Cloning of the pig renal organic anion transporter 1 (pOAT1)

A pig kidney cDNA library was screened for the porcine ortholog of the multispecific organic anion transporter 1 (pOAT1). Several positive clones were isolated resulting in two alternatively spliced cDNA clones of pOAT1 (pOAT1 and pOAT1A). pOAT1-cDNAs consist of 2126 or 1895 base pairs (EMBL Acc. No. AJ308234 and AJ308235) encoding 547 or 533 amino acid residue proteins with 89, 87, 83 and 81% homology to the human, rabbit, rat, and mouse OAT1, respectively. Heterologous expression of pOAT1 in Xenopus laevis oocytes revealed an apparent K(m) for [3H]PAH of 3.75 +/- 1.6 microM. [3H]PAH uptake mediated by pOAT1 was abolished by 0.5 mM glutarate or 1 mM probenecid. Functional characterization of pOAT1A did not show any affinity for [3H]PAH. In summary, we cloned two alternative splice variants of the pig ortholog of organic anion transporter 1. One splice form (pOAT1) showed typical functional characteristics of organic anion transporter 1, whereas the second form appears not to transport PAH.     

Long-term suppression of pituitary-gonadal function with three-month depot of leuprorelin acetate in a girl with central precocious puberty

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of a 3-month depot preparation of the GnRH agonist leuprorelin acetate in central precocious puberty was studied. METHODS: Treatment with a 3-month depot of leuprorelin acetate was performed subcutaneously in a 7.3-year-old girl with central precocious puberty. RESULTS: During treatment the hormonal suppression was constant and complete as demonstrated by suppressed GnRH stimulation tests and prepubertal estradiol plasma levels. The size and volume of the uterus and ovaries returned to the normal range. The rate of bone maturation was significantly reduced with a ratio deltaBA/deltaCA of 0.58 for 3 treatment years. Thus, the effects of treatment were comparable to those reported for treatment with 1-month depot of GnRH agonists. CONCLUSION: Three-month depots have the advantage of a prolonged injection interval which is more convenient for the patients and reduces costs by necessitating fewer visits to the physician and being approximately 10% cheaper than the 1-month depot. We suggest that comparative and randomized studies be performed to make 3-month depots of GnRH agonists available for routine use in children with central precocious puberty.     

Localisation of the high-affinity choline transporter-1 in the rat skeletal motor unit

The rate-limiting step in neuronal acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis is the uptake of choline via a high-affinity transporter. We have generated antisera against the recently identified transporter CHT1 to investigate its distribution in rat motor neurons and skeletal muscle and have used these antisera in combination with (1) antisera against the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) to identify cholinergic synapses and (2) Alexa-488-labelled alpha-bungarotoxin to identify motor endplates. In the motor unit, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR have demonstrated that CHT1 is restricted to motoneurons and absent from the non-neuronal ACh-synthesizing elements, e.g. skeletal muscle fibres. In addition, CHT1 is also present in parasympathetic neurons of the tongue, as evidenced by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. CHT1 immunoreativity is principally found at all segments (perikaryon, dendrites, axon) of the motoneuron but is enriched at neuro-neuronal and neuro-muscular synapses. This preferential localisation matches well with its anticipated pivotal role in synaptic transmitter recycling and synthesis.     

Massive apoptosis of colonocytes induced by butyrate deprivation overloads resident macrophages and promotes the recruitment of circulating monocytes

Our previous investigations demonstrated a rapid, massive apoptosis of colonocytes after butyrate deprivation. However, while in vitro apoptotic bodies and cells were sludged at the epithelial surface, in vivo they were phagocytosed by the resident macrophages. In the present study the guinea pig colon was perfused in vivo in the presence or absence of butyrate with the aim of identifying the cells involved in the removal of apoptotic material and the method of clearance. Morphological, immunohistochemical and DNA fragmentation analyses were applied. The results demonstrated massive apoptosis of colonocytes in the absence of butyrate. The resident macrophages were tightly clustered below the surface epithelium. Aided by cytoplasmatic projections they phagocytosed and transported apoptotic material from the epithelial intercellular spaces into their bodies. Apparently, the macrophages could not cope with the great amount of apoptotic material they had to eliminate: the recruitment of circulating monocytes occurred. This was revealed by the application of antibodies directed against MAC 387, CD68 (PG-M1), and S-100, which detected distinct monocyte/macrophage populations in the lamina propria. The recruited cells were phenotypically different from resident macrophages, their occurrence being typical in inflamed tissues. In conclusion, butyrate deprivation in vivo led to untimely death of colonocytes and triggered changes in the lamina propria indicative of an inflammatory response.     

Expression of the xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase gene, xpkA, from Lactobacillus pentosus MD363 is induced by sugars that are fermented via the phosphoketolase pathway and is repressed by glucose mediated by CcpA and the mannose phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system

Purification of xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase (XpkA), the central enzyme of the phosphoketolase pathway (PKP) in lactic acid bacteria, and cloning and sequence analysis of the encoding gene, xpkA, from Lactobacillus pentosus MD363 are described. xpkA encodes a 788-amino-acid protein with a calculated mass of 88,705 Da. Expression of xpkA in Escherichia coli led to an increase in XpkA activity, while an xpkA knockout mutant of L. pentosus lost XpkA activity and was not able to grow on energy sources that are fermented via the PKP, indicating that xpkA encodes an enzyme with phosphoketolase activity. A database search revealed that there are high levels of similarity between XpkA and a phosphoketolase from Bifidobacterium lactis and between XpkA and a (putative) protein present in a number of evolutionarily distantly related organisms (up to 54% identical residues). Expression of xpkA in L. pentosus was induced by sugars that are fermented via the PKP and was repressed by glucose mediated by carbon catabolite protein A (CcpA) and by the mannose phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system. Most of the residues involved in correct binding of the cofactor thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) that are conserved in transketolase, pyruvate decarboxylase, and pyruvate oxidase were also conserved at a similar position in XpkA, implying that there is a similar TPP-binding fold in XpkA.     

The cardiac mechanical stretch sensor machinery involves a Z disc complex that is defective in a subset of human dilated cardiomyopathy

Muscle cells respond to mechanical stretch stimuli by triggering downstream signals for myocyte growth and survival. The molecular components of the muscle stretch sensor are unknown, and their role in muscle disease is unclear. Here, we present biophysical/biochemical studies in muscle LIM protein (MLP) deficient cardiac muscle that support a selective role for this Z disc protein in mechanical stretch sensing. MLP interacts with and colocalizes with telethonin (T-cap), a titin interacting protein. Further, a human MLP mutation (W4R) associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) results in a marked defect in T-cap interaction/localization. We propose that a Z disc MLP/T-cap complex is a key component of the in vivo cardiomyocyte stretch sensor machinery, and that defects in the complex can lead to human DCM and associated heart failure.     

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide: the neglected incretin revisited

After the ingestion of fat- and glucose-rich meals, gut hormones are secreted into the circulation in order to stimulate insulin secretion. This so-called "incretin effect" is primarily conferred by Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide (GIP). In contrast to GLP-1, GIP has lost most of its insulinotropic effect in type 2 diabetic patients. In addition to its main physiological role in the regulation of endocrine pancreatic secretion, GIP exerts various peripheral effects on adipose tissue and lipid metabolism, thereby leading to increased lipid deposition in the postprandial state. In some animal models, an influence on gastrointestinal functions has been described. However, such effects do not seem to play an important role in humans. During the last years, the major line of research has focussed on GLP-1, due to its promising potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the physiological importance of GIP in the regulation of insulin secretion has been shown to even exceed that of GLP-1. Furthermore, work from various groups has provided evidence that GIP contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes to a considerable degree. Recent data with modified GIP analogues further suggested a possibility of therapeutic use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Thus, it seems worthwhile to refocus on this important and-sometimes-neglected incretin hormone. The present work aims to review the physiological functions of GIP, to characterize its role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, and to discuss possible clinical applications and future perspectives in the light of new findings.     

Amperometric enzyme biosensors based on optimised electron-transfer pathways and non-manual immobilisation procedures

Development of reagentless biosensors implies the tight and functional immobilisation of biological recognition elements on transducer surfaces. Specifically, in the case of amperometric enzyme electrodes, electron-transfer pathways between the immobilised redox protein and the electrode surface have to be established allowing a fast electron transfer concomitantly avoiding free-diffusing redox species. Based on the specific nature of different redox proteins and non-manual immobilisation procedures possible biosensor designs are discussed, namely biosensors based on (i) direct electron transfer between redox proteins and electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers; (ii) anisotropic orientation of redox proteins at monolayer-modified electrodes; (iii) electron-transfer cascades via redox hydrogels; and (iv) electron-transfer via conducting polymers.