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Biomedical subjects

K Adachi

Publications and source records attributed to K Adachi.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources

Identification of the native form of chicken gizzard myosin light chain kinase with the aid of monoclonal antibodies.

Examination, by immunoblotting, of myosin light chain kinase-containing fractions obtained during purification of the enzyme from chicken gizzard has shown that a single species (Mr = 136,000) exists in the muscle and that this enzyme is degraded, primarily to a 130,000-dalton fragment, during purification. These conclusions were confirmed by phosphorylation of the different species of myosin light chain kinase by the isolated catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

Animals↗

Genetic and biochemical evidence that trehalase is a substrate of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in yeast.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, trehalase activity in crude extracts obtained from wild type cells was activated about 3-fold by preincubation with cAMP and ATP. The inactive trehalase fractionated by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography was activated by the addition of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase fraction from wild type cells in the presence of cAMP and ATP. Using the crude extract obtained from bcy1 mutant cells which were deficient in the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the stimulation of trehalase activity was observed in the absence of cAMP. The cAMP-dependent protein kinase of CYR3 mutant cells which had a high Ka value for cAMP in the phosphorylation reaction required a high cAMP concentration for activation of trehalase. Increased activation of partially purified inactive trehalase (Mr = 320,000) was observed to correlate with increased phosphorylation of a protein (Mr = 80,000) identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The assay results using various mutants altered in cAMP metabolism indicated that the activation and phosphorylation of inactive trehalase fractions depended on the cAMP concentration accumulated in mutant cells. Inactivation and dephosphorylation of active trehalase fractions were observed by treatment with alkaline phosphatase or crude cell extracts. The results indicated that the conversion of inactive form of trehalase to the active form is regulated by cAMP through cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Chromatography, Ion Exchange↗

Dielectric constant of sickle cell hemoglobin. Dielectric properties of sickle cell hemoglobin in solution and gel.

The dielectric constants of sickle cell hemoglobin were determined before and after gelation. The dielectric properties of oxy and deoxy sickle cell hemoglobin in solution are nearly identical to those of oxy and deoxy hemoglobin A. Only in the gel state did deoxy sickle cell hemoglobin display dielectric behavior different from that in solution. Upon gelation of deoxy sickle cell hemoglobin, the dielectric constant showed a marked decrease, and the relaxation frequency shifted towards higher frequencies. This result suggests that dielectric constant measurement can be used for the investigation of the kinetics of polymerization of sickle cell hemoglobin molecules. Despite the marked decrease in the dielectric constant, deoxy sickle cell hemoglobin still showed a well-defined dielectric dispersion even in the gel state. This indicates that individual molecules have considerable freedom of rotation in gels. It was observed that the dielectric properties of gelled deoxy sickle cell hemoglobin were affected by electrical fields at the level of 10 to 20 V/cm. This observation suggests that electrical fields of moderate strengths are able to perturb the gel structure if the system is near the transition region. The non-linear electrical behavior of gelled sickle cell hemoglobin will be discussed further in subsequent papers.

Electric Conductivity↗

Multiple nature of polymers of deoxyhemoglobin S prepared by different methods.

Studies on the aggregation of deoxy-Hb S in concentrated phosphate buffer revealed the formation of three types of polymers, the difference depending on the method employed for polymerization: 1) random or linear polymers without birefringence, 2) helical polymers with birefringence, and 3) crystals. Random or linear polymers were formed when oversaturated deoxy-Hb S was polymerized by the so-called salting out or isothermal method. Helical polymers were formed when oversaturated deoxy-Hb S (120% of the solubility) was polymerized by the temperature jump method. Crystals were formed preferentially by agitation of the sample during the polymerization below 12 degrees C. The solubilities of deoxy-Hb S measured after preparation of these three types of polymers were different, as were the activation energies for the formation of the three polymers. When a mixture of deoxy- and CO-Hb S was crystallized, the crystalline phase did not contain CO-Hb S molecules. To study the relationship among these three types of polymers and red cell sickling, the morphology of erythrocytes was studied after deoxygenation by several different methods. When erythrocytes were prepared by deoxygenation with 2% sodium dithionite at 30 degrees C, a condition similar to that for the isothermal method, red cells did not form the typical sickle shape but rather an irregular shape. In contrast, with the same experiments carried out by using the temperature jump method, typical sickle-shaped cells were formed. These data suggest that the morphological difference may be attributed to the different types of polymers formed inside erythrocytes.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Aggregation of hemoglobin S modified by bifunctional imidoesters.

Sickle hemoglobin (Hb S) was cross-linked by two types of bifunctional imidoesters, dimethyladipimidate (DMA) and dimethyl-3,3'-dithiobispropionimidate (DTBP). These modified hemoglobins were separated into monomer, dimer and polymer fractions by gel filtration. All of these modified hemoglobins showed extremely left-shifted oxygen equilibrium curves with no cooperativity. The stabilities of these hemoglobins were also decreased. The solubilities of these modified hemoglobins in high-phosphate buffers were lower than those of native Hb S. Studies on the kinetics of the aggregation of these modified hemoglobins showed that intracross-linked Hb S with DMA and DTBP (DMA- and DTBP-modified monomeric Hb S) still retained the capability of aggregation with a delay time, while intercross-linked Hb S with DMA and DTBP (DMA- and DTBP-modified oligomeric Hb S) aggregated without a delay time. When the kinetics of aggregation was measured for mixtures of modified and native deoxy-Hb S, DMA-modified monomeric deoxy-Hb S shortened the delay time prior to aggregation of native deoxy-Hb S. The other modified deoxy-Hb S did not affect the delay time, suggesting that these modified oligomeric hemoglobins neither participate in the formation of nuclei nor copolymerize with native deoxy-Hb S.

Cross-Linking Reagents↗

Forskolin activates adenylate cyclase activity and inhibits mitosis in in vitro in pig epidermis.

The novel adenylate cyclase activator forskolin caused rapid and high intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP in a floating skin (epidermal) slice system. Increased cAMP levels were also detected in the media. Addition of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor to forskolin-containing medium caused only a slight increase in the intracellular cAMP level and forskolin itself did not inhibit phosphodiesterase activity. Ka of forskolin for epidermal adenylate cyclase was about 2-3 X 10(-5) M. This forskolin activation was rapidly reversed after washing. The forskolin stimulation (Ka 5 X 10(-5) M) was also found when tested with an epidermal membrane preparation which contained the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase but lacked either the GTP or receptor stimulation. With the epidermal slice system, the combination of forskolin and epinephrine (or histamine) stimulated adenylate cyclase synergistically. The data suggest that forskolin activates not only the catalytic unit but also the nucleotide regulatory protein or the receptor-regulatory protein complex of the adenylate cyclase system. The cAMP accumulation caused by forskolin produced a dose-dependent mitotic inhibition of epidermal cells in an in vitro outgrowth system. This inhibitory effect was reversible 48 h after washing out the forskolin.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

"Leaky" epidermal cells contain a complete receptor-mediated adenylate cyclase system with an accessible GTP regulatory protein.

Hormone sensitivity to epinephrine or histamine of the adenylate cyclase system in pig skin is very labile to homogenization. We have developed a new adenylate cyclase receptor-mediated assay system with trypsinized epidermal cells which are treated with hypotonic shock. This new assay system maintained the hormonal sensitivity, as both epinephrine and histamine clearly stimulated cyclic AMP production. Moreover, the Ka for each hormone on this system was similar to that obtained from the floating pig skin slice system. Receptor-adenylate cyclase unit (coupling) in this assay system is therefore preserved as it occurs in intact tissue or cells. Because of the "leaky" nature of our preparation, phosphorylated compounds such as GTP and its analogue and NaF can penetrate the cell membrane and stimulate cyclic AMP production. In this system refractoriness is still maintained to subsequent stimulation by a receptor activator, and cholera toxin can be shown to dramatically increase the activity of GTP on the GTP binding protein, presumably by preventing GTP hydrolysis.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Agents that activate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibit explant culture growth and mitotic activity.

Epidermal cells contain 4 separate surface receptors which are linked to adenylate cyclase. Activation of any one of these receptors leads to the accumulation of cAMP within the cell which in turn leads to the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The levels of cAMP accumulation within the cell caused by the 4 activators are not the same. Epinephrine, histamine, adenosine, and prostaglandins of the "E" series cause easily measurable concentrations of cAMP within 5 min of exposure. Prostaglandin F2 alpha causes only a small nonsignificant increase. Similarly, 2 phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which inhibit the breakdown of cAMP formed within the cell, differ in their ability to accumulate cAMP when cells are exposed to these agents alone. Isobutylmethylxanthine causes a measurable increase in cAMP, while theophylline, a weak inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, gives a nonsignificant increase in cAMP. Recently, experiments have shown that agents that give only slight increases in cAMP by biochemical measurements, that is, prostaglandins F2 alpha and theophylline, are equally able to activate protein kinase within the cell. Since activation of protein kinase is the only mechanism for an increase in cAMP to have a physiologic effect, all of these agents that do activate protein kinase should cause physiologic effects. Using an explant culture system, we show in this paper that this supposition is correct and that all agents that activate protein kinase do result in inhibition of mitotic activity regardless of whether or not they are able to raise cAMP to a level that can be biochemically measured as being significantly different from the baseline value.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Phosphorylation of pig epidermal soluble protein by endogenous cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

The distribution of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase and its substrate proteins was analyzed using soluble and particulate fractions of pig epidermal homogenates. When histone was used as a substrate for this enzyme reaction, protein kinase activity was distributed almost equally between the soluble and particulate fractions. However, the effect of exogenously added cAMP was confined almost exclusively to the soluble enzyme. Endogenous protein phosphorylation in the absence of exogenous histone was higher in the particulate fraction than in the soluble fraction, but the stimulating effect of cAMP was observed only in the soluble fraction. These results indicate that cAMP-dependent protein kinase is predominantly localized in the soluble fraction and phosphorylates soluble epidermal proteins. The particulate fraction contains protein kinase which is cAMP-independent and phosphorylates particulate-bound proteins as well as histone. Based on these observations, the soluble fraction was incubated with [gamma-32P]-ATP in the presence or absence of cAMP, and phosphorylated protein was analyzed by SDS disc- or slab-gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Among many proteins whose phosphorylation was slightly increased by cAMP, a protein with Mr approximately 45,000 was found which was markedly phosphorylated in the presence of cAMP. Although this protein corresponds to one of the richest proteins in the epidermal soluble fraction, an important physiologic role for this phosphorylation has not been clarified.

Animals↗

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes of pig skin and human skin from normal and psoriatic subjects.

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes of pig and human skin (epidermis) were separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography after micromodification for small biopsy samples. Clear-cut separations of type I and type II isozymes, which were of about equal amounts, could be obtained only when the ischemia effect was avoided by in vivo freezing of skin and homogenization for less than 10 s. Intradermal injections of epinephrine caused dose-dependent activation of type I isozyme, but not of type II. Injections of other skin adenylate cyclase stimulators such as histamine, adenosine, and prostaglandin E2 elevated the local cyclic AMP levels to not more than 5 pmol/mg protein and also stimulated only the type I isozyme. Incubation of keratome-sliced pig skin under various conditions caused both activation by dissociation and inactivation by reassociation of the subunits, which appeared to be dependent on the cyclic AMP content. Epinephrine added to the incubation medium led to complete activation of both type I and type II isozymes (the intraepidermal cyclic AMP contents ranged from 20-50 pmol/mg protein). The isozymes of normal skin and involved skin of psoriatics showed identical peaks of type I and type II isozymes of equal amounts. The data indicate that protein kinase in the involved skin is not in an activated (by cyclic AMP) state.

Animals↗

Reversal of beta-agonist-induced refractoriness in skin by tetracaine and mepacrine.

We previously reported that in skin slices stimulated by a beta-adrenergic agonist, the intracellular cyclic AMP level increased transiently. The level returned to a low steady state in 20-30 min and further stimulation by the agonist did not increase the cyclic AMP level. This state of "refractoriness" was found to be specific to the initial stimulator, i.e., histamine but not epinephrine could restimulate the cyclic AMP system after an initial exposure to epinephrine (Biochim Biophys Acta 497:428-436, 1977). We now report that incubation of skin with mepacrine or tetracaine after beta-adrenergic stimulation caused partial recovery from the refractoriness. Neither the simultaneous incubation of skin with epinephrine plus mepacrine (or tetracaine) nor preincubation of skin with mepacrine (or tetracaine) before the beta-adrenergic stimulation prevented the development of the refractoriness. Mepacrine inhibited the skin adenylate cyclase catalytic (or the complex of GTP-regulatory protein and catalytic) unit. The available data suggest that mepacrine and tetracaine interacted with the agonist-receptor complex at the cell membrane.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Adenylate cyclase activation by cholera toxin in pig epidermis: an obligatory role of the GTP-regulatory protein.

Cholera toxin (CT) stimulates the epidermal adenylate cyclase system in vitro. This stimulation was demonstrated in the skin (slice) floating system and the homogenate (membrane) assay system. With the floating system, the addition of CT to the incubation medium caused a marked accumulation of cAMP intracellularly, which was both dose- and time-dependent. A 1-h lag time was present before activation started. Pretreatment of the skin with CT changed the nature of the stimulatory effect caused by epinephrine and histamine, i.e., the transient accumulation of cAMP (a peak at 5 min and subsequent decrease) was no longer observed but the stimulation became persistent. With the membrane assay system in which the receptor components had been uncoupled, adenylate cyclase activities were markedly stimulated by CT (with guanosine-5'-triphosphate, GTP), guanylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate (GTP-analog, Gpp[NH]p), or sodium fluoride. The stimulation was both dose- and time-dependent without an initial time lag. Either CT or Gpp[NH]p could fully activate adenylate cyclase, and the simultaneous addition of both did not cause further additive stimulation. These data are consistent with the view that the GTP-regulatory protein plays a key role in the activation of adenylate cyclase, and that CT both activates the catalytic unit and modifies the response to receptor hormones through its action on this protein.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Formation of cross-linked asymmetrical hybrid hemoglobins by double-headed aspirin.

Double-headed aspirin [bis(3,5-dibromosalicyl)fumarate] selectively cross-links hemoglobin molecules between Lys 82 beta 1 and Lys 82 beta 2 and increases solubility of deoxy-Hb S (Walder et al., J. Mol. Biol., 141:195, 1980 and Kikugawa et al., J. Biol. Chem., 257:7525, 1982). We reacted this reagent with the mixture of Hb A and Hb S and the mixture of Hb S and Hb York (beta 146His replaced by Pro). Cross-linked asymmetrical hybrid hemoglobins (alpha 2 beta - beta S and alpha 2 beta Y - beta S) were produced in high yields in addition to the cross-linked parent hemoglobin molecules. Results on electrophoresis, gel electrofocusing, ion exchange column chromatography, mechanical stability and oxygen binding properties showed that the cross-linked asymmetrical hybrid hemoglobins had properties intermediate between those of the cross-linked parent hemoglobins. Oxygen affinities of the cross-linked asymmetrical hybrids were not affected by the addition of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) or inositol hexaphosphate, probably due to the presence of a fumaryl group at the DPG binding site.

Aspirin↗

Granular cell tumors of the skin contain myelin basic protein.

Myelin basic protein, a substance found in neural structures, has been demonstrated in cutaneous granular cell tumors using a monoclonal antibody generated against myelin basic protein and an immunoperoxidase method. The substance was not found in fibrohistiocytic skin lesions. The presence of myelin basic protein in granular cell lesions of the skin supports the concept that this lesion is related closely to nerve structures.

Animals↗

[Clinical trial of human lymphoblastoid interferon on advanced malignancy].

A clinical study on human lymphoblastoid interferon (HLBI) in various advanced malignant diseases was performed. HLBI was administered to a total of 25 patients with various advanced malignant diseases in order ot investigate antitumor effect and toxicity. The diseases evaluated were as follows: 8 multiple myeloma (MM), 2 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 2 adult T cell leukemia (ATL), 1 acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), 8 breast cancer, 3 gastric cancer and 1 ovarian cancer. Twenty-three patients received either 3 million or 6 million units of HLBI by daily intramuscular injection or every other day. One patient with ATL received 18 million units of HLBI by i. v. daily and 1 patient with ALL received 30.32 million units of HLBI i. v. daily. Tumor regression (PR) was observed in 2 patients with MM, each one patient with ATL and ALL, respectively. Major toxicities were pyrexia, myelosuppression, general malaise and G.I. toxicity. Several patients showed abnormality of hepatic or renal function. Two patients who received HLBI for more than a year developed cardiac toxicity.

Adult↗