Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 enters primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells by a mechanism involving cell surface proteoglycans independent of lipid rafts

Several studies have reported a crucial role for cholesterol-enriched membrane lipid rafts and cell-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), a class of molecules that can localize in lipid rafts, in the entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into permissive cells. For the present study, we examined the role of these cell surface moieties in HIV-1 entry into primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs), which represent an important HIV-1 central nervous system-based cell reservoir and a portal for neuroinvasion. Cellular cholesterol was depleted by exposure to beta-cyclodextrins and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins), the loss of cholesterol was quantitated, and disruption of membrane rafts was verified by immunofluorescence. Nevertheless, these treatments did not affect binding of several strains of HIV-1 virions to BMVECs at 4 degrees C or their infectivities at 37 degrees C. In contrast, we confirmed that cholesterol depletion and raft disruption strongly inhibited HIV-1 binding and infection of Jurkat T cells. Enzymatic digestion of cell-associated HSPGs on human BMVECs dramatically inhibited HIV-1 infection, and our data from quantitative HIV-1 DNA PCR analysis strongly suggest that cell-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans greatly facilitate infective entry of HIV-1 into human BMVECs. These findings, in combination with our earlier work showing that human BMVECs lack CD4, indicate that the molecular mechanisms for HIV-1 entry into BMVECs are fundamentally different from that of viral entry into T cells, in which lipid rafts, CD4, and probably HSPGs play important roles.     

Serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol concentrations and prostate cancer risk in the PLCO Screening Trial: a nested case-control study

Background

Vitamin E compounds exhibit prostate cancer preventive properties experimentally, but serologic investigations of tocopherols, and randomized controlled trials of supplementation in particular, have been inconsistent. Many studies suggest protective effects among smokers and for aggressive prostate cancer, however.

Methods

We conducted a nested case-control study of serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol and prostate cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, with 680 prostate cancer cases and 824 frequency-matched controls. Multivariate-adjusted, conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for tocopherol quintiles.

Results

Serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol were inversely correlated (r = −0.24, p<0.0001). Higher serum α-tocopherol was associated with significantly lower prostate cancer risk (OR for the highest vs. lowest quintile = 0.63, 95% CI 0.44–0.92, p-trend 0.05). By contrast, risk was non-significantly elevated among men with higher γ-tocopherol concentrations (OR for the highest vs. lowest quintile = 1.35, 95% CI 0.92–1.97, p-trend 0.41). The inverse association between prostate cancer and α-tocopherol was restricted to current and recently former smokers, but was only slightly stronger for aggressive disease. By contrast, the increased risk for higher γ-tocopherol was more pronounced for less aggressive cancers.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate higher α-tocopherol status is associated with decreased risk of developing prostate cancer, particularly among smokers. Although two recent controlled trials did not substantiate an earlier finding of lower prostate cancer incidence and mortality in response to supplementation with a relatively low dose of α-tocopherol, higher α-tocopherol status may be beneficial with respect to prostate cancer risk among smokers. Determining what stage of prostate cancer development is impacted by vitamin E, the underlying mechanisms, and how smoking modifies the association, is needed for a more complete understanding of the vitamin E-prostate cancer relation.     

The crystal structure of the sorcin calcium binding domain provides a model of Ca2+-dependent processes in the full-length protein

Sorcin is a 21.6 kDa calcium binding protein, expressed in a number of mammalian tissues that belongs to the small, recently identified penta-EF-hand (PEF) family. Like all members of this family, sorcin undergoes a Ca2+-dependent translocation from cytosol to membranes where it binds to target proteins. For sorcin, the targets differ in different tissues, indicating that it takes part in a number of Ca2+-regulated processes. The sorcin monomer is organized in two domains like in all PEF proteins: a flexible, hydrophobic, glycine-rich N-terminal region and a calcium binding C-terminal domain. In vitro, the PEF proteins are dimeric in their Ca2+-free form, but have a marked tendency to precipitate when bound to calcium. Stabilization of the dimeric structure is achieved by pairing of the uneven EF-hand, EF5. Sorcin can also form tetramers at acid pH.The sorcin calcium binding domain (SCBD, residues 33-198) expressed in Escherichia coli was crystallized in the Ca2+-free form. The structure was solved by molecular replacement and was refined to 2.2 A with a crystallographic R-factor of 22.4 %. Interestingly, the asymmetric unit contains two dimers.The structure of the SCBD leads to a model that explains the solution properties and describes the Ca2+-induced conformational changes. Phosphorylation studies show that the N-terminal domain hinders phosphorylation of SCBD, i.e. the rate of phosphorylation increased twofold in the absence of the N-terminal region. In addition, previous fluorescence studies indicated that hydrophobic residues are exposed to solvent upon Ca2+ binding to full-length sorcin. The model accounts for these data by proposing that Ca2+ binding weakens the interactions between the two domains and leads to their reorientation, which exposes hydrophobic regions facilitating the Ca2+-dependent binding to target proteins at or near membranes.     

Regulation of glucocorticoid receptors and Na−K ATPase activity by hydrocortisone in proximal tubular epithelial cells

Summary The effect of hydrocortisone (HC) in modulating glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na−K ATPase) activity was studied in primary cultures of immunoisolated murine proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC). Utilizing monoclonal antibody against stage-specific embryonic antigen-1, a homogeneous population of PTEC was obtained in high yield. The cells were cultured to confluence and further treated for 48 h in serum-free growth medium containing no HC (control); 50 nM HC; or 50 nM HC plus 20 nM of the antiglucocorticoid, RU 38486. PTEC treated with 50 nM HC had 56% of GR binding and 160% Na−K ATPase activity as compared to controls (P<0.01). GR binding was abolished by incubation in RU 38486 whereas Na−K ATPase fell below control values (P<0.05). Brief incubations of HC-treated PTEC with 0.5 mM ouabain resulted in a fall in GR binding without a change in Na−K ATPase activity. These data indicate that in PTEC, HC regulates GR binding and they suggest that stimulation of Na−K ATPase activity is a direct biological response to this receptor-hormone interaction. Thus, primary cultures of immunoaffinity-isolated PTEC offer a good model system for investigating the molecular basis underlying the regulation of GR binding and postreceptor events influenced by glucocorticoids.     

Structural basis for the interaction between pectin methylesterase and a specific inhibitor protein

Pectin, one of the main components of the plant cell wall, is secreted in a highly methyl-esterified form and subsequently deesterified in muro by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). In many developmental processes, PMEs are regulated by either differential expression or posttranslational control by protein inhibitors (PMEIs). PMEIs are typically active against plant PMEs and ineffective against microbial enzymes. Here, we describe the three-dimensional structure of the complex between the most abundant PME isoform from tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum) and PMEI from kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) at 1.9-A resolution. The enzyme folds into a right-handed parallel beta-helical structure typical of pectic enzymes. The inhibitor is almost all helical, with four long alpha-helices aligned in an antiparallel manner in a classical up-and-down four-helical bundle. The two proteins form a stoichiometric 1:1 complex in which the inhibitor covers the shallow cleft of the enzyme where the putative active site is located. The four-helix bundle of the inhibitor packs roughly perpendicular to the main axis of the parallel beta-helix of PME, and three helices of the bundle interact with the enzyme. The interaction interface displays a polar character, typical of nonobligate complexes formed by soluble proteins. The structure of the complex gives an insight into the specificity of the inhibitor toward plant PMEs and the mechanism of regulation of these enzymes.     

Nature of neonatal splenic suppressor cells in the mouse

Due to the controversy in the recent literature concerning the T-cell nature of the neonatal mouse splenic suppressor cell, we have reexamined the nature of these cells at different stages after birth. With the use of monoclonal anti-Thy antibody we can detect T-cell products on spleen suppressor cells from BDF₁ mice at 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days of age. The suppressor cells are assayed by their ability to inhibit mixed-lymphocyte reactivity, which is an in vitro example of cell-mediated immunity. The neonatal spleen suppressor cells also carry products of the Ly 1 and I-J locus. Neonatal thymectomy results in a premature decrease of suppressor cell activity. These data suggest that the mouse neonatal splenic suppressor cell is a short-lived Ly 1⁺, I-J⁺ T cell.