ADP-ribosylation of the intermediate filament protein desmin and inhibition of desmin assembly in vitro by muscle ADP-ribosyltransferase.

Arginine-specific mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferase purified from rabbit skeletal muscle catalyzes stoichiometric ADP-ribosylation of the intermediate filament protein, desmin. In contrast, cholera toxin catalyzes a much lower level of ADP-ribosylation of desmin. Modification results in potent inhibition of desmin's ability to assemble into filaments.

Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in human inflamed gingival tissues.

Gingival inflammation is initiated by bacterial colonization on the tooth surface. It is characterized by infiltration of mononuclear cells, a common feature of many forms of chronic inflammation. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is the predominant monocyte chemoattractant secreted by a variety of different cells in vitro.

Guinea pigs with large burns are consistently hypermetabolic without an associated increment in rectal temperature.

This study was conducted to examine the guinea pig as a suitable model for the study of the postburn hypermetabolic response and the febrile response that accompanies burn injury in man. Thirty animals were randomly assigned to four groups: > 50% body surface area burn (n = 6); 45% to 50% body surface area burn (n = 10); < 45% body surface area burn (n = 6); and controls (n = 8). On postburn days 3, 7, 11, 13, and 15, sequential temperature measurements were made.

Expression, purification, characterization, and deletion mutations of phosphorylase kinase gamma subunit: identification of an inhibitory domain in the gamma subunit.

A catalytic fragment, gamma 1-298, derived from limited chymotryptic digestion of phosphorylase b kinase (Harris, W.R. et al.

Phosphorylase kinase, a metal ion-dependent dual specificity kinase.

Phosphorylase kinase is shown to be a dual specificity kinase. The specificity of phosphorylation is determined by divalent cation. Mg2+ causes seryl phosphorylation of phosphorylase b, but Mn2+ activates tyrosine phosphorylation of angiotensin II.

p53 mutation does not correlate with radiosensitivity in 24 head and neck cancer cell lines.

The molecular basis of tumor response to therapeutic radiation is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests the p53 tumor suppressor gene may be involved in production of the G1 arrest seen following DNA damage by X-irradiation. It has further been proposed that tumor cells lacking the p53 checkpoint function are likely to be more sensitive to cell killing by X-irradiation because these cells enter S phase despite unrepaired DNA damage.

Hydrolysis of trifluoroethyl phosphate as evidence that the serine and tyrosine phosphatase activities of calcineurin share the same specificity determinant.

Calcineurin is shown to hydrolyze 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl phosphate. The time course of hydrolysis showed a lag period. The lag was present at all substrate concentrations used and was dependent on substrate concentration.

Relationships between heat production, heat loss, and body temperature for rats with burn injuries between 26% and 63% of the body surface area.

Burn injury in man is characterized by increased body temperature proportional to burn wound size and may represent fever and/or hyperthermia. A nonseptic animal model used to study this phenomena has not been described. To test the hypothesis that large burn injuries in rats would produce increased body temperature, the rectal, skin, and body temperatures were sequentially measured and were calculated for rats in the control group and rats with burn injuries covering 26% to 63% of the body surface area [< or = 35%, 36% to 45%, and > or = 46% body surface area].

IL-1 and transforming growth factor-beta inhibit platelet-derived growth factor-AA binding to osteoblastic cells by reducing platelet-derived growth factor-alpha receptor expression.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is thought to play a significant role in bone repair and regeneration. We previously demonstrated that PDGF-AA-induced chemotaxis and proliferation can be modulated by IL-1. We now report that IL-1 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) significantly decrease the number of PDGF-AA binding sites in both normal and tumor-derived human osteoblastic cells, whereas PDGF-BB binding is minimally affected.

Influence of DNA base sequence on the binding energetics of actinomycin D.

The influences of base sequence on the thermodynamic properties associated with the interaction of actinomycin D with DNA are examined. It has been previously established that GpC steps of double-helical DNAs are highly preferred binding sites for actinomycin D. In this study, a series of oligonucleotides was designed and synthesized to probe the effects of flanking base sequence (adjacent to the GpC step) and novel non-GpC binding sites on the binding of actinomycin D.

Intracorporeal CO2 removal and permissive hypercapnia to reduce airway pressure in acute respiratory failure. The theoretical basis for permissive hypercapnia with IVOX.

Initial studies have shown that the intravascular oxygenator and carbon dioxide removal device (IVOX, Cardiopulmonics, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT) removes approximately 30% of VCO2. After noting increased CO2 removal with increased venous CO2, we developed a conceptual analytical model based on data obtained from patients and laboratory experiments.

Referring patients for domiciliary care.

This article attempts to identify some of the reasons why patients who meet the referral criteria of domiciliary palliative nursing care services are not referred. A study was conducted among district nurses and GPs which highlighted that a 'conspiracy of silence' still existed between patients, professionals and families. A desire to manage patients themselves and a misunderstanding of the work of Macmillan nurses were also reported.

Effects of platelet-derived growth factor isoforms on calcium release from neonatal mouse calvariae.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is the major growth factor in serum for cells of mesenchymal origin and induces many different activities, including bone resorption. Since the initial report that PDGF stimulated calcium release from bone organ cultures, it has been shown that PDGF is a dimeric protein consisting of two disulfide bonded polypeptides encoded by different genes. Three isoforms of the two gene products have been isolated.

Comparative study of antipneumocystis agents in rats by using a Pneumocystis carinii-specific DNA probe to quantitate infection.

A repetitive genomic DNA clone (B12-2) that specifically hybridizes to Pneumocystis carinii DNA has been identified. No cross-hybridization to genomic DNA prepared from bacteria, other fungi, protozoa, or mammals was observed. Clone B12-2 is multiply represented in the P.

Outbreak of ceftazidime resistance due to a novel extended-spectrum beta-lactamase in isolates from cancer patients.

Ceftazidime is widely used in the therapy of infectious complications in neutropenic patients. We studied an outbreak of ceftazidime-resistant gram-negative bacillary infections in pediatric cancer patients receiving empirical ceftazidime therapy for neutropenic fever. Fourteen isolates (12 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 2 Escherichia coli) from 13 patients were studied.

Occurrence of p53 gene deletions and human papilloma virus infection in human head and neck cancer.

Little is known regarding the molecular genetic events in head and neck carcinoma. Epidemiological evidence suggests that both alcohol and tobacco use are related to the development of these neoplasms, and viral infections have also been postulated to play a role in some tumors. Loss of p53 tumor suppressor gene function has been found in many malignancies and can occur through either gene mutation or by interaction with the E6 protein of oncogenic human papilloma viruses (HPV).

Elevated expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 by vascular smooth muscle cells in hypercholesterolemic primates.

Atherosclerosis is marked by an overt inflammatory infiltrate, with enhanced recruitment of monocytes/macrophages observed in both human and experimental atherosclerosis. We previously determined that monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) accounts for virtually all of the chemotactic activity produced by vascular (aortic) smooth muscle cells in culture. We now report that arteries from a primate model of atherosclerosis with dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia exhibit increased levels of MCP-1 mRNA expression in vivo, whereas their normal counterparts demonstrate minimal MCP-1 expression.

Regulated expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in normal human osteoblastic cells.

An influx of monocytes is observed in many different physiological and pathophysiological states, including bone remodeling and injury. These cells appear at early stages of bone formation and repair and persist throughout the later stages. In experiments described here, unstimulated normal human osteoblastic cells did not produce detectable levels of monocyte chemotactic activity.

Effect of an arginine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase inhibitor on differentiation of embryonic chick skeletal muscle cells in culture.

Primary cultures of embryonic chick skeletal myogenic cells were used as an experimental model to examine the possible role of mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation reactions in myogenic differentiation. Initial studies demonstrated arginine-specific mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferase activity in the myogenic cell cultures. We then examined the effect of a novel inhibitor of cellular arginine-specific mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferases, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), on differentiation of cultured embryonic chick skeletal myoblasts.

Amplification and expression of heterologous oncostatin M in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

A stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line producing high levels of human oncostatin M (OM) was generated by transfecting a heterologous gene coding for the protein. This novel construct was comprised of the gene for the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) signal peptide fused to the gene for mature human OM. Amplification with methotrexate produced milligram quantities of this recombinant OM, which was processed correctly, glycosylated, and found to have biological functions similar to those of natural OM.

Cell-growth quantitation methods for the evaluation of antiestrogens in human breast cancer cells in culture.

The antiproliferative activity of the antiestrogen, tamoxifen, on the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells was evaluated using the hemocytometric trypan blue exclusion method, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, and a total protein determination. Tamoxifen was evaluated over a concentration range from 10(-9) to 10(-6) M. The hemocytometric trypan blue exclusion method and [3H]-thymidine incorporation were sensitive enough to demonstrate the inhibitory influence of tamoxifen on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells at a concentration as low as 10(-9) M.

Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 mRNA in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Macrophages are thought to play an important role in the pathologic changes associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The mechanisms for increased monocyte/macrophage recruitment in IPF are unknown. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is the predominant monocyte chemoattractant secreted by a variety of different cell types in culture.

Intravascular membrane oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal--a new application for permissive hypercapnia?

Pressure limited ventilation or "lung rest" may prevent further exacerbation of acute lung injury from high airway pressures. A therapeutic goal of an intracorporeal oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal device (IVOX) is reduction of airway pressures. We noted increased IVOX CO2 removal as mixed venous CO2 increased in experimental animals.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 regulates adhesion molecule expression and cytokine production in human monocytes.

Monocytes play a critical role in defending the host against foreign organisms and in regulating the behavior of other cells. Monocytes circulate as nonadherent cells in the blood and migrate as adherent cells through tissues. Adhesion molecules mediate not only cell adhesion, but also migration, phagocytosis, and many other adhesion-dependent functions.

Synthesis and muscarinic activities of quinuclidin-3-yltriazole and -tetrazole derivatives.

The synthesis of 15 methyl or unsubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles, 1,2,4-triazoles, and tetrazoles additionally substituted with a 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-3-yl group is described.