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Biomedical subjects

K Rose

Publications and source records attributed to K Rose.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Pyruvic acid is attached through its central carbon atom to the amino terminus of the recombinant DNA-derived DNA-binding protein Ner of bacteriophage Mu.

Ner protein of bacteriophage Mu, produced by recombinant DNA techniques in Escherichia coli, has been found to possess a molecule of pyruvic acid attached covalently through carbon-2 to the amino-terminal cysteine residue. The intact protein and the amino-terminal chymotryptic peptide were found by mass spectrometry to be 70 mass units heavier than expected. The modified peptide was unstable under mildly acid or mildly basic conditions. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the modified and unmodified forms of the amino-terminal chymotryptic peptide was consistent with the presence of pyruvate linked through carbon-2 to the amino-terminal Cys residue. Treatment of the modified form with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in acid medium led to the expected hydrazone of pyruvic acid, which was identified by high pressure liquid chromatography. Of the two proteins known to be modified by pyruvate through its central carbon (the other being human adult hemoglobin, in which the modified form represents only a very minor fraction), Ner is the first protein found to be modified quantitatively. Given the instability of the modification, it may be more prevalent than recognized hitherto. Incubation with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine may offer a useful means of detecting the presence of pyruvate linked to proteins in this way.

Amino Acid Sequence

Partial characterization of natural and recombinant human soluble CD23.

The purification to homogeneity of an active soluble 25 kDa fragment of CD23, produced in insect cells using the baculovirus expression system, is described. Peptide mapping and analysis by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry permitted partial characterization of the protein. A total of 165 out of 172 residues, including N-terminal and C-terminal regions, were mapped. The positions of the two disulphide bonds in the IgE-binding region were also determined: residue 110 is joined to residue 124, and residue 42 to residue 133. Natural CD23 25 kDa fragment was also analysed and found to possess the same disulphide bond arrangement. These results extend the previously noted sequence similarity with lectins to elements of secondary structure.

Amino Acid Sequence

Human interleukin-5 expressed in Escherichia coli has N-terminal modifications.

Recombinant human interleukin-5 exists as four major isoforms all possessing N-terminal methionine. Peptide mapping and subsequent analysis by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry (f.a.b.-m.s.) have shown that N-terminal modifications are the cause of the charge heterogeneity. In order of decreasing abundance, these are unmodified methionine, retention of N-terminal formyl group, oxidation of N-terminal methionine to sulphoxide and carbamoylation of the N-terminus. These results were confirmed by analysis of the reduced and alkylated intact protein by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. The implications of these findings for the production and characterization of recombinant proteins are briefly discussed.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid

Colon carcinoma immunoscintigraphy by monoclonal anti-CEA antibody labeled with gallium-67-aminooxyacetyldeferroxamine.

Previous experimental results in nude mice showing that radiolabeling the monoclonal antibody anti-CEA 35 with 67Ga-aminooxyacetyldeferroxamine could give better tumor localization than radioiodination prompted us to initiate the present clinical study. The 67Ga-labeled antibody anti-CEA 35 (185 MBq, 0.7-1.7 mg) was injected preoperatively into 14 patients for colorectal carcinoma imaging. The same antibody labeled with 125I (3.7 MBq, 0.25 mg) was injected simultaneously to compare the 67Ga and 125I dose recoveries in surgical specimens. Twelve of 14 primary tumors gave a positive 67Ga scintigraph. The mean %ID/g recovered in all tumors 3-9 days after injection was significantly higher for 67Ga (0.019%) than for 125I (0.005%) (p < 0.001, paired t test). The tumor-to-normal tissue ratios were generally higher for 67Ga, with the exception of liver. We conclude that 67Ga-aminooxyacetyldeferroxamine improved immunoscintigraphy outside the liver, particularly in the pelvic region. We also show that deferroxamine infusion accelerates the excretion of 67Ga in eight patients and propose that this could lead to further improvement of immunoscintigraphy.

Aged

Pharmacologic characterization of the muscularis mucosae in three regions of the rabbit colon.

The aim of the present in vitro study was to provide information on the pharmacologic properties of the muscularis mucosae in three regions of the rabbit colon. Proximal muscularis mucosae exhibited spontaneous contractions whose frequency was independent of endogenous acetylcholine. In the mid and distal colon, spontaneous contractile frequencies were depressed by atropine and enhanced by eserine. Muscularis mucosae from all regions responded to acetylcholine, ADP, AMP, ATP, bradykinin, histamine, methoxamine, substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide but not cholecystokinin octapeptide or gamma-aminobutyric acid. Low concentrations of norepinephrine caused propranolol-sensitive relaxations of proximal colonic muscularis mucosae whereas high concentrations evoked phentolamine-sensitive contractions. In the mid and distal colon, norepinephrine caused relaxations which were poorly antagonized by propranolol. Proximal colonic muscularis mucosae responded to electrical stimulation with an atropine- and tetrodotoxin-sensitive "on contraction." Responses from the mid and distal colon were tetrodotoxin-sensitive and consisted of an atropine-sensitive "duration contraction" followed by a propranolol-insensitive "off relaxation" which was not mediated by prostaglandin synthesis, a purine, or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. These data suggest that the rabbit colonic muscularis mucosae possesses alpha-1 adrenoceptors, histamine H1, muscarinic, P2 purinoceptors and beta adrenoceptors. However, their relative importance and the nature of the intrinsic innervation suggests considerable specialization of this muscle layer in different regions of the rabbit colon.

Acetylcholine

Reaction mechanism of trypsin-catalysed semisynthesis of human insulin studied by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

The production of semisynthetic human insulin for therapeutic purposes is of considerable importance. During trypsin-catalysed transformation of pig insulin into an ester of insulin of human sequence, the alanyl residue at position B30 is removed and replaced with an esterified residue of threonine. We have carried out this transformation in a medium enriched in 18OH2 and studied the product by MS. In contrast to a previous report, we find that incorporation of label into the B29 - B30 peptide bond occurs during the transformation with threonine methyl ester in aqueous N,N-dimethylacetamide. Quantitative data are presented and the implications of these findings are discussed.

Animals

Magnesium removal induces paroxysmal neuronal firing and NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal degeneration in cortical cultures.

Removal of extracellular Mg2+ triggered the onset of repetitive excitatory discharges in cultured murine cortical neurons, detected by recording with patch electrodes in the whole cell configuration. The discharges were suppressed by 100 microM D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate. Over the next 24-72 h substantial numbers of neurons, but not glia, degenerated, releasing lactate dehydrogenase to the bathing medium. The neuronal death induced by removal of extracellular Mg2+ could be attenuated by either 3 microM tetrodotoxin or 50 microM dextrorphan, and thus likely reflects excessive activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors triggered by excitatory discharges. This Mg2+ removal model may be a useful model in which to study certain aspects of epileptic neocortical injury.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate

Repeated pregnancy without lactation: effects on maternal glycemic control, pregnancy outcome, carcass composition, and fat distribution in rats.

Repeated pregnancy without lactation in rats has been reported to produce permanently elevated carcass fat mass and hyperplasia in subcutaneous fat depot. In the present study, the pregnancy outcome, intravenous glucose tolerance ability (IVGTT), and carcass composition were further examined in Osborne-Mendel rats. Female rats were divided into pregnancy-lactation (PL), pregnancy-no lactation (PNL), and control (CON) groups. Half of the rats were killed after three pregnancy/lactation cycles, whereas the rest were given a 12-week rest period before killing. It was found that rats in PNL group had fasting hyperglycemia and insulin insensitivity during the third pregnancy (P less than or equal to .05), elevated spontaneous abortion rate (P less than or equal to .05), and elevated subcutaneous fat content (P less than or equal to .01) relative to that of PL rats or CON rats. After a 12-week rest period, a significant increase in subcutaneous fat cell number was also observed in PNL rats. PL rats, on the other hand, have significantly elevated internal/subcutaneous fat ratios (P less than or equal to .05), both immediately after weaning and after the 12-week rest period. The significance of this change is not yet known.

Adipose Tissue

Characterization of factors that direct transcription of rat ribosomal DNA.

The protein components that direct and activate accurate transcription by rat RNA polymerase I were studied in extracts of Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells. A minimum of at least two components, besides RNA polymerase I, that are necessary for efficient utilization of templates were identified. The first factor, rat SL-1, is required for species-specific recognition of the rat RNA polymerase I promoter and may be sufficient to direct transcription by pure RNA polymerase I. Rat SL-1 directed the transcription of templates deleted to -31, the 5' boundary of the core promoter element (+1 being the transcription initiation site). The second factor, rUBF, increased the efficiency of template utilization. Transcription of deletion mutants indicated that the 5' boundary of the domain required for rUBF lay between -137 and -127. Experiments using block substitution mutants confirmed and extended these observations. Transcription experiments using those mutants demonstrated that two regions within the upstream promoter element were required for optimal levels of transcription in vitro. The first region was centered on nucleotides -129 and -124. The 5' boundary of the second domain mapped to between nucleotides -106 and -101. DNase footprint experiments using highly purified rUBF indicated that rUBF bound between -130 and -50. However, mutation of nucleotides -129 and -124 did not affect the rUBF footprint. These results indicate that basal levels of transcription by RNA polymerase I may require only SL-1 and the core promoter element. However, higher transcription levels are mediated by additional interactions of rUBF, and possibly SL-1, bound to distal promoter elements.

Animals

Neural and endocrine development after chronic tryptophan deficiency in rats: I. Brain monoamine and pituitary responses.

Caloric restriction and tryptophan deficient diets have been shown to delay aging in the immature laboratory rat. Studies of monoamine levels in the brain of developing female rats fed on these diets show changes in serotonin but not norepinephrine or dopamine levels: in tryptophan-restricted rats serotonin levels were reduced in all brain areas studied, whereas in caloric-restricted animals serotonin levels were increased in the cerebral hemispheres only. Another group of animals, in which growth and maturation was delayed by feeding d,1-parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA) showed decreases in serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine concentrations in all brain regions investigated. All treatments employed to arrest growth and maturation resulted in pituitary alterations manifested by gross, histological and ultrastructural changes. It is postulated that there maturation- and age-retarding treatments delay the development of the central nervous system resulting in postponed maturation of the neuroendocrine axis, with consequent hypoactivity of certain pituitary functions and a resultant delay in the onset of maturation and senescence.

Animals

The separation and sequencing of permethylated peptides by mass spectrometry directly coupled to gas-liquid chromatography.

The use of g.l.c. coupled to mass spectrometry to separate and sequence permethylated acetyl- and trifluoroacetyl-peptides in a single operation is described. Both electron impact and chemical ionization were used to induce fragmentation, and the latter was found to be more sensitive. Chromatographic retention data are presented which suggest that peptide derivatives of molecular weight of at least 750 are accessible to the technique. The application of our methods to the determination of the primary sequence of proteins is discussed.

Chromatography, Gas

Preparation of well-defined protein conjugates using enzyme-assisted reverse proteolysis.

A two-step approach to the production of well-defined protein conjugates is described. In the first step, a linker group, carbohydrazide, having unique reactivity (a hydrazide group) is attached specifically to the carboxyl terminus by using enzyme-catalyzed reverse proteolysis. Since the hydrazide group exists nowhere else on the protein, specificity is assured in a subsequent chemical reaction (formation of a hydrazone bond) of the modified protein with a molecule (chelator, drug, or polypeptide) carrying an aldehyde or keto group. The product is sufficiently stable at neutral pH, no reduction of the hydrazone bond being necessary for the hydrazones described. Protein modification is thus restricted to the carboxyl terminus and a homogeneous product results. With insulin as a model, conditions are described for producing such well-defined conjugates in good yields. The use of other linker groups besides carbohydrazide, and applications of these techniques to antibody fragments, are discussed.

Chemistry, Organic

Site-specific modification of a fragment of a chimeric monoclonal antibody using reverse proteolysis.

We propose a novel method for the site-specific labeling of antibodies under mild conditions and give as an example the modification of an F(ab')2-like fragment of the chimeric monoclonal antibody B72.3. The F(ab')2-like fragment was produced by the action of the protease lysyl endopeptidase. Reverse proteolysis, catalyzed by the same enzyme, was then used to attach carbohydrazide specifically to the carboxyl termini of the heavy chains of the fragment. Finally, a radiolabeled chelator possessing an aldehyde group was conjugated to the modified fragment through a hydrazone linkage. The resulting site-specifically labeled F(ab')2-like fragment was characterized by gel electrophoresis and by enzymic digestion. It was found to possess immunoreactivity equivalent to that of the unmodified F(ab')2-like fragment as determined by immunofluorescence and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of this labeling method, which appear to be of quite general applicability, are discussed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Construction of protein analogues by site-specific condensation of unprotected fragments.

The extreme sensitivity to periodate of 1-amino, 2-hydroxy compounds permits the selective conversion of N-terminal serine and threonine to an aldehydic group. We have used this reaction to construct analogues of human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) by allowing such oxidized peptides to react with others that have had a hydrazide derivative attached to the C-terminus by reversed proteolysis. Two recombinant analogues of G-CSF were used as starting materials. Both had only a single lysine residue (at position 62 and 75, respectively) followed immediately by a serine. Digestion of each analogue by the lysine-specific protease from Achromobacter lyticus gave two fragments, one of which could be N-terminally oxidized and the other converted to the C-terminal hydrazide derivative by reversed proteolysis using the same enzyme. After preliminary studies with model peptides, we first reacted the corresponding peptide pairs together and then, in order to eliminate the 64-74 disulfide loop, fragment 1-62 from the first analogue with fragment 76-174 from the second. Reactions are efficient (up to 80% product based on the oxidized fragment) and take place under very mild conditions. The hydrazone bond can easily be stabilized by reduction with NaBH3CN. This method represents a new, reasonably general route for the construction of large protein chimeras of precisely controlled structure.

Amino Acid Sequence