Impaired synergistic activation of stress-activated protein kinase SAPK/JNK in mouse embryonic stem cells lacking SEK1/MKK4: different contribution of SEK2/MKK7 isoforms to the synergistic activation.

Stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK), which is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, plays an important role in a stress-induced signaling cascade. SAPK/JNK activation requires the phosphorylation of Thr and Tyr residues in its Thr-Pro-Tyr motif, and SEK1 (MKK4) and MKK7 (SEK2) have been identified as the upstream MAPK kinases. Here we examined the activation and phosphorylation sites of SAPK/JNK and differentiated the contribution of SEK1 and MKK7alpha1, -gamma1, and -gamma2 isoforms to the MAPK activation. In SEK1-deficient mouse embryonic stem cells, stress-induced SAPK/JNK activation was markedly impaired, and this defect was accompanied with a decreased level of the Tyr phosphorylation. Analysis in HeLa cells co-transfected with the two MAPK kinases revealed that the Thr and Tyr of SAPK/JNK were independently phosphorylated in response to heat shock by MKK7gamma1 and SEK1, respectively. However, MKK7alpha1 failed to phosphorylate the Thr of SAPK/JNK unless its Tyr residue was phosphorylated by SEK1. In contrast, MKK7gamma2 had the ability to phosphorylate both Thr and Tyr residues. In all cases, the dual phosphorylation of the Thr and Tyr residues was essentially required for the full activation of SAPK/JNK. These data provide the first evidence that synergistic activation of SAPK/JNK requires both phosphorylation at the Thr and Tyr residues in living cells and that the preference for the Thr and Tyr phosphorylation was different among the members of MAPK kinases.     

The Lipid Composition of Urodele Myelin Which Lacks Hydroxycerebroside and Hydroxysulfatide

The concentrations of cerebrosides and sulfatides were measured in the nervous systems of urodeles and related orders with a high performance liquid chromatographic technique. The peripheral and central nervous systems of all three urodele species, Necturus maculosis (mud puppy, a salamander), Notophthalmus viridescens (eastern red spot newt), and Desmognathus ochropheus (mountain salamander), were found to be completely devoid of alpha-hydroxy fatty acid-containing cerebrosides and sulfatides. All species of reptiles and fish classes close to urodeles contain these galactolipids. The levels of nonhydroxy fatty acid-containing cerebrosides and sulfatides are essentially similar in both urodeles and reptiles. Myelin isolated from Necturus spinal cord had a specific density of 1.07, lighter than mammalian myelin. Except for the absence of hydroxycerebrosides and hydroxysulfatides, the lipid composition of Necturus spinal cord myelin is essentially similar to that of frog and rat myelin. The fatty acids of nonhydroxycerebrosides are rich in monounsaturated homologs of C22-C25, and the sphingoid base consists of both sphinganine and sphingosine. Electron microscopic examination of the sciatic nerve showed that the general structure and interlamellar distances of salamander and newt myelin are identical to those of frog, chameleon, and rat. Necturus myelin, therefore, can be used as a model for the study of the functional and structural role of hydroxygalactolipids.     

Oxidative stress-induced posttranslational modification of TRPV1 expressed in esophageal epithelial cells

Human esophageal epithelium is continuously exposed to physical stimuli or to gastric acid that sometimes causes inflammation of the mucosa. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a nociceptive, Ca(2+)-selective ion channel activated by capsaicin, heat, and protons. It has been reported that activation of TRPV1 expressed in esophageal mucosa is involved in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or in nonerosive GERD symptoms. In this study, we examined the expression and function of TRPV1 in the human esophageal epithelial cell line Het1A, focusing in particular on the role of oxidative stress. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) secreted by Het1A cells upon stimulation by capsaicin or acid with/without 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) was measured by ELISA. Following capsaicin stimulation, the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined using a redox-sensitive fluorogenic probe, and ROS- and HNE-modified proteins were determined by Western blotting using biotinylated cysteine and anti-HNE antibody, respectively. HNE modification of TRPV1 proteins was further investigated by immunoprecipitation after treatment with synthetic HNE. Capsaicin and acid induced IL-8 production in Het1A cells, and this production was diminished by antagonists of TRPV1. Capsaicin also significantly increased the production of intracellular ROS and ROS- or HNE-modified proteins in Het1A cells. Moreover, IL-8 production in capsaicin-stimulated Het1A cells was enhanced by synthetic HNE treatment. Immunoprecipitation studies revealed that TRPV1 was modified by HNE in synthetic HNE-stimulated Het1A cells. We concluded that TRPV1 functions in chemokine production in esophageal epithelial cells, and this function may be regulated by ROS via posttranslational modification of TRPV1.     

Accumulation of the proteolytic marker peptide ubiquitin in the trophoblast of mammalian blastocysts

Ubiquitination is a universal protein degradation pathway in which the molecules of 8.5-kDa proteolytic peptide ubiquitin are covalently attached to the epsilon-amino group of the substrate's lysine residues. Little is known about the importance of this highly conserved mechanism for protein recycling in mammalian gametogenesis and fertilization. The data obtained by the students and faculty of the international training course Window to the Zygote 2000 demonstrate the accumulation of ubiquitin-cross-reactive structures in the trophoblast, but not in the inner cell mass of the expanding bovine and mouse blastocysts. This observation suggests that a major burst of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis occurs in the trophoblast of mammalian peri-implantation embryos. This event may be important for the success of blastocyst hatching, differentiation of embryonic stem cells into soma and germ line, and/or implantation in both naturally conceived and reconstructed mammalian embryos.     

Effect of different plant pollens on the development and oviposition of seven native phytoseiid species (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Japan

The quality of pollen of tea (Camellia sinensis L.), big leaf podocarp tree [Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thumb.)] and sweet corn (Zea mays L.) as alternative food sources was evaluated for seven native phytoseiid mite species, Amblyseius eharai Amitai and Swirski, Euseius sojaensis (Ehara), Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), Neoseiulus womersleyi (Schicha), Phytoseius nipponicus Ehara, Chanteius contiguus (Chant) and Typhlodromus vulgaris Ehara. Tea pollen was of high nutritional value for all seven phytoseiid species: most larvae developed to adults and most females oviposited well. Development and oviposition differed greatly among phytoseiid species when reared on big leaf podocarp tree pollen: A. eharai, T. vulgaris and C. contiguus could utilize the pollen as food, but the other phytoseiid species could not. In addition, big leaf podocarp tree pollen could be utilized by A. eharai as food for longer than the other pollen. The quality of sweet corn pollen was inferior in general, although it could somehow favor the development and oviposition of six phytoseiid species except for E. sojaensis.     

Transduction of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 into eosinophils attenuates survival, chemotaxis, and airway inflammation

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is part of a complex signaling system that affects a variety of important cell functions. PTEN antagonizes the action of PI3K by dephosphorylating the signaling lipid phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate. In the present study, we used a TAT fusion protein transduction system to elucidate the role of PTEN in eosinophils and airway inflammation. A small region of the HIV TAT protein (YGRKKRRQRRR), a protein transduction domain known to enter mammalian cells efficiently, was fused to the N terminus of PTEN. Flow cytometric analysis of annexin V- and propidium iodide-stained cells was used to assess eosinophil survival. A chemotaxis assay was performed using a Boyden chamber. Cell analysis in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and histological examinations were performed using OVA-challenged A/J mice. We found that TAT-PTEN was successfully internalized into eosinophils and functioned as a phosphatase in situ. TAT-PTEN, but not a TAT-GFP control protein, blocked the ability of IL-5 to prevent the apoptosis of eosinophils from allergic subjects. The eotaxin-induced eosinophil chemotaxis was inhibited by TAT-PTEN in a dose-dependent manner. Intranasal pretreatment with TAT-PTEN, but not TAT-GFP, significantly inhibited the OVA-induced eosinophil infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological examination of the lung, including H&E and Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff staining, revealed that TAT-PTEN, but not TAT-GFP, abrogated eosinophilic inflammation and mucus production. Our results suggest that PTEN negatively regulates eosinophil survival, chemotaxis, and allergic inflammation. The pharmacological targeting of PTEN may constitute a new strategy for the treatment of eosinophilic disorders.     

Tumor-selective,adenoviral-mediated GFP genetic labeling of human cancer in the live mouse reports future recurrence after resection

We have previously developed a telomerase-specific replicating adenovirus expressing GFP (OBP-401), which can selectively label tumors in vivo with GFP. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of OBP-401 specifically labeled peritoneal tumors with GFP, enabling fluorescence visualization of the disseminated disease and real-time fluorescence surgical navigation. However, the technical problems with removing all cancer cells still remain, even with fluorescence-guided surgery. In this study, we report imaging of tumor recurrence after fluorescence-guided surgery of tumors labeled in vivo with the telomerase-dependent, GFP-containing adenovirus OBP-401.. Recurrent tumor nodules brightly expressed GFP, indicating that initial OBP-401-GFP labeling of peritoneal disease was genetically stable, such that proliferating residual cancer cells still express GFP. In situ tumor labeling with a genetic reporter has important advantages over antibody and other non-genetic labeling of tumors, since residual disease remains labeled during recurrence and can be further resected under fluorescence guidance.Key words: green fluorescent protein, adenovirus, cancer labeling, in situ, fluorescence-guided surgery, recurrence, detection