A radiochemical assay for a NADP+-specific gamma-glutamate semialdehyde dehydrogenase extracted from mitochondrial membrane of rat intestinal epithelial cells

A radiochemical assay has been developed for a NADP+-specific gamma-glutamate semialdehyde dehydrogenase from rat intestinal epithelial cells. The spectrophotometric assay utilized to measure the enzyme in bacterial cell homogenates is not sensitive enough for homogenates from rat mitochondria, which require an assay that can measure as little as 0.5 nmol NADPH formed/min/ml extract. The assay described here is sensitive to 0.1 nmol product formed/min/ml of extract and employs the use of [3H]pyrroline 5-carboxylate which is phosphorylated and oxidized by the enzyme to gamma-[3H]glutamyl phosphate, a product that decomposes to [3H]pyrrolidone 5-carboxylate. The latter product is separated from the substrate by ion-exchange chromatography. In order to correct for any product loss during separation by ion-exchange [14C]pyrrolidone 5-carboxylate is added as an internal standard to the deproteinized assay mixture. Under the assay conditions described mammalian gamma-glutamate semialdehyde dehydrogenase activity is linear with respect to time and protein concentration. Comparison between the kinetic parameters reported for the bacterial enzyme and those reported here for the mammalian enzyme indicate similarities in the pH optima as well as a requirement for phosphate. Kinetic studies on mammalian enzyme yield apparent Km values of 1.8 mM for pyrroline 5-carboxylate, 0.2 mM for NADP+, and 11.3 mM for phosphate.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide induces breakdown of phosphatidylinositol phosphates in cultured vascular smooth-muscle cells

Discrepancies exist between extent of guanylate cyclase activation by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in cell-free systems and ANP-stimulated levels of cyclic GMP in whole cells, and also between receptor affinity and dose effectiveness of ANP. Therefore, we have investigated whether, in addition to receptor-coupled guanylate cyclase activation, other second-messenger cascade systems may be involved in mediating both an increase in cyclic GMP and the physiological response to ANP. Equilibrium 125I-ANP binding studies on cultured thoracic aorta smooth muscle cells revealed the existence of low-affinity (approximately 10(-8) M, 84.5 fmol/10(5) cells) and high-affinity (approximately 10(-10) M, 12.5 fmol/10(5) cells) binding sites. We confirm that ANP elevates intracellular cyclic GMP (EC50 approximately 10(-8) M) and inhibits agonist-(isoproterenol and forskolin)-induced increases in intracellular cyclic AMP (IC50 approximately 10(-9) M). ANP also stimulated breakdown of phosphatidylinositol phosphates and generation of inositol phosphates with a half-maximally effective concentration of approximately 10(-10) M. The extent of phosphatidylinositol polyphosphate hydrolysis was small (120%) in comparison to that of phosphatidylinositol (Ptd-Ins) (200%). Ptd-Ins hydrolysis was paralleled by the appearance of glycerophosphoinositol, and there was also a close temporal relationship between these processes and the accumulation of intracellular cyclic GMP. Smooth muscle cells released [3H]arachidonic acid label in response to ANP (EC50 approximately 10(-10) M). Taken together, the data suggest that the vasorelaxant hormone ANP has stimulatory effects on phosphoinositol lipid metabolism via both phospholipase C (generation of inositol phosphates) and phospholipase A2 (generation of releasable [3H]arachidonic acid and indirectly glycerophosphoinositol). In contrast, stimulation of phosphatidylinositol phosphate breakdown by the vasoconstrictive hormone angiotensin II is not associated with glycerophosphoinositol formation, and neither cyclic GMP nor cyclic AMP levels were influenced by this hormone.     

A hazards model analysis of breastfeeding variables and maternal age on return to menses postpartum in rural Indonesian women

There is mounting research evidence that the duration of lactational amenorrhea is dependent on the infant's suckling input. Multivariate techniques, including the proportional hazards model, offer an effective methodological approach for sorting through the variables that contribute to a process as complex as breastfeeding. This approach was utilized on a sample of 382 mothers who participated in the Ngaglik Study, a longitudinal investigation of maternal health and nutrition, infant development, child spacing, and fertility trends in Central Java, Indonesia. 3 primary breastfeeding variables--average number of nursing episodes during the day, average number of nursing episodes during the night, and average minutes per episode--were obtained from monthly interviews with study subjects, 260 of whom experienced return to menses while breastfeeding. The mean and median durations of amenorrhea were 17.3 and 16.4 months, respectively. The reported total number of suckling bouts per 24 hours averaged 8.85, with an average of 8.23 minutes per nursing episode. Amenorrhea duration ranged from 19.2 months in mothers who nursed 6 or more times during the day-time hours to 12.2 months in mothers who nursed an average of 6 minutes or less per episode. The variable of minutes per nursing bout has the greatest effect on return to menses, while the average number of day-time feeds has the least; the number of night-time feeds is intermediate. When age was introduced into the model, the effects of the nursing variables on return of menses remained constant relative to 1 another but the increment in the risk of menstruating increased with younger age. In summary, this analysis indicates that low intensity breastfeeding with 3 or fewer episodes reported at night, 6 or fewer episodes reported for the day, 6 or less minutes reported per nursing episode, and younger age all increase the risk of early postpartum resumption of menses.     

Sequence analysis of termini of conjugative transposon Tn916.

Transposon Tn916 is a 16.4-kilobase, broad-host-range, conjugative transposon originally identified on the chromosome of Enterococcus (Streptococcus) faecalis DS16. Its termini have been sequenced along with the junction regions for two different insertions. The ends were found to contain imperfect inverted repeat sequences with identity at 20 of 26 nucleotides. Further in from the ends, imperfect directly repeated sequences were present, with 24 of 27 nucleotides matching. The transposon junction regions contained homologous segments but of a nature not consistent with a direct duplication of the target sequence. Within the right terminus was a potential outwardly reading promoter. Tn916 is believed to transpose via an excision-insertion mechanism; based on the analyses of the termini, as well as two target sequences (before insertion and after excision), a possible model is suggested.     

Annular and nonannular binding sites for cholesterol associated with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Interactions between lipids and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica have been measured in reconstituted membranes containing purified receptor and defined lipids. The ability of brominated lipids to partially quench the intrinsic fluorescence of the acetylcholine receptor has been exploited to monitor contacts between the protein and the surrounding lipid. Relative binding constants for lipid binding to the protein have been quantitatively determined by measuring quenching observed in mixtures of brominated and nonbrominated lipids by use of equilibrium exchange equations developed by London and Feigenson [London, E., & Feigenson, G. W. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 1939-1948] and by Simmonds et al. [Simmonds, A. C., Rooney, E. K., & Lee, A. G. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 1432-1441]. Dioleoylphosphatidylcholine and its dibromo derivative are the two principal lipids used in the reconstituted membranes to establish the quenching parameters. Competition studies between cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine indicate that cholesterol does not compete effectively for the phospholipid sites presumed to surround the membrane-embedded portions of the receptor (annular lipids). However, dibromocholesterol partially quenches the receptor and leads to additional quenching of receptor in pure dibromophosphatidylcholine membranes. The results are consistent with the presence of additional binding sites for cholesterol that are not accessible to phospholipids (nonannular sites). Similar results are obtained by using cholesterol hemisuccinate and its dibromo analogue, both of which can be introduced into membranes more easily than cholesterol because of their greater solubility in water. Fatty acids appear to compete for both annular and nonannular sites, and analysis of the quenching data suggests that there are 5-10 nonannular sites associated with the receptor. Cholesterol has been shown to play a critical role in both acetylcholine receptor structural stabilization and ion channel activity, and the results presented here provide additional information about cholesterol-receptor interactions.     

Involvement of arginine residues in the activation of calmodulin-dependent 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Pretreatment of an affinity-purified, brain calmodulin (CaM)-dependent phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) with p-hydroxyphenylglyoxal (pHPG), a specific arginine-modifying reagent, resulted in a time-dependent loss in CaM-stimulated hydrolysis of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP with no change in basal, CaM-independent activity. The loss in CaM-stimulated activity was preceded by a transient increase in CaM-dependent activity. Phenylglyoxal was 10-fold more effective than pHPG in promoting the loss of CaM-stimulated activity with a second-order rate constant of 13.3 M-1 min-1. Other arginine-modifying reagents, 1,2-cyclohexanedione and 2,3-butanedione, were not effective. The pHPG-modified enzyme was activated by 100 microM lysophosphatidylcholine to levels comparable to CaM-stimulated activity. The arginyl-modified enzyme was also activated by chymotrypsin and trypsin but not to the extent of the untreated enzyme stimulated with CaM. The presence of CaM during chemical modification with pHPG protected the enzyme from inactivation. Both the extent of activation and the amount of CaM necessary for 50% maximal activation were affected by pHPG treatment of the enzyme. The approximate number of modified arginines estimated by [7-14C]phenylglyoxal incorporation and amino acid analysis after complete inactivation of CaM stimulation was seven residues per catalytic subunit assuming enzyme homogeneity. The Stokes radius and sedimentation coefficient of the enzyme were unchanged by the modification. These results suggest that arginine residues are critical for functional interaction between phosphodiesterase and CaM and that controlled modification can selectively alter CaM-stimulated enzyme activity.     

Isolation and identification of seven metabolites of 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3 formed in the isolated perfused rat kidney: a model for the study of side-chain metabolism of vitamin D

The in vivo metabolism of dihydrotachysterol3, an analogue of vitamin D3 and a potent calcemic factor, has been studied in the rat. This in vivo metabolism is compared to the in vitro metabolism of 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3 in the perfused rat kidney. Using mass spectrometry and ultraviolet spectroscopy, we have identified seven novel metabolites derived from 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3. The seven compounds represent intermediates on two renal pathways (24-oxidation and 26,23-lactone formation) also observed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. No evidence was found for the renal synthesis of a 1-hydroxylated metabolite of 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol3 analogous to the hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Two of the compounds formed in vitro, 24,25-dihydroxydihydrotachysterol3 and 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol 26,23-lactone, were also formed in vivo. In vivo studies also revealed the formation of two other unidentified metabolites which are presumed to be formed nonrenally and may be calcemic factors. This work shows that dihydrotachysterol3 metabolism is complex and probably utilizes the same side-chain enzymes as vitamin D3. In addition, our work also confirms that intermediates postulated to lie on pathways to 26,23-lactone in the vitamin D3 series are also formed for the side chain in dihydrotachysterol3.     

Direct interaction of phenylarsine oxide with hexose transporters in isolated rat adipocytes

It has previously been shown that phenylarsine oxide (PhAsO), an inhibitor of protein internalization, also inhibits stereospecific uptake of D-glucose and 2-deoxyglucose in both basal and insulin-stimulated rat adipocytes. This inhibition of hexose uptake was found to be dose-dependent. PhAsO rapidly inhibited sugar transport into insulin-stimulated adipocytes, but at low concentrations inhibition was transient. Low doses of PhAsO (1 microM) transiently inhibit stereospecific hexose uptake and near total (approx. 90%) recovery of transport activity occurs within 20 min. Interestingly, once recovered, the adipocytes can again undergo rapid inhibition and recovery of transport activity upon further treatment with PhAsO (1 microM). In addition, PhAsO is shown to inhibit cytochalasin B binding to plasma membranes from insulin-stimulated adipocytes in a concentration-dependent manner which parallels the dose-response inhibition of hexose transport by PhAsO. The data presented suggest a direct interaction between the D-glucose transporter and PhAsO, resulting in inhibition of transport. The results are consistent with the current recruitment hypothesis of insulin activation of sugar transport and indicate that a considerable reserve of intracellular glucose carriers exists within fat cells.     

Metabolism of low-density lipoprotein-proteoglycan complex by macrophages: further evidence for a receptor pathway

Earlier, we (Vijayagopal, P., et al. (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 837-251) have shown that complexes of plasma low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and arterial chondroitin sulfate-dermatan sulfate proteoglycan aggregate promote LDL degradation and cholesteryl ester accumulation in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Further studies were conducted to determine whether LDL-proteoglycan complex is metabolized by a receptor-mediated process. Native proteoglycan aggregate was isolated from bovine aorta by associative CsCl isopycnic centrifugation. Complex of 125I-labeled LDL and proteoglycan aggregate formed in the presence of 30 mM Ca2+ was incubated with macrophages, and the binding at 4 degrees C and degradation at 37 degrees C of 125I-labeled LDL in the complex was monitored. Both binding and degradation of the complex were specific and saturable, suggesting that the processes are receptor mediated. The Kd for binding was 23 micrograms LDL protein per ml in the complex. Degradation of 125I-labeled LDL-proteoglycan complex was not suppressed by preincubation of macrophages with excess unlabeled complex, suggesting that the receptor for the complex is not subject to down regulation. Both binding and degradation of the complex and the resultant stimulation of cholesteryl ester synthesis were inhibited by limited treatment of cells with low doses of trypsin and pronase, indicating that the binding sites are protein or glycoprotein in nature. Binding was not inhibited by an excess of native LDL and beta-VLDL and exhibited only partial competition by excess unlabeled acetyl-LDL; however, polyinosinic acid, fucoidin and dextran sulfate, known inhibitors of acetyl-LDL binding and degradation in macrophages, did not affect LDL-proteoglycan complex binding and degradation. Similarly, excess unlabeled LDL-proteoglycan complex produced only partial inhibition of the binding and degradation of 125I-labeled acetyl-LDL by macrophages, suggesting that the binding sites for acetyl-LDL and LDL-proteoglycan complex are probably not identical. These studies provide evidence for a receptor-mediated pathway for the metabolism of LDL-proteoglycan complex in macrophages.     

Hypothalamic alpha-adrenergic blockade modifies drinking and blood pressure responses to central angiotensin II in conscious rats

These experiments investigated in the awake rat the involvement of noradrenergic projections to the rostral hypothalamus in the drinking and pressor responses elicited by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of 25 ng of angiotensin II. Phentolamine mesylate in doses of 2.5-125 micrograms injected into the rostral hypothalamus produced a dose-dependent depression of both the drinking and pressor responses elicited by i.c.v. administration of angiotensin II. A paradoxical increase in heart rate was associated with a decrease in pressor responses with increasing doses of phentolamine. This response was due to tissue injections, since pretreatment by injecting 12.5 micrograms of phentolamine into the ventricle did not block either the cardiovascular or drinking responses to i.c.v. injections of angiotensin II. Yohimbine (0.33-3.3 micrograms), DL-propranolol (25 micrograms), and atenolol (25 micrograms) did not, but prazosin (0.7 microgram) did significantly alter the pressor responses. Although yohimbine also was without effect on drinking, prazosin reduced the drinking responses. These results suggest that alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in the rostral hypothalamus are involved in the control of both the drinking and pressor responses elicited by i.c.v. injections of angiotensin II. In the case of propranolol and atenolol, beta-adrenergic receptors altered only the drinking response in a nonspecific manner by eliciting competing behaviors. Whether they are involved in modifying the drinking response only remains to be demonstrated.