Comparative effects of protein, protein hydrolysate and amino acid diets on nitrogen metabolism of normal, protein-deficient, gastrectomized or hepatectomized rats

The effects of diets containing protein, protein hydrolysate or an amino acid mixture on nitrogen metabolism of normal and severely protein-deficient rats and on rats after gastrectomy and hepatectomy were compared. In experiment 1, rats weighing about 80 g were fed one of three experimental diets containing casein, protein hydrolysate or an amino acid mixture for 28 d. In experiment 2, rats weighing about 270 g were fed a protein-free diet for 40 d, and then one of the above three experimental diets for 14 d. In experiment 3, rats weighing about 220 g were totally gastrectomized and fed one of the three experimental diets for 21 d. In experiment 4, rats weighing about 210 g had about 70% of the liver resected, and then were fed one of the three experimental diets for 15 d. In all four experiments, daily food intake, daily body weight gain, nitrogen balance, urinary nitrogen compounds, body composition and hematologic values were measured. In normal, protein-deficient and hepatectomized rats, most results were similar for the groups fed protein, protein hydrolysate or amino acid diets, except that urinary ammonia was higher in the group fed the amino acid diet than in the other two groups. For about 10 d after total gastrectomy, food intake and growth of the animals fed the protein diet were lower than in the other two groups.

Purification and some properties of the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain

A glycolipid-specific lipid transfer protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity from pig brain post-mitochondrial supernatant. The purified protein was obtained after about 6,000-fold purification at a yield of 19%. Evidence for the homogeneity of the purified protein includes the following: (i) a single band in acidic gel electrophoresis, in sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, (ii) a single band in analytical gel isoelectric focusing, (iii) exact correspondence between the glycolipid transfer activity and stained protein absorbance in the acidic gel electrophoresis, and (iv) coincidence between the transfer activity and protein absorption at 280 nm in gel filtration through Ultrogel AcA 54. The protein has an isoelectric point of about 8.3 and a molecular weight of 22,000, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A molecular weight of 15,000 was calculated from AcA 54 gel filtration. The amino acid composition has been determined. The protein binds [3H]galactosylceramide but not [3H]phosphatidylcholine. Under the conditions used, 1 mol of the transfer protein bound about 0.13 mol of [3H]galactosylceramide. The glycolipid transfer protein-[3H]galactosylceramide complex was isolated by a Sephadex G-75 chromatography. An incubation of the complex with liposomes resulted in the transfer of [3H]galactosylceramide from the complex to the acceptor liposomes. The result indicates that the complex functions as an intermediate in the glycolipid transfer reaction. The protein facilitates the transfer of [3H]galactosylceramide from donor liposomes to acceptor liposomes lacking in glycolipid as well as to acceptor liposomes containing galactosylceramide.

Specificity of the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain

Lipid specificity has been studied in the lipid transfer reaction facilitated by the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain. The lipid transfer was measured by determining the transfer of a radioisotopically labeled lipid from donor liposomes to either acceptor liposomes or mitochondria. Whenever possible, the liposomes contained 1 mol % of the lipid whose transfer was under study. The transfer protein accelerates the transfer of glucosylceramide, galactosylceramide (GalCer), lactosylceramide (LacCer), galactosylceramide 3-sulfate, globotriaosylceramide, LacCer sulfate, sialosyl-LacCer, globotetraosylceramide, and globopentaosylceramide. An inverse relationship is found between the length of sugar chains in glycosphingolipids and the transfer rates. In addition to the glycosphingolipids, the transfer protein facilitates the transfer of galactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, glucosyldiacylglycerol, and diglucosyldiacylglycerol. The protein does not facilitate the transfer of dimannosyldiacylglycerol. The transfer of periodate-oxidized and subsequently reduced derivatives of GalCer and LacCer is facilitated by the transfer protein. The derivatives of GalCer are transferred at lower rates than GalCer, whereas the derivatives of LacCer are transferred at higher rates than LacCer. The transfer protein does not facilitate the transfer of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, cholesterol, or cholesteryloleate. These results suggest that the glycolipid transfer protein from pig brain has specificity to hydroxyl groups present in the sugar residue directly linked to either ceramide or diacylglycerol. The presence of glucose or galactose linked to these hydrophobic moieties makes the glycolipid transferable by the protein.

A fluorimetric determination of the activity of glycolipid transfer protein and some properties of the protein purified from pig brain

The fluorimetric method of Correa-Freire et al. (Correa-Freire, M.C., Barenholz, Y. and Thompson, T.E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1244-1248) to measure glucosylceramide transfer between phospholipid bilayers has been applied to the determination of the activity of glycolipid transfer protein purified from pig brain. The transfer of pyrene-labeled galactosylceramide (PyrGalCer) from donor to acceptor vesicles was measured by a decrease in the intensity ratio of eximer (E) to excited monomer (M). A sensitive determination of the glycolipid transfer activity is possible by the fluorimetric method without separation of the donor and acceptor vesicles. The newly developed fluorimetric assay of glycolipid transfer protein was used to study the effects of N-ethylmaleimide, HgCl2 and sugars on the transfer activity. The treatment with N-ethylmaleimide inactivated the activity to about 40%. The activity was almost completely inactivated by the treatment with HgCl2. Monosaccharides and methyl-alpha-D-glucoside had no inhibitory effect on the transfer activity. A marked and immediate drop of the E/M ratio was observed by the addition of glycolipid transfer protein to vesicles containing PyrGalCer at a protein-to-PyrGalCer molar ratio of 1.56:1. The result suggests a complex formation of glycolipid transfer protein with PyrGalCer.

Anticholinesterase action of a bromine compound isolated from human cerebrospinal fluid

L-1- Methylheptyl -gamma- bromoacetoacetate was found to be a competitive inhibitor of the acetylcholinesterases (electric eel, Ki = 17.2 microM; rat brain, Ki = 32.6 microM) and of butyrylcholinesterase (horse serum, Ki = 1.2 microM). The L-isomer was a more effective inhibitor than the D-isomer. The bromine atom at the gamma-position of the acidic moiety, the specific length of the carbon chain constituting the secondary alcohol moiety, and the presence of the ketone radical at the acidic moiety of the ester were necessary for the anticholinesterase action. 1- Methylheptyl -gamma- bromoacetoacetate formed a complex with acetylcholinesterase or butyrylcholinesterase without hydrolysis of its own molecule.

The immunological and structural comparisons of deoxyribonucleases I. Glycosylation differences between bovine pancreatic and parotid deoxyribonucleases

A rabbit antiserum against bovine pancreatic DNase A is used to study the immunological reaction of DNases I. As shown by double immunodiffusion, bovine pancreatic DNases A, B, C, and D are immunologically identical, so are DNases from bovine pancreas and parotid and from ovine pancreas. These DNases also behave similarly in immunotitration of DNase activity and all are tightly bound to the immunoaffinity medium, requiring an acidic buffer with 10% ammonium sulfate to dissociate. On the other hand, porcine pancreatic and malted barley DNases that do not form precipitin lines remain active in solution with the antibody; however, in spite of the lack of inhibition these DNases are retarded (but not tightly bound) in immunoaffinity chromatography, suggesting interaction with the antibody. In thin layer isoelectric focusing, the parotid DNase, purified with the immunoaffinity technique, shows only two major active components whose isoelectric points correspond to those of DNases A and C of bovine pancreas. As estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the molecular weight of parotid DNase is 34,000, approximately 3,000 more than that of the pancreatic enzyme. However, both parotid and pancreatic DNases have the same NH2-terminal leucine, an identical COOH-terminal amino acid sequence, nearly identical amino acid compositions, and almost the same peptide maps. The molecular weight difference is due to differences in the carbohydrate side chains. Results of peptide analyses indicate that parotid DNase contains two glycopeptides; pancreatic DNase has only one. In addition, both parotid glycopeptides contain glucosamine and galactosamine while the pancreatic glycopeptide has only glucosamine.

Ecto-5'-nucleotidase does not catalyze vectorial production of adenosine in the perfused rat liver

From the results obtained in perfused rat hearts, Frick and Lowenstein proposed that ecto-5'-nucleotidase catalyzes a vectorial reaction in which AMP hydrolysis is accompanied by transfer of adenosine across the cell membrane (Frick, G.P., and Lowenstein, J.M. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 1240-1244). We have examined by the use of perfused rat livers, the uptake mechanism of adenosine generated from AMP by ecto-5'-nucleotidase. Recirculating perfusion of rat livers was performed with a buffered saline containing [2-3H]AMP at an initial concentration of 5 microM. One-half of the [2-3H] AMP was dephosphorylated by 0.8 min of perfusion; less than 13% of the radioactivity of hydrolyzed [2-3H] AMP was located in [2-3H]adenosine plus [2-3H]inosine appearing in the perfusate. Addition of 6-[(4-nitrobenzyl)thio]-guanosine, an inhibitor of the nucleoside transport system, at 120 microM to the perfusate caused a 3.9-fold increase in the amount of the [2-3H]AMP-derived 3H-nucleosides appearing in the perfusate. Moreover, in a perfusion in which uridine was added to the perfusate at 2.6 mM to compete with the [2-3H] AMP-derived [2-3H]adenosine for the nucleoside transport system, more than 87% of the radioactivity of hydrolyzed [2-3H]AMP was located in [2-3H]adenosine appearing in the perfusate; the result indicates that the uridine added to the perfusate efficiently trapped the [2-3H]adenosine formed from [2-3H]AMP. These results support an uptake mechanism of the AMP-derived adenosine in which the adenosine formed by ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the blood-sinusoidal plasma membrane of hepatocytes, is taken up by the nucleoside transport system located at the plasma membrane side by side with ecto-5'-nucleotidase. The results therefore indicate that the ecto-5'-nucleotidase of hepatocytes does not catalyze vectorial production of adenosine, in contrast to the previous report on perfused rat hearts.

Effects of estrogen and progesterone on thymidine kinase activity in the immature rat uterus

The effects of progesterone and/or 17 beta-estradiol on thymidine kinase activity and autoradiograms were investigated in immature rats. Thymidine kinase activity increased more than thirtyfold above the control level 30 hours after 17 beta-estradiol injection. The enzyme activity induced by 17 beta-estradiol was suppressed by progesterone, the dose of which was approximately 1,000-fold that of 17 beta-estradiol. The specific thymidine kinase isozyme, which was separated from 17 beta-estradiol-induced uterine thymidine kinase by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose column chromatography and not affected by deoxycytidine triphosphate, was involved in the DNA replication and inhibited by progesterone. The autoradiogram revealed many grains due to 3H-thymidine in the endometrial epithelium, stroma, and the myometrium in the immature rat 30 hours after 17 beta-estradiol injection, whereas progesterone reduced remarkably the number of grains induced by 17 beta-estradiol in the epithelium. Progesterone seems to inhibit the increment of the specific thymidine kinase isozyme induced by 17 beta-estradiol in the endometrial epithelium.

Substrate specificity of alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase from plant scopolia japonica calluses and a suggestion with reference to the structure of beet araban

Substrate specificity of alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase from plant Scopolia japonica was examined using three kinds of arabinodisaccharides prepared from natural sources of synthetically. This enzyme hydrolyzed arabinofuranosyl-arabinoses which had either an alpha-(1 leads to 3) or a alpha-(1 leads to 5) linkage, but hydrolyzed arabinopyranosyl-arabinose having a alpha-(1 leads to 5) linkage to a lesser degree. alpha-L-Arabinofuranosidase (alpha-L-arabinofuranoside arabinofuranohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.55), which was shown by us to be an exo-enzyme, degraded beet araban incompletely. Arabinose oligomers and galactose-containing fragments, isolated following acid hydrolysis of araban, were both incompletely degraded by the enzyme. The reasons for the incomplete degradation were explained by the novel finding of (1 leads to 2) linkages and arabinopyranosides and the inclusion of trace amounts of galactose into the carbohydrate chain of araban. This enzyme was practically non-reacting with the hydroxyprolyl-arabinose linkage of glycopeptides from plant cell walls.

Properties of common wheat ferredoxin, and a comparison with ferredoxins from related species of triticum and aegilops

Wheat ferredoxin was purified from the leaves of common wheat (Triticum aestivum). The absorption spectrum showed maxima at 465, 425, 332, and 278 nm. The absorbance ratio, A425 nm/A278 nm was 0.49, and the millimolar extinction coefficient at 425 nm was 10.8 mM-1. cm-1. The amino acid composition was determined to be Lys5, His2, Arg1, Asp11, Thr5, Ser7, Glu18, Pro5, Gly6, Ala7, Cys5, Val7, Met1, Ile4, Leu7, Tyr4, Phe1, and Trp1. The total number of amino acid residues was 97. The molecular weight was calculated from the amino acid composition to be 10,829, including iron and sulfur atoms. This value was confirmed by other methods, which were based on the contents of non-heme iron and of terminal amino acid. The N-terminal amino acid was alanine, and the C-terminal amino acid sequence was -Glu-Leu-Thr-AlaCOOH. Comparative studies were performed between T. aestivum ferredoxin and ferredoxins isolated from closely related species; these were T. aegilopoides, T. durum, Ae. squarrosa, and Ae. ovata. No significant differences in the properties of these ferredoxins were detected. It was also shown that these ferredoxins are immunologically homologous. It is, therefore, likely that one molecular species of ferredoxin is distributed through two genera of Triticum and Aegilops.

Influence of some anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic agents on urinary enzyme level in rats

The influence of single oral dose of anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic agents on urinary enzymes was investigated in rats as a indicator of nephrotoxic effect. Urinary LDH activity was significantly elevated by aspirin, ketophenylbutazone, aminopyrine, phenacetin and acetaminophen. These drugs increased also H/M ratio of LDH isoenzymes. Although other test drugs have no effect on LDH in urine phenylbutazone and indomethacin elevated GPT and A1-P, oxyphenbutazone did gamma-GT and anthranilic acid derivatives did Al-P and gamma-GT. Other drugs such as sodium salicylate, ibufenac, ibuprofen, bucolome, aminopropylone, sulfinpyrazone, benzydamine and mepirizole did not significantly influence any enzyme activities measured in urine.

[Anti-edematous action of 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-3-N, N-dimethylcarbamoyl-5-methoxypyrazole (PZ-177)]

From the screening of a number of new pyrazole derivatives, the title compound, PZ-177, was selected as the most significant derivative for analgestic and anti-edematous actions, in this paper, we report the anti-edematous activity of PZ-177 as assessed by detailed analysis. PZ-177 showed a markedly inhibitory effect against rat paw edema induced by various phlogists (carragenin, dextran, egg albumin, serotonin, formalin and bradykinin). It also inhibited edema induced by anti-rat rabbit serum. The activity of PZ-177 was more potent than that of mepirizole and the same as that of phenylbutazone. Though this agent has a central depressive effect, it is considered that the action has actually little influence on anti-edematous effect, as carrageenin-induced edema was inhibited in spinal rats. On the other hand, the anti-edematous effect of PZ-177 was reduced significantly in adrenalectomized rats. It is therefore suggested that the potent anti-edematous action of PZ-177 is exerted partially by a direct action at the inflamed site and mediated partially by stimulation of the hypophysis-adrenal system.