Expression and characterization of a murine enzyme able to cleave beta-carotene. The formation of retinoids

Because animals are not able to synthesize retinoids de novo, ultimately they must derive them from dietary provitamin A carotenoids through a process known as carotene cleavage. The enzyme responsible for catalyzing carotene cleavage (beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase) has been characterized primarily in rat intestinal scrapings. Using a recently reported cDNA sequence for a carotene cleavage enzyme from Drosophila, we identified a cDNA encoding a mouse homolog of this enzyme. When the cDNA was expressed in either Escherichia coli or Chinese hamster ovary cells, expression conferred upon bacterial and Chinese hamster ovary cell homogenates the ability to cleave beta-carotene to retinal. Several lines of evidence obtained upon kinetic analyses of the recombinant enzyme suggested that carotene cleavage enzyme interacts with other proteins present within cell or tissue homogenates. This was confirmed by pull-down experiments upon incubation of recombinant enzyme with tissue 12,000 x g supernatants. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry analysis of pulled-down proteins indicates that an atypical testis-specific isoform of lactate dehydrogenase associates with recombinant carotene cleavage enzyme. mRNA transcripts for the carotene cleavage enzyme were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in mouse testes, liver, kidney, and intestine. In situ hybridization studies demonstrated that carotene cleavage enzyme is expressed prominently in maternal tissue surrounding the embryo but not in embryonic tissues at 7.5 and 8.5 days postcoitus. This work offers new insights for understanding the biochemistry of carotene cleavage to retinoids.

Low fat and high monounsaturated fat diets decrease human low density lipoprotein oxidative susceptibility in vitro

Oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is thought to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Some studies have found that LDL enriched in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are less susceptible to oxidation than LDL enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). A high MUFA diet is an alternative to a lower-fat blood cholesterol-lowering diet. Less is known about the effects of high MUFA versus lower-fat blood cholesterol-lowering diets on LDL oxidative susceptibility. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of men and women consuming diets high in MUFA (peanuts plus peanut butter, peanut oil and olive oil) on LDL oxidative susceptibility, and to compare these effects with those of a Step II blood cholesterol-lowering diet. A randomized, double-blind, five-period crossover design (n = 20) was used to study the effects of the following diets on LDL-oxidation: average American [35% fat, 15% saturated fatty acids (SFA)], Step II (25% fat, 7% SFA), olive oil (35% fat, 7% SFA), peanut oil (35% fat, 7% SFA) and peanuts plus peanut butter (35% fat, 8% SFA). The average American diet resulted in the shortest lag time (57 +/- 6 min) for LDL oxidized ex vivo, whereas the Step II, olive oil and peanuts plus peanut butter diets resulted in a lag time of 66 +/- 6 min (P < or = 0.1). The slower rate of oxidation [nmol dienes/(min x mg LDL protein)] observed when subjects consumed the olive oil diet (24 +/- 2) versus the average American (28 +/- 2), peanut oil (28 +/- 2) and peanuts plus peanut butter diets (29 +/- 2; P < or = 0.05) was associated with a lower LDL PUFA content. The results of this study suggest that lower-fat and higher-fat blood cholesterol-lowering diets high in MUFA have similar effects on LDL oxidative resistance. In addition, our results suggest that different high MUFA sources varying in the ratio of MUFA to PUFA can be incorporated into a high MUFA diet without increasing the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation.

Mechanisms involved in the intestinal digestion and absorption of dietary vitamin A

Dietary retinyl esters are hydrolyzed in the intestine by the pancreatic enzyme, pancreatic triglyceride lipase (PTL), and intestinal brush border enzyme, phospholipase B. Recent work on the carboxylester lipase (CEL) knockout mouse suggests that CEL may not be involved in dietary retinyl ester digestion. The possible roles of the pancreatic lipase-related proteins (PLRP) 1 and 2 and other enzymes require further investigation. Unesterified retinol is taken up by the enterocytes, perhaps involving both diffusion and protein-mediated facilitated transport. Once in the cell, retinol is complexed with cellular retinol-binding protein type 2 (CRBP2) and the complex serves as a substrate for reesterification of the retinol by the enzyme lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT). Retinol not bound to CRBP2 is esterified by acyl-CoA acyltransferase (ARAT). The retinyl esters are incorporated into chylomicrons, intestinal lipoproteins that transport other dietary lipids such as triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol. Chylomicrons containing newly absorbed retinyl esters are then secreted into the lymph.

Retinyl ester secretion by intestinal cells: a specific and regulated process dependent on assembly and secretion of chylomicrons

Retinyl esters (RE) have been used extensively as markers to study chylomicron (CM) catabolism because they are secreted in the postprandial state with CM and do not exchange with other lipoproteins in the plasma. To understand the mechanism of secretion of RE by the intestine under the fasting and postprandial states, differentiated Caco-2 cells were supplemented with radiolabeled retinol under conditions that support or do not support CM secretion. We observed that these cells assimilate vitamin A by a rapid uptake mechanism. After uptake, cells store retinol in both esterified and unesterified forms. Under fasting conditions, cells do not secrete RE but secrete free retinol unassociated with lipoproteins. Under postprandial conditions, cells secrete significant amounts of RE only with CM. The secretion of RE with CM was independent of the rate of uptake of retinol and intracellular free and esterified retinol levels, and was absolutely dependent on the assembly and secretion of CM. The secretion of RE was correlated with the secretion of CM and not with the secretion of total apolipoprotein B. Inhibition of CM secretion by Pluronic L81 decreased the secretion of RE and did not result in their increased secretion with smaller lipoproteins. These data strongly suggest that RE secretion by the intestinal cells is a specific and regulated process that occurs in the postprandial state and is dependent on the assembly and secretion of CM. We propose that RE are added to CM during final stages of lipoprotein assembly and may serve as signposts for these steps.

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin increases serum and kidney retinoic acid levels and kidney retinol esterification in the rat

Halogenatedorganic environmental contaminants such as dioxins are well-known to affect tissue levels of retinoids. To further investigate the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on retinoid homeostasis, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were killed 1-112 days after a single oral dose of 10 microg TCDD/kg body wt. Additional groups of rats were killed three days after a single oral dose of 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 microg TCDD/kg body wt. Serum and renal retinoic acid levels were measured, as were levels of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) in liver, kidneys, and serum. Hepatic and renal formation as well as hepatic hydrolysis of retinyl esters were determined, together with hepatic and renal retinoid levels. In addition, one of the retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activities was investigated in isolated hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells from rats killed 7 days after a single oral dose of 10 microg TCDD/kg body wt. No increased hepatic REH activity that could explain the decreased hepatic retinyl ester levels following TCDD treatment was found. In the liver, TCDD increased protein levels, but not mRNA levels, of RBP. A causal relationship is suggested for the increased renal lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) activity and increased renal retinyl ester levels in TCDD-treated rats. Importantly, TCDD was shown to substantially increase serum and renal levels of retinoic acid. The ability of TCDD to cause increased tissue retinoic acid levels suggests that TCDD may alter the transcription of retinoic acid-responsive genes.

Novel cell culture medium for use in oxidation experiments provides insights into mechanisms of endothelial cell-mediated oxidation of LDL

Though one prominent theory of atherogenesis involves free-radical oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) within the vessel wall by one of the vascular cell types, the mechanism for cell-mediated LDL oxidation remains unclear[sn1]. In these studies we examined the effects of media phenols, thiols, and metals on endothelial cell-mediated oxidation. We found that cell culture media such as Dulbecco modified Eagle medium and minimal essential medium are unable to support cell-mediated oxidation of LDL because they contain high concentrations of phenol red (PR) and tyrosine, both of which strongly inhibit cell-mediated oxidation. Ham's F-10, a commonly used medium for cell-mediated oxidation experiments, is also not entirely appropriate, as it contains both PR and cysteine. Cysteine is not critical for endothelial cell-mediated oxidation, but does increase oxidation of LDL in the absence of cells. Finally, of utmost importance to cell-mediated oxidation was the presence of either micromolar concentrations of Fe(II) or physiological concentrations of holo-ceruloplasmin, the protein which carries copper in plasma. An appropriate culture medium for use in cell-mediated oxidation experiments should thus contain either micromolar concentrations of Fe(II) or physiological concentrations of holo-ceruloplasmin, and should be prepared without PR, cysteine, or large concentrations of tyrosine, all of which are shown here to inhibit endothelial cell-mediated LDL oxidation. These results are consistent with a mechanism of cell-mediated oxidation involving Fenton-type chemistry and redox cycling of the metal.

Hydrolysis of retinyl esters by pancreatic triglyceride lipase

Previously [van Bennekum, A. M., et al. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 4150-4156] we showed that carboxyl ester lipase (CEL)-deficient (CELKO) mice have normal levels of pancreatic, bile salt-dependent retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activity. In the present study, we further investigated this non-CEL REH activity in pancreas homogenates of CELKO and wild-type (WT) mice, and rats. REH activity was detected in both the presence and absence of tri- and dihydroxy bile salts in rats, WT mice, and CELKO mice. In contrast, pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) activity was only detected in the presence of trihydroxy bile salts and only in rats and WT mice, consistent with CEL-mediated cholesteryl ester hydrolysis. Enzyme assays of pancreatic triglyceride lipase (PTL) showed that there was a colipase-stimulated REH activity in rat and mouse (WT and CELKO) pancreas, consistent with hydrolysis of retinyl ester (RE) by PTL. Pancreatic enzyme activities related to either CEL or PTL were separated using DEAE-chromatography. In both rats and mice (WT and CELKO), REH activity could be attributed mainly to PTL, and to a much smaller extent to CEL. Finally, purified human PTL exhibited similar enzymatic characteristics for triglyceride hydrolysis as well as for retinyl ester hydrolysis, indicating that RE is a substrate for PTL in vivo. Altogether, these studies clearly show that PTL is the major pancreatic REH activity in mice, as well as in rats.

Lipases and carboxylesterases: possible roles in the hepatic utilization of vitamin A

The formation and hydrolysis of retinyl esters are key processes in the metabolism of the fat-soluble micronutrient vitamin A. Long-chain acyl esters of retinol are the major chemical form of vitamin A (retinoid) stored in the body. Although retinyl esters are found in a variety of tissues and cell types, most of the total body retinoid is accounted for by the retinyl esters stored in the liver. Thus, these esters represent the major endogenous source of retinoid that can be delivered to peripheral tissues for conversion to biologically active forms. This paper summarizes the current state of our knowledge about the identity, function and regulation of the hepatic enzymes that are potentially involved in catalyzing the hydrolysis of retinyl esters. These enzymes include several known and characterized lipases and carboxylesterases.

Dietary supplementation with beta-carotene, but not with lycopene, inhibits endothelial cell-mediated oxidation of low-density lipoprotein

Carotenoids may protect low-density lipoprotein from oxidation, a process implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Our previous studies showed that in vitro enrichment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with beta-carotene protected it from cell-mediated oxidation. However, in vitro enrichment with either lutein or lycopene actually enhanced oxidation of the LDL. In the present studies we have examined the impact of LDL carotenoid content on its oxidation by human aortic endothelial cells (EaHy-1) in culture, comparing the effects of in vivo supplementation with in vitro enrichments. The beta-carotene content in human LDL was increased three- to sixfold by daily supplementation with 15 mg beta-carotene for 4 weeks, and the lycopene content of LDL in other individuals was increased two- to threefold by ingestion of one glass (12 ounce) of tomato juice daily for 3 weeks. LDL isolated from these healthy, normolipidemic donors not taking supplemental carotenoid was incubated at 0.25 mg protein/ml with EaHy-1 cells in Ham's F-10 medium for up to 48 h. Following dietary beta-carotene supplementation, LDL oxidation (as assessed by formation of lipid hydroperoxides) was markedly inhibited, to an even greater extent than was observed for LDL enriched in vitro with beta-carotene (that resulted in an 11- to 12-fold increase in LDL beta-carotene). No effect on cell-mediated oxidation was observed, however, for LDL enriched in vivo with lycopene. Thus, beta-carotene appears to function as an antioxidant in protecting LDL from cell-mediated oxidation although lycopene does not. The fact that the three- to sixfold enrichments of LDL with beta-carotene achieved by dietary supplementation were more effective in inhibiting oxidation than the 11- to 12-fold enrichments achieved by an in vitro method suggests that dietary supplementation is a more appropriate procedure for studies involving the enrichment of lipoprotein with carotenoids.

Intestinal absorption of dietary cholesteryl ester is decreased but retinyl ester absorption is normal in carboxyl ester lipase knockout mice

Carboxyl ester lipase (CEL; EC 3.1.1.13) hydrolyzes cholesteryl esters and retinyl esters in vitro. In vivo, pancreatic CEL is thought to liberate cholesterol and retinol from their esters prior to absorption in the intestine. CEL is also a major lipase in the breast milk of many mammals, including humans and mice, and is thought to participate in the processing of triglycerides to provide energy for growth and development while the pancreas of the neonate matures. Other suggested roles for CEL include the direct facilitation of the intestinal absorption of free cholesterol and the modification of plasma lipoproteins. Mice with different CEL genotypes [wild type (WT), knockout (CELKO), heterozygote] were generated to study the functions of CEL in a physiological system. Mice grew and developed normally, independent of the CEL genotype of the pup or nursing mother. Consistent with this was the normal absorption of triglyceride in CELKO mice. The absorption of free cholesterol was also not significantly different between CELKO (87 +/- 26%, mean +/- SD) and WT littermates (76 +/- 10%). Compared to WT mice, however, CELKO mice absorbed only about 50% of the cholesterol provided as cholesteryl ester (CE). There was no evidence for the direct intestinal uptake of CE or for intestinal bacterial enzymes that hydrolyze it, suggesting that another enzyme besides CEL can hydrolyze dietary CE in mice. Surprisingly, CELKO and WT mice absorbed similar amounts of retinol provided as retinyl ester (RE). RE hydrolysis, however, was required for absorption, implying that CEL was not the responsible enzyme. The changes in plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels to diets with increasing lipid content were similar in mice of all three CEL genotypes. Overall, the data indicate that in the mouse, other enzymes besides CEL participate in the hydrolysis of dietary cholesteryl esters, retinyl esters, and triglycerides.

Carboxyl ester lipase overexpression in rat hepatoma cells and CEL deficiency in mice have no impact on hepatic uptake or metabolism of chylomicron-retinyl ester

To study the role of carboxyl ester lipase (CEL) in hepatic retinoid (vitamin A) metabolism, we investigated uptake and hydrolysis of chylomicron (CM)-retinyl esters (RE) by rat hepatoma (McArdle-RH7777) cells stably transfected with a rat CEL cDNA. We also studied tissue uptake of CM-RE in CEL-deficient mice generated by targeted disruption of the CEL gene. CEL-transfected cells secreted active enzyme into the medium. However, both control and CEL-transfected cells accumulated exogenously added CM-RE or CM remnant (CMR)-derived RE in equal amounts. Serum clearance of intravenously injected CM-RE and cholesteryl ester were not different between wild-type and CEL-deficient mice. Also, the uptake of the two compounds by the liver and other tissues did not differ. These data indicate that the lack of CEL expression does not affect the uptake of dietary CM-RE by the liver or other tissues. Moreover, the percentage of retinol formed in the liver after CM-RE uptake, the levels of retinol and retinol-binding protein in serum, and retinoid levels in various tissues did not differ, indicating that CEL deficiency does not affect hepatic retinoid metabolism and retinoid distribution throughout the body. Surprisingly, in both pancreas and liver of wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous CEL-deficient mice, the levels of bile salt-dependent retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activity were similar. This indicates that in the mouse pancreas and liver an REH enzyme activity, active in the presence of bile salt and distinct from CEL, is present, compatible with the results from our accompanying paper that the intestinal processing and absorption of RE were unimpaired in CEL-deficient mice.

Lipoprotein lipase expression level influences tissue clearance of chylomicron retinyl ester

Approximately 25% of postprandial retinoid is cleared from the circulation by extrahepatic tissues. Little is known about physiologic factors important to this uptake. We hypothesized that lipoprotein lipase (LpL) contributes to extrahepatic clearance of chylomicron vitamin A. To investigate this, [3H]retinyl ester-containing rat mesenteric chylomicrons were injected intravenously into induced mutant mice and nutritionally manipulated rats. The tissue sites of uptake of 3H label by wild type mice and LpL-null mice overexpressing human LpL in muscle indicate that LpL expression does influence accumulation of chylomicron retinoid. Skeletal muscle from mice overexpressing human LpL accumulated 1.7- to 2.4-fold more 3H label than wild type. Moreover, heart tissue from mice overexpresssing human LpL, but lacking mouse LpL, accumulated less than half of the 3H-label taken up by wild type heart. Fasting and heparin injection, two factors that increase LpL activity in skeletal muscle, increased uptake of chylomicron [3H] retinoid by rat skeletal muscle. Using [3H]retinyl palmitate and its non-hydrolyzable analog retinyl [14C]hexadecyl ether incorporated into Intralipid emulsions, the importance of retinyl ester hydrolysis in this process was assessed. We observed that 3H label was taken up to a greater extent than 14C label by rat skeletal muscle, suggesting that retinoid uptake requires hydrolysis. In summary, for each of our experiments, the level of lipoprotein lipase expression in skeletal muscle, heart, and/or adipose tissue influenced the amount of [3H]retinoid taken up from chylomicrons and/or their remnants.

Lipases and carboxylesterases: possible roles in the hepatic metabolism of retinol

The formation of hydrolysis of retinyl esters are key processes in the metabolism of the fat-soluble micronutrient vitamin A. Long-chain acyl esters of retinol are the major chemical form of vitamin A (retinoid) stored in the body. Retinyl esters are found in a variety of tissues and cell types, but most of the total body retinoid is accounted for by the retinyl esters stored in the liver. Thus, these esters represent the major endogenous source of retinoid that can be delivered to peripheral tissues for conversion to biologically active forms. This review summarizes current knowledge about the identity, function, and regulation of the hepatic enzymes potentially involved in catalyzing the hydrolysis of retinyl esters. These enzymes include several known and characterized lipases and carboxylesterases. Although there is accumulating evidence that these enzymes function as retinyl ester hydrolases in vitro, it is not clear which play important physiological roles in hepatic retinyl ester metabolism.

Impact of LDL carotenoid and alpha-tocopherol content on LDL oxidation by endothelial cells in culture

Carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol are dietary, lipophilic antioxidants that may protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidation, a process believed to contribute to atherogenesis. Previous work demonstrated that after the Cu(II)-initiated oxidation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) in vitro, carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol were destroyed before significant lipid peroxidation took place, and that alpha-tocopherol was destroyed at a much faster rate than were the carotenoids. Additionally, in vitro enrichment of LDL with beta-carotene, but not with lutein or lycopene, inhibited LDL oxidation. In the present studies the impact of LDL carotenoid and alpha-tocopherol content on LDL oxidation by human endothelial cells (EaHy-1) in culture was assessed. LDL isolated from 11 individual donors was incubated at 0.25 mg protein/mL with EaHy-1 cells in Ham's F-10 medium for up to 48 h. Formation of lipid hydroperoxides was assessed by chemical analysis and the contents of lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The extent of lipid peroxidation correlated with the endogenous alpha-tocopherol content of the LDL but not with its content of carotenoids. As in the Cu(II)-initiated system, carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol were destroyed before significant peroxidation took place, but, in the cell-mediated system, alpha-tocopherol and the carotenoids were destroyed at comparable rates. Also, like the Cu(II)-initiated oxidation, enrichment of the LDL with beta-carotene protected it from oxidation by the endothelial cells. However, enrichment with either lutein or lycopene actually enhanced the cell-mediated oxidation of the LDL. Thus, the specific content of carotenoids in low density lipoprotein (LDL) clearly modulates its susceptibility to oxidation, but individual carotenoids may either inhibit or promote LDL oxidation.

Purification and characterization of a neutral, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase from rat liver microsomes. Relationship To rat carboxylesterase ES-2

A neutral, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase (NREH) has been purified from a rat liver microsomal fraction. The purification procedure involved detergent extraction, DEAE-Sepharose ion exchange, Phenyl-Sepharose hydrophobic interaction, Sephadex G-100 and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration chromatographies, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The isolated enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of approximately 66 kDa under denaturing conditions on SDS-PAGE. Analysis of the amino acid sequences of four peptides isolated after proteolytic digestion revealed that the enzyme is highly homologous with other rat liver carboxylesterases. In particular, the sequences of the four peptides of the NREH (60 amino acids total) were identical to those of a rat carboxylesterase expressed in the liver (Alexson, S. E. H., Finlay, T. H., Hellman, U., Svensson, L. T., Diczfalusy, U., and Eggertsen, G. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 17118-17124). Antibodies against this enzyme also react with the purified NREH. Purified NREH shows a substrate preference for retinyl palmitate over triolein and did not catalyze the hydrolysis of cholesteryl oleate. With retinyl palmitate as substrate, the enzyme had a pH optimum of 7 and showed apparent saturation kinetics, with half-maximal activity achieved at substrate concentrations (Km) of approximately 70 microM.

Size of the catalytically active unit of rat hepatic carboxylester lipase in the presence and absence of bile salt

Carboxylester lipase (CEL) catalyzes the hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters, retinyl esters, and triacylglycerols. CEL monomer has a MW of approximately 70000. Hydrolysis of these esters is stimulated by millimolar trihydroxy bile salts such as cholate, that also induce aggregation. Liver cytosols from 12 rats were frozen and irradiated at -135 degrees C with high energy electrons. In several experiments, paired samples of cytosol were adjusted to 20 mM cholate before irradiation. All samples were assayed for CEL using cholesteryl oleate as substrate. In untreated cytosols, CEL activity surviving radiation exposure could be fit to a single exponential function, the slope of which yielded a target size of 91 +/- 18 kDa. In a subset of these cytosols irradiated in the presence of cholate the calculated target size was 100 +/- 19 kDa, a value indistinguishable from that obtained for untreated cytosols. Some samples were also assayed using retinyl palmitate and triolein as substrates. With retinyl palmitate the mean target sizes were 96 and 108 kDa in the absence and presence of cholate, respectively, approximately the same as those observed when using cholesteryl oleate. When triolein was used as substrate the target sizes in the absence of cholate were smaller than for the other two esters (67 +/- 18 kDa) and closer to the known monomer molecular weight, but again cholate had no significant effect on this size. The structure responsible for CEL activity contains no more than one 70000 MW monomer and the results show that cholate-induced oligomerization is not required for catalytic activity.

Molecular cloning of the cDNA for rat hepatic, bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester/retinyl ester hydrolase demonstrates identity with pancreatic carboxylester lipase

Rat liver homogenates contain a neutral lipid ester hydrolase that requires millimolar concentrations of bile salts for maximal activity in catalyzing the hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters and retinyl esters in vitro. Previous studies have demonstrated that this hepatic hydrolase resembles rat pancreatic carboxylester lipase because it reacts with a specific pancreatic carboxylester lipase antibody and the eight N-terminal amino acids of the hepatic protein are identical to those of the pancreatic enzyme. Nonetheless, the exact molecular relationship between the hepatic and pancreatic enzymes is unclear. In the present study, a rat hepatic cDNA encoding the enzyme was cloned. Sequence analysis demonstrated that this cDNA corresponds to the full-length mature pancreatic carboxylester lipase (EC# 3.1.1.13). In individual animals the hepatic and pancreatic cDNA sequences were identical. However, among rats there were sequence variations, suggesting a polymorphic nature for this rat gene.

Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase and retinyl ester hydrolase activities are differentially regulated by retinoids and have distinct distributions between hepatocyte and nonparenchymal cell fractions of rat liver

The cellular distribution of enzymes that esterify retinol and hydrolyze retinyl esters (RE) was studied in liver of vitamin A-sufficient, -deficient, and deficient rats treated with retinoic acid or N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-retinamide. Livers were perfused and cell fractions enriched in hepatocytes, and nonparenchymal cells were obtained for assays of RE and enzyme activity. The specific activity of lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) was approximately 10-fold greater in the nonparenchymal cell than the hepatocyte fraction from both vitamin A-sufficient and retinoid-treated rats. Total RE mass, newly synthesized [3H]RE and LRAT activity were positively correlated in liver and isolated cells of both normal (P < 0.0001) and retinoid-treated rats (P < 0.0002). In nonparenchymal cells, these three constituents were nearly equally enriched as evaluated by their relative specific activity values (RSA, defined as the percentage of recovered activity divided by the percentage of recovered protein), which were each significantly greater than 1.0, with values of 4.3 for total RE mass (P < 0.05), 3.6 for newly synthesized [3H]RE (P < 0.01) and 3.8 for LRAT activity (P < 0.01). In contrast, the specific activities of neutral and acid bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolases (REH) did not vary with vitamin A status, and their RSA values were close to 1.0 in both hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. These data show that LRAT and REH are differentially regulated by retinoids and that these enzymes also differ in their spacial distribution between liver parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells.

Distributions of carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol among lipoproteins do not change when human plasma is incubated in vitro

Carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol are dietary, lipophilic antioxidants which may protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidation, a process believed to contribute to atherogenesis. In this study, the quantities and distributions of carotenoids, alpha-tocopherol and major lipids in the plasma and lipoproteins of seven normolipidemic humans were determined. Experiments were also conducted to determine if these antioxidants redistribute among lipoproteins when plasma is incubated in vitro. Virtually all of the total carotenoid in plasma associated with lipoproteins, primarily LDL [73 +/- 10% (mean +/- SD)], as did the more non-polar individual carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin (68 +/- 9%); lycopene (79 +/- 9%), and beta-carotene (72 +/- 12%), in patterns which closely resembled the distribution of total cholesterol. Xanthophyll, the most polar carotenoid examined, distributed equally between LDL (44 +/- 11%) and HDL (38 +/- 14%), whereas alpha-tocopherol associated with LDL (43 +/- 12%), HDL (26 +/- 10%), and VLDL (27 +/- 13%). These patterns closely resembled that of phospholipid. Approximately four carotenoid molecules associated with each VLDL and one with each LDL particle, whereas only 25 of every 1000 HDL particles contained carotenoid. Approximately 145 molecules of alpha-tocopherol associated with VLDL, 12 with LDL, and one with each HDL particle. Unlike triglyceride and cholesteryl ester, known to transfer among lipoproteins through the action of cholesteryl ester transfer protein, net transfer of carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol among lipoproteins did not occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hepatic uptake and metabolism of chylomicron retinyl esters: probable role of plasma membrane/endosomal retinyl ester hydrolases

Previous studies have indicated the presence of both neutral and acid, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolases associated with plasma membrane and endosome fractions of rat liver homogenates. In the present studies, chylomicrons containing tritium-labeled retinyl esters were injected intravenously into rats in order to study the initial metabolism of retinyl esters during and after uptake into the liver. At various times after chylomicron injection, plasma was obtained and the liver was homogenized and subjected to analytical subcellular fractionation. Labeled retinyl esters were rapidly cleared from plasma (half-time approximately 10 min) and appeared in the liver. Within the liver, label first appeared in plasma membrane/endosomal fractions that were also enriched in both neutral and acid, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase activities. At no time were the labeled esters significantly associated with fractions enriched in lysosomes. Rather, it appeared that the labeled esters were hydrolyzed and/or transferred to fractions enriched in endoplasmic reticulum. These studies demonstrate the co-localization of newly delivered retinyl esters and bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase enzyme activities and thus, suggest a probable role for these enzymes in the initial hepatic metabolism of chylomicron retinyl esters. This conclusion was further supported by the observation that plasma membrane/endosomal fractions were active in catalyzing the hydrolysis of chylomicron remnant retinyl esters in vitro.

Bile salt-dependent and bile salt-independent cholesteryl ester hydrolase activities in rat liver cytosol

These studies report on the relationship between the bile salt-dependent and -independent cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) activities found in rat liver cytosol. The two activities show very similar Michaelis-Menten substrate kinetics and pH dependence. After gel filtration of cytosol, the bile salt-independent activity elutes much earlier than the bile salt-dependent activity, suggesting that the two activities are associated with entities of different molecular size. However, when gel filtration is carried out in the presence of bile salt, the bile salt-dependent activity elutes as a large aggregate, similar to the bile salt-independent activity's behavior in the absence of bile salt. Both activities coelute after cytosol is passed through an ion exchange column. After each chromatographic procedure the recovery of the bile salt-dependent activity was substantially higher than the recovery of the bile salt-independent activity. When cytosol is incubated with anti-rat pancreatic CEH in the absence of cholate, the bile salt-dependent activity is inhibited more than 90% whereas bile salt-independent activity remains unaffected even at high antibody concentrations. When cytosol is incubated with anti-rat pancreatic CEH in the presence of cholate both CEH activities remain unaffected. The prevention of immunoinhibition by cholate seems to be specific for this detergent since CHAPS, a cholate analog, does not prevent immunoinhibition of the bile salt-dependent activity by anti-CEH. The experimental results are consistent with a model for CEH activity in liver cytosol in which there is only one enzyme that can exist in a monomeric, inactive form (that can be activated by addition of cholate to the assay and represents the bile salt-dependent activity) and in an active complex comprising several enzyme monomers as well as cholate micelles (that accounts for the bile salt-independent activity).

Analysis of microsomal cholesteryl ester hydrolases by radiation inactivation

Radiation inactivation by high energy electrons, a method for determining the size of a protein without prior purification, was used to study the acid and neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) activities of rat liver microsomes. The same preparations were also assayed for the microsomal, "nonspecific" carboxylesterases using o-nitrophenyl acetate as substrate. Non-specific esterase activity surviving radiation could be fit to a single exponential function, the slope of which yielded a target size of 47 +/- 5 kDa (mean +/- S.D., n = 7). Surviving CEH activity assayed at pH 5 could also be fit to a single exponential that yielded a target size of 71 +/- 14 kDa (n = 5). In contrast, the surviving CEH activity assayed at pH 7 was more complex. The data from six experiments were described as the sum of two exponentials, indicating that most of the activity is due to an entity that is three to four times larger and a minor amount to one that is half the size of the pH 5 enzyme. The results are consistent with the suggestion that the acid and neutral microsomal CEH activities are due to distinct enzymes, which are not the "nonspecific" carboxylesterases. Their sizes also differ from those previously determined for lysosomal acid lipase and other lipases in the liver.

Characterization of a bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity secreted from HepG2 cells

HepG2 cells and medium were assayed for cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) activity in the presence and absence of sodium cholate. Although bile salt-dependent CEH activity was measured in the medium at 6 to 96 h (up to 4500 pmol/h per mg cell protein), there was very little activity detected in the corresponding cell homogenates (less than 70 pmol/h per mg cell protein). Activity in the medium was expressed only in the presence of trihydroxy bile salts and was maximal at 40 mM cholate and pH 7.5. Incubation of HepG2 cells with brefeldin A resulted in an 80 to 90% inhibition of secretion of the bile salt-dependent CEH activity, while only inhibiting total protein secretion by 42%. Bile salt-dependent CEH activity could also be detected in rat liver perfusates. Although there was measurable activity in all of 14 livers analyzed (47 +/- 10 and 53 +/- 17 nmol/h per g liver per h perfusion during two 5-min collections after 15 and 30 min of perfusion, respectively), it did not correlate with the activity found in corresponding liver homogenates, as only four livers had detectable bile salt-dependent CEH activity. These results provide evidence for the secretion of a bile salt-dependent CEH activity, from both a hepatic cell line and the intact liver, that has similar properties to the enzyme previously isolated from rat liver homogenates and rat pancreas.

Tissue and species differences in bile salt-dependent neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity and gene expression

Enzymatic activity and mRNA abundance for neutral bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) were determined in rat and rabbit tissues. In rat liver and intestine, enzyme activity and mRNA levels varied independently. Particularly striking in most tissue samples was the absence of detectable CEH mRNA in the presence of enzymatic activity, suggesting that there was an exogenous source of enzyme. Rabbits differed from rats in four ways. First, neither CEH activity nor mRNA was present in any liver sample. Second, CEH mRNA was present in nearly all intestinal samples, and its abundance tended to correlate with enzymatic activity. Third, rabbit CEH mRNA was approximately 250 bases shorter than the rat message. Fourth, we have previously shown that rat plasma contains CEH activity, whereas in the present studies, rabbit plasma did not contain such activity. Overall, our studies indicate that CEH activity in rat liver, intestine, and plasma can be derived exogenously, most likely from the uptake and transport of pancreatic enzyme. In contrast, in rabbit the lack of CEH activity in plasma and liver and the capacity of the intestine for in situ synthesis of CEH suggest that this animal does not have the same ability to distribute pancreatic CEH. These species differences in CEH metabolism may partly explain the greater susceptibility of rabbit tissues to accumulate cholesteryl esters.

Differential effects of fish oil, safflower oil and palm oil on fatty acid oxidation and glycerolipid synthesis in rat liver

Studies were conducted to explore the mechanisms by which dietary fish oil decreases hepatic triglyceride secretion. Forty-five rats (15/group) were fed purified diets containing 10% fat as either fish oil, safflower oil or palm oil for 10 d. Plasma triglyceride concentration was lowest in the fish oil-fed group followed by the groups fed safflower oil and palm oil. The liver's capacity to oxidize fatty acids was assessed by assays of mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathways in whole homogenates. Additionally, key enzymatic activities in the biosynthesis of triglyceride (diacylglycerol acyltransferase, phosphatidate hydrolysis) and phosphatidylcholine (CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase) were assayed. Compared with those fed palm oil the fish oil-fed animals showed 25% greater mitochondrial beta-oxidation but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.1). Fish oil feeding led to 45% greater (P less than 0.05) peroxisomal beta-oxidation. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity was unaffected by the type of dietary fat and slightly (13%) but significantly (P less than 0.02) lower cytidylyltransferase activity due to fish oil feeding was observed. More strikingly, both fish oil and safflower oil diets significantly lowered phosphatidate hydrolysis by 37 and 22%, respectively, compared with the palm oil diet. This activity directly correlated (r = 0.68; P less than 0.001) with plasma triglyceride concentration. Thus, dietary fish oil might suppress triglyceride secretion by decreasing glycerolipid synthesis, an effect mediated by changes in one or more enzymes involved in phosphatidate catabolism.

Neutral and acid retinyl ester hydrolases associated with rat liver microsomes: relationships to microsomal cholesteryl ester hydrolases

We recently reported the presence of a neutral, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activity in rat liver microsomes and showed that it was distinct from the previously studied bile salt-dependent REH and from nonspecific carboxylesterases (Harrison, E. H., and M. Z. Gad. 1989. J. Biol. Chem. 264: 17142-17147). We have now further characterized the hydrolysis of retinyl esters by liver microsomes and have compared the observed activities with those catalyzing the hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters. Microsomes and microsomal subfractions enriched in plasma membranes and endosomes catalyze the hydrolysis of retinyl esters at both neutral and acid pH. The acid and neutral REH enzyme activities can be distinguished from one another on the basis of selective inhibition by metal ions and by irreversible, active site-directed serine esterase inhibitors. The same preparations also catalyze the hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters at both acid and neutral pH. However, the enzyme(s) responsible for the neutral REH activity can be clearly responsible for the neutral REH activity can be clearly differentiated from the neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase(s) on the basis of differential stability, sensitivity to proteolysis, and sensitivity to active site-directed reagents. These results suggest that the neutral, bile salt-independent REH is relatively specific for the hydrolysis of retinyl esters and thus may play an important physiological role in hepatic vitamin A metabolism. In contrast to the neutral hydrolases, the activities responsible for hydrolysis of retinyl esters and cholesterol esters at acid pH are similar in their responses to the treatments mentioned above. Thus, a single microsomal acid hydrolase may catalyze the hydrolysis of both types of ester.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibitors of neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase

p-Nitrophenyl N-butyl, N-octyl, and N-dodecyl carbamates and a newly synthesized diethyl phosphate compound were studied as potential inhibitors of the cholesteryl ester hydrolases of Fu5AH rat hepatoma cells. Whole homogenates of Fu5AH cells were used as an enzyme source for the assay of cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity. All four compounds led to marked inhibition (70-80%) of neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity (assayed at pH 7) at concentrations where the activity of acid cholesteryl ester hydrolase (assayed at pH 4) was unaffected. Cholesteryl ester hydrolysis was also evaluated in intact cultured cells induced to accumulate cholesteryl esters in cytoplasmic lipid droplets by exposure to cholesterol-rich phospholipid dispersions. Hydrolysis was then assessed during subsequent incubations in the presence of an inhibitor of cholesterol esterification. All compounds caused significant inhibition of cholesterol ester hydrolysis with the diethyl phosphate being the most effective. At a concentration that caused greater than 90% inhibition of the hydrolysis of cytoplasmic cholesteryl esters, the compound had only a minimal effect on lysosomal hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters. These results suggest that diethyl phosphates and N-alkylcarbamates may be of value in future studies on the substrate specificities, regulation, and physiological role(s) of cholesteryl ester hydrolases.

Synthesis and degradation of fatty acid ethyl esters by cultured hepatoma cells exposed to ethanol

Fatty acid ethyl esters are a family of neutral lipids that are the products of esterification of fatty acids with ethanol. Unlike other pathways of ethanol metabolism, ethyl esters are present in numerous human organs which are the targets of ethanol-induced damage. In the present study, we have shown that fatty acid ethyl esters are synthesized by a hepatoma cell line in tissue culture when exposed to ethanol concentrations easily attained by man during social drinking. Unlike alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme(s) responsible for synthesis of ethyl esters are membrane-bound and concentrated in the microsomal fraction of rat hepatocytes. In addition, fatty acid ethyl esters are hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and ethanol by membrane-bound enzyme(s) that are enriched in the microsomal and mitochondrial-lysosomal fractions. Intracellular hydrolysis of fatty acid ethyl esters release free fatty acids which are preferentially incorporated into cellular cholesterol esters. Thus, we have shown that a hepatocellular line exposed to concentrations of ethanol easily achieved in man by social drinking utilize endogenous fatty acids to form long-lived ethanol metabolites, fatty acid ethyl esters. Importantly, this family of neutral lipids may act as biochemical mediators of ethanol-induced cell damage, including the changes in cholesterol metabolism noted in chronic alcoholics.

Hydrolysis of retinyl palmitate by enzymes of rat pancreas and liver. Differentiation of bile salt-dependent and bile salt-independent, neutral retinyl ester hydrolases in rat liver

Previous studies have demonstrated that homogenates of the livers of rats contain a neutral retinyl ester hydrolase activity that requires millimolar concentrations of bile salts for maximal in vitro activity. The enzymatic properties of this neutral, bile salt-dependent retinyl ester hydrolase activity in liver homogenates are nearly identical to those observed in the present report for the in vitro hydrolysis of retinyl palmitate by purified rat pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase (EC 3.1.1.13). Moreover, anti-rat pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase IgG completely inhibits the bile salt-dependent retinyl ester hydrolase activity of rat liver homogenates whereas normal rabbit IgG does not. We also show that liver homogenates contain a neutral, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase activity that differs from the bile salt-dependent activity in that 1) its absolute activity does not vary markedly among individual rats, 2) it is not inhibited by antibodies to pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase, and 3) it is localized in the microsomal fraction of liver homogenates. Subfractionation of microsomes demonstrates that the neutral, bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase activity is associated with liver cell plasma membranes and thus may play a role in the hydrolysis of retinyl esters delivered to the liver by chylomicron remnants.

Expression in Xenopus oocytes of rat liver mRNA coding for a bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester hydrolase

A catalytically active bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH) was expressed when Xenopus oocytes were injected with rat liver mRNA. The expressed CEH activity was highly dependent on the presence of trihydroxy bile salts (cholate or one of its conjugates); maximum hydrolytic activity was observed in the presence of 10 mM sodium cholate. The expressed CEH was not activated by dihydroxy bile salts (deoxycholate and its conjugates). In the presence of 10 mM sodium cholate, the CEH activity was maximal near pH 7 but was significant between pH 6 and 8. Monospecific immune IgG raised against rat pancreatic CEH completely inhibited the CEH expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, a serine enzyme inhibitor, was inhibitory to the expressed CEH activity, whereas p-chloromercuribenzoate (up to 5 mM), a potent thiol-blocking agent, did not significantly inhibit the expressed activity. These experiments clearly demonstrate that the liver contains an mRNA encoding a bile salt-dependent CEH activity and suggest that the uptake of pancreatic enzyme is not necessarily the source of liver CEH as has been speculated.

Esterification by rat liver microsomes of retinol bound to cellular retinol-binding protein

We have investigated the esterification by liver membranes of retinol bound to cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP). When CRBP carrying [3H]retinol as its ligand was purified from rat liver cytosol and incubated with rat liver microsomes, a significant fraction of the [3H]retinol was converted to [3H]retinyl ester. Esterification of the CRBP-bound [3H]retinol, which was maximal at pH 6-7, did not require the addition of an exogenous fatty acyl group. Indeed, when additional palmitoyl-CoA or coenzyme A was provided, the rate of esterification increased either very slightly or not at all. The esterification reaction had a Km for [3H]retinol-CRBP of 4 +/- 0.6 microM and a maximum velocity of 145 +/- 52 pmol/min/mg of microsomal protein (n = 4). The major products were retinyl palmitate/oleate and retinyl stearate in a ratio of approximately 2 to 1 over a range of [3H]retinol-CRBP concentrations from 1 to 8 microM. The addition of progesterone, a known inhibitor of the acyl-CoA:retinol acyltransferase reaction, consistently increased the rate of retinyl ester formation when [3H]retinol was delivered bound to CRBP. These experiments indicate that retinol presented to liver microsomal membranes by CRBP can be converted to retinyl ester and that this process, in contrast to the esterification of dispersed retinol, is independent of the addition of an activated fatty acid and produces a pattern of retinyl ester species similar to that observed in intact liver. A possible role of phospholipids as endogenous acyl donors in the esterification of retinol bound to CRBP is supported by our observations that depletion of microsomal phospholipid with phospholipase A2 prior to addition of retinol-CRBP decreased the retinol-esterifying activity almost 50%. Conversely, incubating microsomes with a lipid-generating system containing choline, CDP-choline, glycerol 3-phosphate, and an acyl-CoA-generating system prior to addition of retinol-CRBP increased retinol esterification significantly as compared to buffer-treated controls.

Bile salt-dependent, neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase of rat liver: possible relationship with pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase

Homogenates of the livers of outbred, Sprague-Dawley rats contain a neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity that requires millimolar concentrations of bile salts for maximal activity. Previous studies showed that this activity had the unusual property of being highly variable among individual rats. The present studies were conducted to define further the nature of this enzymic activity and to explore the possible basis for the variability. Individual liver homogenates from inbred Fisher-344 rats showed the same range and magnitude of activity as outbred rats, suggesting that genetic heterogeneity was not a factor in determining the enzyme activity. Tissue distribution studies showed the presence of a very similar enzyme activity in serum, bile and intestinal homogenates, with the specific activity in intestine being 25-500-times greater than that in liver. Moreover, the enzymic properties of the activity in serum, liver and intestine were identical to those of purified rat pancreatic cholesteryl ester hydrolase (EC 3.1.1.13). Monospecific, anti-pancreatic hydrolase IgG specifically and completely inhibited the cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity in rat serum, intestine and liver. The results raise the possibility that the neutral, bile salt-dependent cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity of rat liver homogenates may be due to the uptake of enzyme originating in the pancreas. This, in turn, may explain the dramatic variation in activity observed among individual rat livers.

Properties and subcellular localization of myocardial fatty acyl-coenzyme A oxidase

The properties and subcellular localization of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (FAO) were studied in rat heart homogenates. After differential centrifugation, FAO was sedimentable and enriched in a "light-mitochondrial" fraction. FAO had a pH optimum of 8-9. Among straight-chain, saturated fatty acyl-CoAs, the enzyme showed a marked preference for medium chain substrates (C12 greater than C10 = C8 greater than C16 = C14 greater than C6) over a concentration range up to 100 microM. No activity was observed with C4-CoA. The apparent Michaelis constant (Km) for C12-CoA was 5-10 microM. After removal of nuclei by low-speed centrifugation, combined subcellular particle preparations were obtained by high-speed centrifugation and layered on linear density gradients of metrizamide. After density equilibration, FAO showed a symmetric distribution centered at p = 1.16-1.18, like that of the enzyme catalase, a marker for microperoxisomes. In contrast, enzyme markers for mitochondria, lysosomes, sarcolemma, and sarcoplasmic reticulum were recovered in low-density regions of the gradient. These results provide a direct demonstration of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase in cardiac tissue and its association with microperoxisomes.

Perfluoro-n-decanoic acid: induction of peroxisomal beta-oxidation by a fatty acid with dioxin-like toxicity

Perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA) produces toxic effects in rodents similar to those caused by 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin. A single, intraperitoneal dose (50 mg/kg) of PFDA to Sprague-Dawley rats caused disruption of the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondrial swelling and increases in intracellular lipid droplets in hepatocytes similar to effects reported previously in dioxin toxicity. PFDA treatment led to large decreases in the activity of plasma membrane alkaline phosphodiesterase and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase without affecting lysosomal N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, endoplasmic reticulum NADPH-cytochrome c reductase or peroxisomal catalase activities. PFDA treatment led to moderate peroxisome proliferation and to very large (20-40-fold) increases in the activity of fatty acyl-CoA oxidase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the peroxisomal system of fatty acid beta-oxidation.

Subcellular localization of retinoids, retinoid-binding proteins, and acyl-CoA:retinol acyltransferase in rat liver

Studies were conducted to define the subcellular localization of endogenous retinoids (vitamin A), retinoid-binding proteins, and acyl-CoA:retinol acyltransferase (ARAT) in liver and to determine whether their distributions were affected by hepatic vitamin A content. Quantitative subcellular fractionation techniques were used. Rats were fed purified diets either containing or lacking vitamin A to obtain animals with total retinoid stores ranging from 0.5 to 172 micrograms of retinol equivalent per gram of liver. Liver homogenates were fractionated by differential centrifugation to yield nuclear (N), mitochondrial-lysosomal (ML), microsomal (P), and high-speed supernatant (S) fractions. N, ML, and P were washed two more times by resuspension and centrifugation to remove constituents bound nonspecifically. S was further resolved into "floating lipid" and underlying "cytosol" by prolonged ultracentrifugation. The distributions of marker constituents were not affected by vitamin A status. Most of the retinyl ester in the liver was recovered in the S fraction where it was entirely (greater than 95%) associated with floating lipid. About half of the total free retinol was also recovered in the S fraction, but it was mostly (2/3) associated with cytosol per se. A substantial portion (30%) of the free retinol was recovered in the 3 X -washed microsomal (P) fraction. Sufficient binding capacity for retinol was present in both P (as retinol-binding protein) and S (as cellular retinol-binding protein) to quantitatively account for the amounts of free retinol present in the two fractions. ARAT activity in the liver was distributed among the subcellular fractions in a manner identical with an endoplasmic reticulum marker enzyme (NADPH-cytochrome C reductase).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Local anesthetic properties of opioids and phencyclidines: interaction with the voltage-dependent, batrachotoxin binding site in sodium channels

[3H]Batrachotoxinin-A 20-alpha-benzoate ([3H]BTX-B) binds specifically and with high affinity (Kd = 30 nM) to a site on voltage-dependent Na+ channels. Compounds with local anesthetic activity inhibit the binding of [3H]BTX-B by a mutually exclusive, allosteric mechanism. The potential local anesthetic potency of a series of 23 opioids and phencyclidine-like compounds has been estimated by their inhibition of [3H]BTX-B binding to Na+ channels in a preparation of synaptoneurosomes from guinea pig cerebral cortex. The potency of these compounds were also tested as inhibitors of the specific binding of [3H]phencyclidine ([3H]PCP) to a high affinity site on rat brain membranes. Opioids such as morphine and codeine show little affinity for the [3H]BTX-B binding site or for the [3H]PCP binding site. Other analgesics, many of the PCP-like compounds and dioxadrol derivatives are potent versus [3H]BTX-B binding and display both stereospecificity and high affinity towards the PCP-binding site. However, there was no correlation between local anesthetic potency assessed as antagonism of [3H]BTX-B binding and affinity towards the PCP site. Five classical local anesthetics had no affinity for the PCP-site, but did displace [3H]BTX-B from its binding site.

Action of clofibrate and its analogs in rats dissociation of hypolipidemic effects and the induction of peroxisomal β-oxidation

Experiments were conducted to compare directly the effects of clofibrate (ethyl 2-(p-chlorophenoxy)isobutyrate) and its analogs on serum lipids and on the rate-limiting enzyme of the hepatic peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway, fatty acyl-coenzyme A oxidase. Clofibrate feeding (5 g/kg diet) led to 8-10-fold increases in enzyme activity in 7 days. The enzyme remained elevated during the 28-day course of the experiment. The treatment did not lead to a lowering of serum cholesterol or triacylglycerol at any time during the experiment. In separate experiments rats were given clofibrate or one of five analogs by gastric intubation for 4 consecutive days. Four of the five analogs studied caused a significant lowering of serum triacylglycerol to about 50% of pretreatment level; another analog and clofibrate itself did not significantly affect serum triacylglycerol levels. None of the five analogs caused an induction of hepatic fatty acyl-CoA oxidase, while clofibrate treatment led to a 3-4-fold increase in enzyme activity. The results demonstrate a complete dissociation between the hypolipidemic action of these compounds and the induction of peroxisomal beta-oxidation. Thus it appears that the two phenomena are mechanistically unrelated.

The use of radioactive cysteine methyl ester for labeling glycosylated molecules oxidized by periodate or neuraminidase plus galactose oxidase

Treatment of rat lymph node cells with periodate or neuraminidase plus galactose oxidase initiates blast transformation and cell division of T lymphocytes. Either treatment introduces aldehyde functions onto glycosylated molecules of the plasma membrane. Reduction of the aldehydes with borohydride leads to a concentration-dependent inhibition of the mitogenic response. Cysteine methyl ester (Cys(Me], which can form a stable thiazolidine adduct with aldehydes, also inhibits mitogenesis in a concentration-dependent manner. Maximum inhibition is achieved at Cys(Me) concentrations about 10-fold lower than those required for borohydride (0.4 and 5 mM, respectively). [35S]Cys(Me) has been synthesized and compared with [3H]borohydride as a labeling reagent for molecules on the plasma membrane oxidized by periodate or neuraminidase plus galactose oxidase. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of labeled whole cell lysates or of crude membrane fractions prepared from labeled cells revealed that the same oxidized molecules are specifically labeled with both reagents. Homogenates of cells labeled with either radioactive reagent were fractionated by differential and isopycnic centrifugation. The fractions were analyzed for radioactivity and for a number of marker constituents localized in various subcellular organelles. Following treatment with either reagent, the radioactivity that was covalently incorporated into macromolecules was primarily associated with sedimentable components that distributed among the fractions like plasma membrane markers. When compared with [3H]borohydride, Cys(Me) offers several advantages as a surface labeling reagent for glycosylated plasma membrane molecules, chiefly the possibility of preparing reagents labeled with isotopes other than tritium, including those like 35S, which are much stronger radioactive emitters.