The side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate--II. The effect of phospholipids on the oxidation of the sterol sulfate by inner mitochondrial membranes and by a reconstituted cholesterol desmolase system

This study compares the side-chain cleavage of aqueous suspensions of cholesterol sulfate with the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate which is incorporated into phospholipid vesicles. Three different cholesterol desmolase systems are examined: the membrane-bound cholesterol side-chain cleavage system present in inner mitochondrial membranes isolated from bovine adrenal mitochondria; a soluble, lipid-depleted, reconstituted side-chain cleavage system prepared from cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase; a membrane associated side-chain cleavage system prepared by adding phospholipid vesicles, prepared from adrenal mitochondrial, to the reconstituted system. Soluble cholesterol sulfate, in low concentration, is a good substrate for the lipid-depleted reconstituted side chain cleavage system. However, at concentrations above 2 microM, in the absence of phospholipids, the sterol sulfate appears to bind at a non-productive site on cytochrome P-450scc which leads to substrate inhibition. Phospholipids, while inhibiting the binding of cholesterol sulfate to the cytochrome, also appear to prevent non-productive binding of the sterol sulfate to the cytochrome. Thus the addition of phospholipids to the lipid-depleted enzyme system leads to an activation of side-chain cleavage of high concentrations of the sterol sulfate. Soluble cholesterol sulfate is a good substrate for both the native and reconstituted membrane-bound systems and no substrate inhibition is observed when the membrane bound enzyme systems are employed in the assay of side-chain activity. However, the cleavage of cholesterol sulfate, which is incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, by both membrane bound enzyme systems appears to be competitively inhibited by the phospholipids of the vesicles. The results of this study suggest that the regulation of the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate may be entirely different than the regulation of the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol, if cholesterol sulfate exists intracellularly as a soluble non-complexed substrate. If, on the other hand, cholesterol sulfate is present in the cell in lipid droplets as a complex with phospholipids, its metabolism may be under the same constraints as the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol.     

Effects of phospholipid and detergent on the substrate specificity of adrenal cytochrome P-450scc. Substrate binding and kinetics of cholesterol side chain oxidation

Cytochrome P-450scc was isolated from mitochondria of bovine adrenal cortex by hydrophobic chromatography on octyl Sepharose followed by affinity chromatography on cholesterol-7-(thiomethyl)carboxy-3 beta-acetate-Sepharose. The partially purified eluate from the octyl Sepharose resin was free of adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase and displayed biphasic binding characteristics for cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate (CA). Chromatography of the octyl Sepharose eluate on CA-Sepharose removed extraneous proteins and resolved the cytochrome P-450scc into two fractions, each of which displayed monophasic binding with all three substrates. These fractions behaved identically with respect to their ability to bind substrates, their kinetic properties, and their rate of migration during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The dissociation constants of the cytochrome P-450scc.substrate complexes are 1.1, 2.6, and 1.3 microM for cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate, respectively. Addition of phospholipids isolated from adrenal cortex mitochondria or adrenodoxin had no effect on the equilibrium binding constants. Addition of Emulgen 913, however, decreased the binding affinities 10-20-fold. Emulgen 913 also inhibited the interaction of adrenodoxin with the cytochrome. An active side chain cleavage system was reconstituted with purified P-450 by addition of saturating amounts of adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase, and NADPH-generating system. The apparent Km values for this reconstituted system of cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, and cholesterol acetate are 1.8, 1.9, and 0.6 microM, respectively. Since the Km values of substrate oxidation are similar to the Kd values of the cytochrome P-450.substrate complexes, it seems likely that the binding of substrates, particularly when the side chain cleavage system is free of mitochondrial membranes, is not rate-limiting. Based on these results and electrophoretic data, it appears that one cytochrome P-450 present in adrenal mitochondria can oxidize cholesterol, its sulfate, and its acetate. This enzyme represented about 60% of the cytochrome P-450 present in the octyl Sepharose eluate. The factors responsible for the biphasic kinetics of oxidation by intact mitochondria and biphasic binding of sterol substrates by partially purified preparations of cytochrome P-450scc are still unknown.     

The side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate--I. The effect of adrenodoxin on the binding of cholesterol sulfate to cytochrome P-450scc

Difference spectroscopy was used to measure the binding of cholesterol sulfate (CS) to cytochrome P-450scc. The uncomplexed cytochrome and the complex of the cytochrome with adrenodoxin (ADX) were both titrated with CS in order to test whether ADX increased the affinity of the cytochrome for the sterol sulfate. The addition of ADX to the cytochrome had different effects on the binding of the sterol sulfate depending on several factors including: (1) The method of preparation of the cytochrome P-450scc, (2) The concentration of cytochrome P-450scc, (3) The method by which CS was suspended in aqueous solution, and (4) Whether or not the solutions of cytochrome contained non-ionic detergents. The results of this study suggest that the method of isolation of cytochrome P-450scc, and non-ionic detergents, greatly modulate the apparent affinity of cytochrome P-450scc for CS. In the absence of detergents the addition of adrenodoxin to dilute solutions of cytochrome P-450scc appears to enhance only slightly (1- to 2-fold) the affinity of the cytochrome for the sterol sulfate.     

Real-time measurements of dark substrate catalysis

We have developed a novel procedure to monitor the real-time cleavage of natural unmodified peptides (dark substrates). In the competition-based assay, the initial cleavage rate of a fluorogenic peptide substrate is measured in the presence of a second substrate that is not required to exhibit any optical property change upon cleavage. Using a unique experimental design and steady-state enzyme kinetics for a two-substrate system, we were able to determine both Km and k(cat) values for cleavage of the dark substrate. The method was applied to HIV-1 protease and to the V82F/I84V drug resistant mutant enzyme. Using two different substrates, we showed that the kinetic parameters derived from the competition assay are in good agreement with those determined independently using standard direct assay. This method can be applied to other enzyme systems as long as they have one substrate for which catalysis can be conveniently monitored in real time.     

The insulin-like growth factor, somatomedin C, induces the synthesis of cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 and adrenodoxin in ovarian cells

The actions of insulin and somatomedin C (insulin-like growth factor I) on cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity and the synthesis of cytochrome P-450scc and adrenodoxin were investigated in primary cultures of swine ovarian (granulosa) cells. Nanomolar concentrations of pure human somatomedin C stimulated biosynthesis of progesterone and 20 alpha-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one. Moreover, in the presence of exogenous sterol substrate for cholesterol side-chain cleavage, somatomedin C significantly enhanced pregnenolone biosynthesis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This augmentation of functional cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity was accompanied by a dose-dependent (2-16-fold) increase in [35S]methionine incorporation into specific immunoprecipitable cytochrome P-450scc and adrenodoxin. Micromolar concentrations of insulin (but not proinsulin or desoctapeptide) also induced synthesis of cholesterol side-chain cleavage constituents by 4-7-fold. These results demonstrate that an insulin-like growth factor, somatomedin C, exerts discrete differentiating effects on ovarian cells characterized by increased synthesis of immunospecific cytochrome P-450scc and adrenodoxin. Thus, we infer that somatomedin C may serve a critical role in the differentiation of steroidogenic cells in the mammalian ovary.     

Enzymatic properties of vesicle-reconstituted human cytochrome P450SCC (CYP11A1) differences in functioning of the mitochondrial electron-transfer chain using human and bovine adrenodoxin and activation by cardiolipin.

The recently reported heterologous expression and purification of both human cytochrome P450SCC and adrenodoxin [Woods, S.T., Sadleir, J., Downs, T., Triantopoulos, T., Haedlam, M.J. & Tuckey, R.C. (1998) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 353, 109-115] has enabled us to perform studies with the membrane-reconstituted human enzymes to better understand the side-chain cleavage reaction in humans. Human P450SCC was successfully reconstituted into dioleoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles with and without cardiolipin and its enzymatic properties characterized in the membrane-bound state. Enhancement of the P450SCC activity and significant activation by cardiolipin were observed when human adrenodoxin instead of bovine adrenodoxin was used as electron donor. In the absence of cardiolipin, Km for cholesterol was decreased twice in the case of human adrenodoxin indicating enhanced cholesterol binding. On the other hand, in the presence of cardiolipin in the membrane both Km and V for cholesterol were decreased with human adrenodoxin as electron donor. Kinetic analysis of the interaction between human P450SCC and its redox partners provided evidence for enhanced binding of the human electron donor to human P450SCC indicated by both an increased V and decreased Kd for human adrenodoxin compared with the values with bovine adrenodoxin. Because no similar effects were observed in Tween 20 micelles, these results suggest that the phospholipid membrane may play an important role in the interaction of human adrenodoxin with human P450SCC.     

Side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate by ovarian mitochondria

Mitochondria isolated from porcine corpora lutea and from the luteinized ovaries of gonadotropin-treated immature rats were found to efficiently cleave the side-chain of cholesterol sulfate to produce 3 beta-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one sulfate (pregnenolone sulfate). When mitochondria were preincubated with cholesterol sulfate, the time-course for the side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate was biphasic. With 200 microM cholesterol sulphate, the initial rate of the reaction was the same as that observed for 25-hydroxycholesterol. This rate was not increased when both cholesterol sulfate and 25-hydroxycholesterol were incubated together. The rate of side-chain cleavage by isolated mitochondria supplied with 75 microM cholesterol sulfate as substrate was inhibited by 97% by aminoglutethimide, a specific inhibitor of cytochrome P-450scc. The slow phase of side-chain cleavage of cholesterol sulfate appeared to be limited by the rate of substrate movement to the mitochondrial site of the reaction. Cholesterol sulfate translocation rates were however up to 8 times greater than those observed for cholesterol when equivalent concentrations of the two substrates were added to the mitochondria. We conclude that cholesterol sulfate is a better substrate than cholesterol for side-chain cleavage by isolated mitochondria and that both reactions are catalysed by the same cytochrome P-450scc enzyme.     

Inhibition of electron transfer from adrenodoxin to cytochrome P-450scc by chemical modification with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate: identification of adrenodoxin-binding site of cytochrome P-450scc

Covalent modification of cytochrome P-450scc (purified from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria) with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) was found to cause inhibition of the electron-accepting ability of this enzyme from its physiological electron donor, adrenodoxin, without conversion to the "P-420" form. Reaction conditions leading to the modification level of 0.82 and 2.85 PLP-Lys residues per cytochrome P-450scc molecule resulted in 60% and 98% inhibition, respectively, of electron-transfer rate from adrenodoxin to cytochrome P-450scc (with beta-NADPH as an electron donor via NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase and with phenyl isocyanide as the exogenous heme ligand of the cytochrome). It was found that covalent PLP modification caused a drastic decrease of cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity when the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme system was reconstituted with native (or PLP-modified) cytochrome P-450scc, adrenodoxin, and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase. Approximately 60% of the original enzymatic activity of cytochrome P-450scc was protected against inactivation by covalent PLP modification when 20% mole excess adrenodoxin was included during incubation with PLP. Binding affinity of substrate (cholesterol) to cytochrome P-450scc was found to be increased slightly upon covalent modification with PLP by analyzing a substrate-induced spectral change. The interaction of adrenodoxin with cytochrome P-450scc in the absence of substrate (cholesterol) was analyzed by difference absorption spectroscopy with a four-cuvette assembly, and the apparent dissociation constant (Ks) for adrenodoxin binding was found to be increased from 0.38 microM (native) to 33 microM (covalently PLP modified).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Microsomal enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis from lanosterol. Characterization, solubilization, and partial purification of NADPH-dependent delta 8,14-steroid 14-reductase

The membrane-bound enzyme of microsomes that catalyzes NADPH-dependent reduction of the 14-double bond of conjugated delta 8,14- and delta 7,14-sterols has been studied both as collected in microsomes from broken cell preparations of rat liver and after solubilization. Optimal incubation conditions for assay of the membrane-bound enzyme have been determined, and properties of the microsomal enzyme have been established with respect to cofactor requirements, kinetics, pH, addition of inhibitors, addition of glycerol phosphatides, and sterol substrate specificity. The 14-reductase is readily solubilized with a mixture of octylglucoside and taurodeoxycholic acid. The solubilized enzyme has been enriched by precipitation with polyethylene glycol and chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel and hydroxylapatite columns. The resulting partially purified enzyme has been obtained free of other microsomal enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis: 4-methyl sterol oxidase, delta 5,7-sterol 7-reductase, delta 8,24-sterol 24-reductase, 3-ketosteroid reductase, and steroid 8----7-ene isomerase, plus microsomal cytochrome P-450, cytochrome P-450 reductase, cytochrome b5 reductase, and cytochrome b5. The partially purified enzyme is stimulated by addition of phospholipids. All of the properties exhibited by partially purified 14-reductase are consistent with the suggestion that the solubilized and enriched enzyme catalyzes the microsomal reduction of the 14-double bond of the sterol-conjugated dienes. However, presence of the enzyme does not prove that the sterol-conjugated dienes are obligatory precursors of cholesterol.     

Side chain cleavage of some cholesterol esters.

For some time it has been known that the side chain of cholesterol sulfate is cleaved by the cleavage enzyme system present in bovine adrenal mitochondria without prior hydrolysis of the sulfate moiety. In this work, other inorganic esters as well as some organic esters of cholesterol were tested as substrates for this enzyme system. The results revealed that cholesterol nitrate, cholesterol phosphate, and a series of acyl esters of cholesterol can also be cleaved by the enzyme system to their respective pregnenolone derivatives without first being hydrolyzed to cholesterol. The rate of oxidation of the carboxylic acid esters decreased as the size of the acyl groups increased. Cholesterol stearate and cholesterol phosphate were demonstrated to be inhibitors of the side chain cleavage of cholesterol. While digitonin, as might be expected, inhibits the cleavage of cholesterol, it accelerates the oxidation of both cholesterol sulfate and cholesterol nitrate. The results reported in this paper add support to the previously proposed hypothesis that more than one cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme system exists in adrenal mitochondria.     

The relationship between the bovine heart mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase, lipophilic compounds, and oligomycin.

The lipid-free particulate preparations of the mitochondrial ATPase require phospholipid for activity and can be inhibited by oligomycin, as has been demonstrated previously. In this communication a steady state analysis of the activation of a particulate preparation of the ATPase by phospholipids and its subsequent inhibition by oligomycin has been carried out. The relative affinity of the ATPase for purified phospholipids has been determined by measuring the Km for activation (Ka) for several phospholipids. The Ka values varied from 30 to 100 mum. The Vmax in the presence of phosphatides varies from 0.29 to 1.11 mumol ATP hydrolyzed/min/mg of protein; no correlation is noted between the relative affinity of the enzyme for a phospholipid and the V max value. Higher V max values are noted with the more acidic phospholipids, however. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and monoolein also activate with Ka values of 25 and 800 mum, respectively. Diglycerides, however, do not activate. With all lipids the ATPase activity stimulated is oligomycin-sensitive. The Ki values for oligomycin range from 0.1 to 0.6 mum. Oligomycin is a competitive inhibitor with respect to all the phospholipids tested except phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidyglycerol. It is also competitive with respect to sodium dodecyl sulfate (k-i equals 0.94 mum). In reciprocal plots of activity versus ATP concentration, with and without oligomycin, an intercept consistent with either mixed or partial noncompetitive inhibition kinetics is noted. Comparable K-i values for oligomycin are obtained when calculated assuming either mixed or partial noncompetitive inhibition. The Km for ATP is the same in the unactivated and the lipid activated particulate ATPase; the value obtained is slightly lower than the Km for ATP in the solubilized, purified ATPase. Using a spectrophotometric assay the time required for activation with phospholipid and inhibition with oligomycin has also been determined. This investigation suggests the possibility that activation of the ATPase is due a position to interact with the water-soluble substrate. Consistent with the above suggestion is the supposition that the lipids do not necessarily confer inhibitor sensitivity to the ATPase, but rather allow an oligomycin-sensitive activity to be expressed.     

Protein kinase stimulation of a reconstituted cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme system in the bovine corpus luteum.

A solubilized preparation of cytochrome P-450, obtained by treatment of mitochondria from bovine corpora lutea with phospholipase A, contained all of the necessary components for the cholesterol side chain cleavage activity. The solubilized cytochrome -450 preparation could be isolated essentially free of endogenous cholesterol side chain cleavage activity by various fractionation techniques. A cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme system was reconstituted using the isolated cytochrome P-450 preparation and purified adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase (components of the enzyme system purified from the adrenal cortex). Protein kinase was partially purified from the cytosol fraction of bovine corpora lutea. It was purified 43-fold and the activity was highly dependent on cyclic adenosine 3:5-monophosphate (cyclic AMP). When ATP and this partially purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase were added to the reconstituted cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme assay in which cytochrome P-450 was limiting, a stimulation (20 to 74%) of the conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone was observed. This stimulation was statistically significant with p value less than 0.001. The stimulatory effect of the protein kinase appeared to be dependent on ATP and was not mimicked by bovine serum albumin, indicating that the effect was specific for protein kinase. Protein kinase caused a phosphorylation of the cytochrome P-450 preparation when large amounts of this preparation were used in the assay. It is concluded from these results that the direct activation of the cytochrome P-450 component of the cholesterol side chain cleavage by protein kinase may be one of the ways by which cyclic AMP mediates the effect of luteinizine.     

Cholesterol is superior to 7-ketocholesterol or 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol as an allosteric activator for acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase 1

We compared the abilities of cholesterol versus various oxysterols as substrate and/or as activator for the enzyme acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), by monitoring the activity of purified human ACAT1 in response to sterols solubilized in mixed micelles or in reconstituted vesicles. The results showed that 5 alpha,6 alpha-epoxycholesterol and 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol are comparable with cholesterol as the favored substrates, whereas 7-ketocholesterol, 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol, 5 beta,6 beta-epoxycholesterol, and 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol are very poor substrates for the enzyme. We then tested the ability of 7-ketocholesterol as an activator when cholesterol was measured as the substrate, and vice versa. When cholesterol was measured as the substrate, the addition of 7-ketocholesterol could not activate the enzyme. In contrast, when 7-ketocholesterol was measured as the substrate, the addition of cholesterol significantly activated the enzyme and changed the shape of the substrate saturation curve from sigmoidal to essentially hyperbolic. Additional results show that, as an activator, cholesterol is much better than all the oxysterols tested. These results suggest that ACAT1 contains two types of sterol binding sites; the structural requirement for the ACAT activator site is more stringent than it is for the ACAT substrate site. Upon activation by cholesterol, ACAT1 becomes promiscuous toward various sterols as its substrate.     

3-methoxybenzidine: A potent inhibitor of cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P-450

The effect of 3-methoxybenzidine on the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone was investigated using a reconstituted enzyme system comprised of adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450scc purified from bovine adrenal cortex. Under conditions where the cytochrome P-450scc concentration was rate-limiting, 3-methoxybenzidine was found to be a potent inhibitor, causing 50% inhibition at 7 μM when using a cholesterol concentration of 70 μM. The parent compound, benzidine, was much less effective, exhibiting an Icn value of approximately 40 μM. No effect of 3-methoxybenzidine was observed on the adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin-catalyzed reduction of cytochrome c by NADPH, and it is concluded that 3-methoxybenzidine acts on cytochrome P-450scc in inhibiting cholesterol side chain cleavage.     

Participation of the membrane in the side chain cleavage of cholesterol. Reconstitution of cytochrome P-450scc into phospholipid vesicles.

Cytochrome P-450scc can be reconstituted into a phospholipid bilayer in the absence of added detergent by incubation of purified hemoprotein with preformed phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Salt effects demonstrate that the primary interaction between the cytochrome and phospholipid vesicles is hydrophobic rather than ionic; in contrast, neither adrenodoxin reductase nor adrenodoxin will bind to phosphatidylcholine vesicles by hydrophobic interactions. Insertion of cytochrome P-450scc into a phospholipid bilayer results in conversion of the optical spectrum to a low spin type, but this transition is markedly diminished if cholesterol is incorporated within the bilayer. Vesicle-reconstituted cytochrome P-450scc metabolizes cholesterol within the bilayer (turnover = 13 nmol/min/nmol of cytochrome P-450scc); virtually all (greater than 94%) of the cholesterol within the vesicle is accessible to the enzyme. "Dilution" of cholesterol within the bilayer by increasing the phospholipid/cholesterol ratio at a constant amount of cholesterol and cytochrome P-450scc results in a decreased rate of side chain cleavage, and cytochrome P-450scc incorporated into a cholesterol-free vesicle cannot metabolize cholesterol within a separate vesicle. In addition, activity of the reconstituted hemoprotein is sensitive to the fatty acid composition of the phospholipid. These results indicate that the cholesterol binding site on vesicle-reconstituted cytochrome P-450scc is in communication with the hydrophobic bilayer of the membrane. The reducibility of vesicle-reconstituted cytochrome P-450scc as well as spectrophotometric and activity titration experiments show that all of the reconstituted cytochrome P-450scc molecules possess an adrenodoxin binding site which is accessible from the exterior of the vesicle. Activity titrations with adrenodoxin reductase also demonstrate that a ternary or quaternary complex among adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin, and cytochrome P-450scc is not required for catalysis, a finding consistent with our proposed mechanism of steroidogenic electron transport in which adrenodoxin acts as a mobile electron shuttle between adrenodoxin reductase and cytochrome P-450 (Lambeth, J.D., Seybert, D.W., and Kamin, H. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 7255-7264.     

Inhibition of lysophospholipase by cholesterol in rabbit aorta

Lysophospholipase activity was measured in rabbit aorta using 1-[1-14C]palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine as a substrate. The enzyme did not require Ca2+ for its activation and the maximal activation was attained in the presence of EGTA. Cholesterol dose-dependently inhibited the lysophospholipase activity in the soluble fraction and IC50 value was approximately 15 microM. Lineweaver-Burk plot revealed that cholesterol competitively inhibited lysophospholipase and Km values in the presence and absence of cholesterol (15.5 microM) were 12.3 and 2.8 microM, respectively. Vmax values were approximately 475 pmol/min.mg. The results suggest that cholesterol can interact with the enzyme per se, resulting in the inhibition of the lysophospholipase activity in rabbit aorta.     

High density lipoprotein cholesterol as a mechanistic probe for the side chain cleavage reaction.

Cholesterol side chain cleavage reaction catalyzed by purified cytochrome P-450scc was stimulated 4-5 fold when cholesterol in rat high density lipoprotein was used as a substrate as compared to the case where cholesterol plus 0.1% Emulgen 911 was used. In the case of the cholesterol-Emulgen system, the Vmax value of activity was not obtained even when a 20 times molar excess of adrenodoxin over the cytochrome was used. However, in the case of the lipoprotein, a 2-3 times molar excess of adrenodoxin over the cytochrome was enough to obtain the half value of Vmax. HPLC gel filtration experiments showed that the three enzymes were eluted from the column as a complex regardless of adding the lipoprotein as judged by the activity and the blotting analysis. However, the activity with the lipoprotein was detected significantly earlier than that in the absence. These and other lines of evidence suggest that the lipoprotein vesicles promote a complex formation among the three enzyme components and serve as a probe for emphasizing a significance of a cluster mechanism in the reaction.     

p-Nitrophenyl and cholesteryl-N-alkyl carbamates as inhibitors of cholesterol esterase

p-Nitrophenyl and cholesteryl-N-alkyl carbamates are good inhibitors of porcine pancreatic cholesterol esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate. p-Nitrophenyl-N-butyl and N-octyl carbamates (compounds 1 and 2, respectively) are potent active site-directed irreversible inhibitors of this enzyme. The inhibition of cholesterol esterase by compound 1 or 2 shows saturation kinetics with increasing inhibitor concentration. The activity of cholesterol esterase in the presence of compound 1 or 2 can be protected by the competitive inhibitor, phenylboronic acid. First-order decreases in cholesterol esterase activity effected by compound 1 or 2 are also observed in the presence of taurocholate/phosphatidylcholine micelles. Dilution of the inhibited enzyme results in a gradual return of activity, the rate of which is increased in the presence of the nucleophile hydroxylamine. Hence, inhibition of cholesterol esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate by compound 1 or 2 in the aqueous or micellar phase occurs via a carbamyl-cholesterol esterase mechanism. The turnover of the butyl carbamylenzyme is increased in the presence of micelles, which indicates that the micelles have a direct effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme. However, this effect is dependent on the structure of the substrate as the turnover of the octyl carbamylenzyme is unaffected in the presence of micelles. A comparison of the second-order rate constants for the inhibition of cholesterol esterase by compound 1 or 2 indicates that the octyl derivative is the more potent inhibitor. Cholesteryl-N-alkyl carbamates do not carbamylate cholesterol esterase but instead act as reversible inhibitors. This is due to the stability of cholesteryl carbamates relative to p-nitrophenyl carbamates.     

Hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase of normal and alloxan-diabetic rats. Thermotropic effects on kinetics and interaction with deoxycholate and 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate

Thermotropic effects on the kinetics of glucose-6-phosphatase (D-glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.9) activity of hepatic microsomes from normal and alloxan-diabetic rat liver were investigated by determining V, Km and Ki (substrate inhibition) values. Influence of deoxycholate (0.1%) and 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (2.5 mM) on the kinetics was also evaluated. 1. Substrate inhibition occurred at 0.06 M for the enzyme from normal rats and at 0.0-0.025 M for the enzyme from diabetic rats. 2. The enzyme from diabetic rats showed a transition that extended between 22.7 and 27 degrees C in the Arrhenius plot (log V vs. T-1) instead of at 19.5 degrees C. 3. Deoxycholate increased the V value of both enzymes without affecting substrate inhibition at all the temperatures but did not completely abolish the transition in the Arrhenius plot of the enzyme from diabetic rats. 4. 1-Anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate eliminated substrate inhibition and activated the enzyme of normal rats above 27.5 degrees C by increasing both V and Km values. Below this temperature, the enzyme showed biphasic or allosteric kinetics. At low substrate concentrations it was activated as both V and Km values were increased. The enzyme from diabetic rats, on the other hand, was activated at all the temperatures and exhibited linear kinetics. 5. Binding of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate to the microsomal fraction increased with decreasing temperature as revealed by the increase of relative fluorescence. The microsomal fraction of diabetic rats showed a more anomalous fluorescence response between 13-18 degrees C. 6. Enthalpy changes for glucose 6-phosphate binding to the inhibition site were slightly larger than binding to the active site. Calculated entropies of activation for transition state complex of glucose-6-phosphatase reaction were fairly large and negative. The free energy of activation (28-30 kcal/mol) was independent of temperature and experimental conditions. 7. In the microsomal fraction (total as well as rough), phospholipid content and fatty acid unsaturation index of phospholipids were decreased after diabetes. The level of free cholesterol remained unchanged but the molar ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid increased. The different thermal response and 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate interaction to the enzyme from diabetic rat and liver could be ascribed to the altered lipid environment of the enzyme on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.     

Comparative study of the C27-steroid-hydroxylating system from bovine liver mitochondria

A method for purification of C27-steroid hydroxylating cytochrome P-450 (cytochrome P-450(27)) from bovine liver mitochondria was developed. The purification procedure included enzyme extraction from submitochondrial particles with sodium cholate, ammonium sulfate fractionation and biospecific chromatography on cholate-Sepharose and adrenodoxin-Sepharose. The resulting enzyme preparation (317-fold purification, 16% yield) was not electrophoretically homogeneous but did not contain hemoprotein admixtures. The kinetic parameters of 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-triol 27-hydroxylation in a reconstituted system containing hepatoredoxin reductase, hepatoredoxin and cytochrome P-450(27) (Km = 23 microM, kcat = 0.3 s-1 at 25 degrees C) were determined. A reciprocal functional equivalency of hepatoredoxin reductase and adrenodoxin reductase as well as of hepatoredoxin and adrenodoxin in reconstituted systems of steroid 27-hydroxylation (liver) and cholesterol side chain cleavage (adrenal cortex) was established. This equivalency was thought to be due to the similarity in essential physico-chemical properties of reductase components which was especially well-pronounced in the case of hepatoredoxin and adrenodoxin. Estimation of the functional role of lysine, dicarboxylic acid and histidine residues in ferredoxin molecules by the chemical modification method revealed the similarity of the structural organization of their protein globules: the polar residues were shown to be essential for the maintenance of native conformation; dicarboxylic acid residues formed a binding domain for the interaction with electron transport proteins, whereas histidine residues seem to participate in electron transport. At the same time, cytochrome P-450(27) and cytochrome P-450 which split the side chain of cholesterol differ in their substrate specificity, immunochemical and catalytic properties.