Molecular architecture of the ribosome‐bound Hepatitis C Virus internal ribosomal entry site RNA

Internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs) are structured cis‐acting RNAs that drive an alternative, cap‐independent translation initiation pathway. They are used by many viruses to hijack the translational machinery of the host cell. IRESs facilitate translation initiation by recruiting and actively manipulating the eukaryotic ribosome using only a subset of canonical initiation factor and IRES transacting factors. Here we present cryo‐EM reconstructions of the ribosome 80S‐ and 40S‐bound Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) IRES. The presence of four subpopulations for the 80S•HCV IRES complex reveals dynamic conformational modes of the complex. At a global resolution of 3.9 Å for the most stable complex, a derived atomic model reveals a complex fold of the IRES RNA and molecular details of its interaction with the ribosome. The comparison of obtained structures explains how a modular architecture facilitates mRNA loading and tRNA binding to the P‐site. This information provides the structural foundation for understanding the mechanism of HCV IRES RNA‐driven translation initiation.     

Hormone-regulated expression and distribution of versican in mouse uterine tissues

Background  

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix is one of the most striking features observed in the uterus during the estrous cycle and after hormone replacement. Versican (VER) is a hyaluronan-binding proteoglycan that undergoes RNA alternative splicing, generating four distinct isoforms. This study analyzed the synthesis and distribution of VER in mouse uterine tissues during the estrous cycle, in ovariectomized (OVX) animals and after 17beta-estradiol (E2) and medroxyprogesterone (MPA) treatments, either alone or in combination.     

Nerve growth factor in human amniotic and cerebrospinal fluid

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a polypeptide hormone involved in development of the sympathetic and central nervous systems. The detection and measurement of NGF in clinical samples would be useful in evaluating its role in various disease states. In this report, NGF activity and protein levels have been investigated in human amniotic fluid and cerebrospinal fluid samples. In amniotic fluid, NGF activity was found at levels ranging from less than 10 pM to nanomolar. The activity in all samples was blocked by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to mouse NGF. The finding of NGF in clinically obtainable samples raises the possibility of correlating NGF levels with a variety of disorders in which changes in NGF levels or activity have been implicated.     

Internalization of nerve growth factor by PC12 cells. A description of cellular pools

Binding and internalization of nerve growth factor (NGF) by responsive cells is a complex process. We have incubated rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) with 125I-NGF at 37 degrees C and measured the association of ligand after removal of subsets of bound ligand by different methods. Chase with unlabeled NGF at either 4 or 37 degrees C, acid stripping, nonionic detergent stability, and combinations of these protocols were utilized. These variations of the binding assay were able to distinguish ligand bound to fast versus slow cell surface receptors, NGF bound to slow receptors at the cell surface versus cell interior, and soluble ligand versus cytoskeletally attached NGF. Quantitative and temporal relations among five cellular pools were defined. Experiments with the inhibitors chloroquine, cytochalasin B, and colchicine defined pools of NGF in terms of the route through the cell from the plasma membrane to the lysosome. Chloroquine caused accumulation of NGF only in the pool that was not associated with the cytoskeleton, implicating the involvement of this pool in supplying ligand to the lysosome. Results with cytochalasin B and colchicine suggest that both microfilaments and microtubules are involved in pathways leading to NGF degradation. A semiquantitative model for the movement of NGF through the cell is presented based on these observations.     

Binding characterization of the interleukin-13 signaling complex and development of a ternary time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay

Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a critical mediator of pulmonary pathology associated with asthma. Drugs that block the biological function of IL-13 may be an effective treatment for asthma. IL-13 signals by forming a ternary complex with IL-13Rα1 and IL-4R. Genetic variants of IL-13 and of its receptor components have been linked to asthma. One in particular, IL-13R110Q, is associated with increased IgE levels and asthma. We characterized the interactions of the binary complexes composed of IL-13 or IL-13R110Q with IL-13Rα1 and the ternary complexes composed of IL-13 or IL-13R110Q and IL-13Rα1 with IL-4R using surface plasmon resonance and time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET). By both biophysical methods, we found no differences between IL-13 and IL-13R110Q binding in either the binary or the ternary complex. IL-4R bound to the IL-13/IL-13Rα1 complex with slow on and off rates, resulting in a relatively weak affinity of about 100 nM. We developed a TR-FRET assay targeting the interaction between the IL-4R and the binary complex. Two antibodies with known binding epitopes to IL-13 that block binding to either IL-13Rα1 or IL-4R inhibited the TR-FRET signal formed by the ternary complex. This assay will be useful to identify and characterize inhibitory molecules of IL-13 function.     

Treatment with apolipoprotein A-1 mimetic peptide reduces lupus-like manifestations in a murine lupus model of accelerated atherosclerosis

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of L-4F, an apolipoprotein A-1 mimetic peptide, alone or with pravastatin, in apoE^-/-Fas^-/-C57BL/6 mice that spontaneously develop immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies, glomerulonephritis, osteopenia, and atherosclerotic lesions on a normal chow diet.

Methods

Female mice, starting at eight to nine weeks of age, were treated for 27 weeks with 1) pravastatin, 2) L-4F, 3) L-4F plus pravastatin, or 4) vehicle control, followed by disease phenotype assessment.

Results

In preliminary studies, dysfunctional, proinflammatory high-density lipoproteins (piHDL) were decreased six hours after a single L-4F, but not scrambled L-4F, injection in eight- to nine-week old mice. After 35 weeks, L-4F-treated mice, in the absence/presence of pravastatin, had significantly smaller lymph nodes and glomerular tufts (P_{L, LP} < 0.05), lower serum levels of IgG antibodies to double stranded DNA (dsDNA) (P_L < 0.05) and oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs) (P_{L, LP} < 0.005), and elevated total and vertebral bone mineral density (P_{L, LP} < 0.01) compared to vehicle controls. Although all treatment groups presented larger aortic root lesions compared to vehicle controls, enlarged atheromas in combination treatment mice had significantly less infiltrated CD68⁺ macrophages (P_LP < 0.01), significantly increased mean α-actin stained area (P_LP < 0.05), and significantly lower levels of circulating markers for atherosclerosis progression, CCL19 (P_{L, LP} < 0.0005) and VCAM-1 (P_L < 0.0002).

Conclusions

L-4F treatment, alone or with pravastatin, significantly reduced IgG anti-dsDNA and IgG anti-oxPLs, proteinuria, glomerulonephritis, and osteopenia in a murine lupus model of accelerated atherosclerosis. Despite enlarged aortic lesions, increased smooth muscle content, decreased macrophage infiltration, and decreased pro-atherogenic chemokines in L-4F plus pravastatin treated mice suggest protective mechanisms not only on lupus-like disease, but also on potential plaque remodeling in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and accelerated atherosclerosis.     

IgE generation and mast cell effector function in mice deficient in IL-4 and IL-13

IL-4 and IL-13 are potent cytokines that drive production of IgE, which is critical to the development of atopic disease. In this study, we directly compared IgE generation and IgE-dependent mast cell effector function in mouse strains lacking IL-4, IL-13, IL-4 + IL-13, or their common receptor component, IL-4Ralpha. Although serum IgE was undetectable under resting conditions in most animals deficient in one or both cytokines, peritoneal mast cells from mice lacking IL-4 or IL-13 had only partial reductions in surface IgE level. In contrast, peritoneal mast cells from IL-4/13(-/-) and IL-4Ralpha(-/-) animals were severely deficient in surface IgE, and showed no detectable degranulation following treatment with anti-IgE in vitro. Surprisingly, however, intradermal challenge with high concentrations of anti-IgE Ab induced an ear-swelling response in these strains, implying some capacity for IgE-mediated effector function in tissue mast cells. Furthermore, upon specific immunization with OVA, both IL-4/IL-13(-/-) and IL-4Ralpha(-/-) mice produced detectable levels of serum IgE and Ag-specific IgG1, and generated strong ear-swelling responses to intradermal administration of anti-IgE. These findings suggest that a mechanism for IgE production exists in vivo that is independent of IL-4 or IL-13.