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Biomedical subjects

Y Takai

Publications and source records attributed to Y Takai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of small-molecular-mass guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins in insulin-secreting cells and PC12 cells.

The distribution of ras-related small-molecular-mass guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (SMG) of two insulin-secreting cell lines, RINm5F and HIT-T15, and of a catecholamine-secreting cell line, PC12, have been studied using different techniques. About ten such proteins were detected by [32P]GTP binding after two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and transfer to nitrocellulose membranes. In insulin-secreting cells, rho protein(s) that cannot be detected with the GTP-binding technique were identified by ADP ribosylation with Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme. After subcellular fractionation, SMG displayed specific distributions. The insulin-secreting cell line RINm5F and the catecholamine-secreting cell line PC12 expressed a similar set of these proteins with analogous localization. [32P]GTP binding analysis revealed that at least seven SMG were associated with the secretory granule enriched fraction of RINm5F cells and with the fraction containing dense secretory granules from PC12 cells, proteins of 27 (pI 5.4), 23 (pI 6.8) and 25 kDa (pI 6.7) being the most abundant. These proteins were present in a highly purified granule fraction of a solid rat insulinoma. The 23 kDa (pI 6.8) and 25 kDa (pI 6.7) proteins, but not the protein migrating at 27 kDa (pI 5.4), were detected in the corresponding fraction from HIT-T15 cells. A monoclonal antibody directed against smg25A/rab3A recognized the SMG in secretory granules migrating at 25 kDa (pI 6.7) and 27 kDa (pI 5.4). This antibody also revealed the presence of such protein(s) in homogenates of rat pancreatic islets. During stimulation of insulin secretion of either intact or permeabilized cells, there was no detectable redistribution to the cytosol or to the plasma membrane of the major proteins located on secretory granules. In view of the invariable presence of at least two of the SMG in granules of secretory cells, these proteins are good candidates for regulation of hormone secretion.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose

The small GTP-binding proteins in the cytosol of insulin-secreting cells are complexed to GDP dissociation inhibitor proteins.

Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins (SMGs) exist in a cytosolic and a membrane-bound pool. The mechanism regulating the intracellular distribution of SMGs remains to be elucidated. We have, therefore, investigated the properties of SMGs expressed in cells of the insulin-secreting lines RINm5F and HIT-T15. Phase-partitioning analysis revealed that smg25A/rab3A as well as all the SMGs in the 23-27 kDa range, labeled by radioactive GTP after blotting, were hydrophobic, regardless of their subcellular distribution. In contrast, the cytosolic forms of ADP ribosylation factor, rho, and CDC42 were hydrophilic. The cytosolic pool of the 23-27-kDa group, including smg25A/rab3A, sedimented in a sucrose density gradient as complexes with an apparent M(r) of about 80,000, whereas rho and CDC42 were recovered in 45-kDa complexes. ARF, however, was uncomplexed (M(r) close to 20,000). The 80-kDa aggregates were likely to be formed by 1:1 complexes with the regulatory protein smg25/GDP dissociation inhibitor (smg25/GDI). In fact, pure smg25/GDI by sucrose gradient exhibited a molecular mass of 55 kDa, but cosedimented with the 80-kDa complexes in cytosolic extracts of insulin-secreting cells. Moreover, purified smg25/GDI was able to extract the SMGs of the 23-27-kDa group from the membranes. Similarly, in cytosolic extracts, rho/GDI cosedimented with the 45-kDa aggregates. Blocking the synthesis of isoprenoid groups with lovastatin resulted in the appearance in the cytosol of SMGs that were hydrophilic. These SMGs were found to sediment with an apparent M(r) close to 25,000 and to be unable to form complexes with smg25/GDI. Lovastatin treatment also caused the accumulation of the noncomplexed form of CDC42 but not of rho proteins. We propose that 1) except for ARF, all the SMGs detected in the cytosol of insulin-secreting cells are associated in 1:1 complexes with their regulatory proteins; 2) the different SMGs can be subdivided into functional groups according to the regulatory protein bound to them; 3) the formation of the 80-kDa complexes with smg25/GDI and of the CDC42 complexes with rho/GDI necessitate the correct carboxyl-terminal post-translational modification of the SMGs.

Animals

Localization of smg p25A/rab3A p25, a small GTP-binding protein, at the active zone of the rat neuromuscular junction.

smg p25A is a small G protein which has been suggested to regulate neurotransmitter release from the synapses. We investigated here the ultrastructural localization of this small G protein in the rat neuromuscular junction by an immunoperoxidase method. The results showed that smg p25A was distributed non-uniformly on the presynaptic plasma membrane and among the synaptic vesicles with the focal accumulation on the discrete presynaptic sites which corresponded to the active zones, the regions of the presynaptic plasma membrane specialized for the exocytosis of the synaptic vesicles. This unique distribution of smg p25A suggests that it plays an important role in the attachment and fusion of the synaptic vesicles with the active zones.

Animals

Functional interactions of stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins and their common substrate small GTP-binding protein.

smg GDS and rho GDI are stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins, respectively, for a group of ras p21-related small GTP-binding proteins (G proteins). rho p21 is a common substrate small G protein for both GDP/GTP exchange proteins. We examined here the functional interactions of these GDP/GTP exchange proteins with rho p21 as a substrate. smg GDS and rho GDI interacted with the GDP-bound form of rho p21 and thereby stimulated and inhibited, respectively, the dissociation of GDP. The inhibitory effect of rho GDI was much stronger than the stimulatory effect of smg GDS. The GDP-bound form of rho p21 formed a complex with rho GDI but not with smg GDS in their simultaneous presence. Since the content of smg GDS was generally less than that of rho GDI in cells, these results suggest that there is some mechanism to release the inhibitory action of rho GDI and to make rho p21 sensitive to the smg GDS action during the conversion of rhoA p21 from the GDP-bound inactive form to the GTP-bound active form in intact cells. On the other hand, rho p21 was previously shown to be ADP-ribosylated by bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferases, named C3 and EDIN, at Asn41 in the putative effector region of rho p21. This ADP-ribosylation was inhibited by rho GDI much more efficiently than by smg GDS. These results suggest that rho GDI may mask the putative effector region of rho p21 and thereby inhibit its interaction with the target protein even in the presence of smg GDS. Thus, both smg GDS and rho GDI are important to regulate the rho p21 activity and action in cooperation with each other.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose

A possible target protein for smg-25A/rab3A small GTP-binding protein.

The smg-25A/rab3A protein (smg p25A) is a small GTP-binding protein implicated in intracellular vesicle traffic, particularly in neurotransmitter release from the presynapse. In the present study, we attempted to identify a target protein in bovine brain crude membranes that might be interacted with the GTP-bound form of smg p25A. When the guanosine-5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S)-bound form of radioiodinated smg p25A and the crude membrane fraction of bovine brain were incubated with a cross-linker, disuccinimidyl suberate, and the sample was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by autoradiography, one radioactive band with a M(r) of about 110,000 was detected. This radioactive band appeared to be composed of radioiodinated smg p25A and a molecule with a M(r) of about 86,000. This molecule, tentatively termed here smg p25A target, was extracted from the membranes by a detergent and highly purified by column chromatographies and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The purified smg p25A target was sensitive to heat boiling and tryptic digestion, indicating that smg p25A target is a protein molecule. The M(r) of the purified smg p25A target was estimated to be about 85,000-86,000 from SDS-PAGE and to be about 100,000 from the S value. The cross-linking of radioiodinated smg p25A with the purified smg p25A target was inhibited by the GTP gamma S-bound form of non-radioactive smg p25A with an IC50 of about 8 nM. The GDP-bound form of smg p25A was much less effective. Other small GTP-binding proteins, such as c-Ki-ras p21, rhoA p21, smg p21B, and rab11 p24 were ineffective. These results indicate that a protein with a M(r) of about 85,000-100,000 is a target for smg p25A.

Animals

Cooperative function of rho GDS and rho GDI to regulate rho p21 activation in smooth muscle.

The GDP/GTP exchange reaction of rho p21, a member of ras p21-related small GTP-binding protein superfamily, is regulated by two stimulatory GDP/GTP exchange proteins (GEPs), named smg GDS and rho GDS, and by one inhibitory GEP, named rho GDI. In bovine aortic smooth muscle, rho GDS and rho GDI were major GEPs for rho p21, and the rho GDI activity on the GDP/GTP exchange reaction of rho p21 was stronger than the rho GDS activity in their simultaneous presence. Moreover, in the crude cytosol, the GDP-bound form of rho p21 was complexed with rho GDI but not with rho GDS. These results, together with our recent finding that rho p21 is involved in the vasoconstrictor-induced Ca2+ sensitization of smooth muscle contraction, suggest that there is some mechanism to release the inhibitory action of rho GDI and to make rho p21 sensitive to the stimulatory action of rho GDS, eventually leading to the rho p21 activation, in the signaling pathways of the vasoconstrictor receptors in smooth muscle.

Animals

Regulation of the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase by a small GTP-binding protein and its stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins.

The superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase system in phagocytes consists of at least membrane-associated cytochrome b558 and three cytosolic components named SOCI/NCF-3/sigma 1/C1, SOCII/NCF-1/p47-phox, and SO-CIII/NCF-2/p67-phox. p47-phox and p67-phox were isolated, and their primary structures were determined, but SOCI has not been well characterized. In the present study, we first purified SOCI to homogeneity from the cytosol fraction of the differentiated HL-60 cells. The purified SOCI was a small GTP-binding protein (G protein) with a M(r) of about 22,000. The guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate-bound form, but not the GDP-bound form, of this small G protein showed the SOCI activity. The partial amino acid sequence of SOCI thus far determined was identical to the amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA encoding rac2 p21. None of the purified small G proteins, including Ki-ras p21, smg p21B/rap1B p21, rhoA p21, and rac1 p21, showed the SOCI activity. These results indicate that SOCI is a small G protein very similar, if not identical, to rac2 p21. The GDP/GTP exchange reaction of SOCI was stimulated and inhibited by stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins for small G proteins, named smg GDS and rho GDI, respectively. The NADPH oxidase activity was also stimulated and inhibited by smg GDS and rho GDI, respectively. These results indicate that the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase system is regulated by both smg GDS and rho GDI through rac2 p21 or the rac2-related small G protein in phagocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence

The geranylgeranyl moiety but not the methyl moiety of the smg-25A/rab3A protein is essential for the interactions with membrane and its inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange protein.

The smg-25A/rab3A protein (smg p25A), a member of the small GTP-binding protein superfamily, has a C-terminal structure of Cys-Ala-Cys which is post-translationally processed: both cysteine residues are geranylgeranylated followed by the carboxyl methylation of the C-terminal cysteine residue. We reported previously that this posttranslational processing is essential for the interactions of smg p25A with membrane and its inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange protein, named smg p25A GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI). In this study, we examined which posttranslational modification of smg p25A is necessary for these interactions. The smg p25A which was not posttranslationally processed was produced in Escherichia coli and purified. This protein was then geranylgeranylated at both of the 2 cysteine residues by use of a bovine brain geranylgeranyltransferase in a cell-free system (recombinant smg p25A-GG). By use of this recombinant smg p25A-GG, its membrane-binding activity and its sensitivity to smg p25A GDI were compared with those of the fully posttranslationally processed form of bovine brain smg p25A (smg p25A-GG-Me) and the posttranslationally unprocessed form of bacterial smg p25A (recombinant smg p25A). The membrane-binding activity and sensitivity to smg p25A GDI were similar between the recombinant smg p25A-GG and smg p25A-GG-Me, although recombinant smg p25A lacked both activities. These results indicate that the geranylgeranyl moiety of smg p25A is essential and sufficient for its interactions with membrane and smg p25A GDI and that the methyl moiety is not essential for these interactions.

Amino Acid Sequence

Involvement of rho p21 in the GTP-enhanced calcium ion sensitivity of smooth muscle contraction.

In the rabbit mesenteric arterial smooth muscle skinned by saponin, Ca2+ induced contraction in a concentration-dependent manner. Guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S), a non-hydrolyzable GTP analogue, lowered the Ca2+ concentrations required for this contraction and increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of the skinned smooth muscle contraction. GTP gamma S alone did not induce the contraction in the absence of Ca2+. This GTP gamma S-enhanced Ca2+ sensitivity was completely abolished by an exoenzyme of Staphylococcus aureus, named EDIN, and an exoenzyme of Clostridium botulinum, named C3, both of which are known to ADP-ribosylate the rho p21 family that belongs to the ras p21-like small GTP-binding protein superfamily. The GTP gamma S-bound form of rhoA p21 overcame the inhibitory action of EDIN. smg p21B, another small GTP-binding protein, was inactive. EDIN ADP-ribosylated a protein, which was most likely to be rho p21, in the skinned smooth muscle. The GTP gamma S-bound form of rhoA p21, but not the GDP-bound form, substituted for GTP gamma S and enhanced the Ca2+ sensitivity of the skinned smooth muscle contraction. smg p21B was inactive. These results indicate that rhoA p21 is involved in the GTP gamma S-enhanced Ca2+ sensitivity of the smooth muscle contraction.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose

Low-dose rate telecobalt therapy as a boost against esophageal carcinomas.

The results of treating 54 esophageal carcinomas with low-dose rate telecobalt therapy (LDRT) as a boost were compared with those of treating 97 esophageal carcinomas with conventionally fractionated irradiation alone (CFI). The LDRT (100 cGy/hr, 500 to 700 cGy/day, a total dose of 1400 to 2000 cGy) was boosted at 10 days after 6000 cGy of the CFI dose. Although the LDRT group included more advanced cases than the CFI group, local effects and survival rates in the former group were slightly better than in the latter group. Late complications were more severe in the LDRT group. However, they were acceptable when the total dose administered to this group was less than 8000 cGy. Using LDRT as a boost against esophageal carcinomas was found to be satisfactory therapeutically.

Adenocarcinoma

Identification of IL-7-dependent bone marrow-derived Thy-1-B220- lymphoid cell clones that rearrange and express both Ig and T cell receptor genes.

Bone marrow stromal cell lines and lymphoid cell lines were co-established from the Whitlock-Witte type of long term liquid cultures of MRL/1 and C57BL/10 (B10) (Thy-1.1) bone marrow cells. The present study investigates the immunologic nature of parental and cloned lymphoid cell lines. Both strains of parental lines and their clones did not grow alone but proliferated on the monolayers of co-established parental stromal cell lines from a syngeneic or alternative strain. When various lymphokines or cytokines were tested for their capacity to support the growth of these lymphoid cell clones, only IL-7 could substitute for the growth-promoting function of stromal cells. These IL-7-dependent clones expressed neither Thy-1 nor B220 Ag. However, all of them from two strains were found to rearrange synchronously H chain of Ig as well as gamma chain of TCR genes. Some of the clones transcribed a mature size of IgH mRNA. Co-expression of mRNA for lambda 5 but not for IgL chain (kappa, lambda) genes resulted in the generation of cell surface mu chain in these clones. Other clones expressed a smaller size of IgH mRNA without exhibiting surface mu chain. Irrespective of the differences in IgH rearrangements and its mRNA expression, a mature size TCR gamma mRNA was detected in all of the clones. Thus, these results demonstrate the existence of untransformed (IL-7-dependent) immature lymphoid cells rearranging both Ig and TCR genes. Their unique features concerning cell surface markers (B220- mu+), specific growth factor requirement, and various modes of Ig/TCR gene rearrangements are discussed in the context of early lymphoid development.

Animals

Effect of chlorpromazine on the smg GDS action.

A stimulatory GDP/GTP exchange protein for smg p21 (smg GDS) stimulated the binding of guanosine 5'-(3-0-thio) triphosphate (GTP gamma S) to smg p21B. Chlorpromazine (CPZ) inhibited the smg GDS action in a manner competitive with smg GDS and in a manner noncompetitive with smg p21B. In spite of the inhibitory effect of CPZ on the smg GDS action, it counteracted the inhibition of the smg GDS action by acidic phospholipids. These results suggest that CPZ interacts with smg p21B, smg GDS, or both, and thereby inhibits the smg GDS action, and that CPZ also interacts with the acidic phospholipids and thereby counteracts their inhibitory effect on the smg GDS action.

Amitriptyline

Phosphorylation of smg p21B/rap1B p21 by cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase.

smg p21B/rap1B p21, a member of ras p21-like small GTP-binding protein superfamily, has been shown to be phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A). We show here that this protein was also phosphorylated by cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G) in a cell-free system. The same serine residue (Ser179) in the C-terminal region was phosphorylated by both protein kinases G and A. The Km and Vmax values of smg p21B for protein kinase G were 5 x 10(-7) M and 4 x 10(-9) mol/min/mg, and those values for protein kinase A were 1 x 10(-7) M and 3 x 10(-8) mol/min/mg.

Autoradiography

Transforming and c-fos promoter/enhancer-stimulating activities of a stimulatory GDP/GTP exchange protein for small GTP-binding proteins.

smg GDP dissociation stimulator (GDS) is a stimulatory GDP/GTP exchange protein for a group of ras p21-like small GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) including c-Ki-ras p21, smg p21A, smg p21B, and rhoA p21. smg GDS converts the GDP-bound inactive form to the GTP-bound active form of each small G protein by stimulating their GDP/GTP exchange reaction in a cell-free system. The point-mutated c-Ki-ras p21 (c-Ki-rasval12 p21) is known to strongly transform NIH/3T3 cells and to markedly stimulate the c-fos promoter/enhancer in this cell line, whereas the normal c-Ki-ras p21 is weak in these activities. In the present study, we examined the effect of smg GDS on these activities to explore its physiological function. Overexpression of both smg GDS and c-Ki-ras p21 strongly transformed NIH/3T3 cells, whereas overexpression of either smg GDS or c-Ki-ras p21 alone weakly transformed the cells. Furthermore, overexpression of both smg GDS and c-Ki-ras p21 markedly stimulated the c-fos promoter/enhancer in NIH/3T3 cells, whereas overexpression of either smg GDS or c-Ki-ras p21 alone weakly stimulated it. These results indicate that smg GDS transforms NIH/3T3 cells and stimulates the c-fos promoter/enhancer in this cell line in cooperation with c-Ki-ras p21.

3T3 Cells

The response of murine B-16 melanoma to fractionated doses of pions.

The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of pions has been studied in mouse B-16 melanoma transplanted into C57BL/6 mice. To determine the RBE at both high and low doses per fraction, a range of fractionation schedules was used, with 1, 4 and 10 fractions. The reference 250 kV X ray dose rate was 1.5 Gy/min which was much higher than the dose rate of pions (0.25 Gy/min). The RBE varied depending on the number of fractions and, within the same fractionation schedule, also on the dose per fraction. The RBE ranged from 1.15 for single fractions at 12.5 days of growth delay, to 1.80 for 10 fractions at 5 days of growth delay, which was determined by the time taken for the tumors to reach 5 times the average of their original volume. RBEs at the iso-effect level of 10 days growth delay were 1.20, 1.29 and 1.62 for single, 4 fractions and 10 fractions, respectively. RBE values were influenced by both the number of fractions and the dose per fraction, that is, the larger the number of fractions and the smaller the dose per fraction, the larger the value of RBE. In comparison with RBE of normal mouse skin, it was suggested that pion therapy may provide advantage over conventional photontherapy for radioresistant tumors such as this melanoma with the maximum therapeutic gain factor of 1.2. alpha/beta ratios for B-16 melanoma were also obtained from the 10 day growth delay iso-effect curve, and were 10.5 Gy and 32.6 Gy for X ray and pions, respectively.

Animals

Immunoreaction of keratin, actin, S-100 protein and rat-EGF in duct-ligated rat salivary glands.

Duct-ligated submandibular and sublingual glands of rats were evaluated immunohistochemically for changes in keratin (MoAb 1164), actin, S-100 protein and rat-EGF (rEGF). Normal salivary glands were reactive for keratin, S-100 protein and rEGF in the granular convoluted tubule (GCT) and duct cells, and for actin in the myoepithelium. Submandibular glands showed a marked reduction of S-100 protein and rEGF staining following duct ligation, and no increased staining of proliferating epithelial cells of the late stage in duct ligated glands. Sublingual glands revealed no marked changes for actin staining in myoepithelial cells, irrespective of atrophic changes occurring in acinar and duct cells after duct ligation. Immunohistochemical patterns differed for each type of gland; changes associated with the obstructive lesion were more prominent in the submandibular gland.

Actins