Stimulation of microsomal uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase by glucuronic acid derivatives

The glucuronic acid adducts of 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol and 4-methylumbelliferone activate microsomal UDP-glucuronyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) when the enzyme is assayed with p-nitrophenol as aglycone. Phenyl glucuronide and oestriol 3beta-glucuronide also activate UDP-glucuronyltransferase. but to a lesser extent. Activation by glucuronides is not dependent on metal ions, but is blocked by prior treatment of microsomal fractions with p-chloromercuribenzoate. The kinetic mechanism of activation is concluded to be an increase in the affinity of the enzyme for UDP-glucuronic acid. Activation by 1-naphthyl glucuronide, at high concentrations of p-nitrophenol, is not affected by 1-naphthol. Apparently 1-naphthyl glucuronide activates the preparation by binding at a site that is separate from the site of glucuronidation of 1-naphthol. Further evidence for the existence of distinct effector sites for the glucuronides was provided by the finding that activation by glucuronides is inhibited competitively by aglycone glucosides. These glucosides do not inhibit the rate of glucuronidation of p-nitrophenol in the absence of glucuronide adducts, nor do they alter the rate of glucuronidation of 1-naphthol. When UDP-glucuronyltransferase is assayed with 1-naphthol as aglycone it is activated by p-nitrophenyl glucuronide, 4-methyl-umbelliferyl glucuronide and under appropriate conditions by its own glucuronide. These activations are similarly inhibited by aglycone glucosides. p-Nitrophenyl glucuronide also stimulates the rate of glucuronidation of o-aminophenol, o-aminobenzoate and bilirubin.     

Uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid production and utilization in various tissues actively synthesizing glycosaminoglycans

1. UDP-glucose dehydrogenase has been partially purified from sheep nasal septum cartilage, neonatal rat skin and bovine corneal epithelium. 2. The pH profile, K(m) values for NAD(+) and UDP-glucose, activation energy and molecular weight have been determined for the enzyme from several of the tissues. 3. The sugar nucleotide concentrations in each of the tissues have been related to the spectrum of glycosaminoglycans produced by each tissue. 4. The presence of an allosteric UDP-xylose-binding site distinct from the active site(s) in sheep nasal septum UDP-glucose dehydrogenase has been demonstrated. 5. An active UDP-glucuronic acid nucleotidase has been demonstrated in sheep nasal cartilage. 6. Tissue-space experiments have shown the cell water content of sheep nasal septum cartilage to be 14% of the wet weight. 7. Glucuronic acid 1-phosphate does not occur in measurable amounts in sheep nasal septum cartilage and no UDP-glucuronic acid pyrophosphorylase activity could be detected in this tissue. 8. The inhibition by UDP-xylose with respect to both substrates, UDP-glucose and NAD(+), has been examined, and shown to be allosteric.