Probing the different chaperone activities of the bacterial HSP70-HSP40 system using a thermolabile luciferase substrate

During mild heat-stress, a native thermolabile polypeptide may partially unfold and transiently expose water-avoiding hydrophobic segments that readily tend to associate into a stable misfolded species, rich in intra-molecular non-native beta-sheet structures. When the concentration of the heat-unfolded intermediates is elevated, the exposed hydrophobic segments tend to associate with other molecules into large stable insoluble complexes, also called "aggregates." In mammalian cells, stress- and mutation-induced protein misfolding and aggregation may cause degenerative diseases and aging. Young cells, however, effectively counteract toxic protein misfolding with a potent network of molecular chaperones that bind hydrophobic surfaces and actively unfold otherwise stable misfolded and aggregated polypeptides. Here, we followed the behavior of a purified, initially mostly native thermolabile luciferase mutant, in the presence or absence of the Escherichia coli DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE chaperones and/or of ATP, at 22 °C or under mild heat-stress. We concomitantly measured luciferase enzymatic activity, Thioflavin-T fluorescence, and light-scattering to assess the effects of temperature and chaperones on the formation, respectively, of native, unfolded, misfolded, and/or of aggregated species. During mild heat-denaturation, DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE+ATP best maintained, although transiently, high luciferase activity and best prevented heat-induced misfolding and aggregation. In contrast, the ATP-less DnaK and DnaJ did not maintain optimal luciferase activity and were less effective at preventing luciferase misfolding and aggregation. We present a model accounting for the experimental data, where native, unfolded, misfolded, and aggregated species spontaneously inter-convert, and in which DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE+ATP specifically convert stable misfolded species into unstable unfolded intermediates.     

Azelnidipine prevents cardiac dysfunction in streptozotocin-diabetic rats by reducing intracellular calcium accumulation, oxidative stress and apoptosis

Background

In the general population, peripheral metabolic complications (MC) increase the risk for left ventricular dysfunction. Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) are associated with MC, left ventricular dysfunction, and a higher incidence of cardiovascular events than the general population. We examined whether myocardial nutrient metabolism and left ventricular dysfunction are related to one another and worse in HIV infected men treated with cART vs. HIV-negative men with or without MC.

Methods

Prospective, cross-sectional study of myocardial glucose and fatty acid metabolism and left ventricular function in HIV+ and HIV-negative men with and without MC. Myocardial glucose utilization (GLUT), and fatty acid oxidation and utilization rates were quantified using ¹¹C-glucose and ¹¹C-palmitate and myocardial positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in four groups of men: 23 HIV+ men with MC+ (HIV+/MC+, 42 ± 6 yrs), 15 HIV+ men without MC (HIV+/MC-, 41 ± 6 yrs), 9 HIV-negative men with MC (HIV-/MC+, 33 ± 5 yrs), and 22 HIV-negative men without MC (HIV-/MC-, 25 ± 6 yrs). Left ventricular function parameters were quantified using echocardiography.

Results

Myocardial glucose utilization was similar among groups, however when normalized to fasting plasma insulin concentration (GLUT/INS) was lower (p < 0.01) in men with metabolic complications (HIV+: 9.2 ± 6.2 vs. HIV-: 10.4 ± 8.1 nmol/g/min/μU/mL) than men without metabolic complications (HIV+: 45.0 ± 33.3 vs. HIV-: 60.3 ± 53.0 nmol/g/min/μU/mL). Lower GLUT/INS was associated with lower myocardial relaxation velocity during early diastole (r = 0.39, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Men with metabolic complications, irrespective of HIV infection, had lower basal myocardial glucose utilization rates per unit insulin that were related to left ventricular diastolic impairments, indicating that well-controlled HIV infection is not an independent risk factor for blunted myocardial glucose utilization per unit of insulin.

Trial Registration

NIH Clinical Trials NCT00656851     

Modeling the human intestinal Mucin (MUC2) C-terminal cystine knot dimer

Intestinal mucus, a viscous secretion that lines the mucosa, is believed to be a barrier to absorption of many therapeutic compounds and carriers, and is known to play an important physiological role in controlling pathogen invasion. Nevertheless, there is as yet no clear understanding of the barrier properties of mucus, such as the nature of the molecular interactions between drug molecules and mucus components as well as those that govern gel formation. Secretory mucins, large and complex glycoprotein molecules, are the principal determinants of the viscoelastic properties of intestinal mucus. Despite the important role that mucins play in controlling transport and in diseases such as cystic fibrosis, their structures remain poorly characterized. The major intestinal secretory mucin gene, MUC2, has been identified and fully sequenced. The present study was undertaken to determine a detailed structure of the cysteine-rich region within the C-terminal end of human intestinal mucin (MUC2) via homology modeling, and explore possible configurations of a dimer of this cysteine-rich region, which may play an important role in governing mucus gel formation. Based on sequence–structure alignments and three-dimensional modeling, a cystine knot tertiary structure homologous to that of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is predicted at the C-terminus of MUC2. Dimers of this C-terminal cystine knot (CTCK) were modeled using sequence alignment based on HCG and TGF-beta, followed by molecular dynamics and simulated annealing. Results support the formation of a cystine knot dimer with a structure analogous to that of HCG.      

Foxp3 and IL-10 expression correlates with parasite burden in lesional tissues of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) patients

Background

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), a sequel to visceral leishamaniasis (VL) in 5–15% cases, constitutes a parasite reservoir important in disease transmission. The precise immunological cause of PKDL outcome remains obscure. However, overlapping counter regulatory responses with elevated IFN-γ and IL-10 are reported.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Present study deals with ex-vivo mRNA and protein analysis of natural regulatory T cells (nTreg) markers (Foxp3, CD25 and CTLA-4) and IL-10 levels in lesion tissues of PKDL patients at pre and post treatment stages. In addition, correlation of nTreg markers and IL-10 with parasite load in tissue lesions was investigated. mRNA levels of nTreg markers and IL-10 were found significantly elevated in pre-treatment PKDL cases compared to controls (Foxp3, P = 0.0009; CD25 & CTLA-4, P<0.0001; IL-10, P<0.0001), and were restored after treatment. Analysis of nTreg cell markers and IL-10 in different clinical manifestations of disease revealed elevated levels in nodular lesions compared to macules/papules. Further, Foxp3, CD25 and IL-10 mRNA levels directly correlated with parasite load in lesions tissues.

Conclusion/Significance

Data demonstrated accumulation of nTreg cells in infected tissue and a correlation of both IL-10 and nTreg levels with parasite burden suggesting their role in disease severity in PKDL.