Defects in Peroxisomal 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase Isoform PGD2 Prevent Gametophytic Interaction in Arabidopsis thaliana.

We studied the localization of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) isoforms of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Similar polypeptide lengths of PGD1, PGD2, and PGD3 obscured which isoform may represent the cytosolic and/or plastidic enzyme plus whether PGD2 with a peroxisomal targeting motif also might target plastids. Reporter-fusion analyses in protoplasts revealed that, with a free N terminus, PGD1 and PGD3 accumulate in the cytosol and chloroplasts, whereas PGD2 remains in the cytosol. Mutagenesis of a conserved second ATG enhanced the plastidic localization of PGD1 and PGD3 but not PGD2. Amino-terminal deletions of PGD2 fusions with a free C terminus resulted in peroxisomal import after dimerization, and PGD2 could be immunodetected in purified peroxisomes. Repeated selfing of pgd2 transfer (T-)DNA alleles yielded no homozygous mutants, although siliques and seeds of heterozygous plants developed normally. Detailed analyses of the C-terminally truncated PGD2-1 protein showed that peroxisomal import and catalytic activity are abolished. Reciprocal backcrosses of pgd2-1 suggested that missing PGD activity in peroxisomes primarily affects the male gametophyte. Tetrad analyses in the quartet1-2 background revealed that pgd2-1 pollen is vital and in vitro germination normal, but pollen tube growth inside stylar tissues appeared less directed. Mutual gametophytic sterility was overcome by complementation with a genomic construct but not with a version lacking the first ATG. These analyses showed that peroxisomal PGD2 activity is required for guided growth of the male gametophytes and pollen tube-ovule interaction. Our report finally demonstrates an essential role of oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway reactions in peroxisomes, likely needed to sustain critical levels of nitric oxide and/or jasmonic acid, whose biosynthesis both depend on NADPH provision.

The antinociceptive effect of intracerebroventricularly administered prostaglandin D2 in the rat.

Intracerebroventricular administration of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), the major PG in the rat brain, produced a dose-related anti-nociceptive effect in rats as assessed by the rat tail-hot wire, hot plate and phenylquinone-induced writhing techniques. The antinociceptive action of centrally-administered PGD2 was markedly attenuated after pretreatment of the rats with 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine, a selective neurotoxin for central serotonergic neurones, and p-chlorophenylalanine, a specific inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, indicating that the PGD2 action is serotonin-mediated. Naloxone, an antagonist of endogenous opioid receptors, also antagonised the antinociceptive action of PGD2. Earlier reports from this laboratory have shown that the antinociceptive action of centrally-administered PGE1 in rats is a serotonin-mediated effect and is also antagonised by naloxone. It was further shown that PGD2, like PGE1, augments serotonin turnover in the rat brain. The present findings support the view that PGD2 shares some of the central actions of PGEs and, like the latter, may function as a neuromodulator in the central nervous system.

Partial agonist effects of BW A868C, a selective DP receptor antagonist, on Cl- secretion in dog tracheal epithelium.

We examined the interactions of prostaglandin D2, BW245C ((+/-)-5-(6-carboxyhexyl)-1-(3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropyl)-hydantoin) a selective DP receptor agonist and BW A868C ((+/-)-3-benzyl-5-(6-carboxyhexyl)-1-(2-cyclohexyl-2- hydroxyethylamino)-hydantoin) a selective DP receptor antagonist on Cl- secretion using dog isolated tracheal epithelial preparations in Ussing chambers. Both prostaglandin D2 and BW245C stimulated Cl- secretion as reflected by increased short-circuit current (Isc) in the epithelial cells where the latter was more potent than the former. BW A868C produced, consistently, weak but significant partial agonism on Cl- secretion in these preparations in addition to its expected antagonism at the DP receptors. A pKB estimate of 8.16 +/- 0.06 (n = 11) for BW A868C from its antagonism to BW245C was found to be comparable with its estimates of both p[A]50 (8.19 +/- 0.14, n = 5) and pKA (8.00 +/- 0.20, n = 5). In addition, no significant effect by BW A868C up to 1 microM on Cl- secretory responses to other prostanoids, such as prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2 alpha and 9 alpha, 11 beta-prostaglandin F2 alpha, was detected in the system. These results are consistent with previous findings that BW A868C is a selective antagonist at the DP receptors mediating Cl- secretion by epithelial cells. To our knowledge, this is a (the first) confirmation of partial agonist properties of BW A868C in an isolated tissue system.

Anhydrolevuglandin D2 inhibits the uterotonic activity of prostaglandins F2 alpha and D2.

Anhydrolevuglandin D2 (AnLGD2), which is produced from PGH2 by a water-induced rearrangement and subsequent dehydration, is uterotonic. However, increasing concentrations caused decreased responses of the uterine horns. AnLGD2 inhibited responses of uteri to stimulation by specific prostaglandins. PGF2 alpha was inhibited at an AnLGD2:PGF2 alpha ratio of 0.05:1 with 5 to 25 pg/ml concentrations of PGF2 alpha. The response to PGD2 was inhibited at an AnLGD2:PGD2 ratio of 0.05:1 with PGD2 concentrations of 5 to 75 pg/ml. In contrast, the uterotonic effects of PGE2 were not inhibited by AnLGD2. When AnLGD2 was added to baths with contracting uteri it inhibited contractions less if the exposure period was 5 min than if it was 10 min. The longer exposure times produced prolonged inhibition of contractile activity with bath concentrations of AnLGD2 as little as 2.5 pg/ml.

Effect of unilateral common carotid artery occlusion on levels of prostaglandins D2, F2 alpha and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha in gerbil brain.

The concentrations of the arachidonic acid metabolites, PGD2, PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, were measured in the cerebral hemispheres of gerbils subjected to unilateral carotid occlusion. Approximately 37 percent of the animals with occlusion had symptoms of cerebral ischemia. In those animals PGD2 and PGF2 alpha levels were elevated in both hemispheres. The levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha increased only slightly. There was no change of prostaglandin levels in asymptomatic animals. Indomethacin inhibited the increase in the levels of these arachidonic acid metabolites but did not alter brain swelling as judged by a decrease in specific gravity after 6 hours occlusion.

SK&F 88046: a unique pharmacologic antagonist of bronchoconstriction induced by leukotriene D4, thromboxane and prostaglandins F2 alpha and D2 in vitro.

SK&F 88046, an imidodisulfamide initially reported as an end organ leukotriene (LT)D4 antagonist on guinea-pig lung parenchyma (Gleason et al., 1982), was studied further in order to elucidate its mechanism of action. The LTD4-induced contraction of the guinea-pig lung parenchyma, which occurs via both a direct action and an indirect, thromboxane (Tx)-dependent pathway (Weichman et al., 1982), was antagonized by SK&F 88046 and FPL 55712. SK&F 88046 was not acting on the lung parenchyma as a result of antagonism of cyclooxygenase or Tx synthetase, as SK&F 88046 did not block the LTD4-induced generation of TxB2 from the parenchyma. In contrast, the LTD4-induced contraction of the guinea-pig trachea, which is only directly mediated, was antagonized by FPL 55712 but not by SK&F 88046. However, SK&F 88046 did antagonize the contractions elicited by carbocyclic TxA2, a stable Tx analog, as well as those elicited by prostaglandins F2 alpha and D2, but not those elicited by histamine, carbachol or KCI. FPL 55712 weakly antagonized the actions of carbocyclic TxA2, but not the contractions induced by the other agonists. These results demonstrate that SK&F 88046 is an antagonist of the indirect, Tx-dependent component of LTD4 action in the guinea pig, presumably via antagonism of Tx on the end organ. These results provide additional evidence that LTD4 can exert its bronchoconstrictive actions via two mechanisms, a direct pathway and an indirect, Tx-dependent pathway.

Modulation of the beta-adrenergic-response in cultured rat heart cells. II. Mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI) blocks induction of beta-adrenergic supersensitivity. Dissociation from lipid-binding activity of MDGI.

'Mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI)' is a 14.5 kDa polypeptide with growth-inhibitory activity for various mammary epithelial cells in vitro which is highly homologous to cardiac fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP). Here we describe a new biological activity of MDGI: Inhibition of L(+)-lactate-, arachidonic acid- and 15-S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid-induced supersensitivity of neonatal rat heart cells for beta-adrenergic stimulation, concerning particularly a small population of beta 2-receptors. Synthetic peptides corresponding to the MDGI-sequence, residue 121-131 mimic the effect of MDGI. Measurements of lipid-binding to MDGI and synthetic peptides excluded the binding of arachidonic acid, 15-S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid or beta-adrenergic agonists to MDGI or the peptides as the mechanism for this effect. Also, no direct interference of MDGI and the synthetic peptides with the binding of the beta-adrenergic agent CGP 12177 to its receptor on A431 cells could be detected. We suggest that MDGI and the peptides act by interference with the function of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor and that this mechanism might also be relevant for the growth-inhibitory activity of MDGI. Furthermore, the data point to a possible function of H-FABP for the modulation of beta-adrenergic sensitivity of cardiac myocytes.

Prostaglandins as inhibitors of human platelet aggregation.

The potencies of prostaglandins (PG) I2, PGD2 and PGE1 as inhibitors of human platelet aggregation induced by threshold concentrations of four aggregating agents were determined in platelet-rich plasma from normal individuals who had not ingested aspirin. The order of activity against ADP, adrenaline and collagen was always PGI2 greater than PGD2 greater than PGE1. However, PGD2 and PGE1 were almost equipotent with PGI2 when tested against arachidonic acid (AA). The threshold inhibitory effects of PGD2, PGE1 and PGI2 could be over come by increasing the concentrations of the aggregating agents AA, collagen or ADP. Adrenaline was found to be different from the other aggregating agents. It could overcome inhibition of platelet aggregation by PGD2 but could not overcome inhibition by PGI2 or PGE1. These facts support the hypothesis that platelet receptors for PGI2 and PGE1 are similar to each other and different from the receptor(s) for PGD2. PRP obtained from normal subjects after the ingestion of aspirin exhibited only one wave of aggregation in response to ADP, adrenaline or collagen, PGI2, PGD2 and PGE1 were all powerful inhibitors of this single wave of aggregation. The inhibitory activity of all three prostaglandins at threshold concentrations was overcome by increasing the concentration of ADP or collagen but not by increasing the concentration of adrenaline.

Inhibition of human ovarian cancer cell proliferation in vitro by neuroendocrine hormones.

Direct inhibitory effects of neuroendocrine hormones on human ovarian cancer cell proliferation in vitro were examined. Except for melatonin, all neuroendocrine hormones used in this study inhibited proliferation of KF cells derived from human serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary in a dose-dependent manner. The degree of inhibition of prostaglandin D2 was most marked being comparable to that of 5-fluorouracil and followed by beta-endorphin, alpha-endorphin, and Met-enkephalin. More than 200 microM melatonin stimulated the cell proliferation. The inhibitory effects by endorphins were partially reversible by 20 microM naloxone. From analyses of uptakes of radiolabeled precursors by the KF cell, endorphins were considered to inhibit protein and RNA syntheses but not DNA synthesis. These results suggest that neuroendocrine hormones may play an important role in regulation of tumor growth.