bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A role for protein phosphorylation in modulating Ca2+ elevation in rabbit platelets treated with thapsigargin
Authors: MURPHY Christine T. , BULLOCK Anthony J. , WESTWICK John
Published: August 2015

The effect of modifying protein kinase and phosphatase activity on Ca2+ influx induced by inhibition of Ca2+-ATPase activity has been investigated in rabbit platelets. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or inhibition of phosphatase type 1/2A (PP1/2A) activity with calyculin A caused a dose-dependent inhibition of cytosolic Ca2+ elevation in thapsigargin (Tg)-treated platelets and decreased Ca2+ influx into platelets at a time when Ca2+ channels had already been opened by pretreatment of cells with Tg. In addition, both activation of PKC and inhibition of PP1/2A activity caused a dose-dependent inhibition of bivalent cation (Mn2+) influx (acting as a surrogate for Ca2+ influx) in Tg-treated platelets. Inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase activity caused a small decrease in [Ca2+]i elevation in Tg-treated platelets, but had no effect on the ability of PMA or calyculin A to inhibit Tg-induced [Ca2+]i elevation. Unexpectedly, PMA inhibited Tg-induced [Ca2+]i elevation in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, and in agreement calyculin A decreased [Ca2+]i elevation almost to basal levels. The results from this study were confirmed with another Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor, namely 2,5-di(tert-butyl)hydroquinone (tBHQ). These findings therefore suggest that modification of phosphorylation of target protein(s) on serine/threonine amino acid residues plays a role in the regulation of both Ca2+ influx and in the filling state of the intracellular Ca2+ pool in platelets treated with Tg.
Oxygen and pH regulation of protein synthesis in mitochondria from Artemia franciscana embryos
Authors: KWAST Kurt E. , HAND Steven C.
Published: August 2015

To identify factors responsible for the down-regulation of mitochondrial biosynthetic processes during anoxia in encysted Artemia franciscana embryos, the effects of oxygen limitation and pH on protein synthesis were investigated in isolated mitochondria. At the optimal pH of 7.5, exposure of mitochondria to anoxia decreases the protein synthesis rate by 79%. Rates were suppressed by a further 10% at pH 6.8, the intracellular pH (pHi) measured under anoxia in vivo. Matrix pH, measured under identical conditions, was 8.43±0.01 at an extramitochondrial pH of 7.9 (mean±S.E.M., n = 3), 8.05±0.01 at pH 7.5, and 7.10±0.01 at pH 6.8. The matrix pH did not vary (P ≥0.20) as a function of oxygen availability during the 1 h assays. Intramitochondrial purine nucleotides varied little as a function of pH. In contrast, after 1 h of protein synthesis under anoxia, ATP levels decreased by up to 40%,. whereas AMP, ADP and GDP concentrations increased, and GTP and GMP concentrations remained relatively constant. The addition of 1 mM ATP at the onset of anoxia maintained the ATP/ADP ratio at the aerobic value, but did not stabilize the GTP/GDP ratio or rescue rates of protein synthesis. Thus, at present, we cannot eliminate the possibility that the decrease in the GTP/GDP ratio during anoxia may contribute to the suppression of protein synthesis. The effect of anoxia was reversible; the rate of protein synthesis upon reoxygenation after a 30 min bout of anoxia was comparable (P = 0.14) with the pre-anoxic rate (193±17 and 174±6 pmol of leucine per mg of protein respectively; mean±S.E.M., n = 3). The array of mitochondrial translation products did not differ qualitatively as a function of either oxygen availability or pH. Finally, similar pH profiles for protein synthesis were obtained with either [3H]leucine or [3H]histidine (known to use different transporters). Consequently, it is improbable that the pH-sensitivity of protein synthesis can be explained by a specific protein effect on the import of the radiolabelled amino acid used. In summary, both oxygen limitation and acidic pH suppress rates of mitochondrial protein synthesis and are likely to contribute to the arrest of mitochondrial anabolic processes during anoxia-induced quiescence in A. franciscana embryos.
Specific co-ordinated regulation of PC3 and PC2 gene expression with that of preproinsulin in insulin-producing β TC3 cells
Authors: SCHUPPIN George T. , RHODES Christopher J.
Published: August 2015

Short-term (less than 2 h) glucose stimulation of isolated pancreatic islets specifically increases the biosynthesis of proinsulin and its converting enzymes PC2 and PC3 at the translation level. To determine whether gene expression of PC2 and PC3 was also regulated by longer-term (more than 6 h) glucose stimulation along with that of preproinsulin, studies were performed with the βTC3 insulin-producing cell line. By Northern blot analysis, glucose maintained PC2 and PC3 mRNA levels in parallel with those of preproinsulin. After 48 h, mRNA levels of preproinsulin, PC2 and PC3 were, respectively, 2.9 (P < 0.05), 3.0 (P < 0.005) and 5.3 (P < 0.001) times greater in the presence of glucose than in βTC3 cells cultured in the absence of glucose. Glucose-regulated PC2 and PC3 gene expression, like that of preproinsulin, was maximal at glucose concentrations above 5.5 mM. Studies of mRNA stability showed that the half-lives of PC2 (9 h) and PC3 (5 h) mRNA were much shorter than that of preproinsulin mRNA (over 24 h), but little effect of glucose on stability of these mRNAs was observed. Nuclear run-off analysis indicated that transcription of preproinsulin, PC2 and PC3 was modestly induced after 1 h exposure to 16.7 mM glucose. Therefore preproinsulin, PC2 and PC3 mRNA levels in βTC3 cells were most probably maintained at the level of gene transcription. In contrast, elevation of cyclic AMP by forskolin had no effect on mRNA levels or gene transcription of preproinsulin, PC2 and PC3, despite a cyclic-AMP-induced phosphorylation of the cyclic AMP response element binding protein that correlated with a marked increase in cJun and cFos gene transcription in the same β-cells. These results suggest that preproinsulin, PC2 and PC3 gene transcription can be specifically glucose-regulated in a mechanism that is unlikely to involve a key role for cyclic AMP. The co-ordinate increase in PC2 and PC3 mRNA levels with that of preproinsulin mRNA in response to chronic glucose represents a long-term means of catering for an increased demand on proinsulin conversion.
A new inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding protein similar to phospholipase C-δ1
Authors: KANEMATSU Takashi , MISUMI Yoshio , WATANABE Yutaka , OZAKI Shoichiro , KOGA Toshitaka , IWANAGA Sadaaki , IKEHARA Yukio , HIRATA Masato
Published: August 2015

We have reported that two inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins, with molecular masses of 85 and 130 kDa, were purified from rat brain; the former protein was found to be the ∆1-isoenzyme of phospholipase C (PLC-∆1) and the latter was an unidentified novel protein [Kanematsu, Takeya, Watanabe, Ozaki, Yoshida, Koga, Iwanaga and Hirata (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 6518-6525]. Here we describe the isolation of the full-length cDNA for the 130 kDa Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein, which encodes 1096 amino acids. The predicted sequence of the 130 kDa protein had 38.2% homology to that of PLC-∆1. Three known domains of PLC-∆1 (pleckstrin homology and putative catalytic X and Y domains) were located at residues 110-222, 377-544 and 585-804 with 35.2%, 48.2% and 45.8% homologies respectively. However, the protein showed no PLC activity to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol. The 130 kDa protein expressed by transfection in COS-1 cells bound Ins(1,4,5)P3 in the same way as the molecule purified from brain. Thus the 130 kDa protein is a novel Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein homologous to PLC-∆1, but with no catalytic activity. The functional significance of the 130 kDa protein is discussed.
Blocking intracellular degradation of the erythropoietin and asialoglycoprotein receptors by calpain inhibitors does not result in the same increase in the levels of their membrane and secreted forms
Authors: NEUMANN Drorit , YUK HUAM Ming , LODISH Harvey F. , LEDERKREMER Gerardo Z.
Published: August 2015

The erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R), a type 1 membrane glycoprotein, is degraded mainly in the lysosomes or endosomes, whereas the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) H2a subunit, a type 2 membrane glycoprotein, is degraded exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum. The present study describes compounds that inhibit the intracellular degradation of these receptors in an efficient manner. However, the levels of cell-surface expression and secretion of their soluble exoplasmic domains were not enhanced to the same extent. The calpain inhibitors N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal(ALLN) and N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-methional (ALLM) inhibited EPO-R degradation profoundly. After 3 h of chase using Ba/F3 cells and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts expressing the EPO-R, virtually all of the receptor molecules were degraded, whereas 80% of the pulse-labelled receptor remained intact in the presence of the inhibitor. EPO-R cell-surface expression was elevated 1.5-fold after 1 h of incubation with ALLN. In the absence of protein synthesis, ALLN caused the accumulation of non-degraded EPO-R molecules in endosomes and lysosomes, as determined by double immunofluorescence labelling of NIH 3T3 cells expressing EPO-Rs. In Ba/F3 cells expressing a soluble EPO-R, ALLN treatment increased secretion of the soluble exoplasmic domain of the EPO-R 2-5-fold. Similarly, in NIH 3T3 cells singly transfected with the ASGP-R H2a subunit cDNA, ALLN inhibited degradation of the ASGP-R H2a subunit precursor, as well as the degradation of the 35 kDa proteolytic fragment corresponding to the receptor ectodomain, by 3-6-fold. However, accumulation of secreted proteolytic fragment in the medium was augmented in the presence of ALLN by only 1.75-fold. In cells expressing the G78R mutant of the ASGP-R H2a subunit, which is not cleaved to the 35 kDa fragment [Yuk and Lodish (1993) J. Cell Biol. 123,1735-1749], degradation of the precursor was inhibited. Overall, our data suggest the involvement of cysteine proteinases located in the endoplasmic reticulum, as well as in post-Golgi compartments, in degradation of the EPO-R and the ASGP-R H2a subunit. The much lower effect of the inhibitory compounds on cell-surface and secreted forms of the EPO-R and ASGP-R H2a subunit illustrates the complexity and the tight regulation of the cellular localization and stability of membrane proteins.
The phospholipase C/protein kinase C pathway is involved in cathepsin G-induced human platelet activation: comparison with thrombin
Authors: SI-TAHAR Mustapha , RENESTO Patricia , FALET Hervé , RENDU Francine , CHIGNARD Michel
Published: August 2015

Cathepsin G, an enzyme released by stimulated polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and thrombin are two human proteinases which potently trigger platelet activation. Unlike thrombin, the mechanisms by which cathepsin G initiates platelet activation have yet to be elucidated. The involvement of the phospholipase C (PLC)/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway in cathepsin G-induced activation was investigated and compared with stimulation by thrombin. Exposure of 5-[14C]hydroxytryptamine-labelled platelets to cathepsin G, in the presence of acetylsalicylic acid and phosphocreatine/creatine kinase, induced platelet aggregation and degranulation in a concentration-dependent manner (0.1-3.0 μM). Time-course studies (0-180 s) comparing equivalent concentrations of cathepsin G (3 μM) and thrombin (0.5 unit/ml) resulted in very similar transient hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and steady accumulation of phosphatidic acid. In addition cathepsin G, like thrombin, initiated the production of inositol phosphates. The neutrophil-derived proteinase also induced phosphorylation of both the myosin light chain and pleckstrin, a substrate for PKC, to levels similar to those observed in platelets challenged with thrombin. Inhibition of PKC by GF 109203X, a specific inhibitor, suppressed platelet aggregation and degranulation to the same extent for both proteinases. Using fura 2-loaded platelets, the rise in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration induced by cathepsin G was shown to result, as for thrombin, from both mobilization of internal stores and Ca2+ entry across the plasma membrane. These findings provide evidence that cathepsin G stimulates the PLC/PKC pathway as potently as does thrombin, independently of thromboxane A2 formation and ADP release, and that this pathway is required for platelet functional responses.
Administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin to rat increases liver mass and hepatocyte volume in vivo
Authors: QIAN Dalong , BROSNAN John T.
Published: August 2015

We have established, in vivo, an increase in liver mass and hepatocyte volume after a single intraperitoneal administration, to fasted rats, of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (0127:B8) at 3 mg/kg. The phenomenon was time- and dose-dependent and could be prevented by treatment with polyclonal antiserum against tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) before the endotoxin injection. Endotoxin caused an increase of 26% in the hepatic mass compared with fasted controls at 24 h. An increase of 27% in the hepatic water content underlay the altered hepatic mass which could not be accounted for by a change in the volume of hepatic blood and/or interstitial fluid (measured in vivo), suggesting an expansion in the hepatocellular volume. This is supported by an increase of 25% in the K+ content of the endotoxic livers. Morphometric study confirmed a 15% increase in hepatocyte volume after endotoxin administration. The data are discussed in the light of possible metabolic effects of increased hepatocyte volume.
Bovine growth hormone induces oscillations in cytosolic free Ca2+ in single rat hepatocytes
Authors: MARRERO Isabel , GREEN Anne K. , COBBOLD Peter H. , DIXON C. Jane
Published: August 2015

Single rat hepatocytes microinjected with the photoprotein aequorin generate oscillations in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) when stimulated with agonists acting through the phosphoinositide signalling pathway. We show here that, in single rat hepatocytes, bovine growth hormone (bGH) is able to induce [Ca2+]i oscillations which display similarities with oscillations induced by phenylephrine. Thus the rate of rise of intracellular Ca2+ in each oscillation closely resembles that induced by Ins(1,4,5)P3-mediated agonists. However, the duration of bGH-induced oscillations increases with agonist concentration, in contrast to phenylephrine-induced oscillations, which undergo an increase in frequency as the agonist concentration is raised, without any increase in the duration of individual oscillations.
Spermine suppresses the activation of human neutrophil NADPH oxidase in cell-free and semi-recombinant systems
Authors: OGATA Kenichi , NISHIMOTO Naoya , UHLINGER David J. , IGARASHI Kazuei , TAKESHITA Masazumi , TAMURA Minoru
Published: August 2015

Spermine, a cellular polyamine, down-regulates O2- generation in human neutrophils stimulated by receptor-linked agonist [Ogata, Tamura and Takeshita (1992) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 182, 20-26]. In this study, to elucidate the mechanism for the inhibition, the effect of spermine on cell-free activation of the O2- generating enzyme (NADPH oxidase) was examined. Spermine suppressed the SDS-induced activation of NADPH oxidase in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 18 μM. The inhibition was specific for spermine over its precursor amines, spermidine and putrescine. Spermine did not alter the Km for NADPH or the optimal concentration of SDS for activation. The amine was inhibitory only when added before activation, indicating that it affects the activation process rather than the enzyme's activity. An increased concentration of cytosol partly prevented the inhibition by spermine. In semi-recombinant cell-free system, spermine inhibited the activation of NADPH oxidase as effectively as in the cell-free system (IC50 = 13 μM). Pretreatment of each recombinant cytosolic component with spermine revealed that they (especially p67phox) are sensitive to spermine. These results suggest that spermine interacts with cytosolic component(s) and impairs the assembly of NADPH oxidase.
Reduction pathway of cis-5 unsaturated fatty acids in intact rat-liver and rat-heart mitochondria: assessment with stable-isotype-labelled substrates
Authors: TSERNG Kou-Yi , JIN Shiow-Jen , CHEN Lin-Su
Published: August 2015

Besides the conventional isomerase-mediated pathway, unsaturated fatty acids with odd-numbered double bonds are also metabolized by reduction pathways with NADPH as cofactor. The relative contributions of these pathways were measured in intact rat-liver and rat-heart mitochondria with a novel stable isotope tracer technique. A mixture of equal amounts of unlabelled cis-5-enoyl-CoA and 13C4-labelled acyl-CoA of equal chain lengths was incubated with mitochondria. The isotope distribution of 3-hydroxy fatty acids produced from the first cycle of β-oxidation was analysed with selected ion monitoring by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. 3-Hydroxy fatty acids produced from the reduction pathway of unsaturated fatty acids were unlabelled (m+0) whereas those produced from saturated fatty acids were labelled (m+4). The m+0 content serves to indicate the extent of reduction pathway. Rotenone treatment was used to switch the pathway completely to reduction. The extent of m+0 enrichment in untreated mitochondria normalized to the m+0 enrichment of rotenone-treated mitochondria was the percentage of reduction pathway. With this technique, cis-4-decenoate was found to be metabolized completely by the reduction pathway in both liver and heart mitochondria. cis-5-Dodecenoate was metabolized essentially by the reduction pathway in liver mitochondria, but only to 75% in heart mitochondria. When the chain length was extended to cis-5-tetradecenoate, the reduction pathway in liver mitochondria decreased to 86% and that in heart mitochondria to 65%. The effects of carnitine, clofibrate and other conditions on the reduction pathway were also studied. Enrichments of the label on saturated fatty acids and 3-hydroxy fatty acids indicated that the major pathway of reduction was not by the direct reduction of the cis-5 double bond. Instead, it is most probably by a pathway that does not involve forming a reduced saturated fatty acid first.
Toxic peptides and genes encoding toxin γ of the Brazilian scorpions Tityus bahiensis and Tityus stigmurus
Authors: BECERRIL Baltazar , CORONA Miguel , CORONAS Fredy I. V. , ZAMUDIO Fernando , CALDERONARANDA Emma S. , FLETCHER Paul L. , MARTIN Brian M. , POSSANI Lourival D.
Published: August 2015

Seven toxic peptides from the venom of Tityus bahiensis and Tityus stigmurus were isolated and sequenced, five of them to completion. The most abundant peptide from each of these two species of scorpion was 95% identical with that of toxin γ from the venom of Tityus serrulatus. They were consequently named γ-b and γ-st respectively. The genes encoding these new γ-like peptides were cloned and sequenced by utilizing oligonucleotides synthesized according to known cDNA sequences of toxin γ, and amplified by PCR on templates of DNA purified from both T. bahiensis and T. stigmurus. They contain an intron of approx. 470 bp. Possible mechanisms of processing and expressing these peptides are discussed, in view of the fact that glycine is the first residue of the N-terminal sequence of T. stigmurus, whereas lysine is the residue at position 1 of toxin γ from T. serrulatus and T. bahiensis. In addition, chemical characterization of the less abundant toxic peptides showed the presence of at least four distinct families of peptides in all three species of the genus Tityus studied. There is a large degree of similarity among peptides from different venoms of the same family. By using specific horse and rabbit antisera, the venoms of T. bahiensis, T. serrulatus and T. stigmurus were compared. They showed an extended degree of cross-reactivity. Thus these three species of scorpion have similar toxic components, the genes of which are similarly organized, processed and expressed.
Low-density lipoprotein is the major carrier of lipid hydroperoxides in plasma. Relevance to determination of total plasma lipid hydroperoxide concentrations
Authors: NOUROOZ-ZADEH Jaffar , TAJADDINI-SARMADI Jarad , LING K. L. Eddie , WOLFF Simon P.
Published: August 2015

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has been proposed as the principal carrier of hydroperoxides in plasma, based upon data gathered with an HPLC-chemiluminescence technique. To test this hypothesis we have measured total lipid hydroperoxides in native plasma using the ferrous oxidation in Xylenol Orange (FOX) assay and then fractionated plasma into very-low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL fractions. Hydroperoxides were found to accumulate principally (more than 65%) in LDL, as judged by hydroperoxide content per amount of protein or cholesterol, or expressed as a proportion of total hydroperoxide in plasma. Plasma was also incubated at 37 °C in the presence and absence of 2,2´-azo-bis-(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), an azo-initiator of lipid peroxidation. The majority of hydroperoxides generated in plasma were recovered in the LDL fraction. Furthermore, when isolated lipoproteins were subject to oxidation initiated by AAPH, very-low-density lipoprotein and LDL showed the greatest propensity for hydroperoxide accumulation, whereas HDL seemed relatively resistant. Estimates for plasma and LDL peroxidation based upon techniques which measure total lipid hydroperoxides suggest that levels of hydroperoxides in plasma and LDL are far higher than that those estimates generated by ostensibly more selective techniques. Higher levels of hydroperoxides in LDL than those reported by HPLC-chemiluminescence also seem in greater accordance with other available data concerning LDL oxidation.
Isoenzyme-specific regulation of genes involved in energy metabolism by hypoxia: similarities with the regulation of erythropoietin
Authors: EBERT Benjamin L. , GLEADLE Jonathan M. , O'ROURKE John F. , BARTLETT Sylvia M. , POULTON Jo , RATCLIFFE Peter J.
Published: August 2015

Recent studies have indicated that regulatory mechanisms underlying the oxygen-dependent expression of the haematopoietic growth factor erythropoietin are widely operative in non-erythropoietin-producing cells and are involved in the regulation of other genes. An important characteristic of this system is that the inducible response to hypoxia is mimicked by exposure to particular transition metals such as cobaltous ions, and by iron chelation. We have investigated the extent of operation of this system in the regulation of a range of genes concerned with energy metabolism. The effects of hypoxia (1% oxygen), cobaltous ions and desferrioxamine on gene expression in tissue-culture cells was studied using RNase protection assays. Hypoxia induced the expression of glucose transporters in an isoform-specific manner; GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 were induced by hypoxia, whereas expression of GLUT-2 was decreased. Isoenzyme-specific regulation by hypoxia was also observed for genes encoding phosphofructokinase, aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase. For all of these genes, responses to cobaltous ions and desferrioxamine correlated in both direction and magnitude with the response to hypoxia. In contrast, a reduction in mitochondrial transcripts was observed in hypoxia, but these changes were not mimicked by either cobaltous ions or desferrioxamine. These findings indicate that similarities with erythropoietin regulation extend to the oxygen-dependent regulation of genes encoding glucose transporters and glycolytic enzymes but not to the regulation of mitochondrial transcripts, and they show that in glucose metabolism regulation by this system is isoenzyme- or isoform-specific.
Interaction between tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 and progelatinase A: immunoreactivity analyses
Authors: FUJIMOTO Noboru , WARD Robin V. , SHINYA Takashi , IWATA Kazushi , YAMASHITA Kyoko , HAYAKAWA Taro
Published: August 2015

By immunoreactivity analysis using monoclonal antibodies, we showed that the C-terminal domain [R415–631; R is residue] of progelatinase A [pro-matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2); EC 3.4.24.24] affected the immunoreactivity of a one-step sandwich enzyme immunoassay (sandwich EIA) for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) in exactly the same way as does proMMP-2 [Fujimoto, Zhang, Iwata, Shinya, Okada and Hayakawa (1993) Clin. Chim. Acta 220, 31–45], confirming that the C-terminal domain (‘tail’ portion) of TIMP-2 participates in the binding with the C-terminal domain of proMMP-2. We also demonstrated that not only the C-terminal domain but also the N-terminal domain (R1–417) of proMMP-2 bound to TIMP-2 in a 1:1 molar ratio. The binding of each individual domain to TIMP-2, however, was weak enough that either domain could be fully replaced by proMMP-2 itself, suggesting that either terminal domain binds to TIMP-2 through the same binding sites as does proMMP-2, and also that the high-order structure of proMMP-2 allows a more stable binding to TIMP-2. We further confirmed that TIMP-2 complexed with the N-terminal domain of proMMP-2 had fully inhibitory activity against the collagenolytic activity of MMP-1. We also demonstrated that either the interstitial collagenase–TIMP-2 complex or the gelatinase B (MMP-9)–TIMP-2 complex was able to form a ternary complex with proMMP-2 in a 1:1 molar ratio, clearly indicating that there are two distinct binding sites, one specific for proMMP-2 and the other for active MMPs, on the TIMP-2 molecule. The C-terminal domain was able to bind to the MMP-9–TIMP-2 complex, but the binding seemed to be less stable than the binding with TIMP-2 alone. Even in the presence of a 10-fold molar excess of the N-terminal domain, ternary complex formation was not observed between the N-terminal domain and the MMP-9–TIMP-2 complex. These clear differences might be ascribed to some significant conformational change(s) evoked in the TIMP-2 molecule, or hindrance of a part of the N-terminal domain binding site of TIMP-2 by complex formation with MMP-9.
Evidence for a single non-arachidonic acid-specific fatty acyl-CoA synthetase in heart which is regulated by Mg2+
Authors: SAUNDERS Christine , VOIGT Jeffrey M. , WEIS Margaret T.
Published: August 2015

Previous reports indicated that arachidonic acid is incorporated into the isolated perfused rabbit heart in preference to other fatty acids, and that incorporation of arachidonic acid, but not other fatty acids, is inhibited during Mg2+ depletion. In this study, we have not been able to demonstrate an arachidonic acid-specific fatty acyl-CoA synthetase in rat or rabbit heart by hydroxyapatite chromatography. Kinetic evidence was consistent with a single enzyme, as the slopes of pseudo-Hill plots were not significantly different from -1. The single fatty acyl-CoA synthetase present appears to prefer C18:0 unsaturated fatty acids to arachidonate, and had about the same affinity for C10:0–C14:0 saturated fatty acids as for arachidonate. At 35 μM arachidonate, enzyme velocity increased as the total Mg2+ was increased from 3 to 80 mM. Calculated [MgATP] indicated that the MgATP complex was not rate-limiting. At low concentrations, Mn2+ and Ni2+ supported activity, but Cu2+ and Zn2+ did not. Low Ca2+ concentrations activated only oleic acid conversion. Kinetic analysis indicated that the Vmax of the enzyme was increased with increasing concentrations of ionized Mg2+ for both oleic acid and arachidonic acid. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that Mg2+ has a direct effect on fatty acyl-CoA synthetase activity, and suggest that preference for oleic acid and arachidonic acid can be influenced by the ionic milieu.
Retinoic acid modulation of glutathione and cysteine metabolism in chondrocytes
Authors: TEIXEIRA Cristina C. , SHAPIRO Irving M. , HATORI Masashi , RAJPUROHIT Ramesh , KOCH Cameron
Published: August 2015

The major objective of this investigation was to determine the thiol status of chondrocytes and to relate changes in the level of glutathione and cysteine to maturation of the cells as they undergo terminal differentiation. Chondrocytes were isolated from the cephalic portion of chick embryo sterna and treated with all-trans retinoic acid for one week. We found that the addition of 100 nM retinoic acid to the cultures decreased the intracellular levels of glutathione and cysteine from 6.1 to 1.6 and 0.07 to 0.01 nmol/μg DNA respectively; retinoic acid also caused a decrease in the extracellular concentration of cysteine. The decrease in chondrocyte thiols was dose and time dependent. To characterize other antioxidant systems of the sternal cell culture, the activities of catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase were determined. Activities of all of those enzymes were high in the retinoic acid-treated cells; the conditioned medium also contained these enzymes and the cytosolic isoenzyme of superoxide dismutase. We probed the specificity of the thiol response by using immature caudal chondrocytes. Unlike the cephalic cells, retinoic acid did not change intracellular glutathione and extracellular cysteine levels, although the retinoid caused a reduction in the intracellular cysteine concentration. Finally, we explored the effect of medium components on chondrocyte thiol status. We noted that while ascorbate alone did not change cell thiol levels, it did cause a 4-fold decrease in the extracellular cysteine concentration. When retinoic acid and ascorbic acid were both present in the medium, there was a marked decrease in the level of glutathione. In contrast, the phosphate concentration of the culture medium served as a powerful modulator of both glutathione and cysteine. Results of the study clearly showed that there is a profound decrease in intracellular levels of both cysteine and glutathione and that thiol levels are responsive to ascorbic acid and the medium phosphate concentration. These findings point to a critical role for thiols in modulating events linked to chondrocyte maturation and cartilage matrix synthesis and mineralization.
A cleavage-site-directed inhibitor of interleukin-1β-converting enzyme-like proteases inhibits apoptosis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes
Authors: CAIN Kelvin , INAYAT-HUSSAIN Salmaan H. , COUET Carole , COHEN Gerald M.
Published: August 2015

Apoptosis induced in primary hepatocytes by transforming growth factor β1 and staurosporine produces chromatin condensation, DNA cleavage as detected by in situ end-labelling, field inversion and conventional gel electrophoresis, and cell detachment. These effects were abolished by benzyloxycarbonylvalinylalanylaspartylfluoromethyl ketone, a cleavage-site-directed inhibitor of interleukin-1β-converting enzyme-like proteases, and this finding suggests that these enzymes are involved in liver apoptosis.
Co-purification from Escherichia coli of a plant β-glucosidase-glutathione S-transferase fusion protein and the bacterial chaperonin GroEL
Authors: KERESZTESSY Zsolt , HUGHES Jane , KISS László , HUGHES Monica A.
Published: August 2015

The coding sequence of the mature cyanogenic β-D-glucosidase (β-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21) (linamarase) of Manihot esculenta Crantz (cassava) was cloned into the vector pGEX-2T and expressed in Escherichia coli. The bacterial chaperonin GroEL [Braig, Otwinowski, Hedge, Boisvert, Joachimiak, Horwich and Sigler (1994) Nature (London) 371, 578–586] was found to be tightly associated with the fusion protein and co-purified with it. In the presence of excess MgATP, release and folding of the fusion β-glucosidase were demonstrated by a fast increase in both linamarase and p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranosidase activity at a low protein concentration. A slow endogenous folding process was also detected by activity measurements. Michaelis constants (Km) and the ratio between the maximal velocities and efficiency constants (Vmax., Vmax./Km) for the hydrolysis of the natural substrate, linamarin, and p-nitrophenyl β-D-glucopyranoside (PNP-Glc) by the recombinant protein were found to be almost identical with those of the native glycosylated plant enzyme [Keresztessy, Kiss and Hughes (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 314, 142–152]. Molecular dissociation constants for the free enzyme (pKE1, pKE2) obtained with linamarin and PNP-Glc, and the enzyme substrate complexes (pKES1, pKES2) were also in accordance with that of the original protein. The reactive substrate analogue N-bromoacetyl β-D-glucosylamine inactivated the fusion enzyme according to pseudo-first-order kinetics with first-order rate constant (ki = 0.007 min-1) and apparent inhibition constants (Ki = 20 mM) comparable with those of the plant protein [Keresztessy, Kiss and Hughes (1994) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 315, 323–330]. In comparison with the native glycosylated plant protein, the recombinant protein was, however, found to be extremely sensitive to proteolysis and misfolding.
Identification of the domains of neuronal nitric oxide synthase by limited proteolysis
Authors: LOWE Peter N. , SMITH Derek , STAMMERS David K. , RIVEROS-MORENO Valentina , MONCADA Salvador , CHARLES Ian , BOYHAN Angela
Published: August 2015

Nitric oxide synthase (EC 1.14.13.39) binds arginine and NADPH as substrates, and FAD, FMN, tetrahydrobiopterin, haem and calmodulin as cofactors. The protein consists of a central calmodulin-binding sequence flanked on the N-terminal side by a haem-binding region, analogous to cytochrome P-450, and on the C-terminal side by a region homologous with NADPH:cytochrome P-450 reductase. The structure of recombinant rat brain nitric oxide synthase was analysed by limited proteolyis. The products were identified by using antibodies to defined sequences, and by N-terminal sequencing. Low concentrations of trypsin produced three fragments, similar to those in a previous report [Sheta, McMillan and Masters (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 15147–15153]: that of Mr approx. 135000 (N-terminus Gly-221) resulted from loss of the N-terminal extension (residues 1–220) unique to neuronal nitric oxide synthase. The fragments of Mr 90000 (haem region) and 80000 (reductase region, N-terminus Ala-728) were produced by cleavage within the calmodulin-binding region. With more extensive trypsin treatment, these species were shown to be transient, and three smaller, highly stable fragments of Mr 14000 (N-terminus Leu-744 within the calmodulin region), 60000 (N-terminus Gly-221) and 63000 (N-terminus Lys-856 within the FMN domain) were formed. The species of Mr approx. 60000 represents a domain retaining haem and nitroarginine binding. The two species of Mr 63000 and 14000 remain associated as a complex. This complex retains cytochrome c reductase activity, and thus is the complete reductase region, yet cleaved at Lys-856. This cleavage occurs within a sequence insertion relative to the FMN domain present in inducible nitric oxide synthase. Prolonged proteolysis treatment led to the production of a protein of Mr approx. 53000 (N-terminus Ala-953), corresponding to a cleavage between the FMN and FAD domains. The major products after chymotryptic digestion were similar to those with trypsin, although the pathway of intermediates differed. The haem domain was smaller, starting at residue 275, yet still retained the arginine binding site. These data have allowed us to identify stable domains representing both the arginine/haem-binding and the reductase regions.
Adrenergic receptor stimulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: BOGOYEVITCH Marie A. , ANDERSSON Monica B. , GILLESPIE-BROWN Judith , CLERK Angela , GLENNON Peter E. , FULLER Stephen J. , SUGDEN Peter H.
Published: August 2015

Phenylephrine and noradrenaline (α-adrenergic agonism) or isoprenaline (β-adrenergic agonism) stimulated protein synthesis rates, increased the activity of the atrial natriuretic factor gene promoter and activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The EC50 for MAPK activation by noradrenaline was 2–4 μM and that for isoprenaline was 0.2–0.3 μM. Maximal activation of MAPK by isoprenaline was inhibited by the β-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol, whereas the activation by noradrenaline was inhibited by the α1-adrenergic antagonist, prazosin. FPLC on a Mono-Q column separated two peaks of MAPK (p42MAPK and p44MAPK) and two peaks of MAPK-activating activity (MEK) activated by isoprenaline or noradrenaline. Prolonged phorbol ester exposure partially down-regulated the activation of MAPK by noradrenaline but not by isoprenaline. This implies a role for protein kinase C in MAPK activation by noradrenaline but not isoprenaline. A role for cyclic AMP in activation of the MAPK pathway was eliminated when other agonists that elevate cyclic AMP in the cardiac myocyte did not activate MAPK. In contrast, MAPK was activated by exposure to ionomycin, Bay K8644 or thapsigargin that elevate intracellular Ca2+. Furthermore, depletion of extracellular Ca2+ concentrations with bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-NNN´N´-tetra-acetic acid (BAPTA) or blocking of the L-type Ca2+ channel with nifepidine or verapamil inhibited the response to isoprenaline without inhibiting the responses to noradrenaline. We conclude that α- and β-adrenergic agonists can activate the MEK/MAPK pathway in the heart by different signalling pathways. Elevation of intracellular Ca2+ rather than cyclic AMP appears important in the activation of MAPK by isoprenaline in the cardiac myocyte.
Metabolic evidence for the order of addition of individual phosphate esters in the myo-inositol moiety of inositol hexakisphosphate in the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza L
Authors: BREARLEY Charles A. , HANKE David E.
Published: August 2015

The aquatic monocotyledonous plant Spirodela polyrhiza was labelled with [32P]Pi for short periods under non-equilibrium conditions. An InsP6 fraction was obtained and dissected by using enantiospecific (enzymic) and non-enantiospecific (chemical) means to determine the relative labelling of individual phosphate substituents on the inositol ring of InsP6. Phosphates in positions D-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6 contained approx. 21%, 32–39%, 9–10%, 14–16%, 19–23% and 16–18% of the label respectively. We conclude from the foregoing, together with identities [described in the preceding paper, Brearley and Hanke (1996) Biochem. J. 314, 215–225] of inositol phosphates found in this plant at a developmental stage associated with massive accumulation of InsP6, that synthesis of InsP6 from myo-inositol proceeds according to the sequence Ins3P → Ins(3,4)P2 → Ins(3,4,6)P3 → Ins(3,4,5,6)P4 → Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 → Ins P6 in Spirodela polyrhiza. These results represent the first description of the synthetic sequence to InsP6 in the plant kingdom and the only comprehensive description of endogenous inositol phosphates in any plant tissue. The sequence described differs from that reported in the slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum.
All-trans-retinoyl β-glucuronide: new procedure for chemical synthesis and its metabolism in vitamin A-deficient rats
Authors: BECKER Bruno , BARUA Arun B. , OLSON James A.
Published: August 2015

All-trans-retinoyl β-glucuronide (RAG) was chemically synthesized in high yields (up to 79%) by a new procedure involving the reaction of the tetrabutylammonium salt of glucuronic acid with all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) via the imidazole or triazole derivative. When RAG was fed orally to vitamin A-deficient rats, RA was identified as the major metabolite in the serum within hours of administration of RAG. Very little or no RAG was detected in the serum. Thus RAG, which was not appreciably hydrolysed to RA in vitamin A-sufficient rats [Barua and Olson (1987) Biochem J. 263, 403–409], was rapidly converted into RA in vitamin A-deficient rats.
Effect of a triplex-binding ligand on triple helix formation at a site within a natural DNA fragment
Authors: BROWN Philip M. , DRABBLE Amelia , FOX Keith R.
Published: August 2015

We have used DNase I footprinting to examine the effect of a triplex-binding ligand on the formation of parallel intermolecular DNA triple helices at a mixed sequence target site contained within a natural DNA fragment (tyrT). In the presence of 10 μM ligand (N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-2-(2-naphthyl)quinolin-4-ylamine), the binding of CTCTTTTTGCTT (12G) to the sequence GAGAAAAATGAA (generating a complex containing 8×T·AT, 1×G·TA and 3×C+·GC triplets) was enhanced 3-fold at pH 5.5. When the oligonucleotide CTCTTTTTTCTT (12T) was substituted for 12G (replacing G·TA with T·TA) there was a large reduction in affinity for the target sequence. However, this was stabilized by about 300-fold in the presence of the ligand, requiring a similar concentration to produce a footprint as 12G in the absence of the ligand. When the sequence of the target site was altered to GAGAAAAAAGAA, generating an uninterrupted run of purines [tyrT(46A)], the binding of 12T (generating a complex containing 9×T·AT, and 3×C+·GC triplets) was enhanced 3-fold by 10 μM of the triplex-binding ligand. However, although the binding of 12G to this sequence, generating a complex containing a G·AT triplet, was much weaker, this too was stabilized by about 30-fold by the ligand, requiring a similar concentration as the perfect matched oligonucleotide (12T) in the absence of the ligand. A secondary, less stable footprint was also observed in these fragments when using either 12T or 12G, which was evident only in the presence of the triplex-binding ligand. This site, which contained a number of triplet mismatches, appears to be related to the formation of four or five central T·AT triplets. This reduction in the stringency of oligonucleotide binding by the triplex-binding ligand promotes the formation of complexes at non-targeted regions but may also have the potential for enabling recognition at sites that contain regions where there are no specific triplet matches.
Isolation of a mouse theta glutathione S-transferase active with methylene chloride
Authors: MAINWARING Guy W. , NASH John , DAVIDSON Matthew , GREEN Trevor
Published: August 2015

A glutathione S-transferase metabolizing methylene chloride has been isolated from mouse liver using a variety of chromatographic methods. N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences show that the enzyme, designated GST T1-1*, is closely related to the rat Theta-class GST 5-5. The mouse enzyme, molecular mass 25000 Da, has been isolated to homogeneity in active form with an approximate yield of 2% of the cytosolic activity towards methylene chloride. GST T1-1* has a specific activity of about 5.5 μmol/min per mg of protein whereas the rat GST 5-5 is reported to have a specific activity of about 11 μmol/min per mg of protein [Meyer, Coles, Pemble, Gilmore, Fraser and Ketterer (1991) Biochem. J. 274, 409–414], demonstrating that both the rat and mouse enzymes have similar activity with this substrate. Limited evidence was obtained for a second enzyme, with a similar molecular mass (25400 Da), which had an N-terminal sequence identical to that of rat GST 12-12. This protein, which was sequenced from a band on a gel, was extremely labile and could not be isolated to homogeneity. The partially purified enzyme was not active with methylene chloride.
Cloning and characterization of the 5′ end and promoter region of the chicken acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene
Authors: KHADIR-MOUNIER Catherine EL , FUR Nathalie LE , POWELL Rohan S. , DIOT Christian , LANGLOIS Patrick , MALLARD Jacques , DOUAIRE Madeleine
Published: August 2015

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biogenesis of long-chain fatty acids. In the present study, the 5´ end and flanking region of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) gene was analysed in the chicken. A genomic clone was isolated containing the first three exons, the third one containing the ATG codon. Using nuclease-mapping experiments and primer-extension analyses, the transcription-initiation site was located 153 nucleotides upstream of the ATG codon. In contrast with rat ACC gene expression, reverse transcriptase PCR analysis performed on chicken liver mRNA did not reveal alternative splicing in the 5´-untranslated region of these messengers. The promoter region is very G+C rich, and contains no TATA or CAAT boxes. Analysis by transient transfection in a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) demonstrates that the promoter activity requires the presence of symmetrical sequences located upstream of the GC boxes. Transcription of this gene is found to be controlled by tri-iodothyronine in HepG2 cells, but the sequence responsible for the tri-iodothyronine response is not the consensus tri-iodothyronine-responsive element localized in the promoter. These results bring new insights to the regulation of the chicken ACC gene, which differs from that of the rat.
Glycoinositol phospholipid anchor and protein C-terminus of bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase: analysis by mass spectrometry and by protein and DNA sequencing
Authors: HAAS Robert , JACKSON Brent C. , REINHOLD Bruce , FOSTER John D. , ROSENBERRY Terrone L.
Published: August 2015

Purified bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was radiomethylated on its amine groups and incubated with bacterial phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C to remove the lipid portion of the AChE glycoinositol phospholipid (GPI) anchor, and a C-terminal tryptic fragment that contained the residual GPI glycan was isolated by HPLC. Analysis by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry revealed a parent ion of m/z 3798. The fragmentation patterns produced by collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry of the +4 and +5 states of the parent ion indicated a 23-amino acid peptide in amide linkage to ethanolamine-PO4-Hex-Hex-Hex(PO4-ethanolamine) (HexNAc)-HexN(Me)2-inositol phosphate. The glycan structure is completely consistent with that obtained previously for the GPI anchor of human erythrocyte AChE except for the addition of the HexNAc substituent. A nearly complete peptide sequence was deduced from the fragmentation patterns, although four assignments were based only on single fragments of very low abundance. To resolve this uncertainty, a segment of bovine genomic DNA corresponding to the C-terminal AChE sequence was amplified by PCR. DNA sequencing established the 23-amino acid peptide sequence to be FLPKLLSATASEAPCTCSGPAHG, in agreement with the MS data and consistent with results from Edman protein sequencing. Dimerization of AChE polypeptides is mediated by intersubunit disulphide bonding in this C-terminal segment, but the bovine AChE contained two cysteine residues in a …CTC… motif, in contrast with human AChE which contains only a single cysteine in this segment. Although bovine AChE contained no free thiol groups reactive with iodo[14C]acetamide, partial reduction and alkylation with iodo[14C]acetamide revealed that conversion into monomers occurred with an overall incorporation of only one alkyl group per monomer. An identical level of alkylation was observed when dimeric human AChE was converted into monomers by partial reduction. The question of whether the bovine AChE contains one or two intersubunit disulphide linkages is considered.