Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.6.1.44 (AGT)
 770 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Failure to detoxify the intermediary metabolite glyoxylate in human hepatocytes underlies the metabolic pathology of two potentially lethal hereditary calcium oxalate kidney stone diseases, PH (primary hyperoxaluria) types 1 and 2. In order to define more clearly the roles of enzymes involved in the metabolism of glyoxylate, we have established singly, doubly and triply transformed CHO (Chinese-hamster ovary) cell lines, expressing all combinations of normal human AGT (alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase; the enzyme deficient in PH1), GR/HPR (glyoxylate/hydroxypyruvate reductase; the enzyme deficient in PH2), and GO (glycolate oxidase). We have embarked on the preliminary metabolic analysis of these transformants by studying the indirect toxicity of glycolate as a simple measure of the net intracellular production of glyoxylate. Our results show that glycolate is toxic only to those cells expressing GO and that this toxicity is diminished when AGT and/or GR/HPR are expressed in addition to GO. This finding indicates that we have been able to reconstruct the glycolate-->glyoxylate, glyoxylate-->glycine, and glyoxylate-->glycolate metabolic pathways, catalysed by GO, AGT, and GR/HPR respectively, in cells that do not normally express them. These results are compatible with the findings in PH1 and PH2, in which AGT and GR/HPR deficiencies lead to increased oxalate synthesis, due to the failure to detoxify its immediate precursor glyoxylate. These CHO cell transformants have a potential use as a cell-based bioassay for screening small molecules that stabilize AGT or GR/HPR and might have use in the treatment of PH1 or PH2.
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PMID:Reconstruction of human hepatocyte glyoxylate metabolic pathways in stably transformed Chinese-hamster ovary cells. 1630 82

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) and type 2 (PH2) are rare genetic diseases that result from deficiencies in glyoxylate metabolism. The increased oxalate synthesis that occurs can lead to kidney stone formation, deposition of calcium oxalate in the kidney and other tissues, and renal failure. Hydroxyproline (Hyp) catabolism, which occurs mainly in the liver and kidney, is a prominent source of glyoxylate and could account for a significant portion of the oxalate produced in PH. To determine the sensitivity of mouse models of PH1 and PH2 to Hyp-derived oxalate, animals were fed diets containing 1% Hyp. Urinary excretions of glycolate and oxalate were used to monitor Hyp catabolism and the kidneys were examined to assess pathological changes. Both strains of knockout (KO) mice excreted more oxalate than wild-type (WT) animals with Hyp feeding. After 4 wk of Hyp feeding, all mice deficient in glyoxylate reductase/hydroxypyruvate reductase (GRHPR KO) developed severe nephrocalcinosis in contrast to animals deficient in alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGXT KO) where nephrocalcinosis was milder and with a lower frequency. Plasma cystatin C measurements over 4-wk Hyp feeding indicated no significant loss of renal function in WT and AGXT KO animals, and significant and severe loss of renal function in GRHPR KO animals after 2 and 4 wk, respectively. These data suggest that GRHPR activity may be vital in the kidney for limiting the conversion of Hyp-derived glyoxylate to oxalate. As Hyp catabolism may make a major contribution to the oxalate produced in PH patients, Hyp feeding in these mouse models should be useful in understanding the mechanisms associated with calcium oxalate deposition in the kidney.
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PMID:Hydroxyproline metabolism in mouse models of primary hyperoxaluria. 2249 66

Oxalate (Ox) is an end-product of metabolism, important for poor solubility of its calcium salt in biological fluids. Ox can therefore be found in about 70% of urinary calculi. Hyperoxaluria (HOx) defined as Ox exceeding 0.5 mmol)/day, may cause nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis and may be classified as dietary (DH), enteric (EH) or primary (PH). Fractional intestinal absorption of Ox is less than 10%, but increases to over 20% at calcium intakes below 200 mg/day. DH is often related to low-calcium diets. EH is caused by non-absorbed fatty acids which bind to calcium and lower its concentration in the intestinal lumen. Ox forms more soluble complexes with other cations and results in HOx. Similar mechanisms may cause HOx following bariatric surgery. PHs are the most severe causes of HOx. Three types have so far been described, all being autosomic recessive. PH1 is due to mutations of AGXT gene encoding liver alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase, PH2 is caused by mutations of GR-HPR gene encoding glyoxylate reductase and PH3 by mutations of HOGA1 encoding for hydroxyl-oxoglutarate aldolase. HOx results from deficient detoxification from glyoxylate, which is oxidized to Ox. The three PHs have different severity, though not always clinically distinguishable. They are identified through genetics and, in PH1, good genotype/phenotype correlations have been established. Thanks to early biochemical and genetic diagnosis, which are crucial to either prevent progression to ESRF or choose adequate transplantation strategies, the outlook of PH patients has dramatically improved in the last decades and will furtherly do in view of new therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:[The Hyperoxalurias]. 2796 20

The Primary Hyperoxaluria's (PH) are rare autosomal recessive disorders characterized by elevated oxalate production. PH patients suffer recurrent calcium oxalate kidney stone disease, and in severe cases end stage renal disease. Recent evidence has shown that RNA interference may be a suitable approach to reduce oxalate production in PH patients by knocking down key enzymes involved in hepatic oxalate synthesis. In the current study, wild type mice and mouse models of PH1 (AGT KO) and PH2 (GR KO) were treated with siRNA that targets hepatic LDHA. Although siRNA treatment substantially reduced urinary oxalate excretion [75%] in AGT KO animals, there was a relatively modest reduction [32%] in GR KO animals. Plasma and liver pyruvate levels significantly increased with siRNA treatment and liver organic acid analysis indicated significant changes in a number of glycolytic and TCA cycle metabolites, consistent with the known role of LDHA in metabolism. However, siRNA dosing data suggest that it may be possible to identify a dose that limits changes in liver organic acid levels, while maintaining a desired effect of reducing glyoxylate to oxalate synthesis. These results suggest that RNAi mediated reduction of hepatic LDHA may be an effective strategy to reduce oxalate synthesis in PH, and further analysis of its metabolic effects should be explored. Additional studies should also clarify in GR KO animals whether there are alternate enzymatic pathways in the liver to create oxalate and whether tissues other than liver contribute significantly to oxalate production.
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PMID:Reduction in urinary oxalate excretion in mouse models of Primary Hyperoxaluria by RNA interference inhibition of liver lactate dehydrogenase activity. 3136 38