Thiamin transport in Helicobacter pylori lacking the de novo synthesis of thiamin.

Helicobacter pylori lacks the genes involved in the de novo synthesis of thiamin, and is therefore a thiamin auxotroph. The PnuT transporter, a member of the Pnu transporter family, mediates the uptake of thiamin across the membrane. In the genome of H. pylori, the pnuT gene is clustered with the thiamin pyrophosphokinase gene thi80. In this study, we found that [3H]thiamin is incorporated into the H. pylori SS1 strain via facilitated diffusion with a Km value of 28 µM. The incorporation of radioactive thiamin was inhibited to some extent by 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine or pyrithiamine, but was largely unaffected by thiamin phosphate or thiamin pyrophosphate. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the pnuT and thi80 genes are cotranscribed as a single transcript. The estimated Km value for thiamin in the thiamin pyrophosphokinase activity exerted by the recombinant Thi80 protein was 0.40 µM, which is much lower than the Km value of thiamin transport in H. pylori cells. These findings suggested that the incorporated thiamin from the environment is efficiently trapped by pyrophosphorylation to make the transport directional. In addition, the thiamin transport activity in the pnuT-deficient H. pylori strain was less than 20 % of that in the wild-type strain at extracellular thiamin concentration of 1 µM, but the incorporated scintillation signals of the pnuT-deficient strain with 100 nM [3H]thiamin were nearly at the background level. We also found that the pnuT-deficient strain required 100-times more thiamin to achieve growth equal to that of the wild-type. These findings reflect the presence of multiple routes for entry of thiamin into H. pylori, and PnuT is likely responsible for the high-affinity thiamin transport and serves as a target for antimicrobial agents against H. pylori.

The uremic toxin oxythiamine causes functional thiamine deficiency in end-stage renal disease by inhibiting transketolase activity.

Decreased transketolase activity is an unexplained characteristic of patients with end-stage renal disease and is linked to impaired metabolic and immune function. Here we describe the discovery of a link to impaired functional activity of thiamine pyrophosphate cofactor through the presence, accumulation, and pyrophosphorylation of the thiamine antimetabolite oxythiamine in renal failure. Plasma oxythiamine was significantly increased by 4-fold in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 15-fold in patients receiving hemodialysis immediately before the dialysis session (healthy individuals, 0.18 [0.11-0.22] nM); continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients, 0.64 [0.48-0.94] nM; and hemodialysis patients (2.73 [1.52-5.76] nM). Oxythiamine was converted to the transketolase inhibitor oxythiamine pyrophosphate. The red blood cell oxythiamine pyrophosphate concentration was significantly increased by 4-fold in hemodialysis (healthy individuals, 15.9 nM and hemodialysis patients, 66.1 nM). This accounted for the significant concomitant 41% loss of transketolase activity (mU/mg hemoglobin) from 0.410 in healthy individuals to 0.240 in hemodialysis patients. This may be corrected by displacement with excess thiamine pyrophosphate and explain lifting of decreased transketolase activity by high-dose thiamine supplementation in previous studies. Oxythiamine is likely of dietary origin through cooking of acidic thiamine-containing foods. Experimentally, trace levels of oxythiamine were not formed from thiamine degradation under physiologic conditions but rather under acidic conditions at 100(°)C. Thus, monitoring of the plasma oxythiamine concentration in renal failure and implementation of high-dose thiamine supplements to counter it may help improve the clinical outcome of patients with renal failure.

Expanding the clinical and molecular spectrum of thiamine pyrophosphokinase deficiency: a treatable neurological disorder caused by TPK1 mutations.

Thiamine pyrophosphokinase (TPK) produces thiamine pyrophosphate, a cofactor for a number of enzymes, including pyruvate dehydrogenase and 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Episodic encephalopathy type thiamine metabolism dysfunction (OMIM 614458) due to TPK1 mutations is a recently described rare disorder. The mechanism of the disease, its phenotype and treatment are not entirely clear. We present two patients with novel homozygous TPK1 mutations (Patient 1 with p.Ser160Leu and Patient 2 with p.Asp222His). Unlike the previously described phenotype, Patient 2 presented with a Leigh syndrome like non-episodic early-onset global developmental delay, thus extending the phenotypic spectrum of the disorder. We, therefore, propose that TPK deficiency may be a better name for the condition. The two cases help to further refine the neuroradiological features of TPK deficiency and show that MRI changes can be either fleeting or progressive and can affect either white or gray matter. We also show that in some cases lactic acidosis can be absent and 2-ketoglutaric aciduria may be the only biochemical marker. Furthermore, we have established the assays for TPK enzyme activity measurement and thiamine pyrophosphate quantification in frozen muscle and blood. These tests will help to diagnose or confirm the diagnosis of TPK deficiency in a clinical setting. Early thiamine supplementation prevented encephalopathic episodes and improved developmental progression of Patient 1, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of TPK deficiency. We present evidence suggesting that thiamine supplementation may rescue TPK enzyme activity. Lastly, in silico protein structural analysis shows that the p.Ser160Leu mutation is predicted to interfere with TPK dimerization, which may be a novel mechanism for the disease.

Low expression of thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 contributes to brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency.

Thiamine deficiency is a well-known risk factor for the development of severe encephalopathy, such as Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome, but the underlying mechanism is still mysterious. This study aims to investigate the expression levels of thiamine metabolism genes in different tissues and their impact on brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency. The mRNA and protein levels of four genes known to be associated with thiamine metabolism: thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 ( Tpk ), Solute carrier family 19 member 2 ( Slc19a2 ), Slc19a3 , and Slc25a19 , in the brain, kidney, and liver of mice were examined. Thiamine diphosphate (TDP) levels were measured in these tissues. Mice were subjected to dietary thiamine deprivation plus pyrithiamine (PTD), a specific TPK inhibitor, or pyrithiamine alone to observe the reduction in TDP and associated pathological changes. TPK mRNA and protein expression levels were lowest in the brain compared to the kidney and liver. Correspondingly, TDP levels were also lowest in the brain. Mice treated with PTD or pyrithiamine alone showed an initial reduction in brain TDP levels, followed by reductions in the liver and kidney. PTD treatment caused significant neuron loss, neuroinflammation, and blood-brain barrier disruption, whereas dietary thiamine deprivation alone did not. TPK expression level is the best indicator of thiamine metabolism status. Low TPK expression in the brain appears likely to contribute to brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency, underscoring a critical role of TPK in maintaining cerebral thiamine metabolism and preventing thiamine deficiency-related brain lesions.

Effect of chronic alcohol feeding on physiological and molecular parameters of renal thiamin transport.

The renal thiamin reabsorption process plays an important role in regulating thiamin body homeostasis and involves both thiamin transporters-1 and -2 (THTR1 and THTR2). Chronic alcohol use is associated with thiamin deficiency. Although a variety of factors contribute to the development of this deficiency, effects of chronic alcohol use on renal thiamin transport have not been thoroughly examined. We addressed this issue by examining the effect of chronic alcohol feeding of rats with liquid diet on physiological and molecular parameters of renal thiamin transport. Chronic alcohol feeding caused a significant inhibition in carrier-mediated thiamin transport across the renal brush-border membrane and was evident as early as 2 wk after initiation of alcohol feeding. Similarly, thiamin transport across the renal basolateral membrane was significantly inhibited by chronic alcohol feeding. The inhibition in renal thiamin transport was associated with a marked decrease in the level of expression of THTR1 and -2 proteins, mRNAs, and heterogeneous nuclear RNAs. Chronic alcohol feeding also caused a significant reduction in the level of expression of thiamin pyrophosphokinase but not that of the mitochondrial thiamin pyrophosphate transporter. These studies show that chronic alcohol feeding inhibits the entry and exit of thiamin in the polarized renal epithelial cells and that the effect is, at least in part, mediated at the transcriptional level. These findings also suggest that chronic alcohol feeding interferes with the normal homeostasis of thiamin in renal epithelial cells.

TPK1 as a predictive marker for the anti-tumour effects of simvastatin in gastric cancer.

The potential anti-tumour role of statins has been reported in various cancer types, including gastric cancer (GC). However, there are no biomarkers to identify patients who may benefit most from this treatment. We tested the effects of statins on 8 GC cell lines. Genes differentially expressed in simvastatin-sensitive and -resistant cell lines were used to identify potential biomarkers of simvastatin sensitivity. Patient-derived cell lines were used to mimic in vivo conditions. In simvastatin-sensitive SNU-5 cells, the levels of the PARP and cleaved caspase-3 apoptosis markers increased upon exposure to simvastatin. The levels of the PARP and cleaved caspase-3 levels were unchanged by simvastatin exposure in simvastatin-resistant SNU-668 cells. The proportion of apoptotic cells was increased in SNU-5 cells but not in SNU-668 cells under the same drug exposure conditions. Comparison of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in sensitive and resistant cell lines identified 31 genes potentially involved in the cellular response to simvastatin. We confirmed that RNA expression of the TPK1 DEG was significantly increased in simvastatin-sensitive cell lines. TPK1 knockdown in a simvastatin-sensitive GC SNU5 cell line, decreased the anti-tumour effects of simvastatin, while TPK1 overexpression enhanced the anti-tumour effect of simvastatin. Therefore, TPK1 expression can be used as a predictive marker of the anti-tumour effects of statin treatment in patients with cancer, especially in those with GC.

Enzymes that control the thiamine diphosphate pool in plant tissues. Properties of thiamine pyrophosphokinase and thiamine-(di)phosphate phosphatase purified from Zea mays seedlings.

The pool of thiamine diphosphate (TDP), available for TDP-dependent enzymes involved in the major carbohydrate metabolic pathways, is controlled by two enzyme systems that act in the opposite directions. The thiamine pyrophosphokinase (TPK) activates thiamine into TDP and the numerous phosphatases perform the reverse two-step dephosphorylation of TDP to thiamine monophosphate (TMP) and then to free thiamine. Properties and a possible cooperation of those enzymes in higher plants have not been extensively studied. In this work, we characterize highly purified preparations of TPK and a TDP/TMP phosphatase isolated from 6-day Zea mays seedlings. TPK was the 29-kDa monomeric protein, with the optimal activity at pH 9.0, the K(m) values of 12.4microM and 4.7mM for thiamine and ATP, respectively, and the V(max) value of 360pmol TDPmin(-1)mg(-1) protein. The enzyme required magnesium ions, and the best phosphate donor was GTP. The purified phosphatase was the dimer of 24kDa subunits, showed the optimal activity at pH 5.0 and had a rather broad substrate specificity, although TDP, but not TMP, was one of the preferable substrates. The K(m) values for TDP and TMP were 36microM and 49microM, respectively, and the V(max) value for TDP was significantly higher than for TMP (164 versus 60nmolesmin(-1)mg(-1) protein). The total activities of TPK and TDP phosphatases were similarly decreased when the seedlings were grown under the illumination, suggesting a coordinated regulation of both enzymes to stabilize the pool of the essential coenzyme.

Thiamine phosphokinase deficiency and mutation in TPK1 presenting as biotin responsive basal ganglia disease.

The product of thiamine phosphokinase is the cofactor for many enzymes, including the dehydrogenases of pyruvate, 2-ketoglutarate and branched chain ketoacids. Its deficiency has recently been described in a small number of patients, some of whom had a Leigh syndrome phenotype. The patient who also had a Leigh phenotype was initially found to have a low concentration of biotin in plasma and massive urinary excretion of biotin. Despite treatment with biotin and thiamine, her disease was progressive. Mutations c.311delG and c.426G > C were found in the TPK1 gene.

The crystal structure of yeast thiamin pyrophosphokinase.

BACKGROUND: Thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPK) catalyzes the transfer of a pyrophosphate group from ATP to vitamin B1 (thiamin) to form the coenzyme thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP). Thus, TPK is important for the formation of a coenzyme required for central metabolic functions. TPK has no sequence homologs in the PDB and functions by an unknown mechanism. The TPK structure has been determined as a significant step toward elucidating its catalytic action. RESULTS: The crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TPK complexed with thiamin has been determined at 1.8 A resolution. TPK is a homodimer, and each subunit consists of two domains. One domain resembles a Rossman fold with four alpha helices on each side of a 6 strand parallel beta sheet. The other domain has one 4 strand and one 6 strand antiparallel beta sheet, which form a flattened sandwich structure containing a jelly-roll topology. The active site is located in a cleft at the dimer interface and is formed from residues from domains of both subunits. The TPK dimer contains two compound active sites at the subunit interface. CONCLUSIONS: The structure of TPK with one substrate bound identifies the location of the thiamin binding site and probable catalytic residues. The structure also suggests a likely binding site for ATP. These findings are further supported by TPK sequence homologies. Although possessing no significant sequence homology with other pyrophospokinases, thiamin pyrophosphokinase may operate by a mechanism of pyrophosphoryl transfer similar to those described for pyrophosphokinases functioning in nucleotide biosynthesis.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D increases the gene expression of enzymes protecting from glucolipotoxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and human primary endothelial cells.

Besides its classical function as an orchestrator of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, vitamin D also affects insulin secretion and tissue efficiency. A number of studies have consistently reported the inverse relationship between vitamin D deficiency and type 2 diabetes. Activation of certain metabolic pathways and down-stream transcription factors may protect from glucolipotoxicity and their targeted activation -e.g. by vitamin D - might explain the detrimental role of vitamin D deficiency in diabetes. The aim of the study was to quantify gene and protein expression of selected enzymes involved in the protection from glucolipotoxicity, specifically glyoxalase 1 (GLO1), and other enzymes with antioxidant activity - hemoxygenase (HMOX), thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPK1) and transketolase (TKT), under normo- and hyperglycemic conditions and upon addition of vitamin D in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The results of our study indicate that the active form of vitamin D regulates gene expression of enzymes opposing the harmful effect of glucolipotoxicity whose activities appear to be suppressed by hyperglycemia. However, we were unable to confirm this effect on protein expression. While we cannot speculate on the effect of vitamin D on diabetes itself our results support its role in the protection against existing glucolipotoxicity therefore possibly translating into the prevention of development of diabetic complications.

Identification, purification and reconstitution of thiamin metabolizing enzymes in human red blood cells.

Thiamin and its mono- (TMP), di- (TDP) and triphosphate (TTP) were assayed in adult human whole blood using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). TDP and TTP were detected in red blood cells (RBC), but not in plasma. After incubation with 20 microM thiamin and 5 mM glucose for 2 h, the TDP and TTP contents of RBC increased from 111 to 222 and 0.6 to 2.2 nmol/l of packed RBC, respectively, suggesting enzymatic conversion of thiamin to TDP and then to TTP. Thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPK, EC 2.7.6.2) had not been isolated before from human materials, nor had cytosolic adenylate kinase (AK1, EC 2.7.4.3) in human RBC been demonstrated to catalyze the phosphorylation of TDP to TTP, although AK1 from pig and chicken skeletal muscle possess TTP-synthesizing activity. TPK and AK1 in a human RBC lysate were therefore purified by a series of the conventional techniques. The specific activity of the purified TPK, which was obtained as a single protein, was 720 nmol TDP formed/mg protein per h at 37 degrees C. A partially purified AK1 preparation catalyzed the formation of TTP from TDP (specific activity, 170 nmol/mg protein per h at 37 degrees C) in addition to its proper reaction to form ATP from ADP. After incubation of the purified TPK and AK1 with 20 microM thiamin in the presence of ATP, ADP and Mg2+ at 37 degrees C for 48 h, the amounts of TDP and TTP synthesized were 465 and 54.0 pmol/250 microliters reaction mixture, respectively. Neither TDP nor TTP was formed when TPK was omitted from the reaction mixture and an omission of AK1 resulted in the formation of TDP alone. These results indicate that thiamin is converted to TDP by TPK and, subsequently, to TTP by AK1 in human RBC.

Thiamine transport in the brush border membrane vesicles of the guinea-pig jejunum.

Transport of [35S]thiamine was studied with membrane vesicles prepared from the brush border of guinea-pig jejunum, in which thiamine pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.2) was not detected. The presence of an Na+ gradient from outside to inside of the vesicles did not affect thiamine transport, whereas L-proline uptake into the vesicles of the same preparation was stimulated under identical conditions. The equilibrium level of thiamine uptake decreased with increasing osmolarity of the medium, which indicates that thiamine is transported into the membrane vesicles. The initial rate (30 s) of thiamine uptake increased linearly with increasing thiamine concentration throughout the range from 0.06 to 10 microM in the medium, in the presence and absence of an Na+ gradient. No effect of other monovalent cations, including K+, Li+ and choline+, was observed on thiamine transport. Pyrithiamine, an antimetabolite of thiamine, and unlabeled thiamine, both added in very excessive amounts, did not inhibit labeled thiamine transport into the membrane vesicles. These results confirm the assumption that thiamine passes through the brush border membrane of guinea-pig jejunum by simple diffusion.

Crystal structure of thiamin pyrophosphokinase.

Thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) is a coenzyme derived from vitamin B1 (thiamin). TPP synthesis in eukaryotes requires thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPK), which catalyzes the transfer of a pyrophosphate group from ATP to thiamin. TPP is essential for central metabolic processes, including the formation of acetyl CoA from glucose and the Krebs cycle. Deficiencies in human thiamin metabolism result in beriberi and Wernicke encephalopathy. The crystal structure of mouse TPK was determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction at 2.4 A resolution, and the structure of TPK complexed with thiamin has been refined at 1.9 A resolution. The TPK polypeptide folds as an alpha/beta-domain and a beta-sandwich domain, which share a central ten-stranded mixed beta-sheet. TPK subunits associate as a dimer, and thiamin is bound in the dimer interface. Despite lacking apparent sequence homology with other proteins, the alpha/beta-domain resembles the Rossman fold and is similar to other kinase structures, including another pyrophosphokinase and a thiamin biosynthetic enzyme. Comparison of mouse and yeast TPK structures reveals differences that could be exploited in developing species-specific inhibitors of potential use as antimicrobial agents.

Thiamine pyrophosphate biosynthesis and transport in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Thiamine (vitamin B1) is required in the diet of animals, and thiamine deficiency leads to diseases such as beri-beri and the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Dietary thiamine (vitamin B1) consists mainly of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), which is transformed into thiamine by gastrointestinal phosphatases before absorption. It is believed that TPP itself cannot be transported across plasma membranes in significant amounts. We have identified a partial loss-of-function mutation in the Caenorhabditis elegans gene (tpk-1) that encodes thiamine pyrophosphokinase, which forms TPP from thiamine at the expense of ATP inside cells. The mutation slows physiological rhythms and the phenotype it produces can be rescued by TPP but not thiamine supplementation. tpk-1 functions cell nonautonomously, as the expression of wild-type tpk-1 in one tissue can rescue the function of other tissues that express only mutant tpk-1. These observations indicate that, in contrast to expectation from previous evidence, TPP can be transported across cell membranes. We also find that thiamine supplementation partially rescues the phenotype of partial loss-of-function mutants of the Na/K ATPase, providing genetic evidence that thiamine absorption, and/or redistribution from the absorbing cells, requires the full activity of this enzyme.

Thiamine-responsive congenital lactic acidosis: clinical and biochemical studies.

We studied six infants with thiamine-responsive congenital lactic acidosis and normal pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in vitro, through clinical and biochemical analysis. In addition to elevated lactate and pyruvate levels, the data revealed increased urinary excretion of alpha-ketoglutarate, alpha-ketoadipate, and branched chain ketoacids, indicating functional impairment of thiamine-requiring enzymes, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex, alpha-ketoadipate dehydrogenase, and branched chain amino acid dehydrogenase. The metabolism of thiamine has not been investigated in patients with thiamine-responsive congenital lactic acidosis. We evaluated two specific transport systems, THTR-1 (SLC19A2) and THTR-2 (SLC19A3), and a pyrophosphorylating enzyme of thiamine, thiamine pyrophosphokinase (hTPK 1), in addition to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex activity; no abnormality was found. Although the clinical features of thiamine-responsive congenital lactic acidosis are heterogeneous and clinical responses to thiamine administration vary, we emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and initiation of thiamine therapy before the occurrence of permanent brain damage. Careful monitoring of lactate and pyruvate would be useful in determining thiamine dosage.

Chronic Nicotine Exposure In Vivo and In Vitro Inhibits Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) Uptake by Pancreatic Acinar Cells.

Thiamin (vitamin B1), a member of the water-soluble family of vitamins, is essential for normal cellular functions; its deficiency results in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Pancreatic acinar cells (PAC) obtain thiamin from the circulation using a specific carrier-mediated process mediated by both thiamin transporters -1 and -2 (THTR-1 and THTR-2; encoded by the SLC19A2 and SLC19A3 genes, respectively). The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of chronic exposure of mouse PAC in vivo and human PAC in vitro to nicotine (a major component of cigarette smoke that has been implicated in pancreatic diseases) on thiamin uptake and to delineate the mechanism involved. The results showed that chronic exposure of mice to nicotine significantly inhibits thiamin uptake in murine PAC, and that this inhibition is associated with a marked decrease in expression of THTR-1 and THTR-2 at the protein, mRNA and hnRNAs level. Furthermore, expression of the important thiamin-metabolizing enzyme, thiamin pyrophosphokinase (TPKase), was significantly reduced in PAC of mice exposed to nicotine. Similarly, chronic exposure of cultured human PAC to nicotine (0.5 µM, 48 h) significantly inhibited thiamin uptake, which was also associated with a decrease in expression of THTR-1 and THTR-2 proteins and mRNAs. This study demonstrates that chronic exposure of PAC to nicotine impairs the physiology and the molecular biology of the thiamin uptake process. Furthermore, the study suggests that the effect is, in part, mediated through transcriptional mechanism(s) affecting the SLC19A2 and SLC19A3 genes.

Identification of vitamin B1 metabolism as a tumor-specific radiosensitizing pathway using a high-throughput colony formation screen.

Colony formation is the gold standard assay for determining reproductive cell death after radiation treatment, since effects on proliferation often do not reflect survival. We have developed a high-throughput radiosensitivity screening method based on clonogenicity and screened a siRNA library against kinases. Thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 (TPK1), a key component of Vitamin B1/thiamine metabolism, was identified as a target for radiosensitization. TPK1 knockdown caused significant radiosensitization in cancer but not normal tissue cell lines. Other means of blocking this pathway, knockdown of thiamine transporter-1 (THTR1) or treatment with the thiamine analogue pyrithiamine hydrobromide (PyrH) caused significant tumor specific radiosensitization. There was persistent DNA damage in cells irradiated after TPK1 and THTR1 knockdown or PyrH treatment. Thus this screen allowed the identification of thiamine metabolism as a novel radiosensitization target that affects DNA repair. Short-term modulation of thiamine metabolism could be a clinically exploitable strategy to achieve tumor specific radiosensitization.

Bioinformatic and metabolomic analysis reveals miR-155 regulates thiamine level in breast cancer.

microRNA-155 (miR-155) is one of the well-known oncogenic miRNA implicated in various types of tumors. Thiamine, commonly known as vitamin B1, is one of critical cofactors for energy metabolic enzymes including pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and transketolase. Here we report a novel role of miR-155 in cancer metabolism through the up-regulation of thiamine in breast cancer cells. A bioinformatic analysis of miRNA array and metabolite-profiling data from NCI-60 cancer cell panel revealed thiamine as a metabolite positively correlated with the miR-155 expression level. We confirmed it in MCF7, MDA-MB-436 and two human primary breast cancer cells by showing reduced thiamine levels upon a knock-down of miR-155. To understand how the miR-155 controls thiamine level, a set of key molecules for thiamine homeostasis were further analyzed after the knockdown of miR-155. The results showed the expression of two thiamine transporter genes (SLC19A2, SLC25A19) as well as thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 (TPK1) were decreased in both RNA and protein level in miR-155 dependent manner. Finally, we confirm the finding by showing a positive correlation between miR-155 and thiamine level in 71 triple negative breast tumors. Taken altogether, our study demonstrates a role of miR-155 in thiamine homeostasis and suggests a function of this oncogenic miRNA on breast cancer metabolism.

Purification and properties of thiamine pyrophosphokinase in Paracoccus denitrificans.

The existence of thiamine pyrophosphokinase [EC 2.7.6.2] in procaryotic cells was first demonstrated in Paracoccus denitrificans (J. Bacteriol, (1976) 126, 1030-1036). The enzyme was therefore purified from this organism to determine its molecular structure and properties. Thiamine pyrophosphokinase which was purified 620-fold from P. denitrificans showed a single band on both polyacrylamide and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the molecular weight in the latter case was calculated to be 23,000. Gel filtration analysis using Sephadex G-150 gave a molecular weight of 44,000, indicating that this enzyme contains at least two identical subunits. Although sedimentation equilibrium analysis gave a molecular weight of 96,000, indirect evidence suggests that the form having this molecular weight is an aggregate of the functional dimer. The activity of the purified enzyme required thiamine, ATP, and Mg2+, and the enzyme catalyzed thepyrophosphorylation of thiamine by ATP. Km values for thiamine and ATP were 10 microM and 0.38 mM, respectively. The activity was competitively inhibited by pyrithiamine, giving a Ki value of 19 microM. Oxythiamine and chloroethylthiamine were very weak inhibitors of the enzyme. The activity was also inhibited by the product, TPP.

Thiamine metabolism in the liver of mice with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) content, activities of thiamine pyrophosphokinase (TPKase), thiamine pyrophosphatase, transketolase (TK), pyruvate (PDG) and oxoglutarate dehydrogenases (OGDG) were measured in the liver and cells of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) on the 5th, 10th and 15th day after transplantation of the tumor to mice fed a thiamine-deficient diet. The TPP level gradually decreased in the liver of tumor-bearing mice but remained constant in tumor cells (1.06 +/- 0.02 microgram/g tissue). Deprivation of dietary thiamine lowered the liver TPP level even to a greater extent, and subsequent daily 10 micrograms thiamine/mouse injections did not restore it. The TPKase activity in the liver of mice with EAC decreased by 24% and in thiamine deficiency, by 44%. The liver PDG, OGDG and TK activities were reduced but slightly in mice with EAC, whereas thiamine deprivation resulted in a decrease of the enzyme activities: PDG by 60%, OGDG by 25% and TK by 45%. TK activity in tumor cells was 90 mumol S-7-P/g tissue/h, and the TPP effect amounted to 24%. Thiamine deprivation decreased the TK activity by 45% and raised the TPP effect up to 180%. Thiamine injections restored the TK activity in tumor cells and reduced the TPP effect.