Proinsulin C-peptide elicits disaggregation of insulin resulting in enhanced physiological insulin effects

Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), proinsulin C-peptide was found to influence insulin-insulin interactions. In SPR with chip-bound insulin, C-peptide mixed with analyte insulin increased the binding, while alone C-peptide did not. A control peptide with the same residues in random sequence had little effect. In ESI-MS, C-peptide lowered the presence of insulin hexamer. The data suggest that C-peptide promotes insulin disaggregation. Insulin/insulin oligomer muM dissociation constants were determined. Compatible with these findings, type 1 diabetic patients receiving insulin and C-peptide developed 66% more stimulation of glucose metabolism than when given insulin alone. A role of C-peptide in promoting insulin disaggregation may be important physiologically during exocytosis of pancreatic beta-cell secretory granulae and pharmacologically at insulin injection sites. It is compatible with the normal co-release of C-peptide and insulin and may contribute to the beneficial effect of C-peptide and insulin replacement in type 1 diabetics.

Proinsulin C-peptide and its C-terminal pentapeptide: degradation in human serum and Schiff base formation with subsequent CO2 incorporation

Processing of human proinsulin C-peptide and its C-terminal pentapeptide in blood serum was studied using reverse-phase HPLC and electrospray mass spectrometry. The results reveal degradation of both peptides, with a longer half-life for intact C-peptide than for the C-terminal pentapeptide. Products from C-peptide degradation were not distinguishable from the peptide background, suggesting endopeptidase degradation of C-peptide. In contrast, a set of products from the C-terminal pentapeptide were identifiable and corresponded to successive losses from the N terminus, showing that the pentapeptide is degraded by aminopeptidase in serum. Consistent with this finding, a slower degradation was found for the N-acetyl-protected pentapeptide. Removal of serum proteins by acetone precipitation produced N-terminally carbamate-modified C-peptide via a Schiff base intermediate (a ketimine with acetone), to which CO(2) was added and acetone removed, generating a cyclic side chain via anhydride formation. The modification was not seen with the pyroglutamate form of C-peptide, with the N-terminally acetylated C-peptide, or with a control peptide having N-terminal Phe, but was found with human C-peptide, its N-terminal tetrapeptide, and a rat C-peptide fragment (all with N-terminal Glu). Hence, the modification appears to require N-terminal Glu, but this is not the only prerequisite since the C-terminal pentapeptide and another control peptide (also starting with Glu) were not modified. A peptide aldimine Schiff base leading to CO(2) incorporation was detected with formaldehyde in NaHCO(3). The observation that C-peptide forms Schiff bases with ketones/aldehydes, enhancing covalent attachment of CO(2), may have biological implications.

From brain to bile. Evidence that conjugation and omega-hydroxylation are important for elimination of 24S-hydroxycholesterol (cerebrosterol) in humans

The brain is the almost exclusive site of formation of 24S-hydroxycholesterol in man, and there is a continuous flux of this oxysterol across the blood-brain barrier into the circulation. The hepatic metabolism of 24S-hydroxycholesterol was studied here by three different approaches: incubation of tritium-labeled 24S-hydroxycholesterol with human primary hepatocytes, administration of tritium-labeled 24S-hydroxycholesterol to a human volunteer, and quantitation of free and conjugated 24S-hydroxycholesterol and its neutral metabolites in ileocecal fluid from patients with ileal fistulae. 24S-Hydroxycholesterol as well as 24R-hydroxycholesterol were converted into bile acids by human hepatocytes at a rate of about 40% of that of the normal intermediate in bile acid synthesis, 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol. There was also a conversion of 24S-hydroxycholesterol into conjugate(s) of 5-cholestene-3 beta,24S,27-triol at a rate similar to the that of conversion into bile acids. When administered to a human volunteer, labeled 24S-hydroxycholesterol was converted into bile acids at about half the rate of simultaneously administered labeled 7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol. Free, sulfated, and glucuronidated 24S-hydroxycholesterol and 5-cholestene-3 beta,24,27-triol were identified in ileocecal fluid. The excretion of these steroids was about 3.5 mg/24 h, amounting to more than 50% of the total estimated flux of 24S-hydroxycholesterol from the brain. It is concluded that 24S-hydroxycholesterol is a less efficient precursor to bile acids and that about half of it is conjugated and eliminated in bile as such or as a conjugate of a 27-hydroxylated metabolite. The less efficient metabolism of 24S-hydroxycholesterol may explain the surprisingly high levels of this oxysterol in the circulation and is of interest in relation to the suggested role of 24S-hydroxycholesterol as a regulator of cholesterol homeostasis.

Identification of unusual 7-oxygenated bile acid sulfates in a patient with Niemann-Pick disease, type C

Niemann-Pick disease, type C, was diagnosed in a 3-month-old boy with hepatosplenomegaly, mild signs of cholestasis, hepatic inflammation and extramedullary erythropoiesis, together with chronic airway disease. He developed muscular hypotonia, psychomotor retardation, rickets, and signs of peripheral neuropathy. The patient was found to excrete abnormal amounts of unusual bile acids in urine at 3 and 5 months of age. These acids were shown to have a 3beta-hydroxy-Delta(5) structure and to carry an oxo or hydroxy group at C-7. They were sulfated at C-3 and nonamidated or conjugated with glycine or taurine at C-24. Part of the 7-hydroxy acids, presumably the 7beta-hydroxylated one, was also conjugated with N-acetylhexosamine, probably N-acetylglucosamine, at the 7-hydroxy group. Possible metabolic pathways for the formation of the 7-oxo and 7beta-hydroxycholenoic acids are discussed. Based on previous data concerning the effects of 3beta-hydroxy-Delta(5) bile acids on bile acid transport, it is suggested that the formation of such bile acids is responsible for the cholestasis in this patient.

Isoursodeoxycholic acid: metabolism and therapeutic effects in primary biliary cirrhosis

Significant amounts of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) used for the treatment of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) become epimerized at C-3 to isoUDCA. We investigated the metabolism of isoUDCA and a possible pharmacologic effect in five patients (51.4 +/- 5.8 years old; 3 females, 2 males) with PBC and persistent elevations of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) and alkaline phosphatase despite treatment with UDCA for more than one year. Serum samples were analyzed for bile acid metabolites and surrogate markers of cholestasis in 4-week intervals after 1 g/d UDCA, wash-out, 0.5 g/d isoUDCA, 0.75 g/d isoUDCA, 0.75 g/d UDCA, and two further periods with 1 g/d UDCA. Bile acids in urine were analyzed after wash-out, 0.5 and 0.75 g/d isoUDCA, and 0.75 and 1 g/d UDCA. During wash-out, AST, AP, and gamma-GT rose significantly (P < 0.05) but reversed to previous levels during the first isoUDCA period, with 0.5 g/d only. No further improvements were observed after increasing the dose of isoUDCA or switching back to UDCA. In serum, the relative amounts of isoUDCA and UDCA were 8.1 +/- 7.4% and 16.2 +/- 6.4% during 0.5 g/d isoUDCA, 6.2 +/- 2.5% and 45.0 +/- 4.1% during 0.75 g/d isoUDCA, and 0.5;-3% and 56.4;-60.0%, respectively, during UDCA. In urine, UDCA was the predominant bile acid both during isoUDCA and UDCA medications. The similar serum enrichment and urinary excretion of UDCA during administration of either isoUDCA or UDCA together with low concentrations of the intermediate of isomerization, 3-dehydro-UDCA, indicate a first-pass epimerization of isoUDCA to UDCA in the liver. Approximately 25% of serum isoUDCA and 10% of serum UDCA were conjugated with either glucuronic acid or N-acetylglucosamine, indicating hepatic formation and systemic secretion of glycosidic conjugates. In PBC patients, isoUDCA becomes isomerized to UDCA and has similar effects on surrogate markers of cholestasis. Thus, isoUDCA has pro-drug characteristics.

Characterization of the phosphocholine-substituted oligosaccharide in lipopolysaccharides of type b Haemophilus influenzae

Haemophilus influenzae expresses heterogeneous populations of short-chain lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which exhibit extensive antigenic diversity among multiple oligosaccharide epitopes. These LPS oligosaccharide epitopes can carry phosphocholine (PCho) substituents, the expression of which is subject to high frequency phase variation mediated by genes in the lic1 genetic locus. The location and site of attachment of PCho substituents were determined by structural analysis of LPS from two type b H. influenzae strains, Eagan and RM7004. The lic2 locus is involved in phase variation of oligosaccharide expression. LPS obtained from the parent strains, from mutants generated by insertion of antibiotic resistance cassettes in the lic2 genetic locus, and from phase-variants showing high levels of PCho expression was characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and 1H NMR spectroscopy of derived O-deacylated samples. ESI-MS of O-deacylated LPS from wild-type strains revealed mixtures of related glycoform structures differing in the number of hexose residues. Analysis of LPS from PCho-expressing phase-variants revealed similar mixtures of glycoforms, each containing a single PCho substituent. O-Deacylated LPS preparations from the lic2 mutants were much less complex than their respective parent strains, consisting only of Hex3 and/or Hex2 glycoforms, were examined in detail by high-field NMR techniques. It was found that the LPS samples contain the phosphoethanolamine (PEtn) substituted inner-core element, L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->2)-[PEtn-->6]-L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1--> 3)-L-alpha-D-He pp-(1-->5)-alpha-Kdo in which the major glycoforms carry a beta-D-Glcp or beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp at the O-4 position of the 3-substituted heptose (HepI) and a beta-D-Galp at the O-2 position of the terminal heptose (HepIII). LPS from the lic2 mutants of both type b strains were found to carry PCho groups at the O-6 position of the terminal beta-D-Galp residue attached to HepIII. In the parent strains, the central heptose (HepII) of the LPS inner-core element is also substituted by hexose containing oligosaccharides. The expression of the galabiose epitope in LPS of H. influenzae type b strains has previously been linked to genes comprising the lic2 locus. The present study provides definitive evidence for the role of lic2 genes in initiating chain extension from HepII. From the analysis of core oligosaccharide samples, LPS from the lic2 mutant strain of RM7004 was also found to carry O-acetyl substituents. Mono-, di-, and tri-O-acetylated LPS oligosaccharides were identified. The major O-acetylated glycoforms were found to be substituted at the O-3 position of HepIII. A di-O-acetylated species was characterized which was also substituted at the O-6 postion of the terminal beta-D-Glc in the Hex3 glycoform. This is the first report pointing to the occurrence of O-acetyl groups in the inner-core region of H. influenzae LPS. We have previously shown that in H. influenzae strain Rd, a capsule-deficient type d strain, PCho groups are expressed in a different molecular environment, being attached at the O-6 position of a beta-D-Glcp, which is in turn attached to HepI.

Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in the rapid identification of alpha-chain haemoglobin variants

The potential use of electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in the rapid characterisation of haemoglobin variants found in the Swedish population has been assessed. Analysis times of the order of 5 -10 min were routinely achieved, and identification of variants using mass spectrometry as the sole analytical technique was possible. However, additional information, readily available from isoelectric focusing experiments, made identification simpler and more secure. In the present communication we report on the identification of the alpha-chain variants, Hb Russ, Hb Le Lamentin and Hb Q-Iran. The identifications were confirmed by the use of nucleotide sequencing techniques.

Structural analysis of the lipopolysaccharide oligosaccharide epitopes expressed by Haemophilus influenzae strain RM.118-26

The structure of the lipopolysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae mutant strain, RM.118-26, was investigated. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry on intact lipopolysaccharide, O-deacylated lipopolysaccharide and core oligosaccharides obtained from lipopolysaccharide after mild acid hydrolysis provided information on the composition and relative abundance of the glycoforms. Oligosaccharide samples were studied in detail using high-field NMR techniques. The structure of the major glycoform containing phosphocholine is identical to the Hex2 glycoform described for H. influenzae RM.118-28 [Risberg, A., Schweda, E.K.H. & Jansson, P.-E. (1997) Eur. J. Biochem. 243, 701-707]. A second major glycoform, containing three hexose residues (Hex3), in which a lactose unit, beta-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-Glcp, is attached at the O-2 position of the terminal heptose of the inner core element, L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->2)-L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->3)-[beta-D-Glcp-( 1-->4)-]- L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->5)-alpha-Kdo, carries no phosphocholine. Instead this lipopolysaccharide glycoform is partly (40%) substituted by an O-acetyl group linked to the 6-position of the glucose residue in the lactose unit and has the following structure:

Lower arachidonic acid content and preferential beta-oxidation of arachidonic acid over palmitic acid in tumour cell lines as compared to normal lymphoid cells

In several studies certain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been shown to be selectively tumouricidal or suppressive of tumour cell proliferation. The mechanism behind this phenomenon likely involves peroxidation of the PUFA and generation of free radicals to which tumour cells seem to be more sensitive than normal cells. In this report we have measured the total lipid content in separated lymphoid cells and several tumour cell lines, among which, T-cell leukaemia, monocytic leukaemia, melanoma, fibrosarcoma, lung carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma are included. Generally these tumour cell lines contain only one half to one third of the relative amount of arachidonic acid (AA) as compared to freshly prepared lymphocytes and monocytes or lymphocytes kept in culture. Furthermore, when we measured the beta-oxidation in long term incubation of [1-14C] AA and compared it with that of [1-14C] palmitic acid we found that several of the tumour cell lines showed a preference for AA over palmitic acid in the tumour cell lines whereas the opposite was observed for normal lymphoid cells.

Concentration of unsulfated lithocholic acid in portal and systemic venous plasma: evidence that lithocholic acid does not down regulate the hepatic cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity in gallstone patients

It has been proposed that lithocholic acid may have a physiological role for the regulation of bile acid synthesis in humans. In this study, the portal concentration and hepatic uptake of unsulfated lithocholic acid was determined in 21 gallstone patients-untreated, cholestyramine-treated and chenodeoxycholic acid-treated-at cholecystectomy. Lithocholic acid was analyzed by a combined gas-liquid mass-fragmentographic technique. In most of the patients a liver biopsy was obtained for assay of the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. The portal venous concentration of unsulfated lithocholic acid averaged 0.32 mumol/l in untreated patients, constituting about 4% of the total bile acids. The apparent hepatic uptake of lithocholic acid averaged 78%, being as high as that of cholic acid. No significant correlation was obtained between the portal venous concentration of unsulfated lithocholic acid and the hepatic cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity. This study thus confirms an enterohepatic circulation of lithocholic acid in humans. No evidence was obtained that the portal venous inflow of small amounts of lithocholic acid to the liver is of regulatory importance for the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity.