Regulation of gamma-glutamyltransferase in cisplatin-resistant and -sensitive colon carcinoma cells after acute cisplatin and oxidative stress exposures

Glutathione plays an important role in drug resistance of tumor cells and in their ability to resist oxidative stress. Improved salvage of glutathione can be obtained through increased activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), which is of importance in the maintenance of cellular glutathione homeostasis. We investigated the regulation of GGT in 2 cisplatin-resistant and 1 cisplatin-sensitive colon carcinoma cell lines. Enzyme activity was induced in all 3 cell lines after acute exposure to cisplatin. The elevation was significantly higher in sensitive cells (3.3-fold) than in resistant (1.6- to 1.7-fold) cells. Exposure of cells to oxidative stress generated by menadione also resulted in enzyme induction but only in cisplatin-sensitive cells. Addition of anti-oxidants had different effects on the 2 inductions: N-acetylcysteine blocked the induction of both cisplatin and menadione, whereas catalase and glutathione-ester blocked only the menadione induction. Glutathione depletion alone was not sufficient to induce GGT in these cells. The data show that GGT is regulated by multiple mechanisms during anti-tumor drug treatment and oxidative stress and that reactive oxygen species were involved in the menadione, but not cisplatin, induction of the enzyme.

Lactate and pyruvate concentrations in capillary blood from newborns

Using high pressure liquid chromatography on strong cation exchange column, we analyzed capillary blood from 141 healthy full-term newborns for lactate and pyruvate concentrations. Total range of lactate was 367-3245 mumol/l and reference interval (mean +/- 2 SD) was 260-2212 mumol/l. Total range of pyruvate was 10-141 mumol/l and reference interval (10th/90th percentile) was 12-71 mumol/l.

Aspartylglucosaminuria in northern Norway: a molecular and genealogical study

Aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU, McKusick 208400) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder. Ninety percent of all patients are from Finland and only sporadic cases have been reported from elsewhere. In northern Norway, however, nine patients from seven families have been diagnosed with AGU. All these Norwegian patients were homozygous for the most prevalent Finnish AGU mutation (AGUFin) and show the polymorphism uniquely associated with AGUFin in Finland. Genealogical investigation of nine parents proved Finnish ancestry in all pedigrees. Therefore, AGU in Norway most likely resulted from immigration of Finnish carriers. These Finnish immigrants originated mostly from the Tornio valley area in northern Finland in a continuous immigration movement from 1700 to 1900. The majority settled in the western part of northern Norway, leading to a "cluster" of AGU in that particular area. The Finnish immigrants intermixed considerably with Lapps and these two ethnic origins should thus be considered as high risk groups for AGUFin in northern Norway.

Mitochondrial diseases and myopathies: a series of muscle biopsy specimens with ultrastructural changes in the mitochondria

From 1986 to 1991, 472 muscle biopsy specimens from patients from different hospitals in Norway were examined. Of these, 364 were embedded for electron microscopy, and 194 were examined with electron microscopy. Ultrastructural alterations in the mitochondria were detected in 49 of these specimens. Characteristic electron microscopic findings included subsarcolemmal accumulation of abnormal mitochondria of various shapes and sizes, often containing electron-dense granules and sometimes lipid vacuoles in the mitochondria and diffusely electron-lucent matrix space. Paracrystalline inclusion bodies were seldom seen in specimens from young patients, but in some cases mitochondrial electron-dense granules at the cristae were found. These amorphous densities are consistent with lipoproteins, suggesting that they may represent an early stage of paracrystalline inclusions. Biochemical and genetic exploration of the patients with biopsy specimens suggesting mitochondrial disease indicated maternally genetic inheritance and an enzyme defect in the respiratory chain in 21 patients in two families. Three patients had MELAS syndrome, 7 Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome, and 2 Kearns-Sayre syndrome. Five family members had ptosis, cardiomyopathy, mild myopathy, and increased lactate in cerebrospinal fluid and serum. In addition to the diseases mentioned above, changes in the mitochondria were detected in other conditions such as Rett's syndrome (n = 1), ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (n = 2), and hypothyroidism (n = 2) as well as in 3 patients with clinical and laboratory results indicative of inflammatory myopathy and 3 patients with clinical and laboratory findings consistent with peripheral neuropathy. It is concluded that, although ultrastructural changes in the mitochondria may represent unspecific findings, electron microscopic examination of muscle biopsy specimens is a useful screening method to select specimens for further biochemical analysis and to obtain an early and more precise diagnosis of the disease.

[Mitochondrial diseases. Diagnostic light and electron microscopic changes in muscle biopsies from patients with mitochondrial myopathy]

Mitochondrial myopathy can be caused by several metabolic defects in the mitochondria. Cells with high levels of oxidative metabolism, such as skeletal muscle, myocardium and brain cells, are particularly vulnerable to these defects. We describe the structural changes in muscle biopsies from 49 patients with mitochondrial myopathy. The younger patients were often symptom-free, but the possibility of a genetic defect was suggested by the family history. "Ragged-red fibres" were found in 10% of the biopsies. Typical paracrystalline inclusions were seen in the mitochondria of the oldest patients. Electron-lucent matrix and increased thickness of the inner membranes of the mitochondria in particular were found in the younger patients. Disorganization of cristae, with cristolysis and unfolding of the cristae was also found. We suggest that structural mitochondrial changes in mitochondrial myopathy constitute a stepwise process and that the mitochondrial alterations of the cristae may represent an early stage in the morphogenesis of mitochondrial disease.

Early mitochondrial changes in chronic progressive ocular myopathy

Two sisters with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) and their in all 7 healthy children were investigated. Both ophthalmoplegic patients had histopathological changes typical of mitochondrial myopathy. The same type of muscular pathology was also found among the healthy children. The most common muscular changes were subsarcolemmal accumulation of pathological mitochondria, including vacuoles, abnormal cristae and sometimes also inclusion bodies. Biochemical studies showed partial complex III deficiency, with low succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity in 1 of the ophthalmoplegic patients. These findings suggest that CPEO is a slowly progressive muscle disease, starting early in life. The widespread occurrence among the children may indicate maternal inheritance.

Pre-eclampsia--a mitochondrial disease?

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a newly found group of inborn errors of metabolism in which there is a failure in the aerobic energy production. Disorders of mitochondrial metabolism exhibit a wide range of clinical symptoms which are related to the nature, severity and tissue distribution of the metabolic defect. Most reported cases are published in the neurological literature. In this report we describe for the first time a family with mitochondrial dysfunction with a high incidence of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. The diagnosis of a mitochondrial disorder is verified by electronmicroscopic, electromyographic, histochemical and biochemical examinations. During pregnancy, the energy demand is increased due to both fetal and maternal requirements. A mitochondrial dysfunction, clinically symptomless in the non-pregnant state, may therefore become manifest during pregnancy. Characteristic features of pre-eclampsia such as disturbed ion transport, disturbed prostaglandin synthesis, vasoconstriction, platelet aggregation and hyperuricemia may be explained by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Normal 2-aminobutyrate oxidation and increased valine oxidation in fibroblasts deficient in pyruvate dehydrogenase

Human skin fibroblasts deficient in pyruvate dehydrogenase and five normal control strains were incubated with one of the following labelled substrates: DL-[1-14C]-2-amino-n-butyric acid, DL-[3-14C]-2-amino-n-butyric acid, L-[1-14C]leucine, L-[1-14C]valine, L-[1-14C]alanine, and [1-14C]pyruvate. The rate of 14CO2-production in the deficient cells was normal from 2-aminobutyrate and leucine, increased from valine, and decreased from alanine and pyruvate. These results indicated that in human skin fibroblasts the decarboxylation of 2-oxobutyrate is catalysed by an enzyme system different from the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

Biochemical and clinical studies of Friedreich's ataxia

A series of biochemical tests aimed at elucidating the fundamental cause has been applied to 20 patients with Friedreich's ataxia. Special emphasis was placed upon pyruvate metabolism. The results demonstrate no precisely identifiable defect in the metabolism of pyruvate but indicate an abnormality in glucose uptake and metabolism.

Combined iminoglycinuria and cystine- and dibasic aminoaciduria in patients with propionic acidaemia and 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria

Urinary amino acids have been determined in six patients with propionic acidaemia, one of whom also showed 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria. Two patients, including the subject with 3-methylcrotonylglycinuria, showed a gross aminoaciduria with features of both cystinuria and iminoglycinuria. We suggest a defect in certain amino acid transport systems in some patients with these disorders.

Secondary metabolic changes in fibroblasts from six patients with hereditary lactic acidosis

Studies on fibroblasts from patients with lactic acidosis of different causes showed secondary metabolic changes in pathways of glucose metabolism. These secondary changes may be important clues to the diagnosis of the many different types of hereditary lactic acidosis.

Aspartylglycosaminuria in Northern Norway in eight patients: clinical heterogeneity and variations with the diet

Urinary excretion of aspartylglycosamines was investigated in eight patients by semiquantitative thin-layer chromatography, and bound glycosamines by a quantitative photometric method (Elson-Morgan reaction). Each patient showed a fairly constant level, relative to the creatinine, of aspartylglycosamines in urine. The least retarded patient, aged 31, excreted about 350 mg/g creatinine, one-third of that found in two severely retarded young patients, aged 4 and 7 years (1400 and 940 mg/g creatinine, respectively). Three days on a low-protein diet did not change the aspartylglycosamine excretion in the patient showing the highest excretion rate.

Metabolic studies on normal and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficient cultured human fibroblasts

Secondary metabolic derangements may occur in cultured fibroblasts with a defined enzyme deficiency. The metabolism of cells deficient of pyruvate dehydrogenase (5% of normal) has been studied using radioactive labelled substrates. Compared to normal control cells the activity of glycolysis was 149% (P less than 0.001), pentose phosphate shunt 144% (P less than 0.01), citric acid cycle 80% (P less than 0.002), and oxidation of acetate was 30% (P less than 0.01). The oxidation of palmitate and octanoate were not significantly different from that of control cells. Metabolic studies on fibroblasts may serve as a useful screening procedure for the detection of enzyme defects, but the results should be cautiously interpreted with respect to the localization of the primary defect.

Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric studies on urinary organic acids in a patient with congenital lactic acidosis due to pyruvate decarboxylase deficiency

Detailed studies, using gas chromatography and mass spectrometric methods, of the urinary organic acids excreted by a patient with proven pyruvate decarboxylase deficiency are reported. In addition to the greatly-increased levels of lactate and pyruvate, marked elevation in the levels of 2-oxoglutaric, malic, and isocitric acids were observed, with associated increases 2-hydroxyglutaric, fumaric, succinic, and glyceric acids, and reduced citric acid excretion. The levels of excretion during clinically static and acute periods are compared to those in a normal neonate and normal infants. The metabolites observed indicate a probable defect in the oxidation of pyruvate by pyruvate dehydrogenase and suggest the presence of secondary defects in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Studies of this type may enable the relatively rapid identification of the probable underlying enzyme deficiency in cases of congenital lactic acidosis, prior to confirmatory enzyme studies.

Hereditary deafness in the cat. Free amino acid and sugar content in the perilymph

The free amino acid and sugar content of cat perilymph was studied from 11 normal and 17 deaf ears, and compared with simultaneous estimations from cerebrospinal fluid and serum. Each fluid has a distinctive amino acid composition, whilst glucose was the only saccharide demonstrable. The functional status of the cochlea did not influence the biochemical parameters studied.

Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in serum following acute myocardial infarction: an evaluation of this parameter for routine use as an index of sympathetic activity

Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity was measured in sera from 114 normal males and from 11 patients on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 10th day following acute myocardial infarction. A significant elevation of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase levels (P less than 0.001) was found during the first two days after infarction when compared with the 10th-day values. Only a few activities were above the reference range. Temporary elevations of glucose and glycerol levels were also found. Assay of serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase may be a useful parameter of sympathetic activity in longitudinal studies in which each individual is used as his own reference.

Fatal lactic acidosis in a newborn attributable to a congenital defect of pyruvate dehydrogenase

An infant suffering from metabolic acidosis attributable to hyperlactatemai (6.1 mmol/liter) accompanied by hyperalaninemia (1 mmol/liter) and hyperserinemia (0.6 mmol/liter) is described. The urinary excretion of lactate and pyruvate was greatly elevated; the lactate to pyruvate ratio was normal. The urine showed low levels of citrate, isocitrate, and cis-aconitate, and low or normal levels of alpha-oxoglutarate, succinate, malate, and methylmalonate. Aspartate was slightly elevated in serum and urine, indicating a corresponding increase if its alpha-ketoacid oxaloacetatae. These patterns of organic acids and amino acids suggested an in vivo defect in the oxidation of pyruvate. Fibroblasts cultured from skin biopsy from the patient metabolized radioactive pyruvate (final concentration 0.04-2 mmol/liter) to CO2 at rates from 5 to 17% of that of fibroblasts from normal control subjects. Enzyme studies with fibroblast sonicates revealed a severe deficiency of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (about 8% of normal), and this error was localized to the first unit of the complex, i.e., the pyruvate dehydrogenase (about 4% of normal). Fibroblasts from both parents metabolized pyruvate to CO2 at a slightly reduced rate, suggesting parental heterozygosity.

Investigation of cholesterol and fatty acids in periodic catatonia

In 1951, J. Cammermeyer and R. Gjessing (I) reported one case of fatal myocardial fat embolism in periodic catatonia with fatty liver. This patient had suffered from periodic catatonia for many years and had been investigated by R. Gjessing (28) for a considerable number of years. One day in the beginning of a psychotic phase he suddenly died. His death was explained by the histological demonstration of fat emboli in the myocardium. A careful clinical survey of the patient and study of his case record failed to reveal any of the usual sources of fat embolism, but a centrolobular fatty degeneration of severe degree was found in the liver which was assumed to be the source of fat emboli.