The structure and multiple functions of glutathione transferases.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Ketterer.
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The binding to DNA of reactive metabolites of trans-7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (BP-7,8-diol) was studied following the incubation of tritiated benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and BP-7,8-diol with nuclei from livers of 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats. Binding was inhibited to a small extent by glutathione (GSH) alone and to a much greater extent by GSH and cytosol or purified GSH-transferases B and E. In this respect GSH-transferases A and C were also active, but less so. Inhibition of binding of BP-7,8-diol metabolites to DNA mediated by GSH-transferases was associated with the formation of GSH conjugates. The extent of inhibition of binding was similar in incubations of nuclei alone, nuclei and rat liver microsomes, and calf thymus DNA and rat liver microsomes. This indicates that reactive metabolites of BP-7,8-diol, formed either by nuclei or microsomes, are readily accessible to soluble GSH-transferases. GSH and cytosol were also active in inhibiting DNA-binding of reactive metabolites from 9-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (9-OH-BP). Thus, in the rat hepatocyte GSH and GSH-transferases may be important in protecting DNA from electrophilic attack by reactive BP-7,8-diol and 9-OH-BP species.
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A theory is presented that deals with the involvement of the intracellular binding proteins ligandin and aminoazodye-binding protein A (otherwise known as Z-protein or fatty-acid-binding protein) on the uptake and intracellular transport and metabolism of their ligands. Equations are derived that combine steady-state diffusional fluxes of small molecules that are (a) free in the aqueous phase of the cell, (b) bound to the two proteins and (c) partitioned into intracellular membranes, for model systems that resemble conditions in the rat hepatocyte. These equations are then combined with expressions for the enzyme-catalysed metabolic reactions undergone by these small molecules to assess the influence of diffusion rats on the overall metabolic rates. It is concluded that ligandin and protein A can enhance the rate of intracellular of their ligands by an order of magnitude or more and that this could make the hepatocyte several times more efficient in metabolizing these ligands. Various ways of testing this theory are discussed.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was cultured from the urine of 14 of 190 homosexual but none of 101 heterosexual men attending a venereal disease clinic (P less than 0.005). Viruria was confined to men less than 30 years of age and was present in 14% of this group. Antibody to CMV was measured in the sera of 139 homosexual and 70 heterosexual men attending the same clinic and in 103 male volunteer blood donors. Titers were found in 94% of homosexual patients but in only 54% of heterosexual patients (P less than 0.005) and 43% of male volunteer blood donors (P less than 0.005). The data suggest that sexual transmission is an important mode of spread of CMV among adults and the homosexual men are at greater risk for CMV infections than are heterosexual men. Homosexual men might considered candidates for the evaluation of the efficacy of CMV vaccines in preventing horizontal transmission of infection.
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The reaction of glutathione (GSH) with metabolically-formed N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene-N-sulfate (MAB-N-sulfate), a presumed ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene (DAB), was investigated using a hepatic sulfotransferase incubation mixture containing GSH and the proximate carcinogen, N-hydroxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (N-HO-MAB). Under these conditions, 6--16% of the MAB-N-sulfate formed could be trapped as an aminoazo dye-GSH adduct. Upon subsequent purification, the adduct was shown to be chromatographically and spectrally identical to 3-(glutathion-S-yl)-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (3-GS-MAB), a known biliary metabolite of DAB and a product of the reaction of the synthetic ultimate carcinogen, N-benzoyloxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene(N-BzO-MAB), with GSH. Neither 2'- nor 4'-GS-MAB, both products of the latter reaction, were detected in the sulfotransferase incubation mixture. GSH-S-transferases did not appear to be involved in the reaction of MAB-N-sulfate of N-BzO-MAB with GSH. The addition of triethyltin, a potent GSH-S-transferase inhibitor, had no effect on the yield of 3-GS-MAB in (N-HO-MAB sulfotransferase)-GSH incubations; and the addition of cytosol or purified GSH transferases A and B to a (N-BzO-MAB)-GSH reaction mixture did not increase the amount of 3-GS-MAB formed.
The non-covalent interactions of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and several of its hydroxylated metabolites with ligandin, aminoazodye-binding protein A (Z-protein, fatty acid binding protein) and lecithin bilayers have been studied by equilibrium dialysis, an adsorption technique and fluorescence spectroscopy. Binding affinities expressed as v/c (where v = moles of BP or BP metabolite bound per mole of protein or lipid and c = unbound concentration), were measured at concentrations sufficiently low that there was no self-association of the unbound compounds as judged by their fluorescence characteristics. 3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (BP-3-phenol), 4,5-dihydro-4,5-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (BP-4,5-dihydrodiol) and 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (BP-7,8-dihydrodiol) bind more strongly (v/c = 10(5)-5 x 10(5) l x mol-1) to all three binders than does BP itself (v/c = 10(4)-7 x 10(4) l x mol-1). 9,10-Dihydro-9,10-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (BP-9,10-dihydrodiol) binds to ligandin with an affinity similar to those of the other BP metabolites studied here, but binds much less strongly to both protein A and lecithin (v/c = 10(4) and 3 x 10(4) x mol-1, respectively). The low affinity of BP-9,10-dihydrodiol for lecithin would account for earlier findings that on incubation of BP with isolated rat hepatocytes, this metabolite egressed from the cells to the extracellular medium much more readily than either BP-4,5-dihydrodiol or BP-7,8-dihydrodiol. Calculations based on these results suggest that within hepatocytes BP and its metabolites, including BP-9,10-dihydrodiol, will be found almost exclusively associated (> 98%) with lipid membranes.
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The luminal plasma membrane of calf urinary bladder epithelium (urothelium) has been isolated by a method designed to preserve enzymic activity as well as structural integrity. The yield was about 80 micrograms per calf bladder. Low levels of 5' nucleotidase, Mg2+-ATPase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activities were found in the luminal membrane fraction. Cerebroside was the major lipid present and dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis revealed a complex protein and glycoprotein composition in the whole membrane. A membrane fraction consisting of only the plaque areas was shown to have a simpler protein composition with major polypeptides of apparent Mr 12 000 and 22 000. These may associate to form a 30 000 apparent Mr complex which could represent the individual 'particles' of the dodecameric subunits seen by electron microscopy in the plaque regions.
1. To assess the possible involvement of ligandin and aminoazo-dye-binding protein A in intracellular transport it is necessary to know how their ligands, most of which are molecules with hydrophobic moieties, interact with cellular membranes. To obtain such information we have examined the interactions of 2-acetylaminofluorene, 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, oestrone and testosterone with aqueous dispersions of egg phosphatidylcholine and egg phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol (1:1, molar ratio) by equilibrium dialysis and spectrophotometry. 2. At 25 degrees C and pH7.4, the partition coefficients for binding to phosphatidylcholine [expressed as (mol of ligand bound/mol of phosphatidylcholine)/unbound ligand concentration] were: for 2-acetylaminofluorene, 5.0x10(3) litre.mol(-1); for 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, 2.1x10(4) litre.mol(-1); for oestrone, 3.1x10(3) litre.mol(-1); and for testosterone, 4.2x10(2) litre.mol(-1). In the ranges studied these values were independent of concentration. The results for the two steroids confirm those of Heap, Symons & Watkins [(1970) Biochim. Biophys. Acta218, 482-495]. 3. The introduction of cholesterol into the lipid bilayers caused large decreases in the partition coefficients of oestrone and testosterone, but had relatively little effect on the binding of 2-acetylaminofluorene and 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. 4. By assuming that the interactions with egg phosphatidylcholine bilayers resemble those with the phospholipid components of mammalian intracellular membranes the phosphatidylcholine partition coefficients, together with data for binding to the intracellular proteins ligandin and aminoazo-dye-binding protein A, enable the subcellular distributions of the four compounds to be estimated. For the rat hepatocyte up to 98, 99, 89 and 58% of the total 2-acetylaminofluorene, 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene, oestrone and testosterone respectively may be membrane-bound.
1. To assess the possible involvement of ligandin and aminoazo-dye-binding protein A in intracellular transport it is necessary to know how their ligands, most of which are molecules with hydrophobic moieties, interact with cellular membranes. To obtain such information we examined the interactions of bromosulphophthalein, oestrone sulphate, haem and bilirubin with aqueous dispersions of egg phosphatidylcholine and egg phosphatidylchone/cholesterol (1:1, molar ratio) by equilibrium dialysis and spectrophotometry. 2. In all four cases, saturation effects were observed. Values of Vmax (v = mol of compound bound/mol of lipid phosphorus) at 25 degrees C were: for bromosulphophthalein, approximately 0.1; for oestrone sulphate, approximately 0.25; for haem, approximately 0.25 (all at pH 7.4); and for bilirubin 0.1--0.2 (at pH 8.2). 3. Limiting values of v/c (c = unbound concentration) as v leads to 0 at 25 degrees C and pH 7.4 are: for bromosulphophthalein, 6.25 x 10(4) litre-mol-1; for oestrone sulphate, 7.8 x 10(2) litre-mol-1; for haem, 4.5 x 10(5) litre-mol-1; and for bilirubin, approximately 1.2 x 10(4) litre-mol-1. For haem the result depends on the assumption that only the monomeric form binds to the lipid. 4. The binding of each compound was decreased by cholesterol; bromosulphophthalein and oestrone sulphate were affected more than haem and bilirubin. 5. Bromosulphophthalein at saturating concentration decreased the limiting values of v/c of the other three compounds by approximately one order of magnitude. 6. By assuming that the interactions with egg phosphatidylcholine resemble those with the phospholipid components of mammalian intracellular membranes the binding data for phosphyatidylcholine, together with data for binding to the intracellular proteins ligandin and aminoazo-dye-binding protein A, enable the subcellular distributions of the four compounds to be estimated. For the rat hepatocyte up to 92, 51, 98 and 47% of the total bromosulphophthalein, oestrone sulphate, haem and bilirubin respectively may be membrane-bound.
Ligandin (glutathione S-transferase B, EC 2.5.1.18)was treated with p-mercuribenzoate, N-(4-dimethylamino-3,5-dinitrophenyl)-maleimide, 5,5,-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetamide or iodoacetate. Although performic acid oxidation revealed the presence of four cysteines, p-mercuribenzoate and N-(4-dimethylamino-3,5-dinitrophenyl)maleimide, the most effective of the reagents studied, reacted with only three residues. N-Ethylmaleimide and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) each reacted with two cysteines: iodoacetamide reacted with only one cysteine and iodoacetate was essentially unreactive. Modification of three thiol groups decreased both the enzymic and binding activities of ligandin although the number of binding sites was unaffected. Modification of only one or two of the thiol groups had little effect on the ligandin activities. It therefore appears that there is a thiol group in the common hydrophobic-ligand- and substrate-binding site of ligandin. Ligandin was separated into two fractions on CM-cellulose. Both fractions gave the same results with p-mercuribenzoate and iodoacetamide.
N-Benzoyloxy-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (N-BzO-MAB) is believed to be an analogue of the ultimate carcinogenic form of N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene (DAB). The reaction of N-BzO-MAB with glutathione in vitro yielded one major and two minor aminoazo dye-glutathione adducts. After purification by ion exchange chromatography and high pressure liquid chromatography, analysis of chemical properties, and the measurement of ultraviolet, visible, proton magnetic resonance, and mass spectra, the major and one minor adduct were identified as 3-(glutathion-S-yl)-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (3-GS-MAB) and 2'-(glutathion-S-yl)-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (2'-GS-MAB) respectively. The other minor adduct was tentatively identified as 4'-(glutathion-S-yl)-N-methyl-4-aminoazobenzene (4'-GS-MAB). Fractionation and analyses of biliary metabolites from rats given DAB revealed the presence of two aminoazo dye-glutathione adducts. One of these was identical to 3-GS-MAB in its chromatographic and chemical properties and its visible and ultraviolet spectra. The other adduct was partially characterized and judged to be a 4-aminoazobenzene-glutathione adduct. The role of glutathione in the detoxification of carcinogenic aminoazo dyes is discussed.
Purified glutathione(GSH)-S-transferases A, B and C from rat liver are inhibited by triethyltin (SnEt3). With 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro benzene (CDNB) as the limiting substrate the inhibition is competitive in each case. At a GSH concentration of 5 . 10(-3) M the inhibition constants for transferases A and C at 25 degrees C are similar and very low, 3.2 . 10(-8) M and 5.6 . 10(-8) M respectively, whereas for transferase B the inhibition constant is 3.5 . 10(-5) M. Equilibrium-dialysis experiments carried out at 4 degrees C in the absence of GSH give apparent dissociation constants of 7.1 . 10(-4) M and 3.4 . 10(-4) M for transferases A and B respectively, but if 5 . 10(-3) M glutathione is included in the dialysis solutions these values fall to 2.0 . 10(-7) M and 2.6 . 10(-5) M, which are within an order of magnitude of the kinetic Ki-values. Chromatographic experiments with Sephadex G-10 show that GSH and SnEt3 interact in aqueous solution under the conditions of the enzyme-kinetic and equilibrium-dialysis experiments. It is suggested that the inhibited enzymes are in the form of ternary complexes, enzyme-GSH-SnEt3, in which GSH and SnEt3 may or may not interact directly; or are possibly quaternary complexes, enzyme-(GSH)2-SnEt3. SnEt3 could be valuable as a selective inhibitor of transferases A and C in mixtures of the three transferases.
Spectrophotometric and equilibrium-dialysis measurements show that ligandin (glutathione S-transferase B, EC 2.5.1.18) binds monomeric porphyrins at a single site with association constants in the range 10(4)-10(6) litre/mol at pH 7.0. Binding affinities are paralleled by the tendencies of the porphyrins to aggregate, increasing in the order: uroporphyrins I and III less than coproporphyrins I and III approximately haematoporphyrin less than protoporphyrin IX. From this it is deduced that the hydrophobic effect is the predominant driving-force for binding. The porphyrins can be displaced from their binding site on ligandin by bromosulphophthalein and oestrone sulphate. In enzyme inhibition studies, 50% inhibition was brought about by 8 micron-haematoporphyrin and by 1 micron-protoporphyrin IX. In the analysis of the haemotoporphyrin-ligandin system the self-association of haematoporphyrin was studied in detail. It was found to be limited to dimerization in the concentration range 0-200 micron at pH 7.0, 25 degrees C and a dimerization constant of 1.9 x 10(5) litre/mol was determined. Coproporphrin III has a dimerization constant of 5.2 x 10(5) litre/mol under the same conditions.