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Biomedical subjects

J H Jackson

Publications and source records attributed to J H Jackson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Maintenance of repression control of the ilvGMEDA operon in a temperature-sensitive leucyl-transfer RNA synthetase mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 at a restrictive temperature.

The mechanism of L-leucine regulation of ilvGMEDA is thought to be by ribosome-mediated attenuation that is dependent upon the concentration of Leu-tRNA(Leu) which results from leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) activity. The requirement for LeuRS activity in attenuation control was tested in an Escherichia coli K-12 strain containing a temperature-sensitive LeuRS and the ilvGMEDA operon with an active ilvGM. Growth of this strain at 30 degrees C followed by a shift to 37 degrees C to inactivate the LeuRS revealed that ilvGM expression decreased at the restrictive temperature whereas the downstream gene expression was slightly elevated. We suggest that ilvGM does not respond to a deattenuation signal, and that, possibly, a secondary repression/derepression mechanism exists.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Farnesol modification of Kirsten-ras exon 4B protein is essential for transformation.

Oncogenic forms of ras proteins are synthesized in the cytosol and must become membrane associated to cause malignant transformation. Palmitic acid and an isoprenoid (farnesol) intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis are attached to separate cysteine residues near the C termini of H-ras, N-ras, and Kirsten-ras (K-ras) exon 4A-encoded proteins. These lipid modifications have been suggested to promote or stabilize the association of ras proteins with membranes. Because preventing isoprenylation also prevents palmitoylation, examining the importance of isoprenylation alone has not been possible. However, the oncogenic human [Val12]K-ras 4B protein is not palmitoylated but is isoprenylated, membrane associated, and fully transforming. We therefore constructed mutant [Val12]K-ras 4B proteins that were not isoprenylated to examine the effects of isoprenylation in the absence of palmitoylation. The nonisoprenylated mutant proteins both failed to associate with membranes and did not transform NIH 3T3 cells. In addition, inhibition of isoprenoid and cholesterol synthesis with the drug compactin also decreased [Val12]K-ras 4B protein isoprenylation and membrane association. These results unequivocally demonstrate that isoprenylation, rather than palmitoylation, is essential for ras membrane binding and ras transforming activity. These findings clearly indicate the biological significance of ras protein modification by farnesol and suggest that this modification may be important for facilitating the processing, trafficking, and biological activity of other isoprenylated proteins. Because K-ras is the most frequently activated oncogene in a wide spectrum of human malignancies, study of this pathway could lead to important therapeutic treatments.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Acetohydroxy acid synthase activity from a mutation at ilvF in Escherichia coli K-12.

Examination of the ilvF locus at 54 min on the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome revealed that it is a cryptic gene for expression of a valine-resistant acetohydroxy acid synthase (acetolactate synthase; EC 4.1.3.18) distinct from previously reported isozymes. A spontaneous mutation, ilvF663, yielded IlvF+ enzyme activity that was multivalently repressed by all three branched-chain amino acids, was completely insensitive to feedback inhibition, was highly stable at elevated temperatures, and expressed optimal activity at 50 degrees C. The IlvF+ enzyme activity was expressed in strains in which isozyme II was inactive because of the ilvG frameshift in the wild-type strain K-12 and isozymes I and III were inactivated by point mutations or deletions. Tn5 insertional mutagenesis yielded two IlvF- mutants, with the insertion in ilvF663 in each case. These observations suggest that the ilvF663 locus may be a coding region for a unique acetohydroxy acid synthase activity.

Acetolactate Synthase↗
PubMed1990

Mechanisms of hypochlorite injury of target cells.

HOCl, which is produced by the action of myeloperoxidase during the respiratory burst of stimulated neutrophils, was used as a cytotoxic reagent in P388D1 cells. Low concentrations of HOCl (10-20 microM) caused oxidation of plasma membrane sulfhydryls determined as decreased binding of iodoacetylated phycoerythrin. These same low concentrations of HOCl caused disturbance of various plasma membrane functions: they inactivated glucose and aminoisobutyric acid uptake, caused loss of cellular K+, and an increase in cell volume. It is likely that these changes were the consequence of plasma membrane SH-oxidation, since similar effects were observed with para-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate (pCMBS), a sulfhydryl reagent acting at the cell surface. Given in combination pCMBS and HOCl showed an additive effect. Higher doses of HOCl (greater than 50 microM) led to general oxidation of -SH, methionine and tryptophan residues, and formation of protein carbonyls. HOCl-induced loss of ATP and undegraded NAD was closely followed by cell lysis. In contrast, NAD degradation and ATP depletion caused by H2O2 preceded cell death by several hours. Formation of DNA strand breaks, a major factor of H2O2-induced injury, was not observed with HOCl. Thus targets of HOCl were distinct from those of H2O2 with the exception of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which was inactivated by both oxidants.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Polyethylene glycol-attached antioxidant enzymes decrease pulmonary oxygen toxicity in rats.

When exposed continuously to hyperoxia (100% O2, 760 Torr barometric pressure), rats pretreated with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-attached superoxide dismutase and catalase (PEG-SOD + PEG-CAT) lived longer (79.1 + 7.6 h) than rats pretreated with saline (60.7 +/- 2.1 h) or PEG-inactivated-SOD + PEG-inactivated-CAT (62.3 +/- 1.6 h). Rats pretreated with PEG-SOD + PEG-CAT also had less hyperoxia-induced acute oxidative edematous lung injury, as assessed by increases in lung oxidized glutathione (GSSG) contents, pleural effusions, and lung lavage albumin concentrations than saline-pretreated rats. Rats pretreated with the long-lived conjugates PEG-inactivated-SOD + PEG-inactivated-CAT or PEG-albumin also had decreased acute oxidative edematous lung injury compared with rats pretreated with PEG, SOD + CAT + PEG, SOD + CAT, or saline. In vitro studies suggested that PEG itself may have contributed to protection by scavenging hydroxyl radical (.OH) but not superoxide (O2-.) or H2O2. Compared with more effective endogenous (via preexposure to hypoxia) or exogenous (via liposomes) means for increasing lung antioxidant enzymes, PEG enzymes are less protective against lung injury from continuous hyperoxia.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Damage to the bases in DNA induced by stimulated human neutrophils.

Leukocyte-induced DNA damage may partially account for the known association between chronic inflammation and malignancy. Since elucidation of the chemical nature of leukocyte-induced DNA damage may enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying leukocyte-induced DNA damage and the carcinogenesis associated with inflammation, the present study was undertaken to characterize the chemical modifications that occur in DNA exposed to stimulated human neutrophils. Calf thymus DNA was exposed to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated neutrophils in the presence or absence of exogenously added iron ions. DNA samples were subsequently hydrolyzed, derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring. A variety of base modifications including cytosine glycol, thymine glycol, 4,6-diamino-5-formamidopyrimidine, 8-hydroxyadenine, 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine, and 8-hydroxyguanine were identified. The yield of these various base products was increased by the addition of iron ions. Specifically, in the presence of physiologic quantities of iron ions, approximately 7 of every 1,000 DNA bases were modified. Addition of the superoxide anion scavenger, superoxide dismutase, the hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase, the hydroxyl scavenger, dimethylsulfoxide, or the iron chelator, deferoxamine, to DNA mixtures containing PMA, neutrophils, and iron ions, greatly decreased the yield of the damaged DNA base products. Our results indicate that stimulated human neutrophils can damage each of the four bases in DNA. It is likely that hydroxyl radical, generated via an iron catalyzed Haber-Weiss reaction, mediates neutrophil-induced DNA base damage, since: (a) the chemical structure of neutrophil-induced DNA base damage is consistent with a hydroxyl radical-mediated mechanism, (b) hydroxyl radical generated via ionizing radiation in aqueous solution produces DNA base modifications that are identical to neutrophil-induced DNA base modifications, (c) iron ions increase neutrophil-induced DNA base damage, and (d) iron chelators or scavengers of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide or hydroxyl radical decrease neutrophil-induced DNA base damage.

Catalase↗
PubMed1988

Mechanisms of oxidant-mediated cell injury. The glycolytic and mitochondrial pathways of ADP phosphorylation are major intracellular targets inactivated by hydrogen peroxide.

Inhibition of ADP phosphorylation by both glycolysis and mitochondria in P388D1 cells exposed to H2O2 is described. Net glucose uptake and lactate production were inhibited by oxidant exposure (ED50 = 50-100 microM). Glycolysis was specifically inactivated at the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase step by three independent mechanisms: (a) direct inactivation of the intracellular enzyme (ED50 approximately equal to 100 microM); (b) reduction of the intracellular concentration and redox potential of its nicotinamide cofactors; and (c) a cytosolic pH shift further from the enzyme optima. Consistent with inhibition of glycolysis at the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase step, a rise in the intracellular concentration of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate was observed. The calculated combined inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity could be reasonably correlated with the depression in glycolytic flux rate with the appropriate modeling. The steady-state contribution by mitochondria to the total intracellular ATP pool was indirectly determined by the use of various metabolic inhibitors and was found to rapidly decline following exposure to 300-800 microM H2O2. The inhibition of ADP phosphorylation appeared to be related more to the direct inhibition of the ATPase-synthase complex rather than to the diminished capacity of the respiratory chain for coupled electron transport. Both the estimated rates of ADP phosphorylation by glycolysis and mitochondria and the estimated rate of ATP hydrolysis by ongoing metabolism were utilized to model the approximate decline in intracellular ATP expected at 15-min exposure to various H2O2 concentrations. Theoretical calculations and the measured intracellular ATP status were in good agreement. Oxidant exposure for 15 min resulted in dose-dependent killing of the cells (ED50 = 500 microM), indicating a close correlation between H2O2-mediated loss of intracellular ATP and cell viability. The possible contribution of impaired energy homeostasis during oxidant-mediated injury to the process of cell dysfunction and death is discussed.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1988

Thiourea and dimethylthiourea decrease human neutrophil bactericidal function in vitro.

Addition of thiourea (TU) or dimethylthiourea (DMTU) decreased killing of Staphylococcus aureus, 502A, and decreased concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (.OH), but not superoxide anion (O2-.) or lysozyme concentrations, in mixtures containing human neutrophils in vitro. Addition of TU or DMTU also decreased concentrations of H2O2, .OH, or hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in neutrophil-free mixtures exposed to beta-D-glucose and glucose oxidase, gamma irradiation, or HOCl, respectively. Our results suggest that TU or DMTU can decrease neutrophil-mediated killing of bacteria by inhibiting O2 metabolite-dependent bactericidal mechanisms.

Blood Bactericidal Activity↗
PubMed1988

Hypoxia increases glutathione redox cycle and protects rat lungs against oxidants.

Preexposure to hypoxia increased survival and lung reduced glutathione-to-oxidized glutathione ratios (GSH/GSSG) and decreased pleural effusions in rats subsequently exposed to continuous hyperoxia. In addition, lungs from hypoxia-preexposed rats developed less acute edematous injury (decreased lung weight gains and lung lavage albumin concentrations) than lungs from normoxia-preexposed rats when isolated and perfused with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generated by xanthine oxidase (XO) or glucose oxidase (GO). In contrast, when perfused with elastase or exposed to a hydrostatic left atrial pressure challenge, lungs isolated from hypoxia-preexposed rats developed the same acute edematous injury as lungs from normoxia-preexposed rats. The mechanism by which hypoxia preexposure conferred protection against H2O2 appeared to depend on hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS)-dependent increases in lung glutathione redox cycle activity. First, before perfusion with GO, lungs from hypoxia-preexposed rats had increased glutathione peroxidase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (but not catalase or glutathione reductase) activities compared with lungs from normoxia-preexposed rats. Second, after perfusion with GO, lungs from hypoxia-preexposed rats had increased H2O2 reducing equivalents, as reflected by increased GSH/GSSG and NADPH/NADPH+, compared with lungs from normoxia-preexposed rats. Third, pretreatment of rats with an HMPS inhibitor, (6-aminonicotinamide) or a glutathione reductase inhibitor, [1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea] prevented hypoxia-conferred protection against H2O2-mediated acute edematous injury in isolated lungs. These findings suggest that increased detoxification of H2O2 by glutathione redox cycle and HMPS-dependent mechanisms contributes to tolerance to hyperoxia and resistance to H2O2 of lungs from hypoxia-preexposed rats.

6-Aminonicotinamide↗
PubMed1988

Oxidant-induced DNA damage of target cells.

In this study we examined the leukocytic oxidant species that induce oxidant damage of DNA in whole cells. H2O2 added extracellularly in micromolar concentrations (10-100 microM) induced DNA strand breaks in various target cells. The sensitivity of a specific target cell was inversely correlated to its catalase content and the rate of removal of H2O2 by the target cell. Oxidant species produced by xanthine oxidase/purine or phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated monocytes induced DNA breakage of target cells in proportion to the amount of H2O2 generated. These DNA strand breaks were prevented by extracellular catalase, but not by superoxide dismutase. Cytotoxic doses of HOCl, added to target cells, did not induce DNA strand breakage, and myeloperoxidase added extracellularly in the presence of an H2O2-generating system, prevented the formation of DNA strand breaks in proportion to its H2O2 degrading capacity. The studies also indicated that H2O2 formed hydroxyl radical (.OH) intracellularly, which appeared to be the most likely free radical responsible for DNA damage: .OH was detected in cells exposed to H2O2; the DNA base, deoxyguanosine, was hydroxylated in cells exposed to H2O2; and intracellular iron was essential for induction of DNA strand breaks.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Leukocyte-induced tissue injury.

The crucial role of leukocytes in host defense is well known. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that in addition to their beneficial effects, leukocytes can also cause significant injury to host tissues. In this article, the authors review some of the experimental evidence that supports the role of leukocytes in tissue injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Common evolutionary origin of the ilvGMEDA attenuation locus and tRNA(1Leu) in Escherichia coli.

Published sequences of transcripts from ilvGMEDA leader regions of several enteric bacteria were compared with published sequences of the tRNAs from Escherichia coli. The analyses revealed homology between the ilvGMEDA leader peptide-coding region and tRNA(1Leu) in E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Klebsiella aerogenes, whereas homology was not present in Serratia marcescens and Edwardsiella tarda.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed1987

Role of oxidants in DNA damage. Hydroxyl radical mediates the synergistic DNA damaging effects of asbestos and cigarette smoke.

The mechanism by which cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure synergistically increase the incidence of lung cancer is unknown. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke and asbestos might synergistically increase DNA damage. To test this hypothesis we exposed isolated bacteriophage PM2 DNA to cigarette smoke and/or asbestos, and assessed DNA strand breaks as an index of DNA damage. Our results supported our hypothesis. 78 +/- 12% of the DNA exposed to both cigarette smoke and asbestos developed strand breaks, while only 9.8 +/- 7.0 or 4.3 +/- 3.3% of the DNA exposed to cigarette smoke or asbestos, respectively, developed strand breaks under the conditions of the experiment. Our experimental evidence suggested that cigarette smoke and asbestos synergistically increased DNA damage by stimulating .OH formation. First, significant amounts of .OH were detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in DNA mixtures containing both cigarette smoke and asbestos, but no .OH was detected in mixtures containing cigarette smoke alone or asbestos alone. Second, the .OH scavengers, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), mannitol, or Na benzoate decreased both .OH detection by EPR and strand breaks in DNA mixtures exposed to cigarette smoke and asbestos. Third, the H2O2 scavenger, catalase, and the iron chelators, 1,10-phenanthroline and desferrithiocin, decreased both .OH detection and strand breaks in DNA mixtures exposed to cigarette smoke and asbestos. These latter findings suggest that iron contained in asbestos may catalyze the formation of .OH from H2O2 generated by cigarette smoke. In summary, our study indicates that cigarette smoke and asbestos synergistically increase DNA damage and suggests that this synergism may involve .OH production.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1986

Dimethylthiourea decreases acute lung edema in phorbol myristate acetate-treated rabbits.

Treatment with dimethylthiourea (DMTU), a potent O2 metabolite scavenger, prevented neutrophil-mediated acute edema in lungs of rabbits given phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and in isolated rabbit lungs perfused with neutrophils and PMA. DMTU-treated rabbits given PMA did not increase their lung weight-to-total body weight ratios (5.0 +/- 0.3) or lung lavage albumin concentrations (14 +/- 4.6 mg/dl) in comparison to untreated rabbits given PMA (6.6 +/- 0.5 and 60 +/- 10 mg/dl, respectively). Similarly, DMTU-treated isolated rabbit lungs perfused with neutrophils and PMA did not gain weight (0 g) or increase their lavage albumin concentrations (82 +/- 17 mg/dl) in comparison to untreated lungs perfused with neutrophils and PMA (71 +/- 3.1 g and 1,299 +/- 47 mg/dl, respectively). DMTU did not appear to decrease edema by preventing increases in pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP). First, treatment with DMTU did not decrease initial PAP increases in rabbits given PMA. Second, even though addition of DMTU attenuated PAP increases in isolated lungs perfused with neutrophils and PMA, DMTU-treated isolated lungs did not develop acute edema when subjected to mechanical increases in venous outflow pressures. The mechanism by which DMTU decreases lung edema is unclear but may involve scavenging of toxic O2 metabolites, since DMTU also decreased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations in in vitro mixtures containing neutrophils and PMA.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

Genetic analysis of spontaneous resistance to ampicillin in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Step-wise intrinsic resistance to ampicillin in Neisseria gonorrhoeae was analyzed genetically by DNA-mediated transformation experiments. A first-step ampicillin-resistant (Ampr1) mutant and a second-step ampicillin-resistant (Ampr2) mutant generated during sequential selection were used in these studies. Each selection step was accompanied by an approximate twofold increase in resistance. Four amp alleles were found to account for full resistance of the Ampr2 phenotype. All four amp alleles lie among a cluster of genes which code for ribosomal functions. This region has the map order rif str fus tet cam. First-step resistance was caused by two amp alleles, ampA2 and ampB1, neither of which independently caused detectable ampicillin resistance. Outcrossing of the ampA2 or the ampB1 mutation resulted in wild-type susceptibility to ampicillin. Mapping studies indicate that ampB1 lies between str and fus, whereas ampA2 lies to the right of cam. Second-step resistance required two mutations, ampC3 and ampD4, in addition to ampB1 and ampA2. Transformation of ampC3 to ampC3+ in an Ampr2 mutant resulted in the Ampr1 phenotype. Both ampC3 and ampD4 showed transformation linkage to rif and str. ampC3 was positioned at a site between rif and str. ampD4 apparently occupied a site, outside of the rif-str region, proximal to rif and distal to str. We postulate the gene order to be ampD rif ampC str ampB fus tet cam ampA.

Alleles↗