Pharmacological characterization of ATP- and LPS-induced IL-1beta release in human monocytes.
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1. We have utilized the human monocytic cell line, THP-1, and freshly isolated adherent human monocytes with the compounds pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disuphonic acid (PPADS), oxidized ATP, and 1-(N, O-bis[5-isoquinolinesufonyll]-N-methyl-L-tyrosyl)-4-phenylpiper azi ne (KN-62) to pharmacologically characterize the P2 receptor involved in ATP-induced release of interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta). We have also investigated the involvement of P2 receptors in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-1beta release from both cell types. 2. ATP caused release of IL-1beta from LPS primed THP-1 cells in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner, with a minimal effective ATP concentration of 1 mM. Stimulation of cells with 5 mM ATP resulted in detectable concentrations of IL-1beta in cell supernatants within 30 min. 3. The ATP analogue benzoylbenzoyl ATP (DBATP), a P2X7 receptor agonist, was approximately 10 fold more potent than ATP at eliciting IL-1beta release. 4. KN-62 (1 micro M), PPADS (100 microM) or oxidized ATP (100 uM) significantly inhibited 5 mM ATP-induced IL-1beta release by 81, 90 and 66% respectively, but failed to significantly inhibit LPS-induced IL-1beta release in both THP-1 cells and in freshly isolated human monocytes. 5. In both THP-1 cells and freshly isolated human monocytes, addition of the ATP degrading enzyme apyrase (0.4 U ml(-1)) to cell supernatants prior to LPS activation failed to significantly inhibit the LPS-induced IL-1beta release. In addition there was no correlation between extracellular ATP concentrations and IL-1beta release in THP-1 cells when studied over a 6 h time period. 6. In conclusion our data confirm the involvement of P2X7 receptors in ATP-induced IL-1beta release in human monocytes. However no evidence was obtained which would support the involvement of either endogenous ATP release or P2X7 receptor activation as the mechanism by which LPS-induces IL-1beta release in either the THP-1 cell line or in freshly isolated human monocytes. (+info)
Characterization of the rhodobacter sphaeroides 5-aminolaevulinic acid synthase isoenzymes, HemA and HemT, isolated from recombinant Escherichia coli.
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The hemA and hemT genes encoding 5-aminolaevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, were cloned to allow high expression in Escherichia coli. Both HemA and HemT appeared to be active in vivo as plasmids carrying the respective genes complemented an E. coli hemA strain (glutamyl-tRNA reductase deficient). The over-expressed isoenzymes were isolated and purified to homogeneity. Isolated HemA was soluble and catalytically active whereas HemT was largely insoluble and failed to show any activity ex vivo. Pure HemA was recovered in yields of 5-7 mg x L-1 of starting bacterial culture and pure HemT at 10 mg x L-1 x HemA has a final specific activity of 13 U x mg-1 with 1 unit defined as 1 micromol of 5-aminolaevulinic acid formed per hour at 37 degrees C. The Km values for HemA are 1.9 mM for glycine and 17 microM for succinyl-CoA, with the enzyme showing a turnover number of 430 h-1. In common with other ALASs the recombinant R. sphaeroides HemA requires pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor for catalysis. Removal of this cofactor resulted in inactive apo-ALAS. Similarly, reduction of the HemA-PLP complex using sodium borohydride led to > 90% inactivation of the enzyme. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy with HemA suggested the presence of an aldimine linkage between the enzyme and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate that was not observed when HemT was incubated with the cofactor. HemA was found to be sensitive to reagents that modify histidine, arginine and cysteine amino acid residues and the enzyme was also highly sensitive to tryptic cleavage between Arg151 and Ser152 in the presence or absence of PLP and substrates. Antibodies were raised to both HemA and HemT but the respective antisera were not only found to bind both enzymes but also to cross-react with mouse ALAS, indicating that all of the proteins have conserved epitopes. (+info)
Identification of Arg-12 in the active site of Escherichia coli K1 CMP-sialic acid synthetase.
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Escherichia coli K1 CMP-sialic acid synthetase catalyses the synthesis of CMP-sialic acid from CTP and sialic acid. The active site of the 418 amino acid E. coli enzyme was localized to its N-terminal half. The bacterial CMP-sialic acid synthetase enzymes have a conserved motif, IAIIPARXXSKGLXXKN, at their N-termini. Several basic residues have been identified at or near the active site of the E. coli enzyme by chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis. Only one of the lysines in the N-terminal motif, Lys-21, appears to be essential for activity. Mutation of Lys-21 in the N-terminal motif results in an inactive enzyme. Furthermore, Arg-12 of the N-terminal motif appears to be an active-site residue, based on the following evidence. Substituting Arg-12 with glycine or alanine resulted in inactive enzymes, indicating that this residue is required for enzymic activity. The Arg-12-->Lys mutant was partially active, demonstrating that a positive charge is required at this site. Steady-state kinetic analysis reveals changes in k(cat), K(m) and K(s) for CTP, which implicates Arg-12 in catalysis and substrate binding. (+info)
Different receptors mediating the inhibitory action of exogenous ATP and endogenously released purines on guinea-pig intestinal peristalsis.
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1 Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is an enteric neurotransmitter which acts at purine receptors on intestinal nerve and muscle. This study set out to shed light on the receptor mechanisms by which exogenous and endogenous ATP influences intestinal peristalsis. 2 Peristalsis in isolated segments of the guinea-pig small intestine was triggered by a perfusion-induced rise of the intraluminal pressure. Motor changes were quantified by alterations of the peristaltic pressure threshold (PPT) at which propulsive muscle contractions were elicited. 3 ATP (>/= 3 microM) increased PPT and abolished peristalsis at concentrations of 100-300 microM. Adenosine 5'-O-2-thiodiphosphate (ADPbetaS, 3-100 microM) was more potent, whereas alpha,beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-meATP, 3-100 microM) was less potent, than ATP in depressing peristalsis. 4 8-Phenyltheophylline (10 microM) attenuated the anti-peristaltic effect of 10 and 30 microM ATP but not that of higher ATP concentrations. Apamin (0.5 microM) counteracted the ability of ATP, ADPbetaS and alpha,beta-meATP to enhance PPT. Suramin (300 microM) and pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid (PPADS, 150 microM) antagonized the inhibitory effect of alpha,beta-meATP on peristalsis but did not alter the effect of ATP and ADPbetaS. 5 PPADS (50-150 microM) reduced PPT by as much as 50%. This stimulant effect on peristalsis was prevented by suramin (300 microM) but left unaltered by apamin (0.5 microM) and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (300 microM). 6 These data show that exogenous and endogenous ATP inhibits intestinal peristalsis via different apamin-sensitive purinoceptor mechanisms. Exogenous ATP depresses peristalsis mostly via suramin- and PPADS-insensitive P2 receptors, whereas endogenous purines act via P2 receptors sensitive to both suramin and PPADS. (+info)
Excitatory effect of P2X receptor activation on mesenteric afferent nerves in the anaesthetised rat.
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1. We examined the effects of P2X purinoceptor agonists and P2 purinoceptor antagonists on mesenteric afferent nerves supplying the jejunum in the pentobarbitone sodium-anaesthetised rat. 2. ATP (0. 01-10 mg kg-1, i.a.) and alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (1-30 microg kg-1, i.a.) each induced dose-dependent increases in afferent nerve discharge and intrajejunal pressure. The effect on afferent nerves comprised an early (< 2 s after administration) intense burst of activity followed by a later increase (> 2 s after administration), less pronounced in comparison, which coincided with elevated intrajejunal pressure. 3. Pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2', 4'-disulphonic acid (20 mg kg-1, i.v.) and suramin (80 mg kg-1, i.v. ) each antagonised both the early and later increases in afferent nerve discharge elicited by alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (30 microg kg-1, i.a.). 4. Co-administration of omega-conotoxin MVIIA and omega-conotoxin SVIB (each at 25 microg kg-1, i.v.), or treatment with the selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist alosetron (30 microg kg-1, i.v.), did not affect the rapid burst of afferent nerve activity elicited by alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (30 microg kg-1, i.a.). However, toxin treatment did attenuate the elevations in intrajejunal pressure and the corresponding later phases of evoked afferent discharge, while alosetron inhibited basal afferent nerve activity. 5. In summary, ATP and alpha,beta-methylene-ATP each evoke excitation of mesenteric afferent nerves in the anaesthetised rat. We propose that the early increase in mesenteric afferent nerve activity represents a direct effect on the nerve ending, mediated by P2X receptors, whereas the later increase reflects activation of mechanosensitive fibres secondary to elevated intrajejunal pressure. (+info)
Catalytic mechanism of the tryptophan synthase alpha(2)beta(2) complex. Effects of pH, isotopic substitution, and allosteric ligands.
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The mechanism of the tryptophan synthase alpha(2)beta(2) complex from Salmonella typhimurium is explored by determining the effects of pH, of temperature, and of isotopic substitution on the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent reaction of L-serine with indole to form L-tryptophan. The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters indicates that three ionizing groups are involved in substrate binding and catalysis with pK(a)1 = 6.5, pK(a)2 = 7.3, and pK(a)3 = 8.2-9. A significant primary isotope effect (approximately 3.5) on V and V/K is observed at low pH (pH 7), but not at high pH (pH 9), indicating that the base that accepts the alpha-proton (betaLys-87) is protonated at low pH, slowing the abstraction of the alpha-proton and making this step at least partially rate-limiting. pK(a)2 is assigned to betaLys-87 on the basis of the kinetic isotope effect results and of the observation that the competitive inhibitors glycine and oxindolyl-L-alanine display single pK(i) values of 7.3. The residue with this pK(a) (betaLys-87) must be unprotonated for binding glycine or oxindolyl-L-alanine, and, by inference, L-serine. Investigations of the temperature dependence of the pK(a) values support the assignment of pK(a)2 to betaLys-87 and suggest that the ionizing residue with pK(a)1 could be a carboxylate, possibly betaAsp-305, and that the residue associated with a conformational change at pK(a)3 may be betaLys-167. The occurrence of a closed to open conformational conversion at high pH is supported by investigations of the effects of pH on reaction specificity and on the equilibrium distribution of enzyme-substrate intermediates. (+info)
Deletion of the regulatory domain in the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent heme protein cystathionine beta-synthase alleviates the defect observed in a catalytic site mutant.
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The most common cause of severely elevated homocysteine or homocystinuria is inherited disorders in cystathionine beta-synthase. The latter enzyme is a unique hemeprotein that catalyzes pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent condensation of serine and homocysteine to give cystathionine, thus committing homocysteine to catabolism. A point mutation, V168M, has been described in a homocystinuric cell line and is associated with a B(6)-responsive phenotype. In this study, we have examined the kinetic properties of this mutant and demonstrate that the mutation affects the PLP but not the heme content. The approximately 13-fold diminution in activity because of the mutation corresponds to an approximately 7-fold decrease in the level of bound PLP. This may be explained by half of the sites activity associated with cystathionine beta-synthase. The addition of PLP results in partial but not full restoration of activity to wild type levels. Elimination of the C-terminal quarter of the mutant protein results in alleviation of the catalytic penalty imposed by the V168M mutation. The resulting truncated protein is very similar to the corresponding truncated enzyme with wild type sequence and is now able to bind the full complement of both heme and PLP cofactors. These results indicate that the V168M mutation per se does not affect binding of PLP directly and that interactions between the regulatory C terminus and the catalytic N terminus are important in modulating the cofactor content and therefore the activity of the full-length enzyme. These studies provide the first biochemical explanation for the B(6)-responsive phenotype associated with a cystathionine beta-synthase-impaired homocystinuric genotype. (+info)
Beta-cyanoalanine synthase: purification and characterization.
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Beta-cyano-L-alanine synthase [L-cysteine hydrogen-sulfide-lyase (adding HCN), EC 4.4.1.9] was purified about 4000-fold from blue lupine seedlings. The enzyme was homoegeneous on gel electrophoresis and free of contamination by other pyridoxal-P-dependent lyases. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 52,000 and contains 1 mole of pyridoxal-P per mole of protein; its isoelectric point is situated at pH 4.7. Its absorption spectrum has two maxima, at 280 and 410 nm. L-Cysteine is the natural primary (amino acid) substrate; beta-chloro- and beta-thiocyano can serve (with considerably lower affinity) instead of cyanide as cosubstrates for cyanoalanine synthase. The synthase is refractory to DL-cycloserine and D-penicillamine, potent inhibitors of many pyridoxal-P-dependent enzymes. Cyanoalanine synthase catalyzes slow isotopic alpha-H exchange in cysteine and in end-product amino acids; the rates of alpha-H exchange in nonreacted (excess) cysteine are markedly increased in the presence of an adequate cosubstrate; no exchange is observed of H atoms in beta-position. (+info)