Clofibric acid and phenylpyruvic acid as biochemical probes for studying soluble bovine liver branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase

Purification, characterization, regulation and molecular cloning of mitochondrial protein kinases

The mitochondrial kinases responsible for the phosphorylation and inactivation of rat heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and the rat liver and heart branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes have been purified to homogeneity. The branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase is composed of one subunit with a molecular weight of 44 kDa; pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase has two subunits with molecular weights of 48 (alpha) and 45 kDa (beta). Proteolysis maps of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase and the two subunits of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase are different, suggesting that all subunits are different entities. The alpha subunit of the rat heart pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase was selectively cleaved by chymotrypsin with concomitant loss of kinase activity, as previously shown for the bovine kidney enzyme, suggesting that the catalytic activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase resides in this subunit. Polyclonal antibodies against branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, purified by an epitope selection method, bound only to the 44 kDa polypeptide of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, substantiating that the 44 kDa protein corresponds to the kinase for this complex. Both kinases exhibited strong substrate specificity toward their respective complexes and would not inactivate heterologous complexes. The kinases possessed slightly different substrate specificities toward histones. Phosphorylation and inactivation of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by its purified kinase was inhibited by alpha-chloroisocaproate and dichloroacetate, established inhibitors of the phosphorylation of the complex. cDNAs encoding the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase have been isolated from rat heart and rat liver lambda gt11 libraries. This represents the first successful cloning of a mitochondrial protein kinase. Preliminary data suggest that two different isoforms of the kinase may exist in different ratios in various tissues. No evidence was found for induction of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex nor its kinase by clofibric acid. Rather, clofibric acid is a potent inhibitor of the activity of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase and this may be the molecular mechanism responsible for the myotonic effects of clofibric acid in man.

Regulation of oxidative decarboxylation of branched-chain 2-oxo acids in rat liver mitochondria

At 0.1 mM 2-oxo[1-14C]isocaproate or 2-oxo[1-14C]isovalerate plots of the reciprocal of the rate of 14CO2 formation by branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in mitochondria vs alpha-cyanocinamate concentration were linear up to high inhibitor concentrations, indicating that the monocarboxylate carrier-mediated transport was the rate-limiting step. At low (0.025 mM) concentration of 2-oxo[1-14C]isocaproate or 2-oxo[1-14C]isovalerate the 1/v vs I plots became nonlinear indicating that the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase activity determined the rate of 14CO2 formation. Inhibition of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex by clofibric acid or arsenite showed that at 0.1 mM 2-oxoisovalerate the activity of the complex became the rate-limiting step of the pathway. The availability of the 2-oxoisocaproate or 2-oxoisovalerate seems to affect the phosphorylation and the activity of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex only at low, physiological concentrations of these substrates (less than 0.025 mM).

Effect of clofibrate on branched-chain amino acid metabolism

Clofibric acid inhibited the oxidative decarboxylation of 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate in mitochondria and homogenates of rat liver and quadriceps muscle. In rat hemidiaphragms clofibric acid inhibited the oxidative decarboxylation of 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and had no effect on that of 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate. Clofibric acid displaced branched-chain 2-oxo acids from bovine serum albumin. Clofibrate-treatment of rats decreased the actual activity and activity state of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in quadriceps muscle, and increased the total activity in heart and liver without a change of the activity state. All interactions of clofibric acid with the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids appear to relate to its structural resemblance to the branched-chain 2-oxo acids. Both reduced plasma and muscle concentrations of branched-chain amino acids and reduced muscle oxidation may play a role in the myopathic side-effects of clofibrate-treatment.

Interaction of short-chain and branched-chain fatty acids and their carnitine and CoA esters and of various metabolites and agents with branched-chain 2-oxo acid oxidation in rat muscle and liver mitochondria

Interaction of various compounds with the 14CO2 production from [1-14C]-labelled branched-chain 2-oxo acids was studied in intact rat quadriceps muscle and liver mitochrondria. In the absence of carnitine, CoA esters of short-chain and branched-chain fatty acids, CoA and acetyl-L-carnitine stimulated oxidation of 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate in muscle mitochondria. Octanoyl-L-carnitine inhibited oxidation of the latter, but stimulated that of the former substrate. Isovaleryl-L-carnitine was inhibitory with both substrates. Carnitine stimulates markedly 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate oxidation in liver mitochondria at substrate concentrations higher than 0.1 mM, in contrast to 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate oxidation. In the presence of carnitine, 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate oxidation was inhibited in muscle and liver mitochondria by octanoate, octanoyl-L-carnitine and isovaleryl-L-carnitine. The latter ester and octanoyl-D-carnitine inhibited also 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate oxidation in muscle mitochondria. Branched-chain 2-oxo acids inhibited mutaly their oxidation, except that 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate did not inhibit 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate oxidation in liver mitochondria. Their degradation products, isovalerate, 3-methylcrotonate, isobutyrate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate inhibited to a different extent 2-oxo acid oxidation in liver mitochondria. The effect of CoA esters was studied in permeabilized and with cofactors reinforced mitochondria. Acetyl-CoA and isovaleryl-CoA inhibited only 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate oxidation in muscle mitochondria. Octanoyl-CoA inhibited oxidation of both 2-oxo acids in muscle and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate oxidation in liver mitochondria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Regulation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase

Isolated rabbit liver branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase was inhibited in a mixed manner relative to ATP by alpha-ketoisocaproate, alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate, alpha-ketoisovalerate, alpha-ketocaproate, alpha-ketovalerate, and alpha-chloroisocaproate with I40 values (mM), respectively, of 0.065, 0.49, 2.5, 0.2, 0.5, and 0.08. The concentration (mM) of alpha-ketoisocaproate, alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate, and alpha-ketoisovalerate needed to activate branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase in the perfused rat heart to 50% of total activity was 0.07, 0.10, and 0.25, respectively. Isolated branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase was inhibited (I40 values, mM) by octanoate (0.5), acetoacetyl-CoA (0.01), methylmalonyl-CoA (0.2), NADP+ (1.5), and heparin (12 micrograms/ml). The kinase activity, in the presence or absence of ADP, was inhibited approximately 30% by 0.1 mM isobutyryl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, and malonyl-CoA, while not affected by NAD+ and NADH (1 mM), CoA, acetyl-CoA, methylcrotonyl-CoA, crotonyl-CoA, beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl-glutaryl-CoA, octanoyl-CoA, succinyl-CoA, and propionyl-CoA (0.1 mM). The following compounds at 2 mM also did not inhibit branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase; acetate, propionate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, acetoacetate, malonate, alpha-ketomalonate, succinate, citrate, oxaloacetate, FAD, and NADPH. These findings help explain the unique effects of Leu compared with Val and Ile on branched-chain amino acid metabolism and the differences between control of the kinases associated with pyruvate dehydrogenase and branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase.

Clofibric acid, phenylpyruvate, and dichloroacetate inhibition of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase in vitro and in perfused rat heart

Branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, purified from rabbit liver, was inhibited by clofibric acid, phenylpyruvate, and dichloroacetate in a mixed manner relative to ATP. I40 values relative to 75 microM ATP were 0.33, 1.7, and 3.0 mM, respectively. Inhibition of the kinase by acetate, pyruvate, and lactate was minimal; whereas a p-hydroxyphenyl substitution of these compounds increased their potency as kinase inhibitors, a phenyl substitution gave the most potent inhibitors. Clofibric acid, phenylpyruvate, and dichloroacetate activated branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase in perfused rat hearts. Perfusate concentrations that gave 50% activation (A50) were 0.1, 0.32, and 0.63 mM, respectively. A50 concentrations of clofibric acid and phenylpyruvate also increased flux (decarboxylation of alpha-keto[1-14C]isovalerate) through branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase in perfused rat heart. These findings suggest that, although clofibric acid and phenylpyruvate can inhibit substrate utilization by the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, the major effect of these compounds on branched-chain amino acid metabolism is due to inhibition of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase with subsequent activation of and increased flux through the complex.

Interaction of octanoate with branched-chain 2-oxo acid oxidation in rat and human muscle in vitro

Acetate and butanoate inhibited and hexanoate and octanoate increased the 14CO2 production from 0.1 mM [1-14C]-labelled 2-oxoisocaproate (KIC) and 2-oxoisovalerate (KIV) in rat hemidiaphragms. Octanoate increased KIC and KIV oxidation in rat soleus muscle, too, inhibited it in human skeletal muscle and had a divergent effect in rat and human heart slices. In rat hemidiaphragms octanoate primarily affected the process of oxidative decarboxylation. No effect was found on transamination rates of branched-chain amino acids and on the CO2 production beyond alpha-decarboxylation. The reverse transamination of branched-chain 2-oxo acids and their incorporation into protein decreased in the presence of octanoate. Octanoate had no effect on KIC and KIV oxidation at higher 2-oxo acid concentrations and in hemidiaphragms from 3-day-starved rats. The observed interactions are discussed and related to regulatory mechanisms, which are known to affect the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex.

Interaction of various metabolites and agents with branched-chain 2-oxo acid oxidation in rat and human muscle in vitro

The interaction of various metabolites and agents with the 14CO2 production from 0.1 mM [1-14C]-labelled 2-oxoisocaproate (KIC) and 2-oxoisovalerate (KIV) was studied in rat and human heart and skeletal muscle preparations. Glucose and carnitine had no effect in any of the studied systems; palmitate gave a small increase of KIC oxidation only in soleus muscle. With rat hemidiaphragms a considerable decrease was found in the presence of high concentrations of a competitive branched-chain 2-oxo acid and of pyruvate, and in the presence of ketone bodies. A considerable increase was found in the presence of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor 2-chloroisocaproate and the transminase inhibitor amino-oxyacetate. 2-Oxoglutarate increased and clofibric acid decreased only KIC oxidation. Divergent effects were given by intermediates of the degradation route of KIC and KIV and by monocarboxylate translocator inhibitors. The observed interactions are discussed and related to regulatory mechanisms which are known to affect the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex.

Effect of clofibrate feeding on palmitate and branched-chain 2-oxo acid oxidation in rat liver and muscle

Oxidation rates of palmitate (total and antimycin-insensitive), pyruvate, leucine, 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate and activities of two mitochondrial marker enzymes (citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase) were assayed in liver and muscle homogenates of fed, clofibrate-treated and 18 hr-starved rats. Significant alterations in the clofibrate-treated and the starved rats were predominantly observed in the liver. Clofibrate feeding increased antimycin-insensitive (peroxisomal) and antimycin-sensitive (mitochondrial) palmitate oxidation and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate and pyruvate oxidation in liver. In muscle, only the activities of citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase were slightly decreased. Short starvation increased antimycin-sensitive palmitate and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate oxidation in liver. The rates of pyruvate and 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate oxidation were decreased in muscle homogenates. Results suggest that myopathic phenomena observed after chronic clofibrate administration are not related to changes in the capacity of oxidative metabolism of muscle.