Increased lysosomal enzymes in genetic muscular dystrophy

Two Faces of Cathepsin D: Physiological Guardian Angel and Pathological Demon

Since its discovery as a lysosomal hydrolase, Cathepsin D (CatD) has been the subject of intensive scrutiny by numerous scientists. Those accumulated efforts have defined its biosynthetic pathway, structure, and companion proteins in the context of its perceived “house keeping” function. However, in the past two decades CatD has emerged as a multifunctional enzyme, involved in myriad biological processes beyond its original “housekeeping” role. CatD is responsible for selective and limited cleavage (quite distinct from non-specific protein degradation) of particular substrates vital to proper cellular function. These proteolytic events are critical in the control of biological processes, including cell cycle progression, differentiation and migration, morphogenesis and tissue remodeling, immunological processes, ovulation, fertilization, neuronal outgrowth, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Consistent with the biological relevance of CatD, its deficiency, altered regulation or post-translational modification underlie important pathological conditions such as cancer, atherosclerosis, neurological and skin disorders. Specifically, deregulated synthesis, post-translational modifications and hyper-secretion of CatD, along with its mitogenic effects, are established hallmarks of cancer. More importantly, but less studied, is its significance in regulating the sensitivity to anticancer drugs.

This review outlines CatD’s post-translational modifications, cellular trafficking, secretion and protein binding partners in normal mammary gland, and restates the “site-specific” function of CatD which is most probably dictated by its post-translational modifications and binding partners. Noteworthy, CatD’s association with one of its binding partners in the context of drug sensitivity is highlighted, with the optimism that it could contribute to the development of more effective chemotherapeutic agent(s) tailored for individual patients.

AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDY OF DENERVATION ATROPHY IN RED AND WHITE SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

A study, mainly by electron microscopy, has been made on two leg muscles of rat, in the course of atrophy experimentally induced by total denervation. As a preliminary the chief distinctive features of the soleus, chosen as a representative of pure red muscle, and of the gastrocnemius, representative of pure white muscle, are described. Two major phases of atrophy, somewhat overlapping in time, were observed. In the first, a degenerative autolytic process takes place in areas of the fiber, with loss of striation. It can be detected as early as the 7th day, but the maximum is observed at the 14th day, and accounts for a gross weight loss of 50 per cent. The first alteration appears in the Z lines; disorder in the disposition of filaments then follows. The process occurs very rapidly, leaving large areas in the cell in which one can detect only ground substance, glycogen, rare randomly disposed vesicular elements, and some mitochondria. Several lysosomes and masses of lipoproteins, which assume the configuration of concentric lamellae, show up in these fibers. Subsequently large parts of the waste sarcoplasm are discarded into the intercellular spaces. In the second major phase the so called "simple" atrophy takes place. The process starts early, but its effects are more detectable after 1 month. In this period, single myofibrils undergo different degrees of reduction in diameter, while the spatial disposition of primary and secondary filaments inside the fibrils remains normal. The appearance of the fibrils in longitudinal sections suggests that the process takes place by the detachment of filaments from the periphery of the fibrils and by their subsequent breakdown in the interfibrillary spaces. The sarcoplasmic reticulum is still well preserved, and relatively overdeveloped. Mitochondria disappear in parallel with the contractile material.

Semipermeable membrane techniques in quantitative enzyme histochemistry

Non-structurally bound, partially structurally bound or weakly structurally bound enzymes diffuse out of sections during the histochemical incubation period. Fixation of sections does not help to prevent diffusion since the enzymes may be inactivated by their chemical reaction with the fixative. Moreover watery fixatives cause partial leakage of enzymes into the fixative solution. The inclusion of macromolecular substances in the incubation media only partially prevents the leakage of enzymes. In the technique discussed here a semipermeable membrane is interposed between the incubating solution and the tissue section. Because only molecules with a molecular weight of 20 000 can penetrate the membranes, diffusion of enzymes is prevented, whereas substrate molecules and other components necessary for the staining reaction diffuse through the membrane. This technique is suitable for the histochemical demonstration of activity of oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases and isomerases. Particular attention is paid to how far semipermeable membrane methods are suitable for quantitative histochemical studies of enzymes.

Gender related differential effects of Omega-3E treatment on diabetes-induced left ventricular dysfunction

The present study was designed to determine whether there are beneficial effects of intake of Omega-3E (containing 70% pure omega-3 and 2% natural vitamin E) in cardiac dysfunction of diabetic rats. We also examined whether there are gender-related differences in the responses to the intake of Omega-3E on the heart dysfunction. Experiments were performed by using Langendorff-perfused hearts from normal, diabetic (with 50 mg/kg streptozotocin), and Omega-3E (50 mg/kg body weight/day) treated diabetic 3-month-old Wistar rats. Omega-3E treatment of the diabetics caused small, but significant decrease (13% and 14% female versus male) in the blood glucose level. Omega-3E treatment of the diabetic female rats did not prevent diabetes-induced decrease in left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) with respect to the control female rats. On the other hand, the treatment of diabetic male rats caused significant recovery in depressed LVDP. Furthermore, such treatment of diabetic female and male rats caused significant recovery in depressed rates of changes of developed pressure. This effect was more significant in males. Besides, Omega-3E caused significant further lengthening in the diabetes-induced increased time to the peak of the developed pressure in females, while it normalized the lengthening in the relaxation of the developed pressure in diabetic males. In addition, Omega-3E treatment caused significant restorations in the diabetes-induced altered activities of antioxidant enzymes without any significant gender discrepancy. Present data show that there are gender related differences in diabetic heart dysfunction and the response to antioxidant treatment.

Early expression of ubiquitin in myofibers of rats in organophosphate intoxication

The degenerative process of the myofibers of the diaphragm of rats intoxicated with the organophosphate isofenphos, a compound that inhibits esterases, was studied at different intervals of intoxication. Early disorganization of the intermyofibrillar network and of the myofilaments, as well as dilatation of organelles, were observed by use of transmission electron microscopy. These changes precede macrophage invasion of the muscle fibers. Early expression of ubiquitin was observed in segments of muscle fibers by immunohistochemistry. Bands of polyubiquitin complexes in muscle homogenates were observed by immunoblotting. These bands disappeared in later stages of intoxication. A 42.5-kDa band corresponds to actin, as observed by immunoblotting using antisarcometric actin. This indicates relatively large amounts of polyubiquitin complex associated with sarcomeric actin in muscle fibers in early stages of intoxication. Based on these results it seems that actin is an important target in organophosphate-induced myofiber degradation and that the degradation of this protein-by the polyubiquitin pathway-may play an important role in the early disorganization of the sarcomere, as observed by electron microscopy. A possible role of the ubiquitin proteolytic pathway is that of trying to eliminate proteins modified in the early phases of muscle fiber degeneration, which is a necessary step for regeneration of the posterior segmental muscle.

Potentiation by adrenaline of a proteolytic activity associated with purified myosin

Proteolytic activity accompanies myosin through three reprecipitations. The fact that this activity can be potentiated by very small doses of 1-adrenaline supports the view that adrenaline receptors are protein in nature and that adrenaline-like compounds exert their action through modification of the activity of enzymes.

RAT-KIDNEY LYSOSOMES: ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES

1. The activities of lysosomal enzymes in the cortexes and medullas and the principal subcellular fractions of rat kidney were measured. 2. A method is described for the isolation of rat-kidney lysosomes and a detailed analysis of the enzymic composition of the lysosomes is reported. Enzyme analysis of the other principal subcellular fractions is included for comparison. 3. Studies of the distribution of alpha-glucosidase showed that the lysosomal fraction contained only 10% of the total enzyme activity. The microsomal fraction contained most of the particulate alpha-glucosidase. Lysozyme was concentrated mainly in the lysosomal fraction with only small amounts present in the microsomal fraction. Lysosomal alpha-glucosidase had optimum pH5 whereas the microsomal form had optimum pH6. Both lysosomal and microsomal lysozyme had optimum pH6.2. 4. The stability of lysosomal suspensions was studied. Incubation at 37 degrees and pH7 resulted in first an increased availability of enzymes without parallel release of enzyme. This was followed by a second stage during which the availability of enzymes was closely related to the release of enzymes. These changes were closely paralleled by changes in light-scattering properties of lysosomes. 5. The latent nature of the alpha-glucosidase and lysozyme of intact kidney lysosomes was demonstrated by their graded and parallel release with other typical lysosomal enzymes. 6. Isolated lysosomes were unstable at pH values lower than 5, most stable at pH6-7 and less stable at pH 8-9. Lysosomes were not disrupted when the osmolarity of the suspending medium was decreased from 0.6m to 0.25m. 7. The discussion compares the properties and composition of kidney lysosomes, liver lysosomes and the granules of macrophages. 8. The possible origin of the lysozyme in kidney lysosomes by reabsorption of the lysozyme in blood is discussed.

LYSOSOMAL FRACTIONS FROM TRANSITIONAL EPITHELIUM

Histochemical data suggested that the so called lipoid granules of transitional epithelium in some species are equivalent to lysosomes. Scrapings of bovine and canine transitional epithelium were subjected to differential centrifugation to confirm this identification biochemically. Fractions of rat liver, the classic source of lysosomes, were also prepared by the same methods to compare with the fractions obtained from urinary epithelium. In contrast to rat liver, uroepithelial fractions with a high relative specific activity for hydrolases were sedimented before the heavy mitochondria. Microscopically, these fractions contained the highest proportion of lipoid granules. The size and sedimentation characteristics of lysosomes from transitional epithelium more closely resembled those of lysosomes derived from rat kidney than those isolated from liver.

The pentose phosphate pathway in skeletal muscle under patho-physiological conditions. A combined histochemical and biochemical study

Over the last 30 years, research into the neuromuscular apparatus, has expanded greatly. Multidisciplinary investigations have rapidly advanced our understanding both of diseases and of the basic neuromuscular mechanisms. The mode of pathological reaction of the neuromuscular apparatus is now quite well understood. The most notable aspect of the reaction of the injured neuromuscular apparatus is the remarkably stereotyped character of the resulting pathological changes as demonstrated by a wide variety of harmful causes, producing surprisingly similar effects. The findings of our combined histochemical and biochemical investigations presented in this monograph, are in complete harmony with the stereotyped character of the pathological changes. For example, it is particularly striking that many affected muscle fibres of patients with muscular dystrophies, congenital myopathies, inflammatory myopathies, metabolic myopathies, endocrine myopathies, or with diseases of the lower motor neuron, display an enhanced activity of both oxidative enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway. Likewise, we found that experimental animals with disordered skeletal muscles, provoked by different types of agents or treatments, reveal the same marked rise in activity of GPDH and PGDH in the muscle fibres, with a positive correlation between the activity of both enzymes. Other findings of our investigations point to a positive correlation between the activity of GPDH and PGDH on the one hand and that of the non-oxidative enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway, the enzymes TA, TK, RPI and RPE on the other hand. The rise in activity of PGDH and, in particular, of GPDH is regulated by two different mechanisms. The first represents a rapid control mechanism based on the stimulation of both oxidative enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway by NADP+ and on their inhibition by NADPH. The other mechanism represents a long-term effect directed at the synthesis of the enzymes. It is this type of mechanism which is responsible for the rise in activity of GPDH and PGDH we observed. The findings obtained with the applied enzyme histochemical techniques clearly demonstrated that the rise in activity of both enzymes is not homogeneously distributed in the disordered skeletal muscles of man and experimental animals. For that reason, in order to obtain reliable quantitative information about enzyme activities in the muscle fibres themselves, the application of biochemical assays on a micro-scale was indispensable. The biochemical assay of enzyme activities was performed on histologically and histochemically selected dissected muscle specimens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Histochemical features of ragged-red fibres in diseased skeletal muscles

In the present communication, the activity of 24 oxidoreductases, transferases, isomerases and hydrolases was examined histochemically in ragged-red fibres of human skeletal muscle specimens. The biopsy material was obtained from patients with neuromuscular diseases caused by an abnormally metabolic functioning of the muscle mitochondria. The granular accumulations of the ragged-red fibres were characterized by an impressive activity of all mitochondrial and most non-mitochondrial enzymes examined, whether participating in the aerobic or in the anaerobic pathways. With the exception of mitochondrial Mg2(+)-stimulated ATPase, acid phosphatase and AMP-aminohydrolase, there was no activity of the other hydrolytic enzymes studied in these regions. The strong activity of mitochondrial ATPase points to the presence of loosely coupled and/or uncoupled mitochondria. Ragged-red fibres that exhibited a diffuse and corpuscular activity of acid phosphatase, were always undergoing necrotic changes. Adsorption studies with diluted enzyme solutions demonstrated that the granular accumulations display a specific, moderate affinity for glycolytic enzymes.

Increase in the amount of elongation factor 2 in chicken muscular dystrophy

The amount of elongation factor 2 (EF2) in the cytoplasm and ribosome of breast muscle cell from normal and dystrophic strains of chicken was measured. Concentration in the cytoplasm of 20-day-old embryonic dystrophic muscle was higher than that in normal muscle, but no difference in content was found in muscles of 15-day-old embryos. The amount of EF2 bound to ribosomes was identical in normal and dystrophic muscles during all stages of development. Peptide mapping patterns of partial proteolytic fragments of EF2 from normal and dystrophic chicken breast muscles were similar. The increase in cytoplasmic protein synthetic activity of dystrophic breast muscles reported previously seems to be due to the corresponding increase in the number of EF2 molecules rather than to their modification in dystrophic muscle.

Liver lysosomal enzymes in rats during long-term dietary restriction. 1. Changes during the developmental period of life

The specific activities of the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase, beta-galactosidase, arylsulphatase B and cathepsin D were determined in homogenates of livers of rats fed ad libitum and of rats subjected to long-term dietary restriction (10%, 30% and 50% of diet consumed by the ad libitum group). Dietary restriction began soon after weaning and animals were sacrificed 3, 9, 15 and 24 weeks later. Dietary restriction influenced all four enzymes but the changes depended on the enzyme as well as on the degree and duration of the dietary restriction. Total activity of acid phosphatase increased significantly at 3 weeks of restriction but only in the 50% group. The activity returned to normal values at 9 weeks. Arylsulphatase B increased in all experimental groups with a more pronounced change observed at 3 weeks and in the more severely restricted rats. No notable change in the activities of beta-galactosidase and cathepsin D activities was observed. Changes in the liver ultrastructure paralleled the biochemical changes seen at 3 weeks. Numerous autophagic vacuoles and dense bodies resembling age pigments were formed in the hepatocytic cytoplasm. Mitochondrial enlargement, increased matrical density and rough endoplasmic reticulum fragmentation were also noted. Few of these changes were observed at 9 weeks, and the hepatocyte's morphology was virtually normal at 15 and 24 weeks. The marked changes seen at 3 weeks may be a manifestation of the body's adaptive processes to the nutritional stress.

Skeletal muscle lysosomes: comparison of lysosomes from normal and dystrophic avian pectoralis muscle as a function of age

The properties of skeletal muscle lysosomes from normal and dystrophic chickens were studied to assess their involvement in the dystrophic process. A method is described for isolation of a three-to-sevenfold purified lysosome fraction with 29-33% yield. Lysosomal enzymes in crude homogenates and isolated lysosome-enriched fractions from dystrophic muscle exhibit decreased latency for N-acetyl beta-D-glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, and cathepsin D. However, no differences in the fragility of lysosomes in isolated lysosome-enriched fractions from normal and dystrophic muscle were observed using shear, sonication and detergent stress. Lower percent recovery, enrichment factor and percent latency of acid phosphatase compared to N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and cathepsin D were observed from both normal and dystrophic muscle. These results are consistent with the presence of a significant amount of nonlysosomal acid phosphatase activity in skeletal muscle.

Immunocytochemical studies of cathepsin D in human skeletal muscle

The distribution of cathepsin D, an acidic endopeptidase, was localized by immunocytochemistry in human skeletal muscle obtained from 34 persons with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Normal human skeletal muscle contained small amounts of cathepsin D, all of which was found close to the sarcolemmal membrane. Immunoreactive cathepsin D was present in the cytoplasm of many infiltrating phagocytic cells and was increased in skeletal muscle fibers from patients with muscular dystrophies, inflammatory myopathies, rhabdomyolysis, acid maltase deficiency, and neurogenic atrophy. In cases of Duchenne type muscular dystrophy, the increase in cathepsin D was especially prominent in small regenerating fibers, in which it was visualized at the ultrastructural level in lysosome-like organelles and extralysosomal locations. The function of cathepsin D in skeletal muscle is unclear, but the present findings suggest a possible role in muscle regeneration and repair. Such a role would necessitate careful selection of drugs which interfere with proteolytic activity if they are to be used as therapeutic agents in treating neuromuscular diseases.

beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase activity levels in atrophic gastrocnemius muscle of Rana esculenta

1. The atrophic status induced by long-term sciatectomy or tenotomy is different, since only in the first case have we found an irreversible muscular degeneration. 2. Up to 20 days after denervation or tenotomy the beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase showed increased specific activity. 3. The time-course of the beta-NAG increase is closely correlated with the loss of contractile capacity. 4. beta-NAG increases to 170% and does not fall in 20 days after cutting the nerve; but increases to 150% on day 4 and falls to 130% on day 20 after tenotomy.

Morphology of lesions in striated muscle fibres from the beige mouse

Lesions in striated muscle fibres from the beige mouse are described at both the light- and electronmicroscopical levels. The muscles have two types of lesions, one is well defined cores in the fibres and the other is diffusely enlarged intermyofibrillar spaces (IMS). The cores can be filled with membrane-like structures or a fluffy unstructured material. In the areas with enlarged IMS comparatively few organelles are present and the muscle fibres seem to be fragmented.

Muscle aldolase: the stress-dependent modification of catalytic and structural properties by rat muscle lysosomal cathepsin B

Stress dependent variations in th properties of the rat muscle aldolase (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase, EC 4.1.2.13) have been linked to the corresponding changes in the levels of proteolytic activities in rat muscle. Whole-body X-irradiation of rat was shown to result in loss of muscle aldolase activity towards fructose 1,6-bisphosphate by 50% while fructose 1-phosphate activity remained unchanged (Pote, M.S. and Altekar, W. (1980) Ind. J. Biochem, Biophys. 17, 255-262). Incubation of muscle extract of irradiated rat with that from control rat or rabbit muscle aldolase caused similar changes in aldolase activity. The changes are attributed to the action of catheptic enzymes possessing latency characteristics and capable of using aldolase as a substrate; the time course of their increase after irradiation corresponds to that of loss in muscle aldolase activities. Exposure of rats to stress resulted in an increase in the 'free' proteolytic activity, and the concomitant loss of 'bound' activity in muscle lysosomes indicates labilization of lysosomal membrane. The observed degradation of aldolase in vivo by muscle lysosomes is shown to be due to the action of cathepsin B (EC 3.4.22.1) present in the proteolytic enzymes released into cytosol under stress. Inactivation of rabbit muscle aldolase and rat muscle aldolase by rat muscle cathepsin B inhibited by leupeptin, antipain an iodoacetamide, but not be pepstatin. Inactivation is shown to be due to the release of C-terminal tyrosine if aldolase, required for its catalytic activity. Cathepsin B who acts as a rate-limiting enzyme in the degradation of aldolase. Such a proteolytic modification of aldolase in vivo could be relevant not only to the regulation of aldolase activity of glycolysis in muscle but also to the degradation of aldolase during stress conditions related to tissue damage and the maintenance of normal aldolase levels in the blood.

Protein degradation in skin fibroblasts from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The rates of degradation of [3H]leucine-labelled proteins have been measured in cultures of skin fibroblasts obtained from normal controls (five subjects) and patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (six subjects). Cultures were incubated with [3H]leucine (10 microCi/ml) for 60 min to label "short-lived" proteins, and with [3H]leucine (5 microCi/ml) for 60 h to label "long-lived" proteins. Optimal wash procedures were devised for removal of [3H]leucine from the extracellular space and from cell pools before beginning degradation measurements. Re-utilization of [3H]leucine released from degraded labelled proteins was prevented by supplementing the medium with 4mM-leucine. Rates of degradation did not depend on the growth state of the cells or on cell age over the range used (passages eight-20). Degradation of long-lived proteins was approximately linear over a 24h period, at a rate of 1.0% per h. 30% of short-lived protein was degraded within 6h. No differences were observed between protein degradation in normal fibroblasts and in those from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The ribonucleases of bovine skeletal muscle

Bovine skeletal muscle contains small amounts of at least six heat- and acid-stable RNA-degrading enzymes. Our results are the first evidence for multiple ribonucleases in skeletal muscle. Three of these have been highly purified, and each has been shown to be a pyrimidine-specific endoribonuclease by use of a rapid sequencing technique employing gel electrophoresis. However, synthetic co-polymers containing adenylate or guanylate residues in addition to pyrimidine residues are hydrolysed at higher rates than are the pyrimidine homopolymers. With 0.63 mM yeast RNA as substrate, all three enzymes (ribonucleases I, II and III) are optimally active in alkaline solution (pH 7.5-8.5) containing 0.05-0.15 M univalent salts, do not require bivalent cations, and have molecular weights of 13 000-20 000. The properties of muscle ribonuclease I are very similar to those of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A. Muscle ribonucleases II and III have characteristics similar to those of ribonucleases found in various other bovine tissues. In common with all previously studied pyrimidine-specific endoribonucleases, the bovine muscle ribonucleases are inhibited by such purine homopolynucleotides as polyadenylate. Furthermore, polyamines, present in low concentrations, can reverse or regulate the amount of inhibition of enzyme activity.

Evaluation of histochemical observations of activity of acid hydrolases obtained with semipermeable membrane techniques. 3. The substrate specificity of isoenzymes of acid phosphatase in m.gastrocnemius of rabbits

Three distinct isoenzymes of acid phosphatase have been separated from extracts of m.gastrocnemius of normal and of vitamin E deficient rabbits by gel filtration and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These isoenzymes, termed I, II and III, have molecular weights of: 110,000--130,000, 60,000--78,000 and 12,500--14,500. Isoenzymes I and II split the substrates 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and naphthol AS-BI phosphate and the activity is strongly increased in the muscles of vitamin E deficient rabbits. Isoenzyme III splits only 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and the activity is not increased in the muscles of vitamin E deficient rabbits. The pH-optimum for isoenzymes I and II is 4.8 and for isoenzyme III 5.5. It has been shown that the histochemical semipermeable membrane technique, using substrate naphthol AS-BI phosphate, is a very reliable technique for demonstrating activity of the isoenzymes I and II in tissue sections. On the other hand, activity of isoenzyme III cannot be demonstrated with this histochemical technique. In pathologically altered muscles, the activity of the isoenzymes I and II is greatly increased whilst the activity of isoenzyme III is not significantly altered.

Increased calcium-activated neutral protease activity in muscles of dystrophic hamsters and mice

A Ca2+-activated neutral protease activity was examined in muscles of normal and dystrophic hamsters and mice. Light grey and golden brown strains of normal and B10 14.6 strain of dystrophic hamsters were used. Normal and dystrophic mice were of the Bar Harbor 129 ReJ strain. Enzyme activity was measured in the post myofibrillar fraction (homogenate) and in the 75,000 x g pellet (particulate fraction) and supernatant using purified myofibrils. In normal and dystrophic hamsters or mice, the Ca2+-activated neutral protease was most active in the supernatant followed by the homogenate and particulate fractions. As compared to fractions from normal muscle, enzyme activity was significantly elevated in all 3 fractions from dystrophic muscles of hamsters and mice. Both homogenate and supernatant fractions from muscles of normal hamsters had significantly higher enzyme activity than those of normal mice. Enzyme activity was similar in the particulate fraction. Similarly enzyme activity in the 3 fractions from dystrophic hamster and mouse muscles showed no significant difference. It is suggested that the Ca2+-activated neutral protease may be involved in muscle fibre necrosis in muscular dystrophy.

Muscle breakdown and lysosomal activation (biochemistry)

Muscle tissue levels of lysosomal catheptic enzymes, such as cathepsins D, A, B1, C, and dipeptidyl peptidase II, were measured in control subjects and patients with muscular dystrophies, polymyositis, and certain denervating diseases. The results show that, in general, the activities of these enzymes are increased in muscles of patients with muscular dystrophies and other diseases. The increases in cathepsin D and autolytic activities are not significant until the late stage of the disease process. Cathepsins A, B1, and C are, however, significantly elevated in mildly affected dystrophic and other diseased muscles. Of these catheptic enzymes, cathepsin B1 displays the highest rise at an early stage, suggesting that it may be one of the rate-controlling enzymes of proteolysis. Dipeptidyl peptidase II is increased slightly in dystrophic and other myopathic muscles but is unchanged in denervated muscle. These data clearly implicate the lysosomal group of proteinases as largely responsible for mediating muscle breakdown in the muscular dystrophies and certain other muscle and neuromuscular diseases in man.

Evaluation of histochemical observations of activity of acid hydrolases obtained with semipermeable membrane techniques: a combined histochemical and biochemical investigation 2. The biochemical investigation and comparison with the histochemical observations

The reliability of enzyme histochemical semipermeable membrane techniques for the demonstration of acid hydrolases was investigated with a combined histochemical and biochemical study. In part 1 the histochemical findings were presented. In this communication the biochemical findings are reported and compared with the histochemical findings. In m. soleus, m. plantaris, m. gastrocnemius and diaphragm of vitamin E deficient rabbits the activity of the lysosomal acid hydrolases, cathepsin D, acid maltase, acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase is significantly increased. This increase in activity of the investigated acid hydrolases was equal for muscles with an aerobic or an anaerobic metabolism. By means of statistical calculations the activity of the enzymes demonstrated with histochemical techniques was compared with the enzyme activity determined with biochemical techniques. From the results of this investigation it can be concluded that the histochemical semipermeable membrane techniques for the demonstration of activity of acid hydrolases are very reliable. Considering the fact that these techniques are also tissue-saving, they are therefore extremely suitable for the study of catabolic wasting processes in skeletal muscle tissues of patients with inherited or acquired muscular diseases.

Evaluation of histochemical observations of activity of acid hydrolases obtained with semipermeable membrane techniques: a combined histochemical and biochemical investigation 1. The histochemical investigation

The reliability of enzyme histochemical observations of activities of acid hydrolases was investigated with a combined histochemical and biochemical study. Specimens of m. soleus, m. plantaris, m. gastrocnemius and diaphragm of normal and of vitamin E deficient rabbits were used. For the histochemical investigation, activity and localization of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, leucine aminopeptidase and E600 resistant non-specific arylesterase were examined with semipermeable membrane techniques. For the biochemical investigation, activity of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, cathepsin D, acid maltase and neutral maltase was determined. By means of stastical calculations the enzyme activities demonstrated with histochemical techniques were compared with the enzyme activities determined with biochemical techniques. In the present communication the histochemical findings are reported and discussed. From the histochemical findings it appeared that activity of the acid hydrolases investigated is strongly increased in both a granular and a diffuse pattern in skeletal muscle of vitamin E deficient rabbits. The statistical calculations of the histochemical findings clearly reveal that the increased activity of one acid hydrolase was highly significantly paralleled by an increased activity of a second acid hydrolase. Moreover the probability that the activity of all other histochemically studied acid hydrolases was significantly increased was rather high. The increase in activity of the acid hydrolases studied was the same in muscles with an aerobic or an anaerobic metabolism. Moreover there was no difference in activity and localization of the acid hydrolases in aerobic type I and anaerobic type II fibres. The localization of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase activity muscle fibres mostly coincided. In cases where these enzymes were localized both centrally and in the subsarcolemnal areas of the muscle fibres, the activity of E600 resistant naphtholesterase was usually, and the activity of leucine aminopeptidase was exclusively located in the subsarcolemnal areas. All of the examined acid hydrolases were found to be present in the inflammatory exudate and in the connective tissue.