Peripheral distribution of kynurenine metabolites and activity of kynurenine pathway enzymes in renal failure.

We investigated L-kynurenine distribution and metabolism in rats with experimental chronic renal failure of various severity, induced by unilateral nephrectomy and partial removal of contralateral kidney cortex. In animals with renal insufficiency the plasma concentration and the content of L-tryptophan in homogenates of kidney, liver, lung, intestine and spleen were significantly decreased. These changes were accompanied by increase activity of liver tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase, the rate-limiting enzyme of kynurenine pathway in rats, while indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity was unchanged. Conversely, the plasma concentration and tissue content of L-kynurenine, 3-hydroxykynurenine, and anthranilic, kynurenic, xanthurenic and quinolinic acids in the kidney, liver, lung, intestine, spleen and muscles were increased. The accumulation of L-kynurenine and the products of its degradation was proportional to the severity of renal failure and correlated with the concentration of renal insufficiency marker, creatinine. Kynurenine aminotransferase, kynureninase and 3-hydroxyanthranilate-3,4-dioxygenase activity was diminished or unchanged, while the activity of kynurenine 3-hydroxylase was significantly increased. We conclude that chronic renal failure is associated with the accumulation of L-kynurenine metabolites, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of certain uremic syndromes.     

Identification of formyl kynurenine formamidase and kynurenine aminotransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae using crystallographic, bioinformatic and biochemical evidence

The essential enzymatic cofactor NAD+ can be synthesized in many eukaryotes, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammals, using tryptophan as a starting material. Metabolites along the pathway or on branches have important biological functions. For example, kynurenic acid can act as an NMDA antagonist, thereby functioning as a neuroprotectant in a wide range of pathological states. N-Formyl kynurenine formamidase (FKF) catalyzes the second step of the NAD+ biosynthetic pathway by hydrolyzing N-formyl kynurenine to produce kynurenine and formate. The S. cerevisiae FKF had been reported to be a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme encoded by BNA3. We used combined crystallographic, bioinformatic and biochemical methods to demonstrate that Bna3p is not an FKF but rather is most likely the yeast kynurenine aminotransferase, which converts kynurenine to kynurenic acid. Additionally, we identify YDR428C, a yeast ORF coding for an alpha/beta hydrolase with no previously assigned function, as the FKF. We predicted its function based on our interpretation of prior structural genomics results and on its sequence homology to known FKFs. Biochemical, bioinformatics, genetic and in vivo metabolite data derived from LC-MS demonstrate that YDR428C, which we have designated BNA7, is the yeast FKF.     

GAS6 / AXL 信号通路失活对小鼠能量代谢的影响简

目的 研究小鼠生长停滞特异蛋白6（growth arrest-specific gene 6,GAS6）信号通路的失活对维持机体能量代谢稳态的影响.方法 以GAS6主要受体Axl基因敲除（Axl-/-）小鼠及其野生型（Axl＋/＋）小鼠为研究对象,比较两组动物基础血糖值、血脂四项指标、脂肪系数及骨骼肌中糖代谢信号蛋白PI3K、AKT与葡萄糖转运蛋白4（glucose transporter 4,GLUT4）基因表达水平及其蛋白磷酸化水平间的差异;同时检测人工诱发2型糖尿病（type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM）造模前后小鼠血清GAS6蛋白水平与T2DM模型成模率的改变之间是否存在相关性.结果 Axl-/-小鼠血脂出现异常波动,且脂肪沉积率显著高于野生型小鼠（P＆lt;0.01）.Axl-/-小鼠血糖调节能力受损,其空腹血糖值显著高于野生型,骨骼肌Glut4的mRNA水平升高,而PI3K、AKT和GLUT4蛋白的磷酸化水平均略有下降.经人工诱发T2DM后,Axl＋/＋和Axl-/-小鼠血浆中GAS6浓度均显著低于各自对照组,且Axl-/-小鼠T2DM模型的成模率是Axl＋/＋小鼠的2倍（P＆lt;0.01）.结论 GAS6/AXL信号通路的激活在一定程度上降低血糖和抑制脂肪沉积.     

Investigation of the kynurenine pathway in Indoleamine 2, 3 dioxygenase deficient mice with inflammatory arthritis

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid involved in the protein synthesis, cognition, and immunity. Oxidative catabolism of tryptophan is executed by the sets of biochemical reactions collectively referred to as the kynurenine pathway. In the immune system, two distinct enzymes, Indoleamne 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and Indoleamine 2, 3 dioxygenase 2 (IDO2) can initiate metabolic flux through the kynurenine pathway. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease driven by the exacerbated immune response towards self antigens and characterized by the chronic inflammatory reaction of the diarthrodial joints. Collagen induced arthritis (CIA) is an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis. Using CIA in wild type (WT) and mice deficient with Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (Ido1KO), it was of interest to test the impact of Ido1 deletion on the concentration of tryptophan and its catabolites as well as on mRNA expression for other genes on the kynurenine pathway. Here, when compared with samples taken from naïve WT animals and those with CIA, it was found that only in the inguinal lymph nodes (iLN) taken from Ido1KO mice with CIA tryptophan concentration was significantly increased. In contrast, mRNA expression for Ido2 was decreased in naïve as well as in the diseased iLN taken from Ido1KO mice. Deletion of Ido1 and reduced mRNA expression for Ido2 neither affected the concentration of the downstream metabolites of tryptophan nor mRNA expression for downstream genes on the kynurenine pathway in iLN. Moreover, the concentration of kynurenine in sera of mice with CIA was significantly decreased in Ido1KO mice with arthritis.     

Evidence for a constitutive and inducible form of kynurenine formamidase in an actinomycin-producing strain of Streptomyces parvulus

Two forms of kynurenine formamidase have been found in an actinomycin-producing strain of Streptomyces parvulus. Formamidase I has a molecular weight of 42,000 and is synthesized constitutively. Formamidase II is smaller (24,000) and is present just prior to and during synthesis of actinomycin.     

Depressor effect of kynurenine and its metabolites in rats

Kynurenine in doses of 0.2 ng to rats weighing 160–240 g elicited a measurable decline in blood pressure. The depressor effect increased with dosage and reached a maximum of about 30 mm Hg at a dose of approximately 100 ug. At higher doses (400 to 2000) ug kynurenine elicited a pressor response of about 15 mm Hg. Other kynurenines tested also lowered blood pressure. It is possible that the increased formation of kynurenine and its metabolites is involved in disturbances of circulation under stress, when the formation of these compounds is increased by activation of liver tryptophan pyrrolase.     

Effect of subunit interactions on enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferases: a radiation inactivation study.

The glutathione S-transferases are a family of dimeric enzymes. Three isozymes from the alpha family, termed YaYa, YaYc, and YcYc, and three from the mu family, termed Yb1Yb1, Yb1Yb2, and Yb2Yb2, were purified from rat liver. Binding studies were performed by equilibrium dialysis using a radiolabeled product, S(-)[14C](dinitrophenyl)glutathione. Each isozyme contained two independent binding sites which had equal affinity for the ligand. The presence of two independent active sites per enzyme dimer suggests that each subunit contains a complete active site. This conclusion was examined further using radiation inactivation which also allowed for assessment of the importance of subunit interactions in catalytic activity. The activity target size of YaYa (47 kDa) was significantly larger than the protein monomer target size (31 kDa); similarly the activity target size of YaYc was that of the dimer (54 kDa). In contrast, the activity target sizes of Yb1Yb1 and Yb2Yb2 were the same, being 35 and 29 kDa, respectively, and the protein monomer target size of Yb1Yb1 also was similar, being 32 kDa. These data indicate that interactions between subunits are critical for the maintenance of enzymatic activity of alpha class enzymes whereas each subunit of the two mu class proteins is capable of independent catalytic activity.     

Multiple phenotypes in adult mice following inactivation of the Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor (Car) gene

To determine the normal function of the Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor (CAR), a protein found in tight junctions and other intercellular complexes, we constructed a mouse line in which the CAR gene could be disrupted at any chosen time point in a broad spectrum of cell types and tissues. All knockouts examined displayed a dilated intestinal tract and atrophy of the exocrine pancreas with appearance of tubular complexes characteristic of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia. The mice also exhibited a complete atrio-ventricular block and abnormal thymopoiesis. These results demonstrate that CAR exerts important functions in the physiology of several organs in vivo.     

Genetics of formamidase-5 (brain formamidase) in the mouse: Localization of the structural gene on chromosome 14

A single formamidase, which is different from the formamidases found in other tissues, occurs in the brains of mice. This enzyme is here called formamidase-5 and the gene symbol is designated For-5. Two alleles are recognized on the basis of their differential heat sensitivity: For-5 ^b is relatively heat stable and is present in strain C57BL/6J, while For-5 ^d is relatively heat sensitive and is present in strain DBA/2J. The heat sensitivity of formamidase-5 in 44 other inbred strains and substrains was tested and found to resemble that of C57BL/6J or DBA/2J. Thirty-six recombinant inbred strains derived from progenitors that differed at For-5 were studied to test for single-gene inheritance and linkage with other loci. Complete concordance was found with the esterase-10 locus (Es-10), indicating close linkage. The 99% upper confidence limit of the distance between For-5 and Es-10 is 3.7 centimorgans (cM). Es-10 is located on chromosome 14 about 19 cM from the centromere. An independent demonstration of linkage of For-5 with Es-10 and another chromosome 14 marker, hairless (hr), is provided by the finding that the HRS/J strain, which has been sibmated for 60 generations with forced heterozygosity at the hr locus, is cosegregating at For-5 and Es-10. A survey of 32 inbred strains and substrains revealed that the For-5 ^d allele is associated with the Es-10 ^b allele, and that the For-5 ^b allele is associated with Es-10 ^a and Es-10 ^c. Formamidase-5 segregates as expected in the F₂ generation of crosses between strains bearing For-5 ^b and For-5 ^d alleles. It is possible that this unique formamidase of the brain is involved in the metabolism of a neurotransmitter substance.This research was sponsored in part by the Department of Energy under contract with the Union Carbide Corporation and in part by NIH Research Grant GM-18684 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. J. C. F. is a predoctoral Fellow supported by Grant CA 09104 from the National Cancer Institute. The Biology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Jackson Laboratory are fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.     

Effect of indoleamine dioxygenase-1 deficiency and kynurenine pathway inhibition on murine cerebral malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) can be a fatal manifestation of Plasmodium falciparum infection. In this study, two different approaches were used to examine the role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO-1) and its metabolites in the development of murine CM. Mice genetically deficient in IDO-1 were not protected against CM, but partial protection was observed in C57BL/6 mice treated with Ro 61-8048, an inhibitor of kynurenine-3-hydroxylase. This protection was associated with suppressed levels of picolinic acid (PA) within the brain, but not with changes in the levels of kynurenic acid (KA) or quinolinic acid (QA). These data suggest that although IDO-1 is not directly involved in the pathogenesis of CM in C57BL/6 mice, the production of the kynurenine pathway metabolite PA may contribute to the development of murine CM.     

Effect of proteolysis inhibitors on the phagocytic activity and the cytoplasmic enzymatic activity in the leukocytes of white mice]

The injection of proteolytic inhibitors changes phagocytosis and metabolism of leucocytes in different ways. The polyvalent inhibitor, inhitril, increased phagocytosis but does not change digestive activity of leucocytes. Activities of acid phosphatase, peroxidases and succinatedehydrogenase as well as glycogen contents are seen decreased, whereas activity of glycerophosphate dehydrogenase increases, and that of lactate dehydrogenase does not change. Anti-tryptic serum decreases phagocytosis, both digestive and enzymatic activities of leucocytes, glycogen accumulation being observed. Anti-kallikrein serum decreases phagocytosis and activity of lactate dehydrogenase, and does not change glycogen accumulation and activities of digestion and of acid phosphatase. In addition, activities of succinate-, glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and peroxidase increase.     

Effect of inactivation of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) depolymerase gene on the properties of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) in Pseudomonas resinovorans

The phaZ gene of Pseudomonas resinovorans codes for a poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) depolymerase. Two phaZ mutants of Pseudomonas resinovorans NRRL B-2649, FOAC001 and FOAC002, were constructed by an in vitro transposition procedure followed by chromosomal integration via homologous recombination. A detailed mapping of the transposon insertion sites and an analysis of the resultant sequences showed that putative fusion polypeptides PhaZ(FOAC001) (239 amino-acid residues) and PhaZ(FOAC002) (85 amino-acid residues) could result from the mutant phaZ genes of FOAC001 and FOAC002, respectively. In vivo PHA degradation data indicated that PhaZ(FOAC001) might still retain a partial PHA depolymerization activity, while PhaZ(FOAC002) is completely devoid of this function. The cell yields and PHA contents of B-2649, FOAC001, and FOAC002 were similar when the cells were grown either under a limiting nitrogen-source (low-N) condition for up to 5 days or in excess N-source (high-N) for 3 days. A dramatic decrease in PHA content was observed in the PhaZ-active B-2649 and FOAC001 cells during prolonged cell growth (5 days) in high-N medium or in response to a shift-up in nitrogen-source. The repeat-unit compositions of the PHAs from FOAC001 and FOAC002 contained slightly lower amounts of beta-hydroxyoctanoate and higher beta-hydroxytetradecenoate than that of the wild-type B-2649 when grown under a high-N condition. While the molecular masses of the PHAs from FOAC001 and FOAC002 did not vary under any conditions used in this study, those of the wild-type B-2649 were markedly increased in cells either grown for 5 days under a high-N condition or subjected to a nitrogen-source shift-up. These phaZ mutants thus provide a valuable system to study the influence of PHA depolymerase on the accumulation and properties of medium-chain-length PHA.     

Effect of recombinant human alpha-interferon (reaferon) on macrophage functional activity in mice

The influence of human recombinant alpha 2-interferon (reaferon) on the parameters of the phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages (migration, spreading, adhesion and absorption of corpuscular antigen) has been studied. Reaferon in doses of 5-5 X 10(2) I. U./ml has been found to produce a stimulating effect on all parameters under study. The data obtained in this study suggest that a stimulating effect on the functional activity of macrophages is the same for recombinant (alpha 2) interferon and natural alpha-interferon.     

Functional inactivation of the genome-wide association study obesity gene neuronal growth regulator 1 in mice causes a body mass phenotype

To date, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified at least 32 novel loci for obesity and body mass-related traits. However, the causal genetic variant and molecular mechanisms of specific susceptibility genes in relation to obesity are yet to be fully confirmed and characterised. Here, we examined whether the candidate gene NEGR1 encoding the neuronal growth regulator 1, also termed neurotractin or Kilon, accounts for the obesity association. To characterise the function of NEGR1 for body weight control in vivo, we generated two novel mutant mouse lines, including a constitutive NEGR1-deficient mouse line as well as an ENU-mutagenised line carrying a loss-of-function mutation (Negr1-I87N) and performed metabolic phenotypic analyses. Ablation of NEGR1 results in a small but steady reduction of body mass in both mutant lines, accompanied with a small reduction in body length in the Negr1-I87N mutants. Magnetic resonance scanning reveals that the reduction of body mass in Negr1-I87N mice is due to a reduced proportion of lean mass. Negr1-I87N mutants display reduced food intake and physical activity while normalised energy expenditure remains unchanged. Expression analyses confirmed the brain-specific distribution of NEGR1 including strong expression in the hypothalamus. In vitro assays show that NEGR1 promotes cell-cell adhesion and neurite growth of hypothalamic neurons. Our results indicate a role of NEGR1 in the control of body weight and food intake. This study provides evidence that supports the link of the GWAS candidate gene NEGR1 with body weight control.