Effects of dietary docosahexaenoic acid on surface molecules involved in T cell proliferation.

It is known that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) suppress immunity as compared with n-6 PUFA such as linoleic acid (LA), but the mechanism involved in this phenomenon is still unclear. The present study was designed to assess the effect of dietary DHA on the surface molecules involved in T cell proliferation. Weanling male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four dietary groups that were fed a 10% fat diet for 4 weeks varying in amounts of DHA and LA. As the dietary DHA concentration increased, the surface expression of CD4 and CD8 on splenic T cells decreased, while that of CD28 increased. The surface expression of CD3, however, was invariable in all dietary groups. DNA synthesis of splenic T cells, induced by CD3 crosslinkage with anti-CD3 epsilon monoclonal antibody in the presence of CD28-mediated costimulation, increased as the DHA concentration was elevated. These observations suggest that diets rich in DHA exert some of their immunomodulatory effects by a downregulation of surface expression of CD4 and CD8 and by an upregulation of CD28-mediated costimulatory signal.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of bestatin analogues, inhibitors of aminopeptidase B.

Stereoisomers and analogues of bestatin, [(2S,3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoyl]-L-leucine, were synthesized and tested for aminopeptidase B and leucine aminopeptidase inhibiting activity. Among the eight stereoisomers, the 2S stereoisomers exhibited strong activity. In a series of compounds in which the L-leucine residue of bestatin was substituted with other amino acids, only the one containing isoleucine showed more activity than bestatin. Norleucine, norvaline, methionine, valine, serine, glutamine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, proline, and lysine analogues gave, in that order, decreasing activity. Alkyl and phenyl sub stitution for the benzyl group of bestatin decreased the activity markedly. p-Methyl-, p-chloro-, and p-nitrobestatins showed greater activity than bestatin.

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. Stopped-flow kinetic analysis of enzyme.lysyladenylate formation.

Amino acid activation reaction of the lysyl-tRNA synthetase [L-lysine:tRNALys ligase (AMP forming); EC 6.1.1.6] from Bacillus stearothermophilus was studied fluorometrically by the stopped-flow method. The addition of L-lysine to the enzyme solution caused quenching of the protein fluorescence and the subsequent addition of ATP restored the quenched fluorescence [Takita et al. (1996) J. Biochem. 119, 680-689; Takita et al. (1997) 121, 244-250]. In the stopped-flow analysis, however, the former fluorescence change (quenching) could not be detected, while the latter change (restoration) was detectable. The L-lysine binding process was suggested to be much faster than the ATP binding process, being completed within the dead-time of the apparatus, ca. 3 ms. The hyperbolic dependence of kapp on the initial ATP concentration suggested that the ATP binding to the enzyme.L-lysine complex followed a two-step mechanism. Two L-lysine analogues that exhibit the qualitatively similar behavior to L-lysine in the fluorometric titration, L-lysine hydroxamate and L-lysine amide, were examined similarly. The two-step process was also suggested for these analogues, and the forward rate constant in the rate-determining step for L-lysine amide (221+/-7 s-1) was significantly larger than those for L-lysine (45.7+/-4.6 s-1) and L-lysine hydroxamate (14. 5+/-1.7 s-1) at pH 8.0, 30 degrees C.

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. Purification, and fluorometric and kinetic analysis of the binding of substrates, L-lysine and ATP.

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase [L-lysine:tRNA(Lys)ligase (AMP forming); EC 6.1.1.6] was purified from Bacillus stearothermophilus NCA1503 approximately 1,100-fold to homogeneity in PAGE. The enzyme is a homodimer of M(r) 57,700 x 2. The molar absorption coefficient, epsilon, at 280 nm is 71,600 M-1.cm-1 at pH8.0. Enzyme activity in the tRNA aminoacylation reaction and the ATP-PPi exchange reaction increases up to 50 degrees C at pH 8.0, but is lost completely at 70 degrees C. The pH-optima of the two reactions are 8.3 at 37 degrees C. In the tRNA aminoacylation reaction, the Km values for L-lysine and ATP are 16.4 and 23.2 muM, respectively, and in the ATP-PPi exchange reaction, the Km values for L-lysine and ATP are 23.6 and 65.1 muM, respectively at 37 degrees C, pH 8.0. Interaction of either L-lysine or ATP with the enzyme has been investigated by using as a probe the ligand-induced quenching of protein fluorescence and by equilibrium dialysis. These static analyses, as well as the kinetic analysis of the L-lysine dependent ATP-PPi exchange reaction indicate that the binding mode of L-lysine and ATP to the enzyme is sequential ordered (L-lysine first). The interaction of lysine analogues with the enzyme has also been investigated.

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. Formation and isolation of an enzyme-lysyladenylate complex and its analogue.

The formation of an enzyme.lysyladenylate complex was studied with a highly purified lysyl-tRNA synthetase [L-lysine:tRNALYS ligase (AMP-forming); EC 6.1.1.6] from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The apparent dissociation equilibrium constants of the enzyme with L-lysine and ATP in the process of the complex formation were estimated to be 50.9 and 15.5 microM, respectively, at pH 8.0, 30 degrees C, by fluorometric measurement. The isolated enzyme.lysyladenylate complex was relatively stable with a rate constant of decomposition of 1.7 x 10(-5) s-1 at pH 8.5 and 0 degree C. The rate constant of transfer of L-lysine from the complex to Escherichia coli tRNA was 1.2 x 10(-2) S-1 at pH 8.5 and 0 degree C. The effects of replacing L-lysine by several analogues on the complex formation were examined. L-Lysine hydroxamate, a strong inhibitor of the L-lysine dependent ATP-PPi exchange reaction, produced a stable complex with the enzyme and ATP, enzyme.lysinehydroxamate-AMP probably being formed. The binding stoichiometry of the assumed L-lysinehydroxamate-AMP per mol of the dimer enzyme was 1:1.

Immunohistochemical analysis of platelet-derived growth factor-B expression in myocardial tissues in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Intimal and/or medial hyperplasia of intramyocardial small vessels is thought to be one of the causes of myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, the pathogenesis of such vascular lesions in HCM is not yet known. To evaluate the pathogenic role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-B) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), which have a potential to induce cellular and molecular changes observed in the vessels in HCM, we examined the expression of these molecules and PDGF receptors in cardiac tissues from six patients with HCM and seven controls using immunohistochemistry. The percentage of PDGF-B positive cells in the myocyte population in HCM was significantly higher than that in controls (52.6 +/- 16.2 (mean +/- SD) vs. 21.6 +/- 9.6, p < 0.01). PDGF-B was also observed in vascular regions in HCM (61.1 +/- 25.5% of arterioles) but not in controls. There were no significant differences in the expression of b-FGF and PDGF receptors in the myocyte and non-myocyte populations and the vascular regions between the HCM and control groups. Our study revealed that the expression of PDGF-B protein was up-regulated in HCM, suggesting the contribution of this molecule to the development of intramyocardial vasculopathy.

Peplomycin and liblomycin, a new analogues of bleomycin.

Peplomycin, derivative of Bleomycin which was developed because of a lower pulmonary toxicity and broader anti-tumor spectrum in animal study, also showed to be effective in clinical studies on adenocarcinomas such as prostatic cancer, breast cancer, etc. as well as on squamous cell carcinoma and the anti-tumor spectrum were observed to be broader than those of Bleomycin. Further, the combination therapy with other anti-cancer drugs showed higher effectiveness. Clinically lower pulmonary toxicity was also observed. Liblomycin, derivative of Bleomycin having a lipophyllic characteristics, was developed since it showed in animal studies a lower pulmonary toxicity than that of Peplomycin and broader anti-tumor spectrum. At present, this substance is under Phase I study in Japan.

Response of plasma immunoreactive active renin, inactive renin, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone to hemodialysis in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Several alterations in plasma active renin, inactive renin (prorenin), and aldosterone have been described in patients with diabetes mellitus. Such changes could be of some importance for patients on hemodialysis treatment, who must undergo severe changes in fluid and electrolyte status during each dialysis session. Therefore we studied the response of renin and aldosterone to hemodialysis in uremic diabetic nephropathy patients, using direct immunometric assays to measure plasma active renin concentration (ARC), inactive renin concentration (IRC), total renin concentration (TRC), plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in 11 male patients aged 39-69 (mean 53 +/- 2) with diabetic nephropathy and 11 male age-matched non-diabetics who had been on maintenance hemodialysis for 1-10 years. Although baseline values of IRC were slightly higher, and values of PAC lower in diabetics compared to non-diabetics, the results did not reach statistical significance. During hemodialysis, significant increases in ARC (p less than 0.01), TRC (p less than 0.05), and PRA (p less than 0.01), and a significant decrease (p less than 0.05) in PAC were seen in non-diabetic patients but no significant changes were observed in patients with diabetic nephropathy. IRC did not change during hemodialysis in either group of patients. There were no significant differences in body weight, blood pressure, or electrolyte changes in the two groups. These results suggest an altered response of plasma renin and aldosterone to hemodialysis in patients with diabetic nephropathy compared to non-diabetics. The reduced renin response could not be explained by a defect in conversion from inactive renin, but may be caused by decreased secretion of active renin in these patients.

Ultrasound changes of the carpal tunnel in patients receiving long-term hemodialysis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the major problems of long-term hemodialysis (HD), but sometimes difficult to distinguish from uremic or diabetic neuropathy by clinical symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To evaluate the diagnosis of CTS more precisely, we examined the ultrasonographic alterations of the carpal tunnel and tendons of 90 wrists from 45 patients undergoing HD for more than 5 years. We measured the thickness of the palmar radiocarpal ligament (PRL), corresponding to the posterior wall of the carpal tunnel (CT), and the width of the CT, and compared those values with sensory (SCV), motor conduction velocity (MCV) of the median nerve and clinical symptoms. In addition, we longitudinally measured CT and PRL in the same patients for 5 years, and compared ultrasonographic changes and clinical parameters. RESULTS: A linear positive relationship was found between HD duration and PRL thickness (r = 0.43, p < 0.01) or CT width (r = 0.53, p < 0.01). CT diameter was negatively correlated with MCV (r = -0.30, p < 0.01) and SCV (r = -0.33, p < 0.04). PRL thickness was also inversely correlated with MCV (r = -0.44, p < 0.01) and SCV (r = -0.46, p < 0.01) of the median nerve, respectively. The wrists with clinical CTS and/or previous CTS surgery had significantly greater CT and PRL values compared to patients without CTS (CT: 6.1 0.2vs. 8.0+/-0.3 mm,p<0.01;PRL: 1.9+/-0.1 vs. 3.6 +/- 0.2 mm, p < 0.01). There was a significant increase in CT width from 6.2 +/- 0.2 to 7.1 +/- 0.2 mm (p < 0.01) and PRL thickness from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 2.8 +/- 0.2 mm (p <0.01) during the 5-year observation, respectively. PRL thickness was constantly increased at the rate of 0.4 mm during the study. However, no significant association was found between the 5-year increases in CT and PRL distance and age, gender, the prevalence of diabetes, or laboratory parameters such as blood beta2-microglobulin, pentosidine and Kt/V(urea). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that echographic evaluation of the wrist tissue thickness was useful to assess the progression of CTS. Serial measurements of the wrist by echography may be helpful to clarify the advance of subclinical CTS in patients receiving long-term HD.

Dietary docosahexaenoic acid can alter the surface expression of CD4 and CD8 on T cells in peripheral blood.

The effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on T cell states in peripheral blood was investigated. Weanling male C57Bl/6N mice were kept on one of three 10% fat diets containing various amounts of DHA and linoleic acid for 4 weeks. Changing the concentration of dietary DHA did not alter the proportion of T cells expressing CD4 or CD8. However, increasing the concentration of dietary DHA lowered the expression of CD4 and CD8 on the cell surface. The decreased expression of these surface molecules involved in T cell proliferation has serious implications in the role of DHA as an immunosuppressant.

Effects of o-phenanthroline, 2,2'-dipyridyl and neocuproine on the activities of bleomycin to inhibit DNA synthesis and growth of cultured cells.

Effects of o-phenanthroline, 2,2'-dipyridyl and neocuproine, which form stable complexes preferentially with Fe(II), Fe(II) and specifically with Cu(I), respectively, on the inhibitory activity of bleomycin against DNA synthesis of rat ascites hepatoma AH66 cells were examined. The inhibitory activity of metal-free bleomycin was suppressed in the presence of o-phenanthroline or 2,2'-dipyridyl, but not by neocuproine, though these chelating agents also showed the inhibitory activity against the DNA synthesis of the cells by themselves alone. The activity of bleomycin-Cu(II) was also suppressed by o-phenanthroline, but bleomycin-Fe(II) and bleomycin-Fe(III) exhibited some activities in the presence of o-phenanthroline. The growth inhibitory activity of bleomycin against HeLa cells was also suppressed by o-phenanthroline. From these results, bleomycin-iron complexes were suggested to be responsible to the bleomycin action in cells.

Activation of bleomycin-Fe(III) by bleomycin-Cu(II) and cysteine.

When bleomycin (BLM) was incubated with DNA at 37 degrees C for 30 minutes in the presence of BLM-Cu(II) and cysteine, the DNA became more acid-soluble compared with the reaction without BLM-Cu(II). Superoxide dismutase did not suppress this increased DNA chain breakage. This combination of BLM-Cu(II) and cysteine did not enhance BLM-Fe(II)-induced DNA chain breakage, but caused the DNA chain breakage by inactive BLM-Fe(III). Combination of BLM-Fe(III) with BLM-Cu(II) and cysteine also caused production of malondialdehyde-like product from DNA. Anaerobic incubation of DNA with BLM-Fe(III) and BLM-Cu(I) followed by aerobic incubation produced malondialdehyde-like product, but the incubation with CuCl instead of BLM-Cu(I) did not. These results suggest that activation of BLM-Fe(III) by BLM-Cu(II) and cysteine seems to be due to the reduction of BLM-Fe(III) to BLM-Fe(II) by BLM-Cu(I) formed in the reaction of BLM-Cu(II) and cysteine.

The nature of thiol-compounds which trap cuprous ion reductively liberated from bleomycin-Cu(II) in cells.

Bleomycin-Cu(II) [BLM-Cu(II)], which does not cause DNA strand breaks in vitro, exhibits antitumor activity in vivo. The copper in BLM-Cu(II) is reductively removed in vivo, and the liberated Cu(I) is trapped by intracellular thiol-proteins, thus yielding metal-free BLM. The bioactive species of BLM appears to be the iron-complex. For characterization of the thiol-proteins, thiol-compounds such as dithiothreitol (DTT), cysteine, metallothionein (MT) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were examined for their ability to trap Cu(I) liberated from BLM-Cu(II). BLM-Cu(II) was incubated at 37 degrees C with the thiol-compounds anaerobically for 1 hour followed by aerobic incubation for 10 minutes. Under these conditions DTT converted BLM-Cu(II) to metal-free BLM, but cysteine did not. However, in the presence of MT, cysteine gave metal-free BLM. The Cu(I) liberated from BLM-Cu(II) by cysteine was trapped by MT with accompanying liberation of Zn(II) and Cd(II) from MT. A part of the liberated Zn(II) formed the complex with the metal-free BLM. Metal-free BLM was also formed from BLM-Cu(II) by combined treatment with cysteine and ADH. BLM-Cu(II) was aerobically incubated with cytosol of MT-induced rat liver at 37 degrees C for 1 hour, and the mixture was analyzed with Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. The amount of copper in the MT fraction was increased concomitant with decrease of the Zn(II) and Cd(II). These results suggest that MT, ADH and other thiol-compounds, which have polythiol ligands, act as Cu(I)-trapping agents to yield metal-free BLM in cells.

An active intermediate formed in the reaction of bleomycin-Fe(II) complex with oxygen.

The base-release activity of oxygen adduct of bleomycin-Fe(II) complex [BLM-Fe(II)] from DNA decreased with a half-life of 5.2 minutes, when incubated at 0 degrees C in 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer at pH 7.8 in the absence of DNA. Under the same condition, however, visible and ESR spectra showed that the adduct was immediately converted into the ferric complex. The ESR study further indicated the simultaneous formation of two kinds of the low-spin BLM-Fe(III) complex. One of them disappeared in parallel with the decrease of the base-release activity and transformed into the other. The latter Fe(III) complex was stable but inactive. However, by addition of hydrogen peroxide to the latter, the former was regenerated and the base-release activity appeared. Oxygen concentration measurements by oxygraph showed that one mole of BLM-Fe(II) consumed approximately 0.5 mole of molecular oxygen instantly, but did not any more thereafter in the absence of a reducing agent. While in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol, the oxygen consumption proceeded biphasically, and equimolar oxygen was consumed by BLM-Fe(II) in the first rapid reaction. These results suggest that oxygen adduct of BLM-Fe(II) is reduced by one electron transfer from an external electron donor and the resulting BLM-Fe(III)-O2H- [or its deprotonated form: BLM-Fe(III)-O2(2)-] shows the activity to break DNA accompanying the base-release.

Chemistry of bleomycin. XVIII. carbon-13 NMR studies.

During chemical studies of bleomycin, many fragments and derivatives have been isolated and characterized. The 13C-NMR spectra of these compounds were taken and analyzed for structural information, and the complete assignment of the spectra was achieved. The 13C-chemical shift map thus obtained contains information about the structure and conformation and will be useful for studies on the chemistry and biology of bleomycin and related compounds.

Novel antifungal antibiotics octacosamicins A and B. II. The structure elucidation using various NMR spectroscopic methods.

The structures of octacosamicins A and B, two new antifungal antibiotics, were studied by spectrometries and chemical modifications. The 2D NMR techniques including 1H-detected heteronuclear multiple bond correlation method were successfully applied to this study. These antibiotics have unique linear chain structure possessing N-hydroxyguanidyl group at the terminal.

Chemistry of bleomycin. XXVI. Biosynthetic study using 13C-enriched precursors.

3-Morpholinopropylamino-bleomycin (MOP-BLM) was produced by the culture of Streptomyces verticillus ATCC 15003 grown in the presence of a 13C-enriched compound and 3-morpholinopropylamine in the medium, and the resulting MOP-BLM was analyzed by 13C-NMR spectrometry. In the spectrum of MOP-BLM produced by addition of 13C-methyl-L-methionine, the intensities of two signals assigned to the methyl carbon of the pyrimidine chromophore and of the 2-position of the 4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanoic acid moiety were remarkably enhanced. When DL-alanine-3-13C was added, the signals emanated from the 5-methyl and 2-methine carbons of the 4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanoic acid moiety were markedly enhanced. These results definitely indicate that the methyl group of the pyrimidine moiety originates from methionine-methyl group and the carbon skeleton of the pentanoic acid moiety is formed from alanine, acetate and methionine-methyl group. This study also revealed that the former assignment of the two signals from the two methyl carbons of the 4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-methylpentanoic acid moiety must be reversed.

Lipid peroxidation by bleomycin-iron complexes in vitro.

Lipid peroxidation catalyzed by bleomycin (BLM)-metal complexes was studied in vitro using arachidonic acid as the substrate. Iron complexes of BLM caused extensive lipid peroxidation, but other metal complexes did not. The lipid peroxidation caused by the iron complexes was inhibited by antioxidants such as dl-alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid etc., but not by other scavengers of hydroxyl and superoxide radicals, and of singlet oxygen. Cyanide ion suppressed the lipid peroxidation caused by BLM-Fe(II), but did not suppress the peroxidation activity of BLM-Fe(III). The peroxidation activity of BLM-Fe(II) was lost instantly by pre-incubation of the complex at 37 degrees C before mixing with arachidonic acid, but that of BLM-Fe(III) was not. These results indicate that the active form for the lipid peroxidation derived from BLM-Fe(II) differs from that of BLM-Fe(III).

The structure of a glyoxalase I inhibitor and its chemical reactivity with SH-compounds.

The structure of a glyoxalase I inhibitor (I), isolated from a cultured broth of Streptomyces griseosporeus, was found to be 2-crotonyloxymethyl-4,5,6-trihydroxy-cyclohex-2-enone by chemical studies. Stereochemistry and absolute configuration were determined to be 4R, 5R and 6R by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a bromine-containing crystalline derivative. The crotonyloxy group of I shows a surprising proclivity to be displaced by SH-compounds. This property is shown to be the basis for its biological activity.

Structure of a new isoflavone from fungi and Streptomyces inhibiting dopa decarboxylase.

A new dopa decarboxylase inhibiting isoflavone has been isolated from culture filtrates of fungi and streptomyces and shown to be 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxy-8-methoxyisoflavone.