Biomedical subjects

W L Dean

Publications and source records attributed to W L Dean.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1986

Effects of sulfhydryl reagents and other inhibitors on Ca2+ transport and inositol trisphosphate-induced Ca2+ release from human platelet membranes.

The effects of modifiers of Ca2+ uptake and release in sarcoplasmic reticulum were studied in human platelet membranes. AgNO3,p-chloromercuribenzoate (pClHgBzO), N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt), quercetin, vanadate, A23187, and caffeine all had the same effects on Ca2+ uptake in platelet membranes as had been observed for sarcoplasmic reticulum. These results strengthen our earlier conclusion that the Ca2+-pump proteins from internal human platelet membranes and muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum are very similar in functional properties. The sulfhydryl reagents Ag+ and pClHgBzO elicited rapid release of Ca2+ from platelet membranes in the presence of ATP, whereas MalNEt induced slow release. Quercetin also caused slow release of Ca2+ from platelet membranes in the presence of ATP. The effects of all three sulfhydryl reagents could be reversed by dithiothreitol, and Ag+-induced release was also reversed by ruthenium red. These effects are similar to those observed in sarcoplasmic reticulum, but in contrast caffeine did not induce Ca2+ release. In the absence of ATP, passively loaded platelet membranes did not release Ca2+ when exposed to sulfhydryl reagents. However, AgCl and pClHgBzO inhibited inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)-induced Ca2+ release from platelet membranes and this effect was reversed by dithiothreitol. Ruthenium red also inhibited InsP3-induced release, but ATP was found not to be required for InsP3-mediated release. LiCl enhanced Ca2+ release from platelet membranes. These results demonstrate that the InsP3-gated Ca2+ release channel is a separate entity from the Ca2+-pump and that essential protein sulfhydryls are involved in the release process.

Biological Transport, Active↗

PubMed1986

Ca2+ transport in human platelet membranes. Kinetics of active transport and passive release.

Active Ca2+ transport and passive release were characterized in crude and purified human platelet membranes to facilitate comparison with skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. Endoplasmic reticulum markers were enriched from 3- to 14-fold in the purified membranes, while surface membrane antigens were reduced 4-fold and mitochondrial contamination was completely eliminated. The pH optimum for active Ca2+ transport in platelet membranes was 7.6, and the optimum for Ca2+-ATPase activity ranged from 7.6 to 8.0. Upon addition of MgATP there was a burst in active Ca2+ transport activity. In the absence of phosphate, steady state was reached within 20 s; added phosphate promoted continued uptake for greater than 1 h. The maximum pump stoichiometry was 2.0 Ca2+/ATP. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 caused rapid release of 90% of the sequestered Ca2+ in the presence of phosphate. The dependence of Ca2+ transport on MgATP was biphasic with apparent Km values of 0.6 mM and 9.5 microM. Kinetic measurements with varied external Ca2+ yielded a single Km of 0.1 microM. Mg2+ stimulated Ca2+ transport and Ca2+-ATPase activities. Results with crude and purified membranes were similar, and comparison with the Ca2+ pump from sarcoplasmic reticulum revealed nearly identical enzymatic properties. In contrast to the results of comparing active Ca2+ transport, the characteristics of Ca2+ release from platelet membranes were quite different from those of sarcoplasmic reticulum. External Ca2+ did not promote release of sequestered Ca2+ from platelet membranes in contrast to sarcoplasmic reticulum. In addition, spontaneous release of Ca2+ from platelet membranes did not occur after ATP depletion. Inositol trisphosphate induced rapid partial release of Ca2+ from platelet membranes but had no effect on sarcoplasmic reticulum under identical conditions. Thus active Ca2+ transport is quite similar in internal membranes of platelet and skeletal muscle, but the mechanism of Ca2+ release appears to be entirely different.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1986

Effect of phorbol esters and diacylglycerols on calcium transport by human platelet membranes.

The effects of phorbol esters and diacylglycerols on Ca2+ transport in isolated human platelet membranes were determined. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) stimulated Ca2+-ATPase activity in crude and purified internal platelet membranes approximately 2-fold with half-maximal stimulation occurring at 10 nM. Dilauroylglycerol also stimulated Ca2+-ATPase activity half-maximally at a concentration of 7.5 microM, but dioctanoylglycerol was without effect at up to 30 microM. PMA also inhibited Ca2+ uptake when added before or after commencement of ATP-dependent transport. PMA (25 nM) doubled the rate of Ca2+ efflux from passively loaded membranes in the absence of ATP. No protein kinase C activity was detected in crude or purified membranes by histone phosphorylation or endogenous protein phosphorylation assays. These results suggest that PMA and dilauroylglycerol stimulate Ca2+-ATPase activity and inhibit ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport by increasing the permeability of the membranes to Ca2+.

Biological Transport↗

PubMed1986

Calcium uptake and inositol trisphosphate-induced calcium release from parathyroid gland membranes.

The manner in which changes in Ca2+ are translated by the parathyroid gland into a signal for secretion of its major secretory proteins, parathormone and secretory protein-I, is not understood. In order to gain insight into this mechanism, Ca2+ transport was evaluated in porcine parathyroid gland membranes prepared by homogenization and differential centrifugation. The membranes were considered to be intact and appropriately 'sided' since they contained secretory protein-I and exhibited ATP-dependent uptake of [45Ca2+]. About 1 mol of ATP was hydrolyzed per mol of Ca2+ transported, signifying that the ATPase activity was relevant to the Ca2+ transport system of the membranes. Inositol trisphosphate, which is believed to be a universal signal for generating a change in cytosolic Ca2+ by discharging Ca2+ from internal membranes, caused the parathyroid membranes to release accumulated Ca2+. The membranes were able to partially reaccumulate the discharged Ca2+. The data suggest that intracellular Ca2+ metabolism in the parathyroid cell is similar to that of other secretory cells. If a change in intracellular concentration of this ion is involved in secretion, it may occur locally within the cytosol.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Cytochrome P-450 activity in human leiomyoma and normal myometrium.

Variations in cytochrome P-450 levels may influence the responsiveness of uterine and breast tissue as well as carcinomas to endocrine therapy and may be of particular importance with agents such as tamoxifen (Nolvadex) where hydroxylation is known to alter therapeutic activities. Therefore, a sensitive spectrophotometric assay of cytochrome P-450 levels in reproductive tissue microsomes was developed to measure cyclohexane hydroxylase activity. Cyclohexane served as a substrate for several forms of cytochrome P-450. Human uterine leiomyomas (uterine fibroid tumor) contained significantly higher (p less than 0.01) cytochrome P-450 activity than adjacent normal myometrium. Specific activities for both leiomyomas (2.87 +/- 0.26 nmol/min/mg) and normal myometrium (1.60 +/- 0.11 nmol/min/mg) were in the range of those observed for untreated rabbit liver microsomes (1 to 3 nmol/min/mg). The contribution of smooth muscle in the specimen, the phase of the menstrual cycle, and the clinical diagnosis did not influence the level of cytochrome P-450 activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Purification and characterization of a non-vitellogenin, estrogen-induced plasma protein from the American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana.

A non-vitellogenin, estrogen-induced protein has been detected for the first time in the plasma of male Rana catesbeiana. A greater than 90% purification of this plasma protein was achieved by salt fractionation with Mg(II) followed by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE- and CM-cellulose. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis with various antisera showed no immunological cross-reactivity between this protein and vitellogenin. The molecular mass of the purified protein was determined to be 116 000 daltons by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 105 000 daltons by analytical ultracentrifugation. Sedimentation studies indicate the protein is a nonaggregating spherical monomer with a sedimentation coefficient of 7.5 S. Amino acid analysis demonstrated a composition different from that of vitellogenin and lipovitellin A. Limited proteolysis with trypsin, chymotrypsin, and Bacillus subtilis protease revealed no common peptides on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Phosphate analysis indicated that, on a molar basis, the non-vitellogen, estrogen-induced protein had less than or equal to 3% of the phosphate found in vitellogenin. Further studies of the structure, function, and metabolism of this protein may reveal information relating to the hormonal control of vitellogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1985

Inositol triphosphate-induced Ca2+ release from human platelet membranes.

Inositol (1,4,5) triphosphate (IP3) was observed to induce release of sequestered Ca2+ from crude human platelet membranes. This activity was also shown to be present in purified membranes enriched in Ca2+-ATPase activity. Maximal Ca2+ release occurred at 8 microM IP3 and half maximal activity was at 0.4 microM. Release was quite rapid and was complete by 40 s. Released Ca2+ was pumped back into the membrane vesicles and the rate of this reuptake was increased by the presence of phosphate. These results demonstrate that internal platelet membranes that possess an active Ca2+-pump will release sequestered Ca2+ in the presence of the second messenger IP3. IP3 did not induce release of Ca2+ from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum when ATP was present.

Biological Transport, Active↗

PubMed1985

Quantification of cytochrome P-450-dependent cyclohexane hydroxylase activity in normal and neoplastic reproductive tissues.

It is well established that liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 participates in steroid metabolism and probably also in the metabolism of anti-oestrogens such as tamoxifen (Nolvadex). Thus it is possible that variations in cytochrome P-450 levels may influence the responsiveness of human breast and endometrial carcinomas to endocrine therapy. Therefore a simple sensitive spectrophotometric assay for determining levels of cytochrome P-450-dependent cyclohexane hydroxylation activity in breast and uterine microsomes (microsomal fractions) has been developed. Cyclohexane was chosen as a substrate because of the relatively high levels of cyclohexane hydroxylase activity in tumour microsomes and because cyclohexane serves as a substrate for several forms of cytochrome P-450. As previously described [Senler, Dean, Pierce & Wittliff (1985) Anal. Biochem. 144, 152-158], a direct method utilizing isotope-dilution/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was also developed in order to confirm the results of the spectrophotometric assay. The average activity (cyclohexane-dependent NADPH oxidation) for 139 human breast-tumour microsome preparations was 1.34 nmol/min per mg, which is in the range of that found in untreated mammalian liver (1-3 nmol/min per mg). Also, high enzyme activity was demonstrated in human ovary, normal uterus as well as uterine leiomyomas. Endocrine status appeared to influence enzyme levels, in that mammary tissue from virgin rats contained significantly (P less than 0.025) higher amounts of activity than did tissues from either pregnant or lactating rats. Furthermore, carbon monoxide, as well as an antibody against rat liver cytochrome P-450, completely inhibited NADPH oxidation by breast-carcinoma microsomes. These results strengthen our hypothesis that tumours with high levels of cytochrome P-450 may have a reduced response to additive endocrine therapy.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Procedures for measuring cytochrome P-450-dependent hydroxylation activity in reproductive tissues.

Cytochrome P-450 is present in the endoplasmic reticulum at varying concentrations in almost all tissues. However, the existence and role of cytochrome P-450 in normal and neoplastic reproductive tissues has not been clearly demonstrated. Our interest lies in the possibility that variations in cytochrome P-450 levels may influence the responsiveness of breast and endometrial carcinomas to endocrine therapy. This may be of particular importance with agents such as tamoxifen where hydroxylation reactions are known to alter therapeutic activities. Therefore, a simple, sensitive spectrophotometric assay for determining levels of cytochrome P-450-dependent cyclohexane hydroxylase activity in breast and uterine microsomes has been developed. Cyclohexane was chosen as a substrate because of the relatively high levels of cyclohexane hydroxylase activity in tumor microsomes and because cyclohexane serves as a substrate for several forms of cytochrome P-450. In order to confirm the results of the spectrophotometric assay, a direct method utilizing isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been developed for detecting low levels of the hydroxylated product, cyclohexanol. By employing a stable isotopically labeled analog of cyclohexanol (cyclohexanol-d12), good agreement was demonstrated between the simple, indirect method (measuring NADPH oxidation at 340 nm) and the more complex, direct method (measuring cyclohexanol formation) utilizing GC/MS. The agreement of results obtained using these two techniques indicates that they are equally valid measures of NADPH-dependent cyclohexane hydroxylase activity. The use of the spectrophotometric method is proposed for rapid, multiple assays such as in the clinical setting, reserving GC/MS analysis for use as a research tool.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Purification and reconstitution of a Ca2+ pump from human platelets.

A Ca2+-ATPase from human platelets has been purified after solubilization with octyl glucoside. Following chromatography on Sepharose 4B and hydroxylapatite the Ca2+-ATPase had a specific activity of 1.1 mumol of ATP hydrolyzed/min/mg of protein at 30 degrees C. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that 80% of the preparation was a polypeptide with a molecular weight of approximately 100,000. The major contaminant had a molecular weight of 89,000, and both proteins cross-reacted with anti-serum against the Ca2+-ATPase from rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. It is likely that the 89,000-dalton polypeptide is an inactive proteolysis product of the Ca2+-ATPase. The kinetic properties of the purified ATPase with Ca2+ and MgATP were quite similar to those of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase. Ca2+ transport activity was reconstituted by dialysis of the octyl glucoside. The platelet Ca2+ pump transported 2 Ca2+ for each ATP molecule hydrolyzed. Thus the platelet Ca2+ pump is similar to the ATPase from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in structure and function. Furthermore, the Ca2+ pump is a major membrane component in platelet membranes, and this emphasizes the importance of Ca2+ fluxes in platelet function.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1984

Effect of a zwitterionic detergent on the state of aggregation and catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

The zwitterionic detergent 3-(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) supports reconstituted cyclohexane hydroxylase activity of cytochrome P-450LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome reductase purified from phenobarbital-induced rabbit liver. Maximum activity (approximately 50% of that with phospholipid) was observed at 2 mM CHAPS. Inhibition took place at higher CHAPS, until at 20 mM CHAPS, no cyclohexane hydroxylase activity was observed. There was little denaturation of the two enzymes under these conditions. At 2 mM CHAPS, P-450LM2 was pentameric (Mr = 250,000) and reductase was dimeric (Mr = 139,500) by sedimentation equilibrium. P-450 was monomeric in 20 mM CHAPS. In addition, a stable complex between the two enzymes was not detected under conditions of maximum activity, even in the presence of saturating substrate. This confirms our previous conclusion that a stable complex between cytochrome P-450LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase is not a prerequisite for reconstituted xenobiotic hydroxylation (Dean, W. L., and Gray, R. D. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14679-14685). Difference spectra of ferric P-450LM2 revealed that below 5 mM CHAPS, the high spin form of the cytochrome was slightly stabilized, while higher CHAPS levels stabilized the low spin form. Monomeric P-450LM2 formed with 20 mM CHAPS catalyzed the hydroxylation of toluene by cumene hydroperoxide. Thus, the reason that monomeric cytochrome P-450LM2 was inactive in NADPH-supported hydroxylation may either be because the bound detergent blocked productive interaction of the cytochrome with reductase or the monomer may be intrinsically incapable of interaction with reductase.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Effect of in vivo changes in phospholipid composition on liver microsomal calcium transport.

We recently reported that the phospholipid composition of mouse liver microsomes could be altered in vivo by a combination of dietary choline deprivation and administration of the methylation inhibitors periodate-oxidized adenosine and cycloleucine (D.M. Boyle & W.L. Dean (1982) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 688, 667-670). We have now determined the effect of this in vivo change in phospholipid composition on 7 microsomal enzyme activities and 2 cytochromes. The specific contents of cytochromes b5 and P-450 were unaffected by the treatment. Similarly, NADH-cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome P-450 reductase, cyclohexane hydroxylase and Mg2+-ATPase were not significantly altered. In addition, the phospholipid/protein ratio was not changed. In contrast, Ca2+-ATPase and Ca2+ transport rates were reduced by more than 60%. This result suggests that the mouse liver microsomal Ca2+-ATPase is extremely sensitive to the phospholipid composition of the membrane in which it is embedded and that one mode of control of calcium metabolism in liver cells could be at the level of membrane phospholipid composition.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Effect of delaying DNA replication on blastocyst formation in the mouse.

Differentiation in the early mouse embryo involves cellular responses to both spatial and temporal signals. The temporal signals that trigger blastocyst formation, the first differentiative event, are not yet understood, but it has been suggested that the numbers of DNA replications undergone since fertilization might act as the timing mechanism. Preimplantation mouse embryos were treated with aphidicolin, an inhibitor of eukaryotic DNA polymerase alpha, for eight hours during the S phase of the fourth cleavage division. This treatment produced a delay in cell division but the morphologic event of cavitation, which signals the onset of blastocyst formation, was not delayed. Treated embryos actually cavitated a few hours ahead of control embryos at approximately half the cell number. This result indicates that blastocyst formation is not timed by the number of DNA replicative cycles completed since fertilization, but by some other intrinsic cellular clock.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Binding, activation, and solubilization of the Ca2+-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum by nonionic detergents.

Interactions between delipidated Ca2+-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum and four nonionic detergents--dodecyl octaoxyethyleneglycol monoether (C12E8), Triton X-100, Brij 58, and Brij 35--were characterized with respect to activation of ATPase activity, binding, and solubilization. C12E8 and Triton X-100 activated the delipidated ATPase to at least 80% of the original activity at the critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), whereas Brij 58 and Brij 35 activated no more than 10% of the original activity. The inability of Brij 58 and Brij 35 to activate the delipidated enzyme was probably a result of reduced binding of these detergents below the CMCs; both detergents exhibited a sixteenfold reduction in binding at the CMC compared with C12E8. The two Brij detergents were also unable to solubilize the delipidated enzyme and form monomers, as determined by sedimentation experiments. Thus the reduced binding levels of these detergents may result from an inability to overcome protein/protein interactions in the delipidated preparation. However, the Brij detergents were capable of solubilizing active enzyme from membrane vesicles, although with lower efficiency than C12E8 and Triton X-100. These results suggest that Brij 58 and 35 may be useful for solubilization of membrane proteins without disrupting protein/protein interactions, while Triton X-100 and C12E8 are more useful when bulk solubilization is the goal.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Effect of solubilization on adenosine 5'-triphosphate induced calcium release from purified sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosinetriphosphatase.

ATP-induced Ca2+ release from the purified sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase has been monitored in several different ATPase environments. Arsenazo III was used as a Ca2+ indicator in stopped-flow experiments and was shown to detect the early burst in Ca2+ transport, slower steady-state transport, and release of Ca2+ from fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum. ATP-induced rapid release of Ca2+ followed by a slower rebinding step could be demonstrated for purified Ca2+-ATPase in leaky vesicles if the reaction was slowed by lowering the pH to 6.1 and by including dimethyl sulfoxide in the reaction medium. At a dodecyl octaoxyethylene glycol monoether (C12E8) to protein weight ratio of 0.2, a detergent concentration too low for solubilization to occur, ATP-induced Ca2+ release occurred more rapidly than for native leaky membranes, whereas the rebinding step was slower. In contrast, no Ca2+ release was observed for any soluble preparation. The kinetics of Ca2+ release was studied under conditions where the ATPase was monomeric or aggregated, and also in the presence of added phospholipid. The ATPase was shown to be monomeric by sedimentation equilibrium measurements in the presence of Ca2+, ADP, and beta, gamma-methylene-ATP at a C12E8 to protein weight ratio of 2.0. It is concluded that solubilization of the Ca2+-ATPase may result in uncoupling of ATP hydrolysis from ATP-induced Ca2+ release.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1983

Erythrocyte sodium-potassium-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity is not related to obesity.

Altered erythrocyte sodium potassium (Na,K)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity has been cited as having pathophysiologic significance in morbidly obese man. Previous studies have failed to consider obese patients after weight loss and, therefore, did not clarify the role of ATPase deficiency as a cause or effect of the obese state. To define more completely the possible alteration of cellular thermogenesis in obesity, a study was made of three groups of people: (1) normal weight controls; (2) morbidly obese; and (3) formerly morbidly obese patients who had lost over 100 pounds after gastric bypass surgery. Erythrocyte ATPase activity was determined by use of an assay that coupled ATPase activity with NADH oxidation in the presence of excess pyruvate kinase, lactic dehydrogenase, and phosphoenolpyruvate. This coupled assay produced a continuous slope so that activity could be calculated from the initial, maximal, linear portion of the decay trace. Results did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences in Na,K-ATPase activity between groups by analysis of variance. A nonsignificant correlation of 0.086 was seen between obesity index and Na,K-ATPase activity. It is concluded that (1) erythrocyte Na,K-ATPase activity is similar in both normal and obese individuals, (2) erythrocyte Na,K-ATPase does not change with weight loss, and (3) therefore, disordered erythrocyte thermogenesis does not have a role in the development or maintenance of obesity.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

Relationship between state of aggregation and catalytic activity for cytochrome P-450LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase.

The detergent 1-O-n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (octylglucoside) was found to replace the phospholipid requirement in the demethylation of benzphetamine by cytochrome P-450LM2 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase purified from phenobarbital-treated rabbit liver. At low enzyme concentration (0.1 microM) in the absence of glycerol and phosphate, the maximum rate of benzphetamine-specific NADPH oxidation was approximately 35% of that observed in the presence of dilauroylglyceryl-3-phosphoryl choline. At higher enzyme concentration (2.5 microM) and in the presence of 0.15 M phosphate, 20% glycerol, octylglucoside was as effective as phospholipid in stimulating the production of formaldehyde from benzphetamine. The detergent concentration required for maximal enzymatic activity was 2.5-4.0 g/liter, depending on the cytochrome preparation used. At higher octylglucoside concentrations (5-7 g/liter), activity decreased to zero, although neither enzyme appeared to be irreversibly denatured at these detergent concentrations. Sedimentation equilibrium experiments with P-450LM2 alone or in the presence of equimolar reductase showed that increasing octylglucoside levels promoted disaggregation of the cytochrome. Pentamers and hexamers predominated at detergent concentrations where maximal activity was observed, while higher levels of detergent where activity was absent produced cytochrome dimers and, ultimately, monomers. The reductase was monomeric at detergent levels between at least 3 and 7 g/liter. Moreover, both gel filtration and sedimentation equilibrium experiments demonstrated that a stable complex between P-450LM2 and its reductase was not formed at octylglucoside concentrations where high activity was evident. These results are consistent with a model of P-450/reductase interaction in which functional aggregates of three to six cytochrome polypeptides move laterally in the microsomal membrane and interact with the reductase by random collision.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Structural and functional properties of a Ca2+-ATPase from human platelets.

An antibody prepared against highly purified rabbit muscle Ca2+-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum has been observed to cross-react with proteins in human platelet membrane vesicles. The antibody specifically precipitated Ca2+-ATPase activity from solubilized human platelet membranes and recognized two platelet polypeptides denatured in sodium dodecyl sulfate with Mr = 107,000 and 101,000. Ca2+-ATPase activity from Brij 78-solubilized platelet membranes was purified up to 10-fold. The purified preparation consisted mainly of two polypeptides with Mr approximately 100,000, and 40,000. The lower molecular weight protein appeared unrelated to Ca2+-ATPase activity. The Ca2+-ATPase in human platelet membrane vesicles exhibited "negative cooperativity" with respect to the kinetics of ATP hydrolysis. The apparent Km for Ca2+ activation of ATPase activity was 0.1 microM. Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of platelet vesicles by [gamma-32P]ATP at 0 degrees C yielded a maximum of 0.2-0.4 nmol of PO4/mg of protein that was labile at pH 7.0 and 20 degrees C. This result suggests that only about 2-4% of the total protein in platelet membrane vesicles is the Ca2+-ATPase, which agrees with an estimate based on the specific activity of the Ca2+-ATPase in platelet membranes (20-50 nmol of ATP hydrolyzed/min/mg of protein at 30 degrees C). Calmodulin resulted in only a 1.6-fold stimulation of Ca2+-ATPase activity even after extensive washing of membranes with a calcium chelator or chlorpromazine. It is concluded that human platelets contain a Ca2+-ATPase immunochemically related to the Ca2+ pump from rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum and that the enzymatic characteristics and molecular weight of the platelet ATPase are quite similar to those of the muscle ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗