Mutations in the second extracellular region of connexin 43 prevent localization to the plasma membrane,but do not affect its ability to suppress cell growth

Connexin 43 (Cx43), the most widely expressed gap junction protein, has a role in regulation of cell growth. In this study, we demonstrate that the point mutations F199L, R202E, and E205R in the second extracellular region of Cx43 prevent localization of the mutant proteins to the plasma membrane. The mutants were aberrantly localized in the cytoplasm if expressed in HeLa cells, which lack Cx43. Coexpression with wild-type Cx43 promoted localization of the F199L and R202E mutant proteins to the plasma membrane. By dye transfer assay, we showed that gap junctional intercellular communication (GJC) is decreased in cells expressing the mutants, compared to Cx43 wild-type-expressing cells. However, the F199L mutant does not appear to have a dominant-negative effect on GJC. Despite the loss of GJC, the ability of the F199L Cx43 mutant to inhibit growth of either Cx43-/- cells or two cancer cell lines, HeLa and C6 glioma cells, was similar to that of the wild-type Cx43. In addition, we showed that both R202E and E205R Cx43 mutant expressions cause growth retardation of HeLa cells. Therefore, the point mutations in the second extracellular region of Cx43 do not affect the ability of the mutant proteins in vitro to suppress cell growth, although they prevent localization to the plasma membrane. The results support the concept that regulation of cell growth by Cx43 does not necessarily require GJC and suggest that the growth-suppressive properties of Cx43 may be independent of the second extracellular loop.     

H-ras but not K-ras traffics to the plasma membrane through the exocytic pathway

Ras proteins must be localized to the inner surface of the plasma membrane to be biologically active. The motifs that effect Ras plasma membrane targeting consist of a C-terminal CAAX motif plus a second signal comprising palmitoylation of adjacent cysteine residues or the presence of a polybasic domain. In this study, we examined how Ras proteins access the cell surface after processing of the CAAX motif is completed in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We show that palmitoylated CAAX proteins, in addition to being localized at the plasma membrane, are found throughout the exocytic pathway and accumulate in the Golgi region when cells are incubated at 15 degrees C. In contrast, polybasic CAAX proteins are found only at the cell surface and not in the exocytic pathway. CAAX proteins which lack a second signal for plasma membrane targeting accumulate in the ER and Golgi. Brefeldin A (BFA) significantly inhibits the plasma membrane accumulation of newly synthesized, palmitoylated CAAX proteins without inhibiting their palmitoylation. BFA has no effect on the trafficking of polybasic CAAX proteins. We conclude that H-ras and K-ras traffic to the cell surface through different routes and that the polybasic domain is a sorting signal diverting K-Ras out of the classical exocytic pathway proximal to the Golgi. Farnesylated Ras proteins that lack a polybasic domain reach the Golgi but require palmitoylation in order to traffic further to the cell surface. These data also indicate that a Ras palmitoyltransferase is present in an early compartment of the exocytic pathway.     

Chloroacetamides affect the plasma membrane

In the present study membrane fatty acids were analyzed to find a link between the biosynthesis inhibition of very-long-chain fatty acids and the phytotoxic effects of herbicidal chloroacetamides. Accordingly, we have isolated membranes of cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus) by two-phase partitioning and analyzed their fatty acid content. Saturated VLCFAs ranging from C20 to C26 were found in high amounts (22%) in the plasma membrane fraction. Non-modified VLCFAs were predominantly present in phospholipids, while saturated 2-hydroxylated VLCFAs were identified in cerebrosides. Treatment of intact seedlings with chloroacetamides markedly reduced the VLCFA content in the plasma membrane. This result could be specified by fatty-acid labeling using [14C]malonate as a substrate for fatty acid elongation. De novo incorporation of VLCFAs into the plasma membrane and into microsomal membranes, respectively, was severely impaired by chloroacetamides with I50 values between 10 to 100 nM. These results confirm the previous finding that chloroacetamides inhibit VLCFA biosynthesis localized in the microsomes (B?ger et al., Pest Manage. Sci. 56, 497-508, 2000). The direct consequence of this inhibition is a strong decrease of VLCFAs required as constituents of the plasma membrane and the substitution by shorter acyl chains. Apparently, physical properties and function of the plasma membrane are affected eventually leading to death of the plant.     

Voltage-dependent calcium channels at the plasma membrane, but not vesicular channels, couple exocytosis to endocytosis

Although calcium influx triggers endocytosis at many synapses and non-neuronal secretory cells, the identity of the calcium channel is unclear. The plasma membrane voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) is a candidate, and it was recently proposed that exocytosis transiently inserts vesicular calcium channels at the plasma membrane, thus triggering endocytosis and coupling it to exocytosis, a mechanism suggested to be conserved from sea urchin to human. Here, we report that the vesicular membrane, when inserted into the plasma membrane upon exocytosis, does not generate a calcium current or calcium increase at a mammalian nerve terminal. Instead, VDCCs at the plasma membrane, including the P/Q-type, provide the calcium influx to trigger rapid and slow endocytosis and, thus, couple endocytosis to exocytosis. These findings call for reconsideration of the vesicular calcium channel hypothesis. They are likely to apply to many synapses and non-neuronal cells in which VDCCs control exocytosis, and exocytosis is coupled to endocytosis.     

Overproduction of agouti-protein did not affect cAMP level but increased steroidogenesis in adrenal glands under forskolin stimulation

Mutation Agouti yellow (Ay) in mice Ay/a results in overproduction of agouti protein (AP), adult onset of obesity, increased corticosterone responses to restrain stress as compared with a/a mice (absence of AP). The enhanced corticosterone response in restrained Ay/a-mice compared with restrained a/a-mice occurred in result of increased adrenal reactivity to ACTH. The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of AP overproduction on adenylate cyclase (AC) activity and steroidogenesis in forskolin stimulated adrenal cells. To estimate obesity influence, these parameters were measured in young (3 weeks) and adult (15 weeks) animals. The data obtained demonstrated that AP overproduction and the obesity did not affect the AC activity. However, forskolin stimulated corticosterone production in Ay/a-mice was higher than in a/a-mice (in young--during 0.5 h, in adult--during 3 hrs of incubation). So AP overproduction and obesity affect the corticosterone production. We hypothesize that AP overproduction affects steroidogenesis gene expression: accelerates gene activation in ontogenesis and increases enzyme de novo synthesis during long-term stimulation in adults.     

Arabinoxylan fibre consumption improved glucose metabolism, but did not affect serum adipokines in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.

The consumption of arabinoxylan, a soluble fibre fraction, has been shown to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetic subjects. Soluble dietary fibre may modulate gastrointestinal or adipose tissue hormones regulating food intake. The present study investigated the effects of arabinoxylan consumption on serum glucose, insulin, lipids, leptin, adiponectin and resistin in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. In a randomized, single-blind, controlled, crossover intervention trial, 11 adults consumed white bread rolls as either placebo or supplemented with 15 g arabinoxylan for 6 weeks with a 6-week washout period. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, triglycerides, unesterified fatty acids, apolipoprotein A1 and B, adiponectin, resistin and leptin were assessed before and after intervention. Fasting serum glucose, serum triglycerides and apolipoprotein A-1 were significantly lower during arabinoxylan consumption compared to placebo (p=0.029, p=0.047; p=0.029, respectively). No effects of arabinoxylan were observed for insulin, adiponectin, leptin and resistin as well as for apolipoprotein B, and unesterified fatty acids. In conclusion, the consumption of AX in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance improved fasting serum glucose, and triglycerides. However, this beneficial effect was not accompanied by changes in fasting adipokine concentrations.     

Human, but not rat, IRS1 targets to the plasma membrane in both human and rat adipocytes

Adipocytes are primary targets for insulin control of metabolism. The activated insulin receptor phosphorylates insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1), which acts as a docking protein for downstream signal mediators. In the absence of insulin stimulation, IRS1 in rat adipocytes is intracellular but in human adipocytes IRS1 is constitutively targeted to the plasma membrane. Stimulation of adipocytes with insulin increased the amount of IRS1 at the plasma membrane 2-fold in human adipocytes, but >10-fold in rat adipocytes, with the same final amount of IRS1 at the plasma membrane in cells from both species. Cross-transfection of rat adipocytes with human IRS1, or human adipocytes with rat IRS1, demonstrated that the species difference was due to the IRS1 protein and not the cellular milieus or posttranslational modifications. Chimeric IRS1, consisting of the conserved N-terminus of rat IRS1 with the variable C-terminal of human IRS1, did not target the plasma membrane, indicating that subtle sequence differences direct human IRS1 to the plasma membrane.     

Illumination does not affect the membrane potential or the plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity in Micrasterias

The membrane potential (MP) of the unicellular green alga Micrasterias torreyi was found to be −46 to −47 mV (when cultured in Waris medium). In contrast to plant cells in general, light-dark changes neither affected the potential or the membrane resistance in Micrasterias . In comparison, the freshwater plant Elodea showed a light-induced hyperpolarization due to the activating effect of light on the plasma membrane adenosine triphosphatases (PM ATPases) through a signal from chloroplasts. In Micrasterias , the PM H+-ATPase inhibitors Na-orthovanadate and diethylstilbestrol depolarized the potential, but it remained at the same level in light and dark. On the other hand, fusicoccin, which activates the PM H+-ATPases, hyperpolarized the potential clearly (to −56 mV). 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, which blocks the electron transport chain from photosystem (PS)II to PSI and thereby prevents the possible signal transmission from chloroplasts to the PM, depolarized the MP slightly, but did not affect the (lacking) light changes either. The results indicate the presence of a continuous (low) activity of PM H+-ATPases in Micrasterias , which is not stimulated by light. The lack of rapid light-induced changes in Micrasterias MP may be due to an unusual functioning of giant chloroplasts in the ion metabolism of the Micrasterias cell.     

RalA but not RalB enhances polarized delivery of membrane proteins to the basolateral surface of epithelial cells

RalA and RalB constitute a family of highly similar (85% identity) Ras-related GTPases. Recently, active forms of both RalA and RalB have been shown to bind to the exocyst complex, implicating them in the regulation of cellular secretion. However, we show here that only active RalA enhances the rate of delivery of E-cadherin and other proteins to their site in the basolateral membrane of MDCK cells, consistent with RalA being a regulator of exocyst function. One reason for this difference is that RalA binds more effectively to the exocyst complex than active RalB does both in vivo and in vitro. Another reason is that active RalA localizes to perinuclear recycling endosomes, where regulation of vesicle sorting is thought to take place, while active RalB does not. Strikingly, analysis of chimeras made between RalA and RalB reveals that high-affinity exocyst binding by RalA is due to unique amino acid sequences in RalA that are distal to the common effector-binding domains shared by RalA and RalB. Moreover, these chimeras show that the perinuclear localization of active RalA is due in part to its unique variable domain near the C terminus. This distinct localization appears to be important for RalA effects on secretion because all RalA mutants tested that failed to localize to the perinuclear region also failed to promote basolateral delivery of E-cadherin. Interestingly, one of these inactive mutants maintained binding to the exocyst complex, suggesting that RalA binding to the exocyst is necessary but not sufficient for RalA to promote basolateral delivery of membrane proteins.     

The GnRH antagonist acyline prevented ovulation, but did not affect ovarian follicular development or gestational corpora lutea in the domestic cat

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the GnRH antagonist acyline (330 μg/kg, given sc) on ovarian follicular development and ovulation, as well as on pregnancy maintenance in domestic cats. In the first experiment, seven queens in proestrus (total of 24 proestrus periods), were randomly assigned to treatment with either acyline (ACY; n = 17) or a placebo (PLC; n = 7). All queens were mated with a fertile tomcat. In the ACY and PLC groups, cessation of estrus occurred (mean ± SEM) 7.0 ± 1.3 and 7.0 ± 1.7 d after treatment (P > 0.1), ovulation occurred in 2 of 17 and all seven estrus periods (P < 0.05), and pregnancy rates were 1 of 16 and 7 of 7 (P < 0.05), respectively. In the ACY and PLC groups, intervals from treatment to the onset of the ensuing proestrus were 18.4 ± 1.7 and 120 ± 17.2 d. In the second experiment, 14 pregnant queens were randomly allocated, according to their mating date, to treatment with acyline in early pregnancy (from 20 to 25 d, n = 3), mid pregnancy (from 26 to 45 d; n = 4), late pregnancy (> 45 d; n = 3), or injection of a placebo in early (n = 1), mid (n = 2), or late pregnancy (n = 1). Ultrasonographic assessments of the uterus were done every second day for 2 wk post treatment, and serum progesterone (P₄) concentrations were determined before treatment, and at 7 and 14 d after treatment. No pregnancies were prematurely terminated and post-treatment P₄ concentrations did not differ among treatment groups (P > 0.1). In conclusion, in the domestic cat, GnRH withdrawal by acyline prevented ovulation when given in early follicular phase (proestrus), but did not significantly affect luteal function during pregnancy.     

Inhibition of HIV-1 endocytosis allows lipid mixing at the plasma membrane, but not complete fusion

Background

Dendritic cells (DCs) are among the first cells to encounter HIV-1 and play important roles in viral transmission and pathogenesis. Immature DCs allow productive HIV-1 replication and long-term viral dissemination. The pro-inflammatory factor lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces DC maturation and enhances the efficiency of DC-mediated HIV-1 transmission. Type I interferon (IFN) partially inhibits HIV-1 replication and cell-cell transmission in CD4⁺ T cells and macrophages. Tetherin is a type I IFN-inducible restriction factor that blocks HIV-1 release and modulates CD4⁺ T cell-mediated cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1. However, the role of type I IFN and tetherin in HIV-1 infection of DCs and DC-mediated viral transmission remains unknown.

Results

We demonstrated that IFN-alpha (IFNα)-induced mature DCs restricted HIV-1 replication and trans-infection of CD4⁺ T cells. Tetherin expression in monocyte-derived immature DCs was undetectable or very low. High levels of tetherin were transiently expressed in LPS- and IFNα-induced mature DCs, while HIV-1 localized into distinct patches in these DCs. Knockdown of induced tetherin in LPS- or IFNα-matured DCs modestly enhanced HIV-1 transmission to CD4⁺ T cells, but had no significant effect on wild-type HIV-1 replication in mature DCs. Intriguingly, we found that HIV-1 replication in immature DCs induced significant tetherin expression in a Nef-dependent manner.

Conclusions

The restriction of HIV-1 replication and transmission in IFNα-induced mature DCs indicates a potent anti-HIV-1 response; however, high levels of tetherin induced in mature DCs cannot significantly restrict wild-type HIV-1 release and DC-mediated HIV-1 transmission. Nef-dependent tetherin induction in HIV-1-infected immature DCs suggests an innate immune response of DCs to HIV-1 infection.     

Repeated exposure of the developing rat brain to magnetic resonance imaging did not affect neurogenesis, cell death or memory function

The effect of magnetic fields on the brain is a matter of debate. The objective of this study was to investigate whether repeated exposure to strong magnetic fields, such as during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), could elicit changes in the developing rat brain. Embryonic day 15 (E15) and postnatal day 14 (P14) rats were exposed to MRI using a 7.05 T MR system. The animals were anesthetized and exposed for 35 min per day for 4 successive days. Control animals were anesthetized but no MRI was performed. Body temperature was maintained at 37 °C. BrdU was injected after each session (50 mg/kg). One month later, cell proliferation, neurogenesis and astrogenesis in the dentate gyrus were evaluated, revealing no effects of MRI, neither in the E15, nor in the P14 group. DNA damage in the dentate gyrus in the P14 group was evaluated on P18, 1 day after the last session, using TUNEL staining. There was no difference in the number of TUNEL-positive cells after MRI compared with controls, neither in mature neurons, nor in newborn progenitors (BrdU/TUNEL double-labeled cells). Novel object recognition was performed to assess memory function 1 month after MRI. There was no difference in the recognition index observed after MRI compared with the control rats, neither for the E15, nor for the P14 group. In conclusion, repeated exposure to MRI did not appear to affect neurogenesis, cell death or memory function in rats, neither in late gestation (E15–E18) nor in young postnatal (P14–P17) rats.     

Saponins do not affect the ecdysteroid receptor complex but cause membrane permeation in insect culture cell lines

This project studied the effects of four saponins with a triterpenoid (Quillajasaponaria saponin and aescin) or steroid structure (digitonin and diosgenin which is the deglycosylated form of dioscin) on insect cells, namely Schneider S2 cells of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera). A series of different experiments were performed to investigate potential mechanisms of action by saponins with regard to ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) responsiveness, cell viability, cell membrane permeation, and induction of apoptosis with DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 like activity. Major results were that (1) exposure of S2 cells containing an EcR-based reporter construct to a concentration series of each saponin scored no EcR activation, while (2) a loss of ecdysteroid signaling was observed with median inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)'s) of 3-50 μM, and in parallel (3) a concentration-dependent change in loss of cell numbers in an cell viability assay with median effective concentrations (EC(50)'s) of 8-699 μM. In continuation, it was of interest that (4) a trypan blue assay with Q. saponaria saponin confirmed the cell membrane permeation effect leading to cell toxicity with a median lethal concentration (LC(50)) value of 44 μM, and interestingly this effect was very rapid. Another three interesting observations were that (5) exposure to 20E at 500 nM as used in the EcR-based report assay induced caspase-3 like activities which may help to explain the discrepancies between loss of EcR-responsiveness and cell viability, (6) low concentrations of saponins induced DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 like activities, confirming their potential to induce apoptosis, and (7) the saponin effects were counteracted with addition of cholesterol to the culture medium. In general the data obtained provide evidence that the anti-ecdysteroid action by saponins is not based on a true antagonistic interaction with EcR signaling, but can be explained by a cytotoxic action due to permeation of the insect cell membrane.     

Further studies on the rabbit erythroid cell plasma membrane transferrin receptor

Studies reproted here indicate that a major cell surface glycoprotein of the rabbit bone marrow erythroid cell may be involved in binding transferrin. The glycoprotein has an apparent molecular weight of 18,000. It is suggested that bone marrow erythroid cells may provide an invaluable source of the red cell membrane transferrin receptor for future studies.     

Multiple plasma membrane receptors but not NPC1L1 mediate high-affinity, ezetimibe-sensitive cholesterol uptake into the intestinal brush border membrane

We compared cholesterol uptake into brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) made from the small intestines of either wild-type or Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) knockout mice to elucidate the contribution of NPC1L1 to facilitated uptake; this uptake involves cholesterol transport from lipid donor particles into the BBM of enterocytes. The lack of NPC1L1 in the BBM of the knockout mice had no effect on the rate of cholesterol uptake. It follows that NPC1L1 cannot be the putative high-affinity, ezetimibe-sensitive cholesterol transporter in the brush border membrane (BBM) as has been proposed by others. The following findings substantiate this conclusion: (I) NPC1L1 is not a brush border membrane protein but very likely localized to intracellular membranes; (II) the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe and its analogues reduce cholesterol uptake to the same extent in wild-type and NPC1L1 knockout mouse BBMV. These findings indicate that the prevailing belief that NPC1L1 facilitates intestinal cholesterol uptake into the BBM and its interaction with ezetimibe is responsible for the inhibition of this process can no longer be sustained.     

Ionic residues of human serum transferrin affect binding to the transferrin receptor and iron release

Efficient delivery of iron is critically dependent on the binding of diferric human serum transferrin (hTF) to its specific receptor (TFR) on the surface of actively dividing cells. Internalization of the complex into an endosome precedes iron removal. The return of hTF to the blood to continue the iron delivery cycle relies on the maintenance of the interaction between apohTF and the TFR after exposure to endosomal pH (≤6.0). Identification of the specific residues accounting for the pH-sensitive nanomolar affinity with which hTF binds to TFR throughout the cycle is important to fully understand the iron delivery process. Alanine substitution of 11 charged hTF residues identified by available structures and modeling studies allowed evaluation of the role of each in (1) binding of hTF to the TFR and (2) TFR-mediated iron release. Six hTF mutants (R50A, R352A, D356A, E357A, E367A, and K511A) competed poorly with biotinylated diferric hTF for binding to TFR. In particular, we show that Asp356 in the C-lobe of hTF is essential to the formation of a stable hTF-TFR complex: mutation of Asp356 in the monoferric C-lobe hTF background prevented the formation of the stoichiometric 2:2 (hTF:TFR monomer) complex. Moreover, mutation of three residues (Asp356, Glu367, and Lys511), whether in the diferric or monoferric C-lobe hTF, significantly affected iron release when in complex with the TFR. Thus, mutagenesis of charged hTF residues has allowed identification of a number of residues that are critical to formation of and release of iron from the hTF-TFR complex.     

Mutation of the iron ligand His 249 to Glu in the N-lobe of human transferrin abolishes the dilysine "trigger" but does not significantly affect iron release

Serum transferrin is the major iron transport protein in humans. Its function depends on its ability to bind iron with very high affinity, yet to release this bound iron at the lower intracellular pH. Possible explanations for the release of iron from transferrin at low pH include protonation of a histidine ligand and the existence of a pH-sensitive "trigger" involving a hydrogen-bonded pair of lysines in the N-lobe of transferrin. We have determined the crystal structure of the His249Glu mutant of the N-lobe half-molecule of human transferrin and compared its iron-binding properties with those of the wild-type protein and other mutants. The crystal structure, determined at 2.4 A resolution (R-factor 19.8%, R(free) 29.4%), shows that Glu 249 is directly bound to iron, in place of the His ligand, and that a local movement of Lys 296 has broken the dilysine interaction. Despite the loss of this potentially pH-sensitive interaction, the H249E mutant is only slightly more acid-stable than wild-type and releases iron slightly faster. We conclude that the loss of the dilysine interaction does make the protein more acid stable but that this is counterbalanced by the replacement of a neutral ligand (His) by a negatively charged one (Glu), thus disrupting the electroneutrality of the binding site.     

Structural alteration of the target plasma membrane affects reception but not expression of the neural inductive signal

We have previously reported that incubation of presumptive neuroectoderm in a solution of lectin (soybean agglutinin or garden pea agglutinin at 50 micrograms ml-1, 30 min) prior to its association with blastoporal lip inhibits neural induction (Duprat et al., 1982). We have also shown that incubation of presumptive ectoderm immediately after its association with blastoporal lip does not prevent neural induction. The same pattern of fluorescence on the ectodermal surface was observed when incubation with lectin was carried out before or after association of ectoderm with blastoporal lip. Although a particular molecular organization of the plasma membrane of the target ectoderm appears to be essential for reception or initiation of neural induction, the subsequent transmission and expression of this neural information does not appear to be affected by structural modifications of the target membrane. Similar studies performed using the inducer Con A indicated that the experimentally induced signal differed from the natural one.     

Ankyrin and band 3 differentially affect expression of membrane glycoproteins but are not required for erythroblast enucleation

During late stages of mammalian erythropoiesis the nucleus undergoes chromatin condensation, migration to the plasma membrane, and extrusion from the cytoplasm surrounded by a segment of plasma membrane. Since nuclear condensation occurs in all vertebrates, mammalian erythroid membrane and cytoskeleton proteins were implicated as playing important roles in mediating the movement and extrusion of the nucleus. Here we use erythroid ankyrin deficient and band 3 knockout mouse models to show that band 3, but not ankyrin, plays an important role in regulating the level of erythroid cell membrane proteins, as evidenced by decreased cell surface expression of glycophorin A in band 3 knockout mice. However, neither band 3 nor ankyrin are required for enucleation. These results demonstrate that mammalian erythroblast enucleation does not depend on the membrane integrity generated by the ankyrin-band 3 complex.