Purification and characterization of developmentally regulated AMP deaminase from Dictyostelium discoideum.

AMP deaminase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP) and ammonia, was purified from the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum in the nutrient-deprived state. The native enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 199,000 daltons. Its apparent Km was 1.6 mM and its Vmax was 1.0 mumol min-1 mg-1, as measured by the release of IMP From AMP. The enzyme, like other AMP deaminases, was found to be activated by ATP, and inhibited either by GTP or inorganic phosphate. It was also specific for the deamination of AMP. Deaminase activity was increased either when vegetative cells were placed in a nutrient-deprived medium (for up to 6 h) or when vegetative cells were treated with the drug hadacidin. In cells actively growing in complete media, enzyme activity was more non-specific, hydrolyzing adenosine as well as AMP. AMP deaminase in D. discoideum appears to be stage-specific and developmentally regulated, possibly serving to regulate the adenylated nucleotide pool and the interconversion to guanylated nucleotides during early morphodifferentiation.

Effect of divalent ions on the activity of cancer procoagulant.

The effect of calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), manganese (Mn2+), iron (Fe2+), and zinc (Zn2+) on the factor X-activating activity of cancer procoagulant (CP) was studied. Activity of CP was evaluated with a three-stage chromogenic assay (liquid-phase assay, "native" CP) and with an immunocapture enzyme (ICE) assay (solid-phase assay, immobilized CP). In the liquid-phase assay, CP activity was Ca(2+)-dependent, and Mg2+ (5 mM) or Mn2+ (0.01-0.1 mM) could substitute for Ca2+. There was no additive effect of Mg2+ and Ca2+ on the activity of CP. Activity of CP in the liquid-phase assay, in the presence of 7 mM Ca2+, was enhanced by 0.1 mM Mn2+ to about 240% of the activity observed when only Ca2+ was present in the reaction. Zn2+ and Fe2+ did not activate CP in the absence of Ca2+; they inhibited CP activity in a concentration-dependent mode when administered in the presence of Ca2+. The activity of CP evaluated by the solid-phase assay (ICE assay) was neither Ca(2+)-dependent nor was it susceptible to potentiation by Mn2+ administered after CP was bound to IgM. CP exposed to 5 mM Mn2+ before binding to IgM expressed about 85% higher activity than without the presence of Mn2+. When CP was first preincubated with divalent ion and then immunocaptured, the signal generated in the enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay by Mn(2+)-containing CP was significantly different (30% greater) than signals generated by CP without Mn2+ or containing different ion. These data suggest that: (1) there is a significant conformational change of the CP molecule that takes place after capturing CP by the monoclonal IgM antibody on the solid surface; (2) the divalent ions are not directly involved in enzyme-substrate interactions in the CP moiety; and (3) the interaction of Mn2+ with CP seems to be different from that of the other divalent ions.

Application of cancer procoagulant as an early detection tumor marker.

BACKGROUND: In spite of many advances in the analytical reagents (antibodies), analytical systems, and the clinical application of tumor markers, the present markers do not detect early stage cancer. Preliminary data with an antigen specific to tumor tissue, cancer procoagulant (CP), suggest its possible role in the detection of early stage cancer. This study was aimed at determining the clinical use of CP as an early stage tumor marker. METHODS: An improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure CP concentration in serum. A panel of 817 blinded serum samples were examined from three groups of people: 573 cancer, 106 benign, and 139 normal. RESULTS: The sensitivity of all samples analyzed from cancer patients was 80%. The CP ELISA was able to detect ovarian, colon, and kidney cancer at a sensitivity greater than 85%; breast, prostate and small cell lung cancer was detected at a sensitivity of 80-85%. Particularly interesting was the observation that early stage cancers, regardless of site, were detected effectively. In some groups, the CP assay correctly identified 100% of the patients with stage I and II cancer. The assay was able to identify correctly noncancer patient sera at a specificity of 83% for those with benign disease and 82% for the normal individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The CP assay has potential as an aid in diagnosing early stage malignancies and thereby may significantly improve the survival rate of cancer patients.