Induction of murine teratocarcinoma cell differentiation by suppression of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis.

Poly(ADP-ribose) synthesizing activity in mouse teratocarcinoma EC-A1 cells decreased markedly during differentiation induced by retinoic acid; the activities assayed in permeabilized cells decreased to 25% and 10% of the activity of control (uninduced cells) 2 and 3 days, respectively, after the addition of 0.1 microM retinoic acid to the culture medium. This change preceded changes in morphology and DNA synthesis, which became prominent after 4 days.

Differential sleep-promoting effects of five sleep substances nocturnally infused in unrestrained rats.

Sleep-inducing and sleep-maintaining effects of five different putative sleep substances were compared by the same nocturnal 10-hr intracerebroventricular infusion technique in otherwise saline-infused, freely moving male rats. Delta-sleep-inducing peptide (2.5 nmol), which induces electroencephalogram delta (slow)-wave patterns, was rapidly effective in increasing both slow-wave sleep and paradoxical sleep but the effects were not long-lasting.

Little sleep-promoting effect of three sleep substances diurnally infused in unrestrained rats.

Delta-sleep-inducing peptide (2.5 nmol), prostaglandin D2 (0.36 nmol) and uridine (10 pmol) were intraventricularly infused for 10 h at daytime in otherwise saline-infused freely moving male rats.

Inhibition of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase by beta-carboline and indole derivatives.

beta-Carboline derivatives inhibited both indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase activities from various sources. Among them, norharman is most potent for both enzymes from mammalian sources. Kinetic studies revealed that norharman is uncompetitive (Ki = 0.

Regional distribution of prostaglandins D2, E2, and F2 alpha and related enzymes in postmortem human brain.

The presence of prostaglandins D2, E2, and F2 alpha was demonstrated and their contents measured in various regions of postmortem human brain, pineal body, and pituitary by using specific radioimmunoassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The three prostaglandins were widely distributed in similar concentrations ranging from several hundred pg/g wet weight to about 40 ng/g wet weight. Prostaglandins D2 and E2 showed consistent and similar regional distributions in all six brains tested; amounts were high in pineal body, pituitary, olfactory bulb, and hypothalamus.

9-Deoxy-delta 9, delta 12-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin D2, a metabolite of prostaglandin D2 formed in human plasma.

Incubation of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) with human plasma yielded a product that has been identified as 9-deoxy-9,10-didehydro-12,13-didehydro-13,14-dihydro-PGD2 (9-deoxy-delta 9, delta 12-13,14-dihydro-PGD2). The identification was based on mass spectrometry, UV spectrometry, mobilities and retention time on TLC and HPLC, and NMR. The conversion of PGD2 to this product was dependent on the incubation time and the amount of plasma added to a reaction mixture and was abolished by prior boiling.

ADP-ribosyl protein lyase. Purification, properties, and identification of the product.

ADP-ribosyl protein lyase, formerly termed ADP-ribosyl histone-splitting enzyme (Okayama, H., Honda, M., and Hayaishi, O.

Autoradiographic localization of a binding protein(s) specific for prostaglandin D2 in rat brain.

The specific [3H]prostaglandin (PG) D2 binding was detected by using the slide-mounted sections of rat brain fixed by perfusion with 2% paraformaldehyde. The binding was reversible, saturable, high affinity, Na+ dependent, and highly specific for PGD2. These binding characteristics are essentially similar to those observed with the synaptic membrane of rat brain as previously reported.

Inhibition of brain prostaglandin D synthetase and prostaglandin D2 dehydrogenase by some saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

The activities of rat brain prostaglandin D synthetase and swine brain prostaglandin D2 dehydrogenase were inhibited by some saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Myristic acid was most potent among saturated straight-chain fatty acids so far tested. The IC50 values of this acid were 80 microM for prostaglandin D synthetase and 7 microM for prostaglandin D2 dehydrogenase, respectively.

Aberration of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) metabolism in human colon adenomatous polyps and cancers.

The activities of three principal enzymes engaged in the biosynthesis and degradation of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) [poly(ADP-ribose)] were examined in cell nuclei isolated from adenomatous polyps (tubular adenomas of familial polyposis coli, villous adenoma, and tubulovillous adenoma), cancers, and normal mucosa of human colon. The activities of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase in adenomatous polyps [161 +/- 46 (S.E.

Localization of prostaglandin D2 binding protein and NADP-linked 15-hydroxyprostaglandin D2 dehydrogenase in the Purkinje cells of miniature pig cerebellum.

High-affinity binding sites specific for prostaglandin D2 were visualized by the autoradiographical technique assisted by computerized image processing and color coding. In the cerebellum of miniature pig, high density of the binding was observed in the cortex, mainly in the Purkinje cell layer. Immunohistochemical studies on the cellular localization of NADP-linked 15-hydroxyprostaglandin D2 dehydrogenase were performed with the same cerebellum and revealed the presence of this enzyme also in the Purkinje cells.

Monooxygenase activities of dioxygenases. Benzphetamine demethylation and aniline hydroxylation reactions catalyzed by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase.

Benzphetamine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase activities were determined with various hemoproteins including indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in a cytochrome P-450-like reconstituted system containing NADPH, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, and O2. The highest specific activities, almost comparable to those of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450, were detected with indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase from the rabbit intestine. The indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-catalyzed benzphetamine demethylation reaction was inhibited by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase.

Activation of DNA ligase by poly(ADP-ribose) in chromatin.

To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which poly(ADP-ribose) participates in DNA excision repair, we examined the effect of poly(ADP-ribose) on DNA ligase activity in DNA/histone and reconstituted chromatin systems. The ligase activity was markedly inhibited by histones; the inhibition varied depending on histone subfraction and DNA/histone ratio. Poly(ADP-ribose), either exogenous or synthesized in situ by poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, reversed this inhibition by histone almost completely.

Induction of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in alveolar interstitial cells of mouse lung by bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

The cellular localization of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase was studied in the mouse lung after induction by lipopolysaccharide treatment. No significant indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity was detected in alveolar macrophages and type II epithelial cells, which were recovered by alveolar lavages and trypsin-treatment, respectively. To determine this enzyme activity in other types of lung cells, we prepared monodispersed lung cells (6.

Prostaglandin D2, a cerebral sleep-inducing substance in rats.

We continuously monitored the circadian sleep patterns of unrestrained rats for more than 96 hr and infused various prostaglandins into their third ventricles for 10 hr to study the effects on inducing sleep. Prostaglandin D2 at 6 fmol/min had no effect on either slow wave sleep or paradoxical sleep. However, prostaglandin D2 at as little as 60 fmol/min caused a significant amount of excess slow wave sleep as compared with the control level during saline infusion.