Binding and internalization of the synthetic double-stranded complex poly(A).poly(U) were studied on a murine monocyte/macrophage cell line J774A1. Poly(A).poly(U) increased in a dose-dependent fashion the oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase demonstrating that those cells were responsive to this agonist. Binding of [32P]poly(A).[32P]poly(U) to the cells reached an apparent kinetic equilibrium within 4 h and was saturable (apparent Kd = 9.99 +/- 0.09.10(-2) g/l and Bmax 13.3 +/- 5.3.10(-3) g/l per 10(6) cells) and temperature-dependent. The binding of poly(A).poly(U) was competitively inhibited by various polynucleotides but not by other structurally unrelated compounds. Analysis of cell-associated [32P]poly(A).[32P]poly(U) demonstrated a minimal degradation of this polyribonucleotide over a 4-h incubation period. Autoradiography of cells incubated with [3H]poly(A).[3H]poly(U) revealed that poly(A).poly(U) was internalized and migrated to cell nuclei. These results suggest that poly(A).poly(U) is internalized in J774A1 cells via an endocytotic process.

A biphasic response of ear swelling was observed 2 h and 24 h after application of the antigen to picryl chloride-sensitized Balb/c mice. A platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist, BN 52063, or the anti-inflammatory drug, betamethasone, applied topically or injected subcutaneously, inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion the antigen-induced increase in ear thickness observed after 24 h. In addition, BN 52063 and betamethasone presented a synergistic effect when administered in vivo simultaneously and subcutaneously. Indomethacin administered subcutaneously at the time of the antigen challenge significantly potentiated the early swelling phase and inhibited the late one. In contrast, the inhibitors of histamine and serotonin, ketotifen and methysergide, respectively, modulated mostly the early, and to a lower extent the late phase when administered at the time of antigen challenge. In contrast, none of these drugs inhibited the late phase reaction when administered 4 h after the antigen. A significant eosinophil and mononuclear-cell ear infiltrate was observed following topical application of the antigen, a phenomenon that was markedly reduced by either BN 52063 or betamethasone. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of PAF antagonists, either alone or in association with glucocorticosteroids, in experimental CD, the modulation of the infiltration of eosinophils and mononuclear cells possibly explaining part of the inhibitory action of these drugs.

Manoalide (MND), a sesterterpenoid first isolated from the marine sponge Luffariela variabilis and later synthesized by Japanese chemists, exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and directly inactivates bee and snake venom phospholipase A2. We investigated the effects of MND on platelet aggregation induced by PAF-acether, arachidonic acid (AA), ADP and thrombin. Rabbit platelet aggregation was inhibited by MND in a dose-dependent manner. MND also inhibited the aggregation induced by AA and ADP but not that induced by thrombin. Since this marine natural product is also a potent inhibitor of lipoxygenase in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, MND appears to be a useful tool for determining the role of phospholipase A2 in biological processes.

Lipid composition, physical state of major phospholipid classes and transbilayer migration of phosphatidylcholine have been determined in plasma membranes of the dog kidney. The lipid composition of brush-border membranes markedly differs from that of antiluminal membranes with respect to: (a) the total phospholipid content; (b) the cholesterol to phospholipid ratio (C/P); (c) the distribution of the major phospholipid classes. Sphingomyelin present in large amounts in both luminal and antiluminal membranes extracts exhibits a transition of phase between 20 and 44 degrees C approximately. In the range of temperature studied (5-55 degrees C) no phase transitions were detected for the other phospholipid species. Our data suggest that: (1) at physiological temperature the higher C/P ratio of brush-border membranes is in large part responsible for their lower fluidity; (2) both the relatively low cholesterol and high sphingomyelin contents contribute to the thermotropic transitions observed in intact membranes. Finally transbilayer migration of phosphatidylcholine in brush-border membranes is a very slow process with a half time of 6.5 h at 37 degrees C which compares with that of other biological membranes.

The interaction of the synthetic fragment Arg101-Tyr126 of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) with Ca(2+)-dependent K+ efflux was studied in the following six different cell models: cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from rat aorta; isolated rat glomeruli; human platelets; cultured endothelial cells from bovine aorta; peritoneal mouse macrophages; human red cells. In human red cells and mouse macrophages, the dose-response curves of K+ efflux as a function of Ca2+ ionophore, A23187, concentration were not modified by addition of ANF. In endothelial cells and platelets, ANF slightly inhibited Ca(2+)-dependent K+ efflux. In renal glomeruli, ANF inhibits about one-third of this flux and in vascular smooth muscle cells ANF induced a five- to tenfold increase in the EC50 of A23187 effect. In experiments performed at constant concentrations of A23187, the IC50 of ANF was approximately 10(-9) mol/l. Similar results were obtained in mouse macrophages with cyclic GMP (cGMP). Our results suggest that ANF is able to counterbalance an increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ content in vascular smooth muscle and some glomerular cells. This effect may result from the ability of this hormone to stimulate cGMP synthesis.