Blockade of ATP-sensitive potassium channels prevents the attenuation of the exercise pressor reflex by tempol in rats with ligated femoral arteries

We reported previously that tempol attenuated the exercise pressor and muscle mechanoreceptor reflexes in rats whose femoral arteries were ligated, whereas tempol did not attenuate these reflexes in rats whose femoral arteries were freely perfused. Although the mechanism whereby tempol attenuated these reflexes in rats whose femoral artery was ligated was independent of its ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species, its nature remains unclear. An alternative explanation for the tempol-induced attenuation of these reflexes involves ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP)) and calcium-activated potassium channels (BK(Ca)), both of which are opened by tempol. We tested the likelihood of this explanation by measuring the effects of either glibenclamide (0.1 mg/kg), which blocks K(ATP) channels, or iberiotoxin (20 or 40 μg/kg), which blocks BK(Ca) channels, on the tempol-induced attenuation of the exercise pressor and muscle mechanoreceptor reflexes in decerebrated rats whose femoral arteries were ligated. We found that glibenclamide prevented the tempol-induced attenuation of both reflexes, whereas iberiotoxin did not. We also found that the amount of protein comprising the pore of the K(ATP) channel in the dorsal root ganglia innervating hindlimbs whose femoral artery was ligated was significantly greater than that in the dorsal root ganglia innervating hindlimbs whose femoral arteries were freely perfused. In contrast, the amounts of protein comprising the BK(Ca) channel in the dorsal root ganglia innervating the ligated and freely perfused hindlimbs were not different. We conclude that tempol attenuated both reflexes by opening K(ATP) channels, an effect that hyperpolarized muscle afferents stimulated by static contraction or tendon stretch.     

An Efficient reproductive method for Irs2-/- mice with C57BL/6JJcl genetic background

Efficient reproduction using natural mating and reproduction technology [in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET)] was investigated in IRS2 deficient mice with C57BL/6JJcl genetic background (Irs2(-/-) mice) as a typical type 2 diabetes model. From the results using various combinations of Irs2(-/-) and Irs2(-/+) mice, the combination of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-) was found to be more efficient than other combinations. In applications of reproduction technology using IVF and ET, the combination of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-) involves the possibility of Irs2(-/-) production by repeats using female Irs2(-/+) mice. However, reproductive continuity using this combination is difficult because of dependence on human technique and the cost of ET. Therefore, we concluded that Irs2(-/-) mice should be produced by embryo transfer using Irs2(-/-) mice from a colony consisting of female Irs2(-/+) x male Irs2(-/-).     

Near-full-length REV3L appears to be a scarce maternal factor in Xenopus laevis eggs that changes qualitatively in early embryonic development

REV3 is the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase ζ (pol ζ), which is responsible for the damage-induced mutagenesis that arises during error-prone translesion synthesis in eukaryotes. The related REV3L genes in human and mouse encode proteins of approximately 350 kDa, twice as large as yeast REV3, but full-length REV3L has not been identified in any vertebrate cell. We report that Xenopus laevis REV3L encodes a 352-kDa protein that has high overall amino acid sequence similarity to its mammalian counterparts, and, for the first time in a vertebrate species, we have detected putative REV3L polypeptides of 300 and 340 kDa in X. laevis oocytes. Only the 300-kDa form is stored in eggs, where its concentration of about 65 pM is much lower than those of other replication and repair proteins including the accessory pol ζ subunit REV7. In fertilized eggs, the levels of this polypeptide did not change until neurula; the larger 340-kDa form first appeared at stages after gastrula, suggesting a pattern of regulation during development. These observations indicate the existence of REV3L as a scarce protein, of approximately the full predicted size, whose level may impose severe constraints on the assembly of pol ζ in X. laevis.     

Molecular phylogeny of monocotyledons inferred from combined analysis of plastid<Emphasis Type="Italic"> matK</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> rbcL</Emphasis> gene sequences

Using matK and rbcL sequences (3,269 bp in total) from 113 genera of 45 families, we conducted a combined analysis to contribute to the understanding of major evolutionary relationships in the monocotyledons. Trees resulting from the parsimony analysis are similar to those generated by earlier single or multiple gene analyses, but their strict consensus tree provides much better resolution of relationships among major clades. We find that Acorus (Acorales) is a sister group to the rest of the monocots, which receives 100% bootstrap support. A clade comprising Alismatales is diverged as the next branch, followed successively by Petrosaviaceae, the Dioscoreales–Pandanales clade, Liliales, Asparagales and commelinoids. All of these clades are strongly supported (with more than 90% bootstrap support). The sister-group relationship is also strongly supported between Alismatales and the remaining monocots (except for Acorus) (100%), between Petrosaviaceae and the remaining monocots (except for Acorus and Alismatales) (100%), between the clade comprising Dioscoreales and Pandanales and the clade comprising Liliales, Asparagales and commelinoids (87%), and between Liliales and the Asparagales–commelinoids clade (89%). Only the sister-group relationship between Asparagales and commelinoids is weakly supported (68%). Results also support the inclusion of Petrosaviaceae in its own order Petrosaviales, Nartheciaceae in Dioscoreales and Hanguanaceae in Commelinales.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10265-003-0133-3     

Cytochrome P450 in livers of diabetic rats: regulation by growth hormone and insulin

The effects of pituitary and pancreatic hormones on the change in hepatic cytochrome P450s were studied in alloxan- or streptozotocin-induced male rats. In two major sex-specific forms, P450-male and P450(6 beta-1), the former was decreased in chronic (5 week) diabetes to only less than one-third of controls and the latter was also reduced in early (1 week) diabetes. In contrast, a main phenobarbital-inducible form, P450b, was enhanced 25- to 30-fold in these diabetic rats. 3-Methylcholanthrene-inducible P448H was also elevated 3-fold in alloxan-induced diabetes. These changes in hepatic contents of P450-male, P450-6 beta-1, and P450b, which are under the regulation of pituitary growth hormone, associated well with the reported results of time-dependent changes in growth hormone levels in diabetes (G.S. Tannenbaum (1981) Endocrinology 108, 76-82), suggesting that the change in growth hormone level is a factor responsible for alterations in hepatic cytochrome P450s. Normalizing effects of insulin on these forms were also studied. Treatment of diabetic rats with insulin reversed the decreased amounts of both P450-male protein and mRNA. Insulin also normalized hepatic contents of P450b, P4506 beta-1, and P448H. However, the treatment of hypophysectomized rats with insulin had no effect, and treatment of diabetic rats with growth hormone or a suppressing agent of somatostatin, cysteamine, showed trivial effects on P450-male and P450b. These results suggest that insulin does not act directly as a substitute of growth hormone, but exerts its effect indirectly through the normalization of a growth hormone-mediated process(es) in diabetic rats.     

A high molecular weight glutamyl endopeptidase and its endogenous inhibitors from cucumber leaves

We purified a glutamyl endopeptidase that is a major foliar endopeptidase in cucumber. The endopeptidase had a molecular mass of 400 kDa, consisted of four subunits of 97 kDa, and was inactivated by SH-modifying reagents. Its optimum pH and optimum temperature were 8.0 and 30-37 degrees C, respectively. An internal amino acid sequence of the endopeptidase was highly homologous to a partial sequence of unidentified proteins deduced from genetic information for Arabidopsis thaliana, soybean and rice, but not to the sequences of bacterial glutamyl endopeptidases or animal proteases. Therefore, the unidentified proteins might be glutamyl endopeptidases and be widely distributed only among plant species. The activity of the cucumber glutamyl endopeptidase was inhibited by at least three inhibitors existing in cucumber leaves. One of the inhibitors was a competitive inhibitor of 25 kDa, which did not significantly inhibit commercial endopeptidases derived from animals and microorganisms. This suggests that the cucumber glutamyl endopeptidase might be controlled by endogenous inhibitors in vivo.     

Regulation of Rac and Cdc42 pathways by G(i) during lysophosphatidic acid-induced cell spreading

The pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein, G(i), has been implicated in lysophosphatidic acid-induced cell mitogenesis and migration, but the mechanisms remain to be detailed. In the present study, we found that pertussis toxin blocks lysophosphatidic acid-induced cell spreading of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts on fibronectin. This prevention of cell spreading was eliminated by the expression of constitutively active mutants of Rho family small GTP-binding proteins, Rac and Cdc42, but not by Rho. In addition, activation of the endogenous forms was suppressed by pertussis toxin, indicating that G(i)-induced cell spreading is mediated through the Rac and Cdc42 pathway. Transfection of constitutively active mutants of G alpha(i) and G alpha(11) and G beta gamma subunits enhanced spreading of pertussis toxin-treated cells. G beta(1) with G gamma(12), a major G gamma form in fibroblasts, was more effective for increasing cell spreading than G beta(1)gamma(2) or G beta(1) plus G gamma(12)S2A, a mutant in which Ser-2, a phosphorylation site for protein kinase C, is replaced with alanine. In addition, a protein kinase C inhibitor diminished G beta(1)gamma(12)-induced cell spreading, suggesting a role for phosphorylation of the protein. These findings indicate that both G alpha(i) and G beta gamma stimulate Rac and Cdc42 pathways with lysophosphatidic acid-induced cell spreading on fibronectin.     

Parallel regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3) and MKK6 in Gq-signaling cascade

Heterotrimeric G protein G(q) stimulates the activity of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in mammalian cells. To investigate the signaling mechanism whereby alpha and betagamma subunits of G(q) activate p38 MAPK, we introduced kinase-deficient mutants of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3), MKK4, and MKK6 into human embryonal kidney 293 cells. The activation of p38 MAPK by Galpha(q) and Gbetagamma was blocked by kinase-deficient MKK3 and MKK6 but not by kinase-deficient MKK4. In addition, Galpha(q) and Gbetagamma stimulated MKK3 and MKK6 activities. The MKK3 and MKK6 activations by Galpha(q), but not by Gbetagamma, were dependent on phospholipase C and c-Src. Galpha(q) stimulated MKK3 in a Rac- and Cdc42-dependent manner and MKK6 in a Rho-dependent manner. On the other hand, Gbetagamma activated MKK3 in a Rac- and Cdc42-dependent manner and MKK6 in a Rho-, Rac-, and Cdc42-dependent manner. Gbetagamma-induced MKK3 and MKK6 activations were dependent on a tyrosine kinase other than c-Src. These results suggest that Galpha(q) and Gbetagamma stimulate the activity of p38 MAPK by regulating MKK3 and MKK6 through parallel signaling pathways.     

A TGACGT motif in the 5'-upstream region of alpha-amylase gene from Vigna mungo is a cis-element for expression in cotyledons of germinated seeds

Alpha-amylase is expressed at high levels in cotyledons of germinated seeds of Vigna mungo. The mRNA for alpha-amylase appeared in cotyledons of the seeds at 1 d after imbibition started (DAI). Two TGACGT motifs at -445 and at -125 in the promoter region of the gene interacted with nuclear proteins from cotyledons of dry seeds and the activities were detected until 3 DAI. A transient assay with particle bombardment showed that the downstream region from -135 in the promoter was required for high level expression in the cotyledons and the activity was reduced by mutation of the TGACGT motif at -125. The activities to bind the TGACGT motifs were detected in the axes of the seeds at 1 DAI but disappeared at 4 DAI, although the mRNA for alpha-amylase in the axes appeared at 4 DAI and increased in level by 6 DAI. A transient assay experiment showed that a positive regulatory element for the expression in the axes was located in the region from -630 to -453. These results indicated that the TGACGT motif at -125 was required for high level expression of the gene in the cotyledons of the germinated seeds.