Assay and properties of 18-hydroxylation of endogenous and exogenous corticosterone in rat adrenals. Evidence for heterogeneity of 18-hydroxylase activity.

A mass fragmentographic technique for assay of 18-hydroxylation of labeled (exogenous) and unlabeled (endogenous) corticosterone in adrenal mitochondria and in reconstituted cytochrome P-450 systems has been developed. An extract of an incubation of [14-14C]corticosterone is subjected both to thin-layer radiochromatography and to mass fragmentography (as O-methyloxime-trimethylsilyl ether derivative). In the latter procedure the ions at m/e 605 and 607 (specific for the derivatives of unlabeled and labeled 18-hydroxycorticosterone, respectively), at m/e 591 and 593 (specific for the derivatives of unlabeled labeled aldosterone, respectively) and at m/e 548 and 550 (specific for the derivatives of unlabeled and labeled corticosterone, respectively) were followed through the gas-liquid chromatography. From the ratio between the peaks obtained in the mass fragmentography and from the percentage conversion of [4-14C]corticosterone obtained in the thin-layer radiochromatography, the amount of endogenous and exogenous 18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone could be calculated. The effects of time, enzyme, and substrate concentration of 18-hydroxylation were studied and optimal conditions for assay were determined. Under most conditions, the ratio between labeled and unlabeled 18-hydroxylated products was about constant, indicating that labeled and unlabeled corticosterone were not in equilibrium. It was ascertained that the 18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone formed in the incubations were derived from corticosterone. [4-14C]18-Hydroxydeoxycorticosterone was not converted into aldosterone or 18-hydroxycorticosterone. In vitro studies with different 18-hydroxylase inhibitors (spironolactone, canrenone, and canrenoate-K) and studies with rats pretreated with KCl in drinking fluid suggest that 18-hydroxylation of corticosterone is catalyzed by an enzyme system different from that catalyzing 18-hydroxylation of deoxycorticosterone.     

Conversion of 11-deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone to aldosterone by cytochrome P-450 11 beta-/18-hydroxylase from porcine adrenal

Highly purified cytochrome P-450 11 beta-/18-hydroxylase and the electron carriers adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase were prepared from porcine adrenal. When the enzyme was incubated with the electron carriers, 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) and NADPH, the following products were isolated and measured by HPLC: corticosterone, 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-hydroxyDOC), 18-hydroxycorticosterone and aldosterone. All of the DOC consumed by the enzyme can be accounted for by the formation of these four steroids. Aldosterone was identified by mass spectroscopy and by preparing [3H]aldosterone from [3H]corticosterone followed by recrystallization at constant specific activity after addition of authentic aldosterone. Corticosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone were also converted to aldosterone. Conversion of corticosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone to aldosterone required P-450, both electron carriers, NADPH and substrate. The reaction is inhibited by CO and metyrapone. Moreover, all three activities of the purified enzyme decline at the same rate when the enzyme is kept at room temperature for various periods of time and when the enzyme is treated with increasing concentrations of anti-11 beta-hydroxylase (IgG) before assay. It is concluded that cytochrome P-450 11 beta-/18-hydroxylase can convert DOC to aldosterone via corticosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone. The stoichiometry of this conversion was found to be 3 moles of NADPH, 3 moles of H+ and 3 moles of oxygen per mole of aldosterone produced.     

The inhibition by ADP of NADPH-supported adrenal steroid 11beta-hydroxylation.

The 11beta-hydroxylation of deoxycorticosterone to form corticosterone in adrenal mitochondria has been found to be inhibited by ADP and ATP, with ADP being the more inhibitory of the two. The evidence suggests that the ADP directly affects the enzyme system.     

Molecular genetics of 21-hydroxylase deficiency in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

21-hydroxylase gene analysis was performed on the genomic DNA from patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), their siblings, their parents as well as from a healthy individual serving as control. After digestion by the Taq I and Bgl II restriction enzymes, DNA was hybridized with specific nucleotidic probes: pC21a for the 21-hydroxylase genes, pAT-A for the C4 component Complement genes, closely linked to the 21-hydroxylase genes on the 6 chromosome. Likewise the pFB3B probe was used for the B factor gene located 80 kilobases upstream the 21-hydroxylase gene. From this molecular analysis on 11 families, we report here 4 investigations showing the most frequent genetic abnormalities we have encountered: gene deletions, gene conversions and point mutations. These data show that the molecular approach is a powerful tool for studying this endocrine disease at the clinical, genetic and fundamental point of view.     

Some characteristics of human adrenal microsomal 21-hydroxylase activity

The following general characteristics of 21-hydroxylase activity were determined using pooled microsomes obtained from three glands. Enzyme activity exhibited a broad pH dependence, being optimal between pH 7.4-pH 7.8, and was maximal with NADPH in the range 2 to 4.75 X 10(-4)mol/l. No microsomal 21-hydroxylase activity was detected in the absence of NADPH or substrate and when heat denatured microsomes were employed. Enzyme activity was depressed by greater than 75% in the presence of 100% oxygen or nitrogen. In a second set of experiments, microsomal fractions were prepared individually from 7 glands. In the presence of 17 alpha-hydroxy progesterone (2.0 X 10(-7) and 2.0 X 10(-6)mol/l) product formation was linear with time for up to 90 s when the microsomal protein concentration was 5, 10 and 20 micrograms/ml. Between 5 and 30% of the substrate was converted during the first 60 s. In 5/7 of the glands the addition of the autologous cytosol (20 micrograms protein/ml) was without effect, and enzyme activity (using a 60 s reaction and either 2.0 X 10(-7) or 2 X 10(-6)mol/l 17 alpha-hydroxy progesterone was directly proportional to the microsomal protein concentration (range 0-20 micrograms/ml). With the other 2 adrenals 21-hydroxylation was not proportional to the same range of microsomal protein concentrations, although it became so upon the addition of cytosol, which significantly augmented activity. There was considerable variation in enzyme activity between glands from different individuals (Vmax ranging from 2.6 to 16.6 X 10(-9) mol/min/mg protein) and in the apparent Km's (from 0.22 to 1.1 X 10(-6)mol/l). In the two preparations sensitive to cytosol, the Vmax increased 2-fold, and the Km was 3 times lower. Cytosol was without effect upon the kinetic characteristics of the other 5 microsomal preparations. Ascorbic acid (1 X 10(-3) mol/l) depressed enzyme activity by 25-43% whereas oxidised and reduced glutathione (1 X 10(-3) mol/l) showed a slight and variable effect upon 21-hydroxylation.     

Target mRNA inhibition by oligonucleotide drugs in man

Oligonucleotide delivery in vivo is commonly seen as the principal hurdle to the successful development of oligonucleotide drugs. In an analysis of 26 oligonucleotide drugs recently evaluated in late-stage clinical trials we found that to date at least half have demonstrated suppression of the target mRNA and/or protein levels in the relevant cell types in man, including those present in liver, muscle, bone marrow, lung, blood and solid tumors. Overall, this strongly implies that the drugs are being delivered to the appropriate disease tissues. Strikingly we also found that the majority of the drug targets of the oligonucleotides lie outside of the drugable genome and represent new mechanisms of action not previously investigated in a clinical setting. Despite the high risk of failure of novel mechanisms of action in the clinic, a subset of the targets has been validated by the drugs. While not wishing to downplay the technical challenges of oligonucleotide delivery in vivo, here we demonstrate that target selection and validation are of equal importance for the success of this field.     

Time-dependent inactivation of chick-embryo prolyl 4-hydroxylase by coumalic acid. Evidence for a syncatalytic mechanism.

From the structure-activity relationships of known competitive inhibitors, coumalic acid (2-oxo-1,2H-pyran-5-carboxylic acid) was deduced to be a potential syncatalytic inhibitor for chick-embryo prolyl 4-hydroxylase. The compound caused time-dependent inactivation, the reaction rate being first-order. The inactivation constant was 0.094 min-1, the Ki 17 mM and the bimolecular rate constant 0.09 M-1 X S-1. Human prolyl 4-hydroxylase and chick embryo lysyl hydroxylase were also inactivated, though to a lesser extent. Inactivation could be prevented by adding high concentrations of 2-oxoglutarate or its competitive analogues to the reaction mixture. In Lineweaver-Burk kinetics, coumalic acid displayed S-parabolic competitive inhibition with respect to 2-oxoglutarate. The inactivation reaction had cofactor requirements similar to those for the decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate. Enzymic activity was partially preserved in the absence of iron, but the rescue was incomplete, owing to decreased stability of the enzyme under this condition. Coumalic acid also decreased the electrophoretic mobility of the alpha-subunit, but the beta-subunit was not affected. Prolonged incubation of coumalic acid above pH 6.8 led to loss of its inactivating potency, owing to hydrolysis. It is concluded that the inactivation of prolyl 4-hydroxylase by coumalic acid is due to a syncatalytic mechanism. The data also suggest that the 2-oxoglutarate-binding site of the enzyme is located within the alpha-subunit.     

The use of high-pressure liquid chromatography in the simultaneous assay of 11beta-hydroxylase and 18-hydroxylase in zona fasciculata-reticularis tissue of the rat adrenal cortex.

Certain reagents utilized in the formation of polyacrylamide gels are shown to interfere in the Lowry assay for protein. Acrylamide (3–30%) and potassium ferrocyanide (0.0015–0.0105%) produced a linear response in color formation. Both compounds are capable of reducing the phenol reagent in the absence of copper and the interference can be compensated for by employing the appropriate blank. An extract of polymerized and electrophoresed gels also interferes in the Lowry assay, however, this increased color formation cannot be corrected by using a gel extract blank. Under the conditions studied, filtration, centrifugation, and dialysis did not sufficiently remove the acrylamide fines responsible for the interference.     

Incorportion of oxygen-18 into the 25-position of cholecalciferol by hepatic cholecalciferol 25-hydroxylase.

The oxygen enzymically inserted as a hydroxy function by rat liver post-mitochondrial fraction into the 25-position of cholecalciferol to giver 25-hydroxycholecaliferol is derived exclusively from molecular O2. Therefore like the other two cholecalciferol hydroxylases, i.e. 25-hydroxycholecalciferol 1alpha-hydroxylase and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol 24-hydroxylase, the cholecalciferol 25-hydroxylase is also a mono-oxygenase ('mixed-function oxidase').     

Modulation by corticospinal volleys of presynaptic inhibition to Ia afferents in man.

New methods have been recently developed to explore selectively presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents in humans. They have allowed us to describe a highly specialized organisation in these pathways. A differential control has been disclosed during voluntary movements among various motoneuronal pools: at the onset of a selective voluntary contraction presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents projecting to the 'contracting' motoneurons is strongly decreased whereas presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents to antagonistic or synergistic motoneuronal pools, not involved in the contraction, is increased. Indirect arguments suggested that these modulations are centrally patterned. A differential control has been also disclosed between upper and lower limb pathways. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce a descending corticospinal volley, we have shown that a corticospinal volley inhibits preferentially 'presynaptic interneurons'at the lumbar spinal level, an effect which is strengthened by a cutaneous input whereas it preferentially activates 'presynaptic interneurons' at the cervical spinal level, an effect which is inverted by a cutaneous input.     

Changes in adrenal dopamine concentration after metyrapone or ACTH administration: implications for the in vivo regulation of dopamine beta-hydroxylase by glucocorticoids.

$\text{In vitro}$ studies have demonstrated that rat adrenal dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity is controlled by neural input and by glucocorticoid production. However, beta-hydroxylation of dopamine $\text{in vivo}$ is a first-order reaction and may be considerably slower than the maximal rate determined by $\text{in vitro}$ methods. To estimate the $\text{in vivo}$ reaction rate the concentrations of dopamine (substrate) and of beta-hydroxylated catecholamine (product) were measured as a function of endogenous glucocorticoid production. Beta-hydroxylated catecholamine changed little but dopamine was increased 2-fold or more 17.5 h after the inhibition of steroidogenesis with metyrapone. Dopamine was also increased by metyrapone in animals with pre-existing adrenal denervation. ACTH 17.5 h before sacrifice caused only slight changes in normal rats but reduced the increase in dopamine caused by stress. The results indicate that adrenal dopamine concentration is inversely related to glucocorticoid production at a given level of neural input and provide $\text{in vivo}$ evidence that glucocorticoids maintain dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in the adrenal gland.