Direct interaction of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor with leukemia-associated RhoGEF.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 plays crucial roles in growth control and rearrangements of the cytoskeleton. IGF-1 binds to the IGF-1 receptor and thereby induces the autophosphorylation of this receptor at its tyrosine residues. The phosphorylation of the IGF-1 receptor is thought to initiate a cascade of events.

ABCA3 is a lamellar body membrane protein in human lung alveolar type II cells.

The ABCA3 gene, of the ABCA subclass of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, is expressed exclusively in lung. We report here the cloning, molecular characterization, and distribution of human ABCA3 in the lung. Immunoblot analysis using the specific antibody reveals a 150-kDa protein in the crude membrane fraction of human lung.

Specific interaction of the potassium channel beta-subunit minK with the sarcomeric protein T-cap suggests a T-tubule-myofibril linking system.

Ion-channel beta-subunits are ancillary proteins that co-assemble with alpha-subunits to modulate gating kinetics and enhance stability of multimeric channel complexes. They provide binding sites for other regulatory proteins and are medically important as the targets of many pharmacological compounds. MinK is the beta-subunit of the slow activating component of the delayed rectifier potassium current (I(Ks)) channel, and associates with the alpha-subunit, KvLQT1.

Acidic polysaccharides from rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea as protective principle in Candida-lnfected mice.

Prophylactic effects upon imunnosuppressed mice lethally infected by Candida albicans were examined in fractions prepared from a constituent herb of Juzen-taiho-to (TJ-48, Si-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang), rhizomes of Atractylodes lancea DC. The oral administration of water extract obtained from a residue after MeOH extraction of rhizomes significantly prolonged the survival period of the infected mice at a dose of 140 mg/kg/day compared with control mice, while the MeOH extract did not. In the crude polysaccharide fraction (F-2) obtained by EtOH precipitation of the water extract, a significant life-prolonging effect was observed by the administration of 70 mg/kg/day.

Drugs for the treatment of allergic diseases.

Many kinds of drugs are used for the treatment of allergic diseases. Glucocorticoids are the most efficacious drugs and widely used for the treatment of allergic diseases. Recently, effectiveness of inhaled glucocorticoids for the treatment of bronchial asthma has been established.

CRMP-2 induces axons in cultured hippocampal neurons.

In cultured hippocampal neurons, one axon and several dendrites differentiate from a common immature process. Here we found that CRMP-2/TOAD-64/Ulip2/DRP-2 (refs. 2-4) level was higher in growing axons of cultured hippocampal neurons, that overexpression of CRMP-2 in the cells led to the formation of supernumerary axons and that expression of truncated CRMP-2 mutants suppressed the formation of primary axon in a dominant-negative manner.

Recovery of purification-associated reduction in antigen-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-dependent histamine release from purified rat peritoneal mast cells (PMC) is very low in comparison to that from a non-purified preparation (PEC). The reduced histamine release from PMC is recovered or potentiated by reconstitution with separated non-mast cells (NMC). In the present study, further characterization was undertaken to elucidate the mechanisms involved.

VUF-K-8788, a periphery-selective histamine H1 antagonist with anti-pruritic activities.

The pharmacological properties of 7-[3-[4-(2-quinolinylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-propoxy]-2,3-dihydro-4H-1,4-benzothiazin-3-one (VUF-K-8788) were investigated in vitro and in vivo. VUF-K-8788 inhibited [3H]-mepyramine from binding to the cell membrane of lung parenchyma (Ki value: 5.0 nM) and the histamine-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum (pA2: 9.

Amino acid residues that are critical for in vivo catalytic activity of CtpA, the carboxyl-terminal processing protease for the D1 protein of photosystem II.

CtpA, a carboxyl-terminal processing protease, is a member of a novel family of endoproteases that includes a tail-specific protease from Escherichia coli. In oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, CtpA catalyzes C-terminal processing of the D1 protein of photosystem II, an essential event for the assembly of a manganese cluster and consequent light-mediated water oxidation. We introduced site-specific mutations at 14 conserved residues of CtpA in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.

High rate of IgE-mediated histamine release from rat mesenteric mast cells.

IgE-dependent histamine release from rat mesenteric mast cells was investigated. Excised mesenterium was cut into pieces and incubated with IgE overnight at 4 degrees C for sensitization. Over 10 pieces of mesenterium specimen could be prepared from a rat.

Protective role of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in hypoxia-induced generalized seizure.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels are activated by various metabolic stresses, including hypoxia. The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), the area with the highest expression of K(ATP) channels in the brain, plays a pivotal role in the control of seizures. Mutant mice lacking the Kir6.

Phytochrome-mediated control of COP1 gene expression in rice plants.

We isolated a COP1 cDNA from rice and found that it could complement the Arabidopsis cop1-4 mutant. The putative rice COP1 protein has the Ring-finger, coiled-coil. and WD-40 repeat domains, which are also conserved in pea, tomato, and mammalian COP1 proteins.

Role of mast cells in antigen-induced airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in rats.

The participation of mast cells in the induction of antigen-induced airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to acetylcholine (ACh) was investigated using pharmacological agents and mast cell-deficient rats (Ws/Ws). A significant increase in the number of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and bronchial responsiveness to ACh were observed 24 h after antigen (ovalbumin) challenge in sensitized Brown-Norway (BN) rats. Disodium cromoglycate and terfenadine did not inhibit antigen-induced airway inflammation and BHR in sensitized BN rats.

Scratching behavior in various strains of mice.

Scratching behavior was induced in 12 strains of mice and the frequency was compared. An injection of histamine at a dose of 50 nmol induced frequent scratching behavior only in ICR mice, although the same dose of serotonin induced frequent scratching behavior in all strains of mice except for A/J. Histamine (10 nmol), serotonin (1 nmol), substance P (50 nmol) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis induced significant vascular permeability increase in BALB/c, ICR, ddY and NC/Nga mice.

Regulated secretion of neurotrophins by metabotropic glutamate group I (mGluRI) and Trk receptor activation is mediated via phospholipase C signalling pathways.

Neurotrophins (NTs) play an essential role in modulating activity-dependent neuronal plasticity. In this context, the site and extent of NT secretion are of crucial importance. Here, we demonstrate that the activation of phospolipase C (PLC) and the subsequent mobilization of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores are essential for NT secretion initiated by both Trk and glutamate receptor activation.

Atp-binding cassette transporter ABC2/ABCA2 in the rat brain: a novel mammalian lysosome-associated membrane protein and a specific marker for oligodendrocytes but not for myelin sheaths.

We recently cloned a full-length cDNA of the rat ATP-binding cassette transporter 2 (ABC2, or ABCA2) protein, a member of the ABC1 (or ABCA) subfamily (-ABC1/ABCA1 is a causal gene for Tangier disease) and found it to be strongly expressed in the rat brain. In this study, we identified ABC2 as a lysosome-associated membrane protein that is being localized specifically in oligodendrocytes. The ABC2-immunolabeled cells were detected mainly in the white matter but were also scattered in gray matter throughout the whole brain.

Prednisolone inhibits an IgE-mediated late-phase allergic cutaneous reactionby interfering with the activation of mast cells in mice.

Epicutaneous antigen challenge in passively sensitized mice with IgE produces a biphasic cutaneous response which peaks 1 h (immediate-phase reaction) and 24 h (late-phase reaction; LPR) after the antigen challenge. In this model, anaphylactic degranulation and interleukin 6 (IL-6) expression between 4 and 8 h are observed in resident mast cells as the preceding stage of LPR. Prednisolone at a dose of 3 mg kg(-1) clearly inhibited the LPR when administered 2 h before and 4 h after antigen challenge.

Inhibition of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis-associated scratching behavior by mu-opioid receptor antagonists in ICR mice.

Background: Itching in humans is attenuated by mu-opioid receptor antagonists. ICR mice display increases in scratching behavior upon induction of IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), or intradermal injection of compound 48/80 or histamine.

Methods: Cutaneous reactions were induced in ICR mice by IgE-mediated PCA, compound 48/80 and histamine, and the scratching behavior associated with the cutaneous reactions was evaluated.

Molecular cloning of a novel importin alpha homologue from rice, by which constitutive photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) nuclear localization signal (NLS)-protein is preferentially nuclear imported.

Nuclear import of proteins that contain classical nuclear localization signals (NLS) is initiated by importin alpha, a protein that recognizes and binds to the NLS in the cytoplasm. In this paper, we have cloned a cDNA for a novel importin alpha homologue from rice which is in addition to our previously isolated rice importin alpha1a and alpha2, and we have named it rice importin alpha1b. In vitro binding and nuclear import assays using recombinant importin alpha1b protein demonstrate that rice importin alpha1b functions as a component of the NLS-receptor in plant cells.

Development and characterization of 1C6-203, a new monoclonal antibody specific to human thymidine phosphorylase.

Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is an essential enzyme for activation of the oral cytostatic drug capecitabine and its intermediate metabolite, doxifluridine, to 5-fluorouracil in tumors. Methods to estimate dThdPase expression in tumor tissue might be useful to predict the efficacy of capecitabine and doxifluridine in cancer patients. We established a new monoclonal antibody (MAb), 1C6-203, applicable for dThdPase immunohistochemistry and compared its staining characteristics with those of a previously established MAb, 654-1.

Overexpression and characterization of carboxyl-terminal processing protease for precursor D1 protein: regulation of enzyme-substrate interaction by molecular environments.

CtpA, which is classified as a novel type of serine protease with a Ser/Lys catalytic dyad, is responsible for the C-terminal processing of precursor D1 protein (pD1) of the photosystem II reaction center, a process that is indispensable for the integration of water-splitting machinery in photosynthesis. In this study, overexpression in Escherichia coli and one-step purification of spinach CtpA were carried out to analyze the characteristics of this new type of protease and to elucidate the molecular interactions in the C-terminal processing of pD1 on the thylakoid membrane. The successful accumulation of functional CtpA in E.

Cloning, characterization and tissue distribution of the rat ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABC2/ABCA2.

The ABC1 (ABCA) subfamily of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily has a structural feature that distinguishes it from other ABC transporters. Here we report the cloning, molecular characterization and tissue distribution of ABC2/ABCA2, which belongs to the ABC1 subfamily. Rat ABC2 is a protein of 2434 amino acids that has 44.

Effect of a novel anti-allergic agent, HSR-609, on antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in mice.

The effects of a newly synthesized anti-allergic agent, HSR-609, on allergic airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation have been studied in sensitized mice. The effects were compared with those of two histamine H(1) receptor antagonists, cetirizine and terfenadine, and prednisolone. Three inhalations of antigen caused an increase in leukocytes (including eosinophils) with increases in IL-5 in BALF and airway hyperresponsiveness to acetylcholine in BALB/c mice.

A sealed cranial window system for simultaneous recording of blood flow, and electrical and optical signals in the rat barrel cortex.

We have developed a new sealed cranial window technique which allows the manipulation of simultaneously and independently multiple sensor probes, such as a glass microelectrode and a laser-Doppler probe. possible. Furthermore, normal intracranial pressure (4 mmHg) can be maintained throughout the craniectomy and the experiment.