Investigation of the dimerization of proteins from the epidermal growth factor receptor family by single wavelength fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy

Single wavelength fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (SW-FCCS), introduced to study biomolecular interactions, has recently been reported to monitor enzyme activity by using a newly developed fluorescent protein variant together with cyan fluorescent protein. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, SW-FCCS is applied to detect interactions between membrane receptors in vivo by using the widely used enhanced green fluorescent protein and monomeric red fluorescent protein. The biological system studied here is the epidermal growth factor/ErbB receptor family, which plays pivotal roles in the development of organisms ranging from worms to humans. It is widely thought that a ligand binds to the monomeric form of the receptor and induces its dimeric form for activation. By using SW-FCCS and F?rster resonance energy transfer, we show that the epidermal growth factor receptor and ErbB2 have preformed homo- and heterodimeric structures on the cell surface and quantitation of dimer fractions is performed by SW-FCCS. These receptors are major targets of anti-cancer drug development, and the receptors' homo- and heterodimeric structures are relevant for such developments.     

Membrane proteomic analysis of human mesenchymal stromal cells during adipogenesis

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have proven useful for cell and immune therapy, but the molecular constituents responsible for their functionalities, in particular, those on the plasma membrane, remain largely unknown. Here we employed both gel and nongel based MS to analyze human MSCs' membrane proteome before and after adipogenesis. 2-DE of cells that were pretreated with membrane impermeable fluorescent dyes revealed that both the whole cell proteome and the cell surface subproteome were independent of donors. LC coupled with tandem MS analysis of the plasma membrane-containing fraction allowed us to identify 707 proteins, approximately half of which could be annotated as membrane-related proteins. Of particular interest was a subset of ectodomain-containing membrane-bound proteins that encompass most known surface markers for MSCs, but also contain a multitude of solute carriers and ATPases. Upon adipogenic differentiation, this proteomic profile was amended to include several proteins involved in lipid metabolism and trafficking, at the expense of, most noticeably, ectoenzymes. Our results here provide not only a basis for future studies of MSC-specific molecular mechanisms, but also a molecular inventory for the development of antibody-based cell isolation and identification procedures.     

Mechanisms controlling human endothelial lumen formation and tube assembly in three-dimensional extracellular matrices

Recent data have revealed new mechanisms that underlie endothelial cell (EC) lumen formation during vascular morphogenic events in development, wound repair, and other disease states. It is apparent that EC interactions with extracellular matrices (ECMs) establish signaling cascades downstream of integrin ligation leading to activation of the Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and Rac1, which are required for lumen formation. In large part, this process is driven by intracellular vacuole formation and coalescence, which rapidly leads to the creation of fluid-filled matrix-free spaces that are then interconnected via EC-EC interactions to create multicellular tube structures. EC vacuoles markedly accumulate in a polarized fashion directly adjacent to the centrosome in a region that strongly accumulates Cdc42 protein as indicated by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Cdc42 during the lumen formation process. Downstream of Cdc42-mediated signaling, key molecules that have been identified to be required for EC lumen formation include Pak2, Pak4, Par3, Par6, and the protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms zeta and epsilon. Together, these molecules coordinately regulate the critical EC lumen formation process in three-dimensional (3D) collagen matrices. These events also require cell surface proteolysis mediated through membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), which is necessary to create vascular guidance tunnels within the 3D matrix environment. These tunnels represent physical spaces within the ECM that are necessary to regulate vascular morphogenic events, including the establishment of interconnected vascular tube networks as well as the recruitment of pericytes to initiate vascular tube maturation (via basement membrane matrix assembly) and stabilization. Current research continues to analyze how specific molecules integrate signaling information in concert to catalyze EC lumen formation, pericyte recruitment, and stabilization processes to control vascular morphogenesis in 3D extracellular matrices.     

Characterizing Mutational Signatures in Human Cancer Cell Lines Reveals Episodic APOBEC Mutagenesis

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Sucrose nonfermenting AMPK-related kinase (SNARK) regulates exercise-stimulated and ischemia-stimulated glucose transport in the heart

The signaling mechanisms mediating myocardial glucose transport are not fully understood. Sucrose nonfermenting AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-related kinase (SNARK) is an AMPK-related protein kinase that is expressed in the heart and has been implicated in contraction-stimulated glucose transport in mouse skeletal muscle. We first determined if SNARK is phosphorylated on Thr²⁰⁸, a site critical for SNARK activity. Mice were treated with exercise, ischemia, submaximal insulin, or maximal insulin. Treadmill exercise slightly, but significantly increased SNARK Thr²⁰⁸ phosphorylation. Ischemia also increased SNARK Thr²⁰⁸ phosphorylation, but there was no effect of submaximal or maximal insulin. HL1 cardiomyocytes were used to overexpress wild-type (WT) SNARK and to knockdown endogenous SNARK. Overexpression of WT SNARK had no effect on ischemia-stimulated glucose transport; however, SNARK knockdown significantly decreased ischemia-stimulated glucose transport. SNARK overexpression or knockdown did not alter insulin-stimulated glucose transport or glycogen concentrations. To study SNARK function in vivo, SNARK heterozygous knockout mice (SNARK^+/−) and WT littermates performed treadmill exercise. Exercise-stimulated glucose transport was decreased by ~50% in hearts from SNARK^+/− mice. In summary, exercise and ischemia increase SNARK Thr²⁰⁸ phosphorylation in the heart and SNARK regulates exercise-stimulated and ischemia-stimulated glucose transport. SNARK is a novel mediator of insulin-independent glucose transport in the heart.     

The pp60c-src in retinal pigment epithelium and its modulation by vasoactive intestinal peptide.

The pp60c-src is present at high level in differentiated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in culture. Immunofluorescence microscopy using GD11 (anti-pp60c-src) shows intense staining in the plasma membrane, especially at the cell-cell junctions, and diffuse staining in the cytoplasma. Western blot analysis shows that the majority of the GD11-reactive molecules is localized in the membrane. The pp60c-src does not translocate between membrane and cytoplasma when the RPE was reacted with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which is previously shown to stimulate phosphorylation of the pp60c-src in the membranes (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 174, 452-8, 1991). Here, VIP modulation is shown to alter the reactivity of pp60c-src with a monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody.     

Severely reduced production of klotho in human chronic renal failure kidney

We recently identified a novel gene, termed klotho (kl) that is involved in the development of a syndrome in mice resembling human aging. A defect of the kl gene expression in mice leads to multiple disorders including arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, ectopic calcification, and skin atrophy together with short life-span and infertility. Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), develop multiple complications that are reminiscent of phenotypes observed in kl mutant mice. Furthermore, the kl gene is mainly expressed in kidney and brain. These evidences above suggest the possible involvement of Klotho function in the complications arising in CRF patients. To investigate the above possibility, we examined the kidneys of 10 clinically or histologically diagnosed CRF cases. The level of kl gene expression was measured by utilizing RNase protection assay. The expression of Klotho protein was assayed by utilizing Western blot analysis and by immunohistochemistry. The levels of kl mRNA expression were greatly reduced in all CRF kidneys. Moreover, the production of Klotho protein was also severely reduced in all CRF kidneys. These results suggest that the decrease in kl gene expression in CRF patients may underlie the deteriorating process of multiple complications in the CRF patients.