Microdeletion of LIT1 in familial Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), which causes prenatal overgrowth, midline abdominal wall defects, macroglossia, and embryonal tumors, is a model for understanding the relationship between genomic imprinting, human development, and cancer. The causes are heterogeneous, involving multiple genes on 11p15 and including infrequent mutation of p57(KIP2) or loss of imprinting of either of two imprinted gene domains on 11p15: LIT1, which is near p57(KIP2), or H19/IGF2. Unlike Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes, no chromosomal deletions have yet been identified. Here we report a microdeletion including the entire LIT1 gene, providing genetic confirmation of the importance of this gene region in BWS. When inherited maternally, the deletion causes BWS with silencing of p57(KIP2), indicating deletion of an element important for the regulation of p57(KIP2) expression. When inherited paternally, there is no phenotype, suggesting that the LIT1 RNA itself is not necessary for normal development in humans.     

Wave2 activates serum response element via its VCA region and functions downstream of Rac

WAVE2 is a member of the WASP/WAVE family of protein effectors of actin reorganization and cell movement. In this report, we demonstrate that WAVE2 overexpression induces serum response element (SRE) activation through serum response factor. A WAVE2 mutant lacking the VCA region did not induce SRE activation and actin polymerization. WAVE2-induced SRE activation was blocked by exposure of cells to Latrunculin A, or overexpression of actin mutant R62D. The DeltaVCA mutant inhibited Rac V12-induced SRE activation, suggesting that WAVE2 lies downstream of Rac. Similar deletion of the VCA domain of WASP attenuated Cdc42 V12-mediated SRE activation, suggesting that WAVE2 acts in relation to Rac as WASP acts in relation to Cdc42. WAVE2 overexpression did not activate NF-kappaB.     

Synthesis and complexation of tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)calix[4]arene adopting the 1,3-alternate conformation

Novel upper-rim modified tetraphosphinocalix[4]arenes (5a-b) adopting 1,3-alternate conformation have been synthesized. Reaction of 5,11,17,23-tetrachloromethyl-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (1) with Ph₂POEt gave 5,11,17,23-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinoylmethyl)-25,26,27,28-tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene (2). Tetra-O-substitution of 2 with n-propyl iodide or benzyl bromide in the presence of K₂CO₃ carried out to afford 5,11,17,23-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinoylmethyl)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropoxy-(3a) or -benzyloxycalix[4]arene (3b), whereas di-O-substituted calix[4]arene, 5,11,17,23-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinoylmethyl)-25,27-dipropoxy-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (4), was obtained exclusively when Na₂CO₃ was used as base. Reduction of 3a-b with PhSiHCl₂ afforded 5,11,17,23-tetrakis(diphosphinomethyl)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropoxy-(5a) and -tetrabenzyloxycalix[4]arene (5b). ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis reveals that the phosphines (5a-b) and the tetra-O-substituted phosphine oxides (3a-b) adopt 1,3-alternate conformation, while the parent tetrahydroxy-(2) and the di-O-propylated phosphine oxide (4) adopt cone-conformation. The X-ray structure indicates that the calix[4]arene moieties in 4 a pinched-cone conformation in solid state. Complexation of the phosphine ligand (5a) with [RuCl₂(p-cymene)]₂ affords the tetranuclear complexes, [{RuCl₂(p-cymene)}₂ · 5a] (6), as 1,3-alternate conformer.     

A novel actin-bundling kinesin-related protein from Dictyostelium discoideum

Actin filaments and microtubules are two major cytoskeletal systems involved in wide cellular processes, and the organizations of their filamentous networks are regulated by a large number of associated proteins. Recently, evidence has accumulated for the functional cooperation between the two filament systems via associated proteins. However, little is known about the interactions of the kinesin superfamily proteins, a class of microtubule-based motor proteins, with actin filaments. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of a novel kinesin-related protein named DdKin5 from Dictyostelium. DdKin5 consists of an N-terminal conserved motor domain, a central stalk region, and a C-terminal tail domain. The motor domain showed binding to microtubules in an ATP-dependent manner that is characteristic of kinesin-related proteins. We found that the C-terminal tail domain directly interacts with actin filaments and bundles them in vitro. Immunofluorescence studies showed that DdKin5 is specifically enriched at the actin-rich surface protrusions in cells. Overexpression of the DdKin5 protein affected the organization of actin filaments in cells. We propose that a kinesin-related protein, DdKin5, is a novel actin-bundling protein and a potential cross-linker of actin filaments and microtubules associated with specific actin-based structures in Dictyostelium.     

A caspase-8-independent signaling pathway activated by Fas ligation leads to exposure of the Bak N terminus

Bak is a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family that is activated by apoptotic stimulation: its activation is characterized by conformational changes such as exposure of the N terminus and oligomerization. In death receptor-mediated apoptosis, the activation of Bak depends on activation of caspase-8. However, we found that exposure of the N terminus of Bak (but not oligomerization) can occur in the absence of active caspase-8. Although exposure of the N terminus of Bak without oligomerization is not sufficient to release cytochrome c from the mitochondria and commit cells to apoptosis, this change sensitizes the mitochondria to apoptotic signals (including Bid) and thus sensitizes cells to apoptotic death. Fas-induced, caspase-8-independent exposure of the N terminus of Bak is blocked by staurosporine, a pan protein kinase inhibitor. These results suggest that Fas stimulation not only activates caspase-8, but also a distinct signaling pathway involving protein kinase(s) to induce exposure of the N terminus of Bak.     

Photoperiod-regulated expression of the PpCOL1 gene encoding a homolog of CO/COL proteins in the moss Physcomitrella patens

The CONSTANS (CO) protein is a critical regulator of the photoperiodic control of flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. We isolated a cDNA PpCOL1 encoding a homolog of the CO/CO-LIKE (COL) family proteins from a cryptogam Physcomitrella patens. The predicted PpCOL1 protein has N-terminal zinc finger and C-terminal CCT domains, which are conserved in the angiosperm CO/COL proteins. Structurally, PpCOL1 is the most closely related to the Group Ia or Ic proteins, which include AtCO and AtCOL1/2, among diverged members of the family. A transient expression assay using GFP showed that the CCT domain of PpCOL1 contains a nuclear-localizing signal. Northern blotting analyses revealed that the PpCOL1 expression is controlled by the circadian clock, and moreover, it is photoperiodically regulated at a gametophore stage when the rate of sporophyte formation is affected by day length. These observations indicate a possible involvement of PpCOL1 as a nuclear factor in the photoperiodic regulation of reproduction of Physcomitrella.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with aggressive periodontitis and severe chronic periodontitis in Japanese

Periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease causing destruction of periodontal tissues. It is a multifactor disease involving genetic factors and oral environmental factors. To determine genetic risk factors associated with aggressive periodontitis or severe chronic periodontitis, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in multiple candidate genes were investigated in Japanese. We studied 134 patients with aggressive periodontitis, 117 patients with severe chronic periodontitis, and 125 healthy volunteers without periodontitis, under case-control setting, and 310 SNPs in 125 candidate genes were genotyped. Association evaluation by Fisher's exact test (p < 0.01) revealed statistically significant SNPs in multiple genes, not only in inflammatory mediators (IL6ST and PTGDS, associated with aggressive periodontitis; and CTSD, associated with severe chronic periodontitis), but also in structural factors of periodontal tissues (COL4A1, COL1A1, and KRT23, associated with aggressive periodontitis; and HSPG2, COL17A1, and EGF, associated with severe chronic periodontitis). These appear to be good candidates as genetic factors for future study.     

L-Glutamate in the extracellular space regulates endogenous D-aspartate homeostasis in rat pheochromocytoma MPT1 cells

In previous studies [FEBS Lett. 434 (1998) 231, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 404 (2002) 92], we demonstrated for the first time that D-aspartate (D-Asp) is synthesized in cultured mammalian cell lines, such as pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) and its subclone, MPT1. Our current focus is analysis of the dynamics of D-Asp homeostasis in these cells. In this communication, we show that L-glutamate (Glu) and L-Glu transporter substrates in the extracellular space regulate the homeostasis of endogenous D-Asp in MPT1 cells. D-Asp is apparently in dynamic homeostasis, whereby endogenous D-Asp is constantly released into the extracellular space by an undefined mechanism, and continuously and intensively taken up into cells by an L-Glu transporter. Under these conditions, L-Glu and its transporter substrates in the medium may competitively inhibit the uptake of D-Asp via the transporter, resulting in accumulation of the amino acid in the extracellular space. We additionally demonstrate that DL-TBOA, a well-established L-Glu transporter inhibitor, is taken up by the transporter during long time intervals, but not on a short time-scale.     

An anti-proliferative gene BTG1 regulates angiogenesis in vitro

B-cell translocation gene 1 (BTG1) is a member of the anti-proliferative gene family that regulates cell growth and differentiation. To clarify the role of BTG1 in angiogenesis, we examined the regulation of BTG1 expression in cultured endothelial cells and characterized its function in in vitro models of angiogenesis. BTG1 mRNA was abundantly expressed in quiescent endothelial cells. Addition of serum and angiogenic growth factors decreased BTG1 mRNA levels in endothelial cells. In contrast, BTG1 mRNA was up-regulated in tube-forming endothelial cells on Matrigel. This up-regulation was partially blocked by neutralizing antibody against transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and TGF-beta increased BTG1 mRNA levels. Inhibition of endogenous BTG1 by overexpression of antisense BTG1 resulted in inhibited network formation, and overexpression of sense BTG1 augmented tube formation in these cell lines. BTG1-overexpressing endothelial cells displayed increased cell migration. These findings suggest that BTG1 may play an important role in the process of angiogenesis.