Premature apoptosis of keratinocytes and the dysregulation of keratinization in porokeratosis.

BACKGROUND: Porokeratosis is a dyskeratotic disorder of the skin characterized by cornoid lamella with parakeratosis, hyperkeratosis and loss of granular layers. The pathogenesis of porokeratosis and the mechanism(s) of its abnormal keratinization are still unknown. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the mechanism(s) of abnormal keratinization that leads to the formation of cornoid lamellae in porokeratosis. METHODS: Apoptosis of keratinocytes was assessed in the skin of seven patients by an in situ apoptosis assay based on the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labelling (TUNEL) reaction. Patterns of loricrin and involucrin expression were examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: TUNEL-positive keratinocytes were observed in the epidermis underlying the cornoid lamella in all cases examined. Furthermore, loricrin expression was interrupted there, in contrast to involucrin, which was expressed diffusely in the lesional epidermis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an abnormal early keratinocyte apoptosis accompanied by dysregulation of terminal differentiation of those cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of porokeratosis.

Different hepatocytes express the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene during its circadian modulation in vivo.

Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in bile salt synthesis from cholesterol is a P450 enzyme (CYP7A). Its expression and activity are regulated by bile salts, cholesterol, hormones and a circadian modulator. Here we define the hepatocytes contributing to the expression of the rat CYP7A gene during its in vivo circadian variation. The diurnal expression of the CYP7A messenger RNA (mRNA) was studied by in situ hybridization and correlated with the diurnal rate of CYP7A gene transcription and mRNA expression. At 10 AM, the time of lowest mRNA expression and gene transcription rate, only four to five hepatocytes, located close to the hepatic venules ("perivenular"), contained the CYP7A mRNA. At 10 PM, the time of highest mRNA expression and fastest in vitro transcription rate, approximately one half of the hepatocytes (still in a "perivenular" location) contained the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA. In addition, the measured half-life of the CYP7A mRNA was shorter at 10 AM than at 10 PM suggesting that posttranscriptional mechanisms also contributed to the observed circadian differences. Therefore, the basal transcription rate of the CYP7A gene is maintained by four to five "perivenular" hepatocytes. During the circadian variation, the rate of gene transcription increases in these "perivenular" hepatocytes, but in addition, there is recruitment of other more proximal hepatocytes to transcribe the gene. It is proposed here that the response of specific hepatocytes to the various modulators of CYP7A gene expression is dependent on the relative position of these hepatocytes within the liver cell plate.

Novel control of the position-dependent expression of genes in hepatocytes. The GLUT-1 transporter.

The basal hepatocyte phenotype is conferred by the expression of liver-specific genes. In the adult liver, the basal hepatocyte phenotype is further modified by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of genes which result in the appearance of specific proteins in selected hepatocytes. One of these proteins is the erythroid/brain or GLUT-1 glucose transporter. The GLUT-1 protein is detected in the plasma membrane of only one or two hepatocytes located at the end of the liver cell plate, contiguous to the hepatic venule. The objective of this study was to define the molecular mechanisms responsible for the restricted expression of the GLUT-1 protein in rat liver. Hepatocytes were isolated from either the proximal ("periportal") or the distal ("perivenular") half of the liver cell plate. The GLUT-1 mRNA as well as the GLUT-1 protein content and intracellular distribution were defined after subcellular fractionation of each hepatocyte population. In addition, the location of the GLUT-1 protein in liver tissue was determined by confocal microscopy. We propose that the GLUT-1 gene is transcribed and the mRNA is translated by both "periportal" and "perivenular" hepatocytes. However, insertion of the GLUT-1 protein into the plasma membrane occurs only in the last two hepatocytes contiguous to the hepatic venule. In other hepatocytes, the protein remains in a different cellular compartment characterized here as a "low density microsomal" fraction.

Mass spectrometry and identification of sterols in vegetable oils as butyryl esters and relative quantitation by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection.

Electron ionization mass spectrometry (MS) of sterol butyrates is described. Fragmentation of common sterol butyrates is related to structure and is discussed in relation to the fragmentation of free sterols and of commonly used sterol derivatives. Derivatized samples of vegetable oils are introduced using a 10 m capillary gas chromatographic (GC) column for complete separation of the sterol butyrates. Quantitation of sterol butyrates in vegetable oils by packed column GC/flame ionization detection is based on percent relative area of peaks identified by MS. Results of analyses of sunflower, castor, rapeseed, and virgin olive oils, and other oils are presented. These techniques have been applied to the rapid screening of marketed olive oils for possible adulteration.

Detection of vegetable oil adulteration in ice cream.

This study was to demonstrate the application of various analytical methods to the detection, identification, and quantitation of vegetable oil adulteration of ice cream. Total fat content, sterols, long- and short-chain fatty acids, vitamin E, Reichert-Meissl values, and Polenske values were measured in ice cream. All methods except total fat determination were capable of detecting vegetable oil adulteration. Sterol determination was the most effective and versatile measurement because it provided information not only on the detection and extent of adulteration but also on the possible identity of the adulterant.

Enzymatic determination of cholesterol in egg yolk.

The quantitative determination of cholesterol in egg yolk by using an enzymatic test kit is described. Cholesterol in the egg yolk is extracted with other lipid components by methylene chloride-methanol (2 + 1) and is enzymatically determined after saponification of the lipid extract. The method is relatively rapid, simple, and accurate and gives results which agree with those obtained by using a gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method. The mean cholesterol content of egg yolk determined by the enzymatic and GLC methods was 1237 and 1240 mg/100 g, respectively.

Intracellular distribution of hepatic and renal gluconeogenic enzymes in embryonic and growing chickens.

The intracellular distribution of hepatic and renal gluconeogenic enzymes in 20-day-old chicken embryos and 4-week-old chickens (Gallus domesticus: New Hampshire male X Columbian female) has been studied. Pyruvate carboxylase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were found primarily in the mitochondrial, cytosolic, and microsomal fractions, respectively. Phosphenolpyruvate carboxykinase was present not only in the mitochondria but also in the cytosol of the chicken liver and the kidney. The intracellular distribution of the liver enzyme differed from that of the kidney enzyme in chicken embryos as well as in growing chickens.

Effect of fasting and fasting and refeeding on hepatic and renal gluconeogenic enzymes in the chicken.

The effect of fasting and fasting and refeeding on hepatic and renal gluconeogenic enzyme activities were studied in six-week-old chickens (Gallus domesticus: New Hampshire male x Columbian female). Hepatic pyruvate carboxylase appeared not to be affected by fasting, but the renal enzyme activity increased in four-day fasted chickens. The hepatic mitochondrial and cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases were essentially not affected by fasting. The renal mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase showed a slight increase in activity only after a four-day fast, but the cytosolic enzyme activity increased markedly already after a two-day fast. Also the activities of the hepatic and renal fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase increased markedly on fasting. Refeeding for four days after a four-day fast returned these enzyme activities to near control values.

Development of gluconeogenic, glycolytic, and pentose-shunt enzymes in the chicken kidney.

The activities of the key gluconeogenic, glycolytic, and pentose-shunt enzymes in chicken kidney were determined starting from 8 days before to 58 days after hatching. The activities of pyruvate carboxylase (PC), mitochondrial and cytosolic phosphoenolypruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), fructose-1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) were low in the embryonic tissue but increased towards the time of hatching. After hatching, the activities of PC, mitochondrial PEPCK, and G6Pase continued to increase, but those of FDPase and cytosolic PEPCK decreased. Relatively little change in these activities was observed in chickens over 24 days old. The activities of hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased during embryonic growth. After hatching, HK activity continued to increase and then decrease, whereas PFK appeared to decrease and then increase to prehatch levels in 28-day-old birds. LDH activity continued to increase until 8 days after hatching and remained constant thereafter. No definite pattern was discernible in the case of PK. As for the pentose-shunt enzymes, there was no significant change in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity (G6PDH), but the activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) increased until the chickens were 14 days old and then remained relatively constant.

Activities of pyruvate and prionyl Coenzyme A carboxylase in chicken tissues during normal growth and biotin deficiency.

Activities of pyruvate and propionyl CoA carboxylase in chicken tissues during normal growth and biotin deficiency were investigated. In normal growing chickens, liver and kidney pyruvate carboxylase activity was high and varied with age. The activity in heart and brain was low and remained relatively constant throughout the experimental period. Propionyl CoA carboxylase activity in kidney and heart appeared to increase with age but remained unchanged in liver and brain. Biotin deficiency progressively decreased both pyruvate and propionyl CoA carboxylase activities in liver, kidney, heart and brain. Most marked effects were observed in liver and kidney.