Elevated plasma homocysteine leads to alterations in fibrin clot structure and stability: implications for the mechanism of thrombosis in hyperhomocysteinemia.

Elevated plasma homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. However, the mechanisms by which homocysteine might cause these events are not understood. We hypothesized that hyperhomocysteinemia might lead to modification of fibrinogen in vivo, thereby causing altered fibrin clot structure. New Zealand White rabbits were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) every 12 h through an indwelling catheter with homocysteine or buffer for 8 weeks. This treatment raised the plasma homocysteine levels to about 30 micro mol L(-1) compared with 13.5 micro mol L(-1) in control rabbits by the end of the treatment period. The fibrinogen levels were 3.2 +/- 0.6 in homocysteine-treated and 2.5 +/- 1.1 mg mL(-1) in control rabbits. The reptilase time was prolonged to 363 +/- 88 for plasma from homocysteine-treated rabbits compared with 194 +/- 48 s for controls (P < 0.01). The thrombin clotting time (TCT) for the homocysteine-treated rabbits was significantly shorter, 7.5 +/- 1.7 compared with 28.6 +/- 18 s for the controls (P < 0.05). The calcium dependence of the thrombin clotting time was also different in homocysteinemic and control plasmas. Clots from plasma or fibrinogen of homocysteinemic rabbits were composed of thinner fibers than control clots. The clots formed from purified fibrinogen from homocysteine-treated rabbits were lyzed more slowly by plasmin than comparable clots from control fibrinogen. Congenital dysfibrinogenemias have been described that are associated with fibrin clots composed of thin, tightly packed fibers that are abnormally resistant to fibrinolysis, and recurrent thrombosis. Our results suggest that elevated plasma homocysteine leads to a similar acquired dysfibrinogenemia. The formation of clots that are abnormally resistant to fibrinolysis could directly contribute to the increased risk of thrombosis in hyperhomocysteinemia.

Schedule and concentration-dependent induction of apoptosis in leukemia cells by nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide (NO) has potent antiproliferative properties. In previous work we have shown that NO inhibits growth, induces differentiation and modulates gene expression in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) cells. The goal of this work was to determine whether the rate of NO delivery affected its growth inhibition of ANLL cells. We also wanted to determine whether the NO inhibition of ANLL cell growth is associated with the induction of apoptosis. We treated HL-60 and U937 cells with three compounds that generate the same amount of NO but at different rates. MAMA-NO, PAPA-NO and DETA-NO have half-lives of NO delivery of 2 and 30 min, and 20 h, respectively. The compound with the longest t(1/2) of NO delivery (DETA-NO) was the most potent inhibitor of leukemia cell and colony growth. Furthermore, the NO-induced growth inhibition was associated with apoptosis in a rate and concentration-dependent fashion.

Cobalamin inhibition of HIV-1 integrase and integration of HIV-1 DNA into cellular DNA.

Our prior studies showed that certain cobalamins inhibit productive HIV-1 infection of primary cultures of blood lymphocytes and monocytes. We demonstrate here that this antiviral activity may be mediated by an inhibition of HIV-1 integrase, an enzyme required for productive infection. Purified recombinant HIV-1 integrase activity was inhibited in vitro by hydroxocobalamin (OH-Cbl), methylcobalamin (Me-Cbl), adenosylcobalamin (Ado-Cbl), and dicyanocobinamide (CN2-Cbi) with IC50 values of approximately 17, 17, 17, and 4 microM, respectively. The agents inhibited HIV-1 infection of cultured monocytes (IC50 values for OH-Cbl, Me-Cbl, Ado-Cbl, and CN2-Cbi of 6, 7, 4, and 1 microM, respectively) and of cultured lymphocytes (IC50 values of 60, 50, 60, and 11 microM, respectively). Experiments using cultured monocytes or lymphocytes demonstrated that OH-Cbl inhibited integration of HIV-1 DNA into cellular DNA. Thus, cobalamins and cobinamides represent novel inhibitors of HIV-1 integrase. These or related agents may be useful as anti-viral treatments that target HIV-1 integrase.

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor blocks infectivity of primary monocytes and mononuclear cells with both monocytotropic and lymphocytotropic strains of human immunodeficiency virus type I.

Saliva contains factors that inhibit infection with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro. One of these factors was recently identified as secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), a salivary protein which blocked HIV-1 infectivity of monocytes and primary T cells at physiologic concentrations (J Clin Invest 1995; 96: 456). Here, we confirm and extend the original report by demonstrating that SLPI protects primary monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells against infection with HIV-1 Ba-L, IIIB and NL4-3. Thus, SLPI may provide a natural barrier against oral transmission of HIV-1.

Nitric oxide interactions with cobalamins: biochemical and functional consequences.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a paramagnetic gas that has been implicated in a wide range of biologic functions. The common pathway to evoke the functional response frequently involves the formation of an iron-nitrosyl complex in a target (heme) protein. In this study, we report on the interactions between NO and cobalt-containing vitamin B12 derivatives. Absorption spectroscopy showed that of the four Co(III) derivatives (cyanocobalamin [CN-Cbl], aquocobalamin [H2O-Cbl], adenosylcobalamin [Ado-Cbl], and methylcobalamin [MeCbl]), only the H2O-Cbl combined with NO. In addition, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of H2O-Cbl preparations showed the presence of a small amount of Cob-(II)alamin that was capable of combining with NO. The Co(III)-NO complex was very stable, but could transfer its NO moiety to hemoglobin (Hb). The transfer was accompanied by a reduction of the Co(III) to Co(II), indicating that NO+ (nitrosonium) was the leaving group. In accordance with this, the NO did not combine with the Hb Fe(II)-heme, but most likely with the Hb cysteine-thiolate. Similarly, the Co(III)-NO complex was capable of transferring its NO to glutathione. Ado-Cbl and Me-Cbl were susceptible to photolysis, but CN-Cbl and H2O-Cbl were not. The homolytic cleavage of the Co(III)-Ado or Co(III)-Me bond resulted in the reduction of the metal. When photolysis was performed in the presence of NO, formation of NO-Co(II) was observed. Co(II)-nitrosyl oxidized slowly to form Co(III)-nitrosyl. The capability of aquocobalamin to combine with NO had functional consequences. We found that nitrosylcobalamin had diminished ability to serve as a cofactor for the enzyme methionine synthase, and that aquocobalamin could quench NO-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation. Our in vitro studies therefore suggest that interactions between NO and cobalamins may have important consequences in vivo.

Inhibition of productive human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection by cobalamins.

Various cobalamins act as important enzyme cofactors and modulate cellular function. We investigated cobalamins for their abilities to modify productive human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection of hematopoietic cells in vitro. We show that hydroxocobalamin (OH-Cbl), methylcobalamin (Me-Cbl), and adenosylcobalamin Ado-Cbl (Ado-Cbl) inhibit HIV-1 infection of normal human blood monocytes and lymphocytes. The inhibitory effects were noted when analyzing the monocytotropic strains HIV-1-BaL and HIV-1-ADA as well as the lymphocytotropic strain HIV-1-LAI. Cobalamins did not modify binding of gp120 to CD4 or block early steps in viral life cycle, inhibit reverse transcriptase, inhibit induction of HIV-1 expression from cells with established or latent infection, or modify monocyte interferon-alpha production. Because of the ability to achieve high blood and tissue levels of cobalamins in vivo and the general lack of toxicity, cobalamins should be considered as potentially useful agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

Human mononuclear phagocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS): analysis of iNOS mRNA, iNOS protein, biopterin, and nitric oxide production by blood monocytes and peritoneal macrophages.

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by numerous different cell types, and it is an important regulator and mediator of many processes including smooth muscle relaxation, neurotransmission, and murine macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity for microbes and tumor cells. Although murine macrophages produce NO readily after activation, human monocytes and tissue macrophages have been reported to produce only low levels of NO in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine if stimulated human mononuclear phagocytes produce inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, we show that human monocytes can be induced to express iNOS mRNA after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). By immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses, we show monocytes and peritoneal macrophages contain detectable levels of iNOS antigen after stimulations with cytokines in vitro. Control monocytes or those cultured with LPS and/or various cytokines have low levels of NOS functional activity as measured by the ability of cell extracts to convert L-arginine to L-citrulline, and they produce low levels of the NO catabolites nitrite and nitrate. Peritoneal macrophages have significantly enhanced nitrite/nitrate production and NOS activity after treatment with LPS and/or IFN-gamma, whereas monocyte nitrite/nitrate production and NOS activity are not altered by the treatments. Monocytes cultured with various live or heat-killed bacteria, fungi, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 do not produce high levels of nitrite/nitrate. Antibodies against transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a factor known to inhibit iNOS expression and NO production in mouse macrophages, do not enhance NO production in human monocytes or macrophages. Biopterin, an obligate cofactor of iNOS enzymatic activity, is undetectable in freshly isolated or cultured human monocytes and peritoneal macrophages. However, replenishment of intracellular levels of tetrahydrobiopterin by culture with the cell-permeable, nontoxic precursor sepiapterin does not enhance the abilities of the human mononuclear phagocytes to produce NO in vitro. Mixing experiments show no evidence of a functional NOS inhibitor in human mononuclear phagocytes. Thus, we demonstrate that human mononuclear phagocytes can produce iNOS mRNA and protein, and (despite this) their abilities to generate NO are very low.

Cellular CD44S as a determinant of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection and cellular tropism.

CD4 is the predominant cell membrane protein that binds human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120 and facilitates HIV-1 infection, but other membrane-associated molecules may be involved in determining HIV-1 cellular infection. Our prior work had suggested that CD44, the transmembrane receptor for hyaluronan, might play a role in the infection of mononuclear phagocytes with HIV-1. In the present work, we have used cells of the CD4-positive, CD44-negative human T-lymphoblast cell line Jurkat to study the role of CD44 in HIV-1 infection and tropism. Cells were transfected with cDNA for the standard (S, or hematopoietic) CD44 isoform CD44S or the epithelial isoform CD44E. The resultant lines expressed appropriate CD44S or CD44E mRNA and protein. While the parent Jurkat cells, those transfected with vector alone, and those transfected with CD44E could be productively infected with only the lymphocytotropic strain HIV-1-LAI, cells transfected with CD44S were rendered susceptible to productive infection with the monocytotropic strains HIV-1-BaL and HIV-1-ADA. Also, CD44S-transfected cells displayed higher levels of infection with HIV-1-LAI than did the other transfected Jurkat cells. The transfected cell line cells all had comparable growth rates and expressed similar levels of the membrane antigens CD4, CD7, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, MHC class II, and CD11a, while levels of CD3 were slightly higher in cells transfected with vector alone and in one of the clones transfected with CD44S. Hyaluronan binding was increased in cells transfected with either CD44S or CD44E. Mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts transfected with human CD4, human CD44S, or both human CD4 and CD44S displayed the appropriate antigens, but they could not be productively infected with lymphocytotropic or monocytotropic strains of HIV-1. The results indicate that in human leukocytes, CD44S is an important determinant of HIV-1 productive infection and may be involved in viral cellular tropism.

Inhibition of HIV type 1 infection of mononuclear phagocytes by anti-CD44 antibodies.

Cellular CD4 is the primary membrane molecule that binds HIV-1 through interaction with viral gp120. Membrane glycolipids and cell adhesion molecules have also been noted to be involved in the interaction of HIV-1 with cells and in syncytium formation in infected cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the cell adhesion molecule CD44 in HIV-1 infection of cells. Both normal blood monocytes and lymphocytes expressed CD44 as determined by flow cytometry using the anti-CD44 antibody A3D8. Anti-CD44 monoclonal antibodies A3D8, A1G3, and 5F12 [ascites, purified IgG, and F(ab')2] inhibited infection of monocytes and peritoneal macrophages with HIV-1-BaL and HIV-1-ADA, but had no effect on HIV-1-IIIB infection of mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes, or cells of a T lymphocyte line. CD44 monoclonal antibodies were not toxic for monocytes, and the observed inhibitory effect of CD44 monoclonal antibodies was not dependent on complement. These results suggest that CD44 may be a determinant of HIV-1 infection of mononuclear phagocytes in vitro.

Evidence for processing of dolichol-linked oligosaccharides in patients with neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis.

In agreement with reports from other laboratories, we have shown that patients with the juvenile or late infantile forms of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis (NCL) have greatly increased levels (5-fold to 20-fold) of dolichyl pyrophosphoryl oligosaccharides in their cerebral gray matter. Oligosaccharides containing 2 GlcNAc residues and 3 to 9 mannose residues were liberated by mild acid hydrolysis. The oligosaccharide profile given by brain tissue from 2 patients with infantile NCL was markedly different from that of late infantile and juvenile NCL brain, with Man9GlcNAc2 as the most abundant component and decreasing amounts of Man8- Man7- and Man6GlcNAc2. By contrast, Man5GlcNAc2 was the most abundant oligosaccharide present in all juvenile NCL brain samples analyzed. Both the susceptibility of the isolated Man5GlcNAc2 to endoglucosaminidase H digestion and permethylation analysis clearly indicated that it is not an intermediate in the biosynthesis of Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol but has undergone catabolism, probably either in the endoplasmic reticulum or in the Golgi apparatus. Treatment of cultured skin fibroblasts for 7 days with N-methyldeoxynojirimycin, a potent inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum processing enzymes glucosidase I and II, resulted in an accumulation of the same Man5GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol species that was elevated in juvenile NCL brain. The level in untreated fibroblasts was undetectable, suggesting that inhibition of processing glucosidases has interfered with the regulation and compartmentalization of lipid-linked oligosaccharides.