Complexes of HLA-G protein on the cell surface are important for leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 function

The nonclassical class I MHC molecule HLA-G is selectively expressed on extravillous cytotrophoblast cells at the maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy. HLA-G can inhibit the killing mediated by NK cells via interaction with the inhibitory NK cell receptor, leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 (LIR-1). Comparison of the sequence of the HLA-G molecule to other class I MHC proteins revealed two unique cysteine residues located in positions 42 and 147. Mutating these cysteine residues resulted in a dramatic decrease in LIR-1 Ig binding. Accordingly, the mutated HLA-G transfectants were less effective in the inhibition of NK killing and RBL/LIR-1 induced serotonin release. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated the involvement of the cysteine residues in the formation of HLA-G protein oligomers on the cell surface. The cysteine residue located at position 42 is shown to be critical for the expression of such complexes. These oligomers, unique among the class I MHC proteins, probably bind to LIR-1 with increased avidity, resulting in an enhanced inhibitory function of LIR-1 and an impaired killing function of NK cells.     

Modification of flower color and fragrance by antisense suppression of the flavanone 3-hydroxylase gene

Anthocyanins are the major pigments contributing to carnation flowercoloration. Most carnation varieties are sterile and hence molecular breedingis an attractive approach to creating novel colors in this commercially importantcrop. Characterization of anthocyanins in the flowers of the modern carnationcv. Eilat revealed that only the orange pelargonidin accumulates, due to a lackof both flavonoid 3,5-hydroxylase and flavonoid3-hydroxylase activities. To modify flower color in cv. Eilat, we usedantisense suppression to block the expression of a gene encoding flavanone3-hydroxylase, a key step in the anthocyanin pathway. The transgenic plantsexhibited flower color modifications ranging from attenuation to complete lossof their original orange/reddish color. In the latter, only traces ofpelargonidin were detected. Dramatic suppression of flavanone 3-hydroxylaselevel/activity in these transgenes was confirmed by northern blot, RT-PCR andenzymatic assays. The new phenotype has been stable for over 4 years ofvegetative propagation. Moreover, transgenic plants with severe colormodification were more fragrant than control plants. GC-MS headspace analysesrevealed that transgenic anti-f3h flowers emit higherlevels of methyl benzoate. The possible interrelation between pathways leadingto anthocyanin and fragrance production is discussed.     

The protective effect of desferrioxamine on paraquat-treated pea (Pisum sativum)

Paraquat, a widely used herbicide, is photoreduced by photosystem I to the monovalent cation radical, which in turn, can react quickly and efficiently with molecular oxygen to produce superoxide anion radicals. In the presence of redox-active iron (or copper) superoxide radicals can serve as a source for the more active species such as hydroxyl radicals. The present sludv investigated the possible mediatory role of iron in paraquat to xicity. The results demonstrate that desferrioxamme (0–150μM) a highiy specific iron chelator, reduces the loss of proteins (by 34–69%) and lipid peroxidation (by 31–96%) in paraquat treated leaf cuts. Dcsferrioxamine also protects malate dehydrogenase (61–70%) hydroxvpyruvate reductase (54–100%), and Ca²⁺-dependent ATPase (25–34%) against the paraquat-induced loss of their activity. It also induces an increase in glutathione reductase activity (by 188%). These results, together with those from other experiments concerning the effect of desferrioxamine on paraquat uptake by the leaf cuts, suggest that the protection by desferrioxamine arises from its specific iron chelanon properties, and lead to the conclusion that nan-protein-bound and redoxactive forms of iron pluy a role in the manifestation of paraquat toxicity in plants.     

Variants of CYP46A1 may interact with age and APOE to influence CSF Aβ42 levels in Alzheimer’s disease

Recent studies have suggested that variants of CYP46A1, encoding cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46), confer risk for Alzheimers disease (AD), a prospect substantiated by evidence of genetic association from several quantitative traits related to AD pathology, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the 42 amino-acid cleavage product of -amyloid (A42) and the tau protein. In the present study, these claims have been explored by the genotyping of previously associated markers in CYP46A1 in three independent northern European case-control series encompassing 1323 individuals and including approximately 400 patients with measurements of CSF A42 and phospho-tau protein levels. Tests of association in case-control models revealed limited evidence that CYP46A1 variants contributed to AD risk across these samples. However, models testing for potential effects upon CSF measures suggested a possible interaction of an intronic marker (rs754203) with age and APOE genotype. In stratified analyses, significant effects were evident that were restricted to elderly APOE 4 carriers for both CSF A42 (P=0.0009) and phospho-tau (P=0.046). Computational analyses indicate that the rs754203 marker probably does not impact the binding of regulatory factors, suggesting that other polymorphic sites underlie the observed associations. Our results provide an important independent replication of previous findings, supporting the existence of CYP46A1 sequence variants that contribute to variability in -amyloid metabolism.     

Common variants of ACE contribute to variable age-at-onset of Alzheimer’s disease

Studies on the role that genetic variation may play in a complex human disease can be empowered by an assessment of both disease risk in case-control or family models and of quantitative traits that reflect elements of disease etiology. An excellent example of this can be found for the 4 allele of APOE in relation to Alzheimers disease (AD) for which association with both risk and age-at-onset (AAO) is evident. Following a recent demonstration that variants of the gene encoding angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) contribute to AD risk, we have explored the potential influence of ACE upon AAO in AD. A total of 2861 individuals from three European populations, including six independent AD samples, have been examined in this study. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously demonstrated to have maximum effects upon ACE plasma levels and that span the ACE locus were genotyped in these materials. A strong effect upon AAO was observed for marker rs4343 in exon 17 (P<0.0001), but evidence was also obtained indicating a possible independent effect of marker rs4291 (P=0.0095) located in the ACE promoter. Effects were consistent with data from previous studies suggesting association with AD in case-control models, whereby alleles demonstrated to confer risk to disease also appear to reduce AAO. Equivalent effects were evident regardless of APOE 4 carrier status and in both males and females. These results provide an important complement to existing AD risk data, confirming that ACE harbors sequence variants that contribute to aspects of AD pathology.     

Effect of "helper lipid" on lipoplex electrostatics

Lipoplexes, which are complexes between cationic liposomes (L+) and nucleic acids, are commonly used as a nucleic acid delivery system in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to better characterize cationic liposome and lipoplex electrostatics, which seems to play a major role in the formation and the performance of lipoplexes in vitro and in vivo. We characterized lipoplexes based on two commonly used monocationic lipids, DOTAP and DMRIE, and one polycationic lipid, DOSPA--each with and without helper lipid (cholesterol or DOPE). Electrical surface potential (Psi0) and surface pH were determined using several surface pH-sensitive fluorophores attached either to a one-chain lipid (4-heptadecyl hydroxycoumarin (C17HC)) or to the primary amino group of the two-chain lipids (1,2-dioleyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-carboxyfluorescein (CFPE) and 1,2-dioleyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-7-hydroxycoumarin) (HC-DOPE). Zeta potentials of the DOTAP-based cationic liposomes and lipoplexes were compared with Psi0 determined using C17HC. The location and relatively low sensitivity of fluorescein to pH changes explains why CFPE is the least efficient in quantifying the differences between the various cationic liposomes and lipoplexes used in this study. The fact that, for all cationic liposomes studied, those containing DOPE as helper lipid have the least positive Psi0 indicates neutralization of the cationic charge by the negatively-charged phosphodiester of the DOPE. Zeta potential is much less positively charged than Psi0 determined by C17HC. The electrostatics affects size changes that occurred to the cationic liposomes upon lipoplex formation. The largest size increase (based on static light scattering measurements) for all formulations occurred at DNA-/L+ charge ratios 0.5-1. Comparing the use of the one-chain C17HC and the two-chain HC-DOPE for monitoring lipoplex electrostatics reveals that both are suitable, as long as there is no serum (or other lipidic assemblies) present in the medium; in the latter case, only the two-chain HC-DOPE gives reliable results. Increasing NaCl concentrations decrease surface potential. Neutralization by DNA is reduced in a NaCl-concentration-dependent manner.     

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PKC-delta-dependent activation of oxidative stress in adipocytes of obese and insulin-resistant mice: role for NADPH oxidase

Oxidative stress is thought to be one of the causative factors contributing to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Previously, we showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is significantly increased in adipocytes from high-fat diet-induced obese and insulin-resistant mice (HF). ROS production was also associated with the increased activity of PKC-delta. In the present studies, we hypothesized that PKC-delta contributes to ROS generation and determined their intracellular source. NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) reduced ROS levels by 50% in HF adipocytes, and inhibitors of NO synthase (L-NAME, 1 mM), xanthine oxidase (allopurinol, 100 microM), AGE formation (aminoguanidine, 10 microM), or the mitochondrial uncoupler (FCCP, 10 microM) had no effect. Rottlerin, a selective PKC-delta inhibitor, suppressed ROS levels by approximately 50%. However, neither GO-6976 nor LY-333531, effective inhibitors toward conventional PKC or PKC-beta, respectively, significantly altered ROS levels in HF adipocytes. Subsequently, adenoviral-mediated expression of wild-type PKC-delta or its dominant negative mutant (DN-PKC-delta) in HF adipocytes resulted in either a twofold increase in ROS levels or their suppression by 20%, respectively. In addition, both ROS levels and PKC-delta activity were sharply reduced by glucose depletion. Taken together, these results suggest that PKC-delta is responsible for elevated intracellular ROS production in HF adipocytes, and this is mediated by high glucose and NADPH oxidase.     

The CD85J/leukocyte inhibitory receptor-1 distinguishes between conformed and beta 2-microglobulin-free HLA-G molecules

For a proper development of the placenta, maternal NK cells should not attack the fetal extravillous cytotrophoblast cells. This inhibition of maternal NK cells is partially mediated via the nonclassical MHC class I molecule HLA-G. Recently, we demonstrated that HLA-G forms disulfide-linked high molecular complexes on the surface of transfected cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that HLA-G must associate with beta(2)m for its interaction with CD85J/leukocyte Ig-like receptor-1 (LIR-1). Although HLA-G free H chain complexes are expressed on the surface, they are not recognized and possibly interfere with CD85J/LIR-1 and HLA-G interaction. The formation of these complexes on the cell surface might represent a novel mechanism developed specifically by the HLA-G protein aimed to control the efficiency of the CD85J/LIR-1-mediated inhibition. We also show that endogenous HLA-G complexes are expressed on the cell surface. These findings provide novel insights into the delicate interaction between extravillous cytotrophoblast cells and NK cells in the decidua.