RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Alpha-ketoacids stimulate rat renal cysteine conjugate beta-lyase activity and potentiate the cytotoxicity of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine. JF Molecular Pharmacology JO Mol Pharmacol FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 208 OP 212 VO 31 IS 2 A1 A A Elfarra A1 L H Lash A1 M W Anders YR 1987 UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/31/2/208.abstract AB Renal cysteine conjugate beta-lyase (beta-lyase) catalyzes the bioactivation of nephrotoxic cysteine S-conjugates. beta-Lyase activity is present in both renal cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions, and, although the cytosolic beta-lyase is identical to glutamine transaminase K, the mitochondrial beta-lyase has not been characterized. Because beta-lyase is a pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme, pyridoxamine phosphate (PMP) formation may occur during the metabolism of cysteine S-conjugates. In this study, the effects of alpha-ketoacids, which may convert the PMP form of the enzyme to the pyridoxal phosphate form, on the metabolism and cytotoxicity of cysteine S-conjugates were examined; the PMP enzyme is catalytically inactive in beta-elimination reactions, but is catalytically active in transamination reactions. Both alpha-keto-gamma-methiolbutyrate (KMB) and alpha-ketobutyrate enhanced the metabolism of S-(2-benzothiazolyl)-L-cysteine (BTC) to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole by rat renal cytosol or mitochondria. KMB and phenylpyruvate potentiated both the cytotoxicity of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) in isolated rat renal proximal tubular cells and the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration produced by DCVC. These results are consistent with the formation of PMP during the renal cytosolic or mitochondrial metabolism of cysteine S-conjugates. Mitochondrial beta-lyase was previously localized in the outer membrane. To examine whether beta-lyase activity is present in mitoplasts, but in the PMP form, the effects of KMB on the metabolism of BTC to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and on the DCVC-induced inhibition of state 3 respiration in mitoplasts were studied. The majority of the mitochondrial beta-lyase activity was present in the outer membrane, and the specific activity of the outer membrane beta-lyase was greater than that of the mitoplast beta-lyase. KMB produced equivalent stimulation of beta-lyase activity in intact mitochondria, in mitochondrial outer membranes, and in mitoplasts and potentiated DCVC-induced inhibition of respiration in intact mitochondria, but not in mitoplasts. These results provide additional evidence for the central role of beta-lyase in the bioactivation of nephrotoxic cysteine S-conjugates.