Induction of microvillar hydrolase activities by cell density and exogenous differentiation inducers in an established kidney epithelial cell line (LLC-PK1)

Several hydrolase activities characteristic of the apical brush border membrane of renal proximal tubule, leucine aminopeptidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, maltase, and trehalase, were identified in cultures of the LLC-PK1 kidney epithelial cell line. A coordinate increase in activities of these enzymes was observed upon development of a confluent cell density and functional membrane polarization. Further large progressive increases in individual hydrolase activities were induced after the addition of compounds known as differentiation inducers. Hexamethylene bisacetamide preferentially induced increased trehalase and maltase activities. Induced trehalase activity exhibited an increased Vmax but a similar Km compared with activity in control extracts. Induction required protein synthesis and was dependent on inducer concentration and exposure time. Treatment of confluent cultures with N,N'-dimethylformamide triggered an induction of maltase, trehalase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities, whereas dimethylsulfoxide induced trehalase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities. Increased leucine aminopeptidase and maltase activities were observed after addition of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine. Induction of trehalase activity by N,N'-dimethylformamide was reversible over a 4-day period after removal of inducer, but effects of hexamethylene bisacetamide were irreversible. These results suggest that the LLC-PK1 cell line reproducibly develops differentiation-specific characteristics under defined conditions in cell culture, which can be individually modulated by chemicals known as inducers of cell differentiation.     

Studies on the enzymology of purified preparations of brush border from rabbit kidney

1. A method for the preparation of brush border from rabbit kidneys is described. Contamination by other organelles was checked by electron microscopy and by the assay of marker enzymes and was low. 2. Seven enzymes, all hydrolases, were substantially enriched in the brush-border preparation and are considered to be primarily located in this structure. They are: alkaline phosphatase, maltase, trehalase, aminopeptidase A, aminopeptidase M, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and a neutral peptidase assayed by its ability to hydrolyse [(125)I]iodoinsulin B chain. 3. Adenosine triphosphatases were also present in the preparation, but showed lower enrichments. 4. Alkaline phosphatase was the most active phosphatase present in the preparation. The weak hydrolysis of AMP may well have been due to this enzyme rather than a specific 5'-nucleotidase. 5. The two disaccharidases in brush border were distinguished by the relative heat-stability of trehalase compared with that of maltase. 6. The individuality of the four peptidases was established by several means. The neutral peptidase and aminopeptidase M, both of which can attack insulin B chain, differed not only in response to inhibitors and activators but also in the inhibitory effect of a guinea-pig antiserum raised to rabbit aminopeptidase M. This antiserum inhibited both the purified and the brush-border activities of aminopeptidase M. The neutral peptidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were unaffected but aminopeptidase A was weakly inhibited. The characteristic responses to Ca(2+) and serine with borate served to distinguish aminopeptidase A and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase from other peptidases. 7. No dipeptidases, tripeptidases or carboxypeptidases were identified as brush-border enzymes. 8. Incubation of brush border with papain released almost all the aminopeptidase M activity but only about half the activities of maltase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and aminopeptidase A. No release of alkaline phosphatase, trehalase or the neutral peptidase was observed.     

Isolation from bovine brain of a fraction containing capillaries and a fraction containing membrane fragments of the choroid plexus.

Combined differential and density gradient centrifugation was used for the isolation of a capillary-rich fraction from the cerebral cortex and a brush border containing fraction from the bovine choroid plexus. The activities of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and several other marker enzymes were monitored during the fractionation procedure. Electron microscopic examination showed a membrane-rich fraction in the choroid plexus high in the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and 5'-nucleotidase activities. From the brain cortex, a capillary-rich fraction was obtained which was high in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities. A histochemical examination showed gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity localized in the capillary walls.     

Effect of methylglyoxal on protein thiol and amino groups in isolated rat enterocytes and colonocytes and activity of various brush border enzymes

The effect of methylglyoxal on protein -SH and -NH2 groups in cytosolic and membranous fractions of epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract of rat was investigated, using isolated villus and crypt cells (enterocytes) and colonocytes. It was found that 11-12% cytosolic protein -SH and 14-17% membrane protein -SH groups were lost when villus and crypt cells were treated with 2 mM methylglyoxal. In colonocytes, the corresponding loss in protein -SH groups was 46 and 30% under the same treatment. Similarly, 27-37% protein -NH2 group in the cytosolic fraction and 18-19% protein -NH2 group in membranous fractions of the enterocytes were lost by 2 mM methylglyoxal treatment. In colonocytes, the loss of protein -NH2 group was 30 and 15% in cytosolic and membranous fractions, respectively, under the same treatment. Effect of methylglyoxal on activity of various brush border enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, Mg2(+)-ATPase, sucrase and lactase was also studied. Alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities were inhibited to the extent of 30 and 15% respectively. There was no significant change in the activities of other enzymes after treating the brush border vesicles with 2 mM methylglyoxal. These findings show that methylglyoxal can cause loss of protein thiol and amino groups and enzyme activity in mucosal cells of rat gastrointestinal tract and the effect is more pronounced in colonocytes, which are in constant contact with bacterial metabolites.     

Effect of heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxins of Escherichia coli on intestinal brush border membrane enzymes of mice

The activities of intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) enzymes alkaline phosphatase, maltase, lactase, sucrase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase were determined in intestinal homogenates and purified BBMs from control, heat-stable and heat-labile enterotoxin treated mice. The activities of all the enzymes except lactase were decreased significantly (p less than 0.01) in homogenates while increased significantly (p less than 0.001) in BBMs of experimental groups as compared to controls. Calmodulin activities were increased significantly (p less than 0.01) as compared to control in heat-stable enterotoxin treated mice but remained unaltered in heat-labile enterotoxin treated mice. DNA contents of intestinal homogenates were decreased in experimental groups demonstrating the decrease in cell number in these groups. The altered BBM enzyme activities could not be attributed to changes in calmodulin activities. The increase in enzyme activities in BBMs may reflect a compensatory phenomenon in the remaining cells.     

Release of alkaline phosphodiesterase I from rat kidney plasma membrane produced by the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C of Bacillus thuringiensis

The release of plasma-membrane-bound enzymes by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis was investigated. Among the ectoenzymes of plasma membrane tested, alkaline phosphodiesterase I was released markedly from rat kidney cortex slices, in addition to alkaline phosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase. Other membrane-bound enzymes; alanine aminopeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, esterase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase could not be liberated from the treated slices. Alkaline phosphodiesterase I was released linearly from rat kidney slices with the concentration of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, but little enzyme was released from rat liver slices. Alkaline phosphodiesterase I separated from kidney tissue with n-butanol still retained phosphatidylinositol and was transformed into a lower molecular weight form by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. This suggests an important function for phosphatidylinositol in the binding of alkaline phosphodiesterase I to the plasma membrane of rat kidney cells. The alkaline phosphodiesterase I released from rat kidney had a molecular weight of about 240,000 and an isoelectric point (pI) of 5.4. The enzyme hydrolyzed the phosphodiester linkage of p-nitrophenyl-thymidine 5'-monophosphate at pH 8.9 and had a Km value of 0.3 mM. The enzyme was activated by Mg2+ and Ca2+, but was inhibited by EDTA. Strong inhibition took place on the addition of adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate or the nucleotide pyrophosphates, i.e., UDP-galactose and alpha, beta-methylene ATP.     

Comparative studies on membranes from bovine choroid plexus and rat kidney cortex.

Comparative subcellular fractionation studies on rat kidney and bovine choroid plexus using differential centrifugation and free flow electropheresis were undertaken because of the morphological and functional similarities of the epithelial cells of both tissues. The activities of three enzymes commonly used as markers for brush border membranes in kidney were measured in fractions of each tissue. γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase copurified in membrane fractions of renal cortex collected by differential centrifugation. Application of a similar fractionation procedure to choroid plexus gave relatively similar results, except for alkaline phosphatase, the yield of which was substantially reduced in a fraction enriched with two marker enzymes. Further fractionation of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities in these membrane fractions was achieved using free flow electropheresis. The two enzymes from kidney exhibited discrete peaks with a small separation, while the electropheretic pattern of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase from choroid plexus was biphasic. Alkaline phosphatase was observed to migrate with the more basic γ-glutamyl transpeptidase peak.     

Biochemical, functional, and morphological characterization of a primary culture of rabbit proximal tubule cells.

Primary cultures of renal rabbit proximal tubule cells were initiated from a pure suspension of proximal tubule fragments. Proximal tubule cells were grown in a hormone-supplemented, serum-free medium containing low concentrations of antibiotics. Confluent monolayers exhibited multicellular dome formation, indicating the presence of transepithelial solute and water transport. Ultrastructural examination revealed a monolayer of polarized epithelial cells with tight junctions and sparse membraneous microvilli facing the culture medium. Time course biochemical characterization was performed using a palette of 12 enzymes, representative of important metabolic functions or pathways. Brush-border-associated enzymes (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alanine aminopeptidase) were moderately reduced throughout the culture whereas alkaline phosphatase was markedly decreased at confluency. Mitochondrial and lysosomal marker enzymes were well preserved over the culture period. Glutathione-S-transferase activity remained stable during the 16-day culture period investigated. Glycolysis enzyme activities (lactate dehydrogenase and hexokinase) were enhanced, as a function of culture age. Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity rise was concomitant with the increase of glycolysis marker enzymes. In contrast, the gluconeogenesis marker enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase, fell dramatically to reach a low level equivalent to 4% of the activity measured in isolated proximal tubules. Primary cultures exhibited several differentiated functions of the proximal tubule cell: (a) PTH alone was able to induce a significant stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity, unlike isoproterenol, thyrocalcitonin, and arginine vasopressin, and (b) sodium-dependent alpha-methylglucoside (AMG) transport was detected. This AMG uptake was selectively inhibited by phlorizin (5 X 10(-3) M), which is a competitive inhibitor of glucose uptake at the apical membrane. Complete characterization made it possible to investigate hitherto unexplored aspects of in vitro cultured proximal tubule cells. This primary culture model could provide a useful and reliable tool to investigate in vitro renal proximal tubule function, under normal conditions or after a drug-induced toxicity.     

Subacute thyroiditis associated with systemic multi-organ disorders

Subacute thyroiditis is generally thought to be a self-limited inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland. This paper describes serial observations on the clinical course of a typical patient with subacute thyroiditis. This patient showed specific features of destructive thyrotoxicosis with increases in the serum levels of acute phase reactants and in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. She also showed signs of liver dysfunction [slightly increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP), and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP)], slight anemia, glucose intolerance, increased pancreatic enzymes, splenomegaly, and an increase in peripheral Leu 7 positive (NK/K) cells. These abnormalities all improved with recovery from disease. These findings indicate that in this patient with subacute thyroiditis inflammation is not limited to the thyroid gland but also involves the liver, pancreas and spleen. Thus the subacute thyroiditis in this patient may be a systemic multi-organ disease.     

Fractionation of renal brush border membrane proteins with Triton X-114 phase partitioning.

Analysis of brush border membrane proteins by gel electrophoresis has revealed a complex polypeptide composition. We have investigated the use of Triton X-114 phase partitioning to fractionate such proteins on the basis of their degree of hydrophobicity. Each of the fractions was composed of a complex but distinct set of proteins. Most proteins were solubilized by Triton X-114 and partitioned into the detergent-poor fraction. Trehalase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and leucine aminopeptidase were well solubilized (greater than 80%) and enriched 5.1-, 3.9-, and 2.5-fold in the detergent-rich fraction. In contrast, alkaline phosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase were poorly solubilized. The specific activities of these enzymes were increased 2.7- and 2.3-fold in the insoluble protein fraction. Maltase was almost completely solubilized and partitioned into the detergent-poor fraction with a small enrichment factor (1.3). These results suggest that Triton X-114 phase partitioning could be useful as a first step in the purification of many brush border membrane proteins.     

Enzymatic histochemistry of mouse kidney in plastic

Two-micrometer sections of methacrylate-embedded kidney were used to investigate the enzymatic activities of mouse kidney where the proximal tubule and Bowman's capsule from the same corpuscle were viewed in the same section. Alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, leucine aminopeptidase, alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase, and adenosine triphosphatase activities were observed in the proximal tubule, but only 5'-nucleotidase, alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase, and alkaline phosphatase were observed in the squamous portion of the parietal epithelium of Bowman's capsule. The use of methacrylate-embedded tissue allowed more precise localization of enzymatic activity than is possible with most frozen sections. This may provide interesting applications not only for characterization of kidney diseases but also for characterization of other normal and abnormal tissues.     

Differential effects of sodium butyrate and dimethylsulfoxide on gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Sodium butyrate and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), two known chemical inducers of cell differentiation, were examined on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Both agents reduce the proliferative capacity of MCF-7 cells, as reflected by inhibition of colony formation in semisolid agar. Sodium butyrate is shown to enhance markedly the activity of two plasma membrane-bound enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. DMSO does not enhance the activity of these enzymes, but rather induces a small decrease in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. The present results show that although both agents inhibit cell proliferation, they have a distinct effect on phenotypic expression.     

Phase separation of rat intestinal brush border membrane proteins using Triton X-114

Rat intestinal microvillus membrane contains at least 24 polypeptides, of which 18 can be solubilized using Triton X-114 at 4 degrees C. Upon phase separation at 32 degrees C, 11 proteins separated nearly completely into the detergent-rich phase, while 9 proteins were found exclusively in the aqueous phase. Enzymes which were uniquely included in the detergent phase were alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and Ca2+-Mg2+ ATPase. The proteins which were excluded from the detergent phase and found exclusively in the aqueous phase included the disaccharidases (glucoamylase, sucrase-isomaltase, trehalase, lactase) and the ileal receptor for the intrinsic factor-cobalamin complex. Integral membrane proteins can thus be separated during solubilization into two groups prior to further purification or characterization.     

Expression of some hepatocyte-like functional properties of WRL-68 cells in culture

Summary Some morphologic and functional characteristics of an hepatic fetal human epithelial cell line (WRL-68 cells) were determined to validate the use of these cells as an in vitro hepatic model. WRL-68 cells have a morphologic structure similar to hepatocytes and hepatic primary cultures. They secrete alpha-feto protein and albumin and exhibit a cytokeratin pattern similar to other hepatic cultures. WRL-68 cells preserve the activity of some characteristic or specific liver enzymes or both used in clinical chemistry for the diagnosis of hepatic disorders, i.e. alanine amino transferase, aspartate amino transferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and alkaline phosphatase.     

Evaluation of key gluconeogenic enzymes in experimental biliary obstruction

In order to evaluate the usefulness of key gluconeogenic enzymes, in relation to the markers commonly used (alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) for the diagnose of cholestasis the serum activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase has been measured in rats with bile-duct ligation. Among the gluconeogenic enzymes studied only phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity increased significantly in the first 48 hours after cholestasis, decreasing thereafter to normal values. Both alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activities showed a very significant increase which persisted throughout the experiment. These results seem to indicate that in spite of the high organ specificity of these enzymes they do not appear to be useful for the diagnosis of cholestasis.     

Human parathyroid hormone (1-34) increases urinary excretion of lysosomal enzymes in rats

The kidney is the major target of parathyroid hormone (PTH), and PTH influences the urinary excretion of calcium, phosphate and hydrogen ions. It was previously reported that the urinary, excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), a lysosomal enzyme, transiently increases after human PTH (hPTH) (1-34) infusion in normal subjects and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism patients, but not in pseudohypoparathyroidism type I patients. Here we report that intravenous infusion of hPTH(1-34) to rats transiently increased the urinary excretion of various lysosomal enzymes, such as beta-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase as well as NAG. However, it did not affect the urinary excretion of tubular brush border membrane enzymes, i.e. alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Human PTH(1-34) dose-dependently increased the urinary excretion of NAG in rats with a peak at 30 min, which returned to a baseline within 60 min. The increase in the urinary NAG excretion caused by hPTH(1-34) positively correlated with the increase in the urinary cAMP excretion (r = 0.844, p < 0.01), and infusion of dibutyryl cAMP at a dose of 20 mg/kg similarly increased the urinary excretion of NAG. These results suggested that the increase in the urinary excretion of lysosomal enzymes caused by hPTH(1-34) may be a functional response to hPTH(1-34) occurring in the renal tubules via PTH signaling pathway.     

Differentiated properties characteristic of renal proximal epithelium in a cell line derived from a normal monkey kidney (JTC-12)

Summary The JTC-12 cell, an established cell line derived from a normal monkey kidney, was studied in an attempt to characterize the epithelial qualities. Phase contrast microscopy showed dome formation in confluent monolayers and electron microscopic examinations revealed the presence of numerous microvilli on the apical membranes and desmosome between cells. Sonicated cells showed activities of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, and trehalase, marker enzymes of renal proximal epithelium. Alkaline phosphatase activity exhibited the characteristics of a renal type isozyme. Furthermore, confluent JTC-12 monolayers exhibited Na⁺-dependent transport of hexose, amino acid as well as inorganic phosphate. These findings indicate that JTC-12 cells in monolayer culture maintain ultrastructural, biochemical, and physiological properties of renal proximal epithelial cells. This cell line will be useful for further studies on cellular functions of renal proximal epithelium. This work was supported in part by grants from The Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan and from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.     

Biochemical studies on liver functions in primary cultured hepatocytes of adult rats. III. Changes of enzyme activities on cell membranes during culture

When liver cells were dispersed with collagenase, their 5'-nucleotidase activity decreased to half the initial level, but it increased to the original level again on culture of the cells for a few days. The activity of another membrane enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, did not decrease on dispersion of the cells, but it increased about 10-fold on culture of the cells. These inductions did not require any hormone, but the effects were greater at a high cell density. These enzymes are located in both the plasma membranes and the cytoplasm, but the enzymes in these two locations can be distinguished by differences in their pH optima, substrate specificities, and susceptibilities to inhibitors. The increases were found to be due to increases in the activity of only the enzymes in the plasma membranes. The increases in enzyme activities were inhibited by actinomycin D, cycloheximide, and puromycin. The activities of leucine aminopeptidase and aminopeptidase B, other membrane enzymes, remained constant during dispersion and culture of the cells. These results show that enzymes in the cell membranes are affected in different ways by cell dispersion with collagenase and subsequent culture of the cells.     

A comparison of membrane enzymes of human and pig oesophagus; the pig oesophagus is a good model for studies of the gullet in man

Summary The distribution and relative catalytic activities of five plasma membrane enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, microsomal alanyl aminopeptidase and glutamyl aminopeptidase) were examined in human and pig oesophagus. In both species, alkaline phosphatase activity occurred in basal and suprabasal cells of the epithelium and in capillaries. Stromal cells in the human submucosa were particularly reactive. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV was present in blood vessels and capillaries in man and pig and in submucous glands in the pig. The enzyme was also present in both species in the lamina propria cells immediately adjacent to the epithelial basal lamina. In the human, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase occurred in the epithelial basal cells and in isolated basal and lower prickle cells in the pig. Stromal cells in the human submucosa were strongly reactive and capillaries in the muscularis propria in both species moderately active. Microsomal alanyl aminopeptidase was detected in lamina propria cells adjacent to the epithelial basal cell layer in man and pig and at the apices of mucous cells in pig submucous glands. Weak glutamyl aminopeptidase activity was confined to capillaries in both species. The findings of this study, along with the ready availability of pig oesophagus, suggest that the pig may be a suitable model for studies of the gullet in man.