Synthesis of trinitrophenylaminolauric acid and the use of its glyceryl esters for assaying lipase by a spectrophotometric procedure

Administration of pyrene lipids by receptor-mediated endocytosis and their degradation in skin fibroblasts

Sphingomyelin and seven glycosphingolipids were labeled with the fluorescent probe pyrene and administered into cultured fibroblasts by receptor-mediated endocytosis. For this purpose pyrene sphingomyelin or mixtures of pyrene glycolipid and unlabeled sphingomyelin were dispersed as small, unilamellar liposomes. Apolipoprotein E was then added and the receptor for this ligand on the cell surface was utilized for uptake of the liposomes and their transport to the lysosomes, where the respective pyrene lipids were degraded. Following incubation with each of the respective pyrene lipids, only the administered compound and the pyrene ceramide were present; intermediate hydrolysis products were not detected. This indicated that, in skin fibroblasts, the lysosomal ceramidase was limiting and controlled the rate of total degradation of the pyrene sphingolipids.

[The characterization of microbial lipases. 1. The determination of lipase activity]

In the selection of an appropriate method for activity determination of lipases existing technical equipment, kind of enzymes, number of samples investigated (e.g. in routine analysis), and expected sensitivity range have to be taken into account. Titrimetric methods and above all copper salt methods with their high detection sensitivity are the most suitable procedures for activity determination of lipases used in laboratories and institutions without equipment for radiochemical analysis.

Enhancement of fluorescence of pyrene-containing lipids by polar media, detergents and phospholipids

The fluorescence intensities of a medium-chain fatty acid and of several amphiphilic lipids, each containing pyrene in covalent linkage, were enhanced considerably by: 1) Dissolving in mixtures of a polar solvent (e.g. methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran or dimethylsulfoxide) and water; for each individual compound, a certain ratio of solvent to water provided maximal fluorescence intensity. 2) Incorporating into micelles of reduced Triton X-100; an excess of detergent was used so that, statistically, only one molecule of lipid resided in one micelle of the Triton X-100. 3) Incorporating into liposomes of egg phosphatidylcholine; maximal fluorescence was observed using a large excess of phosphatidylcholine. When related to the fluorescence intensities in chloroform/methanol (2:1, by vol.) or water, the enhancement of fluorescence in the above three systems was about 2-6-fold or up to 60-fold, respectively.

Lymphoid cell lines as a model system for the study of Wolman's disease: enzymatic, metabolic and ultrastructural investigations

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformed lymphoid cell lines (LCL) were established from blood lymphocytes of a patient affected with Wolman's disease (WD) and from her parents. These LCL showed a severe deficiency in acid lipase activity using every substrate in comparison to LCL from normal subjects, in which acid lipase activity was similar to that in blood lymphocytes. In the LCL from Wolman's disease a major accumulation of neutral lipids was observed, mainly cholesteryl esters, CE (amount around 7 times higher than in normal cells and ratio of esterified/free cholesterol increased by 10 times) and to a lesser extent triglycerides, TG (amount increased by 1.5 times). Electron microscopy showed the storage vacuoles of neutral lipids quite characteristic of this lysosomal disease. The reported data demonstrated the validity of transformed LCL as a cellular model system in culture for experimental studies of Wolman's disease and for investigating the lysosomal metabolism of neutral lipids.

New spectrophotometric assays of acid lipase and their use in the diagnosis of Wolman and cholesteryl ester storage diseases

Trinitrophenylaminolauric acid (TNPAL) was linked to glycerol or cholesterol and the resulting yellow compounds were used as substrates for several lipases and cholesteryl esterase in cells from normal individuals and patients with Wolman's or cholesteryl ester storage diseases. Normal cells (lymphoid cell lines or skin fibroblasts) showed two peaks of lipase or cholesteryl esterase activity at about pH 4.0 and 6.0 each. The activity of the most acidic enzyme, which hydrolyzed natural or synthetic triacylglycerols as well as cholesteryl esters, was considerably reduced in cells derived from patients with Wolman's or cholesteryl ester storage diseases. Simple spectrophotometric procedures were developed for using tri-TNPAL glycerol or TNPAL cholesterol to identify homozygotes of these two respective diseases.

Synthesis of a fluorescent derivative of glucosyl ceramide for the sensitive determination of glucocerebrosidase activity

A fluorescent derivative of glucosyl ceramide was synthesized by covalently linking a fluorescent fatty acid, 12-[N-methyl-N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)] aminododecanoic acid to the amino group of sphingosyl-1-O-beta-D-glucoside, glucosyl sphingosine. For hydrolysis by glucocerebrosidase, this substrate was dispersed in mixed micelles with Triton X-100 and sodium taurocholate or in unilamellar liposomes with phosphatidylcholine and the negatively charged lipid, dicetylphosphate. In either micellar or liposomal dispersions of the fluorescent substrate, reaction rates were linear with time and protein concentration, and saturation kinetics were observed. The rate of hydrolysis of this fluorescent substrate was equal to that obtained with radiolabeled glucosyl ceramide. The fluorescent glucosyl ceramide was used to determine glucocerebrosidase activity in extracts of human leukocytes, cultured skin fibroblasts, and various tissues as well as in partially purified splenic and placental glucocerebrosidase preparations. This fluorescent derivative of the natural substrate was not hydrolyzed by aryl beta-glucosidase(s), thereby facilitating the specific and reliable diagnosis of heterozygotes and homozygotes with Gaucher disease.

The assay of arlesterase in serum using two new colorimetric substrates, omega-nitrostyrylacetate and propionate

(1) The synthesis of 4-acetoxy-3-methoxy-omega-nitrostyrene and 4-propionyloxy-3-methoxy-omega-nitrostyrene as substrates for the assay of arylesterase activity is described. These substrates are stable when stored in the dark for at least one year. (2) Serum isolated from normal males and females aged between 25 and 35 years was used as a source of esterase activity. (3) The chromophore (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-omega-nitrostyrene) absorbs at 505 nm and has a molar extinction coefficient of 26 800 in sodium carbonate/bicarbonate buffer, pH 9.5. (4) Both acetate and propionate substrates are more soluble in aqueous alcohol than in water or buffer alone and the substrates were therefore prepared in 10% methanol. Since some non-enzymic hydrolysis occurs at 37 degrees C, assays were carried out at 30 degrees C. Details of both single point and reaction rate assay procedures are described. (5) The properties of the arylesterases were determined in human serum using the single point and reaction rate assays. The data are similar to those previously described for these esterases using well-established procedures. (6) The assays described using the omega-nitrostyryl acetate and propionate substrates are simple to perform and can be readily adapted for use in the clinical chemistry laboratory. Large numbers of samples can be rapidly assayed with the minimum number of manipulative steps.

Spectrophotometric and fluorimetric assays of galactocerebrosidase activity, their use in the diagnosis of Krabbe's disease

Derivatives of galactocerebroside were prepared containing coloured (w-2,4,6-trinitrophenylaminolauric acid) or fluorescent (11-(9-anthroyloxy) undecanoic acid) fatty acid moieties.. These cerebrosides were used as substrates for galactocerebrosidase activity. By overcoming problems associated with the radioactively labelled substrates normally used, yet retaining good enzyme-substrate specificity, these derivatives provided useful and reliable alternative substrates for galactocerebrosidase activity. Enzyme activities in whole extracts of brain, liver, fibroblasts and cultured amniotic fluid cells were compared, using as substrates the novel cerebrosides as well as [3H]galactocerebroside. Good correlation of activities was obtained. In extracts derived from patients with Krabbe's disease marked deficiency of galactocerebrosidase activity was observed with each substrate, whereas extracts from heterozygous carriers exhibited a partial reduction in enzyme activity. The results show that these coloured and fluorescent galactocerebrosides may be used with confidence in the diagnosis and carrier detection of Krabbe's disease.

A review on methods of phospholipase A determination

A short review is presented on methods to determine phospholipase A activities. On purpose, only those methods are covered which can, at least potentially, be used for assaying the low activities generally associated with intracellular phospholipases A. A selection was made of procedures which apply non-radioactive or radioactive substrates or chemically modified substrate analogs which can be used for spectrophotometric assays.