Heparin-stimulated expression of extracellular-superoxide dismutase in human fibroblasts.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is the major SOD isozyme in the arterial wall and may be important for antioxidation capability of the vascular wall and normal vascular function. EC-SOD is expressed in various cell types in the vascular wall such as fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and macrophages, and the synthesis of EC-SOD by human fibroblasts is known to be highly responsive to various inflammatory cytokines, although there is no response to oxidative stress. Heparin is a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan with many functions such as antithrombotic, antilipemic and antiatherosclerotic effects. Another less well-known function of heparin is regulation of protein synthesis. In this study, we measured the induction of EC-SOD after treatment with heparin to understand the role of heparin in the antiatherosclerotic response of fibroblasts. Heparin induced EC-SOD expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Heparin showed the greatest stimulatory effect and heparan sulfate showed moderate effects. The effect of chondroitin sulfate A was not clear. In contrast, desulfated heparin and chondroitin sulfate C did not increase EC-SOD expression. The stimulatory effect seemed to increase roughly with the degree of glycosaminoglycan sulfation. The enhanced expression of EC-SOD by heparin must contribute to the antiatherosclerotic effect of heparin.

Protective role of extracellular superoxide dismutase in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The superoxide anion and other oxygen radicals have been implicated in the progression of chronic renal failure, and are removed by extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) in the extracellular space on the surface of the endothelium. A single-base substitution of the EC-SOD gene which reduces the binding capability to endothelial cells resulting in an increased serum concentration, has been identified in healthy persons and hemodialysis patients. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with this mutation among hemodialysis patients in each 20 months' duration after the initiation of hemodialysis was retrospectively studied. The percentage of substitution-positive patients declined 80 months after the start of hemodialysis in non-DM patients. In contrast, in DM patients, the rapid decrease was obvious as early as 40 months after the initiation of hemodialysis. By prospective study for 5 years, there were significant differences in the survival rate between patients with and without R213G in DM, but not in non-DM patients. Among those who died, the incidence of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease in cases with R213G was significantly higher than in cases without R213G. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the presence of a substitution in the EC-SOD gene at the heparin-binding domain could be a prognostic marker of dialysis patients.

Increase of urinary extracellular-superoxide dismutase level correlated with cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is a secretory protein that is the major SOD isozyme in extracellular fluids. Plasma EC-SOD levels are distributed in two discrete groups with the rare group having an enzyme with glycine instead of arginine-213, which causes a 10-fold higher serum level. Within the common phenotype group, the urinary EC-SOD level was significantly correlated with the urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), but not with serum EC-SOD. EC-SOD appears not to be leaked from the plasma by glomerular filtration, but rather to be secreted from the renal tubule or its surrounding tissues. The urinary EC-SOD level was also significantly correlated with the urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level. cAMP analogues and adenylate cyclase modulators significantly stimulated the expression of EC-SOD but not other SOD isozymes in cultured fibroblast cell lines. Moreover, injection of parathyroid hormone, in Ellsworth-Howard tests, increased urinary EC-SOD accompanied with the elevations of urinary cAMP and NAG. Together these observations suggest that factor(s) that stimulate the adenylate cyclase-cAMP system regulate the urinary EC-SOD level.

Polymorphism of extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) gene: relation to the mutation responsible for high EC-SOD level in serum.

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) with amino acid substitution R213G generated by the nucleotide substitution 760C-->G in the heparin binding domain is responsible for the high EC-SOD level in serum. We identified the two DNA polymorphic sites in the coding region of EC-SOD gene related to the 760C-->G and determined the allele frequencies. The polymorphism were A and G at nucleotide position (nt.) 241 and C and T at nt. 280 near the N-terminal. The haplotype frequencies in Japanese were 241A280C: 0.45, 241G280T: 0.37, and 241G280C: 0.18. The haplotype of 241A280T did not exist. The mutation 760C-->G must occur on the allele having the haplotype of 241G280T.

An arginine-213 to glycine mutation in human extracellular-superoxide dismutase reduces susceptibility to trypsin-like proteinases.

Molecular genetic studies of extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) have shown that individuals with high serum EC-SOD content have a single base substitution generating the exchange of glycine for arginine-213 (R213G) in the heparin-binding domain of this enzyme [Sandström, J. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 19163-19166], which causes the impairment of its binding ability to endothelial cell surface [Adachi, T. et al. (1996) Biochem. J. 313, 235-239]. Serum EC-SOD in healthy individuals without the above mutation is heterogeneous with regard to heparin affinity and consists of five fractions, forms (I) to (V), of which (IV) and (V) are the main fractions with high affinity for heparin [Adachi, T. et al. (1995) J. Biochem. 117, 586-590], whereas the major fraction in hemodialysis patients was serum EC-SOD form (I), which is thought to be the proteolytic truncated form. On the other hand, serum EC-SOD in both healthy individuals and hemodialysis patients with the R213G mutation consisted mainly of the high heparin-affinity type. This observation suggests that the susceptibility of EC-SOD to proteinases is reduced by the R213G mutation. The affinity of normal EC-SOD (n-EC-SOD) for heparin decreased by the treatment with trypsin, accompanied by a reduction in the molecular mass. The IC50 of trypsin for the heparin affinity of R213G mutant EC-SOD (m-EC-SOD) was 0.15 microgram/ml, fivefold that for n-EC-SOD. Heparin affinity of n-EC-SOD was again more susceptible to neutrophils than that of m-EC-SOD. These results suggested that m-EC-SOD is more resistant to trypsin and neutrophil-release trypsin-like proteinases than n-EC-SOD, which causes the heparin affinity of serum EC-SOD to differ in individuals with and without the R213G mutation.

Substitution of glycine for arginine-213 in extracellular-superoxide dismutase impairs affinity for heparin and endothelial cell surface.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) levels in sera divide into two discontinuous groups: a low-level group below 400 ng/ml and a high-level group above 400 ng/ml [Adachi, Nakamura, Yamada, Futenma, Kato and Hirano (1994) Clin. Chim. Acta 229, 123-131]. Molecular genetic studies have shown that the donors in the high-level group have a single base substitution generating the exchange of glycine for arginine-213 (R213G) in the heparin-binding domain of EC-SOD [Sandström, Nilsson, Karlsson and Marklund (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 19163-19166; Yamada, Yamada, Adachi, Goto, Ogasawara, Futenma, Kitano, Hirano and Kato (1995) Jpn. J. Hum. Genet. 40, 177-184]. The serum EC-SOD level in homozygote subjects was significantly higher than that in heterozygotes and in normal subjects. Serum EC-SOD from heterozygotes and homozygotes had equally decreased affinity for heparin, as judged by heparin-HPLC, as compared with that from normal donors. This result suggests that the serum EC-SOD in heterozygotes was mainly composed of the mutant form which has reduced heparin affinity. On the other hand, fibroblast cells derived from heterozygote subjects generated mRNA of both normal and mutant EC-SOD (m-EC-SOD), and expressed the corresponding proteins. EC-SOD is a tetrameric enzyme, and in heterozygote donors would be heterogeneous with regard to the constitution of normal and mutant subunits. The enzyme form consisting of only mutant subunits, the form with the weakest heparin affinity, can be preferentially driven out to the plasma phase, because EC-SOD in the vasculature exists in equilibrium between plasma and the endothelial cell surface. The binding of m-EC-SOD to bovine aortic endothelial cells was about 50-fold less than that of normal EC-SOD. This result suggests that the binding of m-EC-SOD to vascular endothelial cells is much decreased in vivo, which causes a high level of serum EC-SOD.

The protective effect of probucol on adriamycin nephrosis in the rat.

Recent research has indicated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in experimental nephritis. We examined the role of ROS and the effect of probucol, an anti-hyperlipidemic drug with antioxidant activity, on adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephrosis in the rat. Fourteen days after single intravenous injection of ADR (7.5 mg/kg b.w.), a nephrotic state was observed. Compared with the normal control values, the total kidney glutathione content was lower on day 5, but significantly higher on day 14 in the ADR-injected rats. Feeding ADR-injected rats with food containing 1% probucol was effective in reducing urinary protein excretion. Serum lipid peroxide level and kidney total glutathione content, both of which increased on day 14 in the ADR-injected rats, were also decreased significantly by concomitant probucol treatment. During long-term observation period of 18 weeks, probucol treatment relieved both urinary protein excretion and the progression of renal impairment. These protective effects of probucol suggest a role of ROS in the induction and progression of ADR nephrosis.

Molecular analysis of extracellular-superoxide dismutase gene associated with high level in serum.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is one of the SOD isozymes mainly distributed in the extracellular fluid. In the vascular system, it is located on the endothelial cell surface according to studies on the heparin binding capacity. By measurement of serum EC-SOD levels of Japanese in healthy persons (n = 103) and hemodialysis patients (n = 150), 7 healthy subjects and 24 hemodialysis patients were classified into group II associated with high EC-SOD levels. By molecular analysis of the EC-SOD coding region from the group II individuals in Sweden, a single nucleotide substitution of G to C generating an amino acid change of arginine to glycine has been identified in the region associated with the heparin affinity of the enzyme. The same mutation was detected in the Japanese as a homozygote in both alleles of 2 hemodialysis patients and as a heterozygote in one allele of all the healthy group II individuals and 17 hemodialysis patients. The amino acid substitution may result in the decrease of the heparin affinity which is favorable for the existence of EC-SOD in the serum.

Heparin-induced release of extracellular-superoxide dismutase form (V) to plasma.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase [EC 1.15.1.1] (EC-SOD) is a secretory, tetrameric glycoprotein. A prominent feature of EC-SOD is its affinity for heparin. This enzyme in serum is heterogeneous with regard to heparin-affinity and can be divided into five fractions (I) to (V) by heparin-HPLC, whereas fibroblast-secreted EC-SOD consists mainly of form (V). An intravenous injection of 50 i.u. of heparin/kg body weight into two healthy volunteers led to an immediate rise of serum EC-SOD level by 2.4-2.8-fold. Only form (V), which was a minor component in pre-heparin serum, was increased by the intravenous injection. The half-life of serum EC-SOD after the prompt rise was about 90 min. The in vivo experiment using rats and an in vitro experiment strongly suggested the EC-SOD released into the plasma reconstituted the interaction with glycocalyx on the vascular endothelial cell surface in accordance with the elimination of heparin from the vascular system.

[Distribution of glutathione peroxidase in the glomeruli of IgA nephropathy].

To study the role of reactive oxygen species in chronic renal disease, we studied the location of Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in glomeruli of patients with IgA nephropathy. In normal kidney, GSH-Px was localized in tubular cells, and not in glomeruli. In the kidney with IgA nephropathy, GSH-Px was detected in glomerular cells in addition to the tubular cells. As for the relation between the extent of GSH-Px and clinical findings, the following results were obtained. When GSH-Px are strongly stained in glomeruli, histological change of glomeruli was milder. Concerning the renal function, when GSH-Px was stained weakly, Ccr reduced significantly one year after the renal biopsy. Thus, when this enzyme are present in glomeruli, renal function appeared to be more preserved. These results suggest that this enzyme have the beneficial action for renal function as antioxidative factors in IgA nephropathy.

Quantitative and qualitative changes of extracellular-superoxide dismutase in patients with various diseases.

Extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is a secretory glycoprotein that is the major SOD isozyme in extracellular fluids. It has previously been shown that EC-SOD levels in sera from healthy persons are clearly divided into two discontinuous groups: a lower group (named Group I, below 120 ng/ml) and a higher group (Group II, above 400 ng/ml). The family studies have shown that the high EC-SOD level in healthy persons is genetically transmitted. We report here on the EC-SOD levels in the sera of patients with various diseases. The EC-SOD levels were distinctly higher in patients with renal diseases and moderately higher in liver diseases and diabetes than those in normal healthy persons. In cerebrovascular diseases, heart diseases and acute digestive diseases, significant differences of EC-SOD were not observed. In patients with renal diseases, the increase of EC-SOD was accompanied by the lack of renal function. Serum EC-SOD in Group I healthy persons is known to be heterogeneous with regard to heparin affinity and can be separated into three fractions: A without affinity, B with weak affinity and C with relatively strong heparin affinity, whereas the EC-SOD in Group II is mainly one fraction of C-type. Also in the case of hemodialysis patients, serum EC-SOD in Group I or Group I' (approximately 120-400 ng/ml) was divided into three fractions. EC-SOD in Group II showed two different profiles on heparin-Sepharose column chromatographies: one consisted mainly of EC-SOD C and the other consisted of EC-SOD A and C. It is probable that the high serum EC-SOD level in hemodialysis patients was due to two possible factors: the genetic transmitted factor and unknown pathophysiological factor(s).

Expression of interleukin 6 and major histocompatibility complex molecules in tubular epithelial cells of diseased human kidneys.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) exerts multiple effects on infiltrated inflammatory cells and on structural cells in tissues. We previously reported that IL-6 expression is increased in the area of glomerular and tubular inflammation and tubular atrophy (Lab Invest 65:61, 1991). In the present study, we investigated the expression of IL-6 and HLA molecules in the tubules of patients with renal diseases, and correlate it with the morphological findings. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Specific monoclonal antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy were used to identify IL-6, HLA-ABC, and -DR molecules, CD-2+ and CD-8+ lymphocytes and macrophages, in renal tissues obtained by biopsy from 41 patients that were divided into three groups on the basis of clinical, functional, and histologic findings. Group 1 included 12 patients with signs of acute renal disease and prevalent acute tubulointerstitial lesions. Group 2 included 19 patients with signs of chronic renal disease and histologic lesions of glomerulo- and tubulointerstitial nephritis. Group 3 included 10 patients that developed an acute renal disease treated with corticosteroids. When the acute symptoms subsided and the renal biopsy was performed, lesions characteristic of chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis were found. RESULTS: IL-6 was localized in all or in some cells of injured proximal tubules, including atrophic tubules. In one-third of specimens, there was more IL-6 in tubular cells than in infiltrated cells. The strongest expression of IL-6, HLA-ABC, and DR molecules was found in group 1, and the weakest in group 3. In the area with tubulointerstitial lesions, tubular IL-6 colocalized with HLA-ABC. Colocalization of IL-6 and HLA-DR was more evident in tubulointerstitial lesions of patients in group 2. In both groups 1 and 2, the distribution of IL-6 was statistically correlated with that of HLA-ABC and with interstitial infiltration of inflammatory cells. In group 2, there was statistical correlation between the expression of IL-6 and HLA-DR. The expression of IL-6 and of HLA molecules decreased in group 3. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that tubular IL-6 may be involved in the pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Plasma levels of superoxide dismutase and its isomers in patients with chronic renal disease.

To evaluate the significance of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) in chronic renal disease, we evaluated the plasma SOD activity and analyzed the plasma Cu,Zn-SOD isomers employing gel column chromatography. The plasma SOD activity was determined as the biological activity using the nitrite method and the Cu,Zn-SOD concentration was assayed from the immunological activity using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The subjects comprised 185 patients with chronic glomerular disease and 20 hemodialysis patients. Plasma from 170 healthy persons was employed as a control. Both the plasma biological activity and plasma level of Cu,Zn-SOD determined by ELISA were elevated in patients with chronic glomerular disease. In hemodialysis patients, a marked increase in Cu,Zn-SOD level (ELISA) was noted in comparison with the increase in SOD biological activities. Gel column chromatography demonstrated a marked increase in Cu,Zn-SOD monomer which was enzymatically inactive. From these results, we conclude that a marked elevation of the plasma level of Cu,Zn-SOD in hemodialysis patients was caused by an increase in the enzymatically inactive Cu,Zn-SOD monomer.

Quantitative analysis of extracellular-superoxide dismutase in serum and urine by ELISA with monoclonal antibody.

The superoxide anion has been implicated in a wide range of diseases. The major protector against superoxide anion in the extracellular space is extracellular-superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD). EC-SOD is the major SOD isozyme in plasma and forms an equilibrium between the plasma phase and heparan sulfate proteoglycan on the surface of the endothelium. An ELISA method for the measurement of human EC-SOD with monoclonal antibody was established. The proposed method had a high sensitivity (assay range, 0.05-50 ng/ml), good recovery (recovery percentage, 96.9 +/- 5.6%) and reproducibility (within-day assay, C.V. = 8.6-10.2%; between-day assay, C.V. = 6.5-11.7%). EC-SOD levels in sera from healthy persons are clearly divided into two groups: a lower group (Group I, below 120 ng/ml, n = 146) and higher group (Group II, above 400 ng/ml, n = 10). The EC-SOD in Group I were almost normally distributed and the mean level was 55.8 +/- 18.8 ng/ml. The serum EC-SOD level assayed by ELISA correlated well with serum SOD activity. The serum EC-SOD in Group I is heterogeneous with regard to affinity for heparin-Sepharose and could be separated into three approximately equal fractions, whereas the EC-SOD in Group II is mainly one fraction with a high affinity for the column. The apparent molecular weight and carbohydrate structure of serum EC-SOD in Group II are identical to those in Group I. The high EC-SOD level in sera from some individuals may reflect the excessive stimulation of EC-SOD synthesis in vivo or the growth of selected cells in vivo, because EC-SOD is known to be expressed by a few cell types in vivo as a high-heparin-affinity subtype.

[Glomerulonephritis and superoxide dismutase].

To study the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in chronic renal disease, we studied the localization of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) in glomeruli of patients with IgA nephropathy by immunohistochemistry on 37 kidney specimens consisting of 32 IgA nephropathy and normal parts of the 5 resected kidneys with renal tumors serving as controls. To evaluate the change in renal function, creatinine clearance (Ccr) was assessed at the time of biopsy and 1 year after the biopsy. In the normal kidney, Cu, Zn-SOD was localized in the tubular cells, and not in the glomeruli. In the kidney with IgA nephropathy, Cu, Zn-SOD was detected on the epithelial side of the glomerular capillary wall in addition to the tubular cells. The extent of localization of this enzyme was compared with the clinical findings at the time of biopsy. When Cu, Zn-SOD was stained strongly in the glomeruli, the histological change of the glomeruli was milder, and the renal function appeared to be more preserved; the decrease in Ccr one year after the renal biopsy was inhibited. These findings suggest that Cu, Zn-SOD has beneficial actions for renal function as anti-oxidative factors.

Vagally mediated insulin secretion by stimulation of brain cholinergic neurons with neostigmine in bilateral adrenalectomized rats.

This study investigated the relationship between central cholinergic neurons and insulin secretion in bilateral adrenalectomized fed rats. Neostigmine (a cholinesterase inhibitor, 5 x 10(-8) mol) administered into the third cerebral ventricle produced significant increases in hepatic venous plasma insulin and glucose concentrations, whereas i.v. injection of the same dose of neostigmine did not. Prior acute subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or i.p. pre-injection with methylatropine (10(-8) mol) completely prevented the neostigmine-induced rise in plasma insulin concentration. Intraperitoneal pretreatment with hexamethonium (5 x 10(-8) mol) also significantly reduced the plasma insulin response. These peripheral pretreatments did not change the plasma glucose response to neostigmine. Intraventricular co-administration of 10(-9) mol methylatropine, a dose that was ineffective when pre-injected i.p., eliminated the plasma insulin and glucose responses to neostigmine, whereas hexamethonium (5 x 10(-8) mol) had no influence on either response to neostigmine. These observations suggest that stimulation of central cholinergic-muscarinic neurons with third cerebral ventricular injection of neostigmine results in vagally mediated insulin secretion in bilateral adrenalectomized fed rats.