Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Abramowitz.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Transient and steady state kinetics of the interaction of liver plasma membrane adenylyl cyclase with GTP and the GTP analogues guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (GMP-P(NH)P), guanyl-5'-yl diphosphonate (GMP-P(CH2)P), and guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S) was studied before and after treatment of membranes with preactivated cholera toxin. (a) In control experiments, GTP stimulated the enzyme partially and without a noticeable lag, while GTP analogues stimulated to varying degrees (GTP gamma S approximately GMP-P(NH)P greater than GMP-P(CH2)P greater than or equal to GTP) and with lag periods that varied with the nucleotide (GMP-P(NH)P approximately GMP-P(CH2)P greater than GTP gamma S). (b) In toxin-treated membranes, transient kinetics and degree of activation by GTP analogues were unaltered, while activation by GTP remained rapid and became as effective as the most effective of the analogues. (c) Toxin treatment had no effect on the concentration-effect curves for GTP analogues but resulted in a 5- to 9-fold lowering of the apparent K alpha with which GTP stimulates the system. These results indicate that the degree of stimulation of the liver adenylyl cyclase by GTP and its analogues is independent of the susceptibility of the beta-gamma bond of the guanosine triphosphate to be hydrolyzed and that lags in progress curves are not due to slow dissociation of "resident" GDP molecules. The time transients of the interaction of the rat liver adenylyl cyclase with combinations of GTP and GMP-P(NH)P were studied and found to be of the competitive type regardless of the time and sequence of addition of the two nucleotides. The results are consistent with GMP-P(NH)P interacting with and dissociating from the system very slowly and not leading to the formation of an irreversibly activated state of the enzyme. The data obtained on regulation of the basic (no hormone added) liver adenylyl cyclase by guanyl nucleotides are interpreted in terms of a two-state enzyme model (Birnbaumer, L., Bearer, C.F., and Iyengar, R. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 3552-3557) and the results are discussed in the light of current views of regulation of adenylyl cyclases and involvement of a GTPase. Our experiments are consistent with, but not proof for, presence of a cholera toxin-inhibited GTPase in intimate association with the liver adenylyl cyclase.
The acute in vitro actions of two potent melanocytolytic agents, hydroquinone (HQ) and beta-mercaptoethanolamine (MEA), were determined in the B-16, Cloudman S-91 and Harding-Passey (HP) murine melanomas grown in vivo. Drug treated melanoma dice (5--480 min) were analyzed for tyrosinase activity and cyclic nucleotide levels (cAMP, cGMP). HQ and MEA effects on tyrosinase activity are complex and vary with tumor type, duration of treatment and agent tested. MEA or HQ inhibited B-16 tyrosinase activity. With combined drug therapy, low concentrations of MEA plus HQ stimulate B-16 tyrosinase activity while high concentrations of the drugs have little effect on enzymatic activity. MEA depresses tyrosinase activity while HQ elevates enzymatic activity in the S-19 melanoma. Both high and low concentrations of the combined drugs (MEA plus HQ) elicit the same response, stimulation at 10 min followed by continued depression of tyrosinase activity for the remainder of the 4 h study period. MEA initially stimulates HP tyrosinase activity followed by depression of enzymic activity. In contrast, HQ initially depresses HP tyrosinase activity followed by stimulation of enzyme activity. In combination the drugs inhibit HP tyrosinase activity. The effects of MEA and/or HQ on murine melanoma cyclic nucleotide levels are equally complex. MEA or HQ elevate cAMP and cGMP levels in all three tumors with the exception of S-91 cGMP levels which are not altered. In combination the drugs increase cyclic nucleotide levels in each of the three tumor types but at different times. No correlation is present between cyclic nucleotide levels and tyrosinase activity. Thus, the action of increased cyclic nucleotide levels in melanogenesis can not be separated from the direct actions of MEA and HQ upon melanogenesis. The divergent effects of MEA and/or HQ on tyrosinase activity and cyclic nucleotide levels in these melanomas are not correlated with the known in vivo melanocytolytic activity of these drugs. Thus, these parameters appear to be inadequate indicators of melanoma cell viability in chemotherapeutic screening of drugs effective in destroying malignant melanoma.
Supernatant fractions (300,000 x g, 60 min) from homogenates of rat liver, heart, and skeletal muscle, dog liver, and rabbit liver prepared without detergent in the homogenization medium (referred to as S300) are shown to contain an activity that restores Mg2+-dependent fluoride- and guanine nucleotide-stimulated cyclizing activity to the adenylate cyclase system [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing); EC 4.6.1.1] in cyc- S49 murine lymphoma cell membranes. Approximately 25% of the total cyc- reconstituting activity in the above tissues is present in S300. Reconstituting activity is proportional to S300, is sensitive to trypsin, is protected against heat inactivation by guanine nucleotide, and has a sedimentation coefficient of 5.3 in both H2O and 2H2O linear sucrose density gradients. Treatment with cholera toxin and NAD+ results in reconstitution of cyc- adenylate cyclase with enhanced activity in the presence of GTP. Reconstituion with S300 is stable, as seen in cyc- membranes after washing. All of these properties of S300 are similar to those of membrane-derived cyc- reconstituting activity. It is concluded that cell cytoplasm contains a naturally soluble protein or mixture of proteins having guanine nucleotide regulatory component activity of adenylate cyclase.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The acute in vitro action of ACTH and corticosterone individually and in combination were determined in the B-16 melanoma grown in vivo. ACTH elevated levels 10-fold while tyrosinase activity generally was depressed. Corticosterone depressed cAMP levels and tyrosinase activity. ACTH in the presence of corticosterone produced a coincident peak in tyrosinase activity and cAMP levels followed by a depression of enzymatic activity. The results demonstrate that cAMP is not the sole modulator of tyrosinase activity and that ACTH, corticosterone and cAMP interact in the regulation of B-16 melanoma tyrosinase activity.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A large number of hormones and neurotransmitters activate adenylyl cyclase [ATP, pyrophosphate lyase (cyclizing; EC 4.6.1.1.)] catalyzing the formation of cAMP and PPi from ATP in the presence of Mg2+. The cAMP formed is in turn responsible for eliciting the physiological responses of these hormones and neurotransmitters. In addition to hormones and neurotransmitters, fluoride ion, cholera toxin and guanyl nucleotides (GTP and GTP analogs such as GTP gamma S and GMP-P(NH)P) also stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity (Perkins, 1974; Birnbaumer, 1977; Gill, 1977). It has become evident that hormonally-responsive adenylyl cyclase is a multi-component system consisting of at least 3 physically distinct units. The first is the hormone receptor containing a specific site for a given hormone. The second is the catalytic moiety (C component) of adenylyl cyclase bearing the site responsible for catalysis of the cyclizing reaction. The third is the guanyl nucleotide regulatory subunit (G component) which binds guanyl nucleotide. Recently, a GTPase activity has been found to be associated with the G component of adenylyl cyclase (Cassel and Selinger, 1976; Cassel et al., 1977a, b; Lambert et al., 1979). In this review we will present information on the regulation of hormonally-responsive adenylyl cyclases. This is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the literature. Rather, it represents our views on the current status of the regulation of cAMP formation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We conducted a study to determine the morphological appearance and functional responsiveness of ovarian tissues after administration of hCG to 28-day-old rats primed 65 h earlier with PMS gonadotropin (PMSG) and after administration of a second dose of hCG 5 days later, i.e. to 33-day-old rats containing heavily luteinized ovaries. Sixty-five hours after the administration of 50 IU PMSG sc to 25-day-old rats, ovaries already contained an abundance of luteinized follicles and an adenylyl cyclase (AC) system that was responsive to LH, epinephrine, and NaF. The administration of 50 IU hCG sc at this time initially resulted in a loss of LH-responsive ovarian AC. Within 4 days of the hCG injection, the ovaries of the now 32-day-old rats were heavily luteinized, and ovarian AC was highly responsive to LH, epinephrine, and NaF. The administration of a single sc dose of 200 IU hCG to 33-day-old PMSC- and hCG-primed rats with luteinized ovaries resulted in a rapid desensitization of the ovarian AC to LH and a drop in serum progesterone levels, During the subsequent 7 days, serum progesterone levels continued to decline, while total ovarian AC reacquired responsiveness to LH by days 4--5 after the densensitizing dose of hCG. Dissection of ovarian components revealed, however, that the AC system of the corpora lutea originally present at the time of the second hCG injection remained permanently refractory to LH and that the AC in corpora lutea newly formed from freshly ovulated follicles exhibited a significant responsiveness to LH, epinephrine, and NaF. However, these new corpora lutea were not fully active, since serum progesterone never rose. Subcutaneous administration of 50 IU hCG to 33-day-old PMSG- and hCG-primed rats also promoted a rapid loss of AC responsiveness to LH. This lower concentration of hCG was not sufficient to promote follicular development or ovulation, and the ovarian AC remained refractory to LH for at least 7 days. Intravenous administration of 75 IU hCG to 33-day-old PMSG- and hCG-primed rats similarly promoted a rapid and permanent loss of luteal AC responsiveness to LH; again, follicles did not mature to a preovulatory state and, in fact, appeared to undergo atresia rather than ovulation. These results indicate that in heavily luteinized ovaries 1) hCG promotes desensitization of rat luteal AC to LH, 2) Desensitization of AC to LH stimulation in corpora lutea is permanent and irreversible, and 3) only under conditions where follicles mature and ovulate and new corpora lutea are formed does total ovarian AC reacqure responsiveness during the subsequent week.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The acute in vitro action of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone alone and in combination were determined in the Harding-Passey (HP) melanoma grown in vivo. Hormone treated melanoma dice (5--240 min) were analyzed for tyrosinase activity, cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP). ACTH elevated cAMP and cGMP levels 20- and 13-fold, respectively, in the HP melanoma. However, these large increases in cyclic nucleotide levels were accompanied by only a 49% increase in tyrosinase activity. Corticosterone elicited a similar response. ACTH plus corticosterone produced an early cAMP and cGMP peak followed by depression. ACTH plus corticosterone stimulated tyrosinase activity coincident with the early cyclic nucleotide peak followed by a drop in tyrosinase activity which was subsequently elevated. The results indicate that neither cAMP nor cGMP are the sole modulators of tyrosinase activity and suggest the interaction of ACTH, corticosterone and cyclic nucleotides in the regulation of melanoma tyrosinase activity.
The acute in vitro action of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone alone and in combination were determined in the Cloudman S-91 melanoma grown in vivo. Hormone-treated melanoma dice (5-240 min) were analyzed for tyrosinase activity (EC 1.14.18.1), cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP). ACTH elevated cAMP levels in the S-91 melanoma. However, these increases in cAMP were not accompanied by increased tyrosinase activity. Corticosterone depressed cAMP levels while stimulating tyrosinase activity. ACTH plus corticosterone produced an early cAMP peak followed by depression. ACTH plus corticosterone stimulated tyrosine activity coincident with the early cAMP peak followed by a drop in tyrosinase activity which was subsequently elevated. cGMP levels were not altered by any hormone treatment. The results indicate that cAMP is not the sole modulator of tyrosinase activity and suggest the interaction of ACTH, corticosterone and cAMP in the regulation of melanoma tyrosinase activity.
Ultrastructural studies, and cytochemical and biochemical determinations of tyrosinase activity were conducted on the pigment epithelium of albino and xanthic goldfish eyes. In eyes of xanthic goldfish, two types of melanosomes are present, spherical and elongated. Melanized melanosomes are absent in the eyes of the albino goldfish, but elongated lamellar premelanosomes are observed. Internal vesicles are present in both melanosome types in the pigment epithelium of the xanthic goldfish but are absent in premelanosomes of the albino. There are also differences in the distribution of lipid droplets, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complexes with the latter two being more abundant in the albino. Tyrosinase was not identified cytochemically; however, the enzyme was demonstrated biochemically in the pigment epithelia of both albino and xanthic goldfish. The enzyme is associated with the particulate and soluble fractions fo both types of eyes. Particulate albino tyrosinase may be solubilized by triton X-100 treatment. Tyrosinase inhibitors are present in the particulate fractions of both albino and xanthic goldfish eyes. Thus, in the goldfish, ocular albinism appears to be a multiple defect at the molecular and ultrastructural levels.
A protein fraction with actin-like characteristics has been isolated from E. coli. The fraction (referred to as A-L fraction) undergoes reversible increases in molecular weight under the same catalytic conditions that polymerize actin, exhibits a distinct peak on SDS electrophoresis at the characteristic molecular weight for actin, depends primarily on potassium for its polymerization, and is not "polymerized" by sodium. A-L fraction in the monomeric form was eluted in the void volume of a Sepharose 6B column, suggesting a large Stoke's radius and a molecular weight in excess of 400,000. The fraction contained 30% RNA by weight that proved refractory to experimental efforts at removal.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.