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Biomedical subjects

J J Sedmak

Publications and source records attributed to J J Sedmak.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Ultrastructural distribution of interferon receptor sites on mouse L fibroblasts grown in suspension: ganglioside blockade of ligand binding.

Murine beta-interferon (IFN) receptors on L929 cells grown in suspension culture were visualized by indirect immunoferritin electron microscopy. Ferritin label on these cells was associated primarily with the coated areas and coated pits of the membrane, in contrast to previous observations with L929 cells grown in a monolayer, which did not reveal such coated areas or pits but showed ferritin label distributed randomly on the cell membrane (Kushnaryov et al., Infect. Immun. 36:811-821, 1982). On about 15% of the cell sections from suspension-grown cells, the ferritin label was found outside coated membrane areas. These findings suggest that different cell populations exist with respect to the localization and possibly the affinity of IFN receptors. In the same experiment, exogenously added gangliosides blocked the binding to cell surfaces not only of 125I-labeled IFN but also of unlabeled IFN as revealed by an immunospecific ferritin labeling technique, providing direct evidence that gangliosides interfere with the binding of IFN to specific receptor sites on the surface of mouse L929 cells. These studies establish that the binding of IFN to cell membranes, depending on cell growth conditions, can involve coated areas and coated pits, to which certain hormones and toxins have been shown to bind.

Animals↗

Ultrastructural localization of interferon receptors on the surfaces of cultured cells and erythrocytes.

The bindings sites for interferon (IFN) on the limiting cell membranes of human and mouse fibroblasts and erythrocytes were revealed by an indirect immunoferritin technique. Mouse IFN-beta and human IFN-beta of high specific activity were used with the corresponding purified antibodies. Species-specific IFN binding was demonstrated by ferritin deposition on human erythrocytes and fibroblast membranes treated with human IFN and on mouse erythrocytes and fibroblast membranes treated with mouse IFN, but not on human erythrocytes or fibroblast membranes treated with mouse IFN. IFN binding sites on fibroblasts were located on regions of membranes between microvilli, whereas diphtheria toxin receptors were demonstrated mainly on microvilli. IFN binding altered the diphtheria toxin after IFN treatment. This reduced toxicity correlated with a decrease in the quantity of receptors for diphtheria toxin on the cell membrane. Thus, the species-specific binding of IFN appears to depend on membrane receptors in discrete regions of the limiting membrane which are present not only on functionally responsive fibroblasts but also on erythrocytes.

Animals↗

Interferon stabilization and enhancement by rare earth salts.

The addition of salts of the rare earth elements (lanthanides) enhances by a factor of two or more the initial activity of human fibroblast, leukocyte and immune interferons as well as mouse L-cell interferon. Furthermore, the salts of the lanthanides (0.01 to 0.002 M) preserve the activity of human fibroblast interferon not only after 4 days of heating at 37 degrees C but also after exposure to severe shearing forces; human leukocyte interferon was stabilized to a lesser degree, albeit significantly.

Animals↗

The reactivation of human interferons by guanidine thiocyanate.

The addition of 1.5 M guanidine thiocyanate (GuSCN) reactivates inactive human leukocyte interferon. The biological activity of inactivated human fibroblast interferon can be only partially recovered with GuSCN if additional (thermal) energy is supplied.

Fibroblasts↗

Enzymatic modifications of human fibroblast and leukocyte interferons.

The sensitivity of highly purified human fibroblast interferon and partially purified human leukocyte interferon to several proteolytic and glycolytic enzymes was determined with respect to antiviral activity, isoelectric point, molecular weight, and thermal stability. Leucine aminopeptidase altered the distribution of isoelectric points for both interferons but produced little change in molecular weights; this enzyme somewhat reduced the activity of only leukocyte interferon. Treatment of fibroblast interferon with carboxypeptidases A and B did not greatly decrease antiviral activity, but it did slightly reduce the molecular weight of the interferon and substantially altered the distribution of isoelectric point values; similar treatment of leukocyte interferon caused some loss in activity, especially of the 17,000-molecular-weight species. Both interferons were inactivated rapidly by treatment with the endoproteases trypsin, pepsin, bromelain, and subtilisin. Chymotrypsin shifted the isoelectric points of both interferons, but only leukocyte interferon was significantly inactivated. Treatment with neuraminidase and beta-galactosidase changed the isoelectric point distribution but did not affect the activity or thermal stability of either interferon; such a treatment reduced the molecular weight of fibroblast interferon and the size heterogeneity of leukocyte interferon. Treatment with neuraminidase and then leucine aminopeptidase greatly reduced the activity of both interferons, especially leukocyte interferon. The data indicate that biologically active forms of fibroblast and leukocyte interferons can be distinguished by their relative sensitivity to certain proteases.

Carboxypeptidases↗

Thermal and vortical stability of purified human fibroblast interferon.

The loss of biological activity upon heating or agitation of human interferons is markedly altered by changing their aqueous environment. Low pH significantly stabilizes liquid fibroblast interferon at 68 degrees C and 37 degrees C whereas chaotropic salts stabilize at 68 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C; this anomalous result may be due to reactivation of biological activity at the higher temperature. The concentration of extraneous proteins influences the apparent thermal stability at any temperature and pH; thus, interferon was not stable even at low pH at protein concentrations less than 5 microgram/ml. Solutions of partially purified fibroblast interferon can be inactivated by mechanical stress; the addition of proteins or nonionic detergents prevents such inactivation. Freeze-dried preparations show the greatest thermal stability. The use of high-temperature, accelerated storage tests makes it possible to predict the shelf-life of freeze-dried interferon.

Drug Stability↗

Effect of chaotropic salts and protein denaturants on the thermal stability of mouse fibroblast interferon.

Altering the aqueous environment, especially with agents that affect hydrogen bonds, markedly affects the stability of mouse L cell interferon. Low pH stabilizes interferon whereas high pH labilizes it; heavy water further enhances interferon thermostability at pH 2 but not at pH 9. Exposure to the protein denaturants, 4 M-guanidine hydrochloride and 6 M-urea, significantly decreases the activity of interferon at pH 2 and pH9; however, the residual interferon activity is relatively thermostable. Certain chaotropic salts protect interferon against thermal destruction, and in terms of effectiveness, their sequence is in the order SCN- greater than 1- larger than or equal to Cl- = CiO4- - Br- greater than NO3-. Interferon becomes more stable to heat as the NaSCN concentration is increased from 0-25 M to 2-0 M. Molecular sieve chromatography of interferon in the presence of 1-5 M-NaSCN at pH 7 shows a shift in its apparent mol. wt. from 25000 to 42000. Unlike most proteins, the unfolded conformation of interferon appears to be more stable to heat than the molecule with a smaller Stokes' radius.

Deuterium↗

Stabilization of interferons.

It is now obvious that there are a number of factors which can influence the stability of interferons. Since human fibroblast interferon is especially unstable both to heat and mechanical stress, the use of stabilizing conditions such as low pH or thioctic acid should facilitate purification and concentration of this interferon. Leukocyte interferon, on the other hand, seems to be more stable even when highly purified; however, losses in activity can occur in very dilute solutions containing low concentrations of protein. Inactivation during storage of interferons may be avoided by using freeze-dried preparations. In order to generate large quantities of purified, stable interferons for clinical use, there is a need to establish an armamentarium of different nontoxic techniques and approaches that will enable investigators to stabilize human interferons at each step in preparation, processing, concentration, purification, shipment and storage.

Fibroblasts↗

The influence of physicochemical factors on the thermal inactivation of murine interferon.

The degradation of biological activity of virus-induced murine interferon was determined in linear nonisothermal and multiple isothermal tests. The stabilizing effect of pH during heating on interferon in solution was greatest at low pH, such that pH 2 greater than pH 5 greater than pH 7 greater than or equal to pH 9; freeze-dried preparations of interferon were also more heat-stable at acid pH than at neutral pH. Heat stability was a function of the H+-ion concentration rather than the ionic composition of the buffer; interferon solutions containing monovalent cations with different ionic radii had similar heat stability. A change in the H+ ion concentration was a critical event during the cooling of heated interferon: a shift in the direction of acidity contributed to stability whereas a shift towards alkalinity led to inactivation. The rate of cooling of heated interferon significantly influenced its residual activity. Rapid cooling and sudden freezing decreased the residual activities of interferons at pH 2 and 9 more than "normal" cooling, an effect not observed at pH 7. Interferon heated to 80degree C could not be reactivated at 40degree C or 55degree C. Interferon of higher apparent molecular weight was more heat-stable than that with lower apparent molecular weight. It is postulated that the physicochemical alterations in the aqueous environment significantly affecting the stability of interferon operate by producing changes in the size and/or conformation of interferon molecules. A model is proposed that relates thermal inactivation to different possible molecular states of interferon.

Animals↗

The neuraminidase yield-reduction bioassay of human other interferons.

The production of neuraminidase by the recombinant influenza virus X7(F1) in human monkey, rabbit, hamster, mouse, and chicken cell cultures is inhibited by interferon. Described is a new enzyme assay for neuraminidase that can be applied to the bioassay of interferons. The advantages of this interferon bioassay are its sensitivity, reproducibility, rapidity, and convenience.

Animals↗

Approaches to the stabilization of interferons.

Considerable effort has been expended in the past few years toward establishing an armamentarium of different techniques to stabilize naturally produced alpha-and beta-interferons, particularly the beta type in view of its greater lability. Of the techniques reported, it seems that addition of various proteins, rare earth salts, and use of acid pH conditions may be the most useful since they are relatively nontoxic and protect against both thermal and mechanical stress inactivation. Little has so far been reported on the stability of recombinant DNA-derived interferons. It is unlikely that they will be any more stable when they are purified than the natural human interferons. To generate stable preparations of these bacteria-produced interferons for clinical use it is important to establish different nontoxic techniques and approaches to prevent inactivation of these interferons during preparation, processing, concentration, purification and storage.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗