Regulation of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in hepatocytes isolated from rats fed on a low-protein diet

Stimulation of rat liver branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase activity by low doses of bezafibrate

Multienzyme branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDH) catalyzes the regulatory step of oxidative catabolism of indispensable branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). The activity of the BCKDH complex is regulated by a reversible phosphorylation, end-product inhibition and by changes in the gene expression of BCKDH component enzymes. It has been shown previously that a high dose of bezafibrate (an agent added to rat chow at final concentration of 0.5%) changes mRNA levels of BCKDH-related enzymes and increases dephosphorylation of the complex leading to stimulation of liver BCKDH activity and the enhanced BCAA catabolism. The aim of the present study was to determine an in vivo effect of low, clinically relevant doses of bezafibrate on BCKDH activity in rat liver. Bezafibrate was administrated for 14 days by gastric gavage to Wistar male rats (fed low-protein chow; 8% protein) at one of the following daily doses of 5, 10 and 20mg/kgb.wt. The control group was given the vehicle (0.3% methylcellulose) only. The actual BCKDH and total BCKDH activities were assayed spectrophotometrically before and after incubation with a broad-specificity phosphatase, respectively. The mRNA levels of the selected genes (BCKDH catalytic subunits and regulatory enzymes) were quantified by means of semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Current catalytic activity of BCKDH (described as BCKDH activity state - the proportion of the BCKDH complex in its active dephosphorylated form) increased by 2.1 ± 0.2, 2.3 ± 0.2 and 2.7 ± 0.2 fold (p<0.01). Changes in BCKDH activity did not correspond with changes in mRNA levels of the complex catalytic subunits. Moreover, mRNA levels of regulatory enzymes remained unaltered. Initially bezafibrate caused a transient insignificant reduction in body weight, but it had no effect on the final body weight. The highest dose of bezafibrate induced hepatomegaly. In conclusion, these data indicate that under conditions of dietary protein restriction low, clinically relevant doses of bezafibrate have a similar adverse effect on rat liver BCKDH activity and BCAA degradation rate as the high experimental dose. Up-regulation of liver BCKDH activity by low doses of bezafibrate appears to result mainly from changes in phosphorylation status of the complex (increased dephosphorylation) and is not associated with elevations in mRNA levels of BCKDH enzymatic components.

Structural and biochemical characterization of human mitochondrial branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase phosphatase

The branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase phosphatase (BDP) component of the human branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC) has been expressed in Escherichia coli and purified in the soluble form. The monomeric BDP shows a strict dependence on Mn(2+) ions for phosphatase activity, whereas Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) ions do not support catalysis. Metal binding constants for BDP, determined by competition isothermal titration calorimetry, are 2.4 nm and 10 μm for Mn(2+) and Mg(2+) ions, respectively. Using the phosphorylated decarboxylase component (p-E1b) of BCKDC as a substrate, BDP shows a specific activity of 68 nmol/min/mg. The Ca(2+)-independent binding of BDP to the 24-meric transacylase (dihydrolipoyl transacylase; E2b) core of BCKDC results in a 3-fold increase in the dephosphorylation rate of p-E1b. However, the lipoyl prosthetic group on E2b is not essential for BDP binding or E2b-stimulated phosphatase activity. Acidic residues in the C-terminal linker of the E2b lipoyl domain are essential for the interaction between BDP and E2b. The BDP structure was determined by x-ray crystallography to 2.4 Å resolution. The BDP structure is dominated by a central β-sandwich. There are two protrusions forming a narrow cleft ∼10 Å wide, which constitutes the active site. The carboxylate moieties of acidic residues Asp-109, Asp-207, Asp-298, and Asp-337 in the active-site cleft participate in binding two metal ions. Substitutions of these residues with alanine nullify BDP phosphatase activity. Alteration of the nearby Arg-104 increases the K(m) for p-E1b peptide by 60-fold, suggesting that this residue is critical for the recognition of the native p-E1b protein.

Molecular mechanism for regulation of the human mitochondrial branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by phosphorylation

The human mitochondrial branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC) is a 4 MDa macromolecular machine comprising three catalytic components (E1b, E2b, and E3), a kinase, and a phosphatase. The BCKDC overall activity is tightly regulated by phosphorylation in response to hormonal and dietary stimuli. We report that phosphorylation of Ser292-alpha in the E1b active site channel results in an order-to-disorder transition of the conserved phosphorylation loop carrying the phosphoryl serine. The conformational change is triggered by steric clashes of the phosphoryl group with invariant His291-alpha that serves as an indispensable anchor for the phosphorylation loop through bound thiamin diphosphate. Phosphorylation of Ser292-alpha does not severely impede the E1b-dependent decarboxylation of alpha-ketoacids. However, the disordered loop conformation prevents phosphorylated E1b from binding the E2b lipoyl-bearing domain, which effectively shuts off the E1b-catalyzed reductive acylation reaction and therefore completely inactivates BCKDC. This mechanism provides a paradigm for regulation of mitochondrial alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complexes by phosphorylation.

Down-regulation of rat mitochondrial branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase kinase gene expression by glucocorticoids

The mammalian mitochondrial branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase (BCOD) complex is regulated by a reversible phosphorylation (inactivation)/dephosphorylation (activation) cycle. In the present study, the effects of glucocorticoids on the level of BCOD kinase mRNA were investigated in rat hepatoma cell lines (H4IIE and FTO-2B), as well as in the rat. In H4IIE cells, dexamethasone was found to significantly reduce steady-state concentrations of BCOD kinase mRNA after a 48 h culture, and this was correlated with a 2-fold increase in the dephosphorylated form of the BCOD complex. The half-life of the kinase mRNA in H4IIE cells was not affected by dexamethasone treatment. Therefore, the decrease in the steady-state kinase mRNA level resulting from dexamethasone treatment was not caused by changes in mRNA stability, which raised the possibility of regulation at the level of gene transcription. To identify the negative glucocorticoid-responsive element in the kinase promoter, nested deletion constucts in the 3.0 kb promoter region were examined in H4IIE cells cultured in the presence or absence of dexamethasone. No significant differences in promoter activity were observed on either transient or stable transfection. The data showed that the glucocorticoid-responsive element was located outside the 3. 0 kb promoter region. At the physiological level, hepatic BCOD kinase mRNA levels were reduced in rats injected intraperitoneally with dexamethasone. This effect was liver-specific, and was not detected in other tissues. These results suggest that the down-regulation of kinase gene expression by glucocorticoids is mediated through a liver-specific or -enriched transcription factor(s).

Mechanism for basal expression of rat mitochondrial branched-chain-2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase kinase [corrected]

The rat branched-chain-2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase (BCOD) kinase mRNA is transcribed from a TATA-less promoter that has GC-rich sequences and two putative Sp1 binding sites near the transcription start site. We demonstrated previously that the 5' region of the kinase gene, base pairs -128 to +264, contained promoter activity when assayed using luciferase as a reporter (Huang and Chuang (1996) Biochem. J. 313, 603-609). To define DNA elements required for efficient expression of the kinase gene, nested deletion constructs of the above promoter region fused with a luciferase reporter gene were transfected into cultured H4IIE (hepatoma) and NRK-52E (kidney) cells. The results showed that the region between nucleotides -58 and +21 was indispensable for the kinase basal promoter activity. Methylation-interference and mutagenesis-promoter assays identified nucleotides -50 to -40 (ACAACTCCCA) as cis-acting DNA sequences that are required for nuclear protein binding and efficient promoter activity. Gel-supershift analysis with anti-Sp1 antibody suggested that the nuclear protein capable of binding to the -58 oligonucleotide (bp -58 to -34) was immunologically related to the Sp1 protein. The -58 oligonucleotide formed a DNA-protein complex with recombinant Sp1 protein with an affinity approximately ten-fold lower than that of the consensus Sp1 oligonucleotide. Co-transfection of the Sp1 expression plasmid and the -58 promoter construct into Drosophila Schneider cells revealed that Sp1 contributed to the kinase basal promoter activity by binding to the non-consensus site in the -58 region. Deletion of two consensus Sp1 binding sites (bases -150 to -140 and bases +29 to +38) in the kinase gene did not affect the basal promoter activity. Therefore binding of Sp1 or Sp1-like proteins to the above single non-consensus Sp1 sequence in the -58 region plays a major role of transactivating basal expression of the BCOD kinase.

Regulation of branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase flux by extracellular pH and glucocorticoids

In muscles of rats with metabolic acidosis, branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) activity is increased. Potential stimulatory signals include acidemia and/or glucocorticoids. It is unclear whether the signal(s) increases BCKAD activity by changing the activation state of the enzyme or by increasing the amount of enzyme. To separate the influences of extracellular pH and glucocorticoids on leucine catabolism, maximal BCKAD flux and the activation state (the ratio of basal to total flux) were measured in two cell types: 1) cells that do not express glucocorticoid receptors and 2) cells stably transfected to express glucocorticoid receptors. Acidification (pH 6.95) increased 1) the activation state from 67.2% at pH 7.4 to 82.8% at pH 6.95, 2) maximal BCKAD flux by 50%, and 3) the BCKAD subunit contents in both cell types (57, 410, and 270% for E2, E1 alpha, and E1 beta, respectively). Dexamethasone increased the BCKAD activation state from 67.2 to 82.3% in cells expressing glucocorticoid receptors, whereas dexamethasone plus acidification increased the activation state to 98%. The time course of stimulation by dexamethasone was slower than that by acidification. These results demonstrate that BCKAD is differentially regulated by extracellular pH and glucocorticoids.

Structural organization of the rat branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase kinase gene and partial characterization of the promoter-regulatory region

The gene encoding the rat branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase kinase (EC 2.7.1.115) has been isolated and partially characterized. The entire gene, including the promoter-regulatory region, spans 6 kb and contains 11 exons. The 5'-untranslated region comprising 264 bp is interrupted by intron 1 which is 581 bp in size. The complete in-frame sequence of intron 7 encodes the 49 amino acid insert previously reported to be present in the larger isoform of the rat kinase (Harris, Popov, Shimomura, Zhao, Jaskiewicz, Nanaumi and Suzuki (1992) Adv. Enzyme Regul. 32, 267-284). Sequencing of the 679 bp of the 5'-flanking region showed the absence of a canonical TATA box, similar to other branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase-complex genes. Several candidate cis-acting elements are present. These include CAAT boxes, Sp-1-binding sites, GCN-4 sites, CCAAT enhancer binding-protein sites (C/EBP) and glucocorticoid-responsive element (GRE) sites. Also present are a pair of direct repeats of unknown function. The luciferase-reporter assay showed that promoter activity is markedly higher in normal rat kidney (NRK-52E) cells than in rat hepatoma (FTO-2B) cells, and that the 5'-flanking region between bases -449 and +264 is both necessary and sufficient for basal transcription of the kinase gene.

Ethanol and oleate inhibition of alpha-ketoisovalerate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate metabolism by isolated hepatocytes

Ethanol inhibited glucose synthesis from alpha-ketoisovalerate by isolated rat hepatocytes without significant inhibition of flux through the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. Accumulation of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, an intermediate in the catabolism of alpha-ketoisovalerate, was increased by ethanol, indicating inhibition of flux at the level of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase. 3-Hydroxybutyrate caused the same effects as ethanol, suggesting inhibition was a consequence of an increase in the mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ ratio. Flux through the 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase was more sensitive to regulation by the mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ ratio than flux through the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase. Oleate also inhibited glucose synthesis from alpha-ketoisovalerate, but marked inhibition of flux through the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex was caused by this substrate.

Effects of clofibric acid on the activity and activity state of the hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex

Feeding clofibric acid to rats caused little or no change in total activity of the liver branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex (BCODC). No change in mass of liver BCODC was detected by immunoblot analysis in response to dietary clofibric acid. No changes in abundance of mRNAs for the BCODC E1 alpha, E1 beta and E2 subunits were detected by Northern-blot analysis. Likewise, dietary clofibric acid had no effect on the activity state of liver BCODC (percentage of enzyme in the dephosphorylated, active, form) of rats fed on a chow diet. However, dietary clofibric acid greatly increased the activity state of liver BCODC of rats fed on a diet deficient in protein. No stable change in liver BCODC kinase activity was found in response to clofibric acid in either chow-fed or low-protein-fed rats. Clofibric acid had a biphasic effect on flux through BCODC in hepatocytes prepared from low-protein-fed rats. Stimulation of BCODC flux at low concentrations was due to clofibric acid inhibition of BCODC kinase, which in turn allowed activation of BCODC by BCODC phosphatase. Inhibition of BCODC flux at high concentrations was due to direct inhibition of BCODC by clofibric acid. The results suggest that the effects of clofibric acid in vivo on branched-chain amino acid metabolism can be explained by the inhibitory effects of this drug on BCODC kinase.

Chronic metabolic acidosis accelerates whole body proteolysis and oxidation in awake rats

Previous work has documented an acceleration of proteolysis and branched-chain amino acid oxidation when muscles from rats with chronic metabolic acidosis were incubated in vitro. The present study examines the impact of chronic metabolic acidosis on whole body amino acid turnover and oxidation in chronically catheterized awake male Sprague-Dawley rats using stochastic modeling and a primed continuous infusion of L-[1-14C] leucine. Whole body protein turnover was accelerated by acidosis as reflected in a 70% increase in proteolysis and a 55% increase in protein synthesis. Amino acid oxidation was increased 145% in rats with chronic metabolic acidosis relative to control rats receiving diets identical in protein and calories based on a reciprocal pool model and plasma alpha-ketoisocaproate specific radioactivity. These changes were accompanied by a 104% increase in liver branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) activity in rats with acidosis, similar to previously documented increases in skeletal muscle BCKAD activity caused by acidosis. In contrast, kidney BCKAD activity was decreased 38% by acidosis, illustrating the tissue-specificity of the changes that were present. We conclude that chronic metabolic acidosis accelerates whole body protein turnover and affects the reincorporation of amino acid into body proteins by accelerating amino acid oxidation.

Effect of alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase phosphorylation on branched-chain amino acid metabolism in muscle

The regulation of leucine and valine metabolism was evaluated in skeletal muscle of perfused rat hindlimb. Control of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKADH) via phosphorylation was removed with 0.4 mM alpha-chloroisocaproate (CIC). CIC activated the BCKADH complex 13- to 26-fold and led to increased rates of leucine and valine uptake into muscle, transamination to the corresponding alpha-ketoacid, and leucine (3- to 4-fold) and valine (6-fold) decarboxylation but led to decreased rates of alpha-ketoacid efflux from muscle. Although the increased rates of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) decarboxylation were extensive, they were far below the extent of BCKADH activation as measured in vitro, suggesting that factors other than BCKADH activation become dominant in controlling the flux through alpha-ketoacid decarboxylation in skeletal muscle in situ. When the BCKADH capacity of muscle was increased 70-90% by a training-induced increase in mitochondrial content, the same 13- to 26-fold activation of the complex by CIC led to a rate of BCAA decarboxylation, which was only marginally greater (10-20%; P less than 0.05) than that of normal muscle. In addition, increasing the energy demand via muscle contractions led to a significant increase in leucine decarboxylation in the presence of complete activation of BCKADH by dephosphorylation. Thus BCKADH phosphorylation-dephosphorylation plays an important though not exclusive role in modulating the rates of BCAA metabolism in skeletal muscle. Differences in valine and leucine metabolism were apparent as valine catabolism bolstered citric acid cycle contents by increasing malate in red muscle with high mitochondrial content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Decarboxylation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacids in hepatocytes from alloxan-diabetic rats. The effect of insulin

The flux through branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase and the activity of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex were measured in hepatocytes isolated from fed, starved and alloxan diabetic rats. The highest rate of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid oxidation was found in hepatocytes isolated from starved rats, slightly lower in those from fed rats, and significantly lower in diabetic hepatocytes. The amount of the active form of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase was only slightly diminished in diabetic hepatocytes, whereas the flux through the dehydrogenase was inversely correlated with the rate of endogenous ketogenesis. The same was observed in hepatocytes isolated from starved rats when branched-chain alpha-ketoacid oxidation was measured in the presence of added oleate. In both cases the diminished flux through the dehydrogenase, restored by a short preincubation of hepatocytes with insulin, was paralleled by a decrease of fatty acid-derived ketogenesis. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the role of insulin in branched-chain alpha-ketoacid oxidation in liver of diabetic rats.

Regulation of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase and elucidation of a molecular basis for maple syrup urine disease

The hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex plays an important role in regulating branched-chain amino acid levels. These compounds are essential for protein synthesis but toxic if present in excess. When dietary protein is deficient, the hepatic enzyme is converted to the inactive, phosphorylated state to conserve branched-chain amino acids for protein synthesis. When dietary protein is excessive, the enzyme is in the active, dephosphorylated state to commit the excess branched-chain amino acids to degradation. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide, even when the animal is starving for dietary protein, results in activation of the hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex to prevent accumulation of branched-chain amino acids. Likewise, the increase in branched-chain amino acids caused by body wasting during starvation and uncontrolled diabetes is blunted by activation of the hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. The activity state of the complex is regulated in the short term by the concentration of branched-chain alpha-ketoacids (inhibitors of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase) and in the long term by alteration in total branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase activity. cDNAs have been cloned and the primary structure of the mature proteins deduced for the E1 alpha subunit of the human and rat liver branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. The cDNA and protein sequences are highly conserved for the two species. Considerable sequence similarity is also apparent between the E1 alpha subunits of the human branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Maple syrup urine disease is caused by an inherited deficiency in the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. The molecular basis of one maple syrup urine disease family has been determined for the first time. The patient was found to be a compound heterozygote, inheriting an allele encoding an abnormal E1 alpha from the father, and an allele which is not expressed from the mother. The only known animal model for the disease (Polled Hereford cattle) has also been characterized. The mutation in these animals introduces a stop codon in the leader peptide of the E1 alpha subunit, resulting in premature termination of translation. Two thiamine responsive patients have been studied. The deduced amino acid sequences of the mature E1 alpha subunit and its leader sequence were normal, suggesting that the defect in these patients must exist in some other subunit of the complex. 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase and methylmalonate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, two enzymes of the valine catabolic pathway, were purified from liver tissue and characterized.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Phylogenetic comparisons of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex

1. Antibodies against the E1b and E2b components of bovine branched-chain alpha-ketoacid (BCKA) dehydrogenase (BCKAD) complex completely inhibited BCKA oxidation in mammalian and avian mitochondria. BCKA oxidation by salmonid mitochondria was less affected and the enzyme from Pseudomonas putida was unaffected. 2. In rodents, anti-E1b E2b IgG inhibited oxidation of all three BCKA in a similar dose-dependent manner: oxidation of alpha-ketobutyrate and alpha-keto-y-methiolbutyrate was also partially inhibited. 3. Except for the salmonid BCKAD, a similar Mr for the E2b and E1b alpha proteins was observed in these species. 4. After digestion with V-8 protease similar immunoreactive peptides were observed for the human and rodent complex.

The pharmacology of dichloroacetate

Dichloroacetate (DCA) exerts multiple effects on pathways of intermediary metabolism. It stimulates peripheral glucose utilization and inhibits gluconeogeneis, thereby reducing hyperglycemia in animals and humans with diabetes mellitus. It inhibits lipogenesis and cholesterolgenesis, thereby decreasing circulating lipid and lipoprotein levels in short-term studies in patients with acquired or hereditary disorders of lipoprotein metabolism. By stimulating the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase, DCA facilitates oxidation of lactate and decreases morbidity in acquired and congenital forms of lactic acidosis. The drug improves cardiac output and left ventricular mechanical efficiency under conditions of myocardial ischemia or failure, probably by facilitating myocardial metabolism of carbohydrate and lactate as opposed to fat. DCA may also enhance regional lactate removal and restoration of brain function in experimental states of cerebral ischemia. DCA appears to inhibit its own metabolism, which may influence the duration of its pharmacologic actions and lead to toxicity. DCA can cause a reversible peripheral neuropathy that may be related to thiamine deficiency and may be ameliorated or prevented with thiamine supplementation. Other toxic effects of DCA may be species-specific and reflect marked interspecies variation in pharmacokinetics. Despite its potential toxicity and limited clinical experience, DCA and its derivatives may prove to be useful in probing regulatory aspects of intermediary metabolism and in the acute or chronic treatment of several metabolic disorders.

Effects of branched-chain amino acids on protein turnover

Amino acid availability rapidly regulates protein synthesis and degradation. Increasing amino acid concentrations above the levels found in post-absorptive plasma stimulates protein synthesis in a dose-dependent manner at the level of mRNA translation-initiation and inhibits protein degradation by inhibiting lysosomal autophagy. The anabolic effects of insulin on protein synthesis and protein degradation are exerted at the same sites (i.e., peptide chain initiation and lysosomal stabilization) allowing for a rapid synergistic response when both amino acids and insulin increase after a protein-containing meal. In perfused liver preparations, protein anabolic effects are exerted by a group of amino acids acting in concert. The BCAA are among the amino acids required for stimulation of hepatic protein synthesis, but there is no evidence that BCAA or leucine alone are effective. Leucine alone is an important inhibitor of hepatic protein degradation, but maximal inhibition requires in addition several other regulatory amino acids. In heart and skeletal muscle in vitro, increasing the concentration of the three BCAA or of leucine alone reproduces the effects of increasing the supply of all amino acids in stimulating protein synthesis and inhibiting protein degradation. Skeletal muscle is the largest repository of metabolically active protein and a major contributor to total body nitrogen balance. Supplying energy alone (i.e., carbohydrate and lipids) cannot prevent negative nitrogen balance (net protein catabolism) in animals or humans; only provision of amino acids allows the attainment of nitrogen balance. In rats and in humans nourished parenterally, provision of balanced amino acid solutions or of only the three BCAA cause similar improvements in nitrogen balance for several days. There is some evidence that infusions of leucine alone can stimulate muscle protein synthesis in vivo; the effect may be transitory and was not observed by all investigators; provisions of excess leucine alone does not seem to affect total body or muscle protein degradation in vivo. In postabsorptive rats, in vivo, infusion of the three BCAA together stimulates muscle protein synthesis as much as the infusion of a complete amino acid mixture or of a mixture of essential amino acids; the in vivo effect requires coinfusion of glucose or of small (physiological) doses of insulin, suggesting synergism between insulin and amino acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Longer-term regulation of branched-chain-2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complex studied in rat hepatocytes in culture

The effect of protein-free diet to decrease liver activity of branched-chain (-2-oxoacid) dehydrogenase (BCD) complex (active form) and increase BCD kinase activity was unaffected by preparation of hepatocytes, but partially reversed by 25 h of culture of hepatocytes in medium 199. Activation of BCD complex preceded loss of BCD kinase. The effect of culture on BCD complex was completely prevented by omission of branched-chain amino acids and partially prevented by 1 mM-alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate or 0.2 mM-pyruvate/2 mM-lactate. Protein-free diet decreased plasma branched-chain amino and oxo ('keto') acids and increased plasma pyruvate and lactate. It is concluded: (1) that branched-chain amino acids are involved directly in regulation of activities of BCD complex and BCD kinase; (2) that mitochondrial uptake of branched-chain oxo acids is necessary for regulation of BCD complex activity; and (3) that the stable increase in BCD kinase may function as a hysteresis mechanism.

Monovalent cations and inorganic phosphate alter branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase-kinase activity and inhibitor sensitivity

Potassium ion protects the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex against inactivation by thermal denaturation and protease digestion. Rubidium was effective but sodium and lithium were not, suggesting that the ionic size of the cation is important for stabilization of the enzyme. Thiamine pyrophosphate stabilization of the complex [Danner, D. J., Lemmon, S. K., and Elsas, S. J. (1980) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 202, 23-28] was found dependent on the presence of potassium ion. Studies with resolved components indicate that the thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzyme of the complex, i.e., the 2-oxoisovalerate dehydrogenase (lipoamide) (EC 1.2.4.4), is the component stabilized by potassium ion. Branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase-kinase activity measured by inactivation of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex was maximized at a potassium ion concentration of 100 mM. Stimulation of kinase activity was also found with rubidium ion but not with lithium and sodium ions. All salts tested increased the efficiency of inactivation by phosphorylation, i.e., decreased the degree of enzyme phosphorylation required to cause inactivation of the complex. The effectiveness and efficacy of alpha-chloroisocaproate as an inhibitor of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase were enhanced by the presence of monovalent cations, and further increased by inorganic phosphate. These findings suggest that monovalent cations and anions, particularly potassium and phosphate, cause structural changes in the dehydrogenase-kinase complex that alter its susceptibility to phosphorylation and responsiveness to kinase inhibitors.

Inhibition of metabolic processes by coenzyme-A-sequestering aromatic acids. Prevention by para-chloro- and para-nitrobenzoic acids

Octanoate, salicylate, valproic acid, p-octyl-, p-nitro-, and p-chlorobenzoic acids were effective inhibitors of benzoic acid activation to benzoyl-CoA by mitochondrial extracts. p-Aminobenzoic acid was much less effective. Of these compounds, only salicylate and p-nitrobenzoic acid were not activated to their respective CoA esters. Salicylate, p-chloro- and p-nitrobenzoic acids effectively prevented inhibition of glucose synthesis and alpha-keto[1-14C]isovalerate oxidation by valproic acid, p-octyl-, and p-aminobenzoic acids, p-Octyl- and p-aminobenzoic acids greatly depleted hepatocyte free CoA and acetyl-CoA contents and increased the content of acid-insoluble and acid-soluble CoA esters respectively. p-Chloro- and p-nitrobenzoic acids prevented the sequestration of CoA as p-octylbenzoyl-CoA or p-aminobenzoyl-CoA in hepatocytes incubated with these compounds. p-Chlorobenzoic acid not only prevented but also reversed the inhibition of gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes incubated with p-octylbenzoic acid. These results suggest that p-chloro- or p-nitrobenzoic acids might be effectively used to reverse some of the hepatotoxic effects of the CoA esters of valproic acid or naturally-occurring organic acids, such as those which accumulate in Reye's Syndrome or organic acidemias.

Activation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase in isolated hepatocytes by branched-chain alpha-ketoacids

The effects of branched-chain alpha-ketoacids on flux through and activity state of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex were studied in hepatocytes prepared from chow-fed, starved, and low-protein-diet-fed rats. Very low concentrations of alpha-ketoisocaproate caused a dramatic stimulation (50% activation at 20 microM) of alpha-ketoisovalerate decarboxylation in hepatocytes from low-protein-fed rats. alpha-Keto-beta-methylvalerate was also effective, but less so than alpha-ketoisocaproate. alpha-Ketoisocaproate did not stimulate alpha-ketoisovalerate decarboxylation by hepatocytes from chow-fed or starved rats. To a smaller degree, alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate and alpha-ketoisovalerate stimulated alpha-ketoisocaproate decarboxylation by hepatocytes from low-protein-fed rats. The implied order of potency of stimulation of flux through branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase was alpha-ketoisocaproate greater than alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate greater than alpha-ketoisovalerate, i.e., the same order of potency of these compounds as branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase inhibitors. Fluoride, known to inhibit branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase phosphatase, largely prevented alpha-ketoisocaproate and alpha-chloroisocaproate activation of flux through the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase. Assay of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid complex in cell-free extracts of hepatocytes isolated from low-protein-diet-fed rats confirmed that alpha-ketoacids affected the activity state of the complex. Branched-chain alpha-ketoacids failed to activate flux in hepatocytes prepared from chow-fed and starved rats because essentially all of the complex was already in the dephosphorylated, active state. These findings indicate that inhibition of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase activity by branched-chain alpha-ketoacids is important for regulation of the activity state of hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase.

Preservation of the activity state of hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase during the isolation of mitochondria

A comparison was conducted of current methods for estimation of the activity states (proportion of enzyme in active, dephosphorylated, form) of hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase. Practically all of the enzyme was active in freeze-clamped liver obtained from chow-fed and 48 h-starved rats, regardless of the presence of fluoride in the extraction and assay media to inhibit phosphatase activity. Likewise, the enzyme was almost completely active in mitochondria isolated by a conventional method from livers of chow-fed and starved rats. However, when fluoride and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate were included in the mitochondrial isolation medium the activity state was decreased to 73% and 47% in mitochondria isolated from chow-fed and starved rats respectively. Furthermore, branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase became partially inactivated upon incubation of isolated mitochondria on ice in fluoride- and/or 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate-supplemented media. The rate of inactivation was greater in mitochondria prepared from starved than from chow-fed rats, which correlated with the lower activity state found in mitochondria of starved rats isolated in the fluoride- and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate-supplemented media. Thus the activity state of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase is underestimated in mitochondria isolated in media supplemented with fluoride plus 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate.

Modulation of rat skeletal muscle branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase in vivo. Effects of dietary protein and meal consumption

The effects of dietary protein on the activity of skeletal muscle branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) were investigated. BCKAD is rate-limiting for branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism by muscle; its activity is modulated by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation. In rats fed an adequate protein (25% casein) diet, BCKAD was approximately 2% active postabsorptively and increased to 10% or 16% active after a 25% or 50% protein meal, respectively. Prolonged feeding of a 50% protein diet increased postabsorptive BCKAD activity to 7% with further increases to 40% active postprandially. On a low protein (9% casein) diet BCKAD remained approximately 2% active regardless of meal-feeding. Dose-dependent activation of BCKAD by intravenous leucine in postabsorptive rats was blunted by a low protein diet. We conclude that excesses of dietary protein enhance the capacity of skeletal muscle to oxidize BCAA, muscle conserves BCAA when protein intake is inadequate, and skeletal muscle may play an important role in whole-body BCAA homeostasis.

Phosphorylation of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in isolated hepatocytes

Hepatocytes, isolated from rats fed a low-protein diet, were incubated with [32P]Pi and the phosphoproteins analysed. Immunoprecipitation using antibody against El of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex demonstrated phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit of El. Analysis of the tryptic phosphopeptides from the alpha-subunit indicated that two sites were phosphorylated. 4-methyl 2-oxopentanoate and DL-2-chloro 4-methylpentanoate decreased labelling of both sites. No major direct effects of several hormones on phosphorylation of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase was observed.

Regulation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by covalent modification

The branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex, like the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, is an intramitochondrial enzyme subject to regulation by covalent modification. Phosphorylation causes inactivation and dephosphorylation causes activation of both complexes. The branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, believed distinct from pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, is an integral component of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex and is sensitive to inhibition by branched-chain alpha-ketoacids, alpha-chloroisocaproate, phenylpyruvate, clofibric acid, octanoate and dichloroacetate. Phosphorylation of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase occurs at two closely-linked serine residues (sites 1 and 2) of the alpha-subunit of the decarboxylase. HPLC and sequence data suggest homology of the amino acid sequence adjacent to phosphorylation sites 1 and 2 of complexes isolated from several different tissues. Stoichiometry for phosphorylation of all of the complexes studies was about 1 mol P/mol alpha-subunit for 95% inactivation and 1.5 mol P/mol alpha-subunit for maximally phosphorylated complex. Site 1 and site 2 were phosphorylated at similar rates until total phosphorylation exceeded 1 mol P/mol alpha-subunit. The complexes from rabbit kidney, rabbit heart, and rat heart showed 30-40% additional phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit beyond 95% inactivation. Site specificity studies carried out with the kinase partially inhibited with alpha-chloroisocaproate suggest that phosphorylation of site 1 is primarily responsible for regulation of the complex. The capacity of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase to oxidize pyruvate (Km = 0.8 mM, Vmax = 20% of that of alpha-ketoisovalerate) interferes with the estimation of activity state of the hepatic pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. The disparity between the activity states of the two complexes in most physiologic states contributes to this interference. An inhibitory antibody for branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase can be used to prevent interference with the pyruvate dehydrogenase assay. Almost all of the hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase in chow-fed rats is active (greater than 90% dephosphorylated). In contrast, almost all of the hepatic enzyme of rats fed a low-protein (8%) diet is inactive (greater than 85% phosphorylated). Fasting of chow-fed rats has no effect on the activity state of hepatic branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase, i.e. greater than 90% of the enzyme remains in the active state. However, fasting of rats maintained on low-protein diets greatly activates the hepatic enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)