Potential metabolic interaction between St. John's wort and theophylline.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
R K Baker
Publications and source records attributed to R K Baker.
Infants' expectations about object label reference.
The aim of this research was to examine whether infants at the early stages of lexical development were sensitive to the word-category linkage. In Experiment 1, 16-to 19-month-old infants were requested to match a target with either a basic-level or a thematic match, with or without a novel label. Stimuli were presented using the preferential looking paradigm. Infants in the Novel Label condition looked significantly longer at the basic-level match than infants in the No Label condition. In Experiment 2, infants were presented with a target, followed by a basic-level match and a superordinate-level match with or without a novel label. Again, infants in the Novel Label condition looked significantly longer at the basic-level match than infants in the No Label condition. Taken together, these findings indicate that infants initially assume that novel words label basic-level categories and thereby do honour the word-category linkage.
Child Development↗
A novel cardiac-restricted target for doxorubicin. CARP, a nuclear modulator of gene expression in cardiac progenitor cells and cardiomyocytes.
Doxorubicin (Dox), a cardiotoxic antineoplastic drug, disrupts the cardiac-specific program of gene expression (Kurabayashi, M., Dutta, S., Jeyaseelan, R., and Kedes, L. (1995) Mol. Cell. Biol. 15, 6386-6397; Jeyaseelan, R., Poizat, C., Wu, H. Y., and Kedes, L. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 5828-5832). To determine whether this drug might interfere with the function of cardiac-specific regulatory pathways, we used a differential display strategy to clone from neonatal rat cardiomyocyte candidate mRNAs that were rapidly sensitive to Dox. We report here the identification of a constitutively expressed, cardiac-restricted, nuclear protein whose mRNA level is exquisitely sensitive to Dox. Hence we have named this protein cardiac adriamycin-responsive protein (CARP). CARP mRNA is present at the earliest stages of cardiac morphogenesis. It was detected by in situ hybridization within the cardiogenic plate of 7. 5-day post coitum (p.c.) embryos, and in 8.5-day p.c. embryos CARP transcripts are present in uniformly high levels in the myocardium. Throughout cardiac development, CARP expression is specific for the myocardium; endocardial cushions and valves exhibit only background levels of signal. Transcript levels persist but gradually decrease in neonatal, 2-week-old, and adult hearts. There were no stages when CARP mRNA could not be detected. The pattern and timing of CARP mRNA expression, including transient expression in the tongue at 14.5 days p.c., coincides with that of Nkx2.5/Csx (a putative homolog of tinman, the Drosophila melanogaster gene responsible for cardiac development). The cloned full-length 1749 nucleotide CARP cDNA encodes a 319-amino acid 40-kDa polypeptide containing five tandem ankyrin repeats. CARP appears to be the rat homolog of a previously reported human single-copy gene (C-193; Chu, W., Burns, D. K., Swerlick, R. A., and Presky, D. H. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 10236-10245), whose mRNA is inducible by cytokines only in human endothelial cells. CARP appears to function as a negative regulator of cardiac-specific gene expression. Overexpression of CARP in cardiomyocytes suppresses cardiac troponin C and atrial natriuretic factor transcription. Cotransfection experiments in HeLa cells indicate that CARP inhibits Nkx2.5 transactivation of atrial natriuretic factor promoter. When fused to a GAL4 DNA-binding domain, CARP has transcriptional inhibitory properties in noncardiac cells. CARP thus represents the first example of a cardiac-restricted transcriptional regulatory protein that is sensitive to Dox.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
In vitro preselection of gene-trapped embryonic stem cell clones for characterizing novel developmentally regulated genes in the mouse.
We have developed an in vitro gene trap screen for novel murine genes that allows one to determine, prior to making chimeric or transgenic animals, if these genes are expressed in one or more specific embryonic tissues. Totipotent embryonic stem (ES) cells are infected with a retroviral gene trap construct encoding a selectable lacZ/neo fusion gene, which is expressed only if the gene trap inserts within an active transcription unit. G418-resistant ES cell clones are induced to differentiate in vitro, and neurons, glia, myocytes, and chondrocytes are screened for expression of beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). cDNAs of the gene trap transcripts are obtained by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends and are sequenced to determine if they represent novel genes. In situ hybridization analyses show that trapped genes are expressed in vivo within the cell types that express beta-gal in vitro. Gene traps and their wild-type alleles are characterized in terms of copy number, alternate splicing of their transcripts, and the proportion of endogenous mRNA sequence that is replaced by lacZ/neo in the hybrid gene trap transcript. This approach, which we term "in vitro preselection," is more economical than standard in vivo gene trap screening because tissue-specific expression of probable knockout alleles is verified before transgenic animals are generated. These results also highlight the utility of ES cell differentiation in vitro as a method with which to study the molecular mechanisms regulating the specification and commitment of a variety of cell and tissue types.
Animals↗
Embryonic stem cells and in vitro muscle development.
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Animals↗
Positive and negative control of the Antennapedia promoter P2.
To understand the nature of the regulatory signals impinging on the second promoter of the Antennapedia gene (Antp P2), analysis of its expression in mutants and in inhibitory drug injected embryos has been carried out. The maternally-active gene osk is identified as one of two general repressors of P2 which prevent Antp transcription until division cycle 14. Products of the zygotically-active segmentation genes ftz, hb, Kr, gt and kni then act as activators or repressors of Antp P2 in a combinatorial fashion. The timing of these events, and their positive versus negative nature, is critical for generating the expression patterns normal for Antp.
Animals↗
Synthetic substrate for eukaryotic signal peptidase. Cleavage of a synthetic peptide analog of the precursor region of preproparathyroid hormone.
A synthetic peptide analog of the precursor region of preproparathyroid hormone has been shown to be a specific substrate for hen oviduct signal peptidase. The sequence of the 31-residue peptide is Ser-Ala-Lys-Asp-norleucine (Nle)-Val-Lys-Val-Nle-Ile-Val-Nle-Leu-Ala-Ile-Ala-Phe-Leu-Ala-Arg-Ser-As p-Gly-Lys-Ser-Val-Lys-Lys-Arg-D-Tyr-amide (Caulfield, M. P., Duong, L. T., O'Brien, R., Majzoub, J. A., and Rosenblatt, M. (1988) Mol. Endocrinol. 2, 452-458). This sulfur-free signal peptide analog can be labeled with 125I on the C-terminal D-tyrosine and is cleaved by purified hen oviduct signal peptidase between Gly and Lys, the correct site of cleavage of preproparathyroid hormone in vivo. Amino acid sequence analysis of the cleavage product released 125I at the seventh cycle of Edman degradation, confirming that enzymatic cleavage occurs at the physiological site. Synthetic peptide analogs of the substrate with Lys, Pro, or Asp substituted for Nle-18 were poor substrates for the enzyme and were also poor competitive inhibitors of catalysis, suggesting that modifications at position -18, 12 amino acids from the site of cleavage, directly influence binding by the enzyme. Analysis of the reactivity of signal peptidase with these synthetic peptides provides insight into the cleavage specificity requirements of this eukaryotic signal peptidase.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Purification and characterization of hen oviduct microsomal signal peptidase.
Hen oviduct signal peptidase requires only two proteins for proteolysis of fully synthesized secretory precursor proteins in vitro: one with a molecular mass of 19 kilodaltons (kDa) and one which is a glycoprotein whose mass varies from 22 to 24 kDa depending on the extent of glycosylation. Purified signal peptidase has been analyzed both as part of an active catalytic unit and after electroelution of the individual proteins out of a preparative polyacrylamide gel. The multiple forms of the glycoprotein component of signal peptidase bind to concanavalin A and are shown to be derived from the same polypeptide backbone. Removal of their oligosaccharides by digestion with N-glycanase converts these proteins to a single 19.5-kDa polypeptide. The glycoproteins all exhibit very similar profiles following individual digestion with trypsin and separation of the resulting peptides by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, sequence analysis of selected peptides from corresponding regions in chromatograms representing each form of the glycoprotein reveals the same amino acid sequences. The 19-kDa signal peptidase protein does not bind concanavalin A, has a distinct tryptic peptide map from that of the glycoprotein, and appears to share no amino acid sequences in common with the glycoprotein. Its copurification on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column indicates that it must interact directly with the glycoprotein subunit.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Impaired thromboxane synthesis in preactivated human blood platelets: agonist-specific, irreversible desensitization to thrombin.
The causes for reduced platelet thromboxane synthesis in patients with acquired platelet storage pool disease are incompletely understood. The present study was designed to define the nature of the defect(s) underlying diminished thromboxane synthesis in human platelets previously exposed to thrombin in vitro. Platelets pretreated with high concentrations of thrombin were unable to form measurable amounts of thromboxane in response to a second stimulation with thrombin. In contrast, thrombin-pretreated platelets formed additional thromboxane in response to arachidonate, collagen, or A23,187. Thrombin-pretreated platelets did not recover with respect to thrombin-inducible thromboxane synthesis when incubated for two hours in plasma either in the presence or absence of added arachidonic acid. These observations suggest that neither inactivation of cyclooxygenase nor depletion of endogenous arachidonic acid is responsible for the impaired thrombin-induced thromboxane synthesis in thrombin-prestimulated platelets. Impaired thrombin-induced thromboxane synthesis in these platelets may be due to agonist-specific, irreversible receptor uncoupling.
Arachidonic Acids↗
Partial purification of microsomal signal peptidase from hen oviduct.
Signal peptidase has been purified approximately 600-fold from hen oviduct microsomes. Treatment of microsomes with ice-cold sodium carbonate at pH 11.5 removes soluble and extrinsic membrane proteins prior to solubilization of signal peptidase with Nonidet P-40. After dialysis to pH 8.2, the solubilized enzyme is chromatographed on diethylaminoethyl cellulose at pH 8.2. More than 90% of contaminating proteins bind to the column while signal peptidase and endogenous phospholipid are eluted in the column void volume. Enzyme activity subsequently binds to carboxymethyl cellulose at pH 5.8 and is eluted by approximately 100 to 200 mM NaCl during a NaCl gradient. Polypeptides present in partially purified hen oviduct signal peptidase have relative molecular masses ranging from 54 kD to less than 11 kD with major bands at 29, 23, 22, 19, 18 and 13 kD. The purified peptidase requires phospholipid for activity and is maximally active in the presence of 2 mg/ml phosphatidylcholine.
Animals↗
Thrombin pretreatment of human platelets impairs thromboxane A2 synthesis from endogenous precursors in the presence of normal cyclooxygenase activity.
Exposure of horse platelets to thrombin has been reported to cause nearly complete inactivation of cyclooxygenase within 30 sec. This contrasts with the observation that human platelets, depleted of their granule constituents by stimulation with thrombin, still aggregate in response to arachidonic acid, a reaction presumably mediated by thromboxane A2 (TxA2) formation. Because of this conflicting evidence, TxA2 formation was measured by radioimmunoassay in washed human platelets depleted of their alpha- and dense-storage granule constituents by prior stimulation with thrombin. These platelets aggregated in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen, arachidonic acid, and thrombin, and formed TxA2. However, collagen- and thrombin-induced TxA2 formation by these platelets was reduced in comparison to control platelets that had not been depleted of their storage granule constituents by prior thrombin stimulation. In contrast, arachidonic acid-induced TxA2 formation was not significantly different in thrombin-depleted and control platelets. These results demonstrate that thrombin can induce degranulation of platelets without concomitant inactivation of cyclooxygenase.
Arachidonic Acid↗
Methodologic and basic aspects of indium-111 platelets.
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Animals↗
Role of cytoplasmic and releasable ADP in platelet aggregation induced by laminar shear stress.
We examined the extent of lytic and sublytic platelet injury after exposure of platelets to shear stress and the role in shear-induced PAG of ADP liberated from platelets as a result of shear-induced platelet dense body release and/or platelet damage. Platelets in C-PRP or TAS were subjected to well-defined, laminar shear stress in a rotational viscometer, and PAG (loss of single, nonaggregated platelets), 14C-serotonin release, and loss from platelets of LDH and 51Cr were determined. Increased PAG with increasing shear stresses was associated with progressive loss of LDH and 51Cr. Loss of 51Cr was consistently in excess of that of LDH, indicating sublytic platelet injury, which was confirmed by electron microscopy. At the lowest shear stress used (50 dynes/cm2), PAG in C-PRP was observed in the absence of detectable loss of 51Cr or LDH. When platelets in TAS were sheared in the presence of CP/CPK, an enzyme system capable of removing extracellular ADP, PAG was only partially (approximately 40%) inhibited. However, when platelets were preincubated with CP/CPK and ATP (to saturate platelet ADP receptors), shear-induced PAG was almost completely suppressed. Similar results were obtained with PAG induced by collagen in the aggregometer. The findings indicate that (1) shear-induced PAG in this system may occur without measurable lytic or sublytic platelet damage and (2) ADP liberated from platelets as a result of shear-induced release or damage may represent the major if not sole mediator of shear-induced PAG.
Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Loss of 111Indium as indicator of platelet injury.
We previously demonstrated that platelets can be labeled with 111Inoxine with high labeling efficiency and that 111In is not liberated from labeled platelets during the platelet release reaction or prolonged in vitro storage. In view of these findings, we examined the potential usefulness of loss of 111In from labeled platelets as an indicator or platelet damage by comparing the loss of 111In with that of 51Cr and LDH (in some experiments also with platelet factor 3 availability) under different conditions of platelet injury. When washed human platelets labeled with either 51Cr-chromate or 111In-oxine were exposed to increasing concentrations of detergents (Triton X-100, lysolecithin), threshold, rate, and extent of loss of 111In, 51Cr and, LDH were similar. In contrast, when labeled platelets were depleted of metabolic energy by incubation in glucose-free Tyrode albumin solution or glucose-depleted plasma in the presence of antimycin A and 2-deoxy-D-glucose, loss of 51Cr (and PF3a) occurred earlier and progressed at a faster rate than that of 111In or LDH. Similar results were obtained when platelets were exposed to increasing concentrations of PlA1 antibody, causing complement-mediated immune injury. The findings indicate that with certain agents that cause rapid platelet disruption (lysis), different platelet constituents are lost at similar rates. However, under conditions of more subtle or slowly progressive platelet injury, small molecules such as adenine nucleotides (51Cr) may escape earlier and at faster rates than larger molecules such as LDH or 111In-binding platelet protein. Thus, neither 111In loss nor LDH loss appear to be suitable indicators for sublytic or prelytic platelet injury.
Antimycin A↗
Increased in vivo and in vitro platelet function in type II- and type IV-hyperlipoproteinemia.
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Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Demonstration and partial characterization of insulin receptors in human platelets.
Recently, evidence has been reported to suggest that human platelets like several other circulating blood cells may bind insulin. To examine whether human platelets contain specific insulin receptors, washed human platelets suspended in Hepes buffer were incubated at 24 degrees C with 125I-insulin in the presence and absence of unlabeled insulin and specific insulin binding was determined. Insulin binding by platelets increased progressively with time of incubation to reach a maximum at 3 h and was proportional to the number of platelets in the incubation mixture. Maximum insulin binding was observed at pH 8. Insulin degradation by platelets as assessed by TCA precipitability and reincubation studies was minimal. Scatchard analysis of the binding data and dissociation studies revealed evidence of negative cooperativity of the platelet insulin receptor. A high affinity dissociation constant of approximately equal to 3 X 10(9) M-1 was determined and the concentration of platelet insulin receptors was estimated as 25 binding sites/micron2 platelet surface area. Binding of 125I-insulin by platelets was inhibited by unlabeled porcine insulin and to a lesser extent by catfish insulin and porcine proinsulin but not by glucagon, prolactin, growth hormone, and thrombin. The findings indicate that human platelets contain specific insulin receptors. The significance of the platelet insulin receptor, particularly with respect to altered platelet function in diabetes mellitus, remains to be determined.
Blood Platelets↗
Indium-111-labeled human platelets: uptake and loss of label and in vitro function of labeled platelets.
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Biological Transport↗
Halothane hepatotoxicity and the reduced derivative, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane.
Halothane (1,1,1-trifluoro-2-bromo-2-chloroethane) is a safe, clinically useful inhalation anesthetic. Rare, unpredictable cases of liver necrosis have been reported following its use. Although the mechanism of this reaction in man is unknown the most plausible is biotransformation to reactive intermediates compounds. The oxidative metabolism of halothane appears to be benign. There is early evidence that reductive (nonoxygen dependent) may be harmful. Since the bromine atom of halothane appears to possess weak bond energy, the reduced, debrominated derivative of halothane, 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-chloroethane, was synthesized and tested for hepatotoxicity in the rat. The derivative is unstable and thus was prepared anaerobically and trapped in propylene glycol solvent. Injection of small amounts of this compound into the portal vein of rats produces extensive liver necrosis. It is postulated that biotransformation of halothane via a reductive pathway could produce this reactive intermediate metabolite.
Animals↗