Effect of innervation and hormones on enzyme activation and synthesis

Data from the literature and own ones indicate the key role of the nervous system in regulation of the activity and synthesis of the enzymes of energy metabolism in skeletal muscles. Hepatic cells are highly sensitive both to regulation of their metabolism by the vegetative, especially sympathetic nervous system, and hormonal regulation. The enzymic activity and metabolism in the kidneys are controlled mainly by hormones and are not subjected or poorly monitored by the nervous system. Hormonal regulation of the enzymic activity in the bone marrow is presumably rather poor, whereas the question of nervous regulation of its metabolism remains nuclear.     

Enzymatic lipid peroxidation and oxidative metabolism of aminazine in brain microsomal fractions]

NAD (P) H-dependent enzymic systems, both of lipid peroxidation and chlorpromazine oxidative metabolism are shown to be localized in the microsomal fractions from human and rat brain. Hydroxy-derivatives of chlorpromazine (e.g. 7-OH-chlorpromazine) formed in the course of enzymic NADPH-dependent metabolism possess antioxidant activity and inhibit lipid peroxidation in the brain microsomes. The properties of enzymic NAD (P) H-dependent oxigenase systems in the membranes of the microsomal reticulum of the liver and brain are compared.     

Effects of testosterone on the metabolism of folate coenzymes in the rat

1. The effects of castration and testosterone treatment on enzymic activities involved in folate coenzyme metabolism in the liver and in accessory sex organs of male adult rats were studied. 2. In the liver of castrated rats the concentration of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate (10-HCO-H(4)folate) synthetase and tetrahydrofolate (H(4)folate) dehydrogenase were significantly decreased whereas that of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase increased; the treatment with five doses of testosterone caused a return to normal values of these activities. 3. In the prostate of castrated rats a pronounced decrease in H(4)folate dehydrogenase, serine hydroxymethyltransferase and 10-HCO-H(4)folate synthetase activities was observed. The administration of testosterone restored the enzymic activities to normal values. 4. In the seminal vesicles of castrated rats only 10-HCO-H(4)folate synthetase was markedly depressed; testosterone treatment not only restored activity to normal values but raised it to higher than normal values. The slight changes observed in other enzymic activities also returned to normal values with the hormone treatment. 5. These results are discussed in relation to a possible control mechanism of folate metabolism by testosterone.     

Regulation of pathways degrading aromatic substrates in Pseudomonas putida. Enzymic response to binary mixtures of substrates

1. Induction constants (K(ind)) and repression constants (K(rep)), which are a measure of the affinity of the inducers or repressors for the induction systems, were measured for mandelate, benzoate and p-hydroxybenzoate in Pseudomonas putida. 2. From these results, the enzymic response of the organism to media containing pairs of these substrates was predicted. Nitrogen-limited chemostats, operated at high growth rates, were used to investigate these predictions in cells grown first on one aromatic substrate with the second added later. 3. In general, the values of K(ind) and K(rep) predicted quite accurately the response to substrate mixtures. Thus, in the presence of mandelate and either benzoate or p-hydroxybenzoate, the enzymes of mandelate metabolism were repressed almost completely, and the bacteria were fully induced for the alternative substrate (benzoate or p-hydroxybenzoate), which was preferentially utilized for growth. When benzoate and p-hydroxybenzoate were the two substrates in the mixture, the enzymes for metabolism of the latter were strongly repressed and growth took place mainly on benzoate. 4. The enzymic response to mixed substrates did not result in the metabolism of the better growth substrate, but in the substrate requiring the synthesis of fewer enzymes. Thus benzoate is used in preference to mandelate although the latter supports a faster growth rate. It is nevertheless considered that, with our present knowledge of the natural habitat of the organism, it is impossible to decide whether protein economy or growth rate was the factor determining the evolution of this control system.     

Effects of gallic acid on brain lipid peroxide and lipid metabolism in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

This study evaluated the protective effects of gallic acid on brain lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant system, and lipids in streptozotocin-induced type II diabetes mellitus. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed a significant increase in the levels of blood glucose, brain lipid peroxidation products, and lipids and a significant decrease in the activities of brain enzymic antioxidants. Oral treatment with gallic acid (10 mg and 20 mg/kg) for 21 days significantly decreased the levels of blood glucose, brain lipid peroxidation products, and lipids and significantly increased the activities of brain enzymic antioxidants in diabetic rats. Histopathology of brain confirmed the protective effects of gallic acid. Furthermore, in vitro study revealed the free radical scavenging action of gallic acid. Thus, our study shows the beneficial effects of gallic acid on brain metabolism in streptozotocin-induced type II diabetic rats. A diet containing gallic acid may be beneficial to type II diabetic patients.     

Use of Transgenic Plants with Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Antisense DNA to Evaluate the Rate Limitation of Photosynthesis under Water Stress

The biochemical lesion that causes impaired chloroplast metabolism (and, hence, photosynthetic capacity) in plants exposed to water deficits is still a subject of controversy. In this study we used tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) transformed with "antisense" ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) DNA sequences to evaluate whether Rubisco or some other enzymic step in the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle pathway rate limits photosynthesis at low leaf water potential ([psi]w). These transformants, along with the wild-type material, provided a novel model system allowing for an evaluation of photosynthetic response to water stress in near-isogenic plants with widely varying levels of functional Rubisco. It was determined that impaired chloroplast metabolism (rather than decreased leaf conductance to CO2) was the major cause of photosynthetic inhibition as leaf [psi]w declined. Significantly, the extent of photosynthetic inhibition at low [psi]w was identical in wild-type and transformed plants. Decreasing Rubisco activity by 68% did not sensitize photosynthetic capacity to water stress. It was hypothesized that, if water stress effects on Rubisco caused photosynthetic inhibition under stress, an increase in the steady-state level of the substrate for this enzyme, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP), would be associated with stress-induced photosynthetic inhibition. Steady-state levels of RuBP were reduced as leaf [psi]w declined, even in transformed plants with low levels of Rubisco. Based on the similarity in photosynthetic response to water stress in wild-type and transformed plants, the reduction in RuBP as stress developed, and studies that demonstrated that ATP supply did not rate limit photosynthesis under stress, we concluded that stress effects on an enzymic step involved in RuBP regeneration caused impaired chloroplast metabolism and photosynthetic inhibition in plants exposed to water deficits.     

Rat-liver cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase. 1. Development of a new assay based on the enzymic exchange of the tritium located on the 7 alpha position of the substrate.

A new assay is described to measure the activity of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase and compared to the conventional 14C method used by other investigators. This method is based on the mechanism of the enzymic hydroxylation, i.e. a direct and stereospecific substitution of the 7alpha-hydrogen by a hydroxyl group. [7alpha-3H]Cholesterol is incubated at 37 degrees C and in the presence of molecular O2, in a medium buffered by postassium phosphate at pH 7.4 and containing liver microsomes (or 9000 X g supernatant), NADPH, MgCl2 and cysteamine. Tween-80 (1.5 mg/ml) is used to introduce enough substrate (300 muM) in the incubation mixture to saturate the enzyme (Km = 100 muM). Under these conditions the tritiated water released into the incubation medium reflects accurately the enzymic activity. The results obtained with this method are similar to the one obtained with a [4-14C]cholesterol technique (r = 0.96; P less than 0.001). The main advantage of the [7alpha-3H]cholesterol method is a complete independence from further metabolism of the first enzymic product, the 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol, the tritiated water representing the entire cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity.     

光对茶树儿茶素代谢的影响

光对茶树儿茶素代谢的影响黄雨初（中国科学技术大学生物系,合肥２３００２６）汪东风,陈为均,王传友,萧伟祥（安徽农业大学茶业系,合肥２３００３６）Ｅｆｆｅｃｔｏｆｌｉｇｈｔｏｎｃａｔｅｃｈｉｎｍｅｔａｂｏｌｉｓｍｏｔｔｅａｔｒｅｅ．￥ＨｕａｎｇＹｕｃｈ...     

Role of hydrogen peroxide in the cytotoxicity of the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system.

1. The survival of mammalian epithelial cells exposed in vitro to the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or serum-containing medium (SCMEM) was investigated. 2. The cytotoxic effect observed depended on the composition of the medium in which the enzymic reaction was carried out; a surviving fraction of 5 x 10(-5) was found for cells exposed in PBS and 5.2 x 10(-1) for those in SCMEM. 3. The cytotoxic product(s) formed by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system was relatively stable in PBS; survival of cells incubated after completion of the enzymic reaction was always less than that found for cells exposed during the reaction in the same system. 4. Superoxide dismutase or mannitol present during the enzymic reaction did not inhibit the cytotoxic effect. 5. NaN3 (a single-oxygen quencher and a catalase inhibitor) added to the system in SCMEM caused a reduction in survival to the level observed for cells exposed to the enzymic reaction in PBS. 6. Catalase completely protected cells, but no protection was observed when both catalase and NaN3 were present in the reaction mixture. 7. A similar cytotoxic effect was produced when cells were treated with H2O2 alone. 8. The rate of H2O2 decomposition in medium was accelerated by the presence of serum, but this was completely inhibited by NaN3. 9. It is concluded that H2O2 is the major cytotoxic product formed by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system.     

Biosynthesis of malonate in roots of soybean seedlings

Many plants accumulate malonate, but it was shown earlier that malonate does not accumulate as a deadend product of metabolism in soybean (Glycine max v. Hodgson tissues. The metabolism of malonate in the soybean plant at the whole tissue and enzymic level was followed, and the pathway of malonate biosynthesis in young soybean root tissue was shown to be via acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase.     

Activation of human post heparin lipoprotein lipase by apolipoprotein H (β2-glycoprotein I)

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is the major enzyme involved in triglyceride hydrolysis of lymph chylomicrons and plasma very low density lipoproteins. LPL can be isolated from human post heparin plasma by heparin-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. In the present study the effects of apolipoproteins (apo) C-II, C-III, and H on the enzymic activity of LPL were investigated. ApoH is a recently described protein (β₂-glycoprotein I) constituent of triglyceride rich lipoproteins in human lymph and plasma. Human LPL was activated by apoC-II, and the apoC-II activation of LPL was inhibited by apoC-III. ApoH increased the enzymic activity of LPL in the presence of apoC-II by 45±17 percent. ApoC-III decreased the apoH + apoC-II enhanced activity of LPL by 77 percent. These results provide evidence for the concept that the enzymic activity of LPL in triglyceride metabolism is modulated by apoH. The relative proportion of apoH, apoC-II, and apoC-III in triglyceride rich lipoprotein particles may determine the ultimate rate of LPL catalyzed triglyceride hydrolysis.     

The lack of enzymic browning in the wild potato species Solanum hjertingii compared with commercial Solanum tuberosum varieties

Enzymic browning of tuber tissue was evaluated quantitatively for 50 genotypes, representing seven accessions, of Solanum hjertingii, a wild potato species from north-east Mexico, together with five commercial varieties of Solanum tuberosum with a known range of enzymic browning. Ninety-four percent of S. hjertingii clones examined showed less browning than the commercial varieties, with 66% exhibiting half the ‘potential browning’ (a measure of the total enzymic browning resulting from disruption of cellular compartmentalisation in that system) of cv. Maris Piper, a low enzymic browning cultivar. Of these clones, 18 showed no visual discoloration when sliced. Results clearly indicate that the lack of enzymic browning in S. hjertingii is a ‘true’ character. The efficiency of one subjective and two objective methods for obtaining different measures of enzymic browning was assessed. Potential browning of a rehydrated freeze-dried powder was adopted as the most efficient technique for screening enzymic browning.     

Influence of methoxy and nitro groups in the oxidative metabolism of naphtho[2,1-b]furan.

In the present study, we have investigated the role of methoxy and nitro groups in the oxidative metabolism of naphtho[2,1-b]furan. Hepatic microsomes were used to investigate the aerobic metabolism of naphtho[2,1-b]furan (compound A), 2-nitro-naphtho[2,1-b]furan (compound B) and 7-methoxy-naphtho [2,1-b]furan (compound C) and comparison of the metabolites formed was made using HPCL analysis and NMR, mass and UV-visible spectrometry. The different metabolic pathways investigated were compared with the previously reported metabolism of 7-methoxy-2-nitro-naphtho[2,1-b]furan (compound D). Naphtho[2,1-b]furan yield metabolites of both the furan and benzene rings, while metabolites formed from 7-methoxy-naphtho[2,1-b]furan and 2-nitro-naphtho [2,1-b]furan were derived entirely as a result of enzymic attack on the first benzene ring.     

Non-Enzymic Lipid Peroxidation in Microsomes and Microsomal Phospholipids Induced by Anthracyclines

The stimulation of non-enzymic lipid peroxidation by doxorubicin, daunorubicin and 7 derivatives was investigated in extracted microsomal phospholipids and in intact microsomes.

Evidence was obtained for the necessity of a free amino-sugar moiety for a stimulative effect on lipid peroxidation. Binding of anthracyclines to RNA (which is present in microsomes) was inhibitory towards stimulation.

Drugs that stimulated lipid peroxidation in a non-enzymic system with extracted phospholipids also were stimulative in an enzymic, NADPH-dependent, microsomal system. They were not always effective in intact microsomes without the enzymic system.

The role of the enzymic system in the stimulation of anthracycline induced lipid peroxidation is thought to be the reduction of iron ions rather than the stimulation of oxygen radical production via the anthracyclines.     

Peroxidative injury of the mitochondrial respiratory chain during reperfusion of hypothermic rat liver

Mitochondrial dysfunction in ischemic liver has been demonstrated to be due to decrease in the intramitochondrial level of ATP and the subsequent disruption of the proton barrier of the inner membrane (Watanabe, F., Hashimoto, T. and Tagawa, K. (1985) J. Biochem. 97, 1229-1234). In this study, another injury process, impairment of the electron-transfer system, which occurred during reoxygenation of ischemic liver, was studied during reperfusion of cold preserved liver and during cold incubation of isolated rat-liver mitochondria. The sites of the respiratory chain that were sensitive to peroxidative damage were ubiquinone-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase. These enzymic activities decreased with increase in lipid peroxidation. Incubation of submitochondrial particles with t-butyl hydroperoxide or with an NADPH-dependent peroxidation system decreased the enzymic activities of the electron-transport system. These data strongly suggested that lipid peroxidation during reoxygenation of ischemic liver impaired the electron-transfer system. Thus, mitochondria of ischemic liver suffer from two different types of injury: increase in proton permeability during anoxia, and decrease in enzymic activities of the electron-transport system during reoxygenation.     

Non-Enzymic Lipid Peroxidation in Microsomes and Microsomal Phospholipids Induced by Anthracyclines

The stimulation of non-enzymic lipid peroxidation by doxorubicin, daunorubicin and 7 derivatives was investigated in extracted microsomal phospholipids and in intact microsomes.

Evidence was obtained for the necessity of a free amino-sugar moiety for a stimulative effect on lipid peroxidation. Binding of anthracyclines to RNA (which is present in microsomes) was inhibitory towards stimulation.

Drugs that stimulated lipid peroxidation in a non-enzymic system with extracted phospholipids also were stimulative in an enzymic, NADPH-dependent, microsomal system. They were not always effective in intact microsomes without the enzymic system.

The role of the enzymic system in the stimulation of anthracycline induced lipid peroxidation is thought to be the reduction of iron ions rather than the stimulation of oxygen radical production via the anthracyclines.     

Incorporation of Acetate into Acetylcholine, Acetylcarnitine, and Amino Acids in the Torpedo Electric Organ

The metabolism of acetate was investigated in the nerve-electroplaque system of Torpedo marmorata. In intact fragments of electric organ, radiolabeled acetate was incorporated into acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcarnitine (ACar), and three amino acids: aspartate, glutamate, and glutamine. These compounds were identified by TLC, high-voltage electrophoresis, column chromatography, and enzymic tests. The system responsible for acetate transport and incorporation into ACh displayed a higher affinity but a lower Vmax than that involved in the synthesis of ACar and amino acids. Choline, when added to the medium, increased the rate of acetate incorporation into ACh but decreased (at concentrations greater than 10(-5) M) that into ACar and amino acids. Monofluoroacetate slightly depressed ACh and ACar synthesis from external acetate but inhibited much more the synthesis of amino acids. During repetitive nerve stimulation, the level of the newly synthetized [14C]ACh was found to oscillate together with that of endogenous ACh, but the level of neither [14C]ACar nor the 14C-labeled amino acids exhibited any significant change as a function of time. This means that there is probably no periodic transfer of acetyl groups between ACh and the investigated metabolites in the course of activity. Acetate metabolism was also tested in the electric lobe (which contains the cell bodies of the neurons innervating the electric organ) and in Torpedo synaptosomes (which are nerve terminals isolated from the same neurons). Radioactive pyruvate and glutamine were also assayed in some experiments for comparison with acetate. These observations are discussed in connection with ACh metabolism under resting and active conditions in tissues where acetate is the preferred precursor of the neurotransmitter.     

酶解法提取纯化虎杖提取物中自藜芦醇的工艺研究

本文对虎杖提取物中虎杖苷的酶解条件及苷元白藜芦醇的提取纯化工艺进行研究,以样品中自藜芦醇的含量为指标,对纤维素酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、复合酶进行筛选,结果表明以复合酶的水解效率最高:采用正交实验对影响复合酶酶解的因素:加酶量、温度、酶解时间进行考察;并对酶解后提取物中自藜芦醇的提取纯化工艺进行研究.得出如下较理想的酶解条件和提取纯化工艺:虎杖提取物,加水(pH 5)10倍,加20%的复合酶,于50℃保温24 h;酶解后的提取物经水、乙醇-水、碱溶液分步溶解沉淀,得白藜芦醇粗品,含量可达65%,工艺稳定可行.     

Comparison of two cell isolation procedures to study in vitro intestinal wall biotransformation in control and 3-methyl-cholanthrene pretreated rats

Two cell isolation procedures, i.e. a scraping/collagenase-treatment and a new vibration procedure in EDTA containing medium, were used to isolate intestinal epithelial cells. In both cell populations the metabolism of 7-ethoxycoumarin and 7-hydroxycoumarin was studied. Moreover, the time course and extent of induction of both steps in the biotransformation were investigated after oral 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment of the rats. Twenty four hours after 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment (20 mg kg-1) monooxygenase activity was induced about 6-fold and 2.5-fold when studied with cells of the vibratory and enzymic procedures, respectively. Control 7-ethoxycoumarin deethylase activity and 7-hydroxycoumarin glucuronidation were about the same when comparing both methods for cell-isolation. The formation of glucuronides in cells (both methods) is significantly lowered by 3-MC pretreatment, while sulphation remains unaffected. Results indicate that using enzymic treatment of mucosal scrapings, cell-populations are obtained containing relatively more differentiated (tip) cells. A number of advantages of the new (vibration) method are: better recovery, viability and reproducibility.     

Enzyme kinetics: the use of methylene blue

Abstract

Methylene blue as a hydrogen acceptor can be used as a tool for determining the effects of pH, temperature, inhibitors, and substrate concentration on enzymic reactions. Competitive and non-competitive inhibitors can be identified and the relative affinities of enzyme for substrate, as well as reaction velocities, can be measured.

This paper briefly reviews enzyme kinetic theory with specific application to the metabolism of sucrose by yeast, and its inhibition by iodoacetate and isopropyl alcohol (propan-2-ol). Other applications to the succinate/fumarate system are suggested.