and its homology to granzymes, cytotoxic cell proteinases (CCP 1-4).

Dipeptidyl peptidase II (DPP II) was purified to homogeneity from porcine seminal plasma by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was calculated to be approx. 185,000 and 200,000 on Superdex 200 column chromatography and non-denatured PAGE, respectively, and to be 58,000 and 61,000 on SDS-PAGE in the absence and presence of beta-mercaptoethanol (beta-ME), respectively. These findings suggested that the enzyme is composed of three identical subunits. The enzyme rapidly hydrolyzed the substrates Lys-Ala-MCA and Gly-Pro-MCA at acidic pH. The Km and V(max) values of DPP II at optimal pH (pH 6.0) were 1330 microM and 2.9 mumol/mg per min for Gly-Pro-MCA, and 360 microM and 1.43 mumol/mg per min for Lys-Ala-MCA, respectively. It was strongly inhibited by diisopropylphosphofluoride (DFP), and moderately by 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF). These findings suggest that DPP II is a serine peptidase. Furthermore, the enzyme activity was also strongly inhibited by copper ions. The amino-acid sequence of the first 41 residues of the enzyme was determined as Ala1-Ser-Pro-Pro-Glu-Pro-Gly-Phe-Arg- Glu10-Val-Tyr-Phe-Glu-Gln-Leu-Leu-Asp-His-Phe20-Asn-Phe-Glu- Arg-Phe- Gly-Lys-Lys-Thr-Phe30-Arg-Gln-Arg-Phe-Leu-Val-Ser-Asp-Lys-Phe40 -Trp. This sequence showed homology (11.6-30.2%) to the N-terminal amino-acid sequences of cytotoxic cell proteinases (CCP 1-4), granzymes. Other properties of DPP II including pH optimum, pH stability, and heat stability were characterized.

Human seminal plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein: its purification and properties as compared with human plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein.

On the basis of the datum that the level of Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein (Zn alpha 2gp) in human seminal plasma was about 6-times higher than that in adult serum, Zn alpha 2gp was purified from fresh human seminal plasma approx. 70-fold with 60% yield over seminal plasma by DEAE-Sephacel, Zn-chelate Sepharose 4B and DEAE-5PW column chromatographies. The molecular weight of seminal plasma Zn alpha 2gp was 50,000 on Superose column chromatography, and 40,500 and 41,500 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence and presence of beta-mercaptoethanol, respectively. Plasma Zn alpha 2gp is a glycoprotein, while the protein from seminal plasma does not contain carbohydrate. The amino acid sequence of the first 17 residues of seminal plasma Zn alpha 2gp was Glu-Asn-Gln-Asp-Gly-Asn-Tyr-Ser-Leu-Thr-Tyr-Ile-Tyr-Thr-Gly-Leu-Ser. This sequence was completely identical with the amino acid residues from Glu-2 to Ser-18 in the N-terminal amino acid sequence of plasma Zn alpha 2gp. These data suggest that both Zn alpha 2gps in plasma and seminal plasma may be expressed from one gene, but their posttranslational modifications are different.

Human seminal plasma beta-microseminoprotein: its purification, characterization, and immunohistochemical localization.

beta-Microseminoprotein was very efficiently purified from human seminal plasma with only three steps including DEAE-Sephacel and Zinc-chelate Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. The purified protein was a non-glycoprotein with a molecular weight (M(r)) of 19,000 and 17,000 on gel filtration and reduced SDS-PAGE, respectively. The protein gave six bands from M(r) 15,600 to 25,500 on non-reduced SDS-PAGE. The characterization including the molecular weight, amino acid sequence of N-terminus and concentrations in various body fluids is discussed. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical localization of the protein among various human tissues is demonstrated.

Immunohistochemical localization of Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein in normal human tissues.

The Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein (Zn-alpha 2-GP) is present at a high concentration in the seminal plasma and at significant levels in other human body fluids. Its precise localization, however, has remained unclear, as well as its physiological and pathological significance. The present study reports the immunohistochemical localization of this protein in normal adult human tissues. Localization of the reactive product to anti-human plasma Zn-alpha 2-GP antibody was demonstrated in the following cells: luminal and basal cells of the prostate gland, luminal epithelial cells of the acini and of some ducts of the mammary glands, luminal cells of the secretory portion of the eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, serous cells of the salivary, tracheal, and bronchial glands, acinar cells of the esophageal glands, exocrine acinar cells of the pancreas, hepatocytes of the liver, and epithelial cells of the proximal and distal tubules in the kidney. The present results suggest that Zn-alpha 2-GP exerts some unknown but fairly widespread exocrine function and may be produced in the various epithelial cells tested. Hepatocytes are also suggested to be a source of the protein in the blood plasma.

Structure and expression of rat and mouse mRNAs for Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein.

Rat and mouse cDNAs for Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein (Zn alpha 2gp) were isolated from liver libraries (lambda gt11) and compared with the human one. The lengths of cDNA inserts analyzed were 1,233 and 1,273 nucleotides for rat and mouse, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences suggested that rat and mouse Zn alpha 2gp proteins consist of 279 and 290 amino acid residues in the mature form, respectively. They have 59.4% (rat) and 58.6% (mouse) identities in amino acid sequence with the human counterpart, and between rat and mouse the identity is 88.5%. Among the three domains, domain B is best conserved; the identities are 74.7, 73.6, and 95.6% between human and rat, human and mouse, and rat and mouse, respectively. Four cysteine and eight tryptophan residues are all conserved, and two of the three asparagine residues that carry a glycan in the human protein are conserved. Analysis of rat tissues by Northern blot suggested that its mRNA is expressed in liver, and, to a much lesser extent in submandibular gland, lung, kidney, and stomach. A more detailed study by in situ hybridization demonstrated that some epithelial cells of renal tubules and the isthmus and the neck zone cells of gastric fundic glands express Zn alpha 2gp mRNA.

Human gene for beta-microseminoprotein: its promoter structure and chromosomal localization.

The gene for human beta-microseminoprotein (MSP, beta-inhibin, prostatic secretory protein94, or PSP94) was isolated. The nucleotide sequence of its upstream region (2,860 bp), exon 1 (35 bp), and a part of the following intron (218 bp) was determined. Transient transfection analysis on MSP-expressing (PC-3) and -nonexpressing (HepG2) cells using luciferase reporter plasmids suggested that the region from -2738 to -276 is not essential for the basal promoter activity, and that the regions from -275 to -207 and from -186 to -128 function in a cell-specific manner. The chromosome locus of the gene (MSMB) was determined through application of PCR to the DNAs of rodent-human somatic cell hybrids and also by the fluorescence in situ hybridization technique to be region q11.2 of chromosome 10.

Carbohydrate binding specificity of monoclonal antibodies raised against lactose-protein Maillard adducts.

Three hybridoma antibodies (L101, L104, and L117) specific for lactose-protein amino carbonyl products (Maillard adducts) were obtained by immunizing mice with the lactose-ovalbumin Maillard adduct and by screening with the lactose-bovine serum albumin (BSA) adduct. They reacted with the Maillard adducts of lactose with several different proteins, but not with the adducts of several other reducing sugars. L101 reacted well with the lactose-BSA adducts formed by 2- to 16-day incubation, whereas L104 and L117 reacted with the advanced stage reaction products but not with the adducts of 2-day incubation. The competitive inhibition of the antibody binding by several mono- and disaccharides showed that lactulose (4-O-beta-D-galactopylanosyl-D-fructose) was the best inhibitor for all three antibodies, and that L104 and L117 were inhibited by methyl-beta-D-galactoside more effectively than L101. These results suggested that different components produced during the progress of the Maillard reaction could be antigenic determinants, and that the carbohydrate moiety including the terminal galactosyl residue played an important role in the antibody binding to the lactose-protein Maillard adducts.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV from porcine seminal plasma: purification, characterization, and N-terminal amino acid sequence.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) was purified to homogeneity from porcine seminal plasma by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was calculated to be approximately 290,000 on PAGE in the absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 310,000 on Sephacryl S-300 HR column chromatography, and to be 115,000 and 105,000 on SDS-PAGE in the absence and presence of beta-mercaptoethanol. The enzyme is suggested to be composed of three identical subunits. The enzyme rapidly hydrolyzed the substrate Gly-Pro-MCA, and weakly the substrate Lys-Ala-MCA. It was strongly inhibited by diisopropylphosphofluoridate (DFP), and moderately by both phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF). It was also strongly inhibited by zinc ion. The amino acid sequence of the first 18 residues of the enzyme was Asn-Lys-Gly-Thr-Asp-Asp-Ala-Ala-Ala-Asp-Ser-Arg-Arg- Thr-Tyr-Thr-Leu-Thr-. This sequence was highly homologous to the sequences in the rear of the transmembrane site of human and rat liver DPP IVs and mouse thymus DPP IV. The native DPP IV is suggested to be released into the seminal plasma after the cleavage of the hydrophobic N-terminal domain by chymotrypsin-like or pepsin-like enzymes. Other properties of DPP IV including kinetic parameters, pH stability and heat stability were characterized.

Chemical deglycosylation of hen ovomucoid: protective effect of carbohydrate moiety on tryptic hydrolysis and heat denaturation.

Hen ovomucoid was chemically deglycosylated by treatment with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid at 0 degrees C for 60 min. About 75 mol% of the carbohydrate moiety was removed from the glycoprotein without changing its amino acid composition, and its trypsin inhibitory activity and immunoreactivity with specific antibodies remained unchanged. The deglycosylated ovomucoid was inactivated and degraded easily by an excess amount of trypsin, whereas the native glycoprotein was not. Furthermore, the biological and immunological activities of the deglycosylated ovomucoid were lowered by heat treatment more easily than those of the native ovomucoid. These results suggest that the carbohydrate moiety of ovomucoid contributes to the stability of the ovomucoid molecule against tryptic hydrolysis and heat denaturation.

Alanyl aminopeptidase from human seminal plasma: purification, characterization, and immunohistochemical localization in the male genital tract.

Alanyl aminopeptidase (AAP) was purified to homogeneity from human seminal plasma. The calculated molecular weight of the purified enzyme was approximately 137,000+/-5,000 from light scattering, 140,000 (main) and 137,000 (minor) from non-denatured PAGE and 153,000 from SDS-PAGE in the absence or presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME). These findings suggest that the enzyme is monomeric in form in human seminal plasma. The enzyme hydrolyzed several amino acid 4-methyl-coumaryl-7-amide (MCA) substrates. The order of Kcat/Km values of AAP at optimal pH (pH 7.5) was Ala- > Lys-Ala- > or = Met- > Leu- > Phe- > Arg- > or = Arg-Arg- > Lys- > Gly-MCAs. AAP was potently inhibited by bestatin, leuhistin, actinonin, amastatin, and 1,10-phenanthroline. These findings suggest that AAP is an aminopeptidase. We determined that the amino acid sequence of the first 22 residues of the enzyme was Ser1-Thr-Thr-Pro-Ser5-Ala-Ser-Ala-Thr-Thr10-Asn-Pro-Al a-Ser-Ala15-Thr-Thr-Leu-Asp-Gln20-Ser-Lys-. This sequence was completely coincident with that downstream of the transmembrane site of human intestinal alanyl aminopeptidase N (CD13). We also isolated cDNA encoding AAP from human prostate cDNA library, sequenced its structure, and confirmed human seminal plasma AAP to be identical with alanyl aminopeptidase N. We postulated that native human seminal plasma alanyl aminopeptidase is released into the seminal plasma after the specific site is cleaved by elastase or an elastase-like enzyme. The enzyme level in human seminal plasma determined by single radial immunodiffusion was 5.2+/-3.2 mg/100 ml (mean+/-SD, n=20) in individuals 20-47 years of age. AAP was immunohistochemically stained in the luminal site-cell membrane of epithelial cells in the prostatic gland and ductuli efferentes of the testis.

Purification, molecular cloning, and immunohistochemical localization of dipeptidyl peptidase II from the rat kidney and its identity with quiescent cell proline dipeptidase.

We purified dipeptidyl peptidase II (DPP II) to homogeneity from rat kidney and determined its physicochemical properties, including its molecular weight, substrate specificity, and partial amino acid sequence. Furthermore, we screened a rat kidney cDNA library, isolated the DPP II cDNA and determined its structure. The cDNA was composed of 1,720 base pairs of nucleotides, and 500 amino acid residues were predicted from the coding region of cDNA. Human quiescent cell proline dipeptidase (QPP) cloned from T-cells is a 58-kDa glycoprotein existing as a homodimer formed with a leucine zipper motif. The levels of amino acid homology were 92.8% (rat DPP II vs. mouse QPP) and 78.9% (rat DPP II vs. human QPP), while those of nucleotide homology were 93.5% (rat DPP II vs. mouse QPP) and 79.4% (rat DPP II vs. human QPP). The predicted amino acid sequences of rat DPP II and human and mouse QPP possess eight cysteine residues and a leucine zipper motif at the same positions. The purified DPP II showed similar substrate specificity and optimal pH to those of QPP. Consequently, it was thought that DPP II is identical to QPP. Northern blot analysis with rat DPP II cDNA revealed prominent expression of DPP II mRNA in the kidney, and the order for expression was kidney >> testis > or = heart > brain > or = lung > spleen > skeletal muscle > or = liver. In parallel with Northern blot analysis, the DPP II antigen was detected by immunohistochemical staining in the cytosol of epithelial cells in the kidney, testis, uterus, and cerebrum.

Opposing effects of low and high molecular weight kininogens on cell adhesion.

High molecular weight kininogen (HK) blocks cell spreading but not cell attachment to surfaces coated with vitronectin and other ligands of beta3 integrins. We sought to learn the structural basis of this phenomenon. Monoclonal antibodies against the histidine-rich D5 domain in the light chain of 2-chain HK abolished the inhibitory effect of 2-chain HK on spreading of MG-63 osteosarcoma cells on vitronectin-coated tissue-culture plastic. The antibodies were effective only if incubated with 2-chain HK in solution and did not abolish the anti-cell-spreading effect of 2-chain HK that was pre-adsorbed to tissue-culture plastic. Exposure of an epitope in the histidine-rich domain was less when HK was adsorbed to tissue-culture plastic (oxidized polystyrene) than when it was adsorbed to ELISA plastic (untreated polystyrene). Loss of the epitope correlated with increased anti-cell-spreading activity of HK on tissue-culture plastic. The light chain of 2-chain HK containing D5 and that containing recombinant D5 both had anti-cell-spreading activity, but only when present in solution during adhesion assays. Pre-adsorption of recombinant D5 to tissue-culture plastic resulted in a surface on which adsorbed 2-chain HK had little anti-cell-spreading activity. Binding study revealed that HKa bound to immobilized vitronectin. The histidine-rich D5 domain of light chain of HK was identified as one of the binding sites of vitronectin, suggesting that the masking of the RGD cell-binding site of immobilized vitronectin is the molecular mechanism of anti-cell-spreading effect of HKa. In contrast, low molecular weight kininogen (LK), which lacks D5, augmented cell spreading on vitronectin-coated tissue-culture plastic. Thus, HK and LK have opposing effects on VN-dependent cell adhesion. The augmenting effect of LK was greater if LK was preincubated with cells or adsorbed to the surface at pH>7.0. Analysis of fragments of LK and antibody inhibition studies localized the cell-adhesion activity to the D3 domain that is common to LK and HK. These findings indicate that the D5 domain mediates the adsorption of HK or 2-chain HK to vitronectin substratum in anti-adhesive conformations, i.e., masking of the RGD cell-binding site of vitronectin. Such conformers inhibit cell spreading on vitronectin even though a cell-adhesion site is present in D3.

Expression of cystatin C in rat, monkey and human brains.

Expression of cystatin C and its mRNA in brain were investigated by use of immunohistochemical and polymerase chain-reaction techniques. High levels of cystatin C mRNA were detected in every region of rat brain examined, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum. Cystatin C-positive astrocytes were found by immunohistochemistry to be distributed throughout the brains of rat, monkey and human. Some neurons were also positive, but the staining was weak and variable. Intensely immunoreactive neurons were abundantly found in the cerebral cortex of some aged human cases and of all Alzheimer's disease patients. It is concluded that cystatin C is synthesized and expressed in the central nervous system, especially by astrocytes. Cystatin C might also be involved in the aging process of cortical neurons.

Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in liver and blood platelets of two patients with glycogen storage disease type I.

Glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) activity in liver and blood platelets of two patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD) type I is described. Both patients had a reduced activity of G-6-Pase in liver. The km value for glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P) of residual activity in liver of both patients was similar to that of control liver. We could not demonstrate any reduced activity of platelet G-6-Pase in the patients. Platelet G-6-Pase with our assay method seems to represent a nonspecific phosphatase activity. Our observation suggests that it is necessary to examine platelet G-6-Pase of many other patients with GSD type I to confirm that G-6-Pase deficiency can be diagnosed by enzyme assay performed on blood platelets.