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Biomedical subjects

A Veis

Publications and source records attributed to A Veis.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Two classes of dentin phosphophoryns, from a wide range of species, contain immunologically cross-reactive epitope regions.

An immunological species comparison, using a monospecific rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against rat incisor alpha-phosphophoryn, has been undertaken to assess the similarity in epitope regions among various dentin phosphophoryns (PP) that were prepared from human, monkey, bovine, ovine, and echinoderm teeth. Dentin extracellular matrix proteins were extracted with a standard method using 0.5 M EDTA in the presence of enzyme inhibitors. Final phosphophoryn purification was performed on DEAE ion exchange HPLC. Cross-reactivity of the polyclonal antibody was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and dot-blot. The results of this investigation demonstrate a cross-reactivity of the rat-alpha-phosphophoryn antibody (anti-RIPP) with at least one phosphophoryn component in each dentin studied, indicating the existence of similar antigenic determinants among these proteins. It would seem that these epitope regions have been strongly conserved since the epitope region is also present in the phosphoprotein of echinoderm teeth. No cross-reactivity was found with phosvitin (a phosphoserine-rich phosphoprotein), rat serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, or collagen type IV. However, a new and distinct second cross-reactive phosphophoryn, not calcium ion-precipitable, was found in the EDTA insoluble fraction from the teeth. These results indicate that dentin phosphophoryns are specific phenotypic markers for odontoblast expression. Because of the species cross-reactivity, the polyclonal anti-RIPP antibody may be a useful probe in studying the distribution of phosphophoryns in other species, such as human teeth.

Animals↗

Localization of phosphophoryn in rat incisor dentin using immunocytochemical techniques.

We studied the distribution of the phosphophoryn present in rat incisors by immunolocalization and histochemical techniques. The polyclonal antibody used reacts with both phosphorylated and de-phosphorylated phosphophoryn. Technical problems encountered in immunostaining and in preparing sections from mineralized dentin were resolved by use of peroxidase-conjugated protein A as the "second antibody" in indirect immunostaining reactions and by surface etching of partially demineralized sections. Staining with anti-rat incisor alpha-phosphophoryn antibody showed light staining over the odontoblasts and proximal odontoblastic processes, no stain over the predentin, dense staining over the intertubular dentin, and no stain over the mantle dentin. In the intertubular dentin the stain intensity was directly related to the distribution of mineral. These findings were directly corroborated by staining with Stains All. The mineralization of dentin and the distribution of phosphophoryn within the dentin may be much less uniform than previously supposed.

Animals↗

Biosynthesis of type I procollagen. Characterization of the distribution of chain sizes and extent of hydroxylation of polysome-associated pro-alpha-chains.

[3H]Proline-labeled nascent procollagen chains were isolated from chick tendon polysome preparations as peptidyl-tRNA complexes by ion exchange chromatography. Proline hydroxylation of the nascent chains was at least 40% complete, based on radioactive hydroxyproline/proline ratios. These data provide the first direct evidence that hydroxylation of procollagen proline residues does occur on nascent chains. The electrophoretic profiles of [3H]proline-labeled nascent chains and of unlabeled nascent chains visualized by Western blotting with 35S-labeled monoclonal antibodies to the alpha 1(I) N-propeptide or the C-propeptides indicate that there are pauses in the translation of procollagen alpha-chains in the intact cells. Approximately 25% of the radioactivity associated with [3H]proline-labeled polysomes was in fully elongated but underhydroxylated (relative to secreted procollagen) pro-alpha-chains. The association of these completely elongated but only partially modified procollagen chains with the polysome complex may facilitate the carboxyl-terminal interactions which lead to triple helix formation.

Animals↗

Bovine dentin phosphophoryn: calcium ion binding properties of a high molecular weight preparation.

The calcium ion binding properties of a high molecular weight bovine phosphophoryn preparation have been studied at high ionic strength (0.5 M KCl as supporting electrolyte). Surprisingly, even under these conditions at which intermolecular ionic interactions are effectively screened, phosphophoryn was capable of binding calcium ions. This suggests that calcium ion binding by bovine phosphophoryn involves formation of a coordination complex or chelation. Two classes of binding sites were identified. The high affinity sites have a relatively low affinity constant of approximately 775 moles but maximally represented about 90% of the (SerP + Asp) residues along the polypeptide backbone. Binding was nonideal in that the number of high affinity sites showed a marked dependence on phosphophoryn concentration, increasing with the protein concentration. This unusual concentration dependence suggests that calcium-mediated intramolecular interactions may limit available high affinity sites at lower phosphophoryn solution concentrations by a requirement for intramolecular folding. In support of this conclusion, the reduced viscosity of dilute phosphophoryn solutions was found to fall rapidly as a result of intramolecular folding, whereas at higher phosphophoryn concentrations calcium-mediated intermolecular aggregate formation slowed the rate of viscosity decrease. At the lower physiological ionic strength the affinity constant for specific calcium ion binding is several orders of magnitude greater than under the extreme conditions described in this work.

Animals↗

Matrix proteins of the teeth of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus.

The teeth of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus grow continuously. The mineral phase, a high magnesium calcite, grows into single crystals within numerous compartments bounded by an organic matrix deposited by the odontoblasts. Electron microscopic examination of glutaraldehyde-fixed Ethylene Diamine Tetra acetic acid (EDTA) demineralized teeth shows the compartment walls to be organized from multiple layers of cell membrane which might contain cytoplasmic protein inclusions. Proteins extracted during demineralization of unfixed teeth were examined by gel electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography, and amino acid analysis. The tooth proteins were acidic, they contained phosphoserine, and they were rich in aspartic acid. By contrast, the proteins of similarly extracted mineralized Aristotle's lantern skeletal elements were nonphosphorylated and were rich in glutamic acid. Vertebrate tooth and bone matrix proteins show similar differences. Surprisingly, an antibody to the principle rat incisor phosphoprotein showed a significant cross-reactivity with the urchin tooth protein, by dot-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedures. Thus, the urchin tooth proteins contain epitope regions similar to those which are phenotypic markers of vertebrate odontoblasts. Whether this is an expression of convergent or divergent evolutionary processes, it is likely that the matrix proteins play a similar role in matrix mineralization. The sea urchin tooth may thus be an excellent model for the study of odontoblast-mediated mineral-matrix relationships.

Amino Acids↗

Type I collagen shows a specific binding affinity for bovine dentin phosphophoryn.

Bovine dentin phosphophoryn was iodinated with 125I, then tested for binding to native monomeric collagen, to collagen fibrils, and to gelatin. The phosphophoryn was found to bind reversibly, but specifically, to both collagen monomers and fibrils, but not to denatured collagen (gelatin). Competitive binding studies showed that bovine serum albumin, fibronectin, and bovine bone 34K glycoprotein (osteonectin) did not compete with phosphophoryn and did not inhibit its binding to collagen fibrils. Phosvitin, a phosphoserine-rich protein, did compete, but sixfold higher concentrations of phosvitin than of unlabeled phosphophoryn were required to reduce iodinated phosphophoryn binding to the same extent. Quantitative analyses of the binding showed binding to be limited to the fibril surfaces. Bound phosphophoryn enhanced the uptake of 45Ca onto collagen fiber surfaces. These data support the hypothesis that, in dentin, the phosphophoryn plays an important role in localizing the calcium binding leading to the growth of collagen-oriented calcium hydroxyapatite crystals.

Animals↗

Preparation, detection, and characterization of an antibody to rat alpha-phosphophoryn.

The phosphophoryn components of rat incisor dentin were extracted under stringent conditions to prevent proteolytic degradation during processing. Successive steps of CaCl2 precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration over Biosil TSK G4000SW high-performance liquid chromatography columns in 4.0 M guanidine hydrochloride yielded a mixture of phosphoryns that contained only trace amounts of other proteins, as shown by a very sensitive double stain procedure on acrylamide gels after electrophoresis. The highest weight phosphophoryn had a molecular weight of 90 000, on gradient polyacrylamide gels calibrated with globular protein standards. Polyclonal antibodies were produced in rabbits following a complex scheme. The specific antibodies were collected by passage over a Sepharose column conjugated to the purified phosphophoryn. The isolated antibody was used to prepare a second affinity column. Passage of the initial phosphophoryn fraction over the column led to the retention of a single component, identified as the Mr 90 000 alpha-phosphophoryn. Thus, a monospecific polyclonal antibody has been prepared. These data show that the other phosphoryns of the rat incisor must be distinct species or slightly degraded products of the alpha-phosphophoryn lacking the antigenic epitope of the antibody prepared.

Amino Acids↗

Characterization of the primary gene product of rat incisor alpha-phosphophoryn.

The nature of the primary gene product for the alpha-phosphophoryn component of rat incisor dentin has been examined by cell-free translation of the total RNA and poly(A+) mRNA from rat maxillary incisors, including pulp cells and odontoblasts. The RNA was extracted by the guanidinium thiocyanate method and translated in a rabbit reticulocyte system. The translated proteins were analyzed by gradient gel electrophoresis, and alpha-phosphophoryn was identified by isolation on an anti-rat alpha-phosphophoryn antibody coupled Sepharose column and dot-blot procedures. The major protein identified as alpha-phosphophoryn had a molecular weight of 153 000 (+/- 5000) and had chromatographic properties similar to those of alpha-phosphophoryn. Since tissue-isolated rat phosphophoryn has a molecular weight of only approximately 90 000 when fully phosphorylated, it appears that the primary gene product is a prepro-alpha-phosphophoryn. Thus, alpha-phosphophoryn in the extracellular space of rat incisor dentin must be the product of one or more posttranslational proteolytic processing steps.

Amino Acids↗

Supramolecular assemblies of mRNA direct the coordinated synthesis of type I procollagen chains.

Registration of the three procollagen alpha chains and assembly of the triple-helical procollagen molecules takes place in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but the exact location and timing of assembly is not known. As part of a study of the mechanism of molecular assembly, intact collagen-producing polyribosomes from embryonic chicken tendon fibroblasts have been examined by the techniques of rotary shadowing and electron microscopy. Intact mRNA strands corresponding in length to approximately 4500 bases and complete procollagen alpha (I) chains have been observed. The mRNA strands are comprised of two mRNA chains. The ribosomes are present in pairs separated along the duplex strand by about 100 nm. The intact polysome is asymmetric; two duplex strands join, and large ribosome aggregates appear. These aggregates are dispersed by collagenase digestion, leaving separate duplex strands with ribosome pairs intact. Ribonuclease digestion yields mixtures of monosomes and ribosome aggregates. Sequential ribonuclease and collagenase digestions yield only monosomes. We propose that each ribosome reads one mRNA chain, so that each pair is thus translating two chains in synchrony. Thus, the complex morphology of the collagen-producing polyribosomes suggests that the organization of a single molecule begins by the organization of the mRNA chains themselves.

Animals↗

An electron microscopic demonstration of induction of chondrogenesis in neonatal rat muscle outgrowth cells in monolayer cultures.

Second passage fibroblast-like cells grown from explants of neonatal rat muscle continue to demonstrate fibroblast-like properties for many days when cultured on plastic surfaces. Such cells can be induced to change to a chondrocyte-like mode of expression by the addition of effector materials prepared from bovine cortical bone decalcified with 0.6 N HCl. Other studies show that similar demineralized bone particles and extracts from them have, in vivo, osteoinductive properties. Optimum conditions for this differentiation in monolayer culture were found in the use of 2% fetal calf serum with Dulbecco's modified Eagles medium. At 10% fetal calf serum the chondrogenic changes could not be detected. Light microscopy showed a sequence of morphological changes, after 36 h in culture, which resembled those seen at the beginning of osteogenesis in vivo. Induced cultures showed abundant extracellular proteoglycan production. Isotope incorporation studies showed stimulation of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in response to effector materials in soluble form. Type II collagen could be detected after three days. Electron microscopic analysis of induced and control cultures showed unequivocal evidence for marked production of an extensive extracellular matrix in the region of effector particles. The cells themselves change shape and develop an abundant system of lysosome-like vesicles and a very active, highly engorged endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. After nine days in culture, evidence for the formation of a ruthenium red stained structure on the surface of the cells in contact with inductive particles, was observed. The simple monolayer culture system described provides a direct means by which the presence of active chondrogenic fractions may be assessed, and in which the mechanism of action of the effectors can be studied.

Animals↗

Isolation of phosphophoryn from human dentin organic matrix.

Normal human dentin was demineralized in 0.6 N HCl and then extracted in 1.0 M NaCl, 0.5 M Tris/HCl, pH 7.6 in the presence of neutral protease inhibitors. All of the soluble phosphorus-containing proteins were extracted directly in the 0.6 N HCl demineralizing solution; none were collected in the 1.0 M NaCl neutral pH extraction. The principal phosphoprotein was precipitated from solution by 1.0 M CaCl2 and subjected to further chromatographic purification. This fraction proved to be a typical phosphophoryn with Asp and Ser + PSer, in near equimolar amounts, accounting for approximately 75 residue percent of the protein. The second major organic phosphate-containing component was a peptide, Mr approximately 2,000. It was calcium precipitable and its amino acid composition showed a relationship to phosphophoryn. The residual collagenous matrix, which also contained organic phosphate, was digested with CNBr and the phosphate-containing moiety isolated. This had a composition indicative of a complex of collagen and phosphophoryn. Thus, in spite of the reports by Leaver and colleagues that human dentin contains neither soluble nor matrix-bound phosphophoryns, these data show that human dentin, like rat, hamster, rabbit, porcine, and bovine dentins, does contain a phosphophoryn as a major noncollagenous protein.

Amino Acids↗

Cathepsin D-mediated processing of procollagen: lysosomal enzyme involvement in secretory processing of procollagen.

The proteolytic removal of the extension COOH-terminal propeptide from procollagen has been examined in vitro. A crude enzyme activity was identified in a whole-chicken-embryo extract that acted at acid pH and appeared to be similar to one identified previously [Davidson, J. M., McEneany , L. S. G. & Bornstein , P. (1979) Eur. J. Biochem. 100, 551-558]. This activity was inhibitable by pepstatin but not by leupeptin, suggesting that it might be cathepsin D. Cathepsin D was purified 907-fold from chicken livers by affinity chromatography on pepstatin-aminohexyl-Sepharose 4B and was found to remove the COOH propeptides from procollagen. At pH 6.0, the site of cleavage appeared to shift from the COOH telopeptide to the COOH telopeptide/propeptide junction, based upon the difference in electrophoretic migration of the cleavage products, although determining the actual cleavage site will require end-group analysis. A model for the involvement of cathepsin D in the in vivo processing of procollagen is presented.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of heparan sulfate-proteoglycan of glomerular basement membranes.

Native and de novo synthesized heparan sulfate-proteoglycan (HS-PG) of basement membranes from isolated whole glomeruli were characterized. Sepharose CL-6B chromatograms of [35S]sulfate-labeled de novo synthesized HS-PG extracted from whole glomeruli indicated identical molecular weight characteristics to that isolated from purified basement membranes (Mr of intact HS-PG approximately equal to 130,000; Mr of chains approximately equal to 25,000). Electron microscopic autoradiography showed that almost all radioactive grains were localized to the basement membranes proper. The estimated Mr of core protein approximately equal to 18,000. The sedimentation coefficient of native intact HS-PG was 5.56 S, corresponding to a Mr between 150,000-250,000, a value in accord with gel filtration data on newly synthesized HS-PG. Physicochemical characteristics of HS-PG of native functional basement membranes differed remarkably from that isolated from the basement membrane-producing tumor, Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm sarcoma.

Amino Acids↗

Bovine dentin phosphophoryn: composition and molecular weight.

The molecular weight of phosphophoryn, an acidic phosphoprotein unique to dentin matrix, has been difficult to determine because of a combination of neutral protease activities in this tissue and the intrinsic high charge density of the molecule. In this study, bovine dentin phosphophoryn (BDPP) was isolated by a procedure designed to prevent proteolysis. Bovine unerupted third molar powder was demineralized by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The EDTA-soluble phosphophoryn fraction was isolated and purified by sequential calcium chloride precipitation, gel filtration in sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4) containing buffer, anion-exchange chromatography, and finally gel filtration in 4 M guanidine hydrochloride (4 M Gdn.HCl) buffer. Sedimentation equilibrium, sedimentation velocity, and diffusion coefficient data, viscosity studies in a high ionic strength buffer, and NaDodSO4 gradient gel electrophoresis data gave consistent results for the molecular weight of BDPP, all being in the range of 151 000-167 000. This range is much higher than any previously reported value. An anomalous behavior was observed in nongradient NaDodSO4 gel electrophoresis. Dissociative analytical gel filtration chromatography in 4 M Gdn.HCl gave a molecular weight value of 100 000. This discrepancy was resolved by studying the viscosity of BDPP in 4 M Gdn.HCl which showed BDPP does not assume a true random-chain conformation in this solvent.

Amino Acids↗

Intermolecular interactions in collagen self-assembly as revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

When a solution of collagen molecules, at neutral pH and moderate ionic strength, is warmed from 4 degrees to 30 degrees C, a spontaneous self-assembly process takes place in which native-type collagen fibers are produced. Events occurring during thermally induced fibrillogenesis process can be monitored, in aqueous media and in real time, by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques. Tentative assignments of observed spectral bands are given.

Animals↗

The dynamics of formation of a collagen-phosphophoryn conjugate in relation to the passage of the mineralization front in rat incisor dentin.

Dentin and predentin matrices contain Type I collagen and phosphophoryns as major constituents. A collagen-phosphophoryn conjugate is also present in small amounts. This conjugate has been implicated in the deposition of mineral. Its formation has been followed in rat incisors. Rats were labeled for varied time intervals with [3H]proline, followed by a 2-h pulse of [3H] serine. The soluble alpha- and beta-phosphophoryns were extracted under conditions minimizing degradation. The tooth residue was CNBr-treated and the collagen CNBr peptides alpha 1(I)CB7 and alpha 1(I)CB8 were collected along with the solubilized conjugate fraction. Each component was purified and the specific activities in [3H] proline, [3H]hydroxyproline, [3H]serine, and [3H]phosphoserine were determined. The collagen and alpha-phosphophoryn accumulated proline label linearly at the same rate over the entire period of labeling. Entry of [3H]proline into the conjugate fraction was delayed by approximately 9-10 h and then the label accumulated also linearly at the same rate. [3H]Serine was present at a different but constant level in each fraction; the conjugate had the lowest activity. These data indicate an extracellular formation of the conjugate at the mineralization front from precursors which followed different secretory pathways.

Amino Acids↗

A hydrodynamic study of collagen fibrillogenesis by electric birefringence and quasielastic light scattering.

Neutral soluble collagen was extracted from lathyritic rat skin under proteolysis-inhibited conditions. Purified solutions were characterized by electric birefringence and heterodyne beat quasi-elastic light-scattering techniques under conditions where the monomeric form was stable (at 4 degrees C in 0.032 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.04). Solutions were then heated and the birefringence and light scattering followed during the fibrillogenesis reaction. The monomer presents a translational diffusion coefficient of 0.85 X 10(-7) cm2/s and a rotary diffusion coefficient of 1150 +/- 50 s-1; these values are consistent with a rodlike molecular model of 220 +/- 10 nm length and 4 +/- 1 nm diameter, substantially different from electron microscopic values of 290 and 1.5 nm, respectively. We propose that at pH 7.04 and relatively high ionic strength, the collagen monomer unit must exhibit substantial deviation from a completely rigid and extended rodlike structure. During the entire lag phase in a thermally induced fibrillogenesis reaction, the relaxation times for both translational and rotational motion remain virtually unchanged. The monomer polarity is also unchanged, as shown by reverse pulse birefringence data. No intermediate size soluble aggregates, such as dimers or trimers, have been detected between monomer and very large aggregates or fibrils during the process, although early multistep assembly products (dimers, trimers) could have been seen if present. These data suggest a model for fibrillogenesis emphasizing a monomer-related nucleation event, such as internal stiffening or conformational transition, followed by a rapid continuous growth up to large fibrils.

Animals↗