[Simulation of the kinetics of oligomeric enzymes as illustrated by phosphofructokinase. I. General analysis of experimental data and the choice of an adequate model]

On the example of complex allosteric kinetics of phosphofructokinase from human erythrocytes we analysed the applicability of the Monod-Wyman-Changeux and association--dissociation models to the unified description of the kinetics of the oligomeric enzymes. It was shown that these models were not sufficient to construct an adequate phosphofructokinase model. We propose to use the unidimensional Izing model for this purpose. It was analysed in the monosubstrate case for the high enzyme concentration range. The ways to generalize the Izing model as the basis of the universal model for the oligomeric enzyme's kinetics were analysed.

Conversion of allosteric inhibition to activation in phosphofructokinase by protein engineering

Many enzymes are subject to allosteric control, often with inhibitors and activators binding to the same effector site. Phosphofructokinase in Escherichia coli is such an enzyme, being inhibited by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and activated by ADP and GDP. How do individual interactions with effectors affect the balance between activation and inhibition, especially when both ligands share aspects of the same binding site? We find that mutation of a single residue in the effector site, Glu----Ala 187, leads to PEP being an activator rather than an inhibitor. With low concentrations of the substrate fructose-6-phosphate, the mutant enzyme is more than one hundred times more active than wild-type enzyme at millimolar concentrations of PEP. The classical Monod-Wyman-Changeux two-state model is too simple to account for the properties of the mutant enzyme.

Desensitization of muscle phosphofructokinase to ATP inhibition by removal of a carboxyl-terminal heptadecapeptide

Brief exposure of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase to Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease results in the release from the enzyme of two carboxyl-terminal peptides from the enzyme that together comprise 17 amino acids. The rate of proteolysis was increased in the presence of activators of the enzyme, ammonium sulfate and AMP, and was decreased in the presence of allosteric inhibitors, MgATP and citrate. No change was observed in the maximal velocity of the modified enzyme or in its affinity for substrates when assayed under noninhibitory conditions. Equilibrium binding studies indicated no change in the affinity of the modified enzyme for its allosteric activator, AMP. On the other hand, the proteolyzed enzyme exhibited markedly reduced inhibition by ATP and by citrate. ATP inhibition was observed only at very high concentrations of ATP. Fructose-6-P saturation curves of the modified enzyme were nearly hyperbolic. The interaction coefficient deduced from the slope of a Hill-type plot was 1.2 under conditions that yielded a coefficient of 3.0 with native phosphofructokinase. Binding studies verified a decrease in affinity for ATP for at least one of the ATP binding sites. Because kinetic studies showed no effect on the Km for ATP, it was concluded that the affinity was decreased at the MgATP inhibitory site only. Proteolytic removal of the terminal 8 residues from the enzyme produced no striking change in regulatory properties, thus focusing the critical region to the sequence His-Ala-His-Leu-Glu-His-Ile-Ser-Arg. It is suggested that the three histidine residues clustered in the carboxyl terminus may contribute to the binding of MgATP to the inhibitory site.

Regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis by phosphorylated glycerol and glycolytic intermediates in diabetic and control Chinese hamsters

Metabolic regulation of gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis by two phosphorylated derivatives of glycerol, G3P, and DHAP, and by F2,6BP, was assessed in vitro in liver homogenates obtained from Chinese hamsters (C. griseus) of two types: diabetic animals from sublines with consistent glycosuria and hyperglycemia, and normoglycemic controls. Only FBPase was sensitive to inhibition by the phosphorylated metabolites. G3P was weakly inhibitory of FBPase. Addition of 7 X 10(-3) M DHAP halved FBPase activity in the diabetic hamsters and 4 X 10(-3) M DHAP produced the same effect in the controls. The other gluconeogenic enzymes and phosphorylase a were only negligibly inhibited. In contrast, F2,6BP inhibited FBPase at concentrations in the micromolar range. Liver homogenates from diabetic hamsters appeared significantly more sensitive to F2,6BP inhibition of FBPase than those from controls at concentrations 0.6 X 10(-6) M and higher. These data indicate that in well-fed hamsters phosphorylated glycerol derivatives are unlikely to regulate hepatic gluconeogenesis at physiologic concentrations. However, the effects of F2,6BP on gluconeogenesis and glycolysis may be linked to those mediated by insulin. Thus, the deficiency of insulin, elevated end-organ insulin resistance, the alteration in the glucagon-insulin interaction, or a combination of these possible causes can be involved in an abnormal regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis at the FBPase step, associated with changes in F2,6BP concentration.

A novel type of phosphofructokinase from plants

A phosphofructokinase (PFK) has been purified to homogeneity from carrot roots as a large aggregated form (molecular weight greater than 5 million). The purified plant PFK, seemingly the cytosolic form, differed from its mammalian counterpart in a lower subunit molecular weight (60,000 verses 80,000), in being only sluggishly activated by fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, and in immunological properties. Similar to liver PFK, the purified carrot PFK could be dissociated by addition of 5 mM ATP to small and intermediate forms (respective molecular mass values of 2.4 X 10(5) and 6 X 10(5) Da). These small and intermediate forms could partially reassociate to the original large form in the presence of 5 mM Fru-6-P. Alkaline pH also effected the dissociation of the large and intermediate forms to the small form of PFK. All forms were present in significant amounts in freshly prepared carrot root extracts. The different forms of PFK showed characteristic pH activity profiles with pH optima of 8.6 (small form), 5.5 and 9.0 (intermediate form), and 7.0 and 8.5 (large forms). As alkaline pH (greater than or equal to approximately 8.5) dissociated the large and intermediate enzyme forms to yield the small form, it was concluded the "true" pH optima of the intermediate and large forms are pH 5.5 and 7.0, respectively. The pH optimum displayed by the intermediate and large forms in the alkaline region (pH 8.5-9.0) was considered to be due to their dissociation during assay. The different forms of PFK also had dissimilar regulatory properties, each showing a characteristic response to ATP, citrate, and Pi, but all were sensitive to inhibition by phosphoenolpyruvate and NADPH. Leaf cytosolic PFK, partially purified from spinach, showed similar properties. The results suggest that metabolite-dependent aggregation-disaggregation is a mechanism whereby plants regulate the activity of cytosolic PFK and the accompanying rate of glycolytic carbon flux.

Ascaris suum phosphofructokinase. Phosphorylation by protein kinase and sequence of the phosphopeptide

Phosphorylation of the ascarid phosphofructokinase with the catalytic subunit of beef heart cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase results in the incorporation of 1 mol of P/mol of subunit. Accompanying the phosphorylation there is a 3-4-fold increase in catalytic activity when measured at pH 6.8 with inhibitory levels of ATP. Studies on the effect of phosphorylation on the ATP saturation curve demonstrated that phosphorylation decreased the inhibitory action of ATP. The apparent Km of the catalytic subunit for the phosphofructokinase was 11.2 microM. Chymotryptic or subtilisin digestion of the labeled enzyme released distinct but overlapping phosphopeptides that were purified by high pressure liquid chromatography and sequenced by gas phase peptide sequencing. The sequence of the chymotryptic peptide was Ala-Lys-Gly-Arg-Ser-Asp-Ser(P)-Ile-Val-Pro-Thr. Based on these results and earlier observations, it is proposed that phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase plays an important role in the regulation of energy metabolism in the parasitic helminth.

Enzymatic differences between hycanthone-resistant and sensitive strains of Schistosoma mansoni

1. Hycanthone-sensitive and resistant adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni were found to have generally similar specific activities in ten enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism. 2. Kinetic analyses revealed that pyruvate kinase, glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase from both strains possessed similar Michaelis-Menten constants and were not inhibited by hycanthone. 3. Hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase from the drug-resistant strain were not inhibited by hycanthone and showed three to five times greater Km values than those from the drug-sensitive worms which were also inhibitable by hycanthone. 4. Hycanthone more drastically affected the Vmax of phosphofructokinase from the hycanthone-sensitive parasite. 5. These data showed that the hycanthone inhibitable enzymes were generally from the drug-sensitive strain whereas the enzymes from drug-resistant worms are mostly hycanthone insensitive.

The purification, characterization and regulatory properties of liver phosphofructokinase in the Arabian one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius)

1. Phosphofructokinase from camel liver was purified to homogeneity more than 3600-fold, and the yield of the preparation was 46%. 2. The sodium dodecyl sulphate-treated purified enzyme migrated as a single band in 10% polyacrylamide gel. 3. The enzyme is a tetramer, with a monomer Mr 90,000. 4. The regulatory properties of the purified enzyme from camel liver were studied at pH 7.0. 5. The enzyme displayed cooperativity with respect to fructose 6-phosphate and was inhibited by high concentrations of ATP. 6. The enzyme was also inhibited by citrate, phosphocreatine and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. 7. On the other hand, ADP, AMP, glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate were all found to be strong activators for camel liver phosphofructokinase.

Allosteric properties of phosphofructokinase from the epithelial cells of thermally injured rat small intestine

1. The allosteric properties of phosphofructokinase from the epithelial cells of thermally injured rat small intestine were studied and compared with those properties of the normal rats. 2. The fructose 6-phosphate saturation curve of mucosal phosphofructokinase from thermally injured rats (3 days post injury, 33% of body surface area) displayed cooperatively; the ratio of the activity observed at pH 7.0 in the presence of 0.5 mM fructose 6-phosphate and 2.5 mM-ATP to the optimal activity at pH 8.0, v 0.5/V, was 0.42 +/- 0.02 in the normal rats and 0.22 +/- 0.03 in the injured rats. 3. The enzyme from thermally injured rats was very sensitive to inhibition by ATP as compared to that from normal rats. 4. The enzyme from thermally injured rats was inhibited by citrate and phosphocreatine in a synergistic manner with ATP. 5. Activation under nearly cellular conditions was produced by ADP, AMP and glucose-1,6-biphosphate. 6. In general, the mucosal enzyme of thermally injured rats was more susceptible to inhibition or activation by various metabolites than the enzyme of the normal rats. 7. These results may suggest that mucosal phosphofructokinase of thermally injured rats may not be subject to the same control mechanism as the normal rats in vivo due to changes in the concentrations of fructose-2,6-biphosphate.

The effect of levamisole on energy metabolism in Ehrlich ascites tumour cells in vitro

It has been found that levamisole, an anthelmintic drug, used also as an immunomodulator in human cancer therapy, is a strong inhibitor of tumour aerobic glycolysis. In vitro, in Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) cells and supernatants it diminishes glucose uptake and lactate formation. It does not, however, exert a similar inhibitory effect on glycolytic activity in normal liver and muscle supernatants. Metabolic and enzymatic studies have shown that levamisole directly inhibits tumour phosphofructokinase decreasing ATP, as well as 2-phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate as further glycolytic intermediates. L-Cysteine used for comparison also as another inhibitor of tumour aerobic glycolysis, decreasing glucose uptake and lactate formation and diminishing pyruvate and ATP levels, differs in the accompanying increase in 2-phosphoenolpyruvate concentration. This crossing-over in metabolite concentration, only seen in tumour material, points to tumour pyruvate kinase as an isoenzyme sensitive to cysteine inhibition. Direct enzymatic studies have confirmed this suggestion. Some similarities in the influence on the metabolism of both compounds studied have been discussed, as well as the role of the effects observed in understanding the mechanisms of levamisole action (also in worms).

Thiol/disulfide exchange between rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase and glutathione. Kinetics and thermodynamics of enzyme oxidation

Reversible thiol/disulfide exchange equilibria between rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase and glutathione redox buffers results in a dependence of the activity of the enzyme on the thiol to disulfide ratio of the redox buffer (Gilbert, H. F. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 12086-12091). The transition between fully reduced (active) and fully oxidized (inactive) enzyme is half complete at a [GSH]/[GSSG] ratio of 6.5 +/- 1 at pH 8.0 and 5.6 +/- 0.9 at pH 7.2. In the presence of excess GSSG approximately 40-50% of the activity is lost in a rapid process (k = 110 M-1 min-1), while the remaining activity is lost more slowly (k = 1.9 M-1 min-1). Two equivalents of radiolabeled glutathione are incorporated covalently, one coincident with each phase of inactivation. The most rapidly oxidized sulfhydryl group is also the most rapidly reduced by GSH in the reverse reaction (k = 150 M-1 min-1). Reduction of a more slowly reacting protein-glutathione mixed disulfide is required to regenerate the original activity (k = 0.33 M-1 min-1). The thiol/disulfide oxidation equilibrium constant (Kox) for the most rapidly oxidized sulfhydryl group is estimated to be 0.7 while that for the more slowly oxidized group is 6.1. The sulfhydryl group which is more easily oxidized kinetically is the more thermodynamically resistant to oxidation. The magnitude of the equilibrium constants for these reversible oxidations would suggest that the oxidation state (and activity) of phosphofructokinase would not be significantly affected by typical metabolic changes in the glutathione oxidation state in vivo.

Relationship between fructose 2,6-bisphosphate activation and MgATP inhibition of rat liver phosphofructokinase at high pH. Kinetic evidence for individual binding sites linked by finite couplings

The concentration of fructose 6-phosphate required to produce half-maximal velocity of rat liver phosphofructokinase at pH 9 (Ka) has been measured at 110 different combinations of MgATP and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-BP) concentrations spanning the range 0.1-100 mM and 0.003-100 microM, respectively. The data have been evaluated by nonlinear regression to an equation resulting from a linked-function analysis of an enzyme capable of binding three ligands simultaneously at separate sites. In addition, the data have been fit to equations, derived from the linked-function expression, that would result if various combinations of antagonistic ligands were unable to bind to the enzyme simultaneously, even at high concentration, either because they compete for a single binding site or because they bind exclusively to different conformational forms of the enzyme. The complete linked-function equation is able to predict the Ka for rat liver phosphofructokinase as a function of any Fru-2,6-BP and/or MgATP concentration significantly better than any of the alternatives examined, particularly at high concentrations of one or both modifier ligands. The free energy couplings between all three possible pairs of ligands are of quite moderate magnitude, especially when the multiplicity of binding sites for each ligand that actually exists on the functional enzyme is considered. Therefore, we conclude that any explanation of the action of Fru-2,6-BP and MgATP by a model more elaborate than the simple linked-function case considered herein cannot be simplified by assuming that the properties of rat liver phosphofructokinase result from an equilibrium of limiting conformational states that exhibit exclusive binding properties.

Comparison of pH-dependent allostery and dissociation for phosphofructokinases from Artemia embryos and rabbit muscle: nature of the enzymes acylated with diethylpyrocarbonate

Purified Artemia phosphofructokinase (PFK), unlike the rabbit skeletal muscle enzyme, displays allosteric kinetics at pH 8, a feature that is functionally significant since the intracellular pH of the developing brine shrimp embryo is greater than or equal to 7.9. Catalytic activity of the Artemia enzyme is severely suppressed by acidic pH even when assayed at the adenylate nucleotide concentrations existing in anaerobic embryos, which is consistent with the lack of a Pasteur effect in these organisms. For both PFK homologs, carbethoxylation reduces the sensitivity to ATP and citrate inhibition, the cooperativity as a function of fructose 6-phosphate concentration and the degree of activation in the presence ADP, AMP, and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Considering the role of histidine protonation in PFK allosteric control, the capacity for regulatory kinetics seen at pH 8 in the Artemia enzyme could be explained in part by upward shifts in pKa values of ionizable residues. pH-induced dissociation of tetrameric Artemia PFK into inactive subunits does not occur during catalytic inhibition at acidic pH (pH 6.5, 6 degrees C), as judged by 90 degree light scattering. This observation contrasts markedly with the dimerization and inactivation of rabbit PFK, but is shown not to be unique when compared to other selected PFK homologs. Neither the acute pH sensitivity of Artemia PFK nor the pH-induced hysteretic inactivation displayed by the rabbit enzyme are altered by carbethoxylation, suggesting that ionizable residues involved in these two processes are not the same ones involved in allosteric kinetics.

Antagonistic effects of hexose 1,6-bisphosphates and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate on the activity of 6-phosphofructokinase purified from honey-bee flight muscle

6-Phosphofructokinase purified from honey-bee flight muscle is inhibited by ATP and, unusually, by glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. The inhibition by either of the bisphosphates is not relieved by AMP, but is relieved by fructose 6-phosphate and especially by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Lack of effect by AMP is consistent with a low activity of adenylate kinase in this muscle.

Zn2+-dependent reversible inactivation of rat liver phosphofructokinase-1. Purification of the inactivating protein and characterization of the inactivation reaction

A protein has been purified from rat liver (about 5 mg from 100 g) which inactivates rat liver phosphofructokinase-1. According to dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis the protein consists of a single peptide chain with a Mr of 19,000. The inactivation of phosphofructokinase-1 by this protein results from a dissociation of phosphofructokinase-1 into its inactive protomers (Mr = 82,000). The inactivation is dependent on zinc ions in micromolar concentration (about 1-2 microM), but is inhibited by higher concentrations (greater than 50 microM). Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate as well as fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibit the inactivation reaction. In addition, both compounds as well as ATP can reverse the dissociation of phosphofructokinase-1. The phosphofructokinase-1 inactivating protein has no phosphatase activity with [32P]phosphofructokinase or low molecular weight phospho-compounds and does not possess any detectable proteolytic activity. It has the same affinity for the phospho- and the dephosphoform of phosphofructokinase-1, but preincubation of phosphofructokinase-1 with this inactivating protein reduces the maximum amount of phosphate incorporated into phosphofructokinase-1 and accelerates the velocity of the dephosphorylation reaction. A direct Zn2+-dependent binding of phosphofructokinase-1 to the inactivating protein has been demonstrated in experiments with matrix-bound phosphofructokinase-1 inactivating protein.

[Suppression of phosphofructokinase (PFK) by sera from cancer patients, and mechanism of the antagonistic effect of PSK]

Body fluids from cancer patients (sera, pleural effusions and ascites) tended to inhibit phosphofructokinase (ATP: D-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.11) (PFK), the rate-limiting key enzyme in the glycolysis pathway, when analysed using aqueous ATP solution separately from the main reaction mixture. A protein-bound polysaccharide from Coliolus versicolor QUEL (Krestine, PSK) antagonistically elevated the activity of the enzyme. It was found that PSK stabilized PFK in a similar way to certain enzyme stabilizers such as proteins and polysaccharides. Furthermore, it was clarified that PSK worked as an ion radical scavenger that could capture 1O2, O-2, and OH X radicals released from lipoperoxides. In other words PSK protects PFK from hyperoxidation by lipoperoxides.

The effect of the sesquiterpene lactones from Geigeria on glycolytic enzymes

The effect of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Geigeria was tested on three glycolytic enzymes. Phosphofructokinase was inhibited irreversibly by all of the sesquiterpene lactones, with ivalin(III) giving the highest extent of inhibition. Values for the kinetic constants Ki (1.3 mM) and kp (2.2 min-1) were established. Hexokinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were also strongly inhibited at 1 mM and 3 mM concentrations of sesquiterpene lactones, respectively. Pre-incubation of ivalin with dithiothreitol decreased its inhibiting effect on phosphofructokinase, hexokinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities. Phosphofructokinase and hexokinase were protected against inhibition by ivalin by their respective substrates, adenosine-5'-triphosphate and glucose.

Phosphofructokinase from the epithelial cells of rat small intestine. Comparison of regulatory properties with those of skeletal muscle, liver and brain phosphofructokinase

The regulatory properties of phosphofructokinase from rat mucosa, liver, brain and muscle were investigated. Mucosal phosphofructokinase displayed cooperativity with respect to fructose 6-phosphate at pH 7.0 and so did the muscle, brain and liver isoenzymes. All these four isoenzymes were inhibited by ATP, the mucosal isoenzyme being the least inhibited. They were also inhibited by citrate and creatine phosphate. AMP, ADP, glucose 1,6-diphosphate, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and inorganic phosphate were all strong activators for the mucosal, brain, liver and muscle phosphofructokinase, but the mucosal isoenzyme was found to be more activated than the others, accounting for the higher rates of glycolysis observed in mucosa. The results suggest that mucosal phosphofructokinase is unique and different from all the other isoenzymes.

Effects of m-Cl-peroxy benzoic acid on glycolysis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Concentrations of m-Cl-peroxy benzoic acid (CPBA) higher than 0.1 mM decrease the ATP-content of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of glucose in 1 min to less than 10% of the initial value. In the absence of glucose, 1.0 mM CPBA is necessary for a similar effect. After the rapid loss of ATP in the first min in the presence of glucose caused by 0.2 mM CPBA, the ATP-content recovers to nearly the initial value after 10 min. Aerobic glucose consumption and ethanol formation from glucose are both completely inhibited by 1.0 mM CPBA. Assays of the activities of nine different enzymes of the glycolytic pathway as well as analysis of steady state concentrations of metabolites suggest that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is the most sensitive enzyme of glucose fermentation. Phosphofructokinase and alcohol dehydrogenase are slightly less sensitive. Incubation for 1 or 10 min with concentrations of 0.05 to 0.5 mM CPBA causes a) inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, b) decrease of the ATP-content and c) a decrease of the colony forming capacity. From these findings it is concluded that the disturbance of the ATP-producing glycolytic metabolism by inactivation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase may be an explanation for cell death caused by CPBA.

Enzyme concentration affects the allosteric behavior of yeast phosphofructokinase

The influence of enzyme concentration on the kinetic behavior of yeast phosphofructokinase has been examined. A marked decrease in the ATP inhibition was observed when the enzyme activity was studied in permeabilized cells (in situ) as well as when the kinetic study was carried out with the purified yeast enzyme at a concentration of 120 micrograms/ml as compared to a 100-fold diluted enzyme. A similar result was obtained by adding polyethylene glycol either to a cell free extract or to the diluted pure enzyme to increase the local protein concentration. However, enzyme concentration had no significant effect on the fructose-6-P saturation curve. These results provide evidence that the allosteric behavior of yeast phosphofructokinase is affected by enzyme concentration.

Mode of interaction of phosphofructokinase with the erythrocyte membrane

Phosphofructokinase is known to associate with the human erythrocyte membrane both in vitro and in vivo. Such association activates the enzyme in vitro by relieving the allosteric inhibition imposed by ATP (Karadsheh, N.S., and Uyeda, K. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 7418-7420). We now demonstrate that ADP, ATP, and NADH, all of which are known to bind to the enzyme's adenine nucleotide activation site, are particularly potent in eluting the enzyme from the membrane. In addition, both inside-out red cell membrane vesicles and a 23-kDa fragment containing the amino terminus of the membrane protein, band 3, cause a slow, partial, and reversible inactivation of phosphofructokinase. The dependence of the residual phosphofructokinase activity on phosphofructokinase concentration demonstrates that inactivation occurs through the dissociation of active tetramers to inactive dimers. Dimers of phosphofructokinase associate with the membrane more avidly than tetramers. The kinetics of phosphofructokinase inactivation are consistent with the dissociation of tetramers in solution followed by the binding of dimers to the membrane. There is no indication of an association equilibrium between tetramers and dimers of phosphofructokinase bound to the membrane. Taken together, these results suggest that the amino-terminal segment of band 3 binds to the adenine nucleotide activation site, which is thought to be located in a cleft between the dimeric subunits of phosphofructokinase. As a result, band 3 not only rapidly activates the phosphofructokinase tetramer but also slowly inactivates the enzyme by preferentially binding its dissociated subunits.

Effect of acrylamide and related compounds on glycolytic enzymes in mouse brain in vitro

The effects of acrylamide and eight analogues on mouse brain glycolytic enzymes were studied in vitro. Most of the neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic analogues showed inhibitory effects on enolases. Their inhibitory constants, I50, for both mouse brain total enolases and purified bovine neuron specific enolase were similar for each analogue, being lowest for N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide and highest for methacrylamide. A neurotoxic compound, N-isopropylacrylamide, and a non-neurotoxic compound, N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide, showed non-competitive inhibition towards mouse brain total enolase. After preincubation of anologues in vitro for 90 min with hepatic S-9 fraction prepared from normal mice, their inhibitory potency towards brain total enolase was also seen. When the S-9 fraction was prepared from mice pretreated with phenobarbital, the inhibitory potency was not different from that of the control. After preincubation with S-9 fraction prepared from either diethyl maleate-, or piperonyl butoxide-pretreated mice the inhibitory potency was significantly greater than with non-pretreated control mice. Many of the test analogues also showed inhibition of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, the highest inhibitory potency being seen with acrylamide, but no compounds inhibited phosphofructokinase.

Alterations in the activity and isozymic profile of human phosphofructokinase during malignant transformation in vivo and in vitro: transformation- and progression-linked discriminants of malignancy

6-Phosphofructokinase (PFK) plays a central role in the regulation of glycolysis in both normal and neoplastic cells. Since PFK also mediates the Pasteur effect, it coordinates the two modes of energy production in most cell systems, i.e., glycolysis and respiration. The energy production in the cancer cell is characterized by a predominance of aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect) and a diminution or lack of the Pasteur effect. Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that PFK in humans and in the rat exists in multiple tetrameric isozymic forms consisting of three unique subunits under separate genetic controls, M, L, and P types. These isozymes are distinguishable from one another by ion-exchange chromatography and subunit-specific antibodies. Various organs exhibit unique isozyme distribution patterns which essentially reflect the preferred mode of carbohydrate metabolism utilized, i.e., glycolysis or gluconeogenesis or both. In order to investigate whether the high aerobic glycolysis of the cancer cell can be explained on the basis of a lack of the regulatory function of PFK due to an altered isozyme distribution pattern, we compared the activity and isozymic profile of the enzyme from malignant cells of human leukemias, lymphomas, virus-transformed cell lines, and established malignant cell lines of lymphoid, myeloid, erythroid, and fibroblastic origin and their normal counterparts. The myeloid and erythroid cell lines were also investigated after in vitro differentiation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide, sodium butyrate, hemin, etc. Our results show that, as is the case with hexokinase and pyruvate kinase, the other two rate-limiting enzymes of glycolysis, PFK shows both quantitative increases and isozymic alterations secondary to altered gene expression during neoplastic transformation, both in vivo and in vitro. In contradistinction to the isozymic alteration in hexokinase and pyruvate kinase, where highly regulated liver-type isozymes decrease or disappear and are replaced by the nonregulated ones, in the case of PFK, the highly regulated liver-type isozyme not only persists but actually increases, followed by an increase in the platelet-type isozyme. These isozymic alterations closely parallel the quantitative increases in total PFK activity, which in turn is closely related to the rate of replication of cancer cells and hence an increase in metabolism. Thus, human PFK is both a transformation- and a progression-linked discriminant of malignancy (For definitions of these terms, see Weber et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 296: 486-493, 1977.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effect of acrylamide and related compounds on glycolytic enzymes of rat brain

The in vitro effect of acrylamide and its analogues on rat brain glycolytic enzymes was examined to elucidate the biochemical lesions responsible for the pathogenesis of acrylamide-induced neuropathy. All test compounds inhibited glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, irrespective of their neurotoxicity, and their inhibitory potency was a linear function of the rate constant with reduced glutathione. Phosphofructokinase was also inhibited by some of the test compounds, independently of their neurotoxicity. The rate-limiting enzymes in glycolysis, hexokinase and pyruvate kinase, were not inhibited by acrylamide.