Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase in isolated hepatocytes. Stoichiometry and relation to the phosphoenzyme intermediate.

We have estimated the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase by two methods. Isolated hepatocytes incorporate extracellular 32P into [gamma-35P] ATP and immunoprecipitated ATP-citrate lyase to steady state levels by 1 h. The content of acid-stable 32P in hepatocyte ATP-citrate lyase at steady state is 0.33 +/- 0.038 mol of P/mol (tetrameric) holoenzyme. Insulin (1 milliunit/ml) increases the 32P content of immunoprecipitated lyase 2- to 3-fold in 10 min. Over 90% of acid-stable 32P on lyase is 32P-serine in enzyme isolated from both control and insulin-treated cells. ATP-citrate lyase isolated from hepatocytes contains 0.95 +/- 0.1 mol of alkali-labile phosphate/mol of holoenzyme. Insulin treatment of hepatocytes (1 milliunit/ml for 10 min) increases the alkali-labile P content by 45%. Evidence is presented which indicates that the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation does not arise by intramolecular migration from the catalytic phosphoenzyme intermediate. These observations support the conclusion that insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase is mediated either by an insulin-induced increase in the activity of lyase kinase and/or decrease in a lyase phosphatase. The functional role of the substoichiometric phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase remains unknown.

Glucagon regulation of protein phosphorylation. Identification of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase as a substrate.

A hormonally induced change in the covalent phosphorylation state of several enzymes is generally regarded as an important mechanism for hormonal modulation of enzyme activity. We have previously demonstrated that epinephrine stimulates the phosphorylation of a peptide of Mr = 220,000 in adipocytes. Incubation of 32P-labeled cytosolic proteins from adipocytes and hepatocytes with antisera raised against homogeneous chicken and rat liver acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase results in the specific and complete precipitation of the same phosphopeptide. No other major phosphopeptide is specifically precipitated. In hepatocytes, glucagon stimulates the incorporation of 32P into this peptide associated with an inhibition of enzyme activity. These data, coupled with previous studies in adipocytes, suggest that cyclic AMP-dependent protein phosphorylation plays a major role in the regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity and of fatty acid biosynthesis in adipose tissue and liver.

Glucocorticoid induction of proline oxidase in LLC-RK1 cells.

Dexamethasone induced proline oxidase in cultured LLC-RK1 cells, an epithelial cell line derived from rabbit kidney. The dexamethasone-mediated increase in enzyme activity was concentration and time dependent. Although the effect could be dissociated from cell growth and cell density, it was dependent on protein and RNA synthesis. A comparison of the enzyme isolated from control and dexamethasone-treated cells showed that the increased activity was not due to an alteration in the affinity of the enzyme for proline. These findings suggest that glucocorticoids induce the synthesis of proline oxidase in mammalian cells.

Regulation of proline oxidase activity by lactate.

We found that proline oxidase, the first enzyme of the proline degradative pathway, is inhibited by lactate. The Km of the enzyme for proline increases with increasing concentrations of lactate. Since proline can be a source for gluconeogenesis, regulation of proline degradation by lactate may serve as a mechanism for allocation of metabolic fuel sources. The marked inhibition of proline oxidase at levels of lactate that commonly occur in both genetic and acquired lactic acidosis may cause the previously unexplained hyperprolinemia seen in these metabolic disorders.

Glucocorticoid control of hepatic proline oxidase.

Since adrenal corticosteroids are known to affect amino acid metabolism and gluconeogenesis, we examined the relationship of these hormones to hepatic proline oxidase, the mitochondrial enzyme degrading L-proline. In adrenalectomized rats hepatic proline oxidase activity decreased to about 50% of control levels within 5-6 days. This depressed activity can be restored to normal by 4 days of corticosteroid repletion. Treatment of intact rats with supraphysiologic doses of corticosteroid further elevated proline oxidase activity. The level in treated intact rats was three-fold that of adrenalectomized rats. Kinetic analysis revealed that corticosteroid increased the amount of enzyme without altering enzyme affinity for proline. Administration of a single dose of corticosteroid to either adrenalectomized or intact animals increased enzyme activities, with a lag time of less than 2 hr. The maximum effect occurred 5-6 hr following injection. Since proline degraded by this pathway can contribute carbon skeletons directly to carbohydrate, corticosteroid induction of proline oxidase may play an important role in hepatic gluconeogenesis occurring with corticosteroid action.

Proline oxidase in cultured mammalian cells.

We sought a cultured cell line with Proline Oxidase activity to study the regulation and physiologic role of the enzyme in mammalian tissues. Among the cell lines tested, only LLC-RK1 cells, derived from rabbit kidney, had significant Proline Oxidase activity; the Km for proline of the enzyme from these cells was similar to that for the liver enzyme. LLC cells, Proline Oxidase positive, were able to convert proline to CO2. In contrast, CHL cells, Proline Oxidase negative, did not have this capability. The presence of Proline Oxidase in LLC cells and the absence of the enzyme in fibroblasts suggest that Proline Oxidase may serve as a marker enzyme for distinguishing parenchymal kidney cells from fibroblasts in culture. Cells transformed by SV40 virus and cells transformed by methylcholanthrene had activities higher that the parent cell line, but this effect of transformation could not be generalized to all transformed cells. Finally, L-hydroxy proline at 100-fold greater concentration than substrate L-proline failed to decrease proline oxidation. This finding suggests distinct degradative enzymes for these two amino acids.

Alterations in proline metabolic enzymes with mammalian development.

Through the use of specific radioisotopic assays, the activities of enzymes degrading and synthesizing proline were examined in rat liver and kidney as a function of development. Proline oxidase (PO), the enzyme converting proline to delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (PC), undergoes 15- and eight-fold increases in liver and kidney, respectively, as rats mature from term-fetal to adult life (6-12 wk). The differences are not due to enzyme inhibitors or activators, and kinetic analysis reveals the change to be one of greater tissue content of the same enzyme. delta 1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, which converts PC to glutamate, shows a two- to three-fold increase in both tissues, paralleling the changes in PO with development. delta 1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (PCR), the enzyme which catalyzes the committed step in endogenous proline formation, undergoes oppositely directed changes, such that adult levels are only 20%-25% of fetal levels in liver and kidney. PO/PCR ratios are 25- to 50-fold greater in adult central tissues than they are in fetal tissues. Thus, the central tissues of adult rats appear to function as proline utilizers, whereas those of young rats are chiefly proline formers. This difference may relate to different rates of utilization of proline for protein synthesis in young and adult rats.

Proline biosynthesis and degradation in mammalian cells and tissue.

Radioisotopic assays have been developed for the enzymes of proline metabolism. These assays are specific and sensitive enough to measure enzyme activities in cultured cells and biopsy specimens. Measurements of these enzymes in tissues and cultured cells suggest that endogenous biosynthesis of proline may be an important source of this amino acid.

A radioisotopic assay for proline oxidase activity.

We developed a radioisotopic assay for proline oxidase in which product deltal-pyrroline-5-carboxylate-14-C is reacted with o-aminobenzaldehyde and the radioactivity trapped as the dihydroquinazolinium compound is recovered by ion-exchange chromatography. The sensitivity of this method allows the measurement of proline oxidase activity in small specimens (10 to 20 mg.) of liver.