Altered oxygen tension modulates cytokine-induced signal transduction in polymorphonuclear leukocytes: regulation of the G PLC pathway

The Prodigal Compound: Return of Ribosyl 1,5-Bisphosphate as an Important Player in Metabolism

Ribosyl 1,5-bisphosphate (PRibP) was discovered 65 years ago and was believed to be an important intermediate in ribonucleotide metabolism, a role immediately taken over by its "big brother" phosphoribosyldiphosphate. Only recently has PRibP come back into focus as an important player in the metabolism of ribonucleotides with the discovery of the pentose bisphosphate pathway that comprises, among others, the intermediates PRibP and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (cf. ribose 5-phosphate and ribulose 5-phosphate of the pentose phosphate pathway). Enzymes of several pathways produce and utilize PRibP not only in ribonucleotide metabolism but also in the catabolism of phosphonates, i.e., compounds containing a carbon-phosphorus bond. Pathways for PRibP metabolism are found in all three domains of life, most prominently among organisms of the archaeal domain, where they have been identified either experimentally or by bioinformatic analysis within all of the four main taxonomic groups, Euryarchaeota, TACK, DPANN, and Asgard. Advances in molecular genetics of archaea have greatly improved the understanding of the physiology of PRibP metabolism, and reconciliation of molecular enzymology and three-dimensional structure analysis of enzymes producing or utilizing PRibP emphasize the versatility of the compound. Finally, PRibP is also an effector of several metabolic activities in many organisms, including higher organisms such as mammals. In the present review, we describe all aspects of PRibP metabolism, with emphasis on the biochemical, genetic, and physiological aspects of the enzymes that produce or utilize PRibP. The inclusion of high-resolution structures of relevant enzymes that bind PRibP provides evidence for the flexibility and importance of the compound in metabolism.

Acute in vitro hypoxia and high-altitude (4,559 m) exposure decreases leukocyte oxygen consumption

Hypoxia impairs metabolic functions by decreasing activity and expression of ATP-consuming processes. To separate hypoxia from systemic effects, we tested whether hypoxia at high altitude affects basal and PMA-stimulated leukocyte metabolism and how this compares to acute (15 min) and 24 h of in vitro hypoxia. Leukocytes were prepared at low altitude and ∼24 h after arrival at 4559 m. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption (JO₂) was measured by respirometry, oxygen radicals by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, both at a Po₂ = 100 mmHg (JO₂,₁₀₀) and 20 mmHg (JO₂,₂₀). Acute hypoxia of leukocytes decreased JO₂ at low altitude. Exposure to high altitude decreased JO₂,₁₀₀, whereas JO₂,₂₀ was not affected. Acute hypoxia of low-altitude samples decreased the activity of complexes I, II, and III. At high altitude, activity of complexes I and III were decreased when measured in normoxia. Stimulation of leukocytes with PMA increased JO₂,₁₀₀ at low (twofold) and high altitude (five-fold). At both locations, PMA-stimulated JO₂ was decreased by acute hypoxia. Basal and PMA-stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were unchanged at high altitude. Separate in vitro experiments performed at low altitude show that ∼75% of PMA-induced increase in JO₂ was due to increased extra-mitochondrial JO₂ (JO₂(,res); in the presence of rotenone and antimycin A). JO₂(,res) was doubled by PMA. Acute hypoxia decreased basal JO₂(,res) by ∼70% and PMA-stimulated JO₂(,res) by about 50% in cells cultured in normoxia and hypoxia (1.5% O₂; 24 h). Conversely, 24 h in vitro hypoxia decreased mitochondrial JO₂,₁₀₀ and JO₂,₂₀, extra-mitochondrial, basal, and PMA-stimulated JO₂ were not affected. These results show that 24 h of high altitude but not 24 h in vitro hypoxia decreased basal leukocyte metabolism, whereas PMA-induced JO₂ and ROS formation were not affected, indicating that prolonged high-altitude hypoxia impairs mitochondrial metabolism but does not impair respiratory burst. In contrast, acute hypoxia impairs respiratory burst at either altitude.

Oxygen availability limits renal NADPH-dependent superoxide production

Renal oxygen tension is substantially lower in the medulla than in the cortex and is reduced in hypertensive rats, a model of oxidative stress. Expression of NADPH oxidase, the primary source for superoxide anion (O(2)(-)*) in the kidney, is elevated in hypertension. Because molecular oxygen (O(2)) is required for O(2)(-)* formation, we tested the hypothesis that renal NADPH oxidase activity is limited by low O(2). O(2)(-)* production by rat kidney tissue or cultured cells exposed to levels of Po(2) that mimics those in the kidney was assessed by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. NADPH-dependent O(2)(-)* production by kidney homogenates decreased reversibly by 60-90% after graded reductions of ambient O(2) from 10 to 0% (76 to 2 mmHg Po(2)). The NADPH-dependent O(2)(-)* production by the kidney homogenate was reduced by decreasing Po(2) below approximately 30 mmHg. The response of tissue homogenates to low Po(2) was not different between normotensive and hypertensive rats. Similarly, NADPH-dependent O(2)(-)* production was lower during 2% O(2) compared with 10% O(2) in rat proximal tubule cells (-57 +/- 1%), vascular smooth muscle (-42 +/- 5%), cardiomyocytes (-57 +/- 1%), and mouse inner medulla collecting duct cells (-58 +/- 3%). We conclude that O(2)(-)* production by NADPH oxidase is dependent on availability of O(2). Therefore, O(2)(-)* generation may be limited in the kidney, both in the normal renal medulla and in the cortex of hypertensive kidneys.

Regulation of energy metabolism in macrophages during hypoxia. Roles of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and ribose 1,5-bisphosphate

Macrophages can adapt to the absence of oxygen by switching to anaerobic glycolysis. In this study, we investigated (a) the roles of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) and ribose 1,5-bisphosphate (Rib-1,5-P2), potent activators of phosphofructokinase, (b) the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of Rib-1,5-P2, and (c) the mechanisms of regulation of these enzymes in H36.12j macrophages during the initial phase of hypoxia. Within 1 min after initiating hypoxia, glycolysis was activated through activation of phosphofructokinase. Over the same period, Fru-2,6-P2 decreased 50% and recovered completely upon reoxygenation. Similar changes in cAMP levels were observed. In contrast, the Rib-1,5-P2 concentration rapidly increased to a maximum level of 8.0 +/- 0.9 nmol/g cell 30 s after hypoxia. Thus, Rib-1,5-P2 was the major factor increasing the rate of glycolysis during the initial phase of hypoxia. Moreover, we found that Rib-1,5-P2 was synthesized by two steps: the ribose-phosphate pyrophosphokinase (5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate synthetase; PRPP synthetase) reaction (EC ) catalyzing the reaction, Rib-5-P + ATP --> PRPP + AMP and a new enzyme, "PRPP pyrophosphatase" catalyzing the reaction, PRPP --> Rib-1,5-P2 + P(i). Both PRPP synthetase and PRPP pyrophosphatase were significantly activated 30 s after hypoxia. Pretreatment with 1-octadecyl-2-methyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine and calphostin C prevented the activation of ribose PRPP synthetase and PRPP pyrophosphatase as well as increase in Rib-1,5-P2 and activation of phosphofructokinase 30 s after hypoxia. These data suggest that the activation of the above enzymes was mediated by protein kinase C acting via activation of phosphatidylinositol specific phospholipase C in the macrophages during hypoxia.

Reoxygenation increases the release of reactive oxygen intermediates in murine microglia

Respiratory burst activity of murine microglial cells was investigated in vitro under normoxic and hypoxic conditions with a chemoluminometric assay. Hypoxia for 24 hours reduced the release of extracellular reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), whereas reoxygenation increased the chemoluminescence more than sevenfold. Blockade of potassium channels inhibited the increase of oxidative burst after reoxygenation, indicating that potassium ions, which were increased in the supernatant of hypoxic microglial cells, were involved in this activation process. Also, blockade of voltage-gated calcium channels with nifedipine attenuated the increased release of ROIs. With fura-2 analysis, it was shown that the activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase by potassium ions was mediated by calcium influx via voltage-gated calcium channels. Thus, influx of calcium ions through voltage-gated channels activates the NADPH oxidase in microglial cells during reoxygenation. By the increased production of ROIs, microglial cells may add to the reperfusion injury after ischemia in vivo.