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Biomedical subjects

K L Bost

Publications and source records attributed to K L Bost.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Immunoaffinity-purified opiate receptor specifically binds the delta-class opiate receptor ligand, cis-(+)-3-methylfentanylisothiocyanate, SUPERFIT.

Using an antibody generated against the opiate receptor on NG108-15 cells, we recently purified the putative receptor from this hybrid cell line. We herein report that the purified receptor complex specifically binds tritiated cis-(+)-3-methylfentanylisothiocyanate (SUPERFIT), with the predominant binding associated with a 58 kDa polypeptide chain. Consistent with these findings is the in situ labeling of a 58 kDa protein with [3H]SUPERFIT on NG108-15 cells.

Animals↗

Changes in the DNA of lymphocytes from pristane treated rats.

The effects of pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) on the cellular DNA of lymphoid cells from Copenhagen rats were examined by flow cytometry. Significant reductions in the mean relative fluorescent intensities of propidium iodide (PI) stained lymphocytes from peripheral blood, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes were observed after a single intraperitoneal injection of pristane. The altered PI staining characteristics were observed as early as 4 days and reached a maximum decrease between 1-4 weeks (depending upon the lymphoid cells examined) post pristane treatment. The pristane-induced effects on peripheral blood lymphocytes were observed to be dose dependent, transient and reinducible by a subsequent exposure to pristane. Further analyses, using gas-liquid chromatography to detect pristane in the blood and lymphoid tissues of treated rats, indicated significant increases over normal amounts of pristane. Furthermore, correlations existed between the times of maximum decrease in the fluorescence of PI stained cells and the amounts of pristane detected within the respective lymphoid tissues. By contrast no changes in the PI staining characteristics of kidney cells were observed, even though appreciable amounts of pristane were detected in this organ. Diphenylamine analyses indicated no differences in the amounts of DNA in lymphoid cells from pristane treated and untreated rats. Furthermore, lymphocytes from pristane-treated rats did not exhibit decreased fluorescence when fixed at pH 10 rather than pH 7.4 prior to PI staining. Collectively these results suggest that pristane may preferentially induce qualitative rather than quantitative changes in the DNA of lymphocytes.

Animals↗

The HTLV-III envelope protein contains a hexapeptide homologous to a region of interleukin-2 that binds to the interleukin-2 receptor.

A region of human interleukin-2 (IL-2) which was predicted to be a contact point with its receptor was used to locate a homologous region in the envelope protein of human T-lymphotropic retrovirus (HTLV-III). This homologous six amino acid peptide from the carboxy (C)-terminus of the HTLV-III envelope protein was found to inhibit the biological activity of human IL-2 in a murine spleen cell proliferation assay. When conjugated to a carrier protein, this peptide inhibited the binding of radiolabelled IL-2 to its receptor. The biological activity of the peptide was antagonized by a six amino acid peptide fragment of the IL-2 receptor which was predicted to be the contact point on the receptor that corresponded to the binding region of IL-2. The HTLV-III peptide also inhibited the binding of radiolabelled IL-2 to polyclonal anti-IL-2 antiserum. These data support the previous assignment of contact points between IL-2 and its receptor. They also suggest two possible mechanisms of immunosuppression during acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). One involves direct competition of the envelope protein or its fragments with IL-2 for binding to the IL-2 receptor. The other involves antibodies to the envelope protein which crossreact with and neutralize IL-2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding of peptides that are specified by complementary RNAs.

An interesting pattern in the genetic code was reported previously [Blalock & Smith (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 121, 203-207]. In the 5'-to-3' direction, codons for hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids are generally complemented by codons for hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids respectively. The average tendency of codons for 'unchanged' (slightly hydrophilic) amino acids was to be complemented by codons for 'unchanged' amino acids. We now show that the same pattern results when the complementary codon is read in the 3'-to-5' direction. This pattern is further shown to result in the interaction of peptides specified by complementary RNAs regardless of whether the amino acids are assigned in the 5'-to-3' or the 3'-to-5' direction. Here we demonstrate that peptides specified by complementary RNAs bind to each other with specificity and high affinity.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

An antibody to a peptide specified by an RNA that is complementary to gamma-endorphin mRNA recognizes an opiate receptor.

The putative delta-opiate receptor complex has been identified by a new approach which employed an antibody that is directed against a peptide which binds gamma-endorphin and is specified by RNA that is complementary to that of gamma-endorphin mRNA. This antibody competes with beta-endorphin and naloxone for binding sites on the surface of neuroblastoma X glioma NG108-15 hybrid cells. The opiate receptor complex has an apparent molecular weight of 210,000 and is composed of four noncovalently associated subunits with apparent molecular weights of 68,000, 58,000, 45,000 and 30,000.

Antibodies↗

Molecular characterization of a corticotropin (ACTH) receptor.

We have used a new methodology to generate a monospecific antiserum to the corticotropin (ACTH) receptor on mouse Y-1 adrenal cells. Using immunoaffinity chromatography the ACTH receptor was purified, and the molecular structure and 125I-ACTH binding characteristics were determined. A molecular weight (Mr) of 225 000 was determined for the complete ACTH receptor as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The receptor was composed of 4 subunits with Mr 83 000, 64 000, 52 000 and 22 000. The 83 and 52 kDa subunits were disulfide linked and non-covalently associated with the 64 and 22 kDa subunits. The ability to specifically bind 125I-ACTH was localized to the 83 kDa subunit. The purified receptor possessed binding affinities of 3.4 X 10(10) M-1 and 1.0 X 10(9) M-1 as determined by Scatchard analysis.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Antibodies to the binding site of the receptor for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH): generation with a synthetic decapeptide encoded by an RNA complementary to LHRH mRNA.

A molecular recognition code has been hypothesized to exist in which ligands and their binding sites are encoded on complementary segments of genomic DNA. We have tested this hypothesis by generating a rabbit antibody to a synthetic decapeptide (complementary peptide) encoded by an RNA complementary to the mRNA for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and determining whether this antibody recognizes the LHRH receptor. When the antibody was used for immunoperoxidase staining of enzymatically dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells, only those that contained and secreted luteinizing hormone (i.e., the gonadotropes) were recognized. This staining could be abolished by preincubation with the complementary peptide or with an LHRH agonist, suggesting that the antibody is specific to the complementary peptide and is directed at the binding site of the receptor. Further evidence that the antibody recognizes the LHRH receptor was obtained in immunoblot experiments on solubilized receptors from pituitary glands. Immunoperoxidase staining with the antibody revealed two bands at 60 kDa and 51 kDa, which are values similar to those previously obtained for the LHRH receptor in photoaffinity-labeling experiments. The staining of these bands was inhibited by preincubation with the complementary peptide or an LHRH agonist. The antibody as well as the complementary peptide to LHRH also suppressed LHRH-stimulated luteinizing hormone release in a quantitative reverse hemolytic plaque assay, presumably by binding to the LHRH receptor and by binding LHRH, respectively. These findings suggest that the synthetic decapeptide whose sequence is specified by the complementary RNA to LHRH mRNA is sufficiently similar to an LHRH binding site that the peptide not only binds LHRH but was also recognized by the immune system as such a site. These findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that recognition molecules are encoded by complementary segments of genomic DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of the Peyer's patch in carcinogenesis. I. The adsorption from the gut and retention of 3-methylcholanthrene by Peyer's patches.

Radiotracer methods were used to determine the distribution of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) within the lymphoid organs of rats following i.g. intubation, i.l. injection into the small intestine, i.v. injection or direct injection of the Peyer's patches with 3-[6-14C]methylcholanthrene (14C-MC). The data indicate that the gut-associated Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes were exposed to higher amounts of orally administered 14C-MC than any of the other lymphoid organs. Whereas the Peyer's patches exhibited the highest sp. act. for longer periods of time when low amounts of 14C-MC were administered, the sp. act. of the mesenteric lymph node were greater when rats were intubated with higher amounts of 14C-MC. Furthermore, the Peyer's patches were exposed to higher amounts of possible metabolites of 14C-MC. Injection of 14C-MC into the small intestinal lumen resulted in increased ratios of the Peyer's patch sp. act. to mesenteric lymph node sp. act., indicating that by-passing the stomach altered the distribution patterns. Data from rats injected i.v. with 14C-MC demonstrated that mesenteric lymph nodes but not Peyer's patches adsorbed and retained 14C-MC from the blood and indicated that the 14C-MC associated with Peyer's patches of i.g. treated rats was adsorbed from the gut rather than from the blood. Results obtained from rats which were exposed to 3-MC by directly injecting Peyer's patches with 14C-MC also indicated that the Peyer's patches were able to retain 3-MC once localized within this lymphoid organ, to metabolize the 3-MC and to possibly excrete the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon into the small intestine. Collectively the data indicate that Peyer's patches have an important role in the adsorption from the gut and subsequent retention of 3-MC and hence may be a likely target organ for lymphoid carcinogenesis following oral exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Adsorption↗

The role of the Peyer's patch in carcinogenesis. II. 3-Methylcholanthrene-induced lymphoid malignancies in rat Peyer's patches.

To determine whether B or T lymphoid malignancies could be induced following the exposure of lymphoid cells within different lymphoid organs to a potential chemical carcinogen, 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) was directly injected into surgically exposed Peyer's patches (PP), mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), axillary lymph nodes (ALN) or spleens (SP) of Copenhagen rats. A high incidence of lymphoproliferative disorders was observed within rats which received 3-MC injections into the PP, but not in MLN, ALN or SP injected groups of rats. In addition to the PP environment, the dose of 3-MC and exposure to pristane were important factors in the induction of T versus B cell disorders. Whereas the B cell diseases were observed in pristane-treated rats which also received PP injections of low doses (5 or 50 micrograms) of 3-MC, in animals receiving a higher dose (500 micrograms) a much higher incidence of T cell disorders was detected. The observed lymphoproliferative diseases were categorized as B lymphocytic leukemias, B lymphomas or thymic lymphomas on the basis of histological examination of the tissues, white blood cell numbers and differentials, and the morphological and phenotypic characteristics of cell isolates. Abnormal DNA staining characteristics, increased soft agar cloning frequencies and metastasis of the leukemia or tumor cells indicated that malignant cells were associated with the proliferative diseases. Collectively the data indicate that primary lymphoid malignancies of either B or T cell origins may be preferentially and reproducibly induced by localizing low or high doses respectively, of 3-MC within the PP of rats exposed to pristane. These results suggest that PP may have a possible role in the carcinogenesis of lymphocytes following the exposure to chemical carcinogens via the gastrointestinal tract.

Animals↗

Regions of complementarity between the messenger RNAs for epidermal growth factor, transferrin, interleukin-2 and their respective receptors.

Messenger (m)RNA sequences complementary to the mRNA sequences for the receptors to epidermal growth factor (EGF), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and transferrin (TF) were written out and compared for homologies with their ligands (EGF, IL-2 and TF, respectively). Highly significant amino acid and nucleotide homologies between the ligands and their appropriate receptor complements were detected in each case. For example, EGF and its receptor complement contained two homologous segments, each being six amino acids in length. When these segments were screened for matches against a protein sequence bank (3060 proteins and 616,748 test segments), only EGF contained either sequence. Similar results were obtained with IL-2 and TF. In each case, the homologous segments corresponded to complementary regions in the ligand binding portion of the receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Neuroendocrine peptide hormones and their receptors in the immune system. Production, processing and action.

Recent findings indicate that the immune and neuroendocrine systems interact and modulate one another functionally. The mechanism for this seems to be that the 2 systems share a set of receptors and ligands (hormones). Cells of the immune system are able to synthesize neuroendocrine peptide hormones which are biologically active and produced in physiologically significant quantities. Furthermore, leukocytes possess functional receptors for these same neuroendocrine hormones which will specifically modulate immune responses. The structural and functional evidence for these interactions is reviewed and discussed in the context of a bidirectional regulatory circuit between the immune and neuroendocrine systems.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Similarity between the corticotropin (ACTH) receptor and a peptide encoded by an RNA that is complementary to ACTH mRNA.

An interesting pattern in the genetic code was recently observed: Codons for hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids on one strand of nucleic acid are complemented by codons for hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids on the other strand, respectively. The average tendency of codons for "uncharged" (slightly hydrophilic) amino acids is to be complemented by codons for "uncharged" (slightly hydrophilic) amino acids. We have postulated that this pattern can result in the binding of peptides that are encoded by complementary RNA strands and we have presented supporting evidence. In this report we demonstrate the specific and high-affinity binding of naturally occurring peptides [corticotropin (ACTH) and gamma-endorphin] to synthetically derived counterparts that were specified by RNA sequences complementary to the mRNA for ACTH and gamma-endorphin, respectively. That this binding might result from one peptide being an "internal image" of the other was strongly suggested by the observation that antibody to the peptide that was encoded by the complementary RNA for ACTH recognized the adrenal cell ACTH receptor. Based on these findings, a theory on the evolution of peptides and their receptors is suggested.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Immune system dysfunction contributes to the aetiology of spontaneous hypertension.

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) have a depressed T lymphocyte system, especially a reduced activity of the suppressor T cells, and it has been postulated that an auto-immune defect may be important in the aetiology of hypertension in these rats. In an earlier study we demonstrated that chronic immunosuppressive therapy prevents approximately 50% of the hypertension in the SHR. In the present study, an attempt was made to correct the immune imbalance by implanting thymic tissue from normotensive rats into SHRs. Weekly thymic implants from Wistar donor rats into 16-week-old SHRs produced a maximal reduction (P less than 0.05) in the tail-cuff pressure, after 4 weeks, to a level of 156 +/- 2.3 mmHg (n = 8) in thymus-implanted SHRs versus 189 +/- 2.5 mmHg (n = 6) in sham-implanted SHRs. Also, neonatal thymic implants delayed development of spontaneous hypertension and attenuated the final hypertensive state. Mean arterial pressure averaged 186 +/- 2.8 mmHg in 22-week-old, neonatally sham-implanted SHRs, while it was reduced (P less than 0.05) to 164 +/- 4.2 mmHg in the neonatally thymus-implanted SHRs at this time. The thymic implants had little effect on total T cell, helper T cell or suppressor T cell counts. However, the antihypertensive effect of the thymic implants was associated with a substantial increase in the blastogenic responsiveness of suppressor T cells from the SHRs. These results support the hypothesis that immunological dysfunction plays an important role in the aetiology of spontaneous hypertension.

Animals↗

Antibodies against a peptide sequence within the HIV envelope protein crossreacts with human interleukin-2.

Recent investigations have identified a homologous sequence between the lymphokine interleukin 2 (IL-2) and the envelope protein of HIV. This homology is one of six amino acids corresponding to interleukin-2 (IL-2) residues 14-19 (Leu-Glu-His-Leu-Leu-Leu) and to the carboxy terminal six amino acids of HIV envelope protein gp41 (Leu-Glu-Arg-Ile-Leu-Leu). Thus, it is conceivable that an anti-HIV antibody response would generate antibodies which would crossreact with IL-2. We show here that the two peptides are recognized by the immune system as being almost identical. More importantly, antibodies against the HIV envelope peptide bind IL-2. Thus, these studies are the first step in investigating what could be characterized as an HIV-induced autoimmune response, that is, the induction of antibodies to the HIV envelope protein which also crossreact with IL-2.

Amino Acid Sequence↗