阿尔兹海默病中tau蛋白磷酸化调节

细胞内高度磷酸化tau蛋白形成的神经纤维缠结是阿尔兹海默病的主要病理特征之一。过度磷酸化的tau蛋白将引起细胞内微管的紊乱,从而造成神经元突触连接的丢失。Tau蛋白的磷酸化受到多种因素的影响,这些因素的失常将会导致tau蛋白的异常磷酸化。Tau蛋白的基本功能和结构、翻译后的主要修饰以及蛋白激酶和磷酸酯酶的调节,在阿尔兹海默病理以及预防治疗中发挥重要作用。     

tau蛋白异常翻译后修饰在阿尔茨海默病中的作用

在阿尔茨海默病（A1zheimer’s disease,AD）中微管相关蛋白tau能够产生许多异常翻译后修饰并聚集形成配对螺旋丝（paired helical filament,PHF）。这些tau的修饰包括过磷酸化、异常糖基化、截断等,其中,过磷酸化和异常糖基化是阿尔茨海默氏病等神经退行性疾病神经元纤维化的主要分子发病机制。     

急性缺氧和急性低糖对脑片tau蛋白磷酸化的影响

为探讨急性缺氧对tau蛋白磷酸化的影响,将Wistar大鼠脑片进行不同时间的缺氧培养后,对tau蛋白的磷酸化状态及相关磷酸酯酶的活性和表达进行检测.结果显示,急性缺氧使tau蛋白多个丝氨酸位点磷酸化水平下降,蛋白磷酸酯酶～2A(PP-2A)的活性升高,其催化亚单位表达上调,而蛋白磷酸酯酶-1(PP-1)的活性及催化亚单位表达均无明显改变.该研究结果表明:急性缺氧可能通过蛋白磷酸酯酶-2A的上调而使tau蛋白多个丝氨酸位点发生去磷酸化作用.     

蛋白磷酸酯酶-1和-2A抑制剂对NG108-15细胞tau蛋白磷酸化的影响

Alzheimer痴呆(AD)的主要脑病理变化之一为由超磷酸化的tau蛋白组成的神经原纤维缠结(Neurofibrillary tangle,NFT)。AD的Tau蛋白异常磷酸化与蛋白磷酸酯酶(PP)-2A和-1缺陷有关。本文首先用免疫印迹法显示NG含两大组分的tau蛋白。MTT方法观察到PP-2A和PP-1抑制剂冈 田酸(Okadaic acid.OA)处理NG108-14细胞能导致细胞代谢明显下降,同时免疫印迹法显示OA能导致的NG细胞Tau蛋白磷酸化。该研究为建立AD样蛋白磷酸酯酶缺陷引起的tau蛋白磷酸化的细胞模型奠定了基础。     

酿酒酵母丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酯酶的功能与调控

从酿酒酵母蛋白磷酸酯酶的分类和结构特征入手,阐述了该蛋白家族中的亚家族成员丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酯酶的功能和表达调控.深入研究酿酒酵母丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酯酶,特别是PP2C蛋白磷酸酯酶的细胞功能及其调控,将对新药研发和疾病干预治疗提供重要基础.     

脑脊液β-淀粉样蛋白/磷酸化tau蛋白比值在鉴别诊断阿尔茨海默病与血管性痴呆中的价值

目的:探讨脑脊液Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及p-tau181蛋白以及Aβ1-42/t-tau和Aβ1-12/p-tau181比值鉴别诊断阿尔茨海默病(AD)与血管性痴呆(VD)的临床应用价值.方法:采用酶联免疫吸附法检测AD患者、VD患者和正常对照组(NC)脑脊液中Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及P-tau181蛋白浓度的变化.结果:An组患者脑脊液Aβ1-42越浓度显著低于VD组和NC组,t-tan蛋白及p-tau181蛋白浓度显著高于VD组和NC组.当Aβ1-42/p-tau181比值分界值为11.3时,鉴别诊断AD与VD的敏感性和特异性分别为95%和94%.结论:脑脊液Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及p-tau181蛋白浓度的变化,尤其是Aβ1-42/p-tau181比值是很好的AD与VD鉴别诊断的生物学指标.     

Tau蛋白在阿尔茨海默病中的作用

阿尔茨海默病(AD)是非常普遍的神经变性性疾病并且是老年人痴呆的主要原因。AD患者的症状特点包括进行性的认知障碍、记忆丧失和行为障碍,与大脑中的病理变化密切相关。AD现成为全球最严重的健康和社会经济问题。在AD患者脑中神经纤维网或神经营养障碍的过程中存在tau蛋白的异常。tau蛋白丧失其促微管组装的生物学功能,导致细胞骨架的破坏、丝状物形成和神经缠结,轴突运输损害,进而导致突触蛋白失去功能和神经退行性病变。其数量和结构的改变将会影响其功能而且会出现异常聚集。调节Tau蛋白的异常聚集的分子机制主要是一些翻译后修饰使其结构及构象发生变化。因此,异常磷酸化和截断的tau蛋白作为tau蛋白病理过程的关键机制而引起学者关注。本文描述了tau蛋白的结构和功能及其在AD中的主要病理变化,同时在本文中还涉及到磷酸化的tau蛋白是神经元对氧化应激的代偿反应这一观点。对tau蛋白进行更加全面的解读。     

钙调磷酸酶对阿尔茨海默病中tau蛋白异常磷酸化的作用

100年前,阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer disease,AD）被首次报道,它是一种以进行性认知障碍和记忆力损伤为主要临床特征的中枢神经系统退行性疾病,是最常见的一种老年性痴呆.由异常磷酸化的tau蛋白构成的神经元纤维缠结（neurofibrillary tangle,NFT）是AD最重要的病理学改变之一.钙调磷酸酶（calcineurin,CN）是脑组织中含量最高的一种丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酶,其活性依赖于Ca2＋和钙调蛋白.最近的研究显示,CN在脑中与NFT共定位,CN活性的下降能够导致tau蛋白在多个AD特征性位点的异常磷酸化,进而形成NFT.因而,CN活性的缺陷与AD的发生密切相关.CN活性缺陷导致的tau蛋白异常磷酸化具有可逆性,CN激活剂有望在其中扮演重要的角色.     

感染羊瘙痒因子263K株或139A株仓鼠脑组织中tau蛋白和磷酸化tau蛋白变化的研究

为探讨朊病毒病的神经病理特征,应用Western blot方法检测了感染羊瘙痒因子263K株或139A株的仓鼠脑组织中总tau蛋白和Ser396和Ser404位点发生磷酸化tau蛋白表达水平的变化;并应用Real Time PCR方法检测了tau mRNAs转录活性的改变。结果表明总tau蛋白含量升高而Ser396和Ser404位点发生磷酸化的tau蛋白含量降低,该现象与羊瘙痒因子毒株类型和临床潜伏期无关;感染羊瘙痒因子的仓鼠脑组织中Tau2和Tau4这两个异构体的转录水平升高。这些结果表明tau蛋白在Ser396和Ser404位点的去磷酸化可能与朊病毒病发病相关。     

Caspase-3 对磷酸化 tau 蛋白截断作用的研究

磷酸化 tau 是阿尔茨海默病 (Alzheimer's disease , AD) 的特征性病理改变———神经原纤维缠结 (neurofibrillary tangles , NFTs) 的主要组成部分 . 最近的研究显示： NFT 存在 Glu391 和 Asp421 位点被截断的 tau 片段,然而, tau 蛋白的磷酸化是否会影响 caspase-3 的切割作用尚不清楚 . 首先纯化重组 tau 蛋白,然后利用蛋白激酶 A (PKA) 、钙 / 钙调蛋白依赖性蛋白激酶Ⅱ (CaMK Ⅱ ) 和乳鼠海马组织抽提液对其磷酸化,并用 caspase-3 对不同磷酸化的 tau 蛋白进行切割,比较 caspase-3 对非磷酸化和不同蛋白激酶磷酸化的 tau 蛋白的切割特性 . 结果显示：除切割非磷酸化 tau 蛋白外, caspase-3 在体外可分别切割被 PKA 、 CaMK Ⅱ和乳鼠海马组织抽提液磷酸化的 tau 蛋白 . 这一结果提示：磷酸化修饰的 tau 蛋白仍然是 caspase-3 的底物 .     

Role of serine/threonine protein phosphatase in Alzheimer's disease

Accumulating evidence indicates that serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) protein phosphatases (PPs), such as PP1, PP2A and PP2B, participate in the neurodegenerative progress in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The general characteristics and pathologic changes of PP1, PP2A and PP2B in AD, and their relations with microtubule-associated proteins, focusing mainly on tau protein, neurofilament (NF), amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and synaptic plasticity are discussed. Deriving novel insight into the particular topic will attract greater attention to more active investigation and effective therapeutic intervention in the future.     

Role of protein phosphorylation on serine/threonine and tyrosine in the virulence of bacterial pathogens

Bacterial pathogens have developed a diversity of strategies to interact with host cells, manipulate their behaviors, and thus to survive and propagate. During the process of pathogenesis, phosphorylation of proteins on hydroxyl amino acids (serine, threonine, tyrosine) occurs at different stages, including cell-cell interaction and adherence, translocation of bacterial effectors into host cells, and changes in host cellular structure and function induced by infection. The phosphorylation reactions are catalyzed in a reversible fashion by specific protein kinases and phosphatases that belong to either the invading bacterial cells or the infected eukaryotic host cells. Among the various virulence factors involved in bacterial pathogenesis, special attention has been paid recently to the cell wall components, exopolysaccharides. A major breakthrough has been made by showing the existence of a biological link between the activity of certain protein-tyrosine kinases/phosphatases and the production and/or transport of surface polysaccharides. In addition, genetic studies have revealed a key role played by some serine/threonine kinases in pathogenesis. Considering the structural organization and membrane topology of these different kinases, it can be envisaged that they operate as one-component systems in signal transduction pathways, in the form of single proteins containing input and output domains on the same polypeptide chain. From a general standpoint, the demonstration of a direct relationship between protein phosphorylation on serine/threonine/tyrosine and bacterial virulence represents a novel concept of great importance in deciphering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie pathogenesis.     

Trithorax interacts with type 1 serine/threonine protein phosphatase in Drosophila

The catalytic subunit of type 1 serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP1c) was shown to bind trithorax (TRX) in the yeast two-hybrid system. Interaction between PP1c and TRX was confirmed in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation from Drosophila extracts. An amino-terminal fragment of TRX, containing a putative PP1c-binding motif, was shown to be sufficient for binding to PP1c by in vitro glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays using recombinant protein and fly extracts expressing epitope tagged PP1c. Disruption of the PP1c-binding motif abolished binding, indicating that this motif is necessary for interaction with PP1. On polytene chromosomes, PP1c is found at many discrete bands, which are widely distributed along the chromosomes. Many of the sites that stain strongly for PP1c correspond to sites of TRX, consistent with a physical association of PP1c with chromatin-bound TRX. Homeotic transformations of haltere to wing in flies mutant for trx are dominantly suppressed by PP1c mutants, indicating that PP1c not only binds TRX, but is a physiologically relevant regulator of TRX function in vivo.     

Kinetic analysis of human serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2Calpha.

The PPM family of Ser/Thr protein phosphatases have recently been shown to down-regulate the stress response pathways in eukaryotes. Within the stress pathway, key signaling kinases, which are activated by protein phosphorylation, have been proposed as the in vivo substrates of PP2C, the prototypical member of the PPM family. Although it is known that these phosphatases require metal cations for activity, the molecular details of these important reactions have not been established. Therefore, here we report a detailed biochemical study to elucidate the kinetic and chemical mechanism of PP2Calpha. Steady-state kinetic and product inhibition studies revealed that PP2Calpha employs an ordered sequential mechanism, where the metal cations bind before phosphorylated substrate, and phosphate is the last product to be released. The metal-dependent activity of PP2C (as reflected in kcat and kcat/Km), indicated that Fe2+ was 1000-fold better than Mg2+. The pH rate profiles revealed two ionizations critical for catalytic activity. An enzyme ionization with a pKa value of 7 must be unprotonated for catalysis, and an enzyme ionization with a pKa of 9 must be protonated for substrate binding. Br?nsted analysis of substrate leaving group pKa indicated that phosphomonoester hydrolysis is rate-limiting at pH 7. 0, but not at pH 8.5 where a common step independent of the nature of the substrate and alcohol product limits turnover (kcat). Rapid reaction kinetics between phosphomonoester and PP2C yielded exponential "bursts" of product formation, consistent with phosphate release being the slow catalytic step at pH 8.5. Dephosphorylation of synthetic phosphopeptides corresponding to several protein kinases revealed that PP2C displays a strong preference for diphosphorylated peptides in which the phosphorylated residues are in close proximity.     

Modulation of human neutrophil responses to CD32 cross-linking by serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors: cross-talk between serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation

The interplay between serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation was studied in human neutrophils. The direct effects of calyculin and okadaic acid, potent inhibitors of PP1 and PP2A serine/threonine phosphatases, on the patterns of neutrophil phosphorylation, and their effects on the responses of neutrophils to CD32 cross-linking were monitored. After a 2-min incubation with 10-6 M calyculin, a transient tyrosine phosphorylation of a subset of proteins, among which Cbl and Syk, was observed. After a longer incubation (>5 min) with calyculin, concomitant with an accumulation of serine and threonine phosphorylation, neutrophil responses to CD32 cross-linking were selectively altered. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl in response to CD32 cross-linking was inhibited by calyculin, and this inhibition was linked with a slower electrophoretic mobility of Cbl as a consequence of its phosphorylation on serine/threonine residues. However, tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk and of the receptor itself were not affected. Furthermore, the mobilization of intracellular calcium stimulated by CD32 cross-linking was totally abrogated by calyculin. Finally, the stimulation of superoxide production observed in response to CD32 cross-linking was enhanced in calyculin-treated cells. These results suggest that serine/threonine phosphorylation events regulate the signaling pathways activated by CD32 cross-linking in neutrophils and identify a novel mechanism of modulation of the functional responsiveness of human neutrophils to CD32 cross-linking.     

Multiple phosphorylation of membrane-associated calcium-dependent protein serine/threonine kinase in Streptomyces fradiae

In Streptomyces fradiae, calcium ions induce alterations in intensity and specificity of the secondary metabolism and stimulate aerial mycelium formation and sporulation. Using in vitro labeling, we demonstrate that in S. fradiae in the late exponential growth phosphorylation of 65-kDa membrane-associated protein is also influenced by Ca(2+) added exogenously. Calcium ions at physiological concentration stimulate intensive Ca(2+)-dependent phosphorylation of 65-kDa protein at multiple sites on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. Assay of protein kinases in situ demonstrated in the fraction of membrane-associated proteins the presence of two autophosphorylating protein serine/threonine kinases with molecular masses of 127 kDa and 65 kDa. Autophosphorylation of both proteins is also Ca(2+)-dependent.     

Regulation of ICAM-1 mRNA stability by cycloheximide: Role of serine/threonine phosphorylation and protein synthesis

Cycloheximide is a protein synthesis inhibitor that superinduces the expression of many genes by preventing the degradation of otherwise labile mRNAs. In some genes this depends on the presence of the AUUUA destabilizing multimers in the 3′UTR. We examined the effect of cycloheximide on the murine intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1; CD54) gene expression in several cell lines including A20 (B cell lymphoma), T28 (T cell hybridoma), P388D1 (monocytic cell), SVEC4-10 (lymphoid endothelial cell), and ICAM-1-transfected murine fibroblast L cells. Cycloheximide was indeed able to dramatically increase the accumulation of ICAM-1 mRNA in all the cell lines examined except T28, and this seemed to be due to the stablization of the ICAM-1 mRNA as indicated by the half-life analysis. To determine whether this effect is dependent on the 3′UTR containing the AUUUA sequences, L cells were transfected with either the full-length ICAM-1 cDNA or a truncated form lacking the AUUUA sequences in the 3′UTR (ICAM-1Δ3). There was no discernible difference in the effect of cycloheximide on ICAM-1 mRNA accumulation or half-life between the two types of transfected cells. The effect of cycloheximide on ICAM-1 mRNA was markedly suppressed by serine/threonine (ser/thr) kinase inhibitors, H-7 and staurosporine, whereas the ser/thr phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, augmented the cycloheximide effect. Inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases had no effect. Unexpectedly, the level of cell surface ICAM-1 as well as de novo synthesis of ICAM-1 in SVEC4-10 and the ICAM-1-transfected L cells were also upregulated by cycloheximide, whereas the overall protein synthesis in these cells was profoundly inhibited, suggesting that ICAM-1 protein synthesis in these cells escapes the translational inhibition by cycloheximide. These results suggest that the stabilization of ICAM-1 mRNA by cycloheximide is independent of its translational inhibition and that ser/thr phosphorylation of unidentified protein(s) seems to play a crucial role in this effect. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.