Faculty Bibliography

Stress triggers crucial responses, including elevated blood pressure and heart rate (HR), to handle the emergency and restore homeostasis. However, continuation of these effects following cessation of the stress is implicated with many stress-related disorders. Here, we examine the kinetics and persistence of cardiovascular and locomotor responses to single and repeated immobilization stress (IMO), with and without prior treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Radiotelemetry probes were implanted into male Sprague-Dawley rats to continually monitor mean arterial pressure (MAP), HR and locomotor activity. Rats were subjected to IMO for 2 h daily (10 a.m. to noon, 6 consecutive days). The first IMO induced the greatest change in MAP (about 30 mm Hg) and HR (about 200 bpm). Following each IMO, MAP and HR were elevated during the remaining light phase and in the subsequent dark phase, HR was lower than prior to IMO. We further examined whether elevation of ACTH to a level similar to IMO will elicit similar effects, and if it will alter subsequent responses to IMO. Injection of ACTH (13 IU/kg, s.c.) triggered a short-lived rise in MAP, and decreased HR. After six daily injections of ACTH and recovery time (8 days), rats were immobilized as above. The cardiovascular responses were similar during the IMO, but the ACTH-pretreated group displayed differences following cessation of the IMO. In addition, IMO led to a large reduction of locomotor activity during the dark (normally active) phase to levels similar to the light phase. Following the IMOs, locomotor activity recovered more slowly in the ACTH-pretreated group. The study revealed that IMO-triggered cardiovascular and locomotor responses are evident after termination of the stress. In addition, prior exposure to ACTH delayed recovery in cardiovascular and locomotor functions following cessation of stress.

The assembly line: Hexabenzocoronene amphiphiles appended with pyridyl-terminated triethylene glycol side chains, in combination with trans-[Pt(PhCN)(2)Cl(2)], lead to the formation of graphitic nanotubes. The structural features and dimensions of the nanotubes depend on the assembly conditions. A platinum(II)-bridged cyclic dimer having two HBC units self-assembles into a nanotubular structure.

The progressive ankylosis gene (ank) is a transmembrane protein that transports intracellular pyrophosphate to the extracellular milieu. Human mutations of ank lead to craniometaphyseal dysplasia, a disease which is characterized by the overgrowth of craniofacial bones and osteopenia in long bones, suggesting that ANK plays a regulatory role in osteoblast differentiation. To determine the role of ANK in osteoblast differentiation, we suppressed ANK expression in the osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell line using siRNA and determined the expression of osteoblastic marker genes and the transcription factors osterix and runx2. In addition, we determined the osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells isolated from the bone marrow of ank/ank mice, which express a truncated, nonfunctional ANK protein, or wild-type littermates. Suppression of ANK expression in MC3T3-E1 cells led to a decrease in bone marker gene expression, including alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin and type I collagen. In addition, osterix gene expression was decreased in ANK expression-suppressed MC3T3 cells, whereas runx2 expression was increased. Bone marrow stromal cells isolated from ank/ank mice cultured in the presence of ascorbate-2-phosphate for up to 35 days showed markedly reduced mineralization compared to the mineralization of bone marrow stromal cells isolated from wild-type littermates. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANK is a positive regulator of differentiation events towards a mature osteoblastic phenotype

We have recently isolated and characterized three zebrafish (Danio rerio) RNases, ZF-RNase-1,-2 and -3, endowed with diverse bioactivities, including microbicidal and angiogenic activities. In the present study we have analyzed their temporal and spatial gene expression profiles. Our results indicate that the three ZF-RNase genes have a differential expression pattern, with ZF-RNase-1 having the most unique and dynamic expression profile. This is characterized by expression in embryonic stages and later on, in larvae, juvenile and adult organisms. In contrast, ZF-RNase-2 and -3 are only expressed either in juvenile or adult organisms. Moreover, analysis of spatial expression of ZF-RNase-1, -2 and -3 detected the three different transcripts in liver, heart, gut and swim bladder tissues. Interestingly, ZF-RNase-1 was the only gene expressed in the brain of embryonic and adult organisms. Collectively, the results suggest that the three ZF-RNases may have potential distinct functional role(s) in zebrafish either during embryonic development and/or later on, in juvenile as well as in adult organisms. Indeed, taking advantage of zebrafish as an excellent viable model to study gene function, this study opens the way to an investigation of the in vivo role(s) of ZF-RNase-1 during embryonic development, as well as, during organogenesis.

Alternative splicing makes a major contribution to proteomic diversity in higher eukaryotes with approximately 70% of genes encoding two or more isoforms. In most cases, the molecular mechanisms responsible for splice site choice remain poorly understood. Here, we used a randomization-selection approach in vitro to identify sequence elements that could silence a proximal strong 5' splice site located downstream of a weakened 5' splice site. We recovered two exonic and four intronic motifs that effectively silenced the proximal 5' splice site both in vitro and in vivo. Surprisingly, silencing was only observed in the presence of the competing upstream 5' splice site. Biochemical evidence strongly suggests that the silencing motifs function by altering the U1 snRNP/5' splice site complex in a manner that impairs commitment to specific splice site pairing. The data indicate that perturbations of non-rate-limiting step(s) in splicing can lead to dramatic shifts in splice site choice.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A fundamental pathogenic feature of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum is its ability to evade innate and adaptive immune defenses. Once ingested by macrophages the organism is faced with several hostile environmental conditions including iron limitation. H. capsulatum can establish a persistent state within the macrophage. A gap in knowledge exists because the identities and number of proteins regulated by the organism under host conditions has yet to be defined. Lack of such knowledge is an important problem because until these proteins are identified it is unlikely that they can be targeted as new and innovative treatment for histoplasmosis. RESULTS: To investigate the proteomic response by H. capsulatum to decreasing iron availability we have created H. capsulatum protein/genomic databases compatible with current mass spectrometric (MS) search engines. Databases were assembled from the H. capsulatum G217B strain genome using gene prediction programs and expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries. Searching these databases with MS data generated from two dimensional (2D) in-gel digestions of proteins resulted in over 50% more proteins identified compared to searching the publicly available fungal databases alone. Using 2D gel electrophoresis combined with statistical analysis we discovered 42 H. capsulatum proteins whose abundance was significantly modulated when iron concentrations were lowered. Altered proteins were identified by mass spectrometry and database searching to be involved in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, lysine metabolism, protein synthesis, and one protein sequence whose function was unknown. CONCLUSION: We have created a bioinformatics platform for H. capsulatum and demonstrated the utility of a proteomic approach by identifying a shift in metabolism the organism utilizes to cope with the hostile conditions provided by the host. We have shown that enzyme transcripts regulated by other fungal pathogens in response to lowering iron availability are also regulated in H. capsulatum at the protein level. We also identified H. capsulatum proteins sensitive to iron level reductions which have yet to be connected to iron availability in other pathogens. These data also indicate the complexity of the response by H. capsulatum to nutritional deprivation. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of a strain specific gene/protein database for H. capsulatum proteomic analysis

X11 and X11-like proteins (X11L) are neuronal adaptor proteins whose association to the cytoplasmic domain of amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) suppresses the generation of amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) implicated in Alzheimer disease pathogenesis. The amyloidogenic, but not amyloidolytic, metabolism of APP was selectively increased in the brain of mutant mice lacking X11L (Sano, Y., Syuzo-Takabatake, A., Nakaya, T., Saito, Y., Tomita, S., Itohara, S., and Suzuki, T. (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 37853-37860). To reveal the actual role of X11 proteins (X11s) in suppressing amyloidogenic cleavage of APP in vivo, we generated X11 and X11L double knock-out mice and analyzed the metabolism of APP. The mutant mice showed enhanced beta-site cleavage of APP along with increased accumulation of Abeta in brain and increased colocalization of APP with beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE). In the brains of mice deficient in both X11 and X11L, the apparent relative subcellular distributions of both mature APP and its beta-C-terminal fragment were shifted toward the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fraction, an organelle in which BACE is active and both X11s are not nearly found. These results indicate that X11s associate primarily with APP molecules that are outside of DRM, that the dissociation of APP-X11/X11L complexes leads to entry of APP into DRM, and that cleavage of uncomplexed APP by BACE within DRM is enhanced by X11s deficiency. Present results lead to an idea that the dysfunction of X11L in the interaction with APP may recruit more APP into DRM and increase the generation of Abeta even if BACE activity did not increase in brain

Tyrosine trans-phosphorylation is a key event in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, yet, the structural basis for this process has eluded definition. Here, we present the crystal structure of the FGF receptor 2 kinases caught in the act of trans-phosphorylation of Y769, the major C-terminal phosphorylation site. The structure reveals that enzyme- and substrate-acting kinases engage each other through elaborate and specific interactions not only in the immediate vicinity of Y769 and the enzyme active site, but also in regions that are as much of 18 A away from D626, the catalytic base in the enzyme active site. These interactions lead to an unprecedented level of specificity and precision during the trans-phosphorylation on Y769. Time-resolved mass spectrometry analysis supports the observed mechanism of trans-phosphorylation. Our data provide a molecular framework for understanding the mechanism of action of Kallmann syndrome mutations and the order of trans-phosphorylation reactions in FGFRs. We propose that the salient mechanistic features of Y769 trans-phosphorylation are applicable to trans-phosphorylation of the equivalent major phosphorylation sites in many other RTKs

Glucose-regulated GRP58 has shown clinical applications to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cancer. GRP58 is localized in the cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and nucleus. Twenty-four amino acids at the N-terminal hydrophobic region are known to target GRP58 to ER for synthesis at the ER membrane and translocation into the ER lumen. In addition, GRP58 contains putative nuclear localization (494KPKKKKK500) and ER retention (502QEDL505) signals. However, the role of these signals in nuclear import and ER retention of GRP58 remains unknown. Present studies investigated the signals that control nuclear localization and ER retention of GRP58. Deletion/mutation of nuclear localization signal (NLS) abrogated nuclear import of GRP58. NLS attached to EGFP localized EGFP in the nucleus. However, deletion/mutation of putative ER retention signal alone did not alter ER retention of GRP58. Interestingly, a combined deletion/mutation of NLS and ER retention signals blocked the GRP58 retention in the ER. These results concluded that overlapping NLS and ER retention signal sequences regulate nuclear localization and ER retention of GRP58.