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Biomedical subjects

A J Rivett

Publications and source records attributed to A J Rivett.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Implication of protein oxidation in protein turnover, aging, and oxygen toxicity.

It is evident from the results summarized here that a variety of MFO systems catalyze the oxidation inactivation of enzymes. This likely involves site-directed Fenton-chemistry in which Fe(II) bound to metal binding sites on the protein undergoes peroxidation to form active oxygen species that convert proximal amino acid residues to carbonyl derivatives. Such oxidation is likely involved in the accumulation of altered enzymes during aging, in premature aging diseases, in the killing of bacteria by neutrophils and in protein turnover. In view of these results, the possibility that protein oxidation is implicated in various diseases, viz, arthritis, pulmonary dysfunction, and carcinogenesis deserves consideration.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

Enhanced degradation of oxidized glutamine synthetase in vitro and after microinjection into hepatoma cells.

Mixed-function oxidation of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase has previously been suggested to mark the enzyme for intracellular degradation, and in vitro studies have demonstrated that oxidation renders the enzyme susceptible to proteolytic attack. In this study, the susceptibility of glutamine synthetase to degradation by purified proteases has been compared with the rate of degradation after microinjection into hepatoma cells. Upon exposure to an ascorbate mixed-function oxidation system the enzyme rapidly loses most of its activity, but further oxidation is required to cause susceptibility to extensive proteolytic attack either by a high-molecular-weight liver cysteine proteinase or by trypsin. The rate of degradation of biosynthetically 14C-labeled native and oxidized glutamine synthetase preparations after injection into hepatoma cells parallels their susceptibility to proteolysis in vitro. Native enzyme preparations and enzyme oxidatively inactivated, but not susceptible to extensive degradation by purified proteases, had similar intracellular half-lives; however, oxidized enzyme preparations that were susceptible to proteolytic breakdown in vitro were degraded almost ten times faster than the native enzyme within the growing hepatoma cells. These results suggest that the same features of the oxidized enzyme that render it susceptible to proteolysis in vitro are also recognized by the intracellular degradation system. In addition, they show that loss of enzyme activity does not necessarily imply decreased metabolic stability.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Purification of a liver alkaline protease which degrades oxidatively modified glutamine synthetase. Characterization as a high molecular weight cysteine proteinase.

A nonlysosomal alkaline protease which degrades the oxidatively modified form of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase has been purified to apparent homogeneity from rat and mouse liver acetone powders. Its molecular weight was determined to be 300,000 by Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration but results of further studies using high pressure liquid chromatography gel filtration suggest a value of 650,000. Examination of the subunit structure by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed multiple bands of molecular weights between 22,000 and 34,000. The alkaline protease was inhibited by thiol reagents. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, aprotinin, leupeptin, antipain, and chymostatin partially inhibited the protease. The inhibition by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride was prevented by dithiothreitol, and alpha 1-antitrypsin and soybean trypsin inhibitor did not inhibit. No inhibition was observed with metalloprotease inhibitors. The alkaline protease is active over a broad range of pH with optimum activity for the degradation of oxidized glutamine synthetase around pH 9.0. Its activity is not stimulated by MgATP. A study of the products of insulin B chain degradation demonstrated major cleavage sites at Gln13-Ala14, Leu15-Tyr16, Cys(SO3H)19-Gly20, Gln4-His5, and Leu17-Val18. Based on its endopeptidase activity and its inhibitor specificity, the alkaline protease should be classified as a cysteine proteinase. It appears to be distinct from previously described proteinases and is likely involved in nonlysosomal mechanisms of intracellular protein turnover.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Preferential degradation of the oxidatively modified form of glutamine synthetase by intracellular mammalian proteases.

Four intracellular proteases partially purified from liver preferentially degraded the oxidatively modified (catalytically inactive) form of glutamine synthetase. One of the proteases was cathepsin D which is of lysosomal origin; the other three proteases were present in the cytosol. Two of these were calcium-dependent proteases with different calcium requirements. The low-calcium-requiring type (calpain I) accounted for most of the calcium-dependent activity of both mouse and rat liver. The calcium-independent cytosolic protease, referred to as the alkaline protease, has a molecular weight of 300,000 determined by gel filtration. Native glutamine synthetase was not significantly degraded by the cytosolic proteases at physiological pH, but oxidative modification of the enzyme caused a dramatic increase in its susceptibility to attack by these proteases. In contrast, trypsin and papain did degrade the native enzyme and the degradation of modified glutamine synthetase was only 2- to 4-fold more rapid. Adenylylation of glutamine synthetase had little effect on its susceptibility to proteolysis. Although major structural modifications such as dissociation, relaxation, and denaturation also increased the rate of degradation, the oxidative modification is a specific type of covalent modification which could occur in vivo. Oxidative modification can be catalyzed by a variety of mixed function oxidase systems present within cells and causes inactivation of a number of enzymes. Moreover, the presence of cytosolic proteases which recognize the oxidized form of glutamine synthetase suggests that oxidative modification may be involved in intracellular protein turnover.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The effect of mixed-function oxidation of enzymes on their susceptibility to degradation by a nonlysosomal cysteine proteinase.

Mixed-function oxidation of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase by ascorbate, oxygen, and iron has previously been shown to cause inactivation of the enzyme and enhanced susceptibility to proteolytic attack by a variety of proteases. One of these proteases, from rat liver, is a high molecular weight cysteine proteinase which does not degrade native glutamine synthetase at neutral pH. Although inactive, the oxidized glutamine synthetase preparations used in this study were only partially degraded by this proteinase. Some of the subunits were degraded to acid soluble products with no detectable intermediates; the remaining subunits had not become susceptible to proteolytic attack during the limited exposure to the ascorbate mixed-function oxidation system. Several mammalian enzymes which are known to be inactivated by mixed-function oxidation were tested as substrates for the proteinase. Native rabbit muscle enolase and pyruvate kinase were resistant to degradation, but their oxidatively inactivated forms were degraded. Oxidized phosphoglycerate kinase and creatine kinase were also preferentially degraded. Moreover, trypsin degraded oxidized preparations of all of these enzymes faster than control preparations. Oxidative inactivation of superoxide dismutase by hydrogen peroxide caused a slight increase in susceptibility to proteolytic attack, but the enzyme was still relatively resistant to degradation both by the cysteine proteinase and by trypsin. Although oxidation conditions may not have been optimal for demonstrating enhanced proteolytic susceptibility, the results do indicate that mixed-function oxidation can render some mammalian enzymes, as well as bacterial glutamine synthetase, susceptible to degradation. Mixed-function oxidation of these proteins may be a mechanism of marking them for intracellular turnover.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Covalent modification of proteins by mixed-function oxidation: recognition by intracellular proteases.

Mixed-function oxidation of E. coli glutamine synthetase is a site-specific reaction involving covalent modification of specific amino acid residues. It causes loss of a specific histidine residue which is thought to be at one of the metal binding sites. The modified enzyme is catalytically inactive. Oxidative modification causes enhanced susceptibility to proteolytic attack and several different types of proteases recognize the oxidatively modified enzyme. This specific covalent modification increases the rate of degradation of glutamine synthetase to about the same extent as major structural modifications such as relaxation, subunit dissociation and denaturation. Moreover, the oxidative modification is one that is likely to occur in vivo. Adenylylation, which causes reversible inactivation of glutamine synthetase, has no effect on rate of proteolysis. We propose that the degradation of E. coli glutamine synthetase occurs by a two-step process. Control of the degradation is likely to be at the first step, which is inactivation by mixed-function oxidation of the enzyme. Metabolic control of the degradation process and the link with the nutritional state of the cell could be achieved by substrate protection against oxidative modification. At present, the apparent energy requirement of the degradation process is unexplained. Although most of our studies have involved E. coli glutamine synthetase, there is evidence that oxidative modification may be a general mechanism by which proteins are marked for degradation. Many enzymes are inactivated by oxidative modification which can be catalyzed by a variety of mixed-function oxidase systems. Several different types of intracellular proteases in E. coli and mammalian cells preferentially degrade the oxidized form of glutamine synthetase. Oxidative modification of proteins can occur in vivo and may be involved in intracellular protein turnover. It has also been implicated in host defense mechanisms and in aging.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Sulfate conjugation of dopamine in rat brain: regional distribution of activity and evidence for neuronal localization.

Brain tissue contains at least two forms of phenolsulfotransferase that are involved in the sulfate conjugation of biogenic amines and their metabolites. Two apparent Km values were obtained for p-nitrophenol at pH 7.4 (0.6 microM and 0.3 mM) but only one enzyme had the capacity to conjugate dopamine (Km = 130 microM). Dopamine sulfotransferase activity was found to vary 17-fold in different brain regions, with the highest levels in diencephalon, hippocampus, and striatum. To determine the cellular localization of the enzymes, phenolsulfotransferase activity was measured in striatum following selective destruction of striatal neurons by stereotaxic injection of 2 micrograms kainic acid. Fourteen days after injection the catecholamine sulfotransferase activity in the lesioned striatum was reduced to approximately 40-50% of that in the control contralateral striatum. There was a statistically significant correlation between the ratio of lesioned to control activity for the sulfotransferase and the neuronal marker enzymes glutamate decarboxylase and neuron-specific enolase. p-Nitrophenol sulfotransferase activity was also decreased in the lesioned striatum. These results suggest that PST activity is present within the kainic acid-sensitive neurons of the striatum. The regional variation in activity, together with the results of the kainic acid studies, suggest that sulfate conjugation of biogenic amines and their metabolites in brain may take place within specific types of neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Activity of neuron-specific enolase in normal and lesioned rat brain.

Rat brain contains 3 forms of enolase, a neuron-specific form (NSE), a hybrid form, and a non-neuronal form (NNE) which were separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The enolase activity corresponding to each form of the enzyme eluted from the columns was determined spectrophotometrically. Using this assay procedure, an activity ratio (%NNE/%NSE) was calculated for cerebellum, brainstem, sciatic nerve, adrenals and liver. The results indicated excellent agreement between this enzymatically determined ratio and published values of a similar ratio (NNE/NSE) determined by radioimmunoassay for enzyme protein. Following in vivo destruction of neurons by intracerebral injection of the selective neurotoxin, kainic acid, there was a significant decrease in the activity of NSE and hybrid enolase (neuronal forms) and no change in the activity of NNE (glial form). These data indicate that separation and measurement of enolase species is useful to determine levels of these species in normal tissue and to estimate neuronal damage biochemically in brain lesions.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Distinct cellular localization of membrane-bound and soluble forms of catechol-O-methyltransferase in brain.

The cellular localization of the two forms of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) was investigated by measuring their activities in rat striatum following unilateral stereotaxic injection of kainic acid, which causes degeneration of striatal neurons followed by proliferation of astroglial cells. Membrane-bound COMT activity was decreased in the lesioned striatum, while soluble COMT activity was increased. There was a statistically significant correlation between the ratio of lesioned to control activity for membrane-bond COMT and the neuronal marker enzyme glutamate decarboxylase. Similarly the increase in soluble COMT activity paralleled that of the astroglial marker enzyme, glutamine synthetase. These results indicate that the low-Km membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase may be localized predominantly in neurons, whereas the high-Km soluble enzyme is found in glial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Localization of membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase.

Previous studies of the distribution of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) have concentrated on the soluble enzyme activity. In this study the activity of the membrane-bound enzyme was determined in different brain regions and peripheral tissues of the rat. Membrane-bound COMT, like the soluble enzyme, has a general distribution with high levels in liver, kidney, and vas deferens. However, the ratio of membrane-bound to soluble activity varies almost 30-fold in different tissues, with the highest ratio in brain. Membrane-bound activity varies twofold within brain. In view of their different localization and kinetic properties, it seems likely that the two forms of COMT have different functions in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Kinetic studies on the O-methylation of dopamine by human brain membrane-bound catechol O-methyltransferase.

Km values for dopamine and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) of human brain membrane-bound catechol O-methyltransferase are 3.3 microM and 3.1 microM, respectively. S-Adenosylhomocysteine is a very potent competitive inhibitor with respect to AdoMet with a Ki value of 1 microM. Product inhibition patterns strongly support a steady-state compulsory-order ternary complex mechanism in which AdoMet binds to the enzyme before dopamine. Inhibition of membrane-bound COMT by tropolone is competitive with respect to dopamine (Ki = 5 microM) and uncompetitive with respect to AdoMet and is consistent with this type of mechanism. The mechanism proposed is different from that suggested for soluble catechol O-methyltransferases.

Brain↗
PubMed1982

Contribution of sulfate conjugation, deamination, and O-methylation to metabolism of dopamine and norepinephrine in human brain.

The kinetic constants were determined for dopamine (CA) and norepinephrine (NE) metabolism by phenolsulfotransferase (PST), type A and B monoamine oxidase (MAO), and membrane-bound and soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in frontal lobe preparations of human brain. PST and membrane-bound COMT were found to have the lowest Km values for both catecholamines. By means of the appropriate rate equations and the calculated kinetic constants for each enzyme, the activity of each enzymatic pathway was determined at varying concentrations of DA and NE. Results indicate that deamination by MAO is the principal pathway for the enzymatic inactivation of DA whereas NE is largely metabolized by MAO type A and membrane-bound COMT under the in vitro assay conditions used. At concentrations less than 100 microM, soluble COMT contributes less than 5% to the total catabolism of either catecholamine. PST can contribute up to 15% of the total DA metabolism and 7% of NE metabolism.

Arylsulfotransferase↗
PubMed1981

Kinetic studies of the reduction of succinic semialdehyde by rat-brain aldehyde reductase.

Initial rate studies have been used to investigate the kinetic mechanism followed by the purified high-Km (AR1) form of rat brain aldehyde reductase at pH 7.0. The effects of varying the aldehyde and NADPH concentrations, together with the inhibition given by the products of the reaction, are consistent with the reduction of succinic semialdehyde and p-nitrobenzaldehyde following an ordered reaction mechanism involving the formation of an intermediate ternary complex and in which NADPH is the first substrate to bind to the enzyme. Both these aldehyde substrates inhibit the enzyme at higher concentrations. This inhibition, which is uncompetitive with respect to NADPH, suggests that many previous studies on the specificity of this enzyme, that have been based on the activity determined at a single arbitrary concentration of each substrate, may have given erroneous results.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗