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Biomedical subjects

S Ando

Publications and source records attributed to S Ando.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Post-translational processing of rac p21s is important both for their interaction with the GDP/GTP exchange proteins and for their activation of NADPH oxidase.

rac1 and rac2 p21s are ras p21-like small GTP-binding proteins which are implicated in the NADPH oxidase-catalyzed superoxide generation in phagocytes. rac1 and rac2 p21s have a Cys-A-A-Leu (A = aliphatic amino acid) structure in their C-terminal region which may undergo post-translational processing including prenylation, proteolysis, and carboxyl methylation. We studied the function of this post-translational processing of rac p21s in their interaction with the stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins for rac p21s, named smg GDS and rho GDI, and in their NADPH oxidase activation. We produced human recombinant rac1 and rac2 p21s in insect cells and purified them from the membrane and soluble fractions as the post-translationally processed and unprocessed forms, respectively. Post-translationally processed rac1 and rac2 p21s were sensitive to both smg GDS and rho GDI, but post-translationally unprocessed rac1 and rac2 p21s were insensitive to them. The GTP gamma S (guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate)-bound form of post-translationally processed rac1 and rac2 p21s stimulated the NADPH oxidase activity, but post-translationally unprocessed rac1 and rac2 p21s were far less effective. These results indicate that both rac1 and rac2 p21s stimulate the NADPH oxidase activity and that their post-translational processing is important not only for their interaction with smg GDS and rho GDI but also for their NADPH oxidase activation.

Amino Acid Sequence

Effect of lipidic factors on membrane cholesterol topology--mode of binding of theta-toxin to cholesterol in liposomes.

We have previously suggested the existence of two distinct states for cholesterol in cell membranes as revealed by high- and low-affinity binding sites for theta-toxin of Clostridium perfringens. In liposomes, phospholipid and cholesterol compositions, but not membrane protein composition, have been shown to be major determinants for the topology of membrane cholesterol. The effects of lipidic factors on cholesterol topology were investigated in detail by analyzing toxin binding to large unilamellar liposomes composed of cholesterol and phospholipids (neutral phospholipids/phosphatidylglycerol = 82:18, mol/mol). The numbers of high- and low-affinity toxin-binding sites depend strictly on the cholesterol mole percentage in liposomes. High-affinity toxin-binding sites appear only in liposomes with high cholesterol contents. Liposomes whose cholesterol/phospholipid ratio is 0.4 or less have no high-affinity sites regardless of their phospholipid compositions, while low-affinity sites appear in liposomes with lower cholesterol contents. The threshold values for the cholesterol mole percentage above which high-affinity toxin-binding sites appear were examined. The values decrease in accordance with the increase in the mole fraction of 18-carbon hydrocarbon chains among the total 14-18 carbon-hydrocarbon chains of the liposomal phospholipids. Furthermore, both the partial replacement of phosphatidylcholine with phosphatidylethanolamine and the digestion of phospholipids with phospholipase C also affect the threshold values. Thus the cholesterol mole percentage, in combination with phospholipid chain length and other factors, determines the topology of membrane cholesterol providing distinctively different affinity sites for theta-toxin.

Bacterial Toxins

Generation of one set of monoclonal antibodies specific for a-pathway ganglio-series gangliosides.

We established five murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for a-pathway ganglio-series gangliosides by immunizing C3H/HeN mice with these purified gangliosides adsorbed to Salmonella minnesota, followed by fusion with mouse myeloma cells. The binding specificities of these MAbs were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunostaining on thin-layer chromatogram. These five MAbs, designated GMR6, GMB28, GMB16, GMR17, and GMR11 reacted strongly with the gangliosides GM3, GM2, GM1, GD1a, and GT1a, respectively, that were used as immunogens. Three MAbs, GMB28 (anti-GM2), GMB16 (anti-GM1), and GMR11 (anti-GT1a) showed highly restricted binding specificities, reacting only with the immunizing ganglioside. None of the other various authentic gangliosides or neutral glycolipids was recognized. On the other hand, the other two MAbs, GMR6 (anti-GM3) and GMR17 (anti-GD1a) exhibited broader specificities. MAb GMR6 cross-reacted with GM4, GM1b, GD1a, GT1b, and IV3NeuAc alpha-nLc4Cer. MAb GMR17 also reacted with GM1b and GT1b. Neither GMR6 nor GMR17 reacted with other gangliosides or neutral glycolipids tested. Using these MAbs, we determined the expression of these gangliosides, especially GM1, GD1a, and GT1a on mouse, rat and human leukemia cells. GM1 and GD1a were expressed on some leukemia cells, whereas GT1a was not detected in these cells.

Animals

A novel low-density lipoprotein with large amounts of phospholipid found in the egg yolk of crustacea sand crayfish Ibacus ciliatus: its function as vitellogenin-degrading proteinase.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with large amounts of phospholipid but not triacylglycerol was isolated from the egg yolk of crustacea sand crayfish Ibacus ciliatus as well as lipovitellin. LDL possessed vitellogenin-degrading proteinase activity. Hemolymph vitellogenin was degraded by incubating with LDL at pH 4.5 for 72 hr at 35 degrees C and apolipoprotein profiles of vitellogenin degraded by LDL were very similar to those of lipovitellin in the egg.

Animals

Structural characterization of a novel cholinergic neuron-specific ganglioside in bovine brain.

A new ganglioside antigen, termed Chol-1 alpha-b, recognized by cholinergic neuron-specific antibody, Chol-1 alpha, was isolated from bovine brain ganglioside mixture using Q-Sepharose. The yield was approximately 1.3 mg from 5 g of the total ganglioside. The chemical structure was characterized as a novel ganglioside by means of gas-liquid chromatography, a permethylation study, mild acid hydrolysis, thin layer chromatography-enzyme immunostaining, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The ganglioside has the following unique structure. [formula: see text] When examined by thin layer chromatography immunostaining and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays, this ganglioside has the most intense immunoreactivity with Chol-1 alpha antibody among bovine brain gangliosides. As combined with our previous results (Hirabayashi, Y., Hyogo, A., Nakao, T., Tsuchiya, K., Suzuki, Y., Matsumoto, M., Kon, K., and Ando, S. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 8144-8151; Ando, S., Hirabayashi, Y., Kon, K., Inagaki, F., Tate, S., and Whittaker, X. (1992) J. Biochem. (Tokyo), 111, 287-290), the present study indicates the occurrence of a new series of gangliosides containing N-acetylneuraminic acid residue attaching to N-acetylgalactosamine as cholinergic specific antigens.

Animals

Human meconium gangliosides. Characterization of a novel I-type ganglioside with the NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal structure.

Three monosialogangliosides containing the NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal structure have been detected in human meconium by immunological analysis using a monoclonal antibody, MSG-15, and purified by repeated silica beads column chromatography. One was previously shown to be NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer. The remaining two were characterized by proton NMR, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, methylation analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and immunological studies, and their structures were concluded to be as follows. [formula: see text] The second ganglioside has the same structure that was isolated from bovine buttermilk (Takamizawa, K., Iwamori, M., Mutai, M., and Nagai, Y. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5625-5630), and this is the first description of the occurrence of the ganglioside with the branched structure with two N-acetyllactosamines linked to lactosylceramide via beta 1-6 and beta 1-3 in human linked to lactosylceramide via beta 1-6 and beta 1-3 in human tissues. The third ganglioside is a novel ganglioside with blood group I-type and a NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal structure.

Amino Sugars

Regulation of the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase by a small GTP-binding protein and its stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins.

The superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase system in phagocytes consists of at least membrane-associated cytochrome b558 and three cytosolic components named SOCI/NCF-3/sigma 1/C1, SOCII/NCF-1/p47-phox, and SO-CIII/NCF-2/p67-phox. p47-phox and p67-phox were isolated, and their primary structures were determined, but SOCI has not been well characterized. In the present study, we first purified SOCI to homogeneity from the cytosol fraction of the differentiated HL-60 cells. The purified SOCI was a small GTP-binding protein (G protein) with a M(r) of about 22,000. The guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate-bound form, but not the GDP-bound form, of this small G protein showed the SOCI activity. The partial amino acid sequence of SOCI thus far determined was identical to the amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA encoding rac2 p21. None of the purified small G proteins, including Ki-ras p21, smg p21B/rap1B p21, rhoA p21, and rac1 p21, showed the SOCI activity. These results indicate that SOCI is a small G protein very similar, if not identical, to rac2 p21. The GDP/GTP exchange reaction of SOCI was stimulated and inhibited by stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins for small G proteins, named smg GDS and rho GDI, respectively. The NADPH oxidase activity was also stimulated and inhibited by smg GDS and rho GDI, respectively. These results indicate that the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase system is regulated by both smg GDS and rho GDI through rac2 p21 or the rac2-related small G protein in phagocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence

Phosphorylation by actin kinase of the pointed end domain on the actin molecule.

Fragmin from plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum binds G-actin and severs F-actin in the presence of Ca2+ over 10(-6) M. The fragmin-actin complex consisting of fragmin and G-actin nucleates actin polymerization and caps the barbed (fast growing) end of F-actin, regardless of the concentrations of Ca2+, and the actin filaments are shortened. Actin kinase purified from plasmodium abolishes the nucleation and capping activities of the complex by phosphorylating actin of the fragmin-actin complex (Furuhashi, K., and Hatano, S. (1990) J. Cell. Biol. 111, 1081-1087). This inactivation of the complex leads to production of long actin filaments. We obtained evidence that Physarum actin is phosphorylated by actin kinase at Thr-201, and probably at Thr-202 and/or Thr-203, with 1 mol of phosphate distributed among them. This finding raises the possibility that the site of phosphorylation, Thr-201 to Thr-203, is positioned on the pointed (slow growing) end domain of the actin molecule, because growth of actin filaments from the fragmin-actin complex occurs only from the pointed end. These observations are consistent with a model of the three-dimensional structure of G-actin. Inactivation of the fragmen-actin complex may follow phosphorylation of the pointed end domain of actin.

Actins

Both stimulatory and inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange proteins, smg GDS and rho GDI, are active on multiple small GTP-binding proteins.

Six peaks of small GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) were separated by column chromatographies from the cytosol fraction of the differentiated HL-60 cells: two peaks of rho p21, one peak of smg/rap1 p21, two peaks of rac1 p21, and one peak of an unidentified small G protein with a Mr of about 20,000 (20 KG). smg GDS, previously thought to be a stimulatory GDP/GTP exchange protein for smg p21, Ki-ras p21, and rho p21, but not for Ha-ras p21 or smg p25A, was also active on rac1 p21. rho GDI, previously thought to be an inhibitory GDP/GTP exchange protein specific for rho p21, was also active on rac1 p21. These results indicate that both smg GDS and rho GDI are active on multiple small G proteins.

Cell Differentiation

Two different protein kinases act on a different time schedule as glial filament kinases during mitosis.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a component of glial filaments specific to astroglia. We now report the spatial and temporal distributions of four phosphorylated sites in the GFAP molecule during mitosis of astroglial cells, determined by antibodies which can distinguish phosphorylated epitopes from non-phosphorylated-epitopes. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the Ser8 residues in the entire cytoplasmic glial filament system are initially phosphorylated when the cells enter mitosis. In cytokinesis, the phosphoSer8 residues become dephosphorylated, whereas Thr7, Ser13 and Ser34 in glial filaments at the cleavage furrow become the preferred sites of phosphorylation. The cdc2 kinase purified from mitotic cells can phosphorylate GFAP at Ser8 but not at Thr7, Ser13 or Ser34, in vitro. These results suggest that cdc2 kinase acts as a glial filament kinase only at the G2-M phase transition while other glial filament kinases are probably activated at the cleavage furrow before final separation of the daughter cells.

Amino Acid Sequence

Absence of point mutation of N-ras oncogene in bone marrow cells with aplastic anemia.

Point mutation of N-ras oncogene at codons 12, 13 and 61 was studied in the bone marrow cells of patients with typical aplastic anemia using the polymerase chain reaction method for DNA amplification and dot blot hybridization to synthetic oligonucleotide probes. Point mutation was observed in none of the 15 patients studied. These findings indicate either that the pathogenesis of typical aplastic anemia is different from that of preleukemic states of myelodysplastic syndrome or acute leukemia in clonal evolution, or that the overlapping area sharing a common pathogenesis is much smaller than was presumed.

Anemia, Aplastic

Clinical analysis of post-traumatic vomiting.

Post-traumatic vomiting was clinically analyzed. One hundred and forty seven patients with head injury came to our hospital consecutively from April 1991 to August 1991. Of 147 patients, 26 exhibited vomiting post-traumatically. The incidence of loss of consciousness, that of fractures on plain X-ray films, and that of traumatic intracranial lesions demonstrated on CT were compared between two patient groups, i.e., a group of patients with post-traumatic vomiting and another one without it. None of them were revealed to be significantly different between the two groups, respectively. It was concluded from the results that the existence of post-traumatic vomiting implied neither severe traumatic impact nor serious intracranial damage. The plausible mechanisms of post-traumatic vomiting are discussed, taking account of the statistical data on the patients' age, sites of impact, and past histories.

Adolescent

A trisialoganglioside containing a sialyl alpha 2-6 N-acetylgalactosamine residue is a cholinergic-specific antigen, Chol-1 alpha.

Cholinergic-specific antigens termed the Chol-1 family have been suggested to be of a ganglioside nature by Richardson et al. (J. Neurochem. 38, 1605-1614, 1982). Two molecular species of polysialogangliosides among bovine brain gangliosides were found to react with anti-Chol-1 alpha antiserum. One of them, Chol-1 alpha-a, was isolated and characterized as a trisialoganglioside containing the gangliotetraose backbone in which 1 mol of sialic acid was attached to each of the reducing end galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and internal galactose residues, respectively. The chemical structure of Chol-1 alpha-a was determined for the first time, being as follows: IV3NeuAc III6NeuAc II3NeuAc-GgOse4 Cer.

Antigens, Surface

The trypsin-catalyzed activation of glutamate dehydrogenase purified from eel liver.

Eel liver glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) [EC 1.4.1.3] was eightfold activated by trypsin and the molecular weight of the subunit of the native GDH decreased from 54,000 to 50,000. The C-terminal amino acid of both subunits was Thr. One peptide was released after proteolysis of the native GDH by trypsin and purified by anhydrotrypsin agarose and reversed-phase HPLC. The isolated peptide consisted of 39 amino acids and its amino acid sequence was as follows: H2NS-E-A-V-E-K-E-D-D-P-N-F-F-K-M-V-E-G-F-F-D-K-G-A-A-I- V-E-N-K-L-V-E-E-D-L-K-T-R-COOH. The peptide contained the N-terminal of the native GDH and its molecular weight was calculated to be 4,413. We concluded that the trypsin-catalyzed activation was caused by release of this peptide from the native GDH. p-Chloromercuribenzoic acid inhibited the activity of the trypsin-treated GDH, but stimulated that of the native GDH. The response of trypsin-treated GDH to ADP and GTP was decreased compared with that of the native GDH.

Amino Acid Sequence

Age-related changes in [3H] ouabain binding to synaptic plasma membranes isolated from mouse brains.

Age-related changes in ouabain binding to synaptic plasma membranes isolated from cerebral cortices of C57BL/6 mice were investigated to examine whether the density of Na+, K(+)-ATPase decreases with advancing age. Specific binding of [3H]ouabain did not change until around 20 months of age, but a 22% decrease in binding was found in the late senescent stage (29 months). Scatchard analysis of the binding revealed that the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) was lower in aged mice, while the binding affinity (Kd) for ouabain receptor remained unchanged with aging. These results indicate that the density of Na+,K(+)-ATPase enzyme sites in the plasma membranes of brain synapses decreases in aged mice. Since the activity of Na+,K(+)-ATPase has been found to start declining at a much earlier stage [Tanaka, Y. & Ando, S. (1990) Brain Res. 506, 46-52; Ando, S. & Tanaka, Y. (1990) Gerontology 36, 10-14] than that at which the decrease of Bmax is manifested, at least two mechanisms may underlie the age-related decrease of the enzyme activity. We speculate that the lipid microenvironment which regulates the enzyme activity starts to change at the early stage of senescence, followed by the decrease in the enzyme content in the later stage, that is, both changes cooperatively diminish the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in senescence.

Aging

Characterization of two novel pyruvylated glycosphingolipids containing 2'-aminoethylphosphoryl(-->6)-galactose from the nervous system of Aplysia kurodai.

Two novel acidic glycosphingolipids containing pyruvylated galactose were purified from the nervous tissue of Aplysia kurodai by successive Iatrobeads column chromatographies. By component analysis, sugar analysis, permethylation studies, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and proton magnetic resonance spectrometry, the structures of these acidic glycosphingolipids, named F-9 and FGL-I, were determined to be: [3,4-O-(S-1-carboxyethylidene)]Gal beta 1-->3 GalNAc alpha 1-->3[6'-O-(2-aminoethylphosphonyl)Gal alpha 1-->2] (2-aminoethylphosphoryl 1-->6)Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1ceramide and [3,4-O-(S-1-carboxyethylidene)] Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc alpha 1-->3(Fuc alpha 1-->2)(2-aminoethylphosphonyl-->6 Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1ceramide, octadeca-4-sphingenine and anteisononadeca-4-sphingenine. Thus, pyruvylated glycosphingolipids containing phosphoethanolamine in addition to or in place of 2-aminoethylphosphonate are present in the nervous system of Aplysia.

Acidic Glycosphingolipids

A novel core protein as well as polymorphic epithelial mucin carry peanut agglutinin binding sites in human gastric carcinoma cells: sequence analysis and examination of gene expression.

The peanut agglutinin (PNA)-binding site is protein-bound Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc, and is a tumor-associated carbohydrate marker expressed in many human carcinomas. PNA-binding glycoproteins isolated from KATO-III human gastric carcinoma cells were deglycosylated by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, and rabbit antibodies against the core proteins were used to screen a lambda gt11 expression library constructed from these cells. Two different core proteins were identified by this approach. One was polymorphic epithelial mucin (PEM), initially found in breast carcinomas. PEM mRNA was expressed in normal tissues of the stomach, colon, and lung, but not in the small intestine, thyroid, and spleen. High levels of PEM mRNA were detected in some nude mouse-transplanted carcinomas, i.e. colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, and lung carcinomas. The other core protein was a novel one called MGC-24, which has a molecular mass of 24 kDa, is rich in hydroxyl amino acids and cysteine, and lacks repeating motifs. The mature MGC-24 glycoprotein behaved as a high-molecular-mass one upon SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis even after neuraminidase treatment. Treatment with endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase in the absence of neuraminidase significantly changed the staining pattern by anti-MGC-24, confirming that MGC-24 carried PNA-binding sites. MGC-24 mRNA was intensely expressed in normal tissues of the colon, small intestine and thyroid, and in some nude mouse-transplanted colorectal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas.

Amino Acid Sequence