Type I and type II GABAA-benzodiazepine receptors produced in transfected cells

GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid A)-benzodiazepine receptors expressed in mammalian cells and assembled from one of three different alpha subunit variants (alpha 1, alpha 2, or alpha 3) in combination with a beta 1 and a gamma 2 subunit display the pharmacological properties of either type I or type II receptor subtypes. These receptors contain high-affinity binding sites for benzodiazepines. However, CL 218 872, 2-oxoquazepam, and methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM) show a temperature-modulated selectivity for alpha 1 subunit-containing receptors. There were no significant differences in the binding of clonazepam, diazepam, Ro 15-1788, or dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) to all three recombinant receptors. Receptors containing the alpha 3 subunit show greater GABA potentiation of benzodiazepine binding than receptors containing the alpha 1 or alpha 2 subunit, indicating that there are subtypes within the type II class. Thus, diversity in benzodiazepine pharmacology is generated by heterogeneity of the alpha subunit of the GABAA receptor.     

Activation of gamma delta T cells in the primary immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Although the immunologic role of T cells bearing the conventional alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR) has been well characterized, little is known about the function of the population of T cells bearing the gamma delta TCR. Therefore, the role of gamma delta T cells in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) was investigated. The number of TCR gamma delta cells in the draining lymph nodes of mice immunized with MT was greatly increased in comparison with the number of TCR alpha beta cells. Three biochemically distinct gamma delta TCRs were detected. Analyses of cell cycle, of interleukin-2 receptor expression, and of interleukin-2 responsiveness showed that a large proportion of the gamma delta T cells were activated in vivo. TCR gamma delta cells responded to solubilized MT antigens in vitro but, in contrast to MT-specific alpha beta T cells, the response of gamma delta T cells to MT did not require major histocompatability complex class II recognition. These results provide an example of antigen-specific activation of gamma delta T cells in vivo and indicate that gamma delta T cells may have a distinct role in generating a primary immune response to certain microorganisms.     

Thrombospondin promotes cell-substratum adhesion

The physiological role of the platelet-secreted protein thrombospondin (TSP) is poorly understood, although it has been postulated to be involved in platelet aggregation and cellular adhesion. In this report, TSP isolated from human platelets was found to promote, in vitro, the cell-substratum adhesion of a variety of cells, including platelets, melanoma cells, muscle cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells. The adhesion-promoting activity of TSP was species independent, specific, and not due to contamination by fibronectin, vitronectin, laminin, or platelet factor 4. The cell surface receptor for TSP is protein in nature and appears distinct from that for fibronectin.     

Interleukin-2 receptor beta chain gene: generation of three receptor forms by cloned human alpha and beta chain cDNA's

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) binds to two distinct receptor molecules, the IL-2 receptor alpha (IL-2R alpha, p55) chain and the newly identified IL-2 receptor beta (IL-2R beta, p70-75) chain. The cDNA encoding the human IL-2R beta chain has now been isolated. The overall primary structure of the IL-2R beta chain shows no apparent homology to other known receptors. Unlike the IL-2R alpha chain, the IL-2R beta chain has a large cytoplasmic region in which a functional domain (or domains) mediating an intracellular signal transduction pathway (or pathways) may be embodied. The cDNA-encoded beta chain binds and internalizes IL-2 when expressed on T lymphoid cells but not fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the cDNA gives rise to the generation of high-affinity IL-2 receptor when co-expressed with the IL-2R alpha chain cDNA.     

The product of the human c-erbB-2 gene: a 185-kilodalton glycoprotein with tyrosine kinase activity

Antibodies were raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to 14 amino acid residues at the COOH-terminus of a protein deduced from the human c-erbB-2 nucleotide sequence. These antibodies immunoprecipitated a 185-kilodalton glycoprotein from MKN-7 adenocarcinoma cells. Incubation of the immunoprecipitates with (gamma-32P)ATP resulted in the phosphorylation of this protein on tyrosine residues. These results indicate that the human c-erbB-2 gene product is the 185-kilodalton glycoprotein that is associated with tyrosine kinase activity. Although the c-erbB-2 protein was predicted to encode a protein very similar to epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, EGF did not stimulate this kinase activity either in vivo or in vitro.     

T cell CD3-zeta eta heterodimer expression and coupling to phosphoinositide hydrolysis

The T cell antigen receptor consists of an antigen-binding heterodimer that is noncovalently associated with at least five CD3 subunits (gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, and eta). The CD3-zeta chains are either disulfide-linked homodimers (CD3-zeta 2) or disulfide-linked heterodimers with eta (CD3-zeta eta). Variants of a murine antigen-specific T cell hybridoma that express normal amounts of CD3-zeta 2 but decreased amounts of CD3-zeta eta were isolated. When activated, the parental cell line increased both phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and serine-specific protein kinase activity to a much greater extent than the variants. In contrast, the activation of a tyrosine-specific kinase after stimulation with a cross-linking antibody to CD3 was similar among these cells. There was a positive linear relation between the expression of CD3-zeta eta and phosphoinositide hydrolysis stimulated by the TCR, suggesting a differential coupling of the T cell alpha beta heterodimer to signal transduction mechanisms due to alpha beta association with either CD3-zeta 2 or CD3-zeta eta.     

乳杆菌竞争性抑制两种病原菌粘附上皮细胞的研究

【目的】研究嗜酸乳杆菌(LAB1)在体外模拟预防和治疗条件下,竞争性抑制致病性大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli,E.coli )和沙门氏菌(Salmonella choleraesuis,S.cho)对仔猪空肠上皮细胞系（IPEC-J2）的粘附作用。【方法】 用LAB1预处理IPEC-J2后再用E. coli或S.cho攻毒为模拟预防实验;用E. coli或S.cho先攻毒IPEC-J2后再用LAB1处理为模拟治疗试验。提取粘附后的3种菌及IPEC-J2的DNA,使用文献记载和自行设计的引物,利用实时荧光定量PCR方法,量化检测LAB1与E. coli 、S.cho之间的竞争性粘附率。【结果】在模拟治疗试验中,在高（1.0×109 CFU）、中（1.0×108CFU）、低（1.0×107CFU）3种浓度的LAB1处理条件下,能显著抑制高、中浓度S.cho对IPEC-J2的粘附（P＜0.05）;在模拟预防试验中,相同浓度的LAB1能显著抑制相同浓度的S.cho对IPEC-J2的粘附（P＜0.05）。在模拟预防和治疗试验中,3种浓度LAB1均能显著抑制低浓度E. coli对IPEC-J2的粘附（P＜0.05）,高浓度LAB1能显著抑制高、中浓度E. coli对IPEC-J2的粘附（P＜0.05）。【结论】在体外试验条件下,LAB1对E. coli及S.cho粘附IPEC-J2有竞争性抑制作用。在模拟预防和治疗试验中,LAB1对E. coli及S.cho粘附IPEC-J2的竞争性抑制作用效果有所不同。     

Self-nonself discrimination by T cells

The alpha beta T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes antigens that are presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded cell surface molecules by binding to both the antigen and the MHC molecules. Discrimination of self from nonself antigens and MHC molecules is achieved by negative and positive selection of T cells in the thymus: potentially harmful T cells with receptors that bind to self antigens plus self MHC molecules are deleted before they can mount immune responses. In contrast, the maturation of useful T cells with receptors that bind foreign antigens plus self MHC molecules requires the binding of their receptor to MHC molecules on thymic epithelium in the absence of foreign antigen. The binding of the TCR to either class I or class II MHC molecules directs differentiation of the selected cells into either CD4-8+ (killer) or CD4+8- (helper) T cells, respectively.     

嗜水气单胞菌J-1株粘附素及其受体分析

以EPC细胞和HEp-2细胞为细胞模型，用嗜水气单胞菌（Aeromonas hydrophila,Ah)J－1株进行粘附试验，同时以Ah4型菌毛的抗血清作粘附抑制试验，用以分析AhJ-1株的粘附素及其受体。EPC细胞粘附和粘附抑制试验证实，Ah J-1株粘附素受体具有甘露糖、胆固醇成分，有少量半乳糖成分，无葡萄糖成分。HEp-2细胞粘附和粘附抑制试验证实，与其它非菌毛粘附素如S层及外膜蛋白相比，Ah4型菌毛的粘附作用较为显。抗4型菌毛抗体和抑制细菌的粘附力达80％以上。抗S层、外膜蛋白抗体也能使细菌的粘附力下降，表明Ah的粘附作用由菌毛粘附素与非菌毛粘附素共同参与。     

Transient expression shows ligand gating and allosteric potentiation of GABAA receptor subunits

Human gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor subunits were expressed transiently in cultured mammalian cells. This expression system allows the simultaneous characterization of ligand-gated ion channels by electrophysiology and by pharmacology. Thus, coexpression of the alpha and beta subunits of the GABAA receptor generated GABA-gated chloride channels and binding sites for GABAA receptor ligands. Channels consisting of only alpha or beta subunits could also be detected. These homomeric channels formed with reduced efficiencies compared to the heteromeric receptors. Both of these homomeric GABA-responsive channels were potentiated by barbiturate, indicating that sites for both ligand-gating and allosteric potentiation are present on receptors assembled from either subunit.     

In vivo receptor-mediated phosphorylation of a G protein in Dictyostelium

Extracellular adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) serves multiple roles in Dictyostelium development, acting as a chemoattractant, a cell-cell signaling molecule, and an inducer of differentiation. The Dictyostelium G-protein alpha subunit G alpha 2 appears to be the major transducer linking the surface cAMP receptor to these intracellular responses. On stimulation of cells with cAMP, G alpha 2 is phosphorylated on one or more serine residues, resulting in an alteration of its electrophoretic mobility. Phosphorylation of G alpha 2 is triggered by increased occupancy of the surface cAMP receptor and is rapid and transient, coinciding with the time course of activation of physiological responses.     

Expression of high-affinity binding of human immunoglobulin E by transfected cells

The receptor with high affinity for immunoglobulin E (IgE) on mast cells and basophils is critical in initiating allergic reactions. It is composed of an IgE-binding alpha subunit, a beta subunit, and two gamma subunits. The human alpha subunit was expressed on transfected cells in the presence of rat beta and gamma subunits or in the presence of the gamma subunit alone. The IgE binding properties of the expressed human alpha were characteristic of receptors on normal human cells. These results now permit a systematic analysis of human IgE binding and a search for therapeutically useful inhibitors of that binding.     

A G protein mutant that inhibits thrombin and purinergic receptor activation of phospholipase A2

The stimulation of phospholipase A2 by thrombin and type 2 (P2)-purinergic receptor agonists in Chinese hamster ovary cells is mediated by the G protein Gi. To delineate alpha chain regulatory regions responsible for control of phospholipase A2, chimeric cDNAs were constructed in which different lengths of the alpha subunit of Gs (alpha s) were replaced with the corresponding sequence of the Gi alpha subunit (alpha i2). When a carboxyl-terminal chimera alpha s-i(38), which has the last 38 amino acids of alpha s substituted with the last 36 residues of alpha i2, was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, the receptor-stimulated phospholipase A2 activity was inhibited, although the chimera could still activate adenylyl cyclase. Thus, alpha s-i(38) is an active alpha s, but also a dominant negative alpha i molecule, indicating that the last 36 amino acids of alpha i2 are a critical domain for G protein regulation of phospholipase A2 activity.     

The structure, function, and expression of interleukin-2 receptors on normal and malignant lymphocytes

Antigen or mitogen-induced activation of resting T cells induces the synthesis of interleukin-2 (IL-2) as well as the expression of specific cell surface receptors for this lymphokine. Failure of the production of either IL-2 or its receptor results in a failure of the T-cell immune response. The receptor is composed of a 33,000-dalton (251-amino acid) peptide precursor that is post-translationally glycosylated into the mature 55,000-dalton form. In contrast to resting T cells, human T-cell lymphotrophic virus I (HTLV-I)-associated adult T-cell leukemia cells constitutively express large numbers of IL-2 receptors. Because IL-2 receptors are present on the malignant T cells but not on normal resting cells, clinical trials have been initiated in which patients with adult T-cell leukemia are treated with a monoclonal antibody that binds to the IL-2 receptor.     

新生牛雄性生殖干细胞的分离纯化与培养

为建立新生牛雄性生殖干细胞的体外增殖与分化体系,将新生牛睾丸消化成单细胞悬液,分别进行差速贴壁、不连续密度梯度Percoll分选雄性生殖干细胞和支持细胞,对分选生殖干细胞进行体外培养。结果表明,差速贴壁法能有效分选雄性生殖干细胞与支持细胞,2%血清浓度的培养液即可用于雄性生殖干细胞的体外培养,添加100 ng·mL-1的GDNF能显著促进雄性生殖干细胞的增殖,增殖形成的雄性生殖干细胞集落具有一定多能性。