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Biomedical subjects

J Hsuan

Publications and source records attributed to J Hsuan.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Identification of a second neutrophil-chemoattractant cytokine generated during an inflammatory reaction in the rabbit peritoneal cavity in vivo. Purification, partial amino acid sequence and structural relationship to melanoma-growth-stimulatory activity.

The intraperitoneal injection of zymosan in the rabbit results in the generation of an inflammatory exudate containing oedema-forming and chemoattractant activities. Previous studies demonstrated the early appearance of the complement fragment C5a, followed by the generation of two mediators related to the cytokine interleukin-8 that were separable by cation-exchange h.p.l.c. N-Terminal amino acid sequencing identified one of these mediators as rabbit interleukin-8. This paper describes the purification of the second cytokine by cation-exchange, gel-filtration and reversed-phase h.p.l.c. The purified material had both oedema-forming and chemoattractant activity when assayed in rabbit skin in vivo. On SDS/PAGE a single 6-8 kDa band was observed and N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the reduced and alkylated protein positively identified 36 amino acids. This sequence revealed the rabbit homologue of melanoma-growth-stimulatory activity. The identification of these two cytokines in vivo will provide an opportunity to investigate the importance of their co-release in the inflammatory process.

Amino Acid Sequence

Purification and characterization of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase from human erythrocyte membranes.

Two species of PtdIns 4-kinase with molecular masses of 50 kDa and 45 kDa were detected in human erythrocyte membranes using SDS/PAGE. These enzymes were purified to near homogeneity and found to display very similar enzymatic characteristics. The purification scheme consisted of solubilization from erythrocyte membranes in the presence of Triton X-100, followed by Cibacron-blue-Sephadex, phosphocellulose and Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography. The final step in the purification protocol was preparative SDS/PAGE, followed by electroelution and renaturation of the enzyme. This procedure afforded an about 4000-fold purification of the enzyme from erythrocyte membranes. Characterization of the [32P]PtdInsP products formed by the purified PtdIns kinases indicated that these enzymes specifically phosphorylated the D-4 position of the inositol ring. The Km values of both PtdIns 4-kinase species for PtdIns and ATP were found to be 0.2 mM and 0.1 mM, respectively. The enzymes are both activated by Mg2+, and inhibited by Ca2+ and by adenosine. The potential importance of these effectors for the regulation of PtdIns phosphorylation in cells is discussed.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase

Bcr encodes a GTPase-activating protein for p21rac.

More than thirty small guanine nucleotide-binding proteins related to the ras-encoded oncoprotein, termed Ras or p21ras, are known. They regulate many fundamental processes in all eukaryotic cells, such as growth, vesicle traffic and cytoskeletal organization. GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) accelerate the intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis of Ras-related proteins, leading to down-regulation of the active GTP-bound form. For p21ras, two GAP proteins are known, rasGAP and the neurofibromatosis (NF1) gene product. There is evidence that rasGAP may also be a target protein for regulation by Ras and be involved in downstream signalling. We have purified a GAP protein for p21rho, which is involved in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Partial sequencing of rhoGAP reveals significant homology with the product of the bcr (breakpoint cluster region) gene, the translocation breakpoint in Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemias. We show here that the carboxy-terminal domains of the bcr-encoded protein (Bcr) and of a Bcr-related protein, n-chimaerin, are both GAP proteins for the Ras-related GTP-binding protein, p21rac. This result suggest that Bcr could be a target for regulation by Rac and has important new implications for the role of bcr translocations in leukaemia.

Amino Acid Sequence

Characterization of two 85 kd proteins that associate with receptor tyrosine kinases, middle-T/pp60c-src complexes, and PI3-kinase.

Affinity-purified bovine brain phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) contains two major proteins of 85 and 110 kd. Amino acid sequence analysis and cDNA cloning reveals two related 85 kd proteins (p85 alpha and p85 beta), which both contain one SH3 and two SH2 regions (src homology regions). When expressed, these 85 kd proteins bind to and are substrates for tyrosine-phosphorylated receptor kinases and the polyoma virus middle-T antigen/pp60c-src complex, but lack PI3-kinase activity. However, an antiserum raised against p85 beta immunoprecipitates PI3-kinase activity. The active PI3-kinase complex containing p85 alpha or p85 beta and the 110 kd protein binds to PDGF but not EGF receptors. p85 alpha and p85 beta may mediate specific PI3-kinase interactions with a subset of tyrosine kinases.

Animals

Expression of epidermal-growth-factor receptor in the K562 cell line by transfection. Altered receptor biochemistry.

The epidermal-growth-factor (EGF) receptor was expressed in the human erythroleukaemic cell line K562 by transfection of the receptor cDNA. EGF-receptor biochemistry appears altered in the K562 transfectants. Autophosphorylation of the K562 receptor is not stimulated substantially by EGF. Tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor is high in the absence of EGF, whereas receptor affinity for EGF is low. K562 cells are shown to lack mRNA for transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha). Therefore autocrine stimulation of the K562 receptor, at least by TGF alpha, does not explain the observed receptor biochemistry. The K562 receptor is phosphorylated at a single major site in intact cells, a threonine residue that may be Thr-669. Possible mechanisms of regulation of the EGF receptor in the K562 transfectants are discussed.

DNA

A novel neutrophil chemoattractant generated during an inflammatory reaction in the rabbit peritoneal cavity in vivo. Purification, partial amino acid sequence and structural relationship to interleukin 8.

An inflammatory reaction was induced in vivo by injection of zymosan into the peritoneal cavity of the rabbit. The inflammatory exudate was found to contain oedema-inducing and neutrophil chemoattractant activity when assayed in rabbit skin in vivo, using 125I-albumin and 111In-neutrophils. This activity was additional to that of complement fragment C5a, which was removed by an affinity gel. Two chemoattractants were isolated by cation-exchange, gel-filtration and reversed-phase h.p.l.c. One of these, which ran as a single band of 6-8 kDa on SDS/PAGE, was subjected to N-terminal sequence analysis without reduction and alkylation of cysteine residues. Positive identification of 28 of the first 31 amino acids revealed a rabbit homologue of interleukin-8 (75% sequence identity with human interleukin-8). The demonstration of interleukin-8 as a major neutrophil chemoattractant in an inflammatory reaction in vivo provides the basis for further investigations into the role of this cytokine in the inflammatory process.

Amino Acid Sequence

Proteolytic activation of protein kinase C-epsilon.

Proteolysis of native protein kinase C-epsilon (PKC-epsilon) is shown to occur through tryptic attack at multiple sites within the PKC-epsilon V2/V3 domain. Following initial cleavage of PKC-epsilon with trypsin, the kinase activity using a synthetic peptide substrate was found to be lipid/phorbol-ester independent, as observed for other members of this kinase family. Interestingly, there is also an increase in the histone kinase activity, indicating that there is an influence of the regulatory domain of the enzyme on substrate specificity. This is discussed in the context of alternatively spliced PKC-epsilon mRNAs that are shown to be present in brain and lung tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence