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J Meijer

Publications and source records attributed to J Meijer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Time-dependent effects of the hypolipidemic agent clofibrate on peroxisomes and mitochondria in mouse hepatocytes.

Mice of the NMRI strain were fed a diet containing 0.5% clofibrate up to 25 days to study its effect on peroxisomes and mitochondria in the hepatocytes. Liver samples were analyzed by electron microscopy after cytochemical staining for catalase using diaminobenzidine in order to detect all peroxisomes for a quantitative analysis. The liver weights increased significantly after two days of treatment and reached a maximal level of 40% over the control animals. The number of peroxisomal profiles increased 3- to 4-fold at maximal proliferation and their average area nearly doubled, hence the number of peroxisomes with large diameters was increased making a 5-fold increase within the total cytoplasmic area. The size distribution of the peroxisomes was changed at day two of treatment to a more spread and even distribution going up in a higher size range. The mitochondrial profiles were less affected but there was a slight increase in their number, a small decrease in average area, a transient decrease in axial ratio but no significant effects on their cytoplasmic fractional area. The frequency distribution of mitochondrial area was shifted somewhat to lower values by clofibrate. At the end of the treatment the hepatocytes contained about the same number of peroxisomal and mitochondrial profiles but the latter were still occupying a two-fold higher fractional volume of the cytoplasm. Mouse hepatocytes thus seem to be a good system for studies on peroxisomal biogenesis as is their counterpart in rats, although they differ in their levels of various peroxisomal enzymes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase: analysis of some human tissues by radioimmunoassay.

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase was quantitated by radioimmunoassay, in extracts from eight human tissues. The enzyme was detectable in all tissues, with the highest level (2.6 mg per g soluble protein) in leukocytes, followed by lung and liver. The polyclonal antiserum did not cross-react with cytosolic epoxide hydrolase purified from mouse or human liver. When incubated with leukotriene A4, formation of leukotriene B4 was evident in all tissues. Furthermore, enzymatic formation of (5S,6R)-dihydroxy-7,9-trans-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid from leukotriene A4, was found in extracts from liver, kidney and intestines.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1989

In vitro translation of cytosolic and peroxisomal epoxide hydrolase and catalase on liver polyribosomes from untreated and clofibrate-treated C57B1/6 mice.

Free and membrane-bound polyribosomes were isolated from the livers of untreated and clofibrate-treated male C57B1/6 mice. The in vitro translation products were investigated in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system by immunoprecipitation of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase, catalase and albumin. The soluble forms of epoxide hydrolase present in cytosol and in peroxisomes were found to be synthesized on free polyribosomes and could not be distinguished from each other, since only one primary translation product was found with the methods used. Clofibrate treatment was found to increase total protein synthesis, synthesis of soluble epoxide hydrolase and translational efficiency of the isolated polyribosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effects of clofibrate treatment and of starvation on peroxisomes, mitochondria, and lipid droplets in mouse hepatocytes: a morphometric study.

Adult male mice of the NMRI strain were treated with a diet containing 0.5% clofibrate for 4 days to study its effects on peroxisomes, mitochondria, and lipid droplets in hepatocytes. Animals were also starved overnight to study the additional effects of starvation. Starvation of control animals had small effects on peroxisomes while the mitochondria became enlarged and occupied more of the cytoplasm. The number and fractional area of lipid droplets increased fivefold. Clofibrate treatment caused a doubling in number and average size of peroxisomes. No significant effects were observed in the number of mitochondrial profiles or lipid droplets although the size of the latter decreased to a third the value of the fed control. Starvation of clofibrate-treated animals led to a slight increase in the number of peroxisomes although their average size decreased by 30%. Mitochondrial average area increased and their fractional cytoplasmic area increased despite the decrease in numerical density. The number of lipid droplets increased twofold compared to that of clofibrate-treated animals while the size was not affected.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Transient expression in mammalian cells of the bacterial reporter gene encoding mercuric reductase: effects of various regulatory elements.

The effect of several transcriptional regulatory elements on gene expression in mammalian cells was investigated. As a reporter gene we have used the bacterial gene merA coding for the enzyme mercuric reductase. Several plasmids were constructed with different promoter/enhancer sequences (pSV/E, pSV/L, pMT, pRSV or pAd) at the 5' end and different splicing (small intron of the T antigen of SV40 or the second intron of the rabbit beta-globin gene) and/or polyadenylation signals (AEn, ALn or AR beta Gn) at the 3' end of the merA gene. Expression was measured in five different mammalian cell lines. In COS cells the highest level of expression is obtained with pSV/L and the lowest level with pSV/E. In HeLa, CV-1, Ltk-, and CHO cells merA expression is relatively high, under control of pRSV and pMT and relatively low under control of pSV/L and pAd. The introns studied have a negative effect on the expression of merA. The presence of a polyadenylation signal downstream from the gene is essential for its expression. The three different polyadenylation signals studied give a similar stimulatory effect on the level of expression of the merA gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

14,15-Dihydroxy-5,8,10,12-eicosatetraenoic acid. Enzymatic formation from 14,15-leukotriene A4.

When 14C-labeled (14S, 15S)-14,15-trans-oxido-5,8-cis-10,12-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (14,15-leukotriene A4) was incubated with cytosolic epoxide hydrolase purified from mouse liver, one major radiolabeled product appeared. The structure was assigned as (14R, 15S)-14,15-dihydroxy-5,8-cis-10,12-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (14,15-DHETE), based on analytical data as well as enzyme mechanistic considerations. The formation of this compound was dependent on time and enzyme concentration and was abolished after heat treatment of the enzyme. The apparent Km and Vmax values at 37 degrees C were 11 microM and 900 nmol X mg-1 X min-1 respectively. This enzymatic hydrolysis of 14,15-leukotriene A4 represents an additional mode of formation for 14,15-DHETE, a compound previously found to modulate functions of human leukocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Enzymatic formation of 5,6-dihydroxy-7,9,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid: kinetics of the reaction and stereochemistry of the product.

The enzymatic conversion of leukotriene A4 into 5,6-dihydroxy-7,9,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid, catalyzed by mouse liver cytosolic epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3), was recently described (Haeggström, J., Meijer, J. and Rådmark, O. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6332-6337). In the present study, we report analytical data confirming the stereochemistry of this novel enzymatic metabolite of leukotriene A4. By steric analysis of the vicinal diol and comparison with synthetic material, the structure was established as (5S,6R)-dihydroxy-7,9-trans-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid. Apparent kinetic constants of this reaction were determined and found to be 5 microM and 550 nmol.mg-1.min-1, for Km and Vmax, respectively. Also, a semipurified preparation of human liver cytosolic epoxide hydrolase avidly catalyzed the same hydrolysis of leukotriene A4 (apparent Km was 8 microM). The enzyme was not inactivated by leukotriene A4, as judged by time-course experiments with a second substrate addition.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Induction of cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolases in mouse liver by peroxisome proliferators, with special emphasis on structural analogues of 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

Using dietary administration, mice were exposed to eight substances known to cause peroxisome proliferation (i.e. clofibrate clofibric acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, nafenopin, ICI-55.897, S-8527 and Wy-14.643) or the related substance p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (group A). Other animals received di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, or one of 12 other metabolically and/or structurally related compounds (group B). The effects of these treatments on liver cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolases, microsomal cytochrome P-450, cytosolic glutathione transferase activity, the liver-somatic index and the protein contents of the microsomal and cytosolic fractions prepared from liver were subsequently monitored. In general, peroxisome proliferation was accompanied by increases in cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity. Many peroxisome proliferators also caused increases in microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity, although the correlation was poorer in this case. Immunochemical quantitation by radial immunodiffusion demonstrated that the increases observed in both of these enzyme activities reflected equivalent increases in enzyme protein, i.e. that induction truly occurred. Induction of total microsomal cytochrome P-450 was obtained after dietary exposure to clofibrate, clofibric acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, nafenopin, Wy-14.643, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate. The most pronounced effects on cytosolic glutathione transferase activity were the decreases obtained after treatment with clofibrate, clofibric acid and Wy-14.643. Our results, together with those reported by others, suggest that the processes of peroxisome proliferation and induction of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase are intimately related. One possible explanation for this is presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase.

Epoxide hydrolase activity is recovered in the high-speed supernatant fraction from the liver of all mammals so far examined, including man. For some as yet unexplained reason, the rat has a very low level of this activity, so that cytosolic epoxide hydrolase is generally studied in mice. This enzyme selectively hydrolyzes trans epoxides, thereby complementing the activity of microsomal epoxide hydrolase, for which cis epoxides are better substrates. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase has been purified to homogeneity from the livers of mice, rabbits and humans. Certain of the physicochemical and enzymatic properties of the mouse enzyme have been thoroughly characterized. Neither the primary amino acid, cDNA nor gene sequences for this protein are yet known, but such characterization is presently in progress. Unlike microsomal epoxide hydrolase and most other enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, cytosolic epoxide hydrolase is not induced by treatment of rodents with substances such as phenobarbital, 2-acetylaminofluorene, trans-stilbene oxide, or butylated hydroxyanisole. The only xenobiotics presently known to induce cytosolic epoxide hydrolase are substances which also cause peroxisome proliferation, e.g., clofibrate, nafenopin and phthalate esters. These and other observations indicate that this enzyme may actually be localized in peroxisomes in vivo and is recovered in the high-speed supernatant because of fragmentation of these fragile organelles during homogenization, i.e., recovery of this enzyme in the cytosolic fraction is an artefact. The functional significance of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase is still largely unknown. In addition to deactivating xenobiotic epoxides to which the organism is exposed directly or which are produced during xenobiotic metabolism, primarily by the cytochrome P-450 system, this enzyme may be involved in cellular defenses against oxidative stress.

Aging↗
PubMed1988

Immunocytochemical analysis of soluble epoxide hydrolase and catalase in mouse and rat hepatocytes demonstrates a peroxisomal localization before and after clofibrate treatment.

The intracellular localization of soluble epoxide hydrolase and catalase was investigated in hepatocytes from untreated and clofibrate-treated male C57B1/6 mice and from untreated male Sprague-Dawley rats. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies directed against purified mouse liver cytosolic epoxide hydrolase and rat liver catalase were used and their specificity ascertained by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion and immunoblotting. The IgG fraction was purified and incubated with cryosections of isolated hepatocytes or liver tissue, priorly fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, and protein-A gold conjugates were used to visualize the antigen-antibody reaction. The soluble form(s) of epoxide hydrolase was found to be localized in the matrix of peroxisomes in hepatocytes from normal and clofibrate-treated mice and normal rats. No significant reactivity was found against plasma membrane, nuclei, mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, or cytosol. Catalase was also localized to peroxisomes in all samples investigated. Accordingly, both the catalase and the epoxide hydrolase activities routinely recovered in the high-speed supernatant after subfractionation of rat and mouse liver tissue mostly seemed to be due to extensive matrix leakage from peroxisomes, and this phenomenon may also be found in other species. Rat hepatocytes contained less epoxide hydrolase than mouse hepatocytes, as judged by both immunocytochemical labeling and biochemical data. Clofibrate treatment of mice decreased the labeling density of epoxide hydrolase and catalase in hepatocytes peroxisomes, as expected, and more unlabeled peroxisomes were observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Skin pulse wave monitoring during lumbar epidural and spinal anesthesia.

The effectiveness of pulse wave monitoring of the big toes was compared with loss of cold discrimination to determine the onset of nerve blockade during lumbar epidural and spinal anesthesia. Forty-seven patients scheduled for elective urologic or lower extremity operations were assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 (15 patients) received epidural mepivacaine 1.5% with epinephrine; group 2 (12 patients), epidural bupivacaine 0.5%, and group 3 (20 patients), spinal bupivacaine 0.5%. In the epidural groups, the mean time to onset of increases in pulse wave amplitude was less than half the mean time to onset of decrease in cold discrimination (P less than 0.05). In patients given spinal anesthesia, there was no significant difference. The pulse wave monitor seems to be a sensitive and objective detector of early anesthetic effect during spinal and epidural anesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of the sex and subcellular distributions, catalytic and immunochemical reactivities of hepatic epoxide hydrolases in seven mammalian species.

Sex and species differences in hepatic epoxide hydrolase activities towards cis- and trans-stilbene oxide were examined in common laboratory animals, as well as in monkey and man. In general trans-stilbene oxide was found to be a good substrate for epoxide hydrolase activity in cytosolic fractions, whereas the cis isomer was selectively hydrated by the microsomal fraction (with the exception of man, where the cytosol also hydrated this isomer efficiently). The specific cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity was highest in mouse, followed by hamster and rabbit. Epoxide hydrolase activity in the crude 'mitochondrial' fraction towards trans-stilbene oxide was also highest in mouse and low in all other species examined. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity was highest in monkey, followed by guinea pig, human and rabbit, which all had similar activities. Sex differences were generally small, but where significant, male animals had higher catalytic activities than females of the same species in most cases. Antibodies raised against microsomal epoxide hydrolase purified from rat liver reacted with microsomes from all species investigated, indicating structural conservation of this protein. Antibodies directed towards cytosolic epoxide hydrolase purified from mouse liver reacted only with liver cytosol from mouse and hamster and with the 'mitochondrial' fraction from mouse in immunodiffusion experiments. Immunoblotting also revealed reaction with rat liver cytosol. The cytosolic and 'mitochondrial' epoxide hydrolases in all three mouse strains and in both sexes for each strain were immunochemically identical. The anomalies in human liver epoxide hydrolase activities observed here indicate that no single common laboratory animal is a good model for man with regard to these activities.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Preparation and characterization of subcellular fractions from the liver of C57B1/6 mice, with special emphasis on their suitability for use in studies of epoxide hydrolase activities.

The present study was designed to prepare and characterize subcellular fractions from the liver of male C57B1/6 mice, with special emphasis on their suitability for use in studies of epoxide hydrolase isozymes. The effects of different washing and pelleting procedures on the mitochondrial, microsomal and cytosolic fractions were studied. It was found that 133,000 gav for 60 min (i.e. more extensive force than the usual 105,000 gav for 60 min) was necessary to obtain a membrane-free cytosolic fraction, while one wash for microsomes and two washes for mitochondria yielded reasonably pure fractions. The purity of the different fractions obtained by differential centrifugation was then determined using established enzyme markers and morphological examination with the electron microscope. Several enzymes involved in drug metabolism were also measured in these fractions. The subcellular distributions obtained here for marker enzymes closely resemble those reported for rat liver. Starvation had no significant effect on the epoxide hydrolase activities nor did the addition of mouse bile or rat liver cytosol, which might contain inhibitors. The change in epoxide hydrolase activities with time after preparation of the subcellular fractions was studied, as well as the effect of freeze-thawing. The subfractions prepared here are suitable for the further characterization of the different forms of epoxide hydrolase present in mouse liver, as well as for other studies requiring well-characterized subfractions.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Induction of cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolases and proliferation of peroxisomes and mitochondria in mouse liver after dietary exposure to p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

The effects of dietary exposure to 0.125% (w/w) p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid on the content of peroxisomes and levels of certain xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in mouse liver have been investigated. In agreement with the literature on rat liver 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid were found to cause extensive proliferation of peroxisomes (as judged by the total levels of "mitochondrial" protein, carnitine acetyltransferase, cyanide-insensitive palmitoyl-CoA oxidation and catalase) in mouse liver. On the other hand, exposure to p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid did not significantly affect any of these parameters. As with certain other peroxisome proliferators, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid increased total cytochrome oxidase activity as well. In addition, dietary exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and to 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid resulted in increases in the activities of cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolases in mouse liver and generally less pronounced increases in the total cytosolic glutathione transferase activity and microsomal content of cytochrome P-450. In the case of cytochrome P-450, this process can be said to be a true induction (i.e. the amount of enzyme protein is increased), because the assay procedure for cytochrome P-450 measures holoenzyme amount. Immunoquantitation demonstrated that this was also the case for the changes in cytosolic epoxide hydrolase. The dramatic differences in proliferation of peroxisomes and induction of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes seen here with compounds differing relatively little in structure may indicate that a receptor mechanism of some kind is involved.

2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
PubMed1987

Examination of the structural requirements for proliferation of peroxisomes and mitochondria in mouse liver by hypolipidemic agents, with special emphasis on structural analogues of 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

We have found here that there are clear structural requirements for peroxisome proliferation (monitored as increases in carnitine acetyltransferase activity, cyanide-insensitive palmitoyl-CoA oxidation, catalase and increases in the protein designated PPA 80) in mouse liver. From the investigation of ten structural analogues of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, it could be concluded that the most effective proliferators all have an ethyl group as the substituent on carbon 2 of the main chain, which consists of six carbons. The further observation from this group of compounds that a charged group is required for effective proliferation leads us to speculate that such a group is involved in the molecular mechanism as well. Many, but not all, of the effective peroxisome proliferators in a second group of compounds contain a phenoxy group, often with a substituted alpha carbon. Interestingly, the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acids are both effective peroxisome proliferators, but the closely related p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid is inactive in this respect, indicating that the chlorine atom at position 2 must be essential to the process in these cases. The results presented here also indicate that the structural requirements for proliferation of mitochondria are similar to those for proliferation of peroxisomes. Certainly, the most effective peroxisome proliferators also cause large increases in 'mitochondrial' protein and cytochrome oxidase activity, i.e. there is an obvious qualitative correlation.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from liver of control and clofibrate-treated mice. Structural comparison by HPLC peptide mapping.

Cytosolic epoxide hydrolases purified from livers of control and clofibrate-induced male C57B1/6 mice were compared. The proteins were reduced, alkylated and cleaved with trypsin and chymotrypsin. The digests were analyzed by HPLC and no qualitative differences were observed in the peptide mapping profiles of the two types of epoxide hydrolase preparation. The amino acid compositions and N-terminal residues of selected tryptic peptides also gave identical results for the control and clofibrate-induced mice. Both intact proteins have alpha-amino-blocked N-termini. The two enzyme forms are concluded to have highly similar, if not identical, primary structures.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Hepatic levels of cytosolic, microsomal and 'mitochondrial' epoxide hydrolases and other drug-metabolizing enzymes after treatment of mice with various xenobiotics and endogenous compounds.

This study was performed in order to study the response of epoxide hydrolases in different subcellular compartments of mouse liver to treatment with various compounds. Male C57BL/6 mice were treated with 31 different compounds--including traditional inducers of xenobiotic-metabolizing systems, liver carcinogens, stilbene derivatives, endogenous compounds and various other drugs and xenobiotics. The effects on liver somatic index; protein contents in 'mitochondria', microsomes and cytosol prepared from the liver; epoxide hydrolase activity towards trans- or cis-stilbene oxide in these three fractions; microsomal cytochrome P-450 content; cytosolic and 'mitochondrial' glutathione transferase activity and cytosolic DT-diaphorase activity were then determined. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activity was induced by chlorinated paraffins, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and clofibrate and depressed by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate, 3-methylcholanthrene, benzil and quercitin. Radial immunodiffusion revealed similar changes in the amount of enzyme protein present, except for two cases, where the increase in amount was larger; and the enzyme seems to be inhibited by benzil. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity was induced by these same compounds and several others as well, including dibenzoylmethane, butylated hydroxyanisole and polychlorinated biphenyls. 'Mitochondrial' epoxide hydrolase activity towards trans-stilbene oxide was not affected by those compounds which induced the cytosolic enzyme, but increased about two-fold after treatment with 2-acetylaminofluorene, DL-ethionine, aflatoxin B1 and phenobarbital. There does not seem to be any co-regulation of different forms of epoxide hydrolase in mouse liver. In general small effects were observed on liver weight and protein contents in the different subcellular fractions. Polychlorinated biphenyls were the most potent of the 8 compounds which induced cytochrome P-450, while butylated hydroxyanisole induced cytosolic glutathione transferase activity to the highest extent. 'Mitochondrial' glutathione transferase activity was most induced by certain of the stilbene derivatives. The most potent inducers of DT-diaphorase activity were 3-methylcholanthrene, polychlorinated biphenyls and dinitrotoluene.

Animals↗