Iron chelation rescues hemolytic anemia and skin photosensitivity in congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is an inborn error of heme synthesis resulting from uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS) deficiency and the accumulation of nonphysiological porphyrin isomer I metabolites. Clinical features are heterogeneous among patients with CEP but usually combine skin photosensitivity and chronic hemolytic anemia, the severity of which is related to porphyrin overload. Therapeutic options include symptomatic strategies only and are unsatisfactory. One promising approach to treating CEP is to reduce the erythroid production of porphyrins through substrate reduction therapy by inhibiting 5-aminolevulinate synthase 2 (ALAS2), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway. We efficiently reduced porphyrin accumulation after RNA interference-mediated downregulation of ALAS2 in human erythroid cellular models of CEP disease. Taking advantage of the physiological iron-dependent posttranscriptional regulation of ALAS2, we evaluated whether iron chelation with deferiprone could decrease ALAS2 expression and subsequent porphyrin production in vitro and in vivo in a CEP murine model. Treatment with deferiprone of UROS-deficient erythroid cell lines and peripheral blood CD34+-derived erythroid cultures from a patient with CEP inhibited iron-dependent protein ALAS2 and iron-responsive element-binding protein 2 expression and reduced porphyrin production. Furthermore, porphyrin accumulation progressively decreased in red blood cells and urine, and skin photosensitivity in CEP mice treated with deferiprone (1 or 3 mg/mL in drinking water) for 26 weeks was reversed. Hemolysis and iron overload improved upon iron chelation with full correction of anemia in CEP mice treated at the highest dose of deferiprone. Our findings highlight, in both mouse and human models, the therapeutic potential of iron restriction to modulate the phenotype in CEP.

Effects of peripheral administration of GH and IGF-I on gene expression in the hippocampus of hypophysectomised rats.

OBJECTIVE: Growth hormone (GH) increases insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) production and both hormones affect hippocampal plasticity. We have previously shown that Hbb and Alas2 in the rat hippocampus were robustly regulated by GH-infusions for six days, whereas other transcripts were weakly affected. Here, we explored the effects of prolonged GH administration on transcripts linked to neuroprotection and investigated whether serum IGF-I administration may exert similar effects. DESIGN: Hypophysectomised female rats were infused with GH or IGF-I for 19 days. Hbb, Alas2 and seven additional GH- and IGF-I-related transcripts were quantified by Q-RT-PCR in rat hippocampus. RESULTS: Three transcripts, Hbb, Alas2, and Alox15 were increased by both GH and IGF-I administration. The other transcripts were marginally affected. CONCLUSION: The 19-day GH-infusion induced similar effects as those reported after 6-day GH treatment, with the addition of the regulation of transcript Alox15. IGF-I induced altered gene expression in relation to its effect on weight gain. This study underlines that there is an entity of transcripts involved in neuroprotection and vascular tone that is regulated by both systemic GH and IGF-I. For other transcripts, the longer duration of this study did not significantly enhance the marginal effects of GH administration seen previously.

Liaison between heme metabolism and bioenergetics pathways-a multimodal elucidation for early diagnosis of oral cancer.

Metabolic alterations of oral epithelial cells under oxidative stress are important signatures for early diagnosis of oral cancer. Amongst different metabolic alterations, non-invasive photo-diagnostic methods have been extensively used for determining cellular heme metabolism and accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) under administration of suitable photosensitizer. In this study, we report these metabolic alterations by direct analysis of oral exfoliated cells obtained from individuals with prolonged smoking habit without the exogenous administration of any photosensitizer. The relative expression level of relevant biomolecules of study groups were compared with clinically diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed leukoplakia (OLPK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. The energy imbalance and variation in 'redox ratio' were examined through spectroscopic studies which showed an increasing trend (p < 0.001) in smokers to OSCC groups in comparison to nonsmoker control. Gene expression of important intermediates of the heme metabolic pathway (viz. 5-aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1), Ferrochelatase (FECH), hemeoxygenase 1 (HO-1) and ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2)) which affect production of PpIX was assessed. Relative mRNA level of ALAS1 and HO1 was upregulated whereas mRNA level of other genes (viz. FECH and ABCG2) were found to be downregulated in smokers as well as in cancer groups. Outcome of different spectroscopic studies on exfoliated cells (viz. fluorescence, atomic absorption and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) corroborated with the expression of biomarkers related to cellular endogenous metabolism related to heme cycle. This study indicates significant alterations in endogenous metabolic products, and cellular functional groups in oral epithelial cells among the study groups. Our study reports a strong possibility of diagnosis of early cancer signatures amongst habitual smokers by direct and non-invasive assessment of metabolic status of oral epithelial cells without exogenous administration of photosensitizers. The knowledge accrued from the study may guide clinicians in precise detection of precancer trend in the susceptible population through a noninvasive rapid screening method.

Over expression of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2 increased protoporphyrin IX in nonerythroid cells.

Protoporphyrin IX has been used as an efficient sensitizer in photodynamic diagnosis, photodynamic therapy, and sonodynamic therapy. The level of protoporphyrin IX is very important for diagnostic or therapy effects. 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2 (ALAS2) is the key enzyme upstream of protoporphyrin IX synthesis. To increase protoporphyrin IX accumulation, ALAS2 over-expression transgenic mice were generated. Plasmid containing alas2 gene was transfected in colonic carcinoma cell lines. Both in tissues of transgenic mice and in colonic carcinoma cells, the amount of protoporphyrin IX accumulation did increase. In addition, the level of heme, which is down stream of protoporphyrin IX did not change. Overexpression ALAS2 in nonerythriod cells may become a novel approach to cause protoporphyrin IX accumulation.

Increased Heme Levels in the Heart Lead to Exacerbated Ischemic Injury.

BACKGROUND: Heme is an essential iron-containing molecule for cardiovascular physiology, but in excess it may increase oxidative stress. Failing human hearts have increased heme levels, with upregulation of the rate-limiting enzyme in heme synthesis, δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2 (ALAS2), which is normally not expressed in cardiomyocytes. We hypothesized that increased heme accumulation (through cardiac overexpression of ALAS2) leads to increased oxidative stress and cell death in the heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: We first showed that ALAS2 and heme levels are increased in the hearts of mice subjected to coronary ligation. To determine the causative role of increased heme in the development of heart failure, we generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of ALAS2. While ALAS2 transgenic mice have normal cardiac function at baseline, their hearts display increased heme content, higher oxidative stress, exacerbated cell death, and worsened cardiac function after coronary ligation compared to nontransgenic littermates. We confirmed in cultured cardiomyoblasts that the increased oxidative stress and cell death observed with ALAS2 overexpression is mediated by increased heme accumulation. Furthermore, knockdown of ALAS2 in cultured cardiomyoblasts exposed to hypoxia reversed the increases in heme content and cell death. Administration of the mitochondrial antioxidant MitoTempo to ALAS2-overexpressing cardiomyoblasts normalized the elevated oxidative stress and cell death levels to baseline, indicating that the effects of increased ALAS2 and heme are through elevated mitochondrial oxidative stress. The clinical relevance of these findings was supported by the finding of increased ALAS2 induction and heme accumulation in failing human hearts from patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy compared to nonischemic cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Heme accumulation is detrimental to cardiac function under ischemic conditions, and reducing heme in the heart may be a novel approach for protection against the development of heart failure.

Liver Transplantation for Acute Intermittent Porphyria: Biochemical and Pathologic Studies of the Explanted Liver.

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal-dominant hepatic disorder caused by the half-normal activity of hydroxymethylbilane (HMB) synthase. Symptomatic individuals experience life-threatening acute neurovisceral attacks that are precipitated by factors that induce the hepatic expression of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1), resulting in the marked accumulation of the putative neurotoxic porphyrin precursors 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG). Here, we provide the first detailed description of the biochemical and pathologic alterations in the explanted liver of an AIP patient who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) due to untreatable and debilitating chronic attacks. After OLT, the recipient's plasma and urinary ALA and PBG rapidly normalized, and her attacks immediately stopped. In the explanted liver, (a) ALAS1 mRNA and activity were elevated approximately ~3- and 5-fold, and ALA and PBG concentrations were increased ~3- and 1,760-fold, respectively; (b) uroporphyrin III concentration was elevated; (c) microsomal heme content was sufficient, and representative cytochrome P450 activities were essentially normal; (d) HMB synthase activity was approximately half-normal (~42%); (e) iron concentration was slightly elevated; and (f) heme oxygenase I mRNA was increased approximately three-fold. Notable pathologic findings included nodular regenerative hyperplasia, previously not reported in AIP livers, and minimal iron deposition, despite the large number of hemin infusions received before OLT. These findings suggest that the neurovisceral symptoms of AIP are not associated with generalized hepatic heme deficiency and support the neurotoxicity of ALA and/or PBG. Additionally, they indicate that substrate inhibition of hepatic HMB synthase activity by PBG is not a pathogenic mechanism in acute attacks.

In ferrochelatase-deficient protoporphyria patients, ALAS2 expression is enhanced and erythrocytic protoporphyrin concentration correlates with iron availability.

The activity of the erythroid-specific isoenzyme of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS2), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in heme biosynthesis, is down-regulated during iron-deficiency. Ferrochelatase (FECH), the last enzyme of this pathway, inserts iron into protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) to form heme. Patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), an inherited deficiency in FECH, often show signs of iron deficiency in addition to phototoxicity which is caused by PPIX accumulation. However, iron supplementation often leads to exacerbation of phototoxicity. We report three EPP patients who had reduced erythrocytic PPIX concentrations when they were iron-deficient and their microcytic and hypochromic anemia deteriorated. Additionally, we found a significant increase in the amount of ALAS2 mRNA and protein among EPP patients. To verify the connection between FECH deficiency and ALAS2 over-expression, we inhibited FECH in cultured cells and found a subsequent increase in ALAS2 mRNA. We conclude that the primary deficiency in ferrochelatase leads to a secondary increase in ALAS2 expression. The combined action of these two enzymes within the heme biosynthetic pathway contributes to the accumulation of PPIX. Furthermore, we hypothesize that EPP patients may benefit from a mild iron deficiency since it would limit PPIX production by restricting ALAS2 over-expression.

Heme levels are increased in human failing hearts.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to characterize the regulation of heme and non-heme iron in human failing hearts. BACKGROUND: Iron is an essential molecule for cellular physiology, but in excess it facilitates oxidative stress. Mitochondria are the key regulators of iron homeostasis through heme and iron-sulfur cluster synthesis. Because mitochondrial function is depressed in failing hearts and iron accumulation can lead to oxidative stress, we hypothesized that iron regulation may also be impaired in heart failure (HF). METHODS: We measured mitochondrial and cytosolic heme and non-heme iron levels in failing human hearts retrieved during cardiac transplantation surgery. In addition, we examined the expression of genes regulating cellular iron homeostasis, the heme biosynthetic pathway, and micro-RNAs that may potentially target iron regulatory networks. RESULTS: Although cytosolic non-heme iron levels were reduced in HF, mitochondrial iron content was maintained. Moreover, we observed a significant increase in heme levels in failing hearts, with corresponding feedback inhibition of the heme synthetic enzymes and no change in heme degradation. The rate-limiting enzyme in heme synthesis, delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase 2 (ALAS2), was significantly upregulated in HF. Overexpression of ALAS2 in H9c2 cardiac myoblasts resulted in increased heme levels, and hypoxia and erythropoietin treatment increased heme production through upregulation of ALAS2. Finally, increased heme levels in cardiac myoblasts were associated with excess production of reactive oxygen species and cell death, suggesting a maladaptive role for increased heme in HF. CONCLUSIONS: Despite global mitochondrial dysfunction, heme levels are maintained above baseline in human failing hearts.

Fish oil feeding up-regulates the expression of 5-aminolevulinate synthase 2 mRNA in rat brain.

In this study, we investigated the effect of fish oil on gene expression in the cerebral cortex, and found that 5-aminolevulinate synthase 2 (ALAS2) mRNA expression was up-regulated by fish oil feeding. ALAS2 promoter activity was found to be regulated by retinoic acid. Our results suggest that fish oil modulates neuronal functions via heme synthesis.

Oxidative stress modulates heme synthesis and induces peroxiredoxin-2 as a novel cytoprotective response in ß-thalassemic erythropoiesis.

BACKGROUND: ß-thalassemic syndromes are inherited red cell disorders characterized by severe ineffective erythropoiesis and increased levels of reactive oxygen species whose contribution to ß-thalassemic anemia is only partially understood. DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied erythroid precursors from normal and ß-thalassemic peripheral CD34(+) cells in two-phase liquid culture by proteomic, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analyses. We measured intracellular reactive oxygen species, heme levels and the activity of δ-aminolevulinate-synthase-2. We exposed normal cells and K562 cells with silenced peroxiredoxin-2 to H(2)O(2) and generated a recombinant peroxiredoxin-2 for kinetic measurements in the presence of H(2)O(2) or hemin. RESULTS: In ß-thalassemia the increased production of reactive oxygen species was associated with down-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 and biliverdin reductase and up-regulation of peroxiredoxin-2. In agreement with these observations in ß-thalassemic cells we found decreased heme levels related to significantly reduced activity of the first enzyme of the heme pathway, δ-aminolevulinate synthase-2 without differences in its expression. We demonstrated that the activity of recombinant δ-aminolevulinate synthase-2 is inhibited by both reactive oxygen species and hemin as a protective mechanism in ß-thalassemic cells. We then addressed the question of the protective role of peroxiredoxin-2 in erythropoiesis by exposing normal cells to oxidative stress and silencing peroxiredoxin-2 in human erythroleukemia K562 cells. We found that peroxiredoxin-2 expression is up-regulated in response to oxidative stress and required for K562 cells to survive oxidative stress. We then showed that peroxiredoxin-2 binds heme in erythroid precursors with high affinity, suggesting a possible multifunctional cytoprotective role of peroxiredoxin-2 in ß-thalassemia. CONCLUSIONS: In ß-thalassemic erythroid cells the reduction of δ-aminolevulinate synthase-2 activity and the increased expression of peroxiredoxin-2 might represent two novel stress-response protective systems.

Lon peptidase 1 (LONP1)-dependent breakdown of mitochondrial 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase protein by heme in human liver cells.

5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS-1) is the first rate controlling enzyme that controls cellular heme biosynthesis. Negative feedback regulation of ALAS-1 by the end product heme is well documented and provides the foundation for heme treatment of acute porphyrias, a group of diseases caused by genetic defects in the heme biosynthesis pathway and exacerbated by controlled up-regulation of ALAS-1. Heme is known to affect ALAS-1 activity by repressing gene transcription, accelerating mRNA degradation, and impeding pre-ALAS-1 mitochondrial translocation. In the current study, we examined the effect of heme on the rate of mature ALAS-1 protein turnover in human cells and tissues and explored the mediator involved in this new regulatory mechanism. We found that heme and other metalloporphyrins such as CoPP and CrPP decreased mitochondrial ALAS-1 protein through proteolysis. This degradative effect cannot be emulated by iron or free protoporphyrin, two major chemical components of the heme ring, and is independent of oxidative stress. Down-regulating the activity of mitochondrial LONP1, an ATP-dependent protease that controls the selective turnover of mitochondrial matrix proteins, with potent inhibitors and specific siRNA diminished the negative effect of heme on mitochondrial ALAS-1. Therefore, our data support the existence of a conserved heme feedback regulatory mechanism that functions on the mature form of ALAS-1 protein through the activity of a mitochondrial proteolytic system.

Hypoxic induction of human erythroid-specific δ-aminolevulinate synthase mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) is a heterodimeric basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that regulates many key genes. δ-Aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) catalyzes the first and rate-limiting reaction in the heme biosynthetic pathway. In this study, we show that hypoxia-induced expression of erythroid-specific ALAS2 is mediated by HIF1 in erythroid cells. Under hypoxic conditions, significantly increased ALAS2 mRNA and protein levels were detected in K562 cells and erythroid induction cultures of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Enforced HIF1α expression increased the level of ALAS2 expression, while HIF1α knockdown by RNA interference decreased the level of ALAS2 expression. In silico analysis revealed three potential hypoxia-response elements (HREs) that are located 611, 621, and 741 bp downstream of the ALAS2 gene. The results from reporter gene and mutation analysis suggested that these elements are necessary for a maximal hypoxic response. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and polymerase chain reaction showed that the HREs could be recognized and bound by HIF1α in vivo. These results demonstrate that the upregulation of ALAS2 during hypoxia is directly mediated by HIF1. We hypothesize that HIF1-mediated ALAS2 upregulation promotes erythropoiesis to satisfy the needs of an organism under hypoxic conditions. This may be accomplished via increased heme levels and an interaction between ALAS2 and erythropoietin.

A three enzyme pathway for 2-amino-3-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone formation and incorporation in natural product biosynthesis.

A number of natural products contain a 2-amino-3-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone five membered ring, termed C(5)N, which is condensed via an amide linkage to a variety of polyketide-derived polyenoic acid scaffolds. Bacterial genome mining indicates three tandem ORFs that may be involved in C(5)N formation and subsequent installation in amide linkages. We show that the protein products of three tandem ORFs (ORF33-35) from the ECO-02301 biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces aizunenesis NRRL-B-11277, when purified from Escherichia coli, demonstrate the requisite enzyme activities for C(5)N formation and amide ligation. First, succinyl-CoA and glycine are condensed to generate 5-aminolevulinate (ALA) by a dedicated PLP-dependent ALA synthase (ORF34). Then ALA is converted to ALA-CoA through an ALA-AMP intermediate by an acyl-CoA ligase (ORF35). ALA-CoA is unstable and has a half-life of approximately 10 min under incubation conditions for off-pathway cyclization to 2,5-piperidinedione. The ALA synthase can compete with the nonenzymatic decomposition route and act in a novel second transformation, cyclizing ALA-CoA to C(5)N. C(5)N is then a substrate for the third enzyme, an ATP-dependent amide synthetase (ORF33). Using octatrienoic acid as a mimic of the C(56) polyenoic acid scaffold of ECO-02301, formation of the octatrienyl-C(5)N product was observed. This three enzyme pathway is likely the general route to the C(5)N ring system in other natural products, including the antibiotic moenomycin.

Light pulse induces ALA-S gene expression in the rat Harderian gland.

The rodent Harderian glands (HGs) are large paired orbital organs with highest porphyrinogenic rates. We have previously shown that continuous light exposure abolished the day/night variations of the delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALA-S; the rate-limiting enzyme for porphyrin biosynthesis) gene expression observed under standard light: dark cycles (LD 12:12) in the rat HGs. This study was designed to examine whether the ALA-S changes were actually associated directly with light. The response of ferrochelatase (enzyme that converts protoporphyrin IX into heme) to light was also examined. Male Wistar rats were acclimatized to light: dark cycles regimen of 12:12 for 2 weeks. At the end of the 2 weeks, a 1 h-light pulse was applied in the middle of the dark phase. Animals were sacrificed immediately after the end of the light pulse. HGs were collected and stored at -80 degrees C until processed for quantitative RT-PCR. A 1 h-light pulse applied during mid-dark caused a significant increase of ALA-S gene expression (3-fold higher than in controls), whereas it was without effect on ferrochelatase gene expression. Our results suggest that light per se may regulate ALA-S gene expression in the rat HGs, and reveal that the ALA-S gene expression, and so heme biosynthesis, is under a photodynamic control.

Low oxygen concentration as a general physiologic regulator of erythropoiesis beyond the EPO-related downstream tuning and a tool for the optimization of red blood cell production ex vivo.

OBJECTIVE: The control of mature erythroid progenitors and precursors' production via erythropoietin (EPO) is the major systemic regulatory mechanism in erythropoiesis. However, hypoxia seems to influence erythropoiesis beyond this well-known mechanism. The aim of our study is to test this hypothesis adapting the oxygenation level to each stage of erythropoiesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We exploited the newly developed ex vivo three-phase protocol for red blood cell (RBC) production starting from the steady-state peripheral blood and cord blood CD34(+) cells exposed to adapted O(2) concentrations. Differentiation and maturation were followed by functional tests, morphology, immunophenotype, and analysis of molecular markers' expression. RESULTS: We report here an enhancement of total RBC production if low O(2) concentrations (1.5-5%) were applied, instead of 20% O(2), during the first phase of culture. This results from a comprehensive action of low-O(2) concentration on: 1) amplification of erythroid progenitors, 2) acceleration of their proliferation, 3) differentiation, and 4) maturation of erythroid precursors. In addition, arterial blood O(2) concentration (13%) is critical for stromal cells to fully sustain the differentiation of erythroid precursors. These effects were associated with upregulation of erythroid 5-aminolevulinate synthase and gamma-globin gene expression. CONCLUSION: These results imply that integral regulation of erythropoiesis is operated by low O(2) concentrations, beyond the EPO/EPO-responsive cells loop and provide a tool to optimize the technology for ex vivo production of RBC.

hem6: an ENU-induced recessive hypochromic microcytic anemia mutation in the mouse.

Mouse models have proven invaluable for understanding erythropoiesis. Here, we describe an autosomal recessive, inherited anemia in the mouse mutant hem6. Hematologic and transplantation analyses reveal a mild, congenital, hypochromic, microcytic anemia intrinsic to the hematopoietic system that is associated with a decreased red blood cell zinc protoporphyrin to heme ratio, indicative of porphyrin insufficiency. Intercross matings show that hem6 can suppress the porphyric phenotype of mice with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). Furthermore, iron uptake studies in hem6 reticulocytes demonstrate defective incorporation of iron into heme that can be partially corrected by the addition of porphyrin precursors. Gene expression and enzymatic assays indicate that erythroid 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (Alas2) is decreased in hem6 animals, suggesting a mechanism that could account for the anemia. Overall, these data lead to the hypothesis that hem6 encodes a protein that directly or indirectly regulates the expression of Alas2.

Differential regulation of human ALAS1 mRNA and protein levels by heme and cobalt protoporphyrin.

5-Aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) is the first and rate-controlling enzyme of heme biosynthesis. This study was to determine the effects of heme and selected nonheme metalloporphyrins on human ALAS1 gene expression in hepatocytes. We found that, upon heme and cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) treatments, ALAS1 mRNA levels were down-regulated significantly by ca. 50% or more. Measurement of mRNA in the presence of actinomycin D showed that these down-regulations were due to the decreases in mRNA half-lives. Furthermore, the levels of mitochondrial mature ALAS1 protein were down-regulated by 60-70%, but those of the cytosolic precursor protein were up-regulated by 2-5-fold. Measurement of protein in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX) suggests that elevation of the precursor form is due to the increase in protein half-lives. These results provide novel insights into the mechanisms of heme repressional effects on ALAS1 and provide a rationale for further investigation of CoPP as a therapeutic agent for acute porphyric syndromes.

Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on heme oxygenase-1, biliverdin IXalpha reductase and delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase 1 in rats with wild-type or variant AH receptor.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) causes hepatic accumulation of biliverdin and its monoglucuronide in moderately TCDD-resistant line B rats, but not in highly TCDD-resistant line A rats. In the mammalian heme degradation process, heme is cleaved to biliverdin by the rate-limiting enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Subsequently, biliverdin IXalpha reductase (BVRA) catalyzes the reduction of biliverdin to bilirubin. In heme biosynthesis, the rate-limiting enzyme is delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase 1 (ALAS1). The effect of TCDD on HO-1, BVRA and ALAS1 was studied at the levels of mRNA (all three enzymes), protein expression (HO-1), and enzymatic activity (BVRA, liver only) in order to determine whether the accumulation of biliverdin could be due to their altered expression. In both lines A and B, 300 microg/kg TCDD transiently repressed hepatic HO-1 mRNA on day 2 but induced HO-1 protein expression at later time-points; however, the impact emerged earlier (day 14 vs. day 35) in line B rats. In spleen, TCDD repressed HO-1 mRNA and protein expression in lines A and B through days 2-35, but did not affect its mRNA levels in TCDD-sensitive L-E rats (10 days after 100 microg/kg). In all rat strains/lines, there was a strong repression of ALAS1 and a moderate induction of BVRA mRNA in liver, but mostly not in spleen. Hepatic BVRA activity was increased in lines A and B on day 14. At 5 weeks, it was still elevated in line A but reduced to 51% of control in line B. The results suggest that hepatic heme degradation is induced by TCDD in rats; however, this does not alone explain the accumulation of biliverdin in line B rats. Other factors such as the late repression of BVRA found here and possibly oxidative stress may be important contributors to biliverdin accumulation in these rats.

Haeme-regulated degradation of delta-aminolevulinate synthase 1 in rat liver mitochondria.

Protein turnover, which occurs at various rates, is critical for the homeostasis of cellular protein levels. However, the proteolysis systems that determine the turnover rate of mitochondrial proteins are largely unknown. Delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) 1, a rate-limiting enzyme in the haeme biosynthesis, is one of the mitochondrial proteins that have a very short lifetime. In this study, to reveal the regulatory mechanisms for ALAS1 degradation, we examined the turnover rates of ALAS1 in rat liver under several conditions. In primary rat hepatocytes, the degradation of ALAS1 was stimulated by haeme, and suppressed by inhibition of haeme biosynthesis. Furthermore, the haeme-stimulated degradation of ALAS1 was observed in the isolated mitochondria. These results suggested that, in mitochondria, there exists an ALAS1 degradation system that is regulated by cellular haeme level and plays a crucial role in the regulation of haeme biosynthesis.