Oxygen equilibrium and electron paramagnetic resonance studies on copper(II)-iron(II) hybrid hemoglobins at room temperature.

Copper(II)-iron(II) hybrid hemoglobins, in which hemes in either the alpha or beta subunits are substituted with copper(II) protoporphyrin IX, have been prepared. The affinities of the ferrous-subunits in both hybrids for the first binding oxygen are as low as the affinity of deoxyhemoglobin under various solution conditions, indicating the equality of behavior in copper(II) protoporphyrin IX and deoxyheme. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) examinations on these hybrids at room temperature show that the interaction between copper(II) and the proximal histidine (F8) is specifically weakened in the alpha subunits within a low affinity conformation of hemoglobin. These results suggest that copper(II) protoporphyrin IX is a useful EPR probe at room temperature for investigating the deoxyheme environment in hemoglobin.

[Experimental nephrotic hyperlipidemia induced in rats by daunorubicin and effects of KCD-232[4-(4'-chlorobenzyloxy)benzyl nicotinate] on lipid metabolism].

Mechanisms for hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia and the effects of KCD-232, a new hypolipidemic agent, on them were studied in male Wistar rats with daunorubicin (DR)-induced nephrosis. Single intravenous injection of DR dose-dependently increased urinary protein loss and serum lipid levels (0,3,6 and 12 mg/kg). Twenty-four days after the injection of DR (6 mg/kg), serum cholesterol (Ch) and triglyceride (TG) levels markedly increased and free fatty acid level tended to decrease with no effects on liver lipid levels. Hepatic Ch synthesis from [14C]acetate in vitro increased by 2.1-fold, while exogenous Ch absorption slightly decreased. The clearance of intravenously injected [3H]Ch from the circulation was delayed. Hepatic fatty acid (FA) synthesis also increased by 2.7-fold, and hepatic TG lipase activity tended to decrease. KCD-232 improved the hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia of DR-treated rats. The drug inhibited the elevated hepatic Ch synthesis and exogenous Ch absorption and thus improved the delayed Ch clearance from the circulation. KCD-232 markedly inhibited the elevated hepatic FA synthesis and stimulated both hepatic FA oxidation and lipoprotein lipase activity from the epididymal adipose tissue of the nephrotic rats. These results suggest that 1. DR-induced hypercholesterolemia is due to both an increased Ch synthesis in the liver and delayed clearance of Ch from the circulation; 2. DR-induced hypertriglyceridemia is caused by both an increased hepatic FA synthesis and depressed TG hydrolysis in the circulation; 3. KCD-232 improves the hypercholesterolemia by inhibiting the elevated Ch synthesis and Ch absorption from the gut; and 4. KCD-232 improves the hypertriglyceridemia by inhibiting the elevated hepatic FA synthesis and by stimulating both hepatic FA oxidation and TG hydrolysis activity in the circulation.