Preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 by attenuating inflammation and mitochondrial injury and improving gut environment in obese mice

The increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide is associated with a parallel increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To investigate the effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 on NAFLD, 120 male ICR mice were randomly divided into four groups and administrated with BS15 (2 × 10(7) cfu/0.2 mL or 2 × 10(8) cfu/0.2 mL) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) throughout a 17-week experimental period. The mice were fed with normal chow diet (NCD) 5 weeks before the experimental period. Afterward, with the exception of the PBS group, NCD was changed into high-fat diet (HFD) for the remaining experimental period. Results showed that BS15-treated HFD mice were protected from hepatic steatosis and hepatocyte apoptosis. BS15 exhibited a positive effect on liver lipid peroxidation through an anti-oxidative stress activity by enhancing the liver antioxidant defense system. In addition, BS15 inhibited the insulin resistance; decreased the mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, fatty acid synthase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ; and increased the expression of the fasting-induced adipose factor in livers. Meanwhile, BS15 attenuated mitochondria abnormalities when the content of uncoupling protein-2 decreased and cytochrome c increased in NAFLD mice. BS15 also reduced the level of serum lipopolysaccharide in NAFLD mice by lowering the intestinal permeability and adjusting gut flora, followed by the downregulation of the TNFα mRNA level in liver and the serum level of C-reactive protein. These findings suggest that BS15 may be effective in preventing NAFLD induced by HFD.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis pks12 produces a novel polyketide presented by CD1c to T cells

CD1c-mediated T cells are activated by a mycobacterial phospholipid antigen whose carbohydrate structure precisely corresponds to mammalian mannosyl β-1-phosphodolichol (MPD), but contains an unusual lipid moiety. Here, we show that this T cell antigen is a member of a family of branched, alkane lipids that vary in length (C_30-34) and are produced by medically important mycobacteria such as M. tuberculosis and M. bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guerin. The alkane moiety distinguished these mycobacterial lipid antigens from mammalian MPDs and was necessary for activation of CD1c-restricted T cells, but could not be accounted for by any known lipid biosynthetic pathway. Metabolic labeling and mass spectrometric analyses suggested a mechanism for elongating lipids using alternating C₂ and C₃ units, rather than C₅ isopentenyl pyrophosphate. Inspection of the M. tuberculosis genome identified one candidate gene, pks12, which was predicted to encode the largest protein in M. tuberculosis, consisting of 12 catalytic domains that correspond to key steps in the proposed pathway. Genetic deletion and complementation showed that Pks12 was necessary for antigen production, but did not affect synthesis of true isoprenols. These studies establish the genetic and enzymatic basis for a previously unknown type of polyketide, designated mycoketide, which contains a lipidic pathogen-associated molecular pattern.

A new model ELISA, based on two monoclonal antibodies, for quantification of fatty acid synthase

A new model ELISA, based on two monoclonal antibodies, was developed for the quantification of fatty acid synthase (FAS). In this sandwich assay, a monoclonal antibody M6 was used as a capture on Nunc MaxiSorp ELISA/EIA Modules and another monoclonal antibody M3, labeled with biotin, was used as a detection antibody. More than 10 molecules of biotin were labeled on the anti-FAS monoclonal antibody using modified biotinylation conditions. The within- and between-run CVs were less than 10%, and the detection limit was 3.22 ng/mL. Recoveries were 98.54-121.95%, averaging 106.05%. The average FAS concentration obtained from the total 55 healthy volunteers blood was 4.07 +/- 1.81 ng/mL, 4.25 +/- 2.14 ng/mL in women (n = 37) and 3.70 +/- 0.74 ng/mL in men (n = 18). When compared with the previously developed polyclonal-monoclonal ELISA, a different pattern of FAS levels was observed in the supernatant of two cultured breast cancer cell lines in a time course study and there was no linear correlation between the two assays using 215 human blood samples. Thus, this new model FAS-ELISA could be used as an independent assay in measuring clinical samples. In summary, this monoclonal-monoclonal FAS-ELISA is sensitive, accurate, and precise in quantification of fatty acid synthase and has potential as a complementary tool in testing clinical samples.

Two-site ELISA for the quantitative determination of fatty acid synthase

Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is an enzyme which plays a central role in the de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids. FAS is selectively expressed in certain human cancers and therefore is a putative tumor marker. We developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring FAS, and investigated its expression and clinical features. In this two-site sandwich ELISA, a polyclonal antibody was used as a capture on Nunc MaxiSorp ELISA/EIA modules and a monoclonal antibody labeled with biotin was used as a signal antibody. The assay was linear with no cross-reactivity with other tumor markers. The within- and between-run CVs were <10%, and the detection limit was 0.15 arbitrary Units/l. Recoveries were 92.4-105.1%. FAS was stable in buffer at 4 degrees C for more than 10 days and stable at 37 degrees C for 2 days. In human serum, FAS levels were significantly higher in patients with breast (1.01+/-0.71 Units/l, mean+/-S.D.), prostate (0.79+/-0.76 Units/l), colon (0.89+/-0.49 Units/l), and ovarian (0.84+/-0.9 Units/l) cancers compared to normal subjects (0.27+/-0.09 Units/l, P<0.01). This assay is sensitive, accurate, and precise and can distinguish between patients with various types of cancer and normal subjects.

The activity of fatty acid synthase of epidermal keratinocytes is regulated in the lower stratum spinousum and the stratum basale by local inflammation rather than by circulating hormones

The epidermal keratinocytes produce and secrete lipids to maintain the water barrier of the epidermis. To clarify the regulation of epidermal lipid synthesis, we investigated the hormonal effect on the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS) of the keratinocytes, and the expression of FAS in the human skin. In cultured keratinocytes, the FAS activity, assayed by measuring the oxidation of NADPH, was slightly increased by hydrocortisone or testosterone, but not influenced by thyroid hormone, estrogen, progesterone or insulin. In immunohistochemical study of normal human epidermis, FAS was expressed strongly in the stratum granulosum and moderately in the uppermost layer of the stratum spinousum (SS), suggesting that fatty acid synthesis may increase during normal epidermal differentiation. In inflammatory disorders, such as psoriasis, lichen planus, and atopic dermatitis, FAS was also expressed in the lower SS and the stratum basale (SB), resulting in strong staining in the whole layers of the epidermis. Remarkable increase of FAS expression was only observed in the lower SS and the SB. Therefore, the activity of FAS in the epidermis may be regulated in the lower SS and the SB by local inflammation rather than by circulating hormones. In other components of the skin, FAS was strongly expressed not only in adipose tissue and sebaceous glands, which are known as active sites of lipid synthesis, but also in sweat glands, suggesting that the sweat glands can synthesize abundant fatty acids de novo.

The non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogen nafenopin suppresses rodent hepatocyte apoptosis induced by TGFbeta1, DNA damage and Fas

The suppression of apoptosis may contribute to the carcinogenicity of the peroxisome proliferators (PPs), a class of non-genotoxic rodent hepatocarcinogens. Our previous work demonstrated that the PP nafenopin suppressed both spontaneous and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1)-induced hepatocyte apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Here, we extend these observations by demonstrating the ability of nafenopin to suppress apoptosis induced by other major candidates for the signalling of cell death in the liver. Treatment of rat or mouse hepatocyte monolayers with TGFbeta1 or the DNA damaging drugs etoposide or hydroxyurea induced high levels of apoptosis. Western blot analysis did not support a role for either p53 or p21waf1 in etoposide-induced apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. Treatment of mouse hepatocytes with an agonistic anti-Fas antibody also resulted in an induction of high levels of apoptosis. Pre-addition and continued exposure to nafenopin suppressed apoptosis induced by all three stimuli. Overall, our studies demonstrate that the ability of nafenopin to protect hepatocytes from apoptosis is not restricted to species or apoptotic stimulus. It is possible, therefore, that the PPs may suppress apoptosis by acting on diverse signalling pathways. However, it seems more likely that nafenopin suppresses hepatocyte apoptosis elicited by each death stimulus by impinging on a core apoptotic mechanism.

Recombinant antibody fragments that detect enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase in Brassica napus

Purified Brassica napus enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR) was used to select specific antibodies from a library of antibody fragments, single-chain Fv (scFv), displayed on filamentous phage. Analysis of the selected clones by BstNI fingerprinting and nucleotide sequencing showed that the scFv were derived from three different human VH germline genes. The binding specificities were confirmed by Western blots and ELISA. The scFv preparations reacted with B. napus ENR, but not with beta-keto reductase, nor enoyl reductase from Escherichia coli. Analysis of fragments generated by CNBr treatment indicates that the scFv 3.13 recognized an epitope located within the N-terminal 80 amino acids of the enzyme molecule. The scFv were used to detect ENR directly in extracts of B. napus seeds.

Expression of fatty acid synthase is closely linked to proliferation and stromal decidualization in cycling endometrium

Estrogen-driven proliferative phase growth is the most rapid physiological proliferative process that occurs in the adult. The tissue growth that occurs during this phase of the menstrual cycle requires incorporation of a substantial quantity of fatty acid into the structural lipids of cell membranes. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is the major biosynthetic enzyme required for de novo synthesis of fatty acids. In this immunohistochemical study, we have observed that human endometrium displays distinct patterns of FAS expression in the proliferative and secretory phases of the normal menstrual cycle. Proliferative endometrial glands and stroma show high FAS expression that closely correlates with expression of Ki-67, estrogen and progesterone receptors, supporting the view that FAS expression plays a role in cellular proliferation in response to estrogen. FAS expression declines during early to midsecretory phase, then reappears in decidualized stromal cells in late secretory phase as well as in the decidua of pregnancy. The second wave of FAS expression correlates with progesterone-receptor localization in the decidual cells, a finding suggesting a second induction of FAS expression in the endometrium, associated with differentiation, that may be regulated by progesterone.

Immunostaining of carbamoylphosphate synthase II and fatty acid synthase in glial cells in rat, mouse, and hamster brains suggests roles for carbonic anhydrase in biosynthetic processes

Double immunofluorescence staining showed carbonic anhydrase and glutamine synthetase in the same astrocytes. Carbamoylphosphate synthase II, which catalyzes the first committed step in pyrimidine biosynthesis, was also immunostained in astrocytes. The results suggested that in the astrocytes carbonic anhydrase and glutamine synthetase could provide the substrates, bicarbonate and glutamine, for pyrimidine biosynthesis. In the oligodendrocytes acetyl-CoA carboxylase was colocalized with carbonic anhydrase, and fatty acid synthase was immunostained in the same cell-type. As well as providing bicarbonate to initiate fatty acid synthesis in oligodendrocytes, the carbonic anhydrase in oligodendrocytes could recycle the carbon dioxide generated during this process.

Cloning of cDNA to rat mammary-gland fatty acid synthase mRNA. Evidence for the expression of two mRNA species during lactation

A cDNA library was constructed in the expression vector lambda gt11, by synthesizing cDNA from size-selected poly(A) RNA from lactating rat mammary gland, using random hexanucleotide primers. Using this library we identified two recombinants which, on addition of a lac z inducer, produced proteins recognized by affinity-purified anti-fatty-acid synthase antibody, and which, therefore, contained fatty acid synthase coding sequences. The inserts were subcloned, were shown to be between 500 and 600 base pairs in size, and to cross-hybridize. The cloned DNA was then used in Northern hybridizations with mRNA isolated at various stages throughout lactation. Two mRNA species were identified of approx. 9.7 and 10.4 kilobases, which increased and decreased in parallel during lactation, reaching a peak at 12-13 days. Both mRNA species disappeared rapidly if the pups were removed prematurely. This study provides evidence that, during hormonal induction in lactation, regulation of the level of fatty acid synthase protein can be accounted for by variation in the level of mRNA.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of complementary DNA encoding rat mammary gland medium-chain S-acyl fatty acid synthetase thio ester hydrolase

Poly(A)+ RNA from pregnant rat mammary glands was size-fractionated by sucrose gradient centrifugation, and fractions enriched in medium-chain S-acyl fatty acid synthetase thio ester hydrolase (MCH) were identified by in vitro translation and immunoprecipitation. A cDNA library was constructed, in pBR322, from enriched poly(A)+ RNA and screened with two oligonucleotide probes deduced from rat MCH amino acid sequence data. Cross-hybridizing clones were isolated and found to contain cDNA inserts ranging from approximately 1100 to 1550 base pairs (bp). A 1550-bp cDNA insert, from clone 43H09, was confirmed to encode MCH by hybrid-select translation/immunoprecipitation studies and by comparison of the amino acid sequence deduced from the DNA sequence of the clone to the amino acid sequence of the MCH peptides. Northern blot analysis revealed the size of the MCH mRNA to be 1500 nucleotides, and it is therefore concluded that the 1550-bp insert (including G X C tails) of clone 43H09 represents a full- or near-full-length copy of the MCH gene. The rat MCH sequence is the first reported sequence of a thioesterase from a mammalian source, but comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of MCH and the recently published mallard duck medium-chain S-acyl fatty acid synthetase thioesterase reveals significant homology. In particular, a seven amino acid sequence containing the proposed active serine of the duck thioesterase is found to be perfectly conserved in rat MCH.

Evaluation of thioesterase II as a serum marker for rat mammary cancer

Thioesterase II, the key enzyme which regulates the production of medium-chain fatty acids by the mammary fatty acid synthetase, is expressed specifically in epithelial cells of the rat mammary gland, regardless of their state of differentiation, and we consider the enzyme to be a reliable marker for this cell type. The objective of this study was to determine whether this enzyme is expressed universally in tumors originating from rat mammary epithelial cells and whether it might be shed into the serum of host animals. Immunoreactive thioesterase II was detected in all of the epithelial derived mammary tumors tested, being highest in tumors that exhibited obvious epithelial morphology. Two of the tumors, R3230AC and DMBA 1, were transplanted into Fischer 344 rats and the levels of thioesterase II in the tumor and serum were monitored by enzyme immunoassay. Thioesterase II content of the transplanted tumors fell to, and remained at, a low level during the first week following transplantation. During this period the transplanted tumor established a new network of blood vessels; no thioesterase II was detectable in the serum. Subsequently, thioesterase II levels in the tumors returned to the values observed before transplantation and thioesterase II was detectable in the serum. Of 51 rats transplanted with the R3230AC tumor, 37 showed elevated serum thioesterase II levels; of 40 transplanted with the DMBA 1 tumor, 35 showed elevated serum thioesterase II. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant correlation between serum thioesterase II and tumor burden in both tumor model systems. The identity of the serum antigen reacting with anti-thioesterase II antibodies was confirmed, by Western immunoblotting, to be full-length thioesterase II polypeptide. Parallel studies with fatty acid synthetase, an enzyme with an ubiquitous tissue distribution, indicated as expected that serum levels of this enzyme were unlikely to provide a reliable index of mammary tumor status. These results indicate that thioesterase II may be a useful serum marker for mammary cancer.

Modulation of lipid-synthesizing enzymes by insulin in differentiated ob17 adipose-like cells

ob17 cells convert into adipose-like cells when maintained in the presence of physiological concentrations of insulin and tri-iodothyronine. After this conversion, insulin removal from differentiated ob17 cells gives within 24-48 h a large decrease in fatty acid synthetase, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and acid:CoA ligase activities, as well as in the rate of fatty acid synthesis determined by [14C]acetate incorporation into lipids. All parameters are restored by insulin addition to initial values within 24-48 h. Dose-response curves of insulin on the restoration of glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and of fatty acid synthesis give half-maximally effective concentrations close to 1 nM, in agreement with the affinity for insulin of the insulin receptors previously characterized in these cells. Immunotitration experiments indicate that the changes in the specific activity of fatty acid synthetase are due to parallel changes in the cellular enzyme content. Therefore the ob17 cell line should be a useful model to study the long-term effects of insulin on the modulation of lipid synthesis in adipose cells.

Medium-chain fatty acid synthesis by goat mammary-gland fatty acid synthetase. The effect of limited proteolysis

Fatty acid synthetase from goat mammary gland was subjected to limited proteolysis by trypsin and elastase. Both proteolytic enzymes selectively cleaved the chain-terminating thioester hydrolase component from the enzyme complex, leaving all other partial activities intact in the core peptides. Trypsin, but not elastase, caused extensive degradation of the released thioester hydrolase. The released thioester hydrolase could be purified to homogeneity by gel filtration. The molecular weight was estimated as 29 000 and the enzyme showed only significant hydrolytic activity toward long-chain acyl-CoA esters. The core peptides retained the ability to synthesize medium-chain acyl-CoA esters in the presence of 2,6-di-O-methyl-alpha-cyclodextrin. The results conclusively show that the terminating thioester hydrolase of goat mammary-gland fatty acid synthetase is not involved in termination of medium-chain-length fatty acid synthesis by this enzyme.

Fatty acid synthetase, malic enzyme and other NADP+ binding dehydrogenases have similar antigenic determinant(s) at the NADPH binding domain

Rabbit IgG prepared against malic enzyme inhibits pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase activity. By screening a number of polyclonal antibodies raised to several dehydrogenases, we have discovered that there is a direct relationship between this cross-reactivity and the existence of a common structural domain whose function is the binding of NADP+/NADPH. The presence of NADP+/NADPH in small concentrations protects against this immunoinhibition, thereby indicating a competitive binding of nucleotide and site-specific antibody at the antigenic domain. These data provide further support for the existence of an antigenic domain in the NADPH binding region of dehydrogenases which is responsible for the production of NADPH site-specific antibodies in polyclonal antisera.

Antibodies specific for NADPH-binding region of enzymes possessing dehydrogenase activities

The results reported in this paper show the presence of a population of antibodies in rabbit polyclonal antiserum that recognize an antigenic site at the NADPH-binding region of enzymes possessing dehydrogenase activities. Antisera from rabbits immunized with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or fatty acid synthetase were found to inactivate the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. The inhibitory effect of this site-specific antibody is a time- and concentration-dependent reaction. This immunoinactivation is prevented by preincubation of the enzyme with NADPH.

Demonstration of the occurrence of inactive fatty acid synthetase in rat liver by immunotitration and its in vitro partial activation

Direct immunotitrations of rat liver fatty acid synthetase in crude tissue homogenates with monospecific rabbit anti-rat liver fatty acid synthetase antibody enabled us to make a comparison of fatty acid synthetase protein and activity (percentage of maximal activity) as a function of the nutritional state in normal, diabetic, and insulin- and glucagon-insulin treated animals. Previous results, in which large changes in fatty acid synthetase activity were related to protein synthesis and degradation rather than to enzyme activation, were confirmed. It was also shown that fatty acid synthetase activation does not occur immediately on synthesis but follows the synthesis of fatty acid synthetase protein. In order to characterize the enzymatically inactive protein found on immunotitration and to develop an in vitro system for fatty acid synthetase activation, conditions were sought to obtain large amounts of fatty acid synthetase protein free from, or low in, activity. It was found that treatment of hypophysectomized rats with triiodothyronine meets these requirements, yielding milligram quantities of inactive fatty acid synthetase protein with less than 2% of maximal activity. A part of the inactive fatty acid synthetase was found to be the apoenzyme as indicated by beta-ketoreductase and thioesterase activities, by its ability to incorporate label from [G3H]CoA, and by its partial in vitro activation, which led to an increase in overall synthetase activity in crude and partially purified cell-free systems. The components required for activation include magnesium ion and a transferase fraction prepared from livers of 48-h fasted, 12-h refed rats.

Increase in fatty acid synthetase content of 3T3-L cells undergoing spontaneous and chemically induced differentiation to adipocytes

3T3-L fibroblasts differentiate into adipose cells when maintained in a non-growing state. The specific activity of fatty acid synthetase of differentiated cells was 25--30-fold higher than that present in 3T3-L fibroblasts or in 3T3-C2 cells that possess an extremely low incidence of differentiation to adipocytes. The results of immunochemical analysis indicate that the increased specific activity of fatty acid synthetase in the differentiated cells is due to an increase in the cellular content of this enzyme. The rate of conversion of adipose cells was accelerated by brief exposure of confluent non-growing cultures of 3T3-L cells to 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. This was accompanied by an increase in the specificity activity of fatty acid synthetase, which was also shown to be due to an increase in the cellular content of this enzyme. The continuous presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine in the culture medium was not required to elicit the morphological and biochemical changes in 3T3-L cells that occurred many days after the removal of the inducer but earlier than the onset of spontanous differentiation.

Distribution of yeast fatty acid synthetase subunits: three-dimensional model of the enzyme

Rabbit and goat antibodies against the isolated alpha and beta subunits of yeast fatty acid aynthetase were raised and characterized. The purified IgG fractions were studied as to their capability to precipitate their antigens and the holoenzyme and to inhibit the partial reactions involved in overall fatty acyl-CoA synthesis. The specificity of the antibodies was investigated by immunodiffusion and by immunotitration. Native enzyme was crosslinked with each of the antibodies, and dimeric and oligomeric groups of IgG-crosslinked fatty acid synthetase molecules were isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopic investigation of the crosslinked material as well as other data led us to suggest a three-dimensional model of yeast fatty acid synthetase.

Release of two thioesterase domains from fatty acid synthetase by limited digestion with trypsin

Limited digestion, with trypsin, of the fatty acid synthetase from rat mammary gland releases an enzymically active thioesterase component that, under denaturing conditions, consists of two major species of mol.wts. 35000 and 17500 and a minor species, mol.wt. 15,000. The 17500- and 150000-mol.wt. species are shown to originate from the 35000-mol.wt. species as a result of nicking by trypsin. The nicked polypeptides are enzymically active. The fatty acid synthetase is inhibited by [1,3-14C]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate, which is shown to bind to, and inactivate, two thioesterase active sites. When the [1,3-14C]di-isopropyl phosphate-labelled fatty acid synthetase is subjected to limited digestion with trypsin, all of the radioactivity is recovered in the isolated thioesterase component, i.e. in the 35000-mol.wt. polypeptide and its nicked products. Since the isolated thioesterase is shown to bind only one di-isopropyl phosphate residue per 35000-mol.wt. polypeptide, we conclude that the fatty acid synthetase has two thioesterase domains, both of which are removed by limited trypsin treatment.

Translation of rat liver fatty acid synthetase mRNA in a cell-free system derived from wheat germ

Total liver polysomes were isolated from rats that had fasted for 48 hr and that then had been re-fed a high-carbohydrate, fat-free diet for 20-24 hr. Indirect immunoprecipitation of the polysomes with purified antibody to rat liver fatty acid synthetase and deproteination on sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing sucrose gradients gave an RNA fraction which, when translated in a cell-free system derived from wheat germ, yielded a major polypeptide of apparent molecular weight 225,000 when the translation products were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The polypeptide was specifically precipitated with antibody against rat liver fatty acid synthetase and competed with unlabeled fatty acid synthetase for binding to the antibody. It was somewhat smaller than native fatty acid synthetase subunits (molecular weight 240,000). The peptide accounted for approximately 65% of the radioactive, antibody-precipitable product, the remainder being peptides in the molecular weight range 100,000-150,000. Synthesis of the polypeptide was optimized with respect to K(+), Mg(2+), and spermine concentrations. The quantity of fatty acid synthetase mRNA obtained by the above procedure and measured by translation was a function of the nutritional state of the animal. The relative activity in fasting rats compared to rats that were re-fed for 12 hr was 1:12. The data suggest that rat liver fatty acid synthetase is synthesized as intact subunits from a large mRNA molecule or molecules.

Immunological properties of medium-chain acyl-thioester hydrolase and fatty acid synthetase from lactating-rabbit mammary gland

The cytosol from lactating-rabbit mammary gland contains a medium-chain acyl-thioester hydrolase. This hydrolase terminates chain lengthening of the fatty acids synthesised by fatty acid synthetase so as to release C8:0 and C10:0 fatty acids which are characteristic of rabbit milk. The medium-chain hydrolase and the fatty acid synthetase present in this cytosol have been shown to be immunologically distinct. When fatty acid synthetase was purified from this cytosol it showed unexpected immunological reactivity towards antiserum raised to the medium-chain hydrolase. The precipitate formed was not due to fatty acid synthetase, but to medium-chain hydrolase contaminating the synthetase. However, the proportion of this medium-chain hydrolase which was recovered with the purified synthetase was too small to be detected by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and was too small to elicit an antibody response in sheep. Immunological techniques have shown that the medium-chain hydrolase appears in rabbit mammary gland between days 17 and 22 of pregnancy. This coincides with the onset of milk-fat synthesis. The medium-chain hydrolase could not be detected in the cytosol from lactating-rabbit liver.

Fatty acid synthesis in aorta. Isolation of fatty acid synthetase from chicken aorta

Fatty acid synthesis by subcellular fractions of human aorta was studied by measuring the incorporation of either radioactive acetyl-CoA or malonyl-CoA into long chain fatty acids. The high speed supernatant fraction contained fatty acid synthetase and was capable of de novo fatty acid synthesis. The fatty acid synthetase from chicken aorta was purified 800-fold from the high speed supernatant and was judged to be 10% pure at this level. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 450,000 on the basis of agarose gel filtration chromatography, while under dissociating conditions a molecular weight of 220,000 was obtained on sodium dodecyl sulphate disc gel electrophoresis. Fatty acid synthesis was dependent on acetyl-CoA, malonyl-CoA and NADPH. The major product was free palmitic acid. In enzymatic and physical characteristics the chicken aorta fatty acid synthetase strongly resembles the synthetase isolated from chicken liver. The two enzymes cross-react immuno-chemically and this homology provides the possibility of studying the synthesis and degradation of the aorta synthetase during the development of atherosclerosis.

Control of fatty-acid synthetase levels by exogeneous long-chain fatty acids in the yeasts Candida lipolytica and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Endogeneous fatty acid biosynthesis in the two yeast species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida lipolytica is completely repressed by the addition of long-chain fatty acids to the growth medium. In Candida lipolytica, this repression is accompanied by a corresponding loss of fatty acid synthetase activity in the cell homogenate, when the cells were grown on fatty acids as the sole carbon source. The activity of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fatty acid synthetase, however, remains unaffected by the addition of fatty acids to a glucose-containing growth medium. From fatty-acid-grown Candida lipolytica cells no fatty acid synthetase complex can be isolated, nor is there any immunologically cross-reacting fatty acid synthetase protein detectable in the crude cell extract. From this it is concluded that Candida lipolytica, but not Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is able to adapt to the growth on fatty acids either by repression of fatty acid synthetase biosynthesis or by a fatty-acid-induced proteolytic degradation of the multienzyme complex. Similarly, the fatty acid synthetase complex disappears rapidly from stationary phase Candida lipolytica cells even after growth in fatty-acid-free medium. Finally, it was found that the fatty acid synthetase complexes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida lipolytica, though very similar in size and subunit composition, were immunologically different and had no common antigenic determinants.

Specific release of the thioesterase component of the fatty acid synthetase multienzyme complex by limited trypsinization

Limited trypsinization of the fatty acid synthetase multienzyme complex from rat mammary gland results in the release of a protein, molecular weight 32,000, with thioesterase activity. The other components of the multienzyme complex--the acyl carrier protein, acetyl and malonyl transferases, condensing enzyme, keto reductase, dehydrase and enoyl reductase--are not affected and remain associated with the complex. The thioesterase can be isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration. Extensive trypsinization of fatty acid synthetase multienzyme complex results in a loss of thioesterase activity, probably due to cleavage of the thioesterase component into inactive peptides. However, the molecular weight and specific activity of the thioesterase isolated after limited trypsinization is relatively unaffected by the severity of the conditions of proteolysis. Both the thioesterase and the residual trypsinized complex react with antibodies produced against the native multienzyme. The results demonstrate that mild trypsinization can be used to release the thioesterase component of the multienzyme with little perturbation of either the thioesterase or the other components of the complex.

The interaction of fatty acid synthetase with cytoplasmic protein in the control of the chain-length of fatty acids synthesised by the lactating rabbit mammary gland

1. Fatty acid synthetase from rabbit mammary gland can be separated from the protein which modifies the chain-length at which fatty acids are released from the enzyme complex in the soluble fraction. This can be achieved by ultracentrifugation, precipitation with specific antibody or ammonium sulphate. 2. The chain-length modifying protein in the supernatant fraction from rabbit mammary gland was less active towards cow mammary gland fatty acid synthetase than rabbit mammary gland fatty acid synthetase in the synthesis of medium-chain fatty acids. The fatty acid synthetases from these two tissues are also immunologically non-identical. 3. It is proposed that there is a loose but specific interaction of rabbit mammary gland fatty acid synthetase with the chain-length modifying protein in regulating product chain length which is dependent on the concentration of interacting proteins. 4. The chain-lengthening effect of added malonyl-CoA decreases with increasing concentration of interacting proteins, but differences in the fatty acid chain-length with malonyl-CoA synthesised in situ by acetyl-CoA carboxylase and with added malonyl-CoA indicate that the product chain-length is sensitive to the availability of malonyl-CoA for enlongation in all but the most tightly coupled situations.

Regulation of hepatic fatty acid synthetase in the obese-hyperglycemic mutant mouse

Regulation of fatty acid synthetase has been studied in the obese-hyperglycemic mouse and compared with regulation in non obese, littermate control animals. The mechanisms underlying the regulatory changes were defined by immunochemical techniques. Several major conclusions are justified from the data obtained: (1) Although the hepatic specific activity of fatty acid synthetase is higher in obese than in non obese animals pair-fed chow, no difference in hepatic activities is apparent in animals pair-fed the fat-free diet; (2) The higher enzymatic activity in obese animals fed chow is related to a higher content of enzyme, and this higher content is associated with a higher rate of enzyme synthesis; (3) The decrease in hepatic synthetase activity with starvation is distinctly more striking in non obese than in obese animals, and the changes in activity reflect changes in content of enzyme; (4) With starvation there is a decrease in synthesis of enzyme in obese and non obese animals, but only in non obese animals is there also a marked increase in the rate of synthetase degradation (t1/2 = 24 h during starvation, t1/2 = 76 h during normalfeeding); (5) Refeeding starved mice a fat-free diet results in a more striking increase in hepatic synthetase activity in non obese than in obese animals; (6) Administration of triiodothyronine causes a more marked increase in hepatic synthetase activity in non obese than in obese animals. The data thus define a variety of differences in regulation of hepatic fatty acid synthetase in mutant and normal animals. The roles of enzyme synthesis and degradation in the etiology of these differences are defined, and possible mechanisms underlying regulation of synthetase synthesis and degradation in normal mammalian liver are suggested by the observations.

Regulation of synthesis of hepatic fatty acid synthetase: polysomal translation in a cell-free system

Polysomes were isolated from livers of rats fed various diets and were translated in a protein-synthesizing system derived from cultured Chang liver cells. One of the labeled products was identified as complete subunit(s) of fatty acid synthetase by indirect immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the solubilized immunoprecipitate. The relative amounts of fatty acid synthetase synthesized by polysomes from livers of rats fed a normal diet, starved rats, and rats starved and refed a fat-free diet for 16 hr were 1, 0.1, and 10, respectively. Induction of synthesis of fatty acid synthetase after fat-free refeeding of starved rats began by 2 hr (3-fold increase over starved animals), was increasing rapidly by 5 hr (19-fold over starved animals), and reached a high level by 16 hr (95-fold over starved and 10-fold over normally fed).

Fatty acid synthetase from a mouse mammary adenocarcinoma

Fatty acid synthetase was isolated from transplantable mammary adenocarcinomas carried by C3H mice. Comparison of physicochemical and immunological properties of this enzyme with those of the fatty acid synthetase isolated from normal glands of lactating C3H mice indicates that the enzymes are similar in all respects. The products of the purified fatty acid synthetase from normal and neoplastic tissues were the same, mainly long-chain fatty acids. The normal gland was found to contain 30 times more enzymes per g tissue than did the neoplasm; this may account in part for the relatively low rat of fatty acid synthetase found previously in this neoplasm.

Regulation of synthesis of hepatic fatty acid synthetase: binding of fatty acid synthetase antibodies to polysomes

Mammalian fatty acid synthetase was shown to be composed of two peptides, molecular weight 240,000, after dissociation with sodium dodecyl sulfate. Rat liver polysomes that synthesize fatty acid synthetase were identified by sucrose gradient analysis of polysomes that had been reacted with 125I-labeled antibody against fatty acid synthetase. The binding of 125I-labeled antibody to polysomes was found to correlate with the rate of hepatic fatty acid synthesis in various nutritional conditions.

Control of fatty-acid synthetase biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

143 out of 308 fas1 mutants (47%) and 139 out of 443 fas2-mutants (32%) genetically studied in this laboratory fail to complement with any other fas-mutant (deficient in fatty acid synthetase) of the same gene locus. From these noncomplementing fas-mutants no mutant fatty acid synthetase can be isolated using the wild-type enzyme purification procedure. Furthermore the noncomplementing fas-mutants generally contain no material immunologically crossreacting with a specific fatty acid synthetase antiserum. However, subunits obtained after dissociation of the complex with sodium dodecylsulfate still cross react with this antiserum. Therefore, it is concluded that noncomplementing fas-mutants contain no fatty acid synthetase component proteins, though one of the two fas-loci is mutationally unaffected. This conclusion was further confirmed by 14C-labeled amino acid incorporation studies which indicated that in noncomplementing fas-mutants, other than in wild type and complementing fas-mutant cells, no label was incorporated into fatty acid synthetase subunits or precursor proteins. At nonpermissive temperature, the same biochemical and immunological characteristics were observed with temperature-sensitive non-complementing fas-mutants. These results suggest that noncomplementing fas-mutants either represent regulatory mutants unable to induce the mutationally unaffected other fas-gene locus or that they are association-defective mutants. In both cases the resulting individual subunits of the complex may be rapidly degraded by intracellular proteases.

Hormonal regulation of fatty acid synthetase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthesis in mammalian adipose tissue and liver

The major objectives of this study were to define the roles of adrenal glucocorticoids and glucagon in the long-term regulation of fatty acid synthetase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase of mammalian adipose tissue and liver. Particular emphasis was given to elucidation of the mechanisms whereby these hormones produce their regulatory effects on enzymatic activity. To dissociate mental manipulation, nutritional conditions were ridgidly controlled in the experiments described. Administration of glucocorticoids to adult rats led to a marked reductionin activities of fatty acid synthetase and carboxylase in adipose in adipose tissue but no change occurred in liver. Adrenalectomy produced an increase in activities of these lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissure, but, again, no change was noted in liver. The decrease in enzymatic activities in adipose tissue with glucocorticoid administration correlated well with a decrease in fatty acid synthesis, determined in vivo by the 3-H2O method. The mechanisms whereby glucocorticoids led to a decrease in fatty acid synthetase activity were elucidated by the use of immunochemical techniques. Thus, the decrease in fatty acid synthetase activity observed in adipose tissue was shown to reflect a decrease in content of enzyme, and not a change in catalytic efficiency. The mechanism underlying the decrease in enzyme content is a decrease in synthesis of the enzyme. The relation of the effects of glucocorticoids to the effects of certain other hormones involved in regulation of lipogenesis was investigated in hypophysectomized and in diabetic animals. Thus, the observation that the glucocorticoid effect on synthetase and carboxylase occurred in adipose tissue of hypophysectomized rats indicated that alterations in levels of other pituitary-regulated hormones were not necessary for the effect. That glucocorticoids play some role in regulation of synthetase and carboxylase in liver, at lease in the diabetic state, was shown by the observation that the low activities of these enzymes in diabetic animals could be restored to normal by adrenalectomy. An even more pronounced restorative effect was apparent in adipose tissue of adrenalectomized, diabetic animals. Administration of glucagon during the refeeding of starved rats resulted in a marked reduction in the induction of fatty acid synthetase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase and in the rate of incorporation of 3-H from 3-H2O into fatty acids in liver, but no change in these parameters occurred in adipose tissue. Administration of theophylline resulted in intermediate reduction in liver. The mechanisms whereby glucagon led tto a decrease in fatty acid synthetase activity were elucidated by the use of immunochemical techniques. Thus, the changes in fatty acid synthetase activity were shown to reflect reductions in content of enzyme. The mechanism underlying these reductions in content is reduced synthesis of enzyme.