The effect of ferricyanide with iodoacetate in calcium-free solution on passive cation permeability in human red blood cells: comparison with the Gardos-effect and with the influence of PCMBS on passive cation permeability

Multifunctional roles of enolase in Alzheimer's disease brain: beyond altered glucose metabolism

Enolase enzymes are abundantly expressed, cytosolic carbon-oxygen lyases known for their role in glucose metabolism. Recently, enolase has been shown to possess a variety of different regulatory functions, beyond glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, associated with hypoxia, ischemia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder characterized pathologically by elevated oxidative stress and subsequent damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, appearance of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, and loss of synapse and neuronal cells. It is unclear if development of a hypometabolic environment is a consequence of or contributes to AD pathology, as there is not only a significant decline in brain glucose levels in AD, but also there is an increase in proteomics identified oxidatively modified glycolytic enzymes that are rendered inactive, including enolase. Previously, our laboratory identified alpha-enolase as one the most frequently up-regulated and oxidatively modified proteins in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), early-onset AD, and AD. However, the glycolytic conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate catalyzed by enolase does not directly produce ATP or NADH; therefore it is surprising that, among all glycolytic enzymes, alpha-enolase was one of only two glycolytic enzymes consistently up-regulated from MCI to AD. These findings suggest enolase is involved with more than glucose metabolism in AD brain, but may possess other functions, normally necessary to preserve brain function. This review examines potential altered function(s) of brain enolase in MCI, early-onset AD, and AD, alterations that may contribute to the biochemical, pathological, clinical characteristics, and progression of this dementing disorder.

Proteomic analysis of specific brain proteins in aged SAMP8 mice treated with alpha-lipoic acid: implications for aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders

Free radical-mediated damage to neuronal membrane components has been implicated in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging. The senescence accelerated prone mouse strain 8 (SAMP8) exhibits age-related deterioration in memory and learning along with increased oxidative markers. Therefore, SAMP8 is a suitable model to study brain aging and, since aging is the major risk factor for AD and SAMP8 exhibits many of the biochemical findings of AD, perhaps as a model for and the early phase of AD. Our previous studies reported higher oxidative stress markers in brains of 12-month-old SAMP8 mice when compared to that of 4-month-old SAMP8 mice. Further, we have previously shown that injecting the mice with alpha-lipoic acid (LA) reversed brain lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, as well as the learning and memory impairments in SAMP8 mice. Recently, we reported the use of proteomics to identify proteins that are expressed differently and/or modified oxidatively in aged SAMP8 brains. In order to understand how LA reverses the learning and memory deficits of aged SAMP8 mice, in the current study, we used proteomics to compare the expression levels and specific carbonyl levels of proteins in brains from 12-month-old SAMP8 mice treated or not treated with LA. We found that the expressions of the three brain proteins (neurofilament triplet L protein, alpha-enolase, and ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase) were increased significantly and that the specific carbonyl levels of the three brain proteins (lactate dehydrogenase B, dihydropyrimidinase-like protein 2, and alpha-enolase) were significantly decreased in the aged SAMP8 mice treated with LA. These findings suggest that the improved learning and memory observed in LA-injected SAMP8 mice may be related to the restoration of the normal condition of specific proteins in aged SAMP8 mouse brain. Moreover, our current study implicates neurofilament triplet L protein, alpha-enolase, ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase B, and dihydropyrimidinase-like protein 2 in process associated with learning and memory of SAMP8 mice.

Transmembrane redox signaling activates NF-kappaB in macrophages

In macrophages, NF-kappaB can be activated by H2O2 generated by the respiratory burst or added exogenously. The mechanism of H2O2 signaling may involve changes in the cellular redox state or a redox reaction at the plasma membrane; however, the site of H2O2 action cannot be readily ascertained because of its membrane permeability. Ferricyanide, a nonpermeable redox active anion, activated NF-kappaB in the macrophage cell line, J774A.1. In contrast with exogenous H2O2, activation by ferricyanide did not correlate with net oxidation of NAD(P)H or glutathione, suggesting that a transplasma membrane redox reaction itself was the first signaling process in NF-kappaB activation.

Purification of a dichlorophenol-indophenol oxidoreductase from rat and bovine synaptic membranes: tight complex association of a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase isoform, TOAD64, enolase-gamma and aldolase C

NADH-dichlorophenol-indophenol oxidoreductases (PMOs) were purified from synaptic plasma membranes or synaptic vesicles (small recycling vesicles) from both bovine and rat brains and from a neuroblastoma cell line, NB41A3. Several isoforms could be identified in purified plasma membranes and vesicles. Purification of the enzyme activity involved protein extraction with detergents, (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, chromatography under stringent conditions and native PAGE. PMO activity could be attributed to a very tight complex of several proteins that could not be separated except by SDS/PAGE. SDS/PAGE resolved the purified complex into at least five proteins, which could be micro-sequenced and identified unambiguously as hsc70, TOAD64 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase tightly associated with the brain-specific proteins aldolase C and enolase-gamma. Enzyme activity could be purified from both synaptic plasma membranes and recycling vesicles, yields being much greater from the latter source. Highly purified plasma membranes (prepared from a neuroblastoma cell line NB41A3 by iminobiotinylation of intact cells and affinity purification with avidin and anti-avidin antibodies under very stringent conditions) also displayed PMO activity tightly associated with TOAD64. The association of PMO in a tight complex was confirmed by its immunoprecipitation from cellular and membrane extracts of NB41A3 using antibodies directed against any component protein of the complex followed by immunodetection with antibodies directed against the other members. Antibodies also inhibited the enzyme activity synergistically. In addition, induction of the different components of the complex during dichlorophenol-indophenol stress was demonstrated by the S1 RNase-protection assay in synchronized NB41A3 cells. The role of the complex in membrane fusion and cellular response to extracellular oxidative stress during growth and development is discussed.

Electron and proton transport across the plasma membrane

Transplasm membrane electron transport in both plant and animal cells activates proton release. The nature and components of the electron transport system and the mechanism by which proton release is activated remains to be discovered. Reduced pyridine nucleotides are substrates for the plasma membrane dehydrogenases. Both plant and animal membranes have unusual cyanide-insensitive oxidases so oxygen can be the natural electron acceptor. Natural ferric chelates or ferric transferrin can also act as electron acceptors. Artificial, impermeable oxidants such as ferricyanide are used to probe the activity. Since plasma membranes contain b cytochromes, flavin, iron, and quinones, components for electron transport are present but their participation, except for quinone, has not been demonstrated. Stimulation of electron transport with impermeable oxidants and hormones activates proton release from cells. In plants the electron transport and proton release is stimulated by red or blue light. Inhibitors of electron transport, such as certain antitumor drugs, inhibit proton release. With animal cells the high ratio of protons released to electrons transferred, stimulation of proton release by sodium ions, and inhibition by amilorides indicates that electron transport activates the Na+/H+ antiport. In plants part of the proton release can be achieved by activation of the H+ ATPase. A contribution to proton transfer by protonated electron carriers in the membrane has not been eliminated. In some cells transmembrane electron transport has been shown to cause cytoplasmic pH changes or to stimulate protein kinases which may be the basis for activation of proton channels in the membrane. The redox-induced proton release causes internal and external pH changes which can be related to stimulation of animal and plant cell growth by external, impermeable oxidants or by oxygen.