Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets. Regulation of aerobic glycolysis and pyruvate decarboxylation.

1. D-Glucose (0.5-16.7 mM) preferentially stimulates aerobic glycolysis and D-[3,4-14C]glucose oxidation, relative to D-[5-3H]glucose utilization in rat pancreatic islets, the concentration dependency of such a preferential effect displaying a sigmoidal pattern. 2. Inorganic and organic calcium antagonists, as well as Ca2+ deprivation, only cause a minor decrease in the ratio between D-[3,4-14C]glucose oxidation and D-[5-3H]glucose utilization in islets exposed to a high concentration of the hexose (16.7 mM). 3. Non-glucidic nutrient secretagogues such as 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2-carboxylate (BCH), 2-ketoisocaproate and 3-phenylpyruvate fail to stimulate aerobic glycolysis and D-[3,4-14C]glucose oxidation in islets exposed to 6.0 mM D-glucose. Nevertheless, BCH augments [1-14C]pyruvate and [2-14C]pyruvate oxidation. 4. The glucose-induced increment in the paired ratio between D-[3,4-14C]glucose oxidation and D-[5-3H]glucose utilization is impaired in the presence of either cycloheximide or ouabain. 5. These findings suggest that the preferential effect of D-glucose upon aerobic glycolysis and pyruvate decarboxylation is not attributable solely to a Ca(2+)-induced activation of FAD-linked glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and/or pyruvate dehydrogenase, but may also involve an ATP-modulated regulatory process.     

Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets. Feedback control of D-glucose oxidation by functional events

A rise in extracellular D-glucose concentration in pancreatic islet cells causes a greater relative increase in the oxidation of pyruvate and acetyl residues than in glycolysis. A possible explanation for such an unusual situation was sought in the present study. The preferential stimulation of mitochondrial oxidative events was found to display a sigmoidal dependency on hexose concentration, and an exponential time course during prolonged exposure of the islets to a high concentration of D-glucose. The preferential stimulation of mitochondrial oxidative events was abolished in islets incubated in the presence of cycloheximide and absence of Ca2+, in which case the oxidation of D-[6-14C]glucose was more severely inhibited than that of D-[3,4-14C]glucose. Likewise, the inhibitor of protein biosynthesis and the absence of Ca2+ affected the oxidation of L-[U-14C]leucine preferentially, relative to that of L-[1-14C]leucine, in islets exposed to a high, but not a low, concentration of the amino acid. These results demonstrate that in pancreatic islets it is possible to dissociate both glycolysis from mitochondrial oxidative events and the oxidation of acetyl residues from their generation rate. Moreover, the experimental data suggest that nutrient-responsive and ATP-requiring functional processes exert a feedback control on mitochondrial respiration in this fuel-sensor organ.     

Selective stimulation of in situ intermediary metabolism by free calcium in permeabilized rat adipocytes.

The hypothesis that ionized calcium [Ca2+]i may stimulate in situ rat adipocyte intermediary metabolism distal to glucose transport was tested. A metabolically active porous adipocyte model was employed in which pathway metabolism is exclusively pore-dependent using glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) as substrate. Cellular [Ca2+]i was, furthermore, directly adjusted to between 0-2.5 microM via the membrane pores. Three metabolic fluxes were examined, (1) glycolysis-Krebs ([6-14C]G6P oxidation), (2) glycolysis to lactate ([U-14C]G6P to [14C]lactate) and (3) pentose pathway ([1-14C]G6P oxidation). Glycolysis-Krebs oxidation was was found to be selectively (33% above basal P less than 0.001) stimulated by 0.625 microM free calcium. In contrast, there was no effect of [Ca2+]i on the other, exclusively cytoplasmic, pathways. The stimulation of glycolysis-Krebs by [Ca2+]i was inhibited by a mitochondrial calcium channel blocker (Ruthenium red) and persisted over a range of ATP/ADP ratios. Separate studies demonstrated that 2-[1-14C]ketoglutarate oxidation was also calcium-stimulated in the porous adipocytes (160% over baseline at 1 microM [Ca2+]i). These studies thus demonstrate that physiologically relevant increments in porous adipocyte [Ca2+]i enhance overall in situ glycolytic-Krebs pathway oxidation by a mechanism which entails mitochondrial calcium uptake. Methodologically, this metabolically active porous adipocyte model presents a novel experimental approach to investigations regarding the effects of ionized calcium on intermediary metabolism beyond glucose transport.     

Possible role of carbonic anhydrase in rat pancreatic islets: enzymatic, secretory, metabolic, ionic, and electrical aspects

The presence of carbonic anhydrase (type V) was recently documented in rat and mouse pancreatic islet beta-cells by immunostaining and Western blotting. In the present study, the activity of carbonic anhydrase was measured in rat islet homogenates and shown to be about four times lower than in rat parotid cells. The pattern for the inhibitory action of acetazolamide on carbonic anhydrase activity also differed in islet and parotid cell homogenates, suggesting the presence of different isoenzymes. NaN3 inhibited carbonic anhydrase activity in islet homogenates and both D-[U-14C]glucose oxidation and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Acetazolamide (0.3-10.0 mM) also decreased glucose-induced insulin output but failed to affect adversely D-[U-14C]glucose oxidation, although it inhibited the conversion of D-[5-3H]glucose to [3H]OH and that of D-[U-14C]glucose to acidic metabolites. Hydrochlorothiazide (3.0-10.0 mM), which also caused a concentration-related inhibition of the secretory response, like acetazolamide (5.0-10.0 mM), decreased H(14)CO3- production from D-[U-14C]glucose (16.7 mM). Acetazolamide (5.0 mM) did not affect the activity of volume-sensitive anion channels in beta-cells but lowered intracellular pH and adversely affected both the bioelectrical response to d-glucose and its effect on the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ in these cells. The lowering of cellular pH by acetazolamide, which could well be due to inhibition of carbonic anhydrase, might in turn account for inhibition of glycolysis. The perturbation of stimulus-secretion coupling in the beta-cells exposed to acetazolamide may thus involve impaired circulation in the pyruvate-malate shuttle, altered mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation, and perturbation of Cl- fluxes, resulting in both decreased bioelectrical activity and insulin release.     

Chloride-Dependent Uncoupling of Oxidative Phosphorylation by Triethyllead and Triethyltin Increases Cytosolic Free Calcium in Guinea Pig Cerebral Cortical Synaptosomes

Metabolically competent isolated cerebral cortical nerve terminals were used to determine the effects of triethyllead (TEL) and triethyltin (TET) on cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]c), on plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials, and on oxidative metabolism. In the presence of physiological concentrations of extracellular ions, 20 microM TEL and 20 microM TET increase [Ca2+]c from 185 nM to 390 and 340 nM, respectively. A simultaneous depolarization of plasma membrane potential (delta psi p) by only 3-4 mV occurs, a drop which is insufficient to open the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels. In contrast, an instant and substantial depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi m) upon addition of TEL and TET is evident, as monitored with safranine O fluorescence. At the same concentration, TEL and TET stimulate basal respiration of synaptosomes by 45%, induce oxidation of endogenous NAD(P)H, and reduce the terminal ATP/ADP ratio by 45%. Thus, TEL and TET inhibit ATP production of intrasynaptosomal mitochondria by a mechanism consistent with uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. This bioenergetic effect by TEL and TET can be prevented by omitting external chloride, and a concomitant reduction of the increase in [Ca2+]c by about 60% is observed. Uncoupling of mitochondrial ATP synthesis from oxidation by TEL and TET, [corrected] a process that is dependent on external chloride, is the main mechanism by which they [corrected] increase [Ca2+]c.     

Role of Ca2+ in pyruvate dehydrogenase interconversion in brain mitochondria and synaptosomes.

The steady-state content of active (dephospho) pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDHA) of suspensions of coupled rat brain mitochondria oxidizing succinate was found to be markedly increased with increasing free Ca2+ ion concentration of the medium, with a half-maximal effect at 10(-6.43) M Ca2+. Other ions were present in these studies at concentrations appropriate for the cytosol. Depolarization of the plasma membrane of synaptosomes caused an increase in the steady-state content of PDHA, with veratridine giving a larger increase than depolarization by 33 mM-KCl. Values were 68 +/- 1% (n = 13) and 81 +/- 1% (n = 19) of maximal activity, for control incubations and incubations in the presence of 30 microM-veratridine, respectively. Measurements of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]cyt.) in these suspensions of synaptosomes, with the use of the fluorescent Ca2+-indicator Quin-2, indicated an increase on depolarization, with the change due to 30 microM-veratridine being larger in extent than that due to 33 mM-KCl. Values were 217 +/- 21 nM (n = 15), 544 +/- 48 nM (n = 15) and 783 +/- 75 nM (n = 14) for control, KCl-depolarized and veratridine-depolarized synaptosomes respectively. Experiments in which synaptosomes were treated with Ruthenium Red, an inhibitor of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, gave much lower resting contents of PDHA (42 +/- 2% of maximal), but failed to prevent totally an increase on depolarization. Addition of an excess of EGTA to the synaptosomal suspension just before the addition of veratridine resulted in a partial diminution in the response of PDHA content. Parallel studies with Quin-2 indicated no increase in [Ca2+]cyt. on addition of veratridine, under these conditions. Thus an increase in [Ca2+]cyt. forms only a part of the mechanism whereby pyruvate dehydrogenase interconversion responds to depolarization. A decrease in the ATP/ADP ratio may also be important, as inferred from the results of experiments with ouabain, which inhibits the Na+ + K+-dependent ATPase.     

Repetitive Action Potentials in Isolated Nerve Terminals in the Presence of 4-Aminopyridine: Effects on Cytosolic Free Ca2+ and Glutamate Release

The mechanisms by which an elevated KCl level and the K+-channel inhibitor 4-aminopyridine induce release of transmitter glutamate from guinea-pig cerebral cortical synaptosomes are contrasted. KCl at 30 mM caused an initial spike in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c), followed by a partial recovery to a plateau 112 +/- 13 nM above the polarized control. The Ca2+-dependent release of endogenous glutamate, determined by continuous fluorimetry, was largely complete by 3 min, by which time 1.70 +/- 0.35 nmol/mg was released. [Ca2+]c elevation and glutamate release were both insensitive to tetrodotoxin. KCl-induced elevation in [Ca2+]c could be observed in both low-Na+ medium and in the presence of low concentrations of veratridine. 4-Aminopyridine at 1 mM increased [Ca2+]c by 143 +/- 18 nM to a plateau similar to that following 30 mM KCl. The initial rate of increase in [Ca2+]c following 4-aminopyridine administration was slower than that following 30 mM KCl, and a transient spike was less apparent. Consistent with this, the 4-aminopyridine-induced net uptake of 45Ca2+ is much lower than that following an elevated KCl level. 4-Aminopyridine induced the Ca2+-dependent release of glutamate, although with somewhat slower kinetics than that for KCl. The measured release was 0.81 nmol of glutamate/mg in the first 3 min of 4-aminopyridine action. In contrast to KCl, glutamate release and the increase in [Ca2+]c with 4-aminopyridine were almost entirely blocked by tetrodotoxin, a result indicating repetitive firing of Na+ channels. Basal [Ca2+]c and glutamate release from polarized synaptosomes were also significantly lowered by tetrodotoxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mitochondrial activation directly triggers the exocytosis of insulin in permeabilized pancreatic beta-cells.

In the pancreatic beta-cell, insulin secretion is stimulated by glucose metabolism resulting in membrane potential-dependent elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c). This cascade involves the mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi[m]) hyperpolarization and elevation of mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]m) which activates the Ca(2+)-sensitive NADH-generating dehydrogenases. Metabolism-secretion coupling requires unidentified signals, other than [Ca2+]c, possibly generated by the mitochondria through the rise in [Ca2+]m. To test this paradigm, we have established an alpha-toxin permeabilized cell preparation permitting the simultaneous monitoring of [Ca2+] with mitochondrially targeted aequorin and insulin secretion under conditions of saturating [ATP] (10 mM) and of clamped [Ca2+]c at substimulatory levels (500 nM). The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate succinate hyperpolarized delta psi(m), raised [Ca2+]m up to 1.5 microM and stimulated insulin secretion 20-fold, without changing [Ca2+]c. Blockade of the uniporter-mediated Ca2+ influx into the mitochondria abolished the secretory response. Moreover, glycerophosphate, which raises [Ca2+]m by hyperpolarizing delta psi(m) without supplying carbons to the TCA cycle, failed to stimulate exocytosis. Activation of the TCA cycle with citrate evoked secretion only when combined with glycerophosphate. Thus, mitochondrially driven insulin secretion at permissive [Ca2+]c requires both a substrate for the TCA cycle and a rise in [Ca2+]m. Therefore, mitochondrial metabolism generates factors distinct from Ca2+ and ATP capable of inducing insulin exocytosis.     

The role of the matrix calcium level in the enhancement of mitochondrial pyruvate carboxylation by glucagon pretreatment.

The effect of Ca2+ on the rate of pyruvate carboxylation was studied in liver mitochondria from control and glucagon-treated rats, prepared under conditions that maintain low Ca2+ levels (1-3 nmol/mg of protein). When the matrix-free [Ca2+] was low (less than 100 nM), the rate of pyruvate carboxylation was not significantly different in mitochondria from control and glucagon-treated rats. Accumulation of 5-8 nmol of Ca2+/mg, which increased the matrix [Ca2+] to 2-5 microM in both preparations, significantly enhanced pyruvate carboxylase flux by 20-30% in the mitochondria from glucagon-treated rats, but had little effect in control preparations. Higher levels of Ca2+ (up to 75 nmol/mg) inhibited pyruvate carboxylation in both preparations, but the difference between the mitochondria from control and glucagon-treated animals was maintained. The enhancement of pyruvate dehydrogenase flux by mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake was also significantly greater in mitochondria from glucagon-treated rats. These differential effects of Ca2+ uptake on enzyme fluxes did not correlate with changes in the mitochondrial ATP/ADP ratio, the pyrophosphate level, or the matrix volume. Arsenite completely prevented 14CO2 incorporation when pyruvate was the only substrate, but caused only partial inhibition when succinate and acetyl carnitine were present as alternative sources of energy and acetyl-CoA. Under these conditions, mitochondria from glucagon-treated rats were less sensitive to arsenite than the control preparations, even at low Ca2+ levels. We conclude that the Ca(2+)-dependent enhancement of pyruvate carboxylation in mitochondria from glucagon-treated rats is a secondary consequence of pyruvate dehydrogenase activation; glucagon treatment is suggested to affect the conditions in the mitochondria that change the sensitivity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex to dephosphorylation by the Ca(2+)-sensitive pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase.     

Measurement of the metabolism of energy substrates in individual bovine blastocysts

Individual blastocysts from cows were cultured for 3 h under 5% CO2 in air, in 4 microliters droplets of Ham's F-10 medium containing D-[5-3H]glucose, D-[1-14C]-glucose, D-[6-14C]glucose, [2-14C]pyruvate, or L-[U-14C]glutamine, and with or without 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) or phenazine ethosulphate (PES). The 14CO2 or 3H2O produced were collected by exchange with an outer bath of 400 microliter 25 mM-NaHCO3. All combinations of substrate and treatment (control, DNP or PES) produced measurable quantities of labelled product except for D-[6-14C]glucose in the presence of PES. Untreated and DNP-treated embryos developed normally during a subsequent 48-h culture period in fresh medium, but PES-treated embryos degenerated. Pyruvate and glutamine metabolism both increased markedly in the presence of DNP, indicating that the Krebs' cycle is active, and that glutamine can be used as an energy substrate. Conversely, DNP has no significant effect on glucose metabolism, indicating that glycolysis is blocked in the bovine blastocyst due to a lack or inhibition of pyruvate kinase. The production of 14CO2 from D-[1-14C]glucose increased significantly in the presence of PES, indicating that the activity of the pentose shunt is less than maximal.     

Comparison between D-[3-3H]- and D-[5-3H]glucose and fructose utilization in pancreatic islets from control and hereditarily diabetic rats

The metabolism of D-glucose and/or D-fructose was investigated in pancreatic islets from control rats and hereditarily diabetic GK rats. In the case of both D-glucose and D-fructose metabolism, a preferential alteration of oxidative events was observed in islets from GK rats. The generation of 3HOH from D-[5-3H]glucose (or D-[5-3H]fructose) exceeded that from D-[3-3H]glucose (or D-[3-3H]fructose) in both control and GK rats. This difference, which is possibly attributable to a partial escape from glycolysis of tritiated dihydroxyacetone phosphate, was accentuated whenever the rate of glycolysis was decreased, e.g., in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+) or presence of exogenous D-glyceraldehyde. D-Mannoheptulose, which inhibited D-glucose metabolism, exerted only limited effects upon D-fructose metabolism. In the presence of both hexoses, the paired ratio between D-[U-14C]fructose oxidation and D-[3-3H]fructose or D-[5-3H]fructose utilization was considerably increased, this being probably attributable, in part at least, to a preferential stimulation by the aldohexose of mitochondrial oxidative events. Moreover, this coincided with the fact that D-mannoheptulose now severely inhibited the catabolism of D-[5-3H]fructose and D-[U-14C]fructose. The latter situation is consistent with both the knowledge that D-glucose augments D-fructose phosphorylation by glucokinase and the findings that D-mannoheptulose, which fails to affect D-fructose phosphorylation by fructokinase, inhibits the phosphorylation of D-fructose by glucokinase.     

A relation between (NAD+)/(NADH) potentials and glucose utilization in rat brain slices.

Changes in several parameters involved in the control of metabolism were correlated with changes in glucose utilization in rat brain slices incubated under conditions which reduced glucose oxidation by 40 to 70%. The parameters included: the concentrations of ATP, ADP, AMP, and the adenylate energy charge; the cytoplasmic oxidation-reduction state ([NAD+]/[NADH]), determined from the [pyruvate]/[lactate] equilibrium; the mitochondrial oxidation-reduction state, determined from the [NH4+] ]2-oxoglutarate]/[glutamate] Equilibrium; the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial oxidation-reduction potentials (in volts), calculated from the respective [NAD+]/ [NADH] ratios using the Nernst equation; and the difference between the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial [NAD+]/[NADH] potentials. The conversion of [3, 4-14C] glucose to 14CO2 and of [U-14C] glucose to acetylcholine and to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids by the brain slices were also determined. The values obtained by subtracting the mitochondrial from the cytoplasmic [NAD+1/[NADH] potentials correlated more closely with glucose utilization than did other parameters, under the conditions studied. For the synthesis of acetylcholine, the correlation coefficient was 0.96, and for the production of 14CO2 from [3, 4-14C] glucose it was 0.82.     

Cytosolic and mitochondrial [Ca2+] in whole hearts using indo-1 acetoxymethyl ester: effects of high extracellular Ca2+.

Assessment of free cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]c) using the acetoxymethyl ester (AM) form of indo-1 may be compromised by loading of indo-1 into noncytosolic compartments, primarily mitochondria. To determine the fraction of noncytosolic fluorescence in whole hearts loaded with indo-1 AM, Mn2+ was used to quench cytosolic fluorescence. Residual (i.e., noncytosolic) fluorescence was subtracted from the total fluorescence before calculating [Ca2+]c. Noncytosolic fluorescence was used to estimate mitochondrial [Ca2+]. In hearts paced at 5 Hz (N = 17), noncytosolic fluorescence was 0.61 +/- 0.06 and 0.56 +/- 0.07 of total fluorescence at lambda 385 and lambda 456, respectively. After taking into account noncytosolic fluorescence, systolic and diastolic [Ca2+]c was 673 +/- 72 and 132 +/- 9 nM, respectively, noncytosolic [Ca2+] was 183 +/- 36 nM and increased to 272 +/- 12 when extracellular Ca2+ was increased from 2 to 6 mM. This increase in noncytosolic [Ca2+] was inhibited by ruthenium red, a blocker of Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria. We conclude that cytosolic and mitochondrial [Ca2+] can be determined in whole hearts loaded with indo-1 AM by using Mn2+ to quench cytosolic fluorescence.     

Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets. Participation of Ca2(+)-sensitive 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase in the regulation of mitochondrial function

A rise in extracellular D-glucose concentration results in a preferential and Ca2(+)-dependent stimulation of mitochondrial oxidative events in pancreatic islet cells. The possible participation of Ca2(+)-dependent mitochondrial dehydrogenases, especially 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, in such an unusual metabolic situation was explored in intact islets, islet homogenates and isolated islet mitochondria. In intact islets exposed to a high concentration of D-glucose, the removal of extracellular Ca2+ impaired D-[6-14C]glucose oxidation whilst failing to affect the cytosolic or mitochondrial ATP/ADP ratios. In islet homogenates, the activity of 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase displayed exquisite Ca2(+)-dependency, the presence of Ca2+ causing a 10-fold increase in affinity for 2-ketoglutarate. In intact islet mitochondria, the oxidation of 2-[1-14C]ketoglutarate also increased as a function of extramitochondrial Ca2+ availability. Moreover, prior stimulation of intact islets by D-glucose resulted in an increased capacity of mitochondria to oxidize 2-[1-14C]ketoglutarate. The absence of extracellular Ca2+ during the initial stimulation of intact islets impaired but did not entirely suppress such a memory phenomenon. It is proposed that the mitochondrial accumulation of Ca2+ in nutrient-stimulated islets indeed accounts, in part at least, for the preferential stimulation of mitochondrial oxidative events in this fuel-sensor organ.     

Crabtree effect in tumoral pancreatic islet cells

The relationship between glycolysis and respiration was examined in a model of pancreatic B-cell dysfunction, namely in tumoral insulin-producing cells of the RINm5F line. A rise in D-glucose concentration from 2.8 to 16.7 mM increased the utilization of D-[5-3H]glucose and production of [14C]lactate from D-[U-14C]glucose, whereas decreasing the oxidation of either D-[U-14C]glucose or D-[6-14C]glucose. Whereas 2.8 mM D-glucose augmented O2 uptake above basal value, a further rise in D-glucose concentration to 16.7 mM decreased respiration, which remained higher, however, than basal value. Whether at low or high concentration, D-glucose exerted a pronounced sparing action upon the oxidation of endogenous nutrients in cells prelabeled with either L-[U-14C]glutamine or [14C]palmitate and, nevertheless, augmented above basal value the rate of lipogenesis, ATP/ADP content, adenylate charge, and cytosolic NADH/NAD+ and NADPH/NADP+ ratios. The generation of ATP resulting from the catabolism of either exogenous D-glucose or endogenous nutrients was not affected by the rise in hexose concentration from 2.8 to 16.7 mM. Thus, in sharp contrast with the situation found in normal islet cells, a rise in D-glucose concentration, instead of stimulating mitochondrial oxidative events, caused, through a Crabtree effect, inhibition of hexose oxidation and O2 consumption in tumoral islet cells.     

Stimulation of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors Increases Synaptosomal Free Calcium Concentration by Protein Kinase-Dependent Opening of L-Type Calcium Channels

In synaptosomes prepared from rat cerebral cortex, free cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured using the fluorescent dye fura-2. Incubation of fura-2-loaded synaptosomes with carbachol increased [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner (1-1,000 microM), with a maximum response of 22 +/- 2% at approximately 100 microM and an EC50 (calculated concentration producing 50% of the maximum response) of 30 microM. The effect of carbachol (100 microM) on [Ca2+]i was antagonised by atropine, but not by hexamethonium (10 microM). The calculated concentration of atropine needed for 50% inhibition (IC50) was 260 nM. The rise in [Ca2+]i produced by carbachol was reduced in the absence of extrasynaptosomal Ca2+ and effectively blocked by the L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine (with an IC50 of 29 nM). The response to carbachol was reduced if the synaptosomes were preincubated with the protein kinase inhibitors H7 [1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2- methylpiperazine] (from 17% in the solvent control to 4%) and staurosporine (from 20% in the solvent control to 3%). These results show that stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in synaptosomes increases [Ca2+]i by protein kinase-dependent activation of 1,4-dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels.     

Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets: unequal oxidation of the two carbons of glucose-derived acetyl residues.

The fate of the C1 and C2 of glucose-derived acetyl residues was examined in rat pancreatic islets. The production of 14CO2 from D-[2-14C]glucose exceeded that from D-[6-14C]glucose, in the same manner as the oxidation of [1-14C]acetate exceeded that of [2-14C]acetate. The difference in 14CO2 output from D-[2-14C]glucose and D-[6-14C]glucose was matched by complementary differences in the generation of 14C-labeled acidic metabolites and amino acids. Even the production of 14C-labeled L-lactate was somewhat higher in the case of D-[6-14C]glucose than D-[2-14C]glucose. The ratio between D-[2-14C]glucose and D-[6-14C]glucose oxidation progressively decreased at increasing concentrations of the hexose (2.8, 7.0, and 16.7 mM), was higher after 30 than 120 min incubation, and was decreased in the presence of a nonmetabolized analogue of L-leucine. These findings are consistent with the view that the difference between D-[6-14C]glucose and D-[2-14C]glucose oxidation is mainly attributable to the inflow into the Krebs cycle of unlabeled metabolites generated from endogenous nutrients, this being compensated by the exit of partially labeled metabolites from the same cycle. The present results also indicate that the oxidation of glucose-derived acetyl residues relative to their generation in the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate dehydrogenase is higher than that estimated from the ratio between D-[6-14C]glucose and D-[3,4-14C]glucose conversion to 14CO2.     

Early developmental changes in intracellular Ca2+ stores in rat brain.

Developmental changes in intracellular Ca2+ stores in brain was studied by examining: (1) IP3- and cADPR-induced increase in [Ca2+]i in synaptosomes; (2) Ca(2+)-ATPase activity and ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake into Ca2+ store in ER microsomes; (3) TG-induced inhibition of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity and ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake into Ca2+ store in ER microsomes; and (4) gene expression of Ca(2+)-ATPase pump in neurons obtained from brains of the new-born and the 3-week-old rats. IP3 (EC50 310 +/- 8 nM, 200% maximum increase in [Ca2+]i) and cADPR (EC50 25 +/- 3 nM, greater than 170% maximum increase in [Ca2+]i) both were potent agonist of Ca2+ release from internal stores in synaptosomes obtained from the 3-week-old rats. However, IP3 (EC50 250 +/- 10 nM, 175 maximum increase in [Ca2+]i) was a potent, but cADPR (EC50 300 +/- 20 nM, 75% maximum increase) was a poor agonist of Ca2+ release from intracellular stores in synaptosomes obtained from the new-born rats. [3H]IP3, [32P]cADPR and [3H]Ry binding in the new-born samples were significantly less than that in the 3-week-old samples. [3H]Ry binding to its receptor was more sensitive to cADPR in microsomes from the 3-week-old rats than those from the new-born rats. Microsomes from the new-born rats exhibited TG-sensitive (IC50 30 +/- 4 nM) and TG-insensitive forms of Ca(2+)-ATPase, while microsomes from the 3-week-old rats exhibited only the TG-sensitive form of Ca(2+)-ATPase (5 +/- 1 nM IC50). Microsomes from the 3-week-old rats were more sensitive to TG but less sensitive to IP3, while microsomes from the new-born rats were more sensitive to IP3 but less sensitive to TG. The lower TG sensitivity of the new-born Ca2+ store may be because they poorly express a 45 amino acid C-terminal tail of Ca(2+)-ATPase that contains the TG regulatory sites. This site is adequately expressed in the older brain. This suggests that: (1) the new-born brain contains fully operational IP3 pathway but poorly developed cADPR pathway, while the older brain contains both IP3 and cADPR pathways; and (2) a developmental switch occurs in the new-born Ca(2+)-ATPase as a function of maturity.     

Dependence of cardiac mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase activity on intramitochondrial free Ca2+ concentration.

(1) The free Ca2+ concentration of the matrix of rat heart mitochondria ([Ca2+]m) was determined from the fluorescence of internalized indo-1. The value of the Kd of indo-1-Ca2+ in the mitochondrial matrix was determined to be 95 nM, on the basis of equilibration of [Ca2+]m with the extramitochondrial free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) in the presence of rotenone, nigericin, valinomycin and Br-A23187. (2) [Ca2+]m responded to energization/de-energization protocols, the inhibition of Ca2+-uptake by Ruthenium Red and the potentiation of Ca2+-efflux by Na+ in a manner which was consistent with the known kinetic properties of the mitochondrial Ca2+-transport processes. (3) The concentration gradient [Ca2+]m/[Ca2+]o was found to be near unity (0.82 +/- 0.18) when mitochondria were incubated in media containing 10 mM-Na+; the additional presence of 1 mM-Mg2+ reduced the gradient to values below unity (0.26 +/- 0.03). The polyamine spermine increased the Ca2+ concentration gradient in the presence of 1 mM-Mg2+. (4) The fraction of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the active form (PDHA) was found to increase with [Ca2+]m, with a K0.5 for activation of approximately 300 nM-Ca2+. This value of the activation constant was not affected by conditions, e.g. addition of Mg2+, which changed the [Ca2+]m/[Ca2+]o concentration gradient, and the presence of different oxidizable substrates, which changed the [NADH/NAD+]m concentration ratio. Thus pyruvate dehydrogenase interconversion responds directly to changes in [Ca2+]m, as inferred in earlier work.     

Characterization of the effects of Ca2+ on the intramitochondrial Ca2+-sensitive enzymes from rat liver and within intact rat liver mitochondria.

The regulatory properties of the Ca2+-sensitive intramitochondrial enzymes (pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase, NAD+-isocitrate dehydrogenase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase) in extracts of rat liver mitochondria appeared to be essentially similar to those described previously for other mammalian tissues. In particular, the enzymes were activated severalfold by Ca2+, with half-maximal effects at about 1 microM-Ca2+ (K0.5 value). In intact rat liver mitochondria incubated in a KCl-based medium containing 2-oxoglutarate and malate, the amount of active, non-phosphorylated, pyruvate dehydrogenase could be increased severalfold by increasing extramitochondrial [Ca2+], provided that some degree of inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (e.g. by pyruvate) was achieved. The rates of 14CO2 production from 2-oxo-[1-14C]glutarate at non-saturating, but not at saturating, concentrations of 2-oxoglutarate by the liver mitochondria (incubated without ADP) were similarly enhanced by increasing extramitochondrial [Ca2+]. The rates and extents of NAD(P)H formation in the liver mitochondria induced by non-saturating concentrations of 2-oxoglutarate, glutamate, threo-DS-isocitrate or citrate were also increased in a similar manner by Ca2+ under several different incubation conditions, including an apparent 'State 3.5' respiration condition. Ca2+ had no effect on NAD(P)H formation induced by beta-hydroxybutyrate or malate. In intact, fully coupled, rat liver mitochondria incubated with 10 mM-NaCl and 1 mM-MgCl2, the apparent K0.5 values for extramitochondrial Ca2+ were about 0.5 microM, and the effective concentrations were within the expected physiological range, 0.05-5 microM. In the absence of Na+, Mg2+ or both, the K0.5 values were about 400, 200 and 100 nM respectively. These effects of increasing extramitochondrial [Ca2+] were all inhibited by Ruthenium Red. When extramitochondrial [Ca2+] was increased above the effective ranges for the enzymes, a time-dependent deterioration of mitochondrial function and ATP content was observed. The implications of these results on the role of the Ca2+-transport system of the liver mitochondrial inner membrane are discussed.