Arachidonic acid release in renal proximal tubule cell injuries and death

Arachidonic acid release and the effect of phospholipase inhibitors on various types of cell injuries and death to rabbit renal proximal tubule suspensions were determined. Proximal tubules were exposed to the mitochondrial inhibitor antimycin A (0.1 μM), the protonophore carbonyl cyanide ρ-trifluoromethoxypheitylhydrazone (1 μM FCCP), the oxidant tertbutyl hydroperoxide (0.5 mM TBHP), or the calcium ionophore ionomycin (5 μM) in the absence or presence of the putative phospholipase inhibitors dibucaine, mepacrine, chlorpromazine, or U-26384. The phospholipase inhibitors had no effect on the proximal tubule lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release (a marker of cell death) produced by FCCP, antimycin A, or ionomycin after 1,2, or 2 hours of exposure, respectively. Only dibucaine and mepacrine decreased LDH release in TBHP-treated proximal tubules without decreasing TBHP-induced lipid peroxidation. Antimycin A and ionomycin did not release arachidonic acid from proximal tubules prelabeled with [1-¹⁴C] arachidonic acid. In contrast, TBHP released arachidonic acid from proximal tubules prior to the onset of cell death, and dibucaine and mepacrine decreased the TBHP-induced release. Thus, phospholipase inhibitors were cytoprotective in those injuries that produced arachidonic acid release. These results suggest that arachidonic acid release and phospholipase A₂ activation play a contributing role in oxidant-induced renal proximal tubule cell injury and death but not in mitochondrial inhibitor- or calcium ionophore-induced proximal tubule cell injury and death.     

新生大鼠脊髓薄片交感节前神经元的长时程后超极化电位

在新生大鼠胸腰段脊髓薄片,对经腹根逆行刺激鉴定的交感节前神经元（ＳＰＮｓ）进行细胞内记录．发现部分ＳＰＮｓ有长时程后超极化电位（１１－ＳＨＰ）,其达峰时间为０．２－０．７ｓ．时程１－１０ｓ,幅度７－２０ｍＶ。１１－ＡＨＰ前部常为６—３０ｍｓ达峰、短于４００ｍｓ时程的快ＡＨＰ成分。１１－ＡＨＰ除伴有膜输入电阻降低外,还呈膜电位依赖性,翻转电位为－９０至－１００ｍＶ。结果证明１１－ＡＨＰ能起着控制ＳＰＮ的放电频率的重要作用。     

Bone morphogenetic protein down-regulation of neuronal pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide and reciprocal effects on vasoactive intestinal peptide expression

Among bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), the decapentaplegic (Dpp; BMP2, BMP4) and glass bottom boat (Gbb/60A; BMP5, BMP6, BMP7) subgroups have well-described functions guiding autonomic and sensory neuronal development, fiber formation and neurophenotypic identities. Evaluation of rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG) post-ganglionic sympathetic neuron developmental regulators identified that selected BMPs of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily have reciprocal effects on neuronal pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expression. Dpp and Gbb/60A BMPs rapidly down-regulated PACAP expression, while up-regulating other sympathetic neuropeptides, including PACAP-related VIP. The suppressive effects of BMP on PACAP mRNA and peptide expression were potent, efficacious and phosphorylated mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad) signaling-dependent. Axotomy of SCG dramatically increases PACAP expression, and the possibility that abrogation of inhibitory retrograde target tissue BMP signaling may contribute to this up-regulation of sympathetic neuron PACAP was investigated. Replacement of BMP6 to SCG explant preparations significantly blunted the injury-induced elevated PACAP expression, with a concomitant decrease in sympathetic PACAP-immunoreactive neuron numbers. These studies suggested that BMPs modulate neuropeptide identity and diversity by stimulating or restricting the expression of specific peptidergic systems. Furthermore, the liberation of SCG neurons from target-derived BMP inhibition following axotomy may be one participating mechanism associated with injury-induced neuropeptidergic plasticity.     

Nerve growth factor-stimulated neuronal differentiation induces changes in P2 receptor expression and nucleotide-stimulated catecholamine release

Extracellular nucleotides modulate synaptic transmission and neuronal communication by activating purinergic 2 (P2) (nucleotide) receptors. Here, we assessed changes in the regulation by nucleotides and their receptors of an important physiological response - release and uptake of catecholamines - that accompanies sympathoadrenal neuronal differentiation. Nerve growth factor (NGF)-promoted differentiation of pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells enhanced the ability of the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog, ATPgammaS, to stimulate catecholamine (norepinephrine, NE) release and this enhancement occurred without a significant alteration in NE uptake. In addition to ATPgammaS, 2-MeSATP and alphabetaMeATP, P2X receptor-selective agonists, caused greater NE release from NGF-differentiated than from undifferentiated PC12 cells. NGF-differentiated PC12 cells had altered mRNA expression of several P2Y and P2X receptors but protein expression was only increased for P2X, in particular P2X(1-4,) receptors and P2X, but not P2Y, receptor inhibitors blunted the NGF-promoted enhancement in nucleotide-regulated catecholamine release. Surprisingly, siRNA directed against P2X(2), the receptor with the highest expression, failed to alter NE release by ATPgammaS. These findings indicate that sympathetic neuronal differentiation by NGF increases both the expression of P2X receptor sub-types and their regulation of catecholamine release. NGF-promoted increased expression of P2X receptors thus appears to be a physiologically important response that characterizes sympathetic neuronal differentiation.     

Zinc deficiency during growth: influence on renal function and morphology

This study was designed to investigate the effects of moderate zinc deficiency during growth on renal morphology and function in adult life. Weaned male Wistar rats were divided into two groups and fed either a moderately zinc-deficient diet (zinc: 8 mg/kg, n=12) or a control diet (zinc: 30 mg/kg, n=12) for 60 days. We evaluated: renal parameters, NADPH-diaphorase and nitric oxide synthase activity in kidney, renal morphology and apoptotic cells in renal cortex. Zinc-deficient rats showed a decrease in glomerular filtration rate and no changes in sodium and potassium urinary excretion. Zinc deficiency decreased NADPH diaphorase activity in glomeruli and tubular segment of nephrons, and reduced activity of nitric oxide synthase in the renal medulla and cortex, showing that zinc plays an important role in preservation of the renal nitric oxide system. A reduction in nephron number, glomerular capillary area and number of glomerular nuclei in cortical and juxtamedullary areas was observed in zinc deficient kidneys. Sirius red staining and immunostaining for alpha-smooth muscle-actin and collagen III showed no signs of fibrosis in the renal cortex and medulla. An increase in the number of apoptotic cells in distal tubules and cortical collecting ducts neighboring glomeruli and, to a lesser extent, in the glomeruli was observed in zinc deficient rats. The major finding of our study is the emergence of moderate zinc deficiency during growth as a potential nutritional factor related to abnormalities in renal morphology and function that facilitates the development of cardiovascular and renal diseases in adult life.     

Candidate biomarkers in renal cell carcinoma

Although the human genome has been decoded, the knowledge about the pathogenesis of diseases including cancer is still limited. By focusing on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) we here summarize the data of various research groups analyzing the protein/peptide expression profiles of tumor lesions/cell lines or serum obtained from patients and respective controls. Different powerful approaches such as 2-DE, PROTEOMEX/SERPA/SPEARS, and T cell epitope discovery upon elution of MHC class I-bound peptides in combination with MS/LC-MS/MS revealed 500 differentially expressed proteins. The overlap in target recognition limits the pool to 299 unique protein identities, but only few thereof (12%) have been validated. The management, analysis, and interpretation of the distinct data sets derived from 27 publications required bioinformatic restructuring of the results. However, the comprehensive analysis of the results expands the knowledge about the pathophysiology of RCC in particular of the most prominent clear cell subtype by providing information on the differentially expressed proteins, their regulation status in RCC compared to normal kidney epithelium next to additional information on MHC-presented T cell epitopes and on serological targets. Despite the low number of validated differentially expressed proteins some of them might serve as candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis and/or as therapeutic targets.     

Profil évolutif de la dénervation cardiaque sympathique dans l’amylose héréditaire à transthyrétine

IntroductionCardiac amyloidosis is a rare disease with poor prognosis, requiring an early diagnosis. I123-MIBG plays an important role in early evaluation of sympathetic cardiac innervation, which is decreased due to amyloid infiltration. The aim of this study was to assess the temporal evolution of cardiac denervation in patients with hereditary amyloidosis, particularly the rate of progression and regional abnormalities; and to identify progression markers.MethodsForty-six patients were included. All of them were carriers of a TTR mutation or received domino liver transplantation, and underwent at least two evaluations of cardiac innervation with MIBG, between February 2011 and February 2018. Progression of cardiac denervation was determined by comparing the H/M ratio at first and final assessment. Regional abnormalities were evaluated using the perfusion/innervation mismatch on a 17 segments model. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of progression.ResultsTwenty-two patients were stable and 24 were progressive. The mean delay between two MIBG scans was 3.2 ± 1.3 years. Late H/M decreased by 3.9%/year in progressive group, and tended to accelerate after symptoms onset (− 1.4 ± 5.4 vs − 0.49 ± 2.9, P = 0.03). Regional abnormalities were initally located in the infero-latéral segments and extended to the inferior and lateral walls at final assessment. LVEF (OR: 0.90, P = 0.003) and initiation of amyloidosis targeted treatment (OR = 5,35, P = 0.003) were independent predictors of sympathetic denervation progression.ConclusionProgression of myocardial sympathetic denervation in hereditary amyloidosis is slow, but accelerates after symptoms onset. LVEF and treatment are potential progression markers. Regional abnormalities are mainly located in the inferolateral segments and tend to extend at the borders of the denervated area.     

EZH2在衰老细胞中表达下调引起Netrin-1表达增加进而促进交感神经轴突生长

交感神经在一些疾病动物模型和老年小鼠模型组织中呈现发芽生长和密度增加的趋势。这提示,交感神经与衰老密切相关。本研究采用免疫组织化学检测老年小鼠肝、肺、脾组织和人结肠腺瘤组织衰老模型中交感神经标记蛋白酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）的表达情况。结果证实,衰老组织中的交感神经密度显著增加。然而,目前对衰老组织的这种生物学改变机制尚不明确。本研究以人成纤维细胞系2BS为实验材料,经转录组测序发现,分泌性轴突导向因子导蛋白-1在衰老细胞中上调表达。ELISA和实时定量PCR结果显示,在博来霉素、离子射线、癌蛋白RasV12过表达所诱导的早衰及复制性衰老的2BS细胞中,导蛋白-1的蛋白质和mRNA表达量均比年轻对照组高。DNA损伤反应（DNA damage response,DDR）是调控衰老细胞分泌蛋白质表达的重要途径。为明确导蛋白-1在衰老细胞的上调表达是否与DDR相关,使用小分子化合物抑制DDR的重要效应分子ATM（ataxia telangiectasia mutated）和CHK2（checkpoint kinase 2）在博来霉素诱导的衰老2BS细胞中的活性。ELISA和实时定量PCR结果显示,与博来霉素诱导衰老组相比,阻断衰老细胞中的DDR活性未引起导蛋白-1表达水平的改变。提示导蛋白-1在衰老细胞中的表达不依赖于DDR途径。Western印迹检测发现组蛋白甲基转移酶EZH2在衰老细胞中的蛋白质表达明显少于年轻细胞;实时定量PCR结果表明使用小分子化合物抑制EZH2在年轻细胞中的活性引起导蛋白-1表达增加;CHIP实验检测发现,EZH2对年轻细胞的导蛋白-1启动子区DNA片段富集显著而在衰老细胞未见富集。以上结果提示EZH2在衰老细胞中的下调表达是导蛋白-1表达增加的重要原因。大鼠DRG与衰老细胞共培养结果证实,衰老细胞对交感神经具有导向作用,并且该现象依赖于导蛋白-1的分泌。根据以上结果得出结论,导蛋白-1在衰老细胞中的上调表达不依赖于DDR途径而与EZH2的下调表达相关,衰老细胞通过分泌导蛋白-1促进交感神经轴突定向生长。本研究为深入探讨衰老相关疾病的发生机制以及防治提供了新线索,具有一定的科学意义和潜在的转化应用价值。