Identification by microarray analysis of aspartate aminotransferase and glutamine synthetase as glucocorticoid target genes in a mouse Schwann cell line

Schwann cells have been identified as targets for glucocorticoids. Besides genes implicated in the myelination process, the target genes of glucocorticoids have not been identified in these cells. For that purpose, we performed microarray analysis on MSC80 (mouse Schwann cells) treated with a synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone. These cells express a functional glucocorticoid receptor (GR), but none of the other steroid receptors. This allowed us to identify genes specifically regulated by GR in the absence of the mineralocorticoid receptor. Among the 5000 genes analyzed, 12 were at least two-fold upregulated and 91 genes were at least two-fold down-regulated upon treatment with dexamethasone. Because of their potential role in Schwann cell homeostasis, we selected, for further analysis, the upregulated genes encoding glutamine synthetase (GS) and cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (cAspAT). These genes play a crucial role in the glutamate cycle which was shown to be vital in neuron-astrocyte cross-talk in the central nervous system. Their activation was confirmed by semi-quantitative and real-time PCR. A detailed analysis of cAspAT promoter activity revealed that the mechanism of regulation by GR in Schwann cells differs from that in hepatoma cells, suggesting a cell-specific regulation. The transactivation potency of the two Glucocorticoid Responsive Units (GRU) present in the cAspAT promoter seems to be dependent on the levels of the GR in MSC80 cells. Furthermore, we show that an increase in GR levels under certain circumstances could considerably potentiate the effects of glucocorticoids on the cAspAT promoter via synergistic activation of both GRU, To the opposite, an enhancement in GR levels did not further potentiate Dex-activation of the GS promoter, showing a differential mechanism of action of GR in the context of both promoters.     

A biogeographic pattern in sparrow bill morphology: parallel adaptation to tidal marshes

The study of ecological convergence, the evolution of similar traits on multiple occasions in response to similar conditions, is a powerful method for developing and testing adaptive hypotheses. However, despite the great attention paid to geographic variation and the foraging ecology of birds, surprisingly few cases of convergent or parallel feeding adaptations have been adequately documented. In this study, we document a biogeographic pattern of parallel bill morphology across 10 sparrow taxa endemic to tidal marshes. All North American tidal marsh sparrows display parallel differentiation from close relatives in other habitats, suggesting that selection on bill morphology is strong. Relative to their body mass, tidal marsh sparrows have longer, thinner bills than their non-tidal marsh counterparts, which is likely an adaptation for consuming more invertebrates and fewer seeds, as well as for probing in sediment crevices to capture prey. Published data on tidal marsh food resources and diet of the relevant taxa support this hypothesis. This morphological differentiation is most pronounced between sister taxa with the greatest estimated divergence times, but is found even in taxa that show little or no structure in molecular genetic markers. We, therefore, speculate that tidal marsh ecosystems are likely settings for ecological speciation.     

Influence of hypoxia on the domiciliation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells after infusion into rats: possibilities of targeting pulmonary artery remodeling via cells therapies?

Background

Bone marrow (BM) cells are promising tools for vascular therapies. Here, we focused on the possibility of targeting the hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery hypertension remodeling with systemic delivery of BM-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into non-irradiated rats.

Methods

Six-week-old Wistar rats were exposed to 3-week chronic hypoxia leading to pulmonary artery wall remodeling. Domiciliation of adhesive BM-derived CD45^- CD73⁺ CD90⁺ MSCs was first studied after a single intravenous infusion of Indium-111-labeled MSCs followed by whole body scintigraphies and autoradiographies of different harvested organs. In a second set of experiments, enhanced-GFP labeling allowed to observe distribution at later times using sequential infusions during the 3-week hypoxia exposure.

Results

A 30% pulmonary retention was observed by scintigraphies and no differences were observed in the global repartition between hypoxic and control groups. Intrapulmonary radioactivity repartition was homogenous in both groups, as shown by autoradiographies. BM-derived GFP-labeled MSCs were observed with a global repartition in liver, in spleen, in lung parenchyma and rarely in the adventitial layer of remodeled vessels. Furthermore this global repartition was not modified by hypoxia. Interestingly, these cells displayed in vivo bone marrow homing, proving a preservation of their viability and function. Bone marrow homing of GFP-labeled MSCs was increased in the hypoxic group.

Conclusion

Adhesive BM-derived CD45^- CD73⁺ CD90⁺ MSCs are not integrated in the pulmonary arteries remodeled media after repeated intravenous infusions in contrast to previously described in systemic vascular remodeling or with endothelial progenitor cells infusions.     

Perceptual and neural olfactory similarity in honeybees

The question of whether or not neural activity patterns recorded in the olfactory centres of the brain correspond to olfactory perceptual measures remains unanswered. To address this question, we studied olfaction in honeybees Apis mellifera using the olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension response. We conditioned bees to odours and tested generalisation responses to different odours. Sixteen odours were used, which varied both in their functional group (primary and secondary alcohols, aldehydes and ketones) and in their carbon-chain length (from six to nine carbons).The results obtained by presentation of a total of 16 × 16 odour pairs show that (i) all odorants presented could be learned, although acquisition was lower for short-chain ketones; (ii) generalisation varied depending both on the functional group and the carbon-chain length of odours trained; higher generalisation was found between long-chain than between short-chain molecules and between groups such as primary and secondary alcohols; (iii) for some odour pairs, cross-generalisation between odorants was asymmetric; (iv) a putative olfactory space could be defined for the honeybee with functional group and carbon-chain length as inner dimensions; (v) perceptual distances in such a space correlate well with physiological distances determined from optophysiological recordings of antennal lobe activity. We conclude that functional group and carbon-chain length are inner dimensions of the honeybee olfactory space and that neural activity in the antennal lobe reflects the perceptual quality of odours.     

Depolarization activates ERK and proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) independently in different cellular compartments in hippocampal slices

In the hippocampus, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the non-receptor protein proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) are activated by depolarization and involved in synaptic plasticity. Both are also activated under pathological conditions following ischemia, convulsions, or electroconvulsive shock. Although in non-neuronal cells PYK2 activates ERK through the recruitment of Src-family kinases (SFKs), the link between these pathways in the hippocampus is not known. We addressed this question using K(+)-depolarized rat hippocampal slices. Depolarization increased the phosphorylation of PYK2, SFKs, and ERK. These effects resulted from Ca(2+) influx through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and were diminished by GF109203X, a protein kinase C inhibitor. Inhibition of SFKs with PP2 decreased PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation dramatically, but not its autophosphorylation on Tyr-402. Moreover, PYK2 autophosphorylation and total tyrosine phosphorylation were profoundly altered in fyn-/- mice, revealing an important functional relationship between Fyn and PYK2 in the hippocampus. In contrast, ERK activation was unaltered by PP2, Fyn knock-out, or LY294002, a phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase inhibitor. ERK activation was prevented by MEK inhibitors that had no effect on PYK2. Immunofluorescence of hippocampal slices showed that PYK2 and ERK were activated in distinct cellular compartments in somatodendritic regions and nerve terminals, respectively, with virtually no overlap. Activation of ERK was critical for the rephosphorylation of a synaptic vesicle protein, synapsin I, following depolarization, underlining its functional importance in nerve terminals. Thus, in hippocampal slices, in contrast to cell lines, depolarization-induced activation of non-receptor tyrosine kinases and ERK occurs independently in distinct cellular compartments in which they appear to have different functional roles.     

Fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase: potential role in oxidative stress protection and regulation of its gene expression by insulin

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling regulates the expression of several genes involved in lipid and glucose homeostasis; deregulation of these genes may contribute to insulin resistance and progression toward type 2 diabetes. By employing RNA arbitrarily primed-PCR to search for novel phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-regulated genes in response to insulin in isolated rat adipocytes, we identified fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), a key component of the detoxification pathway of aldehydes arising from lipid peroxidation events. Among these latter events are oxidative stresses associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Upon insulin injection, FALDH mRNA expression increased in rat liver and white adipose tissue and was impaired in two models of insulin-resistant mice, db/db and high fat diet mice. FALDH mRNA levels were 4-fold decreased in streptozotocin-treated rats, suggesting that FALDH deregulation occurs both in hyperinsulinemic insulin-resistant state and hypoinsulinemic type 1 diabetes models. Moreover, insulin treatment increases FALDH activity in hepatocytes, and expression of FALDH was augmented during adipocyte differentiation. Considering the detoxifying role of FALDH, its deregulation in insulin-resistant and type 1 diabetic models may contribute to the lipid-derived oxidative stress. To assess the role of FALDH in the detoxification of oxidized lipid species, we evaluated the production of reactive oxygen species in normal versus FALDH-overexpressing adipocytes. Ectopic expression of FALDH significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production in cells treated by 4-hydroxynonenal, the major lipid peroxidation product, suggesting that FALDH protects against oxidative stress associated with lipid peroxidation. Taken together, our observations illustrate the importance of FALDH in insulin action and its deregulation in states associated with altered insulin signaling.     

Helicobacter pylori heat shock protein 60 mediates interleukin-6 production by macrophages via a toll-like receptor (TLR)-2-, TLR-4-, and myeloid differentiation factor 88-independent mechanism

Helicobacter pylori has been reported to induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in monocytes/macrophages and in chronically inflamed gastric tissues. The mechanism by which H. pylori induces IL-6 production in macrophages, however, has not been investigated. To identify the H. pylori factor responsible for this activity, we fractionated soluble proteins from H. pylori strain 26695 by ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography and screened the fractions for IL-6-inducing activity on RAW 264.7 macrophages. A single protein was purified and identified by mass spectrometry as H. pylori heat shock protein 60 (HSP60). Consistent with the observed IL-6-inducing activity of H. pylori HSP60, soluble protein extracts of H. pylori 26695 and SS1 strains that were depleted of this protein by affinity chromatography had dramatically reduced IL-6-inducing activities. The immunopurified HSP60 stimulated IL-6 production in macrophages. When stimulated with H. pylori HSP60 or intact bacteria, peritoneal macrophages from mice deficient in Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2, TLR-4, TLR-2/TLR-4, and myeloid differentiation factor 88 produced the same amount of IL-6 than macrophages from wild-type mice, demonstrating the independence of H. pylori HSP60 responses from these signaling molecules. H. pylori HSP60-induced IL-6 mRNA expression, and NF-kappaB activation in RAW 264.7 cells was abrogated in the presence of MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor. In contrast, inhibitors of protein kinase A or C, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase had no effect on IL-6 mRNA levels. This study demonstrates the induction of innate immune responses by H. pylori HSP60, thereby implicating this highly conserved protein in the pathophysiology of chronic gastritis.