Role Of NADH Research Articles

Multi-Modal Investigation of Metabolism in Murine Breast Cancer Cell Lines Using Fluorescence Lifetime Microscopy and Hyperpolarized 13C-Pyruvate Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Background/Objectives: Despite the role of metabolism in breast cancer metastasis, we still cannot predict which breast tumors will progress to distal metastatic lesions or remain dormant. This work uses metabolic imaging to study breast cancer cell lines (4T1, 4T07, and 67NR) with differing metastatic potential in a 3D collagen gel bioreactor system. Methods: Within the bioreactor, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HP-MRS) is used to image lactate/pyruvate ratios, while fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of endogenous metabolites measures metabolism at the cellular scale. Results: HP-MRS results showed no lactate peak for 67NR and a comparatively large lactate/pyruvate ratio for both 4T1 and 4T07 cell lines, suggestive of greater pyruvate utilization with greater metastatic potential. Similar patterns were observed using FLIM with significant increases in FAD intensity, redox ratio, and NAD(P)H lifetime. The lactate/pyruvate ratio was strongly correlated to NAD(P)H lifetime, consistent with the role of NADH as an electron donor for the glycolytic pathway, suggestive of an overall upregulation of metabolism (both glycolytic and oxidative), for the 4T07 and 4T1 cell lines compared to the non-metastatic 67NR cell line. Conclusions: These findings support a complementary role for HP-MRS and FLIM enabled by a novel collagen gel bioreactor system to investigate metastatic potential and cancer metabolism.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide promotes synaptic plasticity gene expression through regulation N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor/Ca2+/Erk1/2 pathway.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been reported to regulate synaptic plasticity recently, while its role in this process remains unclear. To explore the contribution and the underlying mechanisms of NADH regulating synaptic plasticity, here, we examined NADH's effect on immediate-early response genes (IEGs) expressions, including C-Fos and Arc in primary cultured cortical neurons and the frontal cortex of mouse brain. Our results showed that NADH promoted IEGs expression and that the C-Fos and Arc levels are increased in primary cultured cortical neurons, which is almost completely blocked by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) inhibitor, MK-801. Moreover, NADH significantly increased intracellular Ca2+ levels and the phosphorylation of Erk1/2, a downstream molecule of the NMDAR. Furthermore, NADH also significantly increased IEGs expression in vivo, accompanied by the changes of Ca2+ in neurons and activation of excitatory neurons in the mouse frontal cortex. In conclusion, this study indicates that NADH can promote the expression of synaptic plasticity-related IEGs through the NMDAR/Ca2+/Erk1/2 pathway, which provides a new way to understand the regulatory role of NADH in synaptic plasticity.

A numerical study of the sensitivity of ethanol flux to the existence of co-factors in the Central metabolism of a yeast cell using multi-substrate enzymes kinetic modelling

Metabolic engineering of a yeast fermentation process with an intention of increasing ethanol production is a challenging engineering task since the fermentation system involves multi-enzymes and multi-substrates systems. When a certain reaction is disturbed, the other reactions are also influenced since it is a connecting system coupled with co-enzymes/co-factors which also controls the metabolic process. In this study we numerically investigate the complex system by formulating a multi-enzymes and a multi-substrate kinetic model as a tool to study system regulatory opportunities. Based on the sensitivity analysis for the maximal reaction changes, the glucose transpose is predicted to yield the largest improvement in ethanol productivity while the reaction catalysed by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase is with the highest negative effect in reducing the amount of ethanol. The existence of NAD+ and NADH affect the performance of ethanol production that shows ups and downs behaviour when the maximal activity of some enzymes is disturbed. This is due to the inverse role of NADH and NAD+ in the certain reactions whether NAD+/NADH acts as a substrate or as a product.

Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste/excess sludge: substrates - products transformation and role of NADH as an indicator

The process of anaerobic co-digestion is vital importance to resource recovery from organic solid wastes such as food waste and municipal sludge. However, its application is hindered by the limited understanding on the complex substrates-products transformation reactions and mechanisms therein. In this study, food waste (FW) and excess sludge (ES) from municipal wastewater treatment were mixed at various ratios (ES/FW 5:0, 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, w/w), and the co-digestion process was studied in a batch test. The consumption of substrates including soluble proteins and carbohydrates, the variation in the intermediates such as various volatile fatty acids, and the production of hydrogen and methane gases were monitored. The results suggested that 4:1 was likely the optimal ratio where substrates were consumed and biogas generated efficiently, whereas 1:2 and 1:4 caused severe inhibition. Fermentation of ES alone produced mainly acetic and propionic acid, while the addition of FW led to butyric acid type fermentation. Intermediates in the fermentation liquid were tentatively identified, and the levels of NADH quantified using 3D-excitation/emission fluorescence spectrometry. One class of the intermediates, tryptophan-like proteins were correlated to the butyric acid accumulation in ES/FW mixtures, and NADH level was proposed as an indicator of VFAs production activities.

Hidden Antioxidative Functions of Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Coexisting with Hemoglobin.

Ferrous oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) in red blood cells (RBCs) invariably and slowly autoxidizes to form ferric methemoglobin (metHb). However, the level of metHb is always maintained below 0.5% by intracellular metHb reduction of enzymatic systems with coenzymes, such as reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), which eliminate reactive oxygen species. Unquestionably, NADH cannot reduce metHb without the corresponding enzymatic system. Our study, however, demonstrated that a high concentration of NADH (100-fold of normal level, equimolar to HbO2) retarded autoxidation of HbO2 in a highly purified Hb solution with no enzymatic system. Furthermore, an inhibitory effect of NADH on metHb formation was observed with additions of oxidants such as H2O2, NO, and NaNO2. Our mechanism assessment elucidated extremely high pseudo-CAT and pseudo-SOD activities of NADH with coexistence of HbO2, and reactivity of NADH with NO. We prepared a model of RBCs (Hb-vesicles, Hb-V) encapsulating purified HbO2 solution and NADH, but no enzymatic system within liposome. We confirmed the inhibitory effect of NADH on both autoxidation and oxidant-induced metHb formation. In addition, an intravenous administration of these Hb-Vs to rats caused significant retardation of metHb formation by approximately 50% compared to the case without NADH coencapsulation. Based on these results, we elucidated a new role of NADH, that is, antioxidative effect via interaction with Hb, in addition to its classical role as a coenzyme.

Role of NADH: quinone oxidoreductase-1 in the tight junctions of colonic epithelial cells

NADH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is known to be involved in the regulation of energy synthesis and metabolism, and the functional studies of NQO1 have largely focused on metabolic disorders. Here, we show for the first time that compared to NQO1-WT mice, NQO1-KO mice exhibited a marked increase of permeability and spontaneous inflammation in the gut. In the DSS-induced colitis model, NQO1-KO mice showed more severe inflammatory responses than NQO1-WT mice. Interestingly, the transcript levels of claudin and occludin, the major tight junction molecules of gut epithelial cells, were significantly decreased in NQO1-KO mice. The colons of NQO1-KO mice also showed high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, which are known to affect transcriptional regulation. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that NQO1 contributes to the barrier function of gut epithelial cells by regulating the transcription of tight junction molecules. [BMB Reports 2014;47(9): 494-499]

The level of menadione redox-cycling in pancreatic β-cells is proportional to the glucose concentration: Role of NADH and consequences for insulin secretion

Pancreatic β-cells release insulin in response to elevation of glucose from basal (4–7 mM) to stimulatory (8–16 mM) levels. Metabolism of glucose by the β-cell results in the production of low levels of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2), a newly recognized coupling factor linking glucose metabolism to insulin secretion. However, high and toxic levels of H 2O 2 inhibit insulin secretion. Menadione, which produces H 2O 2 via redox cycling mechanism in a dose-dependent manner, was investigated for its effect on β-cell metabolism and insulin secretion in INS-1 832/13, a rat β-cell insulinoma cell line, and primary rodent islets. Menadione-dependent redox cycling and resulting H 2O 2 production under stimulatory glucose exceeded several-fold those reached at basal glucose. This was paralleled by a differential effect of menadione (0.1–10 μM) on insulin secretion, which was enhanced at basal, but inhibited at stimulatory glucose. Redox cycling of menadione and H 2O 2 formation was dependent on glycolytically-derived NADH, as inhibition of glycolysis and application of non-glycogenic insulin secretagogues did not support redox cycling. In addition, activity of plasma membrane electron transport, a system dependent in part on glycolytically-derived NADH, was also inhibited by menadione. Menadione-dependent redox cycling was sensitive to the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol and the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenylene iodonium, suggesting a role for NQO1 and other oxidoreductases in this process. These data may explain the apparent dichotomy between the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of H 2O 2 and menadione on insulin secretion.

The Role of NADH in the PHB Synthesis Mechanism in Methanotroph

To complete the explanation on the mechanism of the Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis intracellular in methanotrophs, the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in the PHB synthesis mechanism in Methylosinus trichosporium IMV 3011, which can utilize methane and methanol as source of carbon and energy to synthesize PHB, was studied. The study carried on by using carbon monoxide (CO) as NADH consumption substrate or using sodium formate as NADH production substrate. The results showed that NADH influenced the synthesis and accumulation of PHB intracellular to some extent. Especially, the yield of PHB would decrease to 13.5% (compared to normal yield of 21.3%) under NADH deficiency condition caused by CO at content of 20%. During the flask fermetation process of Methylosinus trichosporium IMV 3011, adding CO with certain centent (10%, v/v) or at right time (72h) into gas mixture would keep the NADH intrcelluar at appropriate concentration, which will be avialable for cell growth and PHB accumulation. The findings on the NADH will greatly contribute to the less expensive production of PHB by methanotrophs and promote the application in this field.

Study the oxidative injury of yeast cells by NADH autofluorescence

Autofluorescence has an advantage over the extrinsic fluorescence of an unperturbed environment during investigation, especially in complex system such as biological cells and tissues. NADH is an important fluorescent substance in living cells. The time courses of intracellular NADH autofluorescence in the process of yeast cells exposed to H 2O 2 and ONOO − have been recorded in detail in this work. In the presence of different amounts of H 2O 2 and ONOO −, necrosis, apoptosis and reversible injury are initiated in yeast cells, which are confirmed by acridine orange/ethidum bromide and Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. It is found that intracellular NADH content increases momently in the beginning of the apoptotic process and then decreases continually till the cell dies. The most remarkable difference between the apoptotic and the necrotic process is that the NADH content in the latter case changes much more sharply. Further in the case of reversible injury, the time course of intracellular NADH content is completely different from the above two pathways of cell death. It just decreases to some degree firstly and then resumes to the original level. Based on the role of NADH in mitochondrial respiratory chain, the time course of intracellular NADH content is believed to have reflected the response of mitochondrial redox state to oxidative stress. Thus, it is found that the mitochondrial redox state changes differently in different pathways of oxidative injury in yeast cells.

Hartree–Fock and density functional theory calculations for the reaction mechanism of nitric oxide reductase cytochrome P450nor from Fusarium oxysporum

A reaction mechanism of a nitric oxide reductase, cytochrome P450nor (P450nor) from Fusarium oxysporum, was clarified by using Density functional theory and Hartree–Fock calculations. In this reaction mechanism, molecular orbital (MO) analysis revealed that the NO ligand dissociates from the heme iron immediately after one-electron reduction by NADH, and MO energy analysis revealed that NADH acts as a one-electron reducer, not as a two-electron reducer, and that NADH has a pivotal role different from other one-electron reducers. The role of NADH is to act as a double one-electron donor (i.e. one-electron transfer occurring twice) and to combine with the NO − molecule by charge recombination reaction. Our quantum chemical calculations indicated that all reactions occurring in the heme pocket are too fast to become rate-limiting. Therefore, the rate-limiting steps in the proposed reaction mechanism are the process of capturing NO and NADH into the heme pocket and the process of expelling a product generated in the heme pocket. Kinetics of these processes was discussed based on large-amplitude vibration, which helps capturing and expelling processes in a widely opened heme pocket of P450nor. The reaction mechanism proposed here well explains published experimental data.

Role of NADH shuttles in insulin secretion in fetal rat β-cells

Role of NADH shuttles in insulin secretion in fetal rat β-cells

Protective effect of ethanol against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice: Role of nadh:quinone reductase

The role of NAD(P)H:quinone reductase (QR; EC 1.6.99.2) in the alcohol-derived protective effect against hepatotoxicity caused by acetaminophen (APAP) was studied. In mice pretreated with dicoumarol (30 mg/kg), an inhibitor of QR, hepatic necrosis caused by APAP (400 mg/kg) was potentiated. Hepatocellular injuries induced by APAP, as assessed by liver histology, serum aminotransferase activities, hepatic glutathione (reduced and oxidized) contents, and liver microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase activities, all were potentiated by pretreatment of mice with dicoumarol. Even in mice given APAP and ethanol (4 g/kg), in which APAP-inducible hepatic necrosis was abolished, the dicoumarol pretreatment again produced moderate hepatotoxicity and reversed the protective effect of ethanol. In mice pretreated with dicoumarol and ethanol, levels of APAP in blood and bile fluid between 90 and 240 min were higher than those in mice given ethanol. However, the biliary contents of sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of APAP were much lower than those in the ethanol group, particularly at early time points. In contrast, the biliary level of APAP–cysteine conjugate, which in the ethanol group was at its basal level, was increased maximally in the dicoumarol-pretreated mice. In the mice given dicoumarol and ethanol, the biliary APAP–cysteine conjugate level was increased moderately. These results suggest that ethanol inhibited not only the microsomal (CYP2E1 mediated) formation of a toxic quinone metabolite from APAP, but also accelerated the conversion of the toxic quinone metabolite produced back to APAP by stimulating cytoplasmic QR activity. In the presence of dicoumarol, however, QR activity was inhibited, and conversion of the toxic quinone metabolite back to APAP became inhibited and diminished the alcohol-dependent protective effect against APAP-induced hepatic injury.

A Reappraisal of Xanthine Dehydrogenase and Oxidase in Hypoxic Reperfusion Injury: the Role of NADH as an Electron Donor

Xanthine oxidase (XO) is conventionally known as a generator of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which contribute to hypoxic-reperfusion injury in tissues. However, this role for human XO is disputed due to its distinctive lack of activity towards xanthine, and the failure of allopurinol to suppress reperfusion injury. In this paper, we have employed native gel electrophore-sis together with activity staining to investigate the role human xanthine dehydrogenase (XD) and XO in hypoxic reperfusion injury. This approach has provided information which cannot be obtained by conventional spectrophotometric assays. We found that both XD and XO of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and lymphoblastic leukaemic cells (CEMs) catalysed ROS generation by oxidising NADH, but not hypoxanthine. The conversion of XD to XO was observed in both HUVECs and CEMs in response to hypoxia, although the level of conversion varied. Purified human milk XD generated ROS more efficiently in the presence of NADH than in the presence of hypoxanthine. This NADH oxidising activity was blocked by the FAD site inhibitor, diphenyleneiodo-nium (DPI), but was not suppressible by the molybdenum site inhibitor, allopurinol. However, in the presence of both DPI and allopwinol the activities of XD/XO were completely blocked with either NADH or hypoxanthine as substrates. We conclude that both human XD and XO can oxidise NADH to generate ROS. Therefore, the conversion of XD to XO is not necessary for post-ischaemic ROS generation. The hypoxic-reperfusion injury hypothesis should be reappraised to take into account the important role played by XD and XO in oxidising NADH to yield ROS.

Role of NAD in regulating the adhE gene of Escherichia coli.

The fermentative alcohol dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli is encoded by the adhE gene, which is induced under anaerobic conditions but repressed in air. Previous work suggested that induction of adhE might depend on NADH levels. We therefore directly measured the NAD+ and NADH levels for cultures growing aerobically and anaerobically on a series of carbon sources whose metabolism generates different relative amounts of NADH. Expression of adhE was monitored both by assay of alcohol dehydrogenase activity and by expression of phi(adhE'-lacZ) gene fusions. The expression of the adhE gene correlated with the ratio of NADH to NAD+. The role of NADH in eliciting adhE induction was supported by a variety of treatments known to change the ratio of NADH to NAD+ or alter the total NAD+-plus-NADH pool. Blocking the electron transport chain, either by mutation or by chemical inhibitors, resulted in the artificial induction of the adhE gene under aerobic conditions. Conversely, limiting NAD synthesis, by introducing mutational blocks into the biosynthetic pathway for nicotinic acid, decreased the expression of adhE under anaerobic conditions. This, in turn, was reversed by supplementation with exogenous NAD or nicotinic acid. In merodiploid strains carrying deletion or insertion mutations abolishing the synthesis of AdhE protein, an adhE-lacZ fusion was expressed at nearly 10-fold the level observed in an adhE+ background. Introduction of mutant adhE alleles producing high levels of inactive AdhE protein gave results equivalent to those seen in absence of the AdhE protein. This finding implies that it is the buildup of NADH due to lack of enzyme activity, rather than the absence of the AdhE protein per se, which causes increased induction of the phi(adhE'-lacZ) fusion. Moreover, mutations giving elevated levels of active AdhE protein decreased the induction of the phi(adhE'-lacZ) fusion. This finding suggests that the enzymatic activity of the AdhE protein modulates the level of NADH under anaerobic conditions, thus indirectly regulating its own expression.

Physical membrane displacement: Reconstitution in a cell-free system and relationship to cell growth+

Physical membrane displacement is a process common to all forms of vesicle budding as well as cell enlargement and pleomorphic shape changes. Cell-free reconstitution of membrane budding has been achieved with transitional endoplasmic reticulum fractions from both plants and animals where 50 to 70 nm transition vesicles have been observed to bud from the part-rough, part-smooth membrane elements that define transitional endoplasmic reticulum. This budding phenomenon requires ATP, is facilitated by cytosol and guanine nucleotides, and is both time- and temperature-dependent. The transitional endoplasmic reticulum buds that form when concentrated by preparative free-flow electrophoresis will attach specifically to cis Golgi apparatus membranes immobilized on nitrocellulose as an acceptor compartment. Golgi apparatus membranes derived from the trans compartment do not serve as an efficient acceptor compartment. Transfer of the vesicles once formed is rapid, nearly complete and no longer dependent upon added ATP. Transfer shows a strict temperature dependency corresponding to that of the intact cell where at temperatures of 16°C or below, vesicles form but do not attach to cis Golgi whereas at temperatures of greater than 16°C, vesicles both form and fuse. The principle ATPase of transitional endoplasmic reticulum which may be involved in the budding process has been identified, characterized and isolated. A 38 kDa cis Golgi apparatus associated protein also has been identified as a potential candidate as a docking protein. Transfer between trans Golgi apparatus and the plasma membrane also has been studied by cell-free analysis. Here, transfer has been found to be stimulated by NADH or NADH plus ascorbate. The role of NADH is unknown but the ability of plant and Golgi apparatus to oxidize NADH is inhibited by brefeldin A, a compound known to block membrane trafficking even at the level of the trans Golgi network. NADH oxidase activity of plasma membranes also has been described and is inhibited as well by brefeldin. Recent observations suggest that brefeldin A may block both the formation of vesicles at the trans Golgi apparatus as well as auxin hormone-stimulated cell elongation in plants. This once again raises the possibility of whether or not plant cell elongation is obligatorily mediated by membrane input from the Golgi apparatus. The latter seems unlikely based on two additional lines of evidence. The first is that auxin-induced cell elongation in plants shows no sharp temperature transition over the range of 4 to 24°C, whereas production of secretory vesicles from the trans Golgi apparatus appears to be largely prevented at temperatures of 18°C or less. Secondly, the sodium selective ionophore, monensin, which effectively blocks the formation of functional secretory vesicles at the trans Golgi apparatus, is also largely without effect on auxin-induced cell elongation for periods of 4 h or longer. Taken together the findings suggest that the action of brefeldin A on vesicle budding at the Golgi apparatus and cell enlargement, are not directly correlated but may represent a common action of the drug on some constituent essential to membrane displacement mechanisms.

Vanadate-Mediated Hydroxyl Radical Generation from Superoxide Radical in the Presence of NADH: Haber-Weiss vs Fenton Mechanism

The mechanism of hydroxyl (·OH) radical generation from O − 2 and H 2O 2 by vanadate [V(V)] and the role of NADH in this reaction have been investigated using electron spin resonance (ESH) and spin trapping techniques. The results show that the reaction of V(V) with O − 2 (generated via xanthine/xanthine oxidase) does not generate any ESR detectable V(IV) ion or ·OH radical and the addition of H 2O 2 has little effect on the radical yield. In the presence of NADH, however, the xanthine/xanthine oxidase/V(V) system generates ·OH as well as V(IV), the formation of both of which could be suppressed by superoxide dismutase. Catalase inhibits the ·OH formation but enhances V(IV) generation. Reaction of V(V) with NADH alone in the presence of phosphate buffer also causes ·OH radical generation albeit at a much reduced rate, and superoxide dismutase reduces the ·OH yield. These observations indicate, in contrast to earlier reports, that O − 2 does not reduce V(V) to V(IV) in the absence of NADH. It is concluded that vanadate generates the ·OH radical via not a Haber-Weiss but a Fenton-like reaction [V(IV) + H 2O 2 → V(V) + ·OH + OH −], the V(IV) and H 2O 2 being generated by V(V)-stimulated, O − 2-dependent NADH oxidation.

The Role of NADH:Fe(III)EDTA Oxidoreductase in Ethylene Formation from 2-Keto-4-Methylthiobutyrate

A mechanism for the formation of ethylene from 2-keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA), a deaminated derivative of l-methionine, was studied with NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase purified from Cryptococcus albidus IFO 0939. The characteristics of the reactions catalyzing the NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreduction and the formation of ethylene were compared and found to be almost identical. A chemical ethylene-forming system, composed of Fe(II)EDTA, KMBA and oxygen, was constructed and the characteristics of the formation of ethylene were compared with those of the enzymatic reaction. Both the enzymatic and the chemical ethylene-forming reactions were strongly inhibited by scavengers of free radicals, such as benzoic acid, hydroquinone and catalase, and both were activated by H 2O 2. From these results, we propose the following mechanism for the formation of ethylene from KMBA. The first step involves the NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreduction that is catalyzed by NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase, with Fe(II)EDTA always being supplied as the result. Oxidation of Fe(II)EDTA by molecular oxygen yields the superoxide radical anion (O 2 . ̄ ) which can undergo the dismutation reaction to form hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide in turn can react with Fe 2+ via the Fenton reaction, generating the hydroxyl radical (OH •), which can serve as an oxidizing agent in the oxidation of KMBA to ethylene. The role of the activity of NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase in the formation of ethylene from KMBA in vivo is discussed.

An NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase from Cryptococcus albidus: an enzyme involved in ethylene production in vivo?

An ethylene-forming enzyme which forms ethylene from 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA) was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state from a cell-free extract of Cryptococcus albidus IFP 0939. The presence of KMBA, NADH, Fe(III) chelated to EDTA and oxygen were essential for the formation of ethylene. When ferric ions, as Fe(III)EDTA, in the reaction mixture were replaced by Fe(II)EDTA under aerobic conditions, the non-enzymatic formation of ethylene was observed. Under anaerobic conditions in the presence of Fe(III)EDTA and NADH, the enzyme reduced 2 mol of Fe(III) with 1 mol of NADH to give 2 mol of Fe(II) and 1 mol NAD+, indicating that the ethylene-forming enzyme is an NADH-Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase. The role of NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase activity in the formation in vivo ethylene from KMBA is discussed.

The roles of nadh in the support of steroid aromatization by human placental microsomes

The ability of NADH to function as an alternative cofactor for the support of estrogen biosynthesis was validated. NADH supported rates of aromatization of up to 80% of those obtained with NADPH, with an apparent K m of 0.70 mM, and stimulated the NADPH-supported reaction only when supplies of the normal cofactor were limiting, both additive and synergistic effects being observed. NADH-supported aromatization was inhibited competitively by NADP + and 2′-AMP with K i values of 5 μM and 22 μM, respectively. Support by both cofactors was lost in parallel with the selective removal of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase from microsomes by graded subtilisin treatment. NADH-supported aromatization was differentiated from NADPH-supported aromatization by its sensitivity to inhibition by NAD + and its response to changes in ionic strength. NADH appears to function, at high concentrations, as a surrogate for NADPH at the reduced nucleotide-binding site of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase but additional roles for NADH are also suggested both when acting alone and as a supplement to NADPH. A common oxidase (cytochrome P-450) appears to catalyze both NADH- and NADPH-supported aromatization.

Purification and properties of squid mantle adenylate kinase. Role of NADH in control of the enzyme

Adenylate kinase (ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) from the mantle muscle of the squid, Loligo pealeii, was purified over 170-fold to homogeneity as judged by polyacrylamide and starch gel electrophoresis. The tissue contains a single isozyme of adenylate kinase, the enzyme from cytoplasmic and mitochondrial compartments (90 and 10% of total activity, respectively) being identical in physical and kinetic properties. Molecular weight was found to be 27,000 +/- 400. The enzyme shows a pH optimum of 8.2 in the forward (APD utilizing) and 7.4 in the reverse direction. Michaelis constants for ADP, ATP, and AMP are 0.70, 0.13, and 0.15 mM, respectively, with optimal Mg2+:adenylate ratios being 1:2 for ADP and 1:1 for ATP. A comparison of mass action ratios with the equilibrium constant indicated that squid adenylate kinase is held out of equilibrium in resting, but not active, muscle. A search for metabolic modulators of adenylate kinase revealed that NADH (Ki of 0.1 mM) was the only modulator which exerted a significant effect within its in vivo concentration range. The data presented indicate that NADH inhibition is the factor maintaining adenylate kinase in a nonequilibrium state in resting muscle and that release of this inhibition can serve to integrate adenylate kinase into the known scheme of intermediary metabolism in this tissue. A sharp drop in NADH levels at the onset on muscular work co-ordinates that activation of aerobic metabolism in this tissue and allows adenylate kinase to return to equilibrium function. At equilibrium, the enzyme can function to ampligy the concentration of AMP, a potent activator and deinhibitor of key glycolytic and Krebs cycle enzymes. The effect of modulators of adenylate kinase in preventing denaturation by heat or proteolysis revealed that NADH and substrates induced conformational changes in the enzyme which rendered it less susceptible to denaturation. The conformation state induced by NADH differed from that induced by substrate.