β-Amyloid (Aβ) Oligomers Impair Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Retrograde Trafficking by Down-regulating Ubiquitin C-terminal Hydrolase,UCH-L1

We previously found that BDNF-dependent retrograde trafficking is impaired in AD transgenic mouse neurons. Utilizing a novel microfluidic culture chamber, we demonstrate that Aβ oligomers compromise BDNF-mediated retrograde transport by impairing endosomal vesicle velocities, resulting in impaired downstream signaling driven by BDNF/TrkB, including ERK5 activation, and CREB-dependent gene regulation. Our data suggest that a key mechanism mediating the deficit involves ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), a deubiquitinating enzyme that functions to regulate cellular ubiquitin. Aβ-induced deficits in BDNF trafficking and signaling are mimicked by LDN (an inhibitor of UCH-L1) and can be reversed by increasing cellular UCH-L1 levels, demonstrated here using a transducible TAT-UCH-L1 strategy. Finally, our data reveal that UCH-L1 mRNA levels are decreased in the hippocampi of AD brains. Taken together, our data implicate that UCH-L1 is important for regulating neurotrophin receptor sorting to signaling endosomes and supporting retrograde transport. Further, our results support the idea that in AD, Aβ may down-regulate UCH-L1 in the AD brain, which in turn impairs BDNF/TrkB-mediated retrograde signaling, compromising synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival.     

Induction of SerpinB2 and Th1/Th2 Modulation by SerpinB2 during Lentiviral Infections In Vivo

SerpinB2, also known as plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2, is a major product of activated monocytes/macrophages and is often strongly induced during infection and inflammation; however, its physiological function remains somewhat elusive. Herein we show that SerpinB2 is induced in peripheral blood mononuclear cells following infection of pigtail macaques with CCR5-utilizing (macrophage-tropic) SIV_mac239, but not the rapidly pathogenic CXCR4-utilizing (T cell-tropic) SHIV_mn229. To investigate the role of SerpinB2 in lentiviral infections, SerpinB2^−/− mice were infected with EcoHIV, a chimeric HIV in which HIV gp120 has been replaced with gp80 from ecotropic murine leukemia virus. EcoHIV infected SerpinB2^−/− mice produced significantly lower anti-gag IgG1 antibody titres than infected SerpinB2^+/+ mice, and showed slightly delayed clearance of EcoHIV. Analyses of published microarray studies showed significantly higher levels of SerpinB2 mRNA in monocytes from HIV-1 infected patients when compared with uninfected controls, as well as a significant negative correlation between SerpinB2 and T-bet mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These data illustrate that SerpinB2 can be induced by lentiviral infection in vivo and support the emerging notion that a physiological role of SerpinB2 is modulation of Th1/Th2 responses.     

Genetic basis of ultraviolet-B effects on contact hypersensitivity

The genetic basis of the effects of ultraviolet B(UVB) radiation on the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH) to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) has been explored in genetically defined mice. It was found that acute, low-dose UVB radiation produced profound depletion of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) at UVB-treated sites in all strains of mice tested. However, when DNFB was applied to UVB radiation sites, unresponsiveness developed in some strains of mice, but vigorous contact hypersensitivity was induced in others. The UVB-susceptible phenotype proved dominant or codominant in F₁ hybrids derived from parental strains of the susceptible and UVB-resistant phenotypes. Experiments conducted in one set of F₁ hybrids derived from two UVB-susceptible parental strains displayed UVB resistance, suggesting gene complementation, and showed that more than one genetic locus was involved. Segregant backcross populations, analyzed for the capacity to develop CH after UVB treatment and skin painting with DNFB, revealed that at least two, and probably three, independent genetic loci participate in determining UVB resistance. Results of experiments with H-2 congenic and recombinant mice derived from the B10 background implicated class I genes of the major histocompatibility complex as relevant genetic factors. These results indicate that there is a dissociation between the effects of UVB radiation on epidermal Langerhans cells and the capacity of a cutaneous surface to support the induction of contact hypersensitivity. The data indicate that the induction of CH to haptens is dependent on normal numbers of functional LC at the skin painting site only in some strains of mice. The data imply that in the so-called UVB-resistant strains of mice, alternative (non-Langerhans cell-dependent) mechanisms allow for the induction of CH. Several independent genetic loci, one of which appears to be H-2, govern this UVB-related effect.     

Kinetics of Ca+ adsorption and cationic selectivity with a synaptic membrane protein

A study was conducted on the adsorption of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ to a surface film of a hydrophobic protein derived from synaptic membranes isolated from bovine cerebellum. A kinetic analysis of Ca²⁺ displacement from the protein by various metal and organic cations could be described by a rate law based on diffusion and displacement. The relative rate constants for the displacement of bound Ca²⁺ were in the order Li⁺ <Na⁺, Rb⁺ <Cs⁺ <K⁺, NH₄⁺. Among the alkaline earth series the sequence was Mg²⁺, Sr²⁺ <Ba²⁺. Ca²⁺ adsorption could be described by a theoretical formulation which takes into account an interfacial energy and potential barrier as well as the diffusional process. An attempt was made to consider the effect of energy of hydration of the cations, surface charge, and the chemical environment at the interface on catonic selectivity. The behavior of the cations in this system significantly resemble their behavior in natural membranes, particularly excitatory ones. The structural and physicochemical environment of the protein at the interface is discussed in relation to Ca²⁺ binding and cationic selectivity.     

Factors Determining the Frequency of the Killer Trait within Populations of the Paramecium aurelia Complex

The factors maintaining the cytoplasmically inherited killer trait in populations of Paramecium tetraurelia and Paramecium biaurelia were examined using, in part, computer simulation. Frequency of the K and k alleles, infection and loss of the endosymbionts, recombination during conjugation and autogamy, cytoplasmic exchange and natural selection were incorporated in a model. Infection during cytoplasmic exchange at conjugation and natural selection were factors that would increase the proportion of killers in a population. Conversely, k alleles reduced the proportion of killers in a population, acting through conjugation and autogamy. Field studies indicate that the odd mating type is prevalent in P. tetraurelia isolated from nature. Conjugation and therefore transmission by cytoplasmic transfer would be rare. Competition studies indicate a strong selective disadvantage for sensitives at concentrations found in nature. Natural selection must therefore be the factor maintaining the killer trait in P. tetraurelia.