Effect of estrogen on activity of prostaglandin synthetase in rabbit oviduct

The activity of the prostaglandin synthetase system in the ampulla and isthmus of the rabbit oviduct has been studied . Thirty hours after an injection of estrogen the isthmus produced significantly more total prostaglandins following 9 minutes of incubation than the ampulla. These values were not, however, significantly different from those observed following 9 minutes of incubation in the same portions of the oviducts of estrous or castrate animals. Furthermore, the total yields of prostaglandins at thirty minutes did not differ significantly between treatment groups.     

Effect of bradykinin on prostaglandin synthetase activity in microsomal fractions from rat duodenum and uterus.

The bioconversion of tritiated arachidonic acid by microsomal fractions from rat uterus and duodenum is described. In rat duodenum the formation of both prostaglandin E2 and F2alpha is enhanced by the peptide hormone bradykinin. In contrast, bradykinin inhibits the synthesis of PGE2 in rat uterus.     

Suppression of uterine motor activity by prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor Naproxen.

Rats were ovariectomized on day 16 of pregnancy and they were fitted with a pressure sensor uterine microballoon assembly and were given a daily dose of Naproxen-sodium. Daily uterine activity recordings were taken and subjected to statistical analysis and the rats were carefully checked for either aborting or delivering their fetuses. Our data showed that Naproxen treatment effectively and significantly prevented the autocatalytic evolution of the uterine motor activity and the regulatory "see-saw" of progesterone and prostaglandins was rebalanced at a lower level.     

Stimulation of prostaglandin synthetase activity in rat granulosa cells by gonadotropins

The effect of exposure to gonadotropin on prostaglandin synthetase activity in rat granulosa cells was examined in two experimental settings. The first setting was immature rats treated with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The second was mature rats on the day of proestrus. In the experiments using immature rats, the administration of hCG (20 I.U.) at noon of the second day after the PMSG (20 I.U.) injection led to large (more than 5 fold) increases in granulosa cell prostaglandin synthetase activity 5 and 10 h later. Follicular fluid PGE levels were also markedly increased at 5 and 10 h after hCG. Similar results were also found in experiments performed with mature proestrus rats. Granulosa cell prostaglandin synthetase activity was elevated at approximately 4 and 8 h after the endogenous LH surge (about 4 p.m. on proestrus), in comparison with the activity at midnight of diestrus, or noon and 4 p.m. on proestrus. In these experiments the changes in prostaglandin synthetase activity (10 fold) also paralleled the increases in follicular fluid PGE concentrations. Thus the exposure to gonadotropin produced essentially the same effect as we had reported earlier for isolated granulosa cells incubated with LH . The stimulation of prostaglandin synthetase activity must therefore be ascribed an important role in the physiological regulation of granulosa cell prostaglandin synthesis by LH.     

Histochemical localisation of prostaglandin synthetase

Summary A method has been developed for the detection of the prostaglandin synthesizing enzyme system in tissue sections. The localisation of the enzyme is indicated by a brown staining when cryotome sections are incubated with the prostaglandin precursor 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid in the presence of 3,3-diaminobenzidine and KCN. The method is shown to be specific for prostaglandin synthetase. Results obtained with sheep vesicular glands and rabbit kidney are presented.     

Sodium n-butyrate induces prostaglandin synthetase activity in mastocytoma P-815 cells

Cultured mouse mastocytoma P-815 cells were treated with 1 mM sodium n-butyrate for 40 h. The treated cell homogenate showed high activities in synthesizing prostaglandin D2, E2, and F2 alpha. Such activities were virtually absent in untreated cell homogenate. Direct addition of sodium n-butyrate to the homogenate showed no effects. Pre-exposure of cells to acetylsalicylic acid did not diminish the effect of the subsequent treatment with sodium n-butyrate. These data suggest that sodium n-butyrate induces fatty acid cyclooxygenase in P-815 cells.     

Elevated prostaglandin synthetase activity in methylcholanthrene-transformed mouse BALB/3T3

Cell lines transformed from 3T3 spontaneously, by radiation, or by treatment with chemical carcinogens, polyoma and SV40 virus produce up to 5 times more prostaglandins than their untransformed parent line. Several aspects of prostaglandin biosynthesis by MC5-5 and 3T3 were compared. When stimulated by serum, bradykinin, or thrombin, MC5-5 produced 2-to 5-fold more prostaglandins than 3T3. With the use of cells labeled with radioactive arachidonic acid in their cellular lipids, these higher levels were shown not to be due to increased availability of the prostaglandin precursor, arachidonic acid. Prostaglandin synthetase activity in microsomal fractions prepared from MC5-5 was 6 times higher than that of microsomes of untransformed cells. The increased prostaglandin levels produced by transformed cells therefore appear to be the result of elevated prostaglandin synthetase activity.     

The nature of functional groups regulating the catalytic activity of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthetase

The influence of some reagents modifying NH2-, SH-groups or imidazole moiety, on the prostaglandin endoperoxide synthetase activity was studied. Acetaldehyde, pyridoxal phosphate, dithiobis (nitrobenzoic) acid and iodoacetamide were found not to affect the enzyme activity. The activity was abolished as a result of the interaction with p-chloromercuribenzoic acid and diethyl pyrocarbonate. The hemin completely protected the apo-enzyme against the inactivation with diethyl pyrocarbonate. The assumption about the presence of imidazole moiety in the active site of the enzyme was made.     

Stimulation of prostaglandin synthetase activity in rat granulosa cells by gonadotropins in vivo

The effect of $\text{in vivo}$ exposure to gonadotropin on prostaglandin synthetase activity in rat granulosa cells was examined in two experimental settings. The first setting was immature rats treated with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The second was mature rats on the day of proestrus. In the experiments using immature rats, the administration of hCG (20 I.U.) at noon of the second day after the PMSG (20 I.U.) injection led to large (more than 5 fold) increases in granulosa cell prostaglandin synthetase activity 5 and 10 h later. Follicular fluid PGE levels were also markedly increased at 5 and 10 h after hCG. Similar results were also found in experiments performed with mature proestrus rats. Granulosa cell prostaglandin synthetase activity was elevated at approximately 4 and 8 h after the endogenous LH surge (about 4 p.m. on proestrus), in comparison with the activity at midnight of diestrus, or noon and 4 p.m. on proestrus. In these experiments the changes in prostaglandin synthetase activity (10 fold) also paralleled the increases in follicular fluid PGE concentrations. Thus the exposure to gonadotropin $\text{in vivo}$ produced essentially the same effect as we had reported earlier for isolated granulosa cells incubated with LH $\text{in vitro}$. The stimulation of prostaglandin synthetase activity must therefore be ascribed an important role in the physiological regulation of granulosa cell prostaglandin synthesis by LH.     

Enhancement of renal medulla prostaglandin synthetase activity by dexamethasone treatment in the rat

We studied in rats the effect of dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg per week) on the conversion of radiolabeled arachidonic acid to prostaglandins by renal medulla slices, microsomes, and homogenates. The steroid did not affect the rate of conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins by renal medulla slices, but significantly increased the rate of conversion by both the microsomes and the 10,000 × g supernatatant of renal medulla homogenates. We conclude (a) that dexamethasone treatment increases the activity of renal medulla prostaglandin synthetase measured in broken cells preparations, and (b) that such a change in enzyme activity is not manifested by augmentation of prostaglandin synthesis in renal medulla slices incubated with exogenous arachidonic acid.     

Effect of hyaluronidase treatment of intact cells on hyaluronate synthetase activity

Hyaluronidase treatment of mouse oligodendroglioma cells in monolayer culture resulted in a 4-5-fold stimulation of hyaluronate synthetase, assayed in washed membrane preparations [Philipson, L., & Schwartz, N. B. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 5017-5023]. We now report studies on the mechanism of the hyaluronidase-induced increase in the specific activity of the membrane-bound synthetase complex. The stimulation was dependent on the concentration of hyaluronidase but not on the particular bond cleaved or the nature of the product generated. Analysis of chain growth during cell-free synthesis by the disaccharide ratio method suggested that substantial internal labeling of hyaluronate chains had occurred. With both treated and untreated membranes, greater than 90% of incorporated (and recovered) radioactivity appeared in unsaturated disaccharides. Further analysis showed that hyaluronidase treatment increased both the rate of elongation and the rate of release of elongated chains from the enzyme complex. Hyaluronidase treatment also caused a change in the apparent steady-state kinetic patterns of double-reciprocal plots from intersecting lines for membranes from control cells to a family of parallel lines. Both the overall stimulation of synthesis and the change in apparent kinetic pattern were reversed by brief incubation of washed cells in the absence of hyaluronidase. These results have led to the development of an explicit kinetic model for hyaluronate synthesis which suggests an explanation for the switch in apparent kinetic patterns based on changing concentrations of a postulated key intermediate.     

Effect of the structure of the prosthetic group on the catalytic properties of prostaglandin H synthetase

The effect of vinyl groups of protohemin IX on its cofactor properties with respect to prostaglandin H synthetase has been studied. It was shown that substitution of ethyl groups or a hydrogen for vinyl groups affects neither binding of the prosthetic group to the apoenzyme nor catalytic properties of holo-prostaglandin H synthetase. Replacement of vinyl groups with bulkier substituents (hydroxyethyl or acetyl groups) decreases holoenzyme stability and catalytic activity. By comparison of the cofactor properties of protoporphyrin and hematoporphyrin macrocycles with different central ions (Fe3+, Mn2+, 2H+ in the case of protoporphyrin, and Fe3+, Mg2+, Cd2+ and Cu2+ in the case of hematoporphyrin), the presence of Fe3+ ions was shown to be mandatory for prostaglandin H synthetase activity. It was demonstrated that the cofactor structure modifications do not affect the holo-prostaglandin H synthetase inactivation rate constant in a reaction.     

Effect of uremic plasma on mouse liver delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase activity

delta-Aminolevulinic acid (delta-ALA) synthetase in mouse liver homogenate was significantly (p less than 0.001) higher in the presence of uremic compared with normal plasma, the ratio of the two values being 1.36 +/- 0.24 in 30 paired experiments. This effect does not seem to be due to increased concentrations of urea or creatinine nor to any possible dialyzable substances. Its relationship to the retention of an inducing factor or decreased production of erythropoietin in uremic patients is discussed. A possible inhibitory effect of erythropoietin on liver delta-ALA synthetase is suggested.