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Different p16INK4a and p14ARF expression patterns in acute myeloid leukaemia and normal blood leukocytes.

The p16INK4a gene is often disrupted or transcriptionally silenced by CpG island methylation in human cancers. However, in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) alterations of the INK4a-ARF tumour suppressor locus are rarely found despite the noted variable p16INK4a mRNA and protein levels. The p14ARF, an alternative reading frame protein encoded from the same INK4a-ARF locus, is a potent tumour suppressor functionally linked to p53. There is little known regarding the role of p14ARF in primary human tumours. Therefore, we analysed the expression patterns of these two tumour suppressors in 37 cases of AML. The relative expression of p16INK4a and p14ARF mRNA in AML blasts, measured by a specific p16INK4a/p14ARF multiplex RT-PCR, was significantly shifted towards p14ARF whereas relatively lower levels of p16INK4a were detected. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed significantly higher expression of both transcripts in AML blasts when compared to normal differentiated myeloid cells or CD34+ progenitor cells. Furthermore, a good correlation between p16INK4a protein and mRNA was observed, whereas no correlation was found with p14ARF. Our results suggest: a) increased levels of both p16INK4a and p14ARF may participate in the pathogenesis of AML, b) that high p14ARF mRNA expression might influence p16INK4a transcription and c) that post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms are important for p14ARF expression.

Acute Disease↗

Isothermal gas chromatographic method for the rapid determination of carbamazepine ("tegretol") as its TMS derivative.

A rapid, simple isothermal gas chromatographic (GC) method for the quantitation of carbamazepine ("Tegretol") in serum as its trimethylsilyl derivative has been developed. A single chloroform extraction using 1.0 ml of serum, a 10-min derivatization step, and analysis on a 3% OV-1 (methyl silicone) GC column gives a linear response to a carbamazepine concentration up to 25 mg/liter. A non-drug internal standard (tetracosane) compensates for variables in extraction, injection, and instrumental changes occurring during analysis. This method was found to be free of interferences from endogenous substances in the serum, as well as from toxic concentrations of commonly used drugs. Day-to-day precision at concentration levels of 2, 5, and 10 mg/liter ranged from 2.9 to 4.4% (CV). Standard addition studies of carbamazepine added to serum resulted in a mean recovery of 95%. To ensure accurate results, all standards were prepared in serum.

Carbamazepine↗

Gas chromatographic analysis of cellular fatty acids in anaerobic curved bacteria isolated from the vagina.

The fatty acid compositions of forty-five strains of anaerobic curved rods isolated from vaginal content were analysed by gas chromatography. Twenty-six of the strains were of a short Gram-variable type and 19 of a long Gram-negative type. The bacteria were subjected to alkaline saponification, after which the liberated fatty acids were methylated using boron trichloride-methanol. The samples were introduced onto a cross-linked (SE-54) fused silica capillary column. The major peaks in the chromatograms from all strains corresponded to C14:0, C16:0, C18:2, C18:1 and C18:0 fatty acids. Five additional components were seen, three of them identified by mass spectrometry as fatty aldehydes (saturated and unsaturated) of 16 to 18 carbon atoms, whereas the remaining two were not identified. The fatty aldehydes indicated the presence of plasmalogens in the bacterial strains studied. With two exceptions, all of the short rods were distinguishable from the long ones by the presence of one aldehyde and two unidentified compounds, all three eluting between C16:0 and C18:2.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

Vitreous humor cocaine and metabolite concentrations: do postmortem specimens reflect blood levels at the time of death?

The interpretation of postmortem cocaine concentrations is made in an attempt to estimate drug concentrations present at the time of death and thus infer not only drug presence but drug toxicity. Previous data suggest that changes in postmortem blood cocaine concentrations over time are not predictable and interpretation of cocaine levels should be done with caution. However, these data come from autopsy case series where vital information, such as blood cocaine concentration at the time of death, dose and time since last use, and postmortem interval is often not known. The purpose of this study was to characterize postmortem changes in cocaine and metabolite concentrations relative to premortem concentrations over time at two anatomic sites: peripheral blood and vitreous humor, in a controlled, large animal model. Juvenile swine were given cocaine HCl 10 mg/kg as an IV bolus which resulted in seizures and wide complex tachycardia. Five minutes after cocaine administration, animals were euthanized. At time of death and eight hours postmortem, femoral venous blood and vitreous humor (VH) samples were obtained for quantitation of cocaine, benzoyl ecgonine (BE), and ecgonine methyl ester (EME) by GC/MS. There were no significant increases over time in mean femoral vein concentrations of cocaine or BE. However, a large interanimal variability in direction and magnitude of concentration changes was seen. Mean EME concentrations at the femoral site increased significantly over 8 hours (P < 0.03). Mean VH cocaine concentrations at time of death were significantly lower than corresponding blood concentrations (P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Assessment of inhomogeneities in an E. coli physical map.

A statistical method based on r-fragments, sums of distances between (r + 1) consecutive restriction enzyme sites, is introduced for detecting nonrandomness in the distribution or too markers in sequence data. The technique is applicable whenever large numbers of markers are available and will detect clumping, excessive dispersion or too much evenness of spacing of the markers. It is particularly adapted to varying the scale on which inhomogeneities can be detected, from nearest neighbor interactions to more distant interactions. The r-fragment procedure is applied primarily to the Kohara et al. (1) physical map of E. coli. Other applications to DAM methylation sites in E. coli and NotI sites in human chromosome 21 are presented. Restriction sites for the eight enzymes used in (1) appear to be randomly distributed, although at widely differing densities. These conclusions are substantially in agreement with the analysis of Churchill et al. (3). Extreme variability in the density of the eight restriction enzyme sites cannot be explained by variability in mono-, di- or trinucleotide frequencies.

Base Sequence↗

Subcellular segregation of distinct heteromeric NMDA glutamate receptors in the striatum.

Functional N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors are composed of heteromeric complexes of NR1, the obligatory subunit for channel activity, and NR2 or NR3 family members, which confer variability in the properties of the receptors. Recent studies have provided evidence for the existence of both binary (containing NR1 and either NR2A or NR2B) and ternary (containing NR1, NR2A, and NR2B) receptor complexes in the adult mammalian brain. However, the mechanisms regulating subunit assembly and receptor localization are not well understood. In the CNS, NMDA subunits are present both at intracellular sites and the post-synaptic membrane of neurons. Using biochemical protein fractionation and co-immunoprecipitation approaches we have found that in rat striatum binary NMDA receptors are widely distributed, and can be identified in the light membrane, synaptosomal membrane, and synaptic vesicle-enriched subcellular compartments. In contrast, ternary receptors are found exclusively in the synaptosomal membranes. When striatal proteins are chemically cross-linked prior to subcellular fractionation, ternary NMDA receptors can be precipitated from the light membrane and synaptic vesicle-enriched fractions where this type of receptor complex is not detectable under normal conditions. These findings suggest differential targeting of distinct types of NMDA receptor assemblies between intracellular and post-synaptic sites based on subunit composition. This targeting may underlie important differences in the regulation of the transport pathways involved in both normal as well as pathological receptor functions.

Animals↗

Tissue and gene specific hypomethylation of the human parathyroid hormone gene: association with parathyroid hormone gene expression in parathyroid glands.

An association between decreased cytosine methylation at specific sites adjacent to or within eukaryotic genes and increased gene expression has been described. To determine if tissues secreting PTH show hypomethylation within the vicinity of the PTH gene, we compared the degree of cytosine methylation in DNA from parathyroid glands and control tissues (leukocytes, anterior pituitary, posterior pituitary, and placenta). We digested DNA with HpaII (which cleaves only unmethylated CCGG sequences) and MspI [which cleaves CCGG and C 5-methyl cytosine GG], hybridized the DNA fragments to a PTH complementary DNA probe, and scanned autoradiograms of Southern blots. After MspI digestion all tissues yielded equivalent amounts of a single hybridizing fragment of 6.7 kilobases. The degree of hypomethylation at sites within and flanking the PTH gene was determined as the ratio of the amount of hybridizing fragments obtained by methylation-sensitive digestion (HpaII) relative to methylation-insensitive digestion (MspI). DNA from all parathyroid glands showed significantly greater hypomethylation of the PTH gene than did DNA from control tissues that did not express the PTH gene. Despite variability in the levels of secretory activity of the different parathyroid glands, we found no significant differences in the degree of hypomethylation of the PTH gene. In contrast to the PTH gene studies, hypomethylation was not seen using GH probe on the same blots. Our findings thus suggest that tissue and gene specific hypomethylation of the PTH gene is associated with expression of the gene.

Adenoma↗

Neurotoxins: 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline and 1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-tetrahydroisoquinoline as substrates for FAD-containing monooxygenase of porcine liver microsomes.

The activity of FAD-containing monooxygenase (FMO) (EC 1.14.13.8) of porcine liver microsomes was examined with the neurotoxins, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (TIQ) and 1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-tetrahydroisoquinoline (MDTIQ), as substrates. FMO catalyses these neurotoxins. The kinetic parameters of FMO for the neurotoxins and electron donors were determined. Km values for MPTP, TIQ and MDTIQ were determined to be 47 microM, 6.9 mM and 5.6 mM, respectively. The Km for the electron donor, NADPH, was variable from 31 to 200 microM depending on the substrate used. The activities of FMO for these neurotoxins were comparable with that for dimethylaniline.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗

Cholinergic and noncholinergic brain biomarkers of insecticide exposure and effects.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the distribution of cholinergic and noncholinergic biomarkers in discrete brain regions (cortex, stem, striatum, hippocampus, and cerebellum) of rats treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, controls), and insecticides such as carbofuran (CARB, 1.5 mg/kg, sc), or methyl parathion (MPTH, 5 mg/kg, ip). Both insecticides produced characteristic signs of anticholinesterase nature within 5-7 min after injection. In controls, analyses of the brain regions revealed a wide variability in the values of cholinergic (acetylcholinesterase, AChE) and noncholinergic (creatine kinase, CK; and lactic dehydrogenase, LDH, and their isoenzymes) biomarkers. The highest activities of AChE and LDH were found in the striatum (1661+/-23 micromol/g/h and 57,720+/-478 IU/l, respectively) and lowest in the cerebellum (118+/-6 micromol/g/h) and 39,480+/-918 IU/l, respectively). However, the activity of CK was found highest in the cerebellum (742,560+/-798 IU/l) and lowest in the hippocampus (353,400+/-11,696 IU/l). Each brain region showed a characteristic profile of CK and LDH isoenzymes. Among the CK isoenzymes, activity of CK-BB was highest (77.5-89.3%), followed by CK-MM (6.7-15.6%), and least CK-MB (0-6.9%). The cerebellum had no CK-MB activity. In all brain regions, CK-MM isoenzyme had only the CK-MM3 subform. Among the LDH isoenzymes, activity of LDH-4 was highest in all brain regions (23-40%), except the cerebellum in which LDH-1 was highest (29%). Compared to the brain, control serum contained very little CK and LDH activity, but serum had three distinct CK and five distinct LDH isoenzymes. Unlike brain regions, serum had three CK-MM subforms. Each insecticide induced characteristic alterations in brain biomarkers. AChE activity was maximally inactivated in cortex (90. 6%) with CARB, and in cerebellum (95.3%) with MPTH. With either insecticide, the least inhibition of AChE occurred in the striatum. Unlike AChE, carboxylesterase (CarbE) did not show brain regional variability in controls, and its activity was uniformly inhibited in all brain regions by CARB and comparatively greater by MPTH. CARB- or MPTH-induced characteristic alterations in CK, LDH, and their isoenzymes in the brain, which were also reflected in serum, as a result of their leakage from the brain by increased permeability due to depletion of ATP (38-57% and 33-47%, respectively) and phosphocreatine (PCr, 23-42% and 56-65%, respectively).

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Structural studies of the carbohydrate component of a human, parotid-saliva, proline-rich glycoprotein.

The carbohydrate chains of the human, parotid-saliva, proline-rich glycoprotein were released as oligosaccharides by hydrazinolysis and were fractionated by high-pressure-liquid chromatography. Four oligosaccharides were characterized. On the basis of compositional analysis, sequential enzymic degradation, and methylation data, the carbohydrate moiety of the glycoprotein was found to be a complex-type oligosaccharide containing a tri-D-mannosyl-di-N-acetylchitobiose core with two and three lactosamine branches, and an L-fucosyl group linked to O-6 of the asparagine-linked 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose residue. In addition, several L-fucosyl groups, linked at O-6 of the penultimate D-galactose residues, are present in variable proportions. The biological significance of these results is discussed.

Carbohydrates↗

Effect of route of administration of environmental methylating agents on 7-methylguanine formation in white blood cells and internal organs: implications for molecular epidemiology.

The measurement of 7-methylguanine (7-meG) in white blood cells (WBC) is a promising biomarker of individual human exposure to environmental methylating agents. To test the validity of using WBC as a surrogate dosimeter for internal tissues, levels of 7-meG were measured in rat WBC, liver and target organs for carcinogenesis 16 h after oral administration of several methylating carcinogens (DMN, DMH, NNK, NMBA). 7-MeG was detected in WBC DNA but levels were far lower than in internal organs. While the ratio between 7-meG formation in target organs and WBC was highly variable depending on the carcinogen administered, the ratio between 7-meG in the liver and WBC was in the same order of magnitude for each carcinogen, ranging from 81 to 143. In addition, levels of 7-meG in the liver and WBC within individual animals were highly correlated (r = 0.94, P < 0.0001). These results confirmed our previous observations with the same carcinogens after intraperitoneal injection. In order to assess if the lower level of 7-meG in WBC was a result of a low metabolism of methylating agents in WBC, microsomes were prepared from control rat lymphocytes and DMN demethylase activity was measured. The total amount of microsomal proteins was extremely low, especially in comparison with hepatic cells, and the enzymatic activity was less than 0.48 nmol HCHO/min/mg protein, while an activity of 1.26 nmol HCHO/min/mg protein was measured in liver microsomes. Taken together, these results suggest that the presence of 7-meG in WBC DNA reflects an exposure to methylating agents; the level of 7-meG in WBC seems predictive of the level of adduct in the liver, possibly because active methylating species are formed in the liver and then transferred into the hepatic circulation, where the WBC are exposed. It is now important to examine this relationship in humans where exposures are generally to lower levels of carcinogens over long time periods.

Administration, Oral↗

Genetic and epigenetic alterations of the cell cycle regulators and tumor suppressor genes in pediatric osteosarcomas.

PURPOSE: To analyze the genetic and epigenetic alterations affecting the RB1, TP53, p16INK4, and p21WAF1 tumor suppressor genes, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 3q and 18q, and the clinical variables of a series of Spanish children with osteosarcoma. These genetic changes were tested for an association with prognosis. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples and clinical data were available from 76 patients with osteosarcoma. Paired tissue was available from 41 of them. The mutation and methylation status of p16INK4, p21WAF1, TP53, and RB1 was screened as well as LOH at 3q and 18q. RESULTS: Loss of heterozygosity affecting RB1 (37.2%), TP53 (42.3%), and 18q (30.8%) and TP53 mutation (39%) were frequently encountered. TP53 mutation was associated with diagnosis at a later age. RB1 alteration was associated with reduced survival and event-free survival. The clinical variables associated with poor prognosis were the presence of metastasis at diagnosis (P = 0.035) or during treatment (P = 0.016) and the chondroblastic histologic subtype (P = 0.007); the response to induction chemotherapy (<90% necrosis) also tended to be related to poor prognosis (P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: RB1, TP53, and possibly other tumor suppressor genes located at 18q and other localizations are involved in pediatric osteosarcoma carcinogenesis, together with other genetic alterations not fully understood to date. Based on these results, the presence of an altered RB1 gene should be regarded as a poor prognostic factor for pediatric osteosarcoma.

Adolescent↗

Differences in the organization and methylation patterns of integrated avian sarcoma proviral DNA sequences in nonpermissive and permissive mammalian cells.

Four types of avian sarcoma virus (ASV)-transformed mammalian cells were analyzed for the presence of ASV-specific sequences in their genome DNA. A great variability in the number of proviral copies and their structure within the DNA of these lines was observed. In all cells tested gag and src sequences were present in a flexible arrangement. The greatest variation was detected within proviral sequences corresponding to pol and env regions. The number of integrated ASV proviral copies do not correlate with the capability of these cells to produce viral particles. Virus-producing (K2S and K12) and virogenic (XC) cells contain in their chromosomal DNA at least one complete proviral genome, whereas proviral sequences in helper-dependent nonvirogenic cells are substantially changed. Provirus expression level does not correlate with the number of integrated virus copies. In the non-virus-producing cells the proviral sequences are hypermethylated.

Animals↗

Mismatch repair and the regulation of phase variation in Neisseria meningitidis.

Neisseria meningitidis controls the expression of several genes involved in host adaptation by a process known as phase variation. The phase variation frequency of haemoglobin (Hb) receptors among clinical isolates of serogroups A, B and C differed drastically, ranging from approximately 10(-6) to 10(-2) cfu-1. Frequencies of phase variation are a genetic trait of a particular strain, as two unlinked Hb receptors, hpuAB and hmbR, phase varied with similar frequencies within a given isolate. Based on these frequencies, six Neisserial clinical isolates could be grouped into three distinct classes; slow, medium and fast. An increase in phase variation frequency was accompanied by high rates of spontaneous mutation to rifampicin and nalidixic acid resistance in one medium and one fast strain. The remaining three medium strains displayed elevated levels of phase variation without increases in overall mutability, as they possessed low rates of spontaneous mutation to drug resistance. The mismatch repair system of N. meningitidis was found to play an important role in determining the overall mutability of the clinical isolates. Inactivation of mismatch repair in any strain, regardless of its original phenotype, increased mutability to a level seen in the fast strain. Insertional inactivation of mutS and mutL in the slow strain led to 500- and 250-fold increases in hmbR switching frequency respectively. Concurrently, the frequency of spontaneous point mutations of mutS and mutL mutants from the slow strain was increased 20- to 30-fold to the level seen in the high strain. The status of Dam methylation did not correlate with either the phase variation frequency of Hb receptors or the general mutability of Neisserial strains. Analysis of an expanded set of isolates identified defects in mismatch repair as the genetic basis for strains displaying both the fast Hb switching and high mutation rate phenotypes. In conclusion, elevated frequencies of phase variation were accompanied by increased overall mutability in some N. meningitidis isolates including strains shown to be mismatch repair defective. Other isolates have evolved mechanisms that seem to affect only the switching frequency of phase-variable genes without an accompanied increased accumulation of spontaneous mutations.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Spectroscopic investigation of the nickel-containing porphinoid cofactor F(430). Comparison of the free cofactor in the (+)1, (+)2 and (+)3 oxidation states with the cofactor bound to methyl-coenzyme M reductase in the silent, red and ox forms.

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) catalyzes the methane-forming step in methanogenic archaea. It contains the nickel porphinoid F(430), a prosthetic group that has been proposed to be directly involved in the catalytic cycle by the direct binding and subsequent reduction of the substrate methyl-coenzyme M. The active enzyme (MCRred1) can be generated in vivo and in vitro by reduction from MCRox1, which is an inactive form of the enzyme. Both the MCRred1 and MCRox1 forms have been proposed to contain F(430) in the Ni(I) oxidation state on the basis of EPR and ENDOR data. In order to further address the oxidation state of the Ni center in F(430), variable-temperature, variable-field magnetic circular dichroism (VTVH MCD), coupled with parallel absorption and EPR studies, have been used to compare the electronic and magnetic properties of MCRred1, MCRox1, and various EPR silent forms of MCR, with those of the isolated penta-methylated cofactor (F(430)M) in the (+)1, (+)2 and (+)3 oxidation states. The results confirm Ni(I) assignments for MCRred1 and MCRred2 forms of MCR and reveal charge transfer transitions involving the Ni d orbitals and the macrocycle pi orbitals that are unique to Ni(I) forms of F(430). Ligand field transitions associated with S=1 Ni(II) centers are assigned in the near-IR MCD spectra of MCRox1-silent and MCR-silent, and the splitting in the lowest energy d-d transition is shown to correlate qualitatively with assessments of the zero-field splitting parameters determined by analysis of VTVH MCD saturation magnetization data. The MCD studies also support rationalization of MCRox1 as a tetragonally compressed Ni(III) center with an axial thiolate ligand or a coupled Ni(II)-thiyl radical species, with the reality probably lying between these two extremes. The reinterpretation of MCRox1 as a formal Ni(III) species rather than an Ni(I) species obviates the need to invoke a two-electron reduction of the F(430) macrocyclic ligand on reductive activation of MCRox1 to yield MCRred1.

Archaea↗

DNA methylation in various growth phases of cultured L5178Y murine lymphoblasts.

The extent of methylation of DNA during the transition of cells from exponential phase of growth to the saturation density has been studied in cultured L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells by the comparison of the degree of 5-methylcytosine formation and the stability of this preformed base in various periods of their growth. It has been found that while the degree of 5-methylcytosine formation gradually fell down, the level of this base preformed during the exponential growth was stable during the subsequent periods until the saturation density was reached. At that state some small and variable loss of the base was found.

Animals↗

Diminished muscarinic receptor-mediated cerebral blood flow response in streptozotocin-treated rats.

Endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in the brain may be impaired in the streptozotocin-treated chronically hyperglycemic diabetic (D) rat. To study this, we measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) changes induced by intracarotid (ic) or intravenous (iv) infusions of the blood-brain permeant muscarinic receptor (MR) agonist oxotremorine (Oxo). In nondiabetic (ND) rats, both ic and iv Oxo resulted in significant (P less than 0.05) rCBF increases from values obtained during saline infusions in the regions analyzed. The maximum rCBF values measured during Oxo (expressed as percent iv or ic saline value) were 358-403% in the cortex (CX), 236-260% in the subcortex (SC), 162-186% in the brain stem (BS), and 143-158% in the cerebellum (CE). The iv or ic Oxo response in D vs. ND rats was reduced by 60-70% in the CX and SC, lost in the BS, and unchanged in the CE. The CBF response was associated with no change in cortical CMRO2 and was completely blocked during ic atropine-Oxo co-infusion or iv co-infusion of Oxo with the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibitor L-nitroarginine methyl ester, demonstrating, respectively, no role for metabolic activation, the exclusive role of MR values, and the critical role for the release of the putative endothelium-dependent relaxation factor NO in mediating this effect. These findings indicate a significant, but regionally variable, impairment of the mechanism for endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in the diabetic brain.

Animals↗

Induction of resistance to alkylating agents in E. coli: the ada+ gene product serves both as a regulatory protein and as an enzyme for repair of mutagenic damage.

The expression of several inducible enzymes for repair of alkylated DNA in Escherichia coli is controlled by the ada+ gene. This regulatory gene has been cloned into a multicopy plasmid and shown to code for a 37-kd protein. Antibodies raised against homogeneous O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (the main repair activity for mutagenic damage in alkylated DNA) were found to cross-react with this 37-kd protein. Cell extracts from several independently derived ada mutants contain variable amounts of an altered 37-kd protein after an inducing alkylation treatment. In addition, an 18-kd protein identical with the previously isolated O6-methyl-guanine-DNA methyltransferase has been identified as a product of the ada+ gene. The smaller polypeptide is derived from the 37-kd protein by proteolytic processing.

Alkylating Agents↗