scholarly journals Colchicine-binding protein of the liver. Its characterization and relation to microtubules.

1975 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 609-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Patzelt ◽  
A Singh ◽  
Y L Marchand ◽  
L Orci ◽  
B Jeanrenaud

Colchicine-binding activity of mouse liver high-speed supernate has been investigated. It has been found to be time and temperature dependent. Two binding activities with different affinities for colchicine seem to be present in this high-speed supernate, of which only the high-affinity binding site (half maximal binding at 5 x 10(-6) M colchicine) can be attributed to microtubular protein by comparison with purified tubulin. Vinblastine interacted with this binding activity by precipitating it when used at high concentrations (2 x 10(-3) M), and by stabilizing it at low concentrations (10(-5) M). Lumicolchicine was found not to compete with colchicine. The colchicine-binding activity was purified from liver and compared with that of microtubular protein from brain. The specific binding activity of the resulting preparation, its electrophoretic behavior, and the electron microscope appearance of the paracrystals obtained upon its precipitation with vinblastine permitted its identification as microtubular protein (tubulin). Electrophoretic analysis of the proteins from liver supernate that were precipitated by vinblastine indicated that this drug was not specific for liver tubulin. Preincubation of liver supernate with 5 mM EGTA resulted in a time-dependent decrease of colchicine-binding activity, which was partly reversed by the addition of Ca++. However, an in vitro formation of microtubules upon lowering the Ca++ concentration could not be detected. Finally, a method was developed enabling that portion of microtubular protein which was present as free tubulin to be measured and to be compared with the total amount of this protein in the tissue. This procedure permitted demonstration of the fact that, under normal conditions, only about 40% of the tubulin of the liver was assemled as microtubules. It is suggested that, in the liver, rapid polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules occur and may be an important facet of the functional role of the microtubular system.

2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 515-519
Author(s):  
Lokman Alpsoy ◽  
Elif Kotan ◽  
Abdulgani Tatar ◽  
Guleray Agar

Aflatoxins have been shown to be hepatotoxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic to different species of animals. Besides, at low concentrations, Selenium (Se4+) is antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic while it is toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic at high concentrations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of Se4+ against aflatoxin GAFG1 (AFG1) on blood cultures in relation to induction of sister chromatid exchange (SCE). The results showed that at 0.4 and 0.8 parts per million (ppm) concentration of AFG1, the frequency of SCE increased in cultured human lymphocytes. When different concentration of Se4+ (0.08 and 8 ppm) were added to AFG1, the frequencies of SCE decreased. Howewer, when 800 ppm concentration of Se4+ together with 0.08 ppm AFG1 were added to cell division inhibited in the cultures. Results suggested that Se4+ could effectively inhibit AFG1-induced SCE. Besides, the protective role of Se4+ against AFG1-induced SCE is probably related to its doses.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamze Yetuk ◽  
Dilek Pandir ◽  
Hatice Bas

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of catechin and quercetin in sodium benzoate- (SB-) induced oxidative stress in human erythrocytesin vitro. For this, the effects of SB (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL), catechin (10 μM), and quercetin (10 μM) on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, and GST were studied. Significantly higher LPO and lower activities of antioxidant enzymes were observed with the increasing concentrations of SB. Catechin or quercetin protected the erythrocytes against SB-induced toxicity only at low concentrations of SB. The presence of catechin or quercetin at 10 μM have no effect on SB-induced toxicity at high concentrations of SB (50 and 100 μg/mL). In conclusion, SB may cause oxidative stress as food additive in human erythrocytesin vitro. So, it appears that our findings provide evidence for the protection of erythrocytes from SB that could be considered for further studies.


1988 ◽  
Vol 27 (04) ◽  
pp. 151-153
Author(s):  
P. Thouvenot ◽  
F. Brunotte ◽  
J. Robert ◽  
L. J. Anghileri

In vitro uptake of 67Ga-citrate and 59Fe-citrate by DS sarcoma cells in the presence of tumor-bearing animal blood plasma showed a dramatic inhibition of both 67Ga and 59Fe uptakes: about ii/io of 67Ga and 1/5o of the 59Fe are taken up by the cells. Subcellular fractionation appears to indicate no specific binding to cell structures, and the difference of binding seems to be related to the transferrin chelation and transmembrane transport differences


1989 ◽  
Vol 61 (02) ◽  
pp. 254-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret L Rand ◽  
Peter L Gross ◽  
Donna M Jakowec ◽  
Marian A Packham ◽  
J Fraser Mustard

SummaryEthanol, at physiologically tolerable concentrations, inhibits platelet responses to low concentrations of collagen or thrombin, but does not inhibit responses of washed rabbit platelets stimulated with high concentrations of ADP, collagen, or thrombin. However, when platelet responses to high concentrations of collagen or thrombin had been partially inhibited by prostacyclin (PGI2), ethanol had additional inhibitory effects on aggregation and secretion. These effects were also observed with aspirin- treated platelets stimulated with thrombin. Ethanol had no further inhibitory effect on aggregation of platelets stimulated with ADP, or the combination of ADP and epinephrine. Thus, the inhibitory effects of ethanol on platelet responses in the presence of PGI2 were very similar to its inhibitory effects in the absence of PGI2, when platelets were stimulated with lower concentrations of collagen or thrombin. Ethanol did not appear to exert its inhibitory effects by increasing cyclic AMP above basal levels and the additional inhibitory effects of ethanol in the presence of PGI2 did not appear to be brought about by further increases in platelet cyclic AMP levels.


1970 ◽  
Vol 23 (03) ◽  
pp. 601-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Th. B Tschopp

SummaryAggregation of cat platelets in the citrated plasma is examined by means of Born’s absorptiometer. A marked tendency of the platelets of this species to spontaneous aggregation necessitated first of all the development of an improved technique of blood collection.A hypothesis according to which 5-HT is released from the platelets, explains the absence of oscillations on the base line of the absorptiometer, the absence of platelet swelling, when ADP is added, and the effect of stirring on the aggregation curves in cat PRP. The average volume of cat platelets amounts to 10.46 μ3 when directly fixed in the blood, when fixed from PRP to 12.17 μ3, when fixed from stirred PRP to 13.51 μ3.In low concentrations (0.3-2 μM) ADP produce reversible aggregation; in narrowly restricted, individually dissimilar mean concentrations irreversible aggregation in two phases and in high concentrations, irreversible aggregation in one phase. Like ADP serotonin produces 2 phase irreversible aggregation in concentrations of 3-10 μM, but unlike ADP, the aggregation velocity decreases again with high 5-HT concentrations (>100 μM). Adrenaline does not produce aggregation and it is likely that adenosine and adenosine monophosphate inhibit the aggregation by serotonin but not by ADP. Species differences in the aggregation of human, rabbit and cat platelets are discussed.


1977 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. Russell ◽  
A. E. A. Mussa

SummaryTwo systemic fungicides, benomyl and thiabendazole, were more active than the non-systemic fungicide Drazoxolon in inhibiting fungal growth in vitro. A similar pattern was obtained in glasshouse trials with benomyl and thiabendazole giving adequate protection at low concentrations while Drazoxolon was ineffective unless applied at 50% the commercial product concentration. A field trial using thiabendazole, Drazoxolon and a mixture of benomyl and thiram confirmed the glasshouse results.Some phytotoxicity was noticed with high concentrations of both benomyl and thiabendazole, but satisfactory disease control was achieved using fungicide concentrations which did not induce phytotoxicity.


2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqin Xiang ◽  
Mingsheng Yuan ◽  
Ying Song ◽  
Neil Ruderman ◽  
Rong Wen ◽  
...  

Abstract The appearance of a complex between tyrosine-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and PI3K in a high-speed pellet fraction (HSP) is thought to be a key event in insulin action. Conversely, the disappearance of the IRS-1/PI3K complex from this fraction has been linked to insulin desensitization. The present study examines the role of 14-3-3, a specific phospho-serine binding protein, in mediating the disappearance of IRS-1 from the HSP after insulin treatment. An in vitro pull-down assay using recombinant 14-3-3 revealed that insulin enhances the association of 14-3-3 with IRS-1 in cultured adipocytes and that this is completely inhibited by wortmannin. An association of IRS-1 and 14-3-3 was also observed and was maximal after stimulation by insulin, when endogenous proteins were immunoprecipitated. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, and okadaic acid, other agents that cause serine/threonine phosphorylation of IRS-1, also stimulated IRS binding to 14-3-3. The enhancement of IRS-1 binding to 14-3-3 by insulin was accompanied by movement of IRS-1 and the p85 subunit of PI3K from the HSP to the cytosol. In keeping with a key role of 14-3-3 in mediating this redistribution of IRS-1, the complexes of IRS-1 and 14-3-3 were found in the cytosol but not in the HSP of insulin-treated cells. In addition, colocalization of IRS-1 and 14-3-3 was observed in the cytoplasm after insulin treatment by confocal microscopy. Finally, the addition of a phosphorylated 14-3-3 binding peptide to an adipocyte homogenate (to remove 14-3-3 from IRS-1) increased the abundance of IRS-1/PI3K complexes in the HSP and decreased their abundance in the cytosol. These findings strongly suggest that 14-3-3 participates in the intracellular trafficking of IRS-1 by promoting the displacement of serine-phosphorylated IRS-1 from particular structures. They also suggest that 14-3-3 proteins could play an integral role in the process of insulin desensitization.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1527
Author(s):  
Miki Kawada-Matsuo ◽  
Mi Nguyen-Tra Le ◽  
Hitoshi Komatsuzawa

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that mainly colonizes the nasal cavity and skin. To colonize the host, it is necessary for S. aureus to resist many antibacterial factors derived from human and commensal bacteria. Among them are the bacteria-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) called bacteriocins. It was reported that some two-component systems (TCSs), which are signal transduction systems specific to bacteria, are involved in the resistance to several bacteriocins in S. aureus. However, the TCS-mediated resistance is limited to relatively low concentrations of bacteriocins, while high concentrations of bacteriocins still exhibit antibacterial activity against S. aureus. To determine whether we could obtain highly bacteriocin-resistant mutants, we tried to isolate highly nisin A-resistant mutants by exposing the cells to sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of nisin A. Nisin A is one of the bacteriocins produced by Lactococcus lactis and is utilized as a food preservative worldwide. Finally, we obtained highly nisin A-resistant mutants with mutations in one TCS, BraRS, and in PmtR, which is involved in the expression of pmtABCD. Notably, some highly resistant strains also showed increased pathogenicity. Based on our findings, this review provides up-to-date information on the role of TCSs in the susceptibility to antibacterial peptides. Additionally, the mechanism for high antimicrobial peptides resistance and its association with pathogenicity in S. aureus is elucidated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Sawidis ◽  
Gülriz Baycu ◽  
Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska ◽  
Aneta Sulborska

Abstract In vitro culture of Lilium longiflorum pollen grains was carried out to determine the role of manganese in pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Pollen germination was adversely affected by the presence of manganese (>10 −8 M), whereas low concentrations (10 −12 –10 −10 M) stimulated the process. Manganese caused morphological anomalies during tube growth, characterized by irregular pollen tube thickening and swollen tips. The main effect was the anomalous cell wall formation at the tip, in which the presence of several organelles reduced the number of secretory vesicles. A loose network of fibrillar material and spherical aggregates, mostly in the tip region, was detected, and this material was progressively loosened into the surrounding medium. As a response to potential toxicity, the excess manganese was isolated in vacuoles, which formed an internal barrier against penetration of manganese to the tip area. Elevated manganese concentrations might affect plant reproduction, resulting in anomalies in gamete development. Consequently, the loss in genetic diversity and decreased fruit set ultimately lower yield.


1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 999-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Njanoor Narayanan ◽  
Philip Bedard ◽  
Trilochan S. Waraich

In the present study, the effects of the cytosolic Ca2+ transport inhibitor on ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by, and unidirectional passive Ca2+ release from, sarcoplassmic reticulum enriched membrane vesicles were examined in parallel experiments to determine whether inhibitor-mediated enhancement in Ca2+ efflux contributes to inhibition of net Ca2+ uptake. When assays were performed at pH 6.8 in the presence of oxalate, low concentrations (<100 μg/mL) of the inhibitor caused substantial inhibition of Ca2+ uptake by SR (28–50%). At this pH, low concentrations of the inhibitor did not cause enhancement of passive Ca2+ release from actively Ca2+-loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum. Under these conditions, high concentrations (>100 μg/mL) of the inhibitor caused stimulation of passive Ca2+ release but to a much lesser extent when compared with the extent of inhibition of active Ca2+ uptake (i.e., twofold greater inhibition of Ca2+ uptake than stimulation of Ca2+ release). When Ca2+ uptake and release assays were carried out at pH 7.4, the Ca2+ release promoting action of the inhibitor became more pronounced, such that the magnitude of enhancement in Ca2+ release at varying concentrations of the inhibitor (20–200 μg/mL) was not markedly different from the magnitude of inhibition of Ca2+ uptake. In the absence of oxalate in the assay medium, inhibition of Ca2+ uptake was observed at alkaline but not acidic pH. These findings imply that the inhibition of Ca2+ uptake observed at pH 6.8 is mainly due to decrease in the rate of active Ca2+ transport into the membrane vesicles rather than stimulation of passive Ca2+ efflux; at alkaline pH (pH 7.4), enhanced Ca2+ efflux contributes substantially, if not exclusively, to the decrease in Ca2+ uptake observed in the presence of the inhibitor. It is suggested that if the cytosolic inhibitor has actions similar to those observed in vitro in intact cardiac muscle, acid–base status of the intracellular fluid would be a major factor influencing the nature of its effects (inhibition of Ca2+ uptake or stimulation of Ca2+ release) on transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes across the sarcoplasmic reticulum.Key words: sarcoplasmic reticulum, Ca2+ uptake, Ca2+ release, endogenous inhibitor, heart muscle.


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