Purification, characterization, and localization of two ATP diphosphohydrolase isoforms in bovine heart

Two ATP diphosphohydrolase (ATPDase) isoforms have been purified from the bovine heart ventricle. The purification procedure includes the following steps: differential centrifugation, sucrose cushion centrifugation, solubilization with Triton X-100, DEAE agarose ion exchange, and Affi-Gel blue-Sepharose and concanavalin A (con A)-Sepharose chromatographies. The purified enzyme has an optimum pH of catalysis of 7.5 and requires Ca2+ or Mg2+. The apparent Michaelis constant of the enzyme, with ADP as the substrate, is 29 mu M, and the apparent maximal velocity is 1.6 mu mol.min(-1).mg protein(-1). Substrate specificity, heat-inactivation curves, and copurification of adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) and adenosinediphosphatase (ADPase) activities confirmed the identity of the purified enzyme as an ATPDase. In addition, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, under nondenaturing conditions, showed identical migration patterns for the protein involved in ATPase and ADPase activities. Western blot analysis, with an antibody that specifically recognizes the NH2-terminal sequence of pig pancreas ATPDase and specifically reacts with bovine and human ATPDases, showed cross-reactivity with the purified ATPDase isoforms from the bovine heart. Immunocytochemical localization in the ventricle produced strong reactions with the plasma membrane of Purkinje fiber cells and the majority of myocardial cells. Immunoreactivity was variable, producing a mosaic-like aspect. As expected, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of coronary vessels were highly reactive. This ectoenzyme could play a protective role against the potentially deleterious effects of extracellular ATP. In tandem with 5'-nucleotidase, it produces adenosine, a powerful vasodilator, especially in hypoxic or ischemic conditions that favor the release of ATP.