Stimulation of Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T-lymphocyte proliferation by the isoprenoid precursor, (E)-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl 4-diphosphate.

(E)-1-Hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl 4-diphosphate, a recently discovered intermediate in the deoxyxylulose phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis, has been shown to act as a potent immunomodulator. In cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eight non-related donors, the compound stimulated the proliferation of Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T lymphocytes with a median EC(50) of 70 pM when 10 U/ml of IL-2 was used as costimulant. Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP), dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) and some structural analogs of (E)-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl 4-diphosphate also stimulated Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T-cell proliferation, albeit at much higher concentrations. The Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T-cell proliferation is highly dependent on the seeding density used in culture. All phosphoantigens tested elicited the proliferation of two T-lymphocyte populations with different apparent ratios between the expression level of Vdelta2 and Vgamma9 chains.

Studies of the intermediary metabolism in cultured cells of the insect Spodoptera frugiperda using 13C- or 15N-labelled tracers.

BACKGROUND: Insect cells can serve as host systems for the recombinant expression of eukaryotic proteins. Using this platform, the controlled expression of 15N/13C labelled proteins requires the analysis of incorporation paths and rates of isotope-labelled precursors present in the medium into amino acids. For this purpose, Spodoptera frugiperda cells were grown in a complex medium containing [U-13C6]glucose. In a second experiment, cultures of S. frugiperda were grown in the presence of 15N-phenylalanine. RESULTS: Quantitative NMR analysis showed incorporation of the proffered [U-13C6]glucose into the ribose moiety of ribonucleosides (40 - 45%) and into the amino acids, alanine (41%), glutamic acid/glutamine (C-4 and C-5, 30%) and aspartate/asparagine (15%). Other amino acids and the purine ring of nucleosides were not formed from exogenous glucose in significant amounts (> 5%). Prior to the incorporation into protein the proffered 15N-phenylalanine lost about 70% of its label by transamination and the labelled compound was not converted into tyrosine to a significant extent. CONCLUSION: Growth of S. frugiperda cells in the presence of [U-13C6]glucose is conducive to the fractional labelling of ribonucleosides, alanine, glutamic acid/glutamine and aspartic acid/asparagine. The isotopolog compositions of the ribonucleosides and of alanine indicate considerable recycling of carbohydrate intermediates in the reductive branch of the pentose phosphate pathway. The incorporation of 15N-labelled amino acids may be hampered by loss of the 15N-label by transamination.

The deoxyxylulose phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis: studies on the mechanisms of the reactions catalyzed by IspG and IspH protein.

Earlier in vivo studies have shown that the sequential action of the IspG and IspH proteins is essential for the reductive transformation of 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate into dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate via 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate. A recombinant fusion protein comprising maltose binding protein and IspG protein domains was purified from a recombinant Escherichia coli strain. The purified protein failed to transform 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate into 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate, but catalytic activity could be restored by the addition of crude cell extract from an ispG-deficient E. coli mutant. This indicates that auxiliary proteins are required, probably as shuttles for redox equivalents. On activation by photoreduced 10-methyl-5-deaza-isoalloxazine, the recombinant protein catalyzed the formation of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate from 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate at a rate of 1 nmol x min(-1) x mg(-1). Similarly, activation by photoreduced 10-methyl-5-deaza-isoalloxazine enabled purified IspH protein to catalyze the conversion of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate into a 6:1 mixture of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate at a rate of 0.4 micromol x min(-1) x mg(-1). IspH protein could also be activated by a mixture of flavodoxin, flavodoxin reductase, and NADPH at a rate of 3 nmol x min(-1) x mg(-1). The striking similarities of IspG and IspH protein are discussed, and plausible mechanistic schemes are proposed for the two reactions.

Biosynthesis of hyperforin in Hypericum perforatum.

Cut sprouts of Hypericum perforatum were proffered solutions containing [1-(13)C]glucose or [U-(13)C(6)]glucose. Hyperforin was isolated and analyzed by quantitative NMR spectroscopy. The labeling patterns show that the biosynthesis of hyperforin involves five isoprenoid moieties, which are derived entirely or predominantly (>98%) via the deoxyxylulose phosphate pathway. The phloroglucinol moiety is generated via a polyketide type mechanism.

Biosynthesis of terpenes: studies on 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase.

Earlier in vivo studies showed the involvement of IspH protein in the conversion of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate into isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). We have demonstrated now that cell extract of an Escherichia coli strain engineered for hyperexpression of the ispH (lytB) gene catalyzes the in vitro conversion of 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate into IPP and DMAPP. The reaction requires NADH, FAD, divalent cations (preferably Co2+), and probably one or more as-yet-unidentified proteins. The low intrinsic catalytic activities of wild-type E. coli cell extract and isolated chromoplasts of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) are enhanced by the addition of purified recombinant IspH protein.

Biosynthesis of terpenes. Preparation of (E)-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl 4-diphosphate, an intermediate of the deoxyxylulose phosphate pathway.

(E)-1-hydroxy-2-methyl-but-2-enyl 4-diphosphate (E-6) was synthesized in six reaction steps from hydroxyacetone (9) and (ethoxycarbonylmethenyl)-triphenylphosphorane (11) with an overall yield of 38%. The compound was shown to be identical with the product of IspG protein, which serves as an intermediate in the nonmevalonate terpene biosynthetic pathway.

Studies on the nonmevalonate terpene biosynthetic pathway: metabolic role of IspH (LytB) protein.

Isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate serve as the universal precursors for the biosynthesis of terpenes. Although their biosynthesis by means of mevalonate has been studied in detail, a second biosynthetic pathway for their formation by means of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate has been discovered only recently in plants and certain eubacteria. Earlier in vivo experiments with recombinant Escherichia coli strains showed that exogenous 1-deoxy-D-xylulose can be converted into 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate by the consecutive action of enzymes specified by the xylB and ispCDEFG genes. This article describes the transformation of exogenous [U-(13)C(5)]1-deoxy-D-xylulose into a 5:1 mixture of [U-(13)C(5)]isopentenyl diphosphate and [U-(13)C(5)]dimethylallyl diphosphate by an E. coli strain engineered for the expression of the ispH (lytB) gene in addition to recombinant xylB and ispCDEFG genes.