ATP hydrolysis by the proteasome regulatory complex PAN serves multiple functions in protein degradation

To clarify the role of ATP in proteolysis, we studied archaeal 20S proteasomes and the PAN (proteasome-activating nucleotidase) regulatory complex, a homolog of the eukaryotic 19S ATPases. PAN's ATPase activity was stimulated similarly by globular (GFPssrA) and unfolded (casein) substrates, and by the ssrA recognition peptide. Denaturation of GFPssrA did not accelerate its degradation or eliminate the requirement for PAN and ATP. During degradation of one molecule of globular or unfolded substrates, 300-400 ATP molecules were hydrolyzed. An N-terminal deletion in the 20S alpha subunits caused opening of the substrate-entry channel and rapid degradation of unfolded proteins without PAN; however, degradation of globular GFPssrA still required PAN's ATPase activity, even after PAN-catalyzed unfolding. Thus, substrate binding activates ATP hydrolysis, which promotes three processes: substrate unfolding, gate opening in the 20S, and protein translocation.     

Clinical relevance of matrix metalloproteinase-13 determined with a new highly specific and sensitive ELISA in ascitic fluid of advanced ovarian carcinoma patients

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, including tumor cell invasion and metastasis. For one member of this family, MMP-13 (collagenase-3), a new, highly specific ELISA with a sensitivity of 0.5 ng MMP-13/ml was established. The protein levels of MMP-13 in ascitic fluids of 30 patients with advanced ovarian cancer FIGO stage III (n = 19) and IV (n = 11) were measured with this ELISA. Using a cut-off value of 0.5 ng MMP-13/mg total protein, two patient subpopulations with short (median 16 months) and long (median 36 months) overall survival were identified. Together with other prognostic markers, determination of MMP-13 in ascitic fluid may help to identify patients at risk for early death and help to individualize adjuvant therapy.     

Effect of cadmium and zinc ethanolamine complexes on rat brain monoamine oxidase-B activity in vitro

Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) from rat brain was inhibited strongly by the prepared cadmium and zinc ethanolamine complexes obtained from their sulphate and chloride salts. The inhibition of MAO-B by these complexes was time-dependent and fully reversible after dilution and sedimentation. In vitro, the cadmium ethanolamine complexes were more potent at inhibiting MAO-B than the zinc complexes. The inhibitory effect of these complexes follow the order: TEA>DEA>MEA, due to the alkyl residues and steric effect properties. The inhibition of MAO-B by cadmium and zinc ethanolamine complexes was a noncompetitive type. The K(i) values were calculated. The influence of the complexes on the activity of MAO-B was rather evaluated. It decreased the MAO-B activity. The IC(50) values of the two potent cadmium and zinc triethanolamine complexes on MAO-B were evaluated indicating that the complexes were tightly binding, but reversible inhibitors for MAO-B. In general, these systems may be used for preventing some neurodegenerative diseases.     

Exploitation of specific properties of trifluoroethanol for extraction and separation of membrane proteins

Hydrophobic proteins are difficult to analyze by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) because of their intrinsic tendency to self-aggregate during the first dimension (isoelectric focusing, IEF) or the equilibration steps. This aggregation renders their redissolution for the second dimension uncertain and results in the reduction of the number and intensity of protein spots, and in undesirable vertical and horizontal streaks across gels. Trifluoroethanol (TFE) is traditionally used at high concentration to solubilize peptides and proteins for NMR studies. Depending upon its concentration, TFE strongly affects the three-dimensional structure of proteins. We report here a phase separation system based on TFE/CHCl(3), which is able to extract a number of intrinsic membrane proteins. The addition of TFE in the in-gel sample rehydration buffer to improve membrane protein IEF separation is also presented. The procedure using urea, thiourea, and sulfobetaine as chaotropic agents was modified by the addition of TFE and removing of sulfobetaine at an optimized concentration in the solubilization medium used for the first dimension. When using membrane fractions isolated from Escherichia coli, the intensity and the number of spots detected from 2-DE gels that used TFE in the solubilization medium were significantly increased. The majority of the proteins identified using peptide mass fingerprinting and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were intrinsic membrane proteins, proteins of beta barrel structure or transmembrane proteins.     

Chronic ethanol feeding impairs endothelin-1-stimulated glucose uptake via decreased G alpha 11 expression in rat adipocytes

Chronic ethanol feeding decreases insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in rat adipocytes. Here, we show that chronic ethanol also decreases endothelin-stimulated glucose uptake. Endothelin-1 increased uptake of 2-deoxyglucose 2.4-fold in adipocytes isolated from pair-fed rats. However, in adipocytes isolated from rats that had consumed a diet containing 35% ethanol for 4 wk, endothelin-1 did not increase glucose uptake. Although endothelin-1 increased GLUT4 quantity at the plasma membrane in adipocytes from pair-fed rats, there was no increase in GLUT4 after chronic ethanol feeding. Loss of endothelin-1-stimulated glucose uptake after ethanol feeding was associated with a specific decrease in the quantity of Galpha11 in plasma membranes, with no change in Galphaq quantity. Activation of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), a downstream target of Galphaq/11 that is required for endothelin-1-stimulated GLUT4 translocation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, was also suppressed after chronic ethanol feeding. In contrast, activation of p38 MAPK by endothelin-1 was not affected by chronic ethanol exposure. These data demonstrate that chronic ethanol feeding suppresses endothelin-1-stimulated glucose uptake and suggest that decreased expression of Galpha11 coupled to impaired endothelin-1-dependent activation of PYK2 contributes to this response.     

A caudorostral wave of RALDH2 conveys anteroposterior information to the cardiac field

Establishment of anteroposterior (AP) polarity is one of the earliest decisions in cardiogenesis and plays an important role in the coupling between heart and blood vessels. Recent research implicated retinoic acid (RA) in the communication of AP polarity to the heart. We utilized embryo culture, in situ hybridization, morphometry, fate mapping and treatment with the RA pan-antagonist BMS493 to investigate the relationship between cardiac precursors and RA signalling. We describe two phases of AP signalling by RA, reflected in RALDH2 expression. The first phase (HH4-7) is characterized by increasing proximity between sino-atrial precursors and the lateral mesoderm expressing RALDH2. In this phase, RA signalling is consistent with diffusion of the morphogen from a large field rather than a single hot spot. The second phase (HH7-8) is characterized by progressive encircling of cardiac precursors by a field of RALDH2 originating from a dynamic and evolutionary-conserved caudorostral wave pattern in the lateral mesoderm. At this phase, cardiac AP patterning by RA is consistent with localized action of RA by regulated activation of the Raldh2 gene within an embryonic domain. Systemic treatment with BMS493 altered the cardiac fate map such that ventricular precursors were found in areas normally devoid of them. Topical application of BMS493 inhibited atrial differentiation in left anterior lateral mesoderm. Identification of the caudorostral wave of RALDH2 as the endogenous source of RA establishing cardiac AP fates provides a useful model to approach the mechanisms whereby the vertebrate embryo confers axial information on its organs.     

Cellular localization of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in mouse intestinal tract

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a cAMP and cGMP-regulated chloride channel critical to the regulation of intestinal fluid, chloride, and bicarbonate secretion. In cystic fibrosis (CF), mutations in CFTR result in downregulation of CFTR function and small intestinal obstruction. Unlike the human CF intestine, severe gastrointestinal disease and lethal obstruction is common in transgenic mice deficient in CFTR. The relevance of the physiology of CFTR and pathophysiology of CF in genetically altered mice to that of human CF disease remains incompletely understood. We hypothesized that the expression and distribution of CFTR in mouse intestine may differ from that of human and may contribute to the variation in disease expression between the two species. Using immunocytochemical and immunoblot techniques and well-characterized anti-rodent anti-CFTR antibodies, we examined the cellular distribution of CFTR in the mouse intestinal tract. We identified significant differences in villus distribution for CFTR in the mouse proximal small intestine compared to those previously reported for human and rat. These observations are important to the understanding of CFTR pathophysiology in transgenic CF mouse model systems and bear relevance to the different phenotypic expression of disease in mice compared to human.