Purification and characterization of deacetylipecoside synthase from Alangium lamarckii Thw

Deacetylipecoside synthase (DIS), the enzyme catalyzing the condensation of dopamine and secologanin to form the (R)-epimer of deacetylipecoside, has been purified 570-fold from the leaves of Alangium lamarckii and partially characterized. The isolated enzyme is a single polypeptide with Mr 30,000, and has a pH optimum at 7.5 and a temperature optimum at 45 degrees C. The apparent Km values for dopamine and secologanin are 0.7 and 0.9 mM, respectively. DIS exhibits high substrate specificity toward dopamine, whereas neither tyramine nor tryptamine are utilized. The enzyme activity is not inhibited by its substrate dopamine, but is inhibited by alangimakine and dehydroalangimakine with similar I50 values of 10 microM. DIS presumably provides (R)-deacetylipecoside for the formation of tetrahydroisoquinoline monoterpene glucosides that also possess an (R)-configuration at the same chiral center.     

Synchrotron radiation small angle scattering studies of thermal stability of xylanase XYNII from Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Xylanase XYNII from Trichoderma longibrachiatum is a small protein of the molecular weight 21 kDa, belonging to the family 11 of glycosyl hydrolases, which catalyses hydrolysis of xylan. This article reports thermal stability study of xylanase XYN II conformation in the temperature range 15-65 degrees C by the small angle synchrotron radiation scattering. The study has been performed at different pH conditions: at pH 4.0 (below the physiological optimum of the enzyme activity) at pH 5.8 close to the optimum for enzymatic activity and at pH 8.0. The radius of gyration and the pair distance distribution function p(r) have been analyzed to characterize the changes of the enzyme conformation on heating. In the environment of the pH close to that of the optimum for the enzymatic activity, xylanase shows the greatest thermal stability and undergoes denaturation only above 55 degrees C. In the acidic and basic environments, the enzyme stability is much lower and denaturation begins at 45 degrees C. On the basis of the SAXS data, the shape of the xylanase molecule in solution in different temperatures has been reconstructed using ab initio method and program DAMMIN. The shape of the xylanase molecule at room temperature is similar to the right hand, which is typically observed for xylanase crystal structure. In higher temperatures (close to the enzyme activity optimum), the conformation of the right hand is loosened and half opened.     

Dopamine release in PC12 cells is mediated by Ca(2+)-dependent production of ceramide via sphingomyelin pathway

A presynaptic membrane disturbance is an essential process for the release of various neurotransmitters. Ceramide, which is a tumor suppressive lipid, has been shown to act as a channel-forming molecule and serve as a precursor of ceramide-1-phosphate, which can disturb the cellular membrane. This study found that while permeable ceramide increases the rate of dopamine release in the presence of a Ca(2+)-ionophore, A23187, permeable ceramide-1-phosphate provoked its release even without the ionophore. The treatment of PC12 cells with the ionophore at concentrations < 2 microM produced ceramide via the sphingomyelin (SM) pathway with a concomitant release of dopamine, and no cell damage was observed. The addition of a Ca(2+) chelator, EGTA, to the medium inhibited the increase in the release of both the ceramide and dopamine. This suggests that ceramide might be produced by Ca(2+) and is implicated in the membrane disturbance associated with the release of dopamine as a result of its conversion to ceramide-1-phosphate. Consistent with these results, this study detected a membrane-associated and neutral pH optimum sphingomyelinase (SMase) whose activity was increased by Ca(2+). Together, these results demonstrate that ceramide can be produced via the activation of a neutral form of SMase through Ca(2+), and is involved in the dopamine release in concert with Ca(2+).     

The electrophysiological actions of dopamine and dopaminergic drugs on neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area.

The dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area play a crucial role in regulating movement and cognition respectively. Several lines of evidence suggest that a degeneration of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra produces the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, a hyperactivity of the dopaminergic transmission in the brain induces dyskinesia, dystonia and psychosis. It is also well established that the euphoric and rewarding responses evoked by drugs of addiction, such as amphetamine and cocaine, are mediated by central dopamine systems. Electrophysiological experiments which study the activity of single dopaminergic neurons in the ventral mesencephalon have shown that dopamine and dopaminergic drugs reduce the firing frequency of these cells. This is due to the stimulation of D2-D3 autoreceptors and to a hyperpolarization of the membrane produced by an increase in potassium conductance. In addition, substances which increase the release (amphetamine), the synthesis (levodopa) or block the uptake (cocaine, nomifensine, amineptine) of dopamine in the brain inhibit the firing activity of the dopaminergic cells throughout dopamine-mediated mechanisms. In this review, we will briefly examine the literature concerning the physiological and behavioural responses caused by dopamine and dopaminergic agents on the dopaminergic neurons of the ventral mesencephalon. Our conclusion suggests that the electrophysiological actions of dopamine and dopamine-related drugs on dopaminergic cells in the ventral mesencephalon might be indicative of the pharmacological effects of these agents on the brain.     

VARIATIONS IN AROMATIC AMINO ACID DECARBOXYLASE ACTIVITY TOWARDS DOPA AND 5-HYDROXYTRYPTOPHAN CAUSED BY pH CHANGES AND DENATURATION

—DOPA and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) are generally supposed to be decarboxylated in mammalian tissues by a single enzyme, the two activities being present in constant ratio through a variety of purification procedures. It has now been shown that the ratio of activity of the liver enzyme towards the two substrates can be altered by mild treatments, such as might be used in solubilization of brain preparations. DOPA decarboxylase activity was preferentially inactivated by sodium dodecyl sulphate treatment, and 5-HTP decarboxylation by urea. Previous reports that the two substrates show different pH optima but are mutually competitive, have been confirmed. The K_m of the enzyme towards 5-HTP was lowest at pH 7.8 (the optimum pH for decarboxylation of this amino acid), but the variation with pH of the K_m towards DOPA was unrelated to the pH optimum for decarboxylation. There appeared to be no relation between the probable ionization state of the substrates and the pH dependence of the enzyme. Studies on the binding characteristics of the enzyme for the two products, dopamine and serotonin, did not show any specific saturable binding. It is proposed that the enzyme has a complex active site, with separate affinity sites for the two substrates, adjacent to a single catalytic site.     

The nature of the residual alpha-mannosidase in plasma in bovine mannosidosis.

Acidic alpha-mannosidase (EC 3.2.1.24), optimum pH 4.25, is absent from the plasma of Angus calves with mannosidosis, and the residual alpha-mannosidase activity has an optimum pH of 5.5, intermediate between that of the acidic and neutral alpha-mannosidases. This 'intermediate' alpha-mannosidase differs from the acidic form in its kinetic properties, its lack of marked inhibition by EDTA and its thermolability at 55 degrees C and physiological pH. Isoelectric focusing and ion-exchange chromatography show that it exists in at least two forms. The presence of a secondary peak at pH 5.5 in the pH/activity profile of normal plasma and the effect of heating at 55 degrees C indicate that such a form is present in normal plasma. The residual activity in the plasma of a calf with mannosidosis is therefore probably not the product of the defective gene. A differential assay, based on their different stabilities at 55 degrees C, has been developed for measuring the acidic and intermediate alpha-mannosidases in plasma. There was no correlation between the concentrations of the two enzymes in the plasma of Angus cows heterozygous for mannosidosis or in the plasma of normal animals. This precludes the use of the intermediate form as a reference enzyme for the acidic activity in a test for heterozygosity for mannosidosis based on the gene-dosage phenomenon. The concentrations of the intermediate activity were comparable in normal animals and animals homozygous or heterozygous for mannosidosis.     

Dopamine complexes of iron in the etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimers. The main pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s is the deterioration and death of neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Much of the neuronal damage takes place in the substantia nigra, a small region of the midbrain that contains the cell bodies of neurons that produce dopamine. The deterioration and death of dopaminergic neurons are directly associated with misfolding and aggregation of proteins, principally α-synuclein, that are natively unfolded. Present also in the substantia nigra is an unusually high concentration of vestigial iron. Protein misfolding in non-genetic (sporadic) cases of PD has been associated with reactive oxygen species formed as products of O₂ reduction by the combination of dopamine and iron. Combinations of Fe³⁺, dopamine hydrochloride (DA^H+Cl), and various ancillary ligands have been studied as a function of pH in aqueous solution to determine the optimum pH for complex formation. With ancillary ligands (L₄) derived from nitrilotriacetic acid and ethylenediamine diacetic acid spectral changes are consistent with the formation of L₄Fe(DA^H+) species that reach a maximum concentration at pH 7.2. With edta as the ancillary ligand, spectral features at pH 7 resemble those of Fe³⁺-catecholate complexes that contain catecholate ligands bonded through a single oxygen. This demonstrates the ability of the dopamine catechol functionality to penetrate the coordination sphere of even exceptionally stable iron chelates.     

The pH-dependent subunit dissociation and catalytic activity of bovine dopamine beta-hydroxylase

The soluble form of dopamine beta-hydroxylase from bovine adrenal medulla has previously been shown to exist as a tetrameric species of Mr = 290,000 composed of two disulfide-linked dimers. Here we report that this enzyme can also undergo a reversible tetramerdimer dissociation which is dependent on pH. Gel permeation chromatography of dopamine beta-hydroxylase at pH 5.0 demonstrates a Stokes radius of 5.8 nm. When the pH is shifted to 5.7, the Stokes radius changes to 6.9 nm. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis of the purified enzyme demonstrates that this change in molecular size is due to a change in molecular weight. At low protein concentration, the estimated Mr of the enzyme is 145,000 at pH 5.0 and at high protein concentration approaches 290,000 at pH 5.7. This change in Mr is consistent with the existence of a tetramer-dimer dissociation and a change in the equilibrium constant from 1.8 X 10(-6) M to 1.16 X 10(-9) M when the pH is increased from 5.0 to 5.7. This pH-dependent subunit dissociation is correlated with pH-dependent changes in enzyme activity. Purified bovine-soluble dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity is a hyperbolic function of tyramine concentration at pH 5.0. However, the hydroxylase activity displays non-hyperbolic kinetics at pH 6.0. The kinetic data obtained at pH 6.0 can be accounted for by fitting to a model containing two nonidentical catalytic forms of enzyme generated by the pH-dependent partial dissociation of tetrameric enzyme to dimeric subunits. The two catalytic forms have apparently identical maximal velocities; however, they differ in their Michaelis constants for the substrate; the dimeric form having a low Km and the tetrameric form having a high Km. Since the pH inside bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin granules is approximately 5.5, we conclude that the subunits of dopamine beta-hydroxylase are in dynamic dissociation in a physiologically important pH range.     

Extrasynaptic release of dopamine in a retinal neuron: activity dependence and transmitter modulation

Extrasynaptic release of dopamine is well documented, but its relation to the physiological activity of the neuron is unclear. Here we show that in absence of presynaptic active zones, solitary cell bodies of retinal dopaminergic neurons release by exocytosis packets of approximately 40,000 molecules of dopamine at irregular intervals and low frequency. The release is triggered by the action potentials that the neurons generate in a rhythmic fashion upon removal of all synaptic influences and therefore depends upon the electrical events at the neuronal surface. Furthermore, it is stimulated by kainate and abolished by GABA and quinpirole, an agonist at the D(2) dopamine receptor. Since the somatic receptors for these ligands are extrasynaptic, we suggest that the composition of the extracellular fluid directly modulates extrasynaptic release.     

Dopaminergic Activity Measured in D1- and D2-Transfected Fibroblasts by Silicon-Microphysiometry

Abstract

The dopaminergic system implicated in human disorders such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and prolactinomas, exerts its effects through several dopamine receptors. The diversity of the dopaminergic system has been revealed by the application of molecular biology techniques to this system, which allowed the identification of five different types of dopamine receptors to date. Even though the structure of these receptors has now been identified, their physiological roles are still under investigation. The coupling of the D₁ and D₂ dopamine receptor to second messengers has been investigated using cell lines transfected with the cDNAs of these receptors. However, until recently, there was no technique allowing non-invasive real-time measurement of the metabolic activity of cells after agonist stimulation. We present here real-time measurement of events induced by dopaminergic agents on either the D₁ or the D₂ dopamine receptors using a novel technique employing a silicon-based microphysiometer.     

Molecular properties of the enzymic phytohemagglutinin of mung bean

Mung bean seeds possess a tetrameric galactose-binding protein that displays two types of activities: (a) a hemagglutinin activity, and (b) an alpha-galactosidase activity. This protein can be reversibly converted by pH changes from a tetrameric form, which possesses both enzymic and hemagglutinin activities, to a monomeric form which possesses enzymic activity only. This observation suggests that the enzymic phytohemagglutinin is an aggregated form of a monomeric alpha-galactosidase. The tetrameric alpha-galactosidase has a pH optimum of about pH 7.0, while the monomeric form displays a pH optimum of 5.6. Circular dichroism difference spectra and inhibition studies suggest that aggregation induces conformational changes in the subunits sufficient to alter their enzymatic properties. The possibility of in vivo changes in subunit equilibria, when combined with the accompanying alterations in activity, provides a new concept worthy of consideration with respect to the physiological role of phytohemagglutinins.     

Dopamine inhibition of anterior pituitary adenylate cyclase is mediated through the high-affinity state of the D2 receptor

The diterpinoid forskolin stimulated adenylate cyclase activity (measured by conversion of [³H]-ATP to [³H]-cAMP) in anterior pituitary from male and female rats. Inhibition of stimulated adenylate cyclase activity by potent dopaminergic agonists was demonstrable only in female anterior pituitary. The inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity displayed a typically dopaminergic rank order of agonist potencies and could be completely reversed by a specific dopamine receptor antagonist. The IC₅₀ values of dopamine agonist inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity correlated with equal molarity with the dissociation constant of the high-affinity dopamine agonist-detected receptor binding site and with the IC₅₀ values for inhibition of prolactin secretion. These findings support the hypothesis that it is the high-affinity form of the D₂ dopamine receptor in anterior pituitary which is responsible for mediating the dopaminergic function of attenuating adenylate cyclase activity.     

An improved assay for hepatic glycogen synthase in liver extracts with emphasis on synthase R

An assay for measurement of optimal amounts of glycogen synthase R, the physiologically active form of the enzyme, in liver tissue extracts is described. Tissue extracts enriched in synthase R had a pH profile different from those reported for synthase D and synthase I. In tissue extracts, synthase I had a broad pH optimum but maximal activity was present at pH 7.0-9.0. Synthase D had a sharp pH optimum at pH 8.5 and had little activity at pH 7.0, either in the presence or in the absence of glucose 6-phosphate (G6P). In extracts enriched in synthase R, the pH optimum was 7.0-8.0 without G6P, but 8.0 with G6P. The synthase R activity without G6P rapidly decreased at a higher pH. The proportion of synthase in the physiologically active form traditionally has been reported as an activity ratio based upon the activity in the presence and absence of G6P. The assay has been performed at a single pH. Because of the differences in pH profile, we recommend that the enzyme be measured at pH 7.0 in the absence of G6P and pH 8.5-8.8 in the presence of G6P. In previous assays the substrate UDP-Glc concentration used often has been less than saturating, and the G6P concentration generally has been excessive. A substrate concentration of 11 mM UDP-Glc was found to be necessary for maximal activity. A G6P concentration of 2 mM is adequate for measurement of the D form of the enzyme.     

Selective dopaminergic vulnerability: 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde targets mitochondria

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major cause of age-related morbidity and mortality, present in nearly 1% of individuals at ages 70-79 and approximately 2.5% of individuals at age 85. L-DOPA (L-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which is metabolized to dopamine by dopa decarboxylase, is the primary therapy for PD, but may also contribute to disease progression. Association between mitochondrial dysfunction, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, and dopaminergic neurotoxicity has been repeatedly observed, but the mechanisms underlying selective dopaminergic neuron depletion in aging and neurodegenerative disorders remain unclear. We now report that 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), the MAO metabolite of dopamine, is more cytotoxic in neuronally differentiated PC12 cells than dopamine and several of its metabolites. In isolated, energetically compromised mitochondria, physiological concentrations of DOPAL induced the permeability transition (PT), a trigger for cell death. Dopamine was > 1000-fold less potent. PT inhibitors protected both mitochondria and cells against DOPAL. Sensitivity to DOPAL was reduced > or = 30-fold in fully energized mitochondria, suggesting that mitochondrial respiration may increase resistance to PT induction by the endogenous DOPAL in the substantia nigra. These data provide a potential mechanism of action for L-DOPA-mediated neurotoxicity and suggest two potentially interactive mechanisms for the selective vulnerability of neurons exposed to dopamine.     

alpha-D-mannosidase forms in chicken liver

Two forms (I and II) of alpha-D-mannosidase have been separated by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose from embryonic chicken liver. A third form (III), which is absent in embryos, was also separated from 4-day-old chickens. The optimum pH of form I is at pH 5.0. Form II is named "neutral" because it shows maximal activity at pH 6.5. The optimum pH of form III is 4.5. Forms I and III are heat-stable at 50 degrees C for 1 hr, whereas form II is very unstable under these conditions. Zn2+ and Mg2+ have been found to increase the alpha-D-mannosidase activity of forms I and II. In contrast, Co2+ increases mannosidase I activity and inhibits form II from 18-day-old embryos. alpha-Methyl-D-mannoside, N-acetyl-D-mannosamine and D-mannosamine were found to be inhibitors of both forms I and II. "Neutral" mannosidase was also inhibited by chloride. Competitive inhibition by D-mannose was also studied and Ki values are given.     

α-Synuclein and dopamine metabolism

α-Synuclein (α-Syn), a 140-amino-acid protein richly expressed in presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system, has been shown to play a central role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. Although the normal functions of α-Syn remain elusive, accumulating evidence shows that the molecule is involved in multiple steps related to dopamine metabolism, including dopamine synthesis, storage, release, and uptake. The regulatory effect of α-Syn on dopamine metabolism is likely to tone down the amount of cytoplasmic dopamine at nerve terminals, thereby limiting its conversion to highly reactive oxidative molecules. Formation of α-Syn protofibrils triggered by factors such as gene mutations and environmental toxins can make the molecule lose its normal functions, leading to disrupted homeostasis of dopamine metabolism, increased cytoplasmic dopamine levels, and enhanced oxidative stress in dopaminergic neurons. The enhanced oxidative stress will, in turn, exacerbate the formation of α-Syn protofibrils and drive the neurons into a vicious cycle, which will finally result in the selective degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons associated with Parkinson’s disease.     

Isolation and catalytic properties of the soluble monomeric form of inorganic pyrophosphatase from baker's yeast

Data from sedimentation analysis suggest that modification of about 40% of free amino groups of inorganic pyrophosphatase by maleic anhydride, pH 10.5, results in a loss of the enzyme ability to form dimers at neutral values of pH. The specific activity of monomeric pyrophosphatase is 50-80% of that of the dimeric form. The monomer has a pH optimum of about 7, requires metal ions for activation of both enzyme and substrate and is capable of exergonic synthesis of PPi in the active center. The enzyme binding to PPi is strongly stabilized by fluoride. The experimental data indicate that the individual subunit of inorganic pyrophosphatase possesses all the main catalytic properties of native dimeric molecule.     

Sulfate Conjugation of Monoamines in Human Brain: Purification and Some Properties of an Arylamine Sulfotransferase from Cerebral Cortex

An arylamine sulfotransferase (PST-M) from human brain cortex that is involved in the formation of O-sulfate esters of monoamines has been purified 272-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration, DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography, chromatofocussing, and hydroxyapatite chromatography. A molecular weight of 62,000, pK of pH 5.8, and an optimum pH for the reaction at 7.8-8.0 with respect to tyramines have been determined. This enzyme possesses an extremely high affinity for dopamine and m-tyramine based on the low Km values and is moderately active toward noradrenaline and p-tyramine. Serotonin is a poor substrate. In contrast, another sulfotransferase, PST-P, which has been separated from PST-M and partially purified, exhibited a very high affinity for phenol and nitrophenols but was inactive toward the amine sulfate acceptors. In the human brain the specific activity toward dopamine as well as the ratio of activity toward dopamine/phenol was considerably higher than those for rat, hog, and bovine brains.     

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor: a juxtacrine growth factor

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), which belongs to the EGF-family growth factors, is synthesized as a membrane-anchored form (proHB-EGF). Proteolytic cleavage of proHB-EGF at the extracellular domain yields the soluble form of HB-EGF (sHB-EGF). ProHB-EGF is not only the precursor molecule for sHB-EGF but also a biologically active molecule itself. Recent studies indicate that proHB-EGF has unique properties distinct from the soluble form. ProHB-EGF forms a complex with membrane proteins including a tetramembrane spanning protein: CD9, an adhesion molecule integrin: 3β1, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The complex is localized at the cell–cell contact site, suggesting that proHB-EGF may function in cell-to-cell signaling by a juxtacrine mechanism. In an in vitro model system, proHB-EGF showed growth inhibitory activity, while sHB-EGF was growth stimulatory. Ectodomain shedding, conversion of the membrane-anchored form into the soluble form, is regulated by multiple signaling pathways. All these characteristics imply that proHB-EGF and sHB-EGF are used in different ways. In vivo functions of sHB-EGF and proHB-EGF have been largely undefined, but recent studies implicate them in a variety of physiological processes including blastocyst implantation and wound healing.