Hiroshi Shinmoto

Differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 by microbial extracellular glycolipids

Microbial extracellular glycolipids, succinoyl trehalose lipid (STL), and mannosylerythritol lipid (MEL) inhibited the growth of a human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL60, and induced their morphological changes. The results of specific and nonspecific leukocyte esterase activities showed that STL induced monocytotic differentiation while MEL induced granulocytic differentiation. STL and MEL markedly increased common differentiation-associated characteristics in monocytes and granulocytes, such as nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reducing ability, expression of Fc receptors, and phagocytic activities in HL60 cells, respectively. Neither sugar moieties nor fatty acids in the free form, the individual components of STL and MEL, were effective at inducing the differentiation of HL60 cells. The induction of differentiation was not due to surface activities of STL and MEL on the basis of the complete ineffectiveness of the analogues tested. The composition of cell surface glycosphingolipids (GSL) changed such that the GM3/LacCer ratio increased in STL-treated cells, whereas it decreased in MEL-treated cells. HL60 cells treated with STL and MEL exhibited a significant decrease in the activity of the intracellular phospholipid- and Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). Furthermore, the serine/threonine phosphorylations in intact HL60 cells were clearly inhibited by the presence of GM3 and MEL, but not by LacCer and STL. These results suggest that the differentiation-inducing activity of STL and MEL is not due to a simple detergent-like effect but due to a specific action on the plasma membrane. The inhibitory effect of STL on protein kinase activity was through increasing GM3, but MEL had a direct inhibitory effect.

Phloretin-induced apoptosis in B16 melanoma 4A5 cells by inhibition of glucose transmembrane transport

Phloretin, a naturally occurring dihydrochalcone, is known to inhibit tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. To clarify the anti-tumor effects of phloretin, its apoptosis-inducing effects in B16 melanoma 4A5 cells were examined. Phloretin induced the internucleosomal DNA fragmentation typical of apoptosis in B16 melanoma cells. The addition of extracellular glucose remarkably inhibited the phloretin-induced apoptosis in the cells. When apoptosis was strongly induced in the B16 cells by phloretin, protein kinase C activity was inhibited in the cells. Our results suggest that phloretin induced apoptosis in B16 melanoma 4A5 cells mainly through the inhibition of glucose transmembrane transport. Inhibition of protein kinase C activity by phloretin probably promotes the ratio of apoptotic cells in the cells.

Stimulation of cell growth in the U-937 human myeloid cell line by honey royal jelly protein

Royal jelly was fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography and a protein (DIII protein) that had growth stimulating activity to the U-937 human myeloid cell line was obtained. The molecular weight of the DIII protein was 58 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The growth stimulating activity of the DIII protein was shown to be relatively heat and pH stable.

Growth stimulation with honey royal jelly DIII protein of human lymphocytic cell lines in a serum-free medium

The growth stimulating effects of a royal jelly protein (DIII protein) were studied. The DIII protein stimulated the growth of five human lymphocytic cell lines in serum-free conditions. Cell cycle analysis showed that U-937 cells cultured with the DIII protein did not arrest to the G1 phase. Furthermore, a binding assay using europium-labeled DIII protein showed U-937 cells had a large number of low affinity receptors on the cell surface.

Succinoyl trehalose lipid induced differentiation of human monocytoid leukemic cell line U937 into monocyte-macrophages

A novel type of succinoyl trehalose lipid (STL-1) prepared from n-hexadecane-culture ofRhodococcus erythropolis SD-74 markedly inhibited the growth of a human monocytoid leukemic cell line, U937, and induced its morphological alteration along a monocyte-macrophage lineage. STL-1 markedly increased differentiation-associated characteristics in macrophage, such as nitroblue tetrazolium reducing ability, appearance of Fc receptor, phagocytic activities in U937. Furthermore, U937 cells, which were activated with STL-1 exhibited cytotoxic activity against human lung carcinoma cell line A549. However, STL-1 did not affect growth of a normal human fetal lung cell line TIG-1. The individual components of STL-1, neither sugar moiety nor fatty acids in the free form, were effective at inducing the differentiation of U937 cell. From these results, we concluded that STL-1 has low cytotoxicity against normal human cells and the ester molecule itself is responsible for the activity of inducing differentiation of human monocytoid leukemic cell line U937 into monocyte-macrophage which results in the stimulation of the production of some cytotoxic substances.

The neurite-initiating effect of microbial extracellular glycolipids in PC12 cells

The effects of several kinds of microbial extracellular glycolipids on neurite initiation in PC12 cells were examined. Addition of mannosylerythritol lipid-A (MEL-A), MEL-B, and sophorose lipid (SL) to PC12 cells caused significant neurite outgrowth. Other glycolipids, such as polyol lipid (PL), rhamnose lipid (RL), succinoyl trehalose lipid-A (STL-A) and STL-B caused no neurite-initiation. MEL-A increased acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity to an extent similar to nerve growth factor (NGF). However, MEL-A induced one or two long neurites from the cell body, while NGF induced many neurites. In addition, MEL-A-induced differentiation was transient, and after 48 h, percentage of cells with neurites started to decrease in contrast to neurons induced by NGF, which occurred in a time-dependent manner. MEL-A could induce neurite outgrowth after treatment of PC12 cells with an anti-NGF receptor antibody that obstructed NGF action. These results indicate that MEL-A and NGF induce differentiation of PC12 cells through different mechanisms.

A Novel Method for Producing a Foodstuff from Defatted Black Sesame Seed That Inhibits Allergen Absorption

A method is proposed to produce a foodstuff that inhibits allergen absorption through the intestinal tract. Defatted black sesame (Sesamum indicum) seeds as a starting material were hydrolyzed with a crude preparation of trypsin at 40°C and pH 8 for 3 hrs while gently stirring to generate an active peptide. The resulting hydrolysate was heated to inactivate the trypsin and make the active components soluble. An extract was obtained by centrifugation and then freeze-dried. Ser-Asn-Ala-Leu-Val-Ser-Pro-Asp-Trp-Ser-Met-Thr-Gly-His (compound 1) as an active peptide, and sesamino1 2′-O-β-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-[β-glucopyranosyl(1→6)]-O-β-glucopyranoside (compound 2) and sesamino1 2′-O-β-glucopyranosyl (1→2)-O-β-glucopyranoside (compound 3) were identified as active lignan glycosides in an in vitro model by using Caco-2 cells. Compound 1 was active at 10−7 M and compounds 2 and 3 at 10−5 M.

Establishment of a mouse hybrid-hybridoma secreting bispecific antibodies to bovine lactoferrin and horseradish peroxidase

A mouse hybridoma HS@03A secreting anti-horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) monoclonal antibodies (IgG1) was established. A HAT sensitive clone of HS@03A was obtained by culturing the hybridoma cells in a 6-thioguanine supplemented medium. The resulting clone 03AR10-2 was fused with a 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine resistant (HAT sensitive) clone of a mouse hybridoma HB8852 secreting anti-bovine lactoferrin (bLF) antibodies. Hybrid-hybridomas secreting bispecific antibodies were selected and a hybrid-hybridoma clone HH1-4-3 was established. The bispecific antibodies secreted by the hybrid-hybridoma HH1-4-3 were found to be useful for the analysis of bLF by competitive ELISA.

Protein-free culture of a human-human hybridoma HB4C5

A human-human hybridoma HB4C5 secreting human IgM class monoclonal antibody was examined for possible adaptation to a protein-free medium. HB4C5 could be cultured for more than two months in a protein-free medium without any significant changes in antibody production.

Preparation of a Bispecific Antibody to Ovomucoid and Horseradish Peroxidase

We prepared a bispecific antibody reactive to ovomucoid (OM) and horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) by a chemical recombination method. Hybridomas, HS@03A (anti HRPO) and HS@07A (anti OM), were cultured in a CELLMAX artificial capillary system with MPS module in a serum free medium. Purified antibodies (IgGl) were digested with immobilized ficin and resulting F(ab’)2 fragments were reduced with 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride followed by treatment with Ellman’s reagent to form stable Fab’-TNB-derivatives. Anti-HRPO Fab’-TNB was reduced again, reacted with anti-OM Fab’-TNB and we obtained a bispecific F(ab’)2 antibody. The bispecific antibody gave a good standard curve in a competitive ELISA at OM concentrations of 0.1 to 100 μ/ml.