Vitamin A: concentration in the rat liver Golgi apparatus

A molecular basis for retinol stimulation of vesicle budding in vivo and in vitro

Retinol stimulates the formation of transition vesicles in situ and in all free systems based on rat liver. The stimulation is on vesicle formation from transitional endoplasmic reticulum and not on vesicle fusion with donor membranes. Vesicle budding in the cell free system requires a nucleoside triphosphate and is sensitive to inhibition by thiol reagents. In this report we develop and test a model whereby a retinol-modulated NADH:protein disulfide reductase (NADH oxidase) with protein disulfide-thiol interchange activity is implicated in the vesicle budding mechanism. The protein has the ability to restore activity to scrambled, inactive RNase A and is stimulated or inhibited by retinol depending on the redox environment. Under reducing conditions and in the presence of a chemical reductant such as GSH, the partial reaction stimulated by retinol appears to be the oxidation of membrane thiols. This is the first report of an enzymatic mechanism to explain specific retinol effects both in vivo and in vitro on membrane trafficking not given by retinoic acid.

Intracellular actions of vitamin A

Because the effects of vitamin A vary with tissue type and often with the form of vitamin A itself, a complete understanding of the mechanism(s) of action still has not been attained. The action of vitamin A may be at the level of genomic expression, at the membrane level, or both. Intercellular and intracellular transport of vitamin A are facilitated by specific binding proteins but probably not in the cellular uptake of vitamin A. Subcellularly, vitamin A may exert a direct effect on transit through the Golgi apparatus, as observed from both biochemical and morphological studies. In my laboratory, recent work using cell-free systems has shown that retinol stimulates transition vesicle formation from endoplasmic reticulum in a GTP-requiring step.

Retinyl ester hydrolases in retinal pigment epithelium

In bovine retinal pigment epithelium membranes we have found three hydrolases which were active against trans-retinyl palmitate. This was possible by assaying different subcellular fractions as a function of pH in the range 3-9. Detection of these activities has been favored by the use in the enzyme assay of Triton X-100, which has an activating effect up to a concentration of 0.03% at a detergent-protein ratio of about 1.5-3.0. Apparent kinetic parameters for the retinyl ester hydrolases have been determined after a study of the optimization of assay conditions. Vmax values for hydrolases acting at pH 4.5, 6.0, and 7.0 were, respectively, 156, 55, and 70 nmol/h/mg. To identify the subcellular site for these hydrolytic activities, assays of marker enzymes from various organelles in each subcellular preparation were carried out, demonstrating the lysosomal origin of the pH 4.5 retinyl ester hydrolase and the microsomal origin of the pH 6.0 retinyl ester hydrolase and suggesting that the pH 7.0 retinyl ester hydrolase originates from the Golgi complex.

Development of the vitamin A-storing cell in mouse liver during late fetal and neonatal periods

Vitamin A-storing cells in perinatal mouse liver were studied by chemical and autoradiographic analyses of exogenous vitamin A. The amount of retinyl palmitate in the fetal liver increased significantly following oral administration of retinyl acetate to the mother, suggesting the existence of storage sites of the vitamin in fetal liver. Light microscope semi-serial autoradiography of the fetal liver on the 15th day of gestation showed that 3H-vitamin A administered to the mother was incorporated into cells distributed exclusively along the hepatic blood vessels and the blood islands. Mitotic figures of the labeled cells were frequently observed. Electron microscope autoradiography revealed that the vitamin was incorporated into lipid droplets, rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus of the fibroblast-like cells in close apposition to the endothelial cells. The labeled cells differed in their ultrastructure from the vitamin A-storing cells (Ito cells) of the adult liver. In the later gestational period, silver grains tended to be more concentrated in lipid droplets, and the cytological features of the labeled cells became similar to those of the vitamin A-storing cells. Both retinyl palmitate content and the labeling of lipid droplets increased rapidly in the liver of neonates after commencement of suckling. The labeled cells had the same appearance as the vitamin A-storing cells (Ito cells). It is concluded that vitamin A transported across the placenta is taken up in the fetal liver by the cells distributed along the blood vessels, and that these cells proliferate in accordance with vascular development and gradually take on the characteristics of vitamin A-storing cells during the perinatal period. A defensive role of the vitamin A-storing cell against the toxic effects of vitamin A is also suggested.

Phospholipids, vitamin A and ubiquinone of the Golgi apparatus subfractions from rat liver after acute ethanol intoxication

Previous investigations from our laboratory have shown that during acute ethanol intoxication the Golgi apparatus seems involved in impaired dismission of lipoproteins. In the present paper the phospholipid distributions of Golgi subfractions have been analyzed in livers of normal and ethanol intoxicated rats. No significant differences in the phospholipid classes have been observed in this study. On the contrary, a decrease of vitamin A and ubiquinone in Golgi subfractions is evident. The results are briefly discussed in view of the role played by these endogenous antioxidants in the Golgi membranes and in the pathogenesis of ethanol induced fatty liver.

Mannosyl carrier functions of retinyl phosphate and dolichyl phosphate in rat liver endoplasmic reticulum

Of the subcellular fractions of rat liver the endoplasmic reticulum was the most active in GDP-mannose: retinyl phosphate mannosyl-transfer activity. The synthesis of retinyl phosphate mannose reached a maximum at 20-30 min of incubation and declined at later times. Retinyl phosphate mannose and dolichyl phosphate mannose from endogenous retinyl phosphate and dolichyl phosphate could also be assayed in the endoplasmic reticulum. About 1.8 ng (5 pmol) of endogenous retinyl phosphate was mannosylated per mg of endoplasmic reticulum protein (15 min at 37 degrees C, in the presence of 5 mM-MnCl2), and about 0.15 ng (0.41 pmol) of endogenous retinyl phosphate was mannosylated with Golgi-apparatus membranes. About 20 ng (13.4 pmol) of endogenous dolichyl phosphate was mannosylated in endoplasmic reticulum and 4.5 ng (3 pmol) in Golgi apparatus under these conditions. Endoplasmic reticulum, but not Golgi-apparatus membranes, catalysed significant transfer of [14C]mannose to endogenous acceptor proteins in the presence of exogenous retinyl phosphate. Mannosylation of endogenous acceptors in the presence of exogenous dolichyl phosphate required the presence of Triton X-100 and could not be detected when dolichyl phosphate was solubilized in liposomes. Dolichyl phosphate mainly stimulated the incorporation of mannose into the lipid-oligosaccharide-containing fraction, whereas retinyl phosphate transferred mannose directly to protein.

Subcellular distribution of free and esterified forms of vitamin A in the pigment epithelium of the retina and in liver

1. The distribution of vitamin A was examined in various subcellular fractions of rat liver and bovine retinal pigment epithelium. In rat liver, the major portion of the vitamin is in the cytosol, whereas in pigment epithelium, it is concentrated mainly in the microsomes. The microsomal vitamin A of pigment epithelium is tightly bound to membranes, as shown by the inability to release it except by organic solvent extraction or incubation with Triton X-100. 2. In both tissues, two different forms of cytosol vitamin A could be distinguished by ultracentrifugation. The major portion in liver is in the floating lipid phase and consists mainly of retinyl ester. The remainder (less than 10% of the total) is in the underlying infranatant; about 90% of the vitamin A in this fraction is esterified. By contrast, two-thirds of the vitamin A of pigment epithelial cell cytosol is in the infranatant; it consists of both esterified and unesterified retinol. The floating layer in the pigment epithelial cytosol consists entirely of retinyl ester. 3. These two forms of cytosol vitamin A in the pigment epithelium could also be separated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 which yielded two distinct fluorescent peaks. The first, which appeared in the void volume and corresponded in all probability to the floating layer obtained by ultracentrifugation, consisted only of retinyl ester. The second peak, which was eluted in approximately the same position as myoglobin, contained only unesterified retinol. It was abolished completely by preincubation with pronase. These findings support the view that the second peak represents the endogenous retinol-retinol binding protein complex of pigment epithelial cytosol. The fluorescent enhancement of the retinol bound to protein in this peak was about 4--5-fold compared to retinol in organic solvents.

Localization of vitamin A-storing cells in the mouse adrenal gland: an electron microscopic autoradiographic study

Radioactive vitamin A acetate was stored in specific cells in the mouse adrenal gland. Radioactivity was detected in lipid droplets of fibroblast-like cells, whose distribution was from the capsule to the medulla. Their population was highest in the cortex. The morphology of these labeled cells was similar to that of vitamin A-storing cells in other organs of mouse (Yamada and Hirosawa, '76). Though functions of these cells are obscure, the fact that they are found in organs where metabolic activity of vitamin A is high suggests that they bear some role in the metabolism and storage of the vitamin.

Vitamin A stimulation of parathyroid hormone: interactions with calcium, hydrocortisone, and vitamin E in bovine parathyroid tissues and effects of vitamin A in man

The effect of vitamin A, a membrane surface-active agent, on parathyroid hormone secretion was studied in vitro, using bovine parathyroid tissue, and in vivo in man. Parathyroid tissues were incubated with vitamin A (retinol), retinoic acid, and calcium, and with hydrocortisone and vitamin E, agents that antagonize the membrane effects of vitamin A. The stimulation of parathyroid hormone release by vitamin A, 10(-6) to 10(-9) mol/1 in vitro, was dose and time dependent. Retinoic acid did not stimulate secretion. High calcium concentration, hydrocortisone, 10(-5) mol/1 and 10(-6) mol/1, and vitamin E, 10(-5) mol/1, antagonized vitamin A-induced parathyroid hormone secretion. Vitamin A increased the lysosomal cathepsin D activity of parathyroid tissues. In human studies, eleven healthy men received two intramuscular injections of vitamin A palmitate, 25 000 units each, within 24 h. In every subject, serum parathyroid hormone increased after vitamin A administration. Our studies indicate that: (1) vitamin A stimulates parathyroid hormone secretion in vitro, possibly through modification of the cell or secretion granule membrane, or through stimulation of lysosomal proteolytic activity, and (2) vitamin A increases serum parathyroid hormone in vivo, and this effect may be important in clinical states of vitamin A excess.

Lipid composition of the Golgi apparatus of rat kidney and liver in comparison with other subcellular organelles

Golgi apparatus isolated from both rat liver and rat kidney have been characterized with respect to their neutral and phospholipid content and their phosphopipid composition and compared with mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes. In addition, the distribution of sulfatide in the subcellular fractions of rat kidney was determinich are rich in cholesterol esters and ubiquinone. Removal of about 75% of the cisternal contents of rat liver Golgi reduced its content of cholesterol esters but not of ubiquinone. The Golgi complex of liver most closely resembles endoplasmic reticulum in its phospholipid composition except for a higher content of sphingomyelin. Removal of most of the contents of the Golgi cisternae did not appreciably alter the phospholipid composition of the Golgi apparatus of liver. Goligi apparatus from kidney has a phospholipid composition which resembles liver Golgi much more closely than it does any other cell fraction from kidney. The sulfatide content of kidney Golgi, the cell fraction richest in this glycolipid, is about 14% of the total lipid present in this fraction. Sulfatide was present in plasma membranes, mitochondria and rough microsomes, but at about one-third the level found in Golgi. Sulfatide is the main glycosphingolipid present in all the cell fractions from kidney which were studied.