Purification and characterization of the Ca2+-ATPase of plasma membranes from Ehrlich ascites mammary carcinoma cells.

Ca2+-ATPase was isolated from plasma membranes of Ehrlich ascites mammary carcinoma cells by means of calmodulin affinity chromatography. The purification procedure included removal of endogenous calmodulin from a Triton X-100 solubilizate of the membranes by DEAE ion-exchange chromatography as an essential step. With respect to its molecular mass, activation by calmodulin, Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation and highly sensitive inhibition by orthovanadate, the purified enzyme resembles the Ca2+-ATPase of erythrocyte membranes. In contrast to the strong calmodulin dependence of the isolated enzyme the Ca2+-ATPase in native Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell membranes cannot be remarkably stimulated by added calmodulin. It is suggested that the membrane-bound Ca2+-ATPase in the presence of Ca2+ is activated by interaction with endogenously bound calmodulin.

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of schizophrenics with a volume selective technique--preliminary findings.

Pettegrew et al (Arch Gen Psychiatry 48:563-568, 1991) were the first to determine abnormalities concerning phospholipids and high energy metabolites in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of drug-naive schizophrenics with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Other investigations could not replicate these findings. We included in our study 13 schizophrenic inpatients and 14 age-matched controls. Whereas Pettegrew et al found increased levels of phosphodiesters and decreased levels of phosphomonoesters we measured decreased levels of phosphodiesters in the schizophrenics as compared to controls. One possible explanation for the contradictory findings of the both trials might be the different localization techniques used.

Dependence on intracellular Ca2+ on mass and turnover of phosphoinositides and phosphatidate in human erythrocytes.

Effects of a calcium-load on mass and turnover of phosphoinositides and phosphatidate were investigated in human erythrocytes by short-term labeling with [32P]Pi. The labeling of phosphatidate was accelerated at normal mass by short-term elevation of free intracellular [Ca2+] up to 1 microM and inhibited by the reduction of normal free [Ca2+]. Thus, the labeling of phosphatidate is a Ca2+-regulated process and not only the consequence of a net synthesis of diacylglycerol by other Ca2+-dependent reactions. Persisting elevation of free intracellular [Ca2+] between 1-40 microM induced an increase of the mass of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate with a concomitant decrease of the mass of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Under these conditions, the normal steady-state turnover of phosphoinositides was not altered by Ca2+, but mass and turnover of phosphatidate continuously rose. The increase in phosphatidate mass by far exceeded the decrease of the mass of phosphoinositides, indicating that phosphatidate was generated to a great extent by hydrolysis of other phospholipids in addition to the action of phosphoinositidase C with subsequent phosphorylation of diacylglycerol to phosphatidate. The results demonstrate that different phospholipid phosphodiesterases of human erythrocytes are activated by Ca2+-concentrations in the microM range as is known from various other cell types. In contrast to current explanations, Ca2+-dependent phospholipid phosphodiesterases of human erythrocytes did not exhibit an unusually low affinity against rising cytosolic Ca2+-concentrations.

Calmodulin binding proteins in human erythrocyte membranes.

Human erythrocyte membranes reveal different calmodulin-binding proteins determined by a 125I-calmodulin gel overlay procedure. Beside the well-established Ca2+-transport ATPase, other proteins (205, 91, 72 and 42 kDa) bind calmodulin in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Two proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane are able to bind calmodulin only in the absence of Ca2+. One of them (76 kDa) is probably an integral, the other (240 kDa) a peripheral protein.

Influence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ on the turnover of the phosphomonoester group of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate in human erythrocyte membranes.

In isolated erythrocyte membranes, increasing the free Mg2+ concentration from 0.5 to 10 mM progressively activates the membrane-bound phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) kinase and leads to the establishment of a new equilibrium with higher phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) and lower PtdIns concentrations. The steady-state turnover of the phosphomonoester group of PtdIns4P also increases at high Mg2+ concentrations, indicating a simultaneous activation of PtdIns4P phosphomonoesterase by Mg2+. Half-maximum inhibition of PtdIns kinase occurs at 10 microM free Ca2+ in the presence of physiological free Mg2+ concentrations. Increasing free Mg2+ concentrations overcome Ca2+ inhibition of PtdIns kinase. In the presence of Ca2+, calmodulin activates Ca2+-transporting ATPase 5-fold, but does not alter pool size and radiolabelling of PtdIns4P. In intact erythrocytes, adding EGTA or EGTA plus Mg2+ and the ionophore A23187 to the external medium does not exert significant effects on concentration and radiolabelling of polyphosphoinositides when compared with controls in the presence of 1.4 mM free Ca2+.

Dependence on intracellular pH and Mg2+ of metabolic compartmentation of phosphoinositides in human erythrocytes.

Effects of intracellular pH and Mg2+ on turnover and extent of metabolic compartmentation of phosphomonoester groups of phosphoinositides and phosphatidate were investigated in human erythrocytes by short-term and equilibrium labeling with [32P]Pi under steady-state conditions. At pH 6.7, the specific radio-activities of phosphoinositides reached apparent equilibrium values, in the range of 70% of that ATP-gamma-P after long-term labelling. At pH 7.2, these values were in the range of 40-50% of that ATP-gamma-P. This demonstrates a decreased accessibility of phosphoinositides to enzymatic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at the transition from acidic to normal incubation conditions. These changes were more pronounced at pH 7.8. High intracellular [Mg2+] initially activated the turnover of phosphoinositides at pH 7.2. The activation changed into an inhibition and an increase of metabolic compartmentation after three hours preincubation of erythrocytes at high [Mg2+]. The long-term Mg2+ effects are reversible to a great extent by a subsequent re-reduction of [Mg2+]. In conclusion, deprotonation of phosphoinositides by low [H+] or high intracellular [Mg2+] at normal pH induces a decreased accessibility for their specific lipid kinases and phosphatases. This effect may be the result of lateral phase separation of acidic phospholipids as a consequence of divalent cation complexation under both experimental conditions, high pH and high [Mg2+] at normal pH.

[Investigations on secondary emission of metallic implant materials Ti and Ta following radiation]. / Untersuchungen zur Sekundäremission der metallischen Implantatwerkstoffe Titan und Tantal bei Bestrahlung.

Two implant materials, titanium and tantalum, were investigated for their electron emission in response to therapeutic tumor irradiation and were compared, in this context, to a substance equivalent to bone. The reaction of titanium was found to be similar to that of bone, whereas substantive increase in radiation was caused by tantalum which, consequently, should be removed from the radiation field.

Turnover of phosphomonoester groups and compartmentation of polyphosphoinositides in human erythrocytes.

The turnover of phosphomonoester groups of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] was investigated in human erythrocytes by short-term labelling with [32P]Pi. The procedure applied ensured a quantitative extraction of erythrocyte polyphosphoinositides as well as their reliable separation for the determinations of pool sizes and specific radioactivities. The pool sizes of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 are 25, 11 and 44 nmol/ml of cells respectively. Under steady-state conditions, the phosphorylation fluxes from [gamma-32P]ATP into PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 are in the ranges 14-22 and 46-94 nmol X h-1 X ml of cells-1 respectively. Only 25-60% of total PtdIns4P and 6-10% of total PtdIns(4,5)P2 take part in the rapid tracer exchange, i.e. are compartmentalized. In isolated erythrocyte ghosts, the turnover of PtdIns4P approximately corresponds to that in intact erythrocytes, although any compartmentation can be excluded in this preparation. Under the conditions of incubation employed, the turnover of PtdIns(4,5)P2 is more than one order of magnitude smaller in isolated ghosts than that obtained for intact erythrocytes.

31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the frontal lobe of major depressed patients.

Most research with 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) in affective disorders has been done in the field of bipolar disturbances. Reduced frontal and temporal lobe phosphomonoester (PME) concentrations were measured in the euthymic state, whereas increased values were found in the depressed state. In bipolar-II patients reduced phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations were reported in the euthymic, depressed, and manic state. The aim of the present study was to explore whether PME and PCr were also altered in the frontal lobe of major depressed, unipolar patients. Therefore, we used 31P-MRS to investigate the relative phospholipid and high-energy phosphate concentrations in the frontal lobe of 14 unipolar patients, mostly medicated, and 8 age-matched controls. We found increased PME and decreased ATP values. Other 31P-MRS parameters were not different in both groups. Phosphomonoester percentages correlated negatively with the degree of depression. Thus, the main alterations found in bipolar depressed patients could also be demonstrated in unipolar depressed patients. The results are discussed with regard to disturbed phospholipid and intracellular high-energy phosphate metabolism in depressed patients.