Human sleeping sickness in east Africa is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. The basis of this pathology is the resistance of these parasites to lysis by normal human serum (NHS). Resistance to NHS is conferred by a gene that encodes a truncated form of the variant surface glycoprotein termed serum resistance associated protein (SRA). We show that SRA is a lysosomal protein, and that the amino-terminal alpha-helix of SRA is responsible for resistance to NHS. This domain interacts strongly with a carboxy-terminal alpha-helix of the human-specific serum protein apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I). Depleting NHS of apoL-I, by incubation with SRA or anti-apoL-I, led to the complete loss of trypanolytic activity. Addition of native or recombinant apoL-I either to apoL-I-depleted NHS or to fetal calf serum induced lysis of NHS-sensitive, but not NHS-resistant, trypanosomes. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that apoL-I is taken up through the endocytic pathway into the lysosome. We propose that apoL-I is the trypanosome lytic factor of NHS, and that SRA confers resistance to lysis by interaction with apoL-I in the lysosome.

Competition experiments with [3 H]mepyramine showed that cetirizine and its enantiomers, levocetirizine and (S)-cetirizine, bound with high affinity and stereoselectivity to human H 1 histamine receptors (K i values of 6, 3, and 100 nM, respectively). Cetirizine and levocetirizine were 600-fold more selective for H 1 receptors compared with a panel of receptors and channels. Binding results indicated that the interaction between cetirizine, its enantiomers, and histamine is compatible with a competitive behavior, in contrast with the noncompetitive profile of cetirizine and levocetirizine observed in isolated organs. Binding kinetics provided a suitable explanation for this observation, because levocetirizine dissociated from H 1 receptors with a half-time of 142 min; that of (S)-cetirizine was only 6 min, implying that the former could act as a pseudo-irreversible antagonist in functional studies. The carboxylic function of levocetirizine seemed responsible for its long dissociation time. Indeed, hydroxyl or methyl ester analogs dissociated more rapidly from H 1 receptors, with half-times of 31 min and 7 min, respectively. The importance of the carboxylic function of levocetirizine for the interaction with the H 1 receptor was further supported by the results from the mutation of Lys 191 to Ala 191 . This mutation decreased the dissociation half-time of levocetirizine from 142 to 13 min and reduced its affinity from 3 to 12 nM, whereas the affinity and dissociation kinetics of hydroxyl and methyl ester analogs were hardly affected. The mutation of Thr 194 reduced the binding stereoselectivity by selectively enhancing the affinity of the distomer.

E-cadherin is involved in the formation of cell-junctions and the maintenance of epithelial integrity. Direct evidence of E-cadherin mutations triggering tumorigenesis has come from the finding of inactivating germline mutations of the gene (CDH1) in hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). We screened a series of 66 young gastric cancer probands for germline CDH1 mutations, and two novel missense alterations together with an intronic variant were identified. We then analysed the functional significance of the two exonic missense variants found here as well as a third germline missense variant that we previously identified in a HGDC family. cDNAs encoding either the wild-type protein or mutant forms of E-cadherin were stably transfected into CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) E-cadherin-negative cells. Transfected cell-lines were characterized in terms of aggregation, motility and invasion. We show that a proportion of apparently sporadic early-onset diffuse gastric carcinomas are associated with germline alterations of the E-cadherin gene. We also demonstrate that a proportion of missense variants are associated with significant functional consequences, suggesting that our cell model can be used as an adjunct in deciding on the potential pathogenic role of identified E-cadherin germline alterations.

The cDNA encoding human myeloperoxidase carries three ATG codons in frame; 144,111 and 66 bp upstream from the proprotein DNA sequence. In order to determine the most efficient signal sequence, three cDNA modules starting at each of the ATG were cloned into an eucaryotic expression vector and stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines. In all three cases, recombinant human myeloperoxidase (recMPO) was secreted into the culture medium of transfected cells, indicating that each of the signal peptides functions efficiently. One of the recombinant cell lines, which was amplified using methotrexate, overexpresses enzymatically active recMPO up to 6 pg * ml-' * day-'. The recombinant product was purified by a combination of ion-exchange and metalchelate chromatography, and characterized in terms of molecular mass, amino-terminal amino acid analysis, glycosylation, physicochemical properties and biological activity. The data show that recMPO is secreted essentially as a monomeric, heme-containing, single-chain precursor of 84 kDa which exhibits peroxidase activity. Aminoterminal analysis indicated that cleavage of the signal peptide occurs between amino acids 48 and 49. In addition, recMPO appeared to be glycosylated up to the last stage of sialylation, to an extent similar to that of the natural enzyme. Specific activity measurements as well as stability data, in various pH, temperature, ionic strength and reducing conditions, indicated that the recombinant single-chain enzyme behaves essentially in the same way as the natural two-chain molecule. Finally, recMPO was shown to exert potent cytotoxicity towards Escherichiu coli when provided with its physiological substrates, i. e. hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions.

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The involvement of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in various inflammatory conditions has been the scope of many recent studies. Besides its well studied catalytic activity, the role of its overall structure and glycosylation pattern in biological function is barely known. Here, the N-glycan composition of native dimeric human MPO purified from neutrophils and of monomeric MPO recombinantly expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells has been investigated. Analyses showed the presence of five N-glycans at positions 323, 355, 391, 483, 729 in both proteins. Site by site analysis demonstrated a well conserved micro-and macro-heterogeneity and more complex-type N-glycans for the recombinant form. Comparison of biological functionality of glycosylated and deglycosylated recombinant MPO suggests that glycosylation is required for optimal enzymatic activity. Data are discussed with regard to biosynthesis and the threedimensional structure of MPO.Myeloperoxidase (MPO, 5 EC 1.11.1.7) is a heme-containing glycosylated oxidoreductase that catalyzes the production of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and chloride anions (1). The macromolecule is a homodimer with each monomer consisting of a light and a heavy chain. The dimer is stabilized by a disulfide bridge and by several interactions between the carbohydrate moieties located at the dimer interface (2). MPO is a lysosomal enzyme present in the azurophilic granules of human neutrophils and monocytes and is synthesized in the promyelocytic state during maturation of the polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes (3).During phagocytosis of exogenous structures, neutrophils release their granule content (e.g. MPO) into the phagosome. Respiratory burst is initiated by activation of NADPH-oxidase that reduces molecular oxygen and releases superoxide radical anions. Upon superoxide dismutation, hydrogen peroxide is produced that mediates MPO-driven oxidation of chloride to antimicrobial HOCl.More recent data have indicated that these reactions are not restricted to the phago-lysosome. Indeed, under oxidative stress (i.e. excessive and uncontrolled production of various reactive oxygen-derived species, ROS), MPO can escape from neutrophils and circulate in extracellular fluids. Thereby it might cause oxidative modification to host tissues and biomolecules. The potential deleterious effect of this "circulating" MPO has been demonstrated in various pathological conditions involving chronic inflammation, such as atherosclerosis, demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system or endstage renal disease (4 -9).In many of these experiments, recombinant human MPO (r-MPO) expressed in a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line has been used (10) because recombinant production delivers higher amounts of protein as compared with the classical purification from neutrophils (11). However, although having the same catalytic activity as the dimeric leukocyte enzyme (h-MPO) (12-14), biosynthesis of r-MPO in CHO cell lines lacks some proteolytic steps. As a consequence, r-...