AMP Phosphodiesterase Activity Research Articles

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-specific phosphodiesterase is functional in bovine mammary gland

Previous studies have shown that using nonspecific phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors such as caffeine improved milk production, supporting the premise that modulation of intracellular concentration of cyclic nucleotides (cyclic AMP, cyclic guanosine 3′-5′-monophosphate) is involved. Intracellular cyclic nucleotides are degraded by the PDE enzyme family. The contribution of type IV PDE (PDE4) in the secretion of casein has been reported in rat mammary gland. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the functional presence of the PDE4 family in the bovine mammary gland. To understand the enzymatic expression pattern in the mammary gland, tissue samples were taken randomly from udders obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Reverse transcription PCR revealed that the PDE4D transcript was amplified, and the expected size fragment was obtained in a 1% agarose gel. Sequence analysis of the amplicon resulted in 99% homology to PDE4D. Moreover, Western blotting using a specific PDE4D antibody has confirmed that the protein of the isoenzyme PDE4D1 is present. A clear immunoreactive signal was also observed within the acini where epithelial cells are located. Assaying cyclic AMP PDE activity reported a total activity of 38.71±3.22 fmol/min per μg of total protein. Rolipram, a specific PDE4 inhibitor, showed a sensitive activity of 8.48±1.28 fmol/min per μg of total protein, indicating that PDE4 is responsible for one-fifth of the total enzymatic activity of PDE in the mammary gland. To further validate the presence of PDE4D in the bovine mammary epithelial cells, protein extracts from bovine mammary epithelial cells were separated on SDS-PAGE gels, and PDE4D protein was detected. The PDE assays reported a total activity of 30.16±4.82 fmol/min per μg of total protein. Rolipram showed a sensible activity of 11.91±5.93 fmol/min per μg of total protein. In conclusion, these results not only demonstrate the presence of PDE4D transcript and protein, but also show an active enzyme, suggesting a functional role of PDE4D in bovine mammary gland.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein increases basal cAMP and potentiates forskolin-induced cAMP accumulation in A549 human airway epithelial cells.

Genistein is often used as an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases. A less studied side effect of genistein is an inhibition of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) activity resulting in increased cAMP accumulation. The effect of genistein on intracellular cAMP-levels, basal and forskolin-induced, was studied in A549 human airway epithelial cells and compared with the unspecific PDE inhibitor, isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX). It was shown that genistein (50 microM) increased basal cAMP and potentiated forskolin-induced cAMP accumulation to the same extent as IBMX (100 microM). Thus, the use of genistein in studies on signaling transductions may result in erroneous conclusions since increased cAMP may cause or contribute to the observed effects.

Local and systemic alterations in cyclic 3′,5′ AMP phosphodiesterase activity in relation to tail regeneration under hypothyroidism and T4 replacement in the lizard,Mabuya carinata

To establish the relationship between thyroid hormone and cyclic Adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) during lacertilian tail regeneration, cAMP phosphodiesterase, the hydrolytic enzyme of cAMP, was assayed in the tail regenerate, liver, and skeletal muscle of control (group A), chemically thyroidectomized (group B), and thyroidectomized and T4-replaced (group C) animals during various periods of tail regeneration. Enzyme activity was elevated in all three tissues of group B animals. Animals of group C showed an intermediate level of enzyme activity between controls (group A) and experimental animals (group B). These observations suggest a possible regulatory role of thyroxine in maintaining optimum levels of phosphodiesterase. The retardation in regeneration observable in the hypothyroid group of animals may be correlated with low levels of tissue cAMP. However, the operation of other influencing factors on phosphodiesterase during regeneration can be surmised from the observed tendency to exhibit similar patterns of phase-specific modulations in enzyme activity. Our observations are discussed in terms of phase-specific involvement of cAMP in regeneration, as well as its role in other metabolic aspects and the possible mode of indirect control exerted by thyroxine on lacertilian tail regeneration.

Local and systemic alterations in cyclic 3′,5′ AMP phosphodiesterase activity in relation to tail regeneration under hypothyroidism and T4 replacement in the lizard, Mabuya carinata

To establish the relationship between thyroid hormone and cyclic Adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) during lacertilian tail regeneration, cAMP phosphodiesterase, the hydrolytic enzyme of cAMP, was assayed in the tail regenerate, liver, and skeletal muscle of control (group A), chemically thyroidectomized (group B), and thyroidectomized and T4-replaced (group C) animals during various periods of tail regeneration. Enzyme activity was elevated in all three tissues of group B animals. Animals of group C showed an intermediate level of enzyme activity between controls (group A) and experimental animals (group B). These observations suggest a possible regulatory role of thyroxine in maintaining optimum levels of phosphodiesterase. The retardation in regeneration observable in the hypothyroid group of animals may be correlated with low levels of tissue cAMP. However, the operation of other influencing factors on phosphodiesterase during regeneration can be surmised from the observed tendency to exhibit similar patterns of phase-specific modulations in enzyme activity. Our observations are discussed in terms of phase-specific involvement of cAMP in regeneration, as well as its role in other metabolic aspects and the possible mode of indirect control exerted by thyroxine on lacertilian tail regeneration. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A novel phosphodiesterase inhibitor, T-440: possible management of eosinophilic inflammation by down-regulation of interleukin-5 production.

The effect of T-440, a selective type IV phosphodiesterase (PDE IV) inhibitor on interleukin (IL)-5 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of atopic asthmatic subjects was investigated. PBMCs produced IL 5 following challenge with specific allergen in vitro. T-440 suppressed allergen-induced IL-5 production significantly at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml. T-440 inhibited cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in a concentration dependent manner and raised the intracellular cyclic AMP level of PBMCs significantly. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP suppressed IL-5 production by PBMCs in a similar way to T-440, suggesting that the increase of intracellular cyclic AMP caused by T-440 reduces IL-5 production. T-440 may be an effective agent to treat atopic diseases associated with eosinophilic inflammation, e.g. asthma and atopic dermatitis.

Effects of type‐selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors on glucose‐induced insulin secretion and islet phosphodiesterase activity

1. We examined various type-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors on glucose-induced insulin secretion from rat isolated islets, on islet PDE activity and on islet cyclic AMP accumulation in order to assess the relationship between type-selective PDE inhibition and modification of insulin release. 2. The non-selective PDE inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 10(-5)-10(-3) M), as well as the type III selective PDE inhibitors SK&F 94836 (10(-5)-10(-3) M), Org 9935 (10(-7)-10(-4) M), SK&F 94120 (10(-5)-10(-4) M) and ICI 118233 (10(-6)-10(-4) M) each caused concentration-dependent augmentation (up to 40% increase) of insulin release in the presence of a stimulatory glucose concentration (10 mM), but not in the presence of 3 mM glucose. 3. Neither the type IV PDE inhibitor rolipram (10(-4) M) nor the type I and type V PDE inhibitor, zaprinast (10(-4)-10(-3) M) modified glucose-induced insulin release when incubated with islets, although a higher concentration of rolipram (10(-3) M) inhibited secretion by 55%. However, when islets were preincubated with these drugs followed by incubation in their continued presence, zaprinast (10(-6)-10(-4) M) produced a concentration-dependent inhibition (up to 45% at 10(-4) M). Under these conditions, rolipram inhibited insulin secretion at a lower concentration (10(-4) M) than when simply incubated with islets. 4. A combination of SK&F 94836 (10(-5) M) and forskolin (5 x 10(-8) M) significantly augmented glucose-induced insulin secretion (30% increase), although neither drug alone, in these concentrations, produced any significant effect. 5. Islet cyclic AMP levels, which were not modified by forskolin (10-6 M), SK&F 94836 (10-4 M) or Org 9935 (10-5 M) were significantly elevated (approximately 3.7 fold increase) by forskolin inc ombination with either SK&F 94836 or Org 9935.6 Homogenates of rat islets showed a low Km (1.7 microM) and high Km (13 microM) cyclic AMP PDE in the supernatant fractions (from 48,000 g centrifugation), whereas the particulate fraction showed only a low Km (1.4 microM) cyclic AMP PDE activity.7. The PDE activity of both supernatant and pellet fractions were consistently inhibited by SK&F94836 or Org 9935, the concentrations required to reduce particulate PDE activity by 50% being 5.5 and 0.05 microM respectively.8 Rolipram (10-5 10-4 M) did not consistently inhibit PDE activity in homogenates of rat islets and zaprinast (10-4 M) consistently inhibited activity by 30% in the supernatant fraction, but not consistently in the pellet.9 These data are consistent with the presence of a type III PDE in rat islets of Langerhans.

Changes of calmodulin concentration and cyclic 3′, 5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities in cardiac muscle of hyper- and hypothyroid rats

To investigate the effect of thyroid hormone on cardiac muscle dysfunction in hyper- and hypothyroid states, we evaluated cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide metabolism by measuring cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity and calmodulin concentrations in the cardiac muscles of hyper- and hypothyroid rats. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration was significantly high in the cardiac muscle of hyperthyroid rats and low in that from hypothyroid rats compared with control rats. Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities were significantly decreased in the soluble fraction of cardiac muscle from hyperthyroid rats and markedly increased in this fraction in hypothyroid rats compared with normal animals. Calmodulin concentration was high in hyperthyroid and low in hypothyroid rats. It was concluded from these findings that low cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity might, in part, bring about the high concentration of cAMP. Calmodulin was significantly high in the cardiac muscle of hyperthyroid rats and the reverse was the case in hypothyroid rats compared with normal rats. The implication is that, in hyper- and hypothyroid states, these changes may play an important role in cardiac function via their effect on cyclic nucleotide and Ca2+ metabolism.

The effect of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors on the superoxide burst of guinea‐pig peritoneal macrophages

1. The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity of guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages was partially characterized and the effects of selective and non-selective inhibitors of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP PDE) and guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP PDE) phosphodiesterases on superoxide generation were investigated using peritoneal macrophages from horse-serum pretreated guinea-pigs. 2. The non-selective PDE inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and the PDE I/V selective inhibitor, zaprinast, inhibited spontaneous superoxide generation with IC50s of 30.7 +/- 11.3 microM and 145 +/- 17 microM respectively (n = 6 and 5). The concentration-response curves for the PDE IV selective inhibitors rolipram and Ro20-1724 were biphasic; mean maximum inhibitions were 56.9 +/- 5.9% and 66.8 +/- 10.5% respectively at 300 microM, but in 2 out of 6 (rolipram) and 2 out of 5 (Ro20-1724) experiments inhibition was < 50%. The PDE III inhibitor SK&F 94120 was without effect. Spontaneous superoxide generation was reduced 57 +/- 10% by 1 microM prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 62.6 +/- 3.76% by 1 microM salbutamol. 3. The increase in superoxide generation elicited by FMLP (10(-9)-10(-5)M) was unaffected by any of the PDE inhibitors studied. Inhibition of FMLP-stimulated superoxide generation by PGE2 was enhanced in the presence of 10 microM IBMX. 4. Macrophages were found to contain a predominantly membrane bound cyclic AMP PDE (90% of total activity) which was unaffected by cyclic GMP or calcium/calmodulin. The cyclic AMP PDE activity in the cytosolic fraction was enhanced in the presence of calcium/calmodulin. Selective inhibitors of PDE IV inhibited the particulate cyclic AMP PDE activity (IC50s rolipram 1.5 +/- 0.3 microM, Ro 20-17244.1 +/- 0.6 microm) as did the non-selective inhibitor IBMX (IC50 22 +/- 8 microM). The macrophage particulate PDE activity was resistant to inhibition by the PDE III inhibitor SK&F 94836 and the PDE I/V inhibitor, zaprinast. The cytosolic calcium/calmodulin stimulated cyclic AMP hydrolytic activity was inhibited by zaprinast (IC50 - calcium/calmodulin 123 +/- 39 microM; + calcium/calmodulin IC50 17.7 +/- 6.3 microM).5. The results indicate that guinea-pig peritoneal macrophages contain a type IV cyclic AMP PDE which is predominantly membrane associated and a predominantly cytosolic calcium/calmodulin stimulated cyclic AMP PDE. Functional studies suggest that both of these PDE activities contribute to cyclic AMP hydrolysis and regulation of superoxide generation in these cells. Inhibition of spontaneous superoxide generation, but not that stimulated by FMLP, suggests that the activity of PDE inhibitors is subject to functional antagonism but that this can be overcome by enhancing cyclic AMP formation.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases and methyltransferases in purified lymphocytes, monocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes from healthy donors and asthmatic patients

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and phospholipid N-methyl-transferase activities were simultaneously measured in purified polymorphonuclear cell-, mononuclear cell-, lymphocyte- and monocyte-homogenates from control subjects, from patients with atopic asthma and from patients with non-atopic asthma. Whereas cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities were found to be about 10-fold lower in polymorphonuclear than in mononuclear cells, phospholipid N-methyltransferase proved to be rather similar in each cell type from control donors. Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and phospholipid N-methyltransferase were significantly decreased in polymorphonuclear cells and monocytes from asthmatic patients compared with the control group while cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase was significantly impaired only in the monocyte subpopulation.

Effect of exercise on cardiac cyclic AMP

The effect of one bout of intense swimming caused significant increases in the cyclic AMP content of fast-twitch white skeletal muscle, liver, and heart. Further investigation of the exercise-induced increase in myocardial cyclic AMP indicates that the nucleotide content remained elevated long after (24 h) termination of exercise. This increase in cyclic AMP was time dependent, with the level increasing gradually throughout the work bout. The increase in cardiac cyclic AMP seemed to be independent of work intensity, provided that work time was of sufficient duration (greater than or equal to 30 min). Increases in cardiac cyclic AMP were also seen when rats were exposed to 2 degrees C for 1-7 d. The increases in cyclic AMP seen following exercise and cold exposure were accompanied by an increase in cardiac cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity. Our working hypothesis was that prolonged elevations in cyclic AMP produced an induction and/or activation of one or more of the PDE isozymes. When we administered dibutyryl cyclic AMP to rats, cardiac PDE activity was increased. This increase was inhibited by cycloheximide, suggesting that the elevated enzyme activity is mediated by the synthesis of new protein. These data support the concept that cyclic AMP is involved in the regulation of its own metabolism during physiological stress.

Dimethyl sulfoxide-induced augmentation of adenosine-adenylate cyclase response of pig skin epidermis

Adenosine-adenylate cyclase response in pig skin epidermis showed a specific increase after long-term (24 h) incubation in the presence of 0.5%-1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). There was no significant difference between control and DMSO-treated epidermis with regard to cyclic AMP (cAMP) phosphodiesterase activity. DMSO had no effect on the basal cAMP levels of epidermis; beta-adrenergic and histamine-adenylate cyclase responses were not affected. The direct addition of DMSO at the time of incubation with various adenylate cyclase stimulators (adenosine, epinephrine, and histamine) had no effect on agonist-induced cAMP accumulation effects. It was concluded that DMSO affected epidermal keratinocytes during long-term incubation, resulting in a specific increase in the adenosine-adenylate cyclase response. Although the biological significance of this DMSO effect remains to be determined, it should be kept in mind when using DMSO as a solvent for various chemicals in the experiments dealing with epidermal keratinocytes in vitro.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibition by a benzoic acid derivative

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and three structurally related benzoic acid derivatives, 2-acetylbenzoic acid (ABA), 3-methylphthalide (3-MP), and 3-hydroperoxy-3-methylphthalide (3-HMP), were tested for inhibitory effects on three human blood platelet cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities. 3-MP caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the high and low affinity cyclic AMP PDE activities and the cyclic GMP PDE activity. 3-HMP had some inhibitory effects but only on the low affinity cyclic AMP PDE activity. ASA and ABA had no effects. This study shows that progressive structural changes in the ASA molecule can shift the pharmacological profile from a cyclooxygenase inhibitor (ASA) to an inactive compound (ABA) to a PDE inhibitor (3-MP) and back again to a cyclooxygenase inhibitor (3-HMP). It is proposed that the potent anti-inflammatory effects of 3-MP, which differ from those of ASA, are mediated through the inhibition of the cyclic nucleotide PDE system.

Basophil histamine release in atopic dermatitis and its relationship to disordered cyclic nucleotide metabolism.

Maximal histamine release (HR) from leucocytes, in response to Concanavalin A (Con A) was significantly higher in a group of 16 adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) when compared to 13 non-atopic adults. In a further 4 adults with AD, HR was similar to that in the normals, suggesting the existence of 'high releaser' and 'low releaser' subsets within the AD group. Leucocyte cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity was significantly higher in the 'high releaser' group compared to the 'low releaser' and normal groups. High and low HR responses showed strong correlations with high and low PDE. Pre-treatment of leucocytes from 'high releasers' with the experimental PDE PDE inhibitor RO-20-1724 reduced the HR to normal levels. These findings suggest that increased histamine 'releasability' in AD is related to abnormalities in cyclic nucleotide regulation. No significant HR could be demonstrated in response to a range of concentrations of methacholine in 'high releaser' atopics and normals. Methacholine also did not affect HR in response to maximal Con A stimulation in 'high releaser' atopics. Basophil percentages within the leucocyte preparation and the histamine content per basophil, were not significantly different between the atopics and normals. Con A-stimulated histamine release did not correlate significantly with serum IgE levels.

Ventilation-induced release of phosphatidylcholine from neonatal-rat lungs in vitro.

Factors regulating the release of phosphatidylcholine (PC) from neonatal-rat lungs were investigated. The results show that the release of prelabelled PC from the newborn-rat lung was augmented by air ventilation at the onset of breathing. This response was mimicked in lungs of pups delivered 1 day before term and allowed to breathe for different time intervals. Anoxia further augmented the ventilation-enhanced PC release from the newborn-rat lungs. The ventilation-induced release of PC was not abolished by the prior treatment of pups in utero or mothers in vivo with phenoxybenzamine, propranolol or atropine, suggesting the lack of receptor stimulation in the ventilation-enhanced PC release at birth. The results also show that ventilation stimulated [methyl-14C]choline incorporation into lung PC, presumably to replenish the depleted surfactant stores. The ratio of adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities, which reflects cyclic AMP levels in the developing rat lungs, did not change during the 120 min of air ventilation when the release of PC was much enhanced, implying that cyclic AMP may not be involved. This confirms our conclusion that stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptor was not involved in the air-ventilation-enhanced release of PC. Since the cell number or size did not change during 120 min of ventilation when the alveolar-cell surface was maximally distended, it is suggested that distension of alveolar wall by air ventilation at the onset of breathing may bring the lamellar bodies containing surfactant close to the luminal surface of alveolar type II cells, thereby enhancing their fusion and extrusion by exocytosis.

Inhibitory mechanism of dipyridamole on platelet aggregation [formula omitted

The effects of dipyridamole on platelet aggregation ex vivo and in vitro and on platelet cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) were studied, and the mechanism of the ex vivo effects was assessed. Both the ADP- and collagen-induced aggregations ex vivo were inhibited dose-responsively by oral administration of dipyridamole. Maximum dipyridamole levels in the plasma were reached at 30 min after the administration. The inhibitory effects of dipyridamole on platelet aggregation ex vivo reached a maximum at between 1 and 2 hrs. On the other hand, the ADP-induced aggregation in vitro and cyclic AMP PDE activity were not inhibited until after 10 min of incubation at a low concentration of dipyridamole. This mode of inhibition of platelet aggregation in vitro and of cyclic AMP PDE activity agreed with the mode of inhibition in the case of platelet aggregation ex vivo . It is suggested therefore that the ex vivo effects, observed with only a low dipyridamole concentration in the plasma, may be due primarily to inhibition by dipyridamole of the cyclic AMP PDE in platelets.

Ca&lt;SUP&gt;2+&lt;/SUP&gt;-Dependency of Phosphodiesterase Activities in Normal and Pathological Human Thyroids

It has been reported that cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) has multiple forms, and one of them is activated by PDE-activating factor (PAF) in many tissues. Also it has been suggested that PAF plays an important role in the control of intracellular cyclic nucleotide concentrations. But PDE and PAF have not been studied sufficiently in the human thyroid. We report in this article the occurrence of multiple forms and of an activating factor of PDE in the human thyroid. We also report how the PDE activities and their properties in thyroids with various diseases differ from those in the normal thyroid.The PDE activities for cyclic AMP and for cyclic GMP in the 100,000 × g supernatant of the human thyroid were activated by Ca2+ in the presence of Mg2+. Sephadex G-200 gel-filtration profiles of the activities of the supernatant revealed three peaks of cyclic AMP PDE activity, three peaks of cyclic GMP PDE activity and one peak of PAF activity. The second peaks of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP PDE activities were eluted at the same position and were activated by PAF in the presence of Ca2+. The fact that the enzyme activities of other peaks were not influenced by Ca2+ indicated that Ca2+-dependency in the supernatant was due to the presence of the PAF-dependent PDE form. This activating system of PDE may have a role in the control of intracellular cyclic nucleotide concentrations in the human thyroid. The molecular weights of the PAF-dependent PDE form and PAF were estimated to be 145,000 and 26,000, respectively.The PDE activities per gram of tissue for cyclic AMP and for cyclic GMP of the 100,000 × g supernatants of Graves' thyroid, thyroid adenoma and carcinoma were increased as compared with the normal thyroid. It could not be clarified whether or not this increase was merely due to cellular hypertrophy For an increase in cell population density. The ratios of cyclic GMP PDE activity to cyclic AMP PDE activity were increased in Graves' thyroid and thyroid carcinoma. Ca2+-Dependency of the PDE activity was increased in thyroid carcinoma when cyclic AMP was used as a substrate, and in Graves' thyroid and thyroid adenoma when cyclic GMP was used. These changes of the PDE activities suggest abnormality of cyclic nucleotide metabolism in the thyroids of patients with these diseases. Hydrolysis of cyclic AMP in Graves' thyroid may be influenced by altered PDE activity.

Cyclic 3′,5′-AMP phosphodiesterase activity in head extracts of the five larval instars of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hüber), and in extracts of brains of the fifth instar

1. Cyclic 3′,5′-AMP phosphodiesterase activity in homogenates of heads of the 5 instars of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), was determined after the insect larvae had been exposed to light regimens of LD 16:8 (16 hr light, hr dark) or LD 10:14. 2. Larval head capsule width was determined for each of the 5 instars and it was found to vary from an average of 0.29 mm in the first instar to an average of 1.9 mm in the 5th instar. 3. Enzyme activity of larvae reared under both light regimens increased during instars 1, 2 and 3, reached a peak in instar 3 or 4, and decreased to undetectable levels during instar 4. 4. Enzyme activity in heads of 3rd-instar larvae held in LD 16:8 was higher than in heads of 3rd-instar larvae held in LD 10:14. 5. Enzyme activity was undetectable in diapausing insects, but it peaked again in the prepupa. 6. The results provide additional evidence that cAMP-ase is significant in insect metamorphosis and also suggest that this enzyme may be involved in insect photoperiodism. 7. Although cAMP-ase activity was determined in as few as 2 brains from 5th-instar larvae, total phosphodiesterase activity of the larval brains was the same whether insects were reared in LD 16:8 or in LD 10:14 and whether the insects were in diapause.

Insulin-like effects of fluoroacetate on lipolysis and lipogenesis in adipose tissue

Hormone-stimulated lipolysis in adipose tissue was inhibited by fluoroacetate and there was a concomitant decrease in both the basal and hormone-stimulated cyclic AMP levels. Adenylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) activity in membrane preparations was inhibited by fluoroacetate. There was no influence of fluoroacetate on the low Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) activity. The rate of glucose conversion to fatty acids was increased when adipose tissue was incubated in the presence of fluoroacetate. The outputs of pyruvate and lactate into the incubation medium were decreased at this time, suggesting decreased tissue pyruvate levels and a site of activation of lipogenesis distal to pyruvate formation. Pyruvate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.4.1) activity was increased twofold in adipose tissue incubated in the presence of fluoroacetate. This was attributed to a fluoroacetate-induced inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, the enzyme responsible for inactivating the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Glucose transport was increased to a small but significant degree by fluoroacetate. In addition, both the tissue content of citrate and its release into the incubation medium were increased, suggesting that fluoroacetate resulted in an inhibition of aconitase (EC 4.2.1.3). The tissue ATP content was unchanged. Because the antilipolytic and lipogenic effects of fluoroacetate parallel those of insulin, they may share a common mechanism.

Antagonism of insulin and lipolytic hormones in the control of adenylate-cyclase activity in fat cells,.

The control of adenylate cyclase activity by lipolytic hormones was studied in fat cell “ghosts” in the presence and absence of physiological concentrations of insulin. Insulin was found to inhibit the effect of submaximal concentrations of norepinephrine, adrenocorticotrophin, and glucagon. Addition of the hormone to the assay system leads to an immediate reduction of the linear rate of formation of adenosine 3′:5′‐monophosphate (3′:5′‐AMP). For norepinephrine and adrenocorticotrophin a dose‐response relationship was established which was shifted by insulin in a “pseudocompetitive” fashion. Increasing the concentration of insulin beyond the physiological range resulted in a reversal of its inhibitory effect in the presence of lipolytic hormones. Insulin alone at concentrations between 5 and 5000 μU/ml had no effect, whereas a small stimulatory effect of high insulin concentrations (5–500 mU/ml) could be found in the presence of submaximal concentrations of norepinephrine. No effect of insulin was obtained against several concentrations of NaF. The effect of insulin upon the norepinephrine‐stimulated adenylate cyclase disappeared after trypsin treatment of intact cells prior to preparation of ghosts. Further incubation of intact fat cells after trypsin treatment lead to a recovery of the effect of insulin. Analogous to insulin, nonsuppressible insulin‐like material which is believed to be related to “somatomedin”, was found to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity in ghosts, but this effect was not abolished by trypsin treatment. Ghosts were found to contain 3′:5′‐AMP phosphodiesterase activity which was not influenced by direct addition of insulin as measured with low substrate concentrations or under the conditions of the adenylate cyclase reaction.It is suggested that insulin at low concentrations interferes with the activation of the adenylate cyclase system by lipolytic hormones, at a step between hormone receptor and catalytic unit. In view of similar characteristics of the antilipolytic effect of insulin in intact lipocytes and the observed modulation of the action of lipolytic hormones in ghosts, a fundamental physiological role of this effect upon the adenylate cyclase system in the mechanism of action of insulin is postulated.

A fluorescent method for the demonstration of cyclic 3′, 5′-AMP phosphodiesterase activity in polyacrylamide gel

A fluorescent method for the demonstration of cyclic 3′, 5′-AMP phosphodiesterase activity in polyacrylamide gel