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Complementary DNA encoding the IgG1 induction factor, the first lymphokine directed to B lymphocytes, from a murine T-cell line has been cloned using a new strategy. The putative primary amino-acid sequence was deduced from the nucleotide sequence determined. The lymphokine synthesized by the direction of this cloned cDNA has many other functions, such as production of B-cell growth factor-1 and induction of Ia on B cells.

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ANG II induces secretion and activation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) by glomerular mesangial cells. However, the mechanisms that operate this are unclear. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), which is produced by mesangial cells in damaged glomeruli, is one of several molecules known to activate the latent TGF-beta1 complex. Therefore, we examined whether the ANG II-induced activation of latent TGF-beta1 in human mesangial cells (HMC) operates via TSP-1. The addition of ANG II (1-100 nM) to HMC significantly increased TSP-1 mRNA within 6 h, followed by an increase in TSP-1 protein production as shown by Western blot analysis of cells and immunoassay of the culture supernatant. Production of ANG II-induced TSP-1 mRNA and protein was completely inhibited by an ANG II type 1 (AT1)-receptor antagonist but was unaffected by an AT2-receptor antagonist. Use of a TSP-1-specific blocking peptide demonstrated that the ANG II-induced activation of latent TGF-beta1 operates via TSP-1. Next, we investigated the role of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and JNK in ANG II-induced TSP-1 production in HMC. The addition of the upstream ERK1/2 inhibitor PD-98059 did not affect ANG II-induced TSP-1 production, whereas addition of either the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB-203580 or the JNK inhibitor SP-600125 significantly reduced TSP-1 production. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that ANG II-induced activation of latent TGF-beta1 in HMC operates via TSP-1. Furthermore, ANG II-induced TSP-1 production is dependent on p38 MAPK and JNK signaling.

We recently developed a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight (MALDI-QIT-TOF)-based imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) system. This system enables us to perform structural analyses using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), as well as to visualize phospholipids and peptides in frozen sections. In the retina, phototransduction is regulated by the light-sensitive interaction between visual pigment-coupled receptor proteins, such as rhodopsin, and G proteins, such as transducin. There are some reports that the conformation of rhodopsin is influenced by the composition of phospholipids in the lipid bilayer membrane. However, these results were based on in vitro experiments and have not been analyzed in vivo. In this study, we visualized and identified phospholipids in mouse retinal sections with the MALDI-QIT-TOF-based IMS system. From a spectrum obtained by raster-scanned analysis of the sections, ions with high signal intensities were selected and analyzed by MS/MS. As a result, sixteen ions were identified as being from four diacyl-phosphatidylcholine (PC) species, i.e., PC (16:0/16:0), PC (16:0/18:1), PC (16:0/22:6), and PC (18:0/22:6), with different ion forms. The ion images revealed different distributions on the retinal sections: PC (16:0/18:1) was distributed in the inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer, PC (16:0/16:0) in the outer nuclear layer and inner segment, and both PC (16:0/22:6) and PC (18:0/22:6) in the outer segment and pigment epithelium. In conclusion, our in vivo IMS analyses demonstrated a three-zone distribution of PC species on the retinal sections. This approach may be useful for analyzing lipid changes and their contribution to phototransduction in the retina.