The interaction of long-chain acyl CoA with membranes

Personalised modelling of clinical heterogeneity between medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase patients

BACKGROUND

Monogenetic inborn errors of metabolism cause a wide phenotypic heterogeneity that may even differ between family members carrying the same genetic variant. Computational modelling of metabolic networks may identify putative sources of this inter-patient heterogeneity. Here, we mainly focus on medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD), the most common inborn error of the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (mFAO). It is an enigma why some MCADD patients-if untreated-are at risk to develop severe metabolic decompensations, whereas others remain asymptomatic throughout life. We hypothesised that an ability to maintain an increased free mitochondrial CoA (CoASH) and pathway flux might distinguish asymptomatic from symptomatic patients.

RESULTS

We built and experimentally validated, for the first time, a kinetic model of the human liver mFAO. Metabolites were partitioned according to their water solubility between the bulk aqueous matrix and the inner membrane. Enzymes are also either membrane-bound or in the matrix. This metabolite partitioning is a novel model attribute and improved predictions. MCADD substantially reduced pathway flux and CoASH, the latter due to the sequestration of CoA as medium-chain acyl-CoA esters. Analysis of urine from MCADD patients obtained during a metabolic decompensation showed an accumulation of medium- and short-chain acylcarnitines, just like the acyl-CoA pool in the MCADD model. The model suggested some rescues that increased flux and CoASH, notably increasing short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) levels. Proteome analysis of MCADD patient-derived fibroblasts indeed revealed elevated levels of SCAD in a patient with a clinically asymptomatic state. This is a rescue for MCADD that has not been explored before. Personalised models based on these proteomics data confirmed an increased pathway flux and CoASH in the model of an asymptomatic patient compared to those of symptomatic MCADD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We present a detailed, validated kinetic model of mFAO in human liver, with solubility-dependent metabolite partitioning. Personalised modelling of individual patients provides a novel explanation for phenotypic heterogeneity among MCADD patients. Further development of personalised metabolic models is a promising direction to improve individualised risk assessment, management and monitoring for inborn errors of metabolism.

Effects of acetyl-L-carnitine and methylcobalamin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

To assess the efficacy and safety of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on diabetic peripheral neuropathy compared with methylcobalamin (MC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, double-dummy, positive-controlled, non-inferior phase II clinical trial. Diabetic patients with abnormal nerve conduction test results were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive oral ALC 500 mg t.i.d. or MC 0.5 mg t.i.d. for 24 weeks. The neuropathy symptom score, neuropathy disability score and neurophysiological parameters were measured during follow up.

RESULTS

A total of 232 patients were randomized (ALC n = 117, MC n = 115), 88% of which completed the trial. At week 24, patients from both groups had significant reductions in both neuropathy symptom score and neuropathy disability score with no significant difference between two groups (neuropathy symptom score reduction: ALC vs MC 2.35 ± 2.23, P < 0.0001 vs 2.11 ± 2.48, P < 0.0001, intergroup P = 0.38; neuropathy disability score reduction ALC vs MC 1.66 ± 1.90, P < 0.0001 vs 1.35 ± 1.65, P < 0.0001, intergroup P = 0.23). Neurophysiological parameters were also improved in both groups. No significant difference was found between groups in the development of adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

ALC is as effective as MC in improving clinical symptoms and neurophysiological parameters for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy over a 24-week period with good tolerance.

Xanthohumol improved cognitive flexibility in young mice

The protein palmitoylation cycle has been shown to be important for protein signaling and synaptic plasticity. Data from our lab showed a change in the palmitoylation status of certain proteins with age. A greater percentage of the NMDA receptor subunits GluN2A and GluN2B, along with Fyn and PSD95 proteins, were palmitoylated in the old mice. The higher level of protein palmitoylation was also associated with poorer learning scores. Xanthohumol is a prenylated flavonoid that has been shown to increase beta-oxidation in the livers of rodents, decreasing circulating free fatty acids in the serum. What is not known is whether the application of xanthohumol could influence the palmitoylation status of proteins. In this study, young and old mice were fed a diet supplemented with xanthohumol for 8 weeks. Spatial memory was assessed with the Morris water maze and protein palmitoylation quantified. The young xanthohumol-treated mice showed a significant improvement in cognitive flexibility. However, this appeared to be associated with the young control mice, on a defined, phytoestrogen-deficient diet, performing as poorly as the old mice and xanthohumol reversing this effect. The old mice receiving xanthohumol did not significantly improve their learning scores. Xanthohumol treatment was unable to affect the palmitoylation of NMDA receptor subunits and associated proteins assessed in this study. This evidence suggests that xanthohumol may play a role in improving cognitive flexability in young animals, but it appears to be ineffective in adjusting the palmitoylation status of neuronal proteins in aged individuals.

Lysophosphatidic acid induces anxiety-like behavior via its receptors in mice

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a potent bioactive lipid mediator with diverse biological properties. We previously found altered expression of the LPA-related genes in rodents after treatment with sertraline, which is widely used to treat anxiety disorders and depression. However, little is known about the behavioral effects of LPA. In the present study, we investigated the behavioral effects of intracerebroventricular injection of LPA in adult mice. LPA did not significantly affect spontaneous locomotor activity, suggesting that LPA does not induce hyperactivity, ataxia, or sedation. We next investigated the emotional effects of LPA via the hole-board test. LPA significantly increased the number of head-dips in a dose- and time-related manner. A significant induction of head-dip counts occurred 15 and 30 min after LPA administration. To clarify the involvement of LPA receptors, we examined the effect of the non-selective LPA1-4 receptor antagonist, 1-bromo-3(S)-hydroxy-4-(palmitoyloxy)butyl-phosphonate (BrP-LPA) co-administered with LPA. BrP-LPA dose-dependently inhibited LPA-induced head-dip counts. We next investigated anxiety-like behavior via the elevated plus-maze test. LPA significantly reduced the percentage of time spent in the open arms and BrP-LPA dose-dependently inhibited this anxiety-like behavior. In conclusion, LPA induced anxiety-like behavior in mice via LPA receptors. Our results suggest that LPA signaling plays an important role in regulating anxiety in mice.

Hesperidin, a flavanoglycone attenuates experimental diabetic neuropathy via modulation of cellular and biochemical marker to improve nerve functions

AIM

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is one of the most common long-term complications of diabetes mellitus and clinically can be characterized by an elevated nociceptive response with electrophysiological conduction abnormalities. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of hesperidin against STZ induced diabetic neuropathic pain in laboratory rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DN was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats (150-200 g) by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ) (55 mg/kg, p.o.). Rats were divided into various groups, namely, STZ control (vehicle), hesperidin (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o.), insulin (10 IU/kg, s.c.), and combination of hesperidin (100 mg/kg, p.o.) with insulin (10 IU/kg, s.c.) for 4 weeks. Various behavioral (allodynia and hyperalgesia), biochemical parameters [oxido-nitosative stress, Na-K-ATPase, aldose reductase (AR)], and molecular changes (TNF-α and IL-1β) along with hemodynamic changes were determined.

RESULTS

Rats treated with hesperidin (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o., 4 weeks) significantly reduced (p < 0.05) hyperglycemia and its metabolic abnormalities induced by intraperitoneal administration of STZ. The decreased nociceptive threshold, motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV), serum insulin as well as Na-K-ATPase activity were significantly increase (p < 0.05) by hesperidin (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment. It significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) elevated glycated hemoglobin, AR activity, oxido-nitrosative stress, neural calcium, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) levels. Histological aberration induced after STZ administration was restored by administration of hesperidin (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.)

CONCLUSION

In combination with insulin, hesperidin not only attenuated the diabetic condition but also reversed neuropathic pain via control over hyperglycemia as well as hyperlipidemia to down-regulate generation of free radical, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as elevation in membrane bound enzyme.

Centenarians and supercentenarians: a black swan. Emerging social, medical and surgical problems

The Black Swan Theory was described by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book “The Black Swan”. This theory refers to “high-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events beyond the realm of normal expectations”. According to Taleb’s criteria, a Black Swan Event is a surprise, it has a major impact and after the fact, the event is rationalized by hindsight, as if it had been expected. For most of human history centenarians were a rare and unpredictable phenomenon. The improvements of the social-environmental conditions, of medical care, and the quality of life caused a general improvement of the health status of the population and a consequent reduction of the overall morbidity and mortality, resulting in an overall increase of life expectancy. The study of centenarians and supercentenarians had the objective to consider this black swan and to evaluate the health, welfare, social and economic consequences of this phenomenon.

Novel pathway of ceramide production in mitochondria: thioesterase and neutral ceramidase produce ceramide from sphingosine and acyl-CoA

Reports suggest that excessive ceramide accumulation in mitochondria is required to initiate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway and subsequent cell death, but how ceramide accumulates is unclear. Here we report that liver mitochondria exhibit ceramide formation from sphingosine and palmitoyl-CoA and from sphingosine and palmitate. Importantly, this activity was markedly decreased in liver from neutral ceramidase (NCDase)-deficient mice. Moreover, the levels of ceramide were dissimilar in liver mitochondria of WT and NCDase KO mice. These results suggest that NCDase is a key participant of ceramide formation in liver mitochondria. We also report that highly purified liver mitochondria have ceramidase, reverse ceramidase, and thioesterase activities. Increased accessibility of palmitoyl-CoA to the mitochondrial matrix with the pore-forming peptide zervamicin IIB resulted in 2-fold increases in palmitoyl-CoA hydrolysis by thioesterase. This increased hydrolysis was accompanied by an increase in ceramide formation, demonstrating that both outer membrane and matrix localized thioesterases can regulate ceramide formation. Also, ceramide formation might occur both in the outer mitochondrial membrane and in the mitochondrial matrix, suggesting the existence of distinct ceramide pools. Taken together, these results suggest that the reverse activity of NCDase contributes to sphingolipid homeostasis in this organelle in vivo.

Modulation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity by endogenous compounds

Glucuronidation is one of the major pathways of metabolism of endo- and xenobiotics. UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)-catalyzed glucuronidation accounts for up to 35% of phase II reactions. The expression and function of UGT is modulated by gene regulation, post-translational modifications and protein-protein association. Many studies have focused on drug-drug interactions involving UGT, and there are a number of reports describing the inhibition of UGT by xenobiotics. However, studies about the role of endogenous compounds as an inhibitor or activator of UGT are limited, and it is important to understand any change in the function and regulation of UGT by endogenous compounds. Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that fatty acyl-CoAs are endogenous activators of UGT, although fatty acyl-CoAs had been considered as inhibitors of UGT. Further, we have also suggested that adenine and related compounds are endogenous allosteric inhibitors of UGT. In this review, we summarize the endogenous modulators of UGT and discuss their relevance to UGT function.

Substrate preferences of a lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase highlight its role in phospholipid remodeling

An important enzyme involved in phospholipid turnover is the acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT). Here, we report characterization of a newly discovered human LPCAT (LPCAT3), which has distinct substrate preferences strikingly consistent with a role in phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) remodeling and modulating fatty acid composition of PtdCho. LPCAT3 prefers lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPtdCho) with saturated fatty acid at the sn-1 position and exhibits acyl donor preference towards linoleoyl-CoA and arachidonoyl-CoA. Furthermore, LPCAT3 is active in mediating 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine acylation with long chain fatty acyl-CoAs to generate 1-O-alkyl-phosphatidylcholine, another very important constitute of mammalian membrane systems. These properties are precisely the known attributes of LPCAT previously ascribed to the isoform involved in Lands' cycle, and thus strongly suggest that LPCAT3 is involved in phospholipids remodeling to achieve appropriate membrane lipid fatty acid composition.

Different effects of palmitoyl-L-carnitine and palmitoyl-CoA on mitochondrial function in rat ventricular myocytes

Although mitochondrial oxidative catabolism of fatty acid (FA) is a major energy source for the adult mammalian heart, cardiac lipotoxity resulting from elevated serum FA and enhanced FA use has been implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. To investigate the effects of intermediates of FA metabolism [palmitoyl-l-carnitine (Pal-car) and palmitoyl-CoA (Pal-CoA)] on mitochondrial function, we measured membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), and the production of ROS in saponin-treated rat ventricular myocytes with a laser scanning confocal microscope. Our results revealed that 1) lower concentrations of Pal-car (1 and 5 muM) caused a slight hyperpolarization of DeltaPsi(m) [tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE) intensity increased to 115.5 +/- 5.4% and 110.7 +/- 1.6% of baseline, respectively, P < 0.05] but did not open the mPTP, 2) a higher concentration of Pal-car (10 microM) depolarized DeltaPsi(m) (TMRE intensity decreased to 61.9 +/- 12.2% of baseline, P < 0.01) and opened the mPTP (calcein intensity decreased to 70.7 +/- 2.8% of baseline, P < 0.01), 3) Pal-CoA depolarized DeltaPsi(m) without opening the mPTP, and 4) only the higher concentration of Pal-car (10 muM) increased ROS generation (2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate intensity increased to 3.4 +/- 0.3-fold of baseline). We concluded that excessive exogenous intermediates of long-chain saturated FA may disturb mitochondrial function in different ways between Pal-car and Pal-CoA. The distinct mechanisms of the deteriorating effects of long-chain FA on mitochondrial function are important for our understanding of the development of cardiac diseases in systemic metabolic disorders.

Stearic acid potently modulates the activity of cyclooxygenase-1, but not cyclooxygenase-2, in the form of its CoA ester

The effects of palmitic acid (PA), stearic acid (SA) and oleic acid (OA), and their respective CoA esters, PA-CoA, SA-CoA and OA-CoA, on the activities of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 were examined. Ten units of purified COX-1 or -2 were preincubated with drugs in the presence of hematin (0.1 microM) and phenol (2 mM) as cofactors for 10 min at 37 degrees C, and then incubated with 100 microM arachidonic acid for 2 min at 37 degrees C. The amounts of prostaglandins formed were measured by HPLC. PA, SA and OA had no effect on the COX-1 and -2 activities, but their respective CoA esters, PA-CoA, SA-CoA and OA-CoA, suppressed COX-1 activity with no significant effect on COX-2 activity. The inhibitory effect of SA-CoA was much stronger than that of PA-CoA and OA-CoA. These results suggest that SA has the potential to inhibit COX-1 activity, but not COX-2 activity, in the form of their CoA ester.

Mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential after low-flow ischemia are not affected by ischemic preconditioning

Mitochondrial function following prolonged ischemia and subsequent reperfusion is better preserved by ischemic preconditioning (IP). In the present study, we analyzed whether or not IP has an impact on mitochondrial function at the end of a sustained ischemic period. Göttinger minipigs were subjected to 90-min low-flow ischemia without (n=5) and with (n=5) a preconditioning cycle of 10-min ischemia and 15-min reperfusion. Mitochondria were isolated from the ischemic or preconditioned anterior wall (AW) and the control posterior wall (PW) at the end of ischemia. Basal mitochondrial respiration was not different between AW and PW. The ADP-stimulated (state 3) respiration in AW mitochondria compared to PW mitochondria was equally decreased in non-preconditioned and preconditioned pigs. The uncoupled respiration as well as the membrane potential (rhodamine 123 fluorescence) were not significantly different between groups. However, the recovery of the membrane potential (Delta rhodamine 123 fluorescence/s) after the addition of ADP was delayed in mitochondria obtained from AW compared to PW, both in non-preconditioned and in preconditioned pig hearts. Neither the amount of marker proteins for complexes of the electron transport chain nor the level of reactive oxygen species were affected by ischemia without or with IP. State 3 respiration and recovery of membrane potential were impaired in pig mitochondria after 90 min of low-flow ischemia. IP did not improve mitochondrial function during ischemia. Therefore, the preservation of mitochondrial function by IP may occur during reperfusion rather than during the sustained ischemic period.

Acetyl-L-carnitine in diabetic polyneuropathy: experimental and clinical data

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is the most common late complication of diabetes mellitus. The underlying pathogenesis is multifaceted, with partly interrelated mechanisms that display a dynamic course. The mechanisms underlying DPN in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus show overlaps or may differ. The differences are mainly due to insulin deficiency in type 1 diabetes which exacerbates the abnormalities caused by hyperglycaemia. Experimental DPN in rat models have identified early metabolic abnormalities with consequences for nerve conduction velocities and endoneurial blood flow. When corrected, the early functional deficits are usually normalised. On the other hand, if not corrected, they lead to abnormalities in lipid peroxidation and expression of neurotrophic factors which in turn result in axonal, nodal and paranodal degenerative changes with worsening of nerve function. As the structural changes progress, they become increasingly less amendable to metabolic interventions. In the past several years, experimental drugs--such as aldose reductase inhibitors, antioxidants and protein kinase C inhibitors--have undergone clinical trials, with disappointing outcomes. These drugs, targeting a single underlying pathogenetic factor, have in most cases been initiated at the advanced stage of DPN. In contrast, substitution of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) or C-peptide in type 1 DPN target a multitude of underlying mechanisms and are therefore more likely to be effective on a broader spectrum of the underlying pathogenesis. Clinical trials utilising ALC have shown beneficial effects on nerve conduction slowing, neuropathic pain, axonal degenerative changes and nerve fibre regeneration, despite relatively late initiation in the natural history of DPN. Owing to the good safety profile of ALC, early initiation of ALC therapy would be justified, with potentially greater benefits.

Immediate no-flow ischemia decreases rat heart nonesterified fatty acid and increases acyl-CoA species concentrations

Tissues changes in FA metabolism can occur quite rapidly in response to ischemia and may require immediate microwave fixation to determine basal concentrations. The present study aimed to quantify the effects of immediate no-flow ischemia on concentrations of individual nonesterified FA (NEFA) and acyl-CoA species in the rat heart. Male CDF 344 rats were anesthetized and decapitated either 5 min prior to being microwaved (5.5 kW, 3.4 s, twice) to produce ischemia or microwaved prior to decapitation (nonischemic). Hearts were then removed and used to measure the concentrations of acyl-CoA species and FA in several lipid classes. The ischemic heart total NEFA concentration was significantly lower than that in the nonischemic heart (11.9 vs. 19.0 nmol/g). Several individual NEFA concentrations were decreased by 31-85%. Ischemic heart total long-chain acyl-CoA concentrations (21.0 nmol/g) were significantly higher than those in nonischemic hearts (11.4 nmol/g). Increased concentrations of individual acyl-CoA species occurred in palmitoyl-CoA, stearoyl-CoA, oleoyl-CoA, and linoleoyl-CoA. Concentrations of short-chain acetyl-CoA and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl-CoA were also two- to three-fold higher in ischemic hearts than in nonischemic hearts. The FA concentration in TG and phospholipids generally did not differ between the groups. Decreases in concentrations of individual FA and increases in acyl-CoA species during no-flow ischemia occur very rapidly within the heart. Although it is not clear how these alterations contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemia, it is evident that future studies attempting to quantify basal levels of these metabolites could use microwave fixation.

Fatty acyl-CoA as an endogenous activator of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

The acyl-CoA-dependent modulation of hepatic microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) function in rats was studied. Oleoyl- and palmitoyl-CoAs inhibited UGT activity toward 4-methylumbelliferone in the presence of Brij 58. However, acyl-CoAs enhanced UGT activity in untreated microsomes. A maximum activation of about 8-fold over the control was observed at 15 microM oleoyl-CoA, whereas 50 microM or more oleoyl-CoA had an inhibitory effect on UGT function. Medium- and long-chain acyl-CoAs also exhibited similar effects. On the basis of resistance to tryptic digestion of UGTs, oleoyl-CoA at 15 microM has no ability to change the permeability of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, although perturbation of the membrane occurred with 50 microM oleoyl-CoA. N-Ethylmaleimide and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) abolished the oleoyl-CoA (15 microM)-dependent activation of microsomal UGT. These results suggest that: (1) acyl-CoAs play a role as an endogenous activator of UGTs, and (2) a sulfhydryl group is required for the activation of UGT by physiological concentrations of acyl-CoAs.

Budding and tubulation in highly oblate vesicles by anchored amphiphilic molecules

We studied local budding and tubulation induced in highly oblate lipid vesicles by the anchoring of either polymers having a hydrophilic backbone and grafted hydrophobic anchor groups, or by oleoyl-coenzyme A, an amphiphilic molecule important in lipid metabolism. The dynamics of bud formation, shrinkage, and readsorption is consistent with an induced spontaneous curvature coupled with local amphiphile diffusion on the membrane. We report a novel metastable state prior to bud readsorption.

Dissection of metabolic, vascular, and nerve conduction interrelationships in experimental diabetic neuropathy by cyclooxygenase inhibition and acetyl-L-carnitine administration

Alterations in cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway activity have been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental diabetic neuropathy (EDN). These studies explore the relationships between COX-mediated and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC)-sensitive defects that contribute to functional, metabolic, and vascular abnormalities of EDN. The effects of nonselective COX inhibition with flurbiprofen were contrasted with selective COX-2 inhibition with meloxicam, administered alone and in combination with ALC in nondiabetic (ND) and streptozotocin-induced diabetic (STZ-D) rats. Flurbiprofen treatment of ND rats replicated many of the biochemical and physiological abnormalities of EDN, i.e., reduced motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), total and endoneurial nerve blood flow (NBF), Na,K-ATPase activity, and myo-inositol (MI) and taurine content. In STZ-D rats, however, flurbiprofen paradoxically prevented endoneurial NBF deficits but not MNCV slowing. Coadministration of 50 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) ALC prevented reductions in MNCV, Na,K-ATPase activity, and endoneurial NBF in flurbiprofen-treated ND and STZ-D rats. In contrast, selective COX-2 inhibition with meloxicam was without effect on MNCV, NBF, or MI content in ND rats and prevented MNCV slowing and NBF deficits in STZ-D rats. Western blot analysis showed unchanged sciatic nerve COX-1 protein but increased COX-2 protein abundance in STZ-D versus ND rats. These results imply 1) a tonic role of the COX-1 pathway in the regulation of nerve osmolytes and Na,K-ATPase activity and the maintenance of NBF in ND animals and 2) activation of the COX-2 pathway as an important mediator of NBF and MNCV deficits in EDN.

Physiological and nutritional regulation of enzymes of triacylglycerol synthesis

Although triacylglycerol stores play the critical role in an organism's ability to withstand fuel deprivation and are strongly associated with such disorders as diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerotic heart disease, information concerning the enzymes of triacylglycerol synthesis, their regulation by hormones, nutrients, and physiological conditions, their mechanisms of action, and the roles of specific isoforms has been limited by a lack of cloned cDNAs and purified proteins. Fortunately, molecular tools for several key enzymes in the synthetic pathway are becoming available. This review summarizes recent studies of these enzymes, their regulation under varying physiological conditions, their purported roles in synthesis of triacylglycerol and related glycerolipids, the possible functions of different isoenzymes, and the evidence for specialized cellular pools of triacylglycerol and glycerolipid intermediates.

Experimental hypoxia of STZ-diabetic rat myocardium and protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract. II. Ultrastructural investigation of microvascular endothelium

Four months after induction of diabetes by intraperitonal injection of 60 mg streptozotocin/kg body weight wistar rats were exposed to an acute respiratoric hypoxia of 20 min duration. One group of the rats received daily Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 (100 mg/kg body weight). By means of qualitative and quantitative electron microscopic analysis we compared the hypoxia-induced ultrastructural alterations of the myocardial microvascular endothelium in normal, diabetic, and EGb-protected rats. Aim of the study was to compare the hypoxia tolerance of myocardial microvessels of normal and diabetic rats and to test the possibility of antioxidative protection. The results revealed that only some ultrastructural microvascular parameters of diabetic rats were stronger altered after acute hypoxia than normal ones, e.g. capillary dilatation, number of lysosomes, frequency of vesicles and fused vesicles, endothelial swelling, and structural state of mitochondria. Other parameters exhibited less severe alterations than in healthy rats, as luminal blebbing and protrusions, endothelial vacuoles, mitochondrial swelling, and pericapillary debris. Protective effects of EGb could be demonstrated on endothelial swelling, blebbing, vesiculation and vesicular fusioning, partly on vacuolization, but not on mitochondrial parameters. The results were discussed on pathobiochemical background. EGb 761 was estimated to be protective against hypoxic damage on myocardial microvessels also in diabetic condition, but the study should be completed by inclusion of a reoxygenation interval.

Existence of acyl-CoA hydrolase-mediated pathway supplying arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis in microsomes from rabbit kidney medulla

We have previously shown that acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) hydrolase that hydrolyzes arachidonoyl-CoA (AA-CoA) to arachidonic acid (AA) and CoA is present in the cytosol of rabbit kidney medulla and that this enzyme can supply AA for prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in this region. In the present study, the existence of the acyl-CoA hydrolase-mediated pathway that supplies AA available for PG synthesis in microsomes from the kidney medulla was examined. AA-CoA (20 microM) was preincubated with the 105,000 g pellet (microsomes, 0.5 mg of protein) from the medulla for 5 min at 37 degrees C followed by incubation with the medulla microsomes (0.5 mg of protein) (the source of PG synthesizing enzymes) in the presence of hydroquinone and reduced glutathione for 5 min at 37 degrees C. The PGs formed were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography using 9-anthryldiazomethane for derivatization. The addition of the microsomal fraction from the medulla in the preincubation mixture increased total PG formation from 3.86 to 8.70 nmol, and this stimulatory effect was somewhat weaker than that of the cytosolic fraction. On the other hand, the microsomal fraction in the kidney cortex has an extremely lower capacity to supply AA for PG synthesis than do medulla microsomes. These results suggest that, in kidney medulla, the microsomes as well as the cytosol have the potential route that supplies AA from AA-CoA for PG synthesis and that this pathway is mediated by acyl-CoA hydrolase.

Triacsin C blocks de novo synthesis of glycerolipids and cholesterol esters but not recycling of fatty acid into phospholipid: evidence for functionally separate pools of acyl-CoA

The trafficking of acyl-CoAs within cells is poorly understood. In order to determine whether newly synthesized acyl-CoAs are equally available for the synthesis of all glycerolipids and cholesterol esters, we incubated human fibroblasts with [14C]oleate, [3H]arachidonate or [3H]glycerol in the presence or absence of triacsin C, a fungal metabolite that is a competitive inhibitor of acyl-CoA synthetase. Triacsin C inhibited de novo synthesis from glycerol of triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol and cholesterol esters by more than 93%, and the synthesis of phospholipid by 83%. However, the incorporation of oleate or arachidonate into phospholipids appeared to be relatively unimpaired when triacsin was present. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase had similar dependences on palmitoyl-CoA in both liver and fibroblasts; thus it did not appear that acyl-CoAs, when present at low concentrations, would be preferentially used to acylate lysophospholipids. We interpret these data to mean that, when fatty acid is not limiting, triacsin blocks the acylation of glycerol 3-phosphate and diacylglycerol, but not the reacylation of lysophospholipids. Two explanations are possible: (1) different acyl-CoA synthetases exist that vary in their sensitivity to triacsin; (2) an independent mechanism channels acyl-CoA towards phospholipid synthesis when little acyl-CoA is available. In either case, the acyl-CoAs available to acylate cholesterol, glycerol 3-phosphate, lysophosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol and those acyl-CoAs that are used by lysophospholipid acyltransferases and by ceramide N-acyltransferase must reside in two non-mixing acyl-CoA pools or, when acyl-CoAs are limiting, they must be selectively channelled towards specific acyltransferase reactions.

Fatty acids and anionic phospholipids alter the palmitoyl coenzyme A kinetics of hepatic monoacylglycerol acyltransferase in Triton X-100 mixed micelles

In order to gain a better understanding of the kinetics of activation and inhibition of hepatic monoacylglycerol acyltransferase (MGAT) (EC 2.3.1.22) by fatty acid, we examined the effect of fatty acid with respect to MGAT's long-chain acyl-CoA substrate in Triton X-100 mixed micelles. At concentrations between 2.5 and 5.3 mol %, oleic acid stimulated MGAT activity 2-fold, whereas oleic acid inhibited MGAT at concentrations higher than 7.5 mol %. The dependence on palmitoyl-CoA was highly cooperative with a Hill constant of greater than 2.4. When present at less than 3 mol%, oleic acid eliminated the lag in the dependence curve. When concentrations of oleic acid were higher than 3 mol %, Michaelis-Menton kinetics were observed with an apparent k(m) value of about 54 microM for palmitoyl-CoA but with progressively decreasing Vmax values. This effect was not observed with octanoic acid, suggesting that the medium-chain fatty acid is unable to associate stably with the mixed micelle and, thus, cannot substantially alter substrate affinity. When anionic phospholipids were tested, phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidic acid, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol eliminated some of the lag in activation by palmitoyl-CoA. At high molar concentrations of the anionic lipid activators, apparent k(m) values ranged from 77 microM for phosphatidic acid to 196 microM for phosphatidylinositol. Zwitterionic phospholipids had no effect, nor did the non-phospholipid activators bovine serum albumin or sn-1,2-diacylglycerol. CaCl2, but not neomycin or KC1, could overcome the inhibitory effect of oleic acid; thus, the inhibitory effect of fatty acid did not appear to occur by electrostatic interactions. These blockers did not change the effects observed with the anionic phospholipid activators or with the inhibitor, sphingosine. An altered k(m) for palmitoyl-CoA in the presence of fatty acid or anionic phospholipid suggests that both long-chain fatty acids and phospholipid cofactors may induce a conformational change in MGAT, thereby altering the enzyme's affinity for its long-chain acyl-CoA substrate. These data further support the hypothesis that the synthesis of glycerolipids via the monoacylglycerol pathway may be highly regulated via a variety of lipid second messengers such as phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol, as well as by the influx of fatty acids derived from high-fat diets, or from the hydrolysis of adipocyte triacylglycerol during fasting or diabetes.

Acetyl-L-carnitine deficiency as a cause of altered nerve myo-inositol content, Na,K-ATPase activity, and motor conduction velocity in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat

Defective metabolism of long-chain fatty acids and/or their accumulation in nerve may impair nerve function in diabetes by altering plasma or mitochondrial membrane integrity and perturbing intracellular metabolism and energy production. Carnitine and its acetylated derivatives such as acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) promote fatty acid beta-oxidation in liver and prevent motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) slowing in diabetic rats. Neither the presence nor the possible implications of putative ALC deficiency have been definitively established in diabetic nerve. This study explored sciatic nerve ALC levels and the dose-dependent effects of ALC replacement on sciatic nerve metabolites, Na,K-ATPase, and MNCV after 2 and 4 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes (STZ-D) in the rat. ALC treatment that increased nerve ALC levels delayed (to 4 weeks) but did not prevent nerve myo-inositol (MI) depletion, but prevented MNCV slowing and decreased ouabain-sensitive (but not -insensitive) ATPase activity in a dose-dependent fashion. However, ouabain-sensitive ATPase activity was also corrected by subtherapeutic doses of ALC that did not increase nerve ALC or affect MNCV. These data implicate nerve ALC depletion in diabetes as a factor contributing to alterations in nerve intermediary and energy metabolism and impulse conduction in diabetes, but suggest that these alterations may be differentially affected by various degrees of ALC depletion.

Effects of fatty acids and fatty acyl CoA esters on Cu(2+)-induced conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in rabbit liver

Effects of various fatty acids and fatty acyl CoA esters on Cu(2+)-induced conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in rabbit liver were examined. Cu2+ (2-10 microM) brought about the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in a dose-dependent manner. Oleic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids (50-200 microM) prevented the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase catalyzed by 6 microM-Cu2+. The effect of these four fatty acids was concentration-dependent, whereas palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids had no effect on the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase at the same concentration range. On the other hand, palmitoyl, linoleoyl, and arachidonoyl CoAs elicited the inhibition of 6 microM-Cu(2+)-induced conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 microM. These results suggest that oleic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, and fatty acyl CoAs have the potential to inhibit the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in rabbit liver.

The aetiology of diabetic neuropathy: the combined roles of metabolic and vascular defects

A combination of metabolic and vascular defects have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. Animal studies have demonstrated that a reduction in nerve blood flow may be an important early defect and that vasodilators can prevent or ameliorate nerve dysfunction. The potential factors contributing to nerve ischaemia include structural defects in the endoneurial microvasculature together with rheological abnormalities, abnormalities in vasoactive agents which regulate nerve blood flow including nitric oxide and the eicosanoids, and alterations in tone of the autonomic innervation of the nerve vasculature. The principle metabolic defects which have been implicated include disruption of the polyol pathway, altered lipid metabolism, advanced glycosylated end-product formation, increased oxidative stress, and diabetes-induced defects in growth factors. The demonstration that activation of the polyol pathway in experimental diabetes may affect nerve blood flow, and conversely that vasoactive agents appear to be important in regulating some aspects of nerve metabolism, has highlighted the interdependence of the metabolic and vascular defects in the pathogenesis of this condition. Thus, selective intervention aimed at a key defect early in this cascade may subsequently correct a number of later abnormalities offering therapeutic hope in this chronic debilitating complication.

Photoaffinity labeling of mitochondrial proteins with 2-azido [32P]palmitoyl CoA

A long-chain fatty acyl CoA photolabel, 2-azido [32P]palmitoyl CoA, was synthesized and its covalent interaction with mitochondrial membrane proteins examined. On binding of 2-azido [32P]palmitoyl CoA to beef heart mitochondria, two polypeptides were primarily labeled, the 30 kDa ADP/ATP carrier and a 41 kDa protein of unknown identity. Carboxyatractyloside and palmitoyl CoA completely protected against labeling of the 30 kDa protein indicating that it was the ADP/ATP carrier. With inverted submitochondrial particles, only the 30 kDa polypeptide was labeled by 2-azido [32P]palmitoyl CoA. The labeling was inhibited by bongkrekic acid and palmitoyl CoA but not carboxyatractyloside, providing evidence that the ADP/ATP carrier was covalently bound from the matrix side of the membrane. In brown adipose tissue mitochondria, 2-azido [32P]palmitoyl CoA photolabeled the ADP/ATP carrier and the 32 kDa uncoupling protein with some minor labeling of 36 and 68 kDa polypeptides. The results indicated that this physiological photolabeling reagent with the azido group on the CoA portion of the molecule interacts like 2-azido ADP with nucleotide binding sites of a number of important enzymes in cell metabolism. Moreover, the evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that long chain fatty acyl CoA esters are natural ligands for key nucleotide binding proteins.

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase activities: effects of serum albumin, acyl-CoA binding protein and fatty acid binding protein

The carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity of various subcellular preparations measured with octanoyl-CoA as substrate was markedly increased by bovine serum albumin at low microM concentrations of octanoyl-CoA. However, even a large excess (500 microM) of this acyl-CoA did not inhibit the activity of the mitochondrial outer carnitine palmitoyltransferase, a carnitine palmitoyltransferase isoform that is particularly sensitive to inhibition by low microM concentrations of palmitoyl-CoA. This bovine serum albumin stimulation was independent of the salt activation of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity. The effects of acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) and the fatty acid binding protein were also examined with palmitoyl-CoA as substrate. The results were in line with the findings of stronger binding of acyl-CoA to ACBP but showed that fatty acid binding protein also binds acyl-CoA esters. Although the effects of these proteins on the outer mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity and its malonyl-CoA inhibition varied with the experimental conditions, they showed that the various carnitine palmitoyltransferase preparations are effectively able to use palmitoyl-CoA bound to ACBP in a near physiological molar ratio of 1:1 as well as that bound to the fatty acid binding protein. It is suggested that the three proteins mentioned above affect the carnitine palmitoyltransferase activities not only by binding of acyl-CoAs, preventing acyl-CoA inhibition, but also by facilitating the removal of the acylcarnitine product from carnitine palmitoyltransferase. These results support the possibility that the acyl-CoA binding ability of acyl-CoA binding protein and of fatty acid binding protein have a role in acyl-CoA metabolism in vivo.

Effect of fatty acids and their acyl-CoA esters on protein kinase C activity in fibroblasts: possible implications in fatty acid oxidation defects

We studied the effect of fatty acids and their acyl-CoA esters on protein kinase C (PK-C) activity in human skin fibroblasts. Butyrate, octanoate, palmitate and oleate did not alter PK-C activity in either cytosolic or particulate fraction. In the presence of calcium, phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol, both palmitoyl-CoA (Pal-CoA) and oleoyl-CoA (Ole-CoA) enhanced particulate PK-C activity by approx. 70% and octanoyl-CoA (Oct-CoA) by approx. 35%. Partially purified cytosolic PK-C activity was enhanced by 60-70% by 13.5 microM of either Pal-CoA or Ole-CoA. Basal histone phosphorylation (i.e., PK-C-independent phosphorylation) was decreased in the particulate fraction in the presence of these esters in a concentration-dependent manner. Both Pal-CoA and Ole-CoA fully substituted diacylglycerol in activating the kinase in both the cytosolic and particulate fractions, whereas Oct-CoA had a moderate effect. The pattern of endogenous cytosolic and particulate protein phosphorylation was altered in the presence of either Pal-CoA or Ole-CoA. We conclude that long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters may activate PK-C in non-stimulated fibroblasts, i.e., in the absence of physiological diacylglycerol formation. Activation of PK-C in stimulated fibroblasts, i.e., in the presence of an elevated diacylglycerol concentration, is less pronounced. These results support the hypothesis that activation of PK-C and alteration of endogenous protein phosphorylation may play a role in the pathogenesis of diseases in which there is intracellular accumulation of fatty acyl-CoA esters, such as in inborn fatty-acid oxidation defects.

A novel cycle involving fatty acyl-coenzyme A regulates asialoglycoprotein receptor activity in permeable hepatocytes

Asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-Rs) in permeable rat hepatocytes can be inactivated in the absence of ligand. This cytosol-independent effect is relatively slow (t1/2 approximately 12 min) and is temperature and ATP dependent. Here we show that in the absence of cytosol, the addition of palmitoyl-CoA (Pal-CoA) rapidly (t1/2 < 0.4 min) and quantitatively reactivates the inactivated receptors. Receptor reactivation was half-maximal at approximately 10-12 microM free Pal-CoA at 37 degrees C. Although substantially higher total concentrations were used, much of the added Pal-CoA was cell associated and not free. The effects of Pal-CoA were eliminated by bovine serum albumin at concentrations sufficient to bind all free monomeric fatty acyl-CoA, suggesting that micellar effects are not responsible for the ability to reactivate ASGP-Rs. Also, palmitoyl-carnitine did not substitute for Pal-CoA. The initial ASGP-R inactivation is not affected by treating cells with N-ethylmaleimide or by a KCl wash but is inhibited by sodium orthovanadate or high Ca2+ levels. Myristoyl-CoA (C14) was also able to reactivate inactive ASGP-Rs about as well as Pal-CoA. Fatty acyl-CoAs with chain lengths of C12 (lauroyl) or C18 (steroyl) were < 50% as active. The ligand binding activity of these receptors can subsequently be modulated within minutes by the further addition of ATP or Pal-CoA to achieve additional rounds of ASGP-R inactivation or reactivation, respectively. These in vitro data demonstrate the occurrence of a novel asialoglycoprotein receptor inactivation-reactivation cycle that could regulate receptor activity during endocytosis and receptor recycling.

Inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase in normal human skeletal muscle and in muscle of patients with carnitine palmitoyltransferase deficiency by long- and short-chain acylcarnitine and acyl-coenzyme A

The inhibition of total carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) by short- and long-chain acylcarnitine and acyl-coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) was studied in muscle homogenates of normal controls and of five new patients with CPT deficiency using the isotope forward assay. Acetylcarnitine inhibited neither normal CPT activity nor the CPT of patients. D,L-Palmitoylcarnitine almost completely inhibited CPT in patients but only 55% of normal activity. In controls the CPT fraction sensitive to inhibition by palmitoylcarnitine appeared to be identical with the fraction sensitive to inhibition by malonyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA, which probably represents CPT II. The abnormal inhibition of CPT by palmitoylcarnitine was more likely due to product inhibition than to a detergent effect. Acetyl-CoA concentrations up to 0.4 mM and palmitoyl-CoA above optimal substrate concentrations up to 0.3 mM both inhibited normal CPT by about 25%, whereas the CPT of patients was significantly more inhibited by both substances than was normal CPT. The inhibition by acetyl-CoA was probably due to the structural relationship with malonyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA. The abnormal inhibition of CPT in patients by palmitoyl-CoA was due either to an abnormal substrate inhibition or to a detergent effect on CPT II similar to that of Triton X-100. The data indicate that in CPT deficiency total CPT activity is normal under optimal assay conditions. CPT II, however, is abnormally inhibited by fatty acid metabolites that accumulate during fasting.

Ciprofibrate, a carcinogenic peroxisome proliferator, increases the phosphorylation of epidermal-growth-factor receptor in isolated rat hepatocytes

Ciprofibrate, a hypolipidaemic drug with carcinogenic and peroxisome-proliferation effects in rat liver, was found to increase the phosphorylation of epidermal-growth-factor receptor in 32P-labeled isolated rat hepatocytes. This effect was suppressed by protein-kinase-C inhibitors, and was accompanied by an almost complete inhibition of the receptor autophosphorylation normally induced by its ligand. However, in vitro experiments showed that protein-kinase-C phosphorylation of purified epidermal-growth-factor receptor was activated by ciprofibroyl-CoA, the acyl-CoA derivative of the drug, but not by the unmodified drug. Neither compound affected the ligand induction of epidermal-growth-factor-receptor autophosphorylation in isolated liver membranes. These results suggest that metabolically produced ciprofibroyl-CoA in liver cells would activate protein-kinase-C and produce changes in epidermal-growth-factor-receptor function.

Release of fatty acid-binding protein and long chain fatty acids from isolated rat heart after ischemia and subsequent calcium paradox

To obtain insight into the relation between the release of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABPc) and of long-chain fatty acids (FA) from injured cardiac tissue, rat hearts were Langendorff perfused according to the following scheme: 30 min normoxia, 60 min ischemia, 30 min reperfusion, 10 min Ca2+ free perfusion and finally 10 min Ca2+ repletion. During this protocol right ventricular (Qrv) and interstitial effluent samples (Qi) were collected at regular intervals. During reperfusion a total of 0.8 +/- 0.1 nmol H-FABPc but no FA were detected in the effluents. However, during Ca2+ readmission, 45 +/- 4 nmol H-FABPc (80-90% of total tissue content) was released with an initial (first 3 min) simultaneous release of FA (FA/H-FABPc ratio 0.90 +/- 0.07 mol/mol). Thereafter, FA release continued at 10-15 nmol per min mainly in Qrv while the rate of H-FABPc release decreased. During Ca2+ repletion, tissue FA content raised rapidly from 168 +/- 20 to 1918 +/- 107 nmol/g dry weight. These findings suggest that after severe cardiac damage initially FA is released bound to H-FABPc, whereas further FA release occurs in a non-protein bound manner.

Significance of cytoplasmic fatty acid-binding protein for the ischemic heart

Ischemia of the heart is accompanied by the tissue accumulation of long-chain fatty acids and their metabolic derivatives such as beta-hydroxy fatty acids and fatty acyl-CoA and acyl-L-carnitine esters. These substances might be detrimental for proper myocardial function. Previously, it has been suggested that intracellular lipid binding proteins like cytoplasmic fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) and acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) may bind these accumulating fatty acyl moieties to prevent their elevated levels from potentially harmful actions. In addition, the suggestion has been made that the abundantly present FABP may scavenge free radicals which are generated during reperfusion of the ischemic heart. However, these protective actions are challenged by the continuous physico-chemical partition of fatty acyl moieties between FABP and membrane structures and by the rapid release of FABP from ischemic and reperfused cardiac muscle. Careful evaluation of the available literature data reveals that at present no definite conclusion can be drawn about the potential protective effect of FABP on the ischemic and reperfused heart.

Mevinolin, a competitive inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, suppresses enterocyte esterification of exogenous but not endogenous cholesterol

Mevinolin (lovastatin), a competitive inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, directly inhibited acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase in rabbit intestinal microsomes at a dose of 20 micrograms/ml or more. Lineweaver-Burk analysis showed a competitive type of inhibition with respect to oleoyl-CoA. In cultured intestinal Caco-2 cells, mevinolin reduced [14C]oleate incorporation into cholesteryl-esters by 86% of controls at doses as low as 0.1 micrograms/ml. However, in cells whose activity of acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase was stimulated 7-fold by 10 mM mevalonolactone, a significant inhibitory effect on cholesteryl-ester formation could not be detected, even at 40 micrograms/ml of mevinolin. In contrast, cells supplied with liposomal cholesterol or cholesterol derived from low-density lipoproteins showed a marked reduction of cholesteryl-ester formation in the presence of 10 or 0.1 micrograms/ml of mevinolin, respectively. It is concluded that the observed suppressive effects of mevinolin on cholesterol esterification in cultured Caco-2 cells are indirect and possibly caused by changes in the acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase substrate pool or intracellular cholesterol transport.

Inhibition of hormone-sensitive lipase by intermediary lipid metabolites

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is inhibited in a non-competitive manner by oleoyl CoA, oleic acid and 2-monopalmitoylglycerol, 50% inhibition being observed at concentrations of approx. 0.1 microM, 0.5 microM and 500 microM, respectively. HSL is a key enzyme in lipid metabolism, mobilising triacylglycerol and cholesterol ester stores in several tissues. Feedback inhibition of HSL by oleoyl CoA and oleic acid may therefore prevent accumulation of free fatty acids and cholesterol in the cell, whereas 2-monoacylglycerol may act as a feedback inhibitor if the capacity of monoacylglycerol lipase is exceeded.

Effects of palmitoyl CoA and palmitoyl carnitine on the membrane potential and Mg2+ content of rat heart mitochondria

Palmitoyl CoA and palmitoyl carnitine added to rat heart mitochondria in amounts above 20 and 50 nmoles/mg protein, respectively, induced a fall in transmembrane potential and loss of endogenous Mg2+. The dissipation of membrane potential by low concentrations of palmitoyl CoA in the presence of Ca2+, but not that of high concentrations of palmitoyl CoA alone, was prevented by either ruthenium red, Cyclosporin A or Mg2+, but reversed only by Mg2+. The fall of membrane potential induced by palmitoyl carnitine was not prevented by any of these factors. It is suggested that the action of both palmitoyl CoA and palmitoyl carnitine at high concentrations is due to a non specific disruption of membrane architecture, while that of low concentrations of palmitoyl CoA in the presence of Ca2+ is associated specifically with energy dissipation due to Ca2+ cycling.

Role of fatty acid metabolites in the development of myocardial ischemic damage

1. The review deals with possible mechanisms by which fatty acids amplify ischemic damage in myocardium. 2. The accumulation of free fatty acids, long chain acyl CoA and carnitine esters during hypoxia and their effects on various enzymatic systems are discussed. 3. Findings on the influence of exogenous fatty acids as well as observations concerning an inhibition of fatty acid degradation are also considered. 4. Finally the role of an oxygen steal effect, as an indirect mechanism for the fatty acid induced amplification of ischemic damage, is discussed.

Effect of estradiol and progesterone on long chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A levels in the rat uterus

Fatty acyl-CoAs are potential in vivo inactivators of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). Ovariectomized mature rats (n = 74) were given 5 micrograms of estradiol intravenously, then killed 0, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h later. Control levels of myristoyl-, palmitoyl-, stearoyl-, arachidonoyl-, oleoyl- and linoleoyl-CoA were 0.6, 3.2, 4.7, 3.4, 2.4 and 3.0 micrograms/uterus and were increased 39, 110, 146, 100, 84 and 69% at 36-48 h, respectively. Levels of fatty acyl-CoAs in the rat uterus become elevated 36 h after estradiol treatment. At the same time G6PD changes from a stable enzyme to one that is irreversibly inactivated, possibly due to being rapidly degraded. Progesterone (2 mg subcutaneously every 12 h, n = 30), administered beginning at either 24 or 36 h after estradiol treatment, had no effect on estradiol-induced changes in myristoyl-, palmitoyl-, or stearoyl-CoA. Compared to the groups of rats treated with estradiol alone, animals treated with combinations of estradiol and progesterone exhibited higher levels of arachidonoyl-CoA after 48 h, and oleoyl-CoA and linoleoyl-CoA were greater after 72 h. Progesterone increased the estradiol-induced levels of unsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs suggesting that progesterone may induce uterine fatty acid desaturase activity and/or uptake of dietary fatty acids. Addition of fatty acyl-CoAs, at concentrations seen in vivo at 36-48 h after estradiol, to purified G6PD, causes irreversible G6PD inactivation.

On the principles of functional ordering in biological membranes

Integrating the available data on lipid-protein interactions and ordering in lipid mixtures allows to emanate a refined model for the dynamic organization of biomembranes. An important difference to the fluid mosaic model is that a high degree of spatiotemporal order should prevail also in liquid crystalline, "fluid" membranes and membrane domains. The interactions responsible for ordering the membrane lipids and proteins are hydrophobicity, coulombic forces, van der Waals dispersion, hydrogen bonding, hydration forces and steric elastic strain. Specific lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions result in a precisely controlled yet highly dynamic architecture of the membrane components, as well as in its selective modulation by the cell and its environment. Different modes of organization of the compositionally and functionally differentiated domains would correspond to different functional states of the membrane. Major regulators of membrane architecture are proposed to be membrane potential controlled by ion channels, intracellular Ca2+, pH, changes in lipid composition due to the action of phospholipase, cell-cell coupling, as well as coupling of the membrane with the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. Membrane architecture is additionally modulated due to the membrane association of ions, lipo- and amphiphilic hormones, metabolites, drugs, lipid-binding peptide hormones and amphitropic proteins. Intermolecular associations in the membrane and in the membrane-cytoskeleton interface are further selectively controlled by specific phosphorylation and dephosphorylation cascades involving both proteins and lipids, and regulated by the extracellular matrix and the binding of growth factors and hormones to their specific receptor tyrosine kinases. A class of proteins coined architectins is proposed, as a notable example the pp60src kinase. The functional role of architectins would be in causing specific changes in the cytoskeleton-membrane interface, leading to specific configurational changes both in the membrane and cytoskeleton architecture and corresponding to (a) distinct metabolic/differentiation states of the cell, and (b) the formation and maintenance of proper three dimensional membrane structures such as neurites and pseudopods.

Influence of L-carnitine administration on maximal physical exercise

The effects of L-carnitine administration on maximal exercise capacity were studied in a double-blind, cross-over trial on ten moderately trained young men. A quantity of 2 g of L-carnitine or a placebo were administered orally in random order to these subjects 1 h before they began exercise on a cycle ergometer. Exercise intensity was increased by 50-W increments every 3 min until they became exhausted. After 72-h recovery, the same exercise regime was repeated but this time the subjects, who had previously received L-carnitine, were now given the placebo and vice versa. The results showed that at the maximal exercise intensity, treatment with L-carnitine significantly increased both maximal oxygen uptake, and power output. Moreover, at similar exercise intensities in the L-carnitine trial oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, pulmonary ventilation and plasma lactate were reduced. It is concluded that under these experimental conditions pretreatment with L-carnitine favoured aerobic processes resulting in a more efficient performance. Possible mechanisms producing this effect are discussed.

Long-chain fatty alcohol quantitation in subfemtomole amounts by gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Application to long-chain acyl coenzyme A measurement

We describe a simple and sensitive method to identify and quantitate long-chain fatty alcohols. Long-chain fatty alcohols were converted to their pentafluorobenzoyl derivative and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry in the negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) mode with selected ion monitoring. GC resolution was obtained for myristyl, palmityl, heptadecyl, stearyl, oleyl, linoleyl and arachidonyl alcohols. As little as 0.4 fmol of fatty alcohol can be detected, which represents a six order-of-magnitude increase in sensitivity over previously described methods. This assay can be used to measure femtomolar amounts of long-chain acyl coenzyme A thioesters after reduction to the corresponding fatty alcohols with sodium borohydride. Other potential applications of this assay include identification and quantitation of long-chain fatty alcohol production by microorganisms.

Palmitoyl-CoA and the acyl-CoA thioester of the carcinogenic peroxisome-proliferator ciprofibrate potentiate diacylglycerol-activated protein kinase C by decreasing the phosphatidylserine requirement of the enzyme

To gain insight into the mechanism by which long-chain acyl-CoA thioesters potentiate diacylglycerol-activated protein kinase C, the cofactor dependence of this activating effect was studied with purified rat brain enzyme and histone H1 as substrate. Using two different assay systems, palmitoyl-CoA was found to decrease greatly the amount of phosphatidylserine required to activate the kinase. No relative changes were observed in the dependence of the enzyme for other cofactors (diacylglycerol, ATP, and Ca2+) in the presence of palmitoyl-CoA. The potentiating effect of palmitoyl-CoA and the decrease in phosphatidylserine requirement of the kinase was also demonstrated using the 47-kDa protein of human platelets as substrate and platelet protein kinase C as source of enzyme. The acyl-CoA thioester of the carcinogenic peroxisome-proliferator ciprofibrate was also found to decrease the phosphatidylserine requirement of protein kinase C. The data suggest that acyl-CoAs may play a role in the regulation of protein kinase C activity.

Comparison of the binding affinities of acyl-CoA-binding protein and fatty-acid-binding protein for long-chain acyl-CoA esters

Bovine and rat liver acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBP) were found to exhibit a much higher affinity for long-chain acyl-CoA esters than both bovine hepatic and cardiac fatty-acid-binding proteins (hFABP and cFABP respectively). In the Lipidex 1000- as well as the liposome-binding assay, bovine and rat hepatic ACBP effectively bound long-chain acyl-CoA ester, h- and c-FABP were, under identical conditions, unable to bind significant amounts of long-chain acyl-CoA esters. When FABP, ACBP and [1-14C]hexadecanoyl-CoA were mixed, hexadecanoyl-CoA could be shown to be bound to ACBP only. The experimental results give strong evidence that ACBP, and not FABP, is the predominant carrier of acyl-CoA in liver.