Quantitation of uncombined gonadotropin subunits within and released by the rat anterior pituitary

1988 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-212
Author(s):  
H. Edward Grotjan

Abstract. The release of uncombined gonadotropin subunits by rat anterior pituitaries during an in vitro incubation as well as intracellular concentrations were assessed. Uncombined subunits and native gonadotropins were quantitated by radioimmunoassays after samples were subjected to gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 Superfine. Small, but detectable, amounts of uncombined rat LH β subunit were released under basal conditions. GnRH increased the absolute amount of rLHβ released but did not alter the rLHβ/rLH molar ratio (≈ 0.02). Tissue extracts prepared in aqueous buffer (100 000 × g supernatants) and 0.5% Triton X-100 extracts of the 100 000 × g pellets from the initial homogenization ('pellet extracts') contained larger quantities of uncombined rLHβ as well as elevated rLHβ/rLH molar ratios (≈ 0.10 and ≈ 0.20, respectively). Significant amounts of uncombined rLHα were released and were present in both tissue and pellet extracts. However, when FSH β subunit was quantitated in tissue extracts after gel filtration, all of the immunoreactive materials eluted in the position of native rFSH (FSHβ/rFSH molar ratio < 0.0025). Pellet extracts contained significant amounts of rLHβ, rLH and rLHα but lesser amounts of rFSH suggesting that intracellular gonadotropins are not completely extracted when homogenization is performed in aqueous buffers. Thus, rat anterior pituitaries contain and release significant amounts of the uncombined α subunit, relatively small amounts of uncombined rLHβ and extremely small amounts of uncombined FSHβ, if any.

1976 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
RATNA C. SHOWNKEEN ◽  
ANNE STOCKELL HARTREE ◽  
FRANCESCA STEWART ◽  
K. MASHITER ◽  
V. C. STEVENS

SUMMARY Highly purified human pituitary FSH was partially dissociated by treatment with 8 m-urea, and α- and β-subunits were isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Tests of biological activity by in-vivo assays and in-vitro radioreceptor assays were in good agreement and showed that preparations of isolated α-subunit had less than 1%, and β-subunit from 2 to 10% of the FSH activity of the intact hormone. In contrast to results reported elsewhere, most of the subunit preparations reassociated with counterpart subunit to regain biological activity equal to that of intact FSH (around 160 mg NIH-FSH-S1/mg). The intact FSH recovered as a by-product after isolation of subunits was of high biological activity, and its LH contamination was reduced by more than 90% when compared with the purified FSH starting material. The subunits are relatively inactive in a radioimmunoassay specific for intact FSH. Sialic acid and tryptophan determinations indicated that both subunits contain sialic acid and that tryptophan is present only in the β-subunit.


1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 690-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Fischer ◽  
G Uhlenbruck ◽  
P J Klein ◽  
M Vierbuchen ◽  
R Fischer

Using affinity chromatography on HPA-, PNA-, Con A, and WGA-agarose columns only a part (10-30%) of the high molecular weight mucous glycoproteins could be isolated from the Triton X-100 solubilized components of normal as well as carcinomatous gastric mucosa. The main part of the mucus was not bound by the lectins, which corresponds to our earlier lectin histochemical observations on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The lectin-bound mucous glycoproteins had a relatively lower molecular weight, ranging from about 250-1,000 kilodaltons, as indicated by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and by gel filtration on Biogel A 1.5 m column. In gas chromatographic analysis the molar ratio of aminohexoses to galactose was found to be much higher (3:1) in the lectin-bound mucous substances than in the whole high molecular weight mucus (1:1). This finding indicates that lectins have a higher affinity to the hexosamine rich components of mucus, which may be special forms of mucous glycoprotein molecules or the incompletely glycosylated core and backbone regions of the oligosaccharide chains of mucus. Extremely high hexosamine values (10:1) were found in the PNA isolated mucus of gastric adenocarcinoma. Since it is known that PNA binds to the terminal disaccharide, beta-galactose-(1-3)-N-acetylgalactosamine, which is localized at the reducing end of the oligosaccharide chains of mucus, it is highly probable that the elongation of the oligosaccharide side chains is disturbed in gastric cancer cells.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1273-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Chen ◽  
A Prestigiacomo ◽  
T A Stamey

Abstract We describe for the first time a protocol to purify to apparent homogeneity an in vitro-prepared complex of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) by using a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The purity of the PSA-ACT complex was confirmed by gel electrophoresis and Western blot. The PSA-ACT complex was stable in the pH range 6.0 to 7.8; it was also stable in various matrices, temperatures, and high concentrations of salt. Purification of the PSA-ACT complex was highly reproducible. An absorptivity of 0.99 L x g-1 x cm-1 at 280 nm was assigned to the PSA-ACT complex, based on amino acid analysis. Because PSA and ACT bind in a 1:1 molar ratio, we determined the molecular mass of the PSA-ACT complex as the mass encoded by the cDNA of ACT (plus 26% carbohydrate) plus the molecular mass of PSA (28,430 Da), which totals 89,280 Da. Using this material, we made two common calibrators, one of 100% PSA-ACT complex and one of 90% PSA-ACT complex plus 10% free PSA by volume (90:10 calibrator). Substitution of these calibrators for the manufacturers' calibrators in nine commercial immunoassays substantially reduced differences between immunoassays, especially for serum PSA values between 4 and 10 micrograms/L. The 90:10 calibrator is recommended as a universal calibrator for international standardization of PSA immunoassays.


1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Corder ◽  
J. E. C. Sykes ◽  
P. J. Lowry

Significant amounts of somatostatin-like immunor reactivity (SLI) were detected in the extract of a human catecholamine-secreting adrenal medullary tumour. After salt fractionation and reconstitution the major portion of SLI was purified by gel filtration and two HPLC steps; in all three systems it eluted in the position of somatostatin-14. The purified somatostatin-like peptide inhibited, in a dose-related manner, growth hormone release from stimulated perfused rat anterior pituitary ceils in vitro. Amino acid analysis showed the purified peptide to have an identical composition to somatostatin found in other species.


2004 ◽  
Vol 384 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane A. LEHTINEN ◽  
Fred W. PERRINO

The ε-subunit contains the catalytic site for the 3′→5′ proofreading exonuclease that functions in the DNA pol III (DNA polymerase III) core to edit nucleotides misinserted by the α-subunit DNA pol. A novel mutagenesis strategy was used to identify 23 dnaQ alleles that exhibit a mutator phenotype in vivo. Fourteen of the ε mutants were purified, and these proteins exhibited 3′→5′ exonuclease activities that ranged from 32% to 155% of the activity exhibited by the wild-type ε protein, in contrast with the 2% activity exhibited by purified MutD5 protein. DNA pol III core enzymes constituted with 11 of the 14 ε mutants exhibited an increased error rate during in vitro DNA synthesis using a forward mutation assay. Interactions of the purified ε mutants with the α- and θ-subunits were examined by gel filtration chromatography and exonuclease stimulation assays, and by measuring polymerase/exonuclease ratios to identify the catalytically active ε511 (I170T/V215A) mutant with dysfunctional proofreading in the DNA pol III core. The ε511 mutant associated tightly with the α-subunit, but the exonuclease activity of ε511 was not stimulated in the α–ε511 complex. Addition of the θ-subunit to generate the α–ε511–θ DNA pol III core partially restored stimulation of the ε511 exonuclease, indicating a role for the θ-subunit in co-ordinating the α–ε polymerase–exonuclease interaction. The α–ε511–θ DNA pol III core exhibited a 3.5-fold higher polymerase/exonuclease ratio relative to the wild-type DNA pol III core, further indicating dysfunctional proofreading in the α–ε511–θ complex. Thus the ε511 mutant has wild-type 3′→5′ exonuclease activity and associates physically with the α- and θ-subunits to generate a proofreading-defective DNA pol III enzyme.


2008 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Legardinier ◽  
Jean-Claude Poirier ◽  
Danièle Klett ◽  
Yves Combarnous ◽  
Claire Cahoreau

Recombinant equine LH/chorionic gonadotropin (eLH/CG) was expressed in the baculovirus–Sf9 insect cell system either as a single-chain with the C-terminus of the β-subunit fused to the N-terminus of the α-subunit or as non-covalently linked heterodimers with or without a polyhistidine tag at various locations. All these non-covalently linked eLH/CG variants were secreted as stable heterodimers in the medium of infected Sf9 cells. To assess the influence of the presence and the position of polyhistidine tag on LH bioactivity, we expressed four non-covalently linked tagged heterodimeric eLH/CG variants that were secreted in threefold higher quantities than the single chain. Among them, only two exhibited full in vitro LH bioactivity, relative to untagged heterodimers, namely the one His-tagged at the N-terminus of α-subunit and the other at the C-terminus of the β-subunit both of which are amenable to nickel-affinity purification. Furthermore, single-chain eLH/CG was found to be N- and O-glycosylated but nevertheless less active in in vitro LH bioassays than natural eCG and heterodimeric recombinant eLH/CG. The thermal stability of natural and recombinant hormones was assessed by the initial rates of dissociation from 20 to 90 °C. Heterodimeric eLH/CG from Sf9 cells was found to be as stable as pituitary eLH and serum eCG (T1/2, 74–77 °C). Although Sf9 cells only elaborated short immature-type carbohydrate side chains on glycoproteins, recombinant eLH/CG produced in these cells exhibited stabilities similar to that of pituitary eLH. In conclusion, recombinant heterodimeric eLH/CG exhibits the same thermal stability as natural pituitary LH and its advantages over the single-chain eLH/CG include higher secretion, higher in vitro bioactivity, and reduced potential risk of immunogenicity.


1988 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Simard ◽  
Carol J. Mirell ◽  
A. Eugene Pekary ◽  
Jerry Drexler ◽  
Kalman Kovacs ◽  
...  

Abstract. Pituitary thyrotrope tumours are a rare cause of hyperthyroidism. Prior in vitro studies of these tumours have revealed various patterns of differentiation and secretory activity. We have characterized the histological, biochemical, molecular and physiological features of a thyrotrope adenoma in order to define its origin and autonomy. Histochemical and electron micrograph findings confirmed the diagnosis of a thyrotrope cell adenoma. Immunostaining was positive for TSH and GH in the cytoplasm of the adenoma cells. Tissue extracts contained TSH-IR which co-eluted with authentic hTSH when analysed by gel filtration. Tumour fragments studied in a tissue culture system secreted TSH, α-subunit and GH. TRH (30 nmol/l) stimulated TSH and GH secretion. T3 (1.5 nmol/l) inhibited GH release and had no effect on TSH secretion. GnRH (50 nmol/l), dexamethasone (10−4 mol/l), SRIH (1 μmol/l) and TRH-glycine, a tetrapeptide precursor of TRH, stimulated TSH release. Dexamethasone inhibited GH and α-subunit secretion. Stable transcripts for α- and β-subunits of TSH and GH messenger RNAs were detected by molecular hybridization in cytosolic fractions. Immunohistochemistry, in vitro secretory function, and mRNA analysis suggest multidirectional differentiation of the tumour cells. TRH-glycine may have a direct stimulatory effect upon pituitary thyrotropes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1451-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuy La ◽  
George Desmond Clark-Walker ◽  
Xiaowen Wang ◽  
Stephan Wilkens ◽  
Xin Jie Chen

ABSTRACT F 1 -ATPase is a rotary molecular machine with a subunit stoichiometry of α 3 β 3 γ 1 δ 1 ε 1 . It has a robust ATP-hydrolyzing activity due to effective cooperativity between the three catalytic sites. It is believed that the central γ rotor dictates the sequential conformational changes to the catalytic sites in the α 3 β 3 core to achieve cooperativity. However, recent studies of the thermophilic Bacillus PS3 F 1 -ATPase have suggested that the α 3 β 3 core can intrinsically undergo unidirectional cooperative catalysis (T. Uchihashi et al., Science 333:755-758, 2011). The mechanism of this γ-independent ATP-hydrolyzing mode is unclear. Here, a unique genetic screen allowed us to identify specific mutations in the α and β subunits that stimulate ATP hydrolysis by the mitochondrial F 1 -ATPase in the absence of γ. We found that the F446I mutation in the α subunit and G419D mutation in the β subunit suppress cell death by the loss of mitochondrial DNA (ρ o ) in a Kluyveromyces lactis mutant lacking γ. In organello ATPase assays showed that the mutant but not the wild-type γ-less F 1 complexes retained 21.7 to 44.6% of the native F 1 -ATPase activity. The γ-less F 1 subcomplex was assembled but was structurally and functionally labile in vitro . Phe446 in the α subunit and Gly419 in the β subunit are located on the N-terminal edge of the DELSEED loops in both subunits. Mutations in these two sites likely enhance the transmission of catalytically required conformational changes to an adjacent α or β subunit, thereby allowing robust ATP hydrolysis and cell survival under ρ o conditions. This work may help our understanding of the structural elements required for ATP hydrolysis by the α 3 β 3 subcomplex.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byambajav Lkhagvadulam ◽  
Jung Hwa Kim ◽  
Il Yoon ◽  
Young Key Shim

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) conjugates of water soluble ionic photosensitizer (PS), purpurin-18-N-methyl-D-glucamine (Pu-18-NMGA), were synthesized using various molar ratios between HAuCl4and Pu-18-NMGA without adding any particular reducing agents and surfactants. The PS-GNPs conjugates showed long wavelength absorption of range 702–762 nm, and their different shapes and diameters depend on the molar ratios used in the synthesis.In vitroanticancer efficacy of the PS-GNPs conjugates was investigated by MTT assay against A549 cells, resulting in higher photodynamic activity than that of the free Pu-18-NMGA. Among the PS-GNPs conjugates, the GNPs conjugate from the molar ratio of 1 : 2 (Au(III): Pu-18-NMGA) exhibits the highest photodynamic activity corresponding to bigger size (~60 nm) of the GNPs conjugate which could efficiently transport the PS into the cells than that of smaller size of the GNPs conjugate.


Endocrinology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (2) ◽  
pp. 954-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naiel Azzam ◽  
Rinat Bar-Shalom ◽  
Fuad Fares

TSH is a dimeric glycoprotein hormone composed of a common α-subunit noncovalently linked to a hormone-specific β-subunit. Previously, the TSH heterodimer was successfully converted to an active single-chain hormone by genetically fusing α and β genes with [TSHβ- carboxyl-terminal peptide (CTP)-α] or without (TSHβ-α) the CTP of human chorionic gonadotropin β-subunit as a linker. In the present study, TSH variants were expressed in Chinese hamster ovarian cells. The results indicated that TSHβ-α single chain has the highest binding affinity to TSH receptor and the highest in vitro bioactivity. With regard to the in vivo bioactivity, all TSH variants increased the levels of T4 in circulation after 2 and 4 h of treatment. However, the level of T4 after treatment with TSH-wild type was significantly decreased after 6 and 8 h, compared with the levels after treatment with the other TSH variants. TSHβ-α and TSHβ-CTP-α single chains exhibited almost the same bioactivity after 8 h of treatment. Evaluating the half-life of TSH variants, TSHβ-CTP-α single chain revealed the longest half-life in circulation, whereas TSH-wild type exhibited the shortest serum half-life. These findings indicate that TSH single-chain variants with or without CTP as a linker may display conformational structures that increase binding affinity and serum half-life, thereby, suggesting novel attitudes for engineering and constructing superagonists of TSH, which may be used for treating different conditions of defected thyroid gland activity. Other prominent potential clinical use of these variants is in a diagnostic test for metastasis and recurrence of thyroid cancer.


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