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Biomedical subjects

G M Hatch

Publications and source records attributed to G M Hatch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Perturbation of rat renal tubule transport of the organic cation amantadine in recent onset streptozotocin-induced diabetes and in uninephrectomy.

The effects of early-stage diabetes mellitus and uninephrectomy on the renal tubule transport of amantadine were investigated. Kidney tubules were isolated from streptozotocin-induced diabetic (+/- insulin treatment) uninephrectomized, and control male Sprague-Dawley rats. There were no differences in the Km of amantadine uptake in renal proximal and distal tubules for the imposed treatments compared with control values. Vmax for amantadine uptake in the proximal tubules of diabetic and uninephrectomized rats was higher than the respective control (P < 0.05). Vmax for insulin-treated diabetic rats was similar to control values but was lower than that for untreated diabetic rats (P < 0.05). Vmax for distal tubule uptake was not altered by any treatment. Structure-activity studies demonstrated that bicarbonate-dependent amantadine uptake was inhibited by glycolate and lactate, but not by propionate or alpha-, beta-, or gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Early stage streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus and uninephrectomy induced changes in the kidney that resulted in a similar selective increase in proximal tubule amantadine uptake. These data represent the first description that experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and uninephrectomy modulate the function of the renal tubule organic cation (amantadine) transport system. Both interventions represent potential models in which phenotypic modulation of the renal elimination of organic cationic drugs may be achieved and studied.

Amantadine↗

Modulation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) by PPAR activators in human preadipocytes.

Cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) is responsible for the release of arachidonic acid, a precursor for eicosanoid biosynthesis, from cellular phospholipids. The objective of this study is to examine the regulation of cPLA(2) by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activators in preadipocyte SW872 (SW) cells. PPAR belong to the superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors that heterodimerize with the retinoid X receptor. In this study, the presence of both PPARalpha and PPARgamma was confirmed in SW cells by positive identification of their mRNA in the cellular homogenate. Clofibrate, a PPARalpha activator, caused an enhancement of ionophore A-23187-induced arachidonate release in SW cells. This increase resulted from an enhancement of cPLA(2) activity, which was caused by an increase in enzyme protein. Clofibrate at lower concentrations (10-200 microM) produced increases in the mRNA levels of cPLA(2) in a dose-response manner. At higher concentrations (>400 microM), clofibrate treatment resulted in the attenuation of the cPLA(2) mRNA level and protein expression. We postulate that clofibrate, acting through the PPARalpha, caused an induction in the transcription of cPLA(2) gene, which led to an increase in the cPLA(2) protein. The observed increase in arachidonate release in SW cells appeared to be a direct result of the enhanced cPLA(2) activity.

Acyl-CoA Oxidase↗

Lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity is elevated during cardiac cell differentiation.

We examined if elevation in lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity was associated with elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine content during differentiation of P19 teratocarcinoma cells into cardiac myocytes. P19 cells were induced to undergo differentiation into cardiac myocytes by the addition of 1% dimethylsulfoxide to the medium. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of striated myosin at 8 days post-dimethylsulfoxide addition confirming differentiation into cardiac cells. The content of phosphatidylethanolamine was increased 2.1-fold (P<0.05) in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells, whereas the content of phosphatidylcholine was reduced 29% (P<0.05). There were no alterations in the pool sizes of other phospholipids, including cardiolipin. The relative abundance of fatty acids in phospholipids of P19 cells was 18:1 > 18:0 > 16:1 = 18:2 > 16:0 = 14:0 > 20:4 and differentiation did not affect the relative amounts of these fatty acids within individual phospholipids. When cells were incubated with [1,3-(3)H]glycerol, radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylethanolamine was elevated 5.8-fold, whereas radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine was unaltered. Ethanolaminephosphotransferase, cholinephosphotransferase and membrane CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activities were elevated in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells, whereas membrane and cytosolic phospholipase A2 activities were unaltered. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activities were elevated 2.4-fold (P<0.05). Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase, monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase, acyl-Coenzyme A synthetase and acyl-Coenzyme A hydrolase activities were unaltered in differentiated cells compared to undifferentiated cells. We postulate that during cardiac cell differentiation, the observed elevation in lysophosphatidylethanolamine acyltransferase activity accompanies the elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine mass, possibly to maintain the fatty acyl composition of this phospholipid within the membrane.

Acyltransferases↗

Elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine is an early but not essential event for cardiac cell differentiation.

The biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine was examined during differentiation of P19 teratocarcinoma cells into cardiac myocytes. P19 cells were induced to undergo differentiation into cardiac myocytes by the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide to the medium. Immunofluorescence labeling confirmed the expression of striated myosin 10 days postinduction of differentiation. The content of phosphatidylethanolamine increased significantly within the first 2 days of differentiation. [1,3-(3)H]Glycerol incorporation into phosphatidylethanolamine was increased 7.2-fold during differentiation, indicating an elevation in de novo synthesis from 1, 2-diacyl-sn-glycerol. The mechanism for the increase in phosphatidylethanolamine levels during cardiac cell differentiation was a 2.8-fold increase in the activity of ethanolaminephosphotransferase, the 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol utilizing reaction of the cytidine 5'-diphosphate-ethanolamine pathway of phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis. Incubation of P19 cells with the phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis inhibitor 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP inhibited the differentiation-induced elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine levels but did not affect the expression of striated myosin. The results suggest that elevation in phosphatidylethanolamine is an early event of P19 cell differentiation into cardiac myocytes, but is not essential for differentiation to proceed.

Animals↗

Thyroxine regulation of monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase activity in rat heart.

Treatment of rats with thyroxine has been shown to elevate the biosynthesis and content of cardiolipin in the heart [Cao, Cheng, Angel and Hatch (1995) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1256, 241-244]. Treatment with thyroxine resulted in a 1.8-fold increase (P<0.025) in [1-(14)C]linoleate and a 1.7-fold increase (P<0.025) in [1-(14)C]oleate incorporated into cardiolipin in perfused hearts, compared with controls. The mechanism for the elevation in incorporation of unsaturated fatty acids into cardiolipin was a 1. 6-fold (P<0.025) increase in mitochondrial monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase activity. The results demonstrate that the acylation of cardiac monolysocardiolipin is regulated by thyroid hormone. Thus an elevation in cardiolipin biosynthesis is accompanied by an elevation in monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase activity to maintain the appropriate molecular species composition of cardiolipin in the cardiac mitochondrial membrane. We postulate that monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase might be a rate-limiting enzyme for the molecular remodelling of cardiolipin in the heart.

Acyltransferases↗

The effect of fenofibrate treatment on endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by oxidative modified low density lipoprotein from hyperlipidemic patients.

The objective of the research project was to investigate whether fenofibrate treatment may alter the biochemical content of the oxidized LDL and consequently its ability to impair the endothelium-dependent relaxation in hyperlipidemic patients. We hypothesized that fenofibrate treatment of hyperlipidemic patients may attenuate the ability of their oxidized LDL to impair the endothelium-dependent relaxation of the blood vessels as a consequence of fenofibrate-induced changes to the content and composition of lysoPC in the LDL molecule. Hyperlipidemic patients (Type IIb and Type IV) were recruited from the Lipid Clinic, HSC, Winnipeg, Canada, for this study. A blood sample was taken immediately after the recruitment, a second sample was taken after 6 weeks of dietary treatment, and a third sample was taken after 8 weeks of fenofibrate treatment. LDL was isolated from the plasma and oxidized by copper sulfate. Fenofibrate was shown to be highly effect in the reduction of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in these patients. Fenofibrate treatment also caused the attenuation of impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation by the oxidized LDL from these patients. A slight reduction of lysophosphatidylcholine level was also found in the oxidized LDL of the fenofibrate treated patients, relative to LDL isolated after dietary treatment. In addition there were no changes in the fatty acid levels of the lysophosphatidylcholine isolated from LDL. Taken together, our results suggest that while the reduced lysophosphatidylcholine levels may contribute to the attenuated impairment of the endothelium-dependent relaxation of the aortic ring, other unidentified factors impacted by fenofibrate are likely to contribute to the attenuated effects.

Acetylcholine↗

Differential effects of chloroquine on cardiolipin biosynthesis in hepatocytes and H9c2 cardiac cells.

Chloroquine is a potent lysomotropic therapeutic agent used in the treatment of malaria. The mechanism of the chloroquine-mediated modulation of new cardiolipin biosynthesis in isolated rat liver hepatocytes and H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells was addressed in this study. Hepatocytes or H9c2 cells were incubated with [1,3-(3)H]glycerol in the absence or presence of chloroquine and cardiolipin biosynthesis was examined. The presence of chloroquine in the incubation medium of hepatocytes resulted in a rapid accumulation of radioactivity in cardiolipin indicating an elevated de novo biosynthesis. In contrast, chloroquine caused a reduction in radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin in H9c2 cells. The presence of brefeldin A, colchicine or 3-methyladenine did not effect radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin nor the chloroquine-mediated stimulation of cardiolipin biosynthesis in hepatocytes indicating that vesicular transport, cytoskeletal elements or increased autophagy were not involved in de novo cardiolipin biosynthesis induced by chloroquine. The addition of chloroquine to isolated rat liver membrane fractions did not affect the activity of the enzymes of de novo cardiolipin biosynthesis but resulted in an inhibition of mitochondrial cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol hydrolase activity. The mechanism for the reduction in cardiolipin biosynthesis in H9c2 cells was a chloroquine-mediated inhibition of glycerol uptake and this did not involve impairment of lysosomal function. The kinetics of the chloroquine-mediated inhibition of glycerol uptake indicated the presence of a glycerol transporter in H9c2 cells. The results of this study clearly indicate that chloroquine has markedly different effects on glycerol uptake and cardiolipin biosynthesis in hepatocytes and H9c2 cardiac cells.

Animals↗

Incorporation of fatty acids into phosphatidylcholine is reduced during storage of human erythrocytes: evidence for distinct lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases.

The incorporation of [1-14C]palmitic or [1-14C]oleic acid into phosphatidylcholine and the effect on blood group antigen expression were examined in human erythrocytes stored at 4 degrees C for 0-3 weeks. Blood drawn into EDTA was obtained by venepuncture from healthy volunteers. A 50% suspension of washed erythrocytes was incubated in buffer containing [1-14C]fatty acid for up to 60 min at 37 degrees C with moderate shaking. Phosphatidylcholine was extracted and analyzed for uptake of radiolabelled fatty acid and phospholipid phosphorus content. Incorporation of [1-14C]palmitic or [1-14C]oleic acid into phosphatidylcholine was reduced during storage. The mechanism for the reduction in radiolabelled fatty acid incorporation into phosphatidylcholine was a 64% (p < 0.05) reduction in membrane phospholipase A2 activity. Although human erythrocyte membranes isolated from freshly drawn blood are capable of reacylating lysophosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylcholine, with storage, a markedly different substrate preference between palmitoyl-Coenzyme A and oleoyl-Coenzyme A was observed. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase activity assayed with oleoyl-Coenzyme A was unaltered with storage. In contrast, lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase activity assayed with palmitoyl-Coenzyme A was elevated 5.5-fold (p < 0.05). Despite these changes, storage of erythrocytes for up to 3 weeks did not result in altered expression of the various blood group antigens investigated. We conclude that the incorporation of palmitate and oleate into phosphatidylcholine is dramatically reduced during storage of human erythrocytes. The observed differential in vitro substrate utilization suggests that distinct acyltransferases are involved in the acylation of lysophosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylcholine in human erythrocytes.

1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase↗

The subcellular distribution of protein kinase Calpha, -epsilon, and -zeta isoforms during cardiac cell differentiation.

There is little information on the molecular events that control the subcellular distribution of protein kinase C during cardiac cell differentiation. We examined protein kinase C activity and the subcellular distribution of representatives of the "classical," "novel," and "atypical" protein kinase C's in P19 murine teratoma cells induced to undergo differentiation into cardiac myocytes by the addition of dimethylsulfoxide to the medium (Grepin et al., Development 124, 2387-2395, 1997). Differentiation was assessed by the presence of striated myosin, a morphological marker for cardiac cells. Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide to the medium resulted in the appearance of striated myosin by 10 days postincubation. Immunolocalization and Western blot studies revealed that a significant proportion of protein kinase Calpha, -epsilon, and -zeta were associated with the particulate fraction in P19 cells prior to differentiation. Differentiation into cardiac cells resulted in a translocation of protein kinase C activity from the particulate fraction to cytosol and localization of most of protein kinase Calpha, -epsilon, and -zeta to the cytoplasmic compartment. The total cellular protein kinase C activity was unaltered during differentiation. The translocation of protein kinase C activity during differentiation of P19 cells into cardiac myocytes was associated with a decrease in the levels of cellular 1, 2-diacyl-sn-glycerol. The cellular levels of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol did not change during differentiation. Addition of 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol, a cell-permeant 1, 2-diacyl-sn-glycerol analog, reversed the differentiation-induced switch in the relative distribution of protein kinase C activity and dramatically increased the association of protein kinase Calpha with the particulate fraction. Addition of 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol did not reverse the pattern of distribution for protein kinase Cepsilon or -zeta. The results indicate that protein kinase C activity and protein kinase Calpha, -epsilon and -zeta isoforms are redistributed from the particulate to the cytosolic fraction during differentiation of P19 cells into cardiomyocytes. The mechanism for the redistribution of protein kinase Calpha may be related to the reduction in the cellular 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol levels that accompany differentiation.

Animals↗

N-Acetylsphingosine stimulates phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity in H9c2 cardiac cells.

Cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis were examined in H9c2 cells incubated with short-chain ceramides. Incubation of cells with N-acetylsphingosine or N-hexanoylsphingosine stimulated [1, 3-3H]glycerol incorporation into phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, with N-acetylsphingosine having the greater effect. The mechanism for the ceramide-mediated stimulation of de novo phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis appeared to be an increase in the activity of phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase, the committed step of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis. The presence of the potent protein phosphatase inhibitors calyculin A or okadaic acid attenuated the N-acetylsphingosine-mediated stimulation of phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity and of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis, indicating the involvement of a ceramide-activated protein phosphatase(s). The presence of 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP (CPT-cAMP) stimulated enzyme activity and [1,3-3H]glycerol incorporation into phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The effects of CPT-cAMP and N-acetylsphingosine on phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis and on phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity were additive. Phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis from sn-[14C]glycerol 3-phosphate in permeabilized H9c2 cells was stimulated by preincubation with N-acetylsphingosine, and this was attenuated by okadaic acid. N-Acetylsphingosine treatment of cells elevated mitochondrial phospholipase A2 activity. Since the pool sizes of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin were unaltered in these cells, the observed increase in phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase activity may be a compensatory mechanism for the N-acetylsphingosine-mediated elevation of mitochondrial phospholipase A2 activity. Finally, addition of tumour necrosis factor alpha to H9c2 cells resulted in an elevation of both phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase and phospholipase A2 activities. The results suggest that phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin metabolism in H9c2 cells may be regulated by intracellular ceramide signalling.

Animals↗

Acylation of monolysocardiolipin in rat heart.

Cardiolipin is a major mitochondrial membrane glycerophospholipid in the mammalian heart. In this study, the ability of the isolated intact rat heart to remodel cardiolipin and the mitochondrial enzyme activities that reacylate monolysocardiolipin to cardiolipin in vitro were characterized. Adult rat heart cardiolipin was found to contain primarily linoleic and oleic acids. Perfusion of the isolated intact rat heart in the Langendorff mode with various radioactive fatty acids, followed by analysis of radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin and its immediate precursor phosphatidylglycerol, indicated that unsaturated fatty acids entered into cardiolipin mainly by deacylation followed by reacylation. The in vitro mitochondrial acylation of monolysocardiolipin to cardiolipin was coenzyme A-dependent with a pH optimum in the alkaline range. Significant activity was also present at physiological pH. With oleoyl-coenzyme A as substrate, the apparent K(m) for oleoyl-coenzyme A and monolysocardiolipin were 12.5 microm and 138.9 microm, respectively. With linoleoyl-coenzyme A as substrate, the apparent K(m) for linoleoyl-coenzyme A and monolysocardiolipin were 6.7 microm and 59.9 microm, respectively. Pre-incubation at 50 degrees C resulted in different profiles of enzyme inactivation for the two activities. Both activities were affected similarly by phospholipids, triacsin C, and various lipid binding proteins but were affected differently by various detergents and myristoyl-coenzyme A. [(3)H]cardiolipin was not formed from monolyso[(3)H]cardiolipin in the absence of acyl-coenzyme A. Monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase activities were observed in mitochondria prepared from various other rat tissues. In summary, the data suggest that the isolated intact rat heart has the ability to rapidly remodel cardiolipin and that rat heart mitochondria contain coenzyme A-dependent acyltransferase(s) for the acylation of monolysocardiolipin to cardiolipin. A simple and reproducible in vitro assay for the determination of acyl-coenzyme A- dependent monolysocardiolipin acyltransferase activity in mammalian tissues with exogenous monolysocardiolipin substrate is also presented.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

Thyroxine stimulates the acylation of lysophosphatidylethanolamine in rat heart.

The acylation of cardiac lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) was examined in rats treated with thyroid hormone. Rats were treated for five consecutive days with thyroxine (250 microg/kg) and controls were treated with saline. On the sixth day after an overnight fast, the hearts were removed and perfused in the Langendorff mode with 0.1 mM [1-14C]oleic acid. Radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was increased 1.5-fold (P < 0.025) compared to controls. Radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine was not effected. The pool size of phosphatidylethanolamine and de novo biosynthesis of this phospholipid from [3H(G)]serine or [1,2-14C]ethanolamine were unaltered by thyroxine treatment. Treatment of rats with thyroxine resulted in a 1.5-fold (P < 0.025) increase in the relative percent of oleic acid in cardiac phosphatidylethanolamine. Thyroxine treatment resulted in a 1.8-fold (P < 0.025) increase in cardiac microsomal acyl-coenzyme A:1-acyl glycerophosphorylethanolamine acyltransferase activity compared to controls whereas, phospholipase A, acyl-coenzyme A hydrolase and fatty acyl-coenzyme A synthase activities were unaltered. The results demonstrate that the reacylation of cardiac LPE is regulated by thyroid hormone.

1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase↗

Cardiolipin remodeling in eukaryotic cells infected with Chlamydia trachomatis is linked to elevated mitochondrial metabolism.

Cardiolipin remodeling in mammalian eukaryotic cells was examined subsequent to infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, an intracellular parasite of eukaryotic cells. HeLa cells were labeled for 6 h with [1-14C]myristate or [1-14C]palmitate or [1-14C]oleate 20 h post infection with C. trachomatis and the radioactivity incorporated into glycerophospholipids examined. Chlamydia infection resulted in a 2-4 fold elevation of radioactive myristate, palmitate or oleate incorporation into phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositiol compared to mock-infected cells. However, a 4-10 fold elevation in radioactivity incorporated into the mitochondrial glycerophospholipids phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin was observed in chlamydia-infected cells compared to mock-infected controls. Glycerophospholipid remodeling in CCL16-B2 cells, a mitochondrial respiration mutant with elevated glycerophospholipid metabolism, was compared to its parental cell line CCL16-B1 infected with C. trachomatis. Infection of the wild type CCL16-B1 cells with C. trachomatis resulted in an almost identical pattern of [1-14C]-palmitate labeling of glycerophospholipids compared to the uninfected mitochondrial mutant CCL16-B2 cells. The results suggest that cardiolipin, and glycerophospholipid, fatty acid molecular remodeling in eukaryotic cells infected with C. trachomatis may be linked to an elevation in mitochondrial metabolism.

Animals↗

Lysophosphatidylcholine inhibits cardiolipin biosynthesis in H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells.

The effect of phospholipase A2 treatment on cardiolipin biosynthesis was investigated in intact H9c2 cardiac myoblasts. Treatment of cells with Naja mocambique mocambique phospholipase A2 reduced the pool sizes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine compared with controls. The pool sizes of lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine were elevated, whereas the pool sizes of cardiolipin and other phospholipids were unaffected by phospholipase A2 treatment. Pulse labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol and pulse-chase labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol were performed in cells incubated or preincubated in the absence or presence of phospholipase A2. In all experiments, radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin was reduced in phospholipase A2-treated cells with time compared with controls, indicating attenuated de novo biosynthesis of cardiolipin. The mechanism for the reduction in cardiolipin biosynthesis in phospholipase A2-treated cells was a decrease in the activity of phosphatidic acid:cytidine-5'-triphosphate cytidylyltransferase, the rate-limiting enzyme of cardiolipin biosynthesis, mediated by elevated cellular lysophosphatidylcholine levels. The results suggest that de novo cardiolipin biosynthesis in H9c2 cells may be regulated by the cellular level of lysophosphatidylcholine.

Animals↗

Phospholipid composition of purified Chlamydia trachomatis mimics that of the eucaryotic host cell.

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular eubacterial parasite capable of infecting a wide range of eucaryotic host cells. Purified chlamydiae contain several lipids typically found in eucaryotes, and it has been established that eucaryotic lipids are transported from the host cell to the parasite. In this report, we examine the phospholipid composition of C. trachomatis purified from host cells grown under a variety of conditions in which the cellular phospholipid composition was altered. A mutant CHO cell line, with a thermolabile CDP-choline synthetase, was used to show that decreased host cell phosphatidylcholine levels had no significant effect on C. trachomatis growth. However, less phosphatidylcholine was transported to the parasite and purified elementary bodies contained decreased levels of phosphatidylcholine. Brefeldin A, fumonisin B1, and exogenous sphingomyelinase were used to alter levels of host cell sphingomyelin. None of the agents had a significant effect on C. trachomatis replication. Treatment with fumonisin B1 and exogenous sphingomyelinase resulted in decreased levels of host cell sphingomyelin. This had no effect on glycerophospholipid trafficking to chlamydiae; however, sphingomyelin trafficking was reduced and elementary bodies purified from treated cells had reduced sphingomyelin content. Exposure to brefeldin A, which had no adverse effect on chlamydia growth, resulted in an increase in cellular levels of sphingomyelin and a concomitant increase in the amount of sphingomyelin in purified chlamydiae. Under the experimental conditions used, brefeldin A treatment had only a small effect on sphingomyelin trafficking to the host cell surface or to C. trachomatis. Thus, the final phospholipid composition of purified C. trachomatis mimics that of the host cell in which it is grown.

Animals↗

Cardiolipin: biosynthesis, remodeling and trafficking in the heart and mammalian cells (Review).

Cardiolipin is the principal polyglycerophospholipid found in the heart and most mammalian tissues. This phospholipid is the only phospholipid localized exclusively to the mitochondria of mammalian cells. Cardiolipin appears to be involved, either directly or indirectly, in the modulation of a number of cellular processes including the activation of mitochondrial enzymes and hence production of energy by oxidative phosphorylation. The regulatory properties which govern cardiolipin biosynthesis, its remodeling and trafficking are beginning to emerge. Studies in the isolated perfused rat heart and H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells have indicated that the rate-limiting step of cardiolipin biosynthesis, via the cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol pathway, is the conversion of phosphatidic acid and cytidine-5'-triphosphate to cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol. The cellular level of cytidine-5'-triphosphate appears to control the production of cardiolipin in H9c2 cells. The activities of the other enzymes of the cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol pathway of cardiolipin biosynthesis in the heart may be modulated by thyroid hormone and unsaturated fatty acids. In addition, extra-mitochondrial cytidine-5'-diphosphate-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol and phosphatidylglycerol may be utilized for cardiolipin biosynthesis in the heart and permeabilized cells. Cardiolipin may be readily hydrolyzed by phospholipases and may be remodeled by a deacylation-reacylation pathway. Studies with a Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line CCL16-B2 have indicated that the remodeling of cardiolipin is markedly altered in the mitochondria of these cells and that this alteration in remodeling may be one of the underlying mechanisms for the mutation in oxidative energy production in these cells. Host cell cardiolipin may be trafficked from the mitochondria to an intracellular bacterial parasite Chlamydia trachomatis. The purpose of this review is to briefly discuss some of the more recent findings in cardiolipin metabolism in the heart and mammalian cells and to provide insight into their possible implications in the regulation of some cellular functions in mammalian tissues and cells.

Animals↗

On the mechanism of the phospholipase C-mediated attenuation of cardiolipin biosynthesis in H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells.

The effect of phospholipase C treatment on cardiolipin biosynthesis was investigated in intact H9c2 cardiac myoblasts. Treatment of cells with phosphatidylcholine-specific Clostridium welchii phospholipase C reduced the pool size of phosphatidylcholine compared with controls whereas the pool size of cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol were unaffected. Pulse labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol and pulse-chase labeling experiments with [1,3-3H]glycerol were performed in cells incubated or pre-incubated in the absence or presence of phospholipase C. In all experiments, radioactivity incorporated into cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol were reduced in phospholipase C-treated cells with time compared with controls indicating attenuated de novo biosynthesis of these phospholipids. Addition of 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol, a cell permeable 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol analog, to cells mimicked the inhibitory effect of phospholipase C on cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis from [1,3-3H]glycerol indicating the involvement of 1,2-diacyl-sn glycerol. The mechanism for the reduction in cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol biosynthesis in phospholipase C-treated cells appeared to be a decrease in the activities of phosphatidic acid:cytidine-5'triphosphate cytidylyltransferase and phosphatidylglycerolphosphate synthase, mediated by elevated 1,2-diacylsn-glycerol levels. Upon removal of phospholipase C from the incubation medium, phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis from [methyl-3H]choline was markedly stimulated. These data suggest that de novo phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis may be regulated by 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol and support the notion that phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin biosynthesis may be coordinated with phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in H9c2 cardiac myoblast cells.

Animals↗