Characterization of human liver alpha-D-mannosidase purified by affinity chromatography.

Human liver acidic alpha-D-mannosidase was purified 1400-fold by a relatively short procedure incorporating chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose and affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B-epsilon-aminohexanoylmannosylamine. In contrast with the acidic enzymic activity the neutral alpha-mannosidase did not bind to the concanavalin A-Sepharose so the two types of alpha-mannosidase could be separated at an early stage in the purification. The only significant glycosidase contaminant after affinity chromatography on the mannosylamine ligand was alpha-L-fucosidase, which was selectively removed by affinity chromatography on the corresponding fucosylamine ligand. The final preparation was free of other glycosidase activities. The pI of the purified enzyme was increased from 6.0 to 6.45 on treatment with neuraminidase. Although the pI and the mol.wt. (220 000) suggested that alpha-mannosidase A had been purified selectively, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose indicated that the preparation consisted predominantly of alpha-mannosidase B. This discrepancy is discussed in relation to the basis of the multiple forms of human alpha-mannosidase. The purified enzyme completely removed the alpha-linked non-reducing terminal mannose from a trisaccharide isolated from the urine of a patient with mannosidosis. A comparison of the activity of the pure enzyme towards the natural substrate and synthetic substrates suggests that the same enzymic activity is responsible for hydrolysing all the substrates. These results validate the use of synthetic substrates for determining the mannosidosis genotype. They are also further evidence that mannosidosis is a lysosomal storage disease resulting from a deficiency of acidic alpha-mannosidase.     

Analysis of fermentation selectivity of purified galacto-oligosaccharides by in vitro human faecal fermentation

The in vitro fermentation of several purified galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), specifically the trisaccharides 4′-galactosyl-lactose and 6′-galactosyl-lactose and a mixture of the disaccharides 6-galactobiose and allolactose, was carried out. The bifidogenic effect of GOS at 1 % (w/v) was studied in a pH-controlled batch culture fermentation system inoculated with healthy adult human faeces. Results were compared with those obtained with a commercial GOS mixture (Bimuno-GOS). Changes in bacterial populations measured through fluorescence in situ hybridization and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were determined. Bifidobacteria increased after 10-h fermentation for all the GOS substrates, but the changes were only statistically significant (P?<?0.05) for the mixture of disaccharides and Bimuno-GOS. Acetic acid, whose formation is consistent with bifidobacteria metabolism, was the major SCFA synthesized. The acetate concentration at 10 h was similar with all the substrates (45–50 mM) and significantly higher than the observed for formic, propionic and butyric acids. All the purified GOS could be considered bifidogenic under the assayed conditions, displaying a selectivity index in the range 2.1–3.0, which was slightly lower than the determined for the commercial mixture Bimuno-GOS.     

Dephosphorylation of phosphoproteins of human liver plasma membranes by endogenous and purified liver alkaline phosphatases

Purified alkaline phosphatase and plasma membranes from human liver were shown to dephosphorylate phosphohistones and plasma membrane phosphoproteins. The protein phosphatase activity of the liver plasma membranes was inhibited by levamisole, a specific inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase, and by phenyl phosphonate and orthovanadate, but was relatively insensitive to fluoride (50 mM). Endogenous membrane protein phosphatase activity was optimal at pH 8.0, compared to pH 7.8 for purified liver alkaline phosphatase. Plasma membranes also exhibited protein kinase activity using exogenous histone or endogenous membrane proteins (autophosphorylation) as substrates; this activity was cAMP-dependent. Autophosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins was apparently enhanced by phenyl phosphonate, levamisole, or orthovanadate. The dephosphorylation of phosphohistones by protein phosphatase 1 was not inhibited by levamisole but was inhibited by fluoride. Inhibition of endogenous protein phosphatase activity by orthovanadate during autophosphorylation of plasma membranes could be reversed by complexation of the inhibitor with (R)-(-)-epinephrine, and the dephosphorylation that followed was levamisole-sensitive. Neither plasma membranes nor purified liver alkaline phosphatase dephosphorylated glycogen phosphorylase a. These results suggest that the increased [32P]phosphate incorporation by endogenous protein kinases into the membrane proteins is due to inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and that the major protein phosphatase of these plasma membranes is alkaline phosphatase.     

The effects of crude and purified human gonadotropin on in vitro stimulated human lymphocyte cultures.

Crude human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was found to be several fold more immunosuppressive than purified hCG in human peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed, purified protein derivative and allogeneic cells in vitro. Immunosuppression by crude hCG was consistently noted at levels less than 1000 IU/ml and usually 80% inhibition was achieved with doses of 5000–10,000 IU/ml, whereas 40–50% inhibition or less was observed by purified hCG at 10,000 IU/ml. In two crude hCG preparations subjected to Sephadex G-100 chromatography, the fractions that inhibited lymphocyte cultures appeared in the eluate after the major peak of hCG activity. These data indicate that inhibitory substance(s) other than hCG are responsible for most of the immunosuppressive properties of first trimester pregnancy urine. Both crude and purified hCG were stimulatory to human lymphocytes when used alone without mitogens when cultured in fetal calf serum.     

In vitro effects of some drugs on catalase purified from human skin

Catalase enzyme (H₂O₂: oxidoreductase; E.C. 1.11.1.6) was purified from human skin homogenate using ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-Sephadex A50 ion exchange chromatography at 4°C and some characteristics of the enzyme were investigated. The human skin enzyme, having a specific activity of 1354.5 EU/mg proteins was purified with a yield of 43.13% and 1110-fold. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a single band for the enzyme. Inhibition by piroxicam, ketoprofen, diclofenac sodium, sulfamethoxazole and nidazole occurred with I₅₀ values of 0.414, 1.29, 1.8, 3.83, and 8.64 mM, respectively.     

In vitro effects of some drugs on catalase purified from human skin

Catalase enzyme (H202: oxidoreductase; E.C. 1.11.1.6) was purified from human skin homogenate using ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-Sephadex A50 ion exchange chromatography at 4 degrees C and some characteristics of the enzyme were investigated. The human skin enzyme, having a specific activity of 1354.5 EU/mg proteins was purified with a yield of 43.13% and 1110-fold. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a single band for the enzyme. Inhibition by piroxicam, ketoprofen, diclofenac sodium, sulfamethoxazole and nidazole occurred with I50 values of 0.414, 1.29, 1.8, 3.83, and 8.64 mM, respectively.     

Reactivity of human lipoproteins with purified lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase during incubations in vitro

Studies have been performed to determine the proportion of the esterified cholesterol in high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) that is attributable to a direct action of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase on each lipoprotein fraction. Esterification of [3H]cholesterol was examined in 37 degrees C incubations of either: (a) unseparated whole plasma, (b) plasma reconstituted after prior ultracentrifugation to separate the 1.21 g/ml supernatant, (c) a mixture comprising the 1.21 g/ml supernatant of plasma and purified lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase or (d) the same mixture as (c) after supplementation with a preparation of partially purified lipid transfer protein. Each of these incubations was performed using samples collected from four different subjects, two of whom had normal and two of whom had elevated concentrations of plasma triacylglycerol. At the completion of 3-h incubations, the lipoproteins were separated into multiple fractions by gel filtration to obtain a continuous profile of esterified [3H]cholesterol across the whole spectrum of lipoproteins. There was an appearance of esterified [3H]cholesterol in each of the major lipoprotein fractions in all incubations. In unseparated plasma, 56% of the total (mean of four experiments) was in HDL, 33% in LDL and 11% in VLDL. A comparable distribution was observed in the incubations of reconstituted plasma and in the samples to which partially purified lipid transfer protein had been added. In the absence of lipid transfer protein activity in incubations containing purified lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase, 73% of the esterified [3H]cholesterol was in HDL, 25% in LDL and only 1% in VLDL. It has been concluded that at physiological concentrations of lipoproteins, 70-80% of the cholesterol esterifying action of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase is confined to the HDL fraction, with most of the remainder involving the LDL fraction. Of the newly formed esterified cholesterol incorporated into LDL during incubations of unseparated plasma, it was apparent that more than 70% was independent of activity of the lipid transfer protein. Of that incorporated into VLDL in unseparated plasma, in contrast, almost 90% was derived as a transfer from other fractions as a consequence of activity of the lipid transfer protein.     

Characterization of the purified molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor from rat liver. An in vitro transformable complex

Rat liver glucocorticoid receptor was purified in the presence of molybdate by a three-step procedure comprising protamine sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography on a dexamethasone matrix and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) on a TSK G 3000 SW column. The [3H]triamcinolone-acetonide-receptor complex was obtained in 20% yield with an overall 11 800-fold purification. The dissociation rate constant of this complex was 1.6 X 10(-4) min-1. The purified receptor sedimented at 8.3 S in high-salt and 9.4 S in low-salt sucrose gradients containing molybdate. A 7.0-nm Stokes radius was determined by HPSEC on a TSK G 4000 column in high-salt buffer. The calculated Mr was 278000. Dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed an almost homogeneous 90 000-Mr band. Three minor bands with Mr of 78 000, 72 000 and 48 000 were also inconstantly seen. An apparent pI = 5.1 was observed for the [3H]steroid complex by isoelectric focusing in agarose gel. Furthermore high-performance ion-exchange chromatography of the purified complex on a DEAE 545 LKB column (DEAE HPLC) yielded a sharp peak eluted at a 315 mM potassium ion concentration. This peak was shown to contain almost all the 90 000-Mr protein. Moreover the purified receptor complex appeared to be transformable to a DNA-binding state after molybdate removal followed by warming 30 min at 25 degrees C in presence of 0.2% bovine serum albumin: 50-78% transformation yield could be demonstrated by DNA-cellulose chromatography. Partial transformation could also be obtained at 0 degrees C in the absence of any added protein and was followed by DEAE HPLC. The transformed complex was eluted by 180 mM potassium.     

Expansion of cyclophosphamide-resistant cytotoxic precursors in vitro and in vivo by purified human interleukin 2

Precursors of cytotoxic lymphoid cells obtained from mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CY) can be expanded in culture by alloantigens in the presence of purified human interleukin 2 (IL 2). Similarly, IL 2 delivered in vivo in a rate-controlled manner enhances cytotoxic activity in mice that are immunosuppressed by high doses of CY. The effector cells are Thy-1.2+ and are not elicited in the absence of antigen.     

Characterization of in vitro inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus by purified recombinant CD4.

The first step in infection of human T cells with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is binding of viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 to its cellular receptor, CD4. The specificity of this interaction has led to the development of soluble recombinant CD4 (rCD4) as a potential antiviral and therapeutic agent. We have previously shown that crude preparations of rCD4 can indeed block infection of T cells by HIV type 1 (HIV-1). Here we present a more detailed analysis of this antiviral activity, using HIV-1 infection of the T lymphoblastoid cell line H9 as a model. Purified preparations of rCD4 blocked infection in this system at nanomolar concentrations; combined with the known affinity of the CD4-gp120 interaction, this finding suggests that the inhibition is simply due to competition for gp120 binding. As predicted, rCD4 had comparable activity against all strains of HIV-1 tested and significant activity against HIV-2. Higher concentrations of rCD4 blocked infection even after the virus had been adsorbed to the cells. These findings imply that the processes of viral adsorption and penetration require different numbers of gp120-CD4 interactions. Recombinant CD4 was able to prevent the spread of HIV infection in mixtures of uninfected and previously infected cells. Our studies support the notion that rCD4 is a potent antiviral agent, effective against a broad range of HIV-1 isolates, and demonstrate the value of purified rCD4 as an experimental tool for studying the mechanism of virus entry into cells.     

Characterization of purified human liver acid beta-D-galactosidases A2 and A3.

1. Human liver acid beta-galactosidase A2 and A3 were isolated by chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B, Sepharose 6B, and Sepharose 4B-6-aminohexyl 1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside. beta-Galactosidase A2 and A3 were purified to final specific activities of 45.5 and 20.6 mumol/min per mg respectively with 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-galactopyranoside as substrate. 2. Form A2 had a mol.wt. of 150000 +/- 15000 (gel filtration) and appeared as a single band of protein (mol.wt 65000 +/- 1000) on electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. 3. Form A3 had a mol.wt. (gel filtration) of 660000 +/- 66000. On electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, form A3 appeared as a major band of protein (72% of total) of mol.wt. 65000 +/- 1000 and minor protein bands of mol.wt. 44000 +/- 1000 and 26,000 +/- 1000 and 22000 +/- 1000. 4. Gel-filtration chromatography of purified beta-galactosidase A3 generated approximately equal amounts of forms A3 and A2. beta-Galactosidase A1 was not detected by gel-filtration chromatography of partially or highly purified preparations of forms A2 and A3. 5. Both forms A2 and A3 had identical isoelectric points of 4.42 +/- 0.02. The data suggest that forms A2 and A3 are dimeric and multimeric forms of beta-galactosidase A1. 6. Amino acid analysis of beta-galactosidase A2 gave a ratio of acidic to basic amino acids of 2.6:1. 7. beta-Galactosidase A2 contained 7.5% carbohydrate by weight and sialic acid, D-galactose, D-glucosamine and D-mannose were present in the molar proportions 1.1:1.0:1.7:2.7.     

In vitro phosphorylation and inactivation of rat liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase purified by avidin affinity chromatography

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2) has been isolated from rat liver by an avidin-affinity chromatography technique. This preparation has a specific activity of 1.17 +/- 0.06 U/mg and appears as a major (240,000 dalton) and minor (140,000 dalton) band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Enzyme isolated by this technique can incorporate 1.09 +/- 0.07 mol phosphate per mol enzyme (Mr = 480,000) when incubated with the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase at 30 degrees C for 1 h. The associated activity loss under these conditions is 57 +/- 4.0% when the enzyme is assayed in the presence of 2.0 mM citrate. Less inactivation is observed when the enzyme is assayed in the presence of 5.0 mM citrate. The specific protein inhibitor of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase blocks both the protein kinase stimulated phosphorylation and inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The phosphorylated, inactivated rat liver carboxylase can be partially dephosphorylated and reactivated by incubation with a partially purified protein phosphatase. Preparations of acetyl-CoA carboxylase also contained an endogenous protein kinase(s) which incorporated 0.26 +/- 0.11 mol phosphate per mol carboxylase (Mr = 480,000) accompanied by a 26 +/- 9% decline in activity. We have additionally confirmed that the rat mammary gland enzyme, also isolated by avidin affinity chromatography, can be both phosphorylated and inactivated upon incubation with the cyclic AMP-dependent kinase.     

Sialylation of n-alkyllactosides, galactosides and glucosides by sialyltransferases from rat liver Golgi vesicles

nAlkyl - and -lactosides, galactosides and glucosides with differentalkyl chain lengths (C₂, C₈, C₁₄, and C₂₀) were synthesizedand used as acceptors for sialyltransferases from rat liverGolgi vesicles. The -galactosides, -glucosides, and both - and-lactosides, were sialylated. Keeping the acceptor concentrationconstant, sialylation rates reached a maximum for the n-octyl- and -lactosides, n-Octyl -galactoside and noctyl -glucoside,respectively. noctyl -glucoside, respectivwly. n-Octyl -galactosideand n-octyl -glucoside were not sialylated. The reaction productswere characterized by TLC. With n-octyl lactoside and galactosideas acceptors, two major sialylation products were formed. Thjeycould be separated by preparative TLC, and their structureswere identified as 2–3 and 2–6 sialylated acceptors,respectively, by a combination of periodated oxidation, NaBD₄reduction,permethylation and subsequent analysis by fast atombombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS). The structure of thesingle product obtained from n-ictyl -glucoside was determinedto be the 2–6 sialylated glucoside. Competition experimentswith n-octyl lactoside and lactosylceramide and gangliosideGal1-3GalNAc1-4(NeuAc2–3)Gal1–4Glcbeeta1–1Cer(GM1) as acceptors for sialyltransferases suggested that SAT-I[NeuAc2–3Gal1–4Glc1-1Cer (GM3) synthase] was atleast in least in part responsible for the 2–3 sialylationof n-octyl lactoside. alkylgalactosides alkylglucosides alkyllactosides neoglycolipids sialytransferases