Pyloric ceca are significant sites of newly synthesized 22:6n-3 in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

In this pulse-chase study, rainbow trout fed a diet containing deuterated (D5) (17,17,18,18,18)-18:3n-3 ethyl ester accumulated D5-22:6n-3 in pyloric ceca to a greater extent than in liver 2 d post-dose. The ratio of newly synthesized D5-22:6n-3 in ceca to that in liver 2 d after feeding D5-18:3n-3 was 4.7 +/- 1.2 when expressed as per mg tissue and 5.2 +/- 2.4 when expressed as per mg protein. The amount of D5-22:6n-3 in ceca then declined whereas that in liver and blood increased, with the ratio of ceca to liver falling to 1.7 and 1.4, respectively, by day 5 and approaching unity by day 9. A crude cecal mucosa fraction contained 123 +/- 50 ng D5-22:6n-3/mg protein/mg D5-18:3n-3 eaten 2 d after feeding the tracer, compared with 35 +/- 21 ng D5-22:6n-3/mg protein/mg D5-18:3n-3 eaten in liver. Three days later the amount in cecal mucosa had fallen by one-third and that in liver had increased threefold. Most of the D5-18:3n-3 was catabolized very rapidly. The ratio of D5-18:3n-3 to 21:4n-6 (a relatively inert FA marker) in the diet was 4.0, but this fell to 0.30 in ceca and ca. 0.8 in liver, blood, and whole carcass one day after feeding. These results indicate that ceca are active in the synthesis of 22:6n-3 and the oxidation of 18:3n-3.

Biochemically based design of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors: facile conversion of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs to potent and highly selective COX-2 inhibitors.

All nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit the cyclooxygenase (COX) isozymes to different extents, which accounts for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities and their gastrointestinal side effects. We have exploited biochemical differences between the two COX enzymes to identify a strategy for converting carboxylate-containing NSAIDs into selective COX-2 inhibitors. Derivatization of the carboxylate moiety in moderately selective COX-1 inhibitors, such as 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) and arylacetic and fenamic acid NSAIDs, exemplified by indomethacin and meclofenamic acid, respectively, generated potent and selective COX-2 inhibitors. In the indomethacin series, esters and primary and secondary amides are superior to tertiary amides as selective inhibitors. Only the amide derivatives of ETYA and meclofenamic acid inhibit COX-2; the esters are either inactive or nonselective. Inhibition kinetics reveal that indomethacin amides behave as slow, tight-binding inhibitors of COX-2 and that selectivity is a function of the time-dependent step. Site-directed mutagenesis of murine COX-2 indicates that the molecular basis for selectivity differs from the parent NSAIDs and from diarylheterocycles. Selectivity arises from novel interactions at the opening and at the apex of the substrate-binding site. Lead compounds in the present study are potent inhibitors of COX-2 activity in cultured inflammatory cells. Furthermore, indomethacin amides are orally active, nonulcerogenic, anti-inflammatory agents in an in vivo model of acute inflammation. Expansion of this approach can be envisioned for the modification of all carboxylic acid-containing NSAIDs into selective COX-2 inhibitors.

Toxicity of polyunsaturated fatty acid esters for human monocyte-macrophages: the anomalous behaviour of cholesteryl linolenate.

We have investigated the toxicity to human monocytemacrophages, and susceptibility to oxidation, of different individual dietary fatty acids in cholesterol esters and triglycerides, added to the cell cultures as coacervates with bovine serum albumin. Toxicity was assessed using release of radioactivity from cells preloaded with tritiated adenine. Lipid oxidation was measured by gas chromatography (GC). The triglycerides showed a direct relationship between toxicity and increasing unsaturation, which in turn correlated with increasing susceptibility to oxidation. Triolein (18:1; omega-9) and trilinolein (18:2; omega-6) were non-toxic. Trilinolenin (18:3; omega-3) was toxic only after prolonged incubation. Triarachidonin (20:4; omega-6), trieicosapentaenoin (20:5; omega-3) and tridocosahexaenoin (22:6; omega-3) were profoundly and rapidly toxic. There was a similar relationship between toxicity and increasing unsaturation for most of the cholesterol esters, but cholesteryl linolenate was apparently anomalous, being non-toxic in spite of possessing three double bonds and being extensively oxidised. Probucol and DL-alpha-tocopherol conferred protection against the toxicity of cholesteryl arachidonate and triarachidonin. The oxidation in these experiments was largely independent of the presence of cells. GC indicated that formation of 7-oxysterols might contribute to the toxicity of cholesteryl linoleate. The toxicity of triglycerides suggests that polyunsaturated fatty acid peroxidation products are also toxic. Possible mechanisms of cytotoxicity and relevance to atherosclerosis are discussed.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 gene in diabetic mice.

Insulin and dietary fructose independently induce stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) gene expression in diabetic mouse liver. In the present study, we again used diabetic mice and supplemented a high fructose diet with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to determine the selective repression of SCD1 gene expression by dietary PUFA, as previously shown in normal mice. We saw dramatic repression of SCD1 mRNA expression, with trilinolenin at 3% and triarachidonin at 1% supplementation. We also observed significant repression of insulin-induced SCD1 mRNA upon supplementation of the noninducing starch diet with PUFA. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that PUFA negatively regulate hepatic gene expression through an insulin-independent mechanism.

5-Lipoxygenase products modulate the activity of the 85-kDa phospholipase A2 in human neutrophils.

Addition of submicromolar concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA) to human neutrophils induced a 2-fold increase in the activity of a cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) when measured using sonicated vesicles of 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoylphosphatidylcholine as substrate. A similar increase in cytosolic PLA2 activity was induced by stimulation of neutrophils with leukotriene B4 (LTB4), 5-oxoeicosatetraenoic acid, or 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE). LTB4 was the most potent of the agonists, showing maximal effect at 1 nM. Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase with either eicosatetraynoic acid or zileuton prevented the AA-induced increase in PLA2 activity but had no effect on the response induced by LTB4. Furthermore, pretreatment of neutrophils with a LTB4-receptor antagonist, LY 255283, blocked the AA- and LTB4-induced activation of PLA2 but did not influence the action of 5-HETE. Treatment of neutrophils with pancreatic PLA2 also induced an increase in the activity of the cytosolic PLA2; this response was inhibited by both eicosatetraynoic acid or LY 255283. The increases in PLA2 activity in response to stimulation correlated with a shift in electrophoretic mobility of the 85-kDa PLA2, as determined by Western blot analysis, suggesting that phosphorylation of the 85-kDa PLA2 likely underlies its increase in catalytic activity. Although stimulation of neutrophils with individual lipoxygenase metabolites did not induce significant mobilization of endogenous AA, they greatly enhanced the N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced mobilization of AA as determined by mass spectrometry analysis. Our findings support a positive-feedback model in which stimulus-induced release of AA or exocytosis of secretory PLA2 modulate the activity of the cytosolic 85-kDa PLA2 by initiating the formation of LTB4. The nascent LTB4 is then released to act on the LTB4 receptor and thereby promote further activation of the 85-kDa PLA2. Since 5-HETE and LTB4 are known to prime the synthesis of platelet-activating factor, the findings suggest that 85-kDa PLA2 plays a role in platelet-activating factor synthesis.

Biosynthesis of 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid by bovine corneal epithelium.

Microsomes of bovine corneal epithelium metabolized [14C]arachidonic acid extensively to [14C]12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. The biosynthesis was not stimulated by exogenous NADPH and it could be inhibited by over 90% with two lipoxygenase inhibitors, esculetin and eicosatetraynoic acid. Chiral phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that 12-HETE consisted of the 12S enantiomer. The results indicate biosynthesis by 12S-lipoxygenase of bovine corneal epithelium rather than by cytochrome P450.

Effect of exogenous phospholipase A2 and triacylglycerol lipase on the synthesis and release of monoenoic and bisenoic prostaglandins from isolated rat uterus.

The possible existence of a selective and independent mechanism subserving the formation of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been reported in previous studies from our group. In the present experiments we have demonstrated that neutral lipid lipases play an important role yielding dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid for the formation of PGE1. Indeed, exogenous triglyceride lipase added to the incubation bathing solution at a concentration of 150 U/ml increased several fold the production of PGE1 by isolated uterine strips obtained from spayed rats. Nevertheless the presence of the enzyme did not modify significantly the synthesis and release of bisenoic PGs (PGE2 and PGF2 alpha). When triarachidonin was added, as an artificial substrate into the incubating medium in order to detect the presence of endogenous triacylglycerol lipase, we observed a significant increment in the generation of PGE2 (p less than 0.005) and of PGF2 alpha (p less than 0.001) without evident changes in the basal release of PGE1. On the other hand, the addition of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) at 0.2 U/ml, increased significantly the production of PGE2 (p less than 0.001) but failed to alter the concentration of PGE1 in the incubating solution. Surprisingly, PLA2 did not enhance the synthesis of PGF2 alpha in the present experiments, a situation for which we do not have a clear explanation. Exogenous bradykinin (10(-6) M), a well known stimulant of PLA2 activity in several tissues, also increased significantly (p less than 0.001) the production of PGE2 without altering that of PGE1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Triacylglycerol lipase mediated release of arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis in rabbit kidney medulla microsomes.

The effect of triarachidonin on the synthesis of prostaglandins in rabbit kidney medulla microsomes was examined. Medulla microsomes were incubated with triarachidonin in 0.1 M--Tris/HCl buffer (pH 7.0) containing reduced glutathione and hydroquinone and the formed prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2 alpha and prostaglandin D2 were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography using 9-anthryldiazomethane for derivatization. The addition of triarachidonin (1-10 microM) stimulated prostaglandin formation in a dose-dependent manner. Under our incubation conditions rabbit kidney medulla was found to produce prostaglandin E2 mainly. When arachidonic acid, instead of triarachidonin, was added to the incubation mixture of microsomes, the identical profile of prostaglandin products was obtained. When the pH of the reaction mixture was changed from 7.0 to 8.0, the rate of triarachidonin-induced prostaglandin E2 formation was approximately 60% of that observed at pH 7.0. Studies utilizing Ca2+ and EGTA revealed that triacylglycerol lipase of kidney medulla is independent of Ca2+. The addition of epinephrine made the stimulatory effect of triarachidonin on prostaglandin E2 formation more pronounced. These results suggest that epinephrine-activated triacylglycerol lipase is present in the renomedullary microsomes, and this enzyme activity is a potential mediator of release of arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis in the kidney medulla.

Inactivation of 15-lipoxygenases by acetylenic fatty acids.

The inactivation of soybean lipoxygenase-1 and of rabbit reticulocyte lipoxygenase by five selected acetylenic fatty acids was studied. In all cases the inactivation was time-consuming and depended on the concentration of the inactivator. The inactivation kinetics was measured and the data were fitted to a kinetic model based on the assumption of catalytic self-inactivation. The kinetic constants (Km-value and inactivation rate k2) calculated indicated that 7,10,13-eicosatrienoic acid was the most powerful inactivator for the soybean enzyme followed by 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid. The occurrence of an additional triple bond between C-4 and C-5 or between C-5 and C-6 strongly reduced the suicidal rate. With the reticulocyte enzyme, only small differences in the reactivities towards various acetylenic fatty acids have been observed.

Triacylglycerol lipase-mediated release of arachidonic acid for renal medullary prostaglandin synthesis.

The effect of triacylglycerol lipase or triarachidonin on the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 in rabbit kidney medulla slices was examined. Prostaglandin E2 generation was enhanced by exogenous triacylglycerol lipase, indicating that arachidonic acid released from medullary triacylglycerols is readily available for prostaglandin biosynthesis. Triarachidonin stimulated prostaglandin E2 production in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the kidney medulla slices showed triacylglycerol lipase activity using trimargarin as substrate. The addition of mepacrine made the stimulatory effect of triarachidonin on prostaglandin E2 formation more pronounced. Studies utilizing EGTA and p-bromophenacyl bromide revealed that triacylglycerol lipase of kidney medulla is independent of Ca2+ and sensitive to a sulfhydryl inhibitor. These results suggest the presence of triacylglycerol lipase and triacylglycerol as a possible candidate for providing free arachidonic acid to cyclooxygenase in kidney medulla.

Lipoxygenase inhibitors exert secretagogue-specific effects on mast cell exocytosis.

The lipoxygenase inhibitors HTYA (5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid, 25-150 microM) and ITYA (4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid, 25-75 microM), inhibited histamine secretion from rat mast cells evoked by concanavalin A but that elicited by compound 48/80 or polymyxin B. Arachidonic acid (100 microM) did not inhibit concanavalin A-induced histamine secretion. The results are consistent with the notion that lipoxygenase inhibitors affect an early stage of stimulus-secretion coupling in the mast cell, peculiar to antibody-directed secretagogues, perhaps that involving calcium influx.

Selective inhibitors of platelet lipoxygenase: 4,7,10,13-eicosatetraynoic acid and 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid.

Nine acetylenic acids were evaluated to determine what structural features are required for selective inhibition of platelet lipoxygenase. Both 4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid and 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid inhibited the synthesis of 12-L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-icosatetraenoic acid (HETE) more than 95 percent without significantly altering the production of either thromboxane B2 or 12-L-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT). The ID50 concentrations (microM) for inhibiting the synthesis of thromboxane B2 and HETE were respectively 51 and 0.46 with 4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid while similar concentrations of 64 and 0.31 were found for 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid.

Characterization of the two major species of slow reacting substance from rat basophilic leukemia cells as glutathionyl thioethers of eicosatetraenoic acids oxygenated at the 5 position. Evidence that peroxy groups are present and important for spasmogenic activity.

The most prominent slow reacting substance from rat basophilic leukemia cells (type I) was characterized by radiochemical, chemical and physical methods and shown to contain a C20 unsaturated fatty acid oxygenated at the 5 position and a sulfur containing side chain in thioether linkage at the 6 position. Its spasmogenic action on guinea pig ileal muscle was largely inactivated under reducing conditions which suggested that a peroxy group was present and important for contractile activity. This was supported by ferrous thiocyanate analysis. The peroxy group is almost certainly at the 5 position, probably in the form of a peroxy ester or hydroperoxide. Based on amino acid hydrolysis (0.85 moles of glycine and 0.30 moles of glutamic acid per mole SRS), the sulfur containing side chain is apparently a mixture of glutathione and cysteinyl-glycine, but by chromatography the side chain is predominantly glutathione and the low yield of glutamic acid may be due to complexing of its alpha COOH group in a peroxy ester linkage. The fatty acid moiety has 3 conjugated double bonds, probably at the 7,8, 9,10 and 11,12 positions. Type II SRS, the second major species, differs in that the sulfur containing side chain is linked at the 12 or 13 position and is almost certainly glutathione and in the failure of alkaline borohydride to produce inactivation. These observations strongly implicate the lipoxygenase pathway in slow reacting substance biosynthesis.