Revisited and large-scale synthesis and purification of the mutated and wild type neu/erbB-2 membrane-spanning segment.

Solid-phase syntheses of the hydrophobic peptides Neu(TM35) ((1)EQRASPVTFIIATVVGVLLFLILVVVVGILIKRRR(35)) and Neu*(TM35) ((1)EQRASPVTFIIATVEGVLLFLILVVVVGILIKRRR(35)), corresponding to the native and mutated (V15E) transmembrane domain of the neu/erbB-2 tyrosine kinase receptor, respectively, were accomplished using Fmoc chemistry. The use of a new resin and cleavage and purification conditions led to large increases in yields and peptide purity. Two (15)N-labelled versions of both wild type and mutated peptides were also synthesized. Approximately 20-40 mg of peptide was obtained using a small-scale synthesis, whereas ca 100 mg of pure peptide was collected on a medium scale. Peptide purity, as monitored by HPLC and mass spectrometry, ranged from 95 to 98% for the six peptides synthesized. Secondary structure as determined by UV circular dichroism (CD) in trifluoroethanol (TFE) showed ca 74% alpha-helical content for the native peptide and ca 63% for that bearing the mutation. Secondary structure of Neu(TM35) was retained in DMPC (dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine)/DCPC (dicaproylphosphatidylcholine) membrane bicelles, and evidences for dimers/oligomers in the lipid bilayer were found.     

NOX2-dependent ROS is required for HDAC5 nuclear efflux and contributes to HDAC4 nuclear efflux during intense repetitive activity of fast skeletal muscle fibers

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been linked to oxidation and nuclear efflux of class IIa histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) in cardiac muscle. Here we use HDAC-GFP fusion proteins expressed in isolated adult mouse flexor digitorum brevis muscle fibers to study ROS mediation of HDAC localization in skeletal muscle. H(2)O(2) causes nuclear efflux of HDAC4-GFP or HDAC5-GFP, which is blocked by the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). Repetitive stimulation with 100-ms trains at 50 Hz, 2/s ("50-Hz trains") increased ROS production and caused HDAC4-GFP or HDAC5-GFP nuclear efflux. During 50-Hz trains, HDAC5-GFP nuclear efflux was completely blocked by NAC, but HDAC4-GFP nuclear efflux was only partially blocked by NAC and partially blocked by the calcium-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) inhibitor KN-62. Thus, during intense activity both ROS and CaMK play roles in nuclear efflux of HDAC4, but only ROS mediates HDAC5 nuclear efflux. The 10-Hz continuous stimulation did not increase the rate of ROS production and did not cause HDAC5-GFP nuclear efflux but promoted HDAC4-GFP nuclear efflux that was sensitive to KN-62 but not NAC and thus mediated by CaMK but not by ROS. Fibers from NOX2 knockout mice lacked ROS production and ROS-dependent nuclear efflux of HDAC5-GFP or HDAC4-GFP during 50-Hz trains but had unmodified Ca(2+) transients. Our results demonstrate that ROS generated by NOX2 could play important roles in muscle remodeling due to intense muscle activity and that the nuclear effluxes of HDAC4 and HDAC5 are differentially regulated by Ca(2+) and ROS during muscle activity.     

Essential role for IKKβ in production of type 1 interferons by plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are characterized by their ability to produce high levels of type 1 interferons in response to ligands that activate TLR7 and TLR9, but the signaling pathways required for IFN production are incompletely understood. Here we exploit the human pDC cell line Gen2.2 and improved pharmacological inhibitors of protein kinases to address this issue. We demonstrate that ligands that activate TLR7 and TLR9 require the TAK1-IKKβ signaling pathway to induce the production of IFNβ via a pathway that is independent of the degradation of IκBα. We also show that IKKβ activity, as well as the subsequent IFNβ-stimulated activation of the JAK-STAT1/2 signaling pathway, are essential for the production of IFNα by TLR9 ligands. We further show that TLR7 ligands CL097 and R848 fail to produce significant amounts of IFNα because the activation of IKKβ is not sustained for a sufficient length of time. The TLR7/9-stimulated production of type 1 IFNs is inhibited by much lower concentrations of IKKβ inhibitors than those needed to suppress the production of NFκB-dependent proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, suggesting that drugs that inhibit IKKβ may have a potential for the treatment of forms of lupus that are driven by self-RNA and self-DNA-induced activation of TLR7 and TLR9, respectively.     

Voltage clamp methods for the study of membrane currents and SR Ca(2+) release in adult skeletal muscle fibres

Skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (E-C)(1) coupling is a process composed of multiple sequential stages, by which an action potential triggers sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)(2) Ca(2+) release and subsequent contractile activation. The various steps in the E-C coupling process in skeletal muscle can be studied using different techniques. The simultaneous recordings of sarcolemmal electrical signals and the accompanying elevation in myoplasmic Ca(2+), due to depolarization-initiated SR Ca(2+) release in skeletal muscle fibres, have been useful to obtain a better understanding of muscle function. In studying the origin and mechanism of voltage dependency of E-C coupling a variety of different techniques have been used to control the voltage in adult skeletal fibres. Pioneering work in muscles isolated from amphibians or crustaceans used microelectrodes or 'high resistance gap' techniques to manipulate the voltage in the muscle fibres. The development of the patch clamp technique and its variant, the whole-cell clamp configuration that facilitates the manipulation of the intracellular environment, allowed the use of the voltage clamp techniques in different cell types, including skeletal muscle fibres. The aim of this article is to present an historical perspective of the voltage clamp methods used to study skeletal muscle E-C coupling as well as to describe the current status of using the whole-cell patch clamp technique in studies in which the electrical and Ca(2+) signalling properties of mouse skeletal muscle membranes are being investigated.     

The design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of potent receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Variously substituted indolin-2-ones were synthesized and evaluated for activity against KDR, Flt-1, FGFR-1 and PDGFR. Extension at the 5-position of the oxindole ring with ethyl piperidine (compound 7i) proved to be the most beneficial for attaining both biochemical and cellular potencies. Further optimization of 7i to balance biochemical and cellular potencies with favorable ADME/ PK properties led to the identification of 8h, a compound with a clean CYP profile, acceptable pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles, and robust efficacy in multiple xenograft tumor models.     

Gene flow at major transitional areas in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and the possible emergence of a hybrid swarm

The population genetic structure of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) along a transect from the Atlantic Ocean (AO) to the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) Sea differs from that of most other marine taxa in this area. Three populations (AO, Western Mediterranean [WM], EM) are recognized today, which were originally two allopatric populations. How two ancestral genetic units have evolved into three distinct units has not been addressed yet. Therefore, to investigate mechanisms that lead to the emergence of the central WM population, its current status, and its connectivity with the two parental populations, we applied 20 nuclear loci that were either gene associated or gene independent. Results confirmed the existence of three distinct gene pools, with higher differentiation at two transitional areas, the Almeria‐Oran Front (AOF) and of the Siculo‐Tunisian Strait (STS), than within any population. Significant linkage disequilibrium and heterozygote excess indicated that the STS is probably another tension zone, as already described for the AOF. Neutrality tests fail to reveal marker loci that could be driven by selection within or among metapopulations, except for locus DLA0068. Collectively, results support that the central WM population arose by trapping two tensions zones at distinct geographic locations of limited connectivity. Population assignment further revealed that WM individuals were more introgressed than individuals from the other two metapopulations. This suggests that this population might result from hybrid swarming, and was or is still seeded by genes received through the filter of each tension zone.     

DNA methylation-independent reversion of gemcitabine resistance by hydralazine in cervical cancer cells

Background

Down regulation of genes coding for nucleoside transporters and drug metabolism responsible for uptake and metabolic activation of the nucleoside gemcitabine is related with acquired tumor resistance against this agent. Hydralazine has been shown to reverse doxorubicin resistance in a model of breast cancer. Here we wanted to investigate whether epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for acquiring resistance to gemcitabine and if hydralazine could restore gemcitabine sensitivity in cervical cancer cells.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The cervical cancer cell line CaLo cell line was cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of gemcitabine. Down-regulation of hENT1 & dCK genes was observed in the resistant cells (CaLoGR) which was not associated with promoter methylation. Treatment with hydralazine reversed gemcitabine resistance and led to hENT1 and dCK gene reactivation in a DNA promoter methylation-independent manner. No changes in HDAC total activity nor in H3 and H4 acetylation at these promoters were observed. ChIP analysis showed H3K9m2 at hENT1 and dCK gene promoters which correlated with hyper-expression of G9A histone methyltransferase at RNA and protein level in the resistant cells. Hydralazine inhibited G9A methyltransferase activity in vitro and depletion of the G9A gene by iRNA restored gemcitabine sensitivity.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results demonstrate that acquired gemcitabine resistance is associated with DNA promoter methylation-independent hENT1 and dCK gene down-regulation and hyper-expression of G9A methyltransferase. Hydralazine reverts gemcitabine resistance in cervical cancer cells via inhibition of G9A histone methyltransferase.