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Biomedical subjects

J Rosenbloom

Publications and source records attributed to J Rosenbloom.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Control of elastin synthesis.

mRNA was isolated from the thoracic aortas of 16-day chick embryos and used to synthesize blunt-ended heteroduplex molecules consisting of one strand of mRNA and one of cDNA using AMV reverse transcriptase and S1 nuclease. The duplexes were tailed with dCTP and hybridized to the plasmid pBR322 which had been restricted with Pst I and tailed with dGTP. Recombinant plasmids were used to transform E. coli C600 and colonies containing elastin cDNA were selected by in situ hybridization with 32P labeled elastin mRNA and by hybrid selected translation using the nuclease-treated reticulocyte lysate system. mRNA recovered from hybridization to DNA of one clone, pWB1, markedly stimulated incorporation of [3H]valine into a protein which was immunoprecipitable with elastin-specific antibody and had a molecular weight of 72,000, characteristic of tropoelastin. The 230 bp insert of pWB1 was sequenced by the technique of Maxam and Gilbert and found to be derived from a nontranslated region of the 3' end of the mRNA. Nick-translated pWB1 was used to identify and to estimate the relative amounts of elastin mRNA in the developing chick embryo aorta by blot hybridization. A single mRNA species of 3.5 kb hybridized to the pWB1 probe and this species increased greatly in amount between day 7 and day 14. This increase was paralleled by an increase in translatable elastin mRNA and by the rate of elastin synthesis of aortas from various age embryos incubated in vivo. The injection of 150 microgram of hydrocortisone 21-phosphate into 8-day eggs produced a significant increase in both the relative rate of tropoelastin synthesized by the isolated aortas and the relative amount of elastin mRNA. These results suggest that the observed changes in elastin synthesis during development and after hydrocortisone administration are governed by the elastin mRNA content of the aortas.

Animals↗

An analysis of the organ and species immunospecificity of elastin.

The connective tissue protein elastin is largely responsible for maintaining the elasticity of major blood vessels and lung tissue. Comparatively few studies have been made of the immunologic properties of elastin because of its high degree of insolubility and because of its apparent limited capacity to elicit precipitating antibodies. Recent studies have focused on the possible role of elastolytic enzymes, particularly leukocyte elastase, in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease, but there are no reports in the literature concerning the antigenic properties of peptides released by digestion of insoluble elastin with leukocyte elastase. In the present study, we have obtained antibodies in rabbits to peptides prepared by digestion of dog and human lung and aortic elastin with either oxalic acid or leukocyte elastase. By hemagglutination assays, we have shown generally that: (1) within a given species the peptides from aorta and lung cross-react strongly with one another, (2) there was rather poor cross-reactivity between peptides from different species (3) the peptides obtained by oxalic acid digestion cross-react poorly with those obtained by elastase digestion, (4) the antibodies to the peptides cross-reacted with the insoluble elastin from which the peptides were derived. These elastin-specific antibodies may be useful for ultrastructural localization of elastin and identification of fragments derived from elastin in the sera of humans and experimental animals.

Animals↗

Immuno electron microscopic studies on cells synthesizing elastin.

Embryonic chick and hamster aortas were examined in the electron microscope using ferritin-conjugated, elastin-specific antibodies after etching of the plastic, thin sections with a dilute solution of benzene, methanol and ethanol. Specific staining of intracellular vesicles was observed in both smooth muscle and endothelial cells in addition to extracellular elastin fibers. In the chick cells, these ferritin-stained vesicles had a lipid-laden appearance. In both species the vesicles appeared to fuse with the plasma membrane and discharge their contents into the extracellular space suggesting elastin is secreted via vesicular structures.

Animals↗

Immunologic identification of elastin-derived peptides in the serums of dogs with experimental emphysema.

Pulmonary emphysema is a disease in which peptides formed by the enzymatic degradation of the amorphous component of interstitial elastin may be release from the lung. In order to provide a test that can monitor the destruction of lung elastin invivo, we developed a hemagglutination inhibiton assay that specifically and quantitatively measure elastin-derived peptides in serum. Using this method, was measured the concentration of elastin-derived peptides in the serums of dogs developing emphysema through the administration of porcine pancreatic elastase. Elastin-derived peptides could be detected in the serums for a period of 12 days after the administration of a single 25- or 50-mg dose of elastase, and for at least 40 days after a 100-mg dose. There was a good correlation between the maximal concentration of elastin derived peptides found in the serums and the amount of elastase administered to the animal. This immunologic method may be useful in following the progression of experiment emphysema.

Animals↗

Biosynthesis of tropoelastin by elastic cartilage.

Elastic ear cartilage and aortae from nine-day-old hamsters were incubated in Krebs-Ringer medium containing ascorbate, beta-aminopropionitrile and either [14C]proline or [3H]valine. The [14C]proline-labeled proteins were separated by chromatography on Agarose A-5 m in sodium dodecyl sulfate and their [14C]-hydroxyproline content measured. A fraction having an approximate molecular weight of 70,000 measured by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis had a [14C]hydroxyproline content of 9.1% in the cartilage and 11.8% in the aorta. This fraction was also relatively heavily labeled with [3H]valine. The 70,000 dalton, [3H]valine-labeled protein of both the aorta and ear cartilage was precipitated by elastin-specific antibody prepared against hamster insoluble aorta elastin, but no higher molecular weight protein was immunoprecipitated. Based on these results we identify the 70,000 dalton protein from the elastic cartilage as tropoelastin.

Animals↗

Inhibition of collagen synthesis by mononuclear cell supernates.

Mononuclear cell infiltration and alteration in the connective tissues are prominent features of the inflammatory response in a number of diseases. To determine whether mononuclear cell products can modulate collagen synthesis, human peripheral mononuclear cells from normal donors were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation and then incubated for 48 h with or without phytohemagglutinin. Confluent cultures of normal, human skin fibroblasts were incubated with [14C]proline and various amounts of dialyzed supernates from the mononuclear cell cultures. Labeled, newly synthesized collagen was estimated by [14C]hydroxyproline analysis, collagenase digestion, and chromatography on Agarose A-5m in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The total incorporation of [14C]proline was not significantly affected by addition of the mononuclear cell supernates, but as much as 90% decrease in the synthesis by the fibroblasts of labeled collagen was found relative to controls. Supernates from the phytohemagglutinin-stimulated cultures were more active than those from nonstimulated cells. These results suggest that mononuclear cells can synthesize a factor(s) which can selectively inhibit collagen synthesis.

Ascorbic Acid↗

Fibronectin alters the phenotypic properties of cultured chick embryo chondroblasts.

The state of chick embryo chondroblasts in culture was found to be sensitive to both fibronectin and another substance(s) (activity A) which could be extracted from chick embryo fibroblasts with 1 M urea or from conditioned medium. In the presence of either of these activities at concentrations of 25-150 micrograms/ml, chondroblasts, which normally grow as mixed cultures of floating and adherent cells, all immediately became attached to the tissue culture dish and spread. After several days, the morphology of these typically epithelioid cells became fibroblastic. This did not involve a selection process, since the effect was reversible. The synthetic program of these cells was also dramatically modified: the cultures no longer synthesized the chondroblast-unique type IV sulfated proteoglycan and began synthesizing alpha 2 collagen chains typical of fibroblastic or early limb bud cells. Fibronectin was resolved from activity A by gelatin affinity chromatography or gel filtration. Both activities were trypsin-sensitive. The two activities differed, however, on the basis of how the protein fractions in which they were found migrated in SDS-polyacrylamide gels, their specific activities and their effects on cell morphology and cell growth.

Animals↗

Immunofluorescent evidence for the similarity of amelogenins in calf, mouse and pig teeth.

Antiserum was prepared to fetal bovine enamel matrix and was used to localize the amelogenins in developing bovine molars by immunofluorescent microscopy. Amelogenins could be identified to preameloblasts, secretory ameloblasts, stratum intermedium cells, and the newly deposited enamel matrix. Mature enamel matrix did not fluoresce except in a thin line along the DEJ and adjacent to the ameloblasts. Immature enamel matrix of murine and porcine teeth fluoresced when treated with antiserum to bovine enamel matrix. No other portions of tooth buds or other tissues reacted with the specific antiserum.

Animals↗