A two-step mechanism of fluoride inhibition of rat liver inorganic pyrophosphatase.

Product formation curves for inorganic pyrophosphatase-catalyzed hydrolysis of pyrophosphate in the presence of fluoride were analyzed in order to get insight into the mechanism of its inhibitory action on this enzyme. The enzymatic reaction was monitored with a phosphate analyzer operating on the time scale of seconds. Inhibition patterns were virtually identical for cytosolic and mitochondrial pyrophosphatases. The effect of fluoride was biphasic: it caused a rapid (t 1/2 less than 1 s) decrease in the initial velocity of the reaction followed by slow (t 1/2 greater than or equal to 4 s) inactivation of the enzyme during catalysis. The slow phase resulted in trapping intact substrate at the active site, and the resulting complex could be isolated by gel filtration. Pyrophosphatase remained active when incubated with fluoride in the absence of pyrophosphate or in the presence of its bisphosphonate analogs, which are bound to but not hydrolyzed by this enzyme. These features of the inhibition are consistent with the mechanism in which rapid binding of the inhibitor to the enzyme.substrate complex is followed by its slow isomerization. Kinetic parameters obtained in this work indicate that appreciable inactivation of pyrophosphatase can occur at fluoride concentrations found in human plasma. This effect may therefore be one of the major factors contributing to fluoride toxicity.     

Induction of heme oxygenase mRNA by cobalt protoporphyrin in rat liver

The effect of cobaltic(III)-protoporphyrin on heme oxygenase activity and mRNA content was examined in vivo in the adult male rat liver. The activity of heme oxygenase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the degradation of heme, was enhanced, as expected, by cobalt protoporphyrin (25 mumol/kg body weight) in a time-dependent manner. Levels of enzyme activity were increased 2-fold by 8-16 h following treatment and were 6-fold higher than baseline values by 48 h. Administration of cobalt protoporphyrin resulted in a marked increase in heme oxygenase mRNA in the liver. Within 2 h of treatment, mRNA levels had increased 7.9-fold. The induction of heme oxygenase mRNA was maximal at 8 h when the levels were 58.5-fold above baseline. At every time point tested, the increase in heme oxygenase mRNA was several fold greater than that of enzyme activity.     

Inhibition of haem synthesis caused by cobalt in rat liver. Evidence for two different sites of action.

Cobalt inhibits liver haem synthesis in vivo by acting at least two different sites in the biosynthetic pathway: (1) synthesis of 5-aminolaevulinate and (2) conversion of 5-amino-laevulinate into haem. The first effect is largely, if not entirely, due to inhibition of the activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase, rather than to inhibition of the formation of the enzyme. The second effect results from diversion of 5-aminolaevulinate into an unidentified liver pool with solubility properties similar to those of cobalt protoporphyrin.     

Studies on the mechanism of induction of haem oxygenase by cobalt and other metal ions.

Cobalt ions (Co2+) are potent inducers of haem oxygenase in liver and inhibit microsomal drug oxidation probably by depleting microsomal haem and cytochrome P-450. Complexing of Co2+ ions with cysteine or glutathione (GSH) blocked ability of the former to induce haem oxygenase. When hepatic GSH content was depleted by treatment of animals with diethyl maleate, the inducing effect of Co2+ on haem oxygenase was significantly augmented. Other metal ions such as Cr2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+ were also capable of inducing haem oxygenase and depleting microsomal haem and cytochrome P-450. None of these metal ions had a stimulatory effect on hepatic haem oxidation activity in vitro. It is suggested that the inducing action of Co2+ and other metal ions on microsomal haem oxygenase involves either the covalent binding of the metal ions to some cellular component concerned directly with regulating haem oxygenase or non-specific complex-formation by the metal ions, which depletes some regulatory system in liver cells of an essential component involved in controlling synthesis or activity of the enzyme.     

Decrease in hepatic cytochrome P-450 by cobalt. Evidence for a role of cobalt protoporphyrin.

Exposure of cultured chick-embryo hepatocytes to increasing concentrations of CoCl2 in the presence of allylisopropylacetamide results in formation of cobalt protoporphyrin, with a reciprocal decrease in haem and cytochrome P-450. Treatment of rats with CoCl2 (84 mumol/kg) and 5-aminolaevulinate (0.2 mmol/kg) also results in formation of cobalt protoporphyrin and a decrease in cytochrome P-450 in the liver. Hepatic microsomal fractions from rats treated with phenobarbital, CoCl2 and 5-aminolaevulinate were analysed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cobalt protoporphyrin was associated mainly with proteins of 50000-53000 mol.wt. The results suggest that the formation of cobalt protoporphyrin occurred at the expense of the synthesis of haem, leading to a decrease in cytochrome P-450. Furthermore, the cobalt protoporphyrin that was formed may itself have been incorporated into apocytochrome P-450.     

Induction of liver cell haem oxygenase in iron-overloaded rats.

Rats were chronically iron-overloaded by intraperitonel injections of iron-dextran. Electron microscopy revealed that the excess iron was deposited in ferritin-like particles packed in lysosomes and scattered in hepatic cytoplasm. No mitochondrial iron deposition or damage was seen. Furthermore, mitochondrial preparations from chronically iron-overloaded animals were found to be contaminated with lysosomes, which could explain previously reported increases in mitochondrial iron by chemical analysis. Mitochondrial function, as measured by cytochromes a-a3, b and c concentrations as well as activity of the rate-limiting enzyme of haem synthesis, delta-aminolaevulinate synthetase, was not diminished by chronic iron-overloading. Microsomal haem was decreased by 30% at the time that haem oxygenase, the rate-limiting enzyme of haem degradation, was increased approx. 3-fold. Animals were given a single intraperitoneal injection of iron-dextran and the activities of delta-aminolaevulinate synthetase and haem oxygenase were measured over 24 h. delta-Aminolaevulinate synthetase activity increased approx. 2-fold in these acutely iron-overloaded rat livers, but at a time after the increase in haem oxygenase. These results suggest that an early consequence of excess iron in liver is acceleration of the rate of haem degradation, possible by haem oxygenase.     

The regulation of liver phosphoprotein phosphatase by inorganic pyrophosphate and cobalt.

The preincubation of rat liver crude extracts with ATP caused a 60% inactivation of phosphoprotein phosphatase in 30 min at 30 °C. The presence of Mg²⁺, or cyclic AMP, along with ATP in the preincubation mixture had no effect on the inactivation of phosphatase caused by ATP. The crude liver phosphatase was also inactivated by ADP or PP_i; PP_i being the most potent inactivating metabolite. AMP, adenosine or P_i were without any effect. The effect of ATP or PP_i was completely reversed by cobalt. The cobalt effect was very specific and could not be replaced by several metal ions tested except by Mn²⁺ which was partly active. With the aid of sucrose density gradient studies, it was also shown that PP_icauses an apparent conversion of a 4.1 S form to a 7.8 S form of the enzyme in rat liver extracts. Cobalt, on the other hand, converts the higher 7.8 S form to a lower 4.1 S form of the enzyme. The preincubation of purified rabbit liver phosphoprotein phosphatase with PP_i also caused a complete inactivation of the enzyme in 40 min. The inactivation of the enzyme by PP_i was completely reversed by cobalt. Unlike the apparent interconversion between different molecular forms of the enzyme by PP_i and cobalt in rat liver crude extracts, no such interconversion of purified rabbit liver phosphoprotein phosphatase was observed in the presence of PP_i and cobalt.     

Electron-transport pathway of the NADH-dependent haem oxygenase system of rat liver microsomal fraction induced by cobalt chloride.

The hepatic microsomal haem oxygenase activity of rats treated with CoCl2 was studied kinetically by measuring biliverdin, the immediate product of the reaction. Biliverdin was extracted with diethyl ether/ethanol mixture, and was determined by the difference between A690 and A800. The apparent Km value for NADPH (at 50 microM-haematin) was about 0.2 microM when an NADPH-generating system was used, whereas that for NADH was about 630 microM. Essentially the same Vmax. values were obtained for both the NADH- and NADPH-dependent haem oxygenase reactions. No synergism was observed with NADH and NADPH. The NADH-dependent reaction was competitively inhibited by NADP+, with a Ki of about 10 microM. The inhibitoin of the NADH-dependent reaction by the antibody against rat liver microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was essentially complete, with a pattern similar to that of the NADPH-dependent reaction. The immunochemical experiment and the comparison of the kinetic values with the reported data on isolated NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase and NADPH--cytochrome c reductase indicated the involvement of the latter enzyme in NADH-dependent haem oxygenation by microsomal fraction in situ.     

The biosynthesis of alkaline phosphatase with a particulate fraction of Escherichia coli. The mechanism of inhibition by inorganic phosphate

1. By digitonin lysis of penicillin spheroplasts of Escherichia coli a particulate fraction P₁ was previously obtained that supported the sustained synthesis of alkaline phosphatase when supplied with amino acids, nucleotide triphosphates and other cofactors. This P₁ fraction, when subjected to mild ultrasonic treatment in the presence of sucrose and Mg²⁺, yielded the P₁(S) fraction, consisting of integrated particulate subcellular particles containing DNA and RNA. 2. The P₁(S) fraction from E. coli K10 wild type (R⁺₁R⁺₂P⁺) grown under repressed conditions supported the immediate synthesis of alkaline phosphatase in vitro. The synthesis occurred in phases. The first was followed by a lag, and then there was a linear rapid phase that continued for at least 3hr. Actinomycin D inhibited the appearance of the second phase. It was concluded that the particles are programmed to synthesize enzyme even when prepared from repressed cells, and therefore that synthesis of the specific messenger RNA for alkaline phosphatase in vivo was not inhibited when the bacteria were grown in an excess of inorganic phosphate. 3. Phosphate inhibited synthesis of enzyme to the same extent with the P₁(S) fractions of two constitutive strains as with the P₁(S) fraction of the wild-type strain. 4. Inorganic phosphate inhibited amino acid incorporation with the P₁(S) fraction and also inhibited enzyme synthesis in vitro. The effect on amino acid incorporation could be partially overcome by adding Mn²⁺ to the incubation mixtures. However, Mn²⁺ inhibited the synthesis of alkaline phosphatase. Also, inhibition of the incorporation of [³²P]CTP into RNA was overcome by Mn²⁺. The effect of phosphate on amino acid uptake was most probably due to a phosphorolysis of RNA by polynucleotide phosphorylase, also present in the P₁(S) fraction. This phosphorolysis may be responsible for the instability of messenger RNA in vitro and in vivo. 5. Phosphate also specifically inhibited the formation of alkaline phosphatase, since it did not affect markedly the induced formation of β-galactosidase by the same P₁(S) fraction. The specific effect is attributed to the prevention of formation of the enzymically active dimer from precursors, a Zn²⁺-dependent reaction. It is suggested that the repression of the synthesis of alkaline phosphatase in vivo in the wild-type strain was the sum of these two effects.     

Effects of metalloporphyrins on hemoglobin formation in mouse Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemia cells. Stimulation of heme biosynthesis by cobalt protoporphyrin

Mouse Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemia cells in culture undergo erythroid differentiation when treated with a variety of compounds including iron protoporphyrin IX, i.e. hemin. Exogenous hemin is not only incorporated into hemoglobin in these cells but also stimulates heme biosynthesis (Granick, J. L., and Sassa, S. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 5402-5406). In this study, we examined whether metalloporphyrins other than hemin can also induce differentiation, and if so, whether they can also be incorporated into hemoglobin. Among eight metalloporphyrins examined in culture of these cells, i.e. Co, Mn, Cu, Mg, Ni, Zn, Sn, and Cd protoporphyrin IX, only Co protoporphyrin (10(-4) M) was found to significantly increase the biosynthesis of heme and hemoglobin. In contrast to hemin-mediated induction of erythroid differentiation, Co protoporphyrin was not incorporated into hemoglobin in Friend cells. These data indicate that Co protoporphyrin induces the formation of heme and hemoglobin in Friend cells and that these increases are due to the enhancement of heme biosynthetic activity.     

Oxidation of protoporphyrinogen to protoporphyrin, a step in chlorophyll and haem biosynthesis. Purification and partial characterization of the enzyme from barley organelles.

The protoporphyrinogen-oxidizing enzyme from Triton X-100 extracts of the mitochondrial and etioplast fractions of etiolated barley was purified by using ion-exchange and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The purified enzyme from both organelle fractions exhibited a Km of 5 microM and was labile to mild heat and acidification. The pH optimum (5-6) and the substrate-specificity (mesoporphyrinogen was oxidized as rapidly as protoporphyrinogen) revealed properties very different from the protoporphyrinogen-oxidizing enzyme of rat liver or yeast mitochondria, which is specific for protoporphyrinogen as substrate. The purest fractions showed a polypeptide band corresponding to an Mr of approx. 36,000 on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This is the first purification and characterization of the enzyme from a plant, and indicates no readily detectable differences between the enzyme isolated from mitochondrial or etioplast fractions, although only the latter organelle has the capacity for both haem and chlorophyll synthesis.     

Formation of cytochrome P-450 containing haem or cobalt-protoporphyrin in liver homogenates of rats treated with phenobarbital and allylisopropylacetamide.

The potent porphyrogen allylisopropylacetamide and related compounds decrease hepatic concentrations of cytochrome P-450. This decrease occurs particularly in phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 and is caused by suicidal breakdown of the haem of cytochrome P-450. Quantitative rocket immunoelectrophoresis showed that the protein moiety of the major phenobarbital-inducible form of hepatic cytochrome P-450 was not diminished up to 1 h, but was markedly decreased (to 43% of that of the phenobarbital-treated control) at 20 h after allylisopropylacetamide treatment. In contrast, the concentration of total cytochrome P-450, measured spectrophotometrically, decreased to 30-40% of the control at both 1 and 20 h after allylisopropylacetamide. Cytochrome P-450-dependent demethylations of ethylmorphine and benzphetamine decreased to a similar extent. When liver homogenates from rats treated with allylisopropylacetamide 1 h before being killed were incubated with haem, functional holocytochrome P-450 could be reconstituted from the apoprotein. Incubation with haem increased spectrophotometrically measurable cytochrome P-450 to 69%, ethylmorphine demethylase to 64% and benzphetamine demethylase to 93% of the activities in rats treated with phenobarbital alone. At 20 h after allylisopropylacetamide treatment, however, little or no reconstitution of cytochrome P-450 occurred after incubation with haem. When liver homogenates were incubated with cobalt and protoporphyrin, and microsomal proteins were then subjected to polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, cobalt-protoporphyrin was found specifically associated with proteins of Mr 50 000-53 000. When homogenates from rats given allylisopropylacetamide for 1 h or 20 h were compared, it was found that the extent of this association was higher in livers from the rats containing more apocytochrome P-450, suggesting that cobalt-protoporphyrin had associated with the apocytochrome. The data provide insight into the association of haem with the protein moiety of cytochrome P-450 and factors affecting breakdown of this protein.     

Effect of cobalt on heme biosynthesis in rat liver and spleen.

1. Succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity in rat liver decreased to about 60% of the control value after a single injection of cobalt or in a steady state of intoxication, but the activity in the spleen was unaltered. 2. Incorporation of radioactive glycine and 5-aminolevulinate into heme of the liver was markedly inhibited by cobalt treatment. 3. 5-Aminolevulinate synthase [EC 2.3.1.37] activity in the liver decreased to 40% of the control value 4 hr after cobalt injection, and completely recovered 20 hr later. Phenylhydrazine-induced 5-aminolevulinate synthase activity in the spleen was not decreased by cobalt injection. 4. Porphobilinogen synthase [EC 4.2.1.24] activity in the liver decreased and reached its minimum value (42% of the control) 12 hr after cobalt injection. On the other hand, the activity in the spleen showed a marked increase 24 hr after coblat injection. 5. Ferrochelatase [EC 4.99.1.1] activity in the liver was essentially unaltered by cobalt treatment, while the activity in the spleen was elevated dramatically after 24 hr. 6. Concentrations of cobalt after a single injection were about 0.3 mM and 0.03 mM in the liver and spleen, respectively. 7. Inhibitions of 5-aminolevulinate synthase and porphobilinogen synthase activities by cobalt in vitro were not as marked as expected from in vivo experiments.     

Topological arrangement in microsomal membranes of hepatic haem oxygenase induced by cobalt chloride.

Arysulphatase A was purified from rabbit testis. The purification was accomplished by a four-step procedure involving (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, SP(sulphopropyl)-Sephadex and affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. The specific activity of purified preparation was 135 mumol/min per mg of protein, which represented an increase of 900-fold above that of the crude homogenate. The purified enzyme (20-50 micrograms) was found to move electrophoretically as a single band on polyacrylamide gel at pH 7.2 and 8.4. The homogeneous enzyme was shown to be a glycoprotein with 0.8% (w/w) of N-acetylneuraminic acid and 20% neutral sugar. The treatment of purified enzyme with bacterial neuraminidase had no effect on enzyme activity or kinetic properties, but it changed the elution prolife of rabbit testis arylsulphatase A through DEAE-Sephadex. The purified enzyme was strongly inhibited by Cu2+, Fe3+ and Ag+. It hydrolysed several sulphate esters including cerebroside 3-sulphate, ascorbic acid 2-sulphate and steroid sulphates. Pure arysulphatase was effective in dispersing the cumulus cells of rabbit ova.     

Studies on the biosynthesis of tetrahymanol in Tetrahymena pyriformis. The mechanism of inhibition by cholesterol

Tetrahymanol biosynthesis by the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis was progressively inhibited by the inclusion of cholesterol in the growth medium. Studies with labelled precursors of tetrahymanol have established that there are two major sites of inhibition in whole cells. The inhibition at the first site, between acetate and mevalonate, occurred rapidly after addition of cholesterol. The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.34), a predominantly cytosolic enzyme in this organism, was not inhibited in cholesterol-grown cells nor by addition of cholesterol directly to the assay medium. The second major site of inhibition in whole cells is between mevalonate and squalene and this is accompanied by inhibition of the enzyme that converts farnesyl-pyrophosphate into squalene (squalene synthetase). Squalene cyclase is partially inhibited. The conversion of mevalonate into tetrahymanol in vitro was not inhibited by the addition of cholesterol to the assay medium. Tetrahymanol added to the culture medium is taken up by the cells but does not inhibit endogenous biosynthesis. It is suggested that cholesterol inhibits the later stages of tetrahymanol biosynthesis by causing a change in membrane structure and function which alters the activity of membrane-bound enzymes.     

Regional distribution of the enzymes of haem biosynthesis and the inhibition of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase by manganese in the rat brain

The activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of haem biosynthesis, is differentially distributed in various regions of the rat brain. The cerebellum possessed the highest enzyme activity of the eight regions studied. The cerebral cortex and the midbrain also exhibited high 5-aminolaevulinate synthase activity; the septum, hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus possessed much lower enzyme activity. However, the total porphyrin and haem contents of the different brain segments did not vary greatly. Mn²⁺, when administered subcutaneously to rats, effectively inhibited the activity of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase in the cerebellum, midbrain and cerebral cortex; however, repeated injections of the metal ion neither decreased the haem and porphyrin contents of the brain nor induced haem oxygenase activity. Mn²⁺ was not an effective inhibitor of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase activity in vitro. On the other hand, studies carried out with the liver in vivo suggested that Mn²⁺ may alter the turnover rate of cellular haem and haemoproteins. In that event, it is likely that the inhibition of 5-aminolaevulinate synthase by Mn²⁺ was in part a result of the inhibition of protein synthesis by the metal ion. It is postulated that the haem and porphyrin contents of the brain are maintained at a steady-state level, due in part to the refractoriness to inducers of the regulatory mechanism for haem catabolic enzymes and in part to the ability of the organ to utilize haem precursors derived from extraneuronal sources.