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Glucose requirement for postischemic recovery of perfused working heart.

The quantitative importance of glycolysis in cardiomyocyte reenergization and contractile recovery was examined in postischemic, preload-controlled, isolated working guinea pig hearts. A 25-min global but low-flow ischemia with concurrent norepinephrine infusion to exhaust cellular glycogen stores was followed by a 15-min reperfusion. With 5 mM pyruvate as sole reperfusion substrate, severe contractile failure developed despite normal sarcolemmal pyruvate transport rate and high intracellular pyruvate concentrations near 2 mM. Reperfusion dysfunction was characterized by a low cytosolic phosphorylation potential [( ATP]/[( ADP][Pi]) due to accumulations of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and lactate. In contrast, with 5 mM glucose plus pyruvate as substrates, but not with glucose as sole substrate, reperfusion phosphorylation potential and function recovered to near normal. During the critical ischemia-reperfusion transition at 30 s reperfusion the cytosolic creatine kinase appeared displaced from equilibrium, regardless of the substrate supply. When under these conditions glucose and pyruvate were coinfused, glycolytic flux was near maximum, the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase/3-phosphoglycerate kinase reaction was enhanced, accumulation of Pi was attenuated, ATP content was slightly increased, and adenosine release was low. Thus, glucose prevented deterioration of the phosphorylation potential to levels incompatible with reperfusion recovery. Immediate energetic support due to maximum glycolytic ATP production and enhancement of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase/3-phosphoglycerate kinase reaction appeared to act in concert to prevent detrimental collapse of [ATP]/[( ADP][Pi]) during creatine kinase dysfunction in the ischemia-reperfusion transition. Dichloroacetate (2 mM) plus glucose stimulated glycolysis but failed fully to reenergize the reperfused heart; conversely, 10 mM 2-deoxyglucose plus pyruvate inhibited glycolysis and produced virtually instantaneous de-energization during reperfusion. The following conclusions were reached. (1) A functional glycolysis is required to prevent energetic and contractile collapse of the low-flow ischemic or reperfused heart (2). Glucose stabilization of energetics in pyruvate-perfused hearts is due in part to intensification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase/3-phosphoglycerate kinase activity. (3) 2-Deoxyglucose depletes the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate pool and effects intracellular phosphate fixation in the form of 2-deoxyglucose 6-phosphate, but the cytosolic phosphorylation potential is not increased and reperfusion failure occurs instantly. (4) Consistent correlations exist between cytosolic ATP phosphorylation potential and reperfusion contractile function. The findings depict glycolysis as a highly adaptive emergency mechanism which can prevent deleterious myocyte deenergization during forced ischemia-reperfusion transitions in presence of excess oxidative substrate.

Animals↗

Stichopus japonicus arginine kinase: gene structure and unique substrate recognition system.

Arginine kinase from the sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus underwent a unique molecular evolution. Unlike the monomeric 40 kDa arginine kinases from molluscs and arthropods, Stichopus arginine kinase is dimeric, the same as cytoplasmic isoenzymes of the vertebrate creatine kinases. Its entire amino acid sequence is more similar to creatine kinases than to other arginine kinases, but the guanidino specificity region (GS region) is of the arginine kinase type. To elucidate its unusual evolution, the structure of the Stichopus arginine kinase gene was determined. It consisted of seven exons and six introns, and a part of the exon 2 of the Stichopus gene corresponds to the GS region. Compared with the structure of the human muscle creatine kinase gene (seven exons, six introns), the splice junctions of five introns were conserved exactly between the two genes, suggesting that these introns had been conserved for at least 500 million years. The entire sequence of Stichopus arginine kinase is distinctly included in the creatine kinase cluster in all tree construction methods examined. On the other hand, if the tree is constructed only from sequences corresponding to Stichopus exon 2, it is placed in the arginine kinase cluster. Thus we conclude that Stichopus arginine kinase evolved not from the arginine kinase gene but from the creatine kinase gene, and suggest that its GS region, determining substrate specificity, has been replaced by an arginine kinase type via exon shuffling. In typical arginine kinases four residues, Ser(63), Gly(64), Val(65) and Tyr(68) (numbering from the Limulus polyphemus sequence), in the GS region are highly conserved and are associated with substrate binding. Among them, Tyr(68) appears to play a crucial role by forming a hydrogen bond with the substrate, and is conserved exactly in all arginine kinases. However, in Stichopus arginine kinase, none of these four conserved residues were present. Nevertheless, the enzyme displays an affinity for the substrate arginine (K(m)=0.8 mM) comparable with other arginine kinases. This implies that a completely different substrate-binding system has been developed in Stichopus arginine kinase. We propose that the His(64) in Stichopus arginine kinase acts as a substitute for the Tyr(68) in other arginine kinases, and that the imidazole ring of His(64) is hydrogen bonded with the substrate arginine, thus stabilizing it.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Immunological and physical comparison of monomeric and dimeric phosphagen kinases: Some evolutionary implications.

The antigenic and physical properties of several representative invertebrate phosphagen kinases have been examined in order to further characterize the relationship between taxonomic assignment, quaternary protein structure and evolution of this class of enzymes. Antibodies against dimeric arginine kinase from the sea cucumber cross-reacted with dimeric arginine kinase purified from sea urchin eggs, but failed to react with extracts from any species known to contain monomeric arginine kinase. However, strong immunoreactivity was observed when antibodies against purified dimeric arginine kinase were reacted with pure creatine kinase from the human muscle (CK-MM) and brain (CK-BB) as well as extracts from several species known to contain dimeric creatine kinase. Of particular interest with regard to evolution of the phosphagen kinases, we confirm the presence of creatine kinase activity in the very primitive sponge Tethya aurnatium and detect a reaction with antibodies against dimeric, but not monomeric, arginine kinase. This observation is consistent with recent studies of phosphagen kinase evolution. Substrate utilization was very specific with creatine kinase using only creatine. Arginine kinase catalyzed phosphorylation of arginine but enzymes from several species could also phosphorylate canavanine. No activities were detected with d-arginine. Isoelectric points, evaluated for several pure arginine kinases suggest that generally the monomeric forms are more acidic than the dimeric proteins. Heat inactivation of arginine kinase in several species indicated a wide range of stabilities, which did not appear to be correlated with quaternary structure, but rather distinguished by the organism's environment. On the other hand, homodimeric arginine kinase proteins from species inhabiting disparate environments are sufficiently homologous to form a catalytically active hybrid.

Animals↗

[Catheter treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy].

BASIC PROBLEMS AND OBJECTIVE: In addition to medication with negative inotropic drugs, surgical myectomy and DDD pacemaker implantation are standard procedures in the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). In a preliminary series the results obtained with a recently described method, consisting of transcatheter myocardial reduction, are evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six patients (two women, four men; mean age 52.7 [44-68] years), who remained in moderate heart failure despite medical treatment, underwent the procedure. After atrial transseptal puncture (via a catheter introduced percutaneously into the femoral vein) the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient was measured at rest and after 5-minute balloon occlusion of the first septal branch of the left coronary artery. After demonstration of significant reduction of the gradient by the occlusion, one (n = 3) or two (n = 3) septal branches were occluded by the injection of 2-5 ml of 96% alcohol. RESULTS: The LVOT gradient was reduced from 57.8 +/- 22.4 (38-97) mm Hg to 11.3 +/- 8.6 (0-21) mm Hg and postextrasystolic from 131.0 +/- 40.7 (78-198) mm Hg to 44.0 +/- 35.6 (19-69) mm Hg. All patients had angina for 24 hours after the procedure. Maximal rise in creatine kinase activity was 982 +/- 589 (392-1729) U/l after 8.0 +/- 3.9 (4-15) hours. In three patients transitory complete atrioventricular block developed 10 min to 5 days later, requiring temporary pacemaker implantation. The further course was without complication in all patients and they were discharged after 7.5 +/- 1.8 (6-11) days. CONCLUSION: The described catheter method provides a nonsurgical means of reducing the amount of septal myocardium with subsequent reduction of the LVOT gradient in HOCM. Long-term observation in a larger group of patients and comparison with conventional forms of treatment are required to determined the method's ultimate place in the treatment of HOCM.

Adult↗

Artificial chaperone-assisted refolding of proteins.

A new two-step procedure of protein refolding in vitro, proposed by Rozema and Gellman and named artificial chaperone-assisted refolding, is discussed. The new approach has been inspired by the two-step mechanism of the GroE system. In the first step, the protein is captured by a detergent under conditions that would normally lead to irreversible protein aggregation (heating or denaturant removal). In the second step, removal of detergent from the protein--detergent complex is triggered by addition of a cyclodextrin which is capable of forming "inclusion complexes" with detergent, allowing the protein to refold. The protein refolded with artificial chaperones (detergent and cyclodextrin) may be purified via a two-step protocol. After refolding was complete, the solution was passed through a 0. 22-micro(m) filter, to remove aggregated protein, and then through a M = 10 kD cutoff filter. The second filtration was intended to allow the low-molecular-weight artificial chaperones to pass, but to retain the refolded enzyme. The application of the above procedure for refolding of carbonic anhydrase B from human erythrocytes, hen egg white lysozyme, pig heart citrate synthase, and creatine kinase from rabbit skeletal muscles (MM isoenzyme) is discussed.

Animals↗

Characterization of myogenic cell lines derived by 5-azacytidine treatment.

Three myogenic clonal cell lines were isolated from C3H 10T1/2 C18 cells (10T1/2) treated with 5-azacytidine (5-aza-CR). These lines reproducibly underwent fusion at confluence into functional myotubes capable of contracting in response to acetylcholine. The degree of fusion could be increased two- to threefold if the cells were grown on gelatin-coated dishes. All of the cell lines lost some of their myogenic potential after repeated passaging and the percentage of colonies capable of forming muscle was not increased by permissive media containing 2% horse serum. The 10T1/2 cells expressed only the BB form of creatine phosphokinase but all of the myogenic clones expressed additionally the MM and MB forms of the isozyme after fusion. The overall genomic level of 5-methylcytosine was decreased in some but not all of the cell clones tested. Comparisons between the 10T1/2 cells which never form muscle without 5-aza-CR treatment and clonal derivatives of committed cell types might be of value in understanding the molecular basis of the commitment process.

Animals↗

Differences in nucleotide compartmentation and energy state in isolated and in situ rat heart: assessment by 31P-NMR spectroscopy.

Free cytosolic concentrations of ATP, PCr, ADP and 5'-AMP, and the cytosolic [ATP]/[ADP].[Pi] ratio, were determined in isolated and in situ rat hearts using 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Total tissue metabolite concentrations were determined by HPLC analysis of freeze-clamped, perchloric acid-extracted tissue. In in situ myocardium the PCr/ATP ratio was 2.7 +/- 0.2 determined from 31P-NMR data (using either PCr/beta-NTP or PCr/gamma-NTP), and 1.9 +/- 0.1 (P < 0.01) determined from total tissue concentrations. 31P-NMR-determined and total tissue [PCr] were in excellent agreement (49.6 +/- 8.4 and 49.5 +/- 1.0 mumol.g-1 dry wt, respectively), whereas 31P-NMR-determined [ATP] (18.6 +/- 3.2 mumol.g-1 dry wt) was only 71% of the total tissue concentration (26.1 +/- 1.7 mumol.g-1 dry wt, P < 0.01). Isolation and Langendorff perfusion of rat hearts with glucose as substrate reduced total tissue [ATP] and [PCr] and the 31P-NMR-determined PCr/ATP ratio fell to 1.5 +/- 0.1. This value agreed well with the total tissue ratio of 1.4 +/- 0.1, and there was excellent agreement between 31P-NMR-determined and total tissue [PCr] and [ATP] values in the perfused heart. Addition of pyruvate to perfusate increased the 31P-NMR-determined PCr/ATP ratio to 1.7 +/- 0.1 due to elevated [PCr], and there remained excellent agreement between NMR-determined and total tissue [PCr] and [ATP] values. Free cytosolic [ADP] (from the creatine kinase equilibrium) was 5% of total tissue ADP, and free cytosolic [5'-AMP] (from the adenylate kinase equilibrium) ranged from 0.2-0.3% of total tissue 5'-AMP. Bioenergetic state, indexed by [ATP]/[ADP].[Pi], was much lower in isolated perfused hearts (30 mM-1) vs. in situ myocardium (approximately 150 mM-1). In summary, we observe a substantial disproportionality between total tissue PCr/ATP and 31P-NMR-determined PCr/ATP in highly energised in situ myocardium but not in isolated perfused hearts. This appears due to an NMR invisible ATP compartment approximating 29% of total tissue ATP in situ. Additionally, more than 95% of ADP and more than 99% of 5'-AMP exist in bound forms in perfused and in situ myocardium. The physiological significance of these observations is unclear. However, substantial differences between 31P-NMR visible and total tissue [ATP] introduces significant errors in conventional estimation of free cytosolic [ADP], [5'-AMP] and [ATP]/[ADP].[Pi] from in vivo 31P-NMR data.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Removal of endotoxin from recombinant protein preparations.

OBJECTIVES: To develop an effective method to remove endotoxin from large scale E. coli recombinant protein purifications. DESIGN AND METHODS: Triton X-114 phase separation, affinity chromatography utilizing immobilized polymyxin B or immobilized histidine, were used to remove endotoxin from purified preparations of recombinant CK-BB, CK-MB, CK-MM, myoglobin, and cardiac troponin I. Endotoxin levels were measured by a Limulus Amebocyte Lysate gel-clot assay. The immunoactivity of these protein preparations was determined by BIAcore analysis using a panel of in-house generated monoclonal antibodies and by a Stratus Fluorometric Analyzer. In the case of troponin I, the BIAcore was also utilized to measure troponin C interactions. RESULTS: Phase separation with Triton X-114 was the most effective method in reducing the amount of endotoxin present in the protein preparations compared to either polymyxin B or histidine affinity chromatography. With Triton X-114, the reduction in endotoxin levels was greater than 99% and recovery of the proteins after endotoxin removal was greater than 90%. All three procedures for removing endotoxin had no deleterious effects on the immunoactivity of majority proteins when tested with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Troponin I also retained its ability to bind to troponin C in the presence of Ca2+. Recombinant CK-BB and CK-MM which were expressed in the soluble fraction of E. coli cell lysates, contained significantly higher endotoxin levels than recombinant CK-MB, myoglobin and cardiac troponin I which were expressed in the form of inclusion bodies. CONCLUSION: Of the three methods tested, Triton X-114 phase separation was the most effective way of removing endotoxin from recombinant proteins.

Biochemistry↗

S-100 protein in clonal astroglioma cells is released by adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticotropin-like intermediate-lobe peptide.

S-100 protein in clonal GA-1 and C6 rat glioma cell lines was released in serum-free medium supplemented with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The induction of S-100 protein release by ACTH was dose-dependent, showing a half-maximal release at about 5 microM, and the S-100 protein concentration in the medium increased sharply within 3 min, but slightly during further incubation. The S-100 protein release was apparently accompanied by a decrease in the membrane-bound form of S-100 protein in the cell. The S-100 protein release was induced not by the ACTH1-24 fragment, which exhibits the known effects of ACTH, but by the ACTH18-39 fragment, which is designated as corticotropin-like intermediate-lobe peptide (CLIP). These results indicate that the C-terminal half of ACTH is responsible for the S-100 protein release. The enhancement of S-100 protein release by ACTH was also observed in normal rat glioblasts. The release induced by ACTH was apparently specific to S-100 protein, because little release of the cytoplasmic enzymes, creatine kinase, and enolase was observed under the same conditions. High concentrations (5 mM) of dibutyryl cyclic AMP or dibutyryl cyclic GMP were also found to induce S-100 protein release; however, catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, and dopamine), acetylcholine, and glutamic acid did not enhance the release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Determination of the affinity of each component of a composite quaternary transition-state analogue complex of creatine kinase.

Recombinant rabbit muscle creatine kinase (CK) was titrated with MgADP in 50 mM Bicine and 5 mM Mg(OAc)2, pH 8.3, at 30.0 degrees C by following a decrease in the protein's intrinsic fluorescence. In the presence of 50 mM NaOAc, but in the absence of added creatine or nitrate, MgADP has an apparent K(d) of 135 +/- 7 microM, and the total change in fluorescence on saturation (Delta%F) is 15.3 +/- 0.3%. Acetate was used as the anion in this experiment because it does not promote the formation of a CK.MgADP.anion.creatine transition-state analogue complex (TSAC) [Millner-White and Watts (1971) Biochem. J. 122, 727-740]. In the presence of 80 mM creatine, but no nitrate, the apparent K(d) for MgADP remains essentially unchanged at 132 +/- 10 microM, while Delta%F decreases slightly to 13.2 +/- 0.3%. In the presence of 10 mM nitrate, but no creatine, the apparent K(d) is once again essentially unchanged at 143 +/- 23 microM, but the Delta%F is markedly reduced to 4.2 +/- 0.2%. The presence of both 10 mM nitrate and 80 mM creatine during titration reduces the apparent K(d) for MgADP 10-fold to 13.7 +/- 0.7 microM, and Delta%F increases to 20.6 +/- 0.3%, strongly suggesting that the simultaneous presence of saturating levels of creatine and nitrate increases the affinity of CK for MgADP and promotes the formation of the enzyme*MgADP*nitrate*creatine TSAC. When the fluorescence of CK was titrated with MgADP in the presence of 80 mM creatine and fixed saturating concentrations of various anions, apparent K(d) values for MgADP of 132 +/- 10 microM, 25.2 +/- 1.3 microM, 18.8 +/- 0.9 microM, 13.7 +/- 0.7 microM, and 6.4 +/- 0.7 microM were observed as the anion was changed from acetate to formate to chloride to nitrate to nitrite, respectively. This is the same trend reported by Millner-White and Watts for the effectiveness of various monovalent anions in forming the CK.MgADP.anion.creatine TSAC. On titration of CK with MgADP in the presence of 80 mM creatine and various fixed concentrations of NaNO3, the apparent K(d) for MgADP decreases with increasing fixed concentrations of nitrate. A plot of the apparent K(d) for MgADP vs [NO3-] suggests a K(d) for nitrate from the TSAC of 0.39 +/- 0.07 mM. Similarly, titration with MgADP in the presence of 10 mM NaNO3 and various fixed concentrations of creatine gives a value of 0.9 +/- 0.4 mM for the dissociation of creatine from the TSAC. The data were used to calculate K(TDAC), the dissociation constant of the quaternary TSAC into its individual components, of 3 x 10(-10) M3. To our knowledge this is the first reported dissociation constant for a ternary or quaternary TSAC.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Dysferlin mutations in Japanese Miyoshi myopathy: relationship to phenotype.

OBJECTIVE: To study dysferlin gene mutations and genotype-phenotype correlations in Japanese patients with Miyoshi myopathy (MM). BACKGROUND: MM is an autosomal recessive distal muscular dystrophy that arises from mutations in the dysferlin gene. This gene is also mutated in families with limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2B. METHODS: The authors examined 25 Japanese patients with MM. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral lymphocytes of the patients. The PCR products of each of 55 exons were screened by single strand conformation polymorphism or direct sequencing from the PCR fragments. RESULTS: The authors identified 16 different mutations in 20 patients with MM; 10 were novel. Mutations in Japanese patients are distributed along the entire length of the gene. CONCLUSIONS: Four mutations (C1939G, G3370T, 3746delG, and 4870delT) are relatively more prevalent in this population, accounting for 60% of the mutations in this study. This study revealed that the G3370T mutation was associated with milder forms of MM and the G3510A mutation was associated with a more severe form.

Adult↗

The polysome as a terminal for the creatine phosphate energy shuttle.

The role of the creatine phosphate shuttle in the energetics of muscle protein synthesis in isolated polysomes, from rat hindlimb muscle, was studied. Triton X-100-treated polysomes, following their centrifugation through a 1 M sucrose gradient, contained 38 mU/mg RNA of bound creatine kinase. In the presence of pH 5 enzyme (obtained from rat liver), 0.5 mM ATP, and 1 microM GTP, amino acid (leucine) incorporation by polysomes in the presence of 8 mM creatine phosphate was twice that in the presence of an exogenous ATP regenerating system of 10 mM phospho(enol)pyruvate and 10 U/ml pyruvate kinase. Since added creatine kinase had no effect on incorporation supported by creatine phosphate it is clear that endogenous creatine kinase allows sufficient regeneration of ATP. These data also suggest that nucleoside diphosphokinase must have been associated with the polysome for phosphate was transferred to GTP from [33P]creatine phosphate, and the specific activities of ATP and GTP increased at equal rates, reaching the specific activity of creatine phosphate at 8 min. We conclude that skeletal muscle polysomes have bound creatine kinase activity and they act as terminals for the creatine phosphate energy shuttle. Creatine phosphate regenerates GTP, probably through an intermediate reaction catalyzed by nucleoside diphosphokinase. This provided an added support for the hypothesis of compartmentation of enzymes and substrates and that the transport form of energy between the mitochondria and energy utilizing sites in muscle is creatine phosphate rather than ATP, which extends the general role of the creatine phosphate energy shuttle.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance study of skeletal muscle metabolism in rats depleted of creatine with the analogue beta-guanidinopropionic acid.

Rats were fed a diet containing 1% beta-guanidinopropionic acid (GPA) for 6-10 weeks to deplete their skeletal muscle of creatine. 31P-NMR was used to monitor metabolic changes in the gastrocnemius muscle at rest, during stimulated steady-state isometric contraction at 4 Hz and during recovery from stimulation. In resting muscles, the [creatine phosphate] was reduced to 10% (2.8 mumol X g-1) and the [ATP] to 50% (3.3 mumol X g-1) of those found in rats fed a control diet. The concentration of the phosphorylated form of the analogue (PGPA) was 23 mumol X g-1. There was no significant difference in muscle performance or in the relative changes in the [ATP] during stimulation. Intracellular pH decreased rapidly on stimulation and recovered during the stimulation period to near resting values in both groups. In control rats, the initial decrease in pH was greater and the time to recovery was longer than in GPA-fed rats. The rate at which PGPA supplied energy to the contracting muscle (0.027 mM X s-1) was insignificant relative to the minimum estimated rate of ATP turnover (1 mM X s-1). The rate of PGPA resynthesis during recovery (0.018 mM X s-1) is enzyme-limited and provides an independent estimate of creatine kinase flux during this period (18.9 mM X s-1). The creatine kinase flux (creatine phosphate----ATP) in the resting muscle of GPA-fed rats was 12-fold less than in control animals, 1.3 vs. 15.7 mM X s-1. These results demonstrate that neither the [creatine phosphate] nor the activity of creatine kinase is critical for aerobic metabolism. Skeletal muscle appears to adapt to a diminished creatine pool by enhancing its aerobic capacity.

Animals↗

[The functional coupling between MM isozyme of creatine phosphokinase (EC 2.7.3.2.) and MgATPase of myofibrils and (Na, K)ATPase of plasma membrane in heart cells].

The functional role of particulate MM isozyme of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) bound to heart myofibrils has been studied. It has been shown that in the presence of heart myofibrils and MgATP creatine phosphate can be used to rephosphorylate ADP formed in the MgATPase reaction. The rate of creatine phosphate splitting is determined by the kinetic properties of myofibrillar MgATPase and by the kinetic parameters of myofibrillar CPK. It has been found that a purified heart plasma membrane preparation contains high CPK activity. CPK isozyme bound to plasma membrane of heart cells is identical to MM isozyme of CPK and is able to rephosphorylate effectively ADP, formed in the (Na K)ATPase reaction. The rate of creatine phosphate splitting in these coupled reactions is sensitive to ouabain and is determined by the kinetic parameters both of the (Na, K)ATPase and plasma membrane CPK. The results obtained indicate the important role of myofibrillar and plasma membrane CPK in the intracellular energy transport processes.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Functional coupling of creatine kinases in muscles: species and tissue specificity.

Creatine kinase (CK) isoenzymes are present in all vertebrates. An important property of the creatine kinase system is that its total activity, its isoform distribution, and the concentration of guanidino substrates are highly variable among species and tissues. In the highly organized structure of adult muscles, it has been shown that specific CK isoenzymes are bound to intracellular compartments, and are functionally coupled to enzymes and transport systems involved in energy production and utilization. It is however, not established whether functional coupling and intracellular compartmentation are present in all vertebrates. Furthermore, these characteristics seem to be different among different muscle types within a given species. This study will review some of these aspects. It has been observed that: (1) In heart ventricle, CK compartmentation and coupling characterize adult mammalian cells. It is almost absent in frogs, and is weakly present in birds. (2) Efficient coupling of MM-CK to myosin ATPase is seen in adult mammalian striated muscles but not in frog and bird heart where B-CK is expressed instead of M-CK. Thus, the functional efficacy of bound MM-CK to regulate adenine nucleotide turnover within the myofibrillar compartment seems to be specific for muscles expressing M-CK as an integral part of the sarcomere. (3) Mi-CK expression and/or functional coupling are highly tissue and species specific; moreover, they are subject to short term and long term adaptations, and are present late in development. The mitochondrial form of CK (mi-CK) can function in two modes depending on the tissue: (i) in an < > and (ii) in an < >. The mode of action of mi-CK seems to be related to its precise localization within the mitochondrial intermembrane space, whereas its amount might control the quantitative aspects of the coupling. Mi-CK is highly plastic, making it a strong candidate for fine regulation of excitation-contraction coupling in muscles and for energy transfer in cells with large and fluctuating energy demands in general. (4) Although CK isoforms show a binding specificity, the presence of a given isoform within a tissue or a species only, does not predict its functional role. For example, M-CK is expressed before it is functionally compartmentalized within myofibrils during development. Similarly, the presence of ubiquitous or sarcomeric mi-CK isoforms, is not an index of functional coupling of mi-CK to oxidative phosphorylation. (5) Amongst species or muscles, it appears that a large buffering action of the CK system is associated with rapid contraction and high glycolytic activity. On the other hand, an oxidative metabolism is associated with isoform diversity, increased compartmentation, a subsequent low buffering action and efficient phosphotransfer between mitochondria and energy utilization sites. It can be concluded that, in addition to a high variation of total activity and isoform expression, the role of the CK system also critically depends on its intracellular organization and interaction with energy producing and utilizing pathways. This compartmentation will determine the high cellular efficiency and fine specialization of highly organized and differentiated muscle cells.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

The differentiation of clonal rat yolk sac tumor cell lines cultivated with dibutyryl-cyclic 3', 5'-adenosine monophosphate.

Five rat yolk sac tumor cell lines were cloned from a yolk sac tumor line which originally arose following fetectomy. The doubling time of each of the cloned tumor lines was about 50 h. All of the cloned tumor cell lines synthesized and secreted AFP and albumin but there was a gradual decrease in the synthesis of these proteins during serial passage. The cells formed clusters which looked like vitelline ducts or the parietal yolk sac and they also had basement membranes which closely resembled Reichert's membrane. When the cloned cell lines were cultivated in the presence of 1 mM dibutyryl cyclic-AMP, myotube-like and neuron-like cells appeared. Acetylcholine esterase and creatine phosphokinase activity were present when myotube-like cells were present whereas acetylcholine esterase activity predominated when neuron-like cells were present.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Isolation and partial characterization of a myotoxin from the venom of the snake Bothrops nummifer.

A myotoxin from the venom of the snake Bothrops nummifer was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex. The toxin is a basic dimer with a subunit molecular weight of 16,000, as estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The toxin lacks phospholipase A2 activity when tested on egg yolk lecithin and skeletal muscle homogenates. It induces skeletal muscle damage both in vivo and in vitro. When injected i.m. it promotes a drastic increase in serum creatine kinase levels; the isozyme CK-MM is responsible for this increment. A rapid release of creatine kinase was observed when mouse gastrocnemius muscle was incubated with the toxin, suggesting that it induces the formation of relatively large 'lesions' in the plasma membrane of muscle cells. Moreover, analysis of the dose-response data indicated that the myotoxin affects muscle sarcolemma by a 'one hit' mechanism. Skeletal muscle cells are affected by the toxin when calcium is eliminated from the medium. The myotoxin has an i.v. LD50 of 3.9 mg/kg body weight in mice, and induces edema when injected in the foot pad. On the other hand, it is not directly hemolytic, anticoagulant, hemorrhagic nor cytotoxic for lymphocytes. The myotoxin shows partial immunologic identity with a myotoxic phospholipase A2 isolated from Bothrops asper venom. The polyvalent antivenom produced in Costa Rica forms a precipitation arc against B. nummifer myotoxin on immunoelectrophoresis.

Animals↗

Intracellular compartmentation of cardiac fibres from rainbow trout and Atlantic cod--a general design of heart cells.

In mammalian cardiomyocytes, mitochondria and adjacent ATPases with participation of creatine kinase (CK) constitute functional compartments with an exchange of ADP and ATP delimited from cytosolic bulk solution. The question arises if this extends to ectothermic vertebrates: their low body temperature and thinner cardiomyocytes with a lower density of membrane structures may reduce the need and structural basis for compartmentation. In saponin-skinned cardiac fibres from rainbow trout and Atlantic cod, we investigated mitochondrial respiration induced by endogenous ADP generated by ATPases and its competition for this ADP with pyruvate kinase (PK) in excess. At low Ca(2+) activity (pCa = 7.0), PK lowered ATP-induced respiration by 40% in trout and 26% in cod. At high Ca(2+) activity (pCa = 5.41), PK had no effect. Additionally, ADP release from the fibres was almost zero but increased drastically upon inhibition of respiration with 1 mM Na-azide. This suggests that fibres are compartmented. PK abolished creatine-stimulated respiration in trout suggesting a less tight coupling of CK to respiration than in mammals. In conclusion, intracellular compartmentation seems to be a general feature of vertebrate cardiomyocytes, whereas the role of CK is unclear, but it seems to be less important for energy transport in species with lower metabolism.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗