Pyruvate oxidation in brain

Abstract

THE object of this paper is to present a final proof that the form of vitamin B1 active in pyruvic acid oxidation is the pyrophosphate and to show that C4 dicarboxylic acids are an essential part of this system. In so doing not only is the hypothesis of the German workers [Lohmann & Schuster, 1937] proved, but also the importance of recent Hungarian. work [Szent-Gyorgyi et al. 1936] fully substantiated. We may also consider that we know now the main facts about the biochemistry of vitamin B1.The discovery by Lohmann & Schuster [1937] that cocarboxylase is the pyrophosphate of vitamin B1, strongly suggested that the phosphoester was the form in which the vitamin is active in the oxidation of pyruvate in animal tissues. It .was pointed out in a previous paper [Ochoa & Peters, 1938, 1] that there were two main lines of evidence to support this view: (1) The presence of cocarboxylase in the tissues and the ability of tissues to phosphorylate vitamin B1;(2) the alleged activity of cocarboxylase in "catatorulin" tests with slices of avitaminous pigeon's brain. Further indirect support was given by the experiments of Lipmann [1937] who showed that the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvic acid according to reaction (1) or its dismutation [Krebs & Johnson, 1937] according to reaction (2), by alkaline-washed preparations of lactic acid bacteria (Bacterium Delbriuckii), was. catalysed by the pyrophosphate but, not by free vitamin B1. More recently Barron & Lyman [1939] have confirmed this for various strains of gonococcus and staphylococcus.

The Effect of Cardiazol Convulsions on the Distribution and Activity of Some Phosphatases in the Area Postrema of the Rat

“…The neurons of the vagal and hypoglossal nuclei themselves show the typical cytoplasmic staining observed in earlier studies. Banga, Ochoa, and Peters (1939) found aneurin to be more effective in passing the permeability barriers than the diphosphate, and it is possible that in this form it enters the cells, takes part in the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvic acid, so that metabolism passes beyond the pyruvate stage. The dephosphorylation of vitimin B1 diphosphate occurs in the area postrema in both the acid and alkaline ranges.…”

The Toxicity of Vesicants and Some Other Compounds to the Pyruvate Oxidase System* (Brain)

“…Brain brei and dispersion andpyruvate dehydrogenase.-These were prepared as described previously (Kinnersley, O'Brien, and Peters, 1935;Banga, Ochoa, and Peters, 1939;Peters and Wakelin, 1946 (Peters, 1937). In the dispersions we have an enzyme system sufficiently homogeneous to reduce permeability phenomena to a minimum; this has been produced, however, at the expense of stability and a dispersion is only stable for about 30 min.…”

“…In Exp. 1875 (Table XII) it was shown that addition of large amounts of cocarboxylase, now known to be the active component (Banga, Ochoa, and Peters, 1939), does not restore the poisoned respiration.…”

Biological synthesis of oxaloacetic acid from pyruvic acid and carbon dioxide

“…If it is assumed that a condensation of 2 molecules of pyruvate of the type discussed by Toeniessen & Brinkmann [1930;see also Krebs, 1936] This hypothesis, applied to the experiment of [Peters & Sinclair, 1933;Peters & Thompson, 1934;Thompson, 1934;Peters, 1936, 1, 2;McGowan, 1937;McGowan & Peters, 1937;Peters, 1937;Ochoa & Peters, 1938;Banga et al 1939;Long & Peters, 1939;Peters, 1940, 1, 2] that vitamin B, is concerned with the utilization of pyruvate in pigeon brain and in pigeon kidney. The nature of the chemical reaction catalysed by the vitamin in animal tissues has been much discussed [see Peters and his school;Lipmann, 1937, 1, 2;Quastel & Webley, 1939;Weil-Malherbe, 1940], but the problem must still be regarded as unsolved.…”