G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5) deficiency has been linked recently to early Alzheimer disease (AD), but the mechanism by which GRK5 deficiency may contribute to AD pathogenesis remains elusive. Here we report that overexpression of dominant negative mutant of GRK5 (dnGRK5) in a cholinergic neuronal cell line led to decreased acetylcholine (ACh) release. This reduction was fully corrected by pertussis toxin, atropine (a nonselective muscarinic antagonist), or methoctramine (a selective M2/M4 muscarinic receptor antagonist). Consistent with results in cultured cells, high potassium-evoked ACh release in hippocampal slices from young GRK5 knock-out mice was significantly reduced compared with wild type littermates, and this reduced ACh release was also fully corrected by methoctramine. In addition, following treatment with the nonselective muscarinic agonist oxotremorine-M, M2, and M4 receptors underwent significantly reduced internalization in GRK5KO slices compared with wild type slices, as assessed by plasma membrane retention of receptor immunoreactivity, whereas M1 receptor internalization was not affected by loss of GRK5 expression. Moreover, Western blotting revealed no synaptic or cholinergic degenerative changes in young GRK5 knock-out mice. Altogether, these results suggest that GRK5 deficiency leads to a reduced hippocampal ACh release and cholinergic hypofunction by selective impairment of desensitization of presynaptic M2/M4 autoreceptors. Because this nonstructural cholinergic hypofunction precedes the hippocampal cholinergic hypofunction associated with structural cholinergic degeneration and cognitive decline in aged GRK5 knock-out mice, this nonstructural alteration may be an early event contributing to cholinergic degeneration in AD.G protein-coupled receptor kinase-5 (GRK5)2 is one of the seven GRK family members whose primary function is to desensitize G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) (1, 2). We recently reported that increased soluble β-amyloid decreases membrane (functional) levels of GRK5 in vitro, and this membrane GRK5 deficiency occurs in vivo as well in an Alzheimer disease (AD) transgenic model (3) and in postmortem human AD brain samples (4). Moreover, the aged GRK5 knock-out (GRK5KO) mouse, which models this GRK5 deficiency in the absence of exogenous mutant human β-amyloid precursor protein (β-APP) or any other known AD-related genes (i.e. presenilins or tau), develops axonal defects and mild cholinergic degeneration with associated amnestic mild cognitive impairment (5). When Swedish mutant βAPP is overexpressed in the GRK5KO mice by cross-breeding with Swedish APP transgenic mice, the aged double mutant mice display significantly exaggerated brain inflammation (6). These accumulating data strongly suggest that GRK5 deficiency significantly contributes to AD pathogenesis, although the precise molecular mechanisms remain to be delineated.Mounting evidence indicates that the substrate spectrum of broadly expressed GRKs (i.e. GRK2/3/5/6) can significantly overlap for some receptors, suggesting that a lack of one of these members may have only a limited impact on GPCR regulation (2). On the other hand, compensation for loss of a particular GRK member by others in vivo can be incomplete or selective for other receptor types. For example, GRK2KO and GRK6KO mice have been shown to display selective impairments of adrenergic and dopaminergic receptor desensitization, respectively (7, 8). Findings from different GRK isoform-targeted animals strongly support the conclusion that although redundancy exists between GRK isoforms, each isoform has its own selective substrates; should one GRK be deficient or inactivated, desensitization of its selective substrates will be impaired (1). For GRK5 in particular, previous studies have demonstrated that GRK5KO mice display selectively impaired desensitization of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) (9, 10).To date, five mAChR subtypes have been identified, with M1, M3, and M5 receptors being Gq/11-coupled, and M2 and M4 receptors being Gi/o-coupled (11). In hippocampal memory circuits, M2 receptor (M2R) is primarily a presynaptic autoreceptor that inhibits ACh release (12, 13), whereas M1R is postsynaptic and is believed to be critical in memory processes involving an interaction between the cerebral cortex and hippocampus (11). In AD, there is a selective loss of cholinergic neurons that leads to a cholinergic hypofunction, primarily a hypoactivity of postsynaptic nicotinic and M1 muscarinic receptors (14). GRK5KO mice, when challenged with nonselective muscarinic agonists, display augmented hypothermia, hypoactivity, tremor, and salivation, as well as antinociceptive changes (9). These behavioral changes are typical M2 and/or M4 receptor-mediated functions, according to the findings from muscarinic receptor subtype knock-out mice (11, 15). Therefore, GRK5 deficiency in vivo may selectively impair M2/M4R desensitization. If so, the resulting presynaptic M2/M4R hyperactivity would overly inhibit ACh release from cholinergic neurons and eventually compromise the learning and memory function. This study was undertaken to investigate the impact of GRK5 deficiency on ACh release and desensitization of mAChR subtypes using GRK5-deficient models both in vitro and in hippocampal slices from the GRK5KO mice. 相似文献
Female hypocretin knockout (Hcrt KO) mice have increased body weight despite decreased food intake compared to wild type (WT) mice. In order to understand the nature of the increased body weight, we carried out a detailed study of Hcrt KO and WT, male, and female mice. Female KO mice showed consistently higher body weight than WT mice, from 4 to 20 months (20–60%). Fat, muscle, and free fluid levels were all significantly higher in adult (7–9 months) as well as old (18–20 months) female KO mice compared to age‐matched WT mice. Old male KO mice showed significantly higher fat content (150%) compared to age‐matched WT mice, but no significant change in body weight. Respiratory quotient (?19%) and metabolic rates (?14%) were significantly lower in KO mice compared to WT mice, regardless of gender or age. Female KO mice had significantly higher serum leptin levels (191%) than WT mice at 18–20 months, but no difference between male mice were observed. Conversely, insulin resistance was significantly higher in both male (73%) and female (93%) KO mice compared to age‐ and sex‐matched WT mice. We conclude that absence of the Hcrt peptide has gender‐specific effects. In contrast, Hcrt‐ataxin mice and human narcoleptics, with loss of the whole Hcrt cell, show weight gain in both sexes.
Hyperoxia causes acute lung injury along with an increase of oxidative stress and inflammation. It was hypothesized that vitamin E deficiency might exacerbate acute hyperoxic lung injury. This study used alpha-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (alpha-TTP KO) mice fed a vitamin E-deficient diet (KO E(-) mice) as a model of severe vitamin E deficiency. Compared with wild-type (WT) mice, KO E(-) mice showed a significantly lower survival rate during hyperoxia. After 72 h of hyperoxia, KO E(-) mice had more severe histologic lung damage and higher values of the total cell count and the protein content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) than WT mice. IL-6 mRNA expression in lung tissue and the levels of 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (8-iso-PGF(2alpha)) in both lungs and BALF were higher in KO E(-) mice than in WT mice. It was concluded that severe vitamin E deficiency exacerbates acute hyperoxic lung injury associated with increased oxidative stress or inflammation. 相似文献
These studies were designed to determine if the atria contains natriuretic substances that act through a non-natriuretic peptide type A (NPRA) receptor mechanism. C57BL/6 mice, either wild-type NPRA++ (WT) or NPRA-- knockout (KO), were anesthetized with pentobarbital. Catheters were placed in the trachea, carotid artery, jugular vein, and bladder. Urine was collected for six 30-min periods. Both groups received an iv injection of 100 ng of rat atrial natriuretic peptide (rANP) in 200 microl of saline after the first period (30 mins) and 200 microl of rat atrial extract after the fourth period (120 mins). ANP injection increased urine flow (UF) to 2.7 +/- 0.5 microl/min in the WT versus 1.9 +/- 0.2 in KO. Extract increased UF to 7.9 +/- 1.5 microl/min in WT versus 2.7 +/- 0.4 in KO (P < 0.01). ANP increased sodium excretion (ENa) to 0.47 +/- 0.10 micromoles/min in WT versus 0.27 +/- 0.04 in KO (P < 0.05). Extract increased ENa to 1.44 +/- 0.47 micromoles/min in WT versus 0.26 +/- 0.06 in KO (P < 0.05). Extract decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) to 62 +/- 3 mm Hg in the WT versus 81 +/- 5 in KO (P < 0.01). ENa and MAP responses to extract in KO were not different from responses to 200 microl of saline. A constant 150-min infusion of rat atrial extract increased urine flow by 3-fold and ENa by 5-fold (both P < 0.05) in the WT mice but had no significant effect in the KO mice. Thus, acute renal and MAP responses to atrial extracts require the NPRA receptor. 相似文献