Upregulation of rat P23 (a member of the YjgF protein family) by fasting, glucose diet and fatty acid feeding.

In a previous study, we identified and purified a 99-amino-acid rat liver-kidney perchloric-acid-soluble 23-kDa protein (P23) which displays 30% identity with a highly conserved domain of heat shock proteins (HSPs), as well as an AT-rich 3' untranslated region, which has also been described to play a role in H70 mRNA life span and protein expression. An identical perchloric-acid-soluble protein inhibiting protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system was also found 2 years later by another group. More recently, the novel, the YjgF, protein family has been described, comprising, 24 full-length homologues, including P23, highly conserved through evolution, and consisting of approximately 130 residues each and sharing a common ternary structure. Independent studies from different laboratories have provided various hypothetical functions for each of these proteins. The high degree of evolutionary conservation may suggest that these proteins play an important role in cellular regulation. Although the function of none of these proteins is known precisely, we present experimental evidence which, combined with the relationship to glucose-regulating protein revealed here, and the relationship to fatty-acid-binding protein revealed by others, allow us to propose a role for P23. In rat liver, P23 expression is developmentally regulated and modulated by dietary glucose, and its mRNA is induced by starvation, in the presence of fatty-acids and in 3-MeDAB-induced hepatomas. The mRNA encoding mouse liver P23 is also hormonally modulated in a mouse line AT1F8. These data indicate that P23 protein might be a key controller of intermediary metabolism during fasting.

Tobacco-smoke-inducible human haem oxygenase-1 gene expression: role of distinct transcription factors and reactive oxygen intermediates.

Exposure of eukaryotic cells to a variety of reactive-oxygen-intermediate (ROI)-mediated sources of cellular injury, including heavy metals and UV radiation, induces the expression of heat-shock (HS) and stress-related genes among which is a 32-34 kDa protein identified as inducible haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1). We previously showed that tobacco smoke (TS), a potent source of oxidants leading to oxidative stress, induces both HS proteins (HSPs) and HO-1 in normal human monocytes. Here we investigated the induction mechanisms of human HO-1 gene expression by TS in the human premonocytic line U937. Northern blotting and flow cytometry revealed a dose- and time-dependent induction of HO-1 mRNA and protein by TS. In order to clarify the role of transacting factors in this induction, electrophoretic mobility-shift analysis was performed with nuclear extracts from control, TS-, cadmium (Cd)- or H(2)O(2)-exposed cells, incubated with consensus elements and binding sites of the promoter region of HO-1[heat-shock factor (HSF), nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1)] and the cadmium-responsive element (CdRE) isolated by Takeda, Ishizawa, Sato, Yoshida and Shibahara [(1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 22858-22867]. We report an inhibition of NF-kappaB activation by TS, no effect on AP-1 and a strong activation of CdRE-binding activity, whereas cadmium chelation from TS only partially prevented HO-1 induction. H(2)O(2) also activated the CdRE-binding activity, and pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, which replenishes the intracellular levels of GSH, suppressed, in TS-treated cells, both the CdRE-binding activity and the increased HO-1 expression.

Maturational changes of endothelial vasoactive factors and pulmonary vascular tone at birth.

The aim of this study was to determine which endothelial factors were involved in the decrease of pulmonary vascular resistance at birth, and how they changed with maturation. Response of intrapulmonary artery rings precontracted with prostaglandin F2alpha were studied from piglets aged <2 h, 2-3 day, 10 day and adult pigs for pharmacological responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and cromakalim (CMK) in the presence and the absence of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), the adenosine triphosphate sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channel blocker, glibenclamide and the endothelin (ET)-A receptor antagonist, BQ123. In situ hybridization and immunochemistry studies were performed in lung tissues of the same animals in order to determine the expression of NOS and ET. There was a small contractile effect of ACh in the newborn. Relaxation to ACh, which was blocked by L-NA and reduced by glibenclamide, only appeared from the age of 3 days. The significantly greater relaxation to CMK in rings without endothelium (p<0.05) was abolished by BQ123 in the newborn, and then disappeared by 2 days of age. Glibenclamide had a greater inhibitory effect on relaxation induced by CMK at 10 days than in the newborn and 2 days old piglets. NOS expression was low in pulmonary arteries of the newborn and increased by 2 days of age whereas the converse was seen with ET expression. It is concluded that: 1) relaxant response to acetylcholine was absent at birth and appeared at 2 days; 2) the reduced relaxant response to cromakalin in rings with endothelium at birth could be blocked by BQ123; and 3) the expression of endothelin decreased whereas the expression of nitric oxide synthase increased from birth to 2 days of age.

Analysis of hsp70 gene polymorphism in allergic asthma.

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma is a multifactorial and probably multigenic inflammatory disease of the upper airways, and has been associated with the HLA class II alleles DR4 and DR7. Here we investigated possible associations with other polymorphic susceptibility/resistance genes located within the major histocompatibility complex, i.e., the genes coding the major 70-kDa heat-shock proteins (HSP; Hsp70) hsp70-1, hsp70-2, and hsp70-HOM, whose products are overexpressed in the bronchi of asthmatic patients. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes or buccal epithelial cells of 48 patients with allergic asthma and 31 selected nonatopic control subjects, in whom we previously reported a strong association of atopy with DR4/DR7 alleles. RESULTS: No evidence was found for an independent role of hsp70 gene polymorphism in susceptibility to allergic asthma. However, hsp70 alleles might be involved in extended haplotypes of HLA markers. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that Hsp70 overexpression in asthma results from complex interactions between environmental exposures and genetic background rather than from specific genetic variations in hsp70 genes.

Polymorphism in the regulatory sequence of the human hsp70-1 gene does not affect heat shock factor binding or heat shock protein synthesis.

A bi-allelic polymorphism found in the regulatory region of the human heat shock (HS) protein (HSP) hsp70-1 gene, which comprises an A-->C transversion, 3 bp upstream of the HS element (HSE), has been associated with extended HLA haplotypes. In view of the chaperoning and protective functions of Hsp70, we investigated whether this hsp70-1 bi-allelic polymorphism could modulate the stress response, which may relate to enhanced resistance or susceptibility to certain diseases. We compared the basal and HS-induced HS factor (HSF)-binding activity of the two polymorphic HSEs, hsp70-1 mRNA accumulation and HSP expression in two human Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cell lines typed for hsp70-1 promoter alleles. Our results suggest that hsp70-1 promoter polymorphism does not influence HSF-binding activity, hsp70 mRNA accumulation or synthesis in human EBV-transformed B cell lines.

Tobacco smoke induces coordinate activation of HSF and inhibition of NFkappaB in human monocytes: effects on TNFalpha release.

Tobacco smoke (TS) exposure is a major risk factor for human disease, and macrophages of healthy smokers have a depressed capacity to release cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha. TS induces the synthesis of heat shock (HS)/stress proteins (HSP), and, in particular, of Hsp70. We determined whether Hsp70 induction by TS was mediated by the activation of the HS transcription factor, HSF. HSF activation has been shown to inhibit NFkappaB. Thus, we also determined the effects of TS on NFkappaB. U937 cells and human peripheral blood monocytes were exposed to TS, binding activities of the respective transcription factors were analyzed, and Hsp70 expression and TNFalpha release were determined in parallel. TS activated HSF, which was associated with Hsp70 overexpression and inhibition of NFkappaB binding activity and TNFalpha release. The altered cytokine profile observed in smokers may relate to an HSF/Hsp70-mediated inhibition of NFkappaB activity.

Characterization, purification and cDNA cloning of a rat perchloric-acid-soluble 23-kDa protein present only in liver and kidney.

A novel protein was extracted with 5% perchloric acid from rat liver and kidney. It is absent from other rat organs. Its apparent molecular mass is 23 kDa as determined by HPLC gel filtration. A single band, corresponding to 10 kDa, was observed after SDS/PAGE, suggesting that the protein consists of two subunits with similar molecular masses. This protein can neither be phosphorylated by ATP, nor acetylated. The sequence of the cDNA encoding this protein was determined. Southern-blot analysis showed that the corresponding gene spanned at least 10 kb and contained at least five introns. Zoo-blot analysis at medium stringency strongly suggests that the gene has been conserved during evolution. The amino-acid sequence of this protein with a highly conserved region is similar to that of a heat-shock protein.

The protein kinases tightly bound to DNA are present in normal tissues and in regenerating liver, but strongly decreased in hepatomas.

We have previously described in rat liver two protein kinases tightly bound to DNA, one is serine-specific, the other arginine-specific. In this work we show that both enzymes are present in various rat tissues and in liver from various species. Both kinase specific activities are strongly decreased in methyl-DBA-induced hepatomas and in HTC cells but not in regenerating liver after hepatectomy. This decrease is then not related to cell proliferation.

Characterization of an arginine-specific protein kinase tightly bound to rat liver DNA.

A new protein kinase has been characterized among the proteins tightly bound to rat liver DNA and released by DNase I and RNase A treatment. This enzyme was separated by gel filtration from this released material. Its apparent molecular mass was found to be 34 kDa and it is made of a single unit. The main characteristic of this protein kinase is that it is arginine-specific. Isolation of phosphoarginine required the use of proteolytic enzymes at alkaline pH since the phosphate bond is highly acid-labile. This protein kinase is able to autophosphorylate and to phosphorylate a single chromosomal protein of 11 kDa also tightly bound to DNA. It uses ATP and dATP as phosphate donors and is cAMP-independent. Its optimal activity requires Mn2+ ions. Vanadate, spermine and heparin have no effect on its activity.

Rat liver nuclear protein kinases NI and NII. Purification, subunit composition, substrate specificity, possible levels of regulation.

Rat liver nuclear protein kinases NI and NII have been purified to homogeneity by an improved method. This method includes a casein-phosvitin-Sepharose column step, which separates the enzymes from the other chromosomal non-histone proteins, and a gel filtration at high ionic strength in the presence of a high concentration of protease inhibitors to separate the two enzymes from each other. NI has an apparent molecular mass of approximately 50 kDa and is composed of a single subunit. NII has an apparent molecular mass of 133 kDa and is composed of two subunits of identical molecular mass. The V and the Km of the two enzymes were determined for several substrates. Both enzymes phosphorylate chromosomal non-histone proteins with partly different specificities as shown by two-dimensional electrophoreses. When incubated in the absence of protease inhibitors, the enzymes were degraded into discrete polypeptides. Autophosphorylation of a polypeptide derived from NII was observed after incubation of the enzyme with ATP. This phosphorylation stimulated the enzyme activity. Several chromosomal proteins coeluted with NII from the casein-phosvitin-Sepharose column. They remained associated with the enzyme in sucrose gradients, during gel filtration performed at physiological ionic strength, and are dissociated at high ionic strength. These proteins were highly phosphorylated when the protein-NII complex was incubated with ATP.

Separation of nuclear cAMP independent protein kinases NI and NII from their chromosomal protein substrates and enzyme inhibitors by the use of a casein-phosvitin-Sepharose column.

A casein-phosvitin-Sepharose chromatography column allows separation of nuclear protein kinases from their chromosomal phosphoprotein substrates and from at least some protein kinase inhibitors in a single step. The additional step of passing the eluted material through a partially hydrolyzed, dephosphorylated casein-Sepharose column separates the two protein kinases, NI and NII, from each other.

The 25 kDa protein kinase inhibitor present in liver cell is absent in fast growing HTC cells and is induced in sodium butyrate treated cells.

We have recently characterized a cAMP independent protein kinase inhibitor in rat liver. This inhibitor is absent or inactive in fast growing HTC cells and is induced according to exponential kinetics by sodium butyrate, a compound which arrests cell growth at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. It is suggested that the inhibitor could be involved in cell growth regulation.

A 25 000 dalton inhibitor of cAMP independent protein kinases present in rat liver HMG protein preparations.

A protein kinase inhibitor was found in rat liver cells as a component of HMG proteins. It is located in cytosol as well as in nuclei. It inhibits all tested cAMP independent protein kinases and has no effect on cAMP dependent protein kinases. This inhibitor is a 25 000 Da protein. It has no ATPase, phosphoprotein phosphatase or proteinase activity and is heat unstable.

A new cAMP independent protein kinase tightly bound to DNA, in rat liver nuclei.

A protein kinase has been characterized among the proteins tightly bound to DNA. It is not extracted with 1 M NaCl and is released by extensive DNase I digestion. This enzyme is able to phosphorylate nucleosomal histones, essentially H2B and H3, and several non-histone proteins associated with DNA, on serine residue(s). It does not phosphorylate protamine, casein, phosvitin and the chromosomal non-histone proteins extracted with 1 M NaCl and is cAMP independent. This protein kinase can be distinguished from the previously described enzymes.

In vitro, non enzymatic labelling of histone H1 with [14C] acetyl CoA.

Histones H 1A and H 1B, in nuclear homogenates or after purification, are able to be acetylated or labelled by [14C] acetyl CoA in the absence of enzyme, as shown after blotting into nitrocellulose sheets. The reaction is pH-dependent, resistant to 2 M NaCl and does not occur at high ionic strength.

Conformation of DNA in chromatin protein-DNA complexes studied by infrared spectroscopy.

The following observations concerning the DNA secondary structures in various nucleohistone complexes were made by infrared spectroscopy: 1/ in chromatin, chromatin extracted by 0.6 M NaCl, nucleosomes, and histone-DNA reconstituted complexes, the DNA remains in a B type conformation at low relative hygrometry; 2/ in chromatin extracted by tRNA and in non histone protein-DNA reconstituted complexes, the DNA can adopt an A type conformation. Infrared linear dichroism data show that in NHP-DNA complexes the low relative hygrometry conformation of DNA may be modified and that the infrared parameter -1090 is close to that measured for RNA's or DNA-RNA hybrids. It is concluded that the histones block the DNA in a B form and that some of the NHP could be involved in the control of the secondary structure of DNA in chromatin.