Estrone sulfatase activity in guinea pig tissues

Abstract

Estrone sulfatase activity is widespread in guinea pig tissues. Whole homogenates of adult testis. uterus. lung, adrenal, amnion, ovary, chorion, small intestine, placenta, spleen, kidney and liver exhibit approximately descending order of specific activity. Certain properties, including pH requirement, lack of inhibition by inorganic sulfate and magnitude of estimated K mvalues, are similar to that for arylsulfatase C of rat liver. Of the subcellular fractions prepared from guinea pig tissues, microsomes exhibit the highest specific activity although considerable enzyme activity remains associated with large cellular fragments sedimenting at 750 g. The sulfatase activity is readily inhibited by inorganic phosphate even when substrate concentration satisfies zero order kinetics. Rat liver arylsulfatase C is not inhibited under these conditions. Sensitivity of the guinea pig enzyme activity to inhibition by a variety of steroids and related compounds, is markedly less than for rat liver. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) strongly inhibits the rat liver enzyme but has little effect on the guinea pig liver system. Guinea pig testicular activity is suppressed to a degree intermediate between these extremes by increasing DES concentration. In guinea pig lung. kidney, and possibly liver, elevated fetal enzyme activities decrease from neonatal to adult life. Teslicular activity appears to follow the opposite trend. Uterine enzyme activity is not markedly affected by pregnancy.