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Biomedical subjects

J Schubert

Publications and source records attributed to J Schubert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Affected paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria T lymphocytes harbor a common defect in assembly of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine inositol phospholipid corresponding to that in class A Thy-1- murine lymphoma mutants.

Deficient expression of glycoinositol phospholipid (GPI) anchored proteins in affected paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) cells has been traced to a defect in GPI anchor assembly. In a previous study (Schubert, J., Schmidt, R. E., and Medof, M. E. (1993) J. Biol. Chem., in press) we characterized the biosynthesis of putative Man-containing GPI anchor precursors in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and investigated assembly of these intracellular GPI intermediates in CD48- affected and CD48+ unaffected T and natural killer cell lines of PNH patients. We found that affected T cells from five patients exhibited a uniform defect in which dolichol-phosphoryl-Man was synthesized but no GPI mannolipids were expressed. In this study, membranes of patients' affected T cells were labeled with UDP-[3H]GlcNAc to evaluate earlier steps in GPI synthesis, and intact cells were fused to Thy-1- murine lymphoma mutants harboring different defects in early GPI assembly to test for the presence of corresponding or complementary lesions. In all cases, affected cell membranes failed to assemble GlcNAc-inositol phospholipid, the initial precursor of GPI anchor structures, and the intact cells failed to complement class A mutants while complementing other classes. Affected polymorphonuclear leukocytes from three additional patients of different origin were then labeled with [3H]Man and the labeling patterns found to correspond to those obtained with the T lymphocytes. Taken together the data indicate that the genetic lesion in PNH cells resides in a DNA element which: 1) encodes a product required for the synthesis of GlcNAc-inositol phospholipid, 2) corresponds to that altered in class A Thy-1- murine lymphoma mutants, and 3) is commonly affected in different patients.

Acetylglucosamine

Uncoupling activity and physicochemical properties of derivatives of fluazinam.

The physico-chemical properties and uncoupling activity of eight derivatives of N-phenyl-2-pyridinamines related to the fungicide fluazinam were analyzed using rat liver mitochondria. The uncoupling activity of these compounds relies on the deprotonable secondary amino group. One of the derivatives tested (B-3) was slightly more efficient than fluazinam. By phase-distribution analysis we could show that the N-phenyl-2-pyridinamines are chemicals with moderate hydrophobicity. Deprotonation of the compound reduces the water/octanol partition coefficient by about one order of magnitude. The pKA value of the deprotonable group is affected equally by electron withdrawing substituents of the phenyl- and the pyridinyl-ring, and could be predicted simply from the sum of the Hammett coefficients. The uncoupling efficiency was not dependent on the hydrophobicity of the compound, but appeared to be governed by the pKA of the deprotonable group. This structure/uncoupling characteristic is different from that of the generally more hydrophobic uncouplers of the salicylanilide-type. The pKA resulting in the most efficient uncoupling was found to lie in the range of the pH of the reaction medium. A model based on a solution complexation mechanism, which describes this behaviour, is presented. We conclude that the N-phenyl-2-pyridinamines uncoupled the mitochondria by a simple protonophoric cycle involving protonation/deprotonation in the bulk phase, and that the kinetics of uncoupling were primarily governed by the total concentration of the limiting uncoupler species.

Amines

Differences in activation of normal and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-negative lymphocytes derived from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

In these studies, the role of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored surface molecules during T cell activation was investigated in fresh T cells and T cell lines obtained from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. For control, GPI-expressing T cells of the same patients were used. Unstimulated GPI- T cells exhibited significantly reduced surface expression of the activation Ag CD45R0, compared with GPI+ T cells. In addition, in measurements of proliferation, IFN-gamma production, and induction of second messengers such as cytoplasmic Ca2+, CD48- lymphocytes showed a similar response to TCR-specific stimulation, compared with CD48+ lymphocytes. In contrast, stimulation with the lectin PHA produced a decreased response of CD48- lymphocytes in these functions. In addition, stimulation with cross-linked CD59 mAb increased the proliferation of GPI-molecule expressing CD48+ T cell lines only. From these data, it can be concluded that GPI-anchored surface molecules play an important role in T lymphocyte activation.

Antigens, CD

Chromosome aberrations reduced in whole-body irradiated mice by pretreatment with cyanide.

Male mice exposed to single, whole-body 60Co irradiation, were injected intraperitoneally with a non-toxic dose of KCN, 2 min or 20 min prior to irradiation. Bone-marrow cells were examined for chromatid breaks and chromosome aberrations (CA) at different times post-irradiation. The 2 min but not the 20 min treated mice had a marked reduction in chromatid breaks and chromosome aberrations. A study was made of mice exposed to 3.0 Gy (1.8 Gy/min), treated with KCN 2 min prior to irradiation and examined 5 min to 30 d post-irradiation. After 5 min there were no significant changes in frequency of CA. Subsequently, the incidence of CA in the KCN-treated group was reduced compared to the irradiated controls. By the 30th day, however, CA frequencies had returned to control levels in all groups. No effect of KCN treatment was observed in the white or red blood cells. The cytogenetic results were posited to be a function of the relative inhibition and recovery times of cyanide affected cytochrome oxidase, DNA synthesis, and ATP.

Animals

Analysis of CD16+dim and CD16+bright lymphocytes--comparison of peripheral and clonal non-MHC-restricted T cells and NK cells.

The Fc gamma RIII receptor (CD16) has been described on natural killer cells and a small subset of T lymphocytes. CD16+bright lymphocytes represent the typical population of peripheral blood CD3- NK cells. In these studies in addition to CD16+bright NK cells Fc gamma RIII expressing cytotoxic T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from one healthy individual are characterized as CD16+dim non-MHC-restricted CTLs either expressing the alpha/beta (80%) or the gamma/delta T cell receptor (20%). Both CD16+ subsets are clearly distinct in their functional capacity performing NK and ADCC activity. Freshly isolated CD16+dim T cells exert higher ADCC, CD16+bright NK cells higher NK activity. They are also differentially activated by interleukin-2 since CD16+bright NK cells reveal a bright expression of the p75 IL-2 receptor beta-chain in contrast to the very low p75 expression on CD16+dim T cells. This activation leads to a gradual increase of ADCC by NK cells. Finally the CD16 expression pattern with low and bright intensity represents a stable phenotype expressed by clones generated from these different subpopulations. On a clonal level CD16+dim non-MHC-restricted T cells can be distinguished from CD16+bright NK cells by their lower capacity in NK killing, but they are equally potent in ADCC. Finally these CD3+CD16+dim clones provide the basis for studies of Fc gamma RIII and TcR interaction.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity

Stereokinetic effect and its relation to the kinetic depth effect.

The stereokinetic effect (SKE) has been defined and studied by nested circular patterns rotating on a turntable. Circles must appear not to rotate as they revolve, which in turn results in their appearing to translate relative to one another. A powerful illusion of object depth results even though the individual circles do not undergo an appropriate foreshortening consistent with their apparent changes in slant. It is suggested and tested that the SKE is based on the changing positions between the nested contours despite the absence of any change within each contour, whereas the kinetic depth effect (KDE) entails both kinds of change. It follows that a turntable method of presentation is not necessary, and between-contour transformations can be simulated by computer animation. Displays consisting of simple translations were shown to evoke robust depth impressions as were patterns consisting of contours of varying shapes. Comparisons of the depth, compellingness, and rigidity of matched SKE and KDE displays are reported. The SKE is taken to be paradigmatic for how the visual system perceives depth when observing small object rotations that occur in everyday situations.

Depth Perception

Does hydrogen peroxide exist "free" in biological systems?

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can diffuse far from the site of production to intracellular locations where biological effects may be greater. The diffusion range is extended by H2O2 carriers formed spontaneously by hydrogen bonding with monomeric and polymeric compounds, including amino and dicarboxylic acids, peptides, proteins, nucleic acid bases, and nucleosides. Hydrogen peroxide adducts (HPAs) are readily synthesized, e.g., crystalline histidine (His)-H2O2 adducts. An equilibrium exists between an adduct-forming compound and H2O2. The detection and relative stabilities of HPAs are measured by the degree of decomposition of H2O2 as influenced by test compounds in buffered solution competing with glucose or fructose for H2O2. The HPAs delay decomposition of H2O2 up to several hundredfold. The overall charge on an HPA, i.e., its ability to penetrate cell membranes, influences the cytotoxic and clastogenic effects of H2O2. Growth inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 by H2O2 is enhanced by neutral HPAs but decreased by anionic HPAs. Addition of catalase 1, 10, or 30 min after inoculation of S. typhimurium LT2 reduces or nearly eliminates partial growth inhibition by H2O2, but a neutral HPA, especially His-H2O2, transported H2O2 into the cells within 1 min, and in about 10 min completely inhibited growth. The stability of HPAs decreases with increasing pH or increasing temperature, while added Fe(II) in the presence and absence of EDTA accelerates H2O2 and HPA decomposition. Calculations indicate H2O2 hydrogen bonds with nucleic acid-base pairs with no apparent bond strain and energy stabilization comparable to normal hydrogen bonding.

Adenine

Radioprotection of lethally irradiated animals: formulation and correlations.

Disparities in survival of mice and rats after lethal (LD100/30) radiation are resolved using two parameters: 1. total elapsed time (TET), defined as time interval between radioprotector administration to end of irradiation; and 2. area under the curve (AUC) of selected biochemical effects. The AUC from cytochrome oxidase inhibition by KCN, and TET, predict survivals of KCN-treated animals under different experimental conditions.

Animals

Diagnosis of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria using immunophenotyping of peripheral blood cells.

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is now generally accepted as a disease in which bone marrow derived cells are deficient in phosphatidylinositolglycan (PIG)-anchored surface molecules. A series of new monoclonal antibodies detecting PIG-anchored surface structures on human leucocytes (CD48, CD55, CD59) has recently been described. In the present study 12 patients with the diagnosis PNH and a positive Ham test were examined for PIG-anchored surface antigen expression on various cell lineages using immunofluorescence. In all patients deficient cells were detected in erythrocyte, granulocyte and monocyte analysis. A deficient lymphocyte subset was also observed in all but one of these patients. Using two-colour analysis, all lymphocyte subpopulations such as T, B and NK cells were found to be affected. In addition, peripheral blood cells of 22 patients with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) were tested for the PIG-anchoring defect. In five of these patients the defect was detected, and in four of the five the lack of PIG-anchored molecules was confined to the granulocyte and monocyte lineages apparently without affecting the erythrocytes. The results of these studies demonstrate that cytofluorographic testing of peripheral blood cells provides a simple and reliable method for establishing the diagnosis of PNH. Furthermore, especially in the case of aplastic anaemia patients, the sensitivity of immunophenotyping might be superior to conventional laboratory tests.

Anemia, Aplastic

[Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with panniculitis and rhabdomyolysis].

In systemic lupus erythematosus as a multi-system disease the involvement of skeletal muscle has been described as a rather mild polymyositis, myopathy or inclusion-body myositis. Here we present a patient with a severe lupus presenting with a fulminant myositis with rhabdomyolysis and panniculitis.

Adult

[Prevalence of secondary complications in patients with type I diabetes mellitus. Results of a retrospective analysis of 549 type I diabetic patients of the Ulm University clinic].

In a retrospective study, we analyzed the prevalence of diabetes-associated late complications in 549 type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients who have been treated at the University Hospital of Ulm between 1980 and 1987. Retinopathy, proteinuria and neuropathy depended on the duration of the disease, whereas age was the major determinant of large vessel disease. After 20 years of diabetes, 85% of the patients showed retinopathy, half of them proliferative retinopathy, 52% had persistent proteinuria (greater than 500 mg/day), 20% of them were under dialysis. 74% of the patients showed signs of peripheral and/or autonomic neuropathy, 19% had manifestations of large vessel disease. There was no consistent correlation between the levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and the occurrence of diabetic late complications. However, hypertension was closely associated with both small and large vessel disease.

Adult

The complete amino-acid sequences of human ganglioside GM2 activator protein and cerebroside sulfate activator protein.

The complete amino-acid sequences of human ganglioside GM2 activator protein and cerebroside sulfate activator protein have been established by Edman degradation. The GM2 activator is composed of 162 amino acids, the first two serine residues being present in only 20% of the material. A single carbohydrate chain is N-glycosidically linked to Asn32. Three hydrophobic alpha-helices may contribute to its lipid-binding site. Three amino acids differ from those found by cDNA sequencing which may be due to a polymorphism. The cerebroside sulfate activator consists of 80 amino acids and carries one N-linked carbohydrate chain at Asn21. The C-terminal valine residue is lacking in about 80% of the material. In spite their similar functions, both activator proteins show no sequence or structural similarities.

Amino Acid Sequence

The PIG-anchoring defect in NK lymphocytes of PNH patients.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is clinically characterized by intravascular hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, iron deficiency anemia, and venous thrombosis. Pathophysiologically the disease has now been generally accepted as an acquired defect of phosphatidylinositol glycan (PIG)-anchored molecules on the cell surface of bone marrow-derived cells. This defect is functionally characterized by an abnormal susceptibility to complement-mediated lysis and has been described on erythrocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets. In contrast, contradictory data exist so far on the involvement of lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. Using monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against newly defined PIG-linked surface structures such as CD48, CD55, and CD59, which are homogeneously expressed on lymphocytes of normal donors, we analyzed lymphocytes and their subpopulations in nine PNH patients by two color immunofluorescence. Our results showed that CD3+ T cells as well as CD16+ NK cells are at least partially involved in the deficient PIG-molecule surface expression. To more clearly define the defect in PNH, we generated NK clones from a PNH patient. Phenotypic analysis of these NK clones showed that they either were positive (n = 3) for PIG-linked surface structures such as CD48, CD55, and CD59 (eg, NKP1) or were completely negative (n = 7) for all of them (eg, NKP1). In functional tests the PIG-molecule negative clone NKP2 showed increased susceptibility to human complement compared with the PIG molecule positive clone NKP1. When analyzing the mRNA levels of the PIG-linked molecules CD55 and CD59 there was no difference at all between the two clones. We conclude from our data that NK cells as well as other lymphocyte subpopulations are involved in the PIG-linkage defect of PNH. These NK clones with differential expression of PIG-linked surface structures present for the first time ex vivo mutant cell lymphocyte lines that carry the defect leading to PIG deficiency in PNH.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Further studies on protective effects of vitamins in cyclophosphamide-induced cleft palate.

The effects of vitamins B1, B6, and E administered 1 day before and simultaneously with an embryotoxic dose of cyclophosphamide (CPM) were studied using random-bred mice ICR (VELAZ). A single dose of 20 mg/kg CPM administered i.p. or i.m. on day 12 of pregnancy induced in the foetuses cleft palate and malformations of the upper and lower limbs. Both vitamins B1 and B6 decreased nonsignificantly the overall proportion of malformed foetuses and changed the spectrum of malformations, the decrease in foetuses with malformed upper limbs being statistically significant. In the groups supplemented with vitamins the mean foetal weight was higher in litters without malformed upper limbs than in litters with malformed upper limbs and those of both types in the control group. Similar effects of vitamin E were statistically nonsignificant. It is most likely that vitamins influence the pharmacokinetics of cyclophosphamide or its metabolites. The data provided offer no explanation for the claimed beneficial effects of vitamins for preventing the occurrence of orofacial clefts in patients at risk.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced