Biomedical subjects

P Walde

Publications and source records attributed to P Walde.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Modeling of enzymatic reactions in vesicles: the case of alpha-chymotrypsin.

The kinetic behavior of the alpha-chymotrypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of the two p-nitroanilide substrates succinyl-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-L-Phe-p-nitroanilide (Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA) and benzoyl-L-Tyr-p-nitroanilide (Bz-Tyr-pNA) was modeled and simulated for two different systems, namely for an aqueous solution and for a vesicle system, which was composed of phospholipid vesicles containing entrapped alpha-chymotrypsin. In the case of the vesicles, the substrate was added to the bulk, exovesicular aqueous phase. The experimentally determined time-dependence of product (p-nitroaniline) formation was modeled by considering the kinetic behavior of the enzyme and-in the case of vesicles-the substrate permeability across the bilayer membrane. In aqueous solution-without vesicles-the kinetic constants kcat and KS (respectively KM) were determined from fitting the model to experimental data of batch product concentration-time curves. The results were in good agreement with the corresponding values obtained from initial velocity measurements. For the vesicle system, using the phospholipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), simulation showed that the substrate permeation across the bilayer was rate limiting. Using experimental data, we could obtain the substrate permeability coefficient for Bz-Tyr-pNA by parametric fitting as 2. 45 x 10(-7) cm/s.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Bilayer permeability-based substrate selectivity of an enzyme in liposomes.

Liposomes were prepared from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), which contained the water soluble proteinase alpha-chymotrypsin. This liposome entrapped enzyme showed selectivity for externally added substrates in that only small substrates (benzoyl-l-Tyr-p-nitroanilide or acetyl-l-Phe-p-nitro-anilide)-for which the liposome bilayer was permeable-were transformed into products. Large substrates (succinyl-l-Ala-l-Ala-l-Pro-l-Phe-p-nitroanilide or casein) could not penetrate from the external aqueous phase into the liposomes, and were not hydrolyzed. This substrate selectivity is entirely based on the compartimentation and permeability properties of the liposome microreactor.

Biotechnology↗

PubMed1996

A 1H nuclear magnetic resonance method for investigating the phospholipase D-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine in liposomes.

Liposomes with mean diameters between 45 and 73 nm have been prepared from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) at pH 8.0; and a new methodology is described which allows one to quantitatively follow the phospholipase D-catalyzed transformation of POPC to 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidic acid and free choline. The method does not require a special sample preparation; it takes advantage of the fact that the chemical shift of the protons of the three methyl groups in free choline differs from the chemical shift of the choline methyl protons in POPC. Measurements have been carried out under different experimental configurations and they have been paralleled by electron and light microscopy studies, partially using a fluorescently labeled phospholipid. It has been found that for a fixed concentration of the Ca2+-independent phospholipase D from Streptomyces sp. AA 586 the initial velocity and the reaction yields depend on the size of the vesicles. The smaller the vesicles, the higher the yields and the lower the initial rates. Furthermore, the size of the liposomes does not change during hydrolysis of the external POPC layer.

Choline↗

PubMed1996

Microinjection into giant vesicles and light microscopy investigation of enzyme-mediated vesicle transformations.

BACKGROUND: 'Giant vesicles' have diameters of several micrometers and can be observed by light microscopy. Their size may allow manipulation of individual vesicles and direct observation of the progress of a chemical reaction in real time. We set out to test this possibility using enzymatic hydrolysis of vesicle components as a model system. RESULTS: We describe a novel micromanipulation technique that allows us to microinject femtoliter amounts of a reagent solution adjacent to or into giant vesicles with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 microm. The vesicle transformations can be monitored directly in real time by light microscopy and recorded by video analysis. Snake venom phospholipase A2 was added to vesicles composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine, and the enzymatic hydrolysis of components of the lipid bilayer was observed over time. A specific effect on the targeted giant vesicle was seen and video recorded, while the neighbouring vesicles remained unaffected. Addition of the enzyme to the outside of a vesicle caused it to burst, whereas injection of the enzyme inside a vesicle resulted in a slow and constant decrease in its size, until it eventually disappeared from the resolution power of the light microscope. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that it is possible to micromanipulate an individual vesicle, and to follow visually the progress of an enzymatic reaction occurring on the vesicle bilayer over time.

Microinjections↗

PubMed1996

Human skin irritation studies of a lecithin microemulsion gel and of lecithin liposomes.

Soybean lecithin microemulsion gels offer promising features for the possible use as matrices in transdermal therapeutic systems. In order to assess the skin irritancy potential of the gel, acute and cumulative irriation tests were performed in human subjects in vivo using as comparison an unilamellar soybean lecithin liposome preparation and the solvent isopropyl palmitate (IPP). Acute irritation was tested in 151 volunteers in a 48-hour patch test, whereas cumulative irritation was assessed in a 21-day human repeated insult patch test in 20 volunteers. In the acute irritation test, discrete irritation (erythema only) developed with the gel in 2 subjects (1.3%), with the liposomes in 3 subjects (2.0%), and with IPP in 2 subjects (1.3%). For the assessment of cumulative irritation, the IT50 (irritation time of 50% of the test population) was calculated. IT50 was 13 days for the gel, 14 days for the liposomes and 17 days for IPP. This study shows a very low acute and a low cumulative irritancy potential for the soybean lecithin microemulsion gel making it a candidate matrix for transdermal therapeutic systems also under toxicological aspects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Activity and spectroscopic properties of bovine liver catalase in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate/isooctane reverse micelles.

Spectroscopic properties such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism, steady-state fluorescence and the catalytic activity of bovine liver catalase (BLC) have been studied in reverse-micelles microemulsions formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane. Activity measurements were carried out with the highly water soluble hydrogen peroxide as substrate as a function of temperature and pH, at various concentrations of substrate, enzyme, AOT and at different w0 values (w0 = [H2O]/[AOT]). The folding of catalase in reverse micelles is not drastically altered, although there are changes in the local surrounding of the prosthetic group. Kinetic measurements have been carried out under first-order conditions at low substrate concentration. They indicate that the measured substrate decomposition rate is limited by the exchange of substrate molecules between the substrate-filled and the enzyme-containing micelles. The specificity constant, ks = kcat/KM, as related to water pool concentrations, k(s,wp)rm, was, at all w0 values, considerably lower than ks measured in buffer (ksb). In contrast, overall values of ks in reverse micelles, k(s,ov)rm, were always 2-4-times higher than ksb. This apparent superactivity can, however, be ascribed to concentration effects. No 'bell-curve' to describe the w0 dependence of catalase activity in reverse micelles was found, k or ks increasing monotonously up to w0 = 50.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Spectroscopic and kinetic studies of lipases solubilized in reverse micelles.

The conformation and activity of three different lipases have been studied in reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane. In the case of human pancreatic lipase, the conformation of the polypeptide chain--as judged from far-UV circular dichroism measurements--is only slightly altered after the enzyme is transferred from a bulk aqueous solution into the microenvironment of reverse micelles. Significant spectral changes in the near-UV circular dichroism and fluorescence spectrum indicate, however, that the solvation of aromatic amino acid side chains is considerably different in reverse micelles. Conversely, the circular dichroism spectra of the lipases from Candida rugosa and Pseudomonas sp. are considerably different in reverse micelles, compared with the spectra in aqueous solution, indicating that both enzymes loose the native structure at the water/AOT/oil interface. Bound substrate and/or product can prevent this denaturation. While Pseudomonas sp. and human pancreatic lipase are inhibited by tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), the lipase from Candida rugosa is not. These data, together with additional activity and inhibition data, indicate that the micellar microenvironment accentuates the difference between the different enzymes in terms of the relation structure/activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Catalytic activity of elastase in reverse micelles.

The activity of porcine pancreatic elastase has been studied in reverse micelles formed by AOT (sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate) in isooctane. For the two substrates succinyl-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Ala-p-nitroanilide and succinyl-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-L-Leu-p-nitroanilide, the catalytic constant, kcat, in reverse micelles increases with increasing wo until, at high wo, the value of kcat measured in bulk buffer solution is approached (wo = [H2O/]AOT]). In analogy to alpha-chymotrypsin--and in apparent contrast to many other enzymes--elastase does not show a maximum in the kcat-wo profile. Within the wo range of 8 to 35, for both substrates, the Michaelis constant Km (as expressed relative to the total volume of the solution, Km,overall) increases with increasing wo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Kinetic behaviour of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles. A stopped-flow study.

At the aim of investigating whether the early rapid phase of enzyme turnover is different in reverse micelles compared with bulk water, the kinetic properties of alpha-chymotrypsin have been studied in reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate in isooctane. Pre-steady state and steady-state kinetic constants, in water and in reverse micelles, have been determined by stopped-flow spectrophotometry for the hydrolysis of two substrates, namely acetyl-L-tryptophan-p-nitrophenyl ester and p-nitrophenyl acetate. It has been shown that, for both substrates, the acylation rate constant (k2) is very much lower in reverse micelles than in water. However, the deacylation rate constant (k3) and the turnover number (kcat) are not significantly changed in reverse micelles with respect to bulk water. Therefore, despite considerable rate changes in the acylation step, deacylation is rate limiting both in water as well as in reverse micelles, under the experimental conditions used.

Chymotrypsin↗

PubMed1992

Lecithin organogel as matrix for transdermal transport of drugs.

Organogels obtained by adding small amounts of water to a solution of lecithin in organic solvents were studied as matrices for the transdermal transport of drugs. Gels obtained from isopropyl palmitate and cyclooctane were used (molar ratios of water to lecithin of 3 and 12, respectively). Preliminarily histological studies showed that the gels have no harmful effect when applied to the skin for prolonged periods. Data relative to the stability of the organogels with time are also presented. Scopolamine and broxaterol were used as model drugs, and the transdermal experiments were done with a Franz diffusion cell and human skin obtained from plastic surgery. The transport rate of scopolamine obtained with the lecithin gels was about one order of magnitude higher than that obtained with an aqueous solution of the drug at the same concentration. In contrast, the transport rates of scopolamine obtained with the microemulsion solution prior to gelation (molar ratio of water to lecithin, 0) were not different from those obtained with the gel. The same variations in transport rates were observed for broxaterol, in which case the flux through the skin was directly proportional to the concentration of drug in the gel. At a concentration of broxaterol of 75 mg/mL in the donor gel, the flux was 47 micrograms.h-1.cm-2. Because preliminary results showed that transdermal transport is successful with amino acids and peptides also, it is concluded that lecithin gels may be efficient vehicles for the transdermal transport of various drugs.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Substrate effects on the enzymatic activity of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles.

Six different substrates have been used for measuring the activity of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane. The substrates were glutaryl-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Phe p-nitroanilide, acetyl-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Ala-Ala-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe p-nitroanilide and acetyl-Trp methyl ester. It has been shown that the dependence of the kinetic constants (kcat and Km) on the water content of the system, on wo (= [H2O]/[AOT]), is different for the different substrates. This indicates that activity-wo profiles for alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles not only reflect an intrinsic feature of the enzyme alone. For the p-nitroanilides it was found that the lower kcat (and the higher Km) in aqueous solution, the higher kcat as well as Km in reverse micelles. "Superactivity" of alpha-chymotrypsin could only be found with the ester substrate and with relatively "poor" p-nitroanilides. The presence of a negative charge in the substrate molecule is not a prerequisite for alpha-chymotrypsin to show "superactivity".

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Product inhibition of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles.

The alpha-chymotrypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of succinyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl- L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl p-nitroanilide has been studied in reverse micelles of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane. It has been found that alpha-chymotrypsin is strongly inhibited competitively by the acidic peptide product which is formed during the course of the reaction. It has also been shown that the application of the integrated form of the Michaelis-Menten equation can be useful to detect possible inhibition effects and abnormal kinetic behavior of enzymes in reverse micelles. Furthermore, it has been shown that the turnover number (kcat) at low water content is lower than in water and increases as the water content in the system is lower than in water and increases as the water content in the system (wo = [H2O]/[AOT]) increases, kcat reaching the value in water at high wo. If however, initial velocity data, as obtained under conditions where the enzyme is not saturated with substrate, are plotted against wo, the curves are bell-shaped, with a maximum around wo = 15.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Liposome-associated retinoic acid. Increased in vitro antiproliferative effects on neoplastic cells.

The activity of liposome-associated retinoic acid was analyzed on in vitro cultured tumor cell lines and compared to the antiproliferative effects of free retinoic acid. It was found that liposome-associated retinoic acid is about 300 times more active than free retinoic acid in inhibiting in vitro cell growth of leukemic and melanoma cell lines. An increased activity of retinoic acid (10-20 times) was also obtained after premixing of this compound with empty liposomes, demonstrating that the retinoic acid efficiently interacts with liposomes which may facilitate solubility and cell uptake of retinoids.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Tumor cell growth inhibition by liposome-encapsulated aromatic polyamidines.

Apart from its antiproteinase activity, the aromatic polyamidine TAPP-Br [the bromo derivative of 1,3-di-(p-amidinophenoxy)-2,2-bis-(p-amidinophenoxymethyl)propane (TAPP-H)] is able to inhibit the in vitro growth of a variety of tumor cell lines, including human melanoma, and breast and kidney carcinoma. We have now shown that TAPP-Br can efficiently be encapsulated into egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles. When incorporated into these liposomes, the inhibitory effect of TAPP-Br is significantly enhanced compared with that of the free drug. Based on these promising results, a proposal is made for the delivery of this antiproliferative agent to tumor cells by using liposomes as the vehicle.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1990

Phospholipid-based reverse micelles.

Physicochemical investigations on the aggregation of phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholines) in organic solvents are reviewed and compared with the aggregation behaviour of phospholipids in aqueous medium. In particular we review the data showing that phosphatidylcholines (lecithins) form reverse micellar structures in certain apolar solvents. In these systems not only low molecular weight compounds but also catalytically active enzymes and entire cells can be solubilized. In addition, highly viscous phosphatidylcholine gels can be obtained in organic solvents upon solubilizing a critical amount of water. Generally, phospholipid-based reverse micelles can be regarded as thermodynamically stable models for inverted micellar lipid structures possibly occurring in biological membranes.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1989

Differential effects of liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine on proliferation and erythroid differentiation of murine erythroleukemic Friend cells.

It is known that iron chelators (such as desferrioxamine) are potent inhibitors of both cell proliferation and erythroid differentiation. We have shown with in vitro studies that in the case of tumor cells desferrioxamine is even more efficient in inhibiting cell proliferation when entrapped in liposomes consisting of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine. At the same time liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine retains only a slight effect on hexamethylenebisacetamide induction of erythroid differentiation and hemoglobin accumulation of murine erythroleukemic Friend cells. Based on these findings, we propose liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine as potential antineoplastic agent as well as a specific chemical for the study of both iron metabolism and distribution in normal and neoplastic cells. In addition, unlike free desferrioxamine, the liposome-entrapped drug could also be used in combination with inducers of differentiation. With respect to this issue, it is possible that liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine, might permit erythroid differentiation of both neoplastic cells as well as normal stem cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Structure and activity of trypsin in reverse micelles.

The kinetic properties of trypsin have been studied in reverse micelles formed by two surfactant systems, namely bis(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane, and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in chloroform/isooctane (1:1, by vol.). Three substrates have been used, namely N alpha-benzoyl-L-Arg ethyl ester, N alpha-benzoyl-L-Phe-L-Val-L-Arg p-nitroanilide (BzPheValArg-NH-Np) in AOT and N alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Lys p-nitrophenyl ester (ZLysO-Np) in CTAB. One of the main aims of the work was to compare the behaviour of trypsin in reverse micelles with that of alpha-chymotrypsin, for which an enhancement of kcat had been observed with respect to aqueous solutions. The pH profile is not significantly altered in reverse micelles with respect to water, however the kinetic parameters (kcat and Km) differ widely from one another, and are markedly affected by the micellar conditions, in particular by the water content wo (wo = [H2O]/[AOT]). Whereas in the case of BzPheValArg-NH-Np kcat is much smaller than in water, in the case of ZLysO-Np at pH 3.2 (but not at pH 6.0) a slight enhancement with respect to water is observed. On the basis of rapid kinetic spectrophotometry (stopped-flow) and solvent isotope effect studies, this enhancement is ascribed to a change in the rate-limiting step (acylation rather than hydrolysis). As in the case of alpha-chymotrypsin, the maximal activity is found for all substrates at rather small wo values (below 12), which is taken to suggest that the enzyme works better when is surrounded by only a few layers of tightly bound water. Spectroscopic studies [ultraviolet absorption, circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence] have been carried out as a function of wo. Whereas the absorption properties are practically unchanged, the CD spectrum in AOT micelles has a lower intensity than in water, which is interpreted as a partial unfolding. The intensity is partly restored when Ca2+ ions are added, indicating that the micellar environment may cause a partial denaturation by depleting it of calcium ions. Fluorescence data show that the emission properties of the protein in reverse micelles match those in aqueous solution at around wo = 13 approx., whereas lambda max shifts towards the red by increasing wo, indicating an exposure of the tryptophan residues and probably an unfolding of the whole protein, at wo values above 15. Finally the reaction between trypsin and its specific macromolecular Kunitz inhibitor from soybeans is studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Calcium Chloride↗

PubMed1987

The mechanism of liposomal damage by taurocholate.

The stability of small unilamellar vesicles formed by egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been examined in the presence of sodium taurocholate. The permeability of the vesicular membrane changes as the total taurocholate concentration increases, until a transformation from mixed bile salt/PC vesicles to mixed micelles occurs. Based on experiments in which the bile salt-induced release of either hydrophilic (carboxyfluorescein) or hydrophobic (Bromothymol blue) probes was studied, and on fluorescence polarization of the probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and turbidity measurements, a two-step process for the initial stage of liposomal damage by taurocholate is postulated.

Bile Acids and Salts↗