A colchicine-sensitive uptake system in Morris hepatomas

The interference of microtubular disruptors with the uptake of amino acids and other low molecular weight substrates has been studied in Morris hepatomas, host liver, and regenerating liver. Colchicine inhibits amino acid transport (alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, L-methionine, and L-leucine) in hepatomas by 59-98% whereas transport in host and regenerating liver is not impeded but increased. In hepatomas, treatment urea, and carbonate. Vinblastine, but not lumicolchicine or cytochalasin B, is an effective inhibitor. The inhibition of uptake is not linked to a decrease of cellular ATP and UTP. The data suggest that the transport of low molecular weight substrates in hepatomas is related to microtubules or other colchicine-binding structures, e.g., of the plasma membrane. This colchicine-sensitive uptake system in hepatomas may be due to the malignant transformation of hepatocytes.

Different turnover of fucose residues in plasma membranes of rat liver and Morris hepatoma 7777

Half-lives and rate constants of degradation of protein-bound fucose have been determined in plasma membranes and total cell homogenates of rat liver and Morris hepatoma 7777. The existence of at least two dynamically different classes of fucose-containing glycoproteins could be demonstrated in both liver and hepatoma plasma membranes. The apparent half-lives were 8.4 and 24.5 h (host liver) and 11.5 and 33.9 h (Morris hepatoma). Since this biphasic loss of fucose residues was not observed for sialic acid [Harms & Reutter (1974) Cancer Res. 34, 3165--3172], the differences are possibly related to specific functions of fucosylated glycoproteins of the plasma membrane.

Conversion of 14C-galactose into amino acids in tissue culture cells and its inhibition by manganese

The incorporation of 14C-galactose into primary AGMK-cells was studied in the presence and absence of Mn2+. The transport of galactose into the cells is not influenced by Mn2+. 1 mM MnCl2 inhibits the incorporation of galactose into acid-precipitable material up to 50% after 6 hours incubation. In the absence of Mn2+ a substantial amount of galactose is converted to glucose, which is mainly metabolized into aspartic acid and serine. The conversion of galactose into glucose is inhibited by the addition of Mn2+. However, Mn2+ does not influence the activity of the UDP-galactose-4'-epimerase in vitro. Using the SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis the labelling of protein bands is similar with 14C-galactose or a 14C-amino acid mixture, respectively. In the presence of Mn2+ the incorporation of both galactose or amino acids is inhibited: With amino acids the inhibition is observed in all protein bands, whereas with galactose some bands remain unaffected. It is concluded that these are galactoproteins.

Different half-lives of the carbohydrate and protein moieties of a 110,000-dalton glycoprotein isolated from plasma membranes of rat liver

By using a four-step procedure (i, solubilization with Triton X-100; ii, affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose; iii, affinity chromatography on wheat germ lectin-Sepharose; iv, preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis) a glycoprotein was isolated from rat liver plasma membrane. The molecular weight is 110,000 and the isoelectric point is 5.8. It contains L-fucose, N-acetylneuraminic acid, D-galactose, D-mannose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, and considerable quantities of aspartate, threonine, serine, and leucine. In pulse-chase experiments the half-lives of methionine and arginine, representing the half-life of the protein, were determined as 70 hr and 78 hr, respectively. The half-lives of the terminal carbohydrates L-fucose and N-acetylneuraminic acid were 12.5 and 33 hr, respectively. The galactose half-life was 20 hr. From this it is concluded that terminal sugars turn over several times in the life-span of this protein molecule. This process may be operative during membrane recycling mechanisms.

Galactosamine-induced sensitization to the lethal effects of endotoxin

Treatment of rabbits, rats, and mice with D-galactosamine increased their sensitivity to the lethal effects of lipopolysaccharide several thousand fold. The susceptibility of the animals was highest when the lipopolysaccharide was injected together with galactosamine and decreased successively when injection was carried out 1, 2, and 3 hr later. Sensitization was absent when the lipopolysaccharide was administered 1 hr before or 4 hr after galactosamine. The onset of lethality after treatment with galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide occurred faster than with lipopolysaccharide alone; usually all animals died 5-9 hr later. The galactosamine-induced sensitization to lipopolysaccharide could be reversed by uridine which is known to inhibit the early biochemical alterations induced by the amino sugar in the hepatocytes. Although galactosamine is known to exhibit hepatotoxic activity inducing ultimate necrosis of the hepatocytes, the data so far suggests that the sensitization to lipopolysaccharide is related only to the early metabolic effects of the hexosamine.

[Glycoproteins: their biological and clinical significance. I (author's transl)]

Increasing knowledge on structure, biosynthesis and catabolism of glycoproteins have given new insights on the patho-biochemical and clinical significance of these macromolecules. The most important results and conclusions are summarized in this review. 1. The terminal sugars of glycoproteins--N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) and L-fucose--as well as the penultimate galactose molecule have important functions in cell interaction, adhesion and recognition. Moreover, these carbohydrates mediate the migration and distribution of cells and it is believed that they are essential part of the feto-maternal "immunological barrier". 2. Evidence indicating that the composition and pattern of plasma membrane glycoproteins is associated with tumour growth and metastatic formation is accumulating. Moreover, the determination of serum glycosyltransferase activity is gaining increasing interest, because the level of these enzymes is substantially elevated in patients with neoplastic disease. 3. Diseases of the autoimmunosystem are likely linked to a disturbed glycoprotein metabolism. The clinical importance is underlined by studies on immunotherapy of tumours.

On the pathogenesis of galactosamine hepatitis. Indications of extrahepatocellular mechanisms responsible for liver cell death

In order to evaluate the pathogenesis of galactosamine hepatitis, the action of galactosamine on mast cells, and alteration in the complement system suring the course of this experimental injury were studied. It has been previously demonstrated that rat livers after colectomy are refractory to galactosamine-induced liver cell necrosis and inflammation. For this reason colectomized animals were used to see whether the biochemical alterations produced by this aminosugar and thought to be responsible for cell death developed. Results showed: 1. galactosamine potently degranulates mast cells in vivo and in vitro, 2. the complement system is a) activated during the course of galactosamine hepatitis, probably by circulating endotoxins, and b) is essential for liver cell death in galactosamine hepatitis, and 3. colectomy does not prevent biochemical changes known to occur during galactosamine metabolism. It is concluded that death of galactosamine-injured liver cells is triggered by extrahepatocellular mechanisms, which lead ultimately to an activated complement system by endotoxins. It is postulated that related mechanism may also occur in viral hepatitis and in fulminant hepatic failure in man.

Induction and 'superinduction' of sialylation of membrane-bound gamma-glutamyltransferase during liver regeneration

The present paper shows that in the regenerating rat liver the membrane-bound-gamma-glutamyltransferase exists in two molecular forms. Depending on the state of proliferation, a sialic-acid-rich enzyme (in the fetal or regenerating liver) or a sialic-acid-poor enzyme (in the adult or quiescent liver) could be detected. In regeneration liver (24 h after 2/3 resection) only the sialic-acid-rich or fetal enzyme could be found. Since total enzyme activity (adult + fetal type) remained unchanged, it is assumed that the adult type of gamma-glutamyltransferase was modified by sialylation during the initial phase of liver regeneration. This process of sialylation was prevented by inhibitors of RNA or protein synthesis such as D-galactosamine, actinomycin D or cycloheximide, provided that the inhibitor (D-galactosamine) was given within the first 8 h after partial hepatectomy. Sialylation was not impaired by inhibitors of DNA synthesis, e.g. hydroxyurea or cytosine arabinoside. Administration of actinomycin D during a defined phase of proliferation (24 to 48 h after partial hepatectomy) stimulated the transfer of sialic acid to gamma-glutamyltransferase, a finding which describes for the first time the so-called 'superinduction' of a sialylation process.

[Concanavalin A- Sepharose affinity chromatography for routine microanalysis of gamma-glutamyltransferase (author's transl)]

The separation of two molecular forms of liver gamma-glutamyltransferase is achieved by Con A-Sepharose chromatography, an adult type with high affinity to Con A and a fetal type without binding capacity to this lectin. Now we present a new method using micro-columns for affinity chromatography (gel volume 2 ml). By this rapid and inexpensive procedure it is possible to study this enzyme separation for its use in the diagnosis of liver diseases.

Glycosyltransferases and glycosidases in Morris hepatomas

The following three parameters were studied in Morris hepatomas of different growth rates: (a) the specific activity of guanosine dephosphate (GDP)-fucose:glycoprotein fucosyltransferase and cytidine monophosphate (CMP)-N-acetylneuraminic acid:glycoprotein sialyltransferase, (B) the content of GDP-fucosee and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid, and (c) the activity of alpha-L-fucosidase and neuraminidase. Fucosyltrasferase activities were significantly elevated in all hepatomas investigated. Especially high levels of enzyme were measured in the rapidly growing tumors 7777, 66, and 3924A. The increase varied between 2- and 3-fold when compared with the corresponding host liver. Conversely, the activity of the sialytransferase was greatly decreased in all hepatoma lines with a rapid or intermediate growth rate. In the fast-growing tumor 9618A2, the activity was reduced to 8%. GDP-fucose and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid were determined by the isotope dilution technique. In normal rat liver from Buffalo or ACl rats, the concentration of GDP-fucose was 6.5+/-0.9 and 9.5+/-1.1nmoles/g, wet weight, respectively. In the fast-growing hepatomas 3924A and 9121, levels up to 21.5 nmoles/g, wet weight, were found, However, the content of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid in hepatomas was indluenced to a lesser extent by the degree of differentiation of the tumor. In the most rapidly growing tumor, 9618A2, a level of alpha-L- fucosidase seven times higher than in host liver was determined. Moreover, there existed a correlation bewteen the age of the hepatoma and enzyme activity. Within the 2nd week after inoculation, fucosidase activity increased from 130 to 343 nmoles/hr/mg of protein. Neuraminidase was measured in a new linked assay system. The activity of this enzyme was lowered by 50% or was at least unchanged when compared to the activity in host liver. Our results indicate that specific alterations of fucose metabolism are a characteristic feature of Morris hepatomas.

Guanylate cyclase activity and cyclic nucleotide concentrations during liver regeneration after experimental injury

Cyclic nucleotide concentrations and guanylate cyclase activity were measured in regenerating rat liver. Previous work has shown that in livers of partially hepatectomized rats the activity of a membrane-bound guanylate cyclase increases considerably during the early replicative phase [Kimura & Murad (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.72, 1965-1969; Goridis & Reutter (1975) Nature (London) 257, 698-700]. Over the same time period after partial hepatectomy, increased tissue concentrations of cyclic GMP were found when the rats were killed under pentobarbital anaesthesia, but not when anaesthesia was omitted. The results obtained on hepatectomized livers were compared with the changes in guanylate cyclase activity and cyclic nucleotide concentrations during the response to galactosamine treatment. Here, a peak of guanylate cyclase activity and of cyclic GMP concentrations occurred at 8h, that is before the beginning of the proliferative response. Both parameters were normal at the time of increased DNA synthesis. There does not, therefore, seem to be a consistent correlation between changes in guanylate cyclase activity or concentrations of cyclic GMP and an increase in liver DNA synthesis. A modest rise in cyclic AMP concentrations was found, however, in livers of galactosamine-treated rats, which was coincident with the time of DNA synthesis.

Investigations on d-galactosamine hepatitis after pretreatment with alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane

D-Galactosamine hepatitis cannot be induced in rapidly replicating liver tissue at various times after induction of proliferation. Proliferation was induced by administration of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane. The morphological features of galactosamine hepatitis do not appear or are very mild. The onset of DNA synthesis is delayed to about 12 hrs as also shown in partially hepatectomized rats.