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Comparison of four purified extracellular 1,4-beta-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase enzymes from Trichoderma viride.

Four electrophoretically distinct 1,4-beta-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase enzymes (exo-cellobiohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.91) from Trichoderma viride have been purified to homogeneity. Three enzymes (A, B, and C) were from a commercial T. viride preparation whereas the other (D) was from T. viride QM 9123 grown on cellulose in submerged culture. The enzymes were similar with respect to ultraviolet light absorption, amino acid and amino sugar composition, heat stability, molecular weight, specific activity, and carboxyterminal residues, indicating very nearly identical polypeptide portions. The enzymes also exhibited immunological cross-reactivity. The enzymes differed most in the content and composition of covalently bound neutral carbohydrate.

Amino Acids↗

Cold exposure decreases the effectiveness of atropine-oxime treatment in organophosphate intoxication in rats and mice.

1. The effect of cold environment on the acute toxicity of organophosphates (OP), without and with atropine-oxime treatment, was studied in rats and mice by exposing them to +5 and -5 degrees C temperature. The tested OPs and oximes (given intraperitoneally) were diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (sarin) and dichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP), pralidoxime (PAM) and obidoxime. 2. An exposure to low environmental temperature decreased the effectiveness of atropine-oxime therapy in OP poisoned rats and mice, evaluated by means of acute LD50 values. 3. The lowering of environmental temperature did not influence the ability of PAM to reactivate tissue cholinesterase in rats intoxicated by 0.5 x LD50 doses of DFP. 4. The acute toxicity of atropine and oximes was not affected by cold environment in rats, but in mice it was increased by 1.1-2.1 times. 5. The decrease in the effectiveness of atropine-oxime therapy at cold environment may be explained by the observation that the cold temperature sensitizes the animals to the inhibition of brain acetylcholinesterase by OP.

Animals↗

Aromatase: a neuroprotective enzyme.

Estradiol, in addition to its participation in neuroendocrine regulation and sexual behavior, has neuroprotective properties. Different types of brain injury induce the expression of the enzyme aromatase in reactive astroglia. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of testosterone and other C19 steroids to estradiol. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of brain aromatase results in marked neurodegeneration after different forms of mild neurodegenerative stimuli that do not compromise neuronal survival under control conditions. Furthermore, aromatase mediates neuroprotective effects of precursors of estradiol such as pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone. These findings strongly suggest that local formation of estradiol in the brain is neuroprotective and that the induction of aromatase and the consecutive increase in the local production of estradiol are part of the program triggered by the neural tissue to cope with neurodegenerative insults. Aromatase may thus represent an important pharmacological target for therapies conducted to prevent aging-associated neurodegenerative disorders.

Animals↗

Purification and properties of inorganic pyrophosphatase from porcine brain.

Inorganic pyrophosphatase [EC 3.6.1.1] was purified from porcine brain to an electrophoretically homogeneous state. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 62,000 by gel filtration and that of the subunit to be 33,000 by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, suggesting that the enzyme consists of two identical subunits. The stability of the purified enzyme was dependent on its protein concentration. The enzyme was stable above 50 micrograms/ml at 20 degrees C, but it was gradually inactivated below this concentration, even at 0 degree C unless other proteins such as bovine serum albumin, calmodulin, etc. were present. Those added proteins not only protected the enzyme from inactivation, but also completely reactivated the enzyme after it had been once inactivated. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate but not that of other phosphate esters. Only Mg2+ was required as an activating cation, and other divalent cations inhibited the activity to some degree. The addition of sulfhydryl reagents prevented the inhibition of activity by divalent cations.

Animals↗

Multiple IgE-mediated sensitizations to enzymes after occupational exposure: evaluation by skin prick test, RAST, and immunoblot.

We investigated 10 sensitized and 10 nonsensitized workers from a pharmaceutic factory who had been exposed to powdered trypsin, chymotrypsin, bromelain, papain, amylase, and lipase. Ten nonallergic subjects served as a control group. Titrated skin prick tests (SPT), RAST, and immunoblot studies were performed with all six enzymes. SPT reactivity revealed multiple sensitizations to proteolytic enzymes, i.e., papain (specifically sensitized/total number of sensitizations: 9/10), trypsin (8/10), chymotrypsin (8/10), and bromelain (7/10) and appeared to be more frequent and more pronounced than sensitizations to amylase (3/10) or lipase (3/10). The low molecular weight of proteolytic enzymes (20-30 kDa) and their biologic activity might facilitate mucosal penetration more easily and thus-compared to amylase and lipase-permit an immune response and induction of allergic hypersensitivity. Immunoblot studies demonstrated IgG-binding bands in both SPT-positive and -negative workers, indicating exposure to the enzymes, but not in 10 unexposed control subjects. IgE-binding bands of the enzymes were detected only in workers with a positive SPT reaction and/or a positive RAST result. IgG bands were more frequent and the IgG/IgE ratio was increased in workers without allergic complaints compared to symptomatic workers. This might indicate that high levels of specific IgG antibodies to enzymes are associated with an immune response lacking allergic manifestations in spite of IgE-mediated sensitizations to the enzymes. Atopic subjects were at greater risk of developing IgE-mediated sensitization (7/10) and allergic symptoms to enzymes (5/7). However, even without risk of atopy, IgE-mediated hypersensitivity occurred in a few subjects (3/13) exposed to enzymes by inhalation for prolonged periods of time.

Case-Control Studies↗

Structural and catalytic properties of oxidized and reduced chloroplast NADP-malate dehydrogenase upon denaturation and renaturation.

Chloroplast NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase exists in two interconvertible forms: the inactive disulfide-containing form and the active dithiol form. No major difference in secondary structure or conformation was found between the oxidized and the reduced enzyme as determined by circular dichroism and intrinsic protein fluorescence. The guanidine/HCl-dependent unfolding of the enzyme is characterized by two transition midpoints: those of the reduced enzyme are lower by about 0.2 M guanidine/HCl compared to the oxidized enzyme. As shown by analytical ultracentrifugation, there was no effect of guanidine/HCl concentrations up to 0.25 M on the quaternary structure of the enzyme in its oxidized and reduced forms: both sedimentation coefficient (S20,w = 4.9 +/- 0.1 S) and sedimentation equilibrium (75 +/- 3 kDa) yield the dimer. In the oxidized state the enzyme undergoes guanidine-dependent dissociation to the monomer with a midpoint of transition at 0.5 M. The kinetics of unfolding were found to be significantly faster for the reduced than for the oxidized enzyme. Renaturation and reactivation of reduced enzyme was more rapid and occurred with higher yields (100%) than for the oxidized enzyme (60-80% yield). Furthermore, the effect of denaturants on catalytic activity, and reductive activation of the oxidized form, were studied. Both increase in protein fluorescence and a stimulatory effect on the activities at low guanidine/HCl concentrations were observed for the oxidized and the reduced form of the enzyme. Denaturants increase the rate of reductive activation of NADP-malate dehydrogenase.

Catalysis↗

Thionesters as a probe for electrophilic catalysis in the serine protease mechanism.

Specific and nonspecific thionester substrates for alpha-chymotrypsin and subtilisin Carlsberg have been synthesized and the kinetic parameters for their enzyme-catalyzed hydrolyses measured. Despite equal nonenzymic reactivities of ester-thionester pairs, each thionester is considerably less reactive toward enzymic hydrolysis, the difference being greatest for the specific substrates. The data support the operation of electrophilic catalysis by a hydrogen bond network at the carbonyl oxygen adjacent to the scissile bond of the substrate. The free energy of stabilization is 19 kJ mol-1 for a specific thionester substrate and will be higher for oxygen esters and amides. Chymotrypsin binds esters and thionesters about equally well, whereas subtilisin binds thionesters more tightly. This is consistent with continuous hydrogen bonding in the chymotrypsin mechanism and with a differential hydrogen bonding mechanism for subtilisin. A comparison of the relative rates of enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of ester and thionester substrates with their relative reactivities toward amines does not support an acyl histidine intermediate in the serine protease mechanism.

Chymotrypsin↗

The impact of different antioxidant agents alone or in combination on reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzymes and cytokines in a series of advanced cancer patients at different sites: correlation with disease progression.

In the present study we tested the ability of different antioxidant agents, used alone or in combination, to reduce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and to increase the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Moreover, we tested the ability of such antioxidant agents to reduce the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFalpha. Fifty-six advanced stage cancer patients with tumors at different sites were included in the study: they were mainly stage III (12.5%) and stage IV (82.1%). The study was divided into two phases. In the 1st phase 28 patients were divided into five groups and a single different antioxidant agent was administered to each group. The selected antioxidant agents were: alpha lipoic acid or carboxycysteine-lysine salt, amifostine, reduced glutathione, vitamin A plus vitamin E plus Vitamin C. In the 2nd phase of the study 28 patients were divided into five groups and a combination of two different antioxidant agents was administered to each group. The antioxidant treatment was administered for 10 consecutive days. The patients were studied at baseline and after antioxidant treatment. Our results show that all single antioxidants tested were effective in reducing the ROS levels and three of them in increasing GPx activity, too. Among the combinations of antioxidant agents, three were effective in reducing ROS, while three were effective in increasing GPx activity (arm 4 was effective in both instances). Comprehensively, the "antioxidant treatment" was found to be effective both on ROS levels and GPx activity. Moreover, the antioxidant treatment was able to reduce serum levels of IL-6 and TNFalpha. Furthermore, a correlation was shown between the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of patients and blood levels of ROS, GPx activity, serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

Adult↗

Expression, reactivation, and purification of enzymes from Haloferax volcanii in Escherichia coli.

Enzymes from extreme halophiles have potential as catalysts in biotransformations. We have developed methods for the expression in Escherichia coli and purification of two enzymes from Haloferax volcanii: dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase and citrate synthase. Both enzymes were expressed in E. coli using the cytoplasmic expression vectors, pET3a and pET3d. Citrate synthase was soluble and inactive, whereas dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase was expressed as inclusion bodies. Citrate synthase was reactivated following overnight incubation in 2 M KCl, and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase was refolded by solubilisation in 8 M urea followed by dilution into a buffer containing 2 M KCl, 10 microM FAD, 1 mM NAD, and 0.3 mM GSSG/3 mM GSH. Maximal activity was obtained after 3 days incubation at 4 degrees C. Purification of the two active enzymes was carried out using high-resolution methods. Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase was purified using copper-based metal ion affinity chromatography in the presence of 2 M KCl. Citrate synthase was recovered using dye-affinity chromatography in the presence of salt. A high yield of active enzyme was obtained in both cases. Following purification, characterisation of both recombinant proteins showed that their kinetics and salt-dependence were comparable to those of the native enzymes. Expression of active protein was attempted both by growth of E. coli in the presence of salt and betaine, and also by using periplasmic expression vectors in combination with a high salt growth media. Neither strategy was successful.

Base Sequence↗

Identification by transfer blot of antigens reactive in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in rabbits immunized and a calf infected with Cryptosporidium sp.

Soluble and particulate fractions of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts from cattle were obtained by homogenization and sonication. Electrophoresis of the soluble fraction in polyacrylamide gels with sodium dodecyl sulfate and silver staining revealed the presence of 41 bands. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of sera from rabbits immunized with either fraction and from a calf 40 days after infection showed that the animals produced specific antibodies. Enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot tests revealed the presence of five antigens with the rabbit sera and nine with the calf serum. ELISA proved to be an appropriate test for diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis. Selection of reactive antigens may improve the quality of diagnosis and/or reveal the presence of protective materials in the parasite.

Animals↗

Inhibitory sites in enzymes: zinc removal and reactivation by thionein.

Thionein (T) has not been isolated previously from biological material. However, it is generated transiently in situ by removal of zinc from metallothionein under oxidoreductive conditions, particularly in the presence of selenium compounds. T very rapidly activates a group of enzymes in which zinc is bound at an inhibitory site. The reaction is selective, as is apparent from the fact that T does not remove zinc from the catalytic sites of zinc metalloenzymes. T instantaneously reverses the zinc inhibition with a stoichiometry commensurate with its known capacity to bind seven zinc atoms in the form of clusters in metallothionein. The zinc inhibition is much more pronounced than was previously reported, with dissociation constants in the low nanomolar range. Thus, T is an effective, endogenous chelating agent, suggesting the existence of a hitherto unknown and unrecognized biological regulatory system. T removes the metal from an inhibitory zinc-specific enzymatic site with a resultant marked increase of activity. The potential significance of this system is supported by the demonstration of its operations in enzymes involved in glycolysis and signal transduction.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase↗

Cardiovascular pressor reactivity after chronic converting enzyme inhibition.

In addition to inhibiting the formation of angiotensin II, chronic converting enzyme inhibition may affect other blood pressure modulating factors. The influence of an 8 week treatment phase with cilazapril on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and sympathetic nervous systems, the pressor reactivity to infused angiotensin II or norepinephrine, the chronotropic response to isoproterenol, and body sodium and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations was assessed in 11 normal subjects and 12 patients with essential hypertension. As compared to a 4 week placebo phase, cilazapril decreased arterial pressure in both study groups (from 124/83 +/- 9/6 to 114/77 +/- 9/5 mm Hg and from 143/102 +/- 13/7 to 137/96 +/- 10/10 mm Hg; P less than .025); exchangeable sodium (-158 mmol and, respectively, -104 mmol) and upright plasma aldosterone (-24% and -15%) also tended to fall. Heart rate, the chronotropic response to posture or isoproterenol, plasma norepinephrine levels, the concentration/pressor response curve to norepinephrine, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration, plasma angiotensin II and the responses of blood pressure or plasma aldosterone to angiotensin II were unchanged after 8 weeks of cilazapril. Plasma renin activity increased (+175% to +650%). These findings indicate that the blood pressure lowering effect of cilazapril in the stable phase of pharmacological intervention is not associated with modifications of sympathetic-dependent pressor reactivity or beta-adrenergic sensitivity. Plasma angiotensin II concentration and angiotensin II-dependent pathways including the pressor and aldosterone responsiveness to angiotensin II are also unchanged.

Adolescent↗

The reactivity of arginine residues interacting with glucose 1-phosphate in glycogen phosphorylase. A comparison between pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase and the native enzyme.

Modification of pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase b with two arginine-directed reagents, butanedione and [14C]phenylglyoxal, has been investigated and compared with the results obtained on the active and inactive conformations of the native enzyme; the reactivity of the various arginine residues has been directly described using autoradiography of chymotryptic maps derived from [14C]phenylglyoxal-labelled phosphorylase. In the native enzyme this method demonstrates that the same arginine residue (568) is reactive on both activated phosphorylase a and b, non-reactive on inactive forms of phosphorylase and protected by glucose 1-phosphate. Another residue is reactive, but its reactivity does not drastically depend upon phosphorylase conformation; it interacts with glucose 1-phosphate. In the pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase, the residue Arg-568 is reactive. This reactivity does not correlated in a simple manner with the ionisation state of the coenzyme, since it is high when this group is either absent or in a dianionic form, and low when it is monoanionic. The reactivity of Arg-568 rather correlates with the quaternary structure of the enzyme. The protection offered by glucose 1-phosphate, pyrophosphate and phosphite on this pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase also provides information about the relative disposition of the substrate, the coenzyme and this particular arginine residue.

Animals↗

Roles of different forms of cytochrome P450 in the activation of the promutagen 6-aminochrysene to genotoxic metabolites in human liver microsomes.

We reported previously that the potent mutagen 6-aminochrysene is catalyzed principally by rat liver microsomal P4501A and P4502B enzymes to reactive metabolites that induce umu gene expression in O-acetyltransferase-over-expressing strain Salmonella typhimurium NM2009; the proposal was made that there are different mechanisms in the formation of reactive N-hydroxylated and diolepoxide metabolites by P450 enzymes (Yamazaki, H. and Shimada, T., Biochem. Pharmacol., 44, 913-920, 1992). Here we further examined the roles of human liver P450 enzymes and the mechanism of activation of 6-aminochrysene by rat and human P450 enzymes in the Salmonella tester strains. Liver microsomes from 18 different human samples catalyzed activation of 6-aminochrysene more efficiently in S. typhimurium NM2009 than in the original strain of S. typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. The rates of 6-aminochrysene activation in 18 human liver samples showed good correlation to the contents of P4502B6 as well as contents of P4503A4 and the respective mono-oxygenase activities catalyzed by P4503A4. Among purified P450 enzymes examined, P4501A2 as well as P4503A4 were highly active in transforming 6-amino-chrysene to reactive metabolites, suggesting the involvement of different human P450 enzymes in the reaction. Four human samples that contained relatively high levels of particular P450 enzymes in their microsomes were selected and used for further characterization. Liver microsomes from human samples HL-13 and HL-4 that contained the highest levels of P4502B6 and P4503A4 respectively, were sensitive to the respective antibodies raised against monkey P4502B and human P4503A4; the activity in sample HL-16 having the highest level of P4501A2 was inhibited by anti-P4501A2 IgG. alpha-Naphthoflavone enhanced the activation of 6-aminochrysene very significantly in human liver microsomes enriched in P4503A4 and P4502B6 enzymes. Pentachlorophenol, an inhibitor of acetyltransferase activity, suppressed the activation of 6-aminochrysene in liver microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats and from human samples HL-4, HL-13 and HL-18 but not HL-16. In contrast, 1,1,1-trichloropropane-2,3-oxide, an inhibitor of epoxide hydrolase activity, enhanced the activation of 6-aminochrysene catalyzed by liver microsomes from beta-naphthoflavone-treated rats and from human samples HL-16 but not HL-4, HL-13 and HL-18. Inclusion of purified rat epoxide hydrolase to the reconstituted system containing rat and human P4501A enzymes caused a decrease in the rates of 6-aminochrysene activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Preliminary clinical studies of C-reactive protein quantified by enzyme-linked immunoassay.

We have used an enzyme-linked immunoassay technique to quantify human C-reactive protein (CRP). In this assay phosphorylethanolamine is covalently linked to polystyrene wells. Serum or plasma specimens are diluted 961-fold and assayed. After Ca2+-dependent binding of CRP to the plates, the complex is reacted with peroxidase-labeled anti-CRP antibody. The response varies linearly with CRP concentrations between 10 and 160 mg/L; the detection limit is 0.34 ng per well. The results correlate well (r greater than or equal to 0.90) with those of rate nephelometry. This new method can be automated, is not subject to interferences or cross reactivity, is highly reproducible, has low background values, and can be carried out at room temperature.

C-Reactive Protein↗

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactivity of torovirus-like particles in fecal specimens from humans with diarrhea.

Toroviruses are recognized enteric pathogens of cattle and horses; in humans, similar pleomorphic particles have been described, but doubt has been raised concerning their identity as viruses. We screened fecal samples from humans with diarrhea for the presence of torovirus-like particles (TVLPs) by electron microscopy and subsequently used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with bovine torovirus reference reagents to test for the presence of torovirus antigens. To add another selection criterion to this heterologous ELISA, we enriched the TVLPs from the stool specimens by using sucrose density gradients before testing. The results of ELISA and EM correlated significantly, the ELISA having a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 86% (chi-square, P < 0.0001). In the gradient, peaks of ELISA reactivity were found at a buoyant density of 1.16 g/ml and were parallel to those found when using bovine torovirus. Furthermore, in 50% of the ELISA-positive gradients, a hemagglutinin for human group O erythrocytes comigrated with the peaks of ELISA reactivity. We were unable to isolate human TVLPs in human colonic tumor or rectal tumor cells. We cloned and sequenced amplification products obtained by low-stringency polymerase chain reaction amplification using consensus primers mapping to the 3' end of the genome of animal toroviruses, but found no significant homologies with animals torovirus sequences. Rabbits were inoculated with material from the gradient peak fractions of human stool specimens, and their sera were assayed for immunologic comparison with bovine torovirus as a reference. A two-way antigenic cross-reactivity was seen between human TVLP and bovine torovirus reagents when tested by ELISA. The rabbit antisera to human TVLP detected a higher number of electron microscopy-positive stool specimens than did the rabbit antisera to bovine torovirus. The application of these assays and reagents should help to elucidate the roles of TVLPs and toroviruses in diarrheal disease in humans.

Animals↗

Influence of the activation state on the sedimentation properties of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase from Alcaligenes eutrophus.

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from the chemolithotrophic hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus was maximally active in the presence of 50 mM HCO3- plus 10 mM Mg2+. Deactivation occurred upon removal of these ions. Reactivation was achieved by incubation of the enzymes with HCO3- plus Mg2+. The concentration of HCO3- (CO2) required for half-maximal activation was 1.84 nM (0.064 mM). Sedimentation velocity studies revealed that activation/deactivation is associated with drastic changes in the sedimentation properties of the enzyme. While the inactive form had a sedimentation coefficient, s20,w, of 17.5 S, the s20,w gradually decreased as the enzyme was reactivated and the fully reactivated form exhibited an s20,w of 14.3 S. A structural analogue of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate, xylulose 1,5-bisphosphate, caused a deactivation of the enzyme concomitant with an increase in the sedimentation velocity. It is suggested that the alterations in the hydrodynamic properties accompanying the activation/deactivation process are due to considerable conformational changes that affect the molecular volume and/or the shape of the enzyme. Dissociation/association events were not involved in the changes. The s20,w of about 18 S, generally reported for the large hexadecameric ribulose bisphosphate carboxylases, appears to be characteristic of the inactive form.

Alcaligenes↗