Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in the rat: response to encephalitogenic proteins and peptides

Lewis rats were used to determine the encephalitogenic activity of myelin basic protein of different species and of 45-residue fragments of basic protein. Basic protein from guinea pigs was more active than that from rats, and the fragments from the two species showed the same order of activity. Bovine basic protein was the least active of the intact proteins, and the respective fragment was inactive. Studies of serum-binding capacity did not support the hypothesis that blocking antibody played a role in this biological variation, whereas consideration of the amino acid sequences of the three fragments suggested that differences in primary structure, operating either at the sensitization or the effector phase of the immune response, could account for the variation.     

Amino acid homology between the encephalitogenic site of myelin basic protein and virus: mechanism for autoimmunity

Amino acid sequence homology was found between viral and host encephalitogenic protein. Immune responses were then generated in rabbits by using the viral peptide that cross-reacts with the self protein. Mononuclear cell infiltration was observed in the central nervous systems of animals immunized with the viral peptide. Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a host protein whose encephalitogenic site of ten amino acids induces experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. By computer analysis, hepatitis B virus polymerase (HBVP) was found to share six consecutive amino acids with the encephalitogenic site of rabbit MBP. Rabbits given injections of a selected eight- or ten-amino acid peptide from HBVP made antibody that reacted with the predetermined sequences of HBVP and also with native MBP. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the immunized rabbits proliferated when incubated with either MBP or HBVP. Central nervous system tissue taken from these rabbits had a histologic picture reminiscent of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Thus, viral infection may trigger the production of antibodies and mononuclear cells that cross-react with self proteins by a mechanism termed molecular mimicry. Tissue injury from the resultant autoallergic event can take place in the absence of the infectious virus that initiated the immune response.     

Specific enzymic methylation of an arginine in the experimental allergic encephalomyelitis protein from human myelin

A cytoplasmic enzyme from guinea pig brain was shown to transfer methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine to only one of 19 arginine residues in the basic protein from human brain. The products were omega-N-monomethylarginine and omega-N,N'-dimethylarginine. These methylated arginines are adjacent to the main encephalitogenic determinant in the protein. Methylation may aid in the transfer of this region of the protein into the nonpolar environment within myelin and in maintaining the integrity of myelin.     

Encephalitogenic activity of bovine basic proteins

Two basic proteins isolated from bovine white matter in connection with a study of the protein-bound phosphoinositides of central nervous system tisstue have been tested for encephalitogenic activity. The biological activity of these proteins, which is equivalent to that of basic encephalitogenic proteins isolated in other laboratories, suggested that they are identical.     

Vaccination against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis with T cell receptor peptides

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system mediated by CD4+ T cells reactive with myelin basic protein (MBP). Rats were rendered resistant to the induction of EAE by vaccination with synthetic peptides corresponding to idiotypic determinants of the beta chain VDJ region and J alpha regions of the T cell receptor (TCR) that are conserved among encephalitogenic T cells. These findings demonstrate the utility of TCR peptide vaccination for modulating the activity of autoreactive T cells and represent a general therapeutic approach for T cell-mediated pathogenesis.     

Partial characterization of 21.5K myelin basic protein from sheep brain

The 21,500 molecular weight (21.5K) variant of myelin basic protein (MBP) was isolated from sheep brain and partially characterized. Digestion with cyanogen bromide and trypsin yielded peptides which showed that approximately 30 additional amino acids were inserted at the equivalent of the amino acid at position 57 in the bovine 18.5K MBP sequence. An unusually hydrophobic peptide Pro, Val, Leu, Trp, Lys was present in this region. Ornithine was present in hydrolyzates of 21.5K MBP, but it was not detected in any of the peptides.     

Sequence and expression of mRNAs encoding the alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunits of a DHP-sensitive calcium channel

Complementary DNAs were isolated and used to deduce the primary structures of the alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunits of the dihydropyridine-sensitive, voltage-dependent calcium channel from rabbit skeletal muscle. The alpha 1 subunit, which contains putative binding sites for calcium antagonists, is a hydrophobic protein with a sequence that is consistent with multiple transmembrane domains and shows structural and sequence homology with other voltage-dependent ion channels. In contrast, the alpha 2 subunit is a hydrophilic protein without homology to other known protein sequences. Nucleic acid hybridization studies suggest that the alpha 1 and alpha 2 subunit mRNAs are expressed differentially in a tissue-specific manner and that there is a family of genes encoding additional calcium channel subtypes.     

四川白鹅白细胞介素-2基因的克隆及生物信息学分析(英文)

[Objective] The study aimed to clone interleukin-2(IL-2) gene from Sichuan white goose. [Method] Based on the IL-2 gene of duck accessed in GenBank, a pair of primers was designed for cloning IL-2 gene from total RNA of peripheral blood lymphocytes of Sichuan white goose stimulated by ConA via RT-PCR technology. The yielded fragment was sequenced for bioinformatics analysis. [Result] The full length of IL-2 gene of Sichuan white goose is 468 bp that contains a 441 bp open reading frame(ORF), encoding 146 amino acid residues. Bioinformatics analysis shows that the amino acid sequence of IL-2 gene of Sichuan white goose contains four phosphorylation sites, a glycosylation site and a signal peptide with 21 amino acid residues. Homologies of IL-2 nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence between Sichuan white goose and duck, chicken, turkey are 92.7%, 77.5%, 78.2% and 85.8%, 65.5%, 64.1%, respectively. By contrast IL-2 nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence between Sichuan white goose and mammalian and rodents such as human, monkey, rat, bovine, horse, pig, cat, mouse, rabbit and deer, are all less than 45% and 28%, respectively. [Conclusion] The IL-2 gene of Sichuan white goose has closer genetic relationship with those of chicken and duck.     

四川白鹅白细胞介素-2基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

[目的]克隆分析四川白鹅白细胞介素-2(IL-2)基因。[方法]参照GenBank中发表的鸭IL-2基因保守序列,设计1对引物,采用RT-PCR技术从ConA刺激的四川白鹅外周血淋巴细胞的总RNA中扩增鹅IL-2基因,并进行测序及生物信息学分析。[结果]四川白鹅IL-2基因全长468 bp,含1个441 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码146个氨基酸。生物学软件分析表明该序列编码的氨基酸序列中有4个磷酸化位点,1个糖基化位点,含有21个氨基酸残基组成的信号肽。同源性分析表明四川白鹅IL-2基因与鸭、鸡和火鸡IL-2核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性均分别为92.2%、77.5%、78.2%和85.8%、65.5%、64.1%,而与其他种属的哺乳动物及啮齿类动物(如人、猴、大鼠、牛、马、猪、猫、小鼠、兔和鹿)的IL-2基因的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性均分别低于45%和28%。[结论]四川白鹅IL-2基因与鸭和鸡具有较近的亲缘关系。     

美系獭兔肉质特性及营养成分分析

以150日龄美系獭兔为试验材料,同等条件饲养的比利时肉兔为对照,对美系獭兔的肉质特性及营养成分进行测定分析.结果表明:在肉质特性方面,美系獭兔肉的系水力、剪切力、肌纤维直径分别为79.36％、2.54 kg/f和5.09 μm,与肉用比利时兔肉相比差异显著(P＜0.05),具有肌纤维粗,系水力和剪切力高的特点.在营养成...     

Expression of bovine leukemia virus genome is blocked by a nonimmunoglobulin protein in plasma from infected cattle

Plasma of cattle infected with bovine leukemia virus contains a soluble factor that blocks the expression of the viral genome in cultured lymphocytes. The blocking factor is not present in plasma of bovine leukemia virus-free cattle or of cattle infected with common bovine viruses. Blocking of bovine leukemia virus expression by the plasma factor is reversible, and seems to be mediated by a nonimmunoglobulin protein molecule.     

Inflammatory effects of endotoxin-like contaminants in commonly used protein preparations

Protein preparations from commercial suppliers are contaminated with bacterial endotoxins. The continued use of these preparations indicates that many researchers are unaware of this, and they may attribute all observed effects to the proteins themselves. Intravitreous injection of bovine serum albumin has an initial inflammatory effect on the rabbit eye which occurs before an immune reaction to the antigen itself can develop. This direct inflammatory effect can be fully accounted for by endotoxin-like contaminants which are present in protein preparations obtained from commercial suppliers. A pharmaceutical (U.S. Pharmacopeia) serum albumin preparation contains no detectable endotoxin, and has no initial inflammatory effect on the eye. Since endotoxins, even in minute amounts, have a variety of effects, the use of such contaminated protein preparations in biological research can lead to erroneous conclusions and should, therefore, be avoided.     

T cell receptor peptide therapy triggers autoregulation of experimental encephalomyelitis

Encephalitogenic T cells specific for myelin basic protein share common V beta 8 peptide sequences in their T cell receptor (TCR) that can induce autoregulatory T cells and antibodies that prevent clinical signs of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). It is not known, however, if TCR peptides can treat established disease. To test its therapeutic value, TCR-V beta 8-39-59 peptide was injected into rats with clinical signs of EAE. This treatment reduced disease severity and speeded recovery, apparently by boosting anti-V beta 8 T cells and antibodies raised naturally in response to encephalitogenic V beta 8+ T cells. These results demonstrate that synthetic TCR peptides can be used therapeutically, and implicate the TCR-V beta 8-39-59 sequence as a natural idiotope involved in EAE recovery. Similarly, human TCR peptides may be effective in enhancing natural regulation of autoreactive T cells that share common V genes.     

Molecular cloning of two types of GAP complementary DNA from human placenta

The ras p21 GTPase-activating protein (GAP) was purified from human placental tissue. Internal amino acid sequence was obtained from this 120,000-dalton protein and, by means of this sequence, two types of complementary DNA clones were isolated and characterized. One type encoded GAP with a predicted molecular mass of 116,000 daltons and 96% identity with bovine GAP. The messenger RNA of this GAP was detected in human lung, brain, liver, leukocytes, and placenta. The second type appeared to be generated by a differential splicing mechanism and encoded a novel form of GAP with a predicted molecular mass of 100,400 daltons. This protein lacks the hydrophobic amino terminus characteristic of the larger species, but retains GAP activity. The messenger RNA of this type was abundantly expressed in placenta and in several human cell lines, but not in adult tissues.     

Assignment of the gene for myelin proteolipid protein to the X chromosome: implications for X-linked myelin disorders

Several inherited disorders in humans and in rodents result in myelin dysgenesis and a deficiency of the molecular constituents of myelin. A complementary DNA to one of the two major myelin proteins, myelin proteolipid protein (also known as lipophilin), has been used with Southern blot analysis of somatic cell hybrid DNA to map the human proteolipid protein gene to the middle of the long arm of the human X chromosome (bands Xq13-Xq22) and to assign the murine proteolipid protein gene to the mouse X chromosome. Comparison of the gene maps of the human and mouse X chromosomes suggests that myelin proteolipid protein may be involved in X-linked mutations at the mouse jimpy locus and has implications for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a human inherited X-linked myelin disorder.     

Isolation of filaments from brain

A method is presented for the isolation of filaments of 90-angstrom diameter from the white matter of bovine brain by first floating the myelinated axons in a centrifugal field and then fractionating the axons on a series of density gradients. This results in a fraction that contains two types of bundles of filaments but few other constituents. The filaments are stable over a wide range of temperatures and at both low and high ionic strength. Their density and their resistance to digestion by ribonuclease and deoxyribonuclease indicate that they are primarily protein. The molecular weight of the subunit is approximately 60,000. The protein does not comigrate with microtubule protein and does not bind cholcicine or nucleotides.     

A G protein gamma subunit shares homology with ras proteins

Guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) that transduce signals from cell surface receptors to effector molecules are made up of three subunits, alpha, beta, and gamma. A complementary DNA clone that encodes a 71-amino acid protein was isolated from bovine brain; this protein contains peptide sequences that were derived from the purified gamma subunit of Gi and Go. The primary sequence of this G protein gamma subunit (G gamma) has 55 percent homology to the gamma subunit of transducin (T gamma) and also has homology to functional domains of mammalian ras proteins. The probe for isolating the clone was generated with the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The extent of divergence between T gamma and G gamma, the isolation of homologous PCR-generated fragments, and the differences between the predicted amino acid sequence of G gamma and that derived from the gamma subunit of Gi and Go indicate that gamma subunits are encoded by a family of genes.     

Adenylyl cyclase amino acid sequence: possible channel- or transporter-like structure

Complementary DNA's that encode an adenylyl cyclase were isolated from a bovine brain library. Most of the deduced amino acid sequence of 1134 residues is divisible into two alternating sets of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. Each of the two large hydrophobic domains appears to contain six transmembrane spans. Each of the two large hydrophilic domains contains a sequence that is homologous to a single cytoplasmic domain of several guanylyl cyclases; these sequences may represent nucleotide binding sites. An unexpected topographical resemblance between adenylyl cyclase and various plasma membrane channels and transporters was observed. This structural complexity suggests possible, unappreciated functions for this important enzyme.     

Cloning and Expression Profile of Deoxyhypusine Snyhtase Gene and Deoxyhypusine Hydroxylase Gene in Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Deoxyhypusine snyhtase （DHS） and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase （DOHH） are the two enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of hypusine within eukaryotic initiation factor 5A （eIF5A）. Synthesis of hypusine is essential for the function of eIF5A in eukaryotic cell proliferation and survival. Here we described the cloning and expression of two full-length cDNAs, encoding respectively DHS-like protein and DOHH-like protein from Bombyx mori by using the methods of bioinformatics, RACE, and RT-PCR technology, named as BmDHS and BmDOHH. Sequencing results indicate that they are 1 311 and 1 874 bp in length including complete open reading frame （ORF） 1 116 and 915 bp, which encode 371 amino acids （molecular weight is about 41.11 kD and isoelectric point is 5.84） and 304 amino acids （molecular weight is about 34.30 kD and isoelectric point is 4.86）, respectively. BmDHS contains only 1 exon, and BmDOHH contains 4 exons and 3 introns. The deduced amino acid sequence of BmDHS contains a deoxyhypusine synthase domain from 47 to 361 amino acid residues, and the deduced amino acid sequence of BmDOHH contains 6 E-Z type HEAT repeat domains （23-52, 54-83, 87-116, 177-206, 208-237, and 241- 270）. Compared to DHS and DOHH amino acid sequences from other species, such as Homo sapiens and Drosophila melanogaster, both silkworm DHS protein and DOHH protein have more than 55% identity. The conservative regions are very similar with each other. The phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that not only DHS but also DOHH from different species has genus-specific features. The expressions of BmDHS and BmDOHH are no tissue and stage specific in our tested samples.