Induction of actin cytoskeleton rearrangement by methyl okadaate--comparison with okadaic acid

Methyl okadaate is a derivative of the lipophilic polyether okadaic acid (OA), a well-known inducer of apoptosis. OA inhibits Ser/Thr protein phosphatases (PPs), among them types 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A), whereas methyl okadaate lacks PP1/PP2A inhibitory activity in vitro. As progressive loss of neuronal cytoarchitecture is a major event that precedes neuronal death, in this work we studied comparatively the effects of both toxins on actin cytoskeleton organization in human neuroblastoma cells by filamentous actin (F-actin) labeling with the specific dye Oregon Green 514 Phalloidin. Neither methyl okadaate nor OA modified the amount of F-actin per cell. However, confocal microscopy imaging showed that methyl okadaate induced reorganization of actin cytoskeleton, loss of the typical flattened morphology and adoption of a round shape, and a reduction in the number of neurites, with a consequent loss of cell attachment. These effects were identical to those induced by OA, although methyl okadaate potency was approximately 10-fold lower. In order to investigate the role of membrane potential and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in morphological changes induced by these toxins, the cells were stained with bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)-trimethine oxonol and fura-2. No toxin effect was detected on membrane potential or calcium influx, indicating that these two signals are not responsible for cytoskeletal/morphological change induction. Methyl okadaate induced an increase of Ser/Thr phosphorylation of cellular proteins detected by western blot, showing similar phosphorylation profiles to OA. Our data suggest that methyl okadaate is an active compound that shares a pharmacological target with OA that may be a Ser/Thr phosphatase, probably different from PP1 and PP2A.     

Comparison of ELISA and SPR biosensor technology for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins

An enzyme labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor assay for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins were developed and a comparative evaluation was performed. A polyclonal antibody (BC67) used in both assay formats was raised to saxitoxin–jeffamine–BSA in New Zealand white rabbits. Each assay format was designed as an inhibition assay. Shellfish samples (n = 54) were evaluated by each method using two simple rapid extraction procedures and compared to the AOAC high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the mouse bioassay (MBA). The results of each assay format were comparable with the HPLC and MBA methods and demonstrate that an antibody with high sensitivity and broad specificity to PSP toxins can be applied to different immunological techniques. The method of choice will depend on the end-users needs. The reduced manual labor and simplicity of operation of the SPR biosensor compared to ELISA, ease of sample extraction and superior real time semi-quantitative analysis are key features that could make this technology applicable in a high-throughput monitoring unit.     

Requirement of protein phosphatase 2A for recruitment of IQGAP1 to Rac-bound beta1 integrin

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP) 2A is thought to dephosphorylate phosphorylated beta1 integrin to link with actin filaments (F-actin). However, whether PP2A participates in the regulation of F-actin assembly to which beta1 integrin is anchored is unclear. We report here that the core enzyme of PP2A (PP2A-AC), consisting of the regulatory subunit A (PP2A-A) and the catalytic subunit C (PP2A-C), forms a complex with beta1 integrin, a small GTPase Rac, and its effector IQGAP1 in non-malignant human mammary epithelial (HME) cells. Treatment of HME cells with okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of PP2A, caused cell rounding, reduction in F-actin assembly that links with beta1 integrin, and dissociation of IQGAP1-bound PP2A-AC from Rac-beta1 integrin. The dissociation of IQGAP1-PP2A-AC was accompanied by loss of F-actin gelating activity of Rac-beta1 integrin. In breast cancer MCF-7 cells, which possess PP2A-C but lack PP2A-A, IQGAP1 was not associated with Rac-beta1 integrin but with PP2A-C, with no distinct F-actin assembly that linked to Rac-beta1 integrin even before treatment with OA. We therefore propose that PP2A, especially PP2A-A, functions to maintain F-actin assembly to which beta1 integrin is anchored by recruitment of IQGAP1 to Rac-beta1 integrin.     

Development of an immunochromatographic strip test for the rapid detection of okadaic acid in shellfish sample

A rapid detection technology for okadaic acid (OA) in shellfish with one-step immunochromatographic assay using colloidal gold-labeled monoclonal antibody (Mab) probe was developed. OA is one of the diarrhetic shellfish toxins. Firstly, OA was conjugated to bovine serum albumin, and the conjugations as immunogen were injected into mice to raise the polyclonal antibody against OA. Hybridoma cells fused between spleen cells from immunized mouse and myeloma cells (Sp2/0) were prepared and injected into mice intraperitoneally at 1?×?10⁶?cells to produce monoclonal antibody in the ascitic fluid. With the monoclonal antibody against OA, the idc-ELISA assay was established to detect OA. The calibration curve for OA was linear over the concentration range of 0.31–50 ng mL^?1, and the detection limit for OA was 0.45 ng mL^?1. On that basis, paper test strips for detecting OA were prepared, and a fast detection method for okadaic acid using gold-labeled immunological assay was established. With the paper test strips, the detection limit was 6.25 ng mL^?1, and whole detection process for OA in shellfish samples needed only about 40 min.     

Conjugation of genetically engineered protein phosphatases to magnetic particles for okadaic acid detection

This work presents the functional characterisation of a protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) catalytic subunit obtained by genetic engineering and its conjugation to magnetic particles (MPs) via metal coordination chemistry for the subsequent development of assays for diarrheic lipophilic marine toxins. Colorimetric assays with free enzyme have allowed the determination of the best enzyme activity stabiliser, which is glycerol at 10%. They have also demonstrated that the recombinant enzyme can be as sensitive towards okadaic acid (OA) (LOD = 2.3 μg/L) and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1) (LOD = 15.2 μg/L) as a commercial PP2A and, moreover, it has a higher operational stability, which makes possible to perform the protein phosphatase inhibition assay (PPIA) with a lower enzyme amount. Once conjugated to MPs, the PP2A catalytic subunit still retains its enzyme activity and it can also be inhibited by OA (LOD = 30.1 μg/L).     

Protein phosphatase 1, but not protein phosphatase 2A, dephosphorylates DNA-damaging stress-induced phospho-serine 15 of p53

Okadaic acid (OA) is a protein phosphatase (PP) inhibitor and induces hyperphosphorylation of p53. We investigated whether the inhibition of PP1 by OA promotes the phosphorylation of the serine 15 of p53. In vitro dephosphorylation assay showed that PP1 dephosphorylated ultraviolet C (UVC)-induced phospho-ser15 of p53, and that OA treatment inhibited it. One of the PP1 regulators, growth arrest and DNA damage 34 (GADD34), disturbed PP1 binding with p53, interfered with the dephosphorylation of p53 and increased the amount of phospho-p53 after UVC-treatment. This report provides the first evidence that PP1, but not PP2A, dephosphorylates phospho-serine 15 of p53.     

A bienzyme electrochemical probe for flow injection analysis of okadaic acid based on protein phosphatase-2A inhibition: An optimization study

A bienzyme electrochemical probe has been assembled and used to monitor the inhibition of the enzyme protein phosphatase-2A (PP2A) by okadaic acid (OA), taking advantage of the particular characteristics of a biochemical pathway in which PP2A is involved. This enzyme has significant activity toward glycogen phosphorylase a (PHOS a), which in turn catalyzes the conversion of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate (G-1-P). In addition, PP2A is strongly inhibited by OA and its derivatives. Due to this combination of properties, PP2A was employed to develop an assay system involving a preliminary phase of off-line enzymatic incubations (OA/PP2A, PP2A/PHOS a, PHOS a/glycogen + phosphate). This off-line step was followed by the electrochemical detection of H₂O₂, which is the final product of two sequential enzymatic reactions: G-1-P with alkaline phosphatase (AP) producing glucose, then glucose with glucose oxidase (GOD) producing hydrogen peroxide. These two enzymes were coimmobilized on a nylon net membrane that was placed over an H₂O₂ platinum probe inserted into a flow injection analysis (FIA) system. During a first phase of the study, all analytical parameters were optimized. During a subsequent phase, the inhibition of PP2A enzyme by OA was evaluated. The calibration of the system shows a working range for detection of OA between 30 and 250 pg ml⁻¹. The total analysis time is the sum of 50 min for the off-line enzymatic incubations and 4 min for the biosensor response.     

Pleiotropic effect of okadaic acid on maturing mouse oocytes.

Okadaic acid (OA), a potent inhibitor of types 1 and 2A protein phosphatases, was shown recently to induce chromatin condensation and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in mouse oocytes arrested at the dictyate stage by dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX) and 12,13-phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu). We confirm these results using IBMX and another phorbol diester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and show that OA also bypasses the inhibitory effect of 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP). It has been concluded that protein phosphatases 1 and/or 2A (PP1, 2A), involved in the negative control of MPF activation, are thus operating downstream from both the protein kinase A and protein kinase C catalysed phosphorylation steps that prevent the breakdown of GV. Similar enzymatic activities are also able to counteract the general inhibition of protein phosphorylation. However, PP1 and/or PP2A are positively involved in the activation of pericentriolar material (PCM) into microtubule organizing centres (MTOCs). This explains the inhibitory effect of OA on spindle assembly. Finally, OA interferes with the integrity and/or function of actomyosin filaments. This results in a dramatic ruffling of the plasma membrane leading to the internalization of large vacuoles, the inhibition of chromosome centrifugal displacement and, consequently, the prevention of polar body extrusion.     

Lack of DNA damage induction by okadaic acid, a marine toxin, in the CHO-Hprt and the in vitro UDS assays

Okadaic acid (OA) is a marine toxin produced by dinoflagellates and responsible for human intoxications. OA is a specific inhibitor of serine/threonine protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A and a potent tumor promoter in mouse skin and rat glandular stomach. In a previous study, we demonstrated that OA induced aneuploidy in CHO-K1 cells using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay coupled to FISH and concluded that OA was not a direct mutagen. As some previous in vitro mutagenicity studies had given positive results with OA, we decided to perform two additional in vitro mutagenicity assays in accordance with the OECD guidelines: (i) the CHO/Hprt test, which provides end points about locus-specific gene mutation; (ii) the in vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay in rat hepatocytes, which measures [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA undergoing excision repair. In the CHO/Hprt assay, there was no significant increase in the number of mutants for doses ranging from 5 to 5000 nM in the presence or absence of rat liver S9 fraction. In the in vitro UDS assay, OA did not induce primary DNA damages in rat hepatocytes following 18 h exposure at concentrations between 1.32 and 100 nM. As OA could affect the DNA repair systems via the inhibition of protein phosphatases, its effects on the repair kinetic of 2AAF-induced DNA damage were also investigated with the UDS assay. The results showed that OA did not interact with the DNA-repair process involved in in vitro UDS in rat hepatocytes. We concluded that OA failed to induce direct DNA damage but acted principally by altering the chromosome number, which could contribute to its carcinogenic effect.     

Evaluation of rapid methods for the determination of okadaic acid in mussels

AIMS: Two different screening methods, a Buffalo Green Monkey cytotoxicity test and a biosensor test, have been considered to replace the official mouse bioassay in monitoring for okadaic acid (OA) levels in mussels. METHODS AND RESULTS: Diarrhoetic shellfish poison-contaminated mussels from the Adriatic Sea were assayed in parallel by means of the mouse bioassay and both alternative methods. Both the cytotoxicity test and the biosensor test showed high sensitivity (OA 0.01 mg g-1 hepatopancreas and 0.002 mg g-1 hepatopancreas, respectively) and a high correlation with the mouse bioassay (r=0.932, P < 0.001 and r=- 0.850, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both methods are efficacious, quick, inexpensive and provide data on the amount of toxin present in mussels. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Both methods, besides allowing the simultaneous assay of a great number of samples, comply with the ethical need to reduce the use of animals in the laboratory.     

DETECTION OF TYPE A BOTULINAL TOXIN-PRODUCING ORGANISMS SUBCULTURED FROM CHEESE USING AN AMPLIFIED ELISA SYSTEM

Mascarpone cheese implicated in a botulism outbreak was examined for preformed and cultural botulinal toxins using the mouse bioassay. The cheese was also assayed for cultural toxins and for the most probable number (MPN) of toxin-producing organisms/g using an amplified ELISA. No preformed botulinal toxins were discovered in the cheese samples (pH range 5.84-5.86) using the mouse bioassay. However, after cheese subculture in tryptone-peptone-glucose-yeast extract broth, type A botulinal toxin-producing organisms that formed more than 10,000 MLD (mouse lethal dose)/mL in culture were detected. The ELISA results also revealed that type A toxin was present in the culture with a sensitivity of ∼ 10 MLD/mL. The MPN of type A toxin-producing organisms/g in 12 cheese samples examined ranged from < 0.3-9.33. No ELISA cross-reactivity was noted between the type A toxic cultures and other types (B, E, or F). The ELISA sensitivity was ∼5 MLD/mL casein buffer using purified type A neurotoxin. The advantages of the ELISA test are that the toxin type and approximate lethal dose can be determined within one day compared to the mouse bioassay which takes 3–5 days.     

Evaluation of the use of two human cell lines for okadaic acid and DTX-1 determination by cytotoxicity assays and damage characterization.

Two human cell lines have been used, HEp-2 and (de)differentiated Caco-2, derived from a larynx and a colon carcinoma, respectively, with the aim of evaluating and characterizing the cytotoxicity of okadaic acid (OA) and related toxins. Effects of OA and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1) on cell viability (neutral red uptake) and on cell morphology/cytoskeleton structure have been observed in both cell lines, though at different time exposures and with different concentrations. The morphological alteration was detected earlier than the viability inhibition in HEp-2 cells with both toxins and in Caco-2 cells with DTX-1. HEp-2 cells have shown to be more sensitive than the intestinal cell line and thus possibly suitable for screening of contaminated samples, while Caco-2 cells could be used for further investigating the possible mechanisms involved in diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins.     

Reversible protein phosphorylation modulates nucleotide excision repair of damaged DNA by human cell extracts.

Nucleotide excision repair of DNA in mammalian cells uses more than 20 polypeptides to remove DNA lesions caused by UV light and other mutagens. To investigate whether reversible protein phosphorylation can significantly modulate this repair mechanism we studied the effect of specific inhibitors of Ser/Thr protein phosphatases. The ability of HeLa cell extracts to carry out nucleotide excision repair in vitro was highly sensitive to three toxins (okadaic acid, microcystin-LR and tautomycin), which block PP1- and PP2A-type phosphatases. Repair was more sensitive to okadaic acid than to tautomycin, suggesting the involvement of a PP2A-type enzyme, and was insensitive to inhibitor-2, which exclusively inhibits PP1-type enzymes. In a repair synthesis assay the toxins gave 70% inhibition of activity. Full activity could be restored to toxin-inhibited extracts by addition of purified PP2A, but not PP1. The p34 subunit of replication protein A was hyperphosphorylated in cell extracts in the presence of phosphatase inhibitors, but we found no evidence that this affected repair. In a coupled incision/synthesis repair assay okadaic acid decreased the production of incision intermediates in the repair reaction. The formation of 25-30mer oligonucleotides by dual incision during repair was also inhibited by okadaic acid and inhibition could be reversed with PP2A. Thus Ser/Thr- specific protein phosphorylation plays an important role in the modulation of nucleotide excision repair in vitro.     

A fluorimetric method based on changes in membrane potential for screening paralytic shellfish toxins in mussels

To prevent the consumption of bivalves contaminated with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), toxin levels in seafood products are estimated by using the official mouse bioassay. Because of the limitations of this bioassay other methods of monitoring toxins are clearly needed. We have developed a test to screen for PSP toxins based on its functional activity; the toxins bind to the voltage-gated Na+ channels and block their activity. The method is a fluorimetric assay that allows quantitation of the toxins by detecting changes in the membrane potential of human excitable cells. This assay gives an estimate of toxicity, since each toxin present in the sample binds to sodium channels with an affinity which is proportional to its intrinsic toxic potency. The detection limits for paralytic shellfish toxins were found to be 1 ng saxitoxin equivalents/ml compared to the regulatory limit threshold of 400 ng/ml (equivalent to 80 microg/100 g) used in most countries. Our results indicate that this fluorescent assay is a specific, very sensitive, rapid, and reliable method of monitoring PSP toxin levels in samples from seafood products and toxic algae.     

Involvement of protein phosphatase 2A in the maintenance of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion through recruitment of IQGAP1

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP) 2A regulates many biological processes, however it remains unclear whether PP2A participates in cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. We show here that the core enzyme of PP2A (PP2A-AC) is localized in the cell-cell adhesion sites between adjacent cells and associated with the E-cadherin-catenins complex in non-malignant human mammary epithelial (HME) cells at confluence. Treatment of the cells with either okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of PP2A, or siRNA for the regulatory subunit A of PP2A (PP2A-A) caused disruption of cell-cell adhesion and F-actin assembly, without affecting the complex formation of E-cadherin with beta- and alpha-catenins. While a small GTPase Rac and its effector IQGAP1 were associated with the E-cadherin-catenins complex, either OA or PP2A-A siRNA concomitantly induced the dissociation of IQGAP1, but not Rac, from the complex and the internalization of E-cadherin from the cell surface. We therefore propose that PP2A plays a crucial role in the maintenance of cell-cell adhesion through recruitment of IQGAP1 to the Rac-bound E-cadherin-catenins complex.     

Protein phosphatase inhibitors arrest cell cycle and reduce branching morphogenesis in fetal rat lung cultures

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a key signal transduction intermediate in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation in vitro. However, the role of PP2A in the context of a developing organ is unknown. To explore the role of PP2A in the regulation of lung development, we studied the effect of PP2A inhibition on new airway branching, induction of apoptosis, DNA synthesis, and expression of epithelial marker genes in whole organ explant cultures of embryonic (E14) rat lung. Microdissected lung primordia were cultured in medium containing one of either two PP2A inhibitors, okadaic acid (OA, 0-9 nM) or cantharidin (Can, 0-3,600 nM), or with the PP2B inhibitor deltamethrin (Del, 0-10 microM) as a control for a PP2A-specific effect for 48 h. PP2A inhibition with OA and Can significantly inhibited airway branching and overall lung growth. PP2B inhibition with Del did not affect lung growth or new airway development. Histologically, both PP2A- and PP2B-inhibited explants were similar to controls. Increased apoptosis was not the mechanism of decreased lung growth and new airway branching inasmuch as OA-treated explant sections subjected to the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase dUTP nick end labeling reaction demonstrated a decrease in apoptosis. However, PP2A inhibition with OA increased DNA content and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine uptake that correlated with a G(2)/M cell cycle arrest. PP2A inhibition also resulted in altered differentiation of the respiratory epithelium as evidenced by decreased mRNA levels of the early epithelial marker surfactant protein C. These findings suggest that inhibition of protein phosphatases with OA and Can halted mesenchymal cell cycle progression and reduced branching morphogenesis in fetal rat lung explant culture.     

Drastic hypothermia after intraperitoneal injection of okadaic acid,a diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxin,in mice

The mouse bioassay for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins had been used as the official method in Japan and also used in the world. In this study, hypothermia, one of the symptoms observed in mice after inoculation with DSP toxins, were characterized. Lethal and sublethal doses of okadaic acid (OA), a representative component of DSP toxins, were inoculated intraperitoneally into mice. Body-temperature changes over time were measured by an electronic thermometer or monitored by an infrared camera. Drastic hypothermia (<30°C in some mice) was observed in a few hours after administration of a lethal dose of OA. Dose-dependency was clearly seen between doses of OA inoculated and body-temperature decrease. Drastic hypothermia was also detected by using an infrared camera. These results suggest that hypothermia could be used as an index for the humane endpoint in experimental animal toxicological studies.     

Baculovirus expression, purification, and characterization of human protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunits alpha and beta

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) contains a 36-kDa catalytic subunit (PP2Ac), a 65-kDa structural subunit (PR65/A), and a regulatory B subunit. The core enzyme consists of the structural and catalytic subunits. The catalytic subunit exists as two closely related isoforms, alpha and beta. Several natural toxins, including okadaic acid (OA) and microcystins, specifically inhibit PP2A. To obtain biologically active recombinant PP2A and to compare the properties of the PP2A catalytic subunit alpha and beta isoforms, we expressed human PP2Acalpha and cbeta in High Five insect cells. The recombinant PP2Acalpha and cbeta possess similar phosphatase activities using p-NPP and phosphopeptide as substrates and are strongly inhibited by OA and microcystin-LR to similar degrees. In addition, PP2Acalpha or cbeta was co-expressed with PR65/A and co-purified as a core dimer, PP2AD (Aalpha/calpha and Aalpha/cbeta) with PR65alpha/Aalpha. The recombinant PP2AD bound to the B subunit in vitro. These results show that the recombinant PP2Acalpha and cbeta are identical in their ability to associate with the A and B subunits, in their phosphatase activities, and in carboxyl-methylation. Furthermore, our results show that High Five insect cells can produce biologically active recombinant PP2A, which should be a valuable tool for detecting natural toxins and investigating the mechanism of PP2A catalysis and other protein interactions.     

Protein serine/threonine phosphatases as binding proteins for okadaic acid

Recently, many potent inhibitors of protein serine/threonine phosphatases (PPs) have been found. Some of them have proven to be tumor promoters in mouse skin two-step carcinogenesis and rat liver medium-term tests. Among these inhibitors, okadaic acid (OA) selectively inhibits PP2A, and its use has therefore been proposed to facilitate analysis of biological roles of this phosphatase. OA shows bimodal effects on in vitro transformation and, in addition to such epigenetic changes, also induces marked genetic changes. OA treatment for more than 1 week flattened NIH 3T3 transformants irreversibly, with loss of the transfected genes. It is also known to induce diphtheria toxin-resistant mutations in Chinese hamster lung cells and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in Chinese hamster ovary cells and human lymphocytes. To analyze roles of protein phosphatases in gene stability, we isolated OA-resistant mutants. They were proven to have a mutation in the PP2A catalytic subunit, in which cysteine 269 had beensubstituted for glycine; and it was demonstrated that this region interacts with OA. The recombinant mutant protein was 4 9-fold more resistant to OA than the wild type. Although the OA resistant mutants of CHO cells expressed high levels of P-glycoprotein, inhibition of PP2A itself was suggested to lead to SCE induction. However, the number of molecular species of PP which are known to be sensitive to OA continues to increase, and we have isolated cDNA for a novel type of OA sensitive PP. Our studies indicate that the fact that the roles of PP2A cannot be elucidated using only OA is of crucial importance.     

Toxicity and isolation of the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena from the southern Baltic Sea in 1986

Three water bloom samples were collected in August 1986 from the southern Baltic Sea. Acute toxicity of the samples was determined by mouse bioassay and the toxins were further studied by HPLC. The bloom samples contained equal amounts of cyanobacteria Nodularia spumigena and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and were hepatotoxic. Two hepatotoxic Nodularia spumigena strains were isolated from the samples. The isolates produce a toxic peak indistinguishable from the bloom material in the HPLC analysis. The toxicity of the fractions was verified by mouse bioassay. Thus the toxicity of the bloom samples was in all likelihood caused by Nodularia spumigena.