Influence of cholesterol and lovastatin on alpha-form of secreted amyloid precursor protein and expression of alpha7 nicotinic receptor on astrocytes

The influence of cholesterol and the lovastatin (cholesterol-lowering drug) on secretion of alpha-secretase cleavage product of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) was investigated in human HTB-15 astrocytes. The results showed that exposure of cholesterol to astrocytes inhibited the secretion of alpha-form of secreted APP (alphaAPPs) and reduced cell viability, while lovastatin enhanced the alpha-secretase processing on astrocytes; cholesterol treatment decreased expression of alpha7 nAChR, whereas lovastatin induced an up-regulation of the receptor; the increase in alphaAPPs resulted from lovastatin was partially inhibited by the alpha7 nAChR antagonists, alpha-bungarotoxin or methyllycaconitine; cholesterol or lovastatin did not influence either whole APP level or expression of alpha4 nAChR. We suggest that high dose of cholesterol may inhibit both the activity of alpha-secretase in APP metabolic processing and the expression of alpha7 nAChR, while lovastatin may stimulate alpha-secretase cleavage processing that might be regulated by alpha7 nAChR.     

Effect of anti-NGF on ovarian expression of alpha1- and beta2-adrenoceptors, TrkA, p75NTR, and tyrosine hydroxylase in rats with steroid-induced polycystic ovaries

Estradiol valerate (EV)-induced polycystic ovaries (PCO) in rats are associated with higher ovarian release and content of norepinephrine, decreased beta2-adrenoceptors (ARs), and dysregulated expression of alpha1-AR subtypes, all preceded by an increase in the production of ovarian NGF. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the role of NGF in the ovaries by blocking the action of NGF during development of EV-induced PCO in rats. Control and EV-injected rats were treated with intraperitoneal injections of IgG (control and PCO groups) or with anti-NGF antibodies (anti-NGF and PCO anti-NGF groups) every third day for 5 wk starting from the day of PCO induction. Rat weight, estrous cyclicity, ovarian morphology, ovarian mRNA, and protein expression of alpha1-AR subtypes, beta2-AR, the NGF receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) were analyzed. Ovaries in both PCO and PCO anti-NGF groups decreased in size as well as in number and size of corpora lutea. mRNA expression of alpha1a-AR and TrkA in the ovaries was lower, whereas expression of alpha1b- and alpha1d-AR and TH was higher, in the PCO group than in controls. Protein quantities of alpha1-ARs, TrkA, p75NTR, and TH were higher in the PCO group compared with controls, whereas the protein content of beta2-AR was lower. Anti-NGF treatment in the PCO group restored all changes in mRNA and protein content, except that of alpha1b-AR and TrkA mRNAs, to control levels. The results indicate that the NGF/NGF receptor system plays a role in the pathogenesis of EV-induced PCO in rats.     

Hyperinsulinemia: effect on cardiac mass/function, angiotensin II receptor expression, and insulin signaling pathways

To investigate the association between hyperinsulinemia and cardiac hypertrophy, we treated rats with insulin for 7 wk and assessed effects on myocardial growth, vascularization, and fibrosis in relation to the expression of angiotensin II receptors (AT-R). We also characterized insulin signaling pathways believed to promote myocyte growth and interact with proliferative responses mediated by G protein-coupled receptors, and we assessed myocardial insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and p110 alpha catalytic and p85 regulatory subunits of phospatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), Akt, MEK, ERK1/2, and S6 kinase-1 (S6K1). Left ventricular (LV) geometry and performance were evaluated echocardiographically. Insulin decreased AT1a-R mRNA expression but increased protein levels and increased AT2-R mRNA and protein levels and phosphorylation of IRS-1 (Ser374/Tyr989), MEK1/2 (Ser218/Ser222), ERK1/2 (Thr202/Tyr204), S6K1 (Thr421/Ser424/Thr389), Akt (Thr308/Thr308), and PI3K p110 alpha but not of p85 (Tyr508). Insulin increased LV mass and relative wall thickness and reduced stroke volume and cardiac output. Histochemical examination demonstrated myocyte hypertrophy and increases in interstitial fibrosis. Metoprolol plus insulin prevented the increase in relative wall thickness, decreased fibrosis, increased LV mass, and improved function seen with insulin alone. Thus our data demonstrate that chronic hyperinsulinemia decreases AT1a-to-AT2 ratio and increases MEK-ERK1/2 and S6K1 pathway activity related to hypertrophy. These changes might be crucial for increased cardiovascular growth and fibrosis and signs of impaired LV function.     

Dual effects of nicotine on oxidative stress and neuroprotection in PC12 cells

In order to identify the properties of nicotine in relation to oxidative stress or neuroprotection, differentiated PC12 cells were treated with nicotine, beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta(25-35)), free radical inducer and antioxidant by a separate addition or a combination way. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction, lipid peroxidation, [3H]epibatidine binding sites for nicotinic receptor and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) for muscarinic receptor have been detected. The significant decrease of MTT reduction and increase of lipid peroxidation in PC12 cells were only observed at treatments with high concentrations of nicotine (1 and 10 mM), while Vitamin E (VitE), an antioxidant, can prevent the neurotoxic effects. In addition, nicotine in low dosage (10 microM) rescued the decreased rates of cell viability and inhibited the production of lipid peroxidation resulted from H(2)O(2) and Abeta in the cultured cells. Significant increases in [3H]epibatidine binding sites were observed in PC12 cells exposed to nicotine, while no change was detected in [3H]QNB. The decreased number of nicotinic receptor binding sites due to the toxicity of Abeta was prevented by the addition of nicotine with low concentration. It is plausible that nicotine treatment may play dual effects on oxidative stress and neuroprotection, in which the effects are dependent on the differences in dosage of the drug used and their mechanisms of action. Generally, high dose of nicotine may induce neurotoxicity and stimulate oxidative stress, while reasonably low concentration may act as an antioxidant and play an important role for neuroprotective effect.     

Impact of temperature on the physiological status of a potential bioremediation inoculant, Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6

Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6 (A6) can degrade large amounts of 4-chlorophenol in soil at 5 and 28 degrees C. In this study, we investigated the effects of temperature on the physiological status of this bacterium in pure culture and in soil. A derivative of A6 tagged with the gfp gene (encoding green fluorescent protein [GFP]) was used to specifically quantify A6 cells in soil. In addition, cyano-ditolyl-tetrazoliumchloride was used to stain GFP-fluorescent cells with an active electron transfer system ("viable cells") whereas propidium iodide (PI) was used to stain cells with damaged membranes ("dead cells"). Another derivative of the strain (tagged with the firefly luciferase gene [luc]) was used to monitor the metabolic activity of the cell population, since the bioluminescence phenotype is dependent on cellular energy reserves. When the cells were incubated in soil at 28 degrees C, the majority were stained with PI, indicating that they had lost their cell integrity. In addition, there was a corresponding decline in metabolic activity and in the ability to be grown in cultures on agar plates after incubation in soil at 28 degrees C, indicating that the cells were dying under those conditions. When the cells were incubated in soil at 5 degrees C, by contrast, the majority of the cells remained intact and a large fraction of the population remained metabolically active. A similar trend towards better cell survival at lower temperatures was found in pure-culture experiments. These results make A. chlorophenolicus A6 a good candidate for the treatment of chlorophenol-contaminated soil in cold climates.     

Receptor binding domain of Escherichia coli F18 fimbrial adhesin FedF can be both efficiently secreted and surface displayed in a functional form in Lactococcus lactis

Adherence of F18 fimbrial Escherichia coli to porcine intestinal epithelial cells is mediated by the adhesin (FedF) of F18 fimbriae. In a previous study, we demonstrated the specificity of the amino acid residues between 60 and 109 as the receptor binding domain of FedF. In this study, different expression, secretion, and anchoring systems for the receptor binding domain of the FedF adhesin in Lactococcus lactis were evaluated. Two partially overlapping receptor binding domains (42 and 62 amino acid residues) were expressed as fusions with L. lactis subsp. cremoris protein PrtP for evaluation of secretion efficiency. To evaluate the cell surface display of these FedF-PrtP fusions, they were further combined with different lengths of PrtP spacers fused with either the L. lactis AcmA anchor or the PrtP cell wall binding domain. An HtrA-defective L. lactis NZ9000 mutant was constructed to determine its effect on the level of secreted or anchored fusion proteins. Recombinant L. lactis clones secreting the receptor binding domain of F18 fimbriae as a fusion with the H domains of L. lactis protein PrtP were first constructed by using two different signal peptides. FedF-PrtP fusions, directed by the signal sequence of L. brevis SlpA, were throughout found to be secreted at significantly higher quantities than corresponding fusions with the signal peptide of L. lactis Usp45. In the surface display systems tested, the L. lactis AcmA anchor performed significantly better, particularly in the L. lactis NZ9000DeltahtrA strain, compared to the L. lactis PrtP anchor region. Of the cell surface display constructs with the AcmA anchor, only those with the longest PrtP spacer regions resulted in efficient binding of recombinant L. lactis cells to porcine intestinal epithelial cells. These results confirmed that it is possible to efficiently produce the receptor binding domain of the F18 adhesin in a functionally active form in L. lactis.     

Interaction between growth hormone and insulin in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism in the rat

The importance of insulin for the in vivo effects of growth hormone (GH) on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism was investigated by examining the effects of GH treatment of hypophysectomized (Hx) female rats with and without concomitant insulin treatment. Hypophysectomy-induced changes of HDL, apolipoprotein (apo)E, LDL, and apoB levels were normalized by GH treatment but not affected by insulin treatment. The hepatic triglyceride secretion rate was lower in Hx rats than in normal rats and increased by GH treatment. This effect of GH was blunted by insulin treatment. The triglyceride content in the liver changed in parallel with the changes in triglyceride secretion rate, indicating that the effect of the hormones on triglyceride secretion was dependent on changed availability of triglycerides for VLDL assembly. GH and insulin independently increased editing of apoB mRNA, but the effects were not additive. The expression of fatty-acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) was increased by GH treatment. Insulin and GH had no additive effects on these genes; instead, insulin blunted the effect of GH on SREBP-1c mRNA. In contrast to the liver, adipose tissue expression of SREBP-1c, FAS, or SCD-1 mRNA was not influenced by GH. In conclusion, the increased hepatic expression of lipogenic enzymes after GH treatment may be explained by increased expression of SREBP-1c. Insulin does not mediate the effects of GH but inhibits the stimulatory effect of GH on hepatic SREBP-1c expression and triglyceride secretion rate.