Inhibition of microtubule assembly in tumor cells by 3-bromoacetylamino benzoylurea, a new cancericidal compound

We have synthesized a new compound, 3-bromoacetylamino benzoylurea (3-BAABU), which showed strong cancericidal activity by inducing irreversible mitotic arrest and subsequently apoptosis in human T cell leukemic cells (CEM), human biphenotypic leukemic cells (SP), a human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3), murine melanoma cells (B-16), and murine lymphoma/leukemia cells (EL4) in vitro with an ID50 in the range of 0.013-0.07 microg/ml (0.04-0.22 microM). Treatment of tumor cells for 12-24 h with 3-BAABU resulted in mitotic arrest at prometaphase/metaphase/anaphase, with separation and dispersion of chromosomes and with the absence of mitotic spindle apparatus in cytoplasm. Treatment with 3-BAABU had no cytotoxic and mitotic blocking effect in normal human lymphocytes, proliferating fibroblast cells (3T3), or proliferating myocardial cells (MOT). Cell cycle analyses showed that most treated leukemic cells accumulated at M phase 12 h after treatment. By the end of 48 h of treatment, the cells underwent apoptosis with DNA fragmentation. 3-BAABU inhibited the assembly of microtubules from tubulin but did not interfere with the disassembly of microtubules. The presence and the position of bromine and urea groups on the benzoic ring are the determining factors for its inhibition of microtubule assembly. Replacing bromine with chlorine yielded much less mitotic blocking activity and increased the ID50 40-fold. Substitution of the urea group with ethyl ester abrogated the activity of blocking mitosis but induced apoptosis. Moving the bromoacetylamino group from the 3-position to the 4-position removed blocking activity for mitosis but induced necrosis. These results suggest that 3-BAABU possesses a unique and functional structure and is a potential agent for cancer chemotherapy.     

Scanning alanine mutagenesis of the CDP-alcohol phosphotransferase motif of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cholinephosphotransferase

Cholinephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2) catalyzes the formation of a phosphoester bond via the transfer of a phosphocholine moiety from CDP-choline to diacylglycerol forming phosphatidylcholine and releasing CMP. A motif, Asp113-Gly114-(X)2-Ala117-Arg118-(X)8-Gly127+ ++-(X)3-Asp131-(X)3-Asp135, located within the CDP-choline binding region of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cholinephosphotransferase (CPT1 ?/Author: Please confirm that a gene is meant here.) is also found in several other phospholipid synthesizing enzymes that catalyze the formation of a phosphoester bond utilizing a CDP-alcohol and a second alcohol as substrates. To determine if this motif is diagnostic of the above reaction type scanning alanine mutagenesis of the conserved residues within S. cerevisiae cholinephosphotransferase was performed. Enzyme activity was assessed in vitro using a mixed micelle enzyme assay and in vivo by determining the ability of the mutant enzymes to restore phosphatidylcholine synthesis from radiolabeled choline in an S. cerevisiae strain devoid of endogenous cholinephosphotransferase activity. Alanine mutants of Gly114, Gly127, Asp131, and Asp135 were inactive; mutants, Ala117 and Arg118 displayed reduced enzyme activity, and Asp113 displayed wild type activity. The analysis described is the first molecular characterization of a CDP-alcohol phosphotransferase motif and results predict a catalytic role utilizing a general base reaction proceeding through Asp131 or Asp135 via a direct nucleophilic attack of the hydroxyl of diacylglyerol on the phosphoester bond of CDP-choline that does not proceed via an enzyme bound intermediate. Residues Ala117 and Arg118 do not participate directly in catalysis but are likely involved in substrate binding or positioning with Arg118 predicted to associate with a phosphate moiety of CDP-choline.     

P-selectin mediates adhesion of the human melanoma cell line NKI-4: identification of glycoprotein ligands

Activated endothelial cells and stimulated platelets express the cell adhesion molecule P-selectin (CD62P), which mediates adhesion to various leukocytes and certain types of cancer cells. In this study, we show Ca2+-dependent binding of P-selectin to NKI-4 cells, a cell line derived from a human melanoma. The binding is inhibited by P7 (a leukocyte adhesion blocking mAb against P-selectin), but not by PL5 (a leukocyte adhesion blocking mAb against P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1; PSGL-1). Further, expression of PSGL-1 could not be detected on NKI-4 cells by either PL5 mAb or an Ab against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a portion of the PSGL-1 sequence. P-selectin affinity chromatography of lysates from in vivo [3H]-glucosamine-labeled NKI-4 cells resulted in the isolation of three glycoproteins, with apparent molecular masses of approximately 250, approximately 110, and approximately 100 kDa under reducing conditions and approximately 230, approximately 105, and approximately 85 kDa under nonreducing conditions. These molecules could be precipitated by P-selectin, but not by E-selectin. EDTA and the P7 mAb, but not the PL5 mAb, inhibited the binding of P-selectin to the purified ligands. Surprisingly, we found that sodium chlorate, a sulfation inhibitor, did not inhibit the binding of P-selectin to NKI-4 cells and that [35S]-sulfate did not label the NKI-4 cell ligands. We conclude that P-selectin-dependent adhesion of the human melanoma cell line NKI-4 is mediated by a novel class of glycoprotein ligands.     

The nitric oxide-cGMP pathway may mediate communication between sensory afferents and projection neurons in the antennal lobe of Manduca sexta

The nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signaling system is thought to play important roles in the function of the olfactory system in both vertebrates and invertebrates. One way of studying the role of NO in the nervous system is to study the distribution and properties of NO synthase (NOS), as well as the soluble guanylyl cyclases (sGCs), which are the best characterized targets of NO. We study NOS and sGC in the relatively simple and well characterized insect olfactory system of the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. We have cloned Manduca sexta nitric oxide synthase (MsNOS) and two sGCs (MsGCalpha1 and MsGCbeta1), characterized their basic biochemical properties, and studied their expression in the olfactory system. The sequences of the Manduca genes are highly similar to their mammalian homologs and show similar biochemical properties when expressed in COS-7 cells. In particular, we find that MsGC functions as an obligate heterodimer that is stimulated significantly by NO. We also find that MsNOS has a Ca2+-sensitive NO-producing activity similar to that of mammalian neuronal NOS. Northern and in situ hybridization analyses show that MsNOS and the MsGCs are expressed in a complementary pattern, with MsNOS expressed at high levels in the antennae and the MsGCs expressed at high levels in a subset of antennal lobe neurons. The expression patterns of these genes suggest that the NO-sGC signaling system may play a role in mediating communication between olfactory receptor neurons and projection neurons in the glomeruli of the antennal lobe.     

Characterization of arylamine N-acetyltransferase in Enterobacter aerogenes

N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity was determined by incubation of purified Enterobacter aerogenes enzyme with 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) as the substrate, followed by high pressure liquid chromatography assays. The NAT activity from E. aerogenes was 0.58 +/- 0.08 nmol/min/mg protein for 2-AF. The values of apparent K(m) and Vmax were 0.72 +/- 0.14 mM and 2.45 +/- 0.29 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively, for 2-AF. The optimal pH value for the enzyme activity was 7.5 for the 2-AF tested. The optimal temperature for enzyme activity was 37 degrees C for the 2-AF substrate. The molecular weight of NAT from E. aerogenes was 44.9 kD. Among a series of divalent cations and salts, Zn2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+ were demonstrated to be the most potent protease inhibitors, and only ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid significantly protected the NAT. Iodoacetamide, in contrast to other agents, markedly inhibited NAT.     

The role of anergy in peripheral T cell unresponsiveness

When a T cell's encounter with specific antigen results in good signaling through the T cell antigen receptor yet does not lead to a proliferative response, the T cell enters a state of nonresponsiveness, or anergy. Anergy induction can result from a number of different situations, including antigen presentation by costimulation-deficient or "non-professional" antigen presenting cells, pharmacological blocking of T cell proliferation, or chronic stimulation of the T cell receptor by antigen. Anergy is a long-lived but temporary state characterized by a profound inability of the T cell to produce IL-2. Other effector functions may be affected to variable degrees. Anergy has been characterized most carefully under in vitro conditions, but several experimental models have demonstrated that T cells can also become anergic in vivo. This mechanism for tolerance induction may help to ensure that any mature autoreactive T cells which escape thymic deletion are unable to respond to host tissues. Furthermore, an understanding of the mechanism of anergy induction will most certainly lead to beneficial clinical applications, including improving graft acceptance and avoiding such deleterious immune responses as autoimmunity and allergy.     

Localization of absorbers in scattering media by use of frequency-domain measurements of time-dependent photon migration

Frequency-domain studies of time-dependent light propagation in tissuelike phantoms that contain optical heterogeneities are described. Specifically the phase shift and amplitude modulation of reemergent light were measured when illuminated by an amplitude-modulated light source. Changes in the phase angle and the extent of modulation revealed the presence of a light-absorbing object. Furthermore the magnitude and direction of these changes were sensitive to the absorber depth and the light modulation frequency in a manner that could be used to infer the location of the heterogeneity. These data suggest the feasibility of optical imaging by frequency-domain methods.     

Long latency postural reflexes are under supraspinal dopaminergic control

Scaling of posturally stabilizing long latency (LL) reflexes in tibialis anterior muscles induced by "toe-up" rotational perturbations is abnormal in standing patients with Parkinson's disease. To investigate the contribution of dopaminergic pathways to abnormal scaling, we studied LL reflexes in 22 patients with selective hypodopaminergic syndromes: 10 psychiatric patients taking chronic neuroleptic medication (7 with mild parkinsonism), 8 patients with young-onset Parkinson's disease, and 4 patients with MPTP-induced parkinsonism. Results were compared with those of 10 healthy controls. Stimuli consisted of (a) 10 serial (predictable) perturbations of 4 degrees amplitude, (b) 10 serial (predictable) perturbations of 10 degrees amplitude, and (c) 20 randomly mixed (unpredictable) perturbations of either 4 or 10 degrees amplitude. In normal subjects, LL reflex amplitudes were adapted to match predictable variations in stimulus size, whereas under unpredictable conditions a "default" response emerged that anticipated the 10 degrees perturbation. LL reflex scaling under predictable conditions was intact in patients with neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism and young-onset Parkinson's disease, but the large default LL response under unpredictable conditions was absent. In patients with MPTP-induced parkinsonism, LL reflex scaling was absent during both predictable and unpredictable conditions. We conclude that abnormal scaling of posturally stabilizing LL reflexes is related to decreased supraspinal dopaminergic influence.