bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-2 in McArdle-RH7777 hepatoma cells inhibits the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis via decreased gene expression of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase
Authors: Cui Z , Houweling M , Vance D E
Published: August 2015

Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-2 (PEMT2) of rat liver was expressed in McArdle-RH7777 rat hepatoma cells, which lack endogenous PEMT activity. Expression of the enzyme was confirmed by assay of PEMT activity and immunoblotting. There was no change in the amount of phosphatidylcholine in the transfected cells [Cu, Houweling and Vance (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 24531-24533], even though the expression of PEMT2 caused an increased incorporation of [methyl-3H]methionine and [3H]ethanolamine into phosphatidylcholine. In contrast, [3H]serine incorporation into phosphatidylcholine was only marginally enhanced by PEMT2 expression. Incorporation of [methyl-3H]choline into phosphatidylcholine was decreased by greater than 60%, suggesting that the CDP-choline pathway was inhibited as a result of PEMT2 expression. CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) activities in transfected cell lines were decreased in proportion to the level of expression of PEMT2. Immunoblot analyses showed a decrease in CT mass as a function of PEMT2 expression. In contrast, there was no change in the mass of protein disulphide-isomerase or the relative amounts of most proteins expressed in the PEMT2-transfected, compared with control, cells. Similarly, the expression of CT mRNA was decreased in PEMT2-expressing cells, whereas the mRNAs for protein disulphide-isomerase and actin were unchanged. When cell growth was slowed by incubating McArdle-RH7777 cells at 25 degrees C, compared with 37 degrees C, there was no difference in the specific activity of the CT. These results argue that PEMT2 expression down-regulates the CDP-choline pathway by decreasing the expression of the gene for the CT. The decreased activity of the CDP-choline pathway might contribute to the slower rate of cell division in PEMT2-transfected hepatoma cells.
A redox-based mechanism for induction of interleukin-1 production by nitric oxide in a human colonic epithelial cell line (HT29-Cl.16E)
Authors: VALLETTE Geneviève , JARRY Anne , BRANKA Jean-Eric , LABOISSE Christian L.
Published: August 2015

We evaluated the effects of two NO donors, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1), characterized by alternative redox states, i.e. nitrosonium ion (NO+) and nitric oxide (NO•) respectively, on intracellular interleukin-1 (IL-1) production, by a human colonic epithelial cell line (HT29-Cl.16E). SNP was able to induce intracellular IL-1α production up to 10 h incubation, in a dose-dependent manner. Several experiments provide evidence that the NO+ redox form, and not the free radical NO•, is implicated in the IL-1α production: (i) SIN-1, devoid of any NO+ character, led to a very weak IL-1 production as compared with SNP; (ii) the reductive action of a thiol such as cysteine on NO+ led to a dose-dependent increase in NO• concentration, measured as NO2-/NO3- accumulation, and to a large decrease in IL-1 production. Dibutyryl cGMP had no effect on IL-1 production, this finding supporting the concept that a cGMP-independent pathway is involved in the intracellular signalling of NO+. Together these results point out that NO, depending on its redox form, is able to modulate IL-1 production in cultured colonic epithelial cells.
Properties of the human arginine vasopressin V2 receptor after site-directed mutagenesis of its putative palmitoylation site
Authors: SCHÜlLEIN Ralf , LIEBENHOFF Ursula , MÜlLLER Helmut , BIRNBAUMER Mariel , ROSENTHAL Walter
Published: August 2015

Most G-protein-coupled receptors have conserved cysteine residues in their C-terminal cytoplasmic domain that appear to be generally palmitoylated. An example is the human arginine vasopressin V2 receptor with cysteine residues at positions 341 and 342. Site-directed mutagenesis of the putative palmitoylation site was used to study the significance of palmitoylation for the V2 receptor. A multifunctional expression plasmid was constructed by cloning the V2 receptor cDNA into the vector pCDNAI.Neo. The resulting plasmid allowed site-directed mutagenesis experiments without subcloning, and stable and transient expression of the V2 receptor in Ltk- and COS.M6 cells respectively. The conserved cysteine residues Cys-341 and Cys-342 were replaced by serine residues, yielding the single mutants C-341S and C-342S and the double mutant C-341S/C-342S. Functional expression in stably transfected Ltk- cells showed that the affinity of the three mutant receptors for arginine vasopressin was not altered. In contrast with the activation of adenylate cyclase through β2 adrenergic receptors, arginine vasopressin stimulated adenylate cyclase to the same extent and with similar EC50 values in both wild-type and mutant receptors. Transient expression of the C-341S/C-342S mutant receptor in COS.M6 cells confirmed an unaltered affinity of the mutant receptor for arginine vasopressin. However, the number of arginine vasopressin-binding sites on the cell surface was reduced by 30%, suggesting that the transport of the mutant receptor to the cell surface was impaired. In addition, the decrease in detectable arginine vasopressin-binding sites on the cell surface following pre-exposure to hormone was reduced, indicating that the sequestration/internalization of the mutant receptor on the cell surface was affected. The present data indicate that palmitoylation of the V2 receptor is important for intracellular trafficking and/or sequestration/internalization but not for agonist binding or activation of the Gs/adenylate cyclase system.
Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor is an intrinsic keratinocyte-derived growth factor for human melanocytes in UVA-induced melanosis
Authors: IMOKAWA Genji , YADA Yukihiro , KIMURA Mitsutoshi , MORISAKI Naoko
Published: August 2015

Recently we demonstrated that endothelins secreted from human keratinocytes act as intrinsic mitogens and melanogens for human melanocytes in UVB-induced melanosis. We show here that UVA-induced melanosis is associated with other keratinocyte-derived growth factors, secretion of which is specifically stimulated after exposure of human keratinocytes to UVA. Medium conditioned by UVA-exposed human keratinocytes elicited a significant increase in DNA synthesis by cultured human melanocytes in a UVA dose-dependent manner. Analysis of endothelin-1 and interleukin (IL)-1α in the conditioned medium by ELISA, both of which are major keratinocyte-derived cytokines involved in UVB-associated melanocyte activation, revealed that UVA exposure did not cause human keratinocytes to stimulate the secretion of the two cytokines. In contrast, the levels of several other cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were significantly increased in the conditioned medium of human keratinocytes after exposure to UVA at a dose of 1.0 J/cm2. The gel chromatographic profile of UVA-exposed keratinocyte-conditioned medium demonstrated that there were two factors (P-1 and P-2) with molecular masses of approx. 20 and 1 kDa respectively that stimulate DNA synthesis in human melanocytes, and the larger species (P-1) also increased melanization as assessed by [14C]thiouracil incorporation. Quantitative analysis of cytokines in chromatographic fractions by ELISA revealed the P-1 fraction to be consistent with the molecular mass profile of GM-CSF. Furthermore the stimulatory effect of the P-1 fraction on DNA synthesis in human melanocytes was neutralized by antibodies to GM-CSF, but not to basic fibroblast growth factor or stem cell factor. Binding and proliferation assays with recombinant GM-CSF demonstrated that human melanocytes possess specific binding sites for GM-CSF(Kd 2.11 nM; binding sites, 2.5-3.5×104 per cell), and recombinant GM-CSF at concentrations of more than 10 nM significantly stimulated DNA synthesis and melanization. These findings suggest that GM-CSF secreted by keratinocytes plays an essential role in the maintenance of melanocyte proliferation and UVA-induced pigmentation in the epidermis.
Influence of experimental errors on the determination of flux control coefficients from transient metabolite concentrations
Authors: EHLDE Magnus , ZACCHI Guido
Published: August 2015

The influence of experimental errors on the determination of flux control coefficients from transient metabolite concentrations with the method proposed by Delgado and Liao [(1992) Biochem. J. 282, 919–927] has been investigated by using Monte Carlo simulations. The method requires least-squares fitting of the transient metabolite concentrations. Three different fitting methods have been evaluated. Simulated metabolite concentrations of a fictive metabolic pathway were scattered randomly, emulating experimental errors, before performing the fits. This was repeated a large number of times; the mean values and standard deviations of the resulting control coefficients are reported. The results show that the proposed method for determining control coefficients is too sensitive to experimental errors to be practicable, with theoretically justified fitting methods. This is in particular due to the high degree of correlation between the concentrations. An alternative ad hoc fitting method produced biased mean values of the estimates of the control coefficients, but with remarkably low standard deviations.
Phospholipid and cation activation of chimaeric choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferases
Authors: McMASTER Christopher R. , MORASH Sherry C. , BELL Robert M.
Published: August 2015

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae CPT1 and EPT1 genes encode for a cholinephosphotransferase (CPT) and choline/ ethanolaminephosphotransferase, respectively. Both Cpt1p and Ept1p activities display an absolute requirement for cations and phospholipids. A mixed-micelle assay was employed to determine cation and lipid activators of parental and chimaeric Cpt1p/ Ept1p enzymes to gain insight into their mechanism(s) of activation. Mg2+, Mn2+ and Co2+ were the only cations capable of activating Cpt1p and Ept1p in vitro. Kinetic data revealed that only Mg2+ is present in appropriate amounts to activate CPT activity in vivo. The two enzymes displayed distinct activation profiles on the basis of their relative affinities for Mg2+, Mn2+ and Co2+. This allowed the use of chimaeric enzymes to determine the mechanism of cation activation. Cations do not activate Cpt1p or Ept1p by complexing with the substrate, CDP-choline, but instead bind to disparate regions within the enzymes themselves. Cpt1p and Ept1p also displayed distinct phospholipid activation profiles. Phospholipid activation required a phosphate and/or glycero-phosphoester linkage, with the phospho-head group moiety positioned at the surface of the micelle. Assays with parental and chimaeric Cpt1p/Ept1p constructs revealed that the phospholipid binding/activation domains are not located within linear segments of the protein, but instead are contained within distinct and separate regions of the proteins that require an intact tertiary structure for formation. Phosphatidylcholine (and its structural analogue sphingomyelin) were the best lipid activators of Cpt1p, the main biologically relevant CPT activity in S. cerevisiae. Hence CPT displays product activation. Because phosphatidylcholine is an efficient activator of CPT activity (and hence Cpt1p is not subject to feedback inhibition by its product), Cpt1p is incapable of functioning as a direct monitor of membrane phosphatidylcholine composition.
Phosphorylation of c-Jun stimulated in primary cultured rat liver parenchymal cells by a coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl
Authors: TANNO Keiichi , AOKI Yasunobu
Published: August 2015

Phosphorylation of c-Jun was stimulated in primary cultured rat liver parenchymal cells by treatment with a coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl congener, 3,3´,4,4´,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PenCB), as well as by epidermal growth factor, but was not stimulated by the non-coplanar form. However, the amount of c-Jun mRNA did not increase with PenCB treatment. PenCB may activate a signal-transducing pathway consisting of protein kinases.
Expression in Escherichia coli and characterization of a reconstituted recombinant 7Fe ferredoxin from Desulfovibrio africanus
Authors: BUSCH Johanneke L. H. , BRETON Jacques L. J. , BARTLETT Barry M. , JAMES Richard , HATCHIKIAN E. Claude , THOMSON Andrew J.
Published: August 2015

Desulfovibrio africanus ferredoxin III is a monomeric protein (molecular mass of 6585 Da) that contains one [3Fe-4S]1+/0 and one [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ cluster when isolated aerobically. The amino acid sequence consists of 61 amino acids, including seven cysteine residues that are all involved in co-ordination to the clusters. In order to isolate larger quantities of D. africanus ferredoxin III, we have overexpressed it in Escherichia coli by constructing a synthetic gene based on the amino acid sequence of the native protein. The recombinant ferredoxin was expressed in E. coli as an apoprotein. We have reconstituted the holoprotein by incubating the apoprotein with excess iron and sulphide in the presence of a reducing agent. The reconstituted recombinant ferredoxin appeared to have a lower stability than that of wild-type D. africanus ferredoxin III. We have shown by low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism and EPR spectroscopy that the recombinant ferredoxin contains a [3Fe-4S]1+/0 and a [4Fe-4S]2+/1+ cluster similar to those found in native D. africanus ferredoxin III. These results indicate that the two clusters have been correctly inserted into the recombinant ferredoxin.
Emulsification and lipolysis of triacylglycerols are altered by viscous soluble dietary fibres in acidic gastric medium in vitro
Authors: PASQUIER Bérengère , ARMAND Martine , CASTELAIN Chantal , GUILLON Fabienne , BOREL Patrick , LAFONT Huguette , LAIRON Denis
Published: August 2015

This in vitro study was designed to test the hypothesis that soluble dietary fibres can alter the process of intragastric lipid emulsification and possibly subsequent triacylglycerol lipolysis. Three guar gums, two pectins and gum arabic were dissolved in acidic gastric medium in the concentration range 0.3–2.0% (w/v). Viscosities of fibre solutions were measured and apparent viscosities varied over a wide range (0.7–77 mPa·s). Emulsification of a lipid mixture (triolein/phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol) was performed under mild conditions in the presence of increasing concentrations of soluble fibres. The amount of emulsified lipid was not affected whereas the size of the emulsified droplets was increased by raising the concentration of viscous fibres only. The droplet size (r=0.75, P=0.006) and overall droplet surface area (r=-0.69, P=0.009) were strongly correlated with the medium viscosity in the range 0–20 mPa·s. The addition of solutions of viscous fibres to a preformed standard emulsion did not change the initial velocity of human gastric lipase reaction. Conversely, when emulsions prepared in the presence of fibres (i.e. with different droplet sizes) were incubated with excess gastric enzyme for 2 h, the high-viscosity guar gum significantly reduced the extent of triacylglycerol lipolysis, as compared with control and low- or medium-viscosity fibres. In conclusion, the data obtained show that reducing emulsification of dietary lipids in the mildly acid medium found in the stomach is a mechanism by which soluble viscous fibres can alter lipid assimilation.
Rhodamine 123 efflux transporter in Haloferax volcanii is induced when cultured under ‘metabolic stress’ by amino acids: the efflux system resembles that in a doxorubicin-resistant mutant
Authors: KAIDOH Koichi , MIYAUCHI Seiji , ABE Akihito , TANABU Susumu , NARA Toshifumi , KAMO Naoki
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we report that an archaebacterium, Haloferax volcanii, cultured in medium containing a large excess of amino acids showed very low levels of rhodamine 123 (RH123), which is a potent substrate for P-glycoprotein and the bacterial multi-drug efflux transporter. This low level involved the active efflux of RH123 from the cells. The level of intracellular RH123 was increased and the efflux inhibited by the Ca2+-channel antagonist verapamil and also by various anti-cancer drugs. The efflux transporter was suggested to be ATP-driven. We have previously selected a mutant of H. volcanii with resistance to doxorubicin, by repeatedly culturing cells in 1.5 μM doxorubicin [Miyauchi, Komatsubara and Kamo (1992) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1110, 144–150]. The acquisition of resistance to doxorubicin involves the active expulsion of lipophilic drugs such as RH123 and doxorubicin. It is notable that the drug spectrum and ATP-dependency of the amino acid-induced efflux transporter resemble those of the efflux transporter induced by doxorubicin.
A mutation in the RET proto-oncogene in Hirschsprung's disease affects the tyrosine kinase activity associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A and 2B
Authors: COSMA Maria Pia , PANARIELLO Luigi , QUADRO Loredana , DATHAN Nina A. , FATTORUSO Olimpia , COLANTUONI Vittorio
Published: August 2015

We demonstrate that a Hirschsprung (HSCR) mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of the RET proto-oncogene abolishes in cis the tyrosine-phosphorylation associated with the activating mutation in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) in transiently transfected Cos cells. Yet the double mutant RET2AHS retains the ability to form stable dimers, thus dissociating the dimerization from the phosphorylation potential. Co-transfection experiments with single and double mutants carrying plasmids RET2A and RET2AHS in different ratios drastically reduced the phosphorylation levels of the RET2A protein, suggesting a dominant-negative effect of the HSCR mutation. Also, the phosphorylation associated with the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) allele was affected in experiments with single and double mutants carrying plasmids co-transfected under the same conditions. Finally, analysis of the enzymic activity of MEN2A and MEN2B tumours confirmed the relative levels of tyrosine phosphorylation observed in Cos cells, indicating that this condition, in vivo, may account for the RET transforming potential.
The disulphide bond structure of thyroid-stimulating hormone β-subunit
Authors: FAIRLIE W. Douglas , STANTON Peter G. , HEARN Milton T. W.
Published: August 2015

Previously only one of the six disulphide bonds within the β-subunit of bovine thyrotropin (bTSHβ) has been unequivocally assigned. In the present investigation, the fluorescent alkylating reagent 5-N-[(iodoacetamidoethyl)amino]naphthalene-1-sulphonic acid has been employed as part of a double-alkylation strategy to allow the relative reactivities and the location of the six disulphide bonds of bTSHβ, after selective reduction, to be assigned by using reversed-phase HPLC peptide mapping techniques and associated methods of structural analysis. The most reactive disulphide bond was Cys88–Cys95; the second most reactive group of disulphide bonds involved the half-cystine residues Cys16, Cys19, Cys67 and Cys105 with the experimental results consistent with the assignment of disulphide bonds to Cys16–Cys67 and Cys19–Cys105. The least reactive group of half-cystine residues consisted of Cys2, Cys27, Cys31, Cys52, Cys83 and Cys85. The isolation, by high-performance ion-exchange chromatography, of a partly reduced bTSHβ derivative in which only the half-cystine residues Cys31, Cys85, Cys88 and Cys95 were labelled enabled the assignment of a previously uncharacterized disulphide bond to Cys31–Cys85. The remaining two assignments, Cys2–Cys52 and Cys27–Cys83, were made by comparison with the recently published human chorionic gonadotropin crystal structure. The flexibility of the double-labelling approach used in these studies demonstrates that only very small quantities are required for proteins containing an extensive number of half-cystine residues such as TSHβ, owing to the combination of the high resolution of the reversed-phase HPLC peptide mapping procedures and the sensitivity of the fluorimetric detection method.
Structure-activity relationship of cytoplasmic 5′-nucleotidase substrate sites
Authors: SKLADANOWSKI Andrzej C. , HOFFMANN Carsten , KRASS Joachim , JASTORFF Bernd , MAKAREWICZ Wieslaw
Published: August 2015

Various 5´-nucleotidases (EC 3.1.3.5) exist in vertebrate tissues. The sequence and cDNA cloning of the membrane-bound ecto-5´-nucleotidase (e-N) and one of the cytosolic isoenzymes, IMP-preferring (c-N-II), but not the cytosolic AMP-preferring form (c-N-I), have been reported. While c-N-II has a broad tissue distribution, c-N-I is found only in vertebrate heart. The published data on substrate specificity involve mainly the naturally occurring nucleoside monophosphates, without a systematic structure–activity relationship study. In the present study we have used a series of AMP and IMP analogues to examine the structure–activity relationship for c-N-I and c-N-II in detail. The rank order of activity of the test compounds differed substantially between c-N-I and c-N-II. c-N-I and c-N-II varied with respect to the following interactions with substrate: (1) hydrogen-bond formation with the substituent in the 6-position of the purine ring (a donor-type with c-N-I and an acceptor-type with c-N-II); and (2) hydrophobic attraction of the 6-position unsubstituted purine ring (more pronounced with c-N-I than with c-N-II). No better substrate than 5´-AMP was found for c-N-I. We propose that c-N-I functions as an AMP-binding protein in the myocardial cell with an important role during ischaemic ATP breakdown when AMP accumulates rapidly.
Effects of dexamethasone and transforming growth factor-β2 on group II phospholipase A2 mRNA and activity levels in interleukin 1β- and forskolin-stimulated mesangial cells
Authors: VERVOORDELDONK Margriet J. B. M. , SCHALKWIJK Casper G. , PFEILSCHIFTER Josef , van den BOSCH Henk
Published: August 2015

The expression of 14 kDa group II phospholipase A2 [also referred to as secretory PLA2 (sPLA2)] is induced in rat glomerular mesangial cells by exposure to inflammatory cytokines and forskolin, a cAMP elevating agent. Previously we have shown that dexamethasone and transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) suppress sPLA2 protein synthesis and enzyme activity induced by cytokines and forskolin. The regulation of sPLA2 by pro-inflammatory cytokines suggests that the enzyme may play a role in glomerular inflammatory reactions. In order to understand the regulation of sPLA2 in more detail, we investigated whether dexamethasone and TGF-β2 also suppress sPLA2 mRNA after its induction by either interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or forskolin. We found that IL-1β-induced sPLA2 mRNA in rat mesangial cells is not down-regulated by pretreatment of the cells with dexamethasone, even at a concentration of 10 μM, which dramatically decreases sPLA2 protein levels and activity. Metabolic labelling experiments indicated that the decreased sPLA2 levels under these conditions can be explained by inhibition of the rate of sPLA2 synthesis from the elevated mRNA levels. In contrast, the forskolin-induced elevation of sPLA2 mRNA is inhibited by dexamethasone in a concentration-dependent manner. Likewise, TGF-β2 inhibits the elevation of sPLA2 mRNAs induced by either IL-1β or forskolin. The decrease in sPLA2 mRNA caused by TGF-β2 corresponds with the decrease in sPLA2 enzyme levels and activity. These data suggest that cytokine- and forskolin-induced sPLA2 expression is tightly controlled via both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Furthermore, we show that pretreatment of mesangial cells with epidermal growth factor prior to stimulation with IL-1β or forskolin had no suppressing effect on sPLA2 levels or enzyme activity, as has been reported previously for osteoblasts.
13C-NMR relation study of heparin—disaccharide interactions with tripeptides GRG and GKG
Authors: MIKHAILOV Dmitri , MAYO Kevin H. , PERVIN Azra , LINHARDT Robert J.
Published: August 2015

Heparin is a polydisperse sulphated copolymer consisting mostly of 1 → 4 linked glucosamine and uronic acid residues, i.e. 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-D-glucopyranose 6-sulphate and L-idopyranosyluronic acid 2-sulphate. 13C NMR has been used to study the interactions of heparinase-derived and purified heparin disaccharide with N- and C-terminally-blocked tripeptides GRG and GKG. Titration of the disaccharide with peptide indicates that GRG binds the disaccharide more strongly than does GKG, with interactions in either case being stronger at uronate ring positions. In the presence of GRG, a carboxylate pKa depression suggests electrostatic interactions between the arginine guanidinium group and the uronate carboxylate group. 13C relaxation data have been acquired for all disaccharide and peptide carbons in the presence and absence of GRG and GKG. 13C relaxation rates for the disaccharide are significantly faster in the presence of peptide, especially with GRG. Analysis of these relaxation data has been done in terms of molecular diffusion constants, D⊥ and D‖, and an angle α between D‖ and a molecular frame defined by the moment of inertia tensor calculated for an internally rigid disaccharide. Disaccharide conformational space in these calculations has been sampled for both uronate half-chair forms (2H1 and 1H2) and over a range of glycosidic bond angles defined by motional order parameters and inter-residue nuclear Overhauser effects (±30° from the average). In the absence of peptide, the ratio D⊥/D‖ falls between 0.4 and 0.7; therefore molecular diffusion occurs preferentially about D‖, which runs through both disaccharide rings. In the presence of peptide, D⊥/D‖ is decreased, indicating that GRG is oriented along D‖ and proximal to the uronic acid ring. A model for this is shown.
Transfer of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin from low- and high-density lipoprotein to human platelets
Authors: ENGELMANN Bernd , KÖGL Christine , KULSCHAR Robert , SCHAIPP Barbara
Published: August 2015

Following a 1 h incubation of human platelets with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) labelled in the apoprotein fraction (125I-apoB) or in phospholipid fractions [14C-labelled phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or sphingomyelin (SM)], the percentage of total 14C associated with the cells was about 3-fold higher than the percentage of 125I. Differences in temperature sensitivity also indicated differential interactions of phospholipids and apoprotein with platelets. In order to assess the amount of [14C]phospholipid transferred from LDL or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to the cells, the quantity of bound lipoproteins was estimated by adding an excess of unlabelled lipoprotein, or by selectively degrading LDL- and HDL-associated [14C]PC and [14C]PE with phospholipase C. Incubation of platelets with LDL or HDL containing pyrenedecanoic acid-labelled PC or SM (py-PC, py-SM) increased pyrene monomer fluorescence, indicating incorporation of the phospholipids into platelets. With HDL as donor, incorporation of py-SM was greater than uptake of py-PC. Pretreating platelets with elastase dose-dependently inhibited uptake of py-SM and py-PC. Treatment of cells with phospholipase C indicated that the uptake of [14C]PC by platelets, and not the binding of lipoproteins to the cells, was partially inhibited by elastase. In conclusion, LDL and HDL rapidly deliver SM, PC and PE to platelets. Incorporation of LDL-derived phospholipids into platelets is unlikely to be mediated by endocytosis of lipoprotein particles. The uptake of the two choline-containing phospholipids appears to require the presence of specialized platelet membrane protein(s).
Betaglycan has multiple binding sites for transforming growth factor-β 1
Authors: KANAME Shinya , RUOSLAHTI Erkki
Published: August 2015

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-binding site in betaglycan, the type III TGF-β receptor, has been variously assigned to the C-terminal half and N-terminal one-third of the extracellular domain. In this study, we show that there are at least two TGF-β-binding sites in betaglycan. Bacterially expressed fragments bg1,2 and bg3, which represent the N-terminal two-thirds and C-terminal one-third of betaglycan extracellular domain, both competed for the binding of 125I-TGF-β to mink lung epithelial cells. 125I-bg1,2 bound to immobilized TGF-β with an affinity about 4-fold higher than bg3 had. Both bg3 and bg1,2 enhanced the bioactivity of TGF-β. The whole ectodomain of betaglycan was more active than either bg3 or bg1,2 in the assays. The binding of 125I-bg3 to TGF-β was inhibited by bg1,2, and vice versa. The binding of 125I-bg3 and 125I-bg1,2 to TGF-β was also inhibited by the small decorin family of proteoglycans. These results indicate that there are at least two binding sites for TGF-β in betaglycan and that these sites recognize the same or overlapping sites in TGF-β.
Substrate specificity and kinetic parameters of GLUT3 in rat cerebellar granule neurons
Authors: MAHER Fran , DAVIES-HILL Theresa M. , SIMPSON Ian A.
Published: August 2015

This study examines the apparent affinity, catalytic-centre activity (‘turnover number’) and stereospecificity of the neuronal glucose transporter GLUT3 in primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons. Using a novel variation of the 3-O-[14C]methylglucose transport assay, by measuring zero-trans kinetics at 25 °C, GLUT3 was determined to be a high-apparent-affinity, high-activity, glucose transporter with a Km of 2.87±0.23 mM (mean±S.E.M.) for 3-O-methylglucose, a Vmax of 18.7± 0.48 nmol/min per 106 cells, and a corresponding catalytic-centre activity of 853 s-1. Transport of 3-O-methylglucose was competed by glucose, mannose, 2-deoxyglucose and galactose, but not by fructose. This methodology is compared with the more common 2-[3H]deoxyglucose methodology and the [U-14C]glucose transport method. The high affinity and transport activity of the neuronal glucose transporter GLUT3 appears to be an appropriate adaptation to meet the demands of neuronal metabolism at prevailing interstitial brain glucose concentrations (1–2 mM).
A protein targeting signal that functions in polarized epithelial cells in vivo
Authors: ALI Simi , HALL Judith , HAZLEWOOD Geoffrey P. , HIRST Barry H. , GILBERT Harry J.
Published: August 2015

Eukaryotic membrane-associated polypeptides often contain a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that signals the attachment of GPI lipids to these proteins. The GPI anchor can function as a basolateral or apical targeting signal in mammalian cells cultured in vitro, although the function of the GPI anchor in vivo remains to be elucidated. In this study we have evaluated the effect of fusing a GPI anchor sequence to a prokaryotic reporter protein on the cellular location of the polypeptide in polarized epithelial cells of transgenic mice. The bacterial enzyme, when fused to a eukaryotic signal peptide, was secreted through the basolateral membrane of small-intestinal enterocytes; however, when the enzyme was linked to the GPI anchor sequence the polypeptide was redirected to the apical surface of the epithelial cells. These data provide the first direct evidence that the GPI anchor functions as an apical membrane protein sorting signal in polarized epithelial cells in vivo.
Temporal sequence of metabolic and ionic events in glucose-stimulated clonal pancreatic β-cells (HIT)
Authors: CIVELEK Vildan N. , DEENEY Jude T. , KUBIK Kari , SCHULTZ Vera , TORNHEIM Keith , CORKEY Barbara E.
Published: August 2015

Stimulation of insulin release by glucose requires increased metabolism of glucose and a rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ in the pancreatic β-cell. It is accompanied by increases in respiratory rate, pyridine and flavin nucleotide reduction state, intracellular pH and the ATP/ADP ratio. To test alternative proposals of the regulatory relationships among free Ca2+, mitochondrial metabolism and cellular energy state, we determined the temporal sequence of these metabolic and ionic changes following addition of glucose to clonal pancreatic β-cells (HIT). Combined measurements of the native fluorescence of reduced pyridine nucleotides and oxidized flavin, intracellular pH, and free Ca2+ were performed together with simultaneous measurement of O2 tension or removal of samples for assay of the ATP/ADP ratio. The initial changes were detected in three phases. First, decreases occurred in the ATP/ADP ratio (< 3 s) and increases in pyridine (2±1 s) and flavin (2±1 s) nucleotide reduction. Next, increases in the O2 consumption rate (20±5 s), the ATP/ADP ratio (29±12 s) and internal pH (48±5 s) were observed. Finally, cytosolic free Ca2+ rose (114±10 s). Maximal changes in the ATP/ADP ratio, O2 consumption and pyridine and flavin nucleotide fluorescence preceded the beginning of the Ca2+ change. These relationships are consistent with a model in which phosphorylation of glucose is the initial event which generates the signals that lead to an increase in respiration, a rise in the ATP/ADP ratio and finally influx of Ca2+. Our results indicate that Ca2+ does not function as the initiator of increased mitochondrial respiration.
Transcriptional induction of the human renin gene by cyclic AMP requires cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and a factor binding a pituitary-specific trans-acting factor (Pit-1) motif
Authors: GERMAIN Stéphane , KONOSHITA Tadashi , PHILIPPE Josette , CORVOL Pierre , PINET Florence
Published: August 2015

To delineate the cis-acting elements of the proximal promoter responsible for cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced human renin gene transcription, 5´-flanking regions of the human renin gene were fused to a luciferase reporter gene and transfected in chorionic cells. Forskolin treatment induced the expression of luciferase by 2.4-fold when the reporter plasmid contained the promoter region (-582 to +16). Mutation or deletion of the cAMP response element (CRE) diminished (1.7-fold) but did not abolish cAMP-induced transcription, demonstrating that the (-582 to -145) region containing the CRE and the region (-145 to -38) containing a Pit-1 (pituitary-specific trans-acting factor) site were both necessary for cAMP maximal induction. To study the molecular events mediating the cAMP induction, DNase I footprinting and electromobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed with renin-producing chorionic cell and kidney cortex cell nuclear extracts, showing that the CRE-binding protein (CREB) interacts with the CRE and that tissue-specific factors, distinct from Pit-1, specifically bind the renin Pit-1 motif. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the cAMP response of the human renin gene may involve CREB binding the CRE and tissue-specific factors, different from Pit-1, that interact with the Pit-1 response DNA elements.
Cloning and expression of the gene encoding the Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E secondary-alcohol dehydrogenase and biochemical characterization of the enzyme
Authors: BURDETTE Douglas S. , VIEILLE Claire , ZEIKUS J. Gregory
Published: August 2015

The adhB gene encoding Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E secondary-alcohol dehydrogenase (S-ADH) was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. The 1056 bp gene encodes a homotetrameric recombinant enzyme consisting of 37.7 kDa subunits. The purified recombinant enzyme is optimally active above 90 °C with a half-life of approx. 1.7 h at 90 °C. An NADP(H)-dependent enzyme, the recombinant S-ADH has 1400-fold greater catalytic efficiency in propan-2-ol oxidation than in ethanol oxidation. The enzyme was inactivated by chemical modification with dithionitrobenzoate (DTNB) and diethylpyrocarbonate, indicating that Cys and His residues are involved in catalysis. Zinc was the only metal enhancing S-ADH reactivation after DTNB modification, implicating the involvement of bound zinc in catalysis. Arrhenius plots for the oxidation of propan-2-ol by the native and recombinant S-ADHs were linear from 25 to 90 °C when the enzymes were incubated at 55 °C before assay. Discontinuities in the Arrhenius plots for propan-2-ol and ethanol oxidations were observed, however, when the enzymes were preincubated at 0 or 25 °C. The observed Arrhenius discontinuity therefore resulted from a temperature-dependent, catalytically significant S-ADH structural change. Hydrophobic cluster analysis comparisons of both mesophilic and thermophilic S-ADH and primary- versus S-ADH amino acid sequences were performed. These comparisons predicted that specific proline residues might contribute to S-ADH thermostability and thermophilicity, and that the catalytic Zn ligands are different in primary-alcohol dehydrogenases (two Cys and a His) and S-ADHs (Cys, His, and Asp).
Secretion of human intestinal angiotensin-converting enzyme and its association with the differentiation state of intestinal cells
Authors: NAIM Hassan Y.
Published: August 2015

Human angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) exists in intestinal epithelial cells as a membrane-bound (ACEm) and secretory glycoprotein (ACEsec). The electrophoretic mobilities of ACEsec and ACEm on SDS/polyacrylamide gels are similar; the N-deglycosylated ACEsec and ACEm, in contrast, display slight differences in their apparent molecular masses, indicating that the carbohydrate contents of ACEsec and ACEm are different. Moreover, ACEsec is solely N-glycosylated whereas ACEm is N- and O-glycosylated, assessed by lectin binding studies. Spontaneous release of ACEsec is achieved by incubation of brush border membranes at 37 °C. Aprotinin, leupeptin and EDTA partly inhibit the generation of ACEsec, strongly suggesting that ACEsec is generated from ACEm by proteolytic cleavage. The expression levels of ACEsec in the intestine may be associated with the differentiation state of mucosal cells. Thus ACEsec is more abundant than ACEm in immature non-epithelial crypt cells of patients with coeliac disease. Well-differentiated epithelial cells, by contrast, contain predominantly ACEm. The variations in the proportions of cleaved ACEsec in differentiated and non-differentiated cells may be due to varying levels of the cleaving protease. Alternatively, because epithelial cell differentiation is accompanied by alterations in the levels of oligosaccharyltransferases, the results suggest a critical role for the glycosylation pattern of ACEm in its susceptibility to the putative cleaving protease.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase from adult human brain that dehydrogenates γ-aminobutyraldehyde: purification, characterization, cloning and distribution
Authors: KIKONYOGO Alexandra , PIETRUSZKO Regina
Published: August 2015

Enzyme purification and characterization, cDNA cloning and Northern blot analysis were the techniques utilized during this investigation to determine the identity and occurrence of the aldehyde dehydrogenase that metabolizes γ-aminobutyraldehyde in adult human brain. The purification yielded one major protein which was active with γ-aminobutyraldehyde. It had the physicochemical and kinetic properties of the human liver E3 isoenzyme of aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3), and also interacted with an anti-(liver E3 isoenzyme) antibody. Tryptic peptides derived from the purified brain protein matched the amino acid sequence of the liver E3 isoenzyme. Employing liver E3 cDNA, a human cerebellar cDNA library was screened and a 2.0 kb cDNA fragment was isolated. The cerebellar cDNA yielded a derived primary structure which differed from the liver E3 amino acid sequence by a single serine-to-cysteine substitution at position 88 (position 84 in the liver sequence). Thus the γ-aminobutyraldehyde-metabolizing enzyme from human brain can be identified as E3′, a variant of the E3 isoenzyme. The catalytic properties of the brain variant were indistinguishable from those of E3, and so the functional importance of this variant is at present unknown. The distribution of this enzyme in brain was investigated by Northern blot analysis, which demonstrated the presence of E3′ mRNA in all regions of the human brain. mRNA levels were variable in the different brain areas, with the highest levels in the spinal cord and the lowest in the occipital pole.
Regulation of a high-affinity diamine transport system in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes
Authors: QUESNE Sarah A. LE , FAIRLAMB Alan H.
Published: August 2015

Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes take up exogenous [3H]putrescine and [3H]cadaverine by a rapid, high-affinity, transport system that exhibits saturable kinetics (putrescine Km 2.0 μM, Vmax 3.3 nmol/min per 108 cells; cadaverine Km 13.4 μM, Vmax 3.9 nmol/min per 108 cells). Putrescine transport is temperature dependent and requires the presence of a membrane potential and thiol groups for activity. Its activity is altered in response to extracellular putrescine levels and as the cells proceed through the growth cycle. This transporter shows high specificity for the diamines putrescine and cadaverine, but low specificity for the polyamines spermidine and spermine. The existence of rapid diamine/polyamine transport systems whose activity can be adjusted in response to the growth conditions is of particular importance, as they seem unable to synthesize their own putrescine [Hunter, Le Quesne and Fairlamb (1994) Eur. J. Biochem. 226, 1019–1027].
Arachidonic acid and lipoxygenase products stimulate protein kinase Cβ mRNA levels in pituitary α T3-1 cell line: role in gonadotropin-releasing hormone action
Authors: SHRAGA-LEVINE Zurit , BEN-MENAHEM David , NAOR Zvi
Published: August 2015

The cross-talk of arachidonic acid (AA) and its lipoxygenase products with protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) mRNA levels during the action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was investigated in the pituitary αT3-1 cell line. The addition of AA or its 5-lipoxygenase products 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) or leukotriene C4 (LTC4) for 30 or 60 min stimulated PCKβ, but not PKCα mRNA levels (3–5-fold); PCKγ is not expressed by the cells. Other HETEs or leukotrienes tested showed no significant effect. The range of effective concentration for LTC4 and 5-HETE (around 10-10 M) is the range found in GnRH-stimulated pituitary cells. Although PKCβ mRNA levels were preferentially elevated by LTC4 and 5-HETE at early time points, PKCα mRNA levels were elevated at 6–12 h of incubation when PKCβ mRNA levels returned to basal levels. The addition of the phospholipase A2 inhibitor 4-bromophenacyl bromide or the selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor L-656,224 abolished [D-Trp6]GnRH (GnRH-A) elevation of PKCβ mRNA levels, whereas PKCα mRNA levels were not increased by this neurohormone. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin elevated basal PKCβ mRNA levels and potentiated the GnRH-A response. Cross-talk exists between AA and some of its lipoxygenase products and PKCβ gene expression during cell signalling. AA, 5-HETE and LTC4 participate in the rapid stimulation of PKCβ mRNA levels by GnRH.
Albumin binding of unconjugated [3H]bilirubin and its uptake by rat liver basolateral plasma membrane vesicles
Authors: PASCOLO Lorella , DEL VECCHIO Savino , KOEHLER Ronald K. , BAYON J. Enrique , WEBSTER Cecile C. , MUKERJEE Pasupati , OSTROW J. Donald , TIRIBELLI Claudio
Published: August 2015

Using highly purified unconjugated [3H]bilirubin (UCB), we measured UCB binding to delipidated human serum albumin (HSA) and its uptake by basolateral rat liver plasma membrane vesicles, in both the absence and presence of an inside-positive membrane potential. Free UCB concentrations ([Bf]) were calculated from UCB–HSA affinity constants (K´f), determined by five cycles of ultrafiltration through a Centricon-10 device (Amicon) of the same solutions used in the uptake studies. At HSA concentrations from 12 to 380 μM, K´f (litre/mol) was inversely related to [HSA], irrespective of the [Bt]/[HSA] ratio. K´f was 2.066×106+(3.258×108/[HSA]). When 50 mM KCl was iso-osmotically substituted for sucrose, the K´f value was significantly lower {2.077×106+(1.099×108/[HSA])}. The transport occurred into an osmotic-sensitive space. Below saturation ([Bf] ⩽ 65 nM), both electroneutral and electrogenic components followed saturation kinetics with respect to [Bf], with Km values of 28±7 and 57±8 nM respectively (mean±S.D., n = 3, P < 0.001). The Vmax was greater for the electrogenic than for the electroneutral component (112±12 versus 45±4 pmol of UCB·mg-1 of protein·15 s-1, P < 0.001). Sulphobromophthalein trans-stimulated both electrogenic (61%) and electroneutral (72%) UCB uptake. These data indicate that: (a) as [HSA] increases, K´f decreases, thus increasing the concentration of free UCB. This may account for much of the enhanced hepatocytic uptake of organic anions observed with increasing [HSA]. (b) UCB is taken up at the basolateral membrane of the hepatocyte by two systems with Km values within the range of physiological free UCB levels in plasma. The electrogenic component shows a lower affinity and a higher capacity than the electroneutral component. (c) It is important to calculate the actual [Bf] using a K´f value determined under the same experimental conditions (medium and [HSA]) used for the uptake studies.
Membrane receptor for odour-binding proteins
Authors: BOUDJELAL Mohamed , SIVAPRASADARAO Asipu , FINDLAY John B. C
Published: August 2015

Specific binding of 125I-labelled bovine odour-binding protein (OBP) to isolated membranes from nasal mucosa was demonstrated. The interaction reached equilibrium within 30 min at 37 °C and was reversible. A Scatchard analysis of the equilibrium binding revealed a single population of binding sites, with the calculated equilibrium dissociation constant and maximum number of binding sites being 2.25±0.5 μM and 18.5±2 pmol/mg of membrane protein respectively (n = 2). Receptor activity was decreased on digestion by trypsin, proteinase K or endoglycosidase H, was heat labile and was sensitive to thiol-group-specific reagents. With the exception of rat and mouse major urinary proteins, which exhibit a high degree of structural similarity with OBP and bind similar ligands, other members of the lipocalin family, such as retinol-binding protein and β-lactoglobulin, failed to inhibit the binding of 125I-labelled OBP to its receptor. The receptor seems not to be restricted to olfactory tissues, as it was detected in a variety of other tissues. This suggests that OBP is unlikely to play a role only in olfactory signal transduction. It might have a much broader role within the body; possibilities include a role in detoxification or signalling.