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Main drug-metabolizing enzyme systems in human non-Hodgkin's lymphomas sensitive or resistant to chemotherapy.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) are one of the most chemosensitive human malignancies. Complete response (CR) is often achieved, but many patients relapse and a second CR is difficult to obtain because of the development of chemoresistance. In an attempt to better understand the biology and the chemosensitivity of these lymphoid tumors, we assessed the main drug-metabolizing enzyme systems in normal lymphocytes, chemosensitive NHL and chemoresistant NHL. Cytochromes P-450 (1A1/A2, 2B1/B2, 2C8-10, 2E1, 3A4), epoxide hydrolase and glutathione S-transferases (GST-alpha, -mu, -pi) were assayed by immunoblotting. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase, sulfotransferase, sulfatase, GST activity, and glutathione (GSH) content, were determined by spectral assays. Results showed the absence of all probed cytochromes P-450 in normal lymphocytes and NHL cells tested. GST activity was significantly lower in chemoresistant NHL compared to normal lymphocytes. GST-alpha was not detected in either normal lymphocytes or NHL cells. GST-pi was the predominant isoenzyme, and GST-mu was not detected in chemosensitive NHL. GSH content was significantly lower in chemoresistant NHL compared to other lymphoid tissues tested. The conjugating enzymes UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and sulfatase were similar in either chemoresistant NHL compared to chemosensitive NHL. The activity of the hydrolytic enzyme beta-glucuronidase was lower in chemoresistant compared to chemosensitive NHL, whereas sulfatase was higher in sensitive NHL compared to normal lymphocytes. Epoxide hydrolase was not detected in either normal or NHL cells tested. In conclusion, these studies did not show any cytochrome P-450 in human lymphoid cells tested, but pointed out noteworthy differences for other enzyme systems tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Urinary pharmacokinetics of the glucuronide and sulfate conjugates of genistein and daidzein.

Consumption of soybean-rich diets is thought to provide significant health benefits such as prevention of cancer, primarily because of the high contents of factors such as the isoflavones genistein and daidzein. Isoflavones circulate and are excreted into the urine mainly as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates. This study was conducted to determine the urinary pharmacokinetics of sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of genistein and daidzein. Twelve volunteers consumed a soy beverage providing 1 and 0.6 mg/kg body weight of genistein and daidzein equivalents, respectively. Urine was collected at various times during the 48 h after soy consumption and was digested with either glucuronidase or sulfatase, and the liberated aglycones were extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Urinary isoflavone sulfate levels were determined by two methods: (a) assessment of aglycone after sulfatase hydrolysis (measured); or (b) calculated by subtracting the aglycone + glucuronide levels from the total urinary isoflavone levels. The apparent terminal half-life for daidzein sulfate (3.9+/-0.5 h) that was determined from sulfatase-treated urine was 32% shorter (P < or = 0.02) than that of the calculated daidzein sulfate (5.7+/-0.08 h). A similar trend was obtained for genistein sulfate (4.5+/-0.7 versus 6.8+/-0.1 h). The apparent terminal half-lives for genistein and daidzein glucuronides were 6.0+/-0.4 and 3.8+/-0.4 h, respectively. These data suggest that the measured urinary isoflavone sulfate values provide a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics than the calculated values. Additional studies are needed to determine whether the apparent terminal half-lives can be attributed to elimination or absorption processes.

Administration, Oral↗

Comparison of mouse and human colon tumors with regard to phase I and phase II drug-metabolizing enzyme systems.

Since human colorectal tumors are insensitive to most chemotherapeutic agents, there is a need for the discovery of new drugs that would show activity against this disease. In an attempt to better appreciate the relevance of a widely used mouse colon tumor (colon adenocarcinoma Co38) as a screening model for human colorectal tumors, we compared the main phase I and phase II drug-metabolizing enzyme systems in both tumoral and nontumoral colon tissues. The following enzymes were assayed by Western blot: cytochromes P-450 (1A1/A2, 2B1/B2, 2C, 2E1, and 3A), epoxide hydrolase, and glutathione-S-transferases (GST-alpha, -mu, and -pi). The activities of the following enzymes or cofactors were determined by spectrophotometric or fluorometric assays: total cytochrome P-450, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-GST, selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase, 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene-GST, ethacrynic acid-GST, total glutathione, epoxide hydrolase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase, sulfotransferase, and sulfatase. Results obtained by Western blot showed that mouse colon adenocarcinoma Co38 did not express any of the probed cytochromes P-450, whereas human colorectal tumors expressed only low levels of cytochrome P-450 3A. GST-alpha and GST-pi were detected in all tumoral and nontumoral tissues of both species. The neutral GST-mu was expressed in all murine tissues investigated and was found to be polymorphic in human tissues. For human peritumoral and tumoral colorectal tissues there was no significant difference between GST isoenzyme levels, whereas mouse colon adenocarcinoma Co38 had a lower expression of GST-mu and GST-pi, compared to normal mouse colon. Enzymatic activities for glutathione peroxidase, 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene-GST, and ethacrynic acid-GST confirmed the Western blot results for GST-alpha, GST-mu, and GST-pi, respectively. Total GSH levels were similar between murine and human tumors but were 3-fold higher in human tumors than in peritumoral tissues, whereas they were 7-fold lower in mouse colon tumor Co38, compared to normal mouse colon. Epoxide hydrolase was not expressed in either mouse colon adenocarcinoma Co38 or normal mouse colon tissues, whereas it was expressed in human colon peritumoral and tumoral tissues at similar levels. No significant difference was observed between human tumors and peritumoral tissues for UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase, sulfotransferase, and sulfatase. For murine colon tissues, the conjugation pathways (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and sulfotransferase) were lower in colon adenocarcinoma Co38, whereas the converse was observed for the corresponding hydrolytic enzymes (beta-glucuronidase and sulfatase).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenocarcinoma↗

A new domain family in the superfamily of alkaline phosphatases.

During the course of our large-scale genome analysis a conserved domain, currently detectable only in the genomes of Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Anopheles gambiae, has been identified. The function of this domain is currently unknown and no function annotation is provided for this domain in the publicly available genomic, protein family and sequence databases. The search for the homologues of this domain in the non-redundant sequence database using PSI-BLAST, resulted in identification of distant relationship between this family and the alkaline phosphatase-like superfamily, which includes families of aryl sulfatase, N-acetylgalactosomine-4-sulfatase, alkaline phosphatase and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (iPGM). The fold recognition procedures showed that this new domain could adopt a similar 3-D fold as for this superfamily. Most of the phosphatases and sulfatases of this superfamily are characterized by functional residues Ser and Cys respectively in the topologically equivalent positions. This functionally important site aligns with Ser/Thr in the members of the new family. Additionally, set of residues responsible for a metal binding site in phosphatases and sulphtases are conserved in the new family. The in-depth analysis suggests that the new family could possess phosphatase activity.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Synthesis of chondroitin sulfate D and heparin proteoglycans in murine lymph node-derived mast cells. The dependence on fibroblasts.

Proteoglycans synthesized in cultured mast cells derived from horse serum-immunized lymph node cells were analyzed. Treatment of the 35S-proteoglycans extracted from these cells with either chondroitinase ABC or AC resulted in 95% +/- 7% and 84% +/- 7%, respectively (mean +/- S.E., n = 3), of the radioactivity associated with disaccharides eluting in the included volume of PD-10. The 35S-proteoglycans were not hydrolyzed by nitrous acid elimination treatment. The chondroitinase ABC-generated disaccharides were analyzed by aminocyano high performance liquid chromatography. 35S-Disaccharides eluted in a major peak at a retention time of 8.1 min, corresponding to the disaccharide of chondroitin 4-sulfate proteoglycan (delta Di-4S), and a second peak at 12 min, corresponding to the disaccharide of chondroitin sulfate D proteoglycan (delta Di-diSD). Further treatment with chondro-4-sulfatase did not affect the retention time of the disaccharide corresponding to delta Di-diSD whereas this peak disappeared after the digested proteoglycan was treated either by chondro-6-sulfatase or by both sulfatases. Therefore, this disaccharide was identified as chondroitin sulfate D. Quantification of the radiolabeled disaccharides showed that delta Di-diSD contributed 20% +/- 2% (n = 3) of the total sulfated disaccharides of the chondroitin sulfate of these cultured cells. The role of fibroblasts in inducing the shift of chondroitin sulfate D into heparin proteoglycan in these mast cells was also investigated by using three types of monolayers: mouse embryonic skin fibroblasts (MESF), rat embryonic skin fibroblasts (RESF), and 3T3 fibroblasts. 35S-Proteoglycans that were extracted from the lymph node-derived mast cells cultured for 30 days on MESF and on 3T3 fibroblast monolayers were 93% +/- 4% and 30% +/- 7% (n = 3) susceptible to nitrous acid elimination, respectively. No degradation by nitrous acid was observed in 35S-proteoglycans extracted from cells cultured on RESF monolayer. Since the MESF was found to be the most potent monolayer in the induction of heparin synthesis, the kinetics of changes in the synthesis of proteoglycan types were determined in lymph node-derived mast cells cultured on MESF for up to 30 days. It was found that the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate gradually declined whereas that of heparin starting between 4 and 7 days after plating gradually increased. From the 17th day on, only the synthesis of heparin was detected.

Animals↗

Lysosomal enzyme activities in muscle following starvation and refeeding in the saithe Pollachius virens L.

Saithe (Pollachius virens L.) were starved for 66 days at 10 degrees C and activities of aryl sulfatase, acid proteinase, beta-glucuronidase, RNAase and acid phosphatase measured in homogenates prepared from fast and slow myotomal muscles. In fed fish, hydrolase activities were generally higher in slow than fast muscles. With the exception of acid proteinase activity in slow muscle, the activities of all the lysosomal enzymes increased by 70 to 100% during starvation. In general, there was a proportionally larger increase in the hydrolase activities in fast than in slow muscle. In a second experiment, fish were starved for 74 days, and refed for up to 52 days. The increases in aryl sulfatase and acid proteinase activity produced in fast muscle with starvation were found to be rapidly reversed by refeeding. Lysosomal enzyme activities in fish sampled after 10 days refeeding were not significantly different from fed controls. Membrane fractions enriched in aryl sulfatase activity were prepared from the fast muscle of 66-day starved fish. These were capable of degrading both myosin heavy chains and actin to lower molecular weight peptides at acid (pH 5.0), but not at neutral pH. The results suggest a role for lysosomal enzymes in the breakdown of myofibrillar proteins during starvation.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of metaproterenol-3-O-sulfate: a conjugate of metaproterenol in human urine.

Metaproterenol (1-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-isopropylaminoethanol) is primarily converted in humans to metaproterenol-3-O-sulfate following oral administration. Ion exchange column chromatography with a gradient of ammonium acetate buffer permitted the isolation of the ammonium salt of metaproterenol-3-O-sulfate from human urine. Treatment of aliquots of the column eluate with purified sulfatase and subsequent HPLC/fluorescence analysis confirmed the presence of metaproterenol. Comparison of the column eluate with a metaproterenol standard by 250-MHz proton-NMR revealed a pattern consistent with monosubstitution of the resorcinol ring. Negative and positive ion fast atom bombardment/mass spectrometry showed the metabolite to have a (M-H)- m/z of 290 and a (M + H)+ m/z ion of 292. These three methods support the structural assignment of metaproterenol-3-O-sulfate. Enzymatic hydrolysis of urine specimens from 29 different subjects with purified beta-glucuronidase as well as beta-glucuronidase-sulfatase mixtures yielded no significant increase in metaproterenol beyond purified sulfatase-treated urine, thus ruling out the presence of a glucuronide of metaproterenol. Approximately 40% of an oral 20-mg dose, given as either a tablet or a solution, was recovered in the urine as metaproterenol-3-O-sulfate. Approximately 5% of the dose was recovered in the unconjugated form. The majority of the dose was excreted over the first 12 hr with a biological half-life of 5-6 hr followed by a slower excretion phase with a half-life of 20 hr.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Lysosomal enzymes in the heart of the genetically diabetic mouse.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of cardiac lysosomal enzymes in the pathogenesis of the cardiomyopathy that develops in the genetically diabetic C57BL/KsJ db+/db+ mice. Db+/db+ mice and littermate controls were sacrificed as age-matched pairs between 5 and 26 weeks of age. C57BL/6J ob/ob mice and littermates served as other controls. Following anesthesia, the hearts were excised, homogenized, and the following enzymatic activities measured: N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, N-acetyl-beta-galactosaminidase, beta-glucosaminidase, aryl sulfatase, alpha-mannosidase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, total rho-nitrophenyl phosphatase, acid phosphatase. and 5'-phosphodiesterase type IV. There is a progressive decrease in cardiac lysosomal enzyme activities of db+/db+ mice for the period 5 to 21 weeks of age. All enzyme activity is depressed significantly during the 9- to 21-week interval: alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, alpha-mannosidase, beta-galactosidase, acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-beta-galactosaminidase, 5'-phosphodiesterase type IV, and total rho-nitrophenyl phosphatase are reduced approximately 10 to 20 per cent, whereas beta-glucosaminidase, aryl sulfatase, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase are decreased almost 40 to 50 per cent. In contrast, cardiac lysosomal enzymic activity in the ob/ob mice does not differ significantly from controls aside from aryl sulfatase (20 per cent decrease) and beta-glucosidase (10 per cent decrease). This decrease in lysosomal enzyme activity can explain the accumulation of large residual bodies and interstitial material that occurs in the myocardium of the db+/db+ animals as part of the cardiomyopathy.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Main drug-metabolizing enzyme systems in human breast tumors and peritumoral tissues.

In an attempt to better understand breast tumors sensitivity or resistance to anticancer drugs, the main drug-metabolizing enzyme systems were evaluated in both breast tumors and their corresponding peritumoral tissues in 12 patients. The following enzymes were assayed by Western blot: cytochromes P-450 (1A1/A2, 2B1/B2, 2C8-10, 2E1, 3A4); glutathione S-transferases (GST-alpha, -mu, and -pi); and epoxide hydrolase. The activity of the following enzymes or cofactor were determined by spectrophotometric or fluorometric assays: GST; total glutathione; UDP-glucuronosyltransferase; beta-glucuronidase; sulfotransferase; and sulfatase. Results showed the absence of all probed cytochromes P-450 in both tumoral and peritumoral tissues. GST activity was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in tumors (mean +/- SD, 399 +/- 362 nmol/min/mg) than in corresponding peritumoral tissues (86 +/- 67). The GST isoenzymes GST-mu and GST-pi (determined by immunoblotting) were also higher in tumors than in corresponding peritumoral tissues (3- and 5-fold, respectively). Both GST-mu and GST-pi levels were significantly correlated with GST activity. GST-alpha was not detected in either tumoral or peritumoral tissues. Glutathione levels in tumors (22 +/- 23 nmol/mg protein) were not statistically different from peritumoral tissues (11 +/- 12). Epoxide hydrolase was expressed at similar levels in tumors and peritumoral tissues. The glucuronide-forming enzyme UDP-glucuronosyltransferase was 5-fold lower in tumors (0.1 +/- 0.2 nmol/h/mg) than in peritumoral tissues (0.5 +/- 1), whereas the opposite was observed for the hydrolytic enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which was 6-fold higher in tumors (736 +/- 1392 nmol/h/mg) compared to peritumoral tissues (125 +/- 75). No difference was noted between tumoral and peritumoral tissues for sulfotransferase (1 +/- 2 nmol/h/mg), but the corresponding hydrolytic enzyme (sulfatase) was 2-fold higher in tumoral tissues (14 +/- 15 nmol/h/mg) than in peritumoral tissues (6 +/- 2). In conclusion, several differences were observed between human breast tumors and peritumoral tissues for many conjugating enzymes (GST-mu, GST-pi, and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase) and hydrolytic enzymes (sulfatase and beta-glucuronidase). These noteworthy differences between tumoral and peritumoral tissues with regard to their main drug-metabolizing enzymes could play a role in the relative drug sensitivity or insensitivity of human breast cancer tissues to chemotherapeutic agents and could be potential targets for chemotherapeutic interventions.

Adult↗

Biochemical aspects of globoid and metachromatic leukodystrophies.

Galactosylceramides and sulfogalactosylceramides are characteristic lipids of the myelin sheath. Two genetically determined leukodystrophies are caused by an inability to enzymically hydrolyze these glycolipids. Thus, a deficiency of galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase results in globoid cell leukodystrophy, whereas a reduced activity of arylsulfatase A is responsible for metachromatic leukodystrophy. Besides these disorders, deficiencies of arylsulfatases A, B, C, and other sulfatases have been shown in a distinct condition called "multiple sulfatase deficiency." All of these disorders are fatal and are characterized by marked demyelination and severe mental retardation. The cause of this demyelination is not known. However, cytotoxic galactosylsphingosine and sulfogalactosylsphingosine have been suggested as the agents responsible for this demyelination. Recent immunological studies have also shown that patients with globoid and metachromatic leukodystrophies contain a mutant galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase and arylsulfatase A, respectively. The mutant enzymes have different kinetic properties compared to the enzymes from normal subjects. However, they can cross-react with antibodies to these enzymes. Since partially purified preparations of galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase and homogeneous arylsulfatase A are now available, the possibility of enzyme replacement therapy in globoid and metachromatic leukodystrophies is discussed.

Animals↗

Microheterogeneity of arylsulfatase A from human tissues.

Human arylsulfatase A (cerebroside-3-sulfate 3-sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.8) exhibited microheterogeneity on isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels. Pure urinary enzyme gave 3 bands of activity with pI values of 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9, whereas purified liver enzyme yielded six equally spaced bands from pI 4.4 to 4.9. Detection of enzyme in the gel was made by either methylumbelliferyl sulfate or nitrocatechol sulfate. Crude enzyme preparations from human liver, kindey, placenta, brain and testis showed the six-banded pattern with varying amounts of activity in the different bands. The banding pattern of cultured human fibroblast extracts was distinctive: in addition to activity in the area of Bands 1-6 a sharp band at pI 5.1 was observed with both enzyme stains. This latter band was also present in metachromatic leukodystrophy fibroblast extracts. However, in this case the band did not appear when the specific aryl-sulfatase A stain was used. Enzyme Bands 1, 2 and 3 from urine were isolated by extraction of the gel. The three bands refocused in their initial positions; showed nearly identical enzymatic activities toward methylumbelliferyl sulfate, mitrocatechol sulfate, cerebroside sulfate and ascorbic acid 2-sulfate; and demonstrated equivalent immunological competence by antibody titration. The banding pattern of urinary arylsulfatase A was unchanged with neuraminidase treatment, whereas Bands 4-6 of the liver enzyme were converted to Bands 1-3 by this treatment. It appears that Bands 4-6 are due to sialylation of aryl-sulfatase A but that Bands 1-3 are probably due to some other type of post-ribosomal protein modification.

Brain↗

Biochemical characterization of arylsulfatase-C isozymes in human fibroblasts.

Arylsulfatase-C and sterol sulfatase were thought to be identical enzymes whose X-linked locus escapes inactivation. However, recent evidence shows that they are not identical but that arylsulfatase-C in human fibroblasts exists in two isozymic forms, designated as slow and fast. We now report that the two forms are enzymatically different. When assayed with an artificial fluorogenic substrate, the slow form showed a pH optimum of 8.00 and a Km of 228 microM. In contrast, the fast form showed a pH optimum of 7.67 and a Km of 86.7 microM with substrate inhibition occurring above 0.33 mM. The heat stability of the fast form was slightly below that of the slow form. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the slow form did not cross-react with the fast form. Hence, the two isozymic forms of arylsulfatase-C are enzymatically and structurally different and the slow form is associated with sterol sulfatase activity.

Arylsulfatases↗

Prenatal diagnosis of X-linked ichthyosis.

Prenatal diagnosis of X-linked ichthyosis in a case of steroid sulfatase deficiency was made at 16 weeks by the demonstration of (1) high levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in amniotic fluid; (2) gross deficiency of steroid sulfatase activity in cultured amniotic fluid cells; (3) very low estriol concentrations in maternal blood and urine; (4) increased maternal plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; and (5) a characteristic maternal urinary steroid profile with greatly increased levels of 16 alpha-hydroxydehydroepiandrosterone. The latter method is particularly useful since it requires no invasive procedures for the patient and is very specific.

Adult↗

Enzyme replacement therapy in Mucopolysaccharidosis VI: evidence for immune responses and altered efficacy of treatment in animal models.

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) can potentially result in an immunological response to the introduced protein. The immunological response by Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI (MPS VI) cats to recombinant human N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (rh4S) ERT has been investigated. Plasma antibody titres to rh4S were detected in untreated MPS VI and normal control cats, but the antibody titres to rh4S were higher in ERT treated MPS VI cats. The reactivity by cats to rh4S did not appear to be just due to species cross reactivity, as plasma antibodies from normal control, MPS VI and MPS VI ERT cats reacted equally with feline and human 4-sulfatase. Normal control and MPS VI human plasma also had antibody titres to rh4S. Plasma antibodies to rh4S, from an ERT treated cat, could be temporarily removed from circulation by enzyme infusion, confirming specificity for rh4S and indicating a possible window for ERT in the absence of antibody. In enzyme distribution studies with 3H-rh4S, evidence of altered targeting, and enzyme inactivation and degradation were observed in high compared to low titre rats. In high titre rats, the observed loss of 3H-label from vacuolar organelles of the liver may represent either degradation of antibody bound 3H-rh4S for reutilisation within the liver, or antigen presentation. The development of high titre antibody may have a detrimental effect on the efficacy of ERT.

Animals↗

Stratum corneum lipids in disorders of cornification: increased cholesterol sulfate content of stratum corneum in recessive x-linked ichthyosis.

Activity of the microsomal enzyme, steroid sulfatase, is absent in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and leukocytes of patients with recessive x-linked ichthyosis. This study was undertaken to determine if cholesterol sulfate, a substrate of this enzyme, accumulates in the pathological scale of these patients. Scales from 8 patients with recessive x-linked ichthyosis, 10 patients with other forms of ichthyosis, and normal human outer stratum corneum were extracted with chloroform/water (1:2:0.8 by vol) and lipids were fractionated by quantitative, sequential thin-layer chromatography. Cholesterol sulfate was identified by cochromatography in several solvent systems, by its staining characteristics, by biochemical analysis, and by mass spectrometry. The mean cholesterol sulfate content of recessive x-linked ichthyotic scale was 12.5 +/- 0.8% of the total lipid, a fivefold increase over normal (P less than 0.0025), whereas the cholesterol sulfate content of other ichthyotic scale was normal. This increase in cholesterol sulfate content was accompanied by a decrease in total neutral lipids (P less than 0.0025) and free sterols (P less than 0.025) but no change in sterol esters or total sterols. These results demonstrate that deficiency of steroid sulfatase in recessive x-linked ichthyosis results in excessive accumulation of a substrate, cholesterol sulfate, in the pathologic scale, which may underly the pathogenesis of the scaling in this disorder. Measurement of cholesterol sulfate content in scale provides an alternative method to enzymatic assay for the diagnosis of this form of ichthyosis.

Adolescent↗

Thyroid lysosomal enzyme activity and ultrastructure after subtotal thyroidectomy.

Subtotal thyroidectomies were performed in rats to increase the level of endogenous TSH, creating a condition of chronic TSH stimulation. The activities of various classes of lysosomal enzymes (cathepsin D, beta-glucuronidase, and aryl sulfatase A) were studied in thyroid tissue remaining in situ at various time intervals after subtotal thyroidectomy (sub-tx). These alterations were correlated with morphometric and ultrastructural changes in tissue lysosomes and with serum T4 and TSH. Specific activities of all three lysosomal enzymes were elevated in the residual tissue as compared with those in control tissue during 7 weeks after sub-tx in the first experiment. In the second experiment, the activities of all three enzymes were elevated both 3 and 6 weeks after sub-tx, and the activities of cathepsin D and aryl sulfatase A in the postnuclear homogenate (S2) were significantly elevated. Plasma TSH was elevated and T4 was decreased both 3 and 6 weeks after sub-tx. The results of the third experiment determined that there were significant alterations in nuclear cytoplasmic ratios as well as in the number, area, and volume density of lysosomes in both groups compared with respective control values. In addition, both lysosomal area and volume density in animals 6 weeks after sub-tx were significantly larger than those in animals 3 weeks after sub-tx. We conclude that chronic stimulation of residual thyroid tissue 6 weeks after sub-tx causes alterations in lysosomal ultrastructure as well as in lysosomal enzyme activity.

Animals↗

Detection of hunter heterozygotes by enzymatic analysis of hair roots.

We have developed a procedure for testing iduronate sulfatase, the enzyme deficient in Hunter syndrome, in single hair roots. Beta-Hexosaminidase was used as the reference enzyme. The ratio of iduronate sulfatase to beta--hexosaminidase, expressed in arbitrary units of activity, is near zero for Hunter patients and greater than 0.6 in almost all roots of normal individuals. Hair roots of Hunter heterozygotes show a characteristic continuum of activity ratios, ranging from totally deficient up to and including the normal range. The results are consistent with the origin of hair roots from a small number of progenitor cells which obey the Lyon hypothesis. The proportion of roots with low activity can be used to discriminate between normal and heterozygous individuals.

Adolescent↗

X-linked recessive ichthyosis. Enzymatic diagnosis of affected males and female carriers.

Steroid sulfatase deficiency (SSD) is a sex-linked disorder characterized clinically by generalized X-linked ichthyosis. We report a study of 10 families where the clinical diagnosis of this disorder was confirmed by measuring arylsulfatase C and steroid sulfatase (STS) in cultured skin fibroblasts and/or leukocytes of patients and heterozygotes. The optimal conditions for these enzymatic determinations were determined. Our data indicate that STS measurement is a reliable test for SSD diagnosis, either in fibroblasts or in leukocytes. For the detection of heterozygotes, several enzymatic determinations in different cell types are required.

Arylsulfatases↗