Dataset Information

Conversion of 5-aminolaevulinate into haem by homogenates of human liver. Comparison with rat and chick-embryo liver homogenates.

ABSTRACT: To assess whether the synthesis of haem can be studied in small amounts of human liver, we measured kinetics of the conversion of 5-aminolaevulinate into haem and haem precursors in homogenates of human livers. We used methods previously developed in our laboratory for studies of rat and chick-embryo livers [Healey, Bonkowsky, Sinclair & Sinclair (1981) Biochem. J. 198, 595-604]. The maximal rate at which homogenates of human livers converted 5-aminolaevulinate into protoporphyrin was only 26% of that for rat, and 58% of that for chick embryo. In the absence of added Fe2+, homogenates of fresh human liver resembled those of chick embryos in that protoporphyrin and haem accumulated in similar amounts, whereas fresh rat liver homogenate accumulated about twice as much haem as protoporphyrin. However, when Fe2+ (0.25 mM) was added to human liver homogenates, mainly haem accumulated, indicating that the supply of reduced iron limited the activity of haem synthase, the final enzyme in the haem-biosynthesis pathway. Addition of the potent iron chelator desferrioxamine after 30 min of incubation with 5-amino[14C]laevulinate stopped further haem synthesis without affecting synthesis of protoporphyrin. Thus the prelabelled haem was stable after addition of desferrioxamine. Since the conversion of 5-amino[14C]laevulinate into haem and protoporphyrin was carried out at pH 7.4, whereas the pH optimum for rat or bovine hepatic 5-aminolaevulinate dehydratase is about 6.3, we determined kinetic parameters of the human hepatic dehydrase at both pH values. The Vmax was the same at both pH values, whereas the Km was slightly higher at the lower pH. Our results indicate that the synthesis of porphyrins and haem from 5-aminolaevulinate can be studied with the small amounts of human liver obtainable by percutaneous needle biopsy. We discuss the implications of our results in relation to use of rat or chick-embryo livers as experimental models for the biochemical features of human acute porphyria.

SUBMITTER: Bonkovsky HL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1144919 | biostudies-other | 1985 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:2-Allyl-2-isopropylacetamide-mediated induction of hepatic porphyria was studied in isolated chick-embryo liver cells. Increased delta-aminolaevulinate synthase activity occurred within 1h of induction and continued to increase for 8h. Protoporphyrins synthesized during this time accumulated to a concentration 10-fold greater than that in the control. Removal of 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide from the cells by washing at 3h immediately inhibited further increases in delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis. However substitution of 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide at 3h by deferoxamine methane-sulphonate, an inhibitor of haem synthesis, allowed continued delta-aminolaevulinate synthase induction at an unaltered rate, even though this agent did not, by itself, induce enzyme synthesis. Exogenously added haemin was shown completely to inhibit 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide-mediated delta-aminolaevulinate synthase induction at concentrations as low as 20nm, a value that is less than the reported physiological one. The duration of inhibition was dependent on the concentration of added haemin and was followed by a period of delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis at a rate similar to that of the control. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis is regulated by the concentration of intracellular haem and that induction is initiated by 2-allyl-2-isopropylacetamide-mediated destruction of haem. Induction of delta-aminolaevulinate synthase was shown to be dependent on both RNA and protein synthesis, and a study of the comparative effects of cordycepin, cycloheximide and haem has shown that, at haemin concentrations up to 50nm, the inhibition of delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis followed kinetics similar to the effect of cordycepin, with no synergism between cordycepin and 50nm-haemin. However, at a haemin concentration of 2mum, the inhibition of delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis followed similar kinetics to the effect of cycloheximide. These data demonstrate the control of delta-aminolaevulinate synthase synthesis by low concentrations of haemin and suggests that the primary effect of haemin is at the level of transcription.

Project description:Two galactosyltransferases with nearly identical Mr values were purified 5000-7000-fold from microsomal membranes of chick-embryo livers by using several affinity columns. One enzyme transfers galactose from UDP-galactose to form a beta-(1----4)-linkage to GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) or AsAgAGP [asialo-agalacto-(alpha 1-acid glycoprotein)]. The other enzyme forms a beta-(1----3)-linkage to AsOSM [asialo-(ovine submaxillary mucin)]. Both enzymes were solubilized (85%) from a microsomal pellet by using 1% Triton X-100 in 0.1 M-NaCl. The supernatant activities were subjected to DEAE-Sepharose chromatography and four affinity columns: UDP-hexanolamine-Sepharose, alpha-lactalbumin-Sepharose, GlcNAc-Sepharose and either AsAgAGP-Sepharose or AsOSM-Sepharose. The AsAgAGP enzyme [(1----4)-transferase] and the AsOSM enzyme [(1----3)-transferase] behave identically on the DEAE-Sepharose and UDP-hexanolamine-Sepharose columns, and similarly on the alpha-lactalbumin-Sepharose column. Final separation of the two enzymes, however, could only be achieved on affinity columns of their immobilized respective acceptors. Both purified enzymes migrate as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis after silver staining, and both have an apparent Mr of 68 000. The enzymes were radioiodinated and again subjected to sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Radioautographic analyses showed only one, intensely radioactive, band. Activity stains performed for both transferases after cellulose acetate electrophoresis indicate that, with this system too, both activities have identical mobilities, and co-migrate, as well, with the major, silver-stained, protein band. Kinetic studies with the purified enzymes show that the Km value for GlcNAc, for the (1----4)-transferase, is 4mM; for the (1----3)-transferase the Km value for AsOSM is 5mM, in terms of GalNAc (N-acetylgalactosamine) equivalents. Both enzymes have a Km value of 25 microM for UDP-galactose.

Dataset Information

Conversion of 5-aminolaevulinate into haem by homogenates of human liver. Comparison with rat and chick-embryo liver homogenates.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets