Enzymic sulphation of dopa and tyrosine isomers by HepG2 human hepatoma cells: Stereoselectivity and stimulation by Mn2+

HepG2 human hepatoma cells, labelled with [S-35]sulphate in media containing L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa), (D-dopa), DL-m-tyrosine or D-p-tyrosine, were found to produce the [S-35]sulphated forms of these compounds. Addition to the labelling media of m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine, an aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, greatly enhanced the production of L-dopa O-[S-35]sulphate and DL-m-tyrosine O-[S-35]sulphate, with a concomitant decrease in the formation of dopamine O-[S-35]sulphate and m-tyramine O-[S-35]sulphate. With 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho[S-35]sulphate as the sulphate donor, HepG2-cell cytosol was shown to contain enzymic activity catalysing the sulphation of L-dopa, D-dopa, L-m-tyrosine, D-m-tyrosine, L-p-tyrosine and D-p-tyrosine. The pH optimum of the enzyme, designated dopa/tyrosine sulphotransferase, was determined to be 8.7.5 with D-m-tyrosine as the substrate. The enzyme exhibited stereoselectivity for the D-form of dopa or tyrosine isomers. Addition of 10 mM MnCl2 to the reaction mixture resulted in a remarkable stimulation of dopa/tyrosine sulphotransferase activity, being as high as 267.8 times with D-p-tyrosine as the substrate. Quantitative assays revealed L-dopa, D-dopa and D-m-tyrosine to be better substrates than L-p-tyrosine. When the HepG2-cell cytosol was subjected to DEAE Bio-Cel and hydroxyapatite column chromatography, dopa/tyrosine sulphotransferase was co-eluted with the thermolabile 'M-form' phenol sulphotransferase. Furthermore dopa/tyrosine sulphotransferase displayed properties similar to that of the M-form phenol sulphotransferase with respect to thermostability and sensitivity to 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol. Whether the M-form phenol sulphotransferase is truly (solely) responsible for the dopa!tyrosine sulphotransferase activity present in HepG2 cells remains to be clarified.