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Biomedical subjects

M Morikawa

Publications and source records attributed to M Morikawa.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Regulation of Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by multiple effectors in vivo. Estimation of the activities in the cells grown on various compounds.

Intracellular concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and five kinds of allosteric effectors (acetyl-CoA, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, GTP, L-aspartate, and L-malate) of PEP carboxylase were measured in E. coli cells grown on various compounds as a carbon source. Based on the data obtained, reaction systems which contained a definite concentration of the enzyme and the ligands at the concentrations found in vivo were constructed and the enzyme activities were measured. The ratio of each activity thus obtained to the maximal activity attainable with the same concentration of enzyme and saturating concentrations of the activators was estimated. For the cells grown on glucose, glycerol, or lactate, the extent of exhibition of the enzyme activity was 2-15% of the maximal activity. For the cells grown on acetate or oleate, the extent was 1-3%. For the cells grown on succinate, L-aspartate, L-malate, or glucose plus L-aspartate, the extent was less than 0.4%. Consideration of the data obtained in the present studies, together with those obtained in our previous studies on the enzyme level (Teraoka, H. et al. (1970) J. Biochem. 67, 567-575), showed that the control of the enzyme reaction in vivo is considerably different from that expected from the in vitro experiments, and that deficiencies of "coarse control" are covered by a "fine control."

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗

Comparative study of human intestinal and hepatic esterases as related to enzymatic properties and hydrolizing activity for ester-type drugs.

In attempts to determine the exact role of intestinal esterase in the body, we purified esterases from human intestinal mucosa and liver, and compared the enzymatic properties and substrate specificities with those of purified esterases. Esterase from human liver was purified 58-fold, by treatment with butanol, DE-52 and DEAE Sephadex A-50 column chromatographies, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and isoelectric focusing. The purified preparation showed a single band by polyacylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weights of intestinal and hepatic esterases were determined to be 53,000-55,000 and 180,000, respectively, by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The activity of the purified intestinal and hepatic esterases was strongly inhibited by diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate and diisopropyl fluorophosphate, and was not inhibited by eserine sulfate and p-chloromercuribenzoate. Moreover, the purified esterases hydrolyzed ester-type drugs such as aspirin, clofibrate, indanyl carbenicillin and procaine. Hepatic esterase had properties similar to those of intestinal esterase with respect to the sensitivity to organophosphate and the substrate specificity. However, the two purified esterases differed in properties such as molecular weight, isoelectric point, thermostability and optimal pH.

Esterases↗

Hydrolysis of ester-type drugs by the purified esterase from human intestinal mucosa.

Esterase from human intestinal mucosa was purified 210 fold by solubilization with Triton X-100, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-100 and hydroxylapatite, and isoelectric focusing. The purified esterase showed a single band by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the purified esterase was estimated to be about 55,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150, and the isoelectric point was 5.02. The purified esterase was strongly inhibited by diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (E-600) and diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), and was not inhibited by eserine sulfate and p-chloromercuribenzoate. The purified esterase from human intestinal mucosa was found to be one of the carboxylesterases. The purified esterase hydrolyzed ester-type drugs, i.e., aspirin, clofibrate, indanyl carbenicillin and procaine, but did not hydrolyze amide-type drugs and choline-type drugs.

Aspirin↗

Species difference and characterization of intestinal esterase on the hydrolizing activity of ester-type drugs.

The ability of the esterase from intestine was studied for hydrolysis of ester-type drugs during absorption. The intestinal esterase is present in the absorption sites in the intestine and hydrolyzes to a large extent during the absorption. In a study of the dietary effect on intestinal esterase, the esterase activity increased in rats fed a high-fat diet, decreased in those fasted or fed a fat-free diet, whereas the esterase activity in the rat treated with phenobarbital showed no marked change. Thus the esterase from intestinal mucosa appears to be characteristically quite different from hepatic esterase. The esterase from human intestine was characterized and compared with esterase from rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs. There was a difference in the substrate specificity of the esterase and there were significant species differences in the electrophoretic behavior of the enzyme among the species tested. These results indicate that intestinal esterase from humans differs characteristically from esterases in experimental animals.

Animals↗

Inhibition of yeast phosphatidic-acid synthesis by free fatty acids.

Particulate preparations obtained from cells of yeast Saccharomyces sake have been shown to possess glycerolphosphate acyltransferase and 1-acylglycerolphosphate acyltransferase activities. Glycerolphosphate acyltransferase exhibits a high specificity for saturated and monoenoic fatty acyl-CoA thioesters. When palmitoyl-CoA is employed as sole acyl group donor, the major lipid product is lysophosphatidic acid. 1-Acylglycerolphosphate acyltransferase of this yeast species has a rather strict specificity for monoenoic fatty acyl-CoA thioesters as acyl donor. These two acyltransferases are strongly inhibited in vitro by low concentrations of free fatty acids. 1-Acylglycerolphosphate acyltransferase is much more susceptible to fatty acid inhibition than glycerolphosphate acyltransferase. The inhibition is dependent not only on the concentration of fatty acid, but also on the length of exposure to fatty acid. Both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids inhibit the acyltransferase activities. The inhibitory effects of fatty acids cannot be ascribed to a nonspecific surfactant action of fatty acids. The present results support the view that free fatty acid serves as a regulator of glycerolipid synthesis.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

Simple, refined fluorometric method for measuring cystyl-amino peptidase activity.

Cystyl-amino peptidase (EC 3.4.11.3) activity in serum or plasma was measured fluorometrically using L-cystine-di-beta-naphthylamide in the absence and presence of thiol such as mercaptoethanol. In the presence of thiol, L-cystine-di-beta-naphthylamide is converted to L-cysteine-beta-naphthylamide, and the enzyme activity to hydrolyze L-cysteine-beta-naphthylamide can be measured, while in the absence of thiol, the enzyme activity to hydrolyze L-cystine-di-beta-naphthylamide is determined. Thiol added did not affect various aminopeptidase activities. The present method is able to measure the enzyme activity hydrolyzing L-cystine-di-beta-naphthylamide and L-cysteine-beta-naphthylamide simultaneously and separately using only L-cysteine-di-beta-naphthylamide. This method is simple, sensitive and useful in clinical routine work, assessing placental function for the evaluation of the pregnant status.

Amides↗

Autoregulatory system of insulin degradation in liver. II. Relationship between blood insulin levels and GSH-dependent insulin degrading activity in liver and blood.

An autoregulatory system of insulin degradation in the liver in which the rate of insulin metabolism changes in response to fluctuation in its blood levels, was investigated. In the plasma of rats and man in the absence of reduced glutathione (GSH), insulin degradation was not observed, but when a sufficient amount of reduced glutathione was added, the plasma did degrade insulin. This GSH-dependent insulin degrading activity in plasma was quite similar to that in liver in its nature. In rats, this GSH-dependent insulin degrading activity in the liver and plasma was fluctuated in response to fluctuation in the blood insulin levels, and the GSH-dependent insulin degrading activity in plasma was well correlated with that in the liver. Similarly, in man the GSH-dependent insulin degrading activity in plasma was changed in response to fluctuation in the blood insulin levels. In plasma under the physiologic conditions, there is an insufficient amount of reduced glutathione to elicit the insulin degrading activity, but in the liver there is a sufficient amount of reduced glutathione to manifest this activity. This evidence further supports the concept that an autoregulatory system of insulin degradation in the liver exists in man.

Animals↗

Effect of 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-3-N,N-dimethyl-carbamoyl-5-methoxypyrazole (PZ-177) on drug-metabolizing enzyme on rat liver.

Effect of 1-(m-chlorphenyl)-3-N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl-5-methoxypyrazole (PZ-177) (62.5 and 250 mg/kg) on rat liver was investigated by measuring liver weight and drug-metabolizing enzyme activity. The effects of PZ-177 were compared with those of phenobarbital, phenylbutazone, and tiaramide hydrochloride. Increase of liver weight and liver/body weight ratio was observed in the rats treated with PZ-177 or phenobarbital, however, normal values were reverted to 1--2 weeks after treatment. PZ-177 similar to phenobarbital, significantly enhanced the activity of aminopyrine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase after 1,2, and 4 weeks of treatment. In contrast, tiaramide hydrochloride decreased the activity of aminopyrine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase after 1 week of treatment, and significantly enhanced the activity of these enzymes after 4 weeks. The content of cytochrome P-450 and the activity of NADPH cytochrome C reductase were also increased by treatment with PZ-177. The sleeping time by hexobarbital was shortened significantly by the administration of PZ-177. Vmax for both aminopyrine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase increased by treatment with PZ-177. However, only the Km for aniline hydroxylase was increased by treatment with PZ-177. From the results of these experiments, PZ-177 may be classified as a phenobarbital-type inducer.

Animals↗