2-Deoxy-D-galactose metabolism in ascites hepatoma cells results in phosphate trapping and glycolysis inhibition.

The metabolism of 2-deoxy-D-galactose has been studied in AS-30D rat ascites hepatoma cells in suspension. Using 2-deoxy-D-(1-14C)galactose and an alkaline ethanol deproteinization procedure, the quantitatively identified metabolites included 2-deoxy-D-galactose 1-phosphate comprising 99.3%, and UDP-2-deoxy-D-galactose and UDP-2-deoxy-D-glucose, together amounting to 0.4% of the total metabolites. After incubation for 5 h in the presence of 2-deoxy-D-galactose (1 mmo1/1), the content of 2-deoxy-D-galactose 1-phosphate reached 35 mmo1x(kg cells)-1. The rate of phosphorylation of 2-deoxy-D-galactose was rapid during the first 30 min and decreased to approximately 20% of this rate during the subsequent hours. The rapid trapping of Pi in the form of 2-deoxy-D-galactose 1-phosphate resulted in a depression of free intracellular Pi in spite of a concomitant increase in net 32Pi uptake from the medium and a decrease of ATP and other 5'-nucleotides. The rates of glucose utilization and lactate production were depressed by more than 80% in the presence of 2-deoxy-D-galactose (1 mmo1/1). Interruption of Pi trapping by removal of 2-deoxy-D-galactose from the medium reversed the depressions of Pi and ATP and resulted in a rapid but incomplete relief of glycolysis inhibition. Crossover analysis of glycolytic intermediates indicated an inhibition at the 6-phosphofructokinase step. The depression of glucose utilization may be mediated by the increased level of glucose 6-phosphate, a potent inhibitor of hexokinase. An additional inhibitory effect of a metabolite of 2-deoxy-D-galactose at the 6-phosphofructokinase step was indicated by crossover analysis after reversal of Pi and ATP depressions in the presence of a high intracellular content of 2-deoxy-D-glactose 1-phosphate. The quantitative analysis of the metabolites of 2-deoxy-D-galactose demonstrated the predominance of the monophosphate and the negligible formation of UPD derivatives of this sugar analog in AS-30D hepatoma cells. This provides a system for the investigation of a galactose analog as a phosphate-trapping agent in the virtual absence of uridylate trapping.     

Stabilization of DNA triple helices by a series of mono- and disubstituted amidoanthraquinones.

We have used quantitative DNase I footprinting to measure the relative affinities of four disubstituted and two monosubstituted amidoanthraquinone compounds for intermolecular DNA triplexes, and have examined how the position of the attached base-functionalized substituents affects their ability to stabilize DNA triplexes. All four isomeric disubstituted derivatives examined stabilize DNA triplexes at micromolar or lower concentrations. Of the compounds studied the 2,7-disubstituted amidoanthraquinone displayed the greatest triplex affinity. The order of triplex affinity for the other disubstituted ligands decreases in the order 2,7 > 1,8 = 1,5 > 2,6, with the equivalent monosubstituted compounds being at least an order of magnitude less efficient. The 1,5-disubstituted derivative also shows some interaction with duplex DNA. These results have been confirmed by molecular modelling studies, which provide a rational basis for the structure-activity relationships. These suggest that, although all of the compounds bind through an intercalative mode, the 2,6, 2,7 and 1,5 disubstituted isomers bind with their two side groups occupying adjacent triplex grooves, in contrast with the 1,8 isomer which is positioned with both side groups in the same triplex groove.     

In vivo formation of omega-oxidized metabolites of leukotriene C4 in the rat

[3H8]Leukotriene C4 was administered to germfree rats and to conventional rats having a bile duct cannula. Several radioactive metabolites were isolated. Two polar biliary metabolites from conventional rats were identified as N-acetyl-omega-carboxy-leukotriene E4 and N-acetyl-omega-hydroxy-leukotriene E4. A polar fecal metabolite from germfree rats was found to be N-acetyl-omega-carboxy-leukotriene E4. Chemical identities were established using UV spectroscopy and cochromatographies with authentic compounds in several HPLC systems. The fecal metabolite was further characterized by reductive desulfurization followed by gas-liquid-radiochromatography. The yield of the two biliary metabolites was 5% of the administered tritium after three hours and the yield of fecal N-acetyl-omega-carboxy-leukotriene E4 was 3.5% after three days.     

Trimethyloxonium modification of single batrachotoxin-activated sodium channels in planar bilayers. Changes in unit conductance and in block by saxitoxin and calcium

Single batrachotoxin-activated sodium channels from rat brain were modified by trimethyloxonium (TMO) after incorporation in planar lipid bilayers. TMO modification eliminated saxitoxin (STX) sensitivity, reduced the single channel conductance by 37%, and reduced calcium block of inward sodium currents. These effects always occurred concomitantly, in an all-or-none fashion. Calcium and STX protected sodium channels from TMO modification with potencies similar to their affinities for block. Calcium inhibited STX binding to rat brain membrane vesicles and relieved toxin block of channels in bilayers, apparently by competing with STX for the toxin binding site. These results suggest that toxins, permeant cations, and blocking cations can interact with a common site on the sodium channel near the extracellular surface. It is likely that permeant cations transiently bind to this superficial site, as the first of several steps in passing inward through the channel.     

Enterohepatic circulation of N-acetyl-leukotriene E4

N-Acetyl-leukotriene E₄, the end product of leukotriene C₄ metabolism in the mercapturic acid pathway, was rapidly eliminated from the blood circulation into the bile of rats. Part of the N-acethyl-leukotriene E₄ secreted from bile into the intestine undewent enterohepatic circulation. Leukotriene absorption occurred from the small intestine and from the colon. Biliary and urinary excretion within 5.5 h amounted to 15 and 2%, respectively, of the intraduodenally administered N-acetyl- H leukotriene E₄ in animals anesthetized with ketamine. HPLC analyses indicated that 35% of the biliary radioactivity corresponded to unchanged N-acetyl- H leukotriene E₄, while 65% in bile and 100% in urine were polar metabolites. Enterohepatic circulation extends the biological half-life of N-acetyl-leukotriene E₄.     

UDP-glucosamine as a substrate for dolichyl monophosphate glucosamine synthesis.

The sugar nucleotide analogue UDP-glucosamine was found to function as a sugar donor in microsomal preparations of both chick-embryo cells and rat liver, yielding dolichyl monophosphate glucosamine (Dol-P-GlcN). This was characterized by t.l.c. and retention by DEAE-cellulose. Glucosamine was the only water-soluble product released on mild acid hydrolysis. Dol-P-GlcN did not serve as substrate by transferring its glucosamine moiety to dolichol-linked oligosaccharide. Competition experiments between UDP-[3H]glucose and UDP-glucosamine showed Dol-P-[3H]glucose synthesis to be depressed by 56 or 73% in microsomes from chick-embryo cells and rat liver respectively. The concentrations of the UDP-sugars in this experiment were comparable with those occurring in galactosamine-metabolizing liver. These findings suggest that Dol-P-GlcN, formed as a metabolite of D-galactosamine, may interfere with Dol-P-dependent reactions.     

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ATP-dependent primary active transport of cysteinyl leukotrienes across liver canalicular membrane. Role of the ATP-dependent transport system for glutathione S-conjugates

The liver is the major organ which eliminates leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and other cysteinyl leukotrienes from the blood circulation into bile. Transport of LTC4 was studied using inside-out vesicles enriched in canalicular and sinusoidal membranes from rat liver. The incubation of canalicular membrane vesicles with [3H]LTC4 in the presence of ATP resulted in an uptake of LTC4 into vesicles. The initial rate of ATP-stimulated LTC4 uptake was about 40-fold higher in canalicular than in sinusoidal membrane vesicles. When liver plasma membrane vesicles were incubated in the absence of ATP, an apparent transient uptake of LTC4 was observed which was temperature-dependent and not affected by the osmolarity. This indicates that LTC4 was bound to proteins on the surface of plasma membrane vesicles. Two proteins with relative molecular weights of 17,000 and 25,000 were detected by direct photoaffinity labeling as major LTC4-binding proteins. One protein (Mr 25,000) was ascribed to subunit 1 (Ya) of glutathione S-transferase which was associated with the membrane. LTD4, LTE4, N-acetyl-LTE4, and omega-carboxy-N-acetyl-LTE4 were also transported into liver plasma membrane vesicles in an ATP-dependent manner with initial rates relative to LTC4 (1.0) of 0.46, 0.11, 0.35, and 0.22, respectively. Mutual competition between the cysteinyl leukotrienes and S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-glutathione for uptake indicated that they are transported by a common carrier. Apparent Km values of the transport system for LTC4, LTD4, and N-acetyl-LTE4 were 0.25, 1.5, and 5.2 microM, respectively. The ATP-dependent transport of LTC4 into vesicles was not inhibited by doxorubicin, daunorubicin, or verapamil, or by the monoclonal antibody C219, suggesting that the transport system differs from P-glycoprotein. Liver plasma membrane vesicles prepared from mutant rats deficient in the hepatobiliary excretion of cysteinyl leukotrienes lacked the ATP-dependent transport of cysteinyl leukotrienes and S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-glutathione. These results demonstrate that the ATP-dependent carrier system is responsible for the transport of cysteinyl leukotrienes and glutathione S-conjugates from the hepatocytes into bile.