The corneal response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa: histopathological and enzymatic characterization. The host response to the intrastromal injection of heat-inactivated Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells was studied. An extensive polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) infiltration, which progressed to ulceration within 1 week, was observed. In some cases descemetoceles also developed. Only a limited degree of PMN infiltration and no ulcerations were observed at 1 week in eyes treated with corticosteroids. Collagenase and proteolytic enzymes capable of degrading proteoglycans were found in the ulcerated corneas. A correlation was made between the level of these host-derived enzymes and the extent of corneal destruction. It was concluded that corneal destruction by P. aeruginosa depends not only on the Pseudomonas protease, which rapidly destroys the cornea, but also on host-derived enzymes which are capable of degrading both collagen and proteoglycans.


Localization of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity within the bovine photoreceptor cell. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was measured in the outer layers of the bovine retina by quantitative histochemical methods. The outer segment region contained the highest specific enzyme activity. Phosphodiesterase activity with different kinetic properties was also observed in the outer plexiform layer.


"Planned" management of squamous cell carcinoma of the mandibular oropharynx. The term "planned," where management of squamous cell carcinoma of the mandibular oropharynx is concerned, has been put into proper perspective with several case examples in order to clarify its relationship to the pathophysiology of the disease and the anticipated morbidity involved in its cure.


Growth characteristics of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) virus in monkey kidney cells. II. Temperature sensitivity of the isolates obtained at various epidemic areas. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) virus strains isolated in eight different areas during epidemics of AHC were tested for the reproductive capacity at 33, 37 and 39 degrees. All of the 25 strains tested grew better at 33 degrees but restrictively at 39 degrees. The degree of temperature sensitivity varied slightly from one strain to the other, but generally exceeded that of attenuated poliovirus type 1, strain LSc2ab. Temperature-resistant clones were selected by repeated passages of originally temperature-sensitive prototype strains at supraoptimal temperature. The importance of using a low temperature (32-34 degrees) for isolation of virus from external tissues of the body and for subsequent passages has been emphasized. It was suggested that the relatively low temperature of the conjunctiva has played a role in perpetuating temperature sensitivity of this virus.


The oncornavirus maturation process: quantitative correlation between morphological changes and conversion of genomic virion RNA. Avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) was harvested at different time intervals from chick leukemic myeloblasts, and the rate of the maturation process of AMV was estimated on the basis of morphological changes in the virions and conversion of genomic viral RNA. The change from immature virions characterized by the presence of an electronlucent center to the condensed mature form (with dense nucleoid) was accompanied by the conversion of 30-40S RNA to 60S RNA. Both processes were quantitatively defined, correlated, and found to proceed in parallel at the same speed. Early stages of maturation were characterized by a high turnover of immature to mature virions; 31-40% of the mature forms were found in 3.5-min virus harvests. The rate of this process decreased with time. The 17-hour harvests still revealed the presence of 10-15% of immature virions. The course of the maturation process is discussed.


DNA-binding proteins of cells infected by herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2. Proteins showing affinity for DNA in HSV-1-and HSV-2-infected cells were compared by DNA-cellulose chromatography and PAGE. The proteins observed depended on the type of virus used to infect the cell; however, several examples of analogous polypeptides were present in cells infected by both virus types. Proteins showing highest affinity for DNA-cellulose were similar in molecular size in cells infected by both virus types.


An ultrastructural study and model of membrane-intramitochondrial virus relationships. Intramitochondrial virions (IMV), in many respects structurally similar to 'C-type' viruses of higher organisms, are synthesized in close topographical association with inner mitochondrial membranes of the viper spleen cell line, VSW. Cristal membranes contribute to the formation of a trilaminar viral envelope, whereas the outer mitochondrial membrane does not appear to play any structural role in virion maturation. Two schematic models, correlated with electron microscopic images, are presented to depict: (a) the relative location of the particles within a three-dimensional view of the mitochondrion, and (b) the sequence of virion-mitochondrial membrane relationships during morphogenesis.


[Clinical diagnosis of frequent skin tumors]. Some clinical differential diagnostic aspects of frequent or otherwise important skin tumors and precancerous lesions, grouped after their gross nodular or ulcerated, papillomatous or flat appearances, are compiled.


Laboratory confirmation of an outbreak of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning. A foodborne outbreak in a group of eleven individuals sharing a common meal, eight of whom reported symptoms and an incubation period compatible with Clostridium perfringens food poisoning, was confirmed by the following laboratory criteria: (a) the C. perfringens count in the suspect food, chicken pie, was at least 10(5) per gram; (b) the median fecal C. perfringens spore count in convalescing patients was greater than 10(6) per gram: (c) an indentical serotype (PS63) was isolated from both the food and fecal specimens; and (d) the C. perfringens isolates from most of the patients (8 out of 10) were of the same serotype. The results confirm the usefulness of fecal spore counts and serotyping in implicating C perfringens in food poisoning outbreaks.


Pathology of experimentally induced polybrominated biphenyl toxicosis in pregnant heifers. Toxicosis was induced in pregnant Holstein-Friesian heifers by giving polybrominated biphenyls a in gelatin capsules at the rate of 25 g/day. Initially, this dosage was approximately 67 mg/kg of body weight. Clinical signs were anorexia, excessive lacrimation and salivation, diarrhea, emaciation, dehydration, depression, and abortion. Fever was not evident during the experiment. Values for serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, and bilirubin were increased. Changes in packed cell volume, hemoglobin content, total erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, and differential leukocyte counts were minimal and reflected dehydration and secondary infection. The principal urine changes were decreased specific gravity and moderate proteinuria. Gross necropsy findings included dehydration; subcutaneous emphysema and hemorrhage; atrophy of the thymus; fetal death with concomitant necrosis of cotyledons; kidneys that were enlarged, pale tan to gray; thickened wall of the gallbladder; inspissated bile; edema of abomasal folds; mucoid enteritis; linear hemorrhage and edema of the rectal mucosa; and secondary pneumonia. Microscopic changes were most marked in the kidneys, gallbladder, and eyelid. In the kidney, the principal changes were extreme dilatation of collecting ducts and convoluted tubules, with epithelial degenerative changes of cloudy swelling, hydropic degeneration, and separation from the basement membrane. Common changes in the gallbladder were moderate to marked hyperplasia and cystic dilatation of the mucous glands in the lamina propria. The changes in the eyelids were characterized by hyperkeratosis, with accumulations of keratin in hair follicles of the epidermis and squamous metaplasia with keratin cysts in the tarsal glands. Clinical signs and lesions of toxicosis did not develop in heifers given the polybrominated biphenyls at the rate of 0.25 mg and 250 mg/day for 60 days. Initially these rates were approximately 0.00065 mg/kg and 0.65 mg/kg of body weight, respectively.


Histochemical observations on chicken blood and bone marrow cells. The distribution of lipid, glycogen, peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase has been studied in the cells of blood and bone marrow smears from young chickens. Chicken heterophil granules react differently from those of mammalian neutrophils. A strongly positive peroxidase reaction was given by developing erythrocytes in chickens, unlike mammals. The significance of these species differences is not yet clear.


Mode of action of bredinin with guanylic acid on L5178Y mouse leukemia cells. Moderate concentrations of bredinin (1.2 X 10(-5) M) strongly inhibited growth of L5178Y cells, with the effect being reversed by guanylic acid (GMP). However, at higher concentrations of breeding the inhibition was not reversed completely by GMP added in excess. Bredinin was cytocidal at concentrations above 2 X 10(-5) M, but 5 X 10(-5) M bredinin in the presence of excess GMP, bredinin was cytostatic. Bredinin inhibited nucleic acid synthesis of L5178Y cells, but bredinin itself was not incorporated into the nucleic acid. Inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis was clearly reversed by GMP. Similarly chromosomal aberrations in L5178Y cells caused by bredinin were reversed by GMP. In contrast, the effect of ahigh concentration of bredinin on cell multiplication was not reversed by GMP. The modal volume of L5178Y cells increased during incubation in the presence of bredinin and GMP for 24 hours, 5 X 10(-5) M bredinin with GMP causing a 70% increase in cell volume. This increase in cell volume was mainly due to an increase in the protein content of the cells. The cytostatic effect of bredinin with GMP was reversed completely by adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Other cyclic nucleotides and nucleotides were ineffective. The reversing effect of cyclic AMP on cell survival depended upon the concentration of GMP, and was not seen in the absence of GMP. It was concluded that cyclic AMP influences the secondary cytostatic effect of bredinin, and not the primary cytotoxic effect reversed by GMP.


Corticotroph cells in primary cultures of rat adenohypophysis: a light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical study. Monolayer cultures of trypsin-dispersed cells of the rat adenohypophysis were grown for 5 to 54 days. ACTH was localized by immunocytochemistry using an antiserum to synthetic ACTH1-28 prepared in rabbit and sheep anti-goat immunoglobulin coupled with peroxidase. ACTH content of the culture medium was measured by radioimmunoassay. Corttion time. The corticotrophs retained their essential morphological characteristics. Immunological staining was found in the secretory granules, some tubular or saccular structures, parts of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the cytoplasmic matrix. Immature secretory granules in the Golgi apparatus as well as some Golgi elements showed different degrees of immunoreactivity. In agreement with the high ACTH content of the culture medium the number, size and shape of the secretory granules, the active Golgi apparatus, the high amount of extragranular ACTH as well as pictures suggesting granule extrusion claim for a high ACTH synthesis and transport (and low ACTH storage) in the cultured corticotrophs.


Variations in evaporation and body temperatures during sleep in man. The thermal balance in man was investigated during nocturnal sleep in neutral and warm environments (from 32 to 39.5 degrees C, 45%rh). Changes of body temperatures and skin evaporation were continuously monitored throughout the whole night. In neutral conditions (32 and 34 degrees C) body temperature and skin evaporation decreased during the night, following the circadian rhythm deltaT sk = -0.34 degrees C; deltaT re = -0.52 degrees C;deltaE = -12 W-m-2. In warm conditions, body temperatures and evaporation remained steady. Marked fluctuations of body temperatures and evaporation occurred synchronously with the rapid eye movement (REM) periods. Each REM period induced phasic increase of Tsk reaching +2 degrees C in some cases, with a cessation of evaporation. Tre showed upward and downward rhythmical waves synchronously with REM sleep occurrence. The nocturnal variations of thermal balance were characterized by two rhythms: a basal circadian rhythm and superimposed on it a rhythm conditioned by occurrence of REM sleep every 80-90 min. The phasic changes of body temperatures and evaporation only appeared with REM's. The results suggest that the nervous integrative function conditioning the patterns of sleep, conditions also the phasic cyclic changes of thermoregulatory function.


Influence of fasting on the lung.

Influence of fasting on the lung. We examined the following in fed rats and in rats fasted for 72 h: 1) the dipalmitoyl lecithin (DPL) content of lung lavage fluid and of the remaining lung tissue, 2) descending air and saline pressure-volume curves of excised lungs, and 3) the volume density of granular pneumocyte lamellar bodies. Lung tissue DPL was decreased by 27% and lavage DPL was decreased by 40% in lungs of fasted rats. The decreased lung DPL content was associated with a 20% decrease in the volume density of lamellar bodies of granular pneumocytes. In spite of the decrease in lavage DPL content, air pressure-volume curves of excised lungs were the same as curves of lungs of fed rats. Saline pressure-volume curves of excised lungs were also the same in fed and fasted rats. The amount of lavage DPL obtained from both fed (1.1 +/- 0.1 mg, n=6) and fasted (0.7 +/- 0.1 mg, n=7) rats exceeded the theoretical minimum amount of DPL (0.5 mg) required for a monomolecular film to cover the alveolar surface of the rat at functional residual capacity. If we assume that lavage DPL represents mainly DPL lining the alveolus (surface film and hypophase) the data suggest that there is an alveolar reserve of DPL above that amount needed to maintain normal alveolar stability.


Chelate extraction and flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of nanogram amounts of manganese in blood and animal tissue. A method for the determination of manganese in blood and animal tissue has been developed involving wet digestion of the sample by perchloric and nitric acids, complexing with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, and extracting with methyl isobutyl ketone at pH 6.7. The methyl isobutyl ketone is removed, and the residue is dissolved in 0.05N HCl in acetone-water (9 + 1) and is aspirated into an air-acetylene flame of an atomic absorption spectrometer. The limit of detectability is about 10 ng Mn/ml in the solution aspirated or 2 ng Mn/ml in bovine blood for a 20 ml sample.


Effect of guanosine 3' : 5'-monophosphate on glucose oxidation and epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis in isolated rat epididymal fat cells. The guanosine 3': 5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) level in isolated rat epididymal fat cells increased more than doubled 10 min after addition to the cells of carbamylcholine (10(-6) M) in the presence or absence of epinephrine (5 X 10(-7) M). Addition of carbamylcholine, cyclic GMP or dibutyryl cyclic GMP (10(-9) to 10(-5) M) did not affect glucose oxidation or epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis of the cells. No significant change in the cyclic GMP level was detected 2 min or 10 min after addition of insulin (1 mU/ml) to the cells, when glucose oxidation was stimulated and lipolysis induced by epinephrine was inhibited. These results indicate that the transient increase in the cyclic GMP level in the cells on treatment with carbamylcholine is not sufficient for expression of the effects of insulin.


High affinity binders for cyclic adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate on plasma membranes isolated from rat liver and ascites hepatomas. Plasma membranes from rat liver were found to contain at least two types of specific binding sites for cyclic [3H] adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (c[3H]AMP) with apparent dissociation constants of 0.51 +/- 0.14 and 2.9 +/- 0.6 nM (O degrees), respectively. The levels of these binding sites in liver plasma membranes were about 0.60 +/- 0.20 and 1.3 +/- 0.5 pmole/mg protein. The highest affinity binders for c[3H]AMP were found to be reduced in amount in plasma membranes of ascites hepatomas to 1/3 to 1/4 as compared with liver membranes in the cases of AH-130 and AH-7974 and to an almost undetectable level in the case of AH-130F(N). No difference in the endogenous phosphorylation of plasma membranes by (gamma-32P])ATP was, however, detected among liver and hepatoma plasma membranes. Addition of cAMP or cGMP at various concentrations did not affect the endogenous phosphorylation of plasma membranes of these cells.


Phosphorylation of rabbit and human erythrocyte membranes by soluble adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent and -independent protein kinases. Previous reports from this laboratory and others have established that both the rabbit and human erythrocyte membranes contain multiple protein kinase and phosphate acceptor activities. We now report that these membranes also contain phosphoryl acceptor sites for the soluble cyclic AMP-dependent and -independent protein kinases from rabbit erythrocytes. The rabbit erythrocyte membrane, which does not contain a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, has at least four polypeptides (Bands 2.1, 2.3, 4.5, and 4.8) which are phosphorylated in the presence of the soluble cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases I, IIa, and IIb isolated from rabbit erythrocyte lysates. The resulting phosphoprotein profile is very similar to that obtained for the cyclic AMP-mediated autophosphorylation of human erythrocyte membranes. The activities of the soluble cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases toward the membranes have been studied at several pH values. Although the substrate specificity of the three kinases is similar, polypeptide 2.3 appears to be phosphorylated to a greater extent by kinase IIa than by I or IIb. This occurs at all pH values  studied. Also apparent is that the pH profile for membrane phosphorylation is different from that of histone phosphorylation. The phosphorylation of membrane proteins can also be catalyzed by the soluble erythrocyte casein kinases. These enzymes are not regulated by cyclic nucleotides and can use either ATP or GTP as their phosphoryl donor. Polypeptides 2.1, 2.9, 4.1, 4.5, 4.8, and 5 of both human and rabbit erythrocyte membranes are phosphorylated in the presence of GTP and the casein kinases. This reaction is optimal at pH 7.5. Experiments were performed to determine whether the phosphorylation of the membranes by the soluble and membrane-bound kinases is additive or exclusive. Our results indicate that after maximal autophosphorylation of the erythrocyte membranes, phosphoryl acceptor sites are available to the soluble cyclic AMP-dependent and -independent protein kinases. Furthermore, after maximal phosphorylation of the membranes with one type of soluble kinase, further 32P incorporation can occur as a result of exposure to the other type of soluble kinase.


Significance of multiple forms of brain monoamine oxidase in situ as probed by electron spin resonance. Spin-labeled hydroxyamphetamine, a competitive reversible inhibitor of brain monoamine oxidase, has been shown to be useful as an electron spin resonance (ESR) probe of the microenvironment of the active sites of the possible monoamine oxidase multiple forms. The ESR spectrum of spin-labeled hydroxyamphetamine was strongly quenched upon binding to the enzyme. The conformation of the active site of rat brain monoamine oxidase existing in various physical states, i.e. monoamine oxidase in situ (intact brain mitochondria), crude solubilized monoamine oxidase (MAOS) and isolated monoamine oxidase fractions (MAOa and MAOb) were critically and systematically examined. Nonlinear least squares regression analyses have been used to fit the binding data (obtained at room temperature with varying spin-labeled hydroxyamphetamine concentrations) to three groups of independent noninteracting ligand-binding models. A Gibbs-Helmholtz relationship was applied to the interpretation of the measured apparent association constant K as a function of temperature ranging from 4-50 degrees with increments of 2 degreesmfrom the extracted intensive parameters, k (intrinsic association constant) and deltaF (intrinsic free energy), as well as the apparent heat, deltaH, it was clear that the microenvironment of the binding sites existing in the more purified enzyme fractions MAOa and MAOb were similar to those found in the crude solubilized enzyme. More importantly, they correlated well with the conformation of the sites characterized in situ. The data suggested that the microenvironment of this multienzyme system was unperturbed in spite of the treatment due to the isolation process. In terms of the composition of binding sites, MAOa appeared to be heterogeneous while MAOb appeared to be more homogeneous. Since the isolated fractions MAOa and MAOb possessed marked different substrate specificities, these observations directly implied that monoamine oxidase multiple forms do exist in situ. The extracted extensive parameters, n (specific binding activity, nanomoles/mg of protein), as well as the measured characteristic transition temperatures, indicated that the relative abundance of the sites which directly affected substrate specificities was indeed altered. The consistency of the characteristic transition temperatures of 21 degrees and 38 degrees for the case of intact membrane preparations was particularly significant. A tenable hypothesis is that the manipulation in the composition of the monoamine oxidase binding forms through intimate lipid-protein interactions, which has been amply demonstrated in many biomembrane systems to be functionally important might be the underlying regulatory mechanism in vivo.


Measurement of superhelix densities in buoyant dye/CsCl. The use of a standard other than native SV40 DNA. The dye-induced separation between closed and open duplex DNAs in buoyant CsCl is determined primarily by the superhelix density of the closed DNA, provided that all other experimental variables (such as the solution density and dye concentration) are held constant. The extent of the buoyant separation may be used to estimate the superhelix density of an uncharacterized closed DNA, by comparison with the corresponding separation with native SV40 DNAs under identical conditions. We present here an extension of these quantitative relationships to permit the use of an arbitrarily selected closed duplex DNA of known superhelix density, with the accompanying open form, as a reference. The general result is that the ratio of buoyant separations for any two closed/open DNA pairs remains a linear function of the difference in superhelix densities between the closed DNAs. The value of the proportionality constant depends, however, upon the magnitude of the superhelix density of the closed DNA selected as reference.


Nucleotide sequence of a fragment of SV40 DNA that contains the origin of DNA replication and specifies the 5' ends of "early" and "late" viral RNA. III. Construction of the total sequence of EcoRII-G fragment of SV40 DNA. Limited T1 RNase digestion of subfragments of the SV40 DNA restriction endonuclease fragment EcoRII-G were prepared and analyzed. The fragments were separately labeled with 32P at their 5' terminus and the terminal sequences analyzed with limited snake venom diesterase digestion. The data permitted us to deduce the nucleotide sequence for EcoRII-G. The sequence contains a stretch of 17 A-T base pairs preceding the DNA complementary to the 5' end of "early" message RNA, a stretch of 27 bases with a perfect 2-fold rotational symmetry near the origin of DNA replication and a perfect tandem repeat of 21 nucleotides.


Nucleotide sequence of a fragment of SV40 DNA that contains the origin of DNA replication and specifies the 5' ends of "early" and "late" viral RNA. IV. Localization of the SV40 DNA complementary to the 5' ends of viral mRNA. Cytoplasmic mRNA isolated from cells infected with SV40 was isolated by passage over oligo(dT)-cellulose columns. This RNA was annealed to SV40 DNA fragments produced by cleavage with EcoRII endonuclease. The RNA resistant to RNase digestion was analyzed by digestion with ribonucleases and oligonucleotide mapping. The results were compared with oligonucleotides from in vitro transcripts of the fragments and with whole genome SV40 cRNA which had been fractionated by hybridization to the fragments. The 5' ends of "early" and the large "late" SV40 mRNA, transcribed from opposite DNA strands, overlap for a region of 60 to 100 nucleotides. The region of overlap includes a portion of the segment of DNA containing the origin of DNA replication.


Chain equivalence in reaction of nitric oxide with hemoglobin. Mixtures of nitric oxide and hemoglobin were prepared in a rapid freeze apparatus and analyzed by EPR spectroscopy. Spectra from samples at various degrees of saturation showed that the two subunits bound NO at equal rates. Identical results were observed in 0.1 M phosphate at pH 6.5 and 0.1 M 2,2'-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2',2''-nitrilotriethanol, 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.0, both in the presence and absence of inositol hexaphosphate at either buffer condition. At subsaturating levels of NO (less than 60%), or at all levels of saturation in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate, it was found that the EPR spectrum of nitrosylhemoglobin varied with the length of time before freezing. This change was characterized by the development of a hyperfine structure at g = 2.01 which appeared with a half-time of approximately 0.4 s. Maxwell and Caughey (Maxwell, J. C., and Caughey, W. S. (1976) Biochemistry 15, 388-395) have attributed this three-line EPR hyperfine structure to the formation of a pentacoordinate ferroheme-NO complex. Corresponding slow changes were observed in the visible absorption spectrum following the binding of low levels of NO to deoxyhemoglobin or inositol hexaphosphate to fully saturated nitrosylhemoglobin. Thus it appears that NO binding to the alpha and beta subunits of deoxyhemoglobin takes place at equal rates and, under conditions favoring the T quaternary state (low saturation, presence of inositol hexaphosphate), a further slow structural change takes place, resulting in the cleavage of the iron--proximal histidine bond.


Purification of a Ca2+-activatable cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from bovine heart by specific interaction with its Ca2+-dependent modulator protein. A Ca2+-activatable cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from bovine heart can be eluted from a DEAE-cellulose column either in the free form by buffers containing 0.1 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N-N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) or as a complex of the enzyme with its protein modulator by buffers containing 0.01 mM CaCl2. A purification procedure based primarily on the significantly different affinity of the two forms of the enzyme for DEAE-cellulose was developed for the purification of the enzyme from bovine heart. The procedure involves ammonium sulfate fractionation, three chromatographic steps on DEAE-cellulose, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 with a 5000-fold purification over the crude extract. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of 120 mumol of cAMP/mg/min, can be activated 5-fold by Ca2+, but is only 80% pure as judged by analytical disc gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme is unstable but can be stabilized by addition of Ca2+ and the protein modulator; this is in contrast to the less pure preparations of Ca2+-activatable phosphodiesterase which are destabilized by the protein modulator in the presence of Ca2+.


Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-mediated insulin secretion and ribosomal protein phosphorylation in a hamster islet cell tumor. In order to understand the mechanism by which cyclic 3':5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) regulates insulin secretion, cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation was studied in a transplantable hamster islet cell tumor. Single cell suspensions prepared by enzymatic digestion of the tumors released insulin into the incubation media. Glucagon (3 nM to 3 muM) stimulated cellular cAMP accumulation and insulin release in a dose-dependent manner and these effects were enhanced by 1 mM theophylline. 8-Bromoadenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (8Br-cAMP) (1 mM) increased insulin  release. Somatostatin (10 mug/ml) inhibited basal and glucagon or 8Br-cAMP-stimulated insulin release without significantly lowering cellular cAMP in glucagon-stimulated cells. For analysis of phosphoproteins, cells were incubated with carrier-free 32Pi following which lysates were prepared and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate slab gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Of the numerous 32P-labeled protein bands found, only one (P1, Mr = 28,000) displayed a significant increase in 32P incorporation when cells were incubated under conditions that raise the concentration of cellular cAMP. Somatostatin did not affect 32P incorporation into P1 or any other protein band. When cells were incubated with glucagon, an increase in cellular cAMP was evident after 1 min, enhanced 32P incorporation into P1 after 1 to 5 min, and stimulation of insulin release after 5 to 10 min. Analysis of subcellular fractions led to the designation of P1 as a 40 S ribosomal protein. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of 32P-labeled basic ribosomal proteins showed two labeled proteins, P1 and P2, both of which were localized to the 40 S ribosomal subunit. Only phosphorylation of P1 was stimulated by cAMP. The cAMP-dependent ribosomal phosphoprotein, P1, may be identical with a ribosomal phosphoprotein demonstrated in a variety of tissues and species. Its physiological role remains to be established.


Cytochrome c turnover in rat skeletal muscles. Exercise induces an increase in cytochrome c concentration in skeletal muscle. This adaptation provides an approach to studying the turnover of cytochrome c that avoids the problem of reutilization encountered with isotopic tracers. The half-life of cytochrome c was estimated from the time course of the increase in its concentration to a new, higher, steady state level in response to exercise training, and from the decrease in cytochrome c after cessation of exercise. The half-time of the increase in cytochrome c concentration was approximately 6 days, while the half-time of the decrease was 7 to 8 days in the fast red and slow red types of muscle. The finding that the half-times of the increase and of the decrease in cytochrome c concentration are similar provides evidence that the exercise-induced increase in cytochrome c is due to an increase in its rate of synthesis. These half-times are much shorter than those obtained with isotopic tracers. It had been thought that the heme precursor delta-aminolevulinate is not reutilized. However, the half-time of the decrease in radioactivity of cytochrome c labeled with delta-aminol[14C]levulinate was 45 days, and increased to 60 days in response to exercise, in fast red muscle. The half-time of the decrease in radioactivity of cytochrome c labeled with [(3H)]leucine in gastrocnemius muscle was shorter than with delta-amino[14C]levulinate (18 days compared to 38 days). These results indicate that when delta-amino(14C)levulinate is used to label heme, reutilization is a serious problem in skeletal muscle.


Phosphorylation in membranes of intact human erythrocytes. Studies of phosphorylation in membranes of intact human erythrocytes were performed by incubating erythrocytes in inorganic [32P]phosphate. Analysis of membrane proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a pattern of phosphorylation similar to that observed when ghost membranes were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP. Membrane lipid phosphorylation was also similar in intact cells and ghosts. The most heavily phosphorylated lipid, polyphosphoinositide, was closely associated with glycophorin A, the major erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoprotein obtained when the sialoglycoprotein fraction was isolated by the lithium diiodosalicylate-phenol partition procedure. Only 1 molecule of glycophorin A out of every 100 was found to be phosphorylated, and the phosphate exchange occurred specifically in the COOH-terminal intracellular portion of glycophorin A. These studies show that the human erythrocyte can be used as a model for membrane phosphorylation in an intact cell system.


Effects of beta subunit acylation on lutropin receptor site binding. The effects of various modifications on the beta subunit of lutropin have been studied using the binding characteristics of the reconstituted hormone in the rat testicular radioligand assay. Conditions for iodinating lutropin and lutropin derivatives were determined which resulted in 15 per cent specific binding when tested immediately and retention of 6 to 7 per cent specific binding even after storage for 6 months. Acetimidinyl, acetyl, and carbamyl derivatives of the beta subunit were prepared and combined with unmodified alpha subunit to form reconstituted lutropin. Modification of the beta subunit was shown to have no effect on the time course of binding to testicular receptors or, with one exception, on the extent of receptor saturation. Very high concentrations of lutropin reconstituted with acetylated beta subunit showed an anomalous binding behavior. Scatchard plots of the binding data support the view that the native hormone has a unique receptor affinity which is irreversibly disrupted by separation of subunits and that derivatization of the beta subunit does not alter this parameter further. These data also suggest that there are no significant differences in the amino groups modified on the beta subunit. Competition and preincubation tests for receptor sites that reacted only with modified lutropin and not with the native hormone were negative.


Activation of protein kinase and glycogen phosphorylase in isolated rat liver cells by glucagon and catecholamines. In liver cells isolated from fed female rats, glucagon (290nM) increased adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) content and decreased cyclic AMP binding 30 s after addition of hormones. Both returned to control values after 10 min. Glucagon also stimulated cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activity at 30 s and decreased protein kinase activity assayed in the presence of 2 muM cyclic AMP at 1 min. Glucagon increased the levels of glycogen phosphorylase a, but there was no change in total glycogen phosphorylase activity. Glucagon increased glycogen phosphorylase a at concentrations considerably less than those required to affect cyclic AMP and protein kinase. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 1-methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine, potentiated the action of glucagon on all variables, but did not increase the maximuM activation of glycogen phosphorylase. Epinephrine (1muM) decreased cyclic AMP binding and increased glycogen phosphorylase a after a 1-min incubation with cells. Although 0.1 muM epinephrine stimulated phosphorylase a, a concentration of 10 muM was required to increase protein kinase activity. 1-Methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine (0.1 mM) potentiated the action of epinephrine on cyclic AMP and protein kinase. (-)-Propranolol (10muM) completely abolished the changes in cyclic AMP binding and protein kinase due to epinephrine (1muM) in the presence of 0.1mM 1-methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine, yet inhibited the increase in phosphorylase a by only 14 per cent. Phenylephrine (0.1muM) increased glycogen phosphorylase a, although concentrations as great as 10 muM failed to affect cyclic AMP binding or protein kinase in the absence of phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Isoproterenol (0.1muM) stimulated phosphorylase and decreased cyclic AMP binding, but only a concentration of 10muM increased protein kinase. 1-Methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine potentiated the action of isoproterenol on cyclic AMP binding and protein kinase, and propranolol reduced the augmentation of glucose release and glycogen phosphorylase activity due to isoproterenol. These data indicate that both alpha- and beta-adrenergic agents are capable of stimulating glycogenolysis and glycogen phosphorylase a in isolated rat liver cells. Low concentrations of glucagon and beta-adrenergic agonists stimulate glycogen phosphorylase without any detectable increase in cyclic AMP or protein kinase activity. The effects of alpha-adrenergic agents appear to be completely independent of changes in cyclic AMP protein kinase activity.


Nature of the free radical in ribonucleotide reductase from Escherichia coli. Ribonucleotide reductase from Escherichia coli consists of two nonidentical subunits, proteins B1 and B2. The active site of the enzyme is made up from both subunits. Protein B2 contributes inter alia an organic free radical which gives a characteristic EPR signal. This radical was now located by isotope substitution experiments to the beta position of a tyrosine residue. The EPR spectrum of protein B2 from bacteria grown in a completely deuterated medium was drastically changed. The change was reversed by the addition of other protonated amino acids. The involvement in radical formation of the beta position of tyrosine was demonstrated from EPR spectra of protein B2 from bacteria grown in the presence of specifically deuterated tyrosine.


Studies on cobalt myoglobins and hemoglobins. Preparation of isolated chains containing cobaltous protoporphyrin IX and characterization of their equilibrium and kinetic properties of oxygenation and EPR spectra. Human hemoglobin containing cobalt protoporphyrin IX or cobalt hemoglobin has been separated into two functionally active alpha and beta subunits using a new method of subunit separation, in which the -SH groups of the isolated subunits were successfully regenerated by treatment with dithiothreitol in the presence of catalase. Oxygen equilibria of the isolated subunit chains were examined over a wide range of temperature using Imai's polarographic method (Imai, K., Morimoto, H., Kotani, M., Watari, H., and Kuroda, M. (1970) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 200, 189-196). Kinetic properties of their reversible oxygenation were investigated by the temperature jump relaxation method at 16 degrees. Electron paramagnetic resonance characteristics of the molecules in both deoxy and oxy states were studies at 77K. The oxygen affinity of the individual regenerated chains was higher than that of the tetrameric cobalt hemoglobin and was independent of pH. The enthalpy changes of the oxygenation have been determined as -13.8 kcal/mol and -16.8 kcal/mol for the alpha and beta chains, respectively. The rates of oxygenation were similar to those reported for iron hemoglobin chains, whereas those of deoxygenation were about 10(2) times larger. The effects of metal substitution on oxygenation properties of the isolated chains were correlated with the results obtained previously on cobalt hemoglobin and cobalt myoglobin. The EPR spectrum of the oxy alpha chain showed a distinctly narrowed hyperfine structure in comparison with that of the oxy beta chain, indicating that the environment around the paramagnetic center (the bound oxygen) is different between these chains. In the deoxy form, EPR spectra of alpha and beta chains were indistinguishable. These observations suggest that one of the inequivalences between alpha and beta chains might exist near the distal histidine group.


Effect of Mg2+ concentration on the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-catalyzed activation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. Phosphorylase kinase was found to be activated and phosphorylated at 10mM Mg2+ by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-catalyzed reaction ot much higher levels than observed previously when reactions were carried out in 1 to 2 mM Mg2+ (Cohen, P. (1973) Eur. J. Biochem. 34, 1; Hayakawa, T., Perkin, J.P., and Krebs, E.G. (1973) Biochemistry 12, 574). That the reaction at 10 mM Mg2+ is protein kinase-catalyzed is supported by several observations: (a) the reaction is facilitated by the addition of protein kinase; (b) the reaction depends on cAMP when protein kinase holoenzyme is uded; (c) the reaction is not inhibited by 1 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N'-tetraacetate which is known to inhibit autoactivation and autophosphorylation of phosphorylase kinase; and (d) the protein inhibitor of protein kinase inhibits this reaction. The phosphorylation and activation of phosphorylase kinase seem to occur in two phases. At low Mg2+ only the first phase is manifested and involves the incorporation of 2 mol of phosphate, 1 mol into each of Subunits A and B. At high Mg2+ additional sites are phosphorylated almost exclusively on Subunit A, with phosphate incorporation approaching the final level of 7 to 9 mol. Enzyme activity at high Mg2+ is 2 to 3 times higher than that observed when activation is studied at low Mg2+. The observation that both casein and type II histone are phosphorylated to the same extent at 1 mM and 10 mM Mg2+ suggested that high Mg2+ may be altering the conformation of phosphorylase kinase thus rendering more phosphorylation sites accessible to protein kinase. Since the phosphorylation of phosphorylase kinase by either the protein kinase-catalyzed or autocatalytic reaction can result in the incorporation of 7 to 9 mol of phosphate, the finding that only about seven sites become phosphorylated by both mechanisms acting together suggest that activation by these two mechanisms may involve common phosphorylation sites.


Increase in level of functional messenger RNA coding for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) during induction by cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. The administration of N6, O2'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline to fasted-refed rats produces an 8-fold stimulation of the relative rate of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis in 90 min, as measured by isotopic immunochemical techniques in vivo. The mechanism of this induction was studied first by using a homologous, noninitiating cell-free protein-synthesizing system derived from the liver of fasted-refed, cyclic AMP-treated rats. In such a system, a 5-fold increase in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase synthseis is observed at 20 min post-treatment and a 9-fold stimulation at 75 min, indicating a rapid increase in the number of ribosomes engaged in the translation of the enzyme mRNA after exposure to cyclic AMP. The level of functional mRNA coding for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was then assayed in a wheat germ protein-synthesizing system capable of using rat liver mRNA as template. The template activity for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis is greatly increased in the poly(A)-containing RNA isolated from cyclic AMP-induced animals. Both the increase in the capacity of the liver extract for in vitro phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis and the emergence of enzyme mRNA detected in the wheat germ assay are completely prevented by a pretreatment with cordycepin at doses which inhibit the appearance in the cytoplasm of newly synthesized poly(A)-containing RNA. These data demonstrate that the induction of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase by cyclic AMP is characterized by the rapid build-up of newly synthesized, actively translated mRNA coding for the enzyme. The messenger accumulation could be due to an increase in the rate of its production or a decrease in the rate of its degradation.


An adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-adenosine binding protein from mouse liver. A cyclic AMP-adenosine binding protein from mouse liver has been purified to apparent homogeneity as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence and presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and by analytical ultracentrifugation. The binding protein had a Stokes radium of 48 A based on gel chromatography. Both the purified binding protein and the binding activity in fresh cytosol sedimented as 9 S on sucrose gradient centrifugation. The homogeneous protein had a sedimentation coefficient (S20, w) of 8.8 x 10-13 s, as calculated from sedimentation velocity experiments. By use of the Stokes radius and S20, w', the molecular weight was calculated to be 180,000. The protein was composed of polypeptides having the same molecular weight of 45,000 as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and thus appeared to consist of four subunits of equal size. The isoelectric point, pI = 5.7. The binding capacity for cyclic AMP increased by preincubating the receptor protein in the presence of Mg2+ ATP. This process, tentatively termed activation, was studied in some detail and was shown not be be be accompanied by dissociation, aggregation, or phosphorylation of the binding protein. Cyclic AMP was bound to the protein with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 1.5 x 10-7 M. The binding of cyclic AMP was competitively inhibited by adenosine, AMP, ADP, and ATP whose inhibition constants were 8 x 10-7 M, 1.2X 10-6 M, 1.5 X 10-6 M, and higher than 5 x 10-6 M respectively. A hyperbolic Scatchard plot was obtained for the binding of adenosine to the activated binding protein, indicating more than one site for adenosine. The binding of adenosine to the site with the highest affinity (Kd=2 x 10-7 M) for this nucleoside was not suppressed by excess cyclic AMP and was thus different from the aforementioned cyclic AMP binding site. Cyclic GMP, GMP, guanosine, cyclic IMP, IMP, and inosine did not inhibit the binding of either cyclic AMP or adenosine. The binding protein had no cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, adenosine deaminase, phosphofructokinase, or protein kinase activities, nor does it inhibit the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.


Activation of steroidogenesis and adenylate cyclase by adenosine in adrenal and Leydig tumor cells. Steroidogenesis by Y-1 adrenal tumor cells in culture is stimulated by ATP, adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (App(NH)), adenosine 5'(beta, alpha-methylene)triphosphate (App(CH2)p), ADP, AMP, NAD, FAD, and adenosine but not by adenine or other nucleoside triphosphates. ATP, App(NH)p, App(CH2)p, and adenosine are active in the micromolar range. Like adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the onset of stimulation is immediate and occurs to the same extent. Also active are 2'- and 5'-deoxyadenosine and 2-chloroadenosine whereas adenine xyloside, L-riboside, or arabinoside have very low activity. Stimulation is accompanied by rounding of the cells. Dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine transport, increased the response to low concentrations of adenosine, suggesting that adenosine acts externally. Stimulation of steroidogenesis by adenosine or phosphorylated adenosine compounds fails to occur in the presence of crystalline adenosine deaminase, and the effect of the enzyme on adenosine, ATP, or NAD stimulation is reversed by the competitive inhibitor erythro-9-[3-(nonane-2-ol)]adenine. This suggests that the enzyme acts specifically on adenosine and a requirement for the conversion of the above compounds to adenosine seems probable. The inhibition of cAMP effects by adenosine deaminase suggests that some of its effects are also mediated by conversion to adenosine. Similar stimulation is seen in I-10 Leydig tumor cells, but an ACTH-resistant mutant of Y-1 cells, called OS-3, is relatively resistant to adenosine. Adenosine and 2-chloroadenosine stimulate adenylate cyclase in membranes from Y-1 and I-10 cells at concentrations slightly greater than are effective for steroidogenesis. Other nucleosides are ineffective. Like the NH2-terminal 24 residues of adrenocorticotropic hormone (1-24 ACTH), the adenosine effect in Y-1 membranes is rapid and is on the Vmax intercept (versus ATP) and not on the Km. In contrast to steroidogenesis, adenosine is only a partial agonist for adenylate cyclase. It effect occurs in the presence of ITP, GTP, or guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p). Theophylline inhibits adenosine-stimulated steroidogenesis. Inhibition of adenylate cyclase occurs in the same concentration range but is of the mixed type.


Structure and interactions of lipids in human plasma low density lipoproteins. Temperature-dependent techniques (differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing microscopy, and x-ray scattering and diffraction techniques) were used to compare the properties of human plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) with its extracted lipid classes. Three types of thermal transitions were characterized: (a) a reversible transition in intact LDL near body temperature associated with a liquid crystalline order-disorder phase change of cholesterol esters within the particles; (b) an irreversible high temperature transition (approximately 70-90 degrees) associated with LDL denaturation and release of cholesterol esters from the disrupted particles; and (c) low temperature transitions related to liquid crystalline and crystalline phase changes in these released esters. The temperature of the reversible transition in intact LDL varies among individual donors. Correlation analysis shows that the temperature of this transition negatively correlates with the amount of triglyceride relative to cholesterol ester in LDL. Studies on mixtures of cholesterol esters and triglycerides isolated from LDL show a similar effect, increasing amounts of triglycerides decreasing the temperature of the liquid leads to smectic liquid crystalline transition of the isolated esters. Thus, the amount of triglyceride in LDL influences the fluidity of the cholesterol esters in LDL. The enthalpy of the reversible transition in intact LDL is 0.69 cal/g of LDL cholesterol ester. This compares with 0.89 cal/g for the liquid leads to liquid crystalline transition of the cholesterol esters released from denatured LDL and 1.01 cal/g for the same transition in the extracted esters. Unlike the cholesterol esters released from denatured LDL, or isolated LDL esters, cholesterol ester in the intact LDL particle does not crystallize. These findings suggest that the behavior of cholesterol esters in intact LDL is constrained relative to their behavior when freed from the restrictions of the particle. These results together with experiments on partitioning of the individual lipid classes of LDL allow us to define the distribution and interaction of lipids in the intact LDL particle.


Tuna cytochrome c at 2.0 A resolution. II. Ferrocytochrome structure analysis. The x-ray crystal structure analysis of tuna ferrocytochrome c has been extended from 2.45 to 2.0 A resolution. The overall folding is unchanged and is the same as has been reported for tuna ferricytochrome c (Swanson R., Trus, B.L., Mandel, N., Mandel, G., Kallai, O.B., and Dickerson, R.E. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 759-755). No significant structural differences are observed between oxidation states. Difference map studies using reoxidized crystals of ferrocytochrome c confirm the absence of a conformation change. A detailed analysis of hydrogen bonding shows the presence of six beta or 310 bends of type II with obligatory glycines in the 3rd residue position. This explains 6 of the 10 nearly invariant glycines in the molecule. Close packing contacts account for three more, and only the invariant glycine 1 remains a mystery.


Competence of soluble cell extracts as microtubule assembly systems. Comparison of simian virus 40 transformed and nontransformed mouse 3T3 fibroblasts. Soluble cell extracts from simian virus 40 transformed mouse 3T3 fibroblast cells (SV101) and nontransformed mouse BALB/c-3T3 cells were compared as microtubule assembly systems. Extracts from the transformant were found to be at least as competent for microtubule assembly under standard conditions as those from normal cells. This observation proves that the defects in cytoplasmic microtubule skeletons reported in the literature for various transformed cell lines are not due to the loss of integrity of the tubulin molecule itself, but rather to transformation-dependent changes in the regulatory mechanisms controlling in vivo microtubule assembly.


Adult-onset vitamin D-resistant hypophosphatemic osteomalacia. A possible variant of vitamin D-resistant rickets. A family of 133 members showing unusual manifestations of vitamin D-resistant hypophosphatemic osteomalacia was studied. The hypophosphatemic children did not have rickets or clinical femoral bowing: the hypophosphatemic young adults had minimum clinically evident femoral bowing; and the older adults (age forty and older) were progressively disabled by severe bowing. The disorder appears to be an X-linked dominant, with almost complete penetrance of the hypophosphatemic trait. The etiology of this disorder could not be determined.


Structural and biochemical aspects of cell motility in amebas of Dictyostelium discoideum. Amebas of Dictyostelium discoideum contain both microfilaments and microtubules. Microfilaments, found primarily in a cortical filament network, aggregate into bundles when glycerinated cells contract in response to Mg-ATP. These cortical filaments bind heavy meromyosin. Microtubules are sparse in amebas before aggregation. Colchicine, griseofulvin, or cold treatments do not affect cell motility or cell shape. Saltatory movement of cytoplasmic particles is inhibited by these treatments and the particles subsequently accumulate in the posterior of the cell. Cell motility rate changes as Dicytostelium amebas go through different stages of the life cycle. Quantitation of cellular actin by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows that the quantity of cellular actin changes during the life cycle. These changes in actin are directly correlated with changes in motility rate. Addition of cyclic AMP to Dictyostelium cultures at the end of the feeding stage prevents a decline in motility rate during the preaggregation stage. Cyclic AMP also modifies the change in actin content of the cells during preaggregation.


Dibutyryl cyclic AMP treatment of 3T3 and SV40 virus-transformed 3T3 cells in aggregates. Effects on mobility and cell contact ultrastructure. The random cell movement of BALB/c 3T3 and SV40 virus-transformed BALB/c 3T3 cells within homogeneous aggregates was studied by observing the degree of penetration of newly attached [3H]thymidine-labeled cells into the interior of the aggregates. The 3T3 cells penetrated into 3T3 aggregates an average of 0.89 cell diameter in 1.5 days, whereas the SV40-3T3 cells penetrated into SV40-3T3 aggregates an average of 3.20 cell diameters in the same time. Treatment of the aggregates with theophylline, theophylline plus prostaglandin E1, or theophylline plus dibutyryl cyclic AMP all decreased the penetration of the SV40-3T3 cells into SV40-3T3 aggregates (2.36, 1.22, and 0.79 cell diameters, respectively). The same treatments had little effect on 3T3 aggregates. The ultrastructure of 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells in aggregates was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The 3T3 cells in aggregates were surrounded by microvilli and lamellipodia which were in contact with neighboring cells, whereas SV40-3T3 cells were nearly devoid of microvilli and lamellipodia and made contact at broader, less regular surface undulations. Treatment with theophylline plus dibutyryl cyclic AMP resulted in the appearance of microvilli on SV40-3T3 cells and also appeared to increase the area of intercellular contacts in both 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells. These observations were supported for the surface cells of the aggregates by scanning electron microscopy.


Mitogen-stimulated glucose transport in thymocytes. Possible role of Ca++ and antagonism by adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. The plant lectin, concanavalin A (Con-A), and the ionophore, A-23187 (specific for divalent cations), stimulated glucose transport in rat thymocytes. Con-A stimulation developed more slowly and was somewhat less extensive than that of stimulation developed more slowly and was somewhat less extensive than that of A-23187. Both responses showed saturation dose dependencies. The two responses were poorly additive, suggesting that A-23187 may saturate regulatory processes shared by the two stimulatory mechanisms. Doses of methylisobutylxanthine (MIX) and prostaglandin E2 which raised adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) levels in these cells also antagonized the Con-A stimulation of glucose transport but did not inhibit basal glucose transport or the A-23187 stimulation. Dibutyryl-cAMP and 8-bromo-cAMP also natagonized Con-A stimulation without inhibiting basal glucose transport. MIX antagonized high Con-A doses about as strongly as it did low Con-A doses, suggesting that MIX did not compete in the Con-A binding step or other process saturable by Con-A. [3H-A1Con-A binding was not affected by MIX. The stimulatory effects of Con-A and A-23187 were reduced by reduction of Ca++ in the medium. Both Con-A and A-23187 enhanced 45Ca++ influx and cellular Ca++ content. The A-23187 dose, which was saturating for glucose transport stimulation, enhanced Ca++ influx and cellular Ca++ content more than did the Con-A dose which was saturating for glucose transport stimulation. The dose fo MIX which specifically antagonized Con-A stimulation of glucose transport proved also to reduce Ca++ influx and cellular Ca++ in the presence of Con-A but not in the presence of A-23187. Thus, glucose transport correlates rather well with cellular Ca++. These results are compatible with the view that Ca++ in a cellular compartment can promote glucose transport, the Con-A's enhancement of Ca++ entry contributes to its stimulation of glucose transport, and the MIX antagonized Con-A action at least partly by reducing Ca++ entry. The action of MIX is apparently mediated by cAMP.


The application of rapid kinetic techniques to the transport of thymidine and 3-O-Methylglucose into Mammalian cells in suspension culture. Techniques are described by which the transport of nutrients into mammalian cells in suspension can be measured at intervals of 1.5 seconds. By application of these techniques, the existence of a saturable (Km = 85 muM), non-concentrative, transport system for thymidine was demonstrated in Novikoff rat hepatoma cells depleted of ATP. At concentrations of thymidine less than the Km, this system operated at velocities sufficient to nearly completely equilibrate intra- and extra-cellular thymidine pools within 8 seconds. In phosphorylating cells, the transport system operated with similar rapidity, so that intracellular phosphorylation was rate-limiting for the incorporation of thymidine into nucleotides. Uptake of 3-O-methylglucose occurred at comparable velocities, attaining 90% of equilibrium between internal and external pools within 25 seconds. Uptake of cytosine by simple diffusion was 100 times slower.


Hormonal regulation of amino acid transport and gluconeogenesis in primary cultures of adult rat liver parenchymal cells. Amino acid transport was studied in primary cultures of parenchymal cells isolated from adult rat liver by a collagenase perfusion technique and maintained as a monolayer in a serum-free culture medium. These cells carried out gluconeogenesis from three carbon precursors (alanine, pyruvate, and lactate) in response to glucagon addition. Amino acid transport was assayed by measuring the uptake of the nonmetabolizable amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB). Addition of insulin or glucagon to culture rat liver parenchymal cells resulted in an increased influx of AIB transport. The glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, when added alone to cultures did not affect AIB transport. However, prior or simultaneous addition of dexamethasone to glucagon-treated cells caused a strong potentiation of the glucagon induction of AIB transport. Kinetic analysis of the effects of insulin and glucagon demonstrated that insulin increased the Vmax for transport without changing the Km while glucagon primarily decreased the Km for AIB transport. The effect of dexamethasone was to increase the Vmax of the low Km system.


Sodium: a regulator of glucose uptake in virus-transformed and nontransformed cells. Observations of cells transformed by the Bryan strain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV-BH) suggested that the intracellular concentrations of sodium ion (Na+) may play a critical role in cellular metabolism. In an attempt to manipulate intracellular Na+, chick embryo cells were exposed to graded concentrations of Na+ in the cellular growth medium, and the effects on capacity for glucose uptake was examined. After incubation for six hours, the incorporation rate of 2-deoxyglucose (used as a substitute for glucose) was proportional to the external Na+ concentration over the range, 100 mM to 200 mM. Cells transformed by RSV-BH were less responsive than nontransformed cells to differences in Na+ at low concentrations. The changes were specifically dependent upon Na+, since K+, Li+, or choline + were ineffective as substitutes, and increasing the ionic strength above that of 120 mM Na+ was effective only when Na+ was the added cation.


Derepression and carrier turnover: evidence for two distinct mechanisms of hexose transport regulation in animal cells. Hexose uptake by hamster cells was increased five to ten fold by either substituting D-fructose for glucose or by completely omitting D-glucose from the culture medium for 24 to 48 hours. Conversely, when cycloheximide was present for 24 hours in media containing glucose, up to 20-fold decreases in hexose uptake were observed. However, these decreases in uptake activity were only observed over a narrow range of cycloheximide concentrations. After extended exposure to low concentrations of cycloheximide (0.05 to 10 mug/ml), the uptake by the fed cells decreased parallel with inhibition of protein synthesis whereas at high concentrations (greater than 50 mug/ml) uptake was increased. Cells deprived of glucose and maintained in the presence of cycloheximide did not show decreases in uptake activity. In separate experiments the high uptake rates of glucose-starved cells could be decreased by addition of glucose-free medium. The reversal was complete in 6 to 8 hours. The analog of glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, did not promote the time-dependent decrease suggesting that the 6-phosphoester of glucose is not an inhibitor of transport. In addition, when cycloheximide is added at the same time as glucose, there is no decrease in uptake for at least 12 hours. We propose that turnover of components of hexose uptake systems could account for part of the control of hexose transport. Moreover, the results indicate that the turnover mechanism becomes inactive during glucose starvation and must be resynthetized following refeeding of the starved cells with glucose.


Glucose transport and metabolism in cultured cells of nervous tissue. The effect of the concentration of glucose in the medium on the intracellular concentrations of metabolites of C-6 astrocytoma cells and C-1300 neuroblastoma cells in culture has been investigated. The intracellular concentrations of glucose, glycogen, glucose 6-P and UDP-glucose were measured at intervals after feeding the cells. A rapid increase in glucose and glucose 6-P levels occurred when fresh medium containing 5.5 mM glucose was applied to the cells, followed by slower increases in UDP-glucose andglycogen. When the medium glucose was increased ten-fold, the intracellular concentration of glucose was increased, but the level of glucose 6-P, UDP=-glucose and glycogen were not altered, nor were the rates of accumulation. The addition of insulin to the medium resulted in an increase of intracellular glucose, glucose 6-P and glycogen. The transport of glucose into the cells is not the rate-limiting step of the regulation of metabolite levels in the cells.


Transport as a rate limiting step in glucose metabolism in virus-transformed cells: studies with cytochalasin B. Steady-state kinetic tracer analysis and two-dimensional chromatography and autoradiography were used to examine the relation of glucose transport to its metabolism in cultured chick embryo fibroblasts. Cytochalasin B was added to Rous sarcoma virus-infected cells to bring the rate of glucose uptake to the level of uninfected cells. It is concluded for chick cells in culture that: (1) the transport of glucose, rather than its phosphorylation, is the rate limiting step and (2) the difference in aerobic glycolysis between normal and virus-transformed cells at physiological glucose concentration may be a consequence  of the difference in the rates of glucose uptake.


Transport changes associated with growth control and malignant transformation. We can distinguish two classes of membrane transport changes in cultured cells: (a) growth-rate contingent changes are those which occur in coordination with the onset of density-dependent inhibition of growth; (b) transformation-specific changes are those which occur when cells become transformed, and which can be detected even when normal and transformed cells are growing at the same rate. Growth-rate contingent changes include the density-dependent changes in phosphate, nucleoside, glucose, amino acid, and potassium transport. Only one transformation-specific transport change has been found in Rous-transformed chicken embryo fibroblasts: an increased rate of hexose transport. The variation in potassium transport are associated with variations in the number of ouabain binding sites in the membrane. The molecular basis for changes in the rate of hexose transport is unknown, although gross changes in membrane bilayer composition and "fluidity" seem not to be involved. In analyzing the regulation of hexose transport activity, we find that decreased cAMP may play a role in the transformation-specific increase in hexose transport, but that fibrinolytic activity is not necessary.


Regulation of sugar transport in chick embryo fibroblasts and in fibroblasts transformed by a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Rous sarcoma virus. The mode of induction of sugar transport by serum-stimulation of growth and hexose-starvation in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) has been studied using metabolic inhibitors. We have concluded from these studies that the sugar transport increases induced by serum-stimulation are regulated by post-transcriptional mechanisms while sugar transport increases induced by hexose-starvation are regulated by a transcriptional mechanism. CEF infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of the Rous sarcoma virus. Ts68 and incubated at the nonpermissive temperature for transformation, 41 degrees, retain the capacity to regulate sugar transport in a manner similar to uninfected CEF. However, Ts68-infected CEF maintained at the permissive temperature for transformation, 37 degrees, have lost the ability to regulate sugar transport at the post-transcriptional and post-translational levels.


Loss of the post-translational control of nutrient transport in vitro and in vivo virus-transformed chicken cells. The removal of serum from the medium of uninfected fibroblasts decreased the rate of uptake of uridine, 2-deoxyglucose, alpha-aminoisobutyrate and thymidine. Its subsequent addition rapidly and reversibly stimulated the uptake of all the nutrients but thymidine and this response was not inhibited by treatment of the cells with cycloheximide. The cycloheximide insensitive, rapid increase in the rate of transport has been designated post-translational control. The nutrient transport systems in chick embryo fibroblasts transformed in vitro with avian sarcoma viruses and virus-induced cultured chicken tumor cells do not respond to serum removal or addition. Two possible levels for the control of nutrient transport, i.e., mitogen receptor occupancy and mitrogen-induced activation of the transport system, are presented to explain these observations.


Is glucose transport enhanced in virus-transformed mammalian cells? A dissenting view. Much of the literature on the uptake of glucose by untransformed and transformed animal cells is based on experiments carried out with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG). Results obtained with this analog can be ambiguous, since 2-DOG can be phosphorylated by hexokinases of animal cells. An intracellular trapping mechanism is thus provided. Therefore, the total flux of 2-DOG into the cell is a resultant of both transport and hexokinase action, and the measurement of total 2-DOG incorporation is a valid measurement of transport only if 2-DOG is phosphorylated as rapidly as it enters the cell. Evidence is presented here that this is not necessarily the case, significant levels of free intracellular 2-DOG approaching external concentrations were found in untransformed and transformed mouse 3T3 cells even at early times during uptake. Differences in total intracellular 2-DOG between untransformed and transformed cells were accounted for entirely by 2-deoxyglucose phosphate. Thus, it appears the apparent increase of 2-DOG uptake accompanying transformation in these cell lines is not due to an effect on the transport process, but on enhanced phosphorylation, which is a reflection of an alteration in the regulation of glycolysis. The ambiguity introduced by phosphorylation can be oviated by the use of an analog that cannot be phosphorylated, such as 3-O-methyl-D-glucose. The rate of transport and efflux of this sugar was not found to be different in untransformed versus transformed 3T3 cells. Moreover, deficiencies of this analog as a substrate for the glucose transport system are pointed out.


Saturable and nonsaturable process of sugar uptake: effect of oncogenic transformation in transport and uptake of nutrients. Uptake of sugars into cells by a saturable process increased enormously during and after transformation, and uptake by a nonsaturable process increased significantly but less remarkably compared to controls. The drastic change of uptake rates, observed at around 5 x 10(-3) M sugar during and after transformation, emphasizes the significant observation that transition of the sugar uptake system from a saturable to a nonsaturable process occurs near the physiological concentration of D-glucose normally seen in animal blood. At concentrations below higher than 5 x 10(-3) M, where a saturable process is barely involved, nonsaturable uptakes of D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose proceed tens to hundreds fold faster than the rate of simple diffusion of L-glucose. These findings suggest that nonsaturable uptake of the sugars known to be substrates for the saturable transport carrier system may not be a physical process or simple diffusion, as observed for L-glucose uptake. Rather, the nonsaturable uptake might be part of the total physiological process which, along with the saturable process, is controlled by a membrane-coordination mechanism. A plausible mechanism is discussed in which negative cooperativity of nutrient uptake, such as that found in bacteria, is involved.


High-affinity cytochalasin B binding to normal and transformed BALB/3T3 cells. To study the molecular basis of changes in sugar uptake rate in cultured mouse fibroblasts with different physiological states, we have measured the high affinity binding of [3H] cytochalsin B, a potent sugar transport inhibitor, to actively growing and contact inhibited Balb/3T3 cells as well as to 3T12 and SV3T3 cells. Binding was the same whether the cells were detached from dishes with EDTA or trypsin. The amount of drug bound to intact cells measured with a centrifugation assay was essentially the same as that bound to cell sonicates measured with equilibrium dialysis. Cytochalasin B binding to intact cells was extremely rapid and reversible over a wide range of drug concentrations, and was not affected by 0.1 M D--glucose in the assay medium. Actively growing and contact inhibited 3T3 cells had a similar number of high affinity cytochalasin B binding sites per cell, while 3T12 and SV3T3 cells had one third to one fourth the number of sites per cell. However, the number of sites per mug cellular protein appeared to be similar for cells in all of the physiological states examined.


Neoplastic potentials and regulation of uptake of nutrients. I. A glutamine independent variant of polyoma BHK with A very high neoplastic potential. A variant of polyoma BHK cells is described which is capable of growing in a glutamine-free medium. These glutamine-independent variant cells (GIV) have a size and morphologic appearance intermediate between the nontransformed (BHK) and polyoma transformed (Py6) cell line. In contrast to Py6, the GIV cells grow more slowly, produce less lactic acid and do not grow in suspension. However, their adherence to substrate and release of galactosyltransferase into the medium is comparable to that seen with the parent PyBHK. Most striking is the finding that GIV cells are more readily agglutinated by Concanavalin A and when inoculated into hamsters are much more tumorigenic than the parent Py6 cells.


Regulation of amino acid and glucose transport activity expressed in isolated membranes from untransformed and SV 40-transformed mouse fibroblasts. Membrane vesicles isolated from untransformed Balb/c and Swiss mouse fibroblasts and their SV 40-transformed derivatives were shown to catalyze carrier-mediated, intravesicular uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and D-glucose. Concentrative uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid required the presence of a Na+-gradient (external greater than internal) and could occur independently of endogenous (Na+ + K+)ATPase activity. A K+ diffusion gradient (internal greater than external) in the presence of valinomycin, or the addition of the Na+ salt of a highly permeant anion, conditions expected to create an interior-negative membrane potential stimulated Na+-gradient-dependent uptake, suggesting this process is electrogenic. D-Glucose uptake was nonconcentrative and did not require ion gradients or metabolic conversion. Na+ gradient-dependent transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid was reduced both in initial rate and extent of uptake in vesicles from confluent untransformed cells and increased in those from SV 40-transformed cells, compared with activities observed in vesicles from proliferating untransformed cells. No changes in D-glucose carrier activity were observed when assayed at low glucose concentrations.


[Amino acid transport by membrane vesicles of virally transformed and nontransformed cells: effects of sodium gradient and cell density]. Mixed membrane vesicle populations composed of plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum were prepared from Balb/c 3T3 and simian virus 40-transformed Balb/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts. The initial rates of uptake of L-leucine and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid by these vesicles were stimulated by a NaCl gradient (external greater than internal). Cation specificity for stimulation of L-leucine uptake was Na+ greater than Li+ greater than K+. NaSCN was as effective as NaCl. Stimulation of uptake of both amino acids by a NaCl gradient was twice as great in vesicles from transformed as compared to non-transformed cells. The NaCl gradient produced transient accumulation of both L-leucine and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid to twice the equilibrium level in vesicles from transformed cells. No such "overshoot" was observed in vesicles from nontransformed cells. In vesicles from the contact-inhibitable Balb/c 3T3 cells, transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, but non L-leucine, exhibited a density-dependent decrease in Na+ gradient induced stimulation, from 248% for sub-confluent to 109% with confluent cells. No density-related changes in uptake were noted with vesicles from the transformed cells. These studies suggest that variation in amino acid uptake associated with viral transformation may be related, at least in part, to alterations in Na+ permeability of the surface membrane.


Uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and phosphate by membrane vesicles derived from growing and quiescent fibroblasts. Membrane vesicles derived principally from the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum of mouse 3T3 cells transformed by Simian virus 40 take up alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and phosphate (Pi). When NaCl is added simultaneously with AIB or Pi, uptake rises two- to three-times above the equilibrium to accumulate AIB or Pi over the control value, in the presence of a Na+ gradient, is almost lost in membrane vesicles derived from benzpyrene-transformed 3T3 cells (BP3T3) arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle by serum starvation. When added to the membranes with NaCl and the uptake substrate, a combination of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and epidermal growth factor EGF restores the ability of the membranes to accumulate AIB and Pi over the control value.


Regulation of plasma membrane protein phosphorylation in two mammalian cell types. The appreciation of protein phosphorylation as a ubiquitous mechanism for the post-translational control of protein function has drawn our attention to the phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins. We have studied this phenomenon in the human erythrocyte and rat adipocyte, and have observed several features, common to the two systems, which may be of general significance. In examining protein phosphorylation in intact cells incubated with 32Pi, it is evident that the 32P-polypeptides of the plasma membrane are among the most highly labelled species in the cell, despite their minor contribution to overall protein content. The addition of epinephrine (to adipocytes) or cAMP (to erythrocytes) increases the phosphorylation of certain peptides, whereas others are unaffected. The protein kinases mediating these phosphorylations are present in the plasma membrane as isolated, and can be divided into two groups--cAMP dependent and cAMP independent. These two classes of kinase differ markedly in their substrate specificity toward endogenous and exogenous polypeptide substrates. Two classes of protein kinases with similar properties can be detected in the cytoplasm. The relationship between the membrane-bound and cytoplasmic enzymes is uncertain. The potential roles of the plasma membrane cAMP dependent protein kinases are evident from the diverse effects of cAMP on surface properties; however, the prevalence of plasma membrane proteins phosphorylated via cAMP independent pathways is striking. Thus, elucidation of the regulatory properties of the plasma membrane cAMP independent protein kinases may give new insight into the control of a variety of surface phenomena not mediated by cAMP.


Phosphohydrolases on the cell surface of BHK cells: loss during long term culture. Low passage BHK 21/13 cells contain two cell surface enzymes, a nucleotide pyrophosphatase and a monophosphoester hydrolase, which together hydrolyze exogenous UDP-galactose to free galactose. During serial passage, BHK cells successively lose both enzymes. Concomitant with the loss of these enzymatic activities, changes in cell morphology, as well as in the serum requirement for the initiation of DNA synthesis, were observed. Clonal sublines of BHK cells were isolated, which differed qualitatively in their ability to hydrolyze UDP-galactose. Clonal BHK sublines, which exhibited both enzymatic activities on their cell surface, resembled low passage BHK cells in morphology and serum requirement for the initiation of DNA synthesis. Sublines not containing these enzymes resembled BHK cells of high passage cultures. The ability of intact BHK cells to hydrolyze exogenous nucleotide sugars may serve as an indicator for the progression of BHK cells from a normal to a more transformed state.


[Large non-secreting islet cell adenomas. Review of the literature]. The authors report a case of benign non secretory islet cell tumour. Ten other cases of this type were found in the literature. These non-functional tumours évolve without symptoms and are rarely diagnosed in the presence of an abdominal mass. They are usually discovered at autopsy. Clinical examination and further investigation do not always demonstrate the pancreatic origin of the tumour observed. Treatment is surgical consisting of removal of the tumour. Pathological examination leads to the diagnosis of non-secretory islet cell tumour which is usually benign; only the course can confirm this.


Preparation of plates with a permanent adsorbent layer and their application in the analytical thin-layer chromatography of lipids. Experimental conditions for preparing the thin-layer chromatographic plates with a permanent adsorbent layer (PAL) have been established; the particles of this layer are firmly bound to each other and to the glass support by means of fused glass powder. To prepare the PAL plates, a mixture of Woelm silica gel and glass powder (1:3, w/w) of particle size 7+/-1 mum was suspended in toluene and spread on the plates, yielding PALs of thickens 150-250 mum. The plates were heated in an electric furnace at 675 degrees for 20 min. In the separation of neutral lipids, a PAL thus prepared is equal in efficiency and selectivity to silica gel layers prepared in the usual manner.


The van urk-Salkowski reagent--a sensitive and specific chromogenic reagent for silica gel thin-layer chromatographic detection and identification of indole derivatives. The chromogenic reagent described has been tested with seventy-nine indole derivatives and found to be very sensitive and indole-specific. The lower limit of detection on silica gel thin-layer plates was between 25 and 50 ng for most indoles. Phenols and hydroxy-, and amino-benzoic acids, hydroxy-, and methoxy-cinnamic acids did not yield chromophores with the exception of p-amino-benzoic acid and p-hydroxy-cinnamic acid which gave yellow and pink chromophores at concentrations greater than 1 and 2 mug. Although many of the C-3 substituted indoles such as indole-3-acetic acid and tryptamine had colors in the reddish-violet-blue color region, most exhibited sufficient color differentiation to allow their identification by thin-layer chromatography. The procedure was simple and required only 10 min from the time of spraying the thin-layer plate until full color development was reached. The colors had a wide spectral range from yellow of the indole-3-glyoxylamide chromophore to blue of the melatonin chromophore, and were extremely stable.


Adriamycin therapy for advanced insulinoma. Two patients with advanced metastatic insulinoma are presented. Both failed to respond to streptozotocin and were refractory to other forms of chemotherapy. Therapy with adriamycin (Patient No. 1) and adriamycin plus 5-fluorouracil (Patient No. 2) led to significant decreases in insulin levels or measurable disease and both patients had clinical remissions lasting 5 to 7 months. Adriamycin may be effective in patients with advanced insulinoma unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy.


High molecular weight forms of human ACTH are glycoproteins. The RIA-ACTH in a normal human pituitary, 2 ectopic ACTH-secreting tumors and plasma from a patient with Nelson's syndrome and one with ectopic ACTH syndrome was divided into 3 molecular weight classes after gel exclusion chromatography. The largest component appeared in or near the void volume and was designated "big" RIA-ACTH. The second, designated "intermediate" RIA-ACTH, eluted between the void volume and standard human 1-39 ACTH (mol. wt. 4,541). An immunoreactive material designated "little" ACTH-coeluted with standard human ACTH. A significant fraction (29-61%) of "big" RIA-ACTH from the tumors bound to concanavalin A-agarose and was eluted with 0.2 M alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside. An additional 16-22% of "big" RIA-ACTH was more tightly bound to the concanavalin A, but could be purged from the column with 0.1 M acetic acid. A smaller total percent of "big" RIA-ACTH from the pituitary (20%) and plasmas (5-10%) bound to the lectin and was similarly eluted and purged. Relatively little (less than 8%) of "intermediate" RIA-ACTH from all sources bound to concanavalin A, with the exception of that in the pitull sources was essentially excluded (greater than 93%) from the column. These data indicate that a significant fraction of human "big" RIA-ACTH is a glycoprotein and that human "intermediate" RIA-ACTH may be also.


Collaborative study of the effects of human growth hormone in growth hormone deficiency: IV. Treatment with low doses of human growth hormone based on body weight. In order to define the minimum effective dose of human growth hormone (GH) in growth hormone deficient children, GH was administered to three groups of patients based on their body weight. Five children who received 0.01 International Unit (IU) GH/kg three times a week (tiw) failed to respond with a significant increase in their rate of growth. A dose of 0.03 IU GH/kg tiw increased the growth rate of 12 patients from 3.5 +/- 0.4 (SE) cm/year to 6.4 +/- 0.4 (SE) cm/year (P less than 0.001) during the first 12 months of therapy. Eight children (67%) larger than or equal to 6.0 cm/year. A similar increase growth rate from 3.6 +/- 0.4 (SE) cm/year to 7.3 +/- 0.4 (SE) cm/year (P less than 0.001) was observed over the first 12 months of therapy in 16 growth hormone deficient children who were given 0.06 IU GH/kg tiw. Thirteen children (81%) grew larger than or equal to 6.0 cm/year. During a second year of treatment, children receiving either 0.03 or 0.06 UI GH/kg tiw again showed a significant increase in their rate of growth. However, the response was significantly less than that observed during the first year of treatment. Comparison of these results with those available in the literature suggests that the most efficient, although not necessarily the optimal, initial dose of GH in children with growth hormone deficiency is 0.06 IU GH/kg administered three times a week.


Observations concerning the binding of L-triiodothyronine in the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte. To examine the subcellular locus of L-triiodothyronine (T3) binding in the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte, intact leukocytes (greater than 90% polymorphonuclear) were incubated with small tracer concentrations of [125I]T3 with or without an excess of non-radioactive T3. Measurement of the [125I]T3 content of several subcellular fractions revealed that the non-radioactive T3 had led to significant displacement of [125I]T3 from the nuclear fraction alone. After correction for degradation and non-specific binding of the added T3 in intact leukocytes from hypothyroid patients in which the endogenous T3 concentration would be minimal, the T3-nuclear binding interaction was found to have an equilibrium dissociation constant of 1.1 X 10(-10)M and a binding capacity of 4.3 fmol/1 X 10(7) cells. Pre-incubation of intact cells with non-radioactive T3 did not increase the subsequent specific binding of [125I]T3 by the nuclei isolated therefrom. The data indicate that: 1) the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte possesses saturable nuclear binding sites for T3, and 2) the sites appear to bind T3 without the intermediation of a cytosol receptor.


Plaque assay of neonatal calf diarrhea virus and the neutralizing antibody in human sera. Neonatal calf diarrhea virus (a bovine rotavirus) formed distinct plaques in monolayers of MA-104 cells, an established macacus rhesus monkey kidney cell line, when diethylaminoethyl dextran and trypsin were included in the overlay medium. By using this plaque assay method, titration of neutralizing antibody to neonatal calf diarrhea virus was made feasible. It was demonstrated that some human sera contained neutralizing antibody to this agent.


Antibodies to hepatitis A virus: patterns by two procedures. Antibody to hepatitis A virus demonstrable by immune electron microscopy appeared early but remained at low levels for several weeks. Antibody detectable by immune adherence hemagglutination was delayed.


Contained indirect viable-cell membrane immunofluorescence microassay for surface antigen analysis of cells infected with hazardous viruses. A microtechnique for an indirect viable-cell membrane immunofluorescence titration assay was developed using Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV)-producing cells and monospecific rabbit antisera to F-MuLV structural antigens. The assay was sensitive and displayed little variation within or between assays. Since moderate-risk tumor viruses, such as recently discovered primate oncornaviruses or feline leukemia virus (FeLV), may be hazardous to laboratory personnel, the assay was adapted for containment of cells infected with such viruses. Cells producing gibbon ape lymphoma virus or FeLV were grown in class III containment cabinets and transferred in sealed flasks to a class II laminar-flow cabinet, where the assay was performed. This micromethod not only conserved reagents but also minimized the numbers of moderate-risk tumor virus-infected cells handled at one time. Centrifugation was contained using custom-made devices shown to form a gas-tight seal over microtiter plates. Interspecies reactivity of monospecific rabbit antisera against F-MuLV structural antigen gp71, but not against p12, was demonstrated for surface antigens on FeLV-producing cells.


Collagenase and collagenase inhibitors in osteoarthritic and normal cartilage. In advanced osteoarthritis, all of the cartilaginous components are lost from the joint surface. Although mechanisms exist for proteoglycan degradation, there is not known to be any system for removal of the collagen. This study suggests that the loss of the collagen components may be a function of articular cartilage collagenase. The enzyme in normal human cartilage is bound to an inhibitor and appears to be present in very small amounts. Attempts to demonstrate collagenase activity in ground human articular cartilage or in its lysosomal fraction were unsuccessful. 7-Day cartilage tissue cultures also failed to demonstrate the presence of the enzyme; but the same culture fluid, incubated with trypsin, showed significant degradation of collagen, suggesting that trypsin destroyed the inhibitor. 7-Day culture fluids were then chromatographed on a heparin-charged Sepharose 4B affinity column that had been activated with cyanogen bromide. This removed the inhibitor, and the chromatographed fluid from osteoarthritic cartilage released 42% of the incorporated counts of the collagen substrate, whereas normal cartilage released 10.1% and a trypsin control, 6.4%. Electrophoresis of the degradation products of the enzyme-collagen complex incubated at 37 degrees C revealed breakdown was complete to small dialyzable fragments, while at 25 degrees C larger fragments were split off.


Evidence that the superoxide-generating system of human leukocytes is associated with the cell surface. Superoxide anion (O-2-) generation by human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes is enhanced when these cells encounter appropriate soluble or particulate stimuli. O-2- generation requires intact, viable cells and proceeds independently of phagocytosis. To investigate the possibility that the O-2--generating system is associated with the outer surface of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte plasma membrane, we have examined the effects upon O-2- production of p-diazobenzenesulfonic acid, a reagent which can react predominantly with proteins of the external cell membrane. When normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were preincubated with cytochalasin B (to minimize endocytosis) and then exposed to the surface-active lectin, concanavalin A, the cells were stimulated to generate O-2- in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion and selectively to discharge the granule-associated enzyme, lysozyme, into the surrounding medium. These responses, as well as cellular binding of [H] concanavalin A, could be blocked by alpha-methyl-D-mannoside. Brief treatment (less than 5 min at 4 degrees C) of the cells with p-diazobenzenesulfonic acid (1.0-5.0 mM) significantly interfered with concanavalin A-mediated O-2- generation but had no influence upon lysozyme release or upon binding of [3H] concanavalin A. The diazonium salt did not alter cell viability or the specific activity of the cytoplasmic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (inhibitable under conditions which allowed entry of this reagent into the cytosol). p-Diazobenzenesulfonic acid, therefore, very likely exerted its effects at the cell surface of the intact polymorphonuclear leukocyte, selectively inhibiting O-2- production (either directly or indirectly) without influencing another response to lectin-cell contact: release of lysozyme. These results support the possibility that a polymorphonuclear leukocyte ectoenzyme is responsible for O-2- production.


Oat-cell carcinoma of the oesophagus: a recently recognized entity. A primary oat-cell carcinoma of the oesophagus is described with an adjacent squamous carcinoma, both parts having characteristic ultrastructure. The origin of this mixed tumour is discussed together with the literature on oesophageal carcinomas having an oat-cell pattern.


Effect of storage on recovery of cytomegalovirus from necropsy tissue. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was isolated from lung tissue in 8 of 55 (14-6%) necropsies on patients who had received immunosuppressive therapy. Recovery of CMV was best (14 of 16 specimens, 87%) from fresh tissue that had been processed immediately. Storage of specimens at 4 degrees C before inoculation into cell cultures slightly reduced, to 58%, the recovery of CMV. However, conventional freezing of tissue to -- 20 degrees C for four to seven days significantly reduced the recovery of CMV, to 25% (p less than 0-001). In three of eight specimens from which virus was recovered, CMV inclusion bodies were found on tracheal smears. Sixty-five percent of the virus-negative group had measurable complement-fixing antibody in blood taken at necropsy, compared with 86% in the virus-positive group. However, there was no significant differences in antibody levels in the two groups. Our study indicates that specimens submitted for CMV isolation should be sent for virus isolation as rapidly as possible and should not be frozen. The level of antibody in a single serum taken in necropsy does not correlate well with morphological or cultural evidence of active infection.


Tropical myositis: ultrastructural studies. Specimens of muscle were obtained from non-suppurating lesions of nine patients with tropical myositis. When examined in an electron microscope, these revealed patchy myocytolysis with loss of band structure. Perimysial cells were also degenerate. Sections from two out of nine patients revealed intracellular vesicles, about 80 nm in diameter, some of which contained 10 nm granules. These vesicles were seen budding from cell membranes and resembled virus particles. The focal necrosis with which they are associated and their absence from control sections support the concept that they are related to the disease process.


Cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin quotients, kappa/lambda ratios, and viral antibody titres in neurological disease. A description has been given of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immunoglobulins in 355 patients with demyelinating, infectious, neuropathic, and other neurological disorders. An increase in the CSF IgG/albumin quotient was observed in 19/36 (53%) cases of definite multiple sclerosis (MS), in 13/47 (28%) cases of probable or possible MS, in 6/9 (67%) cases of proven herpes simplex viral encephalitis (HSVE), in 3/4 (75%) cases of neurosyphilis, in 1/1 case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), in 2/9 )22%) cases of other central nervous system infections, and in 2/12 (17%) cases of polyneuritis when compared with a group of 236 patients having other neurological disorders. In constrast, a relative increase in the CSF IgA of IgM was seen only in some of the patients with central nervous system infections. It was also found that the quotient CSF/serum IgG, expressed as a percentage of the CSF/serum albumin, was better in distinguishing patients with definite or suspected MS from those with other neurological disorders than the quotients IgG/albumin or IgG/total protein. The CSF K/lambda ratio and the CSF and serum complement-fixing antibody titre to measles and herpes simplex virus were measured in many of the patients. In general, abnormalities of these measurements were associated with raised IgG/albumin quotients. However, in eight patients with definite or suspected MS, a normal IgG/albumin quotient was found with abnormal CSF K/lambda ratios (6 cases) or abnormal CSF titres of measles antibody (7 cases). In addition, two patients, with HSVE had normal IgG/albumin ratios but detectable herpes antibody in the CSF. These findings suggest that the measurement of the relative concentration of CSF immunoglobulin in combination with the K/lambda ratio and antibody titre to various viruses may supplement each other in the endeavour to detect central nervous system immunglobulin sysnthesis in neurological diseases.


Lack of bronchial beta adrenoceptor resistance in asthmatics during long-term treatment with terbutaline. The increasing mortality in acute asthma noted during the sixties has been ascribed to resistance of the beta 2 receptors of the bronchi due to treatment with beta-stimulating drugs. This study questions that theory. Eight patients with reversible airways obstruction were studied. Treatment with oral terbutaline 5 mg 3 times a day was given for 1 yr. Thereafter, terbutaline as metered aerosol was added in the dose of 2 puffs (0.5 mg) 4 times a day for 4 days and 6 puffs (1.5 mg) 4 times a day for further 4 days. The responsiveness of the receptors of bronchi, heart, skeletal muscles, and peripheral vessels was tested before and after 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo of treatment with oral terbutaline and after the two 4-day periods with inhaled terbutaline. The receptors were tested by infusion of increasing doses of isoprenaline, so that dose-response curves for isoprenaline were recorded. No signs of resistance of the beta 2 receptors of the bronchi developed during the terbutaline treatment period. Thus no even spray in moderate overdose caused resistance. Within 1 mo of treatment with oral terbutaline, resistance developed to the tremorogenic effect of terbutaline. Six of the 8 patients showed no signs of development of resistance to the chronotropic effect of isoprenaline. No signs were found of resistance of the beta 2 receptors of peripheral blood vessels.