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Biomedical subjects

G E Staal

Publications and source records attributed to G E Staal.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Subunit composition, regulatory properties, and phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase from human gliomas.

In this study, we investigated the alterations in the activity, subunit profile, and kinetic regulatory properties of phosphofructokinase (PFK) from human gliomas compared with those from normal human brain. Gliomas showed a decrease in the enzyme activity as compared to normal brain. This decrease in PFK activity was accompanied by a relative increase in the expression of the liver type subunit of PFK. The enzymes from the tumor and normal brain showed no significant differences in their affinity toward the substrate fructose 6-phosphate. However, tumor and normal brain PFK showed major differences with respect to their behavior towards citrate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. The enzyme from the gliomas was less sensitive to citrate inhibition. More importantly, the enzyme from the tumor was more sensitive to the activation by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. In addition, we found that in gliomas the L-type subunit could be phosphorylated, most probably by a cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase. This phosphorylation could not be detected in normal human brain. It is proposed that the preferential expression of the liver type subunit by undifferentiated cancer cells may be explained in terms of the unique regulatory properties of this isozyme.

Brain↗
PubMed1987

Phosphofructokinase in rat lung during perinatal development: characterization of subunit composition and regulation by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and glucose 1,6-bisphosphate.

The subunit composition of phosphofructokinase (ATP: D-fructose-6-phosphate-1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.11) was studied in rat lung during perinatal development. No change in subunit composition during this period was observed. The three subunits of phosphofructokinase (L, M and C) were present in a ratio of approx. 65:25:10, respectively. In addition the levels of two effectors of phosphofructokinase were determined in rat lung during perinatal development: glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Until day 20 of gestation (term is 22 days) the glucose 1,6-bisphosphate level remains relatively constant (approx. 0.55 mumol/g protein), decreases before birth and increases sharply up to 1.04 mumol/g protein 2 days after birth. The amount of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in rat lung shows a different developmental profile. A small peak is shown at day 17 of gestation whereas a larger peak up to 36.4 nmol/g protein is shown at days 20 and 21 of gestation. The time of maximal fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content corresponds with the time of glycogen breakdown and acceleration of surfactant synthesis in prenatal rat lung. Both glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate stimulate lung phosphofructokinase. Half maximal stimulations occur in the range of 24.1-70.9 microM glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and 0.17-0.34 microM fructose 2,6-bisphosphate.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Protein phosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity in medullary thyroid carcinomas of the rat.

The kinetics of endogenous protein phosphorylation and resultant phosphoprotein patterns were investigated in well-differentiated (DMTC) and undifferentiated (AMTC) medullary thyroid carcinomas of the rat. Cytosolic or particulate fractions from these tumors were incubated with gamma-32P-ATP in the presence of various effectors. Phosphorylation appeared to be predominantly independent of exogenously added cyclic AMP. Magnesium and manganese were equally effective cofactors. For both tumor types 32P incorporation into cytosolic proteins was maximal within 3-4 min after addition of ATP and subsequently decreased gradually within 1 h. In contrast, in particulate preparations maximal incorporation was reached within 30 s and remained constant over a relatively long time span. In both cases, however, 32P incorporation in extracts from DMTCs were 50-100% higher as compared to AMTCs. Comparison of the phosphoprotein patterns of each tumor after in vitro phosphorylation showed some significant differences. A phosphoprotein with molecular weight of 90 kilodalton (90 kD) was exclusively expressed in the cytosol of DMTC, whereas 99- and 84-kD phosphoproteins were only present in the cytosol of AMTC. The DMTC particulate fraction contained two phosphoproteins (with molecular weights of 40 and 37 kD), which were absent from that of AMTC. In addition, a number of proteins were more intensely phosphorylated in one of the tumors, e.g. proteins of 94 and 33 kD in DMTC cytosol and a protein of 78 kD in AMTC cytosol. Calcium induced phosphorylation of five proteins in DMTC cytosol (with molecular weights of 69, 55, 49, 43 and 32 kD), which were less intensely or not phosphorylated in AMTC. Tyrosine kinase activity was investigated using exogenously added poly(glutamine:tyrosine, 4:1) as an artificial substrate. Cytosolic tyrosine kinase activity in DMTC was +/- 50% higher than in AMTC (11.9 +/- 0.6 and 8.2 +/- 1.7 pmol/mg/min, respectively). The enzyme activities in the particulate preparations were much higher than in the cytosols (+/- 100 pmol/mg/min), although considerable variations in enzyme activity between different tumors of either type were observed. Quantitative differences in tyrosine kinase activity between AMTC and DMTC particulate fractions did not seem to exist using this substrate. Phosphoamino acid analysis of endogenously phosphorylated proteins in both AMTC and DMTC showed phosphotyrosine to be present only in cytosolic proteins within the 50-kD molecular weight region, the majority of 32P being on serine and some on threonine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Glycolytic enzymes in breast cancer, benign breast disease and normal breast tissue.

The activities of hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, enolase and pyruvate kinase were studied in breast cancer tissues, in comparison to benign breast disease and normal breast tissues. The enzyme activities in breast cancer were significantly increased compared to normal and benign breast tissues (p less than 0.001). Also the increase in activity in benign disease compared to normal was statistically significant (p less than 0.001). Within the group of benign diseases, fibroadenomas could be distinguished from fibrocystic disease, the former generally showing higher activities compared to the latter (p less than or equal to 0.05). Carcinoma subgroups, classified according to their histology, could not be recognized enzymologically. In addition, isozyme composition of pyruvate kinase and enolase was studied. We did not find a significant shift towards K type pyruvate kinase expression in benign disease compared to normal breast tissues. Also fibroadenomas did not differ from fibrocystic disease. However, the amount of K type pyruvate kinase in carcinomas proved to be significantly higher in comparison to benign disease and normal breast tissues (p less than 0.001). Expression of alpha gamma-enolase in normal breast tissue was virtually absent. In benign disease only a minority of specimens did show the hybrid alpha gamma-enolase. Nearly all carcinomas had alpha gamma-enolase expression and in 20% of the carcinomas gamma gamma-enolase could be detected (so-called neuron-specific enolase). By discriminant analysis, the function giving the best discrimination compared to the histological data was based on natural logarithm aldolase and the total of gamma-enolase subunits. Contrary to expectation, the regulator enzymes of glycolysis; i.e., hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase were not included in this discriminant function. The best fit produced a 90% correct classification in both benign and malignant disease. If these findings are confirmed to a larger series, the discrimination is sufficiently strong to form the basis of a clinically useful tool.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1987

A new case of purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency: enzymologic, clinical, and immunologic characteristics.

Deficiency of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) was detected in a 3-yr-old boy who was admitted for investigation of a behavior disorder and spastic diplegia. The urinary excretion of purines, analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, showed the presence of large amounts of (deoxy)inosine and (deoxy)guanosine and low uric acid levels. Analysis of the (deoxy)nucleotide pools of erythrocytes showed elevated levels of deoxyguanine nucleotides and NAD and decreased guanine nucleotides. PNP activity in red blood cells was 0.1-0.5% of normal on two occasions and undetectable on four later measurements. Furthermore no immunoreactive material could be detected in his red cell lysate using an anti-PNP antiserum. PNP activities in the red cells of the patient's parents were 35 and 50% of normal. The presence of (minor) residual PNP activity in the patient enabled the investigation of some enzyme properties after partial purification. No abnormalities could be detected in substrate affinity for inosine, heat stability, and electrophoretic properties. In the heterozygous parents no signs of a mutant enzyme could be found. The molecular specific activities of the parental enzymes were also normal, indicating that no immunoreactive material attributable to inactive-mutant enzyme subunits was present. A striking feature of the patient is the prevailing neurologic abnormalities presumably caused by the metabolic disorder. A severe lymphopenia exists; however, clinical symptoms of an immune deficiency did not become apparent until the age of 4 yr.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1986

Functional and mechanistic studies on the toxicity of deoxyguanosine for the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes.

Deoxyguanosine (dGuo) has been implicated as the toxic metabolite causing a severe impairment of cellular immunity in children with a genetic deficiency of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP). In peripheral blood T cells of normal donors both the pathway which leads to phosphorylation of dGuo (ultimately resulting in deoxyguanosine triphosphate, dGTP) and the salvage pathway which starts with degradation of dGuo by PNP (resulting in the formation of guanosine triphosphate, GTP) contribute to the inhibition of proliferation. In normal peripheral blood B cells, addition of dGuo leads to an inhibition of proliferation and differentiation. The concentrations of dGuo needed to cause a 50% inhibition are equivalent for peripheral blood T cells and B cells. Inhibition of B cell differentiation can be observed at the level of intracytoplasmic as well as secreted Ig and concerns all Ig isotypes. The early phase of B cell activation which takes place during a 24-h preculture with formalinized Cowan I Staphylococci is not affected by dGuo; it is not until proliferation and differentiation of B cells, brought about by culturing in the presence of crude concanavalin A supernatant, occurs that inhibitory effects of dGuo become evident. Addition of dGuo to B cell cultures results in an intracellular accumulation of GTP and dGTP. Addition of 8-aminoguanosine, a PNP inhibitor, next to dGuo, completely prevents the dGuo-mediated inhibition. Under these circumstances the dGuo-mediated increase in intracellular GTP is abrogated while dGTP accumulation still occurs. This indicates that the inhibitory effect of dGuo on the proliferation and differentiation of peripheral blood B lymphocytes of normal donors is independent of dGTP accumulation.

Adenine↗
PubMed1986

Glycolytic activity in human red cell populations separated by a combination of density and counterflow centrifugation. Evidence for an improved separation of red cells according to age.

Human red blood cells were separated by a discontinuous Percoll density gradient into fractions of increasing density. Red cells comprising the lowest and highest density fractions, respectively, were subsequently separated according to mean cell volume (MCV) by means of counterflow centrifugation. The activities of 4 red cell age-dependent enzymes (hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) were highest in the red cell fraction with low density/large MCV, although the difference from red cell enzyme activities in the total low density fraction was not significant. These 4 enzyme activities were lowest in the fraction of red cells with high density/small MCV. The relative activities of the enzymes in the high density/small MCV fraction, as compared to the unseparated cell population, were: HK (58%), PK (49%), G6PD (53%) and ASAT (28%). These activities were all significantly lower than those measured in the total high density red cell fraction. The rates of lactate production in the low density/large MCV cells (0.89 +/- 0.15 mumol X min-1 X 10(-11) cells) is approximately 3-fold higher than in high density/small MCV cells (0.33 +/- 0.03 mumol X min-1 X 10(-11) cells). This latter value is 1.8-fold lower than the rate of lactate production in the total high density red cell fraction (0.59 +/- 0.14 mumol X min-1 X 10(-11) cells) and is, in contrast to lactate production in other density/size fractions, insensitive to phosphate as a metabolic stimulus. It is argued that the combination of density gradient and counter-flow centrifugation offers a greater potential for obtaining an old red cell population than classical red cell density centrifugation alone.

Cell Separation↗
PubMed1986

Enolase isoenzymes in human gliomas.

Gamma-enolase (one of the three possible subunits of the dimeric enzyme enolase (EC 4.2.1.11)) has been reported as a marker for human neurons. Studies investigating the presence of gamma-enolase in human gliomas have given conflicting results, but a definite finding is important for further studies of the biology of these tumors and the possible use of gamma-enolase as a marker for tumors originating in nervous tissue or for neuronal damage. Using electrophoresis of tumor tissue extracts as well as immunohistochemistry the authors have demonstrated the presence of gamma-enolase in human gliomas. Analysis of the gamma-enolase content in the plasma of patients with brain neoplasms further revealed that, although this enzyme may be present in the tumor itself, its concentration in blood is not a reliable marker for a tumor of the human central nervous system.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1986

Phosphofructokinase in normal thyroid tissue and thyroid neoplasms.

Phosphofructokinase (PFK; ATP: D-fructose-6-phosphate transferase, EC 2.7.1.11) was studied in human thyroid carcinomas (n = 16), follicular adenomas (n = 31) and normal thyroid tissue (n = 19). The specific activity in carcinomas (0.129 +/- 0.070) is significantly increased (p less than 0.001) in comparison with phosphofructokinase in normal thyroid tissue (0.028 +/- 0.009). No difference in phosphofructokinase activity seems to exist between follicular, papillary and undifferentiated carcinomas. Specific activities of follicular adenomas are rather heterogeneous. When these tumors were divided into three groups of increasing proliferative activity as judged by histopathological criteria, highest specific activities of phosphofructokinase were found in the group with the highest proliferative activity. The latter group resembles the enzyme activities found in carcinomas. On the other hand specific enzyme activities of the least active tissues were comparable to normal and different from carcinomas. Adenomas show the same isozyme composition as found in normal thyroid tissue. All three isozymes of PFK, M-(muscle)type, L-(liver)type and P-(platelet)type, were present. Phosphofructokinase from papillary carcinomas show a lesser degree of precipitation with anti-M antibodies. A higher amount of platelet type isoenzyme is found in papillary carcinomas compared to follicular and undifferentiated carcinomas. The influence of citrate, an inhibitor of phosphofructokinase, is in agreement with the isozyme composition.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1985

Isoenzymes of phosphofructokinase in the rat. Demonstration of the three non-identical subunits by biochemical, immunochemical and kinetic studies.

In man and the rabbit, 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK, EC 2.7.1.11) exists in tetrameric isoenzymic forms composed of muscle (M or A), liver (L or B) and platelet or brain (P or C) subunits, which are under separate genetic control. In contrast, the genetic control of the rat PFK has not yet been conclusively established; it is unclear whether the P-type or C-type subunit exists in this species. To resolve this question, we investigated the enzyme from the skeletal muscle, liver and brain of rats of Wag/Rij strain. Our studies demonstrate that the rat PFK is also under the control of three structural loci and that the homotetramers M4, P4 and L4 exhibit unique chromatographic, immunological and kinetic-regulatory properties. Skeletal-muscle and brain PFKs consist of isolated M4 and P4 homotetramers respectively. Although liver PFK consists predominantly of L4 homotetramer, it also contains small amounts of PL3 and P2L2 species. All three PFKs exhibit allosteric properties: co-operativity with fructose 6-phosphate and inhibition by ATP decrease in the order P4 greater than L4 greater than M4. P4 and M4 tetramers are the most sensitive to citrate inhibition, whereas L4 tetramer is the least sensitive. More importantly, P4 and L4 isoenzymes are the most sensitive to activation by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, whereas M4 isoenzyme is the least sensitive. These results indicate that the brain PFK in this strain of rat is a unique tetramer, P4, which also exhibits allosteric kinetics, as do the well-studied M4 and L4 isoenzymes. The reported differences in the number and nature of isoenzymes present in the rat brain and liver most probably reflect the differences in the strains studied by previous investigators. Since the nature of the rat PFK isoenzymes and nomenclatures reported by previous investigators have been now reconciled, it is proposed that, for the sake of uniformity, only well-established nomenclatures used for the rabbit or human PFK isoenzymes be used for the rat isoenzymes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1985

Determination and characterization of hexokinase in thyroid cancer and benign neoplasms.

Hexokinase (ADP: D-hexose-6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) was studied in human thyroid carcinomas (n = 11), follicular adenomas (n = 32), and normal thyroid tissue (n = 21). The specific activity was significantly increased in carcinoma (0.163 +/- 0.083 U/mg protein) compared with normal tissue (0.030 +/- 0.010 U/mg protein) (P less than 0.001). Specific activities of follicular adenomas are rather heterogeneous, but when subdivided into three groups according to histopathologic criteria, a significant difference was found between follicular adenomas group I and II and follicular adenomas group III. A lesser cellular differentiation of adenomas is indicated by the lower degree or even absence of colloid production and follicle formation. A higher proliferation rate may be assumed on the grounds of the irregularities in outline, the often defective pseudocapsule, and signs of compression of the surrounding tissue. The highest specific activity in adenomas was found in the group with the highest proliferative activity, i.e., group III, whereas the lowest specific activities were found in adenomas with the lowest grade of proliferation, i.e., group I; the former was comparable with values found in carcinomas and the latter was comparable with values found in normal thyroid tissue. An interesting difference was found when the compartmentation of hexokinase was compared in carcinomas of different degree of differentiation. In papillary carcinomas a significantly lower proportion of hexokinase (HK) is present in the cytosol in comparison to follicular and undifferentiated carcinomas. In carcinomas more HK II and less HK I was found in comparison with normal thyroid tissue. In contrast hexokinase isozyme composition and compartmentation in adenomas were not different from normal thyroid tissue.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1985

Activity and isoenzyme patterns of glycolytic enzymes during perinatal development of rat lung.

The enzymes hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1), phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11), enolase (EC 4.2.1.11) and pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) were studied in rat lung during development starting at day 16 of gestation (day-6) until 5 days after birth. During gestation, the activities of hexokinase type II, enolase and pyruvate kinase decreased and reached adult values at birth or shortly thereafter. Hexokinase type I remained relatively constant and the decrease of soluble type II hexokinase was compensated for by an increment of particle-bound hexokinase starting at day 20 of gestation until birth. In contrast, phosphofructokinase activity increased until day 20 of gestation followed by a rapid fall in activity until 2 days after birth. Except for hexokinase no isoenzyme shifts were observed in the period of observation. The results are discussed with respect to the proposed relationship between glycogen breakdown and surfactant synthesis during the perinatal period and suggest a regulatory role for phosphofructokinase in this process.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Enolase isozymes in differentiated and undifferentiated medullary thyroid carcinomas.

Enolase isozyme composition was studied using both electrophoretic and chromatographic methods in rat medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC), differing in their degree of differentiation. In well-differentiated rat tumors (DMTC), both the alpha- and gamma-subunits of enolase were expressed, resulting in alpha alpha, alpha gamma, and gamma gamma isozymes. The relatively high amount of alpha gamma and gamma gamma isozymes (neuron-specific enolase [NSE] ) was indicative of the presumed neuroectodermal origin of these tumors. In contrast, highly undifferentiated or anaplastic tumors (AMTC) were characterized by a decrease in expression of the gamma-subunit. Hence, the majority of enolase isozymes were alpha alpha dimers, with only a few percent alpha gamma hybrids remaining. These shifts from neuron-specific to non-neuronal isozymes in rat MTC were compared with human MTC and discussed with respect to neuronal differentiation and the clinical significance of NSE measurements in serum as a marker for amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation cell-derived neoplasms.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Pyruvate kinase in normal human thyroid tissue and thyroid neoplasms.

Pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate-2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) was studied in human thyroid carcinomas (n = 9), follicular adenomas (n = 32), and normal thyroid tissue (n = 12). The specific activity in carcinomas (mean 0.94 +/- 0.44) is significantly increased (P less than 0.0001) in comparison with pyruvate kinase in normal tissue (mean, 0.14 +/- 0.05). Specific activities of follicular adenomas are rather heterogeneous. When these tumors were divided into three groups of increasing proliferative activity as judged by histopathologic criteria, highest specific activities of pyruvate kinase were found in the group with the highest proliferative activity. On the other hand, specific enzyme activities of the least active tissues (colloid-containing follicular adenomas) were comparable to normal. The isoenzyme composition of normal thyroid tissue is characterized by the presence of K4, K3M, and K2M2 types of pyruvate kinase. In carcinomas, mainly K4 and K3M are found. Undifferentiated tumors express more K4 type compared with follicular and papillary carcinomas. Follicular adenomas with high specific activity show the same electrophoretic pattern as found in follicular carcinomas. Pyruvate kinase from malignant tumors is more inhibited by the amino acid L-alanine than the enzyme from normal thyroid tissue as a consequence of the presence of more K subunits in the malignant tissues. The K4 type from normal thyroid tissue is not kinetically different from the K4 type of carcinomas.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1985

Characteristics of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase during adult and neonatal reticulocyte maturation.

Erythrocytes from adults and newborn infants (at term and premature) were separated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation into four fractions of increasing density. Glycolytic enzymes, especially the age-dependent ones, hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1, HK), pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40, PK), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49, G6PD) were studied during reticulocyte maturation and further red cell senescence. Analysis of the fraction with lowest density showed an almost linear and steep decline of HK, PK, and G6PD activity with a decreasing number of reticulocytes. In the next three fractions of increasing density, the activity decline was far less. These data are therefore illustrative for a biphasic activity decay pattern of HK, PK, and G6PD during both adult and neonatal red cell aging. The strong decline in HK activity could not be ascribed to the disappearance of a particulate (mitochondrial) bound fraction of the enzyme during reticulocyte maturation. All hexokinase activity in human reticulocytes was found to be cytosolic in contrast with rabbit reticulocytes in which 70% of HK activity was particulate.

Adult↗