Isolation, and catalytic and immunochemical properties of cathepsin D-like acid proteinase from rat erythrocytes

An erythrocyte membrane-associated cathepsin D-like acid proteinase, termed "EMAP," was purified to homogeneity from freshly collected rat blood in a yield of 60-65%. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 80,000-82,000 by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The enzyme was inhibited strongly by pepstatin and partially by HgCl2, Pb(NO3)2, and iodoacetic acid. The preferred substrate for the enzyme was hemoglobin. The enzyme also hydrolyzed serum albumin and casein, but to lesser extents, with an optimum pH of 3.5-4.0. However, it could not hydrolyze leucyl-2-naphthylamide, benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Arg-4-methyl-7-coumarylamide or other synthetic substrates at pH values ranging from 3.5 to 9.5. The enzyme was very similar to human EMAP in a number of enzymatic properties, whereas it differed from rat cathepsin D in several respects, such as pH stability, molecular weight, isoelectric point, and chromatographic properties. Immunologically, the enzyme cross-reacted with the rabbit antibody prepared against human EMAP. The patterns of immunoelectrophoresis, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation of the enzyme were remarkably similar, if not identical, to those of human EMAP. In contrast, rat EMAP showed no reaction with the rabbit antibody raised to rat spleen cathepsin D. These results indicate that EMAP is a unique cathepsin D-like acid proteinase different from ordinary cathepsin D.     

Effects of phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene and polychlorinated biphenyls on sex-specific forms of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes of rats

The effects of treatment with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) on the amounts of sex-specific forms of cytochrome P-450, namely P-450-male and P-450-female, in male and female rats were studied. Although treatment with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene or PCB markedly increased the total amount of hepatic cytochrome P-450, P-450-male and P-450-female were rather decreased or not significantly changed. Thus, the percentages of P-450-male and P-450-female in the total cytochrome P-450 were decreased in liver microsomes from the treated rats. The increases in specific cytochrome P-450, such as P-448-H, P-448-L, and P-450I-c accounted for the increase in the total amount of cytochrome P-450 in the treated rats. The treatment with phenobarbital or PCB increased the activities of testosterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase, benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase and aminopyrine N-demethylase more markedly in female rats than in male rats. Similarly, the treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene increased benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase more markedly in female rats. Therefore, the sex-differences in testosterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase, benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase, and aminopyrine N-demethylase activities became smaller after the drug treatment. These results indicate that sex-specific P-450-male and P-450-female were unaffected, or even depressed by the agents in some cases.     

Sulfated proteoglycan synthesis by confluent cultures of rabbit costal chondrocytes grown in the presence of fibroblast growth factor

We examined the effect of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) on proteoglycan synthesis by rabbit costal chondrocyte cultures maintained on plastic tissue culture dishes. Low density rabbit costal chondrocyte cultures grown in the absence of FGF gave rise at confluency to a heterogeneous cell population composed of fibroblastic cells and poorly differentiated chondrocytes. When similar cultures were grown in the presence of FGF, the confluent cultures organized into a homogenous cartilage-like tissue composed of rounded cells surrounded by a refractile matrix. The cell ultrastructure and that of the pericellular matrix were similar to those seen in vivo. The expression of the cartilage phenotype in confluent chondrocyte cultures grown from the sparse stage in the presence vs. absence of FGF was reflected by a fivefold increase in the rate of incorporation of [35S]sulfate into proteoglycans. These FGF effects were only observed when FGF was present during the cell logarithmic growth phase, but not when it was added after chondrocyte cultures became confluent. High molecular weight, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans synthesized by confluent chondrocyte cultures grown in the presence of FGF were slightly larger in size than that produced by confluent cultures grown in the absence of FGF. The major sulfated glycosaminoglycans associated with low molecular weight proteoglycan in FGF-exposed cultures were chondroitin sulfate, while in cultures not exposed to FGF they were chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate. Regardless of whether or not cells were grown in the presence or absence of FGF, the 6S/4S disaccharide ratio of chondroitin sulfate chains associated with high and low molecular weight proteoglycans synthesized by confluent cultures was the same. These results provide evidence that when low density chondrocyte cultures maintained on plastic tissue culture dishes are grown in the presence of FGF, it results in a stimulation of the expression and stabilization of the chondrocyte phenotype once cultures become confluent.     

Xyloglucan in the Cell Walls of Suspension-Cultured Rice Cells

The xyloglucan present in the 24% KOH extract of the cell wallsof suspension-cultured rice cells was characterized by fragmentationanalysis with Trichoderma viride cellulase and Aspergillus oryzaeß-D-glucosidase. The xyloglucan is composed mainlyof the following oligosaccharide units: Results showed that the xyloglucan of suspension-cultured ricecells is more extensively branched than is that of rice seedlings.Another structural characteristic of the former xyloglucan isthe presence of D-galactosyl-D-xylosyl side chains that arenot found in the latter. (Received June 15, 1984; Accepted January 11, 1985)     

Characteristics of a Urate-Degrading Diamine Oxidase-Peroxidase Enzyme System in Soybean Radicles

The cadaverine content of soybean radicles showed a maximumpeak 3–4 days after planting. The variation coincidedwith radicle uricase activity during seed germination. The uricase activity could not be fractionate when the bufferpH for the extraction was at 6.0. The addition of 1 M KCl orNaCl to the buffer allowed the extraction of the uricase activity,but an addition of 1 M MgCl₂ or BaCl₂ inhibited this enzyme'sactivity. The urate-degrading enzyme system was purified 248-fold permilligram of protein from soybean radicles. The respective K_mvalues of the diamine oxidase activity for cadaverine and ofthe urate-degrading activity for hydrogen peroxide and uratewere 1.25, 2.93 and 50.3 µM. Analysis by gel electrophoresisof the partially purified enzyme fraction revealed that theurate-degrading enzyme system consisted of a peroxidase thatdegrades urate with hydrogen peroxide and a diamine oxidasethat releases hydrogen peroxide. These data are evidence that a urate-degrading diamine oxidaseand peroxidase system exists in soybean radicles and that thereaction rate of urate-degradation is controlled by the concentrationof cadaverine. (Received November 28, 1984; Accepted April 8, 1985)     

Kinetic studies on surface-mediated activation of bovine factor XII and prekallikrein. Effects of kaolin and high-Mr kininogen on the activation reactions

The kaolin-mediated reciprocal activation of bovine factor XII and prekallikrein was divided into the following two reactions: the activation of factor XII by plasma kallikrein (reaction 1) and the activation of prekallikrein by factor XIIa (reaction 2). The effects of high-Mr kininogen and kaolin surface on the kinetics of these activation reactions were studied. High-Mr kininogen markedly enhanced the rate of reactions 1 and 2 in the presence of kaolin, and the enhancements were highly dependent on the concentrations of the protein cofactor and amount of kaolin surface. For the activation of factor XII by plasma kallikrein (reaction 1), high-Mr kininogen was required when a low concentration of factor XII and kaolin was used. The molar ratio of the protein cofactor to factor XII for optimal activation was found to be approximately 1:1. The apparent Km value and the kcat/Km value for plasma kallikrein on factor XII were calculated to be 4 nM and 5.2 X 10(7) s-1 X M-1, respectively. The activation of prekallikrein by factor XIIa, (reaction 2) proceeded even in the absence of high-Mr kininogen and kaolin. The addition of the protein cofactor and surface to the reaction mixture remarkably accelerated the reaction, and the apparent Km value for factor XIIa on prekallikrein was reduced from 1 microM to 40 nM. Moreover, the kcat/Km value was altered from 7.3 X 10(4) to 1.1 X 10(6) s-1 X M-1). These results suggest that high-Mr kininogen accelerates the surface-mediated activation of factor XII and prekallikrein by enhancing the susceptibility of factor XII to plasma kallikrein, on the one hand, and the affinity of factor XIIa for prekallikrein, on the other hand. Kaolin may play an important role in the concentration and organization of these components on the negatively charged surface.     

Rat plasma high-molecular-weight kininogen. A simple method for purification and its characterization

High-molecular-weight kininogen has been isolated from rat plasma in three steps in a relatively high yield. The purified preparation gave a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence and presence of 2-mercaptoethanol, and the apparent Mr was estimated as 100,000. On incubation with rat plasma kallikrein, rat high Mr kininogen yielded a kinin-free protein consisting of a heavy chain (Mr = 64,000) and a light chain (Mr = 46,000), liberating bradykinin. The kinin-free protein was S-alkylated, and its heavy and light chains were separated by a zinc-chelating Sepharose 6B column. The amino acid compositions of rat high Mr kininogen and its heavy and light chains were very similar to those of bovine high Mr kininogen and its heavy and fragment 1.2-light chains, respectively. A high histidine content in the light chain of rat high Mr kininogen indicated the presence of a histidine-rich region in this protein as in bovine high Mr kininogen, although this region was not cleaved by rat plasma kallikrein. Rat high Mr kininogen corrected to normal values the prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time of Brown-Norway Katholiek rat plasma known to be deficient in high Mr kininogen and of Fitzgerald trait plasma. The kinin-free protein had the same correcting activity as intact high Mr kininogen. Rat high Mr kininogen also accelerated approximately 10-fold the surface-dependent activation of rat factor XII and prekallikrein, which was mediated with kaolin, amylose sulfate, and sulfatide. These results indicate that rat high Mr kininogen is quite similar to human and bovine high Mr kininogens in terms of biochemical and functional properties.     

Characterization of Fe2+-activated acid phosphatase in rat epidermis

A particulate acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2, orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase (acid optimum)) was extracted in 1 M KCl, from 2-day rat epidermis. The enzyme has a Mr of 32,000, but two forms, F1 and F2 with pI values of 8.6 and 8.3, respectively, were identified while the pI values of other acid phosphatases soluble in sucrose and Triton X-100 were all acidic. F1 and F2 also differed from other epidermal acid phosphatases because they were (a) activated by Fe2+ and reducing agents, (b) showed immunological cross-reactivity with purple acid phosphatase of rat spleen and (c) dephosphorylated phosvitin and alpha-casein even though they had rather high Km values.     

Analysis of apolipoproteins in high density lipoproteins by high performance liquid chromatography

A simple and rapid method for the analysis of apolipoproteins in high density lipoprotein (HDL) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed (Kinoshita et al. (1983) J. Biochem. 94, 615-617). With this method, using a sodium phosphate buffer containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an eluent, apolipoproteins can be analyzed from a very small amount of HDL fraction without delipidation using organic solvents. Separation profiles of apolipoproteins by this method were examined using several techniques. The elution pattern monitored by A280 can give precise quantitative as well as qualitative information about size-distribution of apolipoproteins, except for the apo C group. Moreover, separation of apo E from apo A-I was found to be improved by column elongation.