Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Pyruvates”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,603 records · Page 89Linked to original sources

Selection of carcinogen-altered rat tracheal epithelial cells preexposed to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene by their loss of a need for pyruvate to survive in culture.

Normal rat tracheal epithelial cells require exogenous pyruvate to survive in culture while carcinogen-altered cells do not. The aims of our study were, (i) to utilize this loss of requirement for pyruvate by carcinogen-altered cells as a way of selecting out and quantitating the numbers of altered cell populations induced in tracheas exposed to 200 micrograms 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]-anthracene (DMBA)-beeswax pellets for different lengths of time, (ii) to determine the constancy of these numbers at increasing time intervals after the exposure, (iii) to look for distinctive growth properties in cell populations that may be related to the exposure conditions. Tracheal implants were exposed for 2 weeks, 4 weeks or continuously to the 200 micrograms DMBA. At 2, 6 and 9 months after the start of exposure, the tracheas were cut into pieces and primary cultures established from outgrowths in an enriched Waymouth's medium. After 2 weeks, pyruvate and insulin were removed from the medium for 2 weeks to kill the normal cells and leave the altered, i.e., the selected cell populations (SPC). The pyruvate and insulin were then returned to the medium to stimulate rapid expansion of the SPC. The length of DMBA exposure had a marked effect on the number of SPC induced in the tracheas. There were 1.8 SPC/trachea 2 months after the 2 weeks exposure, while 5.0 and 7.2 SPC were obtained from the 4 weeks and continuously exposed tracheas, respectively, at this time. The numbers of SPC did not increase with time after exposure indicating that the maximal number of initiation sites was fixed. Between 2 and 9 months the number of subculturable SPC increased from 67 to 88% in the 2 week exposed group, while 93-100% of the SPC were subculturable after the longer DMBA exposures. Only the SPC from the 2 week DMBA--2 month group were distinguished by smaller numbers of cells surviving the selection medium and by a slower average growth rate compared to all the other experimental conditions.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Gene regulation and genetic defects in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

The mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is subject to both short-term (product inhibition and covalent modification) and long-term (increases in total activity and protein mass) regulation mediated by dietary and hormonal treatments. Recent advances in the isolation and characterization of the complementary DNAs as well as genes encoding several components of mammalian PDC have facilitated studies concerning long-term regulation of PDC. Analyses of the promoter-regulatory regions of the two human PDC genes show characteristics of both facultative and housekeeping gene promoters, indicating complex transcriptional regulation. Deficiency of PDC activity causes a wide range of neurological disabilities. A spectrum of genetic defects in PDC components has been reported; however, the most frequent defects are associated with the pyruvate dehydrogenase component. Heterogeneity in pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency has been shown to occur at both protein and messenger RNA levels, and several mutations in pyruvate dehydrogenase have been identified. Dietary treatments such as ketogenic diets and vitamin supplements as well as dichloroacetate treatment have been utilized to treat PDC deficiency, but their efficacy requires further evaluation.

Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic↗

Ethyl pyruvate provides durable protection against inflammation-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction.

Ethyl pyruvate (EP) has been shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory agent. Herein, we sought to test the following hypotheses: 1) the pharmacological effects of EP persist after cells have been exposed to the compound in vitro, even if the cultures are washed to minimize the amount of EP that is retained in the media; 2) the pharmacological effects of EP persist in vivo, even after waiting a prolonged period (i.e., 6 h) after the last dose of the compound; and 3) the in vivo pharmacological effects of EP are distinct from those of the closely related compound, sodium pyruvate. Incubation of Caco-2 human enterocyte-like monolayers with cytomix, a mixture of interleukin-1beta, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor, increased permeability to the fluorescent macromolecule, FITC-labeled Dextran (mol wt 4,000 Da). Co-incubation of the cells with 5 mM EP ameliorated cytomix-induced hyperpermeability and induction of iNOS mRNA expression. EP was associated with similar pharmacological effects when cells were pre-incubated with the compound for 24 h prior and then washed extensively prior to adding the cytokine cocktail. Injecting C57Bl/6 mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in gut barrier dysfunction and hepatocellular injury. Although equivalent doses of both EP and sodium pyruvate ameliorated these phenomena, EP was more efficacious than pyruvate. Pretreatment with EP ameliorated the deleterious effects of LPS, even when the duration between the last dose of EP and the endotoxic challenge was 6 h. We conclude that EP provides durable protection against some of the deleterious effects of LPS or pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Animals↗

Mutants of Escherichia coli K12 with defects in anaerobic pyruvate metabolism.

A strain of Escherichia coli with a mutation in the ana gene was shown to lack acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The requirement of this strain for an external oxidant to grow anaerobically on glucose shows that the reduction of acetyl-CoA is the principal means of reoxidation of NADH produced during glycolysis in E. coli. Further mutants derived from the ana strain were shown to be affected in the enzymes involved in the fermentation of pyruvate (pyruvate formate-lyase, phosphotransacetylase, acetate kinase). A gene controlling acetate kinase (ackB) activity has been located at 39 min on the chromosomal map. Evidence is presented that anaerobic nitrite reduction with pyruvate involves at least the dehydrogenase subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

Acetates↗

Pyruvate oxidase contributes to the aerobic growth efficiency of Escherichia coli.

The metabolic importance of pyruvate oxidase (PoxB), which converts pyruvate directly to acetate and CO(2), was assessed using an isogenic set of genetically engineered strains of Escherichia coli. In a strain lacking the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), PoxB supported acetate-independent aerobic growth when the poxB gene was expressed constitutively or from the IPTG-inducible tac promoter. Using aerobic glucose-limited chemostat cultures of PDH-null strains, it was found that steady-states could be maintained at a low dilution rate (0.05 h(-1)) when PoxB is expressed from its natural promoter, but not at higher dilution rates (up to at least 0.25 h(-1)) unless expressed constitutively or from the tac promoter. The poor complementation of PDH-deficient strains by poxB plasmids was attributed to several factors including the stationary-phase-dependent regulation of the natural poxB promoter and deleterious effects of the multicopy plasmids. As a consequence of replacing the PDH complex by PoxB, the growth rate (mu(max)), growth yield (Y(max)) and the carbon conversion efficiency (flux to biomass) were lowered by 33%, 9-25% and 29-39% (respectively), indicating that more carbon has to be oxidized to CO(2) for energy generation. Extra energy is needed to convert PoxB-derived acetate to acetyl-CoA for further metabolism and enzyme analysis indicated that acetyl-CoA synthetase is induced for this purpose. In similar experiments with a PoxB-null strain it was shown that PoxB normally makes a significant contribution to the aerobic growth efficiency of E. coli. In glucose minimal medium, the respective growth rates (mu(max)), growth yields (Y(max)) and carbon conversion efficiencies were 16%, 14% and 24% lower than the parental values, and correspondingly more carbon was fluxed to CO(2) for energy generation. It was concluded that PoxB is used preferentially at low growth rates and that E. coli benefits from being able to convert pyruvate to acetyl-CoA by a seemingly wasteful route via acetate.

Aerobiosis↗

Metabolism of pyruvate and glucose by intact cells of Helicobacter pylori studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy.

The metabolic routes of substrate catabolism by intact cells of H. pylori have been investigated by 13C NMR. Real time analyses of metabolic transformations under anaerobic conditions have been obtained with dense cell suspensions incubated with 13C-labelled pyruvate and glucose. In addition, time point studies have been carried out with cells incubated under aerobic conditions. Anaerobically, pyruvate was rapidly metabolized to lactate, ethanol and acetate. In addition, alanine was produced in significant quantities by cells provided with a nitrogen source and the metabolic incorporation of nitrogen from urea was demonstrated. Under aerobic conditions acetate was the major oxidation product from pyruvate; no evidence was obtained for tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. Glucose was metabolized more slowly than pyruvate. Anaerobically, two major products were observed and identified as sorbitol and gluconate by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Evidence was obtained for the oxidation of glucose to acetate under aerobic conditions. The fate of the 13C label with glucose substrates labelled in different positions showed that this oxidation takes place via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway.

Aerobiosis↗

IAR4, a gene required for auxin conjugate sensitivity in Arabidopsis, encodes a pyruvate dehydrogenase E1alpha homolog.

The formation and hydrolysis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) conjugates represent a potentially important means for plants to regulate IAA levels and thereby auxin responses. The identification and characterization of mutants defective in these processes is advancing the understanding of auxin regulation and response. Here we report the isolation and characterization of the Arabidopsis iar4 mutant, which has reduced sensitivity to several IAA-amino acid conjugates. iar4 is less sensitive to a synthetic auxin and low concentrations of an ethylene precursor but responds to free IAA and other hormones tested similarly to wild type. The gene defective in iar4 encodes a homolog of the E1alpha-subunit of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase, which converts pyruvate to acetyl-coenzyme A. We did not detect glycolysis or Krebs-cycle-related defects in the iar4 mutant, and a T-DNA insertion in the IAR4 coding sequence conferred similar phenotypes as the originally identified missense allele. In contrast, we found that disruption of the previously described mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase E1alpha-subunit does not alter IAA-Ala responsiveness or confer any obvious phenotypes. It is possible that IAR4 acts in the conversion of indole-3-pyruvate to indole-3-acetyl-coenzyme A, which is a potential precursor of IAA and IAA conjugates.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dual effects of phenylalanine analogs on rabbit-muscle pyruvate kinase activity.

Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase activity has been studied in the presence of L-phenylalanine and its analogs: L-phenylalanyl methyl ester (PheOMe), L-1-amino-2-phenylethyl phosphonic acid (PnPhe), L-alanine and L-1-aminoethyl phosphonic acid (PnAla). At appropriate pH and substrate concentrations all the analogs and Phe exhibited activatory and inhibitory effects at low (1--5 mM) and at high (above 5mM) ligand concentrations respectively. Activation of pyruvate kinase by Phe and PheOMe was observed at pH above 8.2 in the presence of 2.5 mM ADP and 0.5 mM phosphoenolpyruvate (P-pyruvate), while PnPhe activation was also observed at pH 7.5. The activatory effect followed the order: PnPhe much greater than Phe greater than PheOMe. All the effectors showed a mixed type of inhibition or activation with P-pyruvate as a variable substrate and a non-competitive inhibition or activation with ADP as a variable substrate.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Cloning and sequence analysis of the genes encoding the alpha and beta subunits of the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus.

A 4175-bp EcoRI fragment of DNA that encodes the alpha and beta chains of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoamide) component (E1) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus has been cloned in Escherichia coli. Its nucleotide sequence was determined. Open reading frames (pdhA, pdhB) corresponding to the E1 alpha subunit (368 amino acids, Mr 41,312, without the initiating methionine residue) and E1 beta subunit (324 amino acids, Mr 35,306, without the initiating methionine residue) were identified and confirmed with the aid of amino acid sequences determined directly from the purified polypeptide chains. The E1 beta gene begins just 3 bp downstream from the E1 alpha stop codon. It is followed, after a longer gap of 73 bp, by the start of another but incomplete open reading frame that, on the basis of its known amino acid sequence, encodes the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2) component of the complex. All three genes are preceded by potential ribosome-binding sites and the gene cluster is located immediately downstream from a region of DNA showing numerous possible promoter sequences. The E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the B. stearothermophilus pyruvate dehydrogenase complex exhibit substantial sequence similarity with the E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of pyruvate and branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complexes from mammalian mitochondria and Pseudomonas putida. In particular, the E1 alpha chain contains the highly conserved sequence motif that has been found in all enzymes utilizing thiamin diphosphate as cofactor.

Acetyltransferases↗

Lactate and pyruvate levels in the testicular vein of subfertile males with varicocele as a test for the theory of underlying hypoxia.

To test for the theory of testicular hypoxia in subfertile males with varicocele, the testicular mean blood level of lactate and pyruvate was compared with that of a control group. Statistical analysis of data showed a lower mean of lactate and of pyruvate in the testicular vein of varicocele patients. It is concluded that in varicocele there is no accumulation of lactic acid, thus excluding testicular hypoxia. Since lactate and pyruvate mean concentrations in testicular vein were correlated, it is suggested that in cases of varicocele there is defective glycolysis preceding the stage of pyruvate formation.

Adult↗

Rate equations and kinetics of uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid by mouse cerebrum slices incubated in media containing L(+)-lactate or a mixture of succinate, L-malate, and pyruvate as the energy source.

Influx of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by mouse cerebrum slices incubated with L-lactate or a mixture of succinate, L-malate, and pyruvate (SMP) as the energy source follows the phenomenological rate equation for influx from pyruvate and glucose media: v = Vmax/(1 + Kt/S) + kuS, where v is rate and S is concentration of amino acid. There are two kinetically distinct, parallel components for concentrative uptake, one saturable, and one unsaturable. Rates are less with lactate than with pyruvate and still less with SMP (only GABA was studied), disproving the hypotheses that lower rates with pyruvate compared to glucose are due to an abnormal redox state in the tissue or to a Krebs cycle unbalanced by input at only one point. The carriers for AIB and GABA are qualitatively different. In lactate medium the capacity of each AIB carrier is unchanged but its affinity is reduced to one-third. In lactate and SMP media, the capacity of the saturable GABA carrier is diminished although its affinity is increased. Rates from these media with added glucose or a glucose analog confirm that amino acid and glucose fluxes are not coupled.

Aminoisobutyric Acids↗

Effects of ammonia and beta-methylene-DL-aspartate on the oxidation of glucose and pyruvate by neurons and astrocytes in primary culture.

Both ammonia and beta-methylene-DL-aspartate (beta-MA), an irreversible inhibitor of aspartate aminotransferase activity and thus of the malate-aspartate shuttle, were found previously to decrease oxidative metabolism in cerebral cortex slices. In the present work, the possibility that ammonia and beta-MA affect energy metabolism by a common mechanism (i.e., via inhibition of the malate-aspartate shuttle) was investigated using primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes. Incubation of astrocytes for 30 min with 5 mM beta-MA resulted in a decreased production of 14CO2 from [U-14C]glucose, but did not affect 14CO2 production from [2-14C]pyruvate. Conversely, incubation of astrocytes with 3 mM ammonium chloride resulted in decreased 14CO2 production from [2-14C]pyruvate, but 14CO2 production from [U-14C]glucose was not significantly affected. Ammonium chloride had no significant effect on 14CO2 production from either [U-14C]glucose or [2-14]pyruvate by neurons. However, incubation of neurons with beta-MA or beta-MA plus ammonium chloride resulted in a approximately 45% decrease of 14CO2 production from both [U-14C]glucose and [2-14C]pyruvate. A 2-h incubation of astrocytes with beta-MA resulted in no change in ATP levels, but a 35% decrease in phosphocreatine. Similar treatment of neurons resulted in greater than 50% decrease in ATP, but had little effect on phosphocreatine. beta-MA also caused a decrease in glutamate and aspartate content of neurons, but not of astrocytes. The different metabolic responses of neurons and astrocytes towards beta-MA were probably not due to a differential inhibition of aspartate aminotransferase which was inhibited by approximately 45% in astrocytes and by approximately 55% in neurons.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Exceptional characteristics of heterotetrameric (alpha 2 beta 2) E1p of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Zymomonas mobilis: expression from an own promoter and a lipoyl domain in E1 beta.

In the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) of Zymomonas mobilis the beta subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1p) as well as the acetyltransferase (E2p) contain an N-terminal lipoyl domain. Both lipoyl domains were acetylated in vitro using 2-14C-pyruvate as a substrate, demonstrating that both lipoyl domains can accept acetyl groups from the E1 component. As previously shown the structural genes (pdhA alpha beta, pdhB, lpd) encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Z. mobilis are located in two distinct gene clusters, pdhA alpha beta and pdhB-orf2-lpd (U. Neveling et al. (1998) J. Bacteriol. 180, 1540-1548). Analysis of pdh gene expression using lacZ fusions revealed that the DNA fragments upstream of pdhA alpha, pdhB and lpd each have promoter activities. These pdh promoter activities were 7-30-fold higher in Z. mobilis than in Escherichia coli.

Kinetics↗

Pyruvate oxidation by Treponema pallidum.

Cell-free extracts of Treponema pallidum catalyzed the decarboxylation of pyruvate. This activity was suppressed at low O2 tensions and appeared to be coenzyme A independent. Pyruvate decarboxylation was inorganic phosphate dependent, and evidence suggested that acetyl phosphate was a product. Oxygen was consumed, and data indicated that H2O2 was produced. These results indicated that the overall oxidation of pyruvate was: pyruvate + O2 + inorganic phosphate leads to CO2 + acetyl phosphate + H2O2. Phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase activities were also observed in the cell-free extracts and could catalyze formation of acetyl coenzyme A and adenosine 5'-triphosphate, respectively, from acetyl phosphate.

Acetate Kinase↗

Characterization and regulation of pyruvate carboxylase of Bacillus licheniformis.

Cell-free extracts of Bacillus licheniformis were found to contain pyruvate carboxylase which catalyzes the reaction between pyruvate and bicarbonate to yield oxalacetate in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), acetylcoenzyme A (CoA), and manganese. The plot between the reaction velocity of the carboxylation by the partially purified pyruvate carboxylase (25-fold) and the concentration of pyruvate, bicarbonate, manganese, and ATP did not indicate a pronounced deviation from the Michaelis-Menten hyperbola. The enzyme was inhibited by avidin and aspartate. Biotin partially protected the enzyme from avidin inhibition, whereas the amount of inhibition by aspartate was dependent on the concentration of acetyl-CoA present. The intracellular concentration of acetyl-CoA did not vary significantly enough to allow control of the enzyme by this method. Extracts of 4-hr postexponential-phase cells of B. licheniformis were also found to contain phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, which appears to be under catabolite repression control. It is suggested that the endogenous induction of this enzyme is the determining factor allowing the shift to gluconeogenesis from glycolysis during sporulation of glucose-grown cells.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Pyruvate metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium studied by intracellular 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the metabolism of [2-13C]pyruvate in intact cells of Halobacterium salinarium. The spectra of these cells show that pyruvate is reduced to lactic acid and transaminated to alanine. The intensity of C-2 lactate is higher under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions. When cells are grown in the absence of glucose, the level of C-2 lactate intensity is lower. In extracts of these cells, the level of NADH-dependent lactate dehydrogenase activity is lower than that of cells grown in the presence of glucose. A C-5 glutamate resonance suggests the entry of pyruvate into the tricarboxylic acid cycle through acetyl-coenzyme A. In addition, the label is also observed at C-3 and C-4 of glutamate, signifying a pyruvate carboxylase-type reaction and scrambling of label at the fumarate-succinate stage plus malic enzyme operation, respectively. Citrate synthase and malic enzyme activity appear to be controlled by the growth conditions of H. salinarium.

Alanine↗

Effect of aniA (carbon flux regulator) and PhaC (poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate synthase) mutations on pyruvate metabolism in Rhizobium etli.

The Rhizobium etli poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate synthase (PhaC) mutant SAM100 grows poorly with pyruvate as the carbon source. The inactivation of aniA, encoding a global carbon flux regulator, in SAM100 restores growth of the resulting double mutant (VEM58) on pyruvate. Pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) activity, pyc gene transcription, and holoenzyme content, which were low in SAM100, were restored in strain VEM58. The genetically engineered overexpression of PYC in SAM100 also allowed its growth on pyruvate. The possible relation between AniA, pyc transcription, and reduced-nucleotide levels is discussed.

Acyltransferases↗

Recent advances in mechanisms regulating glucose oxidation at the level of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by PDKs.

The mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate, linking glycolysis to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and fatty acid (FA) synthesis. Knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate PDC activity is important, because PDC inactivation is crucial for glucose conservation when glucose is scarce, whereas adequate PDC activity is required to allow both ATP and FA production from glucose. The mechanisms that control mammalian PDC activity include its phosphorylation (inactivation) by a family of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDKs 1-4) and its dephosphorylation (activation, reactivation) by the pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatases (PDPs 1 and 2). Isoform-specific differences in kinetic parameters, regulation, and phosphorylation site specificity of the PDKs introduce variations in the regulation of PDC activity in differing endocrine and metabolic states. In this review, we summarize recent significant advances in our knowledge of the mechanisms regulating PDC with emphasis on the PDKs, in particular PDK4, whose expression is linked with sustained changes in tissue lipid handling and which may represent an attractive target for pharmacological interventions aimed at modulating whole body glucose, lipid, and lactate homeostasis in disease states.

Animals↗