1. The effects of norepinephrine (NE) and related agonists and antagonists were examined on large neurons from layer V of cat sensorimotor cortex ("Betz cells") were examined in a brain slice preparation using intracellular recording, constant current stimulation and single microelectrode voltage clamp. 2. Application of NE (0.1-100 microM) usually caused a small depolarization from resting potential; hyperpolarizations were rare. Application of NE reversibly reduced rheobase and both the Ca2+- and Na+-dependent portions of the slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) that followed sustained firing evoked by constant current injection. The faster Ca2+-dependent medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP), the fast afterhyperpolarization (fAHP), the action potential, and input resistance were unaffected. 3. The changes in excitability produced by NE application were most apparent during prolonged stimulation. The cells exhibited steady repetitive firing to currents that were formerly ineffective. The slow phase of spike frequency adaptation was reduced selectively and less habituation occurred during repeated long-lasting stimuli. The relation between firing rate and injected current became steeper if firing rate was averaged over several hundred milliseconds. 4. During voltage clamp in TTX, NE application selectively reduced the slow component of Ca2+-mediated K+ current. The faster Ca2+-mediated K+ current was unaffected, as were two voltage-dependent, transient K+ currents, the anomalous rectifier and leakage conductance measured at resting potential. Depolarizing voltage steps in the presence of Cd2+ revealed an apparent time- and voltage-dependent increase of the persistent Na+ current after NE application. The voltage-clamp results suggested ionic mechanisms for all effects seen during constant current stimulation except the depolarization from resting potential. The latter was insensitive to Cd2+ and TTX and occurred without a detectable change in membrane conductance. 5. NE application did not alter Ca2+ spikes evoked in the presence of TTX and 10 mM TEA. Inward Ca2+ currents examined during voltage clamp in TTX (with K+ currents reduced) became slightly larger after NE application. We conclude that NEs reduction of the slow Ca2+-mediated K+ current is not caused by reduction of Ca2+ influx. 6. Effects on membrane potential, rheobase, and the sAHP were mimicked by the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, but not by the alpha-adrenergic agonists clonidine or phenylephrine at higher concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Several T-cell structures are capable of generating intracellular signals linked to T-cell proliferation. Crosslinking of CD2, CD4 and CD45 with Ti/CD3 to several of these antigens can augment the minimal signal induced by antigen binding to the Ti/CD3 complex. Importantly, some of these regulatory structures (CD4, CD8 and CD45) are also expressed on subsets of T cells with distinct activation requirements and functional programs (helper, suppressor, suppressor-inducer and cytotoxic function). The CD4+ CD45RA+ (2H4+) subset responds well to self-Ia, poorly to soluble antigen and possesses suppressor-inducer function. A reciprocal subset CD4+ CD45RA- (4B4+) is preferentially activated by soluble recall antigens and possesses helper function. Each of these subsets can be distinguished by virtue of the differential expression of CD45 antigens. Importantly, the anti-2H4 antibody which reacts with a specific region near the N-terminus of two CD45 isoforms can effectively block its function. Crosslinking of CD4 with the Ti/CD3 complex preferentially activated the CD4+ CD45+ RA- subset, while soluble antibodies to CD2 preferentially affected the CD45 CD45RA+ subset. Thus, CD3 and CD4 more effectively synergize in the activation process on the CD4+ CD45RA- subset, a result consistent with the ability of this subpopulation to respond to recall antigens. The regulatory role of the CD4, CD8 and CD45 antigens may be mediated by an interactive network of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. We have shown the CD4 and CD8 antigens to be associated with the T cell-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (p56lck). p56lck is a member of a family of protein-tyrosine kinases with an established ability to activate and transform mammalian cells. The CD4/CD8:p56lck complex is catalytically active as shown by its ability to phosphorylate various members of the Ti/CD3 complex. By contrast, the CD45 antigens possess protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity within their intracellular domains and are postulated to function by virtue of a regulatory interaction with CD4/CD8:p56lck and its potential substrates. Thus, the differences in the response of the CD4+ CD45RA+/- subsets to various stimuli and the expansion of T-cell subsets with distinct immunoregulatory programs may be governed by a pathway of tyrosine-mediated events.

IL-4 is a critical cytokine in the regulation of immune responses and genesis of atopy. Engagement of the IL-4R activates multiple signaling pathways, including the transcription factor Stat6. Stat6-deficient mice demonstrate the importance of this factor in lymphocyte proliferation, gene expression, and Th cell differentiation. Recently, a mutant Stat6 (Stat6VT) was generated that is transcriptionally active independent of IL-4 stimulation. To determine the ability of a constitutively active Stat6 to mimic IL-4-stimulated responses, we have generated transgenic mice expressing Stat6VT under control of the CD2 locus control region, restricting expression to lymphoid populations. The phenotype of Stat6VT transgenic mice is similar, but not identical, to IL-4 transgenic mice, suggesting a critical role for Stat6-independent signaling pathways in the generation of some IL-4 responses in vivo. The expression of a constitutively active Stat6 in vivo increases surface expression of IL-4-induced genes and increases serum levels of IgG1 and IgE, compared with nontransgenic mice. Stat6VT expression increases Th2 differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Stat6VT expression also dramatically alters homeostasis of peripheral lymphocyte populations resulting in decreased CD3(+) cells and increased B220(+) cells, compared with nontransgenic littermates. Altered T and B cell populations correlate with an activated phenotype and increased cell death in transgenic T cell, but not B cell, populations. Together these results suggest that expression of a constitutively active Stat6 has distinct effects on B and T lymphocytes.

Johne's disease of cattle is widespread and causes significant economic loss to producers. Control has been hindered by limited understanding of the immune response to the causative agent, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and lack of an effective vaccine and sensitive specific diagnostic assays. The present study was conducted to gain insight into factors affecting the immune response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. A persistent proliferative response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis purified protein derivative and soluble M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antigens was detected in orally infected neonatal calves 6 months postinfection (p.i.) by flow cytometry (FC). CD4(+) T cells with a memory phenotype (CD45R0(+)) expressing CD2CD2CD2(-) and a few WC1(-) CD2(+) gammadelta T cells expressed CD2CD2CD2CD2(+) and CD2(-), proliferated in cell cultures from some control and infected animals during the study, with and without antigen. The studies clearly show multicolor FC offers a consistent reliable way to monitor the evolution and changes in the immune response to M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis that occur during disease progression.

Bacterial isolates from the drinking water system of an Oregon coastal community were examined to assess the association of metal tolerance with multiple antibiotic resistance. Positive correlations between tolerance to high levels of Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ and multiple antibiotic resistance were noted among bacteria from distribution waters but not among bacteria from raw waters. Tolerances to higher levels of Al3+ and Sn2+ were demonstrated more often by raw water isolates which were not typically multiple antibiotic resistant. A similar incidence of tolerance to Cd2+ was demonstrated by isolates of both water types and was not associated with multiple antibiotic resistance. These results suggest that simultaneous selection phenomena occurred in distribution water for bacteria which exhibited unique patterns of tolerance to Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ and antibiotic resistance.

C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) is a chemokine receptor playing a pivotal role in the induction of human natural killer (NK)-cell migration to lymph nodes. We show that "licensed" peripheral blood killer immunoglobulin-like receptor-positive (KIR(+)) NK-cell populations, as well as KIR(+) NK-cell clones, de novo express CCR7 upon coculture with mature dendritic cells (mDCs) or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines. As a consequence, they become capable of migrating in response to the CCR7-specific chemokines C-C chemokine ligand (CCL)-19 and/or CCL21. The acquisition of CCR7 by NK cells requires direct cell-to-cell contact, is detectable within a few minutes, and is due to receptor uptake from CCR7(+) cells. This mechanism is tightly regulated by KIR-mediated recognition of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I as well as by adhesion molecules including leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and CD2. Analysis of NK-cell clones revealed that alloreactive (KIR-ligand mismatched) but not autologous NK cells acquire CCR7. These data have important implications in haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in which alloreactive NK cells may acquire the ability to migrate to secondary lymphoid compartments (SLCs), where they can kill recipient antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells thus preventing graft-versus-host (and host-versus-graft) reactions.

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and adults throughout the world. In the past 50 years, significant advances have been made in the identification and characterization of familial forms of nephrotic syndrome and FSGS. Resultant to these pursuits, several podocyte structural proteins such as nephrin, podocin, alpha-actinin 4 (ACTN4), and CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) have emerged to provide critical insight into the pathogenesis of hereditary nephrotic syndromes. The latest advance in familial FSGS has been the discovery of a mutant form of canonical transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6), which causes an increase in calcium transients and essentially a gain of function in this cation channel located on the podocyte cell membrane. The TRP ion channel family is a diverse group of cation channels united by a common primary structure which contains six membrane-spanning domains, with both carboxy and amino termini located intracellularly. TRP channels are unique in their ability to activate independently of membrane depolarization. TRPC6 channels have been shown to be activated via phospholipase C stimulation. The mechanisms by which mutant TRPC6 causes an increase in intracellular calcium and leads to glomerulosclerosis are unknown. Mutant TRPC6 may affect critical interactions with the aforementioned podocyte structural proteins, leading to abnormalities in the slit diaphragm or podocyte foot processes. Mutant TRPC6 may also amplify injurious signals mediated by Ang II, a common final pathway of podocyte apoptosis in various mammalian species. Current evidence also suggests that blocking TRPC6 channels may be of therapeutic benefit in idiopathic FSGS, a disease with a generally poor prognosis. Preliminary experiments reveal the commonly used immunosuppressive agent FK-506 can inhibit TRPC6 activity in vivo. This creates the exciting possibility that blocking TRPC6 channels within the podocyte may translate into long-lasting clinical benefits in patients with FSGS.

The regulation of mRNA encoding transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) in normal human T cells was explored using novel competitor DNA constructs in the quantitative polymerase chain reaction and accessory cell-independent T cell activation models. Our experimental design revealed the following: (a) TGF-beta mRNA and IL-2 mRNA are regulated differentially in normal human T cells, quiescent or signaled with the synergistic combinations of: sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol and ionomycin or anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and anti-CD2 mAb; (b) the steady-state level of TGF-beta mRNA in the stimulated T cells, in contrast to that of IL-2 mRNA, is increased by the immunosuppressant cyclosporine (CsA); and (c) the paradoxical effect of CsA on TGF-beta mRNA levels is also appreciable at the level of production of functionally active TGF-beta protein. Our findings, in addition to demonstrating the utility of the competitor DNA constructs for the precise quantification of immunoregulatory cytokines, suggest a novel and unifying mechanistic basis for the immunosuppression and some of the complications (e.g., renal fibrosis) associated with CsA usage.

The natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp) homologs form a family of proton-coupled transporters that facilitate the cellular absorption of divalent metal ions (Me2+, including Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, and Cd2+). The Nramp, or solute carrier 11 (SLC11), family is conserved in eukaryotes and bacteria. Humans and rodents express 2 parologous genes that are associated with iron disorders and immune diseases. The NRAMP1 (SLC11A1) protein is specific to professional phagocytes and extrudes Me2+ from the phagosome to defend against ingested microbes; polymorphisms in the NRAMP1 gene are associated with various immune diseases. Several isoforms of NRAMP2 (SLC11A2, DMT1, DCT1) are expressed ubiquitously in recycling endosomes or specifically at the apical membrane of epithelial cells in intestine and kidneys, and can contribute to iron overload, whereas mutations impairing NRAMP2 function cause a form of congenital microcytic hypochromic anemia. Structure-function studies, using various experimental models, and mutagenesis approaches have begun to reveal the overall transmembrane organization of Nramp, some of the transmembrane segments (TMS) that are functionally important, and an unusual mechanism coupling Me2+ and proton H+ transport. The approaches used include functional complementation of yeast knockout strains, electrophysiology analyses in Xenopus oocytes, and transport assays that use mammalian and bacterial cells and direct and indirect measurements of SLC11 transporter properties. These complementary studies enabled the identification of TMS1 and 6 as crucial structural segments for Me2+ and H+ symport, and will help develop a deeper understanding of the Nramp transport mechanism and its contribution to Me2+ homeostasis in human health and diseases.

Inactivation of currents carried by Ba2+ and Ca2+, as well as intramembrane charge movement from L-type Ca2+ channels were studied in guinea pig ventricular myocytes using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Prolonged (2 s) conditioning depolarization caused substantial reduction of charge movement between -70 and 10 mV (charge 1, or charge from noninactivated channels). In parallel, the charge mobile between -70 and -150 mV (charge 2, or charge from inactivated channels) was increased. The availability of charge 2 depended on the conditioning pulse voltage as the sum of two Boltzmann components. One component had a central voltage of -75 mV and a magnitude of 1.7 nC/microF. It presumably is the charge movement (charge 2) from Na+ channels. The other component, with a central voltage of approximately -30 mV and a magnitude of 3.5 nC/microF, is the charge 2 of L-type Ca2+ channels. The sum of charge 1 and charge 2 was conserved after different conditioning pulses. The difference between the voltage dependence of the activation of L-type Ca2+ channels (half-activation voltage, V, of approximately -20 mV) and that of charge 2 (V of -100 mV) made it possible to record the ionic currents through Ca2+ channels and charge 2 in the same solution. In an external solution with Ba2+ as sole metal the maximum available charge 2 of L-type Ca2+ channels was 10-15% greater than that in a Ca(2+)-containing solution. External Cd2+ caused 20-30% reduction of charge 2 both from Na+ and L-type Ca2+ channels. Voltage- and Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation phenomena were compared with a double pulse protocol in cells perfused with an internal solution of low calcium buffering capacity. As the conditioning pulse voltage increased, inactivation monitored with the second pulse went through a minimum at about 0 mV, the voltage at which conditioning current had its maximum. Charge 2, recorded in parallel, did not show any increase associated with calcium entry. Two alternative interpretations of these observations are: (a) that Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation does not alter the voltage sensor, and (b) that inactivation affects the voltage sensor, but only in the small fraction of channels that open, and the effect goes undetected. A model of channel gating that assumes the first possibility is shown to account fully for the experimental results. Thus, extracellular divalent cations modulate voltage-dependent inactivation of the Ca2+ channel. Intracellular Ca2+ instead, appears to cause inactivation of the channel without affecting its voltage sensor.

1. K+ and Ca2+ currents were recorded from enzymatically isolated type I cells of the neonatal rat carotid body, using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. The effects of intracellular acidosis, caused by bath application of anions of weak acids (propionate and acetate), were tested on these currents. 2. Bath application of propionate or acetate (10 or 20 mM) caused reversible reductions in K+ current amplitudes. These effects were maximal at low, positive test potentials where a shoulder in the current-voltage relationship occurs due to the activation of Ca(2+)-activated K+ currents. 3. Time-course studies showed propionate to cause a rapid initial reduction of K+ currents which recovered partially during its continued application. Removal of propionate produced small, transient overshoots of K+ current amplitudes. In the absence of propionate or acetate, bath application of the Na(+)-H+ exchange inhibitor amiloride caused slowly developing inhibition of K+ current amplitudes. 4. Changing extracellular pH from 7.4 to 8.0 increased K+ current amplitudes, but at this pHo propionate caused smaller reductions in K+ currents than at a pHo of 7.4. 5. In the presence of 0.1 mM-Cd2+, or in high-Mg2+ (6 mM), low-Ca2+ (0.1 mM) solutions, the residual, Ca(2+)-independent K+ currents were unaffected by 20 mM-propionate or acetate. 6. Ca2+ channel currents were also recorded, using 10 mM-Ba2+ as the charge carrier. These sustained currents were completely abolished by 0.1 mM-Cd2+ and were enlarged in the presence of 5 microM-Bay K 8644, suggesting that the currents passed through L-type Ca2+ channels. 7. Ca2+ channel currents were not significantly affected by intracellular acidosis caused by bath application of 10 mM-propionate or acetate. They were also unaffected by a reduction of the extracellular pH from 7.4 to 7.0. 8. It is concluded that intracellular acidosis selectively inhibits Ca(2+)-activated K+ currents in type I carotid body cells. The possible significance of this effect on chemotransduction in the intact carotid body is discussed.

The ability of human thymus-derived CD7+<em>CD2</em>-CD3- cells to acquire mature T cell antigens was assessed. Purified CD7+ thymocytes were incubated with rIL-1, rIL-2, and/or recombinant soluble <em>CD2</em>3 (rs<em>CD2</em>3). Short-term incubation of these cells with only rs<em>CD2</em>3 + rIL-1 induced mature T cell antigen expression on at least half of the cells. The induction of <em>CD2</em> was functionally significant, as these cells became able to respond to <em>CD2</em> triggering and could proliferate in response to IL-2. Possible sources of <em>CD2</em>3 in the thymus are under investigation.

Ca2+, "a signal of life and death", controls numerous cellular processes through interactions with proteins. An effective approach to understanding the role of Ca2+ is the design of a Ca2+-binding protein with predicted structural and functional properties. To design de novo Ca2+-binding sites in proteins is challenging due to the high coordination numbers and the incorporation of charged ligand residues, in addition to Ca2+-induced conformational change. Here, we demonstrate the successful design of a Ca2+-binding site in the non-Ca2+-binding cell adhesion protein CD2. This designed protein, Ca.CD2, exhibits selectivity for Ca2+ versus other di- and monovalent cations. In addition, La3+ (Kd 5.0 microM) and Tb3+ (Kd 6.6 microM) bind to the designed protein somewhat more tightly than does Ca2+ (Kd 1.4 mM). More interestingly, Ca.CD2 retains the native ability to associate with the natural target molecule. The solution structure reveals that Ca.CD2 binds Ca2+ at the intended site with the designed arrangement, which validates our general strategy for designing de novo Ca2+-binding proteins. The structural information also provides a close view of structural determinants that are necessary for a functional protein to accommodate the metal-binding site. This first success in designing Ca2+-binding proteins with desired structural and functional properties opens a new avenue in unveiling key determinants to Ca2+ binding, the mechanism of Ca2+ signaling, and Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion, while avoiding the complexities of the global conformational changes and cooperativity in natural Ca2+-binding proteins. It also represents a major achievement toward designing functional proteins controlled by Ca2+ binding.

Environmental and occupational exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and lead results in severe health hazards including prenatal and developmental defects. The deleterious effects of heavy metal ions have hitherto been attributed to their interactions with specific, particularly susceptible native proteins. Here, we report an as yet undescribed mode of heavy metal toxicity. Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+ proved to inhibit very efficiently the spontaneous refolding of chemically denatured proteins by forming high-affinity multidentate complexes with thiol and other functional groups (IC(50) in the nanomolar range). With similar efficacy, the heavy metal ions inhibited the chaperone-assisted refolding of chemically denatured and heat-denatured proteins. Thus, the toxic effects of heavy metal ions may result as well from their interaction with the more readily accessible functional groups of proteins in nascent and other non-native form. The toxic scope of heavy metals seems to be substantially larger than assumed so far.

How streptococcal M protein or other surface proteins of gram-positive bacteria are anchored to the cell is poorly understood. Previously, we reported that M protein released after cell wall removal with a muralytic enzyme lacked the COOH terminal hydrophobic amino acids and charged tail predicted from DNA sequence. An endogenous membrane anchor-cleaving enzyme has now been identified with the ability to release M protein from isolated streptococcal protoplasts. At pH 5.5 in the presence of 30% raffinose, the streptococcal cell wall may be removed with a muralytic enzyme without releasing M protein from the resulting protoplasts indicating that the M molecule is attached through the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Release of M molecules occurs when the M protein-charged protoplasts are placed in raffinose buffer at pH 7.4. Although Zn2+, Cd2+, Ca2+, PHMB, and pHMPS inhibit the activity of the releasing enzyme, the blocking activity of Zn2+, Cd2+, and Ca2+ are reversible while PHMB and pHMPS are irreversible. PHMB-treated protoplasts are unable to release M protein at pH 7.4. However, M protein is liberated from these protoplasts when mixed with those prepared from M- streptococci serving as an enzyme source. The supernatant from M- protoplasts is unable to release M protein from PHMB-inactivated M+ protoplasts, confirming that the anchor-cleaving enzyme is membrane bound. Thus, the M protein releasing activity appears to be the result of a thiol-dependent anchor-cleaving enzyme. Streptococcal membranes treated with sodium carbonate and Triton X-114 still retain the M protein verifying that it is an integral membrane molecule. Evidence also is presented indicating significant sequence similarity between M protein and certain GPI-anchored proteins in the region responsible for protein anchoring.

1. The gating properties of two types of Na+ channels were studied in neurones isolated from rat dorsal root ganglia using the whole cell variation of the patch electrode voltage-clamp technique. 2. Two types of Na+ currents (INa) were identified on the basis of their sensitivity to tetrodotoxin (TTX). One type was insensitive to TTX (up to 0.1 mM), while the other type was blocked by 1 nM of TTX. Whereas they were both insensitive to 50 microM Cd2+, a high concentration (2 mM) of Co2+ selectively inhibited the TTX-insensitive type. 3. The activation thresholds were about -60 and -40 mV for the TTX-sensitive and the TTX-insensitive INa, respectively. Activation of the TTX-sensitive INa developed with a sigmoidal time course which was described by m3 kinetics, whereas the activation of the TTX-insensitive INa was described by a single exponential function. A deactivation process, as measured by the tail current upon repolarization, followed an exponential decay in either type of INa. 4. The rate constant of activation indicated that under comparable membrane potential conditions, the TTX-insensitive channels open 4-5 times slower than the TTX-sensitive ones upon depolarization. Likewise, the rate constant of inactivation indicated that the TTX-insensitive channels inactivate 3-7 times more slowly than the TTX-sensitive ones upon repolarization. 5. The steady-state activation curve for the TTX-insensitive INa was shifted about 20 mV in the positive direction from that for the TTX-sensitive INa. 6. The steady-state inactivation curve for the TTX-insensitive INa as obtained with a 0.5 s prepulse was shifted about 26 mV in the positive direction from that for the TTX-sensitive INa, indicating a greater availability for the TTX-insensitive INa in depolarized membrane. However, on increasing the duration of prepulse, the inactivation curve for the TTX-insensitive INa, but not for the TTX-sensitive INa, shifted in the negative direction due to an extremely slow inactivation process in the TTX-insensitive INa. Consequently, an overlap between the activation and inactivation curves which causes a steady influx of Na+ (window current) became progressively reduce. 7. The time course of INa decay was best described by a single exponential process in either the TTX-sensitive or TTX-insensitive INa, whereas the development of inactivation and the recovery from inactivation, which were measured by a conventional double-pulse protocol, followed a second order process in either channel type.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

NK cell clones obtained from three different donors were tested for their ability to present soluble proteins to Ag-specific T cell clones. All NK clones were CD2+CD3-CD56+, whereas the expression of CD16 varied from clone to clone. The NK cell clones were able to process and present tetanus toxoid (TT) to TT-specific T cell clones in a class II HLA restricted manner. The capacity of NK cell clones to function as APC was also observed using the house dust mite allergen Der p I and the Der p I-derived peptide Val89-Cys117. As with EBV-transformed B cell line, NK cell clones could present the peptide 3-13 derived from the 65-kDa heat shock protein of Mycobacterium leprae, but they were unable to present the whole M. leprae Ag. Freshly isolated NK cells, IL-2-activated NK cells, and NK cell lines expanded in vitro could also process and present TT. The ability of the different NK populations to act as accessory cells correlated with their levels of class II HLA expression. These data demonstrate that NK cell clones can efficiently function as APC, however they may be restricted in the types of Ag that they can process.

According to Hille's modulated receptor hypothesis, benzocaine shares a common receptor with all other local anesthetics (LAs) in the voltage-gated Na+ channel. We tested this single receptor hypothesis using mutant muscle Na+ channels of mu1-I1575A, F1579A, and N1584A transiently expressed in Hek-293t cells. Both benzocaine and etidocaine are more effective at blocking mu1-N1584A current than the wild-type current, while they are less potent at blocking mu1-F1579A current. Such concurrent changes of both benzocaine and etidocaine potency towards F1579A and N1584A mutants suggest that they share a common LA receptor. Consistent with results found in studies of native Na+ channels, permanently charged QX-314 at 1 mM is not effective at blocking wild-type, F1579A, and N1584A current via external application. In contrast, QX-314 is relatively potent at blocking I1575A current when applied externally. This increased potency of external QX-314 against the mu1-I1575A mutant has been reported previously in a study of the brain counterpart. Mutant I1575A also appears to be highly sensitive to the external divalent cation Cd2+, probably because of the presence of cysteine residues near the mu1-I1575 position in the IV-S6 segment. To our surprise, neutral benzocaine becomes more effective at blocking mu1-I1575A current than the wild-type current, whereas the opposite is found for etidocaine. We hypothesize that an increase in accessibility of external QX-314 to the mu1-I1575A mutant is accompanied by a reduction of binding towards the charged amine component.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against the T cell differentiation antigen CD2CD2CD2CD2CD2 antibody. In this report, we show that antibodies directed against different epitopes on the CD2 antigen can synergize with anti-CD2CD2CD2 antibodies can be induced in the absence of accessory cells and is accompanied by the production of IL2 and the expression of IL2 receptors. We were unable to induce detectable Ca2+ mobilization through the simultaneous binding of anti-CD2CD2 mAb. Taken together, these data show that IL2-dependent proliferation can be induced through the simultaneous binding of anti-CD2CD2 antibodies, possibly through phosphatidyl inositol-independent pathways. The observations may provide further insight into the activation mechanisms of human T cells.

HIV-1 Tat has been shown to have an inhibitory effect on the Ag-specific responsiveness of human peripheral T cells. We have previously demonstrated that this retroviral protein binds to and partially inhibits the enzymatic activity of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase type IV (DP IV), also known as <em>CD2</em>6, which is expressed on a variety of mammalian tissue, including T lymphocytes. A number of studies have implicated a role for DP IV in the activation of T lymphocytes. By utilizing HIV-1 Tat, as well as ProboroPro, a potent and specific boronic acid analog inhibitor of DP IV, we show here that blocking DP IV partially inactivates Ag and anti-CD3-mediated T cell proliferation. Neither mitogen nor anti-<em>CD2</em> mediated proliferation of T lymphocytes, however, is impaired by blocking DP IV. The target molecule for the inhibition induced by both compounds was confirmed by the finding that soluble DP IV neutralized the reduced Ag responsiveness. The Ag-specific inhibition could be overcome by the addition of exogenous IL-2, suggesting that blocking or inactivation of DP IV results in a state of anergy, probably by interfering with the delivery or amplification of a signal necessary for IL-2 production. This is further substantiated by the finding that costimulation of human PBMC via the <em>CD2</em>8 molecule, which initiates a non-TCR-dependent signaling pathway, overcomes the reduced Ag responsiveness induced by Tat and ProboroPro. The fact that ProboroPro has no impact on stimulation of T cells with PMA and ionomycin implies that blocking DP IV is influencing events before the activation of protein kinase C and Ca2+ flux. These results suggest that DP IV is necessary for amplification of signals generated by the engagement of the TCR-CD3 complex by nominal Ag.

A differential effect is found of various bivalent cations (Ba2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+ and Hg2+) on stability of intermolecular Py-Pu-Pu triplex with different sequence of base triads. Ca2+, Mg2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ do stabilize the d(C)n d(G)n d(G)n triplex whereas Ba2+ and Hg2+ do not. Ba2+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Hg2+ destabilize the d(TC)n d(GA)n d(AG)n triplex whereas Cd2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ stabilize it. The complexes we observe are rather stable because they do not dissociate during time of gel electrophoresis in the co-migration experiments. Chemical probing experiments with dimethyl sulfate as a probe indicate that an arbitrary homopurine-homopyrimidine sequence forms triplex with corresponding purine oligonucleotide in the presence of Mn2+ or Zn2+, but not Mg2+. In the complex the purine oligonucleotide has antiparallel orientation with respect to the purine strand of the duplex. Specifically, we have shown the formation of the Py-Pu-Pu triplex in a fragment of human papilloma virus HPV-16 in the presence of Mn2+.

CD69 is a phosphorylated disulfide-linked homodimer that appears on the surface of human T, B cells and thymocytes in the early steps of activation; its molecular mass is 28 to 34 kDa under reducing conditions. This molecule is able to mediate positive signals to the lymphocytes as the anti-CD69 mAb (MLR3, AIM, Leu 23) in synergism with phorbol esters induce IL-2 production and proliferation of lymphocytes. Here we show that this molecule is associated to a GTP binding protein that is a substrate for Bordetella pertussis toxin. The relevance of CD69 in the activation process is also suggested by the broad range of signals able to modulate CD69 on T cells. In fact, not only the mitogens or the CD3-promoted activation, but also the alternative pathways mediated by <em>CD2</em> or <em>CD2</em>8 are accompanied by CD69 expression; moreover a very rapid and transient appearance of CD69 on the cell surface is observed also in response to a stimulus not specifically involved in T cell activation such as heat shock. Finally we demonstrate that CD69 is present in the cytoplasm of nonactivated T cells; accordingly its surface expression at the onset of activation is independent on a new RNA or protein synthesis.

Protein kinase D (PKD) is an antigen receptor-activated serine kinase localized at either the plasma membrane or the cytosol of lymphocytes. To probe PKD function at these different locations, transgenesis was used to target active PKD either to the membrane or cytosol of pre-T cells. In recombinase gene null pre-T cells, membrane and cytosolic active PKD both induced differentiation reminiscent of beta selection: downregulation of CD2CD2 and CD5. Active PKDs also induced pre-T cell proliferation, although this response was not universal to all thymocyte subsets. There were two striking differences between the actions of the differentially localized PKDs. Membrane but not cytosolic PKD could induce expression of CD8 and CD4 in recombinase null mice; cytosolic but not membrane PKD suppressed Vbeta to DJbeta rearrangements of the TCRbeta chain locus in wild-type T cells. PKD function is thus determined by its intracellular location and cell context.

The conventional formula for relating CD2 average order parametersto average methylenic travelis flawed when compared to molecular dynamics simulations of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. Inspired by the simulated probability distribution functions, a new formula is derived that satisfactorily relates these quantities. This formula is used to obtain the average chain length, and the result agrees with the direct simulation result for. The simulation also yields a hydrocarbon thickness 2. The result=is consistent with a model of chain packing with both early chain termination and partial interdigitation of chains from opposing monolayers. The actual simulated area per lipid is easily obtained from the order parameters. However, when this method is applied to NMR order parameter data from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, the resulting is 10% larger than the currently accepted value.