Monoamine Oxidase in Rat and Bovine Endocrine

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) was characterized in tissue homogenates from rat pancreatic islets, rat neurohypophysis and adenohypophysis, and rat and bovine adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex. Phenylethylamine was preferentially deaminated by rat pancreatic islet and bovine adrenal medulla MAO and with slight preference by rat neurohypophysis MAO, whereas 5-hydroxytryptamine was preferentially deaminated by MAO from all other endocrine tissues. Tyramine was a good substrate for all tissues. Clorgyline, a selective inhibitor of MAO-A, preferentially inhibited deamination of 5-hydroxytryptamine by all tissue homogenates, whereas deprenyl, a selective inhibitor of MAO-B, preferentially inhibited deamination of phenylethylamine. Km values for 5-hydroxytryptamine and tyramine were higher by one to two decimal powers than for phenylethylamine in homogenates from all endocrine tissues. Km values were significantly lower for 5-hydroxytryptamine and significantly higher for phenylethylamine in rat and bovine adrenal cortex than in adrenal medulla. According to these results, the contributions of MAO-B to total enzyme activity were 70% for rat pancreatic islets, 45% for rat neurohypophysis, 15% for rat adenohypophysis, 20% for rat adrenal medulla, 10% for rat adrenal cortex, 60% for bovine adrenal medulla, and 20% for bovine adrenal cortex. PC 12 cells also contained predominantly MAO-A (90%); however, an increased Km for phenylethylamine and a sensitivity of deamination of this MAO-B substrate to inhibition by clorgyline are indicators of abnormal behavior of MAO in this clonal rat pheochromocytoma cell line.     

Effects of phosphodiesterase inhibitors, imidazole and phosphate on cyclic CMP phosphodiesterase are different from those on cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterases.

The effects of various agents on the newly identified cyclic CMP phosphodiesterase (C-PDE) in crude extracts of a number of rat tissues and on the enzyme partially purified from the rat liver were examined. Papaverine and 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine were without effects on C-PDE at concentrations that inhibited up to 90% of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (A-PDE) and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (G-PDE) activities. When assayed using 1 micron substrates, theophylline inhibited C-PDE to a lesser extent than A-PDE and G-PDE. 2'-Deoxy cyclic AMP (specific A-PDE inhibitor) and 2'-deoxy cyclic GMP (specific G-PDE inhibitor) were relatively poor and non-specific inhibitors for C-PDE. Imidazole, while augmenting the high Km A-PDE and G-PDE from the liver but not from the heart, was without effect on the liver C-PDE but stimulated the heart C-PDE. Potassium phosphate was more specific in inhibiting C-PDE than A-PDE and G-PDE. The present findings suggest that C-PDE represents a potential site of specific pharmacological regulations, and that C-PDE may be a separate enzyme distinguishable from the purine cyclic nucleotide class of phosphodiesterases.     

Purification, characterization and production of rabbit antibodies to rat liver particulate, high-affinity, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase

The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.4.16) activities of a rat liver particulate fraction were analyzed after solubilization by detergent or by freeze-thawing. Analysis of the two extracts by DEAE-cellulose chromatography revealed that they contain different complements of phosphodiesterase activities. The detergent-solubilized extract contained a cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase, a low affinity cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase whose hydrolysis of cyclic AMP was activated by cyclic GMP and a high affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. The freeze-thaw extract contained a cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase and two high affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, but no low affinity cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities from the freeze-thaw extract and from the detergent extract all had negatively cooperative kinetics. One of the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases from the freeze-thaw extract (form A) was insensitive to inhibition by cyclic GMP; the other freeze-thaw solubilized cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (form B) and the detergent-solubilized cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase were strongly inhibited by cyclic GMP. The B enzyme appeared to be converted into the A enzyme when the particulate fraction was stored for prolonged periods at -20 degrees C. The B form was purified extensively, using DEAE-cellulose, a guanine-Sepharose column and gel filtration. The enzyme retained its negatively cooperative kinetics and high affinity for both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP throughout the purification, although catalytic activity was always much greater for cyclic AMP. Rabbit antiserum was raised against the purified B enzyme and tested via a precipitin reaction against other forms of phosphodiesterase. The antiserum cross-reacted with the A enzyme and the detergent-solubilized cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase from rat liver. It did not react with the calmodulin-activated cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase of rat brain, the soluble low affinity cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase of rat liver or a commercial phosphodiesterase preparation from bovine heart. These results suggest a possible interrelationship between the high affinity cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase of rat liver.     

Stimulation of rat liver cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase by cyclic GMP is dependent on enzyme concentration

A high-speed supernatant of rat liver extract displayed multiple forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17). One of the forms catalyzed the hydrolysis of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP, with approximately comparable facility. One salient feature of the enzyme is that at micromolar concentrations, cyclic GMP stimulated the hydrolysis of cyclic AMP, but not vice versa. Another is that the activity of phosphodiesterase varied as a function of enzyme concentration in the assayed system: the enzyme activity was higher at low than at high enzyme concentrations. A concentrated enzyme was not stimulated by cyclic GMP but was stimulated by cyclic GMP upon dilution of the enzyme. Conversely, stimulation of the enzyme by cyclic GMP could be reversed by increasing the enzyme concentration. The cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was partially purified by a continuous sucrose density gradient. The apparent change of phosphodiesterase activity as a function of enzyme concentration was also observed after partial purification by the sucrose density gradient. High enzyme concentrations favored the aggregated form of phosphodiesterase, whereas low concentrations favored the dissociated form. Dilution of the enzyme shifted the equilibrium toward the dissociated form, which presumably exposed the cyclic GMP regulatory site on the enzyme molecule.     

Effect of andrenalectomy on cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate metabolism of rat liver and other tissues

Adrenalectomy increased guanyl cyclase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities in liver and other rat tissues. Liver guanyl cyclase activities from adrenalectomized rats were increased above those of normal controls according to kinetic analysis, gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, discontinuous sucrose gradient fractionation, sulfhydryl inhibition, and secretin activation. The effects of adrenal insufficiency on hepatic guanyl cyclase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase were prevented by cortisone acetate administration. Immunoassay of liver and skeletal muscle cyclic GMP after adrenalectomy showed markedly decreased levels in liver, but increased levels in skeletal muscle. In liver and other tissues, basal adenyl cyclase and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities were unaffected by adrenalectomy. Hepatic levels of cyclic AMP were also unchanged by adrenalectomy. Hypophysectomy raised guanyl cyclase activity in liver but had no effect on liver cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity. These alterations are discussed in relation to possible glucocorticoid regulation of cyclic GMP metabolism.     

Evidence for convertible forms of soluble uterine cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (3':5'-cyclic nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.17) systems of many tissues show multiple physical and kinetic forms. In contrast, the soluble rat uterine phosphodiesterase exists as a single enzyme form with non-linear Lineweaver-Burk kinetics for cyclic AMP (app. Km of approx. 3 and 20 microM) and linear kinetics for cyclic GMP (app. Km of approx. 3 microM) since the two hydrolytic activities are not separated by a variety of techniques. In uterine cytosolic fractions, cyclic AMP is a non-competitive inhibitor of cyclic GMP hydrolysis (Ki approx. 32 microM). Also, cyclic GMP is a non-competitive inhibitor of cyclic AMP hydrolysis (Ki approx 16 microM) at low cyclic GMP/cyclic AMP substrate ratios. However, cyclic GMP acts as a competitive inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (Ki approx 34 microM) at high cyclic GMP/cyclic AMP substrate ratios. When a single hydrolytic form of uterine phosphodiesterase, separated initially by DEAE anion-exchange chromatography, is treated with trypsin (0.5 microgram/ml for 2 min) and rechromatographed on DEAE-Sephacel, two major forms of phosphodiesterase are revealed. One form elutes at 0.3 M NaOAc- and displays anomalous kinetics for cyclic AMP hydrolysis (app. Km of 2 and 20 microM) and linear kinetics for cyclic GMP (app. Km approx. 5 microM), kinetic profiles which are similar to those of the uterine cytosolic preparations. A second form of phosphodiesterase elutes at 0.6 M NaOAc- and displays a higher apparent affinity for cyclic AMP (app. Km approx. 1.5 mu) without appreciable cyclic GMP hydrolytic activity. These data provide kinetic and structural evidence that uterine phosphodiesterase contains distinct catalytic sites for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Moreover, they provide further documentation that the multiple forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in mammalian tissues may be conversions from a single enzyme species.     

Properties of the cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase from rat lung. Inhibition by unsaturated fatty acids

Catalytic and regulatory properties of the major form of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (3':5'-cyclic-GMP 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.35) from rat lung were studied. The enzyme partially purified by a DEAE-Sepharose chromatography displayed a much higher affinity toward cyclic GMP than toward cyclic AMP, the apparent Km values being 5.7 microM and 482 microM for the guanylic and the adenylic cyclic nucleotide, respectively. In contrast, the V value for cyclic AMP was about 3-times higher than the V value for cyclic GMP. Linear double reciprocal plots of initial velocity were observed with each cyclic nucleotide. From 10(-8) to 3.3 X 10(-6) M, cyclic GMP did not change the hydrolysis of 1 or 10 microM cyclic [3H]AMP, while it became inhibitory at higher concentrations. In contrast with a calmodulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase prepared from rat brain, the lung enzyme was not stimulated by a heat-stable Ca2+-dependent factor from rat lung or by rat brain calmodulin or by lipids including fatty acids and lysophosphatidylcholine. Various unsaturated 18- and 20-carbon fatty acids inhibited at varying degrees the cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase from rat lung. The inhibitory potency increased with the number of double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain. In contrast, the methyl esters of the unsaturated fatty acids and the saturated fatty acids of variable hydrocarbon chain lengths had no appreciable effects. A linear Hill plot of phosphodiesterase inhibition with a slope of unity was obtained with arachidonic acid up to 30 microM, suggesting only one type of inhibitory site. In this range of concentrations the inhibition was entirely reversible. Kinetics analysis demonstrated that up to 30 microM arachidonic acid was a purely competitive inhibitor with an apparent Ki of 20 microM. Over 30 microM, the Hill coefficient increased progressively, indicating the binding to other inhibitory sites, while the reversibility disappeared.     

The association between phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase activity and a specific subunit of microtubular protein in rat brain

1. Supernatant proteins from rat brain were separated into two fractions containing phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase activity by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50. 2. The first fraction sediments in linear sucrose density gradients in two bands corresponding to molecular weights of 66000 and 36000. There was presumptive evidence that the lighter protein constituted the monomeric form of the enzyme. The second fraction sediments predominantly as a single protein of molecular weight 86000. 3. Treatment of rat brain supernatant with [(3)H]colchicine abolished the second DEAE-Sephadex peak and removed the lighter protein from the first peak. These proteins emerged in the same position as the protein binding [(3)H]colchicine at high salt concentration; phospholipase activity was recovered from linear sucrose density gradients in positions corresponding to molecular weights 88000 and 43000, together with an aggregate of molecular weight 140000. Electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulphate-urea-polyacrylamide gels of this fraction revealed only three proteins: the alpha and beta-subunits of microtubular protein, of molecular weights 56000 and 52000 respectively, and a protein of molecular weight 38000. 4. A sample of microtubular protein from mouse, labelled in vivo with [(3)H]proline and (32)P(i), was added to rat brain supernatant together with an equal amount of the same microtubular protein treated with cyclic AMP and [gamma-(32)P]ATP and the mixture subsequently characterized by ion-exchange chromatography. Some phospholipase activity characteristic of the second peak from DEAE-Sephadex was associated with one fraction of added microtubular protein. This fraction was identified on the basis of the (3)H:(32)P ratio as the beta subunit of the protein treated with ATP and cyclic AMP. The subunit of added microtubular protein untreated with nucleotides was not associated with phospholipase activity.     

A kinetic analysis of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase regulation by the endogenous protein activator. A study of rat brain and frog sympathetic chain.

The effect of the endogenous protein activator on the kinetic characteristics of a highly purified, activator-deficient rat brain phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.-) of a highly purified, activator-deficient rat brain phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4-) was studied. This enzyme preparation has only a high Km for cyclic AMP and a low Km for cyclic GMP. In the presence of 20 muM Ca2+, saturating concentrations of the activator decreased the Km of this enzyme for cyclic AMP from 350 muM to about 80 muM, without changing the V. The phosphodiesterase activator did not change the Km of phosphodiesterase for cyclic GMP; however, amoderate increase of V was seen. The activator lacks species specificity; the activator isolated from the bullfrog sympathetic chain produced the same qualitative and comparable quantitative changes in the kinetic properties of the purified rat brain phosphodiesterase. Cyclic GMP is a potent competitive inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase activation by the activator (Ki=1.8 muM), using cyclic AMP as a substrate. Cyclic AMP inhibits slightly the hydrolysis of cyclic GMP by phosphodiesterase in the presence of activator (Ki=155 muM) only.     

Purification of an insulin-sensitive cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase from rat liver

A low-Km cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase solubilised from rat liver membranes by mild proteolysis with chymotrypsin has been purified to apparent homogeneity. The purification included chromatography on cellulose phosphate, Ecteola-cellulose, hydroxyapatite, a theophylline affinity matrix and HPLC on a DEAE-substituted column. The purified enzyme has linear kinetic plots with a Km of 0.24 microM and a Vmax of 6.2 mumol mg-1 min-1 with cyclic AMP as a substrate. It also hydrolyses cyclic GMP with a Km of 0.17 microM and a Vmax which is about a third of that with cyclic AMP. Cyclic GMP is also a competitive inhibitor of cyclic AMP hydrolysis with a Ki of 0.18 microM. The proteolytically solubilised enzyme has a subunit molecular mass of 73 kDa by SDS gel electrophoresis and of 130 kDa by HPLC size-exclusion chromatography, suggesting that it exists as a dimer. A partially purified preparation of this enzyme was used to raise antiserum in a sheep. The antiserum immunoprecipitated activity from liver and adipose tissue of rat and mouse. It had little activity against phosphodiesterase from other rat tissues or other species. Insulin-activated phosphodiesterase from both adipocytes and hepatocytes was immunoprecipitated by the antiserum suggesting that the purified enzyme was an insulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase.     

Increased activity of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase from frozen-thawed rat liver. A role of lysosomal protease in enzyme activation.

The activity of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (3':5'-cyclic-nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.17) in 105 000 X g supernatant fraction from frozen-thawed rat liver was 2.5 times higher than the corresponding preparation from fresh liver. This increased activity of frozen liver enzyme was accompanied by a decreased sensitivity of the enzyme to known activators such as alpha-tocopheryl phosphate and trypsin. Neither membrane-bound cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, nor supernatant cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase increased in frozen liver preparation. It is unlikely that the activator protein of phosphodiesterase participated in the observed change of enzyme activity. Among rat tissues so far tested, the increased level of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was noted only in tissues rich in lysosome content. In the recombination experiment where phosphodiesterase from fresh liver was incubated with lysosomal fraction, stimulation of the enzyme activity was observed with a concomitant loss of sensitivity to above-mentioned activators. Since the stimulation by lysosomal fraction was effectively inhibited by cathepsin B1 inhibitors, leupeptin and antipain, it was deduced cathepsin-B1 (EC 3.4.12.3) type protease(s) was the main causative of activating the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. The freezing-thawing process of rat liver made the lysosomal membrane more permeable, and hence lysosomal proteases were released into soluble fraction during phosphodiesterase preparation. These results provide a warning not to use frozen liver for phosphodiesterase preparation, otherwise altered properties of the enzymes will be seen.     

Isolation of similar rolipram-inhibitable cyclic-AMP-specific phosphodiesterases from rat brain and heart

A cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase form of rat brain cytosol was purified by means of affinity chromatography on an immobilized analog of the specific inhibitor rolipram, followed by an exclusion chromatography step. The resulting preparation presented two protein bands in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, both with phosphodiesterase activity. Kinetics of cyclic AMP hydrolysis by the purified enzyme proved of the Michaelis type, with a Km of 3 microM, while hydrolysis of cyclic GMP displayed anomalous negatively cooperative kinetics. At micromolar concentrations, this enzyme from hydrolyzed highly specifically cyclic AMP (50-fold faster than cyclic GMP). Cyclic GMP proved a poor competitor of cyclic AMP hydrolysis (Ki 1.04 mM). The neurotropic compound, rolipram, strongly inhibited the enzyme, in a competitive manner (Ki 0.9 microM). This enzyme displayed a molecular mass of around 44 kDa as determined by exclusion chromatography, but two molecular masses of 42 kDa and 89 kDa were observable by electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gradient gel, compatible with an equilibrium between dimeric and monomeric forms. Isoelectric focusing of the preparation gave rise to two activity peaks of pI 4.8 and 6.7, with identical properties, probably representing two charge isomers of the same protein. An enzyme prepared from rat heart cytosol by the same techniques as for brain phosphodiesterase isolation shared numerous characteristics with the enzyme of cerebral origin, suggesting identity of the rolipram-sensitive form between the two tissues. Since the rolipram-sensitive form detected in crude brain preparations markedly differs from the above-described isolated enzyme, both by its molecular mass in exclusion chromatography and by its pI, it is suggested that an alteration of the native protein, due to dissociation of putative subunits, occurs during the purification procedure.     

A peripheral and an intrinsic enzyme constitute the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity of rat liver plasma membranes.

1. Approx. 10% of the rat liver cellular cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity was associated with a plasma-membrane fraction. 2. Lineweaver-Burk plots of this activity were clearly non-linear, yielding extrapolated Km values of 0.7 and 60.6 microns. 3. Treatment of these membranes with high-ionic-strength NaCl solutions apparently released 80% of this activity assayed at 0.4 micron-cyclic AMP, and 15% of the activity assayed at 1 mM-cyclic AMP. 4. The high-salt-solubilized enzyme gave a non-linear Lineweaver-Burk plot. 5. The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity of the washed high-salt-treated membranes exhibited a linear Lineweaver-Burk plot, yielding a Km of 60 microns. 6. The high-salt-solubilized enzyme exhibited a single peak of activity upon polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, a single peak upon sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation (3.9 S) and decayed as a single exponential upon heat-treatment (half-life 1 min at 55 degrees C). 7. The activity of washed high-salt-treated membranes decayed as a single exponential upon heat-treatment (half-life 42 min at 55 degrees C), and was solubilized in the detergent Triton X-100. 8. Cytosol-derived cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity could bind to washed high-salt-treated plasma membranes, but was totally eluted by washing with 1 mM-KHCO3, unlike the high-salt-solubilized enzyme, which required high salt concentrations to elute it. 9. We suggest that the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity of rat liver plasma membranes can be resolved into two components: a single peripheral protein exhibiting apparent negative co-operativity, that is distinct from cytosol forms, and an intrinsic protein exhibiting normal Michaelis kinetics.     

Alcohol potentiation of isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in rat parotid

The ability of beta-adrenergic agonists to elevate rat parotid cyclic AMP concentrations is potentiated greatly by certain organic solvents. Propanol was found to be more effective than other tested solvents. Propanol stimulated adenylate cyclase and inhibited low Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities however the magnitude of effect upon these enzyme activities probably does not account for the potentiation of cyclic AMP accumulation observed in intact cells.     

Gap junctions between pancreatic B-cells are modulated by cyclic AMP

Gap junction morphology was studied on freeze fracture replicas of pancreatic islet tissue, using morphometric techniques. In rat islets in situ, 60 percent of the connexions were polygonally packed in gap junctions, whereas the remaining part occurred in linear strands. After collagenase isolation, the islets presented similar numbers of gap junctions but contained virtually no linear strands. The distribution of connexions over polygonal or linear arrays also varied with the culture conditions: at 11.2 mM glucose, a higher percentage of particles occurred in gap junctions than at 5.6 mM glucose; this was also the case in other conditions with elevated cellular cyclic AMP levels. The total number of connexions increased when islets were cultured with dibutyryl cyclic AMP or with a phosphodiesterase inhibitor; conditions with an augmented number of gap junctions also displayed an elevated islet cyclic AMP content. A similar association was noted in newly formed aggregates of pancreatic B-cells purified by autofluorescence-activated. cell sorting. These results indicate that the number of classically defined gap junctions is not only dependent on the total number of connexions but also on their organization within the membrane. It is suggested that the distribution of connexions over polygonal and linear arrays follows a dynamic equilibrium varying with the extracellular conditions. Cyclic AMP appears to modulate the number of gap junctions between pancreatic B-cells both through an induction of new connexions and through an assembly of linearly organized particles into polygonal arrays.     

Phospholipid modulation of low-Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity on rat adipocyte microsomes

The ability of nine phospholipids to alter the activity of low-Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was examined in microsomal fractions of rat adipocytes. The enzyme was activated by phosphatidylserine (21% at 300 microM) and phosphatidylglycerol (36% at 300 microM). The activation was concentration dependent over the range 1-1000 microM. Six other phospholipids were without effect. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate inhibited the activity of the enzyme over the same range of concentrations (26% at 300 microM). Phosphatidylserine also activated a partially purified preparation of the enzyme, whereas phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was ineffective. The mechanism of the activation of the enzyme by phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylglycerol involved an increase in the apparent Vmax of the enzyme, while the inhibition by phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was associated with an increase in the Km of the enzyme for substrate. The phospholipid modulators of low-Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity did not alter the activity of high-Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. The ability of phospholipids to alter the activity of low-Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase in native membranes suggests a possible role for phospholipids in metabolic regulation.     

Rat pancreatic adenylate cyclase. IV. Effect of hormones and other agents on cyclic AMP level and enzyme release.

1. The effects of secretin and pancreozymin-C-octapeptide and phosphodiesterase inhibitors on the concentration of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and on the release of enzymes from rat pancreas have been studied. 2. In determininging cyclic AMP by means of the saturation assay of Brown et al. ((1971) Biochem. J. 121, 561-563) it is found essential to purify the pancreatic tissue extract by ion-exchange chromatography prior to the assay. 3. Injection of synthetic secretin or pancreozymin-C-octapeptide in anaesthetized rats in a secretory active dose (0.1 nmol) has no effect on the pancreatic cyclic AMP level. 4. Incubation for up to 10 min of pancreatic slices in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate glucose medium containing 10(-2) M theophylline as phosphodiesterase inhibitor does not result in an increase of the cyclic AMP level. With 10(-2) M 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine as phosphodiesterase inhibitor the level is more than doubled after the first min of incubation and remains constant thereafter. 5. Addition of 3-10(-7) M secretin to slices incubated in the presence of 10(-2) M theophylline causes 84% increase of the cyclic AMP level above control, whereas the addition of 3-10(-7) M pancreozymin-C-octapeptide has no significant effect. In the presence of 10(-2) M 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine the latter hormone causes significant increases of up to 34% above control during 10 min of incubation. Secretin in this condition augments the cyclic AMP level by up to 296% above control during a 10 min incubation period. Addition of secretin and pancreozymin-C-octapeptide together has no greater effect than of secretin alone. 6. A broken cell fraction of rat pancreas contains adenylate cyclase activity which can be stimulated to 457 and 600% above the basal activity by 3-10(-7) M pancreozymin-C-octapeptide and secretin, respectively. Incubation of pancreatic slices with either hormone has no effect on the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in the homogenate of these slices. 7. Pancreozymin-C-octapeptide, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine and carbamylcholine cause an elevated release of chymotrypsin from pancreatic slices incubated for 2 h in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate medium, containing 10 mM glucose, while secretin, cyclic AMP and butyric acid have no significant effect. The release of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase is also elevated by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine and carbamylcholine, but not significantly by pancreozymin-C-octapeptide. 8. The results support the role of cyclic AMP in the action of secretin, and do not exclude a mediating function of this nucleotide in the actions of pancreozymin in rat pancreas.     

Cyclic AMP metabolism and insulin release in pancreatic islets of the rat Effects of agents which alter microtubular function

In order to investigate the relationship between microtubular function, insulin release and islet cyclic AMP metabolism, the effects of ²H₂O, colchicine and vincristine were studied in rat islets prelabeled with [³H]adenine. Glucose-induced insulin secretion and efflux of cyclic [³H]AMP was markedly inhibited by 8–50% ²H₂O. At a higher concentration (75%), deuterated water still suppressed insulin release, while the inhibition of nucleotide release was abolished. Glucose-induced intra-islet cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation was augmented by ²H₂O progressively with time. With 75% ²H₂O, although efflux of cyclic AMP was no more inhibited, intra-islet accumulation of the nucleotide was still enhanced. The cyclic AMP efflux induced by cholera toxin, or a high concentration of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine was suppressed and the intra-islet nucleotide accumulation was enhanced by ²H₂O. The latter effect tended to be less pronounced than when glucose was the stimulator. All the effects of ²H₂O on glocuse-stimulated islets were mimicked by incubating the tissue in H₂O at 28°C.Colchicine and vincristine had no significant effect on glucose-induced insulin release, and did not enhance the intra-islet cyclic [³H]AMP response; efflux of the nucleotide was, however, significantly inhibited. This pattern of response was shared with probenecid. Preincubation of islets with colchicine did not influence the subsequent effects of ²H₂O on insulin release and cyclic AMP metabolism.It is concluded that: (1) enhancement of intra-islet cyclic AMP accumulation by ²H₂O is not due to inhibition of the nucleotide efflux; (2) the effects on cyclic AMP metabolism described here are not exclusive for microtubular affecting agents and do not seem to be related to the microtubular system of the islet.     

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases from rat anterior pituitary. Characterization of multiple forms and regulation by protein activator and Ca+.

Phosphodiesterase activities for adenosine and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphates (cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP) were demonstrated in particulate and soluble fractions of rat anterior pituitary gland. Both fractions contained higher activity for cyclic GMP hydrolysis than that for cyclic AMP hydrolysis when these activities were assayed at subsaturating substrate concentrations. Addition of protein activator and CaCl2 to either whole homogenate, particulate or supernatant fraction stimulated both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphadiesterase activities. Almost 80% of cyclic AMP and 90% of cyclic GMP hydrolyzing activities were localized in soluble fraction. Particulate-bound cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity was completely solubilized with 1% Triton X-100. Detergent-dispersed particulate and soluble enzymes were compared with respect to Ca2+ and activator requirements and gel filtration profiles. Particulate, soluble and partially purified phosphodiesterase activities were also characterized in relation to divalent cation requirements, kinetic behavior and effects of Ca2+, activator and ethyleneglycol-bis-(2-aminoethyl)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid. Gel filtration of either sonicated whole homogenate or the 10500 X g supernatant fraction showed a single peak of activity, which hydrolyzed both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and was dependent upon Ca2+ and activator for maximum activity. Partially purified enzyme was inhibited by 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine and papaverine with the concentration of inhibitor giving 50% inhibition at 0.4 muM substrate being 20 muM and 24 muM for cyclic AMP and 7 muM and 10 muM for cyclic GMP, respectively. Theophylline, caffeine and theobromine were less effective. The rat anterior pituitary also contained a protein activator which stimulated both pituitary cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase(s) as well as activator-deficient brain cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases. Chromatography of the sonicated pituitary extract on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography resolved the phosphodiesterase into two fractions. Both enzyme fractions hydrolyzed cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and had comparable apparent Km values for the two nucleotides. Hydrolysis of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP by fraction II enzyme was stimulated 6--7-fold by both pituitary and brain activator in the presence of micromolar concentrations of Ca2+.     

Inhibition of Ca2+-activated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase reaction by a heat-stable inhibitor protein from bovine brain.

An inhibitor protein of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase is demonstrated in bovine brain extract and separated from modulator binding protein, a recently discovered inhibitory factor of phosphodiesterase. The new inhibitor protein is similar to the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor from bovine retina (Dumler, I. L., and Etingof, F. N. 1976) Biochim. Biophys, Acta 429, 474-484) in its heat stability: it retains full activity upon heating in a boiling water bath for 2 min. The new inhibitor protein counteracts the activation of the Ca2+-activatable cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase by the Ca2+-dependent modulator protein without affecting the basal activity of the enzyme. The inhibition of phosphodiesterase by the inhibitor can be reversed by high concentrations of modulator protein but is not influenced by a 20-fold increase in Ca2+ concentration. In contrast, a Ca2+-independent form of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase is not inhibited by the inhibitor protein. These results suggest that the heat-stable inhibitor protein is specific against the action of the Ca2+-dependent modulator protein. Gel filtration analyses on Sephadex G-75 and G-100 columns have shown that the inhibitor protein and the modulator protein may associate in the presence of Ca2+. The molecular weights determined by the gel filtration for the free inhibitor protein and the complex of the inhibitor and modulator protein are about 70,000 and 85,000, respectively.