Polyamine-activated protein phosphatase activity in HeLa cell nuclei

Protein phosphatase activity towards endogenous nuclear substrates in sonicates of isolated nuclei was activated 2-4-fold by spermine. Exogenous casein was dephosphorylated by these preparations only in the presence of spermine. Activation by spermine was half maximal at about 0.1 mM. Spermidine also activated, with half maximal stimulation at 1mM; putrescine activated poorly. Mg++ and Ca++ appeared to activate the same phosphatase activity but were only 50% as effective as spermine. Spermine activation was inhibited by 200 mM NaCl, 50 mM NaF, or 40 mM beta-glycerol phosphate. Nuclear phosphatase activity, with or without spermine, was inhibited 50% by inhibitor 2 of protein phosphatase 1. These observations suggest that protein phosphatase 1 is a major nuclear protein phosphatase and that its activity against endogenous nuclear substrates is activated by physiological concentrations of spermine.     

The effect of amino acids,monoamines and polyamines on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in mitochondria from rat adipocytes

Summary The ability of polyamines and other cationic compounds including monoamines, amino acids, poly-L-arginine, poly-D-lysine and poly-L-lysine, to alter pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity in mitochondria from rat epididymal adipocytes was determined. PDH was assayed with the substrate [1-¹⁴C] pyruvate in the presence of 0.05 mM Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. Nine of the fourteen compounds tested at 0.1 mM caused a significant increase (procaine, 3-(-morpholinopropionyl) benzo[b]thiophene [VII], spermine, spermidine, putrescine, lysine and tryptophan) or decrease (poly-L-arginine, 3-(-piperidinopropionyl) benzo[b]thiophene) in PDH activity. None of these compounds nonenzymatically decarboxylated [1-¹⁴C] pyruvate to release ¹⁴CO₂. NaF, a PDH phosphatase inhibitor, suppressed the stimulatory effects of those compounds tested: procaine, tryptophan, VII, spermine and spermidine. These results imply that these five compounds activate PDH activity through stimulation of the PDH phosphatase. When the Mg²⁺ concentration was increased from 0.05 to 4.5 mM, the stimulatory effect of spermine was increased, consistent with the finding by others that spermine lowers the Km of the enzyme for Mg²⁺. However, at Mg²⁺ concentrations greater than 0.3 mM, the stimulatory effect of VII was unaltered, procaine failed to alter PDH activity, lysine inhibited PDH activity, and poly-L-lysine stimulated PDH activity. Therefore, polyamines and other positively charged small molecules may be physiologic regulators of PDH activity.     

Fluid and cation secretion by the Malpighian tubules of Locusta

In vitro preparations of Locusta Malpighian tubules are able to transport K⁺ against its concentration gradient. The ‘urine’ is slightly hyper-osmotic with respect to the bathing solution and the rate of secretion is inversely dependent on the osmotic pressure of the latter. The rate of fluid secretion increases with increasing temperature; being maximal at approx 40°C. The ionic composition of the secreted fluid, as indicated by Na⁺/K⁺ ratios, is altered by the presence of 1 mM ouabain in the bathing solution. Fluid secretion is inhibited by 1 mM ouabain. In addition, oxygen consumption by the Malpighian tubules is inhibited by either the presence of 1 mM ouabain or the absence of K⁺ in the bathing solution. The relationship between respiration, active transport and the Na⁺K⁺-activated ATPase is discussed.     

On the acid phosphatase isoenzymes existing in American Leishmania promastigotes

1. Two partially purified acid phosphatase activities present in American Leishmania promastigote homogenates were characterized by biochemical methods. 2. One isoenzyme acts preferentially on p-nitrophenyl phosphate, is strongly inhibited by 30 mM alloxan, citrate, maleate, malonate and succinate, and strongly stimulated by 3 mM spermine. Its pI is 4.8. 3. The other isoenzyme acts preferentially on beta-glycerophosphate and is resistant to 30 mM alloxan, citrate, maleate, malonate and succinate and also to 3 mM spermine. Its pI is 5.7. 4. Both acid phosphatase isoenzymes have an optimum pH of 5.2, are tartrate-sensitive and strongly membrane-bound, as shown by differential centrifugation and density gradient equilibration. 5. Both isoenzymes were separated by using homogenates prepared in 2% Triton X-100, differential centrifugation, Sepharose 4B/CL-4B gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography and electrofocusing. After this procedure, they were still contaminated with several different proteins. 6. Purification was around 150-fold, with a 32% yield. 7. When these acid phosphatase activities were measured in total homogenates from 12 different Leishmania isolates, p-nitrophenyl phosphatase specific activity values were quite close; beta-glycerophosphatase-specific activity had around a 2-fold variation. 8. This variation was independent from taxonomic classification or infectivity of susceptible hosts.     

Inhibition of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase phosphatase by spermine

Summary The effect of three naturally occurring polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) on the activity of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase phosphatase was investigated. Only spermine significantly inhibited the enzyme. The mode of inhibition (K_i value of 0.3mm) of the phosphatase by spermine appears to be different from that caused by divalent metal ions or by other organic cations, such as arginine and lysine esters, since it is noncompetitive with respect to the substrate, phosphorylasea.     

Activation of tubulinyl-tyrosine carboxypeptidase by spermine,spermidine and putrescine

Spermine, spermidine and putrescine produce dose dependent stimulation of the invitro tubulinyl-tyrosine carboxypeptidase. Maximal stimulation was obtained with spermine, spermidine or putrescine at 0.06 mM, 1 mM and 6 mM, respectively. At higher concentrations, the enzyme activity was inhibited. The enzyme was also activated by Mg⁺⁺; the concentration formaximal effect was 4–6 mM. The stimulation produced by optimal concentration of each amine was unaffected by Mg⁺⁺ up to 2 mM; higher concentration of Mg⁺⁺ showed inhibitory effect. At optimal Mg⁺⁺ concentration, the carboxypeptidase activity was inhibited by increasing amine concentration. The amines at 0.5 or 5 mM did not produce any effect on the incorporation of tyrosine catalyzed by tubulin tyrosine ligase.     

Adaptation of potassium metabolism and restoration of mitosis during prolonged treatment of mouse lymphoblasts with ouabain

The effects of ouabain on the growth of murine lymphoblasts in vitro have been studied. Exposure of cells to ouabain (0.1 mM) initially inhibited ⁸⁶Rb⁺ uptake rate, reduced the intracellular potassium concentration, and decreased population growth rates. Continued exposure to the same ouabain concentration resulted in an increase of ⁸⁶Rb⁺ uptake rate, intracellular potassium content and population growth rates to control values (adaptation). When treated cells were resuspended in medium free of ouabain after 12 to 15 hours of ouabain treatment, ⁸⁶Rb⁺ uptake rates and intracellular potassium levels exceeded those of untreated cells. Adaptation was inhibited by cycloheximide (3 μg/ml) and by actinomycin D (0.05 μg/ml). Kinetic analysis of transport suggested that while the total capacity of the Na⁺, K⁺ transport system increased, the affinity for both the cation (⁸⁶Rb⁺) and ouabain decreased.     

Cation-dependent phosphatase activites in a rat pancreatic islet plasma membrane fraction prepared by one-step gradient centrifugation

A plasma membrane-enriched fraction was prepared from homogenized rat pancreatic islets by a one-step sucrose gradient centrifugation. Using ¹²⁵I-wheat germ agglutinin as a plasma membrane probe, a fraction was obtained at a sucrose density of about 1.10 that was enriched in 5′-nucleotidase, Mg²⁺-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase. The fraction contained little, if any, monoamino oxidase activity, insulin or DNA. Hydrolysis of 3-0-methyl-fluoresceinphosphate was stimulated by K⁺ (10mM) at a pH optimum of pH 8.2. Hydrolysis of ATP-γ-³²P in the presence of MgCl₂ was of high specific activity and was optimum at pH 7.0 and 8.2. K⁺ did not affect ATP-hydrolysis. At pH 8.2, a small fraction of the total Mg²⁺-ATPase activity was inhibited by ouabain in the presence of Na⁺ and K⁺. Since K⁺-stimulated phosphatase activity does not correlate with Mg²⁺-ATPase, the two assay systems define separate enzymatic processes.     

Ouabain Releases Striatal Polyamines In Vivo Independently of N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Activation

Abstract: Intrastriatally infused ouabain (200 or 1,000 μ M ) markedly increased the extracellular levels of striatal spermidine and spermine in dialysis experiments in halothane-anesthetized rats. The effects of ouabain (1 m M ) on sper- midine release were rapid and unaffected by local infusion of the competitive N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1 -phosphonic acid (CPP; 100 μ M ) or by systemically administered MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg i.p.), both of which treatments markedly inhibit the effects of intrastriatally administered NMDA. The peak effects of ouabain (1 m M ) on spermine release were delayed with respect to those on spermidine release, or to the effects of NMDA, and were also insensitive to locally administered CPP (100 μ M ). However, systemically administered MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg i.p., 30 min before the striatal infusion of drugs), which totally inhibits the effects of NMDA, or CPP (10 mg/kg i.p.; 30 min before the striatal infusion of drugs) partially inhibited the effects of ouabain on spermine release, suggesting partial mediation of the delayed effects of ouabain on spermine release by indirect NMDA-receptor activation. Despite partial sensitivity of ouabain-induced spermine release to systemically administered NMDA antagonists, both spermidine and spermine can be released in vivo by sodium-pump inhibition, independently of NMDA-receptor activation.     

Stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity by polyamines

Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase requires Mg2+ or Mn2+, and its activity in the presence of Mg2+ is markedly stimulated by Ca2+. At saturating Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations, the polyamines spermine, spermidine and putrescine stimulated the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase 1.5- to 3-fold. Spermine was the most active of the polyamines. At a physiological concentration of Mg2+ (1 mM) and saturating Ca2+ concentration, the stimulation by 0.5 mM spermine was 4- to 5-fold, and at 0.3 mM Mg2+, the stimulation was 20- to 30-fold. In the absence of Mg2+ or Ca2+, spermine had no effect. These results suggest that a polybasic factor may be involved in the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity.     

Identification of a third isoform of Na+, K+-ATPase activity in rat brain synaptosomes

³H-ouabain binding and ouabain-inhibitable ⁸⁶Rb⁺ (K⁺) uptake were investigated as a means to identify a third isoform of Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase in crude synaptosome preparations. The specific binding of low concentrations (10 nM and 1 uM) of ³H-ouabain, in crude synaptosome preparations, was markedly inhibited by K⁺ (0.5–5 mM). Accordingly, ⁸⁶Rb⁺ (K⁺) uptake, in the presence of 5 mM K⁺ was not sensitive to inhibition by low concentrations (10⁻¹¹–10⁻⁷ M) of ouabain. Higher concentrations (10⁻⁶–10^−2.6 M) of ouabain resulted in a biphasic inhibition of K⁺ uptake, which distinguished the activities of the presumed alpha 2 and alpha 1 isozymes of Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase. Reduction of K⁺ (1.25 mM and 0.5 mM) in the incubation, resulted in the observation of a third component of ouabain- sensitive K⁺ uptake. This Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity, which was defined, pharmacologically, as very sensitive (VS) to ouabain, exhibited IC₅₀s of 3.6 nM and 92 nM at 1.25 mM K⁺ and 0.5 mM K⁺, respectively. Inhibition of ouabain binding and VS-dependent K⁺ uptake, at a high, physiological cocentration (5 mM) of K⁺, suggests that VS may be an inactive isoform of brain Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase under resting conditions.     

Enzymic characteristics of ecto-phosphoprotein phosphatase in goat epididymal intact spermatozoa

Intact washed spermatozoa from goat cauda epididymis possess an ecto-phosphoprotein phosphatase that causes dephosphorylation of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues of exogenous 32P-labelled histones. The cell-bound ecto-enzyme has high affinity for proteins (histones, casein, phosvitin, and protamine) rather than phosphate esters, such as p-nitrophenyl phosphate, beta-glycerophosphate, AMP, and ATP. The activity of the enzyme is inhibited by 4 mM Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, or Co2+. Pi (10 mM), NaF (10 mM), and Zn2+ (1 mM) inhibit the enzyme by approximately 50, 35, and 100%, respectively. Polyamines such as spermine and spermidine at 10 mM each caused significant inhibition (60 and 30%, respectively) of the cell-bound phosphoprotein phosphatase activity, whereas cAMP, orthovanadate, and calmodulin (with or without Ca2+) had no appreciable effect. Under the standard assay conditions, spermatozoa remain intact as evidenced by assay of cytosolic enzyme markers. Both the washed and "native" intact spermatozoa showed nearly the same specific activity of the ectoenzyme. The product of the reaction (Pi) was found in the extracellular medium. Sonication doubled the enzymic activity of the intact cells. The specific activity of the enzyme was nearly fourfold higher in the intact forwardly motile cells than the "composite" spermatozoa. These data provide further support for the localization of a phosphoprotein phosphatase on the external surface of spermatozoa and that the ectoenzyme may have a role in the regulation of flagellar motility.     

Red cell Na+,K+-ATPase: a method for estimating the extent of inhibition of an enzyme sample containing an unknown amount of bound cardiac glycoside.

Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activities of the membranes obtained from intact red cells that are exposed to ouabain, digoxin, and digitoxin are inhibited. The extent of inhibition of each enzyme sample can be found by the following two assays: 1) Activity is measured by the addition of enzyme to a buffered solution containing 2 mM ATP, 3 mM Mg²⁺, 1 mM EDTA, 100 mM Na⁺, and 25 mM K⁺. Since little regeneration of the inhibited enzyme occurs under these conditions, the measured activity is that of the partially inhibited enzyme. 2) Enzyme is preincubated for ten minutes in the same solution from which Mg²⁺ and K⁺ are omitted, and then assayed by the addition of Mg⁺ and K⁺. Since the inhibited enzyme is completely regenerated during the preincubation period, the activity measured here serves as a control for that determined in the first assay.     

Effects of tryptamine on active sodium and chloride transport in the isolated bullfrog cornea

The effects of the serotonin analogue, tryptamine, on the active transepithelial transport of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ in the in vitro bullfrog cornea were studied. Tryptamine, 1 mM, inhibited both the short-circuit current (I_sc) and potential difference (PD) of corneas transporting either Na⁺ alone or both Na⁺ and Cl⁻. The electrical resistance, R, increased in all cases. Both unidirectional Na⁺ and Cl⁻ fluxes were decreased by tryptamine and these changes accounted for the inhibitory effects on the I_sc. The effects of tryptamine were considered along with with those of 2 mM theophylline and 0.1 mM ouabain. Tryptamine inhibited the I_sc and both undirectional Cl⁻ fluxes which were previously stimulated by theophylline. Theophyline addition, after tryptamine preincubation, increased the Cl⁻ undirectional fluxes but did not restore the inhibited I_sc. The inhibitory effects of tryptamine on active Na⁺ and Cl⁻ transport were different from those of ouabain. While both drugs inhibited the forward Na⁺ and Cl⁻ fluxes, their backfluxes decreased with tryptamine and increased with ouabain. The addition to the bathing solution of tryptamine after ouabain preincubation reduced the ouabain-increased backward Cl⁻ flux and further increased the electrical resistance. These results are analyzed in terms of an electrical model from which it appears that tryptamine's mechanism of action was to decrease cellular permeability to the transepithelial movement of Na⁺ and Cl⁻.     

Activation of Na+-K+-adenosine triphosphatase by spermine.

Spermine activated Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase when the concentrations of K⁺ and ATP were low, whereas it inhibited K⁺-dependent and ouabain-inhibitable monophosphatase. The activating effect of sperimine was not due to the substitution for K⁺ or Na⁺. Excess K⁺ inhibited Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase partially, and reduced the spermine activation. When 1 mM ATP was used, spermine at higher concentrations inhibited Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, and did not activate at all. It is suggested that the K⁺-sites essential to Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and the K⁺-phosphatase co-exist at different places of the enzyme.     

Purification and characterization of a divalent cation-independent, spermine-stimulated protein phosphatase from bovine kidney mitochondria

A divalent cation-independent and spermine-stimulated phosphatase (protein phosphatase SP) that is active toward the phosphorylated pyruvate dehydrogenase complex has been purified about 15,000-fold to near homogeneity from extracts of bovine kidney mitochondria. Half-maximal stimulation, 1.5- to 3-fold at pH 7.0-7.3, occurred at 0.5 mM spermine. Protein phosphatase SP exhibited an apparent Mr = 140,000-170,000 as estimated by gel-filtration chromatography on Sephacryl S-300. Two major subunits, with apparent Mr = 60,000 and 34,000, were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gel-permeation chromatography of protein phosphatase SP on Sephacryl S-200 in the presence of 6 M urea and 1.4 M NaCl increased its activity 3- to 6-fold and was accompanied by conversion to the catalytic subunit with an apparent Mr = approximately 34,000. Protein phosphatase SP was inactive with p-nitrophenyl phosphate and was not inhibited by protein phosphatase inhibitor 1, inhibitor 2, or the protein inhibitor of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase phosphatase. Protein phosphatase SP was inhibited by sheep antibody to the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A from rabbit skeletal muscle. It appears that protein phosphatase SP is related to protein phosphatase 2A.     

Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>-independent effects of spermine on pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in energized rat liver mitochondria incubated in the absence of exogenous Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Mg<Superscript>2</Superscript><Superscript>+</Superscript>

In the absence of exogenous Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and in the presence of EGTA, which favours the release of endogenous Ca²⁺, the polyamine spermine is able to stimulate the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) of energized rat liver mitochondria (RLM). This stimulation exhibits a gradual concentration-dependent trend, which is maximum, about 140%, at 0.5 mM concentration, after 30 min of incubation. At concentrations higher than 0.5 mM, spermine still stimulates PDC, when compared with the control, but shows a slight dose-dependent decrease. Changes in PDC stimulation are very close to the phosphorylation level of the E_1α subunit of PDC, which regulates the activity of the complex, but it is also the target of spermine. In other words, progressive dephosphorylation gradually enhances the stimulation of RLM and progressive phosphorylation slightly decreases it. These results provide the first evidence that, when transported in RLM, spermine can interact in various ways with PDC, showing dose-dependent behaviour. The interaction most probably takes place directly on a specific site for spermine on one of the regulatory enzymes of PDC, i.e. pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (PDP). The interaction of spermine with PDC may also involve activation of another regulatory enzyme, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), resulting in an increase in E_1α phosphorylation and consequently reduced stimulation of PDC at high polyamine concentrations. The different effects of spermine in RLM are discussed, considering the different activities of PDP and PDK isoenzymes. It is suggested that the polyamine at low concentrations stimulates the isoenzyme PDP₂ and at high concentrations it stimulates PDK₂.     

Effects of nucleotides and Na + on ouabain activation of the phosphatase associated with Na + , K + -ATPase

Ouabain activation of the phosphatase associated with Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase is a time-dependent process which is stimulated by ATP and other nucleotides. Further stimulation by Na⁺ is observed under certain conditions. The stimulatory effect of ATP was found to be due to an increase in the affinity of the enzyme for ouabain. The time required for maximal ouabain activation to be achieved was decreased by ATP and further decreased by ATP + Na⁺.These conditions for maximal activation by ouabain are similar to those required for maximal ouabain binding and suggest that the same ouabain site is responsible for activation of Mg²⁺-dependent phosphatase and for inhibition of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase and K⁺-phosphatase.