Molecular, biochemical and immunological analyses of porcine pancreatic DNase I.

Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) was purified 26500-fold in 39% yield from porcine pancreas to electrophoretic homogeneity using three-step column chromatography. The purified enzyme was inhibited by an antibody specific to the purified enzyme but not by G-actin. A 1303 bp cDNA encoding porcine DNase I was constructed from total RNA from porcine small intestine using a rapid amplification of cDNA ends method, followed by sequencing. Mature porcine DNase I protein was found to consist of 262 amino acids. Unlike all other mammalian DNase I enzymes that are inhibited by G-actin, porcine DNase I has H65 and S114 instead of Y65 and A114, which presumably results in the lack of inhibition. Porcine DNase I was more sensitive to low pH than rat or bovine enzymes. Compared with their primary structures, the amino acid at position 110 was N in porcine enzyme, but S in rat and bovine enzymes. A porcine mutant enzyme in which N was substituted by S alone at position 110 (N110S) became resistant to low pH to a similar extent as the rat and bovine enzymes.

Use of human recombinant DNase I expressed in COS-7 cells as an immunogen to produce a specific anti-DNase I antibody.

To obtain human deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) as an immunogen, we have developed a procedure that is more useful and effective than the conventional procedure, which uses human urine as a starting material. In the new procedure, we culture COS-7 cells transfected with expression vector carrying human DNase I cDNA, and then purify the enzyme from the culture medium. The enzyme can be easily isolated to apparent homogeneity by passage through only three chromatography columns. The rabbit antiserum that we used against the recombinant DNase I was not inferior to that used against DNase I from human urine, in terms of both its ability to discriminate DNase I phenotypes and its ability to neutralize enzyme activity. Therefore, our procedure may be useful for producing an antibody specific for human DNase I.

Cholinergic and glutamatergic activation reverses working memory failure by hippocampal histamine H1 receptor blockade in rats.

Intrahippocampal administration of the histamine H1 receptor antagonist pyrilamine (3.2-32 ug/ side) but not the histamine H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine (1.0-10 microg/side) increased the number of errors in the working memory task with a three-panel runway setup. The increase in working memory errors induced by intrahippocampal 32 microg/side pyrilamine was significantly reduced by concurrent infusion of the histamine H1 receptor agonist 2-pyridylethylamine (3.2 and 10 microg/side). The cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine ( 1.0 and 3.2 microg/side) and D-cycloserine (0.32 and 1.0 microg/side), the partial agonist at the glycine binding site on the NMDA receptor/channel complex, reduced the increase in working memory errors induced by intrahippocampal 32 microg/side pyrilamine. These results suggest that the hippocampal histaminergic activity via histamine H1 receptor is necessary for normal working memory processes and that the septohippocampal cholinergic activation and positive modulation of the NMDA receptor/channel through activation of the glycine site can alleviate dysfunction of hippocampal histamine H1 receptor-mediated neurotransmission involved in working memory function.

The molecular basis for genetic polymorphism of human deoxyribonuclease II (DNase II): a single nucleotide substitution in the promoter region of human DNase II changes the promoter activity.

Deoxyribonuclease II (DNase II) levels in human vary depending on whether the individual has the DNASE2*H (high) allele or the DNASE2*L (low) allele. We examined the promoter activity of the 5'-flanking region of each of these alleles by transient transfection luciferase assay. DNASE2*H had 5-fold higher promoter activity than DNASE2*L in human hepatoma HepG2 cell. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the proximal promoter regions revealed a G to A transition at position -75; G and A residues were assigned to DNASE2*H and *L, respectively. Since no differences were found between the open reading frame sequences of these alleles, it is likely that the A-75G transition causes the allelic difference in the promoter activity of the gene, underlying the genetic polymorphism.

Characterization of two plastid sigma factors, SigA1 and SigA2, that mainly function in matured chloroplasts in Nicotiana tabacum.

We have isolated and characterized two genes from Nicotiana tabacum, whose products function as putative sigma factors for plastid RNA polymerase. Since the amino acid sequence deduced from the DNA sequences of both genes showed highly similar to that of the SigA protein of Arabidopsis thaliana, we termed the corresponding genes sigA1 and sigA2, respectively. Transient expression assay using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion construct indicated that the N-terminal region of the sigA2 gene product could function as a transit peptide for import into chloroplasts. The gel-blot analysis of RNAs revealed that the sum of the sigA1 and sigA2 transcripts fluctuated apparently with an endogenous rhythm after 12-h-light, 12-h-dark entrainment in photomixotrophically cultured tobacco cells. RT-PCR based northern analysis revealed that the sigA1 and sigA2 transcripts increased along with the cell growth in cultured cells, and were most abundant in mature leaves and shoot meristems with very young leaves in tobacco plants. Immunoblot analysis of the cell extracts of tobacco plants also supports this notion. These results suggest that the sigma factors encoded by sigA1 and sigA2 play a role in chloroplast development and regulation of gene expression in matured chloroplasts.

Chloroplast targeting, distribution and transcriptional fluctuation of AtMinD1, a Eubacteria-type factor critical for chloroplast division.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, a mature mesophyll cell contains approximately 100 chloroplasts. Although 12 arc mutants (accumulation and replication of chloroplasts) and two chloroplast division genes homologous to eubacterial ftsZ have been isolated from A. thaliana, the molecular mechanism underlying the chloroplast division is still unclear. We characterized AtMinD1, a eubacterial minD homolog, for chloroplast division in A. thaliana. AtMinD1-green fluorescent protein targeted to the chloroplasts and possibly associated with the envelope membranes in vivo. During the seed germination, the AtMinD1 transcripts were accumulated twice, just after release from cold treatment and at the beginning of rapid greening, in similar fashion to AtFtsZs. Furthermore the transcript level in a severest chloroplast division mutant, arc6, was 3-5-fold higher than that in wild-type.

Japanese population data for two STR loci, HumTPO and HumLPL.

The two short tandem repeat (STR) systems, HumTPO and HumLPL, were investigated in blood samples obtained from approximately 800 unrelated Japanese individuals living in seven geographically different areas of Japan. Neither deviation from a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium nor significant difference between the allele distributions was found among the seven Japanese populations in the two STR systems. These findings indicate that there is a general uniformity for both the STR loci in the Japanese population.

MK-801 reverses Fos expression induced by the full dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF-82958 in the rat striatum.

Administration of the selective and full dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF-82958 ((+/-)-6-chloro-7,8-dihydroxy-3-allyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-b enzazepine) (1 and 3 mg/kg i.p.) led to a dose-dependent induction of Fos protein in the rat striatum. The 3 mg/kg SKF-82958-induced expression of striatal Fos protein was blocked by the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH-23390 (R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benza zepine) (0.3 mg/kg i.p.). The noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 ((5R,10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohepten-5 ,10-imine) (1 mg/kg i.p.) also completely prevented striatal Fos induction by an injection of 3 mg/kg SKF-82958. These results suggest that dopamine D1 receptor activation by the full agonist SKF-82958 is sufficient to trigger Fos expression in the striatum, but that concomitant stimulation of NMDA receptors is required for the striatal Fos induction in response to dopamine D1 receptor activation.

[Relationship specific IgE and IgG4 antibody to food allergen and other allergic factors in 0-year old allergic children].

We investigated the relation IgE and IgG4 antibody to food allergen and other allergic factors in 94 0-year old allergic children. And then, we compared this result data with the data of allergic children over 2-years old reported before. In 0-year old children, IgE antibody to food allergen and IgE RAST score to egg white were related more tightly to IgE RIST. And the tightness of these factors was 4 times as strong as those in allergic children over 2-year old. This fact was suggested the polyclonal production and induction of IgE antibody in infant children. And IgG4 antibody to food allergen was related tightly to eosinophil counts in 0-year old allergic children. The tightness of 2 factors was about 2 times as strong as those in allergic children over 2-years old. The fact was suggested the necessity of investigation of relationship between 2 factors.

[The investigation of asthmatic children by multiple factor analysis. II. The influence of 17 allergic factors on atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis in asthmatic children].

We investigated possible influence of 17 allergy-associated factors on atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis using Multiple factor analysis in 150 asthmatic children. Atopic dermatitis was complicated in ninety-seven cases and allergic rhinitis in ninety-seven cases. 17 allergy-associated factors were as follows: 1) sex, 2) age, 3) onset age of asthma, 4) family history of allergy, 5) peripheral eosinophil counts, 6) IgE RIST, 7) IgE RAST score to egg white, 8) IgE RAST score to milk, 9) IgE RAST score to soybean, 10) IgG4 antibody titers to egg white, 11) IgG4 antibody titers to milk, 12) IgG4 antibody titers to soybean, 13) IgE RAST score to house dust, 14) IgE RAST score to Dermatophagoides farinae, 15) severity of asthma, 16) exercise-induced asthma, 17) atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis. We concluded as follows: 1) Factors which more strongly influenced both atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis were IgE RAST score to D.f., positive family history of allergy, IgE RIST and eosinophil counts. 2) Combination with high levels of IgG4 antibody to 3 food allergens such as egg-white, milk and soybean and IgE RAST to egg-white has a strong influence on atopic dermatitis, but high levels of IgG4 antibody to 3 food allergens except high level of IgG4 antibody to soybean have a weak influence on allergic rhinitis.