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Biomedical subjects

S B Oldham

Publications and source records attributed to S B Oldham.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cortisone-induced osteoporosis: effects on bone adenylate cyclase.

Glucocorticoid excess results in osteoporosis by inhibiting bone formation as well as by increasing bone resorption. The cellular mechanism for the glucocorticoid effect is unknown but has been postulated to be due to enhancement of the cyclic AMP response to PTH. This study examined the effect of in vivo administration of a glucocorticoid on adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membranes isolated from mineralized bone. Glucocorticoid excess was induced by implanting cortisone subcutaneously in adult female guinea pigs. At the end of 3 weeks skeletal plasma membranes were obtained, and adenylate cyclase activity was compared with that of normal age-matched guinea pigs. The specific activity of basal adenylate cyclase activity was significantly greater in the cortisone-treated animals (77.7 +/- 10 vs. 41.9 +/- 4.4 pmol cAMP/mg protein/15 min, p < 0.005), but PTH stimulated both to an equal degree. In contrast to the increased specific activity of intact adenylate cyclase, the specific activity of the catalytic unit was lower in the membranes from cortisone-treated animals. We also examined the effect of cortisone treatment on the modulation of adenylate cyclase by divalent cations. Neither the KaMg or the ability of Ca2+ to inhibit enzyme activity was found to differ between normal and cortisone-treated animals. In addition, PTH caused an increase in Mg2+ affinity in both sets of membranes to a comparable degree. The effect of cortisone could not be attributed to altered amounts of Ni present in these membranes; we were unable to satisfactorily quantitate the amounts of Ns.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Lack of effect of ovariectomy on divalent cation regulation of skeletal adenylate cyclase.

Both estrogen and androgen have been reported to attenuate cyclic AMP responses to parathyroid hormone stimulation in cultured bone cells. The present study examines the effect of in vivo estrogen deficiency on skeletal adenylate cyclase (AC) activity. The AC activity was compared in bone membranes prepared from normal female guinea pigs and from age-matched guinea pigs 3 weeks after ovariectomy. Histomorphometric analysis of femoral specimens from the ovariectomized guinea pigs demonstrated significant decreases in percentage bone volume, the percentage eroded surfaces and osteoclast numbers, and increased osteoid thickness, compared with the normal controls. No differences were found in basal AC activity, the ability of bone AC to be stimulated by parathyroid hormone (bPTH(1-34)) or isoproterenol, or in the regulation of AC activity by calcium and magnesium. We conclude that bone AC is not a direct target for estrogen effects on bone cells and that the reported effects of sex steroids on cAMP levels in bone cells probably act via an indirect mechanism.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗

Ethanol exposure alters K+- but not bradykinin-induced dopamine release in PC12 cells.

The effects of ethanol on [3H]dopamine release were investigated in cultured PC12 cells using two methods to stimulate dopamine release: exposure to depolarizing concentrations of extracellular K+ and incubation with the highly active secretagogue, bradykinin. Both K+ and bradykinin dose-dependently increased [3H]dopamine release. The mean +/- S.E.M. EC50 for K+ was 35.8 +/- 1.2 mM; for bradykinin it was 1.07 +/- 0.23 x 10(-7) M. The characteristics of the bradykinin-stimulated dopamine release showed it to be dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and was attenuated by 1 mM Co2+ or 1 mM Ni2+. However, release was unaffected by either the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel antagonist, verapamil, or the dihydropyridine (DHP) Ca2+ channel agonist, BAY K 8644. In contrast, 1 mM Co2+ completely blocked, verapamil inhibited and BAY K 8644 augmented K+-stimulated [3H]dopamine release. PC12 cells acutely exposed to ethanol (100 and 200 mM) showed diminished K+-stimulated [3H]dopamine release but an unaltered bradykinin-stimulated response. Cells exposed to 200 mM ethanol for 6 days showed significantly enhanced [3H]dopamine release in response to high concentrations of K+ but no changes were observed in their response to bradykinin. These data provide evidence that ethanol, within the same cell, can differentially affect neurotransmitter release, dependent upon the secretagogue used.

3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethy↗

The high affinity calcium inhibition of parathyroid adenylate cyclase is not calmodulin dependent.

To investigate the possible role of calmodulin in the calcium sensitivity of parathyroid adenylate cyclase (AC), the effect of the calmodulin inhibitor trifluoperazine hydrochloride (TFP) on the calcium sensitivity of forskolin-stimulated AC activity was investigated in membranes prepared from normal porcine parathyroid glands. TFP inhibited AC in a concentration-dependent manner, the IC50 being approximately 100 microM. The inhibition of the enzyme occurred at roughly the same concentration of TFP in the presence and absence of calcium. Another calmodulin inhibitor, N-(6-aminohexyl)-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), also inhibited AC in a calcium-independent manner with a IC50 of approximately 200 microM. The pattern of calcium inhibition of AC was compared in membranes prewashed with either EGTA or 2 microM ionic calcium plus 100 microM TFP in an attempt to remove endogenous calmodulin. Neither treatment significantly altered the apparent affinities of the two previously reported calcium inhibition sites, nor did they alter the relative contribution of the individual calcium inhibition sites to the overall calcium inhibition. Inclusion of 100 microM TFP in the incubation mixture resulted in no change in the apparent affinities of the calcium inhibition site although it did result in a significant decrease in the relative contribution of the high affinity site (P less than 0.05). Addition of exogenous calmodulin (5-50 micrograms/ml) had no significant effect on AC. We conclude from these studies that the inhibition of parathyroid AC by calcium is independent of calmodulin and that this enzyme has intrinsic high sensitivity to calcium.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Electrical activity, cAMP concentration, and insulin release in mouse islets of Langerhans.

The influence of forskolin and 3-iso-butyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) on mouse pancreatic beta-cell electrical activity, whole islet cAMP content, and insulin release were investigated. The two drugs potentiated to a similar extent both glucose-stimulated electrical activity and insulin release. In terms of the electrical response, both drugs potentiated the silent depolarization of the membrane in response to low (substimulatory) glucose concentrations, whereas at higher (stimulatory) glucose concentrations they caused an increase in the plateau fraction, with a response similar to the effect of increasing the glucose concentration. Both phases of insulin release were increased by each of the drugs. Ten micromolar forskolin and 100 microM IBMX caused an increase in intraislet adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in the presence of 11.1 mM glucose, the former a 17-fold and the latter a 2-fold increase over the cAMP concentration in the presence of glucose alone. Because the two drugs lead to an increase in islet cAMP content, it is proposed that protein phosphorylation resulting from an activation of beta-cell cAMP-dependent protein kinases is responsible for the potentiation of the glucose-induced insulin release and beta-cell electrical activity. The observed effects on electrical activity are compatible with the hypothesis that cAMP-dependent phosphorylation induces alteration of the kinetics of the calcium-sensitive potassium permeability of the beta-cell plasma membrane. The increase in calcium entry into the beta-cell that would result from these alterations may be responsible for the cAMP-dependent potentiation of insulin release.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Calcium inhibition of parathyroid adenylate cyclase.

Parathyroid adenylate cyclase activity has previously been reported to be inhibited by calcium. However, the concentrations of calcium required to inhibit this enzyme were, in most instances, several orders of magnitude higher than cytoplasmic calcium concentrations. We undertook this study to determine the effects of calcium at submicromolar, as well as higher concentrations on parathyroid adenylate cyclase activity. A partially purified membrane fraction was obtained from normal porcine parathyroid glands using buffers free of divalent cation chelators. Relatively high concentrations of EGTA were then used in the incubation mixture to achieve the desired low ionic calcium concentrations. Addition of 0.5 mM EGTA to the reaction mixture resulted in an approximate 30% increase in basal adenylate cyclase activity and a similar percentage increase in the activity measured in the presence of guanosine triphosphate or NaF, known activators of parathyroid adenylate cyclase. EGTA also stimulated the activity measured in the presence of forskolin, which itself markedly stimulated this enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner. The effects of calcium added in amounts calculated to achieve ionic concentrations of 0.5 X 10(-7) M to 1 X 10(-3) M on the forskolin-activated enzyme activity was investigated. The resultant calcium inhibition curve was found to be stepwise in appearance. Analysis of the data using a mathematical model which assumes multiple, independent calcium-binding sites indicated the presence of two inhibitory sites. One had a high affinity for calcium, Kdiss 0.4-1.5 X 10(-6) M. This site accounted for 50-70% of the calcium-inhibitable activity. The second had a considerably lower affinity, Kdiss = 1.0-5.0 X 10(-4) M. Similar affinities were obtained from experiments in which guanosine triphosphate was used to activate the enzyme instead of forskolin. It is suggested that the high affinity calcium-binding site may be involved in the physiological regulation of parathyroid adenylate cyclase activity and that the previously reported estimates of the calcium sensitivity of parathyroid adenylate cyclase represent composites of the high and low affinity calcium-inhibitable processes.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗

The effects of magnesium on calcium inhibition of parathyroid adenylate cyclase.

cAMP has been shown to mediate the response of the parathyroid gland to a number of agonists and appears to take part in the regulation of this gland by divalent cations as well. We have studied the effects of the concentrations of free magnesium (Mg+2) and ionic calcium (Ca+2) on the kinetic properties of normal porcine parathyroid adenylate cyclase. In a previous study we obtained evidence for two calcium inhibition sites in this enzyme complex. In the present study we observed that the Mg+2 concentration influences the relative contribution of these sites to the overall calcium inhibition. At a high Mg+2 concentration (10 mM), the high affinity site contributes less than 50% of the total calcium inhibitable activity, whereas at a Mg+2 concentration in the low physiological range (0.5 mM), the high affinity site accounts for all the calcium inhibitable activity. Mg+2 was found to be a potent activator of porcine parathyroid adenylate cyclase, with a Ka of Mg of 0.8-2 mM. Ionic calcium at low concentrations (0.2-5 microM) acts as a competitive inhibitor with respect to Mg+2 activation. The calcium inhibition constant was estimated to be 2-3 microM. The Km for ATPMg-2 was 0.3 mM, which is similar to that found in other studies of adenylate cyclase activity in parathyroid tissue. The effects of Ca+2 on enzymatic activity with respect to the ATPMg-2 concentration showed noncompetitive inhibition. The calcium inhibition constant with respect to its effect on Vmax (KIv) was 3 microM; the calcium inhibition constant with respect to its effect on the binding of ATPMg-2 (KIs) was 10 microM. It is concluded from these results that the concentrations of intracellular Ca+2 reported to be present in parathyroid cells could inhibit adenylate cyclase activity. The mode of calcium inhibition that involves competition with magnesium would be particularly significant at low intracellular Mg+2 concentrations, and this phenomenon may account for the parathyroid secretory defect which is a characteristic feature of the magnesium-deficient state.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

The dynamic insulin secretory response of isolated pancreatic islets of the diabetic mouse. Evidence for a gene dosage effect on insulin secretion.

Expression of the autosomal recessive (db) gene in homozygous (db/db) C57BL/KsJ mice results in a severe and eventually fatal diabetic syndrome. Many studies of the diabetic mouse have used lean littermates (+/?) as controls despite evidence suggesting a gene dosage effect in heterozygous animals. In order to study the gene dosage effect of the diabetes (db) gene on insulin release in the heterozygote, perifusion experiments were performed on isolated islets of Langerhans of diabetic (db/db), heterozygous (+/db), and normal (+/+) control mice. Islets of normal controls exhibited a fivefold greater increase in insulin release than did those of diabetics in response to 16.7 mM D-glucose. The insulin secretory response of islets of heterozygotes to glucose was intermediate, being two-fold greater than that of diabetics but only about half of that of normal controls. Biphasic insulin release in response to glucose was observed only in islets of normal controls. Islets of all three genotypes exhibited biphasic insulin release in response to 10 mM D-glyceraldehyde; however, overall insulin release in both heterozygotes and diabetics remained diminished as compared with the response of normal controls. This is in contrast to the situation we have previously reported in islets of fasted or aging rats in which, though manifesting defects in glucose-stimulated insulin release, the islets are able to respond normally to 10 mM D-glyceraldehyde in respect to both the dynamic secretory pattern and quantity of insulin released. Our data suggest a gene dosage effect of the (db) gene on glucose-stimulated insulin release in heterozygous (+/db) C57BL/KsJ mice.

Animals↗

Presence of calmodulin in parathyroid adenomas.

A significant percent of parathyroid adenomas demonstrate decreased sensitivity to the suppressive effects of calcium on parathyroid hormone secretion. The recognition that calmodulin mediates a large number of calcium-dependent cellular events suggests that calmodulin may play a key role in the normal regulation by calcium of parathyroid activity. We therefore undertook to determine if parathyroid adenomas contained calmodulin and if so, if the calmodulin content of adenomas could be correlated with the serum concentrations of calcium and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (IPTH) in hyperparathyroid patients prior to surgery. Calmodulin was assayed by activation of a calmodulin-stimulatable phosphodiesterase (PDE) obtained from rat brain. We found PDE-stimulating activity in each of six adenoma extracts examined. The stimulation had the following properties, which are characteristic of calmodulin-mediated processes: (1) it required the presence of calcium; (2) the dose response to adenoma extract and human red blood cell calmodulin were parallel, and (3) the stimulation was phenothiazine-inhibitable. The amount of calmodulin present in the adenoma extracts ranged from 0.4 to 1.25 units/micrograms protein. No correlation was found between the calmodulin content of the adenomas and the presurgical levels of either serum calcium or serum IPTH.

Adenoma↗

A proposed cellular mechanism for calcium transport in the intestinal epithelial cell.

Intracellular transport of calcium from the apical to the basal-lateral region of the intestinal epithelial cell was investigated in duodenum from normal fed, fasted, and calcium-loaded rats. The process was followed with time using electron microscopy with potassium pyroantimonate to precipitate calcium. The observations made were subjected to morphometric analysis. The specificity of the method was demonstrated in the villus cell by resistance to microincineration and by absence of deposits following exposure to EGTA. Using this method calcium was seen in cells from calcium-fed rats at the microvillus border, in the Golgi zone, and within the internal compartments of the mitochondria. In cells from fasted rats calcium was not seen. Mitochondria were found largely at the apex of the cell and were free of detectable calcium. By 5 min, in the cells of fasted rats given a calcium load, the calcium had reached the Golgi apparatus and the inner mitochondrial compartment. After 15 min mitochondria were heavily loaded with calcium and had moved to the basal region of the cell. These observations suggest that mitochondria play an important role in absorption of calcium and appear to transport this ion from the apex to the basal region of the cell where entry into the capillaries takes place.

Animals↗

Parathyroid hormone clearance in man.

The role of the kidney, liver, and bone and/or muscle, in the metabolic clearance of parathyroid hormone (PTH), has been examined in man. Serum was obtained from the femoral artery and the renal, hepatic, and femoral veins of nine hyperparathyroid patients undergoing selective venous catheterization. The concentration of immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (IPTH) was measured in the samples by radioimmunoassay using an antiserum predominantly specific for the aminoterminal (N-terminal) portion of the PTH molecule. Gel filtration of hyperparathyroid sera demonstrated this antiserum to measure essentially only intact PTH. The mean arteriovenous (AV) difference measured across the liver was 44%; across the kidney, 34%; and across the leg, 16%. These arteriovenous differences were all statistically significant (p less than 0.005). A significant positive correlation was found between the AV difference in IPTH across the kidney and the serum calcium concentration (r = 0.50, p less than 0.05). These studies suggest that both the liver and the kidney play major roles in the clearance of PTH in man and indicate that PTH is cleared by bone and/or muscle as well. The correlation observed between the serum calcium concentrations and the AV differences in IPTH across the kidney suggest that the rate of clearance of PTH in man may be modulated by changes in the concentration of serum calcium.

Adult↗