Facile fabrication and instant application of miniaturized antibody-decorated affinity columns for higher-order structure and functional characterization of TRIM21 epitope peptides.

Both epitope excision and epitope extraction methods, combined with mass spectrometry, generate precise informations on binding surfaces of full-length proteins, identifying sequential (linear) or assembled (conformational) epitopes, respectively. Here, we describe the one-step fabrication and application of affinity columns using reversibly immobilized antibodies with highest flexibility with respect to antibody sources and lowest sample amount requirements (fmol range). Depending on the antibody source, we made use of protein G- or protein A-coated resins as support materials. These materials are packed in pipet tips and in combination with a programmable multichannel pipet form a highly efficient epitope mapping system. In addition to epitope identification, the influence of epitope structure modifications on antibody binding specificities could be studied in detail with synthetic peptides. Elution of epitope peptides was optimized such that mass spectrometric analysis was feasible after a single desalting step. Epitope peptides were identified by accurate molecular mass determinations or by partial amino acid sequence analysis. In addition, charge state comparison or ion mobility analysis of eluted epitope peptides enabled investigation of higher-order structures. The epitope peptide of the TRIM21 (TRIM: tripartite motif) autoantigen that is recognized by a polyclonal antibody was determined as assembling an "L-E-Q-L" motif on an α-helix. Secondary structure determination by circular dichroism spectroscopy and structure modeling are in accordance with the mass spectrometric results and the antigenic behavior of the 17-mer epitope peptide variants from the full-length autoantigen.

Feedback inhibition of sodium/calcium exchange by mitochondrial calcium accumulation.

Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the bovine cardiac Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger were subjected to two periods of 5 and 3 min, respectively, during which the extracellular Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](o)) was reduced to 20 mm; these intervals were separated by a 5-min recovery period at 140 mm Na(+)(o). The cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) increased during both intervals due to Na(+)-dependent Ca(2+) influx by the exchanger. However, the peak rise in [Ca(2+)](i) during the second interval was only 26% of the first. The reduced rise in [Ca(2+)](i) was due to an inhibition of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange activity rather than increased Ca(2+) sequestration since the influx of Ba(2+), which is not sequestered by internal organelles, was also inhibited by a prior interval of Ca(2+) influx. Mitochondria accumulated Ca(2+) during the first interval of reduced [Na(+)](o), as determined by an increase in fluorescence of the Ca(2+)-indicating dye rhod-2, which preferentially labels mitochondria. Agents that blocked mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation (uncouplers, nocodazole) eliminated the observed inhibition of exchange activity during the second period of low [Na(+)](o). Conversely, diltiazem, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, increased mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation and also increased the inhibition of exchange activity. We conclude that Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange activity is regulated by a feedback inhibition process linked to mitochondrial Ca(2+) accumulation.

What is the signal for the posttranslational arginylation of proteins?

The N-terminal, posttranslational arginylation of proteins is ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells. Previous experiments, using purified components of the reaction incubated in the presence of exogenous substrates, have shown that only those proteins containing acidic residues at their N-terminals are arginylation substrates. However, data from experiments that used crude extracts of brain and nerve as the source of the arginylating molecules, suggest that the in vivo targets for arginylation are more complex than those demonstrated using purified components. One of the proposed functions for arginylation is as a signal for protein degradation and proteins that have undergone oxidative damage have been shown to be rapidly degraded. In the present experiments we have tested the hypothesis that the presence of an oxidatively damaged residue in a protein is a signal for its arginylation. These experiments have been performed by adding synthetic oxidized peptides to crude extracts of rat brain, incubating them with [3H]Arg and ATP and assaying for arginylated peptides using RP-HPLC. Results showed that while the oxidized A-chain of insulin was arginylated in this system, confirming previous experiments, other peptides containing oxidized residues were not. When a peptide containing Glu in the N-terminus was incubated under the same conditions it too was not a substrate for arginylation. These findings show that neither the presence of an N-terminal acidic residue nor an oxidized residue alone are sufficient to signal arginylation. Thus, another feature of the oxidized A-chain of insulin is required for arginylation. That feature remains to be identified.

The Northeast Adolescent Project: a collaborative effort to address teen-age pregnancy in Houston, Texas.

PIP: The Northeast Adolescent Project was launched in 1990 as a collaborative effort by the Houston Independent School District, Harris County Precinct One Commissioner's Office, Harris County Hospital District, and Baylor College of Medicine's Teen Health Clinics to address teenage pregnancy in Houston, Texas. Operating through ten high schools in the northeast quadrant of Houston, the program used a project director who coordinated public school staff to assist in case management and expedite medical referral of prenatal care. After obtaining informed consent, a registered nurse initiated case management services which included medical referral and follow-up, counseling, and transportation to the clinic. The Baylor College of Medicine's Teen Health Clinics provided comprehensive reproductive health services to participating teens, who were of low socioeconomic status and lived in inner-city Houston. To evaluate program impact, the pregnancy outcomes of 31 students who participated in the program during the 1990-91 and 1991-92 academic years were compared with the outcomes of 31 matched controls. Teens in the project experienced significantly better outcomes in the reduction of high-risk pregnancies, reduction of premature births, reduction of low birthweight infants, prevention of health problems of teen mothers and their infants, higher cooperation by teenage mothers with postpartum care, and lower pregnancy-related dropout rates. These outcome differences between the two cohorts confirm that comprehensive community coalitions can effectively motivate health applications to improve prenatal outcomes among sexually active, urban, minority adolescents. Persistent and caring project coordinator follow-up services facilitated program success.^ieng