Brush Border Membrane Hydrolases Research Articles

Cortisol increases the activities of intestinal apical membrane hydrolases and nutrient transporters before weaning in mink (Mustela vison)

Glucocorticoids from endogenous and exogenous sources accelerate maturation of brush-border membrane (BBM) hydrolases in omnivorous laboratory rodents and pigs. Less is known for carnivores, and whether the route of administration (oral or systemic) has an influence. The present study examined the influence of administering cortisol (hydrocortisone succinate, 5 mg/kg-day) to mink during postnatal week 4, just prior to weaning, on small intestine glucose and amino acid (aspartate, leucine, lysine, methionine, proline) absorption and on the activities of BBM disaccharidases and peptidases. Kits treated with cortisol were smaller (P<0.05), but had small intestines that were proportionally larger (P<0.05 for length and mass per kg body weight, but not for mucosal mass) than control kits with higher rates of absorption for most nutrients, except leucine, and increased activities of most BBM hydrolases, except lactase. As a consequence, cortisol increased hydrolytic and absorptive capacities of the entire small intestine, with the responses more pronounced when the cortisol was given orally. These findings indicate administration of cortisol stimulates growth of the developing mink small intestine, but does not accelerate the postnatal declines in nutrient transport, and may be a dam-to-kit signal that prepares suckling mink to digest and absorb the adult diet.

Ontogeny of MAP kinases in rat small intestine: premature stimulation by insulin of BBM hydrolases is regulated by ERKs but not by p-38 MAP kinase.

Although mitogen-activating protein (MAP) kinases are crucial signal transduction molecules regulating cellular proliferation, differentiation, and morphology, their ontogenic changes in the small intestine have not been analyzed. Also, it remains unknown which pathway of activated MAP kinases regulates the expression of brush border membrane hydrolases during growth. Therefore, we have analyzed the mucosal distribution, ontogeny, and responses to insulin and to inhibitors of p44, p42, and p38 MAP kinases in immature and mature enterocytes using Western blot analysis and autoradiography after immunoprecipitation, immunohistochemistry, and in vitro phosphorylation assays. Between d 10 and 40 postpartum, diphosphorylated active p44/p42 extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERKs) increased in abundance compared with total immunoprecipitated ERKs, and were highly responsive to exogenous insulin. In concordance, ERK total activity increased by 4-fold during the same period of growth and was further enhanced 2-fold by exogenous insulin. In weaning rats, ERKs were mainly located in membranes of villus cells and with less intensity in crypt cells. By contrast, p38 MAP kinase was unresponsive to insulin and was confined to nuclei. Administration to sucklings of PD 098059, a specific inhibitor of ERKs, not only inhibited the premature stimulation of sucrase, lactase, and maltase total activities in response to exogenous insulin, but also depressed the natural expression of these brush border membrane enzymes in the absence of insulin stimulation. In concordance, administration of SB 203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, failed to inhibit both the response of brush border membrane hydrolases to insulin and their natural expression in the absence of insulin stimulation. We conclude that the ontogenic expression of brush border membrane hydrolases and their premature stimulation by insulin are regulated at least in part by the activation of p44/p42 ERKs but not by p38 MAP kinase.

Expression of the H Type 1 Blood Group Antigen during Enterocytic Differentiation of Caco-2 Cells

We made a comparative study of the structures of the oligosaccharides on the glycoproteins from Caco-2 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells, before and after differentiation. Enterocytic differentiated Caco-2 cells highly express H type 1 blood group antigen on the cell surface as well as activities of brush border membrane hydrolases, such as dipeptidyl peptidase IV and alkaline phosphatase. A strong correlation was observed between the amounts of H type 1 blood group antigen and the degrees of differentiation. Structural analysis with use of lectin affinity high performance liquid chromatography revealed that typical mucin-type sugar chains of the glycoproteins from undifferentiated cells have H type 2 group, linear polylactosamines, and core 1 structure. On the other hand, differentiated cells newly contain H type 1 and Le(b) groups and core 2 structure. Mucins with H type 1 group make contact with brush border membrane enzymes on differentiated cells. Furthermore benzyl 2-acetamide-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside inhibited both expression of H type 1 group on the cell surface and enhancement of brush border membrane enzyme activities even in the presence of a differentiating inducer. These results suggest that the mucin-type sugar chains with H type 1 group have important functions regarding differentiation of Caco-2 cells.

Premature stimulation of rat sucrase-isomaltase (SI) by exogenous insulin and the analog B-Asp10 is regulated by a receptor-mediated signal triggering SI gene transcription.

The mechanism(s) by which insulin enhance prematurely the activity of brush border membrane (BBM) hydrolases in rat immature intestine is unknown. Therefore, we have compared the responses of four BBM enzymes [sucrase-isomaltase (SI), maltase, lactase-phloridzine hydrolase (LPH), and aminopeptidase] with exogenous insulin, the analog B-Asp10, IGF-I, and antireceptor MAb [insulin-receptor (IR) MAb] given to preweaning pups. Low doses of insulin caused a precocious induction of SI and of SI mRNA and stimulated maltase activity without effect on LPH nor on aminopeptidase activities. IGF-I given at the same dose as that of insulin had no detectable effect on these enzymes. Administration to sucklings of IR MAb prevented the effect of endogenous insulin by inhibiting the expression of SI and maltase without effect on LPH activity. B-Asp10, an insulin analogue that exhibits in vitro a 3.5-fold increase in receptor affinity with sustained signaling of the receptor tyrosine kinase, caused an overexpression of SI by 3.5-fold and of maltase by 1.5-fold compared with equivalent doses of normal insulin. The premature increases in SI activity, SI mRNA, and maltase activity in response to insulin were dose-dependent and were associated with dose-dependent increases in intracellular spermine and spermidine concentrations. In conclusion, these data suggest that the premature induction of SI by insulin is mediated by a dose-dependent signal initiated by binding of the hormone to its intestinal receptor, which after transduction into the cell indirectly triggers the transcription of the SI gene, possibly by changes in intracellular polyamine concentrations.

Suckling Induces Rapid Intestinal Growth and Changes in Brush Border Digestive Functions of Newborn Pigs

The interplay between suckling, intestinal growth and brush-border membrane functions is critical during the perinatal period. The present study investigates changes in intestinal dimensions, activities of four brush border membrane hydrolases (lactase, sucrase, maltase and aminooligopeptidase) and rates of sugar and amino acid uptake by intact tissues and brush border membrane vesicles during the first 24 h of suckling. Total intestinal weight, mucosal weight and protein content increased 58%, 80% and 126% (P < 0.05) during the first 6 h of suckling; length and surface area did not increase. Total mucosal DNA content was 4.6-fold higher at 24 h after birth, with the rate of increase differing among intestinal regions. Hydrolytic capacities of the entire small intestine increased, more so for homogenates than for brush border membrane vesicles, and more for lactase relative to the other hydrolases studied. Rates of nutrient transport declined, especially for brush border membrane vesicles, for proximal and mid-intestine relative to distal intestine, and for glucose relative to galactose and amino acids. We conclude that 1) changes in brush border membrane digestive functions coincide with rapid intestinal growth, with postnatal patterns varying among hydrolases, transporters and regions; 2) insertion into the brush border membrane, not synthesis, limits the postnatal increase of hydrolase activity; and 3) despite declines in specific activity, hydrolytic and glucose transport capacities of the entire intestine remained stable or increased, and exceeded estimated dietary loads because of intestinal growth.

Conjugated bile salts regulate turnover of rat intestinal brush border membrane hydrolases

The mechanisms whereby the conjugated bile salts regulate the activities of the brush border membrane hydrolases and its physiological significance were investigated in rat small intestine, and comparisons were made with the action of pancreatic protease. Rat brush border membrane proteins were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine, and isolated brush border membrane was incubated with taurocholate or pancreatic elastase. The activity of solubilized hydrolases was assayed and the molecular forms of the hydrolases were examined by SDS-PAGE. The activity and protein bands of alkaline phosphatase and sucrase-isomaltase were solubilized by taurocholate, while alkaline phosphatase was not solubilized by elastase. Solubilized sucrase-isomaltase molecules were proteolytically degraded by elastase, whereas the intact molecule of sucrase-isomaltase was solubilized by taurocholate. Next the physiological role of bile salts in brush border membrane hydrolase turnover were investigated using metabolic labeling of brush border membrane hydrolase and immunoprecipitation in biliary diversion rats. After three days of biliary diversion, a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was observed. Although synthesis of alkaline phosphatase in biliary diversion rats was similar to that observed in control rats, biliary diversion rats showed 1.5-fold slower turnover of alkaline phosphatase when compared with control rats. These results suggest that conjugated bile salts in the intestinal lumen may cause a rapid turnover of brush border membrane hydrolases, which may be increased by the enhanced enzyme degradation. The mechanisms for the enhanced degradation appeared to be solubilization of hydrolases caused by the detergent activity of bile salts. Therefore, conjugated bile salts may play an important physiological role in the regulation of expression of the protease-resistant enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase.

Transcriptional regulation of rat intestinal angiotensin-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase IV by a high proline diet

A high proline diet (50% gelatin) was found to induce a 3–8 fold increase in the activity of rat small intestinal angiotensin-converting enzyme and dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Induction was also accompanied by a increase in steady state levels of enzyme mRNA. It was observed that the rate of gene transcription for these two enzymes is increased to levels corresponding to the changes in their mRNA. These results indicate for the first time that dietary components can influence the expression of various intestinal brush border membrane hydrolases at the level of gene transcription.

Biosynthesis and degradation of altered immature forms of intestinal dipeptidyl peptidase IV in a rat strain lacking the enzyme.

We have used a strain of rat (Fischer 344) lacking brush border membrane dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity to examine its effect on the intestinal assimilation of prolyl peptides. In addition, we have examined the biochemical basis for the enzyme deficiency. An analysis of several brush border membrane hydrolases in different regions of the small intestine demonstrates that these rats lack only dipeptidyl peptidase IV. They also have a greatly reduced ability to hydrolyze and absorb in vivo peptides of the NH2-X-Pro-Y type which are known substrates for the enzyme. Immunoblot analysis with polyclonal and monoclonal antibody indicates that the animals lack an identifiable dipeptidyl peptidase IV protein in intestinal epithelial cells. Levels and types of dipeptidyl peptidase IV mRNA were analyzed in several tissues and found to be similar to that of control animals. Biosynthetic labeling of intestinal explants revealed that two distinct forms (102 and 108 kDa) of dipeptidyl peptidase IV are initially synthesized by deficient rats, in contrast to the single protein (106 kDa) observed in normal animals. Pulse-chase labeling experiments (+/- endoglycosidase H) show that these two altered forms of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, although initially glycosylated with N-linked high mannose carbohydrate, fail to be processed to the mature complex glycosylated form and undergo intracellular degradation.

Digestion and Hydrolysis of Carbohydrates in Malnutrition

Digestion and hydrolysis of macro‐ and micronutrients by the gastrointestinal tract are essential prerequisites for long term survival of mammals including man. Carbohydrates in particular are digested and hydrolysed by a variety of potent excretory glands products and by the brush border enzymes of the small intestine as well as by bacterial breakdown within the large intestine. A cascade of hydrolytic events leads finally to the presence of monosaccharides within the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract in order to get transported across the microvillus membrane by highly specialized transporters. Carbohydrates with high molecular weight in the form of amylose and amylopectin are hydrolysed by α‐amylase of the saliva and the pancreas. α‐Amylase can hydrolase 1‐4‐α‐glycosidic bonds which are present in amylose and partially in amylopectins. The branches of 1‐6‐α‐glycosidic side chains in amylopectins remain after the action of amylase as α‐limit‐dextrins and are further hydrolysed by sucrase‐isomaltase (1). Hydrolysis of starches is dependent upon the age of the infant. In the first 6 months of life, activity of α‐amylase is low and reaches full activity at the end of the first year of life (2). Defects in sugar digestion are possible by disturbances within the combined action of pancreatic α‐amylase and that of intestinal brush border enzymes. Decreased digestion and hydrolysis of carbohydrates will induce either osmotic diarrhea and/or bacterial overgrowth within the small intestine as well as bacterial breakdown of carbohydrates within the colon. Malnutrition is very often combined with chronic diarrhea and damage of the gastrointestinal mucosa as a consequence of lack of protein and energy. Key factors in this devastating cascade are the brush border membrane of the small intestine and its hydrolyzing and absorptive capacity. Important observations with regard to the hydrolytic capacity of intestinal disaccharidases which are responsible for sugar hydrolysis have come through the study of their intracellular pathways and processing of enzyme molecules in normal and altered human as well as animal mucosa using various techniques of molecular biology. The knowledge of these investigations has considerably increased our understanding as to how primary and more important secondary deficiencies of brush border membrane (BBM) hydrolases are defined on a molecular level. In order to understand the pathology of intracellular misarrangements of BBM‐hydrolases the normal biosynthesis and processing of these microvillar proteins will be discussed briefly.

Hormonal Regulation of the Rat Small Intestine: Responsiveness of Villus and Crypt Cells to Insulin during the Suckling Period and Unresponsiveness after Weaning

To further document the effect of insulin on intestinal maturation, suckling rats were treated either with exogenous insulin (12.5 mU.g body wt, intraperitoneally, twice daily) or with saline from d 8 to 12 postpartum. Sucrase activity in brush border membrane extracts was precociously induced by insulin, whereas the activities of other brush border membrane enzymes (maltase, aminopeptidase, and neutral lactase) were enhanced (+ 30 to + 131%, p less than 0.01 versus controls). The lysosomal enzyme, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, which normally declines at weaning was significantly (p less than 0.025) decreased in both villus (-51%) and crypt cells (-57%) isolated from the jejunum of insulin-treated rats. The microsomal enzyme, sulfatase C, and the cytosolic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase, were also sensitive to insulin with decreases in activity ranging from -37 to -63% (p less than 0.05) compared to saline-treated control rats. Insulin at doses of 0.5 or 12.5 mU did not influence plasma total corticosterone levels, which were about 9-fold lower in suckling than in 25-d-old weaned rats. In weaned rats (from d 25 to 32) insulin treatment (12.5 mU) failed to influence the activity of brush border membrane hydrolases or of lysosomal, microsomal, and cytosolic enzymes. The synthesis rate of mature sucrase-isomaltase, measured in weaned rats (32 d) by the incorporation of 14C-leucine into the enzyme precursor protein, was equivalent in both groups. These data demonstrate that the immature enterocyte of the suckling rat is responsive to insulin, whereas the mature enterocyte of the weaned rat is unresponsive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chemical inducers of differentiation in a long-term renal cell line.

The long-term renal epithelial cell line LLC-PK1 expresses at confluence several differentiated characteristics of renal proximal tubule including Na/glucose cotransport and several brush border membrane hydrolases. The differentiation-inducing chemical hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) triggers a dramatic induction of Na+/glucose symport, trehalase and maltase, expressed as an increase in the number of cells in the culture that express the differentiated phenotype. Characteristics of the induction response are reviewed in terms of proposed mechanisms of inducer action. New evidence suggests that in addition to elevation of intracellular Na levels mediated by partial inhibition of the sodium pump, HMBA treatment also alters polyamine levels via effects on ornithine decarboxylase. These responses may be mediated by HMBA effects on protein kinase C activity. The possible role of polyamine fluctuations and DNA demethylation in mediating HMBA effects on differentiated gene expression is currently being investigated.

Chemical Inducers of Differentiation in a Long-Term Renal Cell Line

The long-term renal epithelial cell line LLC-PK1 expresses at confluence several differentiated characteristics of renal proximal tubule including Na/glucose cotransport and several brush border membrane hydrolases. The differentiation-inducing chemical hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) triggers a dramatic induction of Na+/glucose symport, trehalase and maltase, expressed as an increase in the number of cells in the culture that express the differentiated phenotype. Characteristics of the induction response are reviewed in terms of proposed mechanisms of inducer action. New evidence suggests that in addition to elevation of intracellular Na levels mediated by partial inhibition of the sodium pump, HMBA treatment also alters polyamine levels via effects on ornithine decarboxylase. These responses may be mediated by HMBA effects on protein kinase C activity. The possible role of polyamine fluctuations and DNA demethylation in mediating HMBA effects on differentiated gene expression is currently being investigated.

Biogenesis and intracellular transport of intestinal brush border membrane hydrolases. Use of antibody probes and tissue culture.

The brush border membrane (also designated microvillar, luminal, or apical membrane) is a highly ordered surface domain of transporting epithelial cells like small-intestinal enterocytes, large-intestinal colonocytes, or kidney proximal tubular cells. In the small intestine, the brush border membrane faces the intestinal lumen. Its microvilli provide a surface enlargement of approximately 20-fold as compared to a flat luminal cell surface. This membrane amplification serves the purpose of increasing the capacity of membrane-mediated digestion and carrier-mediated uptake.

Comparison of brush border membrane glycoproteins and glycoenzymes in the proximal and distal rat small intestine

Brush border membranes isolated from the proximal and distal portions of the rat small intestine were examined to see whether qualitative differences exist in their glycoprotein constituents. After SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis distinct differences were observed, indicating that the protein and glycoprotein profiles of the distal intestine are less complex. A competitive radioassay of lectin receptors revealed that there are significantly more wheat germ agglutinin and succinylated wheat germ agglutinin receptors present on brush border membranes from proximal intestine as compared to distal intestine. However, binding of Ricinus communis agglutinin I to brush border membranes of distal intestine was 2-times higher than that of proximal intestine. These segmental differences were also reflected in the binding patterns of individual brush border membrane hydrolases to wheat germ agglutinin and R. communis agglutinin I. Carbohydrate analysis demonstrated that the overall sugar content of brush border membranes is higher in distal intestine, with more galactose and sialic acid residues. No difference was found in the content of N-acetylglucosamine between the two segments. When brush border membranes from both segments were used as acceptors for galactosyltransferase, those from proximal intestine were better acceptors. Neuraminidase treatment significantly enhanced galactose oxidase/sodium borotritide labeling of brush border membranes from distal intestine and altered the electrophoretic mobility of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV and aminopeptidase N. No significant changes in labeling or enzyme electrophoretic mobility were noted in brush border membranes from proximal intestine after neuraminidase treatment. These studies indicate that the glycoproteins from brush border membranes of proximal and distal intestine are qualitatively different and that the glycoproteins from distal intestine may have more completed oligosaccharide side chains.

Reconstitution of brush border membrane proteins in phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Biochemical and functional characterization.

Horse kidney brush border membrane proteins were incorporated into phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Structural analysis of proteoliposomes prepared with various lipid:protein ratios showed that: (a) only a few of the proteins present in the crude brush border extract are integrated, (b) all known membrane hydrolases are integrated, and (c) these proteoliposomes are homogeneous vesicles. Papain solubilization of brush border membrane hydrolases, i.e. aminopeptidase M, neutral alpha-glucosidase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase, performed in parallel on native membrane vesicles and proteoliposomes, revealed similar kinetics. Analysis of membrane vesicles and proteoliposomes on sucrose density gradients either without any treatment, or after papain treatment showed that: (a) in proteoliposomes, neutral alpha-glucosidase is associated with radiolabelled phosphatidylcholine, and (b) papain-treated vesicles and proteoliposomes released enzyme activity in the same way. These results suggest that the integration mechanism of brush border membrane proteins may be similar in proteoliposomes and native membrane vesicles. Transport experiments under equilibrium exchange conditions showed that the uptake properties of proteoliposomes are similar to those of brush border membrane vesicles.

Immunohistological evidence, obtained with monoclonal antibodies, of small intestinal brush border hydrolases in human colon cancers and foetal colons.

The expression of small intestinal hydrolases associated with the enterocyte brush border membrane was studied in human colon cancers and foetal colons, by means of monoclonal antibodies against human small intestinal sucrase-isomaltase (SI), maltase-glucoamylase (MGA), lactase (L), aminopeptidase N (APN), and dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP-IV). The enzymes were visualized by indirect immunofluorescence on cryostat sections of tumors developed in nude mice with 6 human colon carcinoma cell lines (HT-29, Caco-2, SW-480, HRT-18, HCT-8R, and Co-115), of 27 primary colorectal carcinomas from patients, and of human foetal (16 to 20 weeks of gestation) and normal adult small intestines and colons. All 5 monoclonals bound to the brush border of the adult small intestine, but not to that of the adult colon mucosa. Antibodies against SI, APN and DPP-IV also bound to the brush border of the foetal colons, to apical borders in HT-29 and Caco-2 tumors in nude mice, and to brush border-like structures in 7/27 tumors from patients. No binding was observed for MGA and L in either tumors or foetal colons. Binding of anti-SI antibodies to the brush border of the juxta-tumoral mucosal epithelium was observed in 9/11 samples tested. These data indicate that some colon tumors exhibit a typical pattern of enterocytic differentiation which is of foetal type and which involves at least 3 brush border membrane hydrolases. Monoclonal antibodies to small intestinal hydrolases may, therefore, be important tools for identification and characterization of some differentiated colonic tumors.

Longitudinal Study of the Human Intestinal Brush Border Membrane Proteins

The longitudinal distribution of the main brush border membrane hydrolases was studied in six entire human small intestine, one of which was found to be lactase-deficient. Sucrase and lactase activities were found to be highest in the jejunum, whereas glucoamylase activity rose steadily and reached its highest activity near the ileocecal valve. Maltase activity distribution was intermediate between that of sucrase and of glucoamylase. Neutral aminopeptidase, acid aminopeptidase and dipeptidyl peptidase IV activities tended to increase toward the end of the small bowel, the latter two activities rising more than the first one. Furthermore, the protein compositions of the brush border membrane in the jejunum and in the ileum were compared after electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels and crossed-immunoelectrophoresis; protein patterns were found to be similar along the gut, and enzyme-specific activities varied in parallel with the amounts of their corresponding proteins. In the lactase-deficient intestine, the protein band corresponding to lactase was not visible. Maximal digestive capacity was thus localized in the jejunum only for disaccharides, and in the ileum for the more complex substrates, oligosaccharides, and peptides; this finding suggests that the ileum may play a greater role in their terminal digestion than is usually admitted.

Interaction of the brush-border hydrolases of the human small intestine with lectins.

The role of human intestinal brush-border membrane hydrolases in lectin binding to the apical region of the enterocyte was investigated. The crossed-immunoelectrophoresis method was used to identify six hydrolases before and after interaction with nine lectins. Three lectins (Phaseolus vulgaris, Ulex europeus, and Ricinus communis 120 agglutinins) bound the hydrolases of 5 different subjects. Helix pomatia agglutinin interacted with only 1 subject.

The relationship between surface tension and release of rat jejunal brush border membrane hydrolases induced by sodium deoxycholate.

Rat jejunum was perfused in vivo with sodium deoxycholate concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 4 mM. The release of total protein and some brush border hydrolases (sucrase, maltase, leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase) was followed as a function of both the time and the deoxycholate concentration. 1. Protein and enzyme release increased during deoxycholate perfusion only at concentrations greater than 0.5 mM. For each case, a plateau was reached at 2 mM deoxycholate. 2. After removal of deoxycholate from the perfusion fluid, the rate of protein and enzyme release dropped to the control levels. Following perfusion with 0.125 mM deoxycholate, however, there was a stabilizing effect so that the release rate of sucrase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase (but not of protein and leucine aminopeptidase) was smaller than that of the controls. 3. Protein and enzyme release was correlated with the deoxycholate-induced changes in surface tension. Significant increases in the release rates began between 0.5 and 1 mM deoxycholate when the surface tension fell below 50 dynes/cm. The plateau observed at or above 2 mM deoxycholate coincided with the stabilization of surface tension at 46 dynes/cm. 4. The maximum releasing effect also coincided with the critical micellar concentration of deoxycholate (1.5-2.5 mM).