Autophagy and the integrated stress response

Autophagy is a tightly regulated pathway involving the lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic organelles or cytosolic components. This pathway can be stimulated by multiple forms of cellular stress, including nutrient or growth factor deprivation, hypoxia, reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, protein aggregates, damaged organelles, or intracellular pathogens. Both specific, stimulus-dependent and more general, stimulus-independent signaling pathways are activated to coordinate different phases of autophagy. Autophagy can be integrated with other cellular stress responses through parallel stimulation of autophagy and other stress responses by specific stress stimuli, through dual regulation of autophagy and other stress responses by multifunctional stress signaling molecules, and/or through mutual control of autophagy and other stress responses. Thus, autophagy is a cell biological process that is a central component of the integrated stress response.     

Tissue transglutaminase and the stress response

Summary. The expression of the protein crosslinking enzyme tissue transglutaminase (TG2, tTG), the ubiquitous member of transglutaminase family, can be regulated by multiple factors. Although it has been suggested that TG2 can be involved in apoptotic cell death, high levels of enzyme have also been associated with cell survival in response to different stimuli. Furthermore, evidence indicates that increases in TG2 production cause enzyme translocation to cell membrane. Cell stress can also lead to TG2 accumulation on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix resulting in changes in cell-matrix interactions. Here, we discuss the underlying mechanisms of TG2 up-regulation induced by various stimuli including glutamate exposure, calcium influx, oxidative stress, UV, and inflammatory cytokines. These findings agree with a postulated role for transglutaminases in molecular mechanisms involved in several diseases suggesting that cross-linking reactions could be a relevant part of the biochemical changes observed in pathological conditions.     

Protein degradation and the stress response

Environmental stresses are manifold and so are the responses they elicit. This is particularly true for higher eukaryotes where various tissues and cell types are differentially affected by the insult. Type and scope of the stress response can therefore differ greatly among cell types. Given the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) for most cellular processes, it comes as no surprise that the UPR plays a pivotal role in counteracting the effects of stressors. Here we outline contributions of the UPS to stress sensing, signaling, and response pathways. We make no claim to comprehensiveness but choose selected examples to illustrate concepts and mechanisms by which protein modification with ubiquitin and proteasomal degradation of key regulators ensures cellular integrity during stress situations.     

ER stress and the unfolded protein response

Conformational diseases are caused by mutations altering the folding pathway or final conformation of a protein. Many conformational diseases are caused by mutations in secretory proteins and reach from metabolic diseases, e.g. diabetes, to developmental and neurological diseases, e.g. Alzheimer's disease. Expression of mutant proteins disrupts protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), causes ER stress, and activates a signaling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR increases the biosynthetic capacity of the secretory pathway through upregulation of ER chaperone and foldase expression. In addition, the UPR decreases the biosynthetic burden of the secretory pathway by downregulating expression of genes encoding secreted proteins. Here we review our current understanding of how an unfolded protein signal is generated, sensed, transmitted across the ER membrane, and how downstream events in this stress response are regulated. We propose a model in which the activity of UPR signaling pathways reflects the biosynthetic activity of the ER. We summarize data that shows that this information is integrated into control of cellular events, which were previously not considered to be under control of ER signaling pathways, e.g. execution of differentiation and starvation programs.     

Hfq modulates the sigmaE-mediated envelope stress response and the sigma32-mediated cytoplasmic stress response in Escherichia coli

Hfq, a chaperone for small noncoding RNAs, regulates many processes in Escherichia coli, including the sigma(S)-mediated general stress response. Here we used microarray analysis to identify the changes in gene expression resulting from lack of Hfq. We identify several potential new targets for Hfq regulation, including genes encoding outer membrane proteins, enzymes, factors, and transporters. Many of these genes are involved in amino acid uptake and biosynthesis, sugar uptake and metabolism, and cell energetics. In addition, we find altered regulation of the sigma(E)- and sigma(32)-mediated stress responses, which we analyze further. We show that cells lacking Hfq induce the sigma(E)-mediated envelope stress response and are defective in sigma(E)-mediated repression of outer membrane proteins. We also show that the sigma(32)-mediated cytoplasmic stress response is repressed in cells lacking Hfq due to increased expression of DnaK. Furthermore, we show that cells lacking Hfq are defective in the "long-term adaptation" of sigma(32) to chronic chaperone overexpression. Together, our results indicate that Hfq may play a general role in stress response regulation in E. coli.     

Hypertonic stress response

Mammalian renal inner medullary cells are normally exposed to extremely high NaCl concentrations. Remarkably, under these normal conditions, the high NaCl causes DNA damage and inhibits its repair, yet the cells survive and function both in cell culture and in vivo. The interstitial NaCl concentration in parts of a normal renal medulla can be 500 mM or more, depending on the species. Studies of how the cells survive and function despite this extreme stress have led to the discovery of protective adaptations, including accumulation of large amounts of organic osmolytes, which normalize cell volume and intracellular ionic strength, despite the hypertonicity of the high NaCl. Those adaptations, however, do not prevent DNA damage. High NaCl induces DNA breaks rapidly, and the DNA breaks persist even after the cells become adapted to the high NaCl. The adapted cells proliferate rapidly in cell culture and function adequately in vivo despite the DNA breaks. Both in cell culture and in vivo the breaks are rapidly repaired if the NaCl concentration is lowered. Although acute elevation of NaCl causes transient cell cycle arrest and, when the elevation is too extreme, apoptosis, proliferation of adapted cells is not arrested in culture and apoptosis is not evident either in culture or in vivo. Further, high NaCl impairs activation of several components of the classical DNA damage response such as Mre11, H2AX and Chk1 leading to inhibition of DNA repair. Nevertheless, other regular participants in the DNA damage response, such as Gadd45a, Gadd153, p53, Hsp70, and ATM are still upregulated by high NaCl. How high NaCl causes the DNA breaks and how the cells survive them is conjectural at this point. We discuss possible answers to these questions, based on current knowledge about induction and processing of DNA breaks.     

Ceramide in the eukaryotic stress response

Several extracellular agents and stress stimuli, such as tumour necrosis factor alpha, chemotherapeutic agents and heat, cause ceramide accumulation. They do this by regulating enzymes involved in its metabolism. Ceramide modulates a number of biochemical and cellular responses to stress, including apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest and cell senescence.     

Oxidative stress and cellular stress response in diabetic nephropathy

Oxidative stress has been suggested to play a main role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications. As a consequence of this increased oxidative status, a cellular-adaptive response occurs requiring functional chaperones, antioxidant production, and protein degradation. This study was designed to evaluate systemic oxidative stress and cellular stress response in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes-induced nephropathy and in age-matched healthy subjects. Systemic oxidative stress has been evaluated by measuring advanced glycation end-products (pentosidine), protein oxidation (protein carbonyls [DNPH]), and lipid oxidation (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal [HNE] and F2-isoprostanes) in plasma, lymphocytes, and urine, whereas the lymphocyte levels of the heat shock proteins (Hsps) heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Hsp70, and Hsp60 as well as thioredoxin reductase-1 (TrxR-1) have been measured to evaluate the systemic cellular stress response. We found increased levels of pentosidine (P < 0.01), DNPH (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), HNE (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), and F2-isoprostanes (P < 0.01) in all the samples from type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy with respect to control group. This was paralleled by a significant induction of cellular HO-1, Hsp60, Hsp70, and TrxR-1 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). A significant upregulation of both HO-1 and Hsp70 has been detected also in lymphocytes from type 2 diabetic patients without uraemia. Significant positive correlations between DNPH and Hsp60, as well as between the degree of renal failure and HO-1 or Hsp70, also have been found in diabetic uremic subjects. In conclusion, patients affected by type 2 diabetes complicated with nephropathy are under condition of systemic oxidative stress, and the induction of Hsp and TrxR-1 is a maintained response in counteracting the intracellular pro-oxidant status.     

Polyphosphate and stress response in mycobacteria

Polyphosphate (poly P) is present in every living cell. Long considered a 'molecular fossil', its role in cell physiology has been neglected. However, in the last few years it has become clear that poly P plays a role in multiple physiological functions, the best characterized of which is rpoS and recA induction during the Escherichia coli stringent response. Sureka et al. in this issue of Molecular Microbiology investigate the role of poly P in mycobacterial stress response and describe its participation in a novel regulatory pathway involving the two-component system MprAB, the alternative sigma factor sigma(E) and Rel, the enzyme responsible for (p)ppGpp metabolism in mycobacteria.     

Cellular stress response and pulmonary inflammation

Innate immunity as the first line of the immune system, provides initial protection against various pathogens and infections. Recent studies suggest a link between cell stress response and immune response upon exogenous insults in the lung. The key proteins in cellular stress responses were demonstrated to be involved in the activation and regulation of the immune signaling pathways. Further research on the function of these stress proteins in innate immunity defenses, particularly in pulmonary diseases and inflammation may help to clarify the disease pathogenesis and provide potential therapeutic treatments for various infectious and inflammatory lung diseases.     

c-Abl与应激损伤调控

非受体酪氨酸激酶c-Abl广泛表达于人和哺乳动物等的细胞中并受到严格调控,通过蛋白之间相互作用、与DNA相互作用及其酪氨酸激酶活性在一系列的重要生命活动中发挥调节作用。在应激损伤反应如DNA损伤反应中．c-Abl的Ser^465被ATM和DNA-PK磷酸化而激活,通过与Rad51、p53和p73等分子的相互作用参与DNA重组修复、细胞周期和细胞凋亡等的调控,不同信号途径之间的平衡决定细胞的生存和死亡。     

The aging stress response

Aging is the outcome of a balance between damage and repair. The rate of aging and the appearance of age-related pathology are modulated by stress response and repair pathways that gradually decline, including the proteostasis and DNA damage repair networks and mitochondrial respiratory metabolism. Highly conserved insulin/IGF-1, TOR, and sirtuin signaling pathways in turn control these critical cellular responses. The coordinated action of these signaling pathways maintains cellular and organismal homeostasis in the face of external perturbations, such as changes in nutrient availability, temperature, and oxygen level, as well as internal perturbations, such as protein misfolding and DNA damage. Studies in model organisms suggest that changes in signaling can augment these critical stress response systems, increasing life span and reducing age-related pathology. The systems biology of stress response signaling thus provides a new approach to the understanding and potential treatment of age-related diseases.