Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDKs): an overview toward clinical applications

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) can regulate the catalytic activity of pyruvate decarboxylation oxidation via the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and it further links glycolysis with the tricarboxylic acid cycle and ATP generation. This review seeks to elucidate the regulation of PDK activity in different species, mainly mammals, and the role of PDK inhibitors in preventing increased blood glucose, reducing injury caused by myocardial ischemia, and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells. Regulations of PDKs expression or activity represent a very promising approach for treatment of metabolic diseases including diabetes, heart failure, and cancer. The future research and development could be more focused on the biochemical understanding of the diseases, which would help understand the cellular energy metabolism and its regulation by pharmacological effectors of PDKs.     

Manipulating the pyruvate dehydrogenase bypass of a multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast Torulopsis glabrata enhanced pyruvate production

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) bypass and the production of pyruvate of a multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast Torulopsis glabrata. METHODS AND RESULTS: Torulopsis glabrata CCTCC M202019, a multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast that requires acetate for complete growth on glucose minimum medium, was selected after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis of the parent strain T. glabrata WSH-IP303 screened in previous study [Li et al. (2001) Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 55, 680-685]. Strain CCTCC M202019 produced 21% higher pyruvate than the parent strain and was genetically stable in flask cultures. The activities of the pyruvate metabolism-related enzymes in parent and mutant strains were measured. Compared with the parent strain, the activity of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) of the mutant strain CCTCC M202019 decreased by roughly 40%, while the activity of acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) of the mutant increased by 103.5 or 57.4%, respectively, in the presence or absence of acetate. Pyruvate production by the mutant strain CCTCC M202019 reached 68.7 g l(-1) at 62 h (yield on glucose of 0.651 g g(-1)) in a 7-l jar fermentor. CONCLUSIONS: The increased pyruvate yield in T. glabrata CCTCC M202019 was due to a balanced manipulation of the PDH bypass, where the shortage of cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA caused by the decreased activity of PDC was properly compensated by the increased activity of ACS. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Manipulating the PDH bypass may provide an alternative approach to enhance the production of glycolysis-related metabolites.     

Regulation of mitochondrial pyruvate uptake by alternative pyruvate carrier complexes

At the pyruvate branch point, the fermentative and oxidative metabolic routes diverge. Pyruvate can be transformed either into lactate in mammalian cells or into ethanol in yeast, or transported into mitochondria to fuel ATP production by oxidative phosphorylation. The recently discovered mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC), encoded by MPC1, MPC2, and MPC3 in yeast, is required for uptake of pyruvate into the organelle. Here, we show that while expression of Mpc1 is not dependent on the carbon source, expression of Mpc2 and Mpc3 is specific to fermentative or respiratory conditions, respectively. This gives rise to two alternative carrier complexes that we have termed MPC_FERM and MPC_OX. By constitutively expressing the two alternative complexes in yeast deleted for all three endogenous genes, we show that MPC_OX has a higher transport activity than MPC_FERM, which is dependent on the C‐terminus of Mpc3. We propose that the alternative MPC subunit expression in yeast provides a way of adapting cellular metabolism to the nutrient availability.     

Comparison of the novel compounds creatine and pyruvateon lipid and protein metabolism in broiler chickens

The effects of pyruvate (Pyr), creatine pyruvate (Cr-Pyr) and creatine (Cr) on lipid and protein metabolism were compared in broiler chickens. A total of 400 1-day-old male birds (Aconred) were allocated to four groups, each of which included four replicates (25 birds per replicate). Treatments consisted of unsupplemented basal diet (Control), basal diet containing 2% Pyr, basal diet containing 3% Cr and basal diet containing 5% Cr-Pyr. Cr-Pyr and Pyr significantly decreased the hepatic triglyceride and serum total cholesterol concentration (P < 0.01). Cr-Pyr markedly increased the serum non-esterified fatty acid and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.05), whereas the expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (P < 0.05) and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-α (P < 0.01) mRNA in the liver were both decidedly enhanced in the Cr-Pyr group. The relative leg muscle weight was higher in the Cr-Pyr group than in the control group, whereas the serum uric acid content and hepatic glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity were lower in the Cr-Pyr and Cr groups (P < 0.05), respectively. Muscle insulin-like growth factor I (P < 0.05) expression was enhanced, and the myostatin (P < 0.01) mRNA level was reduced in both the Cr-Pyr and Cr groups. In addition, Cr-Pyr did not alter body weight or the feed conversion ratio. These results indicate that, compared with Pyr and Cr alone, Cr-Pyr has a bifunctional role in broiler chickens, in that it influences both lipid and protein metabolism.     

Cytoprotection of Pyruvic Acid and Reduced β-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Against Hydrogen Peroxide Toxicity in Neuroblastoma Cells

Elevated production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the central nervous system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, ischemic reperfusion, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. Pyruvic acid has a critical role in energy metabolism and a capability to nonenzymatically decarboxylate H₂O₂ into H₂O. This study examined the effects of glycolytic regulation of pyruvic acid on H₂O₂ toxicity in murine neuroblastoma cells. Glycolytic energy substrates including D-(+)-glucose, D-(–) fructose and the adenosine transport blocker dipyridamole, were not effective in providing protection against H₂O₂ toxicity, negating energy as a factor. On the other hand, pyruvic acid completely prevented H₂O₂ toxicity, restoring the loss of ATP and cell viability. H₂O₂ toxicity was also attenuated by d-fructose 1,6 diphosphate (FBP), phospho (enol) pyruvate (PEP), niacinamide, -nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (-NAD⁺), and reduced form (-NADH). Both FBP and PEP exerted positive kinetic effects on pyruvate kinase (PK) activity. Interestingly, only pyruvic acid and -NADH exhibited powerful stoichiometric H₂O₂ antioxidant properties. Further, -NADH may exert positive effects on PK activity. Subsequent pyruvic acid accumulation can lead to the recycling of -NAD1 through lactate dehydrogenase and -NADH through glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. It was concluded from these studies that intracellular pyruvic acid and -NADH appear to act in concert through glycolysis, to enhance H₂O₂ intracellular antioxidant capacity in neuroblastoma cells. Future research will be required to examine whether similar effects are observed in primary neuronal culture or intact tissue.     

Evidence for two genetic complementation groups in pyruvate carboxylase-deficient human fibroblast cell lines

We have examined genetic complementation in pyruvate carboxylase deficiency by comparing the enzyme activity in polyethylene glycol-induced heterokaryons with that in unfused mixtures of fibroblasts from three affected children. Complementation, manifested as a three- to sevenfold increase in pyruvate carboxylase activity, was observed in fusions between a biotin-responsive multiple carboxylase (pyruvate carboxylase, propionyl CoA carboxylase, and -methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase) deficient fibroblast line and two other lines deficient only in pyruvate carboxylase activity. Kinetic analysis of complementing pyruvate carboxylase deficient lines, measured by the rate of restoration of enzyme activity as a function of time, revealed that maximum restoration was achieved within 10–24 hr after fusion. This profile is similar to those observed for fusions between the multiple carboxylase deficient line and two lines deficient in propionyl CoA carboxylase activity that are known to represent different gene mutations. Although the patients with pyruvate carboxylase deficiency had similar clinical findings, our studies indicate that pyruvate carboxylase deficiency is genetically heterogeneous, with at least two distinct, probably intergenic, complementation groups.This work was supported by an NIH research grant (AM 25675) and an A. D. Williams research grant (6-48360). B. Wolf is the recipient of an NIH Research Career Development Award (AM 00677) and is aided by a Basil O'Connor Starter Research Grant from The National Foundation-March of Dimes (5-263). G. Feldman is the recipient of an NIH predoctoral training grant (GM 07492). This article is No. 100 from the Department of Human Genetics at the Medical College of Virginia.     

Crystallization and preliminary analysis of enzyme-substrate complexes of pyruvate kinase from rabbit muscle.

Pyruvate kinase from rabbit muscle has been crystallized in a form suitable for high resolution X-ray analysis. Complexes of the enzyme with Mn2+ and either pyruvate or oxalate crystallize from solutions of polyethyl-eneglycol 8000 at pH 6.0. Crystals obtained from solutions of the complexes with pyruvate or oxalate appear isomorphous and belong to the triclinic space group P1. The crystals have unit cell dimensions a = 83.3(4) A, b = 109.4(6) A, c = 145.7 (7) A, alpha = 94.9 degrees, beta = 93.6 degrees, gamma = 112.2 degrees. These crystals diffract to better than 2.4 A resolution and are stable in the X-ray beam for at least 20 hr. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on a single crystal show that Mn2+ is bound to the crystalline protein.     

Sepsis alters pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity in skeletal muscle

Chronic sepsis promotes a stable increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) activity in skeletal muscle. PDHK is found tightly bound to the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex and as free kinase. We investigated the ability of sepsis to modify the activity of the PDHK intrinsic to the PDH and free PDHK. Sepsis was induced by the intraabdominal introduction of a fecal-agar pellet infected with E. coli and B. fragilis. Five days later, mitochondria were isolated from skeletal muscle and PDHK measured in mitochondrial extracts. Sepsis caused an approximate 2-fold stimulation of PDHK. The mitochondrial extracts from control and septic rats were fractionated by gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-300 to separate PDHK intrinsic to PDH complex and free PDHK. PDH complex eluted at void volume and was assayed for PDHK intrinsic to the complex. The activity of PDHK intrinsic to PDH complex was a significantly increased 3 fold during sepsis. Free PDHK activity eluted after the PDH complex and its activity was enhanced by 70% during sepsis. Incubation of PDHK intrinsic to PDH with dichloroactate, an uncompetitive inhibitor of PDHK, showed the PDHK from septic rats relatively less sensitive to inhibition than controls. These results indicate that sepsis induces stable changes in PDHK in skeletal muscle.     

Affinities of ATP for the dinitrophenol-induced ATPase

1. 1. The effect of Mg²⁺ on ATP-dependent processes catalysed by intact rat-liver mitochondria can be explained quantitatively by the formation of Mg-ATP complexes that cannot act as a substrate for the adenine nucleotide translocator.

2. 2. The dinitrophenol-induced ATPase is characterized by two affinities of ATP: K_m(1) = 6.7 μM and K_m(2) = 63 μM, which contribute to the extent of 70% and 30%, respectively, to the total ATPase activity under the standard conditions employed.

3. 3. K_m(1) of ATP is competitively increased by atractyloside, and is insensitive to changes in cation concentration or to oligomycin or aurovertin.

4. 4. K_m(2) is as sensitive to atractyloside as the K_m(1) and is also insensitive to oligomycin. However, it is increased by decreasing the cation concentration, and disappears in the presence of aurovertin.

5. 5. It is proposed that two conformations of the adenine nucleotide translocator exist, characterized by their different affinities for ATP. The distribution of the enzyme over these two conformations appears to be a function of the energy state of the mitochondria (coupled or uncoupled).

A direct radioassay for pyruvate kinase activity

Pyruvate kinase catalyzes the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to pyruvate. A direct radioassay for this enzyme using [14C]PEP as substrate has been developed. The product, [14C]pyruvate, can be separated from the substrate rapidly and easily by applying the mixture to a hydroxyapatite column, and eluting the [14C]pyruvate directly into a scintillation vial. The [14C]PEP is bound to the column which can be regenerated and used indefinitely. The assay is sensitive, rapid, and particularly well suited for the simultaneous assay of large numbers of samples.     

营养条件对光滑球拟酵母积累α-酮戊二酸的影响

以光滑拟球酵母为研究模型,研究α-酮戊二酸的浓度情况。通过单因素实验得到α-酮戊二酸积累最佳浓度的各单因素条件为：葡萄糖浓度140g／L,NH4Cl浓度5g／L。在碳源（30g/L葡萄糖初始浓度）匮乏条件下加入丙酮酸30g／L,在此条件下丙酮酸转化为α－酮戊二酸的转化率最高达53．7％。以30g／L丙酮酸为唯一碳源时在7L发酵罐中光滑拟球酵母可生成浓度为10．7g/Lα-酮戊二酸,外源丙酮酸的转化率可达66．9％。这一结果表明,T．glabrata具有将丙酮酸转化为α-KG的能力。     

Pyruvate as a fluorescence quencher: a new spectroscopic assay for pyruvate reactions

Optimal conditions for the extraction from brain tissue and the simultaneous quantification of catechol and indole derivatives were determined after a systematic degradation study in water and perchloric acid. The roles of three parameters, namely temperature, presence of antioxidant agents, and time, were considered. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, serotonin, and epinephrine were separated by HPLC and detected electrochemically. The results indicated a great instability of the indole derivatives at an ambient temperature, in an acid medium, and in the absence of a protective agent. Therefore, when perchloric acid has to be used for deproteinization, the lowest concentration (0.1 M) is preferable. The samples have to be kept on ice, in darkness, and protected by ascorbic acid and sodium ethylenediamine tetracetate.     

酶促生物转化丙酮酸生产的研究

建立了一种利用琥珀酰亚胺代谢从延胡索酸生产丙酮酸的新工艺。经诱变得到恶臭假单胞菌(Pseudomonas putida 15160)的缬氨酸或(与)亮氨酸营养缺陷型变异株M29,该菌株在最优条件下作用72h将1mol／L延胡索酸转化成为821mmol／L丙酮酸。     

Regulatory properties of a partially purified preparation of pyruvate kinase from Fasciola hepatica

It possesses sigmoid kinetics with PEP; FBP activation changes the relationship to a rectangular hyperbola. The enzyme is inhibited by malate, which competes with PEP; FBP relieves the inhibition slightly. ATP and bicarbonate ions are also inhibitory at high concentrations. ATP inhibition is mixed-competitive with PEP; bicarbonate inhibition is non-competitive. It is suggested that pyruvate kinase may regulate both lactate and acetate production by moderating the size of the cytosolic pyruvate pool.     

Subcellular distribution of pyruvate-degrading enzymes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii studied by an improved protoplast fractionation procedure

The subcellular distribution of pyruvate-degrading enzymes has been determined in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Dangeard) by protoplast induction with autolysine, dig-itonin lysis and further fractionation by differential centrifugation using a Percoll cushion. Mitochondrial and plastidic fractions contained intact and physiologically competent organelles - RC 1.7, ADP/O 2.7 and rate of malate oxidation 76 nmol O, (mg protein)^-1min^-1 for mitochondria, CO_2; fixation 46.8 μmol (mg Chi)^-1 h^-1 for chloroplasts.
Results from protoplast fractionation were further confirmed by the determination of enzyme activities within trypsin-treated organelles. Mitochondria (formate fermentation) and chloroplasts (chlorofermentation) were shown to possess the capacity for anaerobic pyruvate degradation. Pyruvate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺, EC 1.2.4.1), pyruvate formate-lyase (EC 2.3.1.54) and lactate dehydrogenase (NADH, EC 1.1.1.27) showed equal distribution between mitochondria and chloroplasts, whereas activities of phosphotransacetylase (EC 2.3.1.8) and acetate kinase (EC 2.7.2.1) were only detectable in the mitochondrial fraction. NADH- and NADPH-dependent activities of both alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (acylating, EC 1.2.1.10) were localized in the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic or the plastidic and cytoplasmic fractions, respectively, whereas pyruvate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.1) was only detected in the cytoplasmic fraction.     

The activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in heart muscle in the previously obese mouse model

Obese gold thioglucose injected mice were reduced to lean control weight by food restriction. When pair fed with lean controls these animals then gained weight (were metabolically more efficient). Serum glucose was also elevated in this group (14.5±0.4 (14)vs 12.1±0.3 mmol/L, p<0.001). If previously obese animals were weight maintained with lean controls (by mild food restriction), serum glucose remained at control levels. The activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in heart muscle was decreased in both obese and pair fed previously obese, whilst it was similar to that of lean controls in the weight maintained previously obese and in obese mice actually dieted. In all obese and previously obese animals serum insulin was elevated. In hearts from control animals subjected to mild food restriction the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was activated (11.53±1.80 (5)vs 3.34±0.62 (9) U/g dry weight), despite a reduced serum insulin level (42±2vs 74±10 U/ml, p<0.01). These diverse changes in the proportion of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the active form and insulin levels argue for a persistent alteration in the sensitivity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex to insulin in obesity, as well as indicating that glucose metabolism in obese animals is altered by both body weight and diet amount.To whom correspondence should be addressed.     

A novel reaction of S-adenosyl-L-methionine correlated with the activation of pyruvate formate-lyase

Conversion of the inactive form of pyruvate formate-lyase to the catalytically active enzyme is accomplished by the Fe-dependent ‘enzyme II’; reduced flavodoxin, S-adenosyl-L-methionine and the effector pyruvate are required. It was found that adenosylmethionine is reductively processed during activation of pyruvate formate-lyase to yield methionine, adenine and 5-deoxyribose. We suggest that transient adenosylation of enzyme II is required for its function as a converter enzyme.     

乙酸渗漏型丙酮酸高产菌的选育

对Torulopsis glabrata WSH-IP303进行NTG诱变,挑选以乙酸为补充碳源的平板上透明圈较大的菌落,经初筛和复筛,发现T.glabrataWSH-LQ307生产丙酮酸能力强且稳定。以乙酸为补充碳源摇瓶培养48h,其丙酮酸产量（46.2g/L)比出发菌株（38.3g/L)提高21%,采用该菌株在5L发酵罐上进行4批发酵实验,丙酮酸产量在64h最高可达68.7g/L,对葡萄糖的转化率为0.651g/g。     

Do reactive oxygen species or does oxygen itself confer obligate anaerobiosis? The case of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron was examined to determine whether its obligate anaerobiosis is imposed by endogenous reactive oxygen species or by molecular oxygen itself. Previous analyses established that aerated B. thetaiotaomicron loses some enzyme activities due to a high rate of endogenous superoxide formation. However, the present study establishes that another key step in central metabolism is poisoned by molecular oxygen itself. Pyruvate dissimilation was shown to depend upon two enzymes, pyruvate:formate lyase (PFL) and pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), that lose activity upon aeration. PFL is a glycyl-radical enzyme whose vulnerability to oxygen is already understood. The rate of PFOR damage was unaffected by the level of superoxide or peroxide, showing that molecular oxygen itself is the culprit. The cell cannot repair PFOR, which amplifies the impact of damage. The rates of PFOR and fumarase inactivation are similar, suggesting that superoxide dismutase is calibrated so the oxygen- and superoxide-sensitive enzymes are equally sensitive to aeration. The physiological purpose of PFL and PFOR is to degrade pyruvate without disrupting the redox balance, and they do so using catalytic mechanisms that are intrinsically vulnerable to oxygen. In this way, the anaerobic excellence and oxygen sensitivity of B. thetaiotaomicron are two sides of the same coin.