Female oxytocin gene-knockout mice, in a semi-natural environment, display exaggerated aggressive behavior.

Compared to results from a generation of neuropharmacological work, the phenotype of mice lacking the oxytocin (OT) peptide gene was remarkably normal. An important component of the current experiments was to assay OT-knockout (OTKO) and wild-type (WT) littermate control mice living under controlled stressful conditions designed to mimic more closely the environment for which the mouse genome evolved. Furthermore, our experimental group was comprised of an all-female population, in contrast to previous studies which have focused on all-male populations. Our data indicated that aggressive behaviors initiated by OTKO during a food deprivation feeding challenge were considerably more intense and diverse than aggressive behaviors initiated by WT. From the measures of continuous social interaction in the intruder paradigm, it emerged that OTKO mice were more offensively aggressive (attacking rumps and tails) than WT. In a test of parental behaviors, OTKO mice were 100% infanticidal while WT were 16% infanticidal and 50% maternal. Finally, 'alpha females' (always OTKO) were identified in each experiment. They were the most aggressive, the first to feed and the most dominant at nesting behaviors. Semi-natural environments are excellent testing environments for elucidating behavioral differences between transgenic mice and their WT littermates which may not be ordinarily discernible. Future studies of mouse group behavior should include examining female groupings in addition to the more usual all-male groups.

Topographical characterization and surface force spectroscopy of the photochemical lignin model compound.

By combining the results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), herein we investigate properties of photochemical lignin model compounds. We provide evidence that photochemical lignin forms random, probably non-functional structures. The topography of such structures is explored using ESEM. Non-functionality of such structures is proved by AFM and atomic force spectroscopy experiments wherein the photochemical lignin functionalized tip is approached to the substrate covered with photochemical lignin. There was no evidence of existence of any kind of host-guest interaction during the approach/retraction experiments. These results provide evidence for our previously stated hypothesis that photochemical lignin polymerization may be one of the degrading effects of UV radiation to the plant cell.

Energy landscape of streptavidin-biotin complexes measured by atomic force microscopy.

The dissociation of ligand and receptor involves multiple transitions between intermediate states formed during the unbinding process. In this paper, we explored the energy landscape of the streptavidin-biotin interaction by using the atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure the unbinding dynamics of individual ligand-receptor complexes. The rupture force of the streptavidin-biotin bond increased more than 2-fold over a range of loading rates between 100 and 5000 pN/s. Moreover, the force measurements showed two regimes of loading in the streptavidin-biotin force spectrum, revealing the presence of two activation barriers in the unbinding process. Parallel experiments carried out with a streptavidin mutant (W120F) were used to investigate the molecular determinants of the activation barriers. From these experiments, we attributed the outer activation barrier in the energy landscape to the molecular interaction of the '3-4' loop of streptavidin that closes behind biotin.

Cross-linking of cell surface receptors enhances cooperativity of molecular adhesion.

Cooperativity of molecular adhesion has been proposed as a mechanism for enhanced binding strength of adhesion molecules on the cell surface. Direct evidence for its mechanism, however, has been lacking until now. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure the adhesive strength between concanavalin A (Con A) coupled to an AFM tip and Con A receptors on the surface of NIH3T3 fibroblast cells. Cross-linking of receptors with either glutaraldehyde or 3, 3'-dithio-bis(sulfosuccinimidylproprionate) (DTSSP) led to an increase in adhesion that could be attributed to enhanced cooperativity among adhesion complexes. An increase in loading rate due to greater stiffness of fixed cells also contributed to the twofold increase in binding strength. These results show that receptor cross-linking can greatly contribute to a total increase in cell adhesion by creating a shift toward cooperative binding of receptors.

Adhesion energy of receptor-mediated interaction measured by elastic deformation.

We investigated the role of receptor binding affinity in surface adhesion. A sensitive technique was developed to measure the surface energy of receptor-mediated adhesion. The experimental system involved a functionalized elastic agarose bead resting on a functionalized glass coverslip. Attractive intersurface forces pulled the two surfaces together, deforming the bead to produce an enlarged contact area. The Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) model was used to relate the surface energy of the interaction to the elasticity of the bead and the area of contact. The surface energies for different combinations of modified surfaces in solution were obtained from reflection interference contrast microscopy (RICM) measurements of the contact area formed by the bead and the coverslip. Studies with surfaces functionalized with ligand-receptor pairs showed that the relationship between surface energy and the association constant of the ligand binding has two regimes. At low binding affinity, surface energy increased linearly with the association constant, while surface energy increased logarithmically with the association constant in the high affinity regime.

Scanning electron microscopy studies of protein-functionalized atomic force microscopy cantilever tips.

Protein-functionalized atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips have been used to investigate the interaction of individual ligand-receptor complexes. Herein we present results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of protein-functionalized AFM cantilever tips. The goals of this study were (1) to examine the surface morphology of protein-coated AFM tips and (2) to determine the stability of the coated tips. Based on SEM images, we found that bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution spontaneously adsorbed onto the surface of silicon nitride cantilevers, forming a uniform protein layer over the surface. Additional protein layers deposited over the initial BSA-coated surface did not significantly alter the surface morphology. However, we found that avidin-functionalized tips were contaminated with debris after a series of force measurements with biotinylated agarose beads. The bound debris presumably originated from the transfer of material from the agarose bead. This observation is consistent with the observed deterioration of functional activity as measured in ligand-receptor binding force experiments.

Direct force measurements of the streptavidin-biotin interaction.

The interaction between streptavidin and its ligand, biotin, were studied by direct force measurements. The complimentary approaches of surface force apparatus (SFA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to elucidate both long-range and short-range adhesive interactions of the streptavidin biotin interaction. The high spatial resolution of the SFA provided a detailed profile of the intersurface forces of apposing surfaces functionalized with streptavidin and biotin. Measurements obtained by the SFA corresponded to long and intermediate-range forces that are important in determining ligand receptor association. AFM was used to measure the unbinding force of individual streptavidin biotin complexes. These measurements revealed the short-range interactions (i.e. hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding forces) that stabilize the intermolecular bond.

Mechanical properties of L929 cells measured by atomic force microscopy: effects of anticytoskeletal drugs and membrane crosslinking.

To shed light on the architecture of the cytoskeleton, we used the atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure the elasticity, viscoelasticity, and plasticity of L929 cells. The initial elastic response (Young's modulus approximately 4,000 Pa) of the cells to an applied force was followed by a slow compression of the cytoskeleton (tau 1/2 approximately equal to 10 s). When force application was terminated, the cytoskeleton underwent a sudden partial decompression and a subsequent slow, incomplete recovery. The role of the cytoskeletal elements in cell mechanics was accessed in AFM measurements carried out on cells treated with cytochalasin D, nocodazole, or colcemid. Cytochalasin D treatment reduced both elasticity (approximately 45%) and cytoplasmic viscosity (approximately 65%), whereas cells treated with nocodazole or colcemid exhibited a marked increase in elasticity (approximately 100%) and a slight increase in viscosity (approximately 15%). The AFM force measurements also provided evidence that the cell membrane and the cytoskeleton are mechanically coupled. Tightly adherent cells were stiffer than cells that were loosely attached. Moreover, cells crosslinked with either glutaraldehyde, 3, 3'-dithiobis [sulfosuccinimidylpropionate] (DTSSP), or Concanavalin A were more rigid than untreated cells. It is of interest that cells crosslinked with Concanavalin A, but not DTSSP, displayed plastic behaviors that may reflect the induction of cytoskeletal reorganization by Concanavalin A.

Intermolecular forces and energies between ligands and receptors.

The recognition mechanisms and dissociation pathways of the avidin-biotin complex and of actin monomers in actin filaments were investigated. The unbinding forces of discrete complexes of avidin or streptavidin with biotin analogs are proportional to the enthalpy change of the complex formation but independent of changes in the free energy. This result indicates that the unbinding process is adiabatic and that entropic changes occur after unbinding. On the basis of the measured forces and binding energies, an effective rupture length of 9.5 +/- 1 angstroms was calculated for all biotin-avidin pairs and approximately 1 to 3 angstroms for the actin monomer-monomer interaction. A model for the correlation among binding forces, intermolecular potential, and molecular function is proposed.

Adhesion forces between individual ligand-receptor pairs.

The adhesion force between the tip of an atomic force microscope cantilever derivatized with avidin and agarose beads functionalized with biotin, desthiobiotin, or iminobiotin was measured. Under conditions that allowed only a limited number of molecular pairs to interact, the force required to separate tip and bead was found to be quantized in integer multiples of 160 +/- 20 piconewtons for biotin and 85 +/- 15 piconewtons for iminobiotin. The measured force quanta are interpreted as the unbinding forces of individual molecular pairs.

Direct evidence for two affinity states for lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 on activated T cells.

Lymphocytes activated by antigen receptor cross-linking or phorbol esters adhere avidly to surfaces bearing intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) through the adhesion receptor lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1). It is not known whether avid adhesion by stimulated lymphocytes is due to higher affinity binding of ICAM-1 or due solely to post-receptor mechanisms. We have used a recombinant, soluble form of the ICAM-1 molecule to measure the affinity of binding to LFA-1 on unstimulated T cells and T cells stimulated with phorbol esters. The affinity was found to be too low for direct measurements, requiring instead the use of competition protocols in which ICAM-1 competes for binding with radiolabeled Fab from a monoclonal antibody specific for LFA-1. By analysis of the equilibrium and kinetics of competitive binding, we found that the affinity on unstimulated T cells is very low, about 100 microM. Activation of the T cells by phorbol esters caused a small increase in average binding affinity. Further analysis suggested that the change in average affinity reflected the conversion of a fraction of LFA-1 molecules to a state with a 200-fold higher affinity.

Signaling by lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) in B cells: enhanced antigen presentation after stimulation through LFA-1.

To examine the role of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) expression on murine B cells as it pertains to their function in T cell activation, we carried out antigen-presentation assays in tissue culture wells coated with a purified, secreted form of the murine intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). We observed a significant decrease in the concentration of antigen required to activate a T cell hybridoma and primary T cells in wells coated with ICAM-1. This effect was dependent on the amount of ICAM-1 used to coat the wells and was also observed in wells coated with anti-LFA-1-monoclonal antibodies and was blocked by soluble anti-LFA-1 antibodies. The effect on antigen dose was most pronounced in assays carried out with an ICAM-1-deficient mutant B lymphoma cell line, small resting primary B cells, and unfractionated primary B cells at low concentrations. No decrease in the antigen dose was observed if the B cells were chemically fixed or treated with ricin, or when antigen was presented by a HeLa cell line transfected with murine class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, indicating that the immobilized ICAM-1 was mediating its effect through B cell LFA-1, and that B cell protein synthesis was required. The enhancing effect was also observed if the B cells were prepulsed with antigen, indicating that improved uptake or processing of antigen, or increased class II MHC expression were unlikely mechanisms.

The accessory function of murine intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in T lymphocyte activation. Contributions of adhesion and co-activation.

These studies demonstrate that the murine intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) performs at least two roles in enhancing T cell activation. These two roles are evident in both of our experimental systems: with ICAM-1 expressed on the surface of transfected fibroblast cells, and with purified ICAM-1 immobilized on plastic. First, as has been documented by many investigators, ICAM-1 mediates adhesion between ICAM-1- and lymphocyte function-associated Ag-1 (LFA-1)-bearing cells. This adhesive interaction occurs even in the absence of T cell stimulation, although it is increased by addition of phorbol ester and calcium ionophore. Although ICAM-1 expression does markedly increase intercellular adhesion, the increase is significantly less than the improvement ICAM-1 expression makes in the Ag-presenting ability of MHC class II-transfected fibroblast cells. We have investigated whether this difference is due to LFA-1-mediated signaling, and we present data that demonstrates that although ICAM-1 does not deliver costimulatory signals required for T cell activation, the interaction of LFA-1 with ICAM-1 does synergize with TCR-transduced signals. This synergy is observed for ICAM-1 on live and on chemically fixed accessory cells, and for purified ICAM-1 molecules, but in all cases occurs only when the ICAM-1 and the TCR ligands are on the same surface. Finally, when the ICAM-1 is present on the surface of accessory cells, it enhances T cell activation by changing the Ag dose-dependence of the T cell, but when ICAM-1 and CD3 mAb are co-immobilized, ICAM-1 increases the peak response of the T cell without affecting the dose dependence of the response.

Site-selected fluorescence spectra of porphyrin derivatives of heme proteins.

The emission spectra of the porphyrin in metal-free and Zn cytochrome c and in metal-free mesoporphyrin derivatives of horseradish peroxidases A and C, leghemoglobin, and myoglobin were examined as a function of temperature and excitation wavelength. At room temperature, the emission spectra were unresolved and were independent of excitation wavelength. At low temperature (4.2 K), the spectra depended upon excitation wavelength: using narrow-band excitation into the high-energy side of the 0-1 and 0-0 bands gave unresolved emission spectra whereas excitation into the low-energy side produced quasi-line spectra. The resolved spectra were different for the five proteins and further varied with pH, indicating chromophore-protein interactions. The spectra are interpreted in terms of site selection and phonon interactions.