PHOSPHOINOSITIDES AND OTHER PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN SYMPATHETIC GANGLIA AND NERVE TRUNKS OF RATS

Abstract— Paired vagus nerves, phrenic nerves or superior cervical sympathetic ganglia from adult white rats were incubated for 4 h at 37°C in a bicarbonate-buffered physiological solution containing glucose and ³²P₁. At the end of incubation triphosphoinositide (TPI) contained more ³²P than any other lipid in the vagus nerves and was second only to phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the phrenic nerves. In the sympathetic ganglia phosphatidylinositol (PI) contained more ³²P than did TPI, but both had less than PC. Conducted nerve impulses, initiated by electrical stimulation during the final 3 h of incubation, caused a highly significant increase in the [32P]-labelling of PI in ganglia (as previously reported) probably decreased the labelling of TPI in the vagus nerves, and decreased the labelling of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the ganglia. Addition to the incubation medium of §- or γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (analogs of inositol) reversibly blocked transmission through the sympathetic ganglia at concentrations less than 0·1 mM. The §-isomer also blocked conduction along axons at similar concentrations; only the γ-isomer (lindane) exerted a selective effect on synaptic transmission. In the ganglia, the §-isomer increased the [³²P]-labelling of PI and diphosphoinositide (DPI) relative to that of PC. The γ-isomer did not affect the relative labelling of PI in the ganglia, whereas it decreased that of TPI, but only at relatively high concentrations. Thus, various affects of the hexachlorocyclohexanes were not explicable by assuming that they acted as analog inhibitors of inositol metabolism. In the ganglia, the hexachlorocyclohexanes reduced the effect of neuronal activity on the labelling of PI in proportion to the extent by which they blocked transmission. This metabolic effect was therefore presumed to be secondary to a ganglionic blocking action.     

PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL AND OTHER LIPIDS IN A MAMMALIAN SYMPATHETIC GANGLION: EFFECTS OF NEURONAL ACTIVITY ON INCORPORATION OF LABELLED INOSITOL,PHOSPHATE, GLYCEROL AND ACETATE1

Abstract— Superior cervical ganglia from adult rats were incubated for 1–6 h in a physiological salt solution containing ³²P_i [2-³H]inositol, [U-¹⁴C]glycerol, or [U-¹⁴C]acetate. Control ganglia were at rest throughout incubation, while the preganglionic nerves of the experimental ganglia were stimulated at 5/s, starting after 1 h of incubation. Responses were monitored by recording the action potentials in a postganglionic nerve. Radioactivity of phospholipids was counted after separation of the lipids by paper chromatography. Specific activity of free inositol and the gamma-phosphate of ATP were measured, the latter by using the hexokinase reaction with [¹⁴C]glucose, isolating the product, and counting its content of ³²P and ¹⁴C. At rest, labelling of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine proceeded at constant rates for at least 8 h with all precursors which entered them, except that labelling with glycerol slowed after 2–4 h. During stimulation the rate of incorporation of ³²P into PI approximately doubled, as previously reported. The increased rate remained constant for 3 h and then reverted to approximately the resting rate, although the electrical response continued unabated for 16 h. This decrease in rate of ³²P-labelling of PI in the ganglion could not be accounted for by transport into the postganglionic nerves. In stimulated preparations, after 4 h of incubation the labelling of PI was increased above the resting level by 53 ± 5% (mean ±s.e.m. ) with [³H]inositol, 97 ± 6% with ³²P_i, 24 ± 6% with [¹⁴C]glycerol and ?3 ± 10% with [¹⁴C]acetate. The increase with glycerol was thus statistically significant, in contrast with the findings of others on brain, where an increase of this size has neither been demonstrated nor excluded. There were no accompanying effects of stimulation on the specific activities of the gamma-P of ATP or of the free inositol within the ganglion that were sufficient to explain the difference between the labelling of PI with P and that with inositol.     

The metabolism of phospholipids in mouse brain slices

1. Slices of mouse brain grey matter were incubated with [³²P]phosphate and [1-¹⁴C]acetate. Doubly labelled phospholipids were extracted from subcellular fractions prepared from the slices in a mixture of metabolic inhibitors, under conditions where there was negligible change in radioactive labelling during the preparation. Two tissue fractions were studied in detail; one contained a high proportion of mitochondria and the other was mainly microsomal. 2. In all tissue fractions the highest incorporations of both [³²P]phosphate and [1-¹⁴C]acetate occurred into phosphatidylcholine. 3. After incubation for 1hr., the ³²P/¹⁴C ratios for phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidic acid in the mitochondrial fraction were similar to those in the microsomal fraction. 4. The ³²P/¹⁴C ratios were similar in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine and much lower than those in phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol.     

CHOLINERGIC STIMULATION OF PHOSPHOLIPID LABELLING FROM [32P]ORTHOPHOSPHATE IN GUINEA-PIG CORTEX SYNAPTOSOMES IN VITRO: SUBSYNAPTOSOMAL LOCALIZATION

Abstract— Subsynaptosomal localization of stimulation of phospholipid labelling by cholinergic agents was investigated. Synaptosomes prepared from guinea-pig cortex were incubated with [³²P]orthophosphate in the presence or absence of 10⁻³ m carbamylcholine. Following incubation and osmotic shock, lysed synaptosomes were subjected to density gradient fractionation. Subsynaptosomal fractions were examined by electron microscopy and analysed for enzyme activities and ³²P-labelled lipids.
In the absence of carbamylcholine, labelled phosphatidate and phosphatidylinositol were recovered in layers and interfaces A, B, C and D formed over 0.9, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 m sucrose, with highest amounts of label in fractions C and D for both lipids. Carbamylcholine induced the greatest increment in these two labelled lipids in fractions A and B. This distribution correlated with the presence of acetylcholinesterase activity and membrane ghosts. No correlation was found among the four fractions between the induced increase in labelling and succinic dehydrogenase activity or with the abundance of mitochondria, synaptic vesicles, or cytoplasmic fragments identified by electron microscopy. In contrast with the increases seen in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidate labelling, carbamylcholine caused a decrease in ³²P-labelling of the polyphosphoinositides, and this effect was seen primarily in the heavier subsynaptosomal fractions, C and D.     

[3H]Inositol incorporation into phosphoinositides of pig reticulocytes

Phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) of pig reticulocytes were extensively labelled when these cells were incubated with [³H]inositol. In marked contrast, a total lack of [³H]inositol labelling of phosphoinositides was observed in mature erythrocytes. Phosphoinositides of both reticulocytes and mature erythrocytes were labelled with ³²P but the labelling in reticulocytes was several-fold higher than in mature erythrocytes. Inclusion of Ca²⁺ (2 mM) + ionophore A23187 (2 μg/ml) during the labelling experiments substantially reduced the radioactivity incorporation into phosphoinositides of reticulocytes. When [³H]inositol-prelabelled reticulocytes were treated with Ca²⁺ + A23187 the levels of radioactive PI and PIP₂ did not change significantly. However, the PIP pool exhibited a remarkable sensitivity to Ca²⁺ as shown by a 75% increase in its radioactivity over the control. The ability to incorporate [³H]inositol into phosphoinositides remains transitorily intact in the reticulocyte stage. Thus, pig reticulocytes offer a suitable model in which to explore the physiological role of phosphoinositides in relation to cellular maturation process.     

THE LABELLING OF NERVE ENDING PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN GUINEA-PIG BRAIN IN VIVO AND THE EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL METABOLISM IN PRELABELLED SYNAPTOSOMES

The intracerebral injection of ³²P_i into guinea-pig cortex resulted in a steady rate of incorporation into all phospholipids over a 20 h period. The specific radioactivities of phosphatidate and phos-phatidylinositol in synaptosomes prepared from cortex prelabelled, in vivo, were at a maximum after 2 h and the respective activities were 3–8 times higher than in whole cortex. This peak in labelling corresponded with the maximum specific activity of the brain ATP. No similar differential labelling pattern was observed for phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine. Electrical stimulation of the prelabelled synaptosomes produced a rapid drop in the specific activity of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidate and an increase in the specific activity of CDP-diacylglycerol. The specific activity of synaptosomal ATP was not affected. Study of the subsynaptosomal fractions obtained after osmotic rupture of the synaptosomes revealed that the most highly labelled phosphatidylinositol was in the synaptic vesicle fraction (D) and the most active phosphatidate was in a ‘microsomal’ fraction (E). Electrical stimulation caused a loss of phosphatidylinositol radioactivity from fraction D and a loss of phosphatidate radioactivity from fraction E. The specific activity of these lipids in other fractions was not affected. A possible role for presynaptic phosphatidylinositol is suggested.     

Phosphoinositide metabolism in rat superior cervical ganglion, vagus and phrenic nerve: effects of electrical stimulation and various blocking agents

Abstract— Paired vagus nerves, phrenic nerves or superior cervical ganglia from rats were incubated at 37 C for various times in a simple salt solution containing glucose and ³²P_i. One of the pair was usually stimulated electrically for 30 or 60 min. Stimulation of vagus nerve for 30 min increased phosphate incorporation into all the phospholipids studied but the increase was significant only in the case of triphos-phoinositide and diphosphoinositide. This increase was not accompanied by increased labelling of the nucleotide labile phosphate pool. Tetrodotoxin at concentrations sufficient to block transmission had no effect upon phospholipid labelling in vagus or phrenic nerve. Ouabain at blocking concentration did not affect polyphosphoinositide metabolism in vagus nerve but increased [³²P]labelling of the other phospholipids. Hemicholinium-3 increased the labelling of all three phosphoinositides in the sympathetic ganglia but the increase in phosphatidylinositol labelling due to electrical stimulation was not seen in the presence of this inhibitor.     

Metabolism of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and palmityl carnitine in synaptosomes from rat brain

Abstract— Synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and palmityl carnitine in synaptosomes isolated from rat brain was investigated and compared with the synthesis of these compounds in microsomes and mitochondria. Electron microscopic and marker enzyme studies showed the contaminants in the synaptosomal preparation to consist of a few microsomes and almost no free mitochondria. In synaptosomes, addition of 1,2-diglyceride exerted no effect on the incorporation of [¹⁴C]choline into phosphatidylcholine or on the incorporation of [³H]myo-inositol into phosphatidylinositol, but it stimulated the incorporation of CDP[1,2-¹⁴C]choline into phosphatidylcholine by more than 50 per cent. The incorporation of the latter in intact synaptosomes, lysed synaptosomes and purified mitochondria was 15-6, 27 and 9-9 per cent, respectively, of that in the microsomes. The incorporation of [³H]myo-inositol into the phosphatidylinositol of synaptosomes and purified mitochondria was 15-8 and 11-1 per cent, respectively, of that in the microsomes. Maximal incorporation of [³H]myo-inositol occurred at pH 7–5 in a medium containing Mg²⁺ and CTP; it was linear with time and protein concentration and was inhibited by 1 mM Ca^{2 +} but unaffected by the presence of ATP. This incorporation of myo-inositol appeared to occur through the reversal of the CDP-diglyceride: inositol transferase reaction. The demonstration of carnitine palmityl transferase in synaptosomes indicated that, as in mitochondrial and erythrocyte membranes, fatty acids can be transported across the synaptosomal membrane. In contrast to mitochondria where maximal incorporation of [¹⁴C]carnitine into palmityl carnitine was observed after 20 min of incubation, the incorporation in synaptosomes increased as a function of time up to 60 min of incubation. We conclude that synaptosomes can carry on de novo synthesis of lipids, although at a limited rate. From the present data we cannot state with certainty how much of this synthesis is attributable to membranes originating from the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Phospholipid turnover in isolated rat pancreatic acini. Consideration of the relative roles of phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C

The purpose of the present study was to explore the interaction of phosphatidylinositol breakdown and the turnover of arachidonic acid in isolated rat pancreatic acini by using receptor agonists and the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Acini prelabelled with myo-[³H]inositol in vivo responded to carbachol with a rapid breakdown of phosphatidylinositol. In the presence of [³²P]P_i, carbachol increased labelling of phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol within 1 and 5 min respectively. Carbachol also rapidly stimulated the incorporation of [¹⁴C]arachidonic acid into phosphatidylinositol within 2 min, and the peptidergic secretagogue caerulein caused the loss of radioactivity from phospholipids prelabelled with arachidonic acid. Ca²⁺ deprivation partially impaired the stimulatory action of carbachol on arachidonic acid turnover. In contrast with its stimulatory effects on [³²P]P_i and [¹⁴C]arachidonate incorporation, carbachol inhibited the incorporation of the saturated fatty acid stearic acid into phosphatidylinositol. Whereas ionomycin stimulation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown and [³²P]P_i labelling of phospholipids was slower in onset and less effective than carbachol stimulation, the ionophore effectively promoted (arachidonyl) phosphatidylinositol turnover within 2 min. These results implicate two separate pathways for stimulated phosphatidylinositol degradation in the exocrine pancreas, involving phospholipases A₂ and C. Whereas mobilization of cellular Ca²⁺ appears sufficient to cause activation of phospholipase A₂ and amylase secretion, additional events triggered by receptor activation may be required to act in concert with Ca²⁺ to optimally stimulate phospholipase C. The nature of the interaction between phospholipases A₂ and C and their specific physiological roles in pancreatic secretion remain to be elucidated.     

Studies on the effects of acetylcholine and antiepileptic drugs on32Pi incorporation into phospholipids of rat brain synaptosomes

Studies were conducted on the effects of antiepileptic drugs on the acetylcholine-stimulated³²P labeling of phospholipids in rat brain synaptosomes. Of the four antiepileptic drugs investigated in the present study, namely phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and valproate, only phenytoin blocked the acetylcholine-stimulated³²P labeling of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid, and the acetylcholine-stimulated breakdown of polyphosphoinositides. Phenytoin alone, like atropine alone, had no effect on the³²P labeling of phospholipids nor on the specific radioactivity of [³²P]ATP. Omission of Na⁺ drastically reduced both the³²P labeling of synaptosomal phospholipids and the specific radioactivity of [³²P]ATP and furthermore it significantly decreased the phosphoinositide effect. It was concluded that certain antiepileptic drugs, such as phenytoin, could exert their pharmacological actions through their antimuscarinic effects. In addition the finding that phenytoin, which acts to regulate Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ permeability of neuronal membranes, also inhibited the phosphoinositide effects in synaptosomes, support the conclusions that Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ are probably involved in the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon in excitable tissues.Abbreviations used ACh Acetylcholine - PA phosphatidic acid - PI phosphatidylinositol - poly PI polyphosphoinositides (diphosphoinositide and triphosphoinositide) - PC phosphatidylcholine - PE phosphatidylethanolamine - PS phosphatidylserine - S.A. specific radioactivity     

THE UPTAKE, METABOLISM AND RELEASE OF HOMOCHOLINE: STUDIES WITH RAT BRAIN SYNAPTOSOMES AND CAT SUPERIOR CERVICAL GANGLION

The accumulation of [³H]homocholine (3-trimethylamino-propan-1-01) by isolated synaptosomes prepared from rat brain was resolved kinetically into a high (K_T= 3.0 μM) and a low (K_T= 14.5 μM) affinity system. Although homocholine was not acetylated by solubilized choline acetyltransferase, 64% of the homocholine accumulated by intact synaptosomes via the high affinity uptake process was acetylated. Homocholine was also acetylated in the superior cervical ganglion of the cat, and the amount of acetylhomocholine formed was increased (12-fold) by preganglionic nerve stimulation. In ganglia, acetylhomocholine was available for release by preganglionic nerve impulses, and its release was Ca²⁺-dependent, It is concluded that homocholine can form a cholinergic false transmitter, and that the substrate specificity of choline acetyltransferase in vitro might be different from that in situ.     

THE EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON THE TURNOVER OF PHOSPHATIDIC ACID IN SYNAPTOSOMES FROM GUINEA-PIG BRAIN

Synaptosomes prepared from guinea-pig cerebral cortex were suspended in a medium containing [³²P]orthophosphate and subjected to electrical stimulation. When the synaptosomal phospholipids were subsequently separated, the most highly labelled was phosphatidic acid and electrical stimulation over a 10 min period increased incorporation of ³²P₁ into this lipid. Stimulated synaptosomes were osmotically lysed and subsynaptosomal fractions isolated. The electrically stimulated increase in phosphatidic acid labelling was localized in a fraction enriched in synaptic vesicles. This phospholipid effect was not merely a reflection of an increased specific radioactivity of synaptosomal ATP, due to the electrically stimulated increase in respiration. The time course of the phosphatidic acid effect suggests that it is synchronous with release of transmitter.     

UPTAKE OF [3H-METHYL]CHOLINE BY MICROSOMAL, SYNAPTOSOMAL, MITOCHONDRIAL AND SYNAPTIC VESICLE FRACTIONS OF RAT BRAIN

Abstract— Microsomal, mitochondrial, synaptosomal and synaptic vesicle fractions of rat brain took up [³H-methyl]choline by a similar carrier-mediated transport system. The apparent K_m for the uptake of [³H-methyl]choline in these subcellular fractions was about 5 × 10^?5 M. Choline uptake was also observed in microsomal fractions prepared from liver and skeletal muscle. Virtually identical kinetic properties for [³H-methyl]choline transport were found in the synaptosomal fractions prepared from the whole brain, cerebellum or basal ganglia. Countertransport of [³H-methyl]choline from the synaptosomal fraction was demonstrated against a concentration gradient. HC-3 was a competitive inhibitor of the uptake of [³H-methyl]choline in brain microsomal, synaptosomal and mitochondria] fractions with respective values for K_i of 4.0, 2.1 and 2.3 × 10^?5 M. HC-15 was a competitive inhibitor of the transport of [³H-methyl]choline in the synaptosomal fraction, with a K_i of 1.7 × 10^?4 M. Upon entry into the microsomal fraction, 74 per cent of the radioactivity could be recovered as unaltered choline, 10 per cent as phosphorylcholine, 1.5 per cent as acetylcholine and 2.5 per cent as phospholipid. Choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) was assayed with [¹⁴C]acetylCoA in synaptosomal fractions prepared from basal ganglia and cerebellum, and in the 31,000 g supernatant fraction of a rat brain homogenate. Enzyme activity was 11-fold greater in the synaptosomal fraction from the basal ganglia than in that from the cerebellum. HC-3 did not inhibit choline acetyltransferase and there was no evidence for acetylation of HC-3. Our findings suggest that choline uptake is a ubiquitous property of membranes in the CNS and cannot serve to distinguish cholinergic nerve endings and their synaptic vesicles.     

Increased labelling of polyphosphoinositide in chemically transformed cell line C3H10T1/2 CL8

The effect of malignant transformation of cells on phosphatidylinositol metabolism was investigated using C3H10T1/2 cells and its chemically transformed cell line, MCA CL-16 cells. We found that incorporation of [³²P]P_i into polyphosphoinositide was greatly increased in the transformed cells. A similar tendency was observed when myo-[2-³H]inositol was used as a labelling reagent. It is also observed that influx of labelled inorganic phosphate is enhanced 2-fold by the cell transformation. Therefore, promotion of polyphosphoinositide labelling in the transformed cell might be caused not only by the enhanced metabolism of phosphatidylinositol but also by the increased membrane permeability for radioactive labelling reagents.     

The effect of phentolamine on synaptosomal phosphatidylinositol in experimental galactose toxicity

Abnormal myo-[2-³H]inositol incorporation into phosphatidylinositol has been found in phentolamine-treated synaptosomes that were isolated from the cerebral hemispheres of galactose toxic rats and incubated with [³³P]P_i and myo-[2-³H] inositol. In galactose toxic rats phentolamine-stimulated myo-[2-³H]inositol labeling of phosphatidylinositol was 70% greater than in normal animals. This enhanced labeling of synaptosomal phosphatidylinositol in galactose toxic rats during stimulation with phentolamine is in marked contrast to the depressed myo-inositol labeling of phosphatidylinositol reported with acetylcholine stimulation.     

The polyphosphoinositides,phosphatidylinositol monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate,are present in nuclei isolated from carrot protoplast

Summary Nuclei were isolated from carrot protoplasts and the distribution of [³H]inositol-labeled phospholipids was analyzed by thinlayer chromatography. Phosphatidylinositol (PI), lysophos-phatidylinositol (LPI), phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP), lysophosphatidylinositol monophosphate (LPIP), and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP₂) were 55.7%, 12.3%, 5.0%, 11.5%, and 3.6% of the respective [³H]inositol-labeled lipids recovered from the nuclear fraction. While both the plasma membrane and nuclear fraction contained polyphosphoinositides, the distribution of the phosphoinositides and the amount of inositol-labeled lipid were distinct. For example, the nuclear fraction had a higher percentage of LPI and PIP₂ and less PI and LPIP than the plasma membrane fraction. The amount of [³H]inositol-labeled lipid recovered from the nuclear fraction per mg protein was an order of magnitude lower than that recovered from either the plasma membrane of lower phase fraction isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning, or from whole cells and protoplasts. In addition, when the ratio of the [³H]inositol-labeled lipid was compared to total [¹⁴C]myristate-labeled lipid recovered there was three to ten fold less [³H] relative to [¹⁴C] in the nuclear fraction.These data indicate that while the polyphosphoinositides are a relatively high percentage of the inositol lipid in the nuclear fraction, the inositol lipid was only a small portion of the total lipid in the nuclei. Despite this low concentration of inositol lipid, when [ ³²P]-ATP was added to the isolated nuclei,³²P-labeled PIP and PIP₂ were synthesized. Thus, the carrot nuclei contained PI and PIP kinase as well as the polyphosphoinositides.Abbreviations PI phosphatidylinositol - LPI lysophosphatidylinositol - PIP phosphatidylinositol monophosphate - LPIP lysophosphatidylinositol monophosphate - PIP₂ phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate - DAG diacylglycerol - IP₃ inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate     

Phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway in rat liver mitochondria

Phosphorylation of endogeneous phosholipids of rat liver mitochondrial fractions with γ[³²P]ATP revealed formation of all the known inositol phospholipids, such as phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol phosphate and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate. Additionally, a new inositol phospholipid was detected. Incorporation of [³H]-labelled insositol followed a similar profile. Enzymatic experiments indicated that the new lipid could possibly be phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate. The presence of phosphoinositides-generated second messengers such as diacylglycerol and inositol trisphosphate was also confirmed. Protein kinase C, which acts as mediator between second messengers and nuclear factors, was also found to be present in mitochondria in significant amount. These results suggest that phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway is operative in rat liver mitochondria.     

Plasma membrane lipid metabolism of petunia petals during senescence

The specific activities of 6 enzymes, which are involved in the synthesis and catabolism of membrane lipids, were monitored in plasma membranes isolated from petunia petals during senescence. These included phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase (EC 2.7.1.67), phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) kinase (EC 2.7.1.68). diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase (EC 2.7.1.107), phospholipase A (EC 3.1.1.4) and PIP- and PIP₂-phospholipase C˙(EC 3.1.4.3). Using endogenous substrate, the [³²P]PA and [³²P]PIP₂ formation increased to 140 and 200%, respectively, of the day 1 value by 4 days after harvest. There was no significant change in [³²P]PIP formation during the same time period. On the fifth day the petals wilted and the [³²P]PA and [³²P]PIP formation declined significantly. In contrast, the [³²P]PIP₂ formation remained high in the day 5 petals. When the lipid kinase activities were assayed in the membranes in the presence of exogenous substrate the specific activity of all of the enzymes increased. and the changes in [³²P]PA production over the 5-day period were similar to those observed with endogenous substrate. When exogenous PI and PIP were added, however, there was no longer an increase in [³²P]PIP₂ formation by plasma membranes of day 4 petals and [³²P]PIP formation significantly decreased. The relative decrease in PIP and PIP₂ formation by day 4 membranes when exogenous substrate was added may have resulted from differences in the lipase activities in the day 1 and day 4 membranes. The plasma membrane A-type phospholipase activity increased throughout the 5 day period, and phospholipase C activity increased two-fold between day 1 and day 4. Such changes in the metabolism of the plasma membrane lipids during flower senescence would affect the ability of the petals to use inositol phospholipid-based signal transduction pathways.     

Can mitochondria and synaptosomes of guinea-pig brain synthesize phospholipids?

1. The use of ;marker' enzymes for investigating the contamination by endoplasmic reticulum of mitochondrial and synaptosomal (nerve-ending) fractions isolated from guinea-pig brain was examined. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase appeared to be satisfactory. With the synaptosomal preparation there was a non-occluded enzymic activity believed to arise from contaminating microsomes and an occluded form released by detergent, which probably was derived from some type of intraterminal smooth endoplasmic reticulum. 2. Isolated brain mitochondria, both intact and osmotically shocked, could not synthesize more labelled phosphatidylcholine from CDP-[Me-(14)C]choline or phosphoryl[Me-(14)C]choline than could be accounted for by microsomal contamination. They could synthesize only phosphatidic acid and diphosphatidylglycerol from a [(32)P]P(i) precursor and not nitrogen-containing phosphoglycerides or phosphatidylinositol. 3. The synaptosomal outer membrane and the intraterminal mitochondria could not synthesize phosphatidylcholine from CDP-[Me-(14)C]choline but the synaptic vesicles and probably the intraterminal ;endoplasmic reticulum' appeared to be capable of catalysing the incorporation of label from this substrate into their phospholipids. 4. Microsomal fractions and synaptosomes from guinea-pig brain could incorporate [Me-(14)C]choline into their phospholipids by a non-energy-requiring exchange process, which was catalysed by Ca(2+). Fractionation of the synaptosomes after such an exchange had taken place revealed that the label was predominantly in the intraterminal mitochondria and not associated with membranes containing NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. 5. On the intraperitoneal injection of [(32)P]P(i) into guinea pigs, incorporation of radioactivity into phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid was much faster than into the nitrogen-containing phosphoglycerides. Mitochondria and microsomal fractions showed a roughly equivalent incorporation into individual phospholipids, and that into synaptosomes was appreciably less, whereas the phospholipids of myelin showed little (32)P incorporation up to 10h.     

Effect of Bicuculline-Induced Status Epilepticus on Prostaglandins and Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids in Rat Brain Subcellular Fractions

Abstract: Rat cerebrum, prelabeled in vivo by intraventric-ular injection of [1-¹⁴C]arachidonic acid, was used to assess cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase reaction products in total homogenates, cytosol, synaptosomes, and microsomes. Effects of bicuculline-induced status epilepticus on arachi-donic acid metabolism in synaptosomes and microsomes were also measured. Lipoxygenase activity, resulting in the synthesis of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), and cyclooxygenase activity, resulting in the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs), were measured by reverse-phase and normal-phase HPLC with flow scintillation detection. Endogenous lipoxygenase products in synaptosomes were identified by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. PGs and HETEs were detected in all subcellular fractions. The synaptosomal fraction showed the highest lipoxygenase activity, with 5-HETE, 12-HETE, and leukotriene B₄ as the major products. Following bicuculline-induced status epilepticus, endogenous free arachidonic acid and other fatty acids accumulated in synaptosomes, but not in microsomes. Incorporation of [1-^l4C]arachidonic acid into synaptosomal and microsomal phospholipids was decreased after bicuculline treatment. Bicuculline-induced status epilepticus resulted in increased synthesis of HETEs in synaptosomes. PG synthesis increased in the microsomal fraction. When [1-¹⁴C]arachidonic acid-labeled synaptosomes and microsomes were incubated for 1 h at 37°C the synthesis of eicosa-noids, particularly PGD₂, was increased significantly in bi-cuculline-treated rats, as compared with untreated rats. Depolarization (45 mM K⁺) of synaptosomes induced a loss of [1-¹⁴C]arachidonic acid from phosphatidylinositol, and increased the synthesis of PGD₂ and HETEs, an effect that was enhanced in bicuculline-treated rats. This study localizes changes in arachidonic acid metabolism and lipoxygenase activity resulting from bicuculline-induced status epilepticus in the brain subcellular fraction enriched in nerve endings.