Platelet cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase released by thrombin and calcium ionophore.

Contact of rat platelets with thrombin or the divalent cation ionophore A-23187, in the presence of extracellular calcium, resulted in the secretion of adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) phosphodiesterases. Significant association of calcium with platelets occurred during platelet surface contact with thrombin. Thrombin concentration to induce association of calcium virtually agreed with that to release the enzyme. The finding that A-23187 (5 to 20 muM) also provoked a rapid and marked association of extracellular calcium with platelets suggests that calcium mobilization into the intracellular environment may account, at least in part, for this association between platelet and calcium. Two different phosphodiesterases, a relatively specific cyclic AMP and a relatively specific cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase were secreted from platelets into the plasma in soluble form. The amounts of the phosphodiesterases secreted were dose- or time-dependent on thrombin (0.1 to 2 units) or A-23187 (5 to 20 muM) within 30 min. The enzyme release by thrombin was completely inhibited by heparin but the release by A-23187 was not. The two phosphodiesterases secreted seemed to correspond to the two enzymes isolated from platelet homogenates in many respects. Rat platelets contained, at least, three cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterases, namely, two relatively specific cyclic AMP phoshodiesterases and a relatively specific cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase which were clearly separated from each other by Sepharose 6B or DEAE-cellulose column chromatography or sucrose gradient centrifugation. The two platelet cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (Mr = 180,000 and 280,000) had similar apparent Km values of 0.69 and 0.75 muM with different sedimentation coefficient values of 4.9 S and 7.1 S, respectively. They did not hydrolyze cyclic GMP significantly. A cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (Mr - 260,000) exhibited abnormal kinetics for cyclic GMP with an apparent Km value of 1.5 muM and normal kinetics for cyclic AMP with a Km of 300 muM. The properties of a platelet cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (Mr = 180,000) and a platelet cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase were found to agree with those of the two phosphodiesterases released from platelets by thrombin or A-23187. Depletion of extracellular calcium by an addition of citrate, EDTA, or ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) to the blood or platelet suspension resulted in a loss of the activity of the smaller form of platelet cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (Mr = 180,000) and addition of calcium restored the activity of this cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. Thus, calcium seemed to be involved in the mechanism of an occurrence of this smaller form of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase as well as the secretion of this enzyme. Contact of human platelets with thrombin also resulted in the secretion of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase which was dependent on the concentration of calcium. No species difference was observed in this respect.     

Stimulation of rat liver cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase by cyclic GMP is dependent on enzyme concentration

A high-speed supernatant of rat liver extract displayed multiple forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17). One of the forms catalyzed the hydrolysis of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP, with approximately comparable facility. One salient feature of the enzyme is that at micromolar concentrations, cyclic GMP stimulated the hydrolysis of cyclic AMP, but not vice versa. Another is that the activity of phosphodiesterase varied as a function of enzyme concentration in the assayed system: the enzyme activity was higher at low than at high enzyme concentrations. A concentrated enzyme was not stimulated by cyclic GMP but was stimulated by cyclic GMP upon dilution of the enzyme. Conversely, stimulation of the enzyme by cyclic GMP could be reversed by increasing the enzyme concentration. The cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was partially purified by a continuous sucrose density gradient. The apparent change of phosphodiesterase activity as a function of enzyme concentration was also observed after partial purification by the sucrose density gradient. High enzyme concentrations favored the aggregated form of phosphodiesterase, whereas low concentrations favored the dissociated form. Dilution of the enzyme shifted the equilibrium toward the dissociated form, which presumably exposed the cyclic GMP regulatory site on the enzyme molecule.     

A heat-stable protein inhibitor of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase.

A heat-stable, non-dialyzable inhibitory factor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodieterase was detected in and partially purified from bovine retina. The factor appears to be a protein, since the inhibitory activity was abolished by trypsin digestion but not by DNAase or RNAase treatment. The protein inhibitor from bovine retina effectively inhibits the Ca2+-independent phosphodiesterase from several sources, including bovine retina, bovine rod outer segment, and a human lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, indicating lack of tissue and species specificity.     

Cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase. Stimulation of bovine brain cytoplasmic enzyme by lysophosphatidylcholine.

Brain cytoplasmic cyclic 3':5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) requires an endogenous Ca2+-binding protein for ful activity. We now show that lysophosphatidylcholine also effectively enhances activator-deficient phosphodiesterase activity. Stimulation by both ligands was immediate and reversible; both rendered the enzyme more thermally labile, decreased the energy of activation, and increased the Vmax of phosphodiesterase without affecting its apparent Km for adenosine 3'5'-monophosphate. However, the cofactor requirements of the two ligands were different. Although the protein activator gave a greater stimulation than lysophosphatidylcholine, the simultaneous presence of the two gave a stimulation comparable to lysophosphatidylcholine, suggesting that the effect of the latter was predominant. Phosphodiesterase was also stimulated by oleic acid, cardiolipin, and phosphatidylinositol, albeit to a less extent.     

Properties of a cyclic 3'5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase from Vigna mungo

Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) partially purified from roots of Vigna mungo exhibited optimum activity at pH 5.5 to 6.0 and maximum enzyme activity at 50 degrees C. Levels of PDE activity in roots remained relatively constant from the first to the eleventh day after germination; on the twelfth day there was a 400% increase in PDE activity. The enzyme was stable for at least 48 hours at 28 degrees C, retaining 92% of its original activity. Plant growth hormones including gibberellic acid, indoleacetic acid and kinetin at 1.0 and 10.0 microM concentrations did not have any significant effect on enzyme activity. Nucleotides tested including cyclic 2'3' AMP, cyclic 2'3' GMP completely abolished enzyme activity at 1.0mM while cyclic 3'5' GMP, cyclic 3'5' GMP, 2'deoxy 5' ATP, 2'deoxy 5'GTP and 5'ADP were also inhibitory to the enzyme. The enzyme was stimulated by Mg2+, Fe2+ and NH4+ while Cu2+ and Fe3+ were inhibitory. Theophylline, caffeine, phosphate, pyrophosphate and EDTA were inhibitory to the enzyme.     

Particulate cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase and calmodulin of cardiac muscle

Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase and calmodulin were measured in purified subcellular fractions of cardiac muscle. Phosphodiesterase activity solubilized by sonication of the nuclear fraction yielded a major 6.6 S form which was calcium-sensitive and cyclic GMP-specific. Phosphodiesterase activity occurring in the nuclear fraction could be further enriched by subfractionation on sucrose density gradients in the presence of MgCl2.     

Underestimation of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity by a radioisotopic assay using an anionic-exchange resin.

The anionic-exchange resin technique utilizing isotopically labeled cyclic AMP (or cyclic GMP) and an auxiliary enzyme, 5′-nucleotidase, for the assay of phosphodiesterase (Thompson, M. J., and Appleman, M. M. (1971) Biochemistry10, 311) does not accurately measure the enzyme activity due to adsorption of the product (adenosine or guanosine) by the resin. Binding of adenosine or guanosine by the resin may lead to an underestimation of phosphodiesterase activity. Under comparable conditions, adsorption of guanosine by the resin is much larger than that of adenosine. Consequently, cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity is underestimated more than cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity.     

The reaction of alkylating agents with cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase

The reaction of anti-tumour alkylating agents with beef heart cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.c) has been investigated. This enzyme exists in two forms differing in their Michaelis-Menten K_m values. Chlorambucil [p-(di-2-chloroethylamino)-phenyl-butyric acid] inhibits the form of the enzyme with a low K_m value with a velocity constant for inactivation three times that for inhibition of the high K_m form. While the monofunctional N-ethyl analogue of chlorambucil is ineffective as an inhibitor of either form of the enzyme, iodoacetate inhibits both forms, though the velocity constant for inactivation of each form is much less than that for chlorambucil. Also the rate of inactivation of each form does not significantly differ. A cross-linking mechanism for the inactivation of regulatory enzymes is proposed.     

Repressible extracellular phosphodiesterases showing cyclic 2',3'- and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities in Neurospora crassa.

Two molecular species of repressible extracellular phosphodiesterases showing cyclic 2',3'- and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities were detected in mycelial culture media of wild-type Neurospora crassa and purified. The two molecular species were found to be monomeric and polymeric forms of an enzyme constituted of identical subunits having molecular weights of 50,000. This enzyme had the same electrophoretic mobility as repressible acid phosphatase. The enzyme designated repressible cyclic phosphodiesterase showed pH optima of 3.2 to 4.0 with a cyclic 3',5'-AMP substrate and 5.0 to 5.6 with a cyclic 2',3'-AMP substrate. Repressible cyclic phosphodiesterase was activated by MnCl2 and CoCl2 with cyclic 2',3'-AMP as substrate and was slightly activated by MnCl2 with cyclic 3',5'-AMP. The enzyme hydrolyzed cyclic 3',5'- and cyclic 2',3'-nucleotides, in addition to bis-rho-nitrophenyl phosphate, but not certain 5' -and 3'-nucleotides. 3'-GMP and 3'-CMP were hydrolyzed less efficiently. Mutant strains A1 (nuc-1) and B1 (nuc-2), which cannot utilize RNA or DNA as a sole source of phosphorus, were unable to produce repressible cyclic phosphodiesterase. The wild type (74A) and a heterocaryon between strains A1 and B1 produced the enzyme and showed growth on orthophosphate-free media containing cyclic 2',3'-AMP or cyclic 3',5'-AMP, whereas both mutants showed little or no growth on these media.     

Serum cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase in patients with various thyroid disorders

Previous observations that cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity exists in mammalian sera including human serum prompted us to investigate the phosphodiesterase levels in sera of patients with various thyroid disorders. Both serum cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE) activities measured in a low substrate concentration were elevated 3-fold in subacute thyroiditis and slightly in hyperthyroidism, compared to the normal. Slight decreases of these enzyme activities were observed in primary hypothyroidism. PDE activities were positively correlated with the value of T3-RSU and serum thyroid hormone levels in hyper- and hypothyroidism. Altered enzyme activities returned to normal during the course of recovery. Identical results were obtained when plasma was tested. These results suggest that serum PDE activities may be partly related to the thyroid function.     

Ultracytochemistry of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in the planarian Dugesia lugubris (O. Schmidt)

The enzyme 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase was localized in certain tissues of the planarian Dugesia lugubris (O. Schmidt) by means of ultracytochemical methods. This enzyme was found to be active in epithelium, muscles, nerve tissue and in rhabdite-forming cells. The active enzyme was present at the outer or inner side of the membrane, and even in the cytoplasm. Problems of the ultracytochemical localization of PDE are discussed.