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J Chandoga

Publications and source records attributed to J Chandoga.

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[Peroxisomal hereditary metabolic disorders].

Metabolic function of peroxisomes includes oxidation of wide spectrum of substances in the presence of oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide formed at the same time is either degraded by catalase or further utilized in peroxidative reactions. From the view of cellular pathology, the most important becomes alpha and beta-oxidation of carboxylic acids, particularly beta-oxidation of long-chain carboxylic acids, which undergoes selectively in peroxisomes. Mutations of peroxisomal genes result in serious metabolic disorders. At present about twenty hereditary peroxisomal diseases has been described. One group of them includes generalized forms (impairment of peroxisome biogenesis); diseases of other group result from isolated defects of individual peroxisomal enzymes. Combined incidence of peroxisomal hereditary disorders in the Western Europe is estimated to be 1:10,000. Beside the X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, all others have the autosomal-recessive type of heredity. In phenotypic manifestation of generalized forms, as in the Zellweger syndrome, neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, infantile Refsum disease, rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, an impairment of the central nervous system, liver, and kidney dominate. Most of the patients die within one year, survival period longer than three years becomes exceptional. X-adrenoleukodystrophy, pseudoneonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, trifunctional enzyme deficiency, Refsum disease, primary hyperoxaluria, acatalasemia result from the deficiency of a single enzyme. The most frequent peroxiosomal hereditary disease, the X-adrenoleukodystrophy, has several clinical phenotypes, which most frequently manifest already in infants. The disease has also a clinically less serious form, which manifest only in adults--the adrenomyeloneuropathy. For the postnatal but also for the prenatal diagnostics, methods of biochemistry, molecular genetics, morphology, and immunocytochemistry are necessary.

Humans↗

[Peroxisomes--characteristics, biogenesis and regulation of peroxisomal genes].

Peroxisomes represent cell organelles present in both unicellular eukaryotes and most of the animal and plant cells. Peroxisomes contain about 50 enzymes with high variability in spectrum and quantity, depending on nutritional conditions and presence of some xenobiotics (peroxisome proliferations). New peroxisomes are formed after the protein intake by splitting of the existing peroxisomes or de novo. Biogenesis of peroxisomes requires cytosolic proteins, membrane transporting proteins, and the typical groups of amino acids in polypeptide chains, which have the character of topogenic signal--PTS (peroxisomal targeting signal). PTS signal is based on the terminal tripeptide, formed usually by amino acids serine, lysine and leucine (SKL tripeptide--PTS1) or by the N-terminal PTS2 with amino acid sequence Arg-Leu/Ile-XXXXX-Gln/His-Leu (X is any amino acid). Biogenesis of peroxisomes requires also special membrane proteins--peroxins, which are coded by PEX genes. These proteins act as homo- or heterodimes, they belong to ATP transports, and determine efficacy of the peroxisome biogenesis. Nuclear gene expression is regulated by nuclear receptors activated by peroxisome proliferators (PPAR-proxisome proliferators activated receptors). C-domain of the receptor binds to the specific region of the promotors of peroxisome genes (PPREs-Peroxisomal proliferator response elements), often with tandem arrangement of sequences TGACCT. Polyunsaturated fatty acids represent the effective natural regulator of the peroxisomal gene expression.

Animals↗

[Peroxisomal hereditary diseases].

Nearly two tens of diseases are known to be caused by impairment of several metabolic functions of peroxisomes, or by deficiency in individual peroxisomal enzymes. With the exception of X-bound adrenoleukodystrophy, all diseases are based on autosomally recessive type of inheritance and a majority of them are characteristic by specific neurologic symptoms. The group of diseases in which patients develop a generalised loss of peroxisomal functions includes: Zellweger's cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome, neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, infantile Refsum's disease, hyperpipecolic acidaemia. Other diseases, such as rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata and Zellweger-like syndrome are accompanied by a deficiency in several enzymatic activities. X-bound adrenoleukodystrophy, pseudo-Zellweger's syndrome, hyperoxaluria 1, adult form of Refsum's disease and acatalasaemia are peroxisomal diseases with a deficiency of a single enzyme. In clinically most severe diseases (generalised loss of peroxisomal functions), the impairment of peroxisomal biogenesis is caused assumedly due to the defect in some of the peroxisomal membrane proteins. The biochemical findings are brought about by insufficiency in such metabolic functions as oxidation of fatty acids with very long chains, oxidation of the phytanic and pipecolic acids, synthesis of cholesterol, bile salts and plasmalogenes. Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata and Zellweger's syndrome are more moderate forms which are dominantly biochemically manifestant by an impairment in the synthesis of plasmalogenes. Among the diseases characterised by a deficiency in individual peroxisomal enzymes, most frequent is the X-bound andrenoleukodystrophy which has several clinical phenotypes manifestant in childhood, as well as a clinically less severe form manifestant in adulthood-adrenomyeloneuropathy. The diagnosis of peroxisomal diseases is performed by use of a wide range of methods (morphological, biochemical, immunochemical and molecular genetic examinations) which enable both postnatal and prenatal diagnostics. (Tab. 1, Ref. 104.)

Humans↗

The role of peroxisomes in intermediary metabolism.

The dominant position among oxidoreduction processes in peroxisomes is ascribed to catalase, a number of aerobic oxidases, and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase. The peroxidase reaction of catalase requires substrates for hydrogen donation, other than H2O2, e.g. alcohols, aldehydes, formic acid. The peroxisomes contain an alternative system of beta-oxidation of higher carboxylic acids which in some types of plant cells is functionally very closely associated with the glyoxylate cycle. Regarding the role of peroxisomes in the metabolism of carboxylic acids, a very important finding has taken place, namely that besides acyl-CoA synthetase which is specific for long chains, the peroxisomes contain still another enzyme which allows the synthesis of CoA esters of fatty acids with very long chains. It is assumed that the entry of acyl-CoA esters or fatty acids into the perxisomes is performed by means of pores in membranes or acyl-carnitine transferases. Peroxisomes oxidize a very wide scale of substrates and contain several types of acyl-CoA oxidases: palmitoyl-CoA oxidase, pristanoyl-CoA oxidase, trihydroxy-coprostanoyl-CoA oxidase. The second and third reactions of peroxisomal beta-oxidation are catalyzed by the so-called three-functional enzyme, the activities of which are identical to those of 2-enoyl-CoA hydratase, beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dihydrogenase and enoyl-CoA isomerase. The peroxisomes sufficiently oxidize dicarboxylic acids with a higher number of carbons beginning with the adipic acid. The peroxisomal system of beta-oxidation is utilized in metabolism of prostaglandins, pristanic acid-being the product of phytanic acid alpha-oxidation, and cholesterol. Several enzymatic activities needed for the synthesis of cholesterol partially take place in peroxisomes. The peroxisomes represent a decisive compartment for the initial phases of synthesis of plasmalogens. They contain the following enzymes: NAD(+)-glycerol-P-dehydrogenase, dihydroxyacetone-3-P-acyl-transferase, alkyl-dihydroxyacetone-P synthetase and acyl/alkyl-dihydroxyacetone-P reductase. The metabolism of amino acids takes place under the effect of peroxisomal enzymes--oxidase of diamino acids, D-aspartate oxidase, oxidase of L-pipecolic acid and alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase. Only a few published sources consider it obvious that liver peroxisomes participate in degradation of spermine and spermidine. Polyamine oxidase oxidizes spermine resulting in the origin of spermidine and 3-aminopropionaldehyde, and spermidine is oxidized to putrescine and 3-aminopropionaldehyde. Peroxisomes in many phylogenetically lower animal species enable the break down of purine bases to urea and glyoxylic acid. In phylogenetically higher primates and in man, the activities of urate oxidase in peroxisomes are absent. (Fig. 14, Ref. 166).

Amino Acids↗

Cetaben and fibrates both influence the activities of peroxisomal enzymes in different ways.

The effects of cetaben and clofibric acid were compared on the activities of peroxisomal enzymes in the liver and kidney of male Wistar rats. Cetaben at 200 mg/kg body wt increased the activities of all of the enzymes in the liver that were studied two to eight times, whereas the changes induced by the same dose of clofibric acid increased some of the enzymes and decreased others. In the kidney, cetaben increased the activities of all investigated peroxisomal enzymes, while clofibric acid only increased the activity of palmitoyl-CoA oxidase. The data obtained in the dose-response study of cetaben revealed a significant rise in the activities of peroxisomal enzymes in both the liver and kidney at doses of 50-100 mg/kg body wt administered over 10 days, but the maximal effect was observed at 250 mg/kg. Palmitoyl-CoA oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase respond most markedly to cetaben. Cetaben could represent an atypical peroxisomal proliferator, since it increased the activities of all peroxisomal enzymes investigated. The fact that the individual components localized in the peroxisomes do not change markedly could be of importance with respect to the function and physical properties of peroxisomes.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Antimutagenic properties of fresh-water blue-green algae.

The antimutagenic properties of whole fresh-water blue-green algae Aphanisomenon flos-aquae, marketed under the commercial name "Alpha Sun" were tested using the Ames test. Simultaneous addition of both algae and Nitrovin (a mutagen) to the test medium did not reduce the mutagenic activity. On the other hand, addition of freeze-dried blue-green algae to the test medium 2-24 h before the application of mutagen reduced its mutagenic activity.

Antimutagenic Agents↗

Cetaben is an exceptional type of peroxisome proliferator.

1. Cetaben in contrast to fibrates affect differently peroxisomal constituents. 2. Changes in large scale of liver non-peroxisomal parameters were compared after 10 days administration of equal doses (200 mg/kg/day) of cetaben and clofibric acid to male Wistar rats. 3. Clofibric acid treatment increased markedly the activities of FAD-glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase, beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, cytochrome-c oxidase, malic enzyme, NAD-glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase, ethoxycoumarin deethylase, p-nitroanisole demethylase and amounts of cytochrome P-450 and b5. 4. However no analogical changes were observed after cetaben treatment in the livers of experimental animals. 5. Both drugs increased the activities of alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase-1 and acetylcarnitine transferase--enzymes with proven mitochondrial and peroxisomal location. 6. Cetaben contrary to clofibric acid does not increase solubilization of peroxisomal enzymes. 7. Enhanced acetylcarnitine transferase and alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase-1 activities were distributed in mitochondria as well as in peroxisomes after clofibric acid treatment, however, only peroxisomes were enriched after cetaben administration. 8. The results obtained suggest that cetaben represents an exceptional type of peroxisome proliferator, specifically affecting peroxisomes, without having a negative influence on the processes of peroxisome biogenesis.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Properties and biogenesis of peroxisomes.

Many species of monocellular eukaryots as well as the majority of animal cell and plant tissues show the presence of peroxisomes or microperoxisomes. Their size, shape and internal organization may differ in various cellular types significantly. Typical components of animal cell peroxisomes are the membrane, matrix, low density compartment enriched in lipids, and the compartment containing D-amino acid oxidase. The group of four enzymes (catalase, D-amino acid oxidase, L-alpha-OH-acid oxidase) the location of which had been originally discovered in peroxisomes of hepatocytes of rodents was later widened by approximately forty further enzymes. It is though probable that evolution brought along a reduction and loss of various metabolic functions of peroxisomes and a decrease in the number of enzymes. Peroxisomes are characterized by high variability of the enzymatic content in dependence on the nutritional conditions and the effect of xenobiotics. Fasting, diabetes mellitus, high-lipid diet, peroxisome proliferators induce several peroxisomal enzymes, especially fatty acids beta-oxidation. The mechanism of the impact of heterogeneous substances on the gene transcription has been clarified recently. Substances as fibrates, retinoic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids activate specific types of receptors-PPAR (peroxisome proliferators activated receptors) belonging to the superfamily of receptors activated by steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, and D-vitamins. A simultaneous induction of several peroxisomal enzymes can be achieved by the linkage between PPAR and specific areas of promotors of particular genes. Such areas-PPREs (peroxisomal proliferator response elements) with five repeated TGA(A/C/T)CT hexanucleotide sequences separated by one nucleotide were discovered in several peroxisomal genes. It is assumed that the stimulation of transcription can be achieved by the linkage between homodimers, and heterodimers of nuclear receptors on these DNA sections. The majority of peroxisomal proteins is synthesised in the cytoplasm, namely on polysomes being in matured forms. Unimpaired biogenesis of peroxisomes requires membrane transport proteins and presence of signal in polypeptide chain of imported proteins (PTS-peroxisomal targeting signal). The function of PTS in many peroxisomal proteins is fulfilled by the C-terminal tripeptide which is composed of amino acids, namely serine, lysine, and leucine (SKL-tripeptide), respectively by a tripeptide with a very similar composition in amino acids. Aside from this signal, still another signal exists, which is located at the N-end of peroxisomal proteins. The role of membrane proteins 70, 35, 256, 22, 15 kDa, is being discussed in relationship to the functions and diseases caused by impaired biogenesis of peroxisomes. (Fig. 4, Ref. 128.)

Animals↗