Properties of peroxisomes from jerboa (Jaculus orientalis).

This report presents new data on mammalian peroxisomes by studying an unusual rodent: the jerboa (Jaculus orientalis). This animal exhibits some unique peroxisomal properties compared to the rat, such as higher cyanide-insensitive palmitoyl-CoA oxidase specific activity, pattern differences in SDS-PAGE peroxisomal proteins as well as in acyl-CoA oxidase immunoblotting. There is also a peculiar response to a peroxisome proliferator, ciprofibrate. With 250 ppm of ciprofibrate in the diet for 2 weeks, we observed a limited liver peroxisome proliferation as well as a palmitoyl-CoA oxidase activity, enzyme content and mRNA increase. However, there was no increase in catalase activity, nor hepatomegaly which are prominent features of peroxisome proliferation in rats treated under the same conditions. The palmitoyl-CoA oxidase activity increase was weak in the kidney and not observed in the heart. Other subcellular organelle marker enzyme activities did not significantly change, especially the mitochondrial D-3-hydroxybutyrate and succinate dehydrogenases, lysosomal acid phosphatase, cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase and the endoplasmic reticulum NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. However, the activity of the liver membrane endoplasmic reticulum linked omega-lauryl hydroxylase (cytochrome P450 IV A1) increases after ciprofibrate treatment. Jerboa also behaves differently compared to the guinea pig after ciprofibrate treatment since the guinea pig has a weak response towards peroxisome proliferators. In conclusion, this first peroxisome study utilizing a different type of rodent as a laboratory animal, reveals that the jerboa shows unique peroxisome properties and responds in a moderate manner to a peroxisome proliferator, ciprofibrate, without leading to any increase in liver mass. This supports the fact that fibrate molecules may have different targets depending upon the species.