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D S Straus

Publications and source records attributed to D S Straus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Transcription of the insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 gene is increased in neonatal and fasted adult rat liver.

The insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) are a family of proteins that specifically bind IGF-I and IGF-II, determine their bioavailability to tissues, and modulate their actions in target tissues. Levels of IGFBPs in plasma and IGFBP mRNAs in liver are highly regulated with developmental age and metabolic status. We now demonstrate that the increase in IGFBP-2 mRNA in fasted adult rat liver and in the liver of normal neonatal rats reflects an increased rate of transcription. When adult rats were fasted for 2-3 days, IGFBP-2 mRNA was increased in liver, but not in brain or kidney. The increase in hepatic IGFBP-2 mRNA was observed after only 1 day of fasting. Levels decreased by half after 6 h of refeeding and returned to their low starting values after 2 days of refeeding. Transcription-elongation experiments indicated that transcription of the IGFBP-2 gene was increased in fasted liver. The rate of transcription increased 9.2- +/- 3.5-fold for transcripts labeled in exon 1 and 6.6- +/- 2.4-fold for transcripts labeled in exons 2, 3, and 4, suggesting that fasting causes a uniform increase in the number of RNA polymerase II molecules along the length of the IGFBP-2 gene. We infer from these results that the regulation of IGFBP-2 gene transcription in fasting occurs at the level of initiation rather than elongation. IGFBP-2 gene transcription also was increased 3.8- +/- 1.2-fold (exon 1) and 2.9- +/- 0.9-fold (exons 2, 3, and 4) in nuclei from 2-day postnatal rat liver compared with adult rat liver, consistent with the greater abundance of IGFBP-2 mRNA in neonatal rat liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Specific decrease in liver insulin-like growth factor-I and brain insulin-like growth factor-II gene expression in energy-restricted rats.

Four-week-old male rats were maintained for 10 d on a series of diets containing a constant high level of dietary protein and total energy at 100, 70, 60 or 50% of the ad libitum intake rate. Under these conditions, growth rate varied as a function of dietary energy. Serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I was decreased in the energy-restricted animals. Total hepatic IGF-I mRNA was decreased by approximately the same factor as circulating IGF-I protein. In contrast to previous results obtained with protein-restricted animals, serum albumin mRNA was not decreased in the energy-restricted animals. Brain IGF-II mRNA was slightly decreased in animals fed the 70 and 60% energy diets and was decreased by 50% in animals fed the 50% energy diet. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) gene expression was increased in the liver but not in the brain of the energy-restricted animals, indicating that dietary energy regulates IGFBP-2 gene expression differently in liver and brain. The results demonstrate specific changes in liver IGF-I and IGFBP-2 gene expression and brain IGF-II gene expression in animals that are growth-retarded because of a restriction of dietary energy.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Expression of the genes for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-II, and IGF-binding proteins-1 and -2 in fetal rat under conditions of intrauterine growth retardation caused by maternal fasting.

Evidence suggests that insulin-like growth factors-I and -II (IGF-I and II) play a role in regulating fetal growth and development. In the fetus, IGF-I and -II are complexed with two specific binding proteins (IGFBP-1 and -2), which are thought to modulate the actions of the IGFs in target tissues. We examined regulation of the genes for IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-2 in fetal rat liver in an experimental model for intrauterine growth retardation caused by maternal fasting on days 17-21 of gestation. The mean weight of fetuses from the fasted dams was 27-32% lower than the mean weight of fetuses from the fed dams. The concentration of immunoreactive IGF-I was decreased by 71% in serum of fetuses from the fasting dams. The concentration of immunoreactive IGF-II was slightly decreased (by 12%) in serum of fetuses from the fasting dams, whereas the concentration of immunoreactive pro-IGF-II E-domain peptide was decreased by 31%. The abundance of hepatic IGF-I mRNA was decreased by 55% in fetuses from the fasting dams. In contrast, the abundance of IGF-II mRNA in fetal liver was not significantly decreased by maternal fasting. Maternal fasting caused a 2-fold increase in the abundance of IGFBP-1 mRNA in fetal liver, whereas it did not change the abundance of IGFBP-2 mRNA. The induction of IGFBP-1 mRNA in liver of the growth-retarded fetuses is similar to the induction that occurs in liver of fasting adults, while the lack of regulation of IGFBP-2 mRNA differs from the strong induction of IGFBP-2 mRNA that occurs in liver of fasting adults. In summary, these results indicate that maternal fasting causes a decrease in fetal IGF-I gene expression, a decrease in fetal serum IGF-I, and a slight decrease in fetal serum IGF-II and pro-IGF-II E-domain peptide concentrations. Maternal fasting also causes an increase in fetal IGFBP-1 gene expression. Changes in fetal insulin and glucose may be related to changes in expression of the IGF-I and IGFBP-1 genes in the growth-retarded fetuses. The decreased expression of IGF-I and -II and increased expression of the IGFBP-1 gene may contribute to the fetal growth retardation observed in this model system.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The E-domain peptide of rat pro-insulin-like growth factor II (proIGF-II): properties of the peptide in serum and production by rat cell lines.

We previously identified a naturally occurring peptide fragment derived from the carboxyl terminal region of the E-domain of pro-insulin-like growth factor II (proIGF-II117-156) in medium conditioned by cultured BRL-3A rat liver cells. In the present study we utilized a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for this peptide to measure physiological concentrations of the peptide in media and serum. Serum levels of the E-domain peptide were very high in the 5-day neonatal rat and declined thereafter to reach low levels in adult rat serum. Chromatography of adult rat serum on Sephadex G-75 in 1 M acetic acid yielded a single broad peak of E-peptide immunoreactivity that coeluted with a synthetic E-peptide standard. However, chromatography of day 5 neonatal rat serum on Sephadex G-75 yielded two peaks of immunoreactivity. One of the peaks coeluted with a synthetic E-peptide standard, whereas the other peak eluted in a region where higher molecular weight proteins typically elute. Experiments aimed at determining whether adult rat serum contained a binding protein for the E-domain peptide revealed that: (1) serum contains little, if any, binding protein for the E-domain peptide, (2) serum contains a proteinase activity that degrades the E-domain peptide, and (3) the proteinase activity can be eliminated by acetic acid/ethanol extraction. Of several rat cell lines tested (BRL-3A, rat embryo fibroblasts (REF), hepatoma cell lines (H4, HTC), GH3 pituitary tumor cells, and normal rat kidney fibroblasts (NRK], only BRL-3A and REF cells secreted measurable E-domain peptide into the medium. In addition, it was found that some component(s) of serum could stimulate secretion of E-domain peptide from BRL-3A and REF cells. Chromatography of the immunoreactivity from BRL-3A and REF-conditioned media on Sephadex G-75 in 1 M acetic acid yielded a single peak that coeluted with a synthetic E-domain peptide standard. Since secretion of the E-domain peptide parallels the expression of IGF-II, the RIA for the proIGF-II E-domain peptide may be useful for studies of the biosynthesis and secretion of IGF-II under different physiological conditions. The RIA for the IGF-II E-domain peptide has two technical advantages over the RIA for IGF-II, namely, the lack of interference by IGF binding proteins and the relative ease with which large quantities of pure antigen can be synthesized.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Effect of dietary protein deprivation on insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and -II, IGF binding protein-2, and serum albumin gene expression in rat.

Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and serum albumin are decreased under conditions of chronic dietary protein limitation. To investigate the biochemical mechanism(s) involved in the regulation of IGF-I and serum albumin synthesis by dietary protein, we studied the effects of protein limitation on IGF-I and serum albumin gene expression in young growing rats maintained on isocaloric diets containing 20%, 12%, 8%, or 4% protein. Animals maintained on the 12%, 8%, or 4% protein diets exhibited slight, moderate, or severe growth deficiency, respectively, and a decreased abundance of hepatic IGF-I messenger RNA (mRNA). The decrease in IGF-I mRNA was most pronounced for the largest [7.7 kilobase (kb)] species, which was decreased by 87% in animals maintained on the 4% protein diet compared with animals on the 20% protein diet. The 0.9 kb species of IGF-I mRNA exhibited a smaller (46%) reduction in abundance in animals maintained on the 4% protein diet. The differential regulation of the 7.7 kb IGF-I mRNA species compared with the shorter IGF-I mRNA species suggests that a sequence or sequences within the long 3'-untranslated region of this mRNA species may play a role in regulating its abundance under conditions of protein limitation. Serum albumin mRNA was also decreased (by 62%) in the animals maintained on the 4% protein diet. The level of serum albumin gene transcription was not decreased in animals on the low protein diets, suggesting that nutrition regulates albumin mRNA at a posttranscriptional step. There was considerable animal-to-animal variability in the level of IGF-I gene transcription within each dietary group. The mean level of IGF-I gene transcription was decreased by 46% in the animals on the 4% protein diet compared with animals on the 20% protein diet, although this decrease was not statistically significant because of the animal-to-animal variability in IGF-I gene transcription within the dietary groups. Additional studies of brain RNA from animals on the four diets indicated that brain IGF-II mRNA was decreased by 57% in animals on the 4% protein diet. It has been demonstrated recently that expression of the gene for IGF binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) is strongly induced in the liver of fasting animals. To investigate the possible regulation of the IGFBP-2 gene in the protein-limited animals, the abundance of liver and brain IGFBP-2 mRNA was analyzed in animals on the four diets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Actins↗
PubMed1990

Effect of fasting on insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and growth hormone receptor mRNA levels and IGF-I gene transcription in rat liver.

Previous studies have indicated that the concentration of circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) declines in young growing rats that have been fasted or maintained on a protein-deficient diet. To investigate the molecular mechanism(s) by which IGF-I levels are regulated by nutrition, we measured the levels of IGF-I mRNA in 6-week-old male control rats fed ad libitum, rats fasted for 24, 48, or 72 h, and rats fasted for 48 or 72 h and then refed for 24 h. The abundance of several IGF-I mRNA species (8.0, 4.0, 1.7, and 1.0 kilobases) decreased in the fasting animals and rebounded after 24 h of refeeding, although not to the initial control levels. The 1 kilobase IGF-I mRNA species exhibited a 43% decrease after 24 h of fasting, a 76% decrease after 48 h of fasting, and an 82% decrease after 72 h of fasting. Hepatic GH receptor mRNA also decreased in fasting rats. This indicates that the GH receptor down-regulation that occurs in fasting is accompanied by and probably at least partly caused by a decline in GH receptor mRNA. The magnitude and kinetics of the decline in GH receptor mRNA were similar to the magnitude and kinetics of the decline in IGF-I mRNA, suggesting that the two mRNAs may be regulated by a similar mechanism. There was no significant change in the levels of liver beta-actin or serum albumin mRNA under the same conditions, indicating that the regulation of IGF-I and GH receptor mRNA was specific. In addition, the levels of brain IGF-II, beta-actin, and alpha-tubulin mRNAs were not significantly changed by fasting. To further elucidate the molecular mechanism for regulation of hepatic IGF-I mRNA, nuclear transcription elongation assays were performed using nuclei isolated from the liver of control rats, rats fasted for 72 h, and fasted-refed rats. There was considerable animal-to-animal variability in IGF-I gene transcription within each group. The mean level of IGF-I gene transcription was lower in the fasting animals than in the fed controls. However, this decrease was not statistically significant, and the magnitude of the decrease did not account for the 79% decrease in total IGF-I mRNA. These results suggest that IGF-I mRNA is regulated at least partly at the posttranscriptional level.

Actins↗
PubMed1989

Insulin receptor internalization defect in an insulin-resistant mouse melanoma cell line.

Previous studies from this laboratory demonstrated that the PG19 mouse melanoma cell line does not exhibit a biological response to insulin, whereas melanoma x mouse embryo fibroblast hybrids do respond to insulin. To investigate the molecular basis of the insulin resistance of the PG19 melanoma cells, insulin receptors from the insulin-resistant melanoma cells and insulin-sensitive fibroblast x melanoma hybrid cells were analyzed by the technique of photoaffinity labeling using the photoprobe 125I-NAPA-DP-insulin. Photolabeled insulin receptors from the two cell types have identical molecular weights as determined by SDS gel electrophoresis under reducing and nonreducing conditions, indicating that the receptors on the two cell lines are structurally similar. Insulin receptor internalization studies revealed that the hybrid cells internalize receptors to a high degree at 37 degrees C, whereas the melanoma cells internalize receptors to a very low degree or not at all. The correlation between ability to internalize insulin receptors and sensitivity to insulin action in this system suggests that uptake of the insulin-receptor complex may be required for insulin action in these cells. Insulin receptors from the two cell lines autophosphorylate in a similar insulin-dependent manner both in vitro and in intact cells, indicating that insulin receptors on the melanoma and hybrid cells have functional tyrosine protein kinase activity. Therefore, the block in insulin action in the PG19 melanoma cells appears to reside at a step beyond insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Amino acid limitation negatively regulates insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA levels and E-domain peptide secretion at a post-transcriptional step in BRL-3A rat liver cells.

Deprivation of cultured BRL-3A rat liver cells for a single essential amino acid (leucine, methionine, tryptophan, or phenylalanine) under conditions in which the cells remain highly viable causes a decreased secretion of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) E-domain peptide into the culture medium. This decrease is observed within 8 h after shifting the cells into amino acid-deficient medium. The magnitude of this decrease is greatest in tryptophan-deprived cultures, in which there is a 66% decrease in IGF-II E-domain peptide secretion over a 24-h incubation as compared with E-domain peptide secretion in control cultures incubated in complete medium. Northern blot analysis has indicated that the decrease in IGF-II E-domain peptide secretion observed in amino acid-deprived cells is correlated with a decreased abundance of the major 3.6-kilobase (kb) species of IGF-II mRNA, as well as several minor species. In contrast, the level of a 1-kb species of IGF-II mRNA is not decreased in amino acid-limited cells. In addition, one other specific mRNA, that encoded by the alpha-tubulin gene, also is not significantly decreased in the leucine, phenylalanine, or tryptophan-limited cells. These results indicate that amino acid limitation specifically decreases the level of certain IGF-II mRNA species. The 3.6- and 1-kb IGF-II mRNA species differ only in the length of the 3'-untranslated region, suggesting the existence of a specific regulatory sequence in the long 3'-untranslated region of the 3.6-kb mRNA species that regulates levels of this mRNA species under conditions of amino acid limitation. IGF-II gene transcription is not decreased in the amino acid-limited cells. This indicates that the decrease in IGF-II mRNA and E-domain peptide secretion observed in the amino acid-deprived cells is caused primarily by a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism.

Amino Acids, Essential↗
PubMed1988

Regulation of albumin mRNA in H4 rat hepatoma cells by the availability of essential amino acids.

Deprivation of cultured H4 rat hepatoma cells for an essential amino acid (leucine, methionine, tryptophan or phenylalanine) under conditions in which the cells remain highly viable leads to a decrease in cytoplasmic albumin mRNA. The magnitude of this decrease is greatest in tryptophan-deprived and phenylalanine-deprived cells. In the tryptophan-deprived cells there is approximately a 15-17-fold decrease in albumin mRNA relative to total cytoplasmic RNA, and a 7-8-fold specific decrease in albumin mRNA relative to alpha-tubulin mRNA. Deprivation of the H4 cells for leucine or tryptophan causes approximately a 40-45% decrease in albumin gene transcription; however, this effect does not account for the 15-17-fold decrease in albumin mRNA abundancy caused by tryptophan limitation, or the greater effect of tryptophan limitation as compared to leucine limitation on albumin mRNA. Therefore, the decrease in albumin mRNA caused by tryptophan limitation is caused primarily by a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism.

Amino Acids, Essential↗
PubMed1988

Insulin-stimulated protein kinase activity in rat skeletal muscle that phosphorylates ribosomal protein S6.

Treatment of rats with a single high dose of insulin leads to rapid stimulation of cytosolic protein kinase activity in skeletal muscle that phosphorylates ribosomal protein S6. This stimulation is maximal within 15 minutes after insulin treatment, and the activity remains elevated for at least 90 minutes. The insulin-stimulated protein kinase activity elutes as two peaks from DEAE-Sepharose. Peak I elutes at 0.04-0.06 M KCl and is stimulated by insulin approximately 1.4-fold above the control. Peak II elutes at 0.09-0.11 M KCl and is stimulated 2.8-fold above the control. The peak II activity, which is most strongly stimulated by insulin, is resolved from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase on DEAE-Sepharose and appears to be distinct from protein kinase C. These results represent a novel finding of the stimulation of S6 kinase activity by insulin in skeletal muscle tissue in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Growth of IM-9 human lymphoblasts in serum-free medium: stimulation by glucocorticoids.

The IM-9 human B-lymphoblast cell line grows well in a completely defined serum-free medium containing insulin, transferrin, low density lipoprotein and oleic acid in complex with fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin. Growth of the IM-9 cells is stimulated by addition of physiological concentrations of hydrocortisone to this medium. The order of growth stimulatory potency of several steroids is dexamethasone greater than hydrocortisone greater than aldosterone, whereas testosterone does not stimulate growth of the IM-9 cells. This order of potency suggests that the effect is mediated by binding to glucocorticoid receptors. Growth of the IM-9 cells is also stimulated by the neuropeptide substance P. The defined serum-free medium described in this report will be useful for further studies of the biological responses of the IM-9 cells to other hormones in the absence of interference from hormones and growth factors present in serum.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1987

Insulin negatively regulates albumin mRNA at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level in rat hepatoma cells.

Treatment of cultured H4-II-E rat hepatoma cells with insulin causes a large decrease in cytoplasmic serum albumin mRNA. This effect is observed at low doses of insulin (ED50 = 2 pM), consistent with the effect being mediated by interaction of insulin with high affinity insulin receptors. The reduction in cytoplasmic albumin mRNA is first observed 8-12 h following insulin addition, and albumin mRNA continues to decrease up to 28 h following hormone addition. Northern blot analysis of purified poly(A)+ RNA has indicated that insulin causes a decrease in albumin mRNA relative to total cytoplasmic poly(A)+ RNA. In addition, one other specific mRNA, that encoded by the alpha-tubulin gene, is not decreased following insulin treatment. These results indicate that insulin induces a specific decrease in albumin mRNA. This effect is largely reversed if essential amino acids are added along with the insulin, suggesting that the insulin effect is related to limitation of the cells for essential amino acids. Insulin reduces transcription of the albumin gene 4.7-fold, as measured by nuclear transcription assays. However, this inhibition of albumin gene transcription does not fully account for the 57-fold decrease in albumin mRNA, indicating that insulin also exerts a negative effect on albumin mRNA at a post-transcriptional step.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Growth suppression of hybrids between transformed cells and normal fibroblasts in serum-free medium: correlation with retention of human chromosomes.

Somatic cell hybrids formed by crossing PG19 mouse melanoma cells with mouse embryo fibroblasts have a reduced ability to proliferate in growth factor-unsupplemented serum-free medium relative to the parental melanoma cells. The suppression of growth of the hybrid cells in serum-free medium is attributable to a strict requirement of these cells for polypeptide growth factors (insulin plus platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, or epidermal growth factor). In contrast, the parental melanoma cells are able to grow without exogenously added growth factors. Fifteen hybrids derived from crosses between mouse L cells and normal human skin fibroblasts also have been tested for ability to grow in growth factor-unsupplemented serum-free medium. Depending on which human chromosomes are retained, growth of these hybrids in serum-free medium is also suppressed relative to growth of the L cell parent. There appear to be several genes on different chromosomes that are involved in suppression of serum-free growth of the fibroblast x L cell hybrids. One weak suppressor gene appears to be on the human X chromosome.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

E-domain peptide of rat proinsulin-like growth factor-II: validation of a radioimmunoassay and measurement in culture medium and rat serum.

We recently discovered a peptide derived from the carboxyl-terminal portion of the E-domain of rat proinsulin-like growth factor II (pro-IGF-II) in medium conditioned by BRL-3A rat liver cells. This peptide begins at residue 117 in the pro-IGF-II sequence. To measure physiological concentrations of this peptide in serum, we established an RIA for a synthetic peptide [rat pro-IGF-II-(117-156); E-domain peptide] corresponding to the carboxyl-terminal 40-amino acids of rat pro-IGF-II. The 41-residue peptide [Tyr116]pro-IGF-II-(117-156) was also synthesized and iodinated for use as tracer. Using polyclonal antibodies, we established a standard curve that measured as little as 25 pg/tube. Tracer was not displaced by insulin, human (h) IGF-I, hIGF-II, pro-hIGF-I-(71-105), rat GH, mouse EGF, ACTH, bovine PTH, ovine FSH, TRH, or LHRH under our assay conditions. However, a synthetic analog of the E-domain peptide [Phe117]pro-IGF-II-(118-156) showed displacement similar to that of the synthetic E-domain peptide. Serial dilutions of either culture medium or rat serum exhibited displacement parallel to the standard curve. Measurement of E-domain peptide in serum-free medium conditioned by BRL-3A rat liver cells showed a time-related increase in E-peptide concentration over a 72-h period. Analysis of E-peptide immunoreactivity from conditioned medium after gel filtration chromatography in 1 M acetic acid revealed a single peak which had a mol wt (determined by Western blot) identical to that of the synthetic E-peptide standard. The concentration of immunoreactive E-domain peptide levels in serum of 5-day-old rat pups was 30-40 times higher than concentrations in the serum of adult rats. Gel filtration chromatography of adult rat serum in 1 M acetic acid revealed a single major peak of immunoreactivity eluting at a position similar to the elution position of the E-domain peptide from BRL-3A rat liver cell-conditioned medium. The RIA described here should prove useful for measurement of the somatic output of E-domain peptide under different physiological conditions.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Insulin-sensitive, serum-sensitive protein kinase activity that phosphorylates ribosomal protein S6 in cultured fibroblast-melanoma hybrid cells.

A protein kinase activity (S6PK) that phosphorylates ribosomal protein S6 has been detected in cytosolic extracts prepared from an insulin-sensitive mouse fibroblast-melanoma hybrid cell line. The activity of this enzyme is greatly increased in cells that have been stimulated with insulin or serum for 30 min before preparation of the extract. In the parental melanoma cells, which are insensitive to the growth-stimulatory action of insulin, the activity of the enzyme is lower than in the hybrid cells and is not increased in response to insulin. The insulin-sensitive, serum-sensitive S6PK from the hybrid cells is eluted as a single peak from diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose between 0.15 and 0.2 M KCl. The apparent mol wt of the enzyme, as determined by gel permeation chromatography, is approximately 105,000. A second S6 kinase activity from the hybrid cells is trypsin dependent and elutes from DEAE-cellulose at a lower salt concentration than S6PK. In contrast to S6PK, the trypsin-dependent S6 kinase activity does not vary in a consistent manner in response to insulin or serum. Fractions obtained from DEAE-cellulose chromatography of extracts of the hybrid cells have also been assayed for ability to phosphorylate the synthetic octapeptide Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala (S6-1), the structure of which is based on a phosphorylated region of the S6 protein. Two trypsin-dependent peaks of protein kinase activity have been found to phosphorylate this peptide, one eluting at 0.05 M KCl and the other at 0.10-0.15 M KCl. The first peak elutes at the same salt concentration as the trypsin-dependent protein kinase(s) that phosphorylate ribosomal protein S6, while the second elutes slightly, but reproducibly ahead of S6PK. Several properties of the second peak of S6-1 phosphorylating activity suggest that it is not S6PK.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Identification of a peptide fragment from the carboxyl-terminal extension region (E-domain) of rat proinsulin-like growth factor-II.

A fragment of the carboxyl-terminal extension region (E-peptide) of rat proinsulin-like growth factor-II has been purified from medium conditioned by cultured BRL-3A rat liver cells. The fragment, identified by microsequence analysis, was discovered in a biologically active fraction of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). The fragment begins at position 117 in pro-IGF-II, two amino acids downstream from an Arg-Arg potential prohormone processing site. A synthetic analogue of the E-peptide at high concentrations stimulates [3H]thymidine incorporation in NIL8 hamster cells, raising the possibility that the E-peptide might bind with low affinity to a mitogen receptor. Peptides from the E-regions of pro-IGF-I and pro-IGF-II should be useful for development of radioimmunoassays for measurement of the somatic production of IGF-I and IGF-II, analogous to the radioimmunoassay for the insulin C-peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Expression of hybrid class I genes of the major histocompatibility complex in mouse L cells.

The class I genes of the major histocompatibility complex of the mouse can be divided into two categories: those encoding the transplantation antigens and those encoding the Qa and Tla antigens. The inbred BALB/c mouse has 28 potential Qa/Tla genes. The sites of tissue expression, developmental regulation, and functions of these genes are virtually unknown. We have used the technique of exon shuffling to construct hybrid genes between each of three Qa region genes (Q5, Q7, and Q8) and two other class I genes (H-2Ld and Q6). The hybrid genes have been transfected into mouse L cells, in which intact transplantation antigen genes generally are expressed and in which intact Qa genes generally are not expressed. Analysis of expression of the hybrid gene constructs indicates that the 5' half of two of the Qa genes (Q5 and Q8) can readily be expressed in the context of a hybrid molecule, whereas the 3' half prevents cell-surface expression. The exon shuffling approach described here will be useful in characterizing Qa/Tla genes and in identifying or producing new reagents to study the Qa/Tla gene products, their tissue distribution, their developmental stages of expression, and, ultimately, their functions.

Animals↗