Proof of adenylate cyclase activity in the coronary artery of cattle]

In two fractions obtained from the bovine A. coronaria adenylate cyclase activity was identified and characterized. The adenylate cyclase activity of the 75,000 X g sediment shows a pH optimum at 7.4. The temperature dependence of this adenylate cyclase activity is linear when represented in the Arrhenius plot, and an Arrhenius activation energy of 13.2 kcal Mol-1 can be calculated for the enzyme reaction. The Km-value of the enzyme to ATP is 6 +/- 0.6 - 10(-4) M. The adenylate cyclase activity of the 75,000 X g sediment can be stimulated by NaF. 5'AMP and adenosine inhibit the adenylate cyclase activity of the 75,000 X g sediment. With regard to the enzyme activity, Mn++ and Co++ replace Mg++, but not Ca++. The monovalentcations Na+ and K+ do not influence the adenylate cyclase activity. In a particulate fraction containing plasma membranes, adenylate cyclase activity was also identified. This adenylate cyclase activity can be stimulated by catecholamines, noradrenaline, and isoproterenol. This stimulation can, however, only be proved for the enzyme in the coronaries of 9-week-old and 2-year-old animals. The adenylate cyclase activity from the coronaries of adult animals is not affected by catecholamines. These findings are discussed with regard to hypertension frequently found in adult animals.     

Adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase activity in the isolated kidney glomerulus of the rat]

Isolated rat renal glomeruli contain an adenylate cyclase system and guanylate cyclase system. Adenylate cyclase was strikingly activated by purified parathyroid hormone, epinephrine, prostaglandin I2 and histamine. The demonstration of PTH activated adenylate cyclase in glomeruli raises the possibility of a role of this hormone in regulation of glomerular filtration rate. Guanylate cyclase was strikingly activated by CA2+, nitrate derivatives such as sodium nitroprusside. Its role remained still unknown.     

Changes in the guanylate cyclase activity of human thrombocytes during ADP-inducible aggregation]

Activity of guanylate cyclase (GC) and its capacity for sodium nitroprusside (SNP) activation were determined in platelets with different state of aggregation. The development of ADP-induced reversible aggregation was accompanied by a decrease in the basal GC activity and by an increase in the SNP activation of GC. It was shown that elevation of GC sensitivity to SNP during the aggregation might be due to the decrease in the state of enzyme blood deficiency. Preincubation of platelets with SNP before ADP adding markedly diminished or even prevented aggregation, depending on SNP concentration. GC parameters in platelets with prevented aggregation were just the same as in control. It is suggested that the regulatory role of cGMP system in platelet aggregation may be seen in the increase in GC sensitivity to endogenous activator, presumably to NO.     

Phencyclidine stimulates guanylate cyclase activity.

The hallucinogenic agents, phencylidine (Angel's Dust), TCP¹ and their morpholine analogs enhanced the activity of guanylate cyclase {E.C.4.6.1.2}, the enzyme that catalyzes the production of guanosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate. This activation of guanylate cyclase by hencyclidine and TCP was observed over the concentration range of .00001 mM to 1 mM, while the morpholine analogs stimulated tha activity of guanylate cyclase in concentration of .0001 mM to 1 mM.     

Receptor-mediated regulation of guanylate cyclase activity in spermatozoa

Two peptides, speract (Gly-Phe-Asp-Leu-Asn-Gly-Gly-Gly-Val-Gly) and resact (Cys-Val-Thr-Gly-Ala-Pro-Gly-Cys-Val-Gly-Gly-Gly-Arg-Leu-NH2), which activate sperm respiration and motility and elevate cyclic GMP concentrations in a species-specific manner, were tested for effects on guanylate cyclase activity. The guanylate cyclase of sea urchin spermatozoa is a glycoprotein and it is localized entirely on the plasma membrane. When intact sea urchin sperm cells were incubated with the appropriate peptide for time periods as short as 5 s and subsequently homogenized in detergent, guanylate cyclase activity was found to be as low as 10% of the activity of cells not treated with peptide. The peptides showed complete species specificity and analogues of one peptide (speract) caused decreases in enzyme activity coincident with their receptor binding properties. The peptides did not inhibit enzyme activity when added after detergent solubilization of the enzyme. When detergent-solubilized spermatozoa were incubated at 22 degrees C, guanylate cyclase activity declined in previously nontreated cells to the peptide-treated level. The rate of decline was dependent on temperature and protein concentration. When spermatozoa were first incubated with 32P, the decrease in guanylate cyclase activity was accompanied by a shift in the apparent molecular weight of a major plasma membrane protein (160,000-150,000) and a loss of 32P label from the 160,000 band. Other agents (Monensin A, NH4Cl) which were capable of stimulating sperm respiration and motility also caused decreases of guanylate cyclase activity when added to intact but not detergent-solubilized spermatozoa. The maximal decrease in guanylate cyclase activity occurred 5-10 min after addition of these agents. The enzyme response to Monensin A required extracellular Na+ suggestive that the ionophore caused the effect on guanylate cyclase activity by virtue of its ability to catalyze Na+/H+ exchange. These studies demonstrate that guanylate cyclase activity of sperm cells can be altered by the specific interaction of egg-associated peptides with their plasma membrane receptors.     

Inhibition of soluble guanylate cyclase activity by citrate

Soluble guanylate cyclase activity from guinea pig heart is inhibited by increasing concentrations of sodium citrate. The Ki value was found to be 2.83 +/- 0.05 mM in the presence of 3 mM Mn2+ and 0.6 mM GTP. Citrate acts by lowering Vmax and increasing the apparent values of Km for GTP and K0.5 for Mn2+ and Mg2+. The soluble guanylate cyclase, activated by sodium nitroprusside, was also inhibited by citrate. This inhibitory action of citrate was not restricted to soluble guanylate cyclase activity of the heart and has been demonstrated also in the supernatant of lung, liver, diencephalon and in the homogenate of blood platelets. Since citrate is known to be an important intermediate of metabolism, its intracellular concentration may be also of relevance for guanylate cyclase activity.     

The interrelationship of somatostatin and guanylate cyclase activity

Summary Somatostatin has been shown to inhibit the release of various polypeptide hormones including insulin, glucagon, gastrin, thyroid stimulating hormone, and growth hormone. The mechanism by which somatostatin inhibits the release of these various polypeptide hormones has not been fully eluciadated. It has been reported that somatostatin increases the level of the second messenger cyclic GMP in rat brain and in the anterior pituitary gland. The present investigation was designed to determine if these responses seen in the anterior pituitary gland and brain were due to activation of guanylate cyclase GTP-pyrophosphate lyase (cyclizing), E.C.4.6.1.2., the enzyme that catalyzes the formation of cyclic GMP. Somatostatin at a concentration of 2 pm enhanced guanylate cyclase activity two-fold in rat cerebrum and anterior pituitary gland. This enhancement of guanylate cyclase activity was also seen in rat liver, pancreas, stomach, and small intestine at the same concentration of somatostatin. Increasing the concentration of somatostatin to 20 m, caused a marked inhibition of guanylate cyclase activity in all these tissues. Dose-response curves done on gastric guanylate cyclase activity revealed that over a concentration range of 2 pm to 0.2 m, somatostatin had a stimulatory effect on guanylate cyclase activity while at concentrations above 10 m somatostatin was inhibitory to guanylate cyclase activity. The biphasic pattern of enhancement of guanylate cyclase activity at lower concentrations of somatostatin and inhibition at higher concentrations may help to explain some of the discrepancies seen with previous investigations with somatostatin, hormone release, and cyclic nucleotide metabolism.     

Modulation of soluble guanylate cyclase activity by phosphorylation

The levels of the cGMP in smooth muscle of the gut reflect continued synthesis by soluble guanylate cyclase (GC) and breakdown by phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). Soluble GC is a haem-containing, heterodimeric protein consisting alpha- and beta-subunits: each subunit has N-terminal regulatory domain and a C-terminal catalytic domain. The haem moiety acts as an intracellular receptor for nitric oxide (NO) and determines the ability of NO to activate the enzyme and generate cGMP. In the present study the mechanism by which protein kinases regulate soluble GC in gastric smooth muscle was examined. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) acting as a NO donor stimulated soluble GC activity and increased cGMP levels. SNP induced soluble GC phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent fashion. SNP-induced soluble GC phosphorylation was abolished by the selective cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) inhibitors, Rp-cGMPS and KT-5823. In contrast, SNP-stimulated soluble GC activity and cGMP levels were significantly enhanced by Rp-cGMPS and KT-5823. Phosphorylation and inhibition of soluble GC were PKG specific, as selective activator of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, Sp-5, 6-DCl-cBiMPS had no effect on SNP-induced soluble GC phosphorylation and activity. The ability of PKG to stimulate soluble GC phosphorylation was demonstrated in vitro by back phosphorylation technique. Addition of purified phosphatase 1 inhibited soluble GC phosphorylation in vitro, and inhibition was reversed by a high concentration (10 microM) of okadaic acid. In gastric smooth muscle cells, inhibition of phosphatase activity by okadaic acid increased soluble GC phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent fashion. The increase in soluble GC phosphorylation inhibited SNP-stimulated soluble GC activity and cGMP formation. The results implied the feedback inhibition of soluble GC activity by PKG-dependent phosphorylation impeded further formation of cGMP.     

Interferon enhances guanylate cyclase activity in human lymphoma cells

Treatment of the human Burkitt lymphoma derived cell line Daudi with electrophoretically pure human interferon α caused a rapid increase in the intracellular concentration of guanosine 3′,5′ cyclic-monophosphate (cyclic GMP). This increase was accompanied by an enhancement of guanylate cyclase activity in interferon-treated cells. No change in cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase was observed. However electrophoretically pure human interferon α was without effect on the guanylate cyclase activity of cell-free lysates of Daudi cells. This strongly suggests that the increase in the intracellular concentration of cyclic GMP in interferon treated cells is due to an activation of guanylate cyclase which is mediated via an interaction of interferon with its specific cell surface receptor.     

Heme deficiency of soluble guanylate cyclase in rat platelets]

Analysis of soluble guanylate cyclase of rat platelets (105,000 g supernatant) revealed no activating effect of sodium nitroprusside on the enzyme activity. Dithiothreitol (2 x 10(-4) H) added to the sample stimulated the basal activity of guanylate cyclase in the presence of Mg2+ but did not induce the enzyme activation by sodium nitroprusside. Hemoglobin added to the enzyme did not influence its basal activity or the activating effect of sodium nitroprusside. DEAE-Cellulose chromatography of the 105,000 g supernatant revealed two protein peaks, I and II, of which only peak II possessed a guanylate cyclase activity. Fraction I added to a partly purified enzyme did not change the enzyme activity, nor did it enhance the sodium nitroprusside-induced activation of guanylate cyclase. Spectral analysis of the 105,000 g supernatant revealed that the presence of a maximum at 415-425 nm (Soret band) depended on the degree of plasma hemolysis. In the absence of hemolysis the Soret band was unobserved either in the 105,000 g supernatant or in fractions I and II. It is suggested that rat platelet guanylate cyclase is present in these cells in a heme-deficient state.     

Demonstration of protein kinase activities in the coronary artery of cattle]

Protein kinase activities were identified in a soluble and a particulate fraction from the A. coronaria of cattle. For both protein kinase activities Mg++ is essential. Protamine was used as a substrate of the protein kinase activity of the soluble fraction. The pH optimum of the protein kinase activity of the soluble fraction is around 6.5. The Km-value of the protein kinase for ATP is 1.9 +/- 0.4 - 10(-5) M. cAMP stimulates the protein kinase activity more effectively than cGMP. Ca++ cannot replace Mg++; monovalent cations (Na+ and K+) show no influence. The protein kinase activity of the fraction was determined via endogenous phosphorylation. By means of the cAMP-dependent particulate protein kinase 72 to 80 percent of the serine residues are phosphorylated. The pH optimum of the protein kinase activity of the particulate fraction lies around 7.0. The Km-value of the enzyme for ATP is 6.6 +/- 0.8 - 10(-5) M. cGMP stimulates the protein kinase of the particulate fraction better than cAMP. For the protein kinase activity of this fraction Ca++ replaces Mg++ in the endogenous phosphorylation but not in the exogenous phosphorylation (protamine). In the presence of Mg++ and in the additional presence of Na+ or K+, the protein kinase activity is suppressed in the endogenous phosphorylation whereas it is stimulated in the exogenous phosphorylation.     

Melatonin enhances guanylate cyclase activity in a variety of tissues

Summary The objective of the present investigation was to determine if melatonin at physiological concentrations might have part of its mechanism of action through enhancement of guanylate cyclase (E.C.4.6.1.2) activity. Melatonin enhanced guanylate cyclase activity two-three fold in rat anterior pituitary, thyroid, testis, ovary, liver and small intestine at the 1 nanomolar concentration. Some stimulation of hepatic guanylate cyclase activity by melatonin was seen at concentrations as low as 1 picomolar. There was no stimulation of guanylate cyclase activity at concentrations below 1 picomolar. Maximal enhancement of guanylate cyclase activity was seen at the 1 nanomolar concentration of melatonin with no further enhancement being observed with increasing the concentration to the micromolar range. Thus, the data in the present investigation indicates that at concentrations at which melatonin is known to cause physiological effects, melatonin does cause an enhancement of the activity of the guanylate cyclase-cyclic GMP system.     

An endogenous regulator of the guanylate cyclase activity of human platelets

Chromatography of soluble human platelet guanylate cyclase (105,000 g supernatant) on DEAE-cellulose in a linear gradient of NaCl (0-0.5 M) in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer pH 7.6 gave two protein peaks, I and II, of which only peak II possessed the guanylate cyclase activity (0.18-0.22 M NaCl). The protein fraction I was found to possess an inhibiting activity; its addition to the partially purified enzyme decreased the guanylate cyclase activity by 60-70% in the presence of Mg2+ with no effect on the enzyme activity in the presence of Mn2+. The isolated enzyme lost (by approximately 80%) its ability to be activated by sodium nitroprusside; the latter was reconstituted after addition of the inhibiting fraction. The data obtained testify to the heme origin of the endogenous inhibitor of human platelet guanylate cyclase.     

Adenosine stimulates guanylate cyclase activity in vascular smooth muscle cells

Good evidence exists to indicate that the vasodilating effect of adenosine is mediated by cell surface receptors on vascular smooth muscle cells. The mechanism of transmembrane signal transduction for adenosine, however, is not fully understood. Since cGMP is a second messenger known to mediate vasodilation, I have examined the effect of adenosine on the intracellular concentration of cGMP in vascular smooth muscle cells from rat aorta. I found that adenosine at 10(-9) to 10(-5) M led to an increase in intracellular cGMP levels in a dose-dependent fashion. The effect of adenosine on cyclic guanosine inorganic monophosphate (cGMP) could be mimicked by the A-type receptor agonists N6-cyclohexyladenosine and 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine and was attenuated by the A-receptor antagonist theophylline. The order of potency of the adenosine analogues was N6-cyclohexyladenosine greater than 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine greater than adenosine. These findings suggest that the effect of adenosine on cGMPi is mediated by A1-type cell surface receptors. Concerning the mechanism by which adenosine could elevate cGMPi, I found that the effect of adenosine on cGMPi was potentiated by the cGMP phosphodiesterase-specific inhibitor M & B 22948. Moreover, I found that N6-cyclohexyladenosine, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine, and adenosine stimulated a guanylate cyclase in homogenates of the cultured smooth muscle cells in a dose-dependent fashion with the same order of potency as their effects on cGMPi. Further evidence was obtained to indicate that adenosine and its analogues stimulated a particulate guanylate cyclase activity, whereas they did not alter soluble guanylate cyclase activity. Since cGMP is known as a second messenger mediating relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells, the results obtained in this study could suggest that adenosine exerts its vasorelaxing effect by activating an Ai-receptor-linked guanylate cyclase.     

Electroncytochemical and biochemical demonstration of guanylate cyclase activity in the pancreatic islet

Summary With a cytochemical method using guanylyl imidodiphosphate as a substrate, the guanylate cyclase activity was localized on the plasma membrane of A, B and D cells of islets of Langerhans isolated from the rat. Adequate control experiments were performed by a double-blind method. Parallel biochemical assay showed that guanylate cyclase activity was not completely lost after fixation with 1% glutaraldehyde and incubation with 4 mM lead nitrate. Furthermore, the depressed activity was still stimulatable with acetylcholine.This investigation was supported by grants from the Bickell Foundation and the Medical Research Council of Canada (MA-868). Part of this work was presented at the 35th Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association on June 16, 1975     

A sensitive method for the assay of guanylate cyclase activity.

A method for the assay of guanylate cyclase is described utilizing alpha-[32P]-GTP as substrate for the enzyme reaction. 100-150 microgram of enzyme protein is incubated in a 15.6 mM Tris-HCl buffer incubation mixture, pH 7.6. The reaction is stopped by the addition of EDTA. The [32P]-cyclic GMP formed is separated by a two-step column chromatography on Dowex 50W-X4 ion-exchange resin and neutral alumina. The recovery for cyclic GMP was about 70%. The blank values ranged from 0.001-0.003% of the added alpha-[32P]-GTP which had been purified by Dowex 50W-X4 column chromatography. This method was employed for the assay of guanylate cyclase activities in different tissues.     

The role of carnosine in the function of soluble of guanylate cyclase]

The effect of carnosine on activation of human platelet soluble guanylate cyclase has been studied in 105,000 g supernatants and partially purified haem-deficient enzyme preparations. In the 105,000 g supernatant carnosine (1 mM) inhibited (by about 70%) the enzyme activation caused by sodium nitroprusside. In partially purified haem-deficient guanylate cyclase preparations the inhibition of enzyme activation by sodium nitroprusside was 86%; further addition of carnosine had no effect on the enzyme activity. The strength of the activating effect of protoporphyrin IX on partially purified haem-deficient guanylate cyclase did not differ from that for the 105,000 g supernatant; this stimulating effect did not change after carnosine addition. A conclusion is drawn that the inhibiting effect of carnosine on the ability of guanylate cyclase to be activated by sodium nitroprusside is due to the dipeptide interaction with the guanylate cyclase haem.     

Characterization of guanylate cyclase activity in single retinal rod outer segments

cGMP mediates vertebrate phototransduction by directly gating cationic channels on the plasma membrane of the photoreceptor outer segment. This second messenger is produced by a guanylate cyclase and hydrolyzed by a light-activated cGMP-phosphodiesterase. Both of these enzyme activities are Ca2+ sensitive, the guanylate cyclase activity being inhibited and the light-activated phosphodiesterase being enhanced by Ca2+. Changes in these activities due to a light-induced decrease in intracellular Ca2+ are involved in the adaptation of photoreceptors to background light. We describe here experiments to characterize the guanylate cyclase activity and its modulation by Ca2+ using a truncated rod outer segment preparation, in order to evaluate the enzyme's role in light adaptation. The outer segment of a tiger salamander rod was drawn into a suction pipette to allow recording of membrane current, and the remainder of the cell was sheared off with a probe to allow internal dialysis. The cGMP-gated channels on the surface membrane were used to monitor conversion of GTP, supplied from the bath, into cGMP by the guanylate cyclase in the outer segment. At nominal 0 Ca2+, the cyclase activity had a Km of 250 microM MgGTP and a Vmax of 25 microM cGMP s-1 in the presence of 1.6 mM free Mg2+; in the presence of 0.5 mM free Mg2+, the Km was 310 microM MgGTP and the Vmax was 17 microM cGMP s-1. The stimulation by Mg2+ had an EC50 of 0.2 mM Mg2+ for MgGTP at 0.5 mM. Ca2+ inhibited the cyclase activity. In a K+ intracellular solution, with 0.5 mM free Mg2+ and 2.0 mM GTP, the cyclase activity was 13 microM cGMP s-1 at nominal 0 Ca2+; Ca2+ decreased this activity with a IC50 of approximately 90 nM and a Hill coefficient of approximately 2.0.     

Regulation of soluble guanylate cyclase activity by porphyrins and metalloporphyrins

Alterations of the chemical structure of protoporphyrin IX markedly altered the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase purified from bovine lung. Hydrophobic side chains at positions 2 and 4 and vicinal propionic acid residues at positions 6 and 7 of the porphyrin ring (protoporphyrin IX, mesoporphyrin IX) were essential for maximal enzyme activation (Ka = 7-8 nM; Vmax = 6-8 mumol of cGMP/min/mg). Substitution of hydrophobic with polar groups (hematoporphyrin IX, coproporphyrin III), or with hydrogen atoms ( deuteroporphyrin IX), and methylation of propionate residues resulted in decreased enzyme stimulation. Stimulatory porphyrins increased the Vmax and the apparent affinities of enzyme for MgGTP and uncomplexed Mg2+. An open central core in the porphyrin ring was essential for enzyme activation. The pyrrolic nitrogen adduct, N-phenylprotoporphyrin IX, was inhibitory and competitive with protoporphyrin IX (KI = 73 nM). Similarly, metalloporphyrins inhibited enzymatic activity and ferro-protoporphyrin IX (KI = 350 nM), zinc-protoporphyrin IX (KI = 50 nM) and manganese-protoporphyrin IX (KI = 9 nM) were competitive with protoporphyrin IX. Inhibitory porphyrins and metalloporphyrins also prevented enzyme activation by S-nitroso-N- acetylpenicillamine and NO. Guanylate cyclase reconstituted with such porphyrins required higher concentrations of protoporphyrin IX for further activation and were not activated by NO. Thus, porphyrins, metalloporphyrins, and NO appeared to interact at a common binding site on guanylate cyclase. This common site is likely that which normally binds heme and, therefore, NO-heme when the heme-containing enzyme is exposed to NO. Thus, NO and nitroso compounds may react with enzyme-bound heme to generate a modified porphyrin which structurally resembles protoporphyrin IX in its interaction with guanylate cyclase.