Induction of 5-aminolevulinate synthase by activators of steroid biosynthesis

Different cytochromes P450 are involved in steroid biosynthesis. These cytochromes have heme as the prosthetic group. We previously reported that ACTH, an activator of glucocorticoid biosynthesis in adrenal, requires heme biosynthesis for a maximal response. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ACTH, and the effect of two activators of the adrenal mineralocorticoid synthesis, endothelin-1 and low sodium diet on 5-aminolevulinate-synthase (ALA-s) mRNA. ALA-s is the rate-limiting enzyme in heme biosynthesis. It was found that infusion of rats with ACTH for 1 h caused an increase of adrenal ALA-s mRNA and activity accompanied by an increase in plasma corticosterone. CYP21, a cytochrome involved in the synthesis of both corticosterone and aldosterone, was not modified at the RNA level in adrenal glands by 1 h of ACTH infusion. Consistently, infusion of endothelin-1 for 1 h increased ALA-s mRNA and aldosterone content in adrenal gland without modifying CYP21 mRNA levels. To study if ALA-s is also regulated by the main physiological stimuli that increase adrenal mineralocorticoid secretion, we fed rats with low salt diet for 2 or 15 days. Low salt diet treatment increased adrenal gland ALA-s mRNA levels. On the other hand, the rapid stimulation of ALA-s mRNA by ACTH which acts through cyclic AMP was confirmed in H295R human adrenocortical cells, the only human adrenal cell line that has a steroid secretion pattern and regulation similar to primary cultures of adrenal cells. Our findings suggest that the acute activation of adrenal steroidogenic cytochromes by trophic hormones involves an increase in heme biosynthesis which will favor the production of active cytochromes.     

The role of mu opioid receptor desensitization and endocytosis in morphine tolerance and dependence

Following activation, most G protein coupled receptors undergo regulation by a cascade of events that promote receptor desensitization and endocytosis. Following endocytosis, receptors can then be recycled to the plasma membrane, retained in an intracellular compartment, or targeted for degradation. For receptors that are recycled, like the mu opioid receptor (MOR), endocytosis serves as the first step toward resensitizing receptors. For receptors that are degraded, endocytosis serves as the first step toward receptor downregulation. Thus, for receptors like the MOR, the desensitization-endocytosis-resensitization cycle serves as a rapid and dynamic means to titrate signaling through the receptor. However, not all agonist ligands at the MOR promote the same degree of receptor desensitization and endocytosis. For example, the endogenous peptide ligands at the MOR induce rapid desensitization, endocytosis, and recycling. By contrast, morphine induces only weak or partial desensitization and little to no endocytosis. As a consequence, signal transduction promoted by morphine is less dynamic than that induced by endogenous ligands as well as other opioid agonists that promote endocytosis. The resulting imbalance of desensitization-endocytosis-resensitization has at least two consequences: (1) in cell types where morphine induces desensitization but not endocytosis and/or resensitization, desensitization is protracted; (2) in cell types where morphine induces neither desensitization nor endocytosis, prolonged signaling through the receptor leads to multiple cellular adaptations downstream of receptor-G protein coupling. Both protracted desensitization and adaptive cellular changes probably contribute to the pronounced in vivo tolerance and dependence that occur with chronic morphine treatment. As a consequence, facilitating receptor endocytosis, using either genetic or pharmacological approaches, can restore the balance of signaling through the receptor and affect the development of tolerance and dependence.     

Caloric restrictions affect some factors involved in age-related hypercholesterolemia

Ageing has been defined as a progressive decrease in physiological capacity and a reduced ability to respond to environmental stresses. It has been observed that diet-restricted animals show a minor morbidity in age-related disease. Among these age-related diseases, hypercholesterolemia is the most recurring one and it is often associated with cardiac failure. Several studies have been published indicating age-dependent changes in circulating levels of cholesterol in both humans and in rodents; recently changes have also been reported in the proteins involved in cholesterol homeostasis, that is, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoAR), Insig-induced gene (Insig) protein, SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP), sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr). Most age-related modifications of biochemical parameters are normalized or very improved in food-restricted animals, so the aim of this work is to examine whether or not alterations of the factors involved in cholesterol homeostasis which occur during ageing could be counteracted by caloric restriction (CR). The data show that the diet restrictions used attenuate the age-related effects on the factors involved in the synthesis and the degradation rate of HMG-CoAR; in spite of this, CRs have a good effect on the age-related hypercholesterolemia whose reduction seems to depend both on the correct membrane LDLr localization and on the proper restored HMG-CoAR activity.     

Pleistocene camelids from the Syrian Desert: The diversity in El Kowm

The family Camelidae has been present in Eurasia since the latest Miocene, and several species are recognized, but their evolution is poorly known. The region of El Kowm, central Syria, includes several sites spanning the Early to Late Pleistocene and provides the only abundant fossil record of camelids in the Middle East. Our preliminary results show that several species are present over the sequence, revealing some surprising evolutionary trends.     

The Oldowan site Aïn al Fil (El Kowm,Syria) and the first humans of the Syrian Desert

At present, the oldest traces of human cultures are found in Eastern Africa. New discoveries set anew the questions about human and animal dispersal into Eurasia. For over 1.8 million years, humans have been present in the Levant. An extensive program of surveys and excavations in the Syrian Desert showed that this part of the world was a very ancient land of settlement. In Central Syria, the oldest site, Aïn al Fil in the region of El Kowm, was excavated in 2008 and 2010. The lithic industry in the lowest layer can be characterized by numerous unretouched flakes, pebble-tools and core-like artefacts. This assemblage is typical in a broad sense of archaic Palaeolithic the debitage of which corresponds to mode 1. From a techno-typological point of view, this industry tallies quite well with the so-called Oldowan stage. It shows remarkable similarities with the oldest African assemblages. From a chronologic point of view, these levels occur before three positive events in the Matuyama paleomagnetic sequence. It seems consistent to place the Oldowan sequence around 1.8 Ma BP within the Olduvai subchron or just before Olduvai/Matuyama reversal limit. Together with those of the neighbouring site Hummal, these levels would be the oldest traces of human presence ever found in Syria. In the Levant, the first humans not only occupied favourable zones but regularly ventured deep into less welcoming environments suggesting an astonishing flexibility in their behavioural and survival skills.     

Building bridges: formin1 of Arabidopsis forms a connection between the cell wall and the actin cytoskeleton

Actin microfilament (MF) organization and remodelling is critical to cell function. The formin family of actin binding proteins are involved in nucleating MFs in Arabidopsis thaliana. They all contain formin homology domains in the intracellular, C‐terminal half of the protein that interacts with MFs. Formins in class I are usually targeted to the plasma membrane and this is true of Formin1 (AtFH1) of A. thaliana. In this study, we have investigated the extracellular domain of AtFH1 and we demonstrate that AtFH1 forms a bridge from the actin cytoskeleton, across the plasma membrane and is anchored within the cell wall. AtFH1 has a large, extracellular domain that is maintained by purifying selection and that contains four conserved regions, one of which is responsible for immobilising the protein. Protein anchoring within the cell wall is reduced in constructs that express truncations of the extracellular domain and in experiments in protoplasts without primary cell walls. The 18 amino acid proline‐rich extracellular domain that is responsible for AtFH1 anchoring has homology with cell‐wall extensins. We also have shown that anchoring of AtFH1 in the cell wall promotes actin bundling within the cell and that overexpression of AtFH1 has an inhibitory effect on organelle actin‐dependant dynamics. Thus, the AtFH1 bridge provides stable anchor points for the actin cytoskeleton and is probably a crucial component of the signalling response and actin‐remodelling mechanisms.     

Development of ligands at γ-aminobutyrric acid type A (GABAA) receptor subtype as new agents for pain relief

The identification of compounds with selective anxiolytic-like effects, exerted through the benzodiazepine site on γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) receptors, and that show pronounced antihyperalgesia in several pain models, has oriented research towards the development of new agents for the relief of pain. Starting from our previously reported ligands at the benzodiazepine site on GABA_A receptors showing selective anxiolytic-like effects, we have designed new compounds with the aim of identifying those devoid of the typical side effects of the classical benzodiazepines. Our preliminary results indicate that compounds 4, 10(±) and 11 have a very promising antihyperalgesic profile in different animal pain models (peripheral mono-neuropathy, STZ-induced hyperalgesia). In particular 11 exhibits high potency since it exerted its protective effect starting from the dose of 3 mg/kg po, after single injection.