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Leukotriene D4 participates in colonic transit disturbances induced by intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in rats.

The effects of colonic inflammation induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid and influence of previous treatment with specific antagonists of inflammatory mediators (platelet-activating factor, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes) on colonic transit were examined in conscious rats which were permanently fitted with an intracolonic catheter inserted into the proximal colon. Colonic inflammation was induced by intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzene acid (80 mg/kg) in 50% ethanol. Colonic transit time was evaluated by intracolonic administration of a radiolabeled marker [( 51Cr]sodium chromate) and collection of the feces per hour on a conveyor belt. Excretion of the marker was then plotted vs. time, permitting calculations of the times elapsed to recover 25%, 50%, and 75% of the marker injected (T25, T50, and T75, respectively). In control (saline) animals, excretion of the marker described a regular sigmoid curve with 50% of the marker recovered at 6.92 +/- 0.40 hours after intracolonic administration (T25 = 6.4 +/- 0.43 hours; T75 = 7.49 +/- 0.39 hours). Ethanol (vehicle), 50%, did not modify the profile of marker recovery. On the contrary, single intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid/ethanol induced a biphasic response consisting of an early pool of radiolabeled feces (T25 = 4.03 +/- 0.55 hours) with a delayed total one (T50 = 11.74 +/- 0.83 hours; T75 = 13.70 +/- 0.49 hours). Antagonists of the leukotriene pathway, i.e., MK = 886, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, and SKF 104,353 and SR 2640, two different leukotriene D4 receptor antagonists, blocked the effects of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid on colonic transit time and restored a control profile of radiolabeled marker excretion. In contrast, indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and SC 19220, a specific prostaglandin E2 receptor antagonist, were inefficient in blocking the effects of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid on colonic transit time. Specific thromboxane A2 receptor antagonists, KT1-32 and GR 32191B, did not show any improvement in colonic transit after trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid administration. Previous injection of the specific platelet-activating factor receptor antagonists, BN 52021 or BN 50730, was also unable to restore a normal marker excretion profile after administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. It is concluded that the alterations of colonic transit immediately observed after intracolonic trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid administration are mediated through the release of leukotriene D4. In contrast, platelet-activating factor, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes are not involved in the mediation of these transit disturbances.

Animals

The Meisenheimer complex of glutathione and trinitrobenzene. A potent inhibitor of the glutathione S-transferase from Galleria mellonella.

1. The Meisenheimer complex formed between reduced glutathione and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene is characterised by an extinction coefficient at 470 nm of 20400 and by an association constant at pH 9.18 of 42 l.mol-1. 2. Trinitrobenzene is a moderately good inhibitor of the glutathione S-transferase from larvae of the moth Galleria mellonella. It acts by competition with the electrophilic substrate. At pH 7.4, it has a Ki value of 10 microM. Its mode of inhibition with respect to GSH appears to be non-competitive. 3. At pH values below 9.0, the Meisenheimer complex does not appear to be formed in sufficient quantity to give significant inhibition of the enzyme. At pH 9.0 and at GSH concentrations greater than 1 mM, the inhibition of the enzyme became markedly non-hyperbolic. This was attributed to the inhibitory action of the Meisenheimer complex. The complex appears to act also by competition with the electrophilic substrate and its Ki is calculated to be 1.7 X 10(-7) M.

Animals

A monolayer study of the reaction of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid with amino phospholipids.

The reaction of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid with amino phospholipids, and in particular phosphatidylethanolamine has been studied by the monolayer technique. Injection of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid under a monolayer of amino phospholipid results in an increase in surface pressure. The rate and extent of the pressure change is greatly affected by the initial surface pressure, the fatty acid composition of the lipid, and the presence of other non-reactive lipids, especially negatively charged phospholipids. The extent of the reaction was measured with 32P-labelled phospholipids isolated from Bacillus subtilis. Only about 80% of the phosphatidylethanolamine in the monolayer could be converted to its trinitrophenyl derivative. In the presence of negatively charged phospholipids such as cardiolipin or phosphatidylglycerol, a further 20% decrease in the trinitrophenylation of phosphatidylethanolamine was found. The pressure increase occurring during trinitrophenylation could also be correlated with the extent of the reaction by comparison of the force-area curves of pure phosphatidylethanolamine, its trinitrophenyl derivative and mixtures of both compounds. The data may offer an explanation for the observation that incomplete labelling of amino phospholipids frequently occurs in natural membranes and furthermore indicate that the use of chemical labelling techniques in the study of lipid asymmetry in biological membranes must be approached with great caution.

Amines

Misoprostol therapy following trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis accelerates healing.

Prostaglandins have been demonstrated to have a mucosal protective effect when administered prior to the experimental induction of colitis in animals. We here determined whether prostaglandins would have a beneficial therapeutic effect when administered after colitis had been established. Diffuse, chronic, trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis was established in rats, and misoprostol was administered daily for up to 10 days following the induction of colitis. The effects of misoprostol therapy were compared to those obtained by treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid and betamethasone. Misoprostol therapy following trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis accelerated colonic healing, as measured in terms of macroscopic ulceration area and fluid absorption, whereas 5-aminosalicylic acid and betamethasone therapy did not. Ileal fluid absorption impairment was repaired by betamethasone but not by misoprostol or 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy.

Aminosalicylic Acids

Cell surface changes during muscle differentiation in vitro: a study with the probe 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate.

Cell surface changes during muscle differentiation in vitro, were investigated using the non permeant probe 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate (TNBS) in order to label the aminogroups of proteins exposed on the outer surface of the plasma membrane. Surface proteins of chick myotubes and 'mature' unfused myoblasts (myoblasts grown for 7 days in a calcium-depleted medium) were found to bind an equal amount of probe, which is twice the amount bound by surface proteins in 'immature' myoblasts (1--2 days of culture) and fibroblasts. This indicates that a 'remodelling' of the plasma membrane outer surface takes place in the course of muscle cell differentiation even in the absence of cell fusion. Moreover, the total amount of TNBS bound to the surface was 4--5 times greater in myotubes than in unfused myoblasts. This appears to result from the surface expansion which occurs in myotubes during the development of the T tubule system.

Animals

Specificity of cytotoxic effector cells directed against trinitrobenzene sulfonate-modified syngeneic cells. Failure to recognize cell surface-bound trinitrophenyl dextran.

Mouse splenic lymphocytes and lymphoid tumor cells were modified with the trinitrophenyl (TNP) group either by treatment with trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) (which covalently modifies cell surface proteins) or with TNP stearoyl dextran (TSD) (which binds to the cell by noncovalent forces). These cell preparations were compared for their ability to: (a) sensitive syngeneic splenic lymphocytes leading to the generation of cytotoxic effector cells; (b) serve as lysable targets in a 4-h(51)Cr- release assay for effector cells generated in (a); and (c) act as blocking cells in the lysis of TNBS-medified targets lysed by TNP self effector cells generated in (a). In none of these three experimental systems did TSD-medified syngeneic spleen or H-2-matched tumor cells act either as a sensitizing immunogen or as a target antigen, despite the demonstration that quantitatively equivalent mounts of TNP were exposed on the cell surface in the TNBS- and TSD-modified cells. In contrast, TNBS-modified spleen cells sensitized syngeneic lymphocytes to generate effectors against TNBS-modified syageneic targets. Furthermore, TNBS- modified, H-2-matched cells served as specific lysable targets and as inhibiting cells for such effectors. These results indicate that the manner in which TNP is associated with the cell surface is important in the immunogenicity and antigenicity of hapten-modified syngeneic stimulating cells in generating H-2-associated cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) reactions. These findings raise the possibility that a covalent or at least a stable linkage with cell surface proteins (possibly H-2- controlled products) is important for immunological function. Furthermore, these observations do not favor the dual receptor model for H-2-restricted syngeneic CML if it is assumed in such a model that one receptor is specific for the TNP moiety and the second for unmodified self major histocompatibility products.

Animals

Hapten specific unresponsiveness in mice. I. Characteristics of unresponsiveness induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid.

Injection of mice with the chemically reactive hapten 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBSA) induces a specific unresponsiveness as judged by reduction or abolition of the anti-TNP response to TNP-KLH. The normal response to a nonrelated hapten, oxazolone, bound to the same carrier (OX-KLH) is unaffected. Reduction of the anti-TNP response was also observed after TNBSA treatment, in nude mice (nu/nu) and their littermates (nu/+) challenged with TNP-POL, an antigen to which the response is thymus independent. Injection of the chemically non-reactive hapten TNP-glycyl-glycine did not induce unresponsiveness. A similar failure was observed with TNP autologous red cells or serum proteins from mice previously injected with TNBSA. The specific unresponsiveness of spleen cells of TNBSA injected mice was maintained after their transfer into lethally irradiated syngeneic host mice. Finally tolerant cells do not inhibit specifically an adoptive anti-TNP secondary response.

Animals

Cell types required for H-2-restricted cytotoxic responses generated by trinitrobenzene sulfonate-modified syngeneic cells or trinitrophenyl-conjugated proteins.

Murine spleen cells were fractionated over nylon wool or Sephadex G-10 columns, and the cell types involved in the generation of trinitrophenyl (TNP)-specific, H-2 restricted (TNP-self) cytotoxic effector cells were studied from cultures stimulated with trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS)-modified syngeneic cells, TNP-conjugated soluble proteins such as bovine gamma-globulin (TNP-BGG), or bovine serum albumin (TNP-BSA). Unfractionated or nylon nonadherent responding cells generated such effectors, irrespective of whether the cultures were stimulated with TNBS-modified cells or TNP-conjugated proteins. TNP-modified T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and phagocyte-enriched spleen cells were all capable of stimulating TNP-self effectors. TNP-self effectors. TNP-self as well as allogeneic cytotoxic responses were dependent on the presence of a radioresistant non-T cell that was removed by Sephadex G-10 fractionation and was replaced by irradiated, Thy 1.2-negative, glass adherent spleen cells, enriched in phagocytic cells. Results obtained by using glass adherent cells that were allogeneic or semi-syngeneic to the responding cells indicated that H-2 homology was not required for efficient glass adherent cell function, and that the H-2 restriction of TNP-self effectors is not determined by these glass adherent cells.

Animals

Passive cation movements in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell: the effects of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid.

We have investigated the effects of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), an amino reactive reagent, on passive cation movements in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Incubation of tumor cells with TNBS (3 mM) results in a two phase association of TNBS with the cells. An initial, rapid phase, presumably at the level of the membrane, is independent of temperature, while the second phase increases linearly in time and is temperature dependent. Kinetic analyses of Na+ movements indicate that TNBS: (1) inhibits Na+ movement from a slowly exchanging cellular compartment, but is without effect on a more rapidly exchanging compartment; (2) does not alter net Na+ accumulation in transport-inhibited cells; and (3) is without effect on non-exchange Na+ efflux at 0 degrees C. The actions of TNBS on K+ movements depend upon temperature and the continued presence of TNBS in the environment. At 22 degrees C two minute exposure of the cells to TNBS leads to 77% inhibition of K+ efflux. With continued exposure to TNBS, the inhibition is only 42%. Reduction of the temperature to 0 degrees C decreases K+ efflux in control cells by 82%. Two minute exposure to TNBS enhances K+ efflux by 50%, while continuous exposure increases it by 144%. These results suggest: (1) TNBS interacts with several classes of membrane sites which are involved with the regulation of passive cation movements; and (2) passive Na+ and K+ movements across the cell membrane proceed by different pathways.

Biological Transport

The effect of pyrophosphate on the reaction of myosin with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate.

Myosin was reacted with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonate (TNBS) in the presence or absence of Mg-pyrophosphate. The reaction led to trinitrophenylation of lysyl residues which could be divided on the basis of the reaction into three classes: (i) two rapidly reacting lysyl residues (RLR), one residing on each head of myosin, whose rate of reaction depends on the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate; (ii) two lysyl residues which react with intermediate rate (ILR) and reside on the rod segment of myosin; and (iii) the remaining lysyl residues of myosin which react slowly with TNBS. The rate of the trinitrophenylation of RLR was followed spectrophotometrically and enzymatically, measuring an absorbance change at 345 nm, and also changes in K+ (EDTA)-, Mg2+- and Ca2+-activated ATPase activities, respectively. According to analysis of the kinetics of the reaction, Mg-pyrophosphate inhibited the rate of trinitrophenylation in both heads of myosin, not in one head only as was suggested by Miyanishi et al. (J. Biochem Tokyo 85; 1979). Myosin heads (myosin subfragment-1, S-1) were prepared by digesting myosin trinitrophenylated in the absence and presence of Mg-pyrophosphate with chymotrypsin. S-1, with trinitrophenylated RLR, was separated from non-trinitrophenylated S-1 by DEAE cellulose column chromatography. The trinitrophenylated S-1 had a high Mg2+- and a low K+(EDTA)-activated ATPase while the non-trinitrophenylated species had the usual high K+(EDTA)- and low Mg2+-ATPase activity. This results excluded the possibility suggested by Miyanishi et al., that the myosin head, which is resistant to trinitrophenylation in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate, did not possess K+(EDTA)-activated ATPase activity. The presence of Mg-pyrophosphate during trinitrophenylation substantially affected the enzymic characteristics of the modified myosin. The myosin trinitrophenylated in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate had a higher K+(EDTA)- and a lower Mg2+-ATPase activity. SH1 (Cys-707) also probably becomes a target of the reaction if myosin is trinitrophenylated in the presence of Mg-pyrophosphate. This is deduced from the following findings: (i) the addition of dithiothreitol after trinitrophenylation partially reversed the loss in the K+(EDTA)-ATPase activity; and (ii) the specific alkylation of the SH1 thiol by 1,5-IAEDANS prior to trinitrophenylation prevented the effect of dithiothreitol on the ATPase activity of myosin. The results indicated that Mg-pyrophosphate induced structural changes in the myosin molecule which influenced the course and possibly the target(s) of trinitrophenylation.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Metabolism of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid by the rat colon produces reactive oxygen species.

Recent studies have shown that intrarectal administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in ethanol or intramural injection of TNBS in saline produces an acute and possibly chronic colitis in rats. It has been assumed that interstitial TNBS initiates the inflammatory response via macrophage-mediated recognition and degradation of TNBS-modified mucosal cells and proteins. However, it is known that certain flavoproteins and/or reductants interact with compounds containing the nitro functional group to generate pro-inflammatory, nitrogen-centered free radicals and reactive oxygen metabolites. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of the rat colon, using either colon homogenates, isolated colonocytes, or intestinal interstitial fluid, to produce reactive oxygen species via enzymatic and/or nonenzymatic metabolism of TNBS. It was found that the addition of TNBS (1 mmol/L) to the 10,000 x g supernatant of rat colon homogenates increased the rate of superoxide production from normally undetectable levels to 2.6 +/- 0.23 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1. Addition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH; 1 mmol/L) to colon homogenates containing TNBS significantly enhanced superoxide production to 10.4 +/- 0.9 nmol.min-1.mg-1. Similarly, addition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced form (NADPH; 1 mmol/L) to colon extracts containing TNBS produced an even further increase in the rate of superoxide formation to 25.2 +/- 1.1 nmol.min-1.mg-1. Addition of NADH or NADPH to the colon homogenate in the absence of TNBS produced no detectable superoxide formation, suggesting that TNBS was required for the enhanced oxidative metabolism. In a separate series of experiments, it was found that isolated colonocytes produced small but significant amounts of superoxide (3.15 +/- 0.6 nmol/2 x 10(6) cells) that were significantly increased in the presence of ethanol to 6.55 +/- 1.14 nmol/2 x 10(6) cells. Using purified preparations of two flavoproteins found in the rat colon, it was shown that the addition of TNBS (1 mmol/L) to purified NADH dehydrogenase or glutathione reductase increased the rate of superoxide formation by these enzymes from normally undetectable levels to 1.6 nmol/min and 1.2 nmol/min, respectively. In addition, it was found that intestinal interstitial fluid (lymph) initiated redox cycling of TNBS such that 28.1 +/- 1.6 nmol of oxygen was consumed per minute per milliliter of lymph. This increase in oxygen consumption was inhibited by the addition of superoxide dismutase and catalase. One possible metabolite involved in both mucosal and lymph-mediated metabolism of TNBS is ascorbic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals

H-2-linked genetic control of murine T-cell-mediated lympholysis to autologous cells modified with low concentrations of trinitrobenzene sulfonate.

Spleen cells from B10.BR and C57BL/10 (B10) mice were compared for their ability to generate primary in vitro cytotoxic responses to syngeneic cells modified with different concentrations (from 10 to 0.031 mM) of trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) (TNP-self). Although both strains generated effector cells to TNP-self in the range of 10-0.25 mM TNBS modification, effector activity of B10 cells was weaker than that of B10.BR cells. B10 spleen cells did not respond to syngeneic stimulating cells modified at 0.1 mM or lower, whereas B10.BR cells generated effector activity even when stimulated by TNP-self modified with as low as 0.031 mM TNBS. Fluorescence analysis of the modified cells using the FACS II indicated that equivalent quantities of TNP were conjugated to the surfaces of B10.BR and B10 spleen cells for any given concentration of TNBS modification. Similar strain-dependent differences were observed when the TNP was diluted out in the cultures by reducing the number of stimulating cells modified with 10 mM TNBS. These response patterns were verified by stimulating cultures of B10.BR and B10 spleen cells either with TNP conjugated to bovine serum albumin or bovine gamma globulin (B10.BR but not B10 cells responded to TNP-conjugated proteins) or with TNBS-modified glass-adherent spleen cells. The strain-dependent differences could also be detected at the effector phase, because optimally stimulated B10.BR, but not B10 effector cells, could lyse 0.1 mM TNBS-modified syngeneic target cells. The genetic parameters associated with the response and nonresponse patterns of B10.BR and B10 mice were further investigated by comparing the cytotoxic responses to low doses of TNP-self of spleen cells from the following strains: (a) C3H/HeJ (H-2k) and C3H.SW (H-2b); (b) BALB.K (H-2k) and BALb.b (h-2b); and (c) B10.A (H-2a) and B10.D2 (H-2d). The H-2k and H-2a, but not the H-2b and H-2d, strains generated cytotoxic responses to TNP-self when the syngeneic stimulators were modified with 0.1 mM TNBS. Further studies using (B10 X B10.BR)F1 responding cells and parental or F1-modified stimulating cells, indicated that the F1 cells generated cytotoxic activity to low doses of TNP in association with H-2k but not in association with H-2b self products. The results of this study indicate that H-2-linked genetic factors, expressed in the target as well as in the responding and/or stimulating cell populations, control the ability of inbred mouse strains to generate cytotoxic effector cells to low doses of TNP-self. Such dose-dependent genetic effects may be important in the regulation of immune responses activated in vivo by chronic exposure to infectious agents.

Animals

Trinitrophenylation of rabbit skeletal myosin by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate and treatment of trinitrophenyl myosin with dithiothreitol.

Rabbit skeletal myosin was trinitrophenylated with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) in the presence or absence of inorganic pyrophosphate (PP1). When myosin trinitrophenylated either in the presence or absence of PP1 was treated with dithiothreitol (DTT), the absorbance at 345 nm of both trinitrophenylated myosins was decreased, as though the trinitrophenyl groups bound to myosin were removed. The DTT treatment also essentially reversed the inhibition of the EDTA-ATPase and Ca-ATPase activities that was caused by trinitrophenylation of myosin. These effects of trinitrophenylation and of DTT treatment were independent of the presence or absence of PP1 during the trinitrophenylation. In contrast, the PP1-induced formation of a difference spectrum of trinitrophenylated myosin was not affected by the DTT treatment. On the basis of these observations, it is suggested that the "reactive lysine residues," trinitrophenylation of which resulted in inhibition of the ATPase activities, are different from those whose trinitrophenyl groups show an altered spectrum on addition of PP1.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Mechanism and prevention of chronic colonic inflammation with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in rats.

1. The role of prostanoids in experimental colitis with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in rats was investigated. The effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the development of experimental colitis were also examined. 2. Five kinds of prostanoids were detected in rat colonic tissue by high performance liquid chromatography. These were 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha, PGF2 alpha, PGE2, PGD2 and thromboxane B2. 3. In TNBS-induced experimental colitis, all prostanoid concentrations except PGD2 increased, although the time courses differed from each other. 4. Medication with indomethacin markedly reduced prostanoid concentrations in TNBS-induced colitis. However, indomethacin did not show any effect on damage scores. 5. Cyclosporine A reduced damage scores 14 days after TNBS treatment, and the protective effects were observed, whereas CsA did not affect colonic tissue prostanoid concentrations. 6. Prostanoids might be produced secondarily in the genesis of TNBS-induced colitis, although they may attenuate the inflammatory response. It was also suggested that CsA was likely to have therapeutic effects on experimental colitis by inhibiting the immune reaction with TNBS, which induced the chronic inflammation.

Animals

Calcium-independent increase of transmitter release at frog end-plate by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid.

1. Application of an amino-residue-modifying reagent, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-1-sulphonic acid (TNBS), to the frog neuromuscular junction in high-magnesium Ringer solution rapidly increased both the amplitude of nerve-evoked end-plate potentials (EPPs) and the frequency of miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs). These showed a similar initial time course and reached a maximum 3-7 min and about 10 min, respectively, after the start of application of 2 mM-TNBS. Then, the EPP amplitude decreased, while the MEPP frequency maintained its plateau value. The increase in transmitter release and the decrease in EPP amplitude by TNBS may have been due to different modes of action. 2. The distribution of MEPP amplitude was unchanged by TNBS treatment. 3. The carbachol-induced postsynaptic potential and the extracellularly recorded presynaptic action current were not affected by TNBS treatment for up to 30 min, indicating that the change in EPP amplitude produced by TNBS was not due to either a postsynaptic effect or a change in action potential at the presynaptic terminal. 4. The frequency of MEPPs was increased by TNBS application even when Ca2+ was omitted from the external Ringer solution or when a specific calcium channel blocker, synthetic omega-conotoxin, was added. This indicates that Ca2+ inflow to the nerve terminal is not necessary for TNBS action. 5. When a calcium chelator, BAPTA, was loaded into the presynaptic nerve terminal, the facilitation of EPPs by trains of nerve stimuli was scarcely observed. This suggested that the cytosolic free Ca2+ in the presynaptic terminal was buffered by BAPTA. Under this condition, the amplitudes of EPPs were increased by TNBS application to the same extent as in the control without BAPTA, but were accompanied by little facilitation. The MEPP frequency was also increased by TNBS to the same extent as in the control. These results suggest strongly that augmentation of transmitter release by TNBS was not due to an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. 6. These observations suggest that TNBS might react with specific protein(s) on the outer surface of the presynaptic membrane and accelerate the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles.

Action Potentials

[Specific modification of free lysine amino groups of histidine decarboxylase from Micrococcus sp. n. by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid].

It has been found that 14 lysine residues are accessible for trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in the molecule of histidine decarboxylase (HDC). The other 62 lysine residues in the molecule of native HDC are masked and inaccessible for TNBS. It is demonstrated that the SH- and alpha-amino groups of methionine are not modified by TNBS. A correlation between the decarboxylase activity of the enzyme and the degree of its trinitrophenylation has been studied. HDC, whose molecule contains 3--9 TNP groups, retains up to 90--97% of its initial activity. Trinitrophenylation of 14 lysine residues induces inactivation of HDC by 33--34%, which probably depends on conformational changes or steric hindrances, occurring in the catalytic site of the modified active centre of HDC. Using circular dichroism and fluorescence methods as well as disc-electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, it has been shown that trinitrophenylation does not cause any significant changes in the enzyme structure. The TNP groups have been found to be localized in the large and small subunits of the HDC molecule.

Carboxy-Lyases

Relationship between trinitrophenyl and H-2 antigens on trinitrophenyl-modified spleen cells. I. H-2 antigens on cells treated with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid are derivatized.

Spleen cells were treated with TNBS in order to determine if cell surface H-2 antigens are derivatized with TNP. By labeling the cell membrane of the TNP-modified cells with 125I, followed by detergent lysis and immune precipitation with anti-TNP, it was determined that no H-2 antigenic activity remained in the supernatant. Further, by the use of an antibody-induced antigen redistribution assay it was found that previous exposure to TNP-modified cells to anti-TNP in the absence of complement rendered these cells resistant to lysis by anti-H-2 in the presence of complement. Together these data indicate that at the concentration of TNBS used for modification, H-2 antigens are derivatized with TNP. However, in addition to H-2, other proteins including immunoglobulin were also derivatized with TNP. Anti-TNP cytotoxic effector cells were blocked from their cytotoxic activity by anti-TNP antiserum. These data indicate that TNP directly couples to H-2 antigens on the cell surface of TNP-modified cells and that TNP is associated with the antigenic determinant that the cytotoxic T cell recognizes.

Animals

Relationship between trinitrophenol and H-2 antigens on trinitrophenyl-modified spleen cells. III. Quantitative aspects of trinitrophenol binding on cells treated with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid.

Splenic lymphoblasts or normal spleen cells were treated with varying concentrations of TNBS in order to assess whether cell membrane H-2 molecules were derivatized with TNP. Cells treated with high concentrations of TNBS had their cell membrane H-2 molecules derivatized and functioned antigenically as inhibitors in a cold target TNP-CML competition assay. In contrast, cells derivatized with lower concentrations of TNBS had a significant proportion of their membrane proteins derivatized with TNP but did not have their H-2 molecules derivatized. These latter cells were unable to block anti-TNP cytotoxic effector cells in the competition assay. When cells were treated with 3H-TNBS, it was observed that TNP couples to cell membrane H-2, Ia and Ig molecules, and an estimate of the number of TNP molecules bound per cell at varying concentrations of TNBS was determined. The data obtained are consistent with there being a requirement for TNP to directly derivatize H-2 molecules on the cell membrane in order to create antigenic determinants that can be recognized by cytotoxic anti-TNP effector cells. As an alternative, there may be a requirement for the presence of a high density of TNP molecules per cell rather than direct H-2 derivatization by TNP in order to account for activity.

Animals