PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “subcellular”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

Rat Leydig cell and granulosa cell 17-ketosteroid reductase activity: subcellular localization and substrate specificity.

The potent gonadal steroids testosterone and estradiol are synthesized from the biologically weak precursors, androstenedione and estrone, by enzymatic reduction of the ketone group at carbon-17 of the steroid nucleus (17-ketosteroid reductase). To test the hypothesis that Leydig and granulosa cells may contain a distinct 17-ketosteroid reductase enzyme, the subcellular localization and the substrate specificity of the enzyme was examined in each cell type. In Leydig cells, the 17-ketosteroid reductase activity was concentrated in the microsomal fraction of the cell. In granulosa cells, the 17-ketosteroid reductase activity was concentrated in the cytosolic fraction of the cell. In Leydig cell microsomes, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant for the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone was 0.41 mumol/L and for the conversion of estrone to estradiol it was 12 mumol/L. In granulosa cell cytosol, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant for the conversion of estrone to estradiol was 1.1 mumol/L and for the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone it was 15 mumol/L. These results demonstrate that rat Leydig and granulosa cells each contain a 17-ketosteroid reductase enzyme with unique subcellular localization and substrate specificity.

17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗

A radiometric assay for ganglioside sialidase applied to the determination of the enzyme subcellular location in cultured human fibroblasts.

A radiometric method for the assay of ganglioside sialidase in cultured human fibroblasts was set up. As substrate, highly radioactive (1.28 Ci/mmol) ganglioside GDla isotopically tritium-labeled at carbon C-3 of the long chain base was employed; the liberated, and TLC separated [3H]GM1 was determined by computer-assisted radiochromatoscanning. Under experimental conditions that provided a low and quite acceptable (4-5%) coefficient of variation, the detection limit of the method was 0.1 nmol of liberated GM1, using as low as 10 micrograms of fibroblast homogenate as protein. The detection limit could be lowered to 0.02-0.03 nmol, adopting conditions that, however, carried a higher analytical error (coefficient of variation over 10%). The content of ganglioside sialidase in human fibroblasts cultured in 75-cm2 plastic flasks was 5.8 +/- 2.5 (SD) nmol liberated GM1 h-1 mg protein-1. Subfractionation studies performed on fibroblast homogenate showed that the ganglioside sialidase was mainly associated with the light membrane subfraction that was rich in plasma and intracellular membranes. This subfraction displayed almost no sialidase activity on the artificial substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid. A small but measurable ganglioside sialidase activity was also present in the lysosome-enriched subfraction, which contained a very high sialidase activity on the above artificial substrate. All this supports the hypothesis that human fibroblasts contain sialidases with different subcellular location and substrate specificity. Particularly, the sialidase acting on gangliosides seems to have two sites of subcellular location, a major one at the level of plasma membranes and/or intracellular organelles functionally related with the plasma membranes and a minor one in the lysosomes.

Cells, Cultured↗

A one-step technique for the subcellular fractionation of total cell homogenates.

A procedure was developed for the rapid, analytical subcellular fractionation of entire homogenates from the Chinese hamster ovary and HeLa cell lines. The procedure avoids a nuclear sedimentation step and the losses that accompany such a step. A key to the development of this procedure was the addition to homogenates of either micrococcal nuclease or DNase I. Nuclease-treated homogenates were fractionated on self-forming Percoll gradients. The entire procedure from cell harvesting through collecting gradient fractions took only 2.5 h. The position of marker enzymes in the gradient fractions indicated clear resolution of plasma membranes, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes. This procedure should facilitate many studies requiring subcellular fractionation of cultured cells.

Animals↗

Analysis of enzymatic activities of subcellular and chromatographic fractions by an automated colorimetric microassay system.

A simple, automated colorimetric microassay system has been designed to quantitate enzyme activities commonly used as markers for subcellular compartments. This system relies on the spectrophotometric reading of microtiter wells containing the chromophore products. The microassay allows rapid, economical, and quantitative analysis of enzyme activities associated with sucrose or Percoll gradient fractions used for subcellular fractionation studies as well as the screening of a large number of fractions derived from HPLC and other separation columns used for enzyme purification. We describe its use for the quantitation of activities associated with acid and alkaline phosphatases, alkaline phosphodiesterase, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase, alpha-L-fucosidase, glycosidases, serine esterases, and succinate dehydrogenase, and give the range of their sensitivities. This microassay system has been applied to the isolation of granules of cytolytic lymphocytes and to the identification and purification of a serine esterase from the isolated granules of these cells.

Chromatography↗

The subcellular localization of calmodulin, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, and adenylate cyclase in bovine adrenal medulla.

The subcellular localization of calmodulin, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, and adenylate cyclase was studied in bovine adrenal medulla. Approximately 70% of the calmodulin and 90% of the cAMP phosphodiesterase activities were found colocalized in the cytoplasm. The subcellular distribution of adenylate cyclase closely paralleled the distribution of acetylcholinesterase, a marker for plasma membranes. The fraction of calmodulin which is particulate in nature has a distribution profile very similar to that of adenylate cyclase. The chromaffin granule fraction contained only 0.86% of the total cAMP phosphodiesterase, 0.41% of the total adenylate cyclase, and 1.4% of the total calmodulin.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Subcellular distribution of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase in mesophyll cells of barley and sorghum leaves.

The subcellular distribution of acetyl-CoA carboxylase [acetyl-CoA-carbon dioxide ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.4.1.2] was determined in mesophyll protoplasts isolation from barley, a C3 plant, and sorghum, a C4 plant. In both species, all of the mesophyll acetyl-CoA carboxylase was demonstrated to be chloroplastic. In barley leaves and mesophyll protoplasts, a single biotinyl protein of 60,000 Da was identified by a modified Western-blotting procedure. The subcellular distribution of this biotinyl protein was identical to that found for acetyl-CoA carboxylase. These results are discussed in relation to the compartmentation of reactions requiring malonyl-CoA as a substrate.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗

Subcellular distribution of the mannan-binding protein and its endogenous inhibitors in rat liver.

The subcellular distribution of the mannan-binding protein from rat liver, a lectin specific for mannose and N-acetylglucosamine, was studied. Approximately 75% of the binding activity of the homogenate was recovered in microsomes, approximately 76% of which was accounted for by rough microsomes. Rough microsomes had the highest specific activity of binding, followed by the Golgi apparatus and smooth microsomes, whereas plasma membranes, lysosomes, mitochondria, and the soluble fraction had little or no binding activity. A topographical survey indicated that the binding protein was localized exclusively on the cisternal surface of microsomal vesicles. Thus, the binding protein of microsomal vesicles was protected from protease digestion and was released from the vesicles by mild detergent treatment. Competitive inhibitors, which presumably represent endogenous ligands of the binding protein, were found among subcellular fractions. More than 50% of the inhibitory activity of the homogenate was recovered in rough microsomes, while the highest specific activity of inhibition was found in lysosomes. The Ki values estimated for rough microsomes and lysosomes were 25.9 and 8.67 micrograms/ml, respectively. The distribution profiles of inhibitors were correlated roughly with those of the binding protein, resulting in masking of the binding activity in organelles up to the level of 86%. On the basis of the known localization and topology of the binding protein and endogenous inhibitors (ligands), possible physiological functions of the binding protein relevant to the transport of biosynthetic intermediates of glycoproteins from the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus and from the Golgi apparatus to lysosomes were discussed.

Animals↗

Properties and subcellular localization of adenosine diphosphatase in rat heart.

Some properties and subcellular localization of adenosine diphosphatase (ADPase) activity from rat heart have been investigated. The pH optimum was 7.4, maximal activity was found with 5 mM MgCl2, and the apparent Km was 20 microM. ADPase activity was strongly inhibited by NaF and AppNHp, and to a lesser extent by AMP and GppNHp. The enzyme was not inhibited by p-nitrophenylphosphate, beta-glycerophosphate, or pyridoxal phosphate. The distribution of ADPase activity in subcellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation parallel ouabain-sensitive (Na+-K+)ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase activities, suggesting a plasma membrane-bound localization. The functional significance of ADPase in adenosine production and hemostasis is discussed.

Animals↗

Hepatic subcellular distribution of short-chain beta-ketoacyl coenzyme A reductase and trans-2-enoyl coenzyme A hydratase: 25- to 50-fold stimulation of microsomal activities by the peroxisome proliferator, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.

The present study demonstrates unequivocally the existence of short-chain trans-2-enoyl coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase and beta-ketoacyl CoA reductase activities in the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. Subcellular fractionation indicated that all four fractions, namely, mitochondrial, peroxisomal, microsomal, and cytosolic contained significant hydratase activity when crotonyl CoA was employed as the substrate. In the untreated rat, based on marker enzymes and heat treatment, the hydratase activity, expressed as mumol/min/g liver, wet weight, in each fraction was: mitochondria, 684; peroxisomes, 108; microsomes, 36; and cytosol, 60. Following di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) treatment (2% (v/w) for 8 days), there was only a 20% increase in mitochondrial activity; in contrast, peroxisomal hydratase activity was stimulated 33-fold, while microsomal and cytosolic activities were enhanced 58- and 14-fold respectively. A portion of the cytosolic hydratase activity can be attributed to the component of the fatty acid synthase complex. Although more than 70% of the total hydratase activity was associated with the mitochondrial fraction in the untreated rat, DEHP treatment markedly altered this pattern; only 11% of the total hydratase activity was present in the mitochondrial fraction, while 49 and 29% resided in the peroxisomal and microsomal fractions, respectively. In addition, all four subcellular fractions contained the short-chain NADH-specific beta-ketoacyl CoA (acetoacetyl CoA) reductase activity. Again, in the untreated animal, reductase activity was predominant in the mitochondrial fraction; following DEHP treatment, there was marked stimulation in the peroxisomal, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions, while the activity in the mitochondrial fraction increased by only 39%. Hence, it can be concluded that both reductase and hydratase activities exist in the endoplasmic reticulum in addition to mitochondria, peroxisomes, and soluble cytoplasm.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Subcellular distribution and properties of acyl/alkyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate reductase in rodent livers.

On subcellular fractionation, the enzyme acyl/alkyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) reductase (EC 1.1.1.101) in guinea pig and rat liver was found to be present in both the light mitochondrial (L) and microsomal fractions. By using metrizamide density gradient centrifugation, it was shown that the alkyl DHAP reductase activity in the "L" fraction is localized mainly in peroxisomes. From the distribution of the marker enzymes it was calculated that about two-thirds of the liver reductase activity is in the peroxisomes and the rest in the microsomes. The properties of this enzyme in peroxisomes and microsomes are similar with respect to heat inactivation, pH optima, sensitivity to trypsin, and inhibition by NADP+ and acyl CoA. The enzyme activity in the peroxisomes and microsomes from mouse liver is increased to the same extent by chronically feeding the animals clofibrate, a hypolipidemic drug. The kinetic properties of this enzyme in these two different organelles are also similar. From these results it is concluded that the same enzyme is present in two different subcellular compartments of liver.

Animals↗

Very long chain fatty acid beta-oxidation by subcellular fractions of normal and Zellweger syndrome skin fibroblasts.

Very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) beta-oxidation was compared in homogenates and subcellular fractions of cultured skin fibroblasts from normal individuals and from Zellweger patients who show greatly reduced numbers of peroxisomes in their tissues. beta-Oxidation of lignoceric (C24:0) acid was greatly reduced compared to controls in the homogenates and the subcellular fractions of Zellweger fibroblasts. The specific activity of C24:0 acid beta-oxidation was highest in the crude peroxisomal pellets of control fibroblasts. Fractionation of the crude mitochondrial and the crude peroxisomal pellets on Percoll density gradients revealed that the C24:0 acid oxidation was carried out entirely by peroxisomes, and the peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity was missing in Zellweger fibroblasts. In contrast to the beta-oxidation of C24:0 acid, the beta-oxidation of C24:0 CoA was observed in both mitochondria and peroxisomes. We postulate that a very long chain fatty acyl CoA (VLCFA CoA) synthetase, which is different from long chain fatty acyl CoA synthetase, is required for the effective conversion of C24:0 acid to C24:0 CoA. The VLCFA CoA synthetase appears to be absent from the mitochondrial membrane but present in the peroxisomal membrane.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Further studies on rat cathepsin E: subcellular localization and existence of the active subunit form.

The subcellular localization of rat neutrophil cathepsin E was examined by a modification of the method of N. Borregaard et al. [(1983) J. Cell Biol. 97, 52-61]. When the postnuclear cavitate of rat neutrophils was subjected to density centrifugation on discontinuous Percoll gradients, three particulate bands, P1 (lowest; azurophil granule rich), P2 (middle; specific granule rich), and P3 (highest; plasma membrane rich), were segregated. A combined application of immunochemical and electrophoretic methods revealed a striking difference in subcellular localization between cathepsin E and cathepsin D: Cathepsin E was associated with P3 and soluble fractions, and cathepsin D was chiefly associated with P1 and P2 fractions. The results thus indicate that cathepsin E is a nonlysosomal acid proteinase in rat neutrophils. It was found that cathepsin E existed in two enzymatically active molecular forms, referred to as CE-I and CE-II, in rat neutrophil extracts. To examine the relationships between the two forms, cathepsin E was purified to homogeneity from rat gastric mucosae. The purified enzyme exhibited a single protein band of 43 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but electrophoresis without SDS, followed by visualization of activity in the gel, revealed two activity bands corresponding to CE-II and CE-I in neutrophil extracts. Pretreatment of the enzyme with beta-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol resulted in an increase in CE-I activity with a concomitant decrease in CE-II activity on gels. Upon gel filtration, the molecular weights of CE-II and CE-I were estimated to be 98,000 and 51,000, respectively, strongly suggesting that they are the dimeric and monomeric forms of the cathepsin E subunit.

Animals↗

Subcellular distribution and properties of carbonyl reductase in guinea pig lung.

On subcellular fractionation, carbonyl reductase (EC 1.1.1.184) activity in guinea pig lung was found in the mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions; the specific activity in the mitochondrial fraction was more than five times higher than those in the microsomal and cytosolic fractions. Further separation of the mitochondrial fraction on a sucrose gradient revealed that about half of the reductase activity is localized in mitochondria and one-third in a peroxidase-rich fraction. Although carbonyl reductase in both the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions was solubilized effectively by mixing with 1% Triton X-100 and 1 M KCl, the enzyme activity in the mitochondrial fraction was more highly enhanced by the solubilization than was that in the microsomal fraction. Carbonyl reductases were purified to homogeneity from the mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions. The three enzymes were almost identical in catalytic, structural, and immunological properties. Carbonyl reductase, synthesized in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate cell-free system, was apparently the same in molecular size as the subunit of the mature enzyme purified from cytosol. These results indicate that the same enzyme species is localized in the three different subcellular compartments of lung.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase and alkyldihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase activities in rat liver subcellular fractions and human skin fibroblasts.

Dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase (DHAP-AT) and alkyldihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase (DHAP-synthase) activities were examined in subcellular fractions of rat liver. The results indicate that at least 80% of DHAP-AT (assays carried out at pH 5.4) activity in rat liver is in peroxisomes, and the remaining activity is mitochondrial. In contrast to DHAP-AT, DHAP-synthase was detected in all subcellular fractions analyzed but the activity in peroxisomes was 208-fold and 42-fold greater compared to mitochondria and microsomes, respectively. We estimate that at least 70% of the DHAP-synthase activity in rat liver is in peroxisomes. DHAP-AT and DHAP-synthase activities were also examined in homogenates of skin fibroblasts from patients with inherited defects in peroxisomal structure and/or function. Both the enzyme activities were deficient in Zellweger syndrome whereas the activities were only partially deficient in infantile Refsum's disease. Greater reduction in DHAP-synthase activity, but only a partial reduction in DHAP-AT activity was observed in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata. However, both DHAP-AT and DHAP-synthase activities were either normal or near normal in Refsum's disease or X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. The results reported suggest that various peroxisomal disease states can be identified based on DHAP-AT and DHAP-synthase activities in skin fibroblasts of patients.

Acyltransferases↗

Brain cytochrome P450 and testosterone metabolism by rat brain subcellular fractions: presence of cytochrome P450 3A immunoreactive protein in rat brain mitochondria.

The hydroxylation of testosterone by rat brain subcellular fractions has been studied using an HPLC method with an enhanced resolution for the separation of testosterone and its monohydroxy derivatives. Although the analysis time is longer than that reported for earlier methods, a baseline separation was obtained between all hydroxytestosterones, excepting 6 alpha-hydroxytestosterone and 15 beta-hydroxytestosterone, which were separated using a second chromatography system. This separation was important as rat brain microsomes metabolized testosterone to 15 alpha-, 6 beta-, 15 beta-, 16 beta-, 2 beta-, 1 beta-hydroxytestosterone and androstenedione. Testosterone metabolism was found to be linear with time and protein concentration. The rat brain mitochondrial fraction metabolized testosterone to androstenedione. Small amounts of immunoreactive bands comigrating with purified cytochromes P450j, P450b, and P450p were detected by Western blot analysis in rat brain microsomes, while only an immunoreactive protein related to cytochrome P450p was found in the mitochondrial fractions. Immunoinhibition studies showed that BEA33, a monoclonal antibody to cytochrome P450b and simultaneously recognizing cytochromes P450e and P450a, was able to inhibit the metabolism of testosterone to the 1 beta-, 15 alpha-, 2 beta-, and 6 alpha-hydroxylated metabolites, whereas polyclonal anti-cytochrome P450p did not inhibit the formation of the 6 beta-hydroxytestosterone by rat brain microsomes. The metabolism of testosterone by rat brain microsomal or mitochondrial fractions was refractory to induction by 3-methylcholanthrene or pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile. Thus, in the brain multiple isozymes of cytochrome P450 are constitutively expressed in different subcellular fractions, which suggests that brain cytochrome P450 may play an important role in the metabolism of endogenous compounds. The significance and role of cytochrome P450p-related protein in the rat brain mitochondrial fraction are yet to be determined.

Animals↗

Subcellular localisation of leucine aminopeptidase in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were homogenised in isotonic sucrose and subjected to analytical subcellular fractionation by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The gradient fractions were assayed for leucine aminopeptidase and for principal organelle marker enzymes. Leucine aminopeptidase, when assayed with both L-leucine-7-amido-4-methyl-coumarin and leucyl-2-naphthylamide as substrate, showed a unimodal distribution with an equilibrium density of 1.18 g X cm-3. This distribution was quite distinct from that exhibited by marker enzymes for all the recognized subcellular organelles: there was no leucine aminopeptidase associated with the plasma membrane. Fractionation experiments with neutrophils treated with isotonic sucrose containing a low concentration of digitonin, and studies with the non-permeant ectoenzyme inhibitor, diazotised sulphanilic acid, confirmed that leucine aminopeptidase had a purely intracellular localisation. Fractionation experiments with neutrophils homogenised in sucrose medium containing digitonin, showed leucine aminopeptidase associated with a membrane fraction. It is suggested that leucine aminopeptidase is located to the membrane of a previously unrecognised population of cytoplasmic granules of the human neutrophil.

Cytoplasmic Granules↗

Subcellular distribution of rat liver porin.

The subcellular distribution of rat liver porin was investigated using the immunoblotting technique and monospecific antisera against the protein isolated from the outer membrane of rat liver mitochondria. Subfractionation of mitochondria into inner membranes, outer membranes and matrix fractions revealed the presence of porin only in the outer membranes. Porin was also not detected in highly purified subcellular fractions, including plasma membranes, nuclear membranes, Golgi I and Golgi II, microsomes and lysosomes. Thus, liver porin is located exclusively in the outer mitochondrial membrane.

Animals↗

Lipid composition of subcellular particles from sheep platelets. Location of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in plasma membranes and platelet liposomes.

The lipid composition of whole sheep platelets and their subcellular fractions was determined. The basic lipids show similar distributions in granules, microsomes, plasma membranes and whole platelets. Phospholipid (about 70% of total lipids) and cholesterol (25% of total lipids) are the principal lipid components. Free cholesterol represents about 98% of the total, whereas cholesteryl ester is a minor component. The phospholipid composition found in intact platelets and their subcellular particles is about: 35% phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 30% phosphatidylcholine (PC), 20% sphingomyelin and 15% phosphatidylserine (PS). We also investigated aminophospholipid topology in intact platelet plasma membranes and platelet liposomes by using the nonpenetrating chemical probe trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), because they are the major components of total lipids. In intact platelets, PS is not accessible to TNBS during the initial 15 min of incubation, whereas 18% PE is labelled after 15 min. In contrast, in phospholipid extracted from platelets 80% PE and 67% PS react with TNBS within 5 min, while 27 and 25% PE and 15 and 19% PS from liposomes and isolated plasma membranes, respectively, were modified after 15 min of incubation. In view of this chemical modification, it is concluded that 22% of PE and less than 1% of PS are located on the external surface of intact platelet plasma membranes. The asymmetric orientation of aminophospholipids is similar between liposomes and isolated plasma membrane. PS (23 and 28%) and PE (34 and 31%) are scarcely represented outside the bilayer. The data found are consistent with the nonrandom phospholipid distribution of blood cell surface membranes.

Animals↗