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Biomedical subjects

M D Houslay

Publications and source records attributed to M D Houslay.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Is an early calcium flux necessary to stimulate lymphocytes?

Concentrations of concanavalin A or the calcium ionophore A23187 that are optimal for the transformation of pig or mouse lymphocytes do not normally cause a measurable increase in calcium influx compared with unstimulated cells. If the cells are treated with the mitogens in conditions where a measurable increase in calcium influx occurs, no stimulation of the cells can occur while the flux is maintained. If an early influx of extracellular calcium is necessary for stimulation, then a much smaller increase in the total concentration of cellular calcium than reported previously is sufficient to allow the entry of lymphocytes into the cell cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

The effect of tris buffers on rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase.

The effect of tris buffers upon the monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in rat liver mitochondria has been investigated. Tris buffer was shown to inhibit MAO in a non-competitive manner with a Ki of 15-25 mM. Tyramine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and beta-phenethylamine but not benzylamine oxidations were all inhibited by tris buffer. All inhibitions, except that of 5-HT, were completely reversible. It is suggested that these effects are produced by conformational changes in the structure of the MAO. The significance of these results is discussed with respect to the use of tris buffers in the extraction and estimation of the activity of MAO.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Annular lipids determine the ATPase activity of a calcium transport protein complexed with dipalmitoyllecithin.

Pure complexes of dipalmitoyllecithin (DPL, 16:0) which Ca2+, Mg2+ dependent ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum are unusual in retaining significant ATPase activity down to about 30 degrees C, well below the transition temperature of the pure lipid at 41 degrees C. A minimum of about 35 lipid molecules per ATPase is required to maintain maximal ATPase activity, but the complexes are progressively and irreversibly inactivated at lower lipid to protein ratios. Complexes containing more than the minimum lipid requirement show very similar temperature profiles of activity about 30 degrees C over a wide range of lipid to protein ratios, up to 1500:1. Spin-label studies indicate that, at lipid to protein ratios of less than about 30 lipids per ATPase, no DPL phase transition can be detected, but at all higher ratios, a phase transition occurs at about 41 degrees C. In all of these complexes there are breaks in the Arrhenius plots of ATPase activity at 27--32 degrees C and at 37.5--38.5 degrees C. Experiments with perturbing agents, such as cholesterol and benzyl alcohol which have well-defined effects on the DPL phase transition, indicate that these breaks in the Arrhenius plots of ATPase activity cannot be attributed to a depressed and broadened phase transition in the lipids near the protein molecules. These results are interpreted as evidence for a phospholipid annulus of at least 30 lipid molecules with interact directly with the ATPase and cannot undergo a phase transition at 41 degrees C. This structural interaction of the ATPase with the annular DPL molecules has a predominant effect in determining the form of the temperature-activity profiles. However, the perturbation of the DPL phase transition does not extend significantly beyond the annulus since a phase transition which starts at 41 degrees C can be detected as soon as extraannular lipid is present in the complexes. We suggest that it may be a general feature of membrane structure that penetrant membrane proteins interact with their immediate lipid environment so as to cause only a minimal perturbation of the lipid bilayer.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1976

The glucagon receptor of rat liver plasma membrane can couple to adenylate cyclase without activating it.

1. Activation of adenylate cyclase in rat liver plasma membranes by fluoride or GMP-P (NH)P yielded linear Arrheniun plots. Activation by glucagon alone, or in combination with either fluoride or GMP-P(NH)P resulted in biphasic Arrhenius plots with a well-defined break at 28.5 +/- 1 degrees C. 2. The competitive glucagon antagonist, des-His-glucagon did not activate the adenylate cyclase but produced biphasic Arrhenius plots in combination with fluoride or GMP-P(NH)P. The break temperatures and activation energies were very similar to those observed with glucagon alone, or in combination with either fluoride or GMP-P(NH)P. 3. It is concluded that although des-His-glucagon is a potent antagonist of glucagon, it nevertheless causes a structural coupling between the receptor and the catalytic unit.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1976

The lipid environment of the glucagon receptor regulates adenylate cyclase activity.

1. The lipids composition of rat liver plasma membranes was substantially altered by introducing synthetic phosphatidylcholines into the membrane by the techniques of lipid substitution or lipid fusion. 40-60% of the total lipid pool in the modified membranes consisted of a synthetic phosphatidylcholine. 2. Lipid substitution, using cholate to equilibrate the lipid pools, resulted in the irreversible loss of a major part of the adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by F-, GMP-P(NH)P or glucagon. However, fusion with presonicated vesicles of the synethic phosphatidylcholines causes only small losses in adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by the same ligands. 3. The linear form of the Arrhenius plots of adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by F- or GMP-(NH)P was unaltered in all of the membrane preparations modified by substitution or fusion, with very similar activation energies to those observed with the native membrane. The activity of the enzyme therefore appears to be very insensitive to its lipid environment when stimulated by F- or gmp-p(nh)p. 4. in contrast, the break at 28.5 degrees C in the Arrhenius plot of adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by glucagon in the native membrane, was shifted upwards by dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, downwards by dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine, and was abolished by dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine. Very similar shifts in the break point were observed for stimulation by glucagon or des-His-glucagon in combination with F- or GMP-P(NH)P. The break temperatures and activation energies for adenylate cyclase activity were the same in complexes prepared with a phosphatidylcholine by fusion or substitution. 5. The breaks in the Arrhenius plots of adenylate cyclase activity are attributed to lipid phase separations which are shifted in the modified membranes according to the transition temperature of the synthetic phosphatidylcholine. Coupling the receptor to the enzyme by glucagon or des-His-glucagon renders the enzyme sensitive to the lipid environment of the receptor. Spin-label experiments support this interpretation and suggest that the lipid phase separation at 28.5 degrees C in the native membrane may only occur in one half of the bilayer.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1976

5-Hydroxytryptamine is a substrate for both species of monoamine oxidase in beef heart mitochondria.

The activity of beef heart mitochondrial monoamine oxidase towards 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is inhibited by the selective inhibitors clorgyline, PCO [5-phenyl-3-(N-cyclopropyl)-ethylamine-1,2,4-oxidiazole] and Deprenyl with a biphasic dependence on the inhibitor concentration. The activities towards tyramine, dopamine and tryptamine were also inhibited in a biphasic manner, but the apparent proportions of the two enzyme species active on dopamine and tryptamine depended on the inhibitor used. Phenethylamine oxidation was inhibited in a monophasic manner suggesting that only a single enzyme species was responsible for the oxidation of this substrate. The biphasic response of 5-HT oxidation to inhibition by clorgyline persisted when functionally competent mitochondria were used and was unaffected by the soluble amine oxidase inhibitors semicarbazine and aminoguanidine. These results indicate that the behaviour of the beef heart enzyme towards selective inhibitors is considerably different from that of any preparations previously studied and suggest that the classification of monoamine oxidase activites into A and B types may be only of limited usefulness.

Amines↗
PubMed1975

Rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase. A change in the reaction mechanism on solubilization.

1. The kinetics of benzylamine oxidation by a soluble preparation of rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase were investigated and were shown to conform to adouble-displacement (or Ping Pong) mechanism. 2. The pathway differs in detail from that followed by other amine oxidases, including the membrane-bound enzyme in rat liver mitochondrial outer membranes. 3. It is suggested taht the conformation of the protein in the soluble state differs from that in the membrane-bound state. 4. The full rate equations for this mechanism have been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50039 (5pages) at the British Library (lending Division) (formely the National Lending Library for Science and Technology), Boston Spa, Yorks, LS237BQ, U.K.. from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J (1975) 145,5.

Ammonia↗