The S-to-R transition of corticosteroid-binding globulin and the mechanism of hormone release

Corticosteroids are transported in the blood by a serpin, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), and their normally equilibrated release can be further triggered by the cleavage of the reactive loop of CBG. We report here the crystal structures of cleaved human CBG (cCBG) at 1.8-Å resolution and its complex with cortisol at 2.3-Å resolution. As expected, on cleavage, CBG undergoes the irreversible S-to-R serpin transition, with the cleaved reactive loops being fully incorporated into the central β-sheet. A connecting loop of helix D, which is in a helix-like conformation in native CBG, unwinds and grossly perturbs the hormone binding site following β-sheet expansion in the cCBG structure but shifts away from the binding site by more than 8 Å following the binding of cortisol. Unexpectedly, on cortisol binding, the hormone binding site of cCBG adopts a configuration almost identical with that of the native conformer. We conclude that CBG has adapted an allosteric mechanism of the serpins to allow equilibrated release of the hormones by a flip-flop movement of the intact reactive loop into and out of the β-sheet. The change in the hormone binding affinity results from a change in the flexibility or plasticity of the connecting loop, which modulates the configuration of the binding site.     

The transport of oxaloacetate in isolated mitochondria

The mechanism of mitochondrial oxaloacetate transport has been investigated by measuring the rate and the extent of exchange reactions between intramitochondrial anions and added oxaloacetate. The exchange between oxaloacetate and intramitochondrial oxoglutarate is insensitive to mersalyl at a concentration which completely inhibits the dicarboxylate carrier. Oxaloacetate causes efflux of intramitochondrial P_i, malonate, and malate. Mersalyl inhibits completely the oxaloacetate/P_i exchange, but only partially the oxaloacetate/malonate and the oxaloacetate/malate exchanges. The inhibition of the last two reactions decreases on increasing the time of incubation. Butylmalonate inhibits more than phenylsuccinate the exchange oxaloacetate_out/³²P_iin, whereas phenylsuccinate is a more effective inhibitor than butylmalonate of the oxaloacetate_out/[¹⁴C]oxoglutarate_in exchange. The apparent K_m values ranged from 0.6 to 1.2 mm for the oxaloacetate/oxoglutarate exchange and from 6.5 to 10 mm for the oxaloacetate/P_i exchange. The inhibition of oxoglutarate uptake by oxaloacetate is competitive. Oxaloacetate inhibits the malonate/P_i exchange competitively and it is a noncompetitive inhibitor of the $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{i}}$ exchange. It is concluded that oxaloacetate may be transported across the mitochondrial membrane by the oxoglutarate carrier and, much less effectively, by the dicarboxylate carrier. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

The aromatization of cyclohexanecarboxyl-CoA to hippuric acid by guinea pig liver mitochondria: submitochondrial localization

Summary The conversion of cyclohexanecarboxyl-CoA to hippuric acid in submit ochondrial fractions from guinea pig liver was studied using a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method employing selected ion monitoring. Comparison of the activities of the cyclohexanecarboxyl-CoA to hippuric acid converting system (CCoAHC-system) and marker enzymes in the various submit ochondrial fractions showed that the CCoAHC-system is localized in the mitochondrial matrix. Partial separation of the inner and outer membranes has been accomplished by treating mitochondria with digitonin in isotonic medium and fractionating the treated mitochondria by differential centrifugation. A digitonin-protein ratio of 2.6 mg of digitonin/10 mg of protein must be used in order to release significant amounts of amine oxidase activity (outer membrane marker) from low speed mitochondrial pellets. This pellet still contained most of the glutamate dehydrogenase activity and was insignificantly contaminated with adenylate kinase. Moderate concentrations of phenazine methosulfate (PMS) greatly stimulated the activity of the CCoAHC-system, even in intact mitochondria (optimal concentration of PMS: 1 mM) whilst higher concentrations (> 1 mM) decreased the activity. The formation of hippuric acid in these mitochondrial preparations was linear with time for at least 40 min and linear with respect to protein concentration up to approximately 2.0 mg mitochondrial protein·m¹.     

Induction of ion transport in rat heart mitochondria by fluorescamine

This report describes experimental results which show that the fluorescent reagent fluorescamine induces mitochondrial energy-independent swelling when the incubation media contain the chloride salts of the cations Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+. The reaction depends on the concentration of the dye and is inhibited by Mg2+, and its extension is closely related to the amount of the primary amino groups titrated by fluorescamine. Analysis of the labeled inner membrane in polyacrylamide gel shows that the amount of aminofluorescamine complex is lower when mitochondria are in the presence of Mg2+.     

Modulation of cAMP level by tedisamil in guinea pig heart

Tedisamil is antiarrhythmic class III drug with antifibrillating/defibrillating potency linked to enhancement of intermyocyte gap junctional electrical coupling most likely via its sympathomimetic cAMP-related mechanisms. This study was designed to examin the effect of tedisamil on cAMP level in guinea pig hearts in vivo and in vitro in Langendorff preparation. The drug was administered either as a bolus into vena jugularis in dosage 1.0 and 1.5 mg/kg or into the perfusion solution at a concentration of 1.5 × 10^-6 mol/l. In additional experiments, this period was followed by brief 10 min global ischemia, induced by clamping of the aorta or perfusion. After 10 min from the onset of tedisamil administration as well as after 10 min of ischemia the ventricular tissue was immediately frozen for cAMP immunoassay Tedisamil caused in normal heart small but significant dose-dependent increase of myocardial cAMP (pmol/mg) level in vivo 1.8 and 2.5 vs. 1.4 as well as in vitro 1.1 vs. 0.8 (p < 0.05) conditions. Ischemia itself induced accumulation of cAMP in both, in vitro and in vitro experiments, 2.6 vs. 1.4 and 1.3 vs. 0.8, respectively. The preischemic elevation of cAMP by tedisamil was not potentiated by following ischemia, on the contrary, decline of the cyclic nucleotide was detected comparing to ischemia itself. In conclusion, tedisamil increased cAMP level in normal heart and prevented additional ischemia-related elevation of this nucleotide. The results indicate modulation of myocardial cAMP level by tedisamil, which may account for its protective effect on gap junctional electrical coupling.     

A transport system for coenzyme A in isolated rat heart mitochondria

The ability of isolated rat heart mitochondria to take up coenzyme A (CoA) from the incubation medium was studied. Mitochondria accumulated CoA in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The accumulation process occurred in two phases. Within the first 30 s of incubation, mitochondrial content of CoA increased, and this phase did not plateau in the concentration range studied. Following this initial increase, a second slower phase of CoA accumulation occurred which plateaued around 50 microM CoA. The initial phase was decreased significantly by ATP or by carboxyatractyloside. In contrast, the presence of ATP or carboxyatractyloside did not affect the second phase. Decreasing the temperature from 30 to 0 degrees C did not affect the initial phase, but the second phase was almost abolished. In the presence of metabolic inhibitors (either 2,4-dinitrophenol or a combination of rotenone and antimycin), the initial "binding" phase was not affected; but the second "uptake" phase was abolished. These results suggest that the first phase of mitochondrial CoA accumulation is probably CoA binding to adenine recognizing sites on the mitochondria while the second phase may represent a specific uptake process for CoA which, although not directly ATP-dependent, is energy-dependent.     

Study of properties of cholinephosphotransferase from fetal guinea pig lung mitochondria and microsomes

Summary We have reported earlier that cholinephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2) is present in both mitochondria and microsomes of fetal guinea pig lung. This study was designed to compare the properties of mitochondrial and microsomal cholinephosphotransferase in fetal guinea pig lung. Various parameters, such as substrate specificity, K_m values, sensitivity to N-ethylmaleimide, dithiothreitol and trypsin were measured. Both showed significant preference for unsaturated diacylglycerols over saturated diacylglycerols. Data on K_m and V_max indicate that the affinity of this enzyme for different diacylglycerols varies between the two forms. The ID₅₀ values for N-ethylmaleimide were 20 mM and 12.5 mM for the mitochondrial and microsomal form of the enzyme, respectively. Dithiothreitol showed an inhibitory effect on both; however, the mitochondrial form was inhibited less than the microsomal form. The effects of N-ethylmaleimide and dithiothreitol on both forms of enzyme indicated that the microsomal cholinephosphotransferase requires a higher concentration of -SH for its activity than the mitochondrial enzyme does. The enzyme was inhibited by trypsin in both mitochondria and microsome under isotonic condition suggesting that this enzyme is on the outside of the membrane in both endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria.     

The transport of L-cysteinesulfinate in rat liver mitochondria.

1. The mechanism of L-cysteinesulfinate permeation into rat liver mitochondria has been investigated. 2. Mitochondria do not swell in ammonium or potassium salts of L-cysteinesulfinate in all the conditions tested, including the presence of valinomycin and/or carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. 3. The activation of malate oxidation by L-cysteinesulfinate is abolished by aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of the intramitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase, it is not inhibited by high concentrations of carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (in contrast to the oxidation of malate plus glutamate) and it is decreased on lowering the pH of the medium. 4. All the aspartate formed during the oxidation of malate plus L-cysteinesulfinate is exported into the extramitochondrial space. 5. Homocysteinesulfinate, cysteate and homocysteate, which are all good substrates of the mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase, are unable to activate the oxidation of malate. Homocysteinesulfinate and homocysteate have no inhibitory effect on the L-cysteinesulfinate-induced respiration, whereas cysteate inhibits it competitively with respect to L-cysteinesulfinate. 6. In contrast to D-aspartate, D-cysteinesulfinate and D-glutamate, L-aspartate inhibits the oxidation of malate plus L-cysteinesulfinate in a competitive way with respect to L-cysteinesulfinate. Vice versa, L-cysteinesulfinate inhibits the influx of L-aspartate. 7. Externally added L-cysteinesulfinate elicits efflux of intramitochondrial L-aspartate or L-glutamate. The cysteinesulfinate analogues homocysteinesulfinate, cysteate and homocysteate and the D-stereoisomers of cysteinesulfinate, aspartate and glutamate do not cause a significant release of internal glutamate or aspartate, indicating a high degree of specificity of the exchange reactions. External L-cysteinesulfinate does not cause efflux of intramitochondrial Pi, malate, malonate, citrate, oxoglutarate, pyruvate or ADP. The L-cysteinesulfinate-aspartate and L-cysteinesulfinate-glutamate exchanges are inhibited by glisoxepide and by known substrates of the glutamate-aspartate carrier. 8. The exchange between external L-cysteinesulfinate and intramitochondrial glutamate is accompanied by translocation of protons across the mitochondrial membrane in the same direction as glutamate. The L-cysteinesulfinate-aspartate exchange, on the other hand, is not accompanied by H+ translocation. 9. The ratios delta H+/delta glutamate, delta L-cysteinesulfinate/delta glutamate and delta L-cysteinesulfinate/delta aspartate are close to unity. 10. It is concluded that L-cysteinesulfinate is transported by the glutamate-aspartate carrier of rat liver mitochondria. The present data suggest that the dissociated form of L-cysteinesulfinate exchanges with H+-compensated glutamate or with negatively charged aspartate.     

The cortisol response to ACTH in pigs,heritability and influence of corticosteroid-binding globulin

In the search for biological basis of robustness, this study aimed (i) at the determination of the heritability of the cortisol response to ACTH in juvenile pigs, using restricted maximum likelihood methodology applied to a multiple trait animal model, and (ii) at the study of the relationships between basal and stimulated cortisol levels with corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), IGF-I and haptoglobin, all important players in glucose metabolism and production traits. At 6 weeks of age, 298 intact male and female piglets from 30 litters (30 dams and 30 boars) were injected with 250 µg ACTH(1–24) (Synacthen). Blood was taken before ACTH injection to measure basal levels of cortisol, glucose, CBG, IGF-I and haptoglobin, and 60 min later to measure stimulated cortisol levels and glucose. Cortisol increased 2.8-fold after ACTH injection, with a high correlation between basal and stimulated levels (phenotypic correlation, r_p=0.539; genetic correlation, r_g=0.938). Post-ACTH cortisol levels were highly heritable (h²=0.684) and could therefore be used for genetic selection of animals with a more reactive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis. CBG binding capacity correlated with cortisol levels measured in basal conditions in males only. No correlation was found between CBG binding capacity and post-ACTH cortisol levels. Basal IGF-I concentration was positively correlated with BW at birth and weaning, and showed a high correlation with CBG binding capacity with a strong sexual dimorphism, the correlation being much higher in males than in females. Basal haptoglobin concentrations were negatively correlated with CBG binding capacity and IGF-I concentrations. Complex relationships were also found between circulating glucose levels and these different variables that have been shown to be related to glucose resistance in humans. These data are therefore valuable for the genetic selection of animals to explore the consequences on production and robustness traits, but also point at pigs as a relevant model to explore the underlying mechanisms of the metabolic syndrome including the contribution of genetic factors.     

Effects of aging on cholinephosphotransferase activity on guinea pig lung mitochondria and microsomes

It is known that the composition of phospholipids in lung changes with age. The final step in thede novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major component of lung surfactant, by the CDP-choline pathway, requires the enzyme cholinephosphotransferase (CPT). Even though CPT has earlier been proposed to be located exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum, we have recently demonstrated its presence also in the mitochondria. We have earlier reported a gestational variation of CPT activity in fetal mitochondria and microsomes. In the present study we examined the subcellular distribution of CPT activity in lung as a function of age. After birth, the microsomal CPT activity continued to increase until adulthood (24 wks of age), thereafter it gradually decreased. On the otherhand, the CPT activity of mitochondria continued to increase with the advancement of age and beyond 72 wks of age, it was approximately 2-fold higher than that of the microsomal fraction.     

Immunocytochemical localization of progesterone-binding protein (PBP) in guinea-pig placental tissue

Summary The cellular localization of progesterone-binding protein (PBP) in the guinea-pig placenta was studied by use of immunocytochemical procedures. Within the chorioallantoic placenta, a strong positive reaction was observed in the interlobar and marginal trophoblast from the third week of gestation to term. PBP was localized in the cytoplasm of the syncytiotrophoblast, and the nuclei were never stained. At the ultrastructural level, the immunoreaction was associated with the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus and the perinuclear space. No deposits were seen in any other cell organelles. This localization strongly suggests that the interlobar syncytium is related to PBP synthesis. In the labyrinth, a weak immunoreaction was observed by light microscopy around some blood lacunae. At the ultrastructural level the dense deposits were localized in vesicles located near the maternal lacunae.The distribution of PBP was also studied by light microscopy in other tissues from pregnant guinea-pig. No PBP, or PBP-like material, was detected inside cells from liver, muscle, heart, lung, kidney, ovary, and uterus. A weak immunoreaction for PBP was detected in vascularized zones of these organs.These observations strongly suggest that PBP, a protein related to gestation in the guinea-pig, is elaborated by the placental tissue of this hystricomorph rodent. PBP is the first steroid-binding plasma protein shown to be of extrahepatic origin.     

Kinetics of nucleotide transport in rat heart mitochondria studied by a rapid filtration technique

A rapid filtration technique has been used to measure at room temperature the kinetics of ADP and ATP transport in rat heart mitochondria in the millisecond time range. Transport was stopped by cessation of the nucleotide supply, without the use of a transport inhibitor, thus avoiding any quenching delay. The mitochondria were preincubated for 30 s either in isotonic KCl containing succinate, MgCl2, and Pi (medium P) or in isotonic KCl supplemented only with EDTA and Tris (medium K); they were referred to as energized and resting mitochondria, respectively. The kinetics of [14C]ADP transport in energized mitochondria were apparently monophasic. The plateau value for [14C]ADP uptake reached 4-5 nmol of nucleotide.(mg of protein)-1. Vmax values for [14C]ADP transport of 400-450 nmol exchanged.min-1.(mg of protein)-1 with Km values of the order of 13-15 microM were calculated, consistent with rates of phosphorylation in the presence of succinate of 320-400 nmol of ATP formed.min-1.(mg of protein)-1. The rate of transport of [14C]ATP in energized mitochondria was 5-10 times lower than that of [14C]ADP. Upon uncoupling, the rate of [14C]ATP uptake was enhanced, and that of [14C]ADP uptake was decreased. However, the two rates did not equalize, indicating that transport was not exclusively electrogenic. Transport of [14C]ADP and [14C]ATP by resting mitochondria followed biphasic kinetics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effect of aging and acetyl-L-carnitine on the pyruvate transport and oxidation in rat heart mitochondria.

The effect of aging and acute treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine on the pyruvate transport and oxidation in rat heart mitochondria was studied. The activity of the pyruvate carrier as well as the rates of pyruvate-supported respiration were both depressed (around 40%) in heart mitochondria from aged rats, the major decrease occurring during the second year of life. Administration of acetyl-L-carnitine to aged rats almost completely restored the rates of these metabolic functions to the level of young control rats. This effect of acetyl-L-carnitine was not due to changes in the content of pyruvate carrier molecules. The heart mitochondrial content of cardiolipin, a key phospholipid necessary for mitochondrial substrate transport, was markedly reduced (approximately 40%) in aged rats. Treatment of aged rats with acetyl-L-carnitine reversed the age-associated decline in cardiolipin content. As the changes in cardiolipin content were correlated with changes in rates of pyruvate transport and oxidation, it is suggested that acetyl-L-carnitine reverses the age-related decrement in the mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism by restoring the normal cardiolipin content.     

Fumarate permeation in rat heart mitochondria

The possible fumarate translocation in rat heart mitochondria is examined. This substrate, which is claimed to be a non permeant ion in rat liver mitochondria appears to cross the mitochondrial membrane in cardiac mitochondria. This conclusion was proposed on the basis of experimental results which show swelling by rat heart mitochondria in ammonium fumarate, uptake by mitochondria of fumarate, Pi efflux from the matrix induced by fumarate and appearance of malate in the reaction mixture which follows the addition of fumarate to the mitochondria and depends on the fumarase activity. The existence of a carrier unknown so far as well as a possible physiological role of this transport is proposed.