Differences in the properties of mammalian ribonucleotide reductase toward its substrates.

These studies, using three different reagents, show that the substrate properties of ribonucleotide reductase are specific but can be variable depending upon the nature of the interaction of the reagent with the holoenzyme or the individual subunit. Etheno-CDP, which acts as a competitive inhibitor with respect to CDP, interacts with the active site of the holoenzyme. This interaction was the result of rather tight structural requirements as epsilon-ADP did not result in a similar level of inhibition of either CDP or ADP reductase activities. The YL 1/2 antibody which binds very tightly to the NHI subunit has a much greater effect on CDP reductase activity than ADP reductase activity. The nonapeptide that corresponds to the C-terminus amino acid sequence of the NHI subunit and which binds to the EB subunit and aborts the formation of the NHI-EB active complex has a greater effect on ADP reductase activity than on CDP reductase activity. The use of reagents such as these can be helpful in dissecting the subtle but important differences in the substrate properties of mammalian ribonucleotide reductase.

Substituted 2-acylpyridine-alpha-(N)-hetarylhydrazones as inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase activity and L1210 cell growth.

A series of substituted 2-acylpyridine-alpha-(N)-hetarylhydrazones was prepared and studied for their effects on mammalian ribonucleotide reductase activity using a highly purified enzyme preparation from Ehrlich tumor cells and on mouse leukemia L1210 cell growth in culture. Pyridine-2-aldehyde-2-pyridylhydrazone (PH 22), ethyl-2-pyridylketone-I-phthalazinylhydrazone (PH 22-25) and pyridine-2-aldehyde-2'-quinolylhydrazone (PQ 22) inhibited purified ribonucleotide reductase activity and inhibited L1210 cell growth in culture. PH 22-25 inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA and inhibited ribonucleotide reductase activity in situ (as measured bvy [14C]cytidine metabolism and as a result inhibited DNA synthesis. There was no effect on RNA synthesis. These data indicate that these substituted hydrazones are potent inhibitors of tumor cell growth through the inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase.

5-hexyl-2'-deoxyuridine inhibition of nucleoside transport in L1210 cells.

Previous studies have shown that 5-hexyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HdUrd) blocked the cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine and deoxyadenosine in L1210 cells. HdUrd had no effect in preventing the inhibitory effects of 5-fluorouracil. These data suggested that HdUrd was an inhibitor of nucleoside transport in L1210 cells (Cory, J. G.; Halley, M. C.; Janey, A.; Lapis, K. Cancer Res. 50:4552-4556; 1990). Studies have now been carried out which show that HdUrd inhibits nucleoside transport as measured by [3H]uridine or [3H]formycin B transport into L1210 cells in culture. The IC50 for HdUrd inhibition of total [3H]uridine uptake was approximately 20 microM in wild-type L1210 cells. Since wild-type L1210 cells have three distinct nucleoside transporters, the effect of HdUrd on each transporter was examined using the non-metabolized nucleoside analog, formycin B. The nitrobenzylmercaptopurine riboside (NBMPR)-sensitive transporter, es, was most sensitive to HdUrd with an IC50 of 1.0 +/- 0.1 microM; the NBMPR-insensitive transporter, ei, was much less sensitive to HdUrd with an IC50 of 32 +/- 2 microM; the sodium ion-dependent transporter, cif, was the least sensitive transporter to HdUrd with an IC50 of 130 +/- 5 microM. These data support the concept that HdUrd, a relatively non-cytotoxic agent, could be useful in increasing the potency of antitumor inhibitors directed at the de novo pathways for nucleotide synthesis through the blockage of the salvage pathways for nucleosides.

Immunolocalization of glucose transporter GLUT4 within human skeletal muscle.

To investigate the cellular and subcellular distribution of glucose transporters in skeletal muscle, the glucose transporter isoform GLUT4 was localized in human muscle by electron microscopy via immunogold labeling with monoclonal (1F8) or COOH-terminal peptide polyclonal (ECU4) antibody and in isolated rat membranes by Western blot. There was no labeling of GLUT4 in endothelial cells of the capillaries. There also was no labeling of GLUT4 on the surface plasma membrane (sarcolemma) under either basal or insulin-stimulated conditions. Specific labeling for GLUT4 was clearly observed in two compartments: within the triad (on terminal cisternae and transverse tubules) and on an intracellular compartment, possibly sarcoplasmic tubules. Isolated triad membranes from rat muscle also contained substantial quantities of GLUT4 transporter, but there was no detectable GLUT4 protein in isolated sarcolemmal membranes. These data suggest a possible mechanism that involves glucose transport across the muscle cell at the transverse tubule membrane, not the sarcolemma.

Insulin resistance induced by high-fat feeding is only partially reversed by exercise training.

Diets high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrate result in an insulin-resistant state, while training increases insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance was induced by feeding a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFS) diet to 4-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats. A control diet (low-fat, complex-carbohydrate) was fed to another group for comparison. During the 4-week dietary treatment, half of each group was trained by treadmill running (2 h day-1, 6 days week-1m 30 m min-1, 0% grade). At the end of this 4-week experimental period, hindquarter perfusions were performed at either basal (0) or maximal (100 nM) insulin concentrations to determine glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis, total glycogen content and the activity of several enzymes. Insulin (100 nM) significantly increased glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in all four groups (CON-UN, CON-TR, HFS-UN, HFS-TR, where CON, UN and TR refer to control, untrained and trained respectively). HFS feeding significantly decreased (P less than 0.002) glucose uptake (mumol g-1 h-1) with maximal insulin stimulation, while training significantly increased uptake (P less than 0.01) at both insulin concentrations. Glycogen synthesis was also increased by training (P less than 0.05) at both insulin concentrations, but accounted for only 25-28% of the glucose uptake. Although training improved the insulin resistance caused by the HFS diet, glucose uptake in the HFS-TR group was still significantly lower than the CON-TR group. Changes in glycogen synthesis are not great enough to account for the decrease or increase in glucose uptake found in the HFS-fed or trained animals.

Effect of a high-fat-sucrose diet on in vivo insulin receptor kinase activation.

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into muscle is depressed by high-fat-sucrose (HFS) feeding of rats. To investigate the mechanism of this insulin resistance, the in vivo activation of the insulin receptor kinase in liver and muscle of control and HFS-fed rats was determined. Rats were injected with glucose and insulin and killed 0, 5, 15, and 30 min after injection. Insulin binding was not changed in partially purified receptors from muscle of HFS rats. In control rats insulin receptor kinase activity was maximally stimulated threefold in liver at 5 min and fourfold in muscle at 15 min after insulin-glucose injection. The insulin-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity of receptors isolated from the liver of rats fed the HFS diet was decreased by 30% in comparison with the controls. In contrast, receptors isolated from muscle did not show any difference in basal or insulin-stimulated kinase activity between HFS-fed and control rats. Decreased in vivo activation of the insulin receptor kinase may be at least partially responsible for insulin resistance in liver. Because insulin binding and insulin stimulation of receptor kinase were normal in muscle of HFS-fed animals, it is concluded that the insulin resistance of glucose uptake into muscle is caused by a defect distal to the insulin receptor.