Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase from Electrophorus electricus (L.) by tricyclic antidepressants.

The effects of tricyclic antidepressants drugs (TCA) amitriptyline, imipramine and nortriptyline, on purified Electrophorus electricus (L.) acetylcholinesterase (AChE; acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) were studied using kinetic methods and specific fluorescent probe propidium. The antidepressants inhibited AChE activity by a non-competitive mechanism. Inhibition constants range from 200 to 400 microM. Dimethylated amitriptyline and imipramine were more potent inhibitors than the monomethylated nortriptyline. Fluorescence measurements using bis-quaternary ligand propidium were used to monitor ligand-binding properties of these cationic antidepressants to the AChE peripheral anionic site (PAS). This ligand exhibited an eight-fold fluorescence enhancement upon binding to the peripheral anionic site of AChE from E. electricus (L.) with K(D)=7 x 10(-7)M. It was observed that TCA drugs displaced propidium from the enzyme. On the basis of the displacement experiments antidepressant dissociation constants were determined. Similar values for the inhibition constants suggest that these drugs have similar affinity to the peripheral anionic site. The results also indicate that the catalytic active center of AChE does not participate in the interaction of enzyme with tricyclic antidepressants. These studies suggest that the binding site for tricyclic antidepressants is located at the peripheral anionic site of E. electricus (L.) acetylcholinesterase.

Purification and partial characterization of creatine kinase from electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

The present investigation deals with the purification and the partial characterization of the soluble creatine kinase (CK) isoenzyme, isolated from the electric organ electrocyte of Electrophorus electricus (L.). Purification was performed by precipitation of the enzyme in the crude extract with ammonium sulfate (80%). The precipitate obtained was analyzed on an ion exchange column of diethylaminoethyl cellulose-52 (DEAE) followed by gel filtration on Superose 12 in a Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) system. Electrophoretic mobility of the active peak confirmed previous results identifying the hybrid isoenzyme MB in the electrocyte cytoplasm. Electrocyte CK is a dimeric enzyme with two identical subunits of approximately 40 kDa as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The sequence analysis of the N-terminal peptide (14 amino acids) of the 40 kDa subunit showed homology with other CK enzymes from electric fish (Torpedo) and human muscle type CK.

Purification and partial characterization of glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase from electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

The glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, EC 1.2.1.12) was purified to homogeneity from electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.) by a hydrophobic chromatography method on deacetylcolchicine-Sepharose. The purification resulted in a 162 fold increase in specific activity of the GAPDH and final yield was approximately 37%. The purified enzyme showed a single band in SDS-PAGE, with an apparent molecular mass of 36 kDa. The purity of the colchicine-Sepharose isolated material was analysed by isoelectrophocusing and immunoblotting using a heterologous rabbit serum anti-GAPDH. Sequence analysis of the 40-N-terminal amino acids, determined by Edman degradation, revealed its identity to other GAPDHs proteins being the largest number of identical amino acids to lobster (92.5%), rabbit muscle (85%) and human liver (80%) GAPDH.

Effect of Mg(2+)-ATP on acetylcholinesterase of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

The effect of Mg(2+)-ATP on purified acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from electric tissue of Electrophorus electricus (L.) was studied. The enzymatic activities were measured with acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine as substrates. The kinetic parameters Vmax, Km and Hill coefficient (nH), for acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine were modified with Mg(2+)-ATP. It was shown that acetylcholinesterase presents an apparent activation at high concentration of substrates and an inhibition in the presence of Mg(2+)-ATP at low concentration of acetylcholine and acetylthiocholine. In addition, the data suggest that Mg(2+)-ATP induced an allosteric modulation of the acetylcholinesterase obtained from Electrophorous electricus (L.), and indicate an active adenosine triphosphate participation during cholinergic activity.

L(+) lactate dehydrogenase activity from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

Properties of L(+) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of Electrophorus electricus (L.) electric organ were studied, comparing the substrates pyruvate and lactate. Electric organ LDH is a soluble enzyme with a pH optimum of 7.4 for pyruvate and 9.0 for lactate. The apparent Km was lower for pyruvate (Km = 2.5 X 10(-4) M) than for lactate (Km = 1.5 X 10(-2) M). With lactate as a substrate at pH 7.4, malonate, oxalate and pyruvate inhibited competitively. For pyruvate as substrate at pH 9.0 malonate inhibited non-competitively and oxalate shiwed uncompetitive inhibition. The different effects of the carboxylic acids on LDH activity suggest different stereospecificities of the two enzyme-coenzyme complexes in the forward and reserve reactions. The reactions of electric organ LDH with substrates and inhibitors are consistent with electrophoretic analysis suggesting that the enzyme is of the M-type.

[Effect of puromycin, nalidixic acid and cycloheximide on neuromuscular transmission]. / Action de la puromycine, de l'acide nalidixique et de la cyclohexmide sur la transmission neuro-musculaire

The action of puromycin, nalidixic acid and cycloheximid on neuromuscular transmission has been assayed using diaphragm-phrenic nerve preparation from rat. The results demonstrate that all antibiotics used, reversibly blodk neuromuscular transmission. Cycloheximid seems to act presynaptically by inhibiting acetylcholine release from nerve terminal. Puromycin and nalidixic acid act as curare-like agents. They seem to compete with acetylcholine for fixation at the cholinergic receptor.

[The effect of puromycin, nalidixic acid, and cycloheximide acetylcholinesterase purified from Electrophorus electricus L]. / Action de la puromycine, de l'acide nalidixique et de la cycloheximide sur l'activité de l'acétylcholinestérase purifiée d'Electrophorus electricus (L)

The action of puromycin, nalidixic acid and cycloheximide on acetylcholinesterase has been studied using an "electrophoretically pure" preparation. Results obtained show that these well known inhibitors of protein synthesis have an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase activity. The inhibitory action exercised by puromycin and nalidixic acid is of a mixed inhibition type, similar to the one seen when decamethonium and d-tubocurarine are used as inhibitory agents. Cycloheximide acts in a non competitive way on the enzyme activity.