Role of ANG II in coronary capillary angiogenesis at the insulin-resistant stage of a NIDDM rat model

With the use of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a model of human non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we assessed whether ANG II is involved in coronary capillary angiogenesis at the insulin-resistant stage of NIDDM (20 wk of age). In OLETF rats, ANG II labeling and angiotensin type 1 (AT(1)) receptor expression in coronary vessels were increased more than in nondiabetic controls. A marked increase in vascular expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at both mRNA and protein levels was found in OLETF rats. The increased expression level of VEGF was associated with accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) activated by increased advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Morphometric analysis showed a significantly increased total coronary capillary density, which was a result of arterialization of the venular capillary portion in OLETF rats. Treatment of OLETF rats with candesartan, an AT(1) receptor blocker, inhibited vascular expressions of VEGF, HIF-1alpha, and AGEs, and ameliorated the morphometric changes. These results suggest a key role of ANG II in the pathogenesis of the coronary capillary remodeling in this NIDDM model.     

Acid sphingomyelinase activation requires caspase-8 but not p53 nor reactive oxygen species during Fas-induced apoptosis in human glioma cells

During apoptosis of human glioma cells induced by anti-Fas antibody, ceramide formation with activation of acid, but not neutral sphingomyelinase (SMase), was observed. A potent inhibitor of acid SMase, SR33557, effectively inhibited ceramide formation and apoptosis. Fas-induced apoptosis and ceramide formation proceeded regardless of p53 status. The agents, which modify intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH), failed to modulate Fas-induced acid SMase activation and apoptosis. Moreover, expression of functional p53 protein using a temperature-sensitive human p53val(138) induced ceramide generation by activation of neutral SMase but not acid SMase through ROS formation. Peptide inhibitors for caspases-8 (z-IETD-fmk) and -3 (z-DEVD-fmk) suppressed Fas-induced apoptosis. However, activation of acid SMase was inhibited only by z-IETD-fmk. Thus, ceramide generated by acid SMase may take a part in Fas-induced apoptosis of human glioma cells and acid SMase activation may be dependent on caspase-8 activation, but not on p53 nor ROS.     

Nuclear localization of peptidylarginine deiminase V and histone deimination in granulocytes

Peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) deiminates arginine residues in proteins to citrulline residues Ca(2+) dependently. There are four types of PADs, I, II, III, and V, in humans. We studied the subcellular distribution of PAD V in HL-60 granulocytes and peripheral blood granulocytes. Expression of green fluorescent protein-tagged PADs in HeLa cells revealed that PAD V is localized in the nucleus, whereas PAD I, II, and III are localized in the cytoplasm. PAD V deletion mutants indicated that the sequence residues 45-74 have a nuclear localization signal (NLS). A sequence feature of this NLS is a three-lysine residue cluster preceded by a proline residue and is not found in the three other PADs. Substitution of the lysine cluster by an alanine cluster abrogated the nuclear import activity. These results suggested that the NLS is a classical monopartite NLS. HL-60 granulocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils stained with antibody specific for PAD V exhibited distinct positive signals in the nucleus. Subcellular fractionation of HL-60 granulocytes also showed the nuclear localization of the enzyme. When neutrophils were stimulated with calcium ionophore, protein deimination occurred in the nucleus. The major deiminated proteins were identified as histones H2A, H3, and H4. The implication of PAD V in histone modifications is discussed.     

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate transduction cascade in taste reception of the fleshfly, Boettcherisca peregrina

The role of an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-mediated transduction cascade in the response of taste receptor cells of the fleshfly Boettcherisca peregrina was investigated by using the following reagents: neomycin (an inhibitor of IP3 production), U73122 (an inhibitor of phospholipase C), adenophostin A (an agonist of the IP3-gated channel), IP3, ruthenium red (a blocker of the IP3-gated channel), and 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB; an antagonist of the IP3-gated channel). For introduction into the receptor cell, the reagents were mixed with a detergent, deoxycholate (DOC). After treatment with neomycin + DOC or U73122 + DOC, the response of the sugar receptor cell to sugars was depressed compared with responses after treatment with DOC alone. During the treatment of adenophostin A + DOC, the response of the sugar receptor cell was elicited. After treatment with IP3 + DOC, the response of the sugar receptor cell to sugars and to amino acids was apparently enhanced. When taste stimuli were administered in the presence of ruthenium red or 2-APB, the response of the sugar receptor cell to glucose were inhibited. The expression of genes for substances involved in the IP3 transduction cascade, such as G protein alpha subunit (dGqalpha), phospholipase C (norpA), and IP3 receptor (itpr), were examined in the taste receptor cell of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster by using the pox-neuro70 mutant (poxn70), which lacks taste receptor cells. The expressed levels of dGqalpha and itpr in the tarsus of poxn70 mutant flies were reduced compared with those of wild-type flies. These results suggest that the IP3 transduction cascade is involved in the response of the sugar receptor cell of the fly.     

Doxorubicin directly binds to the cardiac-type ryanodine receptor

The clinical use of doxorubicin, an antineoplasmic agent, is limited by its extensive cardiotoxicity which is mediated by the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ from SR. In order to elucidate the mechanism of Ca2+ release, we analyzed the binding sites of doxorubicin on rabbit cardiac SR (sarcoplasmic reticulum). One of the binding sites was identified as cardiac-type ryanodine receptor (RyR2) which was purified by immunoprecipitation from solubilized cardiac SR in the presence of DTT. Ligand blot analysis revealed the direct binding of doxorubicin to RyR2. The binding of doxorubicin to RyR2 was specific and displaced by caffeine. Both doxorubicin and caffeine enhanced [3H]-ryanodine binding to RyR2 in a Ca2+ dependent manner. These results suggest that there is a doxorubicin binding site on RyR2.     

Salivary cystatins influence ingestion of capsaicin-containing diets in the rat

Dietary capsaicin consumed by rats over several days induces cystatin-like substances in submandibular saliva. Yet the physiological role of these salivary proteins has not been thoroughly investigated. Salivary cystatins in the rat submandibular glands are known to be induced by chronic treatment with the sympathetic beta-agonist, isoproterenol. In the present study, the possible roles of the salivary proteins on food intake were examined by comparing consumption of a capsaicin-adulterated (0.05%) diet in rats with and without isoproterenol pretreatment (0.1 and 5.0 mg/kg, 5 days). Electrophoretic analysis performed prior to feeding trials revealed that the group pretreated with 5 mg/kg isoproterenol had large amounts of cystatin in the saliva compared with the group pretreated with 0.1 mg/kg isoproterenol and control group. The group treated with 5 mg/kg isoproterenol showed greater consumption of the capsaicin-adulterated diet than the other groups until the 3rd day of trials. Bilateral removal of the submandibular and sublingual glands neutralized the effects of isoproterenol. Induction of salivary cystatins by isoproterenol treatment was not mimicked by systemic and intragastric administration of capsaicin. These results suggest that cystatins are included in the salivary proteins induced by capsaicin and that they contribute to enhanced ingestion of the capsaicin diet. Induction of salivary cystatins may be triggered by irritation of the oral mucosa by capsaicin.     

Effects of Rho-kinase inhibitor on vasopressin-induced chronic myocardial damage in rats

The aim of this study was to develop a new model of vasopressin-induced chronic myocardial damage based on sustained ST-segment depression in electrocardiogram (ECG) with progression of myocardial fibrosis in rats. Furthermore, using this model, we examined the prophylactic potential of fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, against myocardial damage induced by vasopressin. In 10-week old male Donryu rats, intravenous administration of arginine vasopressin (0.5 iu/kg) induced significant ST-segment depression. Two days and one week after the administration of vasopressin, ST-segment depression was -0.19 +/- 0.02 and -0.14 +/- 0.02 mV, respectively. Fasudil (10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly attenuated the ST-segment depression induced by vasopressin. One week after the administration of vasopressin, the percent area of myocardial fibrosis in control animals (0.42 +/- 0.11%, p < 0.01) was significantly greater than that in normal animals (0.05 +/- 0.01%). Fasudil (10 and 30 mg/kg) significantly prevented the development of the fibrosis. We present a new model of chronic myocardial damage based on sustained ST-segment depression with progression of myocardial fibrosis in rats, and suggest that this model may be useful to investigate the treatment of chronic angina. Inhibition of Rho-kinase is efficacious in preventing the ECG change and development of fibrosis induced by vasopressin in this model.     

Arginine residue at position 573 in Enterococcus hirae vacuolar-type ATPase NtpI subunit plays a crucial role in Na+ translocation

The 76-kDa NtpI subunit constitutes the membrane-embedded V(0) moiety of Enterococcus hirae vacuolar type Na+-ATPase with a 16-kDa NtpK hexamer containing Na+ binding sites. In this study, we investigated the role of an arginine residue, which is highly conserved among the corresponding subunits of bacterial vacuolar-type ATPases, at position 573 of NtpI. Substitution of Glu, Leu, or Gln for Arg-573 abolished sodium transport and sodium-stimulated ATP hydrolysis of the enzyme. The conservative replacement of Arg by Lys lowered both activities about one-fifth of those of the wild type enzyme. We have reported previously on ATP-dependent negative cooperativity for Na+ coupling of this enzyme (Murata, T., Kakinuma, Y., and Yamato, I. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 48337-48340). The negative cooperativity for the Na+ dependence of ATPase activity was weakened by the mutation R573K; the Hill coefficients for the wild type and mutant enzymes at a saturated ATP concentration were 0.22 +/- 0.03 and 0.40 +/- 0.05, respectively. The Hill coefficients of both enzymes at limited ATP concentrations approached 1. These results indicate that NtpI Arg-573 is indispensable for sodium translocation and for the cooperative features of E. hirae vacuolar-type ATPase.     

CLAC: a novel Alzheimer amyloid plaque component derived from a transmembrane precursor, CLAC-P/collagen type XXV

We raised monoclonal antibodies against senile plaque (SP) amyloid and obtained a clone 9D2, which labeled amyloid fibrils in SPs and reacted with approximately 50/100 kDa polypeptides in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. We purified the 9D2 antigens and cloned a cDNA encoding its precursor, which was a novel type II transmembrane protein specifically expressed in neurons. This precursor harbored three collagen-like Gly-X-Y repeat motifs and was partially homologous to collagen type XIII. Thus, we named the 9D2 antigen as CLAC (collagen-like Alzheimer amyloid plaque component), and its precursor as CLAC-P/collagen type XXV. The extracellular domain of CLAC-P/collagen type XXV was secreted by furin convertase, and the N-terminus of CLAC deposited in AD brains was pyroglutamate modified. Both secreted and membrane-tethered forms of CLAC-P/collagen type XXV specifically bound to fibrillized Abeta, implicating these proteins in beta-amyloidogenesis and neuronal degeneration in AD.