Amino acid transporters involved in luminal transport of mercuric conjugates of cysteine in rabbit proximal tubule.
(9/109)
The primary aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that amino acid transport systems are involved in absorptive transport of dicysteinylmercury (cysteine-Hg-cysteine). Luminal disappearance flux [JD, fmol x min(-1) (mm tubular length)(-1)] of inorganic mercury (Hg2+), in the form of dicysteinylmercury, was measured in isolated perfused S2 segments with various amino acids or amino acid analogs in the luminal compartment under one of two conditions, in the presence or absence of Na+. The control perfusion fluid contained 20 microM dicysteinylmercury. Replacing Na+ in both the bathing and perfusing solutions with N-methyl-D-glucamine reduced the JD of Hg2+ by about 40%. Nine amino acids and two amino acid analogs were coperfused individually (at millimolar concentrations) with dicysteinylmercury. The amino acids and amino acid analogs that had the greatest effect on the JD of Hg2+ were L-cystine, L-serine, L-histidine, L-tryptophan, and 2-(-)-endoamino-bicycloheptane-2-carboxylic acid. The greatest reduction (76%) in the total JD of Hg2+ occurred when L-cystine was coperfused with dicysteinylmercury in the presence of Na+. Overall, the current findings indicate that Hg2+ is transported from the lumen into proximal tubular epithelial cells via amino acid transporters that recognize dicysteinylmercury. In addition, the data indicate that multiple amino acid transporters are involved in the luminal uptake of dicysteinylmercury, including the Na+-dependent low-affinity L-cystine, B(0), and ASC systems and the Na+-independent L-system. Furthermore, the transport data obtained when L-cystine was added to the luminal fluid indicate strongly that dicysteinylmercury is likely transported as a molecular homolog of L-cystine. (+info)
Molecular cloning of a cDNA for the human phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase.
(10/109)
We previously reported the isolation from bovine liver of a novel 56-kDa inorganic pyrophosphatase named phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase (LHPPase). It is a unique enzyme that hydrolyzes not only oxygen-phosphorus bonds in inorganic pyrophosphate but also nitrogen-phosphorus bonds in phospholysine, phosphohistidine and imidodiphosphate in vitro. In this study, we determined the partial amino acid sequence of the purified bovine LHPPase. To investigate whether humans have the same enzyme, we isolated a cDNA clone from a HeLa cell cDNA library that encodes for the human homologue of LHPPase. Although its sequence does not include the consensus sequence of a typical inorganic pyrophosphatase, it does contain a similar sequence of the active site in other phosphatases such as protein-tyrosine phosphatase, dual-specific phosphatase and low molecular weight acid phosphatase. Human LHPPase was highly expressed in the liver and kidney, and moderately in the brain. The recombinant protein was produced in E. coli. Its ability to hydrolyze oxygen-phosphorus bonds and nitrogen-phosphorus bonds was confirmed. The enzymatic characteristics of this human protein were similar to those of purified bovine LHPPase. Thus, we concluded that the cDNA encoded the human counterpart of bovine LHPPase. (+info)
Adenylate cyclase from rat-liver plasma membrane: inhibition by mersalyl and other mercurial derivatives.
(11/109)
The adenylate cyclase activity from a rat liver plasma membrane preparation was inhibited by low concentrations (1-10 muM) of the mercurial diuretic mersalyl. Complete inhibition was obtained with 0.1 mM mersalyl. Similar effects were observed whether the adenylate cyclase preparation was assayed in the presence of 10 muM GTP, 0.1 muM glucagon, 10 mM NaF or without any addition. The effect of mersalyl was not due to inhibition of the regenerating system present in the incubation medium, since the effect of mersalyl was preserved and even enhanced in its absence. The inhibition brought about by mersalyl was due to both a decrease of the maximal velocity of the reaction and of the affinity of the enzyme for the substrate. It was immediate, and irreversible spontaneously, but it was reversed by the simultaneous additions of 2-mercaptoethanol, in a dose-dependent fashion. Other -SH reagents were found to have an effect equal to, or lower than, that of mersalyl. Mersalyl had no effect upon Mg2+-ATPase, although it inhibited the (Na+-K+) activated ATPase. Since mersalyl is known to be a 'non-penetrant' reagent, it is postulated that a catalytically important, mercurial-sensitive, part of adenylate cyclase is at the surface of the plasma membrane. This view is supported by the following facts: (a) mersalyl acted with a similar dose-response curve upon an intact as well as a detergent-dispersed cyclase preparation while no effect was observed upon a solubilized Mg2+-ATPase preparation; (b) a covalent p-chloromercuribenzoate-Sephadex preparation (but not its supernatant) inhibited the cyclase from intact membranes. It is proposed that mercurial derivatives, by their relative specificity of action (no effect on Mg2+-ATPase), can serve as useful probes in the elucidation of the multicomponent structure of the cyclase system. (+info)
Phytoremediation of organomercurial compounds via chloroplast genetic engineering.
(12/109)
Mercury (Hg), especially in organic form, is a highly toxic pollutant affecting plants, animals, and man. In plants, the primary target of Hg damage is the chloroplast; Hg inhibits electron transport and photosynthesis. In the present study, chloroplast genetic engineering is used for the first time to our knowledge to enhance the capacity of plants for phytoremediation. This was achieved by integrating a native operon containing the merA and merB genes (without any codon modification), which code for mercuric ion reductase (merA) and organomercurial lyase (merB), respectively, into the chloroplast genome in a single transformation event. Stable integration of the merAB operon into the chloroplast genome resulted in high levels of tolerance to the organomercurial compound, phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) when grown in soil containing up to 400 micro M PMA; plant dry weights of the chloroplast transformed lines were significantly higher than those of wild type at 100, 200, and 400 micro M PMA. That the merAB operon was stably integrated into the chloroplast genome was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and Southern-blot analyses. Northern-blot analyses revealed stable transcripts that were independent of the presence or absence of a 3'-untranslated region downstream of the coding sequence. The merAB dicistron was the more abundant transcript, but less abundant monocistrons were also observed, showing that specific processing occurs between transgenes. The use of chloroplast transformation to enhance Hg phytoremediation is particularly beneficial because it prevents the escape of transgenes via pollen to related weeds or crops and there is no need for codon optimization to improve transgene expression. Chloroplast transformation may also have application to other metals that affect chloroplast function. (+info)
Differential effects of nephrotoxic agents on renal transport and metabolism by use of in vitro techniques.
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A number of studies by the author and other investigators are reviewed in which the in vitro kidney slice technique has been used to evaluate the nephrotoxicity of various compounds. The kidney slice technique can be used to determine the effect of prior drug treatment of laboratory animals on renal organic acid (p-aminohippurate) or organic base (N-methylnicotinamide) transport, on glucose synthesis, and on oxygen consumption by renal coritical slices. The nephrotoxic agents uranyl nitrate and potassium dichromate exert inhibitory effects on renal function, althouhg both agents enhance organic base transport at low doses and potassium dichromate enhances organic acid transport at moderate doses. Enhanced PAH transport has been found to be a sensitive indicator of gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity, while inhibition of other parameters has been reported. The tissue slice method is less effective in evaluation chronic nephrotoxicity such as that produced by lead. The inhibitory effect of mercurial diuretics has been shown to be due to the general depression of metabolic activity by mercury. The kidney slice technique has been found to be a sensitive indicator in the assessment of halogenated hydrocarbon-induced nephrotoxicity. Differential effects of compounds on in vitro organic acid and base trasport provides information about the transport of these compounds as well as about their nephrotoxicity. Although it is often desirable to perform in vivo tests or other in vitro renal function tests, the kidney slice technique has proved to be extremely useful in toxicological evaluations. (+info)
Ultrastructural changes produced in the rat kidney by a mercurial diuretic (meralluride).
(14/109)
Electron microscopic study of the cortical and medullary zones of kidneys of rats injected intraperitoneally with meralluride (a mercurial diuretic) shows that constant structural changes occur in the proximal tubules, but that the distal tubules remain unaltered. In the cells of the proximal tubule vacuolation and loss of contrast of the apical pole occur due to intracytoplasmic oedema, appearances which may extend as far as the basal pole. The brush border shows separation of the villi at the level of the implantation base. Mitochondrial swelling occurs with vacuolation of the matrix and disappearance of the cristae. The changes at the level of the glomerulus are variable and consist of clearing of the mitochondrial matrix of the podocytes, enlargement of the vesicles of the endoplasmic reticulum and the occurrence of intracytoplasmic osmiophilic masses. (+info)
THE ROLE OF RADIOISOTOPE RENAL SCANNING IN THE ASSESSMENT OF RENAL DISEASE.
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Experience with 500 radio-chlormerodrin renal scans has shown that the technique can detect (1) altered renal function, both focal and generalized, (2) space-occupying kidney lesions, and (3) renal size and disease in some cases in which the blood urea nitrogen is elevated and the excretory urogram inconclusive.The technique is valuable as an adjunct to the intravenous pyelogram since it may discriminate more disease than was thought to be present or may distinguish between anomalous variations in renal outline and calyceal displacement from parenchymal disease. The technique is completely harmless and there are no known contraindications to the test agent, radio-chlormerodrin. (+info)
RESPONSE OF THE INFANT KIDNEY TO DIURETIC DRUGS.
(16/109)
The diuretic response of normal infants, 6 to 47 days of age, to single doses of mercaptomerin, chlorothiazide, acetazolamide, triamterene and spironolactone was studied by following urinary electrolytes, pH and osmolality. Peak diuresis occured two to four hours after drug administration, and because of compensatory mechanisms little change in urinary excretion was found if only 24-hour urines were studied. Mercaptomerin increased sodium excretion seven-fold, compared to three- to four-fold increases for the other diuretics. Control urinary Na:K ratios averaged 0.68 in infants compared to 2.8 for adults, and mercaptomerin produced the largest increase in this ratio. Qualitatively the response to diuretics is the same in newborn in the ages studied as it is reported to be for adults; no immaturity of the infant kidney in this regard was demonstrated. (+info)