Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M M White.
Epoxides are cancer-causing agents chemically analogous to the nitrogen mustards, a family of powerful antitumor drugs. We found that the DNA interstrand cross-linking sequence preference of diepoxybutane is the same as that of the mustard mechlorethamine: 5'-GNC. Therefore, the genomic site of cross-linking alone cannot explain why some interstrand cross-linkers act as antitumor agents whereas others are deadly toxins.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between acute cardiac events, cerebrovascular accidents, and cocaine use. The underlying mechanisms leading to these complications have not been well defined. Using various in vitro model systems, it has been reported that cocaine, up to or greater than an order of magnitude of the lethal dose, causes either inhibitory or proaggregatory effects on platelet function. METHODS: To address these reported discrepancies, we examined the effect of cocaine and its carrier on the activation and aggregation of human platelets in vitro. RESULTS: We found that cocaine inhibited platelet aggregation when platelets were challenged with ADP, collagen, or arachidonic acid. This inhibition was due to a direct effect on fibrinogen binding to the activated platelet. Cocaine also caused the dissociation of preformed platelet aggregates. At these same concentrations, cocaine did not inhibit agonist-mediated increases in cytosolic calcium or inhibit platelet shape change, suggesting that its effect on platelet aggregation was a selective process and not due to a total destruction of platelet function. Interestingly, the organization of the cytoskeleton of activated platelets, a secondary event critical to cell receptor clustering and clot retraction, was disrupted by cocaine treatment. In addition, alterations in platelet protein electrophoretic patterns were observed on preincubation of platelets with cocaine. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that cocaine may have a direct inhibitory effect on the ability of platelets to participate in thrombus formation. The contribution of this effect as an underlying mechanism of sudden death in cocaine abusers is unknown.
Alteration of the ligand-binding domain of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor through site-directed mutagenesis offers a powerful approach to the elucidation of structure-function relations in the receptor. Several conserved tyrosine residues in the large extracellular amino terminus of the alpha subunit of the receptor have been implicated by both chemical labeling and mutagenesis studies as playing an important role in the interaction of acetylcholine with the receptor. We and others have previously shown that substitution of phenylalanine for tyrosine at position 198 of the alpha subunit (alpha Y198F) leads to a rightward shift in the dose-response curve for acetylcholine-elicited currents. We have further investigated this particular mutation by examining the interaction of the competitive antagonist d-tubocurarine (curare) with the receptor. In contrast to the effect on the interaction of agonists with the receptor, this mutation leads to a marked increase in the affinity of the receptor for curare. Furthermore, this enhancement in affinity is selective for curare and is not seen with other competitive antagonists (pancuronium, beta-erythroidine, and gallamine). Examination of the structures of these competitive antagonists leads to the proposal that this enhancement is due to the formation of an aromatic-aromatic interaction between the phenylalanine ring at position alpha 198 in the mutant and one of the aromatic rings of curare and that this can provide information about the spatial arrangement of this residue in the binding site.
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Platelet aggregometry is often used to help diagnose storage pool disease (SPD-reduced amounts of granule nucleotides) and release defects (abnormal release of granule nucleotides). The general assumption that normal aggregation patterns are sufficient to rule out the diagnosis of one of these disorders has been invalidated by the recent publication of two papers describing patients with clinical bleeding, prolonged bleeding times and normal aggregation patterns in spite of defective release. The lumiaggregometer provides a tool for measuring platelet release and aggregation simultaneously. This paper presents a standardized, reproducible method for the use of the lumiaggregometer based on a "standard curve". Data obtained during the development of the procedure are presented including normal ranges of release at different concentrations of agonists, release measured in intrinsic disorders as well as in patients on aspirin, and values for release relative to varying platelet counts. A monoclonal antibody (anti-p24/CD9; MAb7) which activates platelets similarly to thrombin and may be a useful reagent for distinguishing SPD and release defects is also introduced.
A number of studies have demonstrated that a major portion of the ligand binding site of the Torpedo nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is near cysteines 192 and 193 of the alpha subunit. The role of conserved tyrosine and aspartate residues within this region in ligand binding and receptor activation was investigated using a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and expression in Xenopus oocytes. Wild-type receptors are half-maximally activated (K1/2) by 20 microM acetylcholine with a Hill coefficient, n, of 1.9. Substitution of alpha Y190 and alpha Y198 with phenylalanines (alpha Y190F, alpha Y198F) or alpha D200 with asparagine (alpha D200N) shifts the K1/2 to 408, 117, and 75 microM, respectively, with no effect on the Hill coefficient. To further study the effects of these mutations on activation, the responses of the receptors to the partial agonists phenyltrimethylammonium (PTMA) and tetramethylammonium (TMA) were examined. Wild-type receptors are half-maximally activated by 73 microM PTMA and 2 mM TMA. In contrast, alpha Y190F, alpha Y198F, and alpha D200N receptors are not activated by PTMA and TMA by concentrations of up to 500 microM or 5 mM, respectively. However, PTMA and TMA do act as competitive antagonists of the mutant receptors, an indication that the binding of these compounds is not abolished by these mutations. Comparison of the the Ki values for TMA and PTMA inhibition with the K 1/2 values for TMA and PTMA activation of wild-type receptors indicates that the affinities of these compounds are similar in wild-type and mutant receptors. Therefore, alpha Y190F, alpha Y198F, and alpha D200N mutations do not significantly alter the affinity of the ligand binding site; rather, these mutations appear to interfere with the coupling of ligand binding to channel opening.
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Bath application of micromolar concentrations of forskolin to Xenopus oocytes that express either Torpedo electroplax or mouse muscle nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors leads to a reduction in the size of the ACh-elicited currents. This inhibition is concentration dependent and rapidly reversible, with full onset and recovery occurring within the exchange time of the recording chamber. Torpedo and mouse ACh receptors exhibit differential sensitivity to forskolin, with the Torpedo receptor showing higher affinity than the mouse receptor, with Ki values of 6.5 microM and 22 microM, respectively. The affinity for forskolin increases with ACh concentration, which rules out the possibility that forskolin acts as a competitive inhibitor. Single-channel analysis using excised patches shows that forskolin has no effect on either the single-channel amplitude or mean open time but, instead, reduces the number of channel openings per unit time, suggesting that forskolin either is a very slow channel blocker or alters receptor gating such that a fraction of the channels enter a state from which they are no longer available to open. Finally, through the use of a series of mouse-Torpedo hybrid ACh receptors, it is shown that the structural features responsible for the observed species difference in the affinity of ACh receptors for forskolin, and thus at least part of the binding site, are located on the gamma subunit.
Intact Xenopus oocytes contain a homogeneous population of binding sites for the angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor antagonist 125I-[Sarc1,Ile8]-Ang II (125I-SARILE). Binding of 125I-SARILE to intact oocytes was saturable and of high affinity with an apparent KD of 0.7 nM and maximal density of 0.12 fmol/oocyte. Binding of 125I-SARILE to oocytes also was specific for Ang II-related peptides with a rank order potency of: [Sarc1]-Ang II greater than Ang II greater than Ang III much greater than Ang I. However, these endogenous binding sites were present only in follicle-enclosed oocytes and within the follicular layer itself. On the other hand, injection of poly(A)+ RNA isolated from murine N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells into oocytes resulted in the appearance of 125I-SARILE binding sites even in defolliculated oocytes. These expressed receptors exhibited pharmacological properties similar to those endogenously present in the follicular layer, although their levels were much less. Collectively, these results suggest that endogenous Ang II receptors are present on Xenopus oocyte follicle cells, whereas Ang II receptors expressed from exogenous N1E-115 RNA are found on the oocytes themselves. In addition, the high density of Ang II receptors on the follicle cells emphasizes the necessity for care in using Xenopus oocytes for the expression of receptors encoded by exogenous RNAs.
Approximately one third of the Na+ channels expressed in denervated or developing skeletal muscle are tetrodotoxin (TTX) insensitive, with a Kd for channel blockade of approximately 1 microM, similar to that found for cardiac Na+ channels. We have recently reported the cloning of a putative Na+ channel subtype that is characteristic of denervated and developing skeletal muscle (SkM2), the deduced amino acid sequence of which is identical to that of a Na+ channel cDNA isolated from heart. We have now examined the functional properties of SkM2 Na+ channels after expression in Xenopus oocytes. We found that the efficiency of expression of constructs containing the SkM2 clone was strongly dependent on the amount of 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) included. Constructs containing a 206-nucleotide 5'UTR were expressed poorly, whereas constructs from which most of the 5'UTR was removed were expressed well. The channels showed rapid voltage-dependent activation and inactivation. In addition, SkM2 Na+ channels were insensitive to low concentrations of TTX but were ultimately blocked by this toxin, with a Kd of 1.9 microM. The TTX block exhibited use dependence. Finally, SkM2 Na+ channels were not blocked by 100 nM mu-conotoxin, which blocks Na+ channels in innervated skeletal muscle in the low nanomolar concentration range. These data indicate that SkM2 Na+ channels are the TTX-insensitive Na+ channels found in denervated or developing skeletal muscle and are identical to the TTX-insensitive Na+ channels from heart.
This study explores conformational states of human platelet glycoprotein IIIa (GP IIIa) and possible mechanisms of fibrinogen receptor exposure. D3GP3 is an IgG1, kappa monoclonal antibody generated against purified GP IIIa and found to be specific for GP IIIa by immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. The binding of D3GP3 to resting platelets caused fibrinogen binding (approximately 5,000 molecules/platelet) and platelet aggregation but not secretion. Platelets express 40,000-50,000 GP IIb-IIIa molecules in their surface membranes. However, resting platelets only bound approximately 5,000 D3GP3 molecules/platelet. D3GP3 binding to platelets could be increased 2-3-fold by dissociation of the GP IIb-IIIa complex with 5 mM EDTA or by occupying the fibrinogen receptor with either RGDS peptides or fibrinogen. Platelet stimulation with ADP in the absence of fibrinogen did not cause increased D3GP3 binding above control levels. These data suggest that 1) GP IIb-IIIa can exist in multiple conformations in the platelet membrane, 2) D3GP3 binding to GP IIIa can expose the fibrinogen receptor, 3) the binding of either RGDS peptides or fibrinogen causes exposure of the D3GP3 epitope, and 4) platelet activation in the absence of ligand does not induce the same conformational changes in GP IIb-IIIa as does receptor occupancy by RGDS peptides or fibrinogen.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo electroplax is an oligomeric transmembrane glycoprotein made up of four highly homologous subunits in a stoichiometry of alpha 2 beta gamma delta. The role of N-linked glycosylation of the AChR has been studied in several cell lines and these studies have suggested that the addition of carbohydrate may be important for receptor expression. While Xenopus oocytes have proven to be an invaluable tool for studying the AChR, little is known about N-linked glycosylation of the oocyte-expressed receptor. The present report demonstrates that the oocyte-expressed AChR is glycosylated and contains the same number of oligosaccharide residues per subunit as the native receptor. However, unlike the native Torpedo receptor which contains both high mannose and complex oligosaccharides, the oocyte-expressed AChR contains only high mannose oligosaccharide modifications. However, as has been well documented, the Torpedo AChR expressed in oocytes is fully functional, demonstrating that the precise nature of the oligosaccharide modification is not critical for receptor function. The role of the oligosaccharide component of the AChR in receptor function was examined using tunicamycin (TM) to inhibit N-linked protein glycosylation. TM treatment resulted in a 70-80% inhibition of AChR expression in oocytes. Functional, unglycosylated receptors were not expressed; receptors expressed in TM-treated oocytes were functional wild-type, glycosylated AChR, formed only during the initial 12 hr of TM exposure. These data suggest that while glycosylation of the oocyte-expressed Torpedo AChR is required for assembly of subunits into a functional receptor, as has been demonstrated in other cells, oocyte modification of normal Torpedo glycosylation patterns does not affect receptor function or assembly.
Functional somatostatin (SRIF, somatotropin release-inhibiting factor) receptors were expressed in Xenopus oocytes after injection of RNA isolated from the anterior pituitary tumor cell line AtT20. SRIF receptors were detected by measuring the ability of SRIF to inhibit cAMP formation stimulated by beta 2-adrenergic agonists in individual oocytes. beta 2-Adrenergic receptors (beta 2ARs) were expressed in oocytes by coinjecting RNA prepared by in vitro transcription of a beta 2AR cDNA clone with the pituitary cell RNA. Uninjected oocytes do not express detectable levels of either beta 2ARs or SRIF receptors. In oocytes coinjected with AtT20 and beta 2AR RNA, on the other hand, isoproterenol treatment led to a 2- to 3-fold increase in cAMP levels, whereas cotreatment with SRIF reduced this accumulation by 50-60%. The SRIF precursor somatostatin-28 and the cyclohexapeptide agonist MK678 also inhibited cAMP formation, whereas the biologically inactive N-terminal 14-amino acid fragment of somatostatin-28 was ineffective. The ability to detect changes in cAMP levels in individual oocytes may provide a simple procedure for the expression cloning of SRIF receptor cDNAs and other receptors functionally coupled to stimulation or inhibition of adenylate cyclase.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is an oligomeric transmembrane glycoprotein consisting of four homologous subunits in a stoichiometry alpha 2 beta gamma delta. Xenopus oocytes were used to study the effects of selectively deleting the alpha subunit of the Torpedo californica AChR on functional receptor expression. Oocytes microinjected with only Torpedo beta, gamma, and delta subunit RNAs showed small acetylcholine-elicited currents. These "alpha-less" AChRs were pharmacologically similar to the wild-type (i.e., Torpedo alpha 2 beta gamma delta) receptor. Actinomycin D, which blocks endogenous RNA transcription, completely inhibited the expression of alpha-less but not wild-type receptor. Coinjection of antisense RNA to the alpha subunit of the Xenopus muscle AChR with Torpedo beta, gamma, and delta subunit RNAs significantly reduced expression of the alpha-less AChRs without altering expression of wild-type receptors. These results indicate that Xenopus oocytes express low levels of AChR alpha subunit mRNA that, when translated, can lead to the formation of functional Xenopus-Torpedo AChR hybrids. These results strongly suggest that, unless the potential contribution of endogenous subunits can be determined, caution must be exercised when analyzing the effects of subunit deletions on multisubunit protein expression in Xenopus oocytes.
The effects of niflumic acid and flufenamic acid, two nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents known to block anion transport in red blood cells, on Ca2(+)-activated Cl- currents (ICl(Ca)) in Xenopus oocytes were examined. Both compounds reversibly inhibited ICl(Ca), elicited in response to depolarizing voltage steps, in a dose-dependent manner, with no effect on the shape of the current-voltage curve. The apparent inhibition constant for niflumic acid was 17 microM, whereas that for flufenamic acid was 28 microM. Niflumic acid also inhibited ICl(Ca) elicited by bath application of Ca2+ to oocytes permeabilized using the Ca2+ ionophore A23187, demonstrating that the inhibition of ICl(Ca) is due to a direct interaction with the Cl- channel, rather than by interference with Ca2+ entry through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. In addition to their use in the elimination of ICl(Ca) as a possible source of artifact when Xenopus oocytes are used as an expression system for exogenous ion channels and receptors, it is expected that these two compounds will find use as potent anion channel blockers.
Charybdotoxin (CTX), a 37 amino acid protein isolated from the venom of L. quinquestriatus, is a high-affinity blocker of various Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels. CTX also blocks Drosophila Shaker (Sh) clone H4 transient K+ currents expressed in Xenopus oocytes with similar affinity (Kd = 3.6 nM). CTX blocks both the open and the closed states of Sh channels with no apparent change in gating behavior. In addition, the block is enhanced as the ionic strength is lowered. These properties are identical to those of CTX block of Ca(+)-activated K+ channels, and these results suggest that the external pore openings of these two functionally dissimilar K+ channels may share common structural features.