Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.2.1.31 (beta-glucuronidase)
 7,680 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The transverse distribution of enzyme proteins and phospholipids within microsomal membranes was studied by analyzing membrane composition after treatment with proteases and phospholipases. Upon trypsin treatment of closed microsomal vesicles, NADH- and NADPH-cytochrome c reductases as well as cytochrome b5 were solubilized or inactivated, while cytochrome P-450 was partially inactivated. When microsomes were exposed to a concentration of deoxycholate which makes them permeable to macromolecules but does not disrupt the membrane, the detergent alone was sufficient to release four enzymes: nucleoside diphosphatase, esterase, beta-glucuronidase, and a portion of the DT-diaphorase. Introduction of trypsin into the vesicle lumen inactivated glucose-6-phosphatase completely and cytochrome P-450 partially. The rest of this cytochrome, ATPase, AMPase, UDP-glucuronyltransferase, and the remaining 50% of DT-diaphorase activity were not affected by proteolysis from either side of the membrane. Phospholipase A treatment of intact microsomes in the presence of albumin hydrolyzed all of the phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and 55% of the phosphatidylcholine. From this observation, it was concluded that these lipids are localized in the outer half of the bilayer of the microsomal membrane; Phosphatidylinositol, 45% of the phosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin are tentatively assigned to the inner half of this bilayer. It appears that the various enzyme proteins and phospholipids of the microsomal membrane display an asymmetric distribution in the transverse plane.
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PMID:Enzyme and phospholipid asymmetry in liver microsomal membranes. 19 Feb 41

Cationic local anesthetics have been reported to influence cellular responses to surface stimuli by interfering with the function of microtubules and microfilaments. Since unimpaired microtubule and microfilament functions are required by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in order to respond normally to surface stimulation, we have studied effects of the local anesthetic, tetracaine on the function and morphology of these cells in vitro. Tetracaine (0.25--1.0 mM) significantly reduced extracellular release of the lysosomal enzymes, beta-glucuronidase and lysozyme from polymorphonuclear leukocytes exposed to serum-treated zymosan (a particulate stimulus), zymosan-treated serum (a soluble stimulus), and to the surface-active lectin, concanavalin A. Tetracaine also significantly reduced superoixde anion production (superoxide dismutase-inhibitable cytochrome c reduction) by these cells. Tetrancaine was not cytotoxic and its effects could be reversed completely by washing cells once with buffer. Electron microscope examination of tetracaine-treated cells revealed marked alterations of surface membranes. Microtubules and microfilaments appeared normal in "resting" polymorphonuclear leukocytes, but the increase in microtubules normally observed in stimulated cells was not seen after tetracaine treatment. These results suggest that tetracaine interferes with those interactions between immune reactants and the polymorphonuclear leukocyte cell surface which provoke exocytosis and increased oxidative metabolism.
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PMID:Influence of local anesthetics upon human polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in vitro. Reduction of lysosomal enzyme release and superoxide anion production. 19 3

The effect of the antimalarial drug mefloquine on human neutrophil degranulation, chemiluminescence, superoxide production and viability was examined in vitro. Mefloquine was found to significantly stimulate the release of lysozyme, beta-glucuronidase and myeloperoxide at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml (2.5 X 10(-5) M) without loss of cell viability. At 40 micrograms/ml mefloquine (1 X 10(-4) M) cell viability was significantly decreased. Mefloquine at 10 micrograms/ml also significantly increased the release of lysozyme and beta-glucuronidase but not myeloperoxidase when neutrophils were stimulated with opsonized zymosan. At a lower zymosan concentration myeloperoxidase release was also increased. Enzyme activity was not directly stimulated by mefloquine. Mefloquine at 10 micrograms/ml significantly increased luminol-dependent chemiluminescence but significantly inhibited lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence when neutrophils were stimulated with opsonized zymosan. Under these conditions superoxide release, measured by cytochrome c reduction, was inhibited to a lesser degree. These results are discussed with reference to our previous report that mefloquine inhibits the neutrophil iodination reaction [Immunology 58: 125-130, 1986] and the use of mefloquine as an anti-inflammatory drug.
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PMID:Stimulation of human neutrophil degranulation by mefloquine. 284 64

Basophilic granulocytes were purified from the blood of normal individuals by successive isopyknic centrifugation and elutriation centrifugation. Starting with the leukocyte-rich fraction of 500 ml of blood, we recovered 31 to 80% (mean 51%, n = 20) of the basophils in 45 to 87% purity (mean 69%, n = 23). The contaminating cells were mainly lymphocytes. The basophils were greater than 98% vital (exclusion of ethidium bromide and hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate). The histamine content of the basophils was 1.1 to 2 pg/cell (mean 1.6 pg/cell, n = 22). With anti-IgE, 30 to 50% of the histamine was released; with phorbol myristic acetate (PMA) or the calcium ionophore A23187, 70 to 100% of the histamine was released. Serum-opsonized zymosan (STZ) did not induce histamine release. Reactions with monoclonal antibodies revealed that the basophils expressed the C3bi receptor (CR3) and the leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA1), but not the gp 150,95 antigen, the C3b receptor (CR1), or the low avidity Fc gamma receptor. Basophils carry class I but not class II HLA antigens. During incubation of the basophils with serum-opsonized Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli, these bacteria were neither phagocytized nor killed. STZ, PMA, A23187, or anti-IgE did not initiate an "oxidative burst" in the basophils. This was tested with oxygen consumption, cytochrome c reduction, NBT reduction, chemiluminescence, and release of hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, we did not detect cytochrome b558, superoxide dismutase, catalase, or peroxidase in the basophils. Of the typical granule-associated enzymes lysozyme, Vitamin B12-binding protein, and beta-glucuronidase, only beta-glucuronidase was present in the basophils in detectable amounts. This enzyme was released, together with histamine, on incubation of the cells with PMA, A23187, or anti-IgE, but not with STZ. We conclude that basophils from normal human blood are not phagocytes and are probably not involved in the oxidative defense of the host against foreign antigens.
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PMID:Metabolic comparison between basophils and other leukocytes from human blood. 300 19

Oxidative metabolism of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) isolated from pregnant women in the third trimester and from controls were studied using zymosan-induced chemiluminescence (CL) and f-Met-Leu-Phe-stimulated superoxide (O2-) generation. CL was significantly increased during pregnancy, but a decrease was noted in cytochrome c reduction. Total cellular levels of beta-glucuronidase and lysozyme were diminished in PMNLs from pregnant subjects, with unaltered concentrations of cytosol lactate dehydrogenase. The capacity of PMNLs from pregnant women to degranulate did not differ from controls. It is suggested that during pregnancy, in vivo stimulation of PMNLs may occur to account for these changes.
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PMID:Polymorphonuclear leukocyte response to stimulation in vitro during pregnancy. 301 55

Rat liver membrane vesicles were exposed to acetaldehyde, with or without reduction of the resultant adducts formed. Superoxide anion production and degranulation of rat neutrophils, upon stimulation with the liver membrane vesicles, were measured by cytochrome c reduction before and after the addition of superoxide dismutase, and beta-glucuronidase release respectively. Preincubation with acetaldehyde significantly enhanced superoxide anion production by both the reduced and non-reduced membrane samples (1.7-fold and 4.4-fold, respectively). Preincubation with acetaldehyde significantly enhanced degranulation (1.5-fold) of neutrophils in response to the non-reduced membranes only. The reductive process itself caused a marked increase (2.4-fold) in the ability of the membrane vesicles to stimulate degranulation. Cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of phagocytosis, did not reduce degranulation, implying that it occurred as a consequence of cell surface stimulation. Neutrophil superoxide anion production and lysosomal enzyme release in response to acetaldehyde-altered liver cell membranes could be an important mechanism of hepatocyte injury in alcoholic liver disease.
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PMID:Superoxide anion production and degranulation of rat neutrophils in response to acetaldehyde-altered liver cell membranes. 301 4

Previous reports have suggested that histamine modulates neutrophil chemotaxis, but this has not been observed by all laboratories. We have re-addressed this controversial point and demonstrate that histamine and H1- and H2-receptor-specific agonists cause limited inhibition of chemotaxis while stimulating chemokinesis. Furthermore, using the chemoattractant N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (f-met-leu-phe) as a stimulus, we demonstrate that histamine and H1/H2 agonists inhibit f-met-leu-phe-stimulated changes in membrane potential (monitored with the cyanine dye dipentyloxacarbocyanine), superoxide anion production (cytochrome c reduction), hydrogen peroxide formation (scopoletin fluorescence), and degranulation of granule contents (lysozyme and beta-glucuronidase) in a dose-dependent manner but have no effect on neutrophil functions stimulated by the secretagogues phorbol myristate acetate or A23187. All inhibitory effects of histamine and the H1/H2 agonists are reversed in a competitive manner by the H2 antagonist cimetidine. In addition, structure-activity studies using H1 and H2 receptor agonists and antagonists indicate that a single site with specificity for both H1 and H2 analogue structures modulates the various f-met-leu-phe-stimulated functions studied. Kinetic studies demonstrate that the inhibitory effects of histamine on neutrophil function are only observed when histamine is added before f-met-leu-phe and that inhibition occurs within 10 to 20 sec of histamine addition, does not persist after its removal, and is reversed by addition of cimetidine 10 to 20 sec before stimulation with f-met-leu-phe. Although the inhibitory effects of histamine are exerted early in the sequence of PMN activation by f-met-leu-phe, histamine does not affect the binding or internalization of f-met-leu-[3H]phe. The ability of histamine to modify the variety of neutrophil responses demonstrated in this report suggests an important and direct role for histamine in the regulation of inflammatory reactions in acute allergic settings or other disease states in which histamine release may occur.
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PMID:Histamine modulation of human neutrophil oxidative metabolism, locomotion, degranulation, and membrane potential changes. 613 22

Polymorphonuclear leucocytes were isolated from pig blood relatively free from other cells and were characterised biochemically and morphologically and compared with human PMNLs. The activities of 16 enzymes of porcine and human PMNLs were measured and compared. Alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, phosphodiesterase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase, malate dehydrogenase and acetylcholinesterase had higher specific activities in procine than in human cells. Alkaline phosphatase has an 87-fold higher specific activity in porcine than in human cells. beta-glucuronidase, lysozyme, beta-galactosidase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, beta-glucosidase, myeloperoxidase and catalase had higher specific activities in human than in porcine cells. beta-glucuronidase and myeloperoxidase showed over a 1000- and a 13-fold higher specific activity, respectively, in human than in porcine cells. Porcine PMNLs are readily available in large numbers and are recommended for studies of phagocytosis, chemotaxis and membrane biochemistry.
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PMID:Biochemical characterisation of porcine polymorphonuclear leucocytes: comparison with human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 687 22

We investigated the mechanisms by which a serum activity, neither complement nor immunoglobulin, mediates killing of pneumococci by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Electron microscopy revealed type 25 pneumococci to be within PMN when incubated in normal serum, in serum absorbed twice at 0 degrees C with type 25 pneumococci, or in absorbed plus heat-inactivated serum. Uptake of radiolabeled bacteria, and activation of oxygen consumption and of the hexose monophosphate shunt by PMN with pneumococci, were similar in normal serum, absorbed serum, or the combination of absorbed and heat-activated serum. Reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and of cytochrome c by PMN in the presence of type 25 pneumococci and absorbed serum, with or without heat-inactivated serum were one-third and one-half, respectively, of those in normal serum. Likewise, protein iodination was one-half that in normal serum. Reduction of cytochrome c by cytochalasin B-treated PMN was the same in normal, absorbed, or absorbed plus heat-inactivated serum. Furthermore, release of beta-glucuronidase from PMN after ingestion of pneumococci in 10% normal, absorbed, or absorbed plus heat-inactivated serum was identical. These data indicate that the "third" serum activity is not necessary for attachment of pneumococci to or ingestion by PMN, nor is it necessary for stimulation of the plasma membrane oxidase. Rather, it functions somehow in intracellular killing.
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PMID:Opsonization of pneumococci. II. Metabolic effects of a "third" human serum activity that mediates intracellular killing. 727 78

Thionins are shown to form disulphide linkages with other proteins. The reaction with bacterial enzymes beta-glucuronidase and neomycin phosphotransferase II could be prevented and reversed with dithiothreitol and blocked with N-ethylmaleimide. Other cysteine-rich low-molecular-weight toxic peptides from plants (LTP-3 from barley and P19 from potato) did not react as the thionins. Certain cysteine-containing proteins, such bovine serum albumin, ovalbumin and cytochrome c, reacted with thionins, while others, including carbonic anhydrase, soybean trypsin inhibitor, bovine-lung trypsin inhibitor and phosphorylase B did not. Selectivity of the reaction with a periplasmic component of the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas solanacearum was also shown.
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PMID:Selective disulphide linkage of plant thionins with other proteins. 764 64


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