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Biomedical subjects

R O'Brien

Publications and source records attributed to R O'Brien.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Recognition of a peptide antigen by heat shock--reactive gamma delta T lymphocytes.

Small synthetic peptides that correspond to different portions of the 65-kilodalton mycobacterial heat shock protein (Hsp65) were used to identify a putative antigenic epitope for gamma delta cells. Weaker gamma delta responses to the equivalent portion of the autologous homolog, mouse Hsp63, were also seen. The stimulatory epitope overlaps with an epitope recognized by arthritogenic alpha beta T cell clones. The data suggest that gamma delta cells have a role in autoimmune disorders and imply that these cells recognize ligands by a mechanism similar to that of alpha beta T lymphocytes, that is, in the form of small processed protein fragments bound to antigen-presenting molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence

Recognition of heat shock proteins and gamma delta cell function.

Recently evidence has accumulated suggesting that gamma delta cells may participate in the immune response to mycobacteria and other infectious organisms. Many mouse gamma delta cells are stimulated by the 65 kDa heat shock protein of M. bovis and human gamma delta cell lines reactive with this mycobacterial protein have also been isolated. Indirect evidence further suggests that gamma delta cells can recognize autologous heat shock proteins. In this article, Willi Born and colleagues focus on these and other recent findings and speculate on their importance to gamma delta cell function in vivo.

Animals

Modulation of pulmonary artery contraction by endothelium-derived relaxing factor.

In isolated rat pulmonary artery rings, both endothelial denudation and treatment with 10(-5) M hemoglobin inhibited relaxation to acetylcholine and increased contractile sensitivities, i.e. decreased the EC50s, to KCl, angiotensin II and norepinephrine. Denudation caused similar inhibition of acetylcholine relaxation and potentiation of KCl and norepinephrine contractions in isolated bovine pulmonary arteries. These results indicate that endothelium-derived relaxing factor plays a significant role in modulating the contractile sensitivity of isolated pulmonary arteries to at least some agonists.

Angiotensin II

Binding to GDP-agarose identifies a novel 60kDa substrate for the insulin receptor tyrosyl kinase in mouse NIH-3T3 cells expressing high concentrations of the human insulin receptor.

Insulin increased dramatically the tyrosyl phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit in mouse NIH-3T3 fibroblasts transfected with the human insulin receptor. Insulin also increased the phosphorylation, on tyrosine residues, of an endogenous 60kDa protein. This protein was identified after being eluted from a GDP-agarose support by GDP. It is suggested that the 60kDa species may be a novel guanine nucleotide binding protein which is specifically phosphorylated by the insulin receptor.

Animals

Effect of glycaemic control on glomerular filtration rate in the streptozotocin diabetic rat.

1. Diabetes was induced in 32 adult Wistar-Kyoto rats with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Fourteen rats remained untreated, 10 received insulin three times per week, and eight received insulin daily. Fourteen non-diabetic rats served as controls. 2. Exchangeable sodium and plasma volume were elevated in the untreated diabetic rats. Treatment normalized these parameters. 3. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was elevated in the untreated diabetic group and the group receiving insulin three times per week compared with the control group. Daily insulin treatment restored GFR towards control values. 4. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor was similar in untreated diabetic rats and non-diabetic rats.

Animals

A chemically synthesized radiolabeled signal peptide: design, preparation, and biological evaluation of an iodinated analog of preproparathyroid hormone.

The chemically synthesized signal peptide (native-sequence signal peptide) of preproparathyroid hormone exhibits signal sequence-like activity by inhibiting the translocation/processing of precursor proteins to their mature forms in an in vitro translation system. In order to prepare a biologically functional radiolabeled form of this peptide, we undertook structure-function studies of the native-sequence signal peptide. Since conventional iodination of peptides is performed under oxidizing conditions, chemical design efforts were focused on the oxidation-labile residues, methionine and cysteine, present in the native sequence. Substitution of the three methionines with norleucine and the single cysteine with alanine yielded a surfur-free analog, [Nle-(-25), Nle-(-21),Nle-(-18),Ala-(-14),D-Tyr-(+1)]pre-proPTH-(-29-+1)amide, which is resistant to oxidation and active in the inhibition of processing assay. An interaction between the signal region and one of the components of the intracellular secretory apparatus, signal recognition particle (SRP), was demonstrated: iodinated sulfur-free analog was cross-linked (using the homo-bifunctional reagent disuccinimidyl suberate) to the 54 kilodalton (kDa) subunit of SRP. The 68 kDa and 72 kDa subunits of SRP were also labeled, but to a lesser extent, by the iodinated peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence

Immunoprecipitation of the parathyroid hormone receptor.

An 125I-labeled synthetic analog of bovine parathyroid hormone, [8-norleucine,18-norleucine,34-tyrosine]PTH-(1-34) amide ([Nle]PTH-(1-34)-NH2), purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), was employed to label the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor in cell lines derived from PTH target tissues: the ROS 17/2.8 rat osteosarcoma of bone and the CV1 and COS monkey kidney lines. After incubation of the radioligand with intact cultured cells, the hormone was covalently attached to receptors by using either a photoaffinity technique or chemical (affinity) cross-linking. In each case, covalent labeling was specific, as evidenced by a reduction of labeling when excess competing nonradioactive ligand was present. After covalent attachment of radioligand, membranes were prepared from the cells and solubilized in the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 or octyl glucoside. The soluble membrane fraction present in the supernatant of a 100,000 X g centrifugation was incubated with IgG prepared from anti-PTH antiserum generated to the amino-terminal region, residues 1-34, of PTH. The IgG-PTH-receptor complex was precipitated with staphylococcal protein A-Sepharose. Analysis of the immunoprecipitate on NaDod-SO4/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography revealed the presence of a doublet of apparent molecular mass 69-70 kDa. Specifically labeled bands of approximate molecular mass 95 and 28 kDa were also observed. The anti-PTH IgG was affinity purified by passage over a PTH-Sepharose column and used to make an immunoaffinity column. The 70- and 28-kDa bands were also observed after labeled solubilized membrane preparations were allowed to bind to this column and then were eluted by using a [Nle]PTH-(1-34)-NH2-containing buffer or acetic acid. These studies suggest that the use of an anti-PTH antiserum that binds receptor-bound hormone is likely to be a useful step in the further physiochemical characterization and purification of the PTH receptor.

Animals

The 'fixed' removable partial denture: report of case.

Careful monitoring of tissue that had been the site of three previous surgical procedures was necessary, but the patient needed a functional, esthetically acceptable prosthesis. The Andrews bridge was selected because it combines the stabilizing qualities of a fixed prosthesis with the accessibility to the tissues of a removable prosthesis. The recurring nature of the verrucous carcinoma along with extensive tissue loss were additional factors in selecting this appliance. The final results satisfied all the criteria. The patient has been seen at regular follow-up visits for 2 years since the last surgical procedure and there has been no clinical change in the previously involved tissue. The patient has tolerated the prosthesis well and is satisfied with her appearance.

Carcinoma, Papillary

Pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the newborn.

Leukemia in the newborn is an infrequent disease that has not been well defined using modern laboratory techniques. We describe two infants, one at birth and one at four weeks, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The blasts from each patient were studied in great detail, using a battery of cytochemical and immunologic procedures in addition to ultrastructural studies. Immunologic cell marker studies, not previously reported in congenital leukemia, showed the lymphoblasts from each infant to be of the pre-B cell phenotype. Each infant relapsed, one after a 17-week clinical remission and the other after a 44-week remission. The former has died while the latter is in a second remission. The subtype of pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which in childhood appears to confer an unfavorable prognosis, may have the same significance in neonatal ALL.

Antineoplastic Agents

The third component of complement: covalent attachment of a radioactive sugar to the labile binding site of C3 via the alternative pathway.

A complement- (C) fixing particle consisting of agarose beads to which 5-thioglucose was attached by a --S--S-- bond (agarose-thioglucose) was employed to investigate the mechanism of attachment of C3 to surfaces. When whole serum containing [125I] C3 was incubated with agarose-thioglucose, labeled C3b was taken up in a form that was not removed by 2 M NaCl but was released by 10 mM dithiothreitol. Deposition of DTT-releasable C3b was dependent upon the alternative pathway of C activation. Gel electrophoresis of DTT-releasable C3b from similar experiments performed with unlabeled serum and agarose-[3H]thioglucose showed that the liberated C3b contained a molecule of radioactive thioglucose attached to the alpha'-chain by a covalent bond that was stable to mercaptoethanol. We propose that the thioglucose-alpha' chain bond was formed during the course of C activation by a reaction between the "labile binding site" of newly released C3b and the (then) particle-bound sugar. This formulation implies that the reaction by which C3b attaches to 5-thioglucose in this system is the reaction responsible for opsonization by C3b, and that the C3b-linked sugar represents a marker for the labile binding site. Incubation of the particle-bound C3b in serum resulted in the cleavage of the covalently linked alpha'-chain to several smaller polypeptides, the major cleavage product having a m.w. of 70,000.

Binding Sites