Hypericum perforatum L. extract - novel photosensitizer against human bladder cancer cells.

The polar methanolic fraction (PMF) of the Hypericum perforatum L. extract has recently been developed and tested as a novel, natural photosensitizer for use in the photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). PMF has been tested on HL-60 leukemic cells and cord blood hemopoietic progenitors. In the present study, the efficacy of PMF as a phototoxic agent against urinary bladder carcinoma has been studied using the T24 (high grade metastatic cancer), and RT4 (primary low grade papillary transitional cell carcinoma) human bladder cancer cells. Following cell culture incubation, PMF was excited using 630 nm laser light. The photosensitizer exhibited significant photocytotoxicity in both cell lines at a concentration of 60microg/ml, with 4-8 J/cm(2) light dose, resulting in cell destruction from 80% to 86%. At the concentration of 20microg/ml PMF was not active in either cell line. These results were compared with the results obtained in the same cell lines, under the same conditions with a clinically approved photosensitizer, Photofrin. Photofrin was used in the maximum clinically tolerable dose of 4microg/ml, and it was also excited with 630 nm laser light. In the T24 cell Photofrin exhibited slightly less photocytotocixity, compared with PMF, resulting in 77% cell death with 8J/cm(2) light dose. However, against the RT4 cells Photofrin resulted in minimal cell death (9%) with even 8J/cm(2) light dose. Finally, the type of cell death induced by PMF photoactivation was studied using flow cytometry and DNA laddering. Cell death by PMF photodynamic action in these two bladder cell lines is caused predominently by apoptosis. The reported significant photocytotoxicity, selective localization, natural abundance, easy, and inexpensive preparation, underscore that the PMF extract hold the promise of being a novel, effective PDT photosensitizer.

Multiple mechanisms are used for growth rate and stringent control of leuV transcriptional initiation in Escherichia coli.

Expression of the Escherichia coli leuV operon, which contains three tRNA(1)(Leu) genes, is regulated by several mechanisms including growth-rate-dependent control (GRDC) and stringent control (SC). Structural variants of the leuV promoter which differentially affect these regulatory responses have been identified, suggesting that promoter targets for GRDC and SC may be different and that GRDC of the leuV promoter occurs in the absence of guanosine 3', 5'-bisdiphosphate. To determine the mechanisms of the leuV promoter regulation, we have examined the stability of promoter open complexes and the effects of nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) concentration on the efficiency of the leuV promoter and its structural variants in vitro and in vivo. The leuV promoter open complexes were an order of magnitude more stable to heparin challenge than those of rrnBp(1). The major initiating nucleotide GTP as well as other NTPs increased the stability of the leuV promoter open complexes. When the cellular level of purine triphosphates was increased at slower growth rates by pyrimidine limitation, a 10% reduction in leuV promoter activity was seen. It therefore appears that transcription initiation from the leuV promoter is less sensitive to changes in intracellular NTP concentration than that from rrnBp(1). Comparative analysis of regulation of the leuV promoter with and without upstream activating sequences (UAS) demonstrated that the binding site for factor of inversion stimulation (FIS) located in UAS is essential for maximal GRDC. Moreover, the presence of UAS overcame the effects of leuV promoter mutations, which abolished GRDC of the leuV core promoter. However, although the presence of putative FIS binding site was essential for optimal GRDC, both mutant and wild-type leuV promoters containing UAS showed improved GRDC in a fis mutant background, suggesting that FIS protein is an important but not unique participant in the regulation of the leuV promoter.

Interaction of tRNA with tRNA (guanosine-1)methyltransferase: binding specificity determinants involve the dinucleotide G36pG37 and tertiary structure.

The sequence G37pG36 is present in all tRNA species recognized and methylated by the Escherichia coli modification enzyme tRNA (guanosine-1)methyltransferase. We have examined whether this dinucleotide sequence provides the base specific recognition signal for this enzyme and have assessed the role of the remaining tRNA in recognition. E. coli tRNAHis and yeast tRNAAsp were substituted with G at positions 36 and 37 and were found to be excellent substrates for methylation. This suggested that the general tRNA structure can be specifically bound by the enzyme. In addition, heterologous tRNA species including fully modified tRNA1Leu are excellent inhibitors of tRNA1Leu transcript methylation. Analyses of structural variants of yeast tRNAAsp and E. coli tRNA1Leu demonstrate clearly that the core tertiary structures of tRNA are required for recognition and that G37 must be in the correct position in space relative to important contacts elsewhere in the molecule. This latter conclusion was reached because the addition of one to three stacked base pairs in the anticodon stem of tRNA1Leu dramatically alters activity. In this case, the G37 base is rotated away from the correct position in space relative to other tRNA contact sites. The acceptor stem structure is required for optimal activity since deletion of three or five base pairs is detrimental to activity; however, specific base sequence may not be important because (i) the addition of three stacked base pairs of different sequence had little effect on activity and (ii) heterologous tRNAs with little or no sequence homology in the acceptor stem are excellent substrates. Both poly G and GpG are potent and specific inhibitors of enzyme activity and are minimal substrates which can be methylated, forming m1G. Taken together, these studies suggest that 1MGT can bind the general tRNA structure and that the crucial base-pair contacts are G37 and G36.

Expression of rabbit ileal N3 Na+/nucleoside cotransport activity in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

To determine if the Na+/nucleoside cotransport activity in the distal rabbit intestine has either purine-selective (N1) or broad (N3) substrate specificity, Na(+)-dependent inosine uptake was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The rate of expressed Na(+)-stimulated inosine uptake saturated with increasing inosine concentration (apparent K(m) = 58.2 +/- 13.0 microM), was insensitive to inhibition by 6-(4-nitrobenzyl)thio-9-beta-D-ribofuranosylpurine, and was partially inhibited by phloridzin. Na(+)-dependent uptake was inhibited by guanosine (IC50 = 7.1 microM) and thymidine (IC50 = 5.5 microM). The Na+/nucleoside cotransport activity expressed by rabbit ileal mRNA in the Xenopus oocyte expression system is most characteristic of the N3 subclass of this family of transport proteins.

tRNA-m1G methyltransferase interactions: touching bases with structure.

m1G methyltransferase of Escherichia coli is being examined with regard to how specific tRNA substrates are recognized. This enzyme appears to require the entire tRNA structure of optimal activity. Recognition may require specific base contacts as well as phosphate backbone structures embodied in the tRNA structure.

Glibenclamid-sensitive K+ channels are responsible for angiotensin II hypersensitive contraction and atrial natriuretic factor refractoriness of glomeruli in low-sodium rats.

We investigated the role of ANF and potassium channels in dynamics of glomeruli isolated from low and normal-sodium rats. The ANG II-induced decrease glomerular size (36%) and (18%) in low and normal-sodium rats, respectively. ANF or cicletanine showed reversing effect on the ANG II-precontracted glomeruli from normal but not from low-sodium rats. The action of ANG II was abolished when ANF and cicletanine were added together. Glibenclamid completely abolished the inhibitory effect of cicletanine and ANF on ANG II-induced contraction of glomeruli from low-sodium rats. These results suggest that glibenclamid-sensitive potassium channels are responsible for ANG II hypersensitive contraction and ANF or cicletanine refractoriness of isolated glomeruli from low-sodium rats.

Attenuated glomerular responses to atrial natriuretic factor in low-sodium rats is prevented by theophylline.

Atrial natriuretic factor administered in the large dose did not change glomerular filtration rate, but it was diuretic in low-sodium rats. In response to ANF, excretion of c-GMP was decreased in low-sodium rats in comparison with normal-sodium stimulated c-GMP accumulation in isolated glomeruli was more diminished in low- than normal sodium rats. These results indicate that attenuated glomerular responses to ANF in low-sodium rats might be due to increase of plasma Angiotensin II (Ang II) level, which increases intracellular Ca++ concentration. Theophylline can potentiate the renal response to ANF. We suggest that Ca(++)-activated c-GMP phosphodiesterase plays a major role in the regulation of intracellular accumulation of c-GMP in glomeruli exposed to ANF.

Intrarenal adenosine prevents hyperfiltration induced by atrial natriuretic factor.

The hyperfiltration action of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and glucagon is accompanied by an elevation of adenosine in urine. We employed adenosine deaminase to evaluate the role of intrarenal adenosine in glomerular hyperfiltration induced by those hormones. Administration of ANF (2 micrograms/kg/min) resulted in an increase in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR): 1.99 vs. 3.01 ml/min (p less than 0.02) which was associated with a rise of adenosine excretion 87 vs. 151 pmol/min. Similarly, infusion of glucagon (2 micrograms/kg/min) raised the GFR from 1.86 to 2.67 ml/min (p less than 0.02) and adenosine excretion from 105 to 178 pmol/min (p less than 0.02). Adenosine deaminase treatment (2 U x kg/min) did not change the basal GFR and renal plasma flow but decreased plasma adenosine level 0.64 vs. 0.18 microM (p less than 0.001) and its excretion: 93 vs. 13 pmol/min (p less than 0.01). In adenosine deaminase treated rats ANF dramatically increased the GFR from 2.09 to 4.18 ml/min (p less than 0.001) and fractional filtration from 0.29 to 0.57, and the increase persisted throughout infusion of ANF. Similarly, adenosine deaminase treatment potentiated and prolonged the effect of glucagon on the GFR. These data indicate that depletion in renal adenosine does not decrease the GFR and that adenosine is present at inhibitory concentrations only during hormonal stimulation of glomerular filtration. It is concluded that renal endogenous adenosine functions do restrain hyperfiltration induced by ANF or glucagon.

Effects of dipyridamole and furosemide on renal function during adenine dinucleotide infusion in rats.

In anaesthetized rats kept on normal diet an i.v. infusion of NAD (200 nmole X kg-1 X X min-1) induced a decrease in renal plasma flow (CPAH), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and electrolyte excretion accompanied by an increase in plasma adenosine concentration. Separate infusions of a small dose of NAD (50 nmole X kg-1 X min-1) or dipyridamole (25 micrograms X kg-1 X min-1) did not affect renal function or plasma adenosine concentration. However, when the above small doses of both agents were given simultaneously, GFR, CPAH and electrolyte excretion fell significantly, indicating potentiation of NAD action by dipyridamole, associated with increased plasma adenosine level. An i.v. infusion of furosemide failed to abolish the depression of renal function in response to NAD. The data suggest that the causal factor of this depression was adenosine and not NAD itself.