Bibliothek

Notizen: Abstract: In most demyelinating diseases, macrophages are believed to be active agents of myelin destruction. In experimental encephalomyelitis, these cells appear to strip off and ingest the myelin lamellae, and myelin debris has been observed within the cell body. We show here in vitro conditions in which rat peritoneal macrophages phagocytose and metabolize CNS myelin lipids. Purified rat myelin, prelabeled in vivo with [14C]acetate, was incubated with preimmune serum or rabbit antiserum to rat CNS myelin and added to macrophage monolayers. Myelin opsonized with antimyelin antibodies was more readily phagocytosed and metabolized by cultured macrophages than untreated myelin or that preincubated with preimmune serum. In the presence of macrophages, levels of myelin polar lipids and cholesterol decreased, whereas radioactive cholesterol ester and triglyceride accumulated. Up to five times as much radioactive cholesterol ester and about twice as much triglyceride accumulated in macrophage cultures containing antibody-treated myelin as in cultures fed preimmune serum-treated myelin or in those incubated with untreated myelin. Both the fatty acid and the cholesterol from cholesterol ester contained radioactive label: therefore, both were derived at least partly from the radioactive myelin lipid. Antiserum to myelin purified from peripheral nerve was almost as effective as that to CNS myelin in stimulating cholesterol metabolism, whereas antiserum to galactocerebroside was about 70% as active. Antiserum to basic protein had less effect, whereas antiserum to the myelin-associated glycoprotein and proteolipid protein was inactive. Of the polar lipids, ethanolamine phosphatide was most degraded in both the antiserum- and preimmune serum-treated myelin, with the diacyl form and plasmalogen form degraded about equally. These experiments indicate that myelin-specific antibodies in inflammatory CNS lesions may participate in and stimulate macrophage-mediated demyelination.

Notizen: Abstract: Peripheral nervous system myelin contains as the major structural protein a glycoprotein known as P0. Another glycoprotein present in smaller amounts, known as the 19K or X protein, has been previously identified as derived from P0 and identical with the main tryptic degradation product of P0 (TP0). Although both P0 and 19K protein incorporated fucose in vitro and stained on polyacrylamide gels with the periodic acid-Schiff stain for carbohydrate, only the P0 blotted to nitrocellulose paper showed immunoreactivity to an antibody to P0, whereas the 19K protein did not. Furthermore, when P0 was hydrolyzed with trypsin or elastase, the main degradation products reacted with P0 on immunoblots, whereas the 19K protein showed no immunoreactivity. From these studies and those of others, it may be concluded that the 19K protein shows some similarities to TP0, but probably has a different structure. P0 and 19K protein do not appear to be related as shown by lack of cross-immunoreac-tivity.

Notizen: Abstract: The enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine: dolichyl phosphate, N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase initiates the synthesis of the oligosaccharide chain of complex-type glycoproteins. In view of the high content of glycoprotein in peripheral nerve myelin, the properties of this enzyme, its changes with age, and the effect of the specific inhibitor tunicamycin were investigated. The enzyme activity in rat peripheral nerve homogenate was completely dependent on the presence of exogenous dolichyl phosphate as well as Mg2+ and a detergent (Triton X-100) and was also greatly stimulated by a high salt concentration (0.4 M KCl) and AMP. The highest specific activity was present in the postmitochondrial membranes. The specific activity in postmitochondrial membranes in the presence of exogenous dolichyl phosphate reached a maximum at 17 days and remained relatively high throughout development, up to 2 years of age, but the activity was much lower when dolichyl phosphate was not added. This indicates that the enzyme level does not decrease with age, but that the content of the lipid cofactor may limit glycoprotein synthesis in vivo. Tunicamycin (5 μg) was injected intraneurally into 24-day-old rat sciatic nerve, and the enzyme was assayed from 1 to 24 days after injection. The specific activity of the transferase remained at low levels (5–40% of the level in control nerve) in most injected nerves assayed throughout this postinjection period. A protein previously identified as the unglycosylated P0 protein was synthesized in vitro by the tunicamycin-injected nerve and could be demonstrated to be incorporated into myelin in large amounts at 2 days and in small amounts at 6 days after injection. At 11 days, the protein was synthesized but not incorporated into myelin, and morphological examination showed evidence of myelin disintegration at 14 and 30 days after tunicamycin injection. These results indicate an important role for the enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:dolichyl phosphate, N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase in the synthesis of P0 in peripheral nerve myelin. The activity of this enzyme may be a limiting factor in the maintenance of the nerve.

Notizen: A neutral protease present in inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes of rats with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), rats injected with Freund's adjuvant, and rats that are normal has been found to hydrolyze basic protein present in purified brain and spinal cord myelin. The enzyme has been enriched by ammonium sulfate precipitation, and its properties have been studied. The protease activity toward different substrates was very specific and decreased in the following order: Protamine sulfate = polylysine (MW 183,000) 〉 myelin basic protein 〉 histone 〉 polylysine (MW 2000) 〉 polyarginine 〉 cytochrome c. Other proteins including casein, freshly denatured hemoglobin, egg albumin, bovine serum albumin, and ribonuclease were ineffective as substrates. The pH curve showed a peak at pH 7 for rat myelin, isolated beef basic protein, and histone. A possible role for this enzyme in demyelination in acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis is suggested.

Notizen: —The metabolic activity of proteins from myelin and non-myelin fractions of slices of lesions in monkey brains and in spinal cords of Lewis rats with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was investigated using [1-14C]leucine as a protein precursor. The uptake in vitro of [1-14C]leucine into the monkey EAE lesions was greatly increased in both the myelin and non-myelin fractions. Similar findings were made in spinal cord slices of the EAE rat with an average specific activity 341 per cent of control measured in proteins of purified myelin and 415 per cent of control in the non-myelin protein. The increased uptake appeared with the onset of paralytic symptoms 10–14 days after injection. The increased uptake did not appear to be a result of an increased amino acid pool size as measured with uniformly labelled l-leucine, valine, arginine and phenylalanine. The increase in specific activity of the myelin protein of the EAE rats was shown to be associated with the peaks characteristic of myelin protein when separated on polyacrylamide gels and the serial slices counted. Most of the radioactivity of both the control and EAE myelin protein migrated with the high molecular weight fraction, and the largest increase in radioactivity in myelin protein appeared in this fraction. Some increase in specific activity was also found in the basic and proteolipid proteins. Four different guinea-pig antigens were used to induce EAE: whole spinal cord, purified basic protein, purified myelin and basic protein + cerebroside. All caused paralytic symptoms and greatly increased incorporation in vitro of [1-14C]leucine into spinal cord proteins. The incorporation of [1-14C]leucine into slices of the inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes of the EAE and Freund's adjuvant control rats were measured and compared with the incorporation into the spinal cord non-myelin fractions. The specific activity of lymph node proteins was of the order of 10 × that of the non-myelin protein of the control spinal cord. Invasion of a moderate number of cells of the order of activity of these lymph nodes could account for the large increase in rate of protein synthesis in the EAE nervous tissue. It is concluded that much of the increased protein synthesis could be due to the inflammatory cells, although a small amount of the total increase appears to be associated with myelin protein. Other changes in metabolism of the CNS tissue of the EAE rat include a lower rate of lipid synthesis and a decreased activity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Notizen: Abstract— Visible lesions from monkeys with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by injection of purified myelin basic protein were assayed for acid proteinase, for a neutral proteinase at pH 6·5, and one lesion was measured for cathepsin A. Acid proteinase was increased to 152–176 per cent of levels in normal-appearing brain areas, neutral proteinase increased to 220–258 per cent, and the one lesion assayed for cathepsin A was 840 per cent of control. These enzymes were measured in the brain stem of Lewis rats with acute EAE as a result of basic protein injection and compared to Freund's adjuvant-injected controls. Acid proteinase was increased significantly to an average level of 128 per cent of control, the increase in neutral proteinase was not significant, and cathepsin A levels were 258 per cent of control, a highly significant increase. The rise in cathepsin A levels was not seen until the onset of paralytic symptoms. The brain stem of Wistar rats treated with whole spinal cord which show EAE in a milder form than the Lewis rat did not contain significantly higher enzyme levels than the control. The increases in acid proteinase and cathepsin A in brain stems were compared to levels of these enzymes in lymph nodes of EAE, Freund's adjuvant-injected controls and uninjected controls. The level of acid proteinase of lymph nodes/g protein did not change appreciably in the course of EAE development in the Lewis and Wistar rats and was about 3–4 times the activity in the brain stem. The cathepsin A in the inguinal lymph nodes of Wistar and Lewis rats injected with whole spinal cord in Freund's adjuvant increases to a level 2× that of the lymph nodes of the uninjected control. The cathepsin A levels in these activated lymph nodes was 6–8 × that of the control brain stem. The lymph nodes of Lewis and Wistar rats injected with Freund's adjuvant alone showed the same increase in cathepsin A as those from rats injected with spinal cord. The brain stem of rats undergoing severe demyelination as a result of chronic administration of triethyl tin did not show the enzyme increases. These results are compatible with the theory that proteolytic enzyme increases in EAE (and probably multiple sclerosis) are due to the invasion of mononuclear cells, some of which are probably lymphocytes. Whether or not these enzymes participate in the actual dissolution of myelin is unknown.

Notizen: The metabolism of myelin undergoing breakdown as a result of edema induced by chronic administration of triethyl tin (TET) dissolved in the drinking water (10 mg/l.) was examined. The spinal cord showed more edema and loss of myelin than the brain. Uptake in vitro of [1-14C]acetate into myelin lipids of slices of brain or spinal cord from TET-treated rats was depressed until 4–5 weeks after the beginning of the regime, then rose to above normal levels. The uptake of [l-14C]leucine into myelin protein rose within several weeks of TET treatment to levels averaging over 300 per cent of normal and remained high even after the TET was removed. The high levels of [l-14C]leucine incorporation were inhibited by cycloheximide and were not explained by an increase in the size of the free amino acid pool. The three classes of myelin proteins, basic, proteolipid protein, and Wolfgram protein shared in the increased incorporation. Spinal cord myelin showed the greatest metabolic response, brain stem myelin less, and myelin from the forebrain was minimally affected by the TET treatment. Myelin prelabelled by intracisternal injection of [l-14C]acetate and [l-14C]leucine before the onset of TET administration showed faster turnover in myelin proteins in relation to the myelin lipids than the control in the most severely affected animals, but not in others less affected. A ‘floating fraction’ was observed floating on 10.5% (w/v) sucrose during the myelin purification. This fraction showed metabolic characteristics typical of myelin, and myelin-labelling studies at various stages of the animal's development showed it to be derived from recently synthesized myelin. The floating fraction from the brain contained less cerebroside and more lecithin than myelin, while the spinal cord floating fraction composition was much like that of myelin. The floating fractions contained less protein typical of myelin (basic and proteolipid protein) and more highmolecular-weight protein which may have been derived from contaminating microsomes. The floating fraction was presumed to be partially deproteinated myelin. The use of TET-treatment as model for demyelination as a result of edema and proceeding in the absence of macrophages is discussed.

Notizen: Spinal cord polysomes were prepared from 15-day-old rats, 3-month-old rats, and adult triethyl tin-fed and control rats by a procedure adapted from that of Zomzely-Neurathet al. (1973) for brain polysomes. The state of aggregation and the activity in a cell-free system supplemented with a hepatic enzyme fraction were studied with these preparations. The properties of the amino acid-incorporating system in spinal cord polysomes were similar to those of brain systems with respect to rapid incorporation in the first 30 min of incubation, dependence on polysomes and supplementary enzymes, sensitivity to emetine and high Mg2+, and relative insensitivity to cycloheximide. Polysomes from 15-day-old rats were more highly aggregated than those from 3-month-old rats, but incorporation of radioactive amino acids was not different in the preparations from the two age groups with respect to the requirement for the supplementary enzyme fraction or the kinetics. Spinal cord polysomes prepared from rats with chronic triethyl tin-induced edema and demyelination were slightly more aggregated than those from the controls. Average increases of 30% in amino acid incorporating activity were observed in spinal cord polysomes from triethyl tin-fed rats compared to those of controls. Similar increases have been shown previously in fractions from the spinal cord slice, especially in the myelin fraction (Smith, 1973). Spinal cord polysomes from rats in two stages of development and in different experimentally-caused physiological states behaved differently within the limits of our in vitro system.

Notizen: —Incubation of slices of rat central nervous system in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer produced a lipoprotein fraction which floated on 10·5% sucrose after homogenization of the slices and centrifugation. This fraction was not found after homogenization and centrifugation of fresh tissue and appeared to depend upon incubation. The amount of the light fraction increased in the following order per 100-mg slice: cerebrum 〈 thalamic area 〈 cerebellum 〈 brain stem 〈 spinal cord. The lipid composition of this fraction was similar to that of myelin, but contained a lower protein content compared to myelin of the corresponding area. This fraction was termed ‘dissociated myelin’. Upon incubation of slices a portion of the basic protein was lost from myelin subsequently isolated, and the dissociated fraction was slightly enriched in basic protein. The distribution of myelin protein among the characteristic three groups (basic, proteolipid and high mol. wt.) was quite different in myelin from spinal cord compared to that from other CNS area. Spinal cord myelin contained about 17% protein compared to about 23% in cerebrum, with brain stem myelin intermediate (19%), and the difference appeared to be due to lesser amounts of proteolipid in the caudal areas. The amount of dissociation after incubation was about 3–5 per cent of the total myelin in the cerebral cortex, 10 per cent in the thalamic area, 20 per cent in cerebellum, 35 per cent in the brain stem, and around 45 per cent in spinal cord. The smaller amount of proteolipid protein in spinal cord myelin may result in a deficiency of cohesive forces holding lipids and proteins together, thus causing greater instability and dissociation. Myelin dissociation increased with time of incubation up to 3 h, was augmented by Ca2+, and was substantial at pH 11, reaching a peak at pH 7, then decreased in the acid range. A similar fraction has been isolated previously from fresh CNS tissue made edematous by chronic treatment of rats with triethyl tin. The possible relationship of swelling in the disease process and myelin dissociation are discussed.

Notizen: Abstract: The effect of an inhibitor of N-glycosylation of glycoproteins, tunicamycin, on synthesis of PNS myelin proteins was investigated in vitro by using chopped sciatic nerves or spinal roots of 21-day-old Wistar rats. Tunicamycin when incubated with these nerves in the presence of 3H-labeled fucose, mannose, or glucosamine inhibited the uptake of radioactivity into myelin proteins including some high-molecular-weight proteins, P0, 23K protein, and 19K protein by amounts ranging from 42 to 79%. Uptake of 14Camino acid mixture was inhibited much less by tunicamycin, but a new radioactive protein peak appeared when the protein mixtures had been separated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. This protein ran directly in front of the P0 peak, did not correspond to any bands stained by Fast green, and was not labeled by fucose. This peak appeared in increasing larger proportions with progressive time of incubation of nerves with 3H amino acids in the presence of tunicamycin. The new protein, which cross-reacts with P0 antiserum, was tentatively identified as a nonglycosylated P0 protein that appears to be almost as well incorporated as P0 into the subcellular fraction containing myelin. At this time it is not possible to determine whether the unglycosylated P0 is actually assembled into a site and configuration like that of P0.