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Ammonium ion as a possible regulator of the commencement of rRNA synthesis in Xenopus laevis embryogenesis.

Recently, we have shown that ammonium salts and amines at an external concentration of 3 mM selectively inhibit rRNA synthesis in Xenopus disaggregated neurula cells. We studied here the change in the amount of ammonia within the embryo and its inhibitory action on the commencement of rRNA synthesis which normally occurs at the blastula stage of development. Ammonia exists at ca. 50 ng/egg (or ca. 3.0 mM at an intra-egg concentration) in the unfertilized egg. This level was maintained during cleavage and then sharply decreased during the blastula stage to the level of ca. 20 ng/embryo (or 1.2 mM) in postblastular stages. Ammonia was extracted from cleavage embryos in a form of ammonium chloride and confirmed to selectively inhibit rRNA synthesis in neurula cells. With authentic ammonium chloride, ammonia was found to be promptly incorporated into cells and to inhibit rRNA synthesis within 1 hr after treatment. In blastula cells, ammonium salts reversibly inhibited the commencement of the synthesis of rRNA, but not hnRNA, 5 S RNA and U1, U2, and U5 snRNAs. The inhibition was at the step of transcription of 40 S pre-rRNA but not the processing or degradation of the processed rRNA. Ammonium salts did not inhibit DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, cell division, and cellular reaggregation. These observations suggest that ammonium ion may be involved in the regulation of the commencement of rRNA synthesis in Xenopus embryogenesis, although it is not yet clear if the ammonium ion exerts its effect directly upon the rDNA transcription system.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Contact allergy to preservatives--II.

To determine whether the prevalence of allergic reactions to certain preservatives warrants their inclusion in a routine series for patch testing, a tray of 14 preservatives was tested in 501 consecutive suspected contact dermatitis patients. More than 1% positive reactions were found with DMDM hydantoin, Kathon CG, and alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride only. The concentration of alkyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (0.1% aqua) was considered too high. Of 6 patients reacting to the formaldehyde releaser DMDM hydantoin, 4 were positive to formaldehyde. Kathon CG may be an important allergen in the Netherlands, and it is worthwhile for dermatologists there to add it to the standard test series. The recent inclusion of quaternium-15 in the ICDRG standard series appears to be of little value to them.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

Heparin increases protein S levels in cultured endothelial cells by causing a block in degradation.

Heparin is a natural anticoagulant molecule that can alter the activity and/or levels of other molecules involved in blood coagulation. Protein S, an anticoagulant protein, is synthesized and released into the plasma by endothelial cells. Immunological assays revealed a significant increase in protein S found in the media and in the endothelial cells after heparin treatment. Time assays revealed a rapid heparin effect on protein S levels in the media. Upon treatment with chondroitin sulfate, a small increase in the amount of protein S in the conditioned medium was also detected but the change in the cell-associated protein S levels after chondroitin sulfate treatment was a decrease rather than the increase implying that heparin and chondroitin sulfate are operating through different mechanisms. Radioimmunoprecipitations and cycloheximide treatments indicated no significant difference in protein S synthesis in heparin treated cells. In experiments comparing heparin and ammonium chloride effects, heparin seems to mimic the ammonium chloride effect on the levels of protein S in the media. Together, the data indicate that heparin increases the levels of protein S found in the media of cultured endothelial cells by producing a specific block in protein S degradation.

Cells, Cultured↗

Endocytosis is required for the mitogenic effect of basic calcium phosphate crystals in fibroblasts.

Basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals stimulate mitosis of cultured fibroblasts and synoviocytes in vitro. Although intimate crystal-cell contact is required for mitogenesis, and lysosomotropic agents such as chloroquine and ammonium chloride block the mitogenic effect of crystals, the requirement of endocytosis has not been demonstrated. Synthetic BCP crystals, uniformly trace-labeled with 45Ca, were added to cultured, quiescent, confluent human foreskin fibroblasts in the presence or absence of ammonium chloride. After 4 or 24 hours, cultures were pulsed with 3H thymidine. The cells were then released with EDTA and trypsin, and fractionated on preformed Percoll density gradients. Fractions were analyzed for incorporation of 45Ca and [3H]thymidine and cell number. The cells containing 45Ca crystals also were heavily labeled with thymidine. Ammonium chloride decreased the amount of crystals endocytosed, and inhibited mitogenesis. These data suggest that mitogenesis induced by BCP crystals is preceded by endocytosis and dissolution in the acidic environment of phagolysosomes.

Calcium Phosphates↗

Physiological role of D-aspartate oxidase in the assimilation and detoxification of D-aspartate in the yeast Cryptococcus humicola.

The physiological role of D-aspartate oxidase (ChDASPO) in the yeast Cryptococcus humicola was analysed through the growth characteristics of a ChDASPO gene-disrupted strain (daspoDelta) and the expression profile of ChDASPO on various combinations of carbon and nitrogen sources. The daspoDelta strain, constructed by homologous integration of the yeast URA3 marker, grew as well as the wild-type strain on ammonium chloride, L-aspartate or D-alanine as the sole nitrogen source. In contrast, the daspoDelta strain did not grow at all on D-aspartate, not only as the sole nitrogen source but also as the sole carbon source or as the sole nitrogen and carbon source, and grew more slowly than the wild-type strain on D-glutamate as the sole nitrogen source. In the wild-type strain, the induction of ChDASPO activity strictly depended on the presence of D-aspartate and was little affected by the co-presence of ammonium chloride, but it was significantly reduced by the co-presence of both glucose and ammonium chloride, which, however, did not abolish the induction, allowing considerable expression of ChDASPO. This expression pattern was consistent with that shown by Northern blot analysis. The daspoDelta strain was more sensitive than the wild-type to the growth retardation by acidic D-amino acids, but not to that by the corresponding L-isomers or D-alanine. These results clearly show that in the yeast, DASPO plays an essential role in the assimilation of D-aspartate and acts as a detoxifying agent for D-aspartate.

Aspartic Acid↗

Altered expression of CD11b/CD18 and CD62L on human monocytes after cell preparation procedures.

We have investigated the effect of different cell preparation procedures on the surface expression of CD11b/CD18 and CD62L on human monocytes. Both EDTA and heparin anticoagulated blood were used as sources for leukocytes. The monocytes were analysed by flow cytometry in a mixed leukocyte suspensions obtained after ammonium chloride mediated lysis and in mononuclear cell suspension prepared by density gradient centrifugation (Ficoll-Paque) performed both at 4 degrees C and at 20 degrees C. Monocytes from heparinized blood had a higher expression of CD11b/CD18 and a more pronounced inter-individual variation than monocytes from EDTA blood. Monocytes isolated by Ficoll-Paque had a higher degree of ex vivo activation by means of altered expression of CD11b/CD18 and CD62L compared to monocytes prepared by ammonium chloride mediated lysis. This was more pronounced when the isolation procedure was performed at 20 degrees C. Our findings indicate that monocytes prepared by ammonium chloride mediated lysis of EDTA blood and with the cell handling temperature kept at 4 degrees C are exposed to the smallest ex vivo modulation by means of receptor alteration. An awareness of ex vivo modulation by different cell preparation procedures is of importance especially when comparing the expression of functional receptors on leukocytes of disparate origin.

Adolescent↗

fus-1, a pH shift mutant of Semliki Forest virus, acts by altering spike subunit interactions via a mutation in the E2 subunit.

Semliki Forest virus (SFV), an enveloped alphavirus, is a well-characterized paradigm for viruses that infect cells via endocytic uptake and low-pH-triggered fusion. The SFV spike protein is composed of a dimer of E1 and E2 transmembrane subunits, which dissociate upon exposure to low pH, liberating E2 and the fusogenic E1 subunit to undergo independent conformational changes. SFV fusion and infection are blocked by agents such as ammonium chloride, which act by raising the pH in the endosome and inhibiting the low-pH-induced conformational changes in the SFV spike protein. We have previously isolated an SFV mutant, fus-1, that requires more acidic pH to trigger its fusion activity and is therefore more sensitive to inhibition by ammonium chloride. The acid shift in the fusion activity of fus-1 was here shown to be due to a more acidic pH threshold for the initial dissociation of the fus-1 spike dimer, thereby resulting in a more acidic pH requirement for the subsequent conformational changes in both fus-1 E1 and fus-1 E2. Sequence analysis demonstrated that the fus-1 phenotype was due to a mutation in the E2 spike subunit, threonine 12 to isoleucine. fus-1 revertants that have regained the parental fusion phenotype and ammonium chloride sensitivity were shown to have also regained E2 threonine 12. Our results identify a region of the SFV E2 spike protein subunit that regulates the pH dependence of E1-catalyzed fusion by controlling the dissociation of the E1/E2 dimer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Impaired urinary ammonium excretion in patients with isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis.

During previous studies in patients with isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis (pRTA), the rates of urinary ammonium excretion were considered inappropriately low for their state of chronic metabolic acidosis. These observations were made while the patients were on a normal diet as well as when they were undergoing a short ammonium chloride test. Because these findings suggested an impaired ability to excrete maximal amounts of ammonium, the response to the 3-day acid loading test was evaluated in eight patients with isolated pRTA and in 10 normal control subjects. Plasma creatinine, acid-base, and electrolyte values were analyzed before and after 3 days of ingesting 2 mmol/kg.24 h of ammonium chloride. Twenty-four-hour urine specimens were collected the day before and on the third day of acid loading to determine urine pH, as well as the rate of excretion of NH4+ and titratable acid in milliequivalents per 24 h per 1.73 m2. During the basal state, all patients with pRTA had hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and they excreted urine of lower pH (5.51 +/- 0.18 versus 6.00 +/- 0.13; P < 0.05) and greater titratable acid (29.1 +/- 4.3 versus 21.8 +/- 1.4; P < 0.05); however, they had rates of NH4+ excretion similar to those of controls. On the third day of acid loading, they excreted urine of lower pH (4.66 +/- 0.03 versus 5.00 +/- 0.03; P < 0.05) and equivalent amounts of titratable acid, whereas their NH4+ excretion was significantly less than that of controls (47.7 +/- 4.4 versus 76.3 +/- 5.7; P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

[Effect of natural amino acids on ethanol oxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes].

The effects of the various naturally occurring amino acids on ethanol oxidation in hepatocytes from starved rats was systematically studied. In order to minimize the non ADH pathways, the ethanol concentration used was 4 mmol/litre, the amino acids being added at the same concentration. In hepatocytes from fasted rats, alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, citrulline, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, histidine, hydroxyproline, ornithine and serine increase significantly ethanol consumption. The stimulatory effect of glutamine being much less pronounced than the asparagine one and proline being devoid of action, the influence of ammonium chloride addition on ethanol consumption in the presence of these amino acids was studied. Ammonium chloride determines an enhancement of ethanol oxidation in these conditions, the results showing no apparent correlation between intracellular glutamate concentration and ethanol oxidation rate, contrarily to previous data. In hepatocytes from fed rats, only alanine, asparagine, cysteine, glycine, hydroxyproline, ornithine and serine increase ethanol oxidation, although to a lesser extent than in cells from starved rats.

Amino Acids↗

Ammonium chloride-induced alterations in growth kinetics and ultrastructure of murine neuroblastoma cells. A flow cytometric and stereologic study.

Neuro-2a and L-132 cells have been used as a model in the study of ammonia toxicity. Incubation of neuro-2a cells for 48 h in the presence of 2 mM NH4Cl caused inhibition of their growth and accumulation of cells in the G2M phase of the cell cycle as demonstrated by fluorocytometric methods. Mitotic figures were absent in the treated cell preparations. On the other hand, ammonia had no effect on L-132 cells treated in the same way. Electron microscopy of neuro-2a cells incubated with 2 mM NH4Cl for 5 days showed striking qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural changes compared with control cells. Treated cells doubled in absolute volume and showed marked alterations in the shape and organization of mitochondria. The absolute volume of mitochondria was also increased which, together with a decrease in their total number, suggests that ammonia induces fusion between adjacent mitochondria. Increases in the total number of lysosomes, multivesicular bodies and lipid droplets were also found in treated cells.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Control of urea synthesis in fetal rat liver slices.

Urea synthesis in fetal rats was studied using a liver slice system with ammonium chloride as nitrogen source. In term fetuses, the rate of urea formation increases with ammonium chloride concentration up to 100 microM and is enhanced by the addition of ornithine. The developmental pattern for urea synthesis is very similar to that found in the enzyme activity studies: urea production increases slightly during fetal life and then rises rapidly at birth. It is found that fetal liver has an absolute requirement for glucocorticosteroids to develop a normal urea synthesis. The accordance with argininosuccinate synthetase activity measured in liver homogenate is discussed.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Cells and viruses with mutations affecting viral entry are selected during persistent infections of L cells with mammalian reoviruses.

Previous studies demonstrated that both cellular and viral mutants are selected during maintenance of persistent infections established in murine L cells with high-passage stocks of mammalian reoviruses. In particular, when one culture was cured of persistent infection, the resulting cells were found to support the growth of viruses isolated from persistently infected cultures (termed PI viruses here) better than that of wild-type (wt) viruses (R. Ahmed, W. M. Canning, R. S. Kauffman, A. H. Sharpe, J. V. Hallum, and B. N. Fields, Cell 25:325-332, 1981). To address the nature of cellular and viral mutations selected during maintenance of persistent reovirus infections, we established independent, persistently infected cultures with L cells and high-passage stocks of wt reovirus. These cultures served as sources of new PI viruses and cured cells for study. We found that although wt viruses grew poorly in cured cells when infection was initiated with intact virions, they grew well in cured cells when infection was initiated with infectious subvirion particles generated from virions by in vitro treatment with chymotrypsin. This finding indicates that the block to growth of wt viruses in cured cells involves an early step that is unique to infection by virions, such as proteolytic processing in an endocytic compartment. We also found that PI viruses grew better than wt viruses in L cells treated with ammonium chloride, a weak base that inhibits the pH decrease in endosomes and lysosomes. Because ammonium chloride blocks an early step in infection by intact virions, probably the proteolytic processing of viral outer capsid proteins by acid-dependent cellular proteases in late endosomes or lysosomes, this finding indicates that PI viruses differ from wt viruses with respect to viral entry into cells. Therefore, these results indicate that both cells and viruses evolve mutations that affect one or more early steps in the viral growth cycle during maintenance of L-cell cultures persistently infected with reoviruses.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Dietary protein intake and skeletal-muscle protein metabolism in rats. Studies with the ammonium chloride-wash fraction from crude polyribosomes of well-nourished and protein-depleted rats.

1. Crude polyribosomes from skeletal muscle of the hind leg of rats fed on a low-protein diet for 10 days are less active in cell-free protein synthesis than are polyribosomes obtained from well-nourished control rats. 2. The polyribosomes were salt-washed (0.5m-NH(4)Cl) and the wash extract was examined for its amino acid incorporating activity and for EF (elongation factor) 1 and EF 2 activities. 3. Compared with preparations from control rats, the salt-wash fraction from protein-depleted rats was less active and showed lower EF 1 and EF 2 activity. 4. The ribosomes were rendered equal in activity by salt-washing, but no inhibitor was detected in the salt wash. 5. Differences in the incorporating activity of crude polyribosomes from the diet groups persisted in the presence of saturating amounts of partially purified EF 1 and EF 2. 6. It is concluded that the lowered protein-synthetic activity of crude polyribosomes caused by restricted protein intake is not causally related to the lower activities of EF 1 and EF 2 in the polyribosome preparations. 7. The possible nature of the change in crude polyribosome activity due to low-protein feeding is discussed.

Amino Acids↗

Comparative study of the effect of amino acids on ethanol oxidation in isolated hepatocytes from starved and fed rats.

The effects of the various naturally occurring amino acids on ethanol oxidation in hepatocytes from 18-hrs starved and fed rats were studied. In order to minimize the non-ADH pathways and to avoid interference with the liver amino acid uptake the ethanol concentration used was 4 mM, the amino acids being added at the same concentration. In hepatocytes from starved rats, asparagine, serine, ornithine, hydroxyproline, histidine, cysteine, alanine, glycine, glutamate, glutamine, aspartate and arginine significantly increase ethanol consumption. The stimulatory effect of glutamine being much less pronounced than the asparagine one and proline being devoid of action, the influence of ammonium chloride addition on ethanol consumption in the presence of these amino acids was studied. Ammonium chloride determines an enhancement of ethanol oxidation, the results showing, contrarily to previous data, no apparent correlation between intracellular glutamate concentration and ethanol oxidation rate but rather a relation with aspartate concentration. In hepatocytes from fed rats alanine, asparagine, cysteine, glycine, hydroxyproline, ornithine and serine still increase ethanol oxidation, although to a lesser extent than in cells from starved rats. It appears that only amino acids which are precursors of either pyruvate or aspartate or glutamate are able to activate the ethanol oxidation. Pyruvate, aspartate and glutamate supply malate-aspartate shuttle components especially in cells from starved rats, pyruvate allowing direct cytosolic reoxidation of NADH in cells from fed rats as well as from starved rats. The relative strengths of the stimulatory effect could be roughly dependent on energy demand for glucose synthesis in starved rats and for urea synthesis in fed rats.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Utilization of nitrate or nitrite as single nitrogen source by Mycobacterium avium.

Twenty L-amino acids and several inorganic compounds were tested individually, as a sole nitrogen source, for ability to support the growth of Mycobacterium avium LM1 serovar 1. Of the amino acids tested, only L-glutamine provided nutritional support comparable to that of ammonium chloride at 1 mM. With either 1 mM potassium nitrate or nitrite substituted for ammonium chloride, similar numbers of CFU were produced. M. avium cells were grown in potassium nitrate or nitrite concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mM, and the medium was assayed for remaining nitrogen compound at several times during growth. Rates of utilization were of first-order kinetics, with nitrite removed more rapidly than nitrate. The rates were approximately 10 times as rapid at 0.25 mM than at 2 mM for either nitrogen source. Nine clinical isolates that included M. avium serovars 1, 4, and 8 and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum serovar 43 were tested for rate of utilization of ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite. Ammonia and nitrite were utilized with first-order kinetics by all strains. Nitrate utilization occurred but was not at the same level for all strains. Clinical tests indicate that M. avium is negative for nitrate reductase; this is because of the rapid reduction of nitrite produced from nitrate.

Amino Acids↗

[Urinary acidification by furosemide test].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of furosemide on urinary acidification in 7 healthy children (aged 7 to 9 years) 5 patients with normokalemic distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA) (aged 4 to 13 years) and in 1 patient with proximal RTA (aged 20 months). Furosemide was given (2 mg/kg orally) as a tool to stimulate H+ and K+ secretion by enhancing Na delivery and transport in distal tubular segments. Patients with distal RTA were diagnosed by means of the ammonium chloride test and the alkaline overload and the one with proximal RTA by the ammonium chloride test only. Urinary acidification was evaluated 1 hour before and until 4 hours after furosemide administration. Healthy children (Fig. 1) showed a significant fall in urinary pH, 5.8 +/- 0.27 to 4.88 +/- 0.18 (p less than 0.02) and increase of NH3 excretion from 38.58 +/- 10.33 to 79.09 +/- 10.38 microEq/min/1.73 m2 (p less than 0.05). There was a direct correlation between urinary pH and urinary flow: r = 0.62 p less than 0.01 (Fig. 3). In patients with distal RTA (Fig. 5) furosemide failed to lower urine pH below 6 and net acid excretion persisted low: 47.9 +/- 6.1 microEq/min/1.73 m2. In the patient with proximal RTA (Fig. 4) furosemide produced the same effect as in healthy children with a fall in urine pH to 4.4 and an increase in net acid excretion to 118 microEq/min/1.73 m2. Furosemide proved to be effective to differentiate the type of RTA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗

Protection of rat liver 80 S ribosomes against ricin A chain inactivation by proteins extracted from rat liver and wheat germ ribosomal subunits with ammonium chloride/magnesium chloride.

Proteins extracted from wheat germ 60 S ribosomal subunits and rat liver 60 S and 40 S ribosomal subunits with 3 M NH4Cl/75 mM MgCl2 were able to prevent the ricin A chain-mediated inactivation of untreated 80 S rat liver ribosomes. The protection of polyphenylalanine synthetic capability of 80 S ribosomes was saturable and reached 100% protection in the presence of about 20 micrograms of extracted protein using a uniform set of assay conditions. No protection was observed using proteins extracted from wheat germ 40 S subunits or the core fraction of rat liver 60 S subunits or protein extracted from Escherichia coli ribosomes or ribosomal subunits. The conclusion that the protective effect of extracted 60 S subunit proteins was specific, was further strengthened by showing that unrelated proteins such as alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin and lysozyme, and polypeptides such as polylysine and poly(aspartic acid), also showed no protection. If 80 S ribosomes were first treated with ricin A chain and then incubated with proteins extracted from rat liver 60 S subunits, no protection was observed. Proteins extracted with NH4Cl/MgCl2 from 60 S rat liver subunits were applied to carboxymethylcellulose column equilibrated with 6 M urea. Stepwise elution with increasing concentrations of LiCl resulted in seven fractions. One fraction (D) contained most of the protective factor; one fraction (E) contained a lesser amount of the protective factor. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fraction D showed the presence of ten proteins. These data are consistent with the idea that the enzymatic target of ricin A chain is protein is nature and that fraction D contains one or more proteins that appear to act as a inhibitor against ricin A chain.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Ammonium chloride-induced acidification in renal TALH SVE.1 cells monitored by 31P-NMR.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of NH4+ on the intracellular pH in TALH SVE.1 cells derived from the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (TALH) of rabbit kidney. These cells are specialized to perform NH4+ transport in vivo. Intracellular pH was monitored by 31P-NMR. The steady state intracellular pH (pHi) under standard conditions was 7.24 +/- 0.04 (n = 46). Exposure to NH4Cl resulted in an initial intracellular acidification of the TALH SVE.1 cells, followed by a recovery to the initial steady-state pHi value. The NH4(+)-induced acidification followed saturation kinetics up to 20 mM NH4Cl (delta pHmax = 0.2 pHunits). Half-maximal acidification was observed at 0.6 mmol/l. The intracellular acidification due to NH4Cl exposure was completely inhibited by 0.1 mM of the diuretic bumetanide, an inhibitor of the Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter. The effect of bumetanide was dose-dependent and a Ki value of 8.10(-7) M was calculated. NH4+ influx via K+ channels or the (Na+ + K+)ATPase could not be detected. pHi recovery to the initial value was caused mainly by amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange and to a lesser extent by an amiloride-insensitive system, which was not studied in detail. In the presence of bumetanide, pulses of high concentrations of NH4Cl induced small intracellular alkalinizations. From these experiments, an intrinsic buffer capacity (beta i) in TALH SVE.1 cells of 26 +/- 3 mM x pH-1 (pHi = 7.65) was determined. It could also be shown that the TALH SVE.1 cells exhibit maximal 'functional buffer capability' between pHout 6.9 and 7.3. Within these limits the cells can maintain their intracellular pH at a constant level, even though the extracellular pH changes. These data strongly suggest that the Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter is the main site of NH4+ entry into rabbit thick ascending limb cells in culture. A high intracellular buffer capacity and potent acid extrusion mechanism cooperate in counteracting the intracellular acidification caused by NH4+ influx into the cell.

Amiloride↗