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Enzymatic reduction of mercurous and mercuric ions in Bacillus cereus.

A strain of Bacillus cereus, which can grow in nutrient broth containing 50 microM HgCl2, was isolated from soil. Mercurous or mercuric ion dependent oxidation of reduced NADPH was demonstrated in crude extracts of cells grown in nutrient broth containing 10 microM HgCl2. The properties of this mercuric reductase were similar to those of the enzymes from R factor bearing Escherichia coli in substrate specificity, heat stability, requirement of sulfhydryl compounds, sensitivity to some heavy metal ions, and molecular weight.

Bacillus cereus↗

Purification, properties, and N-terminal amino acid sequence of homogeneous Escherichia coli 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate CoA ligase, a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme.

Starting with 100 g (wet weight) of a mutant of Escherichia coli K-12 forced to grow on L-threonine as sole carbon source, we developed a 6-step procedure that provides 30-40 mg of homogeneous 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate CoA ligase (also called aminoacetone synthetase or synthase). This ligase, which catalyzes the cleavage/condensation reaction between 2-amino-3-ketobutyrate (the presumed product of the L-threonine dehydrogenase-catalyzed reaction) and glycine + acetyl-CoA, has an apparent molecular weight approximately equal to 85,000 and consists of two identical (or nearly identical) subunits with Mr = 42,000. Computer analysis of amino acid composition data, which gives the best fit nearest integer ratio for each residue, indicates a total of 387 amino acids/subunit with a calculated Mr = 42,093. Stepwise Edman degradation provided the N-terminal sequence of the first 21 amino acids. It is a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme since (a) several carbonyl reagents caused greater than 90% loss of activity, (b) dialysis against buffer containing hydroxylamine resulted in 89% loss of activity coincident with an 86% decrease in absorptivity at 428 nm, (c) incubation of the apoenzyme with 20 microM pyridoxal phosphate showed a parallel recovery (greater than 90%) of activity and 428-nm absorptivity, and (d) reduction of the holoenzyme with NaBH4 resulted in complete inactivation, disappearance of a new absorption maximum at 333 nm. Strict specificity for glycine is shown but acetyl-CoA (100%), n-propionyl-CoA (127%), or n-butyryl-CoA (16%) is utilized in the condensation reaction. Apparent Km values for acetyl-CoA, n-propionyl-CoA, and glycine are 59 microM, 80 microM, and 12 mM, respectively; the pH optimum = 7.5. Added divalent metal ions or sulfhydryl compounds inhibited catalysis of the condensation reaction.

Acetone↗

Inhibition of LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW cells by radioprotective thiols.

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in producing damage after exposure to radiation and also in the toxicity associated with bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). We have evaluated different radioprotective thiols for their effects on LPS-stimulated NO production in mouse macrophage cells, RAW 264.7. Our results indicate that although thiols inhibited NO production in general, the degree of inhibition depended upon the thiol compound. Long-chain aminothiols like WR-1065 [N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane] exerted a strong inhibition; but its parent drug, amifostine, which protects mice against radiation lethality, was not as effective as WR-1065. Diethyl dithiocarbamate, which is less effective than amifostine as a radioprotector, strongly inhibited NO production from macrophages. These results indicate that the radioprotective potential of sulfhydryl compounds is not related to its ability to inhibit NO production by macrophages and suggest that some of the thiol radioprotectors may effectively ameliorate the fatal symptoms of hypotensive shock, associated with endotoxin (LPS)-induced NO production.

Acetylcysteine↗

Purification and characterization of isocitrate lyase from the wood-destroying basidiomycete Fomitopsis palustris grown on glucose.

Isocitrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.1), a key enzyme in the glyoxylate cycle, was purified 76-fold with 23% yield as an electrophoretically homogeneous protein from the wood-destroying basidiomycete Fomitopsis palustris grown on glucose. The native enzyme has a molecular mass of 186 kDa, consisting of three identical subunits of 60 kDa. The K(m) for DL-isocitrate was found to be 1.6 mM at the optimum pH (7.0). The enzyme required Mg(2+) (K(m) 92 microM) and sulfhydryl compounds for optimal activity. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by oxalate and itaconate with a K(i) of 37 and 68 microM, respectively. The inhibition by the glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and related compounds suggested that the isocitrate lyase was a regulatory enzyme playing a crucial role in the fungal growth.

Basidiomycota↗

Purification and properties of isopenicillin N epimerase from Streptomyces clavuligerus.

Isopenicillin N epimerase, which catalyzes conversion of isopenicillin N to penicillin N, has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the cell-free extract of Streptomyces clavuligerus by a procedure involving ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatographies with DE-52, DEAE Affi-gel blue, Sephadex G-200, calcium phosphate-cellulose, and Mono Q. The purified epimerase is monomeric with a molecular weight of 47,000 or 50,000 as estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or gel filtration, respectively. The enzyme contains 1 mol of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate per mol of protein, and shows absorption maxima at 280 and 420 nm. The epimerase catalyzes the complete 'racemization' on both the L-alpha-aminoadipyl side-chain of isopenicillin N and the D-alpha-aminoadipyl side-chain of penicillin N, so that an approximately equimolar mixture of the two penicillins is produced. The mixture is not truly racemic, since these penicillins are diastereomers rather than optical isomers. The chemical modification of primary amino groups of the epimerase by fluorescamine results in a great loss of the enzyme activity. The activity of purified enzyme is partially stimulated by the addition of sulfhydryl compounds. The activity is strongly inhibited by sulfhydryl group modifiers such as p-chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

Potency of Michael reaction acceptors as inducers of enzymes that protect against carcinogenesis depends on their reactivity with sulfhydryl groups.

Induction of phase 2 enzymes and elevations of glutathione are major and sufficient strategies for protecting mammals and their cells against the toxic and carcinogenic effects of electrophiles and reactive forms of oxygen. Inducers belong to nine chemical classes and have few common properties except for their ability to modify sulfhydryl groups by oxidation, reduction, or alkylation. Much evidence suggests that the cellular "sensor" molecule that recognizes the inducers and signals the enhanced transcription of phase 2 genes does so by virtue of unique and highly reactive sulfhydryl functions that recognize and covalently react with the inducers. Benzylidene-alkanones and -cycloalkanones are Michael reaction acceptors whose inducer potency is profoundly increased by the presence of ortho- (but not other) hydroxyl substituent(s) on the aromatic ring(s). This enhancement correlates with more rapid reactivity of the ortho-hydroxylated derivatives with model sulfhydryl compounds. Proton NMR spectroscopy provides no evidence for increased electrophilicity of the beta-vinyl carbons (the presumed site of nucleophilic attack) on the hydroxylated inducers. Surprisingly, these ortho-hydroxyl groups display a propensity for extensive intermolecular hydrogen bond formation, which may raise the reactivity and facilitate addition of mercaptans, thereby raising inducer potencies.

Animals↗

Determination of free and total cyst(e)ine in plasma of dogs and cats.

BACKGROUND: In human blood, the amino acid cysteine forms disulfide bonds with itself and with other sulfhydryl compounds in their free form and with sulfhydryls in protein. Protein-bound cysteine is lost when plasma proteins are removed before amino acid analysis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the time course and extent of cyst(e)ine (cysteine + half-cystine) loss in dog and cat plasma. METHODS: An equal volume of 6% sulfosalicylic acid was added to plasma aliquots at 0, 2, 4, 10, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after separation of blood cells. Tris-2-carboxyethyl-phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP - HCl), a reducing agent, was used to regenerate total plasma cyst(e)ine after 3 months of sample storage (-20 degrees C). RESULTS: Initial free cyst(e)ine concentrations (mean +/- SEM) were higher in canine plasma (77 +/- 4 micromol/L) than in feline plasma (37 +/- 3 micromol/L). Free plasma cyst(e)ine concentrations in dogs and cats decreased after first-order kinetics, with a half-life of 23 and 69 hours, respectively. Total plasma cysteine after TCEP - HCl treatment was similar for dogs (290 micromol/L) and cats (296 micromol/L), but the percentage of free cysteine was higher (P = .02) in dogs (27%) than in cats (13%). Over half of the cyst(e)ine, homocysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione were bound in vivo to plasma proteins. CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the importance of removing plasma proteins within 1 hour after blood collection for reliable assay of free plasma cyst(e)ine.

Animals↗

Inhalation pharmacokinetics of 1,3-butadiene and 1,2-epoxybutene-3 in rats and mice.

Studies were conducted on inhalation pharmacokinetics of 1,3-butadiene and of its primary reactive metabolic intermediate 1,2-epoxybutene-3 in rats (Sprague-Dawley) and mice (B6C3F1). Investigations of inhalation pharmacokinetics of 1,3-butadiene revealed saturation kinetics of 1,3-butadiene metabolism in both species. For rats and mice linear pharmacokinetics apply at exposure concentrations below 1000 ppm 1,3-butadiene; saturation of 1,3-butadiene metabolism is observed at atmospheric concentrations of about 2000 ppm. The estimated maximal metabolic elimination rates were 400 mumole/hr/kg for mice and 200 mumole/hr/kg for rats. This shows that 1,3-butadiene is metabolized by mice at about twice the rate of rats. Investigations of inhalation pharmacokinetics of 1,2-epoxybutene-3 revealed major differences in metabolism of this compound between both species. No indication of saturation kinetics of 1,2-epoxybutene-3 metabolism could be observed in rats up to exposure concentrations of 5000 ppm, whereas in mice the saturation of epoxybutene metabolism became apparent at atmospheric concentrations of about 500 ppm. The estimated maximal metabolic rate for 1,2-epoxybutene-3 was 350 mumole/hr/kg in mice and greater than 2600 mumole/hr/kg in rats. When the animals are exposed to high concentrations of 1,3-butadiene, 1,2-epoxybutene-3 is exhaled by rats and mice. For rats 1,2-epoxybutene-3 concentration in the gas phase of the system reaches a plateau at about 4 ppm. For mice, 1,2-epoxybutene-3 concentration increases with exposure time until, at about 10 ppm, signs of acute toxicity are observed. Under these conditions hepatic nonprotein sulfhydryl compounds are virtually depleted in mice but not in rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation↗

[The protective effect of IL-1 beta on stress-induced gastric mucosal damage in rat].

The effect of recombinant IL-1 beta on stress-induced gastric mucosal lessions was studied in rats. Pretreatment with IL-1 beta prevented formation of gastric mucosal damage in a dose-dependent manner. IL-1 receptor antagonist peptide (IRAP) could totally reverse the protective effect of IL-1 beta. IL-1 fragment peptide (163-171) had no effect on gastric ulcer formation in the experimental model, whereas sulfhydryl blocker N-ehtylmaleimide partially blocked the protective effect of IL-1 beta. The concentration of protein and noneprotein sulfhydryls in the gastric mucosa was significantly decreased 3 h after stress, and this decrease was partially prevented by IL-1 beta. IL-1 beta also decreased the concentration of molondialdehyde (MDA) in the gastric mucosa after 3 h stress. The results suggest that IL-1 beta could effectively lessen the degree of stress-induced gastric mucosal damage, due possibly to the production of endogenous sulfhydryl compounds in the gastric mucosa.

Animals↗

Costunolide triggers apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells by depleting intracellular thiols.

We have previously demonstrated that costunolide, a biologically active compound that was isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia sieboldii, induced apoptosis in human cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms and suggest that costunolide induces apoptosis in human promonocytic leukemia U937 cells by depleting the intracellular thiols. Costunolide treatment rapidly depleted the intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) and protein thiols, and this preceded the occurrence of apoptosis. Pretreatment with sulfhydryl compounds such as GSH, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, dithiothreitol and 2-mercaptoethanol almost completely blocked the costunolide-induced apoptosis, highlighting the significance of the intracellular thiol level in the process. Furthermore, overexpression of Bcl-2 also significantly attenuated the effects of costunolide. The apoptosis-inducing activity of costunolide is likely to depend on the exomethylene moiety because derivatives in which this group was reduced, such as dihydrocostunolide and saussurea lactone, did not deplete the cellular thiols and showed no apoptotic activity. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the costunolide-induced apoptosis depends on intracellular thiols contents, which are modulated by Bcl-2.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

In vitro interaction of heavy metals with ouabain receptors in rat brain microsomes.

This study investigates the influence of heavy metals on ouabain-binding in presence of thiol (sulfhydryl) compounds. The data on in vitro effects of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) showed significant inhibition of 3H-ouabain binding to microsomal membrane in a concentration-dependent manner. Maximum inhibition of 3H-ouabain binding was observed at 1 microM for Hg and 100 microM each for Pb and Cd. Preincubation with monothiol (L-cysteine or glutathione) or dithiol (dithiothreitol) protected inhibition of 3H-ouabain binding to the membranes by Hg or Pb. Dithiol but not monothiols partially protected Cd-inhibition. The present data confirm that the heavy metals interact with ouabain receptors in a manner similar to SH-blocking agents and protection of metal-inhibited 3H-ouabain binding by thiol compounds is metal specific.

Animals↗

Structural and functional significance of cysteine residues of glutathione-independent prostaglandin D synthase. Identification of Cys65 as an essential thiol.

Glutathione-independent prostaglandin D synthase in rat brain is composed of 189 amino acid residues and catalyzes the isomerization of prostaglandin H2 to prostaglandin D2, an endogenous sleep-promoting substance. This enzyme is the only enzyme among members of the lipocalin superfamily composed of various secretory lipophilic ligand-carrier proteins and is recently identified to be a beta-trace protein, a major constituent of human cerebrospinal fluid. We expressed the active enzyme in Escherichia coli and then systematically substituted all cysteine residues of the delta 1-29 enzyme at positions of 65, 89, and 186 with alanine or serine. The parent and mutant enzymes were purified to apparent homogeneity with a recovery of approximately 30% by chromatography with Sephadex G-50 and S-Sepharose, by which all the enzymes showed identical elution profiles. The purified enzymes, irrespective of the mutation, showed almost the same circular dichroism spectral characteristics as displayed by a highly ordered beta-structure. The recombinant enzymes containing Cys65 showed the activity comparable with that of the enzyme purified from rat brain (approximately 3 mumol/min/mg of protein) in the presence, but not in the absence, of sulfhydryl compounds. However, all of the single, double, and triple mutants without Cys65 lost the enzyme activity. The purified delta 1-29 Ala89,186 enzyme was inactivated reversibly by conjugation with glutathione at Cys65 and irreversibly by the stoichiometric chemical modification with N-ethylmaleimide. These results indicate that Cys65 is an essential thiol of the enzyme and that both the intrinsic and extrinsic sulfhydryl groups are necessary for nonoxidative rearrangement of 9,11-endoperoxide of prostaglandin H2 to produce prostaglandin D2 catalyzed by the enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Self-leveling mortar as a possible cause of symptoms associated with "sick building syndrome".

In newly constructed houses and buildings in which self-leveling mortar containing casein has been used, residents and office employees have noted a bad odor and have complained of headache, eye and throat irritation, and tiredness. These problems were suspected to result from the degradation products emitted from the mortar. Samples obtained from dry mortar powder and from mortar in buildings where casein was used and from control buildings were found to contain microorganisms (mean of 10(2) culture forming units/g). Environmental species were predominantly found, e.g., Bacillus, Clostridium, Micrococcus, and Propionibacterium. Fungi were found occasionally; no evidence of bacterial degradation was found. Headspace and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of air from the newly constructed houses and from hydroxide-degraded casein revealed the presence of amines in the 0.003-0.013 ppm range and the presence of ammonia and sulfhydryl compounds, all of which in low concentrations can cause the symptoms observed. These substances, however, were not detected in control buildings.

Air Microbiology↗

Effect of chronic near-ultraviolet radiation on the gray squirrel lens in vivo.

The effects of ambient exposure to near-ultraviolet (near-UV) radiation (300-400 nm) on the ocular lens of the diurnal squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) are reported. Gray squirrels lived in cages illuminated for 12 hr a day with near-UV light (6 mW/cm2, 365 nm) for 1 yr. The non-UV-exposed controls were housed separately. In the lenses of UV-exposed animals, anterior pole changes occurred. Central epithelial cells swelled, disappeared, or underwent proliferation. A band of disoriented degenerating fiber cells was seen in the midcortex, with a degree of liquefaction. When lens protein compartments were separated by centrifugation, water-insoluble but urea-soluble fractions were enhanced in the outer and inner cortex and the nucleus. Both high-performance liquid chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that proteins mainly in the midcortex and nucleus were altered considerably. Evidence of a loss of sulfhydryl compounds (by chemical and Raman spectroscopic analyses) and an increase of protein-thiol mixed disulfides (chemically) was also observed. These data prove that repetitive ambient exposure of diurnal animals to near-UV radiation at subsolar levels damages the lens by interfering with the maintenance of epithelial cells and altering the structural proteins; some of this may be due to the conversion of sulfhydryls to mixed disulfides.

Animals↗

Studies on the antisecretory, gastric anti-ulcer and cytoprotective properties of glycine.

Glycine, a neutral amino acid has been studied for its ability to inhibit gastric secretion and to protect the gastric mucosa against chemically and stress-induced ulcers. Acid secretion studies were undertaken in pylorus-ligated rats with and without glycine treatment. Experimental gastric lesions were induced by hypothermic-restraint stress, indomethacin and necrotizing agents including 80% ethanol, 0.2 M sodium hydroxide and 0.6 M hydrochloric acid in rats. The level of nonprotein sulfhydryl compounds and gastric wall mucus were also measured in the glandular stomach of the rats following ethanol-induced gastric lesions. The results of this study demonstrate that glycine dose dependently reduced the gastric secretions in rats. Pretreatment with glycine significantly protected animals against stress-, indomethacin- and necrotizing agents induced gastric lesions. The antiulcer activity of glycine was associated with significant inhibition of ethanol-induced depletion of nonprotein sulfhydryls and gastric wall mucus. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that glycine possesses significant antiulcer and cytoprotective activity. However, further detailed studies are warranted to establish the mechanism(s) of action, and to determine its role in the prophylaxis and treatment of gastric ulcer disease.

Animals↗

Effects of various compounds on lipid peroxidation mediated by detergent-solubilized rat liver NADPH-cytochrome C reductase.

A reconstituted lipid peroxidation system containing NADPH-cytochrome c reductase isolated from detergent-solubilized rat liver microsomes was used to determine the effects of several compounds, including drugs, on the lipid peroxidation activity. EDTA and ferrous ion were essential requirements for reconstitution of the activity. The addition of 1,10-phenanthroline to the system containing both EDTA and ferrous ion further enhanced the activity. Pyrocatecol, thymol, p-aminophenol, imipramine, p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) and alpha-tocopherol exhibited strong inhibition, aniline, N-monomethylaniline, aminopyrine, benzphetamine, SKF 525-A and NADP exhibited moderate inhibition, and phenol, benzoic acid, acetanilide and nicotinamide exhibited less or no inhibition at the concentrations lower than 1000 micron M. Metal ions such as Hg+, Hg2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and U6+ inhibited lipid peroxidation strongly. In addition, Cd2+, St2+ and Ca2+ exhibited less potent to moderate inhibition, and Ba2+ and Mg2+ were without effects on the activity. Among sulfhydryl compounds tested, dithiothreitol inhibited lipid peroxidation to a greater extent than did the other three compounds, glutathione, cysteine and mercaptoethanol.

Amines↗

Protective effect of reduced glutathione against cisplatin-induced renal and systemic toxicity and its influence on the therapeutic activity of the antitumor drug.

Reduced glutathione has been shown to be an effective protector against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity of potential clinical value, since it does not reduce antitumor activity of the cytotoxic drug. This paper extends previous observations on the protective potential of reduced glutathione against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, in different rodent models. Following i.v. administration, glutathione protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity was found to be critically dependent on timing of thiol administration. Whereas the sulfhydryl compound provided almost complete protection in CD rats, the protective effect against toxic renal damage was only partial in mice of different strains. In spite of the modest protection against kidney toxicity, glutathione reduced lethal toxicity in the mouse. Under the same experimental conditions at protective dose levels, the tripeptide thiol did not interfere with the antitumor effectiveness of cisplatin, in any of the tumor models examined. The kidney content of non-protein sulfhydryls of CD rats produced by the effective dose of glutathione was markedly higher than that found in the mouse treated with the same dose. This finding is consistent with a differential protection provided by glutathione against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity in these species.

Animals↗

Effect of herbimycin A, an antagonist of tyrosine kinase, on bcr/abl oncoprotein-associated cell proliferations: abrogative effect on the transformation of murine hematopoietic cells by transfection of a retroviral vector expressing oncoprotein P210bcr/abl and preferential inhibition on Ph1-positive leukemia cell growth.

Herbimycin A, a benzoquinoid ansamycin antibiotic, was demonstrated to decrease intracellular phosphorylation by protein tyrosine kinase (PTK). In Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive leukemias such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Ph1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), both of which express bcr-abl fused gene products (P210bcr-abl or P190bcr-abl protein kinase) with augmented tyrosine kinase activities, herbimycin A markedly inhibited the in vitro growth of the Ph1-positive ALL cells and the leukemic cells derived from CML blast crisis. However, the same dose of herbimycin A did not inhibit in vitro growth of a broad spectrum of Ph1-negative human leukemia cells, and several other protein kinase antagonists also displayed no preferential inhibition. Furthermore, we demonstrated that herbimycin A has an antagonizing effect on the growth of transformed cells by a transfection of retroviral amphotrophic vector expressing P210bcr/abl into a murine interleukin (IL)-3-dependent myeloid FDC-P2 cell line. This inhibition was abrogated by the addition of sulfhydryl compounds, similar to the reaction previously described for Rous sarcoma virus transformation. The inhibitory effect of herbimycin A on the growth of Ph1-positive cells was associated with decreased bcr/abl tyrosine kinase activity, but no decrease of bcr-abl mRNA and protein, suggesting that the inactivation of bcr-abl tyrosine kinase activity by herbimycin A may be induced by its binding to the bcr-abl protein portion that is rich with sulfhydryl groups. The present study indicates that herbimycin A is a beneficial agent for the investigation of the role of the bcr-abl gene in Ph1-positive leukemias and further suggests that the development of agents inhibiting the bcr-abl gene product may offer a new therapeutic potential for Ph1-positive leukemias.

Benzoquinones↗