Regulation of acyl coenzyme A reductase by a heat-stable cytosolic protein during preputial gland development

Mammalian wax biosynthesis. I. Identification of two fatty acyl-Coenzyme A reductases with different substrate specificities and tissue distributions

The conversion of fatty acids to fatty alcohols is required for the synthesis of wax monoesters and ether lipids. The mammalian enzymes that synthesize fatty alcohols have not been identified. Here, an in silico approach was used to discern two putative reductase enzymes designated FAR1 and FAR2. Expression studies in intact cells showed that FAR1 and FAR2 cDNAs encoded isozymes that reduced fatty acids to fatty alcohols. Fatty acyl-CoA esters were the substrate of FAR1, and the enzyme required NADPH as a cofactor. FAR1 preferred saturated and unsaturated fatty acids of 16 or 18 carbons as substrates, whereas FAR2 preferred saturated fatty acids of 16 or 18 carbons. Confocal light microscopy indicated that FAR1 and FAR2 were localized in the peroxisome. The FAR1 mRNA was detected in many mouse tissues with the highest level found in the preputial gland, a modified sebaceous gland. The FAR2 mRNA was more restricted in distribution and most abundant in the eyelid, which contains wax-laden meibomian glands. Both FAR mRNAs were present in the brain, a tissue rich in ether lipids. The data suggest that fatty alcohol synthesis in mammals is accomplished by two fatty acyl-CoA reductase isozymes that are expressed at high levels in tissues known to synthesize wax monoesters and ether lipids.

Testosterone induction of microsomal acyl-CoA reductase and a cytosolic regulatory protein in mouse preputial glands

Alkyl and alk-1-enyl (plasmalogens) ether-linked glycerolipids are prominent components of many mammalian cells; moreover, an acetylated form of an alkyl phospholipid was recently found to possess potent hypotensive, inflammatory and allergic properties. In our studies, preputial glands of mice were selected as a model to investigate the regulation of factors involved in the biosynthesis of ether-linked lipids, since these glands contain high concentrations of ether-linked neutral lipids that are under the influence of hormonal control. We found that a key enzyme in the ether-lipid metabolic pathway, microsomal acyl-CoA reductase that catalyzes the formation of long-chain fatty alcohols (precursor of the O-alkyl chain), was increased 16-fold after injecting testosterone into male, castrated mice. This induction was highly specific, since testosterone did not affect another microsomal enzyme, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. Based on kinetics of enzyme activity changes, the half-life of acyl-CoA reductase was calculated to be 61-70 h. In addition, the activity of a cytosolic stimulatory protein for the acyl-CoA reductase (but not for a different cytosolic protein, lactate dehydrogenase) was also enhanced in the testosterone-treated, male, castrated mice. These findings indicate that acyl-CoA reductase is an important regulatory enzyme in the reactions that lead to the formation of the ether bond in glycerolipids and that it is modulated through hormonal control.

Lactate dehydrogenase associated with the mitochondrial fraction and with a mitochondrial inhibitor--II. Enzyme interaction with a mitochondrial inhibitor

A LDH inhibitor has been isolated from the LDH-free crude mitochondrial fraction of rabbit skeletal muscle. The inhibitor is only released after solubilization of the particle bound enzyme. It only interacts with soluble LDH, since the enzyme bound to the mitochondrial fraction was not inhibited. The inhibitor molecular weight is above 10,000 dalton, it is precipitated by 7.5% trichloroacetic acid or 80% (NH4)2SO4 saturation. It is highly stable to heat and pH variations. The inhibitor only interacts with the enzyme at ionic strengths below 20 mM and at pH 6.0 or less. The kinetic behavior of the inhibited enzyme is non-hyperbolic and is similar to the mitochondrial fraction bound enzyme.