Effect of nonspecific phospholipid transfer protein on cholesterol esterification in microsomes from Morris hepatomas.

The content of cholesterol and cholesterol ester as well as the levels of acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase activity were determined in the microsomes from Morris hepatomas 7777, 5123D, and 7787. The free cholesterol content, expressed per mg microsomal protein, was significantly increased only in the microsomes from Morris hepatoma 7777 [47.8 +/- 0.4 micrograms (S.D.); p less than 0.001] and hepatoma 7787 (37.6 +/- 6.2 micrograms; p less than 0.01) as compared to normal liver (28.8 +/- 2.4 micrograms). The cholesterol ester content in the microsomes of the three different tumors did not significantly differ from that of normal liver (2.1 +/- 1.2 micrograms cholesterol per mg microsomal protein). The microsomal acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase activity was decreased in Morris hepatoma 7777 (8.6 +/- 2.3 pmol/min/mg protein; p less than 0.01) and in hepatoma 5123D (7.5 +/- 1.7 pmol/min/mg protein; p less than 0.02), and was normal in the hepatoma 7787 (16.5 +/- 7.8 pmol/min/mg protein) as compared to rat liver (16.0 +/- 2.9 pmol/min/mg protein). In a previous study (B. J. H. M. Poorthuis and K. W. A. Wirtz, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 710: 99-105, 1982), this acyltransferase activity was shown to be stimulated by preincubation of rat liver microsomes with cholesterol-containing vesicles and the nonspecific phospholipid transfer protein. In this paper, a similar 4-fold stimulation of activity was observed for the microsomes of the various hepatomas investigated. The possible role of the nonspecific phospholipid transfer protein in intracellular cholesterol esterification is discussed.

Effect of thyroxine on the activity of mitochondrial cardiolipin synthase in rat liver.

Cardiolipin is a major mitochondrial membrane lipid and plays a vital role in mitochondrial function. The effect of thyroxine on the activity of liver mitochondrial cardiolipin synthase was examined in this study. Treatment with thyroxine (250 micrograms/100 g) for 5 days increased cardiolipin synthase activity by 52%. Mitochondrial levels of cardiolipin appear to be regulated in part by the effect of thyroid hormone on the activity of cardiolipin synthase.

Inhibition of purified bovine milk lipoprotein lipase by propranolol and other beta-adrenergic blockers in vitro.

Numerous clinical studies have shown that propranolol administration causes hypertriglyceridemia and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein in man. Although these findings have been attributed to diminution of triacylglycerol-rich lipoprotein catabolism by lipoprotein lipase, biochemical studies of the effects of propranolol on lipoprotein lipase activity in vitro have not been previously reported. We purified lipoprotein lipase from raw bovine skimmed milk and examined the effect of propranolol using as substrate phospholipid-stabilized, triolein emulsions containing purified human apolipoprotein C-II. These studies demonstrate that propranolol inhibits lipoprotein lipase activity. The inhibition was found to be noncompetitive with a Ki for propranolol of 0.55 mM. In addition, propranolol was shown to bind to phospholipid-stabilized triolein emulsions reaching local concentrations at the particle surface many times higher than its bulk concentration. Metoprolol, timolol and practolol, which are less hydrophobic than propranolol, were less inhibitory. Atenolol was the weakest inhibitor of purified bovine lipoprotein lipase in vitro.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics inhibit lysosomal phospholipase A and C from rat liver in vitro.

Accumulation of aminoglycoside antibiotics and phospholipids in lysosomes is a prominent feature of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity, suggesting the possibility that these agents may inhibit the activity of lysosomal phospholipases. We examined the effect of four aminoglycoside antibiotics, amikacin, dibekacin gentamicin and tobramycin, on the hydrolysis of [3H]dioleoylphosphatidylcholine by a lysosomal protein fraction obtained from rat liver which contains phospholipase A and C. Phospholipase A was inhibited strongly by these agents. Phospholipase C was also inhibited, especially by amikacin and tobramycin. These results suggest that the accumulation of phospholipids in the kidney cortex in aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity may be due to inhibition of lysosomal phospholipase action.

Cardiolipin synthase from mammalian mitochondria.

Cardiolipin was first isolated from beef heart and was shown to contain an unusually high content of linoleic acid ester residues. Cardiolipin is found throughout the eukaryotes including animals, plants and fungi. In mammalian tissue and in yeast, cardiolipin is found exclusively in mitochondria. Mitochondrial synthesis of cardiolipin utilizes phosphatidylglycerol and CDP-diacylglycerol as substrates in a reaction which requires a divalent cation (Mg2+, Mn2+ or Co2+). Cardiolipin synthase has been purified to near-homogeneity from rat liver by solubilization with Zwittergent 3-14 followed by FPLC anion exchange, gel permeation and chromatofocusing steps. Cardiolipin synthase has a molecular mass of 50 kDa, a pH optimum of 8.0, and requires added phospholipids (phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin) and 4 mM Co2+ for optimal activity. Except for the effects of divalent cations and the requirement for phospholipids, little is known about the regulation of cardiolipin synthase. Cardiolipin deficiency in aging mitochondria has been linked to decreased metabolite transport across the inner membrane. Both cardiolipin levels and cardiolipin synthase activity are increased in hyperthyroidism and decreased in hypothyroidism suggesting regulation by thyroid hormone. Mammalian cardiolipin synthase has not been sequenced or cloned and its biological role in mitochondria is not yet fully understood.

Chloroquine treatment does not cause phospholipid storage by depleting rat liver lysosomes of acid phospholipase A.

Chronic treatment of rats with chloroquine causes phospholipid storage in the lysosomes of liver and other tissues. This could be due to chloroquine-induced depletion of liver lysosomal phospholipase A. Alternatively, it could be caused by chloroquine inhibition of intralysosomal phospholipid catabolism. We treated rats with chloroquine in a dosage schedule sufficient to cause a 35% increase in liver phospholipid content. Acid phospholipase A activity was increased in liver homogenates and in lysosomal preparations obtained from chloroquine-treated animals. Thus, while fibroblasts respond to chloroquine treatment by cellular depletion of certain acid hydrolases as shown by others, the levels of acid phospholipase A increase in liver. Our results provide additional new support for the hypothesis that inhibition of lysosomal phospholipase A activity is the major mechanism of chloroquine-induced phospholipidosis.

Studies on nucleotide diphosphate diacylglycerol specificity of acidic phospholipid biosynthesis in rat liver subcellular fractions.

(1)Cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol, uridine diphosphate diacylglycerol, adenosine diphosphate diacylglycerol and guanosine diphosphate diacylglycerol were synthesized chemically and their purity assessed. The acticity of these compounds in acidic phospholipid synthesis was examined in rat liver mitochondria and microsomes. (2) Phosphatidylglycerol synthesis in rat liver mitochondria exhibited considerable activity with CDP diacylglycerol (v 7.0 nmol mg-1 h-1). UDPdiacylglycerol (v 5.4) and ADP diacylglyc erol (v 4.2). GDP diacylglycerol activity was detectable but very low. (3) Diphophatidylglycerol formation in mitochondria and phosphatidylinositolsythesis in microsomes exhibited considerable more specificity for CDP diacylglycerol. However, at high concentrations, measurable diphosphaticylglycerol and phophatidylinositol synthesis was observed with the other liponucleotides. (4) Although considerable phosphatidylglycerol formation was observed with UDPdiacaylglycerol and ADP diacylglycerol, it is unlikelky that these compounds are of physiologic importance, at least in rat liver, since CTP:phophatidic acid cytidyltransferase in microsomes and mitochondria was shown to be specific for cytidine triphosphate. The lack of specificity of phosphatiidylglycerol synthesis for CDP diacylglycerol is currently unexplained but may be of some importance in other tissues or in other organisms.

Solubilization and partial characterization of phospholipase A from rat heart sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Phospholipase A has been solubilized from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rat heart by treatment with Tris buffer, potassium chloride, taurodeoxycholate or octyl glucoside. On HPLC gel permeation, two phospholipases were identified at the void volume of a TSK 3000 column and at an apparent molecular mass of 60 kDa. The two activity peaks exhibited a predominance of phospholipase A1 activity (83-91%) and a lesser phospholipase C activity (4-9%) using sonicated 1-palmitoyl-2[1-14C]oleoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes as substrate. The voiding phospholipase A peak, which represented the bulk of the recovered activity, exhibited a requirement for calcium ions in the 0.3-3 microM range. The heat stability and response to mercuric ions was studied and some similarities were noted between the solubilized sarcoplasmic reticulum phospholipases A and the cytosolic phospholipases A of rat heart. It is speculated that the cytosolic phospholipase A which we reported earlier may represent in part phospholipase A released from sarcoplasmic reticulum during isolation of the subcellular membrane fractions.

In vitro inhibition of lysosomal phospholipase A1 of rat lung by amiodarone and desethylamiodarone.

Amiodarone causes phospholipid storage in the lysosomes of various types of lung cell in animals and man. It has been proposed that this is due to its ability to inhibit lysosomal phospholipase A. To investigate this further, a crude lysosomal fraction from rat lung was prepared and phospholipase A was isolated and its positional specificity was determined. Analysis of the products formed after incubation with 2-[1-14C]oleoylphosphatidylcholine showed that only phospholipase A1 activity is present. This soluble preparation of lung lysosomal phospholipase A1 was used to study inhibition by amiodarone and desethylamiodarone, in vitro. Both were extremely potent inhibitors of the lung acid phospholipase A1. To evaluate the levels of amiodarone in lung lysosomes, rats were treated with the agent for 3 days and the combined mitochondrial/lysosomal fraction of lung tissue was prepared by differential centrifugation. This fraction had been shown previously to be highly enriched in amiodarone. Purified mitochondria and lysosomes were isolated from the combined mitochondrial/lysosomal fraction with Percoll gradients and analyzed for their drug content by HPLC. Amiodarone and desethylamiodarone were present in roughly equal amounts, relative to protein, in mitochondria and lysosomes, respectively. Amiodarone appears to differ from other cationic amphiphilic drugs which cause lipidosis because the latter are more highly lysosomotropic. Although amiodarone does not appear to be highly lysosomotropic in lung, it causes lysosomal phospholipid storage because of its ability to concentrate in lung and because it inhibits lysosomal phospholipase A to a much greater extent than other cationic amphiphiles such as diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol, chloroquine and chlorphentermine.

Partial characterization of rat heart cytosolic phospholipase A1 and demonstration of essential sulfhydryl groups.

The cytosol of rat heart has been previously shown to contain phospholipase A activity in substantial amounts. This paper describes the isolation and partial purification of rat heart cytosolic phospholipase A. After homogenization of rat heart followed by centrifugation to remove membraneous material, the phospholipase A activity was isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and further purified by gel permeation chromatography with Sephadex G-100 in the presence of 5 mM taurodeoxycholate. Two peaks were isolated: a minor peak at the void volume and major peak corresponding to a molecular weight of 45,000. The molecular weight observed in HPLC gel permeation chromatography experiments was also Mr 45,000 and was not significantly affected by the nature of the detergent used. Phospholipase A was purified 77-fold over the crude cytosol. Further purification could not be attained due to lability of the phospholipase A activity. The enzyme is a phospholipase of the A1 type which does not require Ca2+ and lacks lipase or transacylase activity. It is unusual for the phospholipases A described to date, since it is inhibited by thiol reagents and is protected by beta-mercaptoethanol, suggesting the presence of essential sulfhydryl residues.

Lysosomal phosphatidylcholine: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acyltransferase: specificity for the sn-1 fatty acid of the donor and co-purification with phospholipase A1.

Positional specificities in donor and acceptor phospholipids of the lysosomal phosphatidylcholine: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acyltransferase have been determined. Comparison of the transfer of labelled fatty acid from sn-1 [14C]acyl and sn-2 [14C]acylphosphatidylcholines by extracts of rat liver lysosomes revealed that fatty acids in the sn-1 position were exclusively transferred. Degradation of the acylphosphatidylglycerol product by Rhizopus arrhizus lipase, highly specific for fatty acids esterified to sn-1 or sn-3 positions, indicated that sn-1 or sn-3 rather than sn-2 positions had been acylated. Assays of phospholipase A1, phosphatidylcholine: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acyltransferase, the conversion of lysophosphatidylglycerol to bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate and phospholipase A2 were performed at various steps in the purification of lysosomal phospholipase A1. After the penultimate step of chromatofocusing, there was a 1086-fold increase of phospholipase A1 specific activity over the homogenate and this was accompanied by a 11 998-fold increase of phosphatidylcholine: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acyltransferase specific activity. A second preparation carried through to the final step of gel-filtration retained a similar ratio of acyltransferase activity. On the other hand, specific activities of phospholipase A2 and of the conversion of lysophosphatidylglycerol to bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate increased to the step where enzyme was solubilized from lysosomes, but were lost from later steps. These findings suggest that phosphatidylcholine: bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acyltransferase is catalyzed by lysosomal phospholipase A1. The site of acylation in the bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate acceptor appears to be either sn-1 or sn-3. Since the lysosomal extracts did not catalyze the transacylation of phosphatidylglycerol, we conclude that the formation of acylphosphatidylglycerol in lysosomes requires the sequential acylation of lysophosphatidylglycerol to form bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate by an unidentified enzymatic mechanism followed by a transacylation of bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate in either sn-1 or sn-3 position to form acylphosphatidylglycerol which is catalyzed by phospholipase A1.

Abnormal membrane phospholipid content in subcellular fractions from the Morris 7777 hepatoma.

1. Mitochondrial and microsomal fractions were prepared from normal rat liver and the Morris 7777 hepatoma and characterized by the use of the marker enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and rotenone-insensitive NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. 2. The phospholipid content per mg membrane protein of Morris 7777 hepatoma mitochondria was increased by 75% as compared with mitochondria from normal rat liver. Microsomes from this poorly-differentiated tumor were found to have a 45% decrease in the content of phospholipid. These abnormalities were independent of tumor size or age. 3. The percent phospholipid content of the subcellular fractions was determined, and revealed an increase in the percent sphingomyelin in both the microsomal and mitochondrial fractions of the tumor. Decreases in the percent phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were noted in tumor microsomes as compared with normal liver. Diphosphatidylglycerol was not found in significant quantities in the microsomal fraction of this hepatoma line. 4. The content of the various phospholipid classes per mg protein in the respective mitochondrial and microsomal fractions was determined. Large increases in nearly all the major phospholipid classes were found in tumor mitochondria; tumor microsomes were characterized by an increased content of sphingomyelin but the content of nearly all other phospholipids was significantly decreased. These findings suggest the presence of disturbances in the regulation of phospholipid metabolism in subcellular organelle membranes of the Morris 7777 hepatoma.

Further studies on the formation of cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol in rat liver mitochondria. Effect of divalent cations and the fatty acid composition of CDP-diglyceride.

The divalent cation requirement for mitochondrial cardiolipin biosynthesis has been further investigated. The relative order of divalent cation activity was Co-2+ greater than Mn-2+ greater than Mg-2+. Cardiolipin was not formed in the incubations with Zn-2+, Fe-2+, Cu-2+, Hg-2+, and Ca-2+. Cardiolipin synthesis in the presence of optimal cincentration of Co-2+ was inhibited by Ca-2+. A series of CDP-diglycerides was synthesized having differences in fatty acid chain lenth and degree of unsaturation. These compounds were tested in mitochondrial cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol synthesis. Although there were some minor differences between phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin synthesis, in general, saturated shorter chain CDP-diglycerides (dilauroyl and dimyristoyl) were better substrates than the longer chain dipalmitoyl and distearoyl homologues. Introduction of double bonds into distearoyl CDP-diglyceride resulted in more rapid rates of synthesis (e.g. dioleoyl and dilinoleoyl CDP-diglyceride). Significance of the results is dicussed with regard to possible mechanisms of linoleic acid incorporation into rat liver cardiolipin.

Diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol causes hypertriglyceridemia in guinea pigs.

Treatment of rats, monkeys and man with diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol causes phospholipid storage in liver and other tissues. However, this drug has not been reported to alter plasma lipoprotein levels. When guinea pigs were treated with diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol, the fasting plasma triacylglycerol levels increased dramatically, from 43 to 1281 mg/dl, after only five doses of 12.5 mg/kg. Diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol-treated guinea pigs had reduced postheparin lipase activity. In addition, in vitro assays showed that this agent inhibited guinea pig postheparin lipoprotein lipase. It is hypothesized that diethylaminoethoxyhexestrol causes hypertriglyceridemia in guinea pigs because these animals are known to have low levels of serum activator for lipoprotein lipase and may be unusually susceptible to agents that inhibit lipoprotein lipase activity. The ability to produce hypertriglyceridemia in guinea pigs provides an animal model in which the metabolic consequences of hypertriglyceridemia can be studied.

Lipid conjugates of antiretroviral agents: release of antiretroviral nucleoside monophosphates by a nucleoside diphosphate diglyceride hydrolase activity from rat liver mitochondria.

The release of the 5'-monophosphates of the antiretroviral nucleoside analogs 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, 3'-deoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine from the corresponding nucleoside diphosphate diglycerides as a result of rat liver mitochondrial enzymatic activity is shown. The three analogs appeared to be about equally active as substrate for this pyrophosphatase activity which showed maximum conversion rates of 3-6 nmol min-1 mg protein-1 at substrate concentrations between 500 to 800 microM. These results may contribute to the biochemical explanation for the observed anti-HIV activity of this type of phospholipid conjugates in vitro.

Cytidine diphosphate diglyceride analogs of antiretroviral dideoxynucleosides: evidence for release of dideoxynucleoside-monophosphates by phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes in rat liver subcellular fractions.

We recently synthesized phospholipid analogs with antiviral nucleosides in the polar headgroup and demonstrated their antiretroviral activity in vitro in human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells (Hostetler, K.Y., Stuhmiller, L.M., Lenting, H.B.M., van den Bosch, H. and Richman, D.D. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6112-6117). Dideoxynucleoside analogs of cytidine diphosphate diglyceride (CDP-DG) represent one class of such phospholipid prodrugs from which the antiviral active principle may be released through established pathways of cellular phospholipid metabolism. We now demonstrate that the liponucleotides of dideoxycytidine, 3'-deoxythymidine and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT, Zidovudine) can substitute to varying extents for CDP-DG in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol or diphosphatidylglycerol by rat liver subcellular fractions. In all three biosynthetic pathways dideoxycytidine diphosphate diglyceride was the most active donor of the phosphatidyl unit. The nearly stoichiometric formation of dideoxycytidine-5'-monophosphate during phosphatidylinositol biosynthesis supports the rationale that the antiretroviral liponucleotides may provide cells with a depot form from which the antiviral drug can be released in 5'-monophosphorylated form, thus bypassing the initial phosphorylation of free dideoxynucleosides.

Role of phospholipase A inhibition in amiodarone pulmonary toxicity in rats.

Amiodarone is effective in the treatment of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. In man its clinical use is associated with the accumulation of phospholipid-rich multilamellar inclusions in various tissues including lung, liver and others. This report presents evidence showing that amiodarone is a potent inhibitor of lysosomal phospholipase A from rat alveolar macrophages, J-744 macrophages and rat liver. When compared with other cationic amphiphilic agents which are known to produce phospholipidosis, amiodarone is one of the most potent inhibitors yet discovered. The subcellular localization of amiodarone has been determined in lung and its distribution was consistent with a lysosomal localization. It is hypothesized that amiodarone causes cellular phospholipidosis by concentrating in lysosomes and inhibiting phospholipid catabolism.

Synthesis, characterization and some properties of dideoxynucleoside analogs of cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol.

Phospholipid conjugates of antiretroviral nucleoside analogs have been proposed to have several advantageous features when compared to the parent drugs (Hostetler, K.Y. et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6112-6117). Here we report on the synthesis of one such type of lipid conjugates, i.e., nucleosides diphosphate diacylglycerols. The syntheses of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine diphosphate diacylglycerol, 3'-deoxythymidine diphosphate diacylglycerol and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (with different acyl chains) were performed starting from phosphatidic acid and the antiviral nucleoside. A high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for a single step purification of the compounds is presented. The compounds were characterized biochemically, using rat liver enzymes and chemically by phosphorus, fatty acid, ultraviolet, IR and 1H-NMR analyses. Preliminary data on the behaviour in aqueous solution of some of the compounds are presented.

Phospholipid transfer activities in Morris hepatomas and the specific contribution of the phosphatidylcholine exchange protein.

Phospholipid transfer activities for phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine were measured in three hepatomas of increasing growth rate and degree of dedifferentiation, the hepatomas of 9633 and 7777, and compared to the activities found in normal and host liver. A 2-3-fold increase was found in the phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol transfer activities in the fast-growing 7777 hepatoma, while these activities were moderately or not increased in the 7787 and 9633 hepatomas. Phosphatidylethanolamine transfer was found to be extremely low in all three hepatomas. The possible significance of these findings with respect to the altered phospholipid content and composition of the hepatoma membranes is discussed. The contribution of the phosphatidylcholine specific exchange protein to the total phosphatidylcholine transfer activity was determined in normal and host liver and in the hepatomas 7777 and 9633 with the aid o f a phosphatidylcholine exchange protein specific antiserum. To this end a new procedure for the purification of the phosphatidylcholine exchange protein from rat liver was developed which leads to a final purification factor of 5300 and a high overall yield of 17%. In addition, this protein was chemically and immunologically characterized and its properties were compared to those of the bovine phosphatidylcholine exchange protein purified in our laboratory previously.

Liposome entrapment enhances the hypocalcemic action of parenterally administered calcitonin.

The hypocalcemic effect of liposomal-entrapped calcitonin (CT) was evaluated in rats. Salmon CT and human CT were entrapped in liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine with or without an equimolar amount of cholesterol. The liposomes were separated by Sepharose 4B chromatography into fractions consisting of large multilamellar vesicles and small unilamellar vesicles. The incorporation of CT was monitored by counting [125I]CT and by specific RIA. Liposomal entrapment enhanced the hypocalcemic potency of parenterally administered salmon CT and human CT. After iv administration, the large multilamellar vesicles were more potent than small unilamellar vesicles in their hypocalcemic effect; cholesterol inclusion in the MLV liposome preparation prolonged the hypocalcemia. However, with im administration, the cholesterol-free liposomes were more potent than their cholesterol-containing counterparts regardless of size. These studies demonstrate that liposomal entrapment can be used to enhance the hypocalcemic potency of CT. It appears that both the size and composition of the liposome preparation are important in this effect, as is the route of administration. It may be possible to produce liposome-CT preparations with advantageous pharmacological characteristics.