Biomedical subjects

D J Falcone

Publications and source records attributed to D J Falcone.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Evidence for an age-related dysfunction in the antiproliferative response to transforming growth factor-beta in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Previous studies have indicated that aged animals show an increased intimal hyperplasia after arterial injury. The present studies examined the hypothesis that the increased serum-free proliferation of aged smooth muscle cells (SMC), in vitro, was due to a loss of an antiproliferative signal, such as transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). Northern blot analysis of the mRNA derived from old (> 19 mo) or young (3-4 mo) rat aortic SMC indicated that both groups had an equivalent level of the 2.5 kB TGF-beta 1 message. Metabolic labeling with 35S-methionine and immunoprecipitation for TGF-beta 1 confirmed the de novo synthesis of TGF-beta 1 in rat SMC. Old and young SMC supernatants showed equal levels of active or latent (acid-activated) TGF-beta activity. Despite the similarities in the production of TGF-beta 1, old SMC were refractory to inhibition by TGF-beta 1, whereas young SMC were markedly inhibited (80%) by low levels of TGF-beta 1 (IC50 < 5 pg/ml). Binding studies at 4 degrees C indicated that old SMC exhibited reduced binding capacity for 125I-TGF-beta 1. Cross-linking studies confirmed that old SMC showed reduced binding of 125I-TGF-beta 1 to membrane sites corresponding to the high molecular weight type III receptor, as well as the 85-kDa type II and 65-kDa type I receptor. However, at 37 degrees C, old SMC degraded 125I-TGF-beta 1 more rapidly than young SMC. Combined, this data suggests that SMC derived from older animals are capable of normal production of TGF-beta 1 but fail to respond to the autocrine growth inhibitory effects of this agent, thereby leading to enhanced proliferation.

Aging↗

PubMed1993

What types of hospital patients wait for alternative placement? Findings from an exploratory case study and policy implications.

Concern about delayed hospital discharges has accentuated since the advent of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) and resultant hospital underreimbursement for the care of those patients awaiting alternative placement. This article reports on ongoing research on the delayed discharge problem. Analyses of the determinants of the likelihood of delay and the number of days of delay by patients awaiting alternative placement in 76 North Carolina acute care general hospitals (about two thirds of all such hospitals) during May 1991 indicate that, although demographic attributes such as age, race, and sex are important correlates of delay, which averaged nearly 11 days, a patient's requirement for heavy care is the most significant policy-relevant variable in explaining the number of delay days.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Fucoidan is a non-anticoagulant inhibitor of intimal hyperplasia.

We previously reported that heparin inhibits the proliferation of fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC), in part, by binding to and increasing the antiproliferative activity of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). We now report that certain other polyanions which are structurally distinct from heparin, such as fucoidan and polyinosinic acid, are more avid ligands for TGF-beta 1 and more potent antiproliferative agents than heparin. Fucoidan possessed more potent antiproliferative activity than heparin against rat and bovine aortic SMC in vitro, though possessing much lower anticoagulant activity than heparin. Furthermore, fucoidan suppressed in vivo intimal hyperplasia when continuously infused into rats subjected to balloon-catheter injury. Unlike heparin, which also suppressed intimal hyperplasia, fucoidan did not cause systemic anticoagulation. Thus, fucoidan may be useful as a non-anticoagulant inhibitor of post-angioplasty intimal hyperplasia.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 is a heparin-binding protein: identification of putative heparin-binding regions and isolation of heparins with varying affinity for TGF-beta 1.

Previous studies indicated that a major factor in heparin's ability to suppress the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is an interaction with transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). Heparin appeared to bind directly to TGF-beta 1 and to prevent the association of TGF-beta 1 with alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M). The present studies indicate that 20-70% of iodinated TGF-beta 1 binds to heparin-Sepharose and the retained fraction is eluted with approximately 0.37 M NaCl. Native, unlabelled platelet TGF-beta 1, however, is completely retained by heparin-Sepharose and eluted with 0.9-1.2 M NaCl. Using synthetic peptides, the regions of TGF-beta 1 that might be involved in the binding of heparin and other polyanions were examined. Sequence analysis of TGF-beta 1 indicated three regions with a high concentration of basic residues. Two of these regions had the basic residues arranged in a pattern homologous to reported consensus heparin-binding regions of other proteins. The third constituted a structurally novel pattern of basic residues. Synthetic peptides homologous to these three regions, but not to other regions of TGF-beta 1, were found to bind to heparin-Sepharose and were eluted with 0.15 M-0.30 M NaCl. Only two of these regions were capable of blocking the binding of heparin to 125I-TGF-beta. Immobilization of these peptides, followed by affinity purification of heparin, indicated that one peptide was capable of isolating subspecies of heparin with high and low affinity for authentic TGF-beta 1. The ability of TGF-beta 1 to bind to heparin or related proteoglycans under physiological conditions may be useful in understanding the biology of this pluripotent growth and metabolic signal. Conversely, a subspecies of heparin molecules with high affinity for TGF-beta 1 may be a factor in some of the diverse biological actions of heparin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Stimulation of macrophage urokinase expression by polyanions is protein kinase C-dependent and requires protein and RNA synthesis.

Highly charged polyanionic ligands of the scavenger receptor trigger macrophage secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). In experiments reported here, we have investigated the intracellular and extracellular regulation of polyanion-induced macrophage plasminogen activation. Exposure of a macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) to either fucoidan or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulates the secretion of uPA, whereas calcium ionophore or dibutyryl cyclic AMP had no effect. Moreover, preincubation of macrophages with inhibitors of protein kinase C reduced (50-60%) the ability of both fucoidan and PMA to trigger the secretion of uPA, whereas aspirin and eicosatetraenoic acid had no effect. Both PMA and fucoidan treatment of RAW264.7 cells resulted in a rapid and transient increase in the steady state levels of uPA mRNA. However, in marked contrast to that observed with PMA, fucoidan-induced expression of RAW264.7 uPA activity was partially insensitive to cycloheximide and actinomycin D. In addition, fucoidan-induced uPA activity was detected in conditioned media in as little as 15 min, whereas PMA-induced uPA activity did not increase until 2 h. In addition to stimulating macrophage secretion of uPA, fucoidan bound uPA and had a small stimulatory affect on uPA activity. The binding does not interfere with the catalytic site on the B chain, or require the receptor binding or kringle domains on the A chain.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Activation of platelet heparitinase by tumor cell-derived factors.

The nature of the cooperation between platelets and tumor cells during the process of blood-borne metastasis is essentially unknown. In previous in vitro studies we showed that platelets participated in the formation of gaps in the endothelial cell lining, and that concomitantly heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans were degraded by the platelet heparitinase, released on activation of platelets. In the current study we show that the ability to degrade proteoheparan sulfate derived from endothelial extracellular matrix is gradually eliminated when the number of human platelets is decreased from 5 x 10(7) to 10(6) cells/mL. When aliquots of conditioned media or lysates of either Eb or heat-inactivated ESb mouse lymphoma cells (both of which showed no heparanase activity) were added to freeze-thawed lysates of 10(6) platelets, a reappearance of platelet heparitinase activity was observed. A similar activation was not elicited by lysates of several normal mammalian cells. These data suggest that in its native form, a fraction of the platelet heparitinase is stored in an inactive form that can be activated by a factor secreted by lymphoma, but not by normal cells. Partial characterization of the heparitinase-activating factor showed that it is a heat-stable polyanionic molecule, devoid of proteolytic activity and resistant to both proteolytic and chondroitinase digestions. Activation of platelet heparitinase was also observed on coincubation with chondroitinases ABC and AC, suggesting that the inactive form of platelet heparitinase could result from a complex formation with a chondroitinase-sensitive proteoglycan. The lymphoma-derived heparitinase activating factor itself is, however, not a chondroitinase, because activity of chondroitinase could not be detected in Eb and ESb cells. A possible mechanism by which tumor cells recruit and regulate the activity of platelet heparitinase, and its relevance to the progression of blood borne metastasis, is discussed.

Blood Platelets↗

PubMed1989

Heparin stimulation of plasminogen activator secretion by macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7: role of the scavenger receptor.

Secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) by RAW264.7 cells was stimulated by heparin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Secretion of uPA was not detected when cells were exposed to heparin at 4 degrees C, indicating that heparin was not simply releasing receptor-bound uPA. Furthermore, prior removal of membrane-associated uPA did not influence heparin's ability to stimulate the release of uPA from the macrophage-like line. Low molecular weight and weakly anticoagulant heparins stimulated uPA secretion but less effectively than other heparin fractions. The observed stimulation in macrophage uPA secretion by heparin is similar to that previously reported for polyanions recognized by the scavenger receptor including fucoidan, polyinosinic acid, dextran sulfate, and acetyl-LDL (Falcone and Ferenc: J. Cell. Physiol., 135:387-396, 1988). Evidence that heparin's binding to RAW264.7 cells is mediated by the scavenger receptor is derived from experiments in which fucoidan blocked the specific binding of [3H]-heparin to RAW264.7 cells. However, heparin partially inhibited the stimulation of cholesteryl [3H]-oleate synthesis observed in these cells upon incubation with acetyl-LDL and weakly inhibited cellular binding of 125I-acetyl-LDL at 4 degrees C. These data indicate that heparin's binding to RAW264.7 cells is mediated, only in part, by the scavenger receptor. Nonetheless, neither heparin nor fucoidan was able to stimulate the release of plasminogen activator activity from monocyte-like U937 cells which are devoid of scavenger receptor activity.

Cell Line↗

PubMed1989

Transforming growth factor-beta activity is potentiated by heparin via dissociation of the transforming growth factor-beta/alpha 2-macroglobulin inactive complex.

The control of smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is determined by the combined actions of mitogens, such as platelet-derived growth factor, and the opposing action of growth inhibitory agents, such as heparin and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). The present studies identify an interaction between heparin and TGF-beta in which heparin potentiates the biological action of TGF-beta. Using a neutralizing antibody to TGF-beta, we observed that the short term antiproliferative effect of heparin depended upon the presence of biologically active TGF-beta. This effect was observed in rat and bovine aortic SMC and in CCL64 cells, but not in human saphenous vein SMC. Binding studies demonstrated that the addition of heparin (100 micrograms/ml) to medium containing 10% plasma-derived serum resulted in a 45% increase in the specific binding of 125I-TGF-beta to cells. Likewise, heparin induced a twofold increase in the growth inhibitory action of TGF-beta at concentrations of TGF-beta near its apparent dissociation constant. Using 125I-labeled TGF-beta, we demonstrated that TGF-beta complexes with the plasma component alpha 2-macroglobulin, but not with fibronectin. Heparin increases the electrophoretic mobility of TGF-beta apparently by freeing TGF-beta from its complex with alpha 2-macroglobulin. Dextran sulfate, another highly charged antiproliferative molecule, but not chondroitin sulfate or dermatan sulfate, similarly modified TGF-beta's mobility. Relatively high, antiproliferative concentrations of heparin (1-100 micrograms/ml) were required to dissociate the TGF-beta/alpha 2-macroglobulin complex. Thus, it appears that the antiproliferative effect of heparin may be partially attributed to its ability to potentiate the biological activity of TGF-beta by dissociating it from alpha 2-macroglobulin, which normally renders it inactive. We suggest that heparin-like agents may be important regulators of TGF-beta's biological activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Acetyl-LDL stimulates macrophage-dependent plasminogen activation and degradation of extracellular matrix.

The ability of acetyl-LDL to stimulate macrophage-dependent plasminogen activation and degradation of extracellular matrix was examined. We have found that expression of plasminogen activator activity in response to the scavenger receptor ligand varied among cell populations. Exposure to acetyl-LDL stimulated plasminogen activator expression by cells which constitutively released low levels of activator. These include a virally transformed macrophage-like cell line (RAW246.7), concanavalin A and C. parvum-activated macrophages. The stimulation of plasminogen activator activity was independent of cellular lipid accumulation since nonlipoprotein inhibitors of acetyl-LDL binding to the scavenger receptor stimulated activator expression in great excess to that observed with acetyl-LDL. In contrast, acetyl-LDL was unable to induce soluble plasminogen activator activity in cells which normally do not express it. These include a macrophage-like cell line (J774A.1) and resident peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, acetyl-LDL was unable to modulate the copious secretion of activator by inflammatory macrophages elicited with thioglycolate. When macrophages were tested for their ability to degrade smooth muscle cell derived matrix, solubilization by resident, elicited, and activated cells was variously increased in the presence of plasminogen. Furthermore, exposure to acetyl-LDL enhanced plasmin-dependent degradation by resident cells and activated cells, whereas matrix degradation by elicited cells was unaffected.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Herpes simplex virus infection in human arterial cells. Implications in arteriosclerosis.

Herpesviruses have been implicated as etiologic factors in the pathogenesis of human arteriosclerosis. We have examined the pathobiological effects of human herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection in influencing lipid accumulation and metabolism in human and bovine arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC). Significantly greater amounts of saturated cholesteryl esters (CE) and triacylglycerols (TG) accumulate in HSV-1-infected human and bovine arterial SMC than uninfected cells. This CE accumulation results, in part, from decreased CE hydrolysis. Furthermore, arachidonate-stimulated, HSV-1-infected arterial SMC have a reduced capacity to produce prostacyclin (an agonist of intracellular CE hydrolytic activity) than uninfected, stimulated SMC. It appears that HSV-1 may induce lipid accumulation in arterial SMC similar, in part, to the lipid accumulation observed in vivo during human atherogenesis. Thus, herpesviruses may contribute to lipid accumulation, which is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Fluorescent opsonization assay: binding of plasma fibronectin to fibrin-derivatized fluorescent particles does not enhance their uptake by macrophages.

A simple method for assessing the opsonic properties of plasma fibronectin is described. The method is based on the uptake of protein-derivatized fluorescent particles by mouse peritoneal macrophages. With this system, fibronectin stimulated the uptake of gelatin conjugated to carboxylated fluorescent particles. In contrast to the gelatinized particles, neither the covalent nor noncovalent interaction of fibronectin with fibrin particles stimulated their uptake by macrophages. These results provide additional evidence that fibronectin is not a conventional opsonin and that enhanced phagocytosis is not an obligatory response by macrophages to fibronectin-coated particles.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Altered cholesteryl ester cycle is associated with lipid accumulation in herpesvirus-infected arterial smooth muscle cells.

We describe herein the effects of Marek's disease herpesvirus (MDV) on cholesterol and cholesteryl ester metabolism in cultured chicken arterial smooth muscle cells. Infection of arterial smooth muscle cells from specific pathogen-free chickens with MDV, but not a virus control, herpesvirus of turkeys led to a 7-10-fold increase in the accumulation of free and esterified cholesterol and a 2-fold increase in phospholipids. The cellular lipid changes observed in the MDV-infected arterial smooth muscle cells resulted, in part, from the following: decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesteryl ester hydrolysis due to decreased lysosomal (acid) cholesteryl ester hydrolytic activity; increased de novo synthesis of cholesterol; decreased excretion of free cholesterol; and, both increased cholesteryl ester synthetic activity and decreased cytoplasmic (neutral) cholesteryl ester hydrolytic activity which resulted in increased incorporation of oleic acid into cholesteryl ester. Other changes noted in the MDV-infected cells as compared to uninfected cells included a 2-fold increase in both total protein synthesis and lysosomal and microsomal marker enzyme activities. These alterations in lipid and protein metabolism in MDV-infected arterial smooth muscle cells may explain in part our in vivo findings that herpesvirus (MDV) infection of specific pathogen-free chickens fed a normocholesterolemic diet will induce arterial thickening and lipid accumulation resembling human atherosclerosis.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Laterality and field dependence.

The purposes of this study were (1) to replicate a right visual-field advantage for a version of the Embedded Figures Test modified for tachistoscopic presentation and (2) to test for a relationship between field independence and performance on modified Embedded Figures Test items presented to the right visual-field. 34 right-handed subjects were presented Embedded Figures Test items to the left, center, and right visual-fields for 150 msec. The Group Embedded Figures Test was also given. Results showed a right visual-field advantage on the modified embedded-figures test and (2) a negative relationship between Group Embedded Figures Test performance and right visual-field scores. These findings were discussed in terms of the differences between the two versions of the embedded-figures test, memory for simple figures, specificity of judgment, and sustained versus tachistoscopic perception. A tentative conclusion suggests that a better internal representation of the briefly presented complex figures places field-independent subjects at a disadvantage on the modified version of the test.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Monocytes and macrophages synthesize and secrete thrombospondin.

Thrombospondin, one of the major glycoproteins released from alpha-granules of thrombin-stimulated platelets, is a disulfide-linked trimer of 160,000-dalton subunits. Cultured human monocytes secreted thrombospondin (determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) into the culture medium in a time-dependent manner (1.45 micrograms/10(6) cells/24 hr); secretion was totally blocked by cycloheximide (1 microgram/mL). 35S-thrombospondin was isolated from 35S-methionine-labeled human monocyte postculture medium with rabbit polyclonal anti-thrombospondin coupled to protein A-Sepharose. The immunoisolated 35S-thrombospondin migrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels after reduction with a molecular weight of 159,000. Similar results were obtained using mouse resident peritoneal macrophages. Elicited peritoneal macrophages harvested from mice pretreated with endotoxin, casein, or thioglycollate secreted much less thrombospondin than did resident macrophages harvested from control mice. Thus, monocytes and macrophages from two different species synthesize and secrete thrombospondin, and the rate of synthesis of thrombospondin appears to depend on the state of activation of the cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Insoluble low-density lipoprotein-proteoglycan complexes enhance cholesteryl ester accumulation in macrophages.

The interaction of arterial proteoglycans (PGs) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) has been postulated to be an important factor in extracellular cholesterol accumulation in the arterial wall. In the present study, insoluble complexes of LDL and PG (LDL-PG) were prepared and their effects on cholesteryl ester accumulation in mouse peritoneal macrophages was tested. The cholesteryl ester content of macrophages incubated with LDL-PG for 3 days was greater than 20 times that observed in cells incubated with LDL alone. The uptake of 125I-LDL by macrophages was markedly stimulated if LDL was incorporated into a complex with PG. However, in contrast to either LDL or acetylated LDL (ALDL), the extent of subsequent degradation of LDL-PG by the cells was reduced. The uptake and degradation of LDL-PG complexes stimulated macrophage incorporation of 14C-oleic acid into cholesteryl oleate 4- to 5-fold over LDL alone; however, esterification was significantly less than that observed with ALDL, even though more LDL-PG was degraded. Ultrastructurally, macrophages incubated with LDL-PG complexes contained lipid droplets as well as numerous phagocytic vacuoles often containing material similar in appearance to insoluble complexes. These results demonstrate that components of the extracellular matrix, such as PG, can modify the catabolism of LDL by scavenger cells. This phenomenon may be potentially important with respect to foam-cell genesis from macrophages in the arterial wall.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Interaction of arterial cells. I. Endothelial cells alter cholesterol metabolism in co-cultured smooth muscle cells.

Results of previous in vivo experiments indicated that the presence of arterial endothelium modifies cholesteryl ester (CE) metabolism and the retention of low density lipoproteins (LDL) in injured arteries. We describe herein the effects of bovine arterial endothelial cells (ENDO) on the CE cycle, fluid phase endocytosis, and cell proliferation in co-cultured bovine arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC). Following several days of cultivation on confluent SMC, ENDO were removed from SMC by treatment of the co-cultures with 1.0% collagenase (type II). Removal of only ENDO from the co-culture dishes was confirmed by immunofluorescent staining for Factor VIII antigen, hemotoxylin-eosin staining, and biochemical analyses. We observed that ENDO grown to 75% confluency on confluent SMC induced: 1) a reduction of CE hydrolysis as a result of decreased lysosomal CE hydrolytic activity in SMC as compared to SMC cultured alone; and 2) an increase in the rate of incorporation of labeled oleate into CE as a result of increased acyl CoA:cholesterol O-acyltransferase activity in SMC as compared to SMC cultured alone. Neither endothelial cell-derived culture media (ECDM) nor fibroblasts modulated CE metabolism in co-cultured SMC. Additional experiments showed that the presence of endothelial cells or ECDM decreased the proliferation of co-cultured SMC by 50%, but enhanced the endocytotic rate of labeled sucrose into SMC threefold. Results of experiments described herein demonstrate that, in addition to providing a thrombo-resistant surface and regulating permeability, endothelial cells may also serve to modulate cholesteryl ester metabolism in smooth muscle cells derived from the arterial wall.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Lipoprotein-heparin-fibronectin-denatured collagen complexes enhance cholesteryl ester accumulation in macrophages.

The sequestration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by components of the vascular extracellular matrix has long been recognized as a contributing factor to lipid accumulation during atherogenesis. The effects, however, that components of the extracellular matrix might have on LDL catabolism by scavenger cells have been little investigated. For these purposes we have prepared insoluble complexes of LDL, heparin, fibronectin, and denatured collagen (gelatin) and examined their effects on lipid accumulation, LDL uptake and degradation, and cholesteryl ester synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The results of these experiments have demonstrated that the cholesteryl ester content of macrophages incubated with a particular suspension of LDL, heparin, fibronectin, and collagen complexes is four- to fivefold that of cells incubated with LDL alone. The uptake of complexes containing 125I-LDL is rapid; however, in contrast to either endocytosed 125I-LDL or 125I-acetyl LDL, the degradation of complex-derived LDL is impaired. In addition, the uptake of complex-derived LDL stimulates the incorporation of [14C]oleic acid into cholesteryl oleate, however, the stimulation was a small fraction of that observed in cells incubated with acetyl LDL. Ultrastructurally, macrophages incubated with LDL, heparin, fibronectin, and collagen complexes did not contain many lipid droplets, but rather their cytoplasm is filled with phagosomes containing material similar in appearance to LDL-matrix complexes. These results indicate that components of the extracellular matrix can alter the catabolism of LDL by scavenger cells, suggesting that they may play a role in cellular lipid accumulation in the atherosclerotic lesion.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

A modified lateral eye-movement measure, the right hemisphere and creativity.

The relationship between direction of gaze and creativity was studied using a modified measure of lateral eye movement which recorded the total time of gaze rather than initial direction of gaze only. Twelve subjects were presented the Uses Test and the Remote Associates Test orally while direction of gaze was monitored. Analysis yielded a high positive correlation between left gaze and upward gaze for the Uses Test scores while directional gaze did not correlate with Remote Associates Test performance. These findings would have been obscured if the conventional method of recording lateral eye movements had been used.

Creativity↗