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Biomedical subjects

B M Babior

Publications and source records attributed to B M Babior.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Cytotoxins against a granulocyte antigen system: detection by a new method employing cytochalasin-B-treated cells.

A method for demonstrating granulocyte cytotoxins using a modified microdroplet dye exclusion technique and cytochalasin-B-treated cells is described. Cytochalasin-B-treated granulocytes were reacted against 223 sera from multitransfused pregnant and renal transplant patients. Incidence of granulocyte cytotoxins was 11.2%. Analysis (2 X 2 contingency tables) of the reactivity of GCT+ sera showed highly significant (p less than 0.001) positive associations among 5 sera and a significant (p less than 0.001) negative association with another serum. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that a granulocyte antigen system is detected by cytotoxins and that granulocyte antigens 'Grl' and 'Gr2' may be products of allelic genes.

Alleles↗

Evidence for hydroxyl radical production by human neutrophils.

The possibility that neutrophils produce the hydroxyl radical (OH-) was studied by examining the ability of these cells to support the release of ethylene from methional, a reaction in which it has been shown that OH-, but not O2- or H2O2, may serve as the oxidizing agent. When neutrophils were exposed to opsonized zymosan in the presence of 0.35 mM methional, ethylene was released in quantities amounting to 44.6+/-3.6 pmol/10(6) cells/40 min. Ethylene production required the presence of neutrophils, opsonized zymosan, and methional, indicating that it was formed from methional by stimulated but not resting neutrophils. Ethylene was not produced by zymosan-treated cells from patients with chronic granulomatous disease, confirming the requirement for respiratory burst activity in this process. Ethylene production was suppressed by benzoic acid, an OH- scavenger. Superoxide dismutase (3 microgram/ml) reduced ethylene production to 21% of control levels, but catalase had no significant effect in this system. These findings indicate that stimulated neutrophils produce a highly reactive oxidizing radical, possibly OH-, which releases ethylene from methional, and that the O2-generated during the respiratory burst is involved in the production of this reactive species.

Benzoates↗

Superoxide-forming enzyme from human neutrophils: evidence for a flavin requirement.

The superoxide-forming activity of 27,000-g particles prepared from homogenates of zymosan-treated human neutrophils is lost if the assay is conducted in the presence of 0.045% Triton X-100. This loss in activity in the presence of detergent is prevented by 40 micron flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), but not by flavin mononucleotide, riboflavin, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, or adenosine 5'-monophosphate. With resting particles or particles from zymosan-treated chronic granulomatous disease neutrophils, no superoxide-forming activity is detectable even in the presence of FAD; this is true whether or not detergent is present in the assay. Particles extracted with detergent prior to assay are fully active if assayed in the presence of FAD, but show little activity if FAD is omitted from the assay mixture. These results suggest that the superoxide-forming enzyme from human neutrophils is a FAD-requiring enzyme.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

The mechanism of action of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase, an adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme. The source of the third methyl hydrogen in the 5'-deoxyadenosine generated from the cofactor during catalysis.

Ethanolamine ammonia-lyase is an adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of ethanolamine and propanolamine to ammonia and the corresponding aldehydes. A mechanism has been proposed for this and other adenosylcobalamin-dependent reactions which involves cleavage of the carbon-cobalt bond of the cofactor followed by abstraction of a substrate hydrogen atom by the adenosyl fragment to form 5'-deoxyadenosine. In support of this proposal, a previous study demonstrated that the deamination of propanolamine by ethanolamine ammonia-lyase is accompanied by the reversible cleavage of the carbon-cobalt bond of the cofactor, with the production of 5'-deoxyadenosine (Babior, B.M., Carty, T.J., and Abeles, R.H. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 1689-1695). The present study is concerned with the origin of the third hydrogen atom on the methyl group of the 5'-deoxyadenosine produced in that reaction. The 5'-deoxyadenosine isolated from an incubation mixture initially containing enzyme, [5',5'-D2]adenosylcobalamin, and [1,1-D2]propanolamine was chemically degraded so that the 4' and 5' carbon atoms were, respectively, converted to the carbonyl and methyl carbons of acetaldehyde. Analysis of the p-nitrophenylhydrazone of the acetaldehyde by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy revealed 3 deuterium atoms/molecule, indicating that two of the methyl hydrogens originated from adenosylcobalamin and the third was donated by substrate. This observation provides further support for the participation of 5'-deoxyadenosine in the mechanism of adenosylcobalamin-dependent reactions.

Ammonia-Lyases↗

Manganese-dependent NADPH oxidation by granulocyte particles. The role of superoxide and the nonphysiological nature of the manganese requirement.

Recent work has indicated that superoxide is involved in the manganese-stimulated oxidation of NADPH by crude granule preparations of guinea pig neutrophils. The characteristics of a model manganese-requiring NADPH-oxidizing system that employs a defined O2-generator have now been compared to the original neutrophil-granule system. With respect to pH dependence, cyanide sensitivity, and reduced pyridine nucleotide specificity, the properties of the two systems are very similar. Additional information has been obtained concerning cation specificity and the kinetics of the metal-catalyzed NADPH oxidation. From the similarities between the properties of the model and neutrophil particle systems, we postulate that the manganese-dependent NADPH oxidation observed in the presence of neutrophil granules represents in large part of nonenzymatic free radical chain involving the oxidation of NADPH to NADP, with O2- as both the chain initiator and one of the propagating species. In this reaction, the neutrophil particles serve only as a source of O2-. Further, the same changes in kinetics (decrease in apparent Km for NADPH) observed previously when granules from phagocytizing rather than resting cells were employed could be mimicked by varying the rate of O2-generation by the model system. We conclude from these results that it is unnecessary to invoke a manganese-requiring enzyme as a component of the phagocytically stimulated respiratory system of the neutrophil.

Animals↗

The origin of the chemiluminescence of phagocytosing granulocytes.

Granulocytes engaged in the phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan emit light by a process that is inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase. In the present report is is shown that light emission is the result of reactions between certain unspecified constituents of the ingested particles and some or all of the oxidizing agents (H2O2, O2),and possibly the hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen) produced by the activated cells. This conclusion is based on a study of light emission by both activated cells ans artificial O2 generating system containing xanthine oxidase and purine. With these two systems light production required the presence of both zymosan and oxidizing agent, suggesting that the oxidation of particle components is necessary for luminescence to occur. The characteristics of the emission spectrum as well as the finding that granulocytes activated by a nonparticulate agent (F-) fail to liminesce show that light emission by the relaxation of singlet oxygen to the ground state does not contribute in a major way to the chemiluminescence of phagocytosing granulocytes; whether singlet oxygen contributes to chemiluminescence in other ways cannot be decided from the data available. Inasmuch as the oxidation of constituents of ingested particles is an important bacterial killing mechanism in the granulocyte, chemiluminescence may be viewed as a manifestation of the microbicidal activity of the cell.

Catalase↗

The particulate superoxide-forming system from human neutrophils. Properties of the system and further evidence supporting its participation in the respiratory burst.

Studies were performed to characterize the previously reported particulate O2--forming system from human neutrophils. Of eight reducing agents examined, including glutathione, ascorbic acid, and intermediates of the glycolytic and hexose monophosphate shunt pathways, only the pyridine nucleotides could serve as electron donors. At 0.1 mM pyridine nucleotide, O2- production was relatively independent of pH. The Km for NADH was approximately 0.7 mM regardless of pH, while with NADPH the Km varied from 0.02 mM at pH 6.0 to 0.3 mM at pH 7.5. The molar ratio of NADPH oxidized to O2- produced was consistent with the reaction: NADPH + 2 O2- leads to NADP+ H+; the product nucleotide was shown enzymatically to be NADP. O2- production was not inhibited by CN-, Na-, EDTA, or 1,10-phenanthroline. Particulate O2- production accounted for 35% of the oxygen taken up during the respiratory burst by an equivalent number of intact neutrophils. Greatly diminished O2- production was seen with particles prepared from cells obtained from three patients with chronic granulomatous disease, with 2.5 mM NADPH as electron donor. With 5.0 mM NADH similar observations were made with particles from two of the patients, but with this nucelotide, O2- production was only slightly reduced in the third case. The evidence available suggests that this particulate O2- -forming system is the one responsible for the respiratory burst in activated neutrophils. The relationship between this system and other O2- -forming system found in human neutrophils is discussed.

Granulomatous Disease, Chronic↗

Oxidation of epinephrine by a cell-free system from human granulocytes.

Homogenates of normal human granulocytes were found to catalyze the oxidation of epinephrine to adrenochrome. This reaction was abolished by superoxide dismutase and catalase, but not by albumin or boiled dismutase, indicating that epinephrine oxidation was dependent on O2- AND H2O2. Elimination experiments to identify the electron donor for O2- production showed that the reaction was not inhibited by gel filtration of the homogenate or by removal of glucose, sucrose, or phosphate from the reaction mixture, raising the possibility that epinephrine itself was the reducing agent for the production of O2-. However, we could obtain no evidence for the direct involvement of epinephrine in this step. To explain our observations, we have proposed a mechanism of adrenochrome production involving a radical chain process with one or more enzyme-catalyzed steps. Reactants participating in this chain were postulated to be O2-,-OH (produced by the reaction of O2- with H2O2), and various intermediate products of oxidation of epinephrine. An unidentified endogenous constituent was postulated as the agent responsible for the initial conversion of oxygen to O2-.

Albumins↗

Interaction between ethanolamine ammonia-lyase and methylcobalamin. Half-site reactivity with an adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme.

The adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme ethanolamine ammonia-lyase contains two active sites per molecule. The effects of methylcobalamin on the properties of this enzyme differ qualitatively depending on whether one or both of these sites is occupied by the cobamide. At 0.5 mol of methylcobalamin/mol of active sites, catalytic activity fell rapidly to approximately 30% of control levels, thereafter remaining constant for an hour. With the partially inhibited enzyme, Km values for ethanolamine and adenosylcobalamin were 5.5 muM and 1.6 muM, respectively, values that do not differ significantly from those of uninhibited enzyme. When the methylcobalamin per active site ratio was increased to 1, the decline in activity became progressive with time, eventually falling to levels much lower than seen at a cobamide per active site ratio of 0.5. Methylcobalamin also promotes the formation of a complex stable to gel filtration between ethanolamine and enzyme. Complex formation increased with increasing methylcobalamin per active site ratios up to a ratio of 0.7/1, at which point 0.5 mol of ethanol/mol of active sites was taken up. Ethanolamine uptake did not increase at higher methylcobalamin to active sites ratios. Methylcobalamin itself was taken up by enzyme, forming a complex containing 0.5 mol of methylcobalamin/mol of active sites that was stable to gel filtration. Measurement by the technique of Hummel and Dreyer ((1962) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 63, 530-532), however, showed one methylcobalamin binding site per active site. The formation of enzyme-ligand complexes stable to gel filtration was not affected by 5'-deoxyadenosine nor did 5'-deoxyadenosine by itself promote the formation of a stable complex between enzyme and ethanolamine. These observations were interpreted as evidence indicating half-site reactivity of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase with methylcobalamin. Comparison with previous results suggested that this half-site reactivity was an epiphenomenon not related to catalysis.

Ammonia-Lyases↗

Mechanism of action of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase, an adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the binding of adenine nucleosides and substrate to ethanolamine ammonia-lyase.

Proton NMR spectroscopy was used to study the binding of adenosine, 5'-deoxyadenosine, adenine, and ethanolamine to the adenosylcobalamin-dependent enzyme ethanolamine ammonia-lyase. Broadening of ligand resonances in the presence of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase indicated that adenosine, 5'-deoxyadenosine, and ethanolamine all formed complexes with the enzyme (KD(mM) = 3.5, 3.0, and 2.5 respectively). The methyl group of enzyme-bound 5'-deoxyadenosine rotated at a rate exceeding 10(7) revolutions/s. Adenine did not appear to bind to the enzyme. Rates of dissociation of nucleosides from the enzyme were fast on the NMR time scale, precluding measurements of rate constants for the binding reaction. The departure of ethanolamine was slow, however, permitting their determination. The values for these rate constants were: k1 = 4.4 times 10(5) M-1 S-1; k-1 = 1.1 times 10(3) S-1. Addition of 1 mol of cyanocobalamin/mol of active sites led to narrowing of the enzyme-broadened ligand resonances. With 5'-deoxyadenosine, linewidths still exceeded those of the free ligand, indicating that binding to enzyme was weakened but not abolished. The KD for this nucleoside in the presence of CNCbl was 8.0 mM. With ethanolamine and adenosine, however, linewidths reverted to values characteristic of the unbound ligand, indicating either that CNCbl greatly lowered the rate of dissociation of the ligand or displaced the ligand from the enzyme. A decision between these two possibilities could not be made from the data at hand, although analogy with the situation obtaining with 5'-deoxyadenosine suggests that adenosine is displaced from the enzyme by CNCbl. 5'-Deoxyadenosine inhibited catalytic activity of the enzyme, competing with adenosylcobalamin (Ki = 2.7 mM). Adenosine had no effect, despite NMR evidence indicating that it formed a complex with free enzyme. These experiments showed that ethanolamine ammonia-lyase possesses binding sites for adenine nucleosides, a class of compounds chemically related to the Cobeta-ligand of the cofactor, as well as for ethanolamine. Binding to the enzyme has now been demonstrated for all three categories of low molecular weight compounds thought to be involved in the reaction; namely, substrate (ethanolamine), corrin, and adenine nucleoside.

Adenine↗

Glycosidases of rat Kupffer cells, hepatocytes and peritoneal macrophages.

The acid glycosidase content of rat liver Kupffer cells was compared with that of hepatocytes and resident peritoneal macrophages. Homogenates of all these cells were able to hydrolyze the p-nitrophenyl glycosides of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, glucose, galactose, fucose and mannose, but not xylose. Activity was greatest against the N-acetylglucosaminoside. With Kupffer cell homogenates, most of the glycosidases behaved as if they were lysosomal enzymes. When expressed as rates of hydrolysis per 10(6) cells, activities against a given substrate by homogenates from the three cell types generally agreed within a factor of 2-4. Significant differences between cell types were found, however, when ratios of glycosidase activities were compared. Furthermore, even though the quantity of glycosidase per cell was similar in Kupffer cells and hepatocytes, the glycosidase concentrations were much higher in the former cells, since Kupffer cells are much smaller than hepatocytes.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Defect in pyridine nucleotide dependent superoxide production by a particulate fraction from the granulocytes of patients with chronic granulomatous disease.

Particulate fractions from normal human granulocytes preactivated with opsonized zymosan were found to catalyze superoxide production in the presence of reduced pyridine nucleotides. Similar preparations from three patients with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease produced no detectable superoxide. The failure to produce superoxide was not due to an inhibitor, since cell-free preparations from the patients' granulocytes had no effect on superoxide production by normal particles. Particles from the mothers of two of the patients produced superoxide at diminished rates; superoxide production by particles from the third mother was normal. These findings suggest that chronic granulomatous disease represents either a defect in a pyridine nucleotide-dependent superoxide-forming oxidase or a lesion in the apparatus responsible for activating the oxidase.

Cell-Free System↗

Pyridine nucleotide-dependent superoxide production by a cell-free system from human granulocytes.

Using an assay that measured superoxide dismutase-inhibitable nitro blue tetrazolium reduction, we studied superoxide (O2-) production by a cell-free system from human granulocytes. At 40 muM NADPH and a protein concentration of 0.12 mg/ml, lysates prepared from human granulocytes formed O2- at a rate of 18. 4 +/- 4.6 SE nmol/ml reaction mixture per donor, but not with glucose-6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, sodium lactate, glutathione, or ascorbic acid. The Km's for NADPH and NADH were 8.6 +/- 4.6 muM and 0.83 +/- 0.30 mM, respectively, suggesting that NADPH is the physiological electron donor in this system. O2- production was not inhibited by 1mM KCN. The rate of O2- production by the cell-free system was comparable to the rate of O2-production by an equivalent quantity of intact granulocytes incubated under similar conditions. O2- production by lysates from granulocytes preincubated with serum under conditions previously shown to stimulate O2- production in the intact cells was no different than its production by lysates from unstimulated cells. O2- production at 0.2 mM and 0.02 mM NADPH by lysates from the granulocytes of two patients with chronic granulomatous disease was similar to O2- production by control lysates. This finding was interpreted in terms of the possibility that the metabolic lesion in chronic granulomatous disease may lie outside the oxygen-metabolizing enzyme system of the granulocyte, or alternatively, that the granulocytes may contain two O2- - forming enzymes, one of which is inactive in chronic granulomatous disease.

Cell-Free System↗

Biological defense mechanisms. Evidence for the participation of superoxide in bacterial killing by xanthine oxidase.

Incubation of either Staphylococcus epidermidis or Escherichia coli with a sufficiently high concentration of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme capable of reducing oxygen to superoxide (O2-), resulted in the death of the microorganisms. Protection against the killing os S. epidermidis by xanthine oxidase was afforded by superoxide dismutase, an enzyme which converts O2- to O2 and H2O2, and also by catalase, which destroys H2O2. These findings indicate that neither O2- nor H2O2 were able to kill S. epidermidis under the experimental conditions, but that the bactericidal agent was the product of a reaction between O2- and H2O2. By contrast, E. coli was protected by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase. With this organism, therefore, H2O2 appears to have been the bactericidal agent.

Anions↗

Effects of anaerobiosis and inhibitors on O2-production by human granulocytes.

A study was carried out on the effect of a number of inhibitors as well as of anaerobiosis on the production of superoxide (O2 minus) by human granulocytes. Several metabolic inhibitors, including bazide, cyanide, antimycin A, and 2,4-dinitrophenol had no effect on O2 minus production. Methimazole, which inhibits myeloperoxidase, was also without effect. The sulfhydryl reagents N-ethylmalemide and iodoacetamide greatly inhibited O2 minus production. O2 minus production did not take place under N2. Agents that affect cell motility were also examined. Colchicine and vinblastine, alkaloids which affect microtubule function, had little effect on granulycote O2 minus production. On the other hand, cytochalasin B, a fungal antimetabolite thought to affect microfilaments, inhibited O2 minus production by resting granulocytes and stimulated its production by cells incubated with bacteria. The mechanism and significance of this effect remain to be elucidated.

Anaerobiosis↗