Guanine Nucleotide Metabolism Research Articles

Repurposing Nelarabine to Induce Differentiation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The success of all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) pioneered the concept of differentiation therapy. However, comparable approaches to overcome differentiation blockage for non-APL acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are hampered by lack of an effective drug discovery platform. Recently, we analyzed gene signatures of compounds (ATRA, arsenic trioxide, zalcitabine, and sodium butyrate) that trigger myeloid differentiation in the NCI-60 collection datasets and identified CD38 as the top gene upregulated by differentiation induction. We next initiated an in silico screen in the DTP database of >20,000 compounds to identify compounds that increase CD38 levels. Among those retrieved from "CellMiner" with CD38 as input, we assessed the top 193 available from NCI (r>0.6, p=0) for effects on differentiation utilizing a conditional murine myeloid differentiation-arrest model overexpressing estrogen receptor-HoxA9 (ER-HoxA9) fusion proteins (Cell, 2016). We identified NSC755985 (Nelarabine, NEL) in that screen. NEL is an orphan drug approved to treat relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). NEL at clinically achievable doses (Cmax: 6.73 μM~ 26.91 μM, at a proposed adult dosing schedule of 1,500 mg/m2/day) markedly induced primary AML cell differentiation and death while sparing normal hematopoietic cells (AML vs normal, IC50: 14.7 ± 4.3 μM, n=7, vs 45.3 ± 1.3 μM, n=3), suggesting a therapeutic window in AML. Ex vivo NEL treatment compromised BM engraftment of CD34+ cells from one primary AML specimen in immunodeficient NSG mice at 12 weeks post-transplant (human CD45+ cells in BM: NEL 0.73% vs vehicle 33.42%, n=6/group, p<0.01). NEL administration in vivo (130 mg/kg/day, i.v. for 5 consecutive days) reduced leukemic burden of NSG mice xenografted with luciferase-expressing U937 cells (Radiance: NEL 2.83×107 vs vehicle 1.65×108 photons/s/cm2, n=9/group,p<0.01) and extended mouse survival. Transcriptome analyses in U397 cells and primary AML specimens revealed that NEL treatment upregulated RAS-related pathways. NEL-elicited RAS activation was confirmed by pull-down assay using a GST-Raf1-RBD affinity probe, followed by blotting with a pan-RAS antibody. We performed functional analysis by infecting ER-HoxA9 cells with lentiviral vector expressing oncogenic RAS and observed enhanced myeloid differentiation, as evidenced by increased CD11b/GFP levels relative to MOCK-infected controls. Given that NEL's active metabolite Ara-GTP perturbs guanine nucleotide metabolism, we asked if NEL-evoked RAS activation was associated with accrual of intracellular GTP. HPLC/MS analyses of U937 cells showed that NEL treatment resulted in a marked increase in GTP (approximately 5-fold higher than baseline at sub-millimolar levels) which was secondary to Ara-GTP. Importantly, either electroporation of GTP into U937 cells or indirect introduction of GTP by addition of guanine utilizing purine salvage pathways activated RAS and recapitulated differentiation induction phenotypes. To determine whether AML cells with higher RAS activity exhibited greater NEL sensitivity, we pretreated U937 cells with a RAS agonist KRA-553 or ectopically expressed RAS mutants and observed enhanced NEL inhibitory effects in both cases. We also observed enhanced vulnerability to NEL treatment in MLL-AF9 transformed murine hematopoietic cells from KrasLox-Stop-Lox (LSL) G12D/+/Vav-Cre mice (Blood, 2009) versus Cre+ counterparts. Relevant to AML line THP-1 which is poorly responsive to NEL (IC50>100 µM), we observed extremely low levels of Ara-GTP, no GTP increase or RAS hyperactivation after NEL treatment; Ara-GTP is inactivated by SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1), a dNTP hydrolase, whose high expression reportedly underlies NEL resistance in T-ALL. Indeed, SAMHD1 deletion remarkably increased RAS activity in THP-1 cells treated with NEL, thereby fully reversing NEL resistance. Our study provides a preclinical basis for testing NEL efficacy in a large cohort of AML patients, given that RAS activity is generally high in AML, or even against other malignancies harboring RAS mutations, which are considered "undruggable". Additionally, further study to test whether SAMHD1 inhibition enhances NEL efficacy against RAS active cancers is warranted. Disclosures Marcucci: Pfizer: Other: Research Support (Investigation Initiated Clinical Trial); Novartis: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Other: Research Support (Investigation Initiated Clinical Trial); Iaso Bio: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Merck: Other: Research Support (Investigation Initiated Clinical Trial); Abbvie: Speakers Bureau. Sykes:Clear Creek Bio: Current equity holder in private company, Other: co-founder.

A role for adenine nucleotides in the sensing mechanism to purine starvation in Leishmania donovani.

Purine salvage by Leishmania is an obligatory nutritional process that impacts both cell viability and growth. Previously, we have demonstrated that the removal of purines in culture provokes significant metabolic changes that enable Leishmania to survive prolonged periods of purine starvation. In order to understand how Leishmania sense and respond to changes in their purine environment, we have exploited several purine pathway mutants, some in which adenine and guanine nucleotide metabolism is uncoupled. While wild type parasites grow in any one of a variety of naturally occurring purines, the proliferation of these purine pathway mutants requires specific types or combinations of exogenous purines. By culturing purine pathway mutants in high levels of extracellular purines that are either permissive or non-permissive for growth and monitoring for previously defined markers of the adaptive response to purine starvation, we determined that adaptation arises from a surveillance of intracellular purine nucleotide pools rather than from a direct sensing of the extracellular purine content of the environment. Specifically, our data suggest that perturbation of intracellular adenine-containing nucleotide pools provides a crucial signal for inducing the metabolic changes necessary for the long-term survival of Leishmania in a purine-scarce environment.

The raspberry Gene Is Involved in the Regulation of the Cellular Immune Response in Drosophila melanogaster.

Drosophila is an extremely useful model organism for understanding how innate immune mechanisms defend against microbes and parasitoids. Large foreign objects trigger a potent cellular immune response in Drosophila larva. In the case of endoparasitoid wasp eggs, this response includes hemocyte proliferation, lamellocyte differentiation and eventual encapsulation of the egg. The encapsulation reaction involves the attachment and spreading of hemocytes around the egg, which requires cytoskeletal rearrangements, changes in adhesion properties and cell shape, as well as melanization of the capsule. Guanine nucleotide metabolism has an essential role in the regulation of pathways necessary for this encapsulation response. Here, we show that the Drosophila inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), encoded by raspberry (ras), is centrally important for a proper cellular immune response against eggs from the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi. Notably, hemocyte attachment to the egg and subsequent melanization of the capsule are deficient in hypomorphic ras mutant larvae, which results in a compromised cellular immune response and increased survival of the parasitoid.

Insights into open/closed conformations of the catalytically active human guanylate kinase as investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering.

Bio-catalysis is the outcome of a subtle interplay between internal motions in enzymes and chemical kinetics. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) investigation of an enzyme’s internal motions during catalysis offers an integral view of the protein’s structural plasticity, dynamics, and function, which is useful for understanding allosteric effects and developing novel medicines. Guanylate kinase (GMPK) is an essential enzyme involved in the guanine nucleotide metabolism of unicellular and multicellular organisms. It is also required for the intracellular activation of numerous antiviral and anticancer purine nucleoside analog prodrugs. Catalytically active recombinant human GMPK (hGMPK) was purified for the first time and changes in the size and shape of open/closed hGMPK were tracked by SAXS. The binding of substrates (GMP + AMPPNP or Ap5G or GMP + ADP) resulted in the compaction of size and shape of hGMPK. The structural changes between open and completely closed hGMPK conformation were confirmed by observing differences in the hGMPK secondary structures with circular dichroism spectroscopy.Graphical abstractElectronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00249-015-1079-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Structural Genomics Support for Infectious Disease Drug Design.

Structural Genomics Support for Infectious Disease Drug Design.

Characterization of the novelTrypanosoma bruceiinosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase

There is an alarming rate of human African trypanosomiasis recrudescence in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, the disease has no successful chemotherapy. Trypanosoma lacks the enzymatic machinery for the de novo synthesis of purine nucleotides, and is critically dependent on salvage mechanisms. Inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is responsible for the rate-limiting step in guanine nucleotide metabolism. Here, we characterize recombinant Trypanosoma brucei IMPDH (TbIMPDH) to investigate the enzymatic differences between TbIMPDH and host IMPDH. Size-exclusion chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity experiments reveal that TbIMPDH forms a heptamer, different from type 1 and 2 mammalian tetrameric IMPDHs. Kinetic analysis reveals calculated K m values of 30 and 1300 μ m for IMP and NAD, respectively. The obtained K m value of TbIMPDH for NAD is approximately 20-200-fold higher than that of mammalian enzymes and indicative of a different NAD binding mode between trypanosomal and mammalian IMPDHs. Inhibition studies show K i values of 3·2 μ m, 21 nM and 3·3 nM for ribavirin 5'-monophosphate, mycophenolic acid and mizoribine 5'-monophosphate, respectively. Our results show that TbIMPDH is different from its mammalian counterpart and thus may be a good target for further studies on anti-trypanosomal drugs.

The rice nuclear gene, VIRESCENT 2, is essential for chloroplast development and encodes a novel type of guanylate kinase targeted to plastids and mitochondria

Guanylate kinase (GK) is a critical enzyme in guanine nucleotide metabolism pathways, catalyzing the phosphorylation of (d)GMP to (d)GDP. Here we show that a novel gene, VIRESCENT 2 (V2), encodes a new type of GK (designated pt/mtGK) that is localized in plastids and mitochondria. We initially identified the V2 gene by positional cloning of the rice v2 mutant. The v2 mutant is temperature-sensitive and develops chlorotic leaves at restrictive temperatures. The v2 mutation causes inhibition of chloroplast differentiation; in particular, it disrupts the chloroplast translation machinery during early leaf development [Sugimoto et al. (2004)Plant Cell Physiol. 45, 985]. In the bacterial and animal species studied to date, GK is localized in the cytoplasm and participates in maintenance of the guanine nucleotide pools required for many fundamental cellular processes. Phenotypic analysis of rice seedlings with RNAi knockdown of cytosolic GK (designated cGK) showed that cGK is indispensable for the growth and development of plants, but not for chloroplast development. Thus, rice has two types of GK, as does Arabidopsis, suggesting that higher plants have two types of GK. Our results suggest that, of the two types of GK, only pt/mtGK is essential for chloroplast differentiation.

Differential splicing of Pneumocystis cariniif. sp. carinii inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase pre-mRNA

Inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a rate-limiting enzyme in guanine nucleotide metabolism that has drawn attention as a drug target in several organisms. Pneumocystis cariniif. sp. carinii IMPDH mRNA (GeneBank Accession No: U42442) previously identified from cultured organisms yielded a predicted amino acid sequence about 70 amino acids shorter at the amino terminus than IMPDH from other species. Recent research has shown that the amino terminal region is important for enzyme activity, suggesting that the previous putative P. carinii IMPDH might not represent full length, functional enzyme. To test this hypothesis, RT-PCR was performed with total RNA isolated from P. carinii f. sp. carinii. Three IMPDH splicing variants were found and splicing preference was observed: P. carinii isolated from infected rat lung contained primarily splicing variant one (introns two and four deleted), but organisms from spinner flask culture contained primarily splicing variant three (all four introns deleted). Importantly, splicing variant one (GeneBank Accession No: AF196975) contained an open reading frame for 529 amino acids, a size comparable to that of other eukaryotic IMPDH forms. The other variants contained the same open reading frame (454 amino acids) previously reported. Sequence analysis and complementation studies suggest variant one represents the full length, catalytically active form of P. carinii IMPDH. The differential splicing of the enzyme may reflect a mechanism by which the organism regulates the expression of IMPDH in response to environmental stresses.

Functional analysis of the guanylate kinase-like domain in the synapse-associated protein SAP97.

SAP97 is a membrane cytoskeletal protein localized at the presynaptic nerve terminals of type 1 asymmetric synapses. It has been implicated in the assembly of synapses and in particular in the localization and clustering of ion channels. The C-terminal GK domain of SAP97 shares a high degree of sequence similarity with low-molecular-mass guanylate kinases. These enzymes are involved in the guanine nucleotide metabolic cycle and in the maintenance of GTP/GDP pools required for example in Ras-mediated cell signaling. It has therefore been hypothesized that SAP97 plays an essential role in cellular signaling by regulating the guanine nucleotide pools at synaptic junctions. Here, we test this hypothesis by assessing whether the GK domain in SAP97 encodes an authentic guanylate kinase. We show that the GK domain in and of itself does not encode an active guanylate kinase, that it cannot be activated by its binding partner GKAP and that flanking regions are not acting as inhibitory regulators for enzymatic activity. Thus, it would appear that the GK domain of SAP97 is not involved in the metabolism of guanine nucleotides required for signaling events.

Mycophenolate mofetil--clinical and experimental experience.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is the first drug approved for the prevention of renal allograft rejection in the United States in the last 10 years. MMF is the morpholinoethyl ester of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and is a selective, reversible inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), an enzyme that is critical for the production of guanine monophosphate. MPA is a potent inhibitor of IMPDH, particularly the type II isoform. Compared with other cell types, lymphocytes appear to be more sensitive to inhibition of the type II isoform of IMPDH. This decreases the metabolism of guanine nucleotides, which are necessary for cell function. MMF is rapidly converted to MPA, which is the pharmacologically active drug. MPA is highly bound to serum albumin, and recent evidence suggests that the pharmacologic activity of MPA is a function of the unbound drug. Recent studies in human clinical transplantation have demonstrated the efficacy of this compound in renal transplantation. A major clinical study with > 1,499 patients demonstrated a 50% reduction in the incidence of acute rejection when compared with azathioprine or placebo control. The primary side effects in these studies were leukopenia, gastrointestinal problems, and cytomegalovirus disease. MMF represents a major advance in immunosuppression for renal transplant recipients. Ongoing studies are being performed in other types of solid organ transplantation.

Metabolism of Guanine and Guanine Nucleotides in Primary Rat Cardiomyocyte Cultures

The metabolic fate of labeled guanine and of prelabeled guanine nucleotides (GuRN) was studied in cultured rat cardiomyocytes. Special attention was given to guanine salvage in comparison to degradation; to the contribution of GuRN to adenine nucleotides (AdRN); to the fluxes from GMP to IMP and from IMP to GMP; and to the degradation pathways of GuRN. In accordance with the 3- to 4-fold higher activity of guanine deaminase (guanase), in comparison to that of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT), the rate of guanine deamination to xanthine exceeded that of guanine incorporation into nucleotides (at 4 μM) by 13.2-fold. The label from guanine incorporated into nucleotides was found mainly (81%) in GuRN, but also in IMP and AdRN. The prelabeled GuRN lost 43% of the label in 4 h, reflecting mainly degradation to xanthine (and uric acid) and synthesis of nucleic acids. Blocking nucleoside degradation was associated with a marked accumulation of label in guanosine sine and inosine (guanosine/inosine labeling ratio is 1.25). The results indicate that in the myocardium guanine is a poor substrate for salvage synthesis of GuRN and that its contribution to the homeostasis of adenine nucleotides is negligible; that GMP degradation to xanthine proceeds through both guanosine and IMP; and that the cardiomyocytes contain the activity of GMP reductase and of the enzymes converting IMP to GMP.

Metabolism of guanine and guanine nucleotides in primary rat neuronal cultures.

The metabolic fate of guanine and of guanine ribonucleotides (GuRNs) in cultured rat neurons was studied using labeled guanine. 8-Aminoguanosine (8-AGuo), an inhibitor of purine nucleoside phosphorylase, was used to clarify the pathways of GMP degradation, and mycophenolic acid, an inhibitor of IMP dehydrogenase, was used to assess the flux from IMP to GMP and, indirectly, the activity of the guanine nucleotide cycle (GMP----IMP----XMP----GMP). The main metabolic fate of guanine in the neurons was deamination to xanthine, but significant incorporation of guanine into GuRNs, at a rate of approximately 8.5-13.1% of that of the deamination, was also demonstrated. The turnover rate of GuRNs was fast (loss of 80% of the radioactivity of the prelabeled pool in 22 h), reflecting synthesis of nucleic acids (32.8% of the loss in radioactivity) and degradation to xanthine, guanine, hypoxanthine, guanosine, and inosine (49.3, 4.3, 4.1, 1.1, and 0.5% of the loss, respectively). Of the radioactivity in GuRNs, 7.9% was shifted to adenine nucleotides. The accumulation of label in xanthine indicates (in the absence of xanthine oxidase) that the main degradative pathway from GMP is that to xanthine through guanosine and guanine. The use of 8-AGuo confirmed this pathway but indicated the operation of an additional, relatively slower degradative pathway, that from GMP through IMP to inosine and hypoxanthine. Hypoxanthine was incorporated mainly into adenine nucleotide (91.5%), but a significant proportion (6%) was found in GuRNs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Metabolism of guanine and guanine nucleotides in primary rat cardiomyocyte cultures

Metabolism of guanine and guanine nucleotides in primary rat cardiomyocyte cultures

Adenine and guanine nucleotide metabolism during platelet storage at 22 degrees C

Adenine and guanine nucleotide metabolism of platelet concentrates (PCs) was studied during storage for transfusion at 22 +/- 2 degrees C over a 7-day period using high-pressure liquid chromatography. There was a steady decrease in platelet adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which was balanced quantitatively by an increase in plasma hypoxanthine. As expected, ammonia accumulated along with hypoxanthine but at a far greater rate. A fall in platelet guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and guanosine diphosphate (GDP) paralleled the fall in ATP + ADP. When adenine was present in the primary anticoagulant, it was carried over into the PC and metabolized. ATP, GTP, total adenine nucleotides, and total guanine nucleotides declined more slowly in the presence of adenine than in its absence. With adenine, the increase in hypoxanthine concentration was more rapid and quantitatively balanced the decrease in adenine and platelet ATP + ADP. Plasma xanthine rose during storage but at a rate that exceeded the decline in GTP + GDP. When platelet ATP + ADP was labeled with 14C- adenine at the initiation of storage, half of the radioactivity was transferred to hypoxanthine (45%) and GTP + GDP + xanthine (5%) by the time storage was completed. The isotopic data were consistent with the presence of a radioactive (metabolic) and a nonradioactive (storage) pool of ATP + ADP at the initiation of storage with each pool contributing approximately equally to the decline in ATP + ADP during storage. The results suggested a continuing synthesis of GTP + GDP from ATP + ADP, explaining the slower rate of fall of GTP + GDP relative to the rate of rise of plasma xanthine. Throughout storage, platelets were able to incorporate 14C-hypoxanthine into both adenine and guanine nucleotides but at a rate that was only one fourth the rate of hypoxanthine accumulation. All of these data should be helpful in improving the function and viability of PC as currently stored for 5 days, in devising methods for storage beyond 5 days, and in the development of synthetic media for PC storage.

Adenine and Guanine Nucleotide Metabolism During Platelet Storage at 22°C

Adenine and guanine nucleotide metabolism of platelet concentrates (PCs) was studied during storage for transfusion at 22 +/- 2 degrees C over a 7-day period using high-pressure liquid chromatography. There was a steady decrease in platelet adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which was balanced quantitatively by an increase in plasma hypoxanthine. As expected, ammonia accumulated along with hypoxanthine but at a far greater rate. A fall in platelet guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and guanosine diphosphate (GDP) paralleled the fall in ATP + ADP. When adenine was present in the primary anticoagulant, it was carried over into the PC and metabolized. ATP, GTP, total adenine nucleotides, and total guanine nucleotides declined more slowly in the presence of adenine than in its absence. With adenine, the increase in hypoxanthine concentration was more rapid and quantitatively balanced the decrease in adenine and platelet ATP + ADP. Plasma xanthine rose during storage but at a rate that exceeded the decline in GTP + GDP. When platelet ATP + ADP was labeled with 14C-adenine at the initiation of storage, half of the radioactivity was transferred to hypoxanthine (45%) and GTP + GDP + xanthine (5%) by the time storage was completed. The isotopic data were consistent with the presence of a radioactive (metabolic) and a nonradioactive (storage) pool of ATP + ADP at the initiation of storage with each pool contributing approximately equally to the decline in ATP + ADP during storage. The results suggested a continuing synthesis of GTP + GDP from ATP + ADP, explaining the slower rate of fall of GTP + GDP relative to the rate of rise of plasma xanthine. Throughout storage, platelets were able to incorporate 14C-hypoxanthine into both adenine and guanine nucleotides but at a rate that was only one fourth the rate of hypoxanthine accumulation. All of these data should be helpful in improving the function and viability of PC as currently stored for 5 days, in devising methods for storage beyond 5 days, and in the development of synthetic media for PC storage.

Guanosine diphosphate binding, metabolism and regulation of follitropin-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in Sertoli cell membranes

Nucleotides such as GTP and GDP appear to be involved in signal transduction via G protein modulation of adenylate cyclase activity. Studies on direct binding of [ 3H]GDP to membranes prepared from cultured immature rat Sertoli cells indicated that this process was reversible, approached steady state within 10 min, had a K a of 4.5 ·10 6M −1 and was specific for guanine nucleotides. The non-hydrolyzable analog, guanosine 5′- O-[3-thio]triphosphate (GPPP[S]), was most effective as an inhibitor of [ 3H]GDP binding (ED 50 = 4.8·10 −8M), whereas guanosine 5′- O-[2-thio]diphosphate (Gpp[S]) was less potent (ED 50 = 3.4·10 −7M). Release of bound GDP was enhanced by follitropin (FSH) in the presence of Gppp[S], although not by FSH alone. Sertoli cell membranes possess guanine nucleotide hydrolase activity, where 95% of added nucleotide was rapidly degraded to guanosine. Binding kinetics were significantly influenced by nucleotide metabolism, which was prevented by controlling the Mg 2+ concentration with EDTA and including App[NH]p to reduce nonspecific hydrolysis. Kinetic studies indicated that Gpp[S] inhibited ( P < 0.05) Gppp[S]-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity ( K i = 1.8·10 −7M), whereas basal activity remained unaffected. Addition of Gpp[S] to pre-activated enzyme (FSH plus GTP) resulted in a time-dependent decay of adenylate cyclase activity with a K off value of 6 ± 1·min −1. Using a two-stage pre-inculbation technique, adenylate cyclase activity was demonstrated to be sensitive to the nucleotide bound. When FSH was included, catalytic activity was not altered by the order of pre-incubation with the nucleotides. This suggested that the exchange of bound Gpp[S] for Gppp[S] was enhance by FSH. Activation and attenuation of FSH-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity is dependent on a nucleotide exchange mechanism which is driven by (1) the higher affinity of G for GTP than GDP, (2) enhanced release of GD when FSH is present and (3) GTP hydrolysis coupled to rapid metabolism of guanine nucleotides.

Dopamine agonist induced self-multilative biting behavior in monkeys with unilateral ventromedial tegmental lesions of the brainstem: Possible pharmacological model for Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

We have investigated the effects of various dopamine (DA) agonists on induction of abnormal involuntary movements (AIM) in a group of monkeys which had denervated nigro-striatal DA neurons for 10–14 years rendered by a unilateral surgical ventromedial tegmental (VMT) lesion of the brainstem. The surgical lesions were placed when the monkeys were 2–4 years old. The administration of mixed DA agonists, such as l-DOPA, apomorphine (Apo) and abeorphine 201–678, elicit a self-multilative biting behavior (SMB) of the forelimb digits contralateral to the lesion, and spasticity of the contralateral hindlimb. These dysfunctions resemble, in some aspects, the neurological disturbances associated with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. The SMB behavior was elicited by mixed DA agonists which predominantly stimulate D 1, but not D 2 DA receptors, and was prevented or abolished by the D 1 DA antagonist SCH 23390 or by the D 1 and D 2 DA antagonist fluphenazine (Flu), but not by the D 2 antagonist (±)sulpiride. These results suggest that DA agonist-induced SMB behavior is mediated by D 1 and/or by both D 1 and D 2 DA receptor pathways. To study the relationships between HPRT, the defective enzyme in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, and the DA neuronal systems, we have measured the effects of nigro-striatal DA degeneration and intrastriatal neuronal degeneration on HPRT activity. The unilateral 6-OHDA-induced nigro-striatal DA degeneration does not significantly alter the HPRT activity on the lesioned side of the striatum, while the quinolinic acid-induced intrastriatal neuronal degeneration significantly reduces the enzyme activity. These results suggest that HPRT is localized on intrastriatal neurons which are also known to contain DA receptors. It is postulated that HPRT deficiency in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome results in abnormal guanine nucleotide metabolism which may affect the regulation of DA receptors.

Increased membrane-associated nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity as a possible basis for enhanced guanine nucleotide-dependent adenylate cyclase activity induced by picolinic acid treatment of simian virus 40-transformed normal rat kidney cells.

A biochemical analysis of an increase in guanine nucleotide-dependent adenylate cyclase activity induced by treatment of cultured SV40-transformed normal rat kidney cells with picolinic acid is described. In purified membranes from drug-treated cells with an ATP regenerating system in assay, GTP- and GTP plus hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were increased, whereas basal and NaF-stimulated cyclase activities, and steady state rate with guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate were essentially unaltered by drug treatment. In assay systems devoid of ATP regenerating system, the drug-induced increase in cyclase activity was seen with GDP as well as with GTP, it being larger with GDP than with GTP in terms of activity ratio, whereas such an increase was not observed with their analogs, guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) or guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate. Guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate-stimulated from drug-treated membranes became less sensitive to the inhibition by GDP as shown by a rightward shift in inhibition curve, but this shift could not be reproduced with guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate). From these results, it was concluded that altered guanine nucleotide metabolism in membranes was involved. Neither the amount of guanine nucleotide-binding protein nor its related functions including GTPase activity were changed by drug treatment. However, we observed in the drug-treated cell membranes, an increase in activity of nucleoside diphosphate kinase, an additional factor which has been proposed to play a role in regulating adenylate cyclase by replenishing GTP near the guanine nucleotide binding site (Kimura, N., and Shimada, N. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 2278-2283). The altered features of adenylate cyclase with the natural guanine nucleotides induced by drug treatment were explained as a result of this enhanced nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity associated with the membranes.

Enzymes of guanine nucleotide metabolism and the diurnal cycle in cGMP content of the chick pineal gland.

Levels of cGMP phosphodiesterase, guanylate cyclase, and GTPase activities were determined in homogenates of chick pineal glands. Only small variations in vivo were observed with glands removed at different times of the day from birds under a standard cycle of illumination. Glands cultured under the cycle of illumination from late in the photoperiod showed a progressive loss of about half the phosphodiesterase activity in 24 h, and an increase of roughly 75% in GTPase activity within 12 h. No simple correlations were found between variations in levels of enzyme activity and the diurnal cycles in pineal content of cGMP and level of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity. However, onset of rapid increases in 3',5'-cyclic GMP (cGMP) content and NAT activity was correlated with a transient decrease of about 30% in the phosphodiesterase activity, both in vivo and in culture. Further, known inhibitors of phosphodiesterase activity previously shown to elicit increase of cGMP content and marked elevation of NAT activity in cultured glands only inhibited phosphodiesterase activity of homogenates by 25-30%. It was therefore concluded that the transient decrease in level of phosphodiesterase may facilitate onset of increase in pineal cGMP content. However, it seems improbable that changes in pineal content of enzymes of guanine nucleotide metabolism are essential to regulation of diurnal cycles in cGMP content or level of NAT activity.

Guanine nucleotide metabolism in a mutant strain of Escherichia coli with a temperature sensitive lesion in rRNA synthesis

We have described a mutant of Escherichia coli (designated 2S142) which shows specific inhibition of rRNA synthesis at 42°C. ppGpp levels increase at the restrictive temperature, as expected. However, when the cells are returned to 30°C, rRNA synthesis resumes before ppGpp levels have returned to normal. Furthermore, when ppGpp levels are decreased by the addition of tetracycline or choramphenicol, rRNA synthesis does not resume at 42°C. Also, a derivative of 2S142 with a temperature-sensitive G factor (which cannot synthesize either protein or ppGpp at 42°C) shows identical kinetics of rRNA shut-off at 42°C as 2S142. Thus, the elevated ppGpp levels in this mutant do not appear to be directly responsible for the cessation of rRNA synthesis at 42°C.