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V I Zannis

Publications and source records attributed to V I Zannis.

103 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Studies of familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia using as a genetic marker the apoE phenotype E2/2.

Clinical symptoms, lipoprotein patterns, and apoE phenotypes were determined in 17 individuals with type III hyperlipoproteinemia (type III HLP) and in their relatives and spouses. The apoE phenotype E2/2 occurred in 15 type III HLP probands (88%) and the apoE phenotype E4/2 was found in 2 probands. In each of the families studied, the apoE phenotype inheritance was compatible with a model we previously proposed in which apoE is determined at a single genetic locus with three common alleles. The apoE phenotypes E4/4, E3/3, and E2/2 represent homozygosity for the apoE alleles epsilon4, epsilon3, and epsilon2, respectively, whereas the apoE phenotypes E4/3, E3/2, and E4/2 represent heterozygosity for the apoE alleles epsilon4/epsilon3, epsilon3/epsilon2, and epsilon4/epsilon2, respectively. Plasma lipids in 69 relatives of type III HLP probands were analyzed by apoE phenotype and revealed no significant differences between phenotypes in the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, or HDL cholesterol. However, there were differences between the apoE phenotypes in LDL cholesterol levels (P = 0.01) and in the ratio of VLDL cholesterol/total triglyceride (ratio) (P < 0.01). Relatives with the apoE phenotype E2/2 had the lowest LDL cholesterol levels and the highest ratios. Of these eleven individuals with the apoE phenotype E2/2 who were not type III HLP probands, two males were taking lipid-lowering drugs, one male had mild angina at age 59, five individuals had ratios >0.25 and two had ratios >0.30 with the ratios for males (0.28 +/- 0.06) significantly greater than the ratios for females (0.17 +/- 0.06) (P < 0.01), and seven had evidence of floating betaVLDL on lipoprotein electrophoresis. In addition, when compared to a control group in the general population, the whole group of relatives had normal cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels, slightly low LDL cholesterol levels, and almost twice elevated triglyceride levels. In summary, a) a very strong but not invariate association exists between type III HLP and the apoE phenotype E2/2 with some type III HLP individuals having the apoE phenotype E4/2; b) apoE phenotype inheritance is determined by three alleles at a single genetic locus; c) relatives of type III HLP probands, no matter what their apoE phenotype, have on the average nearly twofold elevated plasma triglyceride levels compared to a control population; and d) non-proband type III HLP individuals with the apoE phenotype E2/2 have been identified. As a group these individuals, particularly the males, show a tendency to express type III HLP, but clearly genetic or environmental factors other than the apoE phenotype E2/2 are required for the full phenotypic expression of this disease.-Breslow, J. L., V. I. Zannis, T. R. SanGiacomo, J. L. H. C. Third, T. Tracy, and C. J. Glueck. Studies of familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia using as a genetic marker the apoE phenotype E2/2.

Adult↗

Characterization of the major apolipoproteins secreted by two human hepatoma cell lines.

Two newly described human hepatoma derived cell lines, Hep G2 and Hep 3B [Knowles, B. B., Howe, C. C., & Aden, D. P. (1980) Science (Washington, D.C.) 209, 497-499], synthesize and secrete into the culture medium most of the major plasma apoproteins (apoA-I, apoA-II, apoB, apoC-II, apoC-III, and apoE). The synthesized apoproteins were identified by direct two-dimensional gel analysis of the culture medium or by two-dimensional analysis following purification of the apoproteins by ultracentrifugation or immunoprecipitation. We found that the apoA-I synthesized by both of the hepatoma cell lines consists of two isoproteins designated 2 and 3 which are more basic than the major plasma apoA-I isoproteins designated 4 and 5. The apoE synthesized by both cell lines is composed mainly of an array of isoproteins with increasingly higher molecular weights and lower isoelectric points as compared to those of the major apoE isoproteins found in plasma. These precursors of apoE are converted to the major apoE isoproteins upon treatment with Clostridium perfringens neuraminidase and represent sialo apoE isoproteins. ApoA-II, apoC-II, apoC-III-1, and apoC-III-2 correspond to the protein forms present in plasma. The human hepatoma cell lines (Hep G2 and Hep 3B) provide a unique model for studies of the regulation of human apoprotein and lipoprotein synthesis and catabolism.

Apolipoproteins↗

Human apolipoprotein E isoprotein subclasses are genetically determined.

In a recent communication, we showed that human very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) apolipoprotein E (Apo E) from different individuals appears upon two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis in either one of two complex patterns. These have been designated class alpha and class beta. Mixing of VLDL from different subjects revealed that not all alpha or beta apo E patterns were the same. In this manner, we identified three subclasses of class alpha (alpha II, alpha III, and alpha IV) and three subclasses of class beta (beta II, beta III, and beta IV). We report here the results of family studies that reveal that the subclasses (alpha II, alph III, and alpha IV and beta II, beta III, and beta IV) of apo E are determined at a single genetic locus with three common alleles, epsilon II, epsilon III, and epsilon IV. The class beta phenotypes (beta II, beta III, and beta IV) represent homozygosity for two identical apo E alleles (epsilon). In contrast, class alpha phenotypes (alpha II, alpha III, and alpha IV) represent heterozygosity for two different apo E alleles. The apo E subclasses and their corresponding genotypes are as follows: beta II = epsilon II/epsilon II; beta III = epsilon III; beta IV = epsilon IV/epsilon IV; alpha II = epsilon II/epsilon III; alpha III = epsilon III/epsilon IV; and alpha IV = epsilon II/epsilon IV. To estimate the frequencies of the apo E alleles in the general population, apo E subclasses were then investigated in 61 unrelated volunteers and the results were: beta II = 1 (2%), beta III = 30 (49%), alpha II = 9 (15%, alpha III = 13 (31%), and alpha IV = 2 (3%). Utilizing the frequencies of these phenotypes, the gene frequencies were calculated to be epsilon II = 11%, epsilon III = 72%, and epsilon IV = 17%. In addition, apo E subclasses were studied in a clinic for individuals with plasma lipid disorders and the apo E subclass beta IV was found to be associated with type III hyperlipoproteinemia. There was no association of any apo E subclass with type II, type IV, or type VI hyperlipoproteinemia or plasma HDL cholesterol levels. This study explains the genetic basis for the common variation in a human plasma protein, apo E. Since the apo E subclass beta IV is associated with type III hyperlipoproteinemia, a disease characterized by xanthomatosis and premature atherosclerosis, understanding the genetic basis of the apo E subclasses should provide insight into the genetics of type III hyperlipoproteinemia.

Alleles↗

Characterization of the subunit composition of HGPRTase from human erythrocytes and cultured fibroblasts.

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase is a ubiquitous human enzyme, the inherited deficiency of which leads to a specific metabolic-neurological syndrome. Native acrylamide isoelectric focusing revealed that the human enzyme consists of different numbers of isoenzymes depending on the tissue of origin. The erythrocytic enzyme has the most isoenzymes while the enzyme from cultured fibroblasts has only a single isoenzyme. The isoenzyme pattern of the erythrocytic enzyme changes on storage of the crude hemolysate at 4 C. Treatment of the stored crude hemolysate with 4.5 M urea and 0.35 mM beta-mercaptoethanol results in an isoenzyme pattern similar to that of the fresh crude extract. Thus the additional isoenzymes are generated on storage not by covalent modification of the enzyme but probably by binding of small molecules to the enzyme or to association of the enzyme molecules. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase has been purified to 80% homogeneity in three steps, DEAE Sephadex chromatography, heat treatment at 85 C for 5 min, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. Denaturing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the erythrocytic enzyme revealed that the erythrocytic enzyme is composed of three major types of subunits (1-3) with the same molecular weight but different isoelectric points. In contrast, the fibroblast enzyme is composed of only a single type of subunit, which comigrates with subunit 1 of the erythrocytic enzyme. Since there is a single genetic locus in humans for HGPRTase (the enzyme is X linked) (Nyhan et al., 1967), the observed subunit modification of the erythrocyte enzyme appears to be the result of posttranslational modification. These findings provide a simple explanation for the observed electrophoretic properties of human HGPRTase. A patient with 0.5% of HGPRTase activity in his erythrocytes was found to have small amounts (greater than 0.5% but less than 5% of normal) of the erythrocytic HGPRTase subunits.

Autoradiography↗

Characterization of the subunits of purine nucleoside phosphorylase from cultured normal human fibroblasts.

In previous communications we have demonstrated that the subunits of normal human erythrocyte purine nucleoside phosphorylase can be resolved into four major (1-4) and two minor (1p and 2p) components with the same molecular weight but different apparent isoelectric points (and net ionic charge). The existence of subunits with different charge results in a complex isoelectric focusing pattern of the native erythrocytic enzyme. In contrast, the isoelectric focusing pattern of the native enzyme obtained from cultured human fibroblasts is simpler. The multiple native isoenzymes obtained from human erythrocytes and human brain have isoelectric points ranging from 5.0 to 6.4 and from 5.2 to 5.8 respectively, whereas cultured human fibroblasts have two major native isoenzymes with apparent isoelectric points of 5.1 and 5.6. Purine nucleoside phosphorylase has been purified at least a hundredfold from 35S-labeled cultured human fibroblasts. A two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of the denatured purified normal fibroblast enzyme revealed that it consists mainly of subunit 1 (90%) with small amounts of subunits 2 (10%) and 3 (1%). This accounts for the observed differences between the native isoelectric focusing and the electrophoretic patterns of the erythrocyte and fibroblast enzymes. The purine nucleoside phosphorylase subunit 1 is detectable in the autoradiogram from a two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of a crude, unpurified extract of 35S-labeled cultured normal human fibroblasts. The fibroblast phosphorylase coincides with the erythrocytic subunit 1 of the same enzyme, and the cultured fibroblasts of a purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficient patient (patient I) lack this protein component, genetically confirming the identity of the purine nucleoside phosphorylase subunit in cultured fibroblasts.

Apoenzymes↗

Effects of substituents on the rates of deacylation of substituted benzoyl papains. Role of a carboxylate residue in the catalytic mechanism.

The effect of ring substituents on the rates of deacylation of 8 meta- and para-substituted benzoyl papains was evaluated. The rate constants were found to depend upon a single ionizing group of pKa = 4.2--4.3, and to decrease by a factor of approximately 2.2 when measured in 94% D2O/H2O. The rates of deacylation are increased greatly by electron-withdrawing groups on the benzene ring. The Hammett rho value is 2.74 +/- 0.32. A plot of the rate constants for deacylation of the benzoyl papains against the corresponding constants for substituted benzoyl chymotrypsins generates a straight line of slope 1.0. This result suggests a very similar distribution of charge on the benzoyl moiety in the transition state for the two enzymes, which is interpreted in terms of the net charge of the transition state for the deacylation of nonspecific acyl papains being equal to--1 with the general base catalyzed assistance to the attack of water on the acyl enzyme being provided by the negatively charged Asp-158 rather than by the neutral Asn-175-His-159 hydrogen bond network. This result together with a survey of literature data suggests that the role of Asp-158 in papain catalysis has been underestimated. The evidence advanced to date in support of the proposition that an imidazolium-159-cysteine-25 thiolate ion pair exists in native papain is evaluated and considered to be insufficient to decide the issue.

Benzoates↗

Linkage of human apolipoproteins A-I and C-III genes.

It has recently been suggested that polymorphisms in the human apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) gene locus may be related to the development of premature atherosclerosis and hypertriglyceridaemia. To understand if and how these polymorphisms affect apo A-I gene expression, we studied the genomic sequences flanking the apo A-I gene. Here we show the presence of another apolipoprotein gene, apolipoprotein C-III (apo C-III), approximately 2.6 kilobases (kb) downstream of the 3' end of the apo A-I gene. We also show that the apo A-I and apo C-III genes are convergently transcribed and that a polymorphism previously reported to be associated with hypertriglyceridaemia may be due to a single base pair substitution in the 3'-noncoding region of apo C-III mRNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A DNA insertion in the apolipoprotein A-I gene of patients with premature atherosclerosis.

Apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) is the major protein constituent of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The study of the apo A-I gene is of interest because plasma levels of HDL have been inversely correlated with the development of coronary artery disease and because polymorphisms related to this gene have been associated with hypertriglyceridaemia and premature atherosclerosis. We have recently isolated and characterized the human apo A-I gene and have shown that apo A-I and apolipoprotein C-III (apo C-III) genes are physically linked and that a polymorphism (of unknown frequency in the general population) of the apo A-I gene is inherited as a mendelian trait linked to premature atherosclerosis in an affected family (not the same polymorphism as has previously been reported to be associated with hypertriglyceridaemia). Here we report that this polymorphism is due an at least 6.5-kilobase (kb) DNA insertion in the coding region of the apo A-I gene and that there is no detectable alteration (as determined by limited genomic blotting analysis) of the apo C-III gene of these patients.

Apolipoprotein A-I↗