PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Striker

Publications and source records attributed to G Striker.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The isolation of angiotensin-converting enzyme cDNA.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is an Zn(II)-containing dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase that converts angiotensin I to the potent vasoconstrictor, angiotensin II. Using oligonucleotide probes based on the amino acid sequence of mouse kidney ACE, cDNA encoding this protein has been isolated. One cDNA, ACE.31, encodes the N-terminal 332 amino acids of mouse ACE, a portion of the protein containing a putative 34-amino acid leader sequence and the N terminus of the mature protein. Northern analyses with cloned ACE cDNA revealed that both mouse kidney and lung express two ACE mRNAs, one of 4900 and another of 4150 bases. Southern analysis suggests that cDNA ACE.31 is the product of a single gene, and thus these data add evidence to the hypothesis that the converting enzymes produced by epithelial and endothelial cells are identical.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Partial protein sequence of mouse and bovine kidney angiotensin converting enzyme.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in the regulation of renal blood pressure by the hydrolysis of the inactive precursor peptide angiotensin I to the potent vasopressor angiotensin II. Renal ACE is a surface membrane protein of both endothelium and tubular epithelium. Enzymatically active ACE was isolated from renal homogenates by chromatography using an affinity column constructed by linking an ACE inhibitor, lisinopril, to Affi-Gel 15. Analysis of eluates from this column showed that ACE activity was increased greater than 500-fold. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single band of molecular weight 144 kD (mouse) and 149 kD (bovine). N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis revealed: (formula; see text) Though bovine ACE has one additional N-terminal amino acid, these two partial sequences are highly homologous (16 of 20 positions are identical). Mouse ACE was digested with trypsin and the peptides were isolated by reverse phase HPLC. Analysis of the amino acid sequences showed that these tryptic peptides were unique to ACE. Thus, we were able to isolate ACE from bovine and mouse kidneys and show that they had substantial structural homology. They were also quite similar to that from rabbit lung.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Glomerular lesions in lymphomas and leukemias.

Renal lesions in lymphoid malignancies are rare, with most lesions observed in association with Hodgkin's disease. In two large series of patients with Hodgkin's disease, only 0.4 percent had minimal-change lesion whereas 0.1 percent had amyloidosis. The non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and leukemias comprise large and heterogeneous groups with equally diverse renal lesions. As in Hodgkin's disease, the most frequent lesion is minimal-change nephrotic syndrome. Also recognized are rare reports of renal disease associated with the atypical lymphoid proliferations of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy, giant lymph node hyperplasia syndrome, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Broad generalizations regarding the pathogenesis of renal disease in these syndromes are difficult, partly due to the paucity and sporadic reporting of such cases. Mechanisms proposed to explain the renal pathologic findings include autologous nontumor antigens, tumor antigens, fetal antigen expression, immune complex deposition, viral antigens, and disordered T cell function.

Amyloidosis↗

Cytoskeletal changes as an early event in hydrogen peroxide-induced cell injury: a study in A549 cells.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and other oxygen metabolites have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cell and tissue injury. The nature of the injury occurring in cells exposed to oxygen metabolites is unknown. A549 cells, derived from human lung carcinoma, were exposed to glucose-glucose oxidase or hydrogen peroxide in vitro. The distribution of actin and cytokeratin filaments, as well as 51chromium (51Cr) release and trypan blue dye exclusion were assessed. Both glucose-glucose oxidase and H2O2 resulted in changes which were time- and dose-dependent. Alterations in the cytoskeleton were detected by immunofluorescence microscopy at two hours, at which time the cells excluded trypan blue dye, while 51Cr release and trypan blue uptake first occurred at 8 h and required a five-fold greater concentration of glucose oxidase. The addition of catalase to glucose-glucose oxidase or H2O2, or inactivation of glucose oxidase by boiling, abrogated the injury. Therefore, one of the early targets of H2O2-induced cell injury may be the cytoskeleton.

Actins↗

Mechanism of codon recognition by transfer RNA studied with oligonucleotides larger than triplets.

The binding of yeast tRNAPhe to UUCA, UUCC, UUCCC, UUCUUCU, U4, U5, U6 and U7 was analysed by fluorescence temperature jump and equilibrium sedimentation measurements. In all cases the two observed relaxation processes can be assigned to alpha) an intramolecular conformation change of the anticodon loop and beta) preferential binding of the oligonucleotides to one of the anticodon conformations. The anticodon loop transition is associated with inner sphere complexation of Mg2+ and proceeds with rate constants of about 10(3) s-1. The rate constants of oligonucleotide binding are between 4 and 10 X 10(6) M-1s-1 and reflect an increase of the association rate with the number of binding sites compensated to some degree by electrostatic repulsion in the preequilibrium complex. Neither temperature jump nor equilibrium sedimentation experiments provided evidence for UUCA or UUCC induced tRNA dimerisation, although UUC binding leads to strong tRNA dimerisation under equivalent conditions. The results obtained for the longer oligonucleotides are similar. In the case of UUCUUCU with its two potential binding sites for tRNAPhe there was no evidence for the formation of 'ternary' complexes. Apparently tRNAPhe binds preferentially to the second UUC of this 'messenger' and forms additional contacts with residues on either side of the codon. Some evidence for the formation of ternary complexes is obtained for U6 and U7, although the extent of this reaction remains very small. Our results demonstrate that the mode of tRNA binding to a codon is strongly influenced by residues next to the codon. The formation of cooperative contacts between tRNA molecules at adjacent codons apparently requires support by a catalyst adjusting an appropriate conformation of messenger and tRNA molecules.

Anticodon↗

Mechanism of codon recognition by transfer RNA and codon-induced tRNA association.

The steps of UUC recognition by tRNAPhe were analysed by temperature-jump measurements. At ion concentrations close to physiological conditions we found three relaxation processes, which we assigned to (1) formation of codon-anticodon complexes, (2) a conformational change of the anticodon loop coupled with Mg2+ binding, and (3) codon-induced association of tRNA. The relaxation data were evaluated both by the usual procedure (fitting the exponentials evaluated from the individual experiments of a set to a reaction model) and by "global fitting", i.e. fitting a set of relaxation curves obtained at various concentrations directly to a reaction model, thus leaving out the intermediate exponential fitting step. The data can be represented quantitatively by a three-step model: the codon binds to the anticodon at a rate of 4 X 10(6) to 6 X 10(6) M-1S-1 as is usual for the formation of oligomer helices; the conformation change of the anticodon loop is associated with inner sphere complexation of Mg2+ at a rate of 10(3) S-1; the codon-tRNA complexes form dimers at a rate of 5 X 10(6) to 15 X 10(6) M-1S-1. A similar mechanism is found for the binding of the wobble codon UUU to tRNAPhe at increased concentrations of Mg2+. Measurements at different Mg2+ concentrations demonstrate the distinct role of this ion in the codon recognition and the codon-induced tRNA dimerization. We propose a simple mechanism, based upon the special properties of magnesium ions, for long-distance transfer of reaction signals along nucleic acid chains.

Anticodon↗

Prostaglandin synthesis by human glomerular cells in culture.

PG synthesis by cultured human glomerular mesangial and epithelial cells incubated with [1- 14C] arachidonic acid was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) after high performance liquid chromatography purification. Both dissociated cells and cell monolayers were studied under basal conditions. PG synthesis by epithelial cells was undetectable. Mesangial cells produced low amounts of PGE2, PGF2 alpha and 6 keto-PGF1 alpha and no TXB2. We also examined the effects of several agents on PG synthesis in these two types of cells scraped away from their flasks using direct RIA. Arachidonic acid produced a slight stimulation only with mesangial cells whereas angiotensin II, cyclic AMP and calcium ionophore were inactive with both cell lines. Homogenization of the cells did not enhance the stimulatory effect of arachidonic acid. Alkalinization of the incubation medium produced an increase of PG production by mesangial cells. These results suggest that two types of human glomerular cells, particularly epithelial cells, possess low cyclooxygenase activity. The low capacity of human mesangial and epithelial cells to produce PG may have consequences for the endocrine control of the glomerular microcirculation in man.

Arachidonic Acid↗

Codon:anticodon and anticodon:anticodon interaction: evaluation of equilibrium and kinetic parameters of complexes involving a g:u wobble.

In order to learn about the effect of the G:U wobble interaction we characterized to codon:anticodon binding between triplets: UUC, UUU and yeast tRNAPhe (anticodon GmAA) as well as the anticodon:anticodon binding between Escherichia coli tRNAGlu2, E. coli tRNALys (anticodons: mam5s2UUC, and mam5S2UUU, respectively) and tRNAPhe from yeast and E. coli (anticodon GAA) using equilibrium fluorescence titrations and temperature jump measurements with fluorescence and absorption detection. The difference in stability constants between complexes involving a G:U pair rather than a usual G:C basepair is in the range of one order magnitude and is mainly due to the shorter lifetime of the complex involving G:U in the wobble position. This difference is more pronounced when the codon triplet is structured, i.e., is built in the anticodon loop of a tRNA. The reaction enthalpies of the anticodon:anticodon complexes involving G:U mismatching were found to be about 4 kcal/mol smaller, and the melting temperatures more than 20 degrees C lower, than those of the corresponding complexes with the G:C basepair. The results are discussed in terms of different strategies that might be used in the cell in order to minimize the effect of different lifetimes of codon-tRNA complexes. Differences in these lifetimes may be used for the modulation of the translation efficiency.

Anticodon↗

A study of the origin of pulmonary macrophages using the Chédiak-Higashi marker.

Using bone marrow reconstitution techniques with cells bearing the Chédiak-Higashi marker, the authors have been able to demonstrate in mice that both interstitial and intraalveolar macrophages of the lung are derived from bone marrow precursor cells. The morphologic approach (transmission electron microscopy) employed in this study provides direct evidence and confirmation of earlier reports, in which entirely different techniques were used to study cell traffic in the lung. The use of the Chédiak-Higashi marker has great advantages over other more cumbersome and difficult techniques.

Animals↗