PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Orita

Publications and source records attributed to S Orita.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

cis-Acting inhibitory elements within the pol-env region of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 possibly involved in viral persistence.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) remains latent throughout the life of the carrier, with cells containing the provirus and viral gene expression efficiently down-regulated. On a molecular level, exactly how viruses are down-regulated in vivo remains unresolved. We described here the possibility that down-regulation results from the presence of inhibitory elements within the gag-env region of the provirus in fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells from carriers. In vitro experiments then revealed that potent cis-acting inhibitory elements (CIEs) are indeed contained in two discrete fragments from the pol region and weaker ones in the env region. The effect of CIEs is relieved by the HTLV-1 posttranscriptional regulator Rex through binding to the Rex-responsive element (RxRE), suggesting that Rex might interfere with pre-mRNA degradation and/or activate the export of mRNA molecules harboring both of the inhibitory elements and RxRE on the same RNA molecule. Thus, we propose the hypothesis that such functions of CIEs may be involved in HTLV-1 persistence.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1996

Presence of antibodies to p21X and/or p27rex proteins in sera from human T-cell leukemia virus type I-infected individuals.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) pX gene encodes three nonstructural proteins, p40tax, p27rex and p21X. So far, natural antibodies to p27rex and/or p21X have not been found in sera from HTLV-I-infected individuals, although antibodies to p40tax have been found. Recently, the viral transcripts specific for these proteins were detected in fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HTLV-I-infected individuals by the polymerase chain reaction coupled to reverse transcription, showing the in vivo expression of these proteins. We detected antibodies to p21X and p27rex by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system using a recombinantly produced p21X protein as a common antigen, because p21X is identical to the C-terminal portion of p27rex. The sensitivity of the ELISA was determined to be approximately 100 times greater than that of Western blotting. From the analyzed sera of 31 ATL patients, 30 asymptomatic carriers, 18 HAM patients and 100 healthy donors, three specimens from one ATL patient and two carriers were found to be positive for anti-p21X/p27rex antibodies. The specificity of the ELISA reaction was confirmed by the competitive ELISA test with the highly purified recombinant p21X protein. As of result, we first determined the presence of anti-p21X/p27rex antibodies in a small percentage (3.8%) of the sera from HTLV-I-infected individuals. Even sera from the ATL patients, whose fresh PBMCs contained the transcripts for these proteins, were not found to contain these antibodies, suggesting that the immune response to these proteins is low in HTLV-I-infected humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Doc2 enhances Ca2+-dependent exocytosis from PC12 cells.

We previously isolated a new protein having two C2-like domains which interacted with Ca2+ and phospholipid and named Doc2 (Double C2). Because Doc2 was abundantly expressed in brain where it was highly concentrated on the synaptic vesicle fraction, we have examined here whether Doc2 is involved in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis from cultured PC12 cells. For this purpose, we took advantage of the growth hormone (GH) co-expression assay system of PC12 cells in which GH is stored in dense core vesicles and released in response to high K+ in an extracellular Ca2+-dependent manner. Northern and Western blot analyses indicated that Doc2 is present in PC12 cells. Overexpression of hemagglutinin-tagged Doc2 stimulated the Ca2+-dependent, high K+-induced release of co-expressed GH without affecting the basal release. In the PC12 cells transfected with a plasmid with the coding sequence of Doc2 in the antisense orientation, the high K+-induced release of co-expressed GH was inversely inhibited. The Doc2 mutant expressing an N-terminal fragment or a C-terminal fragment containing two C2-like domains inhibited the high K+-induced release of co-expressed GH. These results indicate that Doc2 enhances Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of dense core vesicles from PC12 cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Involvement of rabphilin-3A in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis from PC12 cells.

Rabphilin-3A, a putative target molecule of Rab3A small GTP-binding protein implicated in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis, consists of two functionally different domains: the N-terminal Rab3A-binding domain and the C-terminal two C2-like domains (C2A and C2B domains) interacting with Ca2+ and phospholipid. Here, we used the growth hormone (GH) co-expression assay system of PC12 cells in which expressed GH is released in response to high K+. Reduction of endogenous rabphilin-3A inhibited the Ca2+-dependent, high K+-induced GH release. Various rabphilin-3A mutants expressing an N-terminal, C-terminal, or C2B fragment, but not the rabphilin-3A mutant expressing a C2A fragment, inhibited the high K+-induced GH release. These results indicate that rabphilin-3A is involved at least in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis from PC12 cells and that the C2A and C2B domains have different functions.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1996

Involvement of Rho and Rac small G proteins and Rho GDI in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis from PC12 cells.

BACKGROUND: The Rho small G protein family, which includes the Rho, Rac and Cdc42 subfamilies, is implicated in various cell functions such as cell shape change, cell motility and cytokinesis, through the reorganization of actin filaments. Rho GDI is an inhibitory regulator of the Rho small G protein family and inhibits the Rho family dependent cell functions. Reorganization of actin filaments is also known to regulate Ca2+-dependent exocytosis. RESULTS: We have examined here whether the Rho family members are also involved in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis. We have found, by the use of the human growth hormone (GH) co-expression assay system on PC12 cells, that overexpression of Rho GDI inhibits high K+-induced, Ca2+-dependent GH release. This inhibitory action of Rho GDI is restored by co-expression of a dominant active mutant of RhoA or Rac1, but not of a dominant active mutant of Cdc42. C3 transferase, known to ADP-ribosylate Rho and to inhibit its function, also inhibits this GH release. Overexpression of a dominant active mutant of RhoA or Rac1 alone shows only a small effect on GH release. Moreover, immunocytochemical studies show that the overexpression of Rho GDI prevents a partial disruption of the cortical actin network which accompanies exocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that RhoA, Rac1 and Rho GDI are involved in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis at least partly through the reorganization of actin filaments, and that the activation of RhoA or Rac1 alone is not sufficient for this reaction.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1995

Molecular cloning of an isoform of Doc2 having two C2-like domains.

We previously isolated a novel protein having two C2-like domains known to interact with Ca2+ and phospholipid, and named Doc2 (Double C2). Doc2 is predominantly expressed in brain and is implicated in Ca(2+)-dependent neurotransmitter release. We have isolated here an isoform of Doc2 and named the original one Doc2 alpha and the new one Doc2 beta. Doc2 beta alsp has two C2-like domains and is 61% identical to Doc2 alpha at the amino acid level. In contrast to Doc2 alpha, the Doc2 beta mRNA is expressed ubiquitously. These results indicate that there are at least two isoforms of Doc2, and suggest that Doc2 beta is involved in Ca(2+)-dependent intracellular vesicle trafficking in various types of cells.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1995

Cloning of a brain-type isoform of human Rab GDI and its expression in human neuroblastoma cell lines and tumor specimens.

Rab proteins, a family of Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins, play a key role in regulating intracellular vesicle trafficking. Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI3) forms a soluble complex with Rab proteins and thereby prevents the exchange of GDP for GTP. Recently, two isoforms of Rab GDI cDNA were isolated from rats and mice. In this study, we have isolated a brain-type isoform of human Rab GDI cDNA and examined its expression in neuroblastoma. We tentatively designate it as human Rab GDI alpha (hu GDI alpha) and another human Rab GDI, as human Rab GDI beta (hu GDI beta). Hu GDI alpha cDNA encodes a protein of 447 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 50,200. Northern blot analysis revealed that hu GDI alpha gene is expressed abundantly in the brain but much less in other tissues, while hu GDI beta gene is ubiquitously expressed. All human neuroblastoma cell lines and tumor specimens examined express hu GDI alpha gene to various extents, while a human T cell leukemia cell line, MOLT3, does not. The levels of both hu GDI alpha and beta mRNA were constant in a human neuroblastoma cell line, NB1, during its neuronal differentiation, while Rab3A and neurofilament-L gene expression and the number of neurosecretory granules were elevated at this condition. These results suggest that hu GDI alpha gene expression is not related to the differentiation state of neuronal cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Doc2: a novel brain protein having two repeated C2-like domains.

Two repeated C2-like domains interacting with Ca2+ and phospholipid are found in synaptotagmin and Rabphilin-3A which are implicated in neurotransmitter release. Here we have isolated a cDNA encoding a novel protein having two repeated C2-like domains from a human brain cDNA library. The isolated cDNA encodes a protein with 400 amino acids and a M(r) of 44,071. The purified recombinant protein indeed interacts with Ca2+ and phospholipid. We have named this protein Doc2 (Double C2). Doc2 is exclusively expressed in brain and is highly concentrated in the synaptic vesicle fraction. These results suggest that Doc2 is a novel brain protein and serves as a Ca2+ sensor in neurotransmitter release.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1994

Different functions of Smg GDP dissociation stimulator and mammalian counterpart of yeast Cdc25.

We have previously shown that both Smg GDP dissociation stimulator (GDS) and mammalian Cdc25 (mCdc25) stimulate the GDP/GTP exchange reaction of Ki-Ras and that Smg GDS is active only on the post-translationally lipid-modified form of Ki-Ras, whereas mCdc25 is active on both the lipid-modified and unmodified forms but is more active on the lipid-modified form. In the present study, we compared more detailed kinetic properties of Smg GDS and mCdc25 by use of the lipid-modified form of Ki-Ras as a common substrate. Both Smg GDS and mCdc25 stimulated the dissociation of GDP from Ki-Ras and formed the stable binary complex with Ki-Ras. In the presence of guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio) triphosphate (GTP gamma S), the stable ternary complex of Smg GDS-GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras was produced, whereas GTP gamma S induced the dissociation of mCdc25 from mCdc25-Ki-Ras complex, yielding GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras. mCdc25 stimulated the dissociation of GDP from both the membrane-bound and soluble forms of Ki-Ras, whereas Smg GDS was far less active on the membrane-bound form than on the soluble form. Moreover, Smg GDS translocated the GTP gamma S-bound form of membrane-bound Ki-Ras to the soluble fraction as the stable ternary complex of Smg GDS-GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras, whereas mCdc25 did not show this activity. These results suggest that Smg GDS and mCdc25 play different roles in the regulation of Ki-Ras.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Association of Ash/Grb-2 with dynamin through the Src homology 3 domain.

Ash/Grb-2 is an adaptor protein composed only of Src homology (SH) 2 and SH3 domains that is considered to be essential for Ras activation. To clarify the downstream of Ash signaling, we investigated Ash-bound proteins. Ash-glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins were used to affinity-purify proteins bound to Ash. We found 180-, 150-, 100-, and 70-kDa proteins bound to GST-Ash, among which the 100 kDa protein was found to be dynamin by amino acid sequencing and Western blot with anti-dynamin antibody. Next, the in vitro and in vivo associations between Ash and dynamin were examined using PC12 cells. Dynamin in PC12 cell lysates bound to GST-Ash independent of NGF treatment. Also, Ash and dynamin co-precipitated when cell lysates of PC12 were immunoprecipitated with anti-Ash antibody or anti-dynamin antibody. Using various GST-Ash constructs, we studied the importance of the individual domains in binding and found that the SH3 domain is necessary for binding. This binding was inhibited by a synthetic peptide (GPPQVPSRPNRC, amino acids 827-838 in dynamin). These data show that Ash SH3 domains bind to the proline-rich region of dynamin. Considering the function of dynamin in membrane trafficking, Ash may regulate endocytosis in addition to Ras activation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1994

Kinetic properties of Ash/Grb2-interacting GDP/GTP exchange protein.

Ash/Grb2 is a protein having one SH2 domain flanked by two SH3 domains and is implicated to serve as an adaptor protein which links the EGF receptor to mammalian Sos (mSos), a GDP/GTP exchange protein for Ras. We isolated here several Ash-interacting proteins from bovine brain cytosol by use of glutathione-S-transferase-Ash-linked agarose column chromatography. The Ash-interacting proteins stimulated the GDP/GTP exchange reaction of Ki-Ras and Ha-Ras but not that of other small GTP-binding proteins including at least Rap1, RhoA, Rac1, and Rab3A. The Ash-interacting proteins were much more active on the post-translationally lipid-modified form of Ki-Ras than on the unmodified form. At least one of them was identified as mSos by Western blot analysis using a specific anti-mSos antibody.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1994

Spontaneous aortic arteriosclerosis in layer chickens.

Aortas of 21 grower chickens (both sexes) aged 30-130 days and of 51 layer hens aged 500 days were examined histopathologically. Aortic sclerotic lesions were classified histopathologically into six stages. As early as 30 days, the abdominal aortas of growers had cellular-fibrous plaques that became more severe with advancing age. The majority of the abdominal aortas of all the 500-day-old layers had a conspicuous increase of collagen fibres, with atheromatous lesions in 23 (45.1%). These sclerotic changes were most severe in the distal aortas.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

A spontaneous point mutation in the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 pX gene leads to expression of a novel doubly spliced pX-mRNA that encodes a 25-kD, amino-terminal deleted rex protein.

Primary RNA transcripts of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) are processed into mature mRNA by a complex series of splicing events. In this paper, we report the finding of a novel doubly spliced pX mRNA in two out of eight HTLV-1-infected cell lines and in one out of 13 peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HTLV-1-infected individuals. The second splicing for this novel pX mRNA is different from that for the known doubly spliced pX mRNA. A novel acceptor site in this splicing was generated by a single point mutation (G to A) at nucleotide 7,337 of the pX gene. This mRNA contained a complete open reading frame that encodes an amino-terminal truncated p27rex protein with 189 amino acids. A new 25-kD protein was detected in the cell lines expressing the novel pX mRNA by an antibody against the carboxy-terminal peptide of p27rex and was termed p25rex. Although the function of p25rex is not clear, we clarified that p25rex is a cytoplasmic phosphoprotein and its function is different from the transcriptional regulator function of p27rex. The possibility that the mutated virus is replicable only in cells coinfected with the wild type HTLV-1 may explain why the incidence of the mutants observed here is low.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Comparison of kinetic properties between two mammalian ras p21 GDP/GTP exchange proteins, ras guanine nucleotide-releasing factor and smg GDP dissociation stimulation.

The mammalian counterpart of the yeast ras p21 GDP/GTP exchange protein CDC25, ras GRF, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, and its kinetic properties were compared with those of another mammalian ras p21 GDP/GTP exchange protein, smg GDS. ras GRF was active on Ki- and Ha-ras p21s but inactive on rap1A p21, rhoA p21, rac1 p21, and rab3A p25, whereas smg GDS was active on Ki-ras p21, rap1A p21, rhoA p21, and rac1 p21 but inactive on Ha-ras p21 and rab3A p25. The Kcat values of ras GRF and smg GDS for Ki-ras p21 as a common substrate were calculated to be 1.2 and 0.37 nmol/min/nmol, respectively. The Km values of ras GRF and smg GDS for Ki-ras p21 were 680 and 220 nM, respectively. rasGRF was slightly active on post-translationally unprocessed Ki-ras p21 but much more effective on post-translationally processed Ki-ras p21 than on post-translationally unprocessed Ki-ras p21. smg GDS was active on post-translationally processed Ki-ras p21 but inactive on post-translationally unprocessed Ki-ras p21. Moreover, as described for smg GDS, ras GRF showed a potency to inhibit the binding of Ki-ras p21 to membrane and to induce the dissociation of prebound Ki-ras p21 from the membrane. These results indicate that ras GRF and smg GDS show apparently similar kinetic properties except for the different substrate specificities and the requirement of the post-translational processing of Ki-ras p21.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

p21X mRNA is expressed as a singly spliced pX transcript from defective provirus genomes having a partial deletion of the pol-env region in human T-cell leukemia virus type 1-infected cells.

In addition to the three typical transcripts such as genomic/gag-pol mRNA, env mRNA and tax/rex mRNA, we previously found the singly spliced pX mRNA, termed p21X mRNA, responsible for producing the p21X protein in human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cells. Our finding of the p21X mRNA being constitutively expressed in the fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with ATL has suggested that the expression mechanism is quite different from that of the others. In this paper, the expression mechanism of p21X mRNA was investigated by analyzing the organization of the proviral genomes present in the representative HTLV-1-infected cell lines which are positive or negative for the expression of p21X mRNA. Southern and PCR analyses show that most of the analyzed cell lines contain both one complete and one defective genome each. However, one cell line without the p21X mRNA expression, C91/PL, contains only the complete genome, suggesting that the complete HTLV-1 has no ability to express p21X mRNA in spite of having the ability to produce the infectious virus. The defective genomes of the p21X mRNA positive cell lines, MT-2 and H582, have a large deletion of the entire pol and parts of the gag and env regions including the common domain of the second exon of the doubly spliced tax/rex mRNA, while another defective genome of the p21X mRNA negative cell line, MT-1, has a deletion within the gag-pol gene. We show that these defective genomes have the ability to express their distinct, defective genomic mRNA, suggesting they are active. The defective genomic mRNAs in MT-2 and H582 cells retain the first splice donor and the second splice acceptor sites, suggesting the possibility of synthesizing p21X mRNA by splicing singly with these sites. These findings assume that defective HTLV-1 genomes deleting the second exon region acquire the ability to express p21X mRNA but no ability to express tax/rex mRNA. Such a deletion may explain the difference between the expression mechanisms in the p21X mRNA transcript and those in the other viral transcripts.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 protease protein expressed in Escherichia coli possesses aspartic proteinase activity.

We amplified the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) protease gene fragment by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned it into a pUC plasmid vector. DNA sequencing data of the protease gene fragment indicated that it contained an open reading frame capable of encoding the active HTLV-1 protease. To express a fusion protein of beta-galactosidase linked with the HTLV-1 protease in Escherichia coli, a plasmid DNA was constructed by inserting the HTLV-1 protease gene DNA into a procaryotic expression vector, pUEX2, consisting of a lacZ gene directed by a lambda phage Pr promoter and designated pUEX-pro. By Western blot analysis using anti-beta-galactosidase antibody, a bigger molecular size band than that of the control beta-galactosidase molecule was observed in E. coli cells transformed with pUEX-pro but not with control pUEX2, suggesting that the particular fusion protein was successfully expressed. This recombinant protease protein in the E. coli cell lysate was demonstrated to be able to cleave the decapeptide substrates composed of amino acid sequences containing proteolytic cleavage sites in the HTLV-1 gag precursor polyprotein. The gag precursor polyprotein expressed in the mammalian cells by the recombinant vaccinia virus system was also expectedly cleaved by this enzyme. Significant inhibition of this protease activity by pepstatin A, an aspartic proteinase-specific inhibitor, confirms that HTLV-1 protease is a member of the aspartic proteinase group as suggested previously. Since the crude lysate without purification is utilized sufficiently as a native HTLV-1 protease reagent, this protease preparation is easily applicable to the large scale screening of HTLV-1 protease inhibitors for the treatment of diseases caused by HTLV-1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗