CHARACTERIZATION OF ENZYMES HYDROLYZING ACYL NAPHTHYLAMIDES. I. MONO-AND DIHALOGEN DERIVATIVES

Debenzoylating and deacetylating activities of rat liver and mammary gland microsomes. Effect of ovariectomy

This study compared the rates of N-deacylations of N-hydroxy-N-2-fluorenylbenzamide (N-OH-2-FBA) with those of its analogue, N-hydroxy-N-2-fluorenylacetamide (N-OH-2-FAA), by the mammary gland (tumor target for both compounds) and the liver of female Sprague-Dawley rats and examined the effect of ovariectomy on these activities. N-Debenzoylation of N-OH-2-FBA was catalyzed by the mammary and liver microsomes of 50-day-old female rats at similar rates (approximately 24 nmol/min/mg). The activity of both tissues increased (up to 1.8 times) after ovariectomy at 42, 32 and, especially, 22 days of age. The rapid hydrolysis appeared to be unique for the benzoyl group since N-OH-2-FAA was deacylated only approximately 0.05 and 0.004 times as fast by the liver and mammary microsomes, respectively, and these low rates were unaffected by ovariectomy. Since such substrate specificity would be of significance in the metabolism of xenobiotics and drug design, esterase activity and its sensitivity to ovariectomy at 22 days of age were examined with several acetylated and benzoylated substrates in the liver and mammary microsomes and compared with those of male liver. Tissues of rats of both sexes had a greater capacity to hydrolyze carboxyl esters than amides. Expect for N-2-fluorenylacetamide (2-FAA) and o-nitrophenylacetate (o-NPA), all substrates were hydrolyzed by liver microsomes of the male up to 3.9 times faster than by those of the female. Microsomes of female liver hydrolyzed acetylated substrates 1.2 to 25 times faster than benzoylated analogues except for N-OH-2-FBA and benzamide. By contrast, mammary gland microsomes hydrolyzed benzoylated compounds 1.4 to 333 times faster except for 2-naphthyl benzoate. Respective rates of hydrolysis of o-NPA by microsomes of liver and mammary gland were 1.7 and 0.6 times those of p-NPA. After ovariectomy, deacylating activities increased (up to 1.6 times) except for those of 2-FAA and acetanilide. All deacylations were > 98% inhibited by 0.1 mM paraoxon, indicating catalysis by serine hydrolases. The results suggest involvement of multiple carboxylesterases and indicate that certain benzoylated xenobiotics may have a greater effect on the mammary gland than acetylated xenobiotics because of their greater vulnerability to hydrolysis by esterases of mammary gland.

[Peptidases. I. Histochemical investigations with 2-naphthylamides and hexazonium-p-rosanilin (author's transl)]

Using fresh frozen (with and without semipermeable membranes), freeze-dried or sections from aldehyde fixed material and hexazotized p-rosaniline for simultaneous coupling more than 20 different unsubstituted or substituted L-amino acid naphthylamides are split especially in the microvilli and/or stereocilia of the small intestine, kidney and epididymis from rats. Further sites of positive reactions can be revealed by L-alanyl, L-leucyl, L-lysyl, alpha,L-glutamyl, gamma,L-glutamyl, L-asparaginyl, N-benzoyl-L-arginyl, N-carbobenzoxy-L-arginyl and N-benzoyl-L-phenylalanyl 2-naphthylamide. Among the substituted and unsubstituted peptide 2-naphthylamides L-prolyl-L-arginyl 2-naphthylamide is not hydrolysed in visible amounts; L-arginyl-L-arginyl, L-alanyl-L-arginyl-L-arginyl, L-alanyl-L-leucyl-L-tyrosyl, L-histidyl-L-seryl, L-seryl-L-tyrosyl and L-glycy-L-phenylalanyl 2-naphthylamide are metabolized in the renal and intestinal brush border; the reaction pattern obtained with N-carbobenzoxy-L-glycyl-L-glycyl-L-arginyl 2-naphthylamide differs from that of N-carbobenzoxy-L-arginyl 2-naphthylamide. In addition L-glycyl-L-prolyl, L-leucyl-L-alanyl, L-lysyl-L-alanyl and L-alanyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-prolyl 2-naphthylamide are also split in the lysosomes of many organs and the secretion granules of gland cells.

Biochemical characterization of alkaline phosphatase in guinea pig thymus

1. Alkaline phosphatase (orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase (alkaline optimum), EC 3.1.3.1) in guinea pig thymus was extracted optimally in 10 mM Tris - HCl buffer at pH 8.0 containing 5 g/l Triton X-100. 2. alpha-Glycerophosphate, beta-glycerophosphate and phenolphthalein monophosphate were hydrolyzed by thymus extract with a pH optimum at 9.8-10.0, whereas p-nitrophenylphosphate and alpha-naphthylphosphate were hydrolyzed with pH optima at 10.7-10.8 and beta-naphthylphosphate at pH 11.2. P-Nitrophenylphosphate and phenolphthalein monophosphate proved to be the most suitable substrates. 3. Alkaline phosphatase was effectively inhibited by EDTA, Zn2+, histidine and urea therefore resembling the inhibition characteristics of alkaline phosphatase in the placenta and kidney, but not that in the liver and intestine, which differed markedly. 4. DEAE-cellulose chromatography and polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis revealed three enzyme peaks which did not differ in their substrate specificities and modifier characteristics. 5. Polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis of thymus, serum, placenta, kidney, liver, bone and intestine revealed no alkaline phosphatase bands definitely unique to thymus.