Phosphoprotein phosphatase activity of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase

Characterisation of the rat oesophagus epithelium antigens defined by the so-called 'antikeratin antibodies', specific for rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

An attempt was made to characterise the antigens recognised by serum IgG antibodies directed to the stratum corneum of rat oesophagus epithelium, the so-called 'antikeratin antibodies', which were shown to be highly specific for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and thus to have an actual diagnostic value.

METHODS

Immunoblotting was performed with RA serum samples on different extracts of rat oesophagus epithelium separated by various monodimensional and two dimensional electrophoreses.

RESULTS

Three low-salt-soluble antigens sensitive to proteinase K and, therefore, of protein nature were identified. Two proteins, with apparent molecular masses of 210 and 120-90 kilodaltons, shared isoelectric points ranging from 5.8 to 8.5; the third protein exhibited isoelectric points from 4.5 to 7.2 while its molecular mass ranged from 130 to 60 kilodaltons. Immunoadsorption of RA serum samples onto cytokeratins extracted from the stratum corneum of rat oesophagus epithelium did not change their immunoreactivity towards the three antigenic proteins. Widely used deglycosylation and dephosphorylation methods failed to modify either the electrophoretic migration of the proteins or their immunoreactivity with RA serum samples.

CONCLUSION

The so-called 'antikeratin antibodies' do not react with cytokeratins. They specifically recognise three late epithelial differentiation proteins which had not been previously described. These proteins may be related to (pro)filaggrin.

Phosphatase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi. Phosphate removal from ATP, phosphorylated proteins and other phosphate compounds

T. cruzi epimastigotes have a lysosomal acid phosphatase (pH 4.0) and acid and alkaline phosphatases (pH 5.5 and 8.0) localized in the cytosolic fraction. The levels of the lysosomal acid phosphatase increase with the age of the cultures, but the cytosolic phosphatases decline after the logarithmic phase of growth. The lysosomal phosphatase preferentially hydrolyses low mol. wt phosphate esters; whereas, the cytosolic alkaline phosphatases primarily act on phosphorylated proteins, and both the cytosolic acid and alkaline phosphatases on uridine nucleotide derivatives. The parasite also contains a microsomal glucose 6-phosphatase, and ATPases (Mg2+ and Ca2+-activated) derived from plasma membranes and mitochondria.

Acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

Phosphatase activity in intact Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes has been demonstrated. After subcellular fractionation three activities were characterized: (a) a membrane-bound microsomal acid activity with an optimum pH of 4.0 and a Km of 1.2 mM, strongly inhibited by tartrate and fluoride; (b) a soluble cytosolic acid activity with an optimum pH of 5.5 and a Km of 0.95 mM, strongly inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, EDTA and copper ions and activated by cyanide, manganese and magnesium ions; and (c) a soluble cytosolic alkaline activity with an optimum pH of 8.0 and a Km of 3.8 mM, inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, fluoride, EDTA, and copper, calcium and zinc ions. This activity was increased by magnesium and manganese ions.

Similarity between alkaline phosphatases from bovine dental pulp and liver

Specific antibody against purified alkaline phosphatase from bovine dental pulp was raised in a rabbit. Immunological analyses by Ouchterlony double-gel diffusion and quantitative immunoprecipitation showed that there was neither a detectable antigenic difference between liver and pulp alkaline phosphatases nor a detectable cross-reaction with the intestinal enzyme.

Purification and properties of bovine dental-pulp alkaline-phosphatase

Alkaline phosphatase (E.C.3.1.3.1.) from unerupted bovine pulp was extracted from the microsomal fraction with eta-butanol and purified 77-fold, using DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-200 gel-filtration and concanavalin-A affinity chromatography, to a final specific activity of 92.3 units/mg protein. Affinity chromatography confirmed the glycoprotein nature of the enzyme. The pH optimum for the purified enzyme was 10.0 with rho-nitrophenylphosphate, and 8.7 with phosphoserine. The apparent Km was estimated to be 0.7 mM, using rho-nitrophenylphosphate in glycine-NaOH buffer, pH 10.0. The enzyme was markedly inhibited by EDTA, bromotetramisole and homoarginine but was insensitive to phenylalanine, and therefore resembled the alkaline phosphatase of liver and bone, but not that of intestine and placenta. No protein phosphatase activity towards dentine phosphoprotein and phosvitin was observed.