Tissue-dependent regulation of protein tyrosine kinase activity during embryonic development

Protein tyrosine kinase activity was assayed in a variety of chicken tissues during embryonic development and in the adult. In some tissues protein tyrosine kinase activity decreased during embryonic development; however, in other tissues it remained high throughout development, it contrast to the level of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, which decreased during development. The highest levels of tyrosine kinase activity were detected in 17-d embryonic brain although only low levels of protein tyrosine phosphorylation were observed in this tissue. Several alternatives were examined in an effort to determine the mechanism responsible for the low levels of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins in most older embryonic and adult chicken tissues despite the presence of highly active tyrosine kinases. The results show that the regulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation during embryonic development is complex and varies from tissue to tissue. Furthermore, the results suggest that protein tyrosine phosphatases play an important role in regulating the level of phosphotyrosine in proteins of many older embryonic and adult tissues.

Studies of pyrimidine metabolism during chick development: two enzymes involved in UMP breakdown

The pattern of uridylate phosphatase and uridine phosphorylase has been studied in the liver, brain, heart and thigh muscles of the chick during development. The study of enzymes involved in pyrimidine metabolism confirms that differences in utilisation of the metabolic pathways exist during ontogenesis. In the liver, starting from the 12th day, an active metabolic pathway, leading to UMP via cytosine should be added to the catabolic ones. In the brain, the second period of embryogenesis should be characterized by a lower utilisation of the catabolic pathways and by an increase of the anabolic ones. In the heart, pyrimidine metabolism during development regards especially UMP. In skeletal muscle, pyrimidine metabolism shows low activity.

Increased UDP-GlcNAc: alpha-mannoside beta(1----4) N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity during chick embryo development

In vitro assays for the beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases (GlcNAcTase) were performed on crude microsomal fractions prepared from 8-day chick embryo fibroblasts (8-day-CEF) and 16-day chick embryo fibroblasts (16-day-CEF) using [3H]mannose-labeled GlcNAc beta 1----2 Man alpha 1----6 (GlcNAc beta 1----2 Man alpha 1----3) Man beta 1----4 GlcNAc beta 1----4 (Fuc alpha 1----6) GlcNAc-Asn and UDP-GlcNAc as substrates. 8-day-CEF synthesize preferentially triantennary complex type chains, whereas 16-day-CEF produce essentially tetraantennary complex type chains. Furthermore oligosaccharides containing the GlcNAc beta 1----4 Man alpha 1----3 Man sequence represent 90% of the structures found in 16-day-CEF versus 30% in 8-day-CEF, indicating an increase in beta-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase IV activity during embryo development.

Embryonic and post-natal changes in activity and molecular forms of mucosal cell butyrylcholinesterase in chicken intestine

The mucosal cells of the chicken intestine contain a cholinesterase activity essentially due to butyrylcholinesterase. The enzyme is present during embryonic and post-hatching development. The activity reaches a maximum value at day 19 in ovo and decreases prior to and after hatching up to day 4 ex ovo. Then the activity again rises reaching a second maximum at 2-3 weeks. Beyond this stage, the activity slowly decreases leveling off to the value determined in adult chicken. The enzyme exists as two globular forms (G1 and G4) soluble at low-ionic strengths. The G4 form is predominant in ovo up to day 19. From this stage and after hatching the G1 form is the main one. This change in the form proportion differentiates the mucosal cell butyrylcholinesterase from butyrylcholinesterase of other origins such as the chicken plasma enzyme which always shows a predominant G4 form.

Activity of aldrinepoxidase, 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase and 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase during the development of chick embryos in ovo

Since the chick embryo in ovo is susceptible to the action of some agents needing metabolic activation we studied the development of the activity of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases in embryo/fetal tissue. The activities of aldrinepoxidase (AE), 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase (ECOD) and 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) were measured in whole embryos, liver and yolk sac tissue of the chick embryo during development in ovo from day 4 to day 15 of incubation (DI). In yolk sac tissue enzyme activities could be detected from DI 4 on. While EROD activity was only marginally developed, AE and ECOD activities were more pronounced in the earlier developmental period and showed a clear decrease by the time the liver activities rose. With the methods used AE activity could be measured in the homogenate of the whole embryo proper from DI 4 on while EROD and ECOD activity was not detectable before DI 6 or DI 7, respectively. In liver tissue enzyme activities of the three monooxygenases studied developed to a considerable degree from DI 9 on and tended to exhibit maximum values around DI 11-13. Studies on monooxygenase activities in extra-embryonically located tissues have not been published until now. The importance of the yolk sac as a metabolically relevant organ during embryogenesis is pointed out in this study.

[Cholinesterase in the amnion of chick embryos]

Cholinesterase (ChE) activity in amnion was studied in developing chick embryos and the enzyme's substrate-inhibitory characteristics were established. The enzyme activity increased until the 8th day of incubation and then gradually decreased; on day 12-15 the activity is 40% only of the maximal one. On the basis of substrate-inhibitory analysis the enzyme was referred to propionyl-cholinesterases. Relations between age changes in ChE activity and morphological structure of smooth-muscle amnion tissue, its differentiation during development and functional activity of amnion are discussed.

pp60v-src tyrosine kinase is expressed and active in sarcoma-free avian embryos microinjected with Rous sarcoma virus

Early embryonic avian tissue is resistant to transformation by Rous sarcoma virus. To determine the nature of this resistance, we examined the expression and properties of the Rous sarcoma virus transforming protein pp60v-src, in infected embryonic chicken limbs in ovo. Lysates from Rous sarcoma virus-infected limbs contained the viral structural protein p19gag, as detected by immunoblot analysis, and showed pp60v-src kinase activity in vitro. Immunoblot analysis of lysates with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies revealed a number of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins present in lysates of Rous sarcoma virus-infected embryos but not in lysates of control, uninfected embryos. Anti-phosphotyrosine immunoreactivity was observed in frozen sections in the same cell types that expressed pp60v-src and p19gag. These studies demonstrate that pp60v-src is co-expressed with viral structural determinants in infected embryonic avian tissue. Furthermore, pp60v-src is active in ovo as a tyrosine-specific phosphotransferase, despite the apparent lack of sarcoma induction. The localization pattern of the major src gene substrate p36 (calpactin I) was compared with that of p19gag by double-label immunofluorescence and found to be generally nonoverlapping. These observations are consistent with the concept that the induction of tumors in ovo requires complementation between viral determinants and host factors. These host factors, which may be critical substrates of pp60v-src, are subject to developmental regulation in the avian embryo.

Developmental changes of steroidogenic enzyme activities in the embryonic gonads of the chicken: the sexual difference

Steroidogenic enzyme activities in the left ovary and the testes of 9- to 15-day-old chicken embryos were measured, and development of the activities was compared between sexes. Activity of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase coupled with delta 5-delta 4 isomerase in the ovary and in the testis was comparable, and did not change throughout the period examined. Activity of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD) in the ovary was similar to or higher than that in the testis, depending on substrates employed. In both gonads, 17 beta-HSD activity did not change or tended to decrease from 9 to 15 days of development. On the other hand, activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase in the ovary were three to eight times those in the testis, and aromatase activity in the ovary was definitely higher than that in the testis at all stages examined. The activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase, and aromatase significantly increased from 9 to 11 days only in the ovary. From 13 to 15 days, the activities of 17 alpha-hydroxylase and C-17--C-20 lyase markedly increased only in the testis. These results suggest that, in the gonads of developing chicken embryos, there are sexual differences in the regulation of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, C-17--C-20 lyase, and aromatase activities.

Patterns of cholinesterase staining during neural crest cell morphogenesis in mouse and chick embryos

Cholinesterase (ChE) activity has been reported previously in nonneuronal tissues of a variety of avian and mammalian embryos. We report here a comparison study of ChE staining in chick and mouse embryos. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the distribution of this activity in neuroepithelial, neural crest, somite, and ectodermal cells. Our cytochemical studies show that the distribution of nonspecific ChE staining in these tissues during neurulation is similar in the two species but that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) staining, previously shown to be intense in the chick, is absent in the mouse; the only cells showing the presence of this enzyme at these stages of development in mouse are blood cells. However, AChE staining does appear later in the brain, in neural tissues derived from the neural crest and, perhaps, in some migratory neural crest cells. The differences between AChE distribution in these two species (and that reported previously in the rabbit) indicate that the timing of first appearance of AChE is unrelated to neuroepithelial morphogenesis or to neural crest cell motility. The correlation between nonspecific cholinesterases and morphogenetic movements, however, is supported by these studies.

Dihydroorotic acid dehydrogenase activity in actinomycin-D-treated and normal chick embryos

The effect of actinomycin D on chick embryos cultivated in vitro by New's culturing method was studied. Exposure of chick embryos to actinomycin D (0.05 micrograms/ml) at the primitive streak stage (stage 4; Hamburger and Hamilton) for 6 h showed interference in orotic acid formation. The assay of the enzyme dihydroorotic acid dehydrogenase was carried out in both treated and control embryos. No enzymic activity was observed in actinomycin-D-treated embryos in contrast to the considerable activity in the controls. These observations suggest an interference by actinomycin D in the biogenesis of the enzyme dihydroorotic acid dehydrogenase.

The onset of myotome formation in the chick

The onset of myotome formation in somites of chick embryos was studied by use of a polyclonal antidesmin antibody and by histochemical demonstration of acetylcholine esterase activity. The myotome cells originate from the dermatome only; sclerotome cells do not contribute to the myotome. The formation of the myotome starts in the craniomedial corner of the dermatome. From there the myotome formation continues simultaneously along the medial and the cranial edge of the dermatome. It was found that only the already longitudinally oriented cells of the cranial dermatome edge give rise to the myotome; the cells of the dorsomedial dermatome edge do not contribute to the myotome. Myotome cells do not originate directly from the surface of the overlying dermatome by delamination.

Ontogeny of the chicken cytochrome P-450 enzyme system. Expression and development of responsiveness to phenobarbital induction

The sensitivity of the developing embryo to toxins and drugs is highly dependent on the state of development of the cytochrome P-450 system. Previous work in this laboratory has demonstrated the genotoxicity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) to the chicken embryo at 3 days of incubation (DI) and induction of AFB1 genotoxicity by phenobarbital at 7 DI. In this study, the basal and 24-hr phenobarbital (PB) induced levels of aminopyrine-N-demethylase (AMPD) and cytochrome P-450 were assayed in hepatic microsomes from 7 DI to 36 days posthatching (PH) and in microsomes from whole embryos at 5 DI. A dose-response for induction by PB was observed in embryonic hepatic microsomes as early as 7 DI, whereas a low level of cytochrome P-450 was detected in control 7 DI microsomes using the reduced CO vs oxidized CO difference spectrum. Basal levels of AMPD and cytochrome P-450 in hepatic microsomes increased steadily throughout development as did the responsiveness of the embryonic liver to induction with PB. Hepatic microsomes from control and PB-induced chickens had the highest AMPD activities posthatching particularly from 1 to 3 days PH. Maximal induced levels, which were 2- to 3-fold over control throughout development, ranged from 1.22 at 7 DI to 12.72 nmol HCHO/mg protein/min at 2 days PH. The potency of PB as an inducer increased about 1000-fold between 7 DI and hatching. PB induction did not increase the specific activity of AMPD at any period of development. The specific activity of AMPD posthatching increased about 3-fold above embryonic levels, indicating the development of a cytochrome P-450 complex more active toward aminopyrine in the neonatal period.

Ontogenesis of prolyl endopeptidase in the chick retina

The time course of prolyl endopeptidase (PE) activity, measured using 7-(N-succinyl-Gly-Pro)-4-methyl-coumarinamide as substrate, was determined in the developing chick retina, and in monolayer and aggregate culture of embryonic retinal cells. PE activity/retina increased 12.5-fold between embryonic days 7 and 12 and remained constant from the 12th embryonic day until the 3rd post-hatched day. PE activity/retina decreased 2.3-fold from the 3rd to the 9th post-hatched day. The levels of PE specific activity in aggregates and in retina were similar, whereas they were 44-81% higher in monolayer than in aggregate cultures between 3 and 13 days in culture. The data suggest that the development of PE activity and of plexiform layers occurs in parallel during chick retina ontogenesis, and that the chick retina can be an adequate in vivo and in vitro model to study PE development.

Isolation and characterization of tropomyosin kinase from chicken embryo

Tropomyosin kinase is partially purified from 14-day-old chicken embryos using DEAE-cellulose, cellulose phosphate and gel filtration chromatography. The purest enzyme preparation consists of two major bands of Mr = 76,000 and 43,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme is 250,000 determined by gel filtration chromatography. It phosphorylates casein and skeletal tropomyosin equally well but histone and phosvitin at a much slower rate. Smooth muscle myosin light chain, tropomyosin from platelet, erythrocyte and smooth muscle are not phosphorylated. The apparent Km for skeletal alpha-tropomyosin and ATP is 50 microM and 200 microM, respectively. Vmax varies between 100-300 nmol/min per mg depending on the purity of the preparation. Mg2+ and dithiothreitol are essential for activity but Ca+, calmodulin and cAMP are not required. The optimum temperature is 37 degrees C and optimum pH is about 7.5. Heparin, a potent inhibitor of casein kinase II, has no inhibitory effect on the enzyme. Similar tropomyosin kinase activity is not detected in skeletal muscle in adult rabbit and chicken. The tropomyosin kinase described here represents a hitherto uncharacterized kinase responsible for phosphorylation of tropomyosin in the chicken embryo.

Decrease in catalase activity of cultured cells by Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection

The effect of Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection on the host cell catalase activity was histochemically examined in cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and kidney cells. The activity in normal cells was detected as fine, brown granules in the cytoplasm, which appeared ultrastructurally to correspond to anucleoid microbodies. By infecting cultured cells with a CEF-passaged strain of M. gallisepticum, the catalase-positive granules clearly decreased in amount, whereas the UV light-killed mycoplasma and the original strain failed to decrease the granules. The cell-passaged strain was able to induce cytopathic effects and this appeared to be due to its enhanced adherent ability as compared with the original strain. These findings suggest that attachment of viable organisms to cells is crucial to decrease the catalase activity and that the decreased activity may be an important process for the subsequent development of cytopathic effects.

An unconventional response of adenylate cyclase to morphine and naloxone in the chicken during early development

The developmental profile of basal, NaF- and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase [ATP-pyrophosphatelyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] activity was established throughout the 21-day embryonic age of the chicken. The highest activities were observed from day 6 to day 8. Morphine inhibited NaF- and forskolin-stimulated brain adenylate cyclase activities only at days 6-8. The inhibition was not reversed by the antagonist naloxone, which also inhibited the enzyme during the same embryonic period and had no inhibitory effect thereafter. Thus, this action of morphine is not mediated through the conventional opiate receptor-adenylate cyclase system. We propose that the temporal specificity of this effect of morphine may play a role in the development of prenatal opiate effects.

[Localization of embryonal acetylcholinesterase during the early development of the chick embryo]

The presence of "embryonic" acetylcholinesterase activity, as described by Drews (1975) was investigated during early chick embryonic development, mainly in the following systems: a) primitive streak and Hensen's node during gastrulation movements; b) area opaca during blood islets and vessels differentiation; c) mesoderma of lateral laminae, during delamination movements. The demonstration of enzymic activity was performed with slightly modified histochemical methods. The enzyme was thus localized around the nuclei, in the cytoplasm and associated to plasma membrane of cells engaged in morphogenetic movements. The enzyme activity localized at the plasma membrane was supposed to be involved in the regulation of membrane functions concerning intercellular communications, such as inductive message, perhaps mediated by ion fluxes.

[Electron microscopy study of deoxyribonuclease penetration into chick embryo fibroblasts and the effect of the enzyme on the cells]

Peroxidase labeled DNase (0.25 g/ml) penetrated into the chick fibroblast culture cells by means of pinocytosis to be localized in pinocytotic vacuoles. Within a 24 hour-incubation of the cell culture with DNase a relative volume of vacuoles in cells increased from 4.6 to 19.5 per cent, the majority of pinocytic vacuoles being filled with labeled DNase. The incubation of cells with non-labeled DNase (24 hours) did not damage DNA-containing cell structures. The data obtained permit to explain the selective effect of the enzyme on the viral DNA and the inhibition of reproduction of DNA-containing viruses by the interaction of the viral DNA and DNase inside pinocytic vacuoles which protect the cells from the enzyme damaging effect.

Changes in the activities of NADP+-linked dehydrogenases during ontogenesis in the chicken

Changes in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.49], 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.44] and cytoplasmic and mitochondrial "malic" enzyme [EC 1.1.1.40] and NADP+- linked isocitrate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.42] were measured in the liver, heart, lung and brain during ontogenesis in the chicken. In the liver the cytoplasmic malic enzyme was constant during embryonal development, increasing suddenly and markedly thereafter and isocitrate dehydrogenase increased in the embryo and decreased after hatching while their mitochondrial isoenzymes showed parallel but less marked changes. Activities of the other dehydrogenases were essentially unchanged. In the heart only cytoplasmic isocitrate dehydrogenase showed important changes, increasing three-fold during growth after hatching. In the lung, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and cytoplasmic malic enzyme attained their maximum activities respectively at 16 to 18 d and 14 d of development. Mitochondrial malic enzyme did not change, while isocitrate dehydrogenase reached its maximum between 14 and 18 d. In the brain cytoplasmic malic enzyme was activated only after hatching, while its mitochondrial isoenzyme and isocitrate dehydrogenase showed discontinuous variations of an insignificant magnitude. Other activities were unchanged.

The induction of cytochrome P-450 and monooxygenase activities in the chick embryo by 2-acetylaminofluorene

Administration of 2-acetylaminofluorene to chick embryos increases the cytochrome P-450 level 3.4 fold but causes no increase in total epoxide hydrase activity or other microsomal electron transport enzymes. The induction response shows some similarity to that elicited by phenabarbitone both in terms of the monooxygenase activities induced and their inhibition characteristics. Induction of a specific cytochrome P-450 subform by this agent may increase its detoxification and in part account for the resistance of avian species to its hepatocarcinogenic effect.

Acid phosphatase activity in the chick ovary during embryonic development

Acid phosphatase activity was studied in the left and right ovaries of the chick during embryonic development. The cytochemical study indicated that local enzymatic activity is localized mainly in germ and somatic cells. From the results obtained in the study on the specific activity of this acid hydrolase, it can be inferred that the higher concentration of this enzyme in the right ovary would be determined by a decrease of total proteins in the total homogenate and in the cellular fractions of this organ. Besides, a decrease in the enzymatic activity of this ovary is not observed, but it occurs in the left ovary. This finding would indicate a lack of enzymatic segregation that could be related to the phenomenon of ovarian atrophy. Finally, the electrophoretic study indicated that it would apparently exist only one molecular form of the enzyme. Our results support the hypothesis that acid phosphatase would be involved in the atrophic processes of the right ovary during embryonary differentiation.

[Role of polyfunctional glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver carbohydrate metabolism of the developing chick embryo]

Glucose-6-phosphatase was shown to be polyfunctional in the liver of the developing chick embryo. Changes in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase did not correlate with the rate of gluconeogenesis. The activity of this enzyme increased from the 16th to the 20th day of embryogenesis. The activities of pyrophosphate-glucose phosphotransferase, carbamyl-phosphate-glucose phosphotransferase did not change during embryogenesis. The ratio of the activities of phosphohydrolase and phosphotransferases was characterized by the predominance of the phosphohydrolase activity. The values of latency of phosphohydrolase and phosphotransferases did not correlate with the rate of gluconeogenesis. Glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase was found not only in the microsomal, but in the nuclear fraction as well. KM(G6P) of the enzyme of the nuclear fraction differed from KM of the microsomal enzyme.

[Succinate dehydrogenase activity in the mesonephros in the process of development of chick embryos]

The activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the mesonephros tissue of chick embryos is rather high on the 6th day of embryonal development and is not subjected to significant changes up to the 17th day. The absence of wide variations in the activity of this enzyme during the period of degeneration of the mesonephros may be due to a parallel decrease in the organ's mass and in the number of its mitochondria.

[Intracellular distribution of NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity in the tissues of chickens in ontogeny]

The distribution of activity of NAD . P-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in the chick liver and brain cytoplasm and mitochondria was studied during ontogenesis. A marked increase of its activity was found in both liver fractions during embryogenesis, with the predominance in mitochondria; the major part of its activity during postembryonic development is localized in the cytoplasm. In the brain tissues where this enzyme is less active in both the factions its activity increased to a greater extent in the mitochondria and exceeded markedly that in the cytoplasm.

Cyclic nucleotides phosphodiesterase activity changes in early chick development

Differences in the activity of cyclic nucleotides phosphodiesterase develop in different germ layers during the gastrulation of the chick embryo.