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SUMMARYReceptors for 1,25(OH) 2 vitaminD 3 are found in most immune cells and important immunological effects have been described in vitro, reflected by its capacity to prevent autoimmunity and to prolong graft survival. The aim of this study was to examine the presence and nature of the enzyme responsible for final activation of the molecule, 1-a -hydroxylase, in murine macrophages and to analyse its regulation and possible role in the immune system. Peritoneal macrophages from C57Bl/6 mice were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 m g/ml), interferon-gamma (IFN-g; 500 U/ml) or a combination of both. By quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, using primers based on the murine renal cDNA sequence, low levels of 1-a -hydroxylase mRNA were detected in freshly isolated cells (18^7 Â 10 26 copies/b -actin copies). Analysis of the cDNA sequence of the gene revealed identical coding sequences for the macrophage and renal enzymes. mRNA levels rose three-fold with LPS (NS), but a six-fold increase was seen after IFN-g stimulation (P , 0´05). Combining LPS and IFN-g did not result in a major additional increase, but addition of cyclosporin A further increased levels 2´5-fold both in IFN-g-and combination-stimulated cells (P , 0´05). Time course analysis revealed that upregulation of 1-a -hydroxylase was a late phenomenon, preceded by the up-regulation of activating macrophage products such as IL-1 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Finally, a defect in 1-ahydroxylase up-regulation by immune stimuli was found in autoimmune non-obese diabetic mice. In conclusion, we propose that the up-regulation of 1-a -hydroxylase in activated macrophages, resulting in the synthesis of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 , might be a negative feedback loop in inflammation. A defect in this system might be an additional element in tipping the balance towards autoimmunity.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, trehalose-6-phosphate (tre-6-P) synthase encoded by GGS1/TPS1, is not only involved in the production of trehalose but also in restriction of sugar influx into glycolysis in an unknown fashion; it is therefore essential for growth on glucose or fructose. In this work, we have deleted the TPS2 gene encoding tre-6-P phosphatase in a strain which displays very low levels of Ggs1/TPS1, as a result of the presence of the byp 1-3 allele of GGS1/TPS1. The byp 1-3 tps2 delta double mutant showed elevated tre-6-P levels along with improved growth and ethanol production, although the estimated concentrations of glycolytic metabolites indicated excessive sugar influx. In the wild-type strain, the addition of glucose caused a rapid transient increase of tre-6-P. In tps 2 delta mutant cells, which showed a high tre-6-P level before glucose addition, sugar influx into glycolysis appeared to be diminished. Furthermore, we have confirmed that tre-6-P inhibits the hexokinases in vitro. These data are consistent with restriction of sugar influx into glycolysis through inhibition of the hexokinases by tre-6-P during the switch to fermentative metabolism. During logarithmic growth on glucose the tre-6-P level in wild-type cells was lower than that of the byp 1-3 tps2 delta mutant. However, the latter strain arrested growth and ethanol production on glucose after about four generations. Hence, other mechanisms, which also depend on Ggs1/Tps1, appear to control sugar influx during growth on glucose. In addition, we provide evidence that the requirement for Ggs1/Tps1 for sporulation may be unrelated to its involvement in trehalose metabolism or in the system controlling glycolysis.

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