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Biomedical subjects

A W Burgess

Publications and source records attributed to A W Burgess.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The purification of a Rap1 GTPase-activating protein from bovine brain cytosol.

Two GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) have been detected in extracts from bovine brain: GAP-1, which is specific for the activation of ras GTPases, and GAP-3, which is specific for the activation of the rap1 GTPases. We present a strategy for the purification to homogeneity of a cytosolic form of GAP-3 from bovine brain. The 100,000 x g supernatant from homogenized brains was chromatographed sequentially on DEAE Fast Flow, green H-E4BD Sepharose, Bio-Gel A1.5, hydroxyapatite, and phenyl-Sepharose prior to high resolution separation on Mono Q HR 5/5, phenyl-Superose HR 5/5, Mono Q PC 1.6/5, and Superose 12 PC 3.2/30. This procedure resulted in an approximately 18,000-fold purification, yielding 50 micrograms of GAP-3 from 1.6 kg of tissue. Purified cytosolic GAP-3 migrated as a single band of apparent Mr 55,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, on gel filtration cytosolic GAP-3 chromatographed as a dimer with an apparent Mr 92,000. Purified GAP-3 does not activate ras or rho GTPases and possesses no intrinsic GTPase activity. Amino acid sequence data indicated a proline-rich N terminus. The amino acid sequences of peptides generated by Staphylococcus aureus V8 digestion of reduced and pyridine-ethylated GAP-3 showed no similarity to the predicted primary structure of GAP-1 or any other proteins in the nucleic acid or protein data bases. By comparison with the data of Rubinfeld et al. (Rubinfeld, B., Munemitsu, S., Clark, R., Conroy, L., Watt, K., Crosier, W.J., McCormick, F., and Polakis, P. (1991) Cell 65, 1033-1042), it appears that the membrane-associated (Mr 85,000-95,000) and cytosolic forms of GAP-3 are derived from equivalent, or closely related, genes.

Amino Acid Sequence

Solution structure of murine epidermal growth factor determined by NMR spectroscopy and refined by energy minimization with restraints.

The solution structure of murine epidermal growth factor (mEGF) at pH 3.1 and a temperature of 28 degrees C has been determined from NMR data, using distance geometry calculations and restrained energy minimization. The structure determination is based on 730 conformational constraints derived from NMR data, including 644 NOE-derived upper bound distance constraints, constraints on the ranges of 32 dihedral angles based on measurements of vicinal coupling constants, and 54 upper and lower bound constraints associated with nine hydrogen bonds and the three disulfide bonds. The distance geometry interpretation of the NMR data is based on previously published sequence-specific 1H resonance assignments [Montelione et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 2235-2243], supplemented here with individual assignments for some side-chain amide, methylene, and isopropyl methyl protons. The molecular architecture of mEGF is the same as that described previously [Montelione et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 5226-5230], but the structure is overall more precisely determined by a more extensive set of NMR constraints. Analysis of proton NMR line widths, amide proton exchange rates, and side-chain 3J(H alpha-H beta) coupling constants provides evidence for internal motion in several regions of the mEGF molecule. Because mEGF is one member of a large family of homologous growth factors and protein domains for which X-ray crystal structures are not yet available, the atomic coordinates resulting from the present structure refinement (which we have deposited in the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank) are important data for understanding the structures of EGF-like proteins and for further detailed comparisons of these structures with mEGF.

Amino Acid Sequence

Anti-sense transforming growth factor alpha oligonucleotides inhibit autocrine stimulated proliferation of a colon carcinoma cell line.

Many carcinoma cells secrete transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha). A 23 base anti-sense oligonucleotide that recognizes the TGF alpha mRNA inhibits both DNA synthesis and the proliferation of the colon carcinoma cell line LIM 1215. The effects of the anti-sense TGF alpha oligonucleotide are reversed by epidermal growth factor (EGF) at 20 ng/ml. When the LIM 1215 cells are grown under serum free conditions, the anti-sense TGF alpha oligonucleotides have their greatest effects at high cell density (2 x 10(5) cells/cm2), indicating that the secreted TGF alpha is acting as an exogenous growth stimulus. In addition, at higher cell densities, the kinase activity of the EGF receptor is activated and the receptor is down-modulated. The cell density dependent activation of the EGF receptor is inhibited by the application of the antisense TGF alpha oligonucleotides.

Amino Acid Sequence

Characterization of bovine heparin-binding neurotrophic factor (HBNF): assignment of disulfide bonds.

The topology of the disulfides in native heparin-binding neurotrophic factor (HBNF) isolated from bovine brain was studied by proteolytic digestion using trypsin, Asp-N endoproteinase and chymotrypsin and peptide mapping. Disulfide-linked peptides were identified by automated Edman degradation. It has been shown that there are disulfide bonds between Cys15-Cys44, Cys23-Cys53, Cys30-Cys57, Cys67-Cys99 and Cys77-Cys109.

Amino Acid Sequence

Identification of a functional domain of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies.

Human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hemopoietic growth factor that is being used successfully to treat various forms of neutropenia. To define functionally important regions of G-CSF, we have prepared 37 monoclonal anti-G-CSF antibodies and mapped the regions of G-CSF recognized by different antibody groups. Antibodies recognizing similar epitopes were identified by competition assays, neutralization assays, conformation dependence and cross-reactivity with canine G-CSF. Seven of eight neutralizing antibodies fell into two related epitope groups and were conformation-dependent. The eighth was unrelated and conformation-independent. Peptides of G-CSF were generated by chemical or enzymatic digestion and tested for antibody reactivity. One of the neutralizing antibodies (LMM351) recognized a small, disulfide-bonded peptide from the V8 protease digest (residues 34-46). A synthetic peptide (residues 20-58) was recognized by all the neutralizing antibodies, implicating this disulfide-bonded loop in receptor binding. The epitopes recognized by nonneutralizing antibodies were found throughout G-CSF. Thus, regions of G-CSF that are not involved in receptor binding have also been defined. A CNBr peptide (residues 1-121) had greatly reduced biological activity, indicating that the COOH terminus is required for receptor binding. We predict that residues 20-46 and the COOH terminus bind to the G-CSF receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence

The major colonic cell mitogen extractable from colonic mucosa is an N terminally extended form of basic fibroblast growth factor.

Colonic growth factors (CGFs) were extracted from porcine intestinal epithelium and mucosa. Under acidic conditions, very little mitogenic activity (as assayed using murine 3T3 fibroblasts and a human colonic cell line) was extractable. However, by extracting at neutral or slightly alkaline pH, significant mitogenic activity for both the murine fibroblasts and human colonic carcinoma cell line could be detected. CGFs are present throughout the intestine and cecum. The epithelial mucosa of the distal colorectal region appeared to contain mitogens which were more potent for the colonic cells than the 3T3 fibroblasts. Purification of CGFs from the colonic mucosa required removal of associated mucin by pH precipitation prior to chromatographic fractionation. It was then possible to develop a complete purification (390,000-fold) scheme for the major CGF, an 18-kDa protein which bound to heparin-Sepharose. N-terminal sequence analysis yielded a single sequence (Q)SPGGAMAAGSITTLPALP, i.e. an N-terminally extended form of basic fibroblast growth factor. Apart from the substitution of Gly in bovine basic fibroblast growth factor by a Ser in porcine CGF, the proteins are identical. A similar extraction procedure using purified human colonic crypt epithelial cells yielded a mitogen for the human colonic cell line with similar chromatographic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence

Stimulation of myoblast proliferation in culture by leukaemia inhibitory factor and other cytokines.

Significant stimulation of growth of myoblasts in culture is achieved by leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The optimum activity of this cytokine occurs at about 6 pM LIF. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) also stimulates cultured myoblasts but to a lesser degree than LIF and the effect is not maintained for extended culture periods. In addition, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) also increases the growth rate of myoblasts but only after a considerable lag phase. All 3 cytokines may be of value in the large scale production of myoblasts for use in the potential treatment of primary myopathies by injection of cultured myoblasts into diseased muscle to form genetically complete muscle fibres after fusion of the myoblasts in situ. Their potential use is enhanced in that at least under the conditions used here they do not stimulate fibroblast proliferation.

Animals

Development of multipotential haemopoietic stem cells to neutrophils is associated with increased expression of receptors for granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor: altered biological responses to GM-CSF during development.

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) dependent multipotent haemopoietic stem cells FDCP-Mix A4 (A4) were induced to differentiate and develop into mature neutrophils in response to Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) plus granulocyte CSF (G-CSF). This resulted in an increase in cell number over seven days of culture, following which the cells lost the ability to undergo further proliferation. The effect of GM-CSF on these cells has been assessed at various stages of development. Clonogenic cells, able to respond to GM-CSF, were generated only at days 3, 4 post-induction. From day 5 onwards, mature post-mitotic neutrophils are produced and clonogenic cells are lost. Loss of proliferative potential, in response to GM-CSF, was confirmed using [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Receptors for GM-CSF, were also measured during development using [125I]-GM-CSF binding assays. Although the dissociation constant for GM-CSF binding sites did not vary considerably, the number of such sites increased dramatically from about 20 (day 0, when the cells have a primitive morphology) to about 1000 by day 6 (when the cells are predominantly mature neutrophils). GM-CSF-stimulated Na+/H+ antiport activation was also determined. Although few GM-CSF receptors are expressed at day 0, there is a significant response (63% of maximal) to GM-CSF in terms of intracellular alkalinisation: this response increased markedly until, by day 4 (700 GM-CSF binding sites/cell), there is a maximal activation of the antiport by GM-CSF. By day 7 (greater than 900 GM-CSF binding sites/cell), however, there is significant reduction in activation of the Na+/H+ antiport by GM-CSF. Nonetheless, increased viability of these mature cells is still seen in response to GM-CSF. These results suggest that not only does expression of GM-CSF receptors alter during development of multipotential cells to mature neutrophils, but that these receptors are coupled to different intracellular effector mechanisms as the cells progressively mature.

Cell Differentiation

Drawing a connection from victim to victimizer.

1. The biological basis of the altered alarm/dissociative process during and after sexual trauma impedes the development of information processing essential for discerning intention, personal responsibility, sense of control over events, and trust in others. 2. Once this imbalance occurs, the child is restricted in developing cognitive schema to deal with interpersonal intimacy. This in turn results in secondary patterns of aggressiveness or avoidance. 3. The implication of this biological understanding of trauma and information processing for treatment underscores the necessity of reducing arousal, thus lessening the dissociative process. Drawings of the criminal act and the victim experience elicit cues connecting the two events, facilitating an increase in personal control over repeated aggressive acts.

Adolescent

Child molesters who abduct.

This study examined the differences between 97 abducting and 60 nonabducting child molesters on selected typological and antisocial/criminal variables. Although the results supported one a priori hypothesis, they disconfirmed two others and yielded an unpredicted but theoretically interesting abductor covariate. Our hypothesis that child abductors would more likely be classified as "low" in their contact with children (i.e., have little or no contact with children outside of their offenses) than the nonabductors was supported. In contrast, our hypotheses that the abductors were more likely to be characterized by a history of antisocial and criminal behavior as well as a greater degree of aggression were not supported. Abductors were found to be lower in social competence than the child molesters who never abducted their victims. The results were discussed in terms of abduction as in victim control strategy that is more likely employed by offenders with poor social and interpersonal skills. The complex interrelation among social competence, weapons, and sadism for abductors and nonabductors was explored.

Child

Monoclonal antibodies that recognize human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and neutralize its bioactivity in vitro.

We have produced monoclonal antibodies to bacterially synthesized, human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and have studied in detail the characteristics of three strongly neutralizing antibodies. The antibodies reacted with GM-CSF at high dilution (EC50 = 0.1-1.7 nM) in an indirect ELISA but did not react with murine GM-CSF or other cytokines. They also recognized glycosylated hGM-CSF produced by human lymphocytes. The antibodies were able to immunoprecipitate rhGM-CSF, but only reacted weakly with rhGM-CSF on Western blots, indicating that they recognized a conformation-dependent epitope. Cross-blocking studies showed that the three antibodies recognized overlapping epitopes. The antibodies inhibited binding of 125I-labeled rhGM-CSF to HL-60 cells at nanomolar concentrations and neutralized GM-CSF activity in two different bioassays. These antibodies thus provide a useful tool for analyzing the specificity of bioassays and for further studies of the production and function of GM-CSF in vitro and in vivo.

Animals

Similar molecular properties of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors produced by different mouse organs in vitro and in vivo.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was partially purified from post-endotoxin serum and conditioned media produced by organs from both normal and endotoxin-injected C57BL mice. The organs used to condition medium were heart, thigh muscle, salivary gland, thymus, spleen, kidney, brain, and femur shaft. The charge properties, molecular weights, and concanavalin A binding profiles of these GM-CSFs were analyzed and compared to purified mouse lung GM-CSF. All the GM-CSFs examined were shown to be gycoproteins since a proportion of the activity (80 to 100%) bound to concanavalin A-Sepharose. The organ-conditioned medium GM-CSFs were purified (3- to 13-fold) by absorption to calcium phosphate gel and chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose (further 2- to 10-fold). Analysis of the DEAE-Sepharose elution profiles indicated that there were two major charge species of GM-CSF eluting at conductivities of 10 and 14 mmho. These partially purified GM-CSFs showed considerable differences in their apparent molecular weights on Sephacryl S-200 (37,000 to 200,000). However, these differences could be eliminated by treating the GM-CSFs with neuraminidase and performing molecular sizing experiments under dissociating conditions (Sepharose CL-6B, 6 M guanidine hydrochloride). Although some of the GM-CSFs showed anomalously high molecular weights (40,000) on gel filtration columns, even under dissociating conditions, this appeared to be due to properties of the sialic acid residues. After neuraminidase treatment all of the conditioned medium GM-CSFs eluted from DEAE-Sepharose as a single peak of biological activity at a conductivity of 10 mmho and from gel filtration columns in the presence of 6 M guanidine hydrochloride as a single molecular weight species of approximately 23,000. GM-CSF from post-endotoxin serum (produced in vivo) eluted from the gel filtration column with an apparent molecular weight of 39,000, but analysis using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate indicated that this GM-CSF also had an apparent molecular weight of 23,000.

Animals

Isolation and surface labeling of murine polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

Methods for the induction of an exudate of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMN) in the peritoneal cavity of C57BL, BALB/c, SJL and CBA mice were analysed. Peritoneal exudates in male mice were highly enriched for PMN (80-90%) three hours after a single injection of calcium caseinate whereas eosinophils comprised less than 1% of the exudate population. Female mice were a less satisfactory source of PMN because the proportion of eosinophilis in the exudate was variable. Purification of PMN from peritoneal exudate cells was performed on the basis of light scattering using a Becton-Dickinson cell sorter or by density gradient centrifugation with graded polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silica particles (Percoll). Both techniques yielded approximately 97% pure PMN preparations. Electrophoretic analysis of the PMN proteins revealed an abundance of lactoferrin and actin, but several other proteins were also present in high concentrations. Proteolytic degradation of several high molecular weight proteins (greater than 90,000) was prevented by the addition of phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) and ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA). Surface iodination, using diphenyl, tetrachloroglycouril (IODO-DEN), indicated that there were six tyrosine-containing proteins present on the external cell membrane. The apparent molecular weights of these surface proteins ranged from 185,000 to 90,000 and the major 125I-labeled protein had an apparent molecular weight of 90,000. Neither actin nor lactoferrin was labeled with 125I unless cell viability was lost during the iodination procedure. Standard conditions for labeling the cell surface only, required low iodide and IODO-GEN concentrations. Biosynthetic labeling of PMN using S-methionine increased the sensitivity of detection for most of the proteins, but some of the granule storage proteins (such as lactoferrin) were not effectively labeled within three hours.

Animals