Stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis in mice by human modified C-reactive protein (mCRP)

The prototypic human acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), and a structurally modified form of CRP (mCRP) were studied as agents which could stimulate thrombopoiesis in both in vitro and in vivo mouse models. mCRP, but not the widely studied (native) pentameric form of CRP, demonstrated significant megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity. This activity was measured in plasma clot cultures incubated with pokeweed mitogen-stimulated spleen cell conditioned medium (PWM-SCM). mCRP increased the number of mouse megakaryocyte colonies in a dose-dependent manner. While significantly more colonies were observed in mCRP-treated cultures compared to controls, the kinetics of megakaryocyte growth and maturation were similar to those measured in cultures stimulated with PWM-SCM lacking mCRP. A low level of megakaryocyte growth-promoting activity was noted when mCRP was added to plasma clot cultures not incubated with spleen cell conditioned medium. However, the most striking activity of mCRP was in potentiating stimulated megakaryocyte colony formation (i.e., as a Meg-POT factor). In in vivo experiments, mCRP injected subcutaneously into normal mice resulted in significant increases in blood platelet numbers compared to control mice receiving sham injections. These results suggest that a modified form of CRP has thrombopoietic activity in both in vitro and in vivo mouse models, Therefore, one important biological role for CRP during an acute-phase response might be to contribute, after a structural modification, to the hematopoietic regulation of blood platelets.

Major and minor epitopes on the self antigen mouse cytochrome c mapped by site-directed mutagenesis.

Variants of rat (mouse) cytochrome c, prepared by site-directed mutagenesis or represented by closely-related cytochromes c from different species, were employed to map the functional boundaries of a number of mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAb) specific for the major antigenic region on the self antigen (Ag) around residue 62 and the minor antigenic region around residue 44. The recombinant mouse cytochromes c tested were, unlike the tissue-derived Ag, trimethylated at position 72, and included the wild-type which was acetylated at the amino terminus, a variant that was unacetylated at the amino terminus, and variants with the following single amino acid residue replacements: V11I (valine to isoleucine at position 11), Q12M, A15S, A44P, F46Y, D50A, T58I and G89E. Of these, only the A44P variant affected the binding of mAb to the region previously localized to the vicinity of residue 44, thus confirming that assignment. Loss of the acetyl group at the amino terminus affected the binding of most of the mAb to the region around residue 62. The other mutations had little, if any, affect on mAb binding. The epitopes of mAb binding the region around residue 62 were shown in this study to have similar functional boundaries. This site on the self Ag, which encompasses at least three discontinuous segments of the polypeptide chain, is comparable in size to epitopes on other protein Ag that have been mapped by X-ray crystallography and is similar to an epitope in the corresponding region of the foreign Ag, horse cytochrome c, that has been mapped by hydrogen-deuterium exchange. In addition to the mAb binding the regions around residues 44 and 62, a third group of mouse cytochrome c-specific mAb known to be broadly reactive with mammalian cytochromes c and that represents a minor portion of the mAb was tested for binding the site-directed mutants of mouse cytochrome c. None of these mAb were affected by the mutations, indicating the presence of at least one more antigenic region on the self Ag in an area not encompassed by these mutations that is structurally highly conserved.

A peptide binding protein having a role in antigen presentation is a member of the HSP70 heat shock family.

The T cell recognition of globular protein antigens requires the processing and presentation of the antigen by Ia-expressing APCs. Processing is believed to involve the uptake of antigen into an acidic compartment where proteolysis occurs. The resulting peptides containing the T cell antigenic determinant are associated with Ia and presented at the cell surface to the specific T cells. The mechanisms by which antigenic peptides become associated with Ia is not known. We previously described a peptide binding protein of 72/74 x 10(3) Mr (PBP72/74) that plays a role in antigen presentation as shown by the ability of an antiserum raised in rabbits to affinity-purified PBP72/74 to block presentation of cytochrome c to a cytochrome c-specific T cell hybrid. Here we show that PBP72/74 is recognized by mAbs specific for members of the HSP70 family of proteins. In Western blots PBP72/74 is bound by mAb 7.10, specific for an evolutionarily conserved epitope of HSP proteins and by mAb N27, specific for both the constitutively expressed and inducible 72/73 x 10(3) Mr HSP70 proteins. In addition, PBP72/74 shares a second common feature of the HSP proteins, that of binding to ATP. Indeed, ATP causes the release of PBP72/74 from binding to a peptide fragment of cytochrome c (Pc 81-104) and PBP72/74 can be eluted from ATP columns by Pc 81-104. Finally, a portion of PBP72/74 is shown to be present on B cell surfaces by immunofluorescence staining. Thus, it appears that characteristics of the heat shock proteins are shared by a protein playing a role in antigen presentation, suggesting some commonality in function.

Immunochemical identification of cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3a (P-450ALC) in rabbit nasal and kidney microsomes and evidence for differential induction by alcohol.

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to rabbit liver microsomal alcohol-inducible cytochrome P-450 isozyme 3a (P-450ALC) were used to examine the tissue distribution of the cytochrome. Isozyme 3a or an immunochemically indistinguishable variant of this protein was detected on immunoblots of kidney and nasal mucosa microsomes, but not of microsomes prepared from brain, lung, adrenal, heart, intestine, ovary, spleen, testis, or uterus from untreated or ethanol-treated rabbits. The presence of isozyme 3a was also indicated by inhibition by anti-3a IgG of microsomal aniline hydroxylation and butanol oxidation. The identity of isozyme 3a was further substantiated by peptide-mapping analysis of the immunoaffinity-purified proteins. The amount of isozyme 3a was increased in kidney, but not in nasal microsomes, by chronic ethanol treatment. The induction of isozyme 3a in the kidney was reflected in a more than 2-fold increase in the total rates and a 7-fold increase in the isozyme 3a-dependent rates of aniline and butanol metabolism. Based on immunoblot quantitation, the specific content of isozyme 3a is about 10 pmol/mg of protein in kidney and 80 pmol/mg of protein in nasal microsomes of untreated rabbits. After ethanol treatment of the animals, the content increases to 50 pmol/mg of protein in kidney but is unchanged in nasal microsomes. The presence of isozyme 3a may play a significant role in the toxicity of foreign compounds.

Immunochemical evidence for induction of the alcohol-oxidizing cytochrome P-450 of rabbit liver microsomes by diverse agents: ethanol, imidazole, trichloroethylene, acetone, pyrazole, and isoniazid.

Isozyme 3a of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, also termed P-450ALC, was previously isolated in this laboratory from animals administered ethanol or imidazole, and the purified cytochrome was shown to function in the reconstituted system as an oxygenase in catalyzing the oxidation of ethanol and other alcohols. Although liver microsomes from animals treated in various ways exhibit increased alcohol-oxidizing activity, evidence was not available as to whether this was due to enzyme induction or to other factors influencing the activity. Immunochemical quantitation of P-450 isozyme 3a has now been achieved by use of purified antibody to this cytochrome in NaDodSO4/PAGE/blotting and dot-blotting techniques. The specific content of isozyme 3a in liver microsomes was found to be increased from 2- to greater than 4-fold by administration of the following agents, in increasing order of effectiveness as inducers: isoniazid, trichloroethylene, pyrazole, ethanol, imidazole, and acetone. Isozyme 3a represents about 5% of the total P-450 in control animals and is increased to as high as 27% by acetone treatment. Isozyme 3a-dependent butanol-oxidation activity, determined by the inhibitory effect of antibody on the various microsomal preparations, was found to increase proportionally with increased content of this cytochrome.

Alcohol metabolism and toxicity: role of cytochrome P-450.

A new isozyme of cytochrome P-450, designated from 3a on the basis of its relative electrophoretic mobility, has been purified to homogeneity from liver microsomes of rabbits treated chronically with ethanol. This cytochrome has the highest activity of the known rabbit P-450 isozymes in the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde. In view of the reports of others that the hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen is increased in ethanol-treated animals and the human alcoholic, we have determined the activity of the six available P-450 isozymes in the activation of the drug to give an intermediate which forms a conjugate with reduced glutathione. Isozyme 3a, 4, and 6, the three major forms of cytochrome P-450 present in liver microsomes from rabbits chronically treated with ethanol, exhibited the highest activities in the reconstituted enzyme system, whereas isozymes 3b and 3c were 10- to 20-fold less effective and phenobarbital-inducible isozyme 2 was essentially inactive, even in the presence of cytochrome b5. The results obtained thus indicate that induction by ethanol of P-450 isozyme 3a may contribute to the toxicity of acetaminophen but that other cytochromes also play a significant role.