Production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies against human podocalyxin

Podocalyxin (podxl) is a protein with a peptide bone of approximately 55.5 kDa that undergoes a post-translational glycosylation, yielding a final molecular mass from approximately 145 to approximately 200 kDa. This protein is normally found covering the vascular side of the epithelial glomerular cells, the podocytes, and its presence is essential to maintain a normal renal function. It has also been reported in other cells and tissues although its function has not been yet clarified. The carboxy-terminal intracellular domain of podxl is nearly 100% identical in most species; however, the ectodomain shows considerable variations although the cysteine residues are conserved. Detection of this protein is elusive, most likely due to differences in post-translational modifications. We aimed at producing murine monoclonal antibodies against human podxl. Immunization with Chinese hamster ovarian -hpodxl-green fluorescence protein live cells yielded five different monoclonal antibodies that were characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis/western blot, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation. The different behavior of these antibodies suggests that some of them may react against epitopes masked by different glycosylated protein moieties.

A novel homozygous splice junction mutation in GPIIb associated with alternative splicing, nonsense-mediated decay of GPIIb-mRNA, and type II Glanzmann's thrombasthenia

This work reports the study of a patient suffering a bleeding disorder clinically diagnosed as Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT). Immunoblotting and flow cytometric analysis showed a low ( Collapse

Key Words Collapse

MESH Headings

• Alternative Splicing/genetics
• Codon, Nonsense
• Conserved Sequence/genetics
• Family Health
• Female
• Homozygote
• Humans
• Infant
• Mutation, Missense
• Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex/genetics
• Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins
• Point Mutation
• RNA Splice Sites/genetics
• RNA Stability/genetics
• RNA, Messenger/analysis
• Thrombasthenia/genetics

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Affiliation(s)

C González-Manchón Department of Pathophysiology and Human Molecular Genetics, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
E G Arias-Salgado
N Butta
G Martín
R B Rodríguez
I Elalamy
R Parrilla
R Favier

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Cloning and functional characterization of the 5′ flanking region of the human mitochondrial malic enzyme gene

This work reports the molecular cloning and functional characterization of the 5' flanking region of the human mitochondrial malic enzyme (mME) gene. The proximal promoter region has features of housekeeping genes like high G + C-content and absence of TATA or CCAAT boxes. Deletion analysis of the 5' region of the mME showed that maximal transcriptional activity is located within the -205/+86 region. Footprinting analysis showed two protected regions, one comprising potential overlapped AP-1, CREB, and AP-4 sites and a second one encompassing AP-2 and several Sp1 ci-acting elements. Mutation of putative AP-1/AP-4/CREB sites reduced basal promoter activity to less than 50%. Supershift assays demonstrated the specific binding of Sp1 and AP-2 proteins. Moreover, experiments in Drosophila SL2 cells lacking endogenous Sp1 demonstrated that the Sp1 site(s) is essential to maintain a normal basal rate of transcription of this gene. A low-level expression of AP-2 enhanced the activity of a mME promoter construct in HepG2 cells and this effect was prevented by disruption of the putative AP-2 element. In contrast, higher levels of expression of AP-2 induced a DNA-independent inhibitory response. A biphasic regulation of endogenous mME gene is also shown in HepG2 cells transfected with an AP-2 expression plasmid, suggesting that availability of AP-2 protein may control this gene under physiological conditions. A recombinant lambda genomic clone containing a mME pseudogene was also isolated. The high degree of sequence conservation seems to indicate a recent emergency of this human pseudogene.

Compound heterozygosity of the GPIbalpha gene associated with Bernard-Soulier syndrome

We report the molecular genetic analysis of the Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) phenotype in two related patients showing absence of glycoprotein (GP) Ibalpha and detectable amounts of GPIX on the platelet surface, and a truncated form of GPIbalpha in solubilized platelets and plasma. They both were compound heterozygotes for the GPIbalpha gene: a maternal allele with a T insertion at position 1418 causing a translational frameshift and premature polypeptide termination, and a paternal allele with a T715A substitution chan-ino Cys209 to Ser. Heterozygotes for either one of these mutations were asymptomatic. Transient transfection of cells coexpressing GPIbbeta and GPIX failed to detect surface expression of the GPIbalpha mutants. Cells transfected with [1418insT]GPIbalpha-cDNA showed a truncated protein of the predicted size in both cell lysate and conditioned medium, indicating the inability of the mutant protein to anchor the plasma membrane. In contrast. transfection of [T715A]GPIbalpha-cDNA yield a mutated protein barely detectable in the cell lysate and absent in the medium, indicating that the loss of Cys209 renders GPIbalpha more vulnerable to proteolysis and unable to undergo the normal secretory pathway. Our findings indicate that the additive effects of both mutations are responsible for the BSS phenotype of the patients.

Competition between normal [674C] and mutant [674R] subunits: role of the molecular chaperone BiP in the processing of GPIIb-IIIa complexes

This work aimed at investigating the function of the [C674R] mutation in GPIIb that disrupts the intramolecular 674 to 687 disulfide bridge. Individuals heterozygous for this mutation show a platelet GPIIb-IIIa content approximately 30% of normal controls, which is less than expected from one normal functioning allele. Coexpression of normal [674C]GPIIb and mutant [674R]GPIIb with normal GPIIIa produced a [674R]GPIIb concentration-dependent inhibition of surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa complexes in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, suggesting that [674R]GPIIb interferes with the association and/or intracellular trafficking of normal subunits. Mutation of either 674C or 687C had similar effects in reducing the surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa. However, substitution of 674C for A produced a much lesser inhibition than R, suggesting that a positive-charged residue at that position renders a less efficient subunit conformation. The mutant [674R]GPIIb but not normal GPIIb was found associated with the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone BiP in transiently transfected CHO cells. BiP was also found associated with [674R]GPIIb-IIIa heterodimers, but not with normal GPIIIa or normal heterodimers. Overexpression of BiP did not increase the surface exposure of [674R]GPIIb-IIIa complexes, indicating that its availability was not a limiting step. Platelets from the thrombasthenic patient expressing [674R]GPIIb-IIIa were found to bind soluble fibrinogen in response to physiologic agonists or dithiothreitol treatment. Thus, the [674R]GPIIb mutation leads to a retardation of the secretory pathway, most likely related to its binding to the molecular chaperone BiP, with the result of a defective number of functional GPIIb-IIIa receptors in the cell surface.

Enhanced proliferation of lymphoblasts from patients with Alzheimer dementia associated with calmodulin-dependent activation of the na+/H+ exchanger

We have recently reported that lymphoblasts from late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients show distinct intracellular pH homeostatic features than those obtained from age-matched healthy donors. Here we report that another distinct feature of AD lymphoblasts is their increased rate of proliferation in serum containing medium, suggesting a different responsiveness of AD cells to serum activators. The increased proliferation of AD cells was accompanied by intracellular alkalinization and was prevented by blockers of the plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter (NHE), indicating that the exchanger had to be activated to elicit the cellular responses. The activity of this exchanger can be controlled through several signaling pathways, but only the inhibition of calmodulin activity impeded the serum-induced intracellular alkalinization and enhanced proliferation of AD cells. In contrast, the inhibition of calmodulin did not alter the rate of proliferation of normal cells. Thus, it seems plausible to conclude that the enhanced proliferation of AD cells is the result of a surface receptor-mediated activation of the Ca(2+)-calmodulin signaling pathway. Our observations add further support in favor that AD may be considered a systemic disease which underlying etiopathogenic mechanism may be an altered responsiveness to cell activating agents. Thus, the use of lymphoblastoid cells from AD patients may be a useful model to investigate cell biochemical aspects of this disease.

Cloning and functional characterization of the 5' regulatory region of the human mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene. Lack of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine responsiveness in adipose tissue

We report data on the structural and functional characterization of the 5' flanking region of the human mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mtGPDH) gene. We found two regions upstream of 5'-untranslated sequences exhibiting promoter activity in transient transfection assays. Transcription start sites and potential regulatory sites in both promoter regions were defined. The proximal promoter was approximately sevenfold more active than the distal one in most cell lines, but it was only twice as active in a neuroblastoma cell line. These observations seem to indicate that the rate of transcription, as well as the tissue-specific expression of the human mtGPDH gene, is the result of a combinatorial effect of transcription factors on at least two promoters. 3,5,3'-Triiodothyronine failed to alter the transcriptional activity of human mtGPDH promoter(s) constructs in transient transfection assays. Although this finding seems to be in conflict with the reported effect of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine in rodents, it is consistent with our observation of 3,5, 3'-triiodothyronine stimulation of mtGPDH activity in primary cultures of rat adipocytes, but not human cultured adipocytes, suggesting distinct regulation of this gene in both species.

A 1063G-->A mutation in exon 12 of glycoprotein (GP)IIb associated with a thrombasthenic phenotype: mutation analysis of [324E]GPIIb

We report the molecular, genetic and functional analysis of a case of thrombasthenic phenotype. The proband showed absence of platelet glycoprotein (GP)IIb and very low content of GPIIIa, and both his parents showed a marked reduction in the levels of platelet GPIIb-IIIa. Single-stranded conformational polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (SSCP-PCR) analysis and direct sequencing of PCR-amplified GPIIb exon-12 revealed the presence of a G-->A transition at position 1063 with the expected substitution of glutamate 324 with lysine (K). This mutation did not alter the level of GPIIb mRNA. Co-expression of normal or mutant [324K] GPIIb with normal human GPIIIa in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells failed to show surface exposure of [324K]GPIIb-IIIa complexes. Pulse-chase and immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that [324K]GPIIb cDNA was translated into proGPIIb, but neither mutant GPIIb heavy chain (GPIIbH) nor [324K]GPIIb-GPIIIa complexes were detected, suggesting that this mutation is the underlying molecular basis for the thrombasthenic phenotype. Mutation analysis demonstrated that 324E of GPIIb could be replaced by other negatively charged or polar amino acids (AAs) without impairing the surface expression of GPIIb-IIIa. However, substitution of 324E of GPIIb for a positively charged AA other than K prevented the expression of GPIIb-IIIa complexes. These observations suggest that a domain encompassing 324E of GPIIb is essential for heterodimerization with GPIIIa and its substitution for a positively charged residue precludes normal subunit association.

A novel (288delC) mutation in exon 2 of GPIIb associated with type I Glanzmann's thrombasthenia

This work reports the molecular genetic analysis of two patients who suffer mucocutaneous haemorrhages, prolonged bleeding time and failure of platelets to aggregate, either spontaneously or in response to agonists. The absence of platelet surface glycoprotein (GP)IIb-IIIa complexes confirmed the clinical diagnosis of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT). Polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis of exon 2 of GPIIb showed polymorphic bands caused by the homozygous deletion of a cytosine at position 288 relative to the translation start site. causing a shifting of the reading frame and appearance of a premature termination codon. The heterozygous relatives showed a reduced platelet content of GPIIb-IIIa, and a correlation was found between the levels of GPIIb mRNA and surface expression of GPIIb-IIIa complexes. Unlike other mRNAs carrying a nonsense mutation, (288Cdel)GPIIb does not force alternative splicing of GPIIb mRNA. As expected, co-transfection of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with cDNAs encoding GPIIIa and (288delC)GPIIb failed to enhance the surface exposure of GPIIIa. It is concluded that the (288delC)GPIIb mutation is responsible for the thrombasthenic phenotype of the patients. In addition, it has also been determined that heterodimerization of GPIIb-IIIa requires the integrity of exons 2 and 3 of GPIIb.

Molecular genetic analysis of a compound heterozygote for the glycoprotein (GP) IIb gene associated with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia: disruption of the 674-687 disulfide bridge in GPIIb prevents surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa complexes

This work was aimed at elucidating the molecular genetic lesion(s) responsible for the thrombasthenic phenotype of a patient whose low platelet content of glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa indicated that it was a case of type II Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT). The parents did not admit consanguinity and showed a reduced platelet content of GPIIb-IIIa. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis of genomic DNA showed no mutations in the patient's GPIIIa and two novel mutations in the GPIIb gene: one of them was a heterozygous splice junction mutation, a C-->A transversion, at position +2 of the exon 5-intron 5 boundary [IVS5(+2)C-->A] inherited from the father. The predicted effect of this mutation, insertion of intron 5 (76 bp) into the GPIIb-mRNA, was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR analysis of platelet mRNA. The almost complete absence of this mutated form of GPIIb-mRNA suggests that it is very unstable. Virtually all of the proband's GPIIb-mRNA was accounted for by the allele inherited from the mother showing a T2113-->C transition that changes Cys674-->Arg674 disrupting the 674-687 intramolecular disulfide bridge. The proband showed a platelet accumulation of proGPIIb and minute amounts of GPIIb and GPIIIa. Moreover, transfection and immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that [Arg674]GPIIb is capable of forming a heterodimer complex with GPIIIa, but the rate of subunit maturation and the surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa are strongly reduced. Thus, the intramolecular 674-687 disulfide bridge in GPIIb is essential for the normal processing of GPIIb-IIIa complexes. The additive effect of these two GPIIb mutations provides the molecular basis for the thrombasthenic phenotype of the proband.

AP-1 and T3RE cis elements operate as a functional unit in the transcriptional control of the human malic enzyme gene

The human malic enzyme (hME) promoter contains an inverted palindromic (IP4) 3,5,3'-triiodo-thyronine (T3) response element (T3RE) 15bp downstream from an activating protein-1 (AP-1) site. The purpose of this study was to analyze the functional relationship between both cis-acting elements. The following observations indicate that these two elements operate as a functional unit in controlling the human ME gene:T3 failed to stimulate transcription above the basal levels in cells overexpressing either TRb or TRb/retinoid acid receptor (RXR), indicating that TRbeta acts primarily as a transcriptional repressor in the context of the hME. Moreover, the finding of a repressive effect of TRbeta without DNA binding suggests the existence of both DNA-dependent and independent mechanisms of TRbeta-induced repression of transcription.

Truncation of glycoprotein (GP) IIIa (616-762) prevents complex formation with GPIIb: novel mutation in exon 11 of GPIIIa associated with thrombasthenia

This work reports the molecular genetic study of a patient who suffered from Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT). Structural analysis of the glycoprotein (GP) IIb and GPIIIa genes showed the presence of a homozygous G1846-->T transversion in exon 11 of GPIIIa that changes Glu616-->Stop. Cytometric and immunochemical analysis indicated that platelet GPIIb-IIIa was absent in the proband but present at normal levels in the heterozygous relatives. The following observations indicate that this mutation is responsible for the thrombasthenic phenotype of the proband. (1) We failed to detect mutations other than [T1846]GPIIIa in the coding region of both GPIIb and GPIIIa genes. (2) The G1846-->T mutation was observed in either parent and a brother of the proband, but none of 100 unrelated individuals carried this defect. (3) Pulse-chase and immunoprecipitation analysis of GPIIb-IIIa complexes in cells transiently cotransfected with cDNAs encoding normal GPIIb and [T1846]GPIIIa showed neither maturation of GPIIb nor complex formation and surface exposure of GPIIb-triangle upGPIIIa. These observations indicate that the sequence from Glu616 to Thr762 in GPIIIa is essential for heterodimerization with GPIIb. Polymerase chain reaction-based analysis demonstrated the presence of normal levels of full-length GPIIIa-mRNA in the proband and in heterozygous relatives. In addition, a shortened transcript, with a 324-nucleotide deletion, resulting from in-frame skipping of exons 10 and 11, was detectable upon reamplification of the DNA. Thus, unlike other nonsense mutations, [T1846]GPIIIa does not lead to abnormal processing or reduction in the number of transcripts with the termination codon.

Role of the alpha-subunit 326GRV sequence in the surface expression of fibrinogen and vitronectin receptors

The platelet GPIIb-GPIIIa heterodimer (integrin alphaIIbbeta3) binds fibrinogen with high affinity in response to activation by agonists, leading to platelet aggregation and formation of a hemostatic plug. The 326GRV motif in GPIIb is highly conserved in the alpha-subunit of other integrins, suggesting that it might play an important functional role. Moreover, Arg327-->His substitution in GPIIb has been associated with defective platelet surface expression of GPIIb-IIIa and thrombasthenic phenotype. This work aimed at elucidating whether the absence of Arg327 or its substitution by His was responsible for the impaired surface expression of GPIIb-IIIa complexes. Transfection of cDNA encoding [Ala327]GPIIb, [Gln327]GPIIb, or [Phe327]GPIIb into Chinese hamster ovary cells inherently expressing GPIIIa permitted surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa complexes, whereas [Glu327]GPIIb did not. These observations indicate that it is not the loss of [Arg327]GPIIb but the presence of His327 or a negatively charged residue like Glu at position 327 of GPIIb that prevents the surface exposure of GPIIb-IIIa heterodimers. In contrast, changing Gln344, the homologue to Arg327 in the alpha-subunit of the vitronectin receptor, to His did not prevent the surface expression of alphav-GPIIIa complexes. Thus the conformational constraint imposed by His327 seems to be rather specific for the heterodimerization and/or processing of GPIIb-IIIa complexes.

Distinct pH homeostatic features in lymphoblasts from Alzheimer's disease patients

Epstein-Barr-transformed lymphocytes from Alzheimer's disease patients showed the following distinct features in controlling the intracellular pH compared with cells from normal age-matched controls: (1) The alphaIgM-induced intracellular acidification was more pronounced in Alzheimer's disease than control cells and this effect appears to be associated with a loss of effectiveness of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent mechanism in controlling the activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger; and (2) the intracellular H+-buffering capacity and the rate of proton efflux in response to an acid load were both decreased in Alzheimer's disease cells. It is concluded that the amplitude of the intracellular pH changes under acid-loading conditions will always be greater in Alzheimer's disease than in control cells.

3,5,3'-Tri-iodo-L-thyronine acutely regulates a protein kinase C-sensitive, Ca2+-independent, branch of the hepatic alpha1-adrenoreceptor signalling pathway

This work aimed to investigate the acute effect of the thyroid hormone 3,5,3'-tri-iodo-L-thyronine (T3) in regulating the hepatic metabolism either directly or by controlling the responsiveness to Ca2+-mobilizing agonists. We did not detect any acute metabolic effect of T3 either in perfused liver or in isolated liver cells. However, T3 exerted a powerful inhibitory effect on the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated responses. The promptness of this T3 effect rules out that it was the result of rate changes in gene(s) transcription. T3 inhibited the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated sustained stimulation of respiration and release of Ca2+ and H+, but not the glycogenolytic or gluconeogenic responses, in perfused liver. In isolated liver cells, T3 enhanced the alpha1-agonist-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ and impeded the intracellular alkalinization. Since T3 also prevented the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated activation of protein kinase C, its effects on pH seem to be the result of a lack of activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger. The failure of T3 to prevent the alpha1-adrenergic stimulation of gluconeogenesis despite the inhibition of protein kinase C activation indicates that the elevation of cytosolic free Ca2+ is a sufficient signal to elicit that response. T3 also impaired some of the angiotensin-II-mediated responses, but did not alter the effects of PMA on hepatic metabolism, indicating, therefore, that some postreceptor event is the target for T3 actions. The differential effect of T3 in enhancing the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ and preventing the activation of protein kinase C, provides a unique tool for further investigating the role of each branch of the signalling pathway in controlling the hepatic functions. Moreover, the low effective concentrations of T3 (<= 10 nM) in perturbing the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated response suggests its physiological significance.

Influence of thyroid status on hepatic alpha 1-adrenoreceptor responsiveness

The present work aimed to elucidate the influence of thyroid functional status on the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor-induced activation of hepatic metabolic functions. The experiments were performed in either a nonrecirculating liver perfusion system featuring continuous monitoring of portal pressure, PO2, pCa, and pH, or isolated hepatocytes from euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid rats. Hypothyroidism decreased the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of respiration, glycogen breakdown, and gluconeogenesis. These effects were accompanied by a decreased intracellular Ca2+ mobilization corroborating that those processes are regulated by the Ca(2+)-dependent branch of the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor signaling pathway. Moreover, in hyperthyroid rats the alpha 1-adrenergic-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ was enhanced, and glucose synthesis or mobilization was not altered. The thyroid status influenced neither the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction nor the alpha 1-agonist-induced intracellular alkalinization and protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Thus the distinct impairment of the Ca(2+)-dependent branch of the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor signaling pathway by thyroid status provides a useful tool to investigate the role played by each signaling pathway, Ca2+ or PKC, in controlling hepatic functions.

Altered Ca2+ homeostasis in lymphoblasts from patients with late-onset Alzheimer disease

The authors report calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis features of transformed lymphocytes from patients with late-onset Alzheimer disease and healthy age-matched controls. Alzheimer lymphoblasts show higher basal cytosolic-free [Ca2+] than controls. The antibodies anti-immunoglobulin M or the beta-amyloid (beta-amyloid) peptide fragment 25-35-induced elevation of cytosolic-free [Ca2+] was higher in Alzheimer disease lymphoblasts than in control cells. However, the kinetics of Ca2+ replenishment of Ca(2+)-depleted cells shows a higher accumulation of cytosolic Ca2+ in Alzheimer disease than in control lymphoblasts, which is better appreciated when the Ca2+ efflux is inhibited. Thus, the authors concluded that Alzheimer disease lymphoblasts have a lower Ca2+ buffering capacity than normal cells, probably because of changes in availability or intrinsic functional properties of the intracellular Ca(2+)-binding structures. Aging alters the kinetics of the Ca2+ replenishment in lymphoblasts in a manner that resembles Alzheimer disease. However, unlike Alzheimer disease, aging does not change the maximum cytosolic-free [Ca2+], suggesting that the mechanisms underlying the altered Ca2+ homeostasis in aging and late-onset Alzheimer disease are different.

Role of Ca2+ and protein kinase C in the receptor-mediated activation of Na+/H+ exchange in isolated liver cells

This work aimed to study the relationship between agonist-induced changes in cytosolic free calcium levels, protein kinase C (PKC) activity and intracellular pH in isolated liver cells. We observed that, like alpha1-adrenergic agonists, the Ca2+-mobilizing vasoactive peptides vasopressin and angiotensin II produced an extracellular-Na+-dependent, 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride-sensitive, intracellular alkalinization, indicative of Na+/H+ antiporter activation. Blocking the agonist-induced increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration using the calcium chelator bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N', N'-tetra-acetic acid (BAPTA) prevented all types of receptor-mediated intracellular alkalinization. Thus activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger by either alpha1-adrenergic agonists or vasoactive peptides relies on the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. In contrast, only the alpha1-adrenergic-agonist-induced alkalinization was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Even though alpha1-adrenergic as well as vasoactive peptide agonists stimulated protein kinase C (PKC) activity in isolated liver cells, only the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated intracellular alkalinization was dependent on PKC. According to these observations, Ca2+-mobilizing agonists appear to activate the Na+/H+ exchanger by at least two different mechanisms: (1) the alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated activation that is dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and PKC; and (2) vasoactive-peptide-induced alkalinization that is independent of extracellular Ca2+ and PKC. The alpha1-adrenoreceptor-mediated, PKC-sensitive, activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger seems to be responsible for the distinct ability of these receptors to elicit the sustained stimulation of hepatic functions.

Mutation analysis of chromosome 19 calmodulin (CALM3) gene in Alzheimer's disease patients

The calcium buffering capacity of lymphoblasts from patients suffering of late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been reported to be diminished. Calmodulin is a calcium binding protein codified by three genes, one of them (CALM3) maps to chromosome 19, nearby a gene, apoE, associated with late onset AD. In this study we screened for structural changes in the CALM3 gene from AD patients by PCR-SSCP analysis. We observed several point mutations in the intronic flanking regions of exons 3 and 4 of CALM 3 gene. However, we failed to detect any structural changes in the regions encoding the calcium binding domains of this gene. Similar results were obtained by RT-PCR analysis of CALM3 transcripts from AD patients carrying apoE epsilon4 allele. It is concluded that structural alterations in the CALM3 gene are not associated with the altered Ca2+ homeostasis shown by lymphoblasts from these patients.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the human cytosolic malic enzyme promoter: thyroid hormone responsiveness

We report the structural and functional features of the 5'-flanking region of the human cytosolic malic enzyme (ME) gene. A 2.2-kb subclone, comprising 1.5 kb upstream of the translation initiation codon, the first exon, and 0.7 kb of flanking intronic region, was sequenced and mapped to chromosome 6. The proximal promoter region is rich in G + C, lacks TATA or CCAAT boxes, and shows multiple transcription start sites, the major one 106 nucleotides upstream the ATG codon. Sequences -59/-13 and -137/-103 conferred maximal promoter activity. Deletional analysis revealed the presence of two regions positively regulated by 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3). The proximal region confers the strongest T3 inducibility to the human ME as well as to a heterologous promoter. Thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRbeta) binds to an inverted palindromic T3 response element (TRE) at position -105/-87 in a manner that is prevented by T3. Nuclear extracts or in vitro-translated retinoid acid receptor alpha (RXR alpha) shifted the TRbeta retarded band to slower-mobility complexes, which are unaffected by T3. In the absence of T3, overexpression of TRbeta repressed the ME promoter activity, most probably, through binding of TRbeta homodimers to the TRE. Thus, T3 seems to control ME transcription by inducing the dissociation of TRbeta homodimers and the functional activation of liganded heterodimers.

A mutant (Arg327-->His) GPIIb associated to thrombasthenia exerts a dominant negative effect in stably transfected CHO cells

This work reports the structural and functional characterization of the platelet glycoprotein complex GPIIb-IIIa (integrin alpha IIb beta 3) in a patient of type II Glanzmann thrombasthenia, bearing a homozygous G-->A base transition at position 1074 of GPIIb that results in an Arg327-->His substitution. CHO cells stably transfected with cDNA encoding His327GPIIb showed a drastic reduction in the surface expression of alpha IIb beta 3 complex relative to control cells transfected with wild type GPIIb. Immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that GPIIb synthesis, heterodimerization, and short term maturation were not impeded, suggesting that conformational changes dependent on Arg327 of GPIIb may play an essential role in either the rate of maturation and/or transport of heterodimers to the cell surface. Cotransfection of CHO cells with equimolar amounts of cDNAs encoding wild type and mutant His327-GPIIb led to a marked reduction in the surface expression of alpha IIb beta 3. This novel observation of a dominant-negative effect of the mutant His 327 alpha IIb subunit provides a molecular basis for the reduced platelet alpha IIb beta 3 content observed in the heterozygous offspring.

Modulation of the hepatic alpha 1-adrenoceptor responsiveness by colchicine: dissociation of free cytosolic Ca(2+)-dependent and independent responses

1. The cytoskeletal depolymerizing agent, colchicine, prevents the hepatic alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated stimulation of respiration, H+ and Ca2+ release to the effluent perfusate, intracellular alkalosis, and glycogenolysis. Unlike the other parameters, colchicine does not perturb the alpha 1-agonist-induced stimulation of gluconeogenesis or phosphorylase 'a' activation, and enhances the increase in portal pressure response. The lack of effect of colchicine on the hepatic alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated effects indicates that its actions are alpha 1-specific. 2. Colchicine enhances the acute alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and prevents the activation of protein kinase C. This differential effect on the two branches of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor signalling pathway is a distinctive feature of the colchicine action. 3. The lack of effect of colchicine in altering the alpha 1-adrenoceptor ligand binding affinity suggests that it might interact with some receptor-coupled regulatory element(s). 4. The acuteness of the colchicine effect and the ability of its isomer beta-lumicolchicine to prevent all the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated responses but the increase in vascular resistance, indicate that its action cannot be merely ascribed to its effects in depolymerizing tubulin. 5. Colchicine perturbs the hepatic responses to vasoactive peptides. It enhances the vasopressin-induced rise of cytosolic free Ca2+ in isolated hepatocytes and prevents the sustained decrease of Ca2+ in the effluent perfusate. It also inhibits the stimulation of glycogenolysis, without altering the stimulation of gluconeogenesis. 6. It is concluded that there are at least two major alpha 1-adrenoceptor signalling pathways. One is colchicine-sensitive, independent of variations in free cytosolic Ca2+, and protein kinase C-dependent; the other one is colchicine-insensitive, dependent on variations in free cytosolic Ca2+, and protein kinase C-independent.

Apolipoprotein E genotype in Spanish patients of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease

Blood donors of the Madrid area show a 6% frequency of apolipoprotein E genotype carrying allele epsilon 4. This frequency is smaller than other populations of Caucasian origin. This proportion decreases to 4% in a selected sample of healthy individuals of ages > 60 years. The frequency (34%) of the allele epsilon 4 was significantly increased in patients of late onset Alzheimer's disease, similarly to other populations. An earlier age of onset of the dementia is observed in the patients of late-onset Alzheimer's disease carrying the allele epsilon 4. No increased frequency in allele epsilon 4 frequency was found in patients of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Patients of Parkinson's disease do not show any differences in the frequency of the alleles of apolipoprotein E when compared with healthy individuals.

Effect of phenylarsine oxide on hepatic alpha 1-adrenoreceptor responsiveness. Dissociation between ionotropic and metabolic responses

The present studies analyze the effect of the tervalent arsenical compound phenylarsine oxide (PAO) on hepatic response to alpha 1-adrenoreceptor stimulation. PAO, while not significantly altering the rate of glycogen breakdown, was found to inhibit many characteristic alpha 1-adrenoreceptor mediated responses including H+ and Ca2+ release, increased energy production, and vascular smooth muscle contraction. PAO inhibited basal gluconeogenesis but failed to inhibit the alpha 1-agonist induced stimulation of glucose production. These data suggest that alpha 1-adrenoreceptor mediated stimulation of metabolism and rates of ion flux across the plasma membrane are separate processes and that exchange in ion homeostasis is not essential to elicit the receptor-mediated metabolic responses. The selective effect of PAO offers an interesting tool for studying the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor signaling mechanisms.

Cloning, sequencing and functional expression of a cDNA encoding a NADP-dependent malic enzyme from human liver

This work reports the structure of a cDNA (ME) encoding a human malic enzyme (ME) (malate NADP oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.40) elucidated by joining several overlapping fragments amplified by PCR from human hepatic cDNA or from cDNA libraries. The full-length cDNA has an open reading frame (ORF) of 1719 bp that encodes a 572-amino-acid protein of 64 113 Da, similar to the native monomeric, cytosolic, NADP-dependent ME isolated from human liver. The comparison of the structure of this cDNA with that of the human mitochondrial NAD(P)-dependent ME (EC 1.1.1.39) shows a homology of 63%, suggesting that these two forms originated from the same gene. The expression of the cDNA in Escherichia coli as a translational fusion (glutathione S-transferase::ME) protein yielded a product of the predicted mass. The recombinant protein shows NADP-dependent malate oxidoreductase activity and is virtually inactive with NAD. It also shows other distinct features of the native cytosolic NADP-dependent ME, like Mn2+ dependence, similar substrate (Km = 117 microM) and cofactor affinity (Km = 2 microM) constants, and a lack of allosteric regulation. In human proliferative cells, the NADP-dependent ME activity is poorly expressed and barely inducible by thyroid hormones.

Molecular cloning, sequencing and expression of a cDNA encoding a human liver NAD-dependent alpha-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

This work reports the primary nucleotide structure and in vitro translation of a cDNA, expressed by a gene mapping on chromosome 12, that encodes a human hepatic alpha-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (L-glycerol-3-phosphate:NAD oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.1.1.8). The 1413 bp cDNA comprises an ORF of 1050 bp that encodes a 349 amino acid protein of 37.5 kDa. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ mRNA from human liver showed three transcripts, while from human placenta only two transcripts were detected.

Role of amino acid-induced changes in ion fluxes in the regulation of hepatic protein synthesis

Alanine is a powerful stimulator of hepatic protein synthesis whose mechanism of action has not yet been ascertained. The present work aimed to elucidate whether rate changes in ion fluxes accompanying the transport of this amino acid could play a role in the stimulation of protein synthesis. In perfused livers, the utilization of alanine produced a net uptake of K+ of 1.5 mumol/min/liver, a progressively increasing efflux of Ca2+ to reach a maximum of 0.9 mumol/min/liver, and alkalization of the extracellular medium. Inhibition of Na+/K+ exchange by ouabain reversed only the uptake of K+, indicating that this is the main way for the efflux of Na+ cotransported with alanine. In isolated hepatocytes, the uptake of alanine increased the intracellular content of K+ and the cell volume. The following observations suggest that these changes, and not an increased intracellular concentration of Na+, are associated with the stimulation of protein synthesis: 1) Ouabain inhibited the alanine stimulation of L-[3H]-valine incorporation into protein without altering the basal rate of protein labeling; 2) ouabain had no effects on alanine uptake indicating that Na+ influx is not involved in the alanine stimulation of protein synthesis; 3) disruption of Na+ gradient across the plasma membrane by specific ionophores, monensin and gramicidin D, inhibited both basal and alanine-stimulated protein synthesis, but substitution of extracellular Na+ by K+ did not prevent the stimulatory action of alanine. The observation that hypotonic buffer enhanced protein synthesis to the same degree than alanine in liver cells indicates that alanine-induced cell swelling could be sufficient to stimulate protein synthesis.

Impaired protein kinase C activation is associated with decreased hepatic alpha 1-adrenoreceptor responsiveness in adrenalectomized rats

The present work aimed to study the influence of corticosteroids on the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor-induced activation of hepatic metabolic functions. The experiments were performed in a nonrecirculating liver perfusion system featuring continuous monitoring of pO2, pCa2+, Ca2+, pH, and portal pressure. The alpha 1-adrenergic-induced stimulation of respiration, H+ and Ca2+ release, glycogen breakdown, and gluconeogenesis, were diminished in livers from adrenalectomized animals. The normal liver responsiveness was restored on administration of exogenous corticosteroids but not mineralocorticoids. The following observations support the conclusion that corticosteroids control a hepatocyte-specific early postreceptor step in the alpha 1-adrenergic signaling pathway: 1) the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction was not impaired by corticosteroid deficiency; 2) the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor ligand-binding affinity does not seem to be altered by adrenalectomy; 3) the alpha 1-adrenergic-induced intracellular alkalosis, protein kinase C activation, and Ca2+ mobilization were diminished in hepatocytes from adrenalectomized rats, indicating that both Ca(2+)-dependent and -independent processes were altered; and 4) non-receptor-mediated homeostatic mechanisms of metabolic or intracellular pH control were not impaired by adrenalectomy.

Loss of fatty acid control of gluconeogenesis and PDH complex flux in adrenalectomized rats

This work aimed to determine the role played by the adrenal gland in the fatty acid control of gluconeogenesis in isolated perfused rat livers. The gluconeogenic substrate concentration responses were not altered in adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. This observation indicates that glucocorticoids are not essential to maintain normal basal gluconeogenic rates. In contrast, fatty acid failed to stimulate gluconeogenesis from lactate and elicited attenuated stimulation with pyruvate as substrate in livers from ADX rats. Fatty acid-induced stimulation of respiration and ketone body production were similar in control and ADX rats. Thus the diminished responsiveness of the gluconeogenic pathway to fatty acid cannot be the result of different rates of energy production and/or generation of reducing power. Fatty acids did not inhibit pyruvate decarboxylation in livers from ADX rats. Even though mitochondria isolated from livers of ADX rats showed normal basal rates of pyruvate metabolism, fatty acids failed to inhibit pyruvate decarboxylation and the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. This novel observation of the glucocorticoid effect in controlling the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex responsiveness indicates that the mitochondrial partitioning of pyruvate between carboxylation and decarboxylation reactions may be altered in livers from ADX rats. We propose that the diminished effect of fatty acid in stimulating gluconeogenesis in livers from ADX rats is the result of a limited pyruvate availability for the carboxylase reaction due to a lack of inhibition of flux through the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

Functional coupling of Na+/H+ and Na+/Ca2+ exchangers in the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor-mediated activation of hepatic metabolism

The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of ions other than Ca2+ in hepatic responses to alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation. We report that the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor activation of hepatic functions is accompanied by extracellular acidification and an increase in intracellular pH. These effects are dependent on extracellular Na+ concentration and are inhibited by the Na+/H+ antiporter blocker 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride under conditions that preclude antagonistic effects on agonist binding. Thus, the activation of plasma membrane Na+/H+ exchange is an essential feature of the hepatic alpha-adrenoreceptor-coupled signaling pathway. The following observations indicate that the sustained hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic actions rely on a functional coupling between the plasma membrane Na+/H+ and Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, resulting in the stimulation of Ca2+ influx. 1) Inhibition of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase does not prevent the alpha 1-adrenergic effects. However, alpha 1-adrenoreceptor stimulation fails to induce intracellular alkalinization and to acidify the extracellular medium in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. 2) A non-receptor-induced increase in intracellular Na+ concentration, caused by the ionophore monensin, stimulates Ca2+ influx and increases vascular resistance. 3) Inhibition of Na+/Ca2+ exchange prevents, in a concentration-dependent manner, most of the alpha 1-agonist-induced responses. 4) The actions of Ca(2+)-mobilizing vasoactive peptide receptors or alpha 2-adrenoreceptors, which produce neither sustained extracellular acidification nor release of Ca2+, are insensitive to Na+/H+ exchange blockers.

Characterization of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated responses in perfused rat liver

The present work aimed to further characterise the hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic actions by studying the influence of nutritional status and/or extracellular medium composition in the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-induced responses. The experiments were performed in a non-recirculating liver-perfusion system featuring continuous monitoring of vascular resistance, as well as the effluent perfusate changes in pO2, pCa2+, pK+ and pH. The alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation produced biphasic responses to most parameters studied. The acute phase lasted for about 3 min and it was followed by a phase of sustained stimulation that lasted as long as the receptor activation was maintained. Our data indicate that there is not a single pattern of alpha 1-adrenergic responses but variable patterns depending on the nutritional status and the experimental conditions. Gluconeogenic substrates alone produced reciprocal changes in the outflow perfusate pH and Ca2+ activity. The magnitude of these changes indicates that the diversity of alpha 1-adrenoceptor responses are the result of the superposed effects of different rates of substrates and/or metabolites transport. The sustained alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation produced extracellular acidification and increases in respiration, vascular resistance and Ca2+ release. These responses required physiological extracellular [Ca2+]. At low extracellular [Ca2+], the alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation failed to acidify the extracellular medium, suggesting that receptor-induced H+ efflux demands normal rates of Ca2+ influx. The correlation between alpha 1-adrenergic-induced increase in O2 uptake and Ca2+ release indicates that the increased energy production can be accounted for by the energy cost of Ca2+ release. The alpha 1-agonist concentration-response studies have shown significant differences in the [alpha 1-agonist]0.5 for each type of response, suggesting the existence of multiple alpha 1-adrenoceptor-coupled signal-transduction pathways.

Reciprocal changes in gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis induced by fatty acid oxidation

Fatty acids produced a stimulation of gluconeogenesis and either inhibition or no effect on ureagenesis in livers perfused with gluconeogenic substrates and having NH4Cl plus ornithine as the nitrogen source. This finding indicates that stimulation of flux through pyruvate carboxylase is not sufficient to enhance urea production from ammonia. The metabolic action of fatty acids showed the following characteristics: (1) it was concentration-dependent, showing saturation-type kinetics similar to those described for fatty acid oxidation; (2) the stimulatory action on gluconeogenesis was constant and independent of NH4Cl concentration, whereas the inhibition of ureagenesis was variable and dependent on NH4Cl concentration and the degree of reduction of the gluconeogenic substrate; and (3) fatty acids produced apparent reciprocal changes in the state of reduction of the cytosolic and mitochondrial NAD systems. Fatty acid oxidation exerted its effect mainly, if not exclusively, by preventing the gluconeogenic substrate-induced stimulation of ureagenesis. Fatty acids also inhibited ureagenesis without stimulating gluconeogenesis (lactate < 1 mmol/L), ruling out a limiting energy availability as the cause of the inhibition. One or both of the following two mechanisms seem to account for the fatty acid-induced inhibition of ureagenesis from NH4Cl. First, a decreased uptake of ornithine, and second, decreased flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase and probably other NAD(P)-linked mitochondrial dehydrogenases. The correlation found between the ability of fatty acids to inhibit ureagenesis and the state of activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase supports the latter point.

Role of protein kinase-C in the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated responses of perfused rat liver

The present work aimed to determine the role played by protein kinase-C (PKC) in the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-induced activation of hepatic metabolism. The following observations indicate that activation of PKC is a condition necessary for alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation of hepatic functions, but not sufficient to mimic the receptor-mediated effects in the absence of external physiological stimuli. 1) alpha 1-Adrenoceptor activation promoted the translocation of PKC from the cytosol to its active form in the plasma membrane. 2) Activation of PKC by the phorbol ester 12-myristate 13-acetate or exogenous diacylglycerols or by elevation of endogenous levels of diacylglycerols by inhibiting diacylglycerol kinase mimicked the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated actions. However, the time course and magnitude of the nonreceptor responses differ from those mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation. In addition, nonreceptor-mediated activation of PKC decreased the alpha 1-adrenoceptor responsiveness. 3) Inhibition of PKC by either H-7 [1-(5-isoquinolinilsulfonyl)2-methylpiperazine] or staurosporine inhibited all of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-induced responses, except gluconeogenesis. The vasopressin effects were not inhibited by H-7, indicating that PKC activation is a distinct feature of the hepatic alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation that is not shared by all the Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists. The diacylglycerol-PKC branch of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor signaling pathway seems to control the sustained phase of stimulation of hepatic functions. In these studies we have also observed that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate produces a concentration-dependent inhibition of hepatic respiration. However, decreased energy availability does not seem to be the cause of its action to decrease alpha 1-adrenoceptor responsiveness.

Interrelationships between ureogenesis and gluconeogenesis in perfused rat liver

Stimulation of ureogenesis by ornithine and/or NH4Cl inhibited gluconeogenesis from lactate but not from equimolar concentrations of pyruvate in perfused rat liver. Neither a shortage of energy nor a decrease in alpha-ketoglutarate availability seems to be responsible for this inhibition. With lactate as substrate the extracellular concentration of pyruvate attained was approximately equal to 0.15 mM that assuming reflects its cytosolic concentration it would be limiting for its mitochondrial transport. Stimulation of ureogenesis from NH4Cl enhances flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase. Furthermore, activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by dichloroacetate led to stimulation of ureogenesis and inhibition of glucose production. Conversely, inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase flux by fatty acid enhanced glucose production and inhibited ureogenesis. Thus, ornithine and/or NH4Cl seem to inhibit lactate to glucose flux by shifting the mitochondrial partitioning of pyruvate from carboxylation towards decarboxylation with the result of a decreased oxaloacetate formation. Gluconeogenic substrates enhanced the hepatic uptake of ornithine. However, no correlation seems to exist between the uptake of ornithine, ornithine-induced stimulation of ureogenesis and total rates of urea production. Ornithine produced a concentration-dependent acidification of the hepatic outflow perfusate, suggesting that it may be transported in exchange for H+.

Pertussis toxin inhibition of alpha 1-adrenergic or vasopressin-induced Ca2+ fluxes in rat liver. Selective inhibition of the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor-coupled metabolic activation

Pretreatment with pertussis toxin produced a impairment of the response to the alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine in perfused isolated rat livers. The sustained phases of phenylephrine-induced increases in respiration, glucose mobilization, gluconeogenesis, vascular resistance, and efflux of H+ and Ca2+ were inhibited to variable degrees in livers from pertussis toxin-treated animals. The susceptibility of such a diversity of receptor-mediated effects suggests that a common, most likely early step(s) of the alpha 1-receptor-coupled signaling pathway may be regulated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi protein(s) that appears to be involved in the control of the rate of these processes. The most significant effect of pertussis toxin has been to almost entirely prevent the phenylephrine-induced sustained release of Ca2+. Pertussis toxin also inhibited the vasopressin-mediated influx of Ca2+. These findings indicate that G proteins associated with receptor-operated calcium channels are a site of interaction of pertussis toxin. The following observations support the conclusion that pertussis toxin per se does not perturb the hepatic metabolism. Its effects are specifically linked to functional responses mediated by alpha 1-type adrenergic receptors: 1) polypeptide receptor-mediated metabolic effects, as those induced by vasopressin, were not affected by pertussis toxin; 2) non-receptor-mediated effects, such as fatty acid-induced stimulation of respiration and gluconeogenesis, were not impaired by pertussis toxin; and 3) neither the hepatic responses to alpha 2-(clonidine) nor to beta-(isoproterenol) adrenergic receptor agonists were altered in livers from pertussis toxin-treated rats. The differential effects of pertussis toxin in the metabolic actions of phenylephrine and vasopressin, in spite of apparently similar effects in perturbing their actions on Ca2+ fluxes, suggest that pertussis toxin-sensitive alpha 1-receptor-associated G protein(s) other than those controlling Ca2+ channels, were also specifically affected in the alpha 1-agonist-signaling pathway. The finding that increasing concentrations of phenylephrine were capable of overcoming these pertussis toxin actions indicates that alpha 1-adrenoreceptors' ligand affinity is controlled by Gi proteins.

Correlations of language abnormalities with localization of mutations in the beta-thyroid hormone receptor in 13 kindreds with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone: identification of four new mutations

Generalized resistance to thyroid hormone is an inherited disease characterized by unresponsiveness of pituitary and peripheral tissues to thyroid hormone. Genetic analysis of several kindreds linked this syndrome to the gene for the beta-form of the thyroid hormone receptor, and this led to the subsequent identification of various mutations in the ligand-binding domain of this receptor. In this region we now have found 4 new point mutations with reduced T3-binding affinities from separate kindreds by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products. Similar to previously studied kindreds, the reduction in T3 binding of these four kindreds ranged from 2.5- to 5-fold, indicating that these are not neutral polymorphisms. Furthermore, the pattern of inheritance of these 4 kindreds is familial in 2, sporadic in 1, and unknown in 1. To date, 20 distinct mutations have been identified, of which 18 are clustered in 2 distinct topographical regions: 11 are within the tau i/dimerization subdomains of exon 9, and 7 are within the L2 subdomain of exon 10. The 4 newly identified mutations coupled to the 9 mutations our laboratory has previously identified provide new insights into the clinical aspects of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. Kindreds with mutations in exon 9 compared with those in exon 10 have significantly more problems in language development, as manifested by articulation problems and/or wide discrepancies in verbal and performance IQs. Interestingly, marked variability in language deficiency as well as other clinical patterns were seen not only between kindreds but also within a kindred. Further identification and clinical correlations of new mutations will continue to enhance our understanding of the structure/function relationships and physiological role of the human thyroid hormone receptor.

On the mechanism of stimulation of ureagenesis by gluconeogenic substrates: role of pyruvate carboxylase

Gluconeogenic substrates, lactate or pyruvate, or ornithine produced 100% increase of urea synthesis from NH4Cl. The combined administration of ornithine and lactate (or pyruvate) produced more than additive effects, indicating that they acted at different steps in a potentiating manner. The uptake of ornithine was enhanced by gluconeogenic substrates. This finding may explain, at least in part, the stimulating effect of these substrates on ureagenesis from NH4Cl and ornithine. The gluconeogenic substrate-induced stimulation of ureagenesis from NH4Cl was still observed under conditions of reduced flux through pyruvate carboxylase, ruling out that their action was exclusively mediated by the anaplerotic effect of this enzyme. Pyruvate was a more potent stimulator of ureagenesis than lactate and its effect less sensitive to pyruvate carboxylase inhibition. These observations indicate that a correlation exists between stimulation of ureagenesis by gluconeogenic substrates and flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase. It is concluded that gluconeogenic substrates may stimulate ureagenesis from NH4Cl by 1) increasing intracellular ornithine availability and/or 2) enhancing flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase and consequently the tricarboxylic acid cycle activity.

Role of endogenous fatty acids in the control of hepatic gluconeogenesis

Inhibition of endogenous long chain fatty acids oxidation by tetradecylglycidate (TDGA) impeded gluconeogenesis from lactate or from low concentrations of pyruvate (less than 0.5 mM). The inhibitory effect of TDGA was overcome by medium and short chain fatty acid or by concentrations of pyruvate about 0.5 mM, but not by 10-fold higher concentrations of lactate. Despite decreased energy demand when gluconeogenesis was inhibited by TDGA, the pyruvate-induced increase in hepatic oxygen consumption was similar to the control, indicating that pyruvate transport across the mitochondrial membrane and/or its decarboxylation was not altered, and therefore can not be responsible for the inhibition of gluconeogenesis. Neither does a deficiency of acetyl-CoA explain the decrease in the gluconeogenic flux since high pyruvate loads (greater than 0.5 mM), beta-hydroxybutyrate or even ethanol was capable of overcoming the inhibitory effect of TDGA in the absence of significant changes in the hepatic content of acetyl-CoA. At low (less than 0.3 mM), presumably physiological, pyruvate concentrations, its rate of mitochondrial utilization is limited by the activity of the monocarboxylate transporter. Agents that reduced the mitochondrial NAD system, and therefore reduced flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase, like beta-hydroxybutyrate or ethanol, stimulated gluconeogenesis when fatty acid oxidation was inhibited. The latter observations indicate that the primary role of endogenous fatty acid, when substrate availability is limiting, is to spare mitochondrial pyruvate by decreasing its oxidation, and therefore shifting the partitioning between the carboxylation and decarboxylation reactions toward the former.

Effect of alanine supply on hepatic protein synthesis in animals maintained on a protein free diet

In contrast to what it is observed during starvation, animals maintained on a protein-free isocaloric diet showed an increase in the rate of hepatic peptide chain elongation as determined by measuring the ribosomal transit time in vivo. The loss of body nitrogen per se is insufficient to generate the signal(s) which arrests hepatic peptide chain elongation. This observation suggests that it is an increase in gluconeogenic demand, and not the negative nitrogen balance, which is implicated in determining reciprocal changes in the rate of protein synthesis. The rate of protein synthesis, as expressed per mg of DNA, does not change in protein deprived animals, while the RNA to DNA ratio decreased. These data also agree with a higher ribosomal efficiency at the elongation step. The animals maintained on a protein-free diet have a decreased hepatic content of protein and an increased concentration of valine, indicating an increased proteolysis. The enhanced rate of polypeptide elongation observed in animals kept on a protein-free diet was accompanied by decreases in the state of aggregation of polyribosomes and in the ability of liver extracts to form eIF-2 catalyzed ternary complexes. These observations suggest that the activity of the hepatic initiation factor in vivo may not be rate limiting. The administration of alanine in vivo to animals maintained on a protein-free diet showed a preferential effect in reaggregating polyribosomes. This action was neither accompanied by detectable effects on the rate of eIF-2 catalyzed ternary complexes formation nor by significant changes in the rate of elongation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Characterization of seven novel mutations of the c-erbA beta gene in unrelated kindreds with generalized thyroid hormone resistance. Evidence for two "hot spot" regions of the ligand binding domain

Genetic analysis in our laboratory of families with generalized thyroid hormone resistance (GTHR) has demonstrated tight linkage with a locus, c-erbA beta, encoding a nuclear T3 receptor. Three point mutations and two deletions in this locus have previously been reported in affected individuals in unrelated families as potential molecular bases for this disorder. In the present study, we have used direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction-amplified exons of the c-erbA beta gene to rapidly identify novel point mutations from seven previously uncharacterized kindreds with GTHR. Six single base substitutions and one single base insertion were identified and found to be clustered in two regions of exons 9 and 10 in the ligand binding domain of the receptor: in the distal ligand-binding subdomain L2 and across the juncture of the taui and dimerization subdomains. Reduction of T3-binding affinity in each of four mutations tested as well as segregation of all mutations to clinically affected individuals strongly supports the hypothesis that these changes are the cause of GTHR in these kindreds. In view of the diversity of clinical phenotypes manifested, the distinct topographic clustering of the mutations provides an invaluable genetic tool for the molecular dissection of thyroid receptor function.

On the mechanism of sodium 2-5-4 chlorophenylpentyloxirane-2-carboxylate (POCA) inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis

Inhibition of hepatic long chain fatty acid oxidation by 2-5-4 chlorophenylpentyloxirane-2-carboxylate (POCA) leads to decreased gluconeogenic rates from lactate or from low concentrations of pyruvate. The inhibitory effect is fully overcome by concentrations of pyruvate above 0.8 mM or by the simultaneous administration of a medium chain fatty acid. At low pyruvate availability the energy cost of gluconeogenesis is mainly supported by fatty acid oxidation and POCA-induced inhibition of glucose production is secondary to a decreased energy availability. This is supported by the following observations: (i) POCA decreases hepatic respiration and phosphorylation potential: (ii) the rate of pyruvate-induced respiration was the same regardless of whether gluconeogenesis was inhibited or not by POCA: and (iii) concentrations of pyruvate above 0.8 mM, at which gluconeogenesis is not inhibited, prevented the POCA-induced decrease in the phosphorylation potential. It is concluded that inhibition of long chain fatty acid oxidation by POCA leads to a switch of energy fuel, and results in the oxidation of more pyruvate to meet the cellular energy demands. When pyruvate availability is low and thus, presumably, its mitochondrial transport restricted, pyruvate carboxylation most probably becomes limiting as a result of the increased flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase, in the presence of POCA.

Role of fatty acid in the control of protein synthesis in liver cells

Concentrations of oleate (0.2-1 mM) within the physiological range of plasma free fatty acids induced a dose dependent statistically significant inhibition of protein labelling in isolated liver cells. The inhibitory effect was as high as 50% and it was not impeded when long chain fatty acid oxidation was prevented. Experiments carried out with hepatocytes from 48 h fasted rats, incubated in the absence of any exogenous energy source, show that the inhibition of endogenous long chain fatty acid oxidation induced a decreased rate of protein synthesis apparently related to changes in the cellular energy state. It is concluded that fatty acids play a dual role in the regulation of protein synthesis in liver cells: 1. endogenous fatty acids appear to be the main energy fuel for protein synthesis when no other exogenous substrate is present and the carbohydrate stores are low; 2. exogenous fatty acids seem to control protein synthesis by interacting with some key regulatory step.

Ca2(+)-fatty acid interaction in the control of hepatic gluconeogenesis

Calcium depletion induced by perfusing livers with calcium-free buffer did not alter the rates of basal glucose production from pyruvate or from increasing concentrations of lactate. However, calcium deficiency selectively prevented the fatty acid-induced stimulation of gluconeogenesis from lactate. This effect is not related to the higher NAD redox potential consistently observed in Ca2(+)-deficient livers. On the other hand, octanoate was capable of inducing dose-dependent changes in the [pyruvate]0.5 in calcium-depleted livers perfused with lactate, ruling out that low cellular calcium content could perturb the mitochondrial transport of pyruvate. The observation that the effect of calcium deficiency can be overcome by supraphysiological concentrations of pyruvate supports the proposal that stimulation of the maximal capacity of the gluconeogenic pathway by fatty acid relies largely on the tricarboxylic acid cycle activity, restricted in calcium deficiency conditions.

Effect of cellular Ca2+ loading on alpha 1-agonist or protein kinase C activators-mediated stimulation of phosphorylase "a" in liver cells

Long chain unsaturated fatty acids stimulate phosphorylase "a" activity in liver cells. Similar degree of activation was achieved by increasing cellular Ca2+ content or by treatment with agents other than oleate, like 1,2-diolein or phorbol esters, sharing in common their ability to activate protein kinase C. In Ca2+-loaded liver cells only phenylephrine was capable of inducing a further stimulation of phosphorylase "a" activity. It is concluded that: 1) The state of activation of protein kinase C may play a role in the hormonal control of liver glycogen metabolism; 2) alpha 1-agonist-mediated activation of phosphorylase "a" can occur by a mechanism which is not related to a Ca2+-dependent activation of protein kinase C.

Control of hepatic gluconeogenesis: role of fatty acid oxidation

Octanoate has been found to activate the gluconeogenic pathway in perfused isolated rat liver. Whether a net increase in the production of glucose is observed is a function of the relative concentrations of the glucose precursor and the fatty acid. The kinetics of octanoate interaction with the gluconeogenic pathway are influenced by the rate changes induced by decreases in pyruvate concentration as a result of the increased NAD redox potential produced by the oxidation of fatty acid. Taking this into account, two distinct effects of octanoate were identified. The first is an increase in the Vmax even at the lowest (25 microM) concentration of the fatty acid tested. The second is a progressive decrease in [pyruvate]0.5 as a function of octanoate concentration. The latter occurs at low (less than 0.1 mM), presumably physiological, pyruvate concentrations, when its mitochondrial transport is limiting, indicating that this process must have been activated. The former is observable even at high (greater than 0.5 mM), supraphysiological, concentrations of pyruvate, when its mitochondrial transport is not limiting, indicating that a distal step, presumably pyruvate carboxylation, is activated. The action of octanoate in increasing gluconeogenesis has been found not to be related to a decreased flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase, neither to changes in the NAD redox potential nor to its ability to increase energy production. Actually, the oxygen uptake induced by octanoate was largely accounted for by the production of ketone body and the latter process was found to be independent of variations in energy demand.

Role of calcium in the phenylephrine-induced activation of phosphorylase "A" in isolated liver cells

The ability of phenylephrine to activate phosphorylase in liver cells with variable degrees of Ca2+ loading was studied. Phenylephrine has been found to be capable of stimulating phosphorylase at saturating Ca2+ concentrations that precluded any further action of this ion. Furthermore the degree of activation was proportional to the cellular calcium content. These results allow to conclude that alpha-adrenergic agonists activate phosphorylase by a mechanism apparently unrelated to their ability to mobilize and subsequently increase the cytosolic concentration of free Ca2+.

The interaction of cycloserine with pyruvate and other biologically relevant alpha-ketoacids

The ability of cycloserine solutions to deplete alpha-oxoacids has been found to be correlated with the spontaneous transformation of cycloserine into a derivative dimer (2,5-bis-(aminoxymethyl)-3,6-diketopiperazine). Synthetic dimer was found to react rapidly with pyruvate to form the expected oxime. Two lines of evidence indicate that it is the cycloserine dimer and not cycloserine itself that reacts with alpha-ketoacid. First, the 1H NMR spectrum of the purified oxime is superimposable with that arising when the dimer and pyruvate are mixed and the spectrum taken immediately thereafter. Second, the mass spectrum of the reaction product of cycloserine dimer and methylpyruvate is totally consistent with the formation of a stable oxime derivative. Furthermore, when cycloserine is incubated with pyruvate the oxime derived from the dimer is found. These observations clearly indicate that cycloserine in solution can have chemical activities in addition to its ability to interfere with pyridoxal dependent reactions. On these grounds it is concluded that any biological action of cycloserine should be interpreted cautiously.

Control of gluconeogenesis: role of fatty acids in the alpha-adrenergic response

Phenylephrine increases hepatic gluconeogenesis for as long as it is present in the extracellular medium. This effect is accompanied by a parallel increase in oxygen consumption. No apparent stoichiometric relationship exists between the phenylephrine-stimulated respiration and the energy required to meet the demands of gluconeogenesis. In the absence of extracellular calcium, no sustained stimulation of respiration was observed and phenylephrine failed to enhance gluconeogenesis; however, acute and transient effects of the alpha-adrenergic agonist were still observable. The following observations indicate that fatty acids are not involved in the alpha-adrenergic response: (1) the effects of phenylephrine and octanoate on respiration and gluconeogenesis were found to be additive; (2) unlike phenylephrine, octanoate is capable of stimulating gluconeogenesis in calcium-depleted liver; (3) in the absence of calcium, phenylephrine was incapable of further stimulating respiration or gluconeogenesis in the presence of octanoate. It is concluded that the conditions of increased lipid mobilization and/or oxidation are not sufficient to explain the metabolic response to alpha-adrenergic agonists. Fatty acids and alpha-adrenergic stimulation share a common role of stimulating gluconeogenesis in a manner dependent on their ability to stimulate respiration; however, the additive nature of their effects and distinct calcium requirements indicate that they act to trigger different mechanisms.