Regulatory mechanism of Dictyostelium myosin light chain kinase A

In this study, we examined the activation mechanism of Dictyostelium myosin light chain kinase A (MLCK-A) using constitutively active Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase as a surrogate MLCK-A kinase. MLCK-A was phosphorylated at Thr166 by constitutively active Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase, resulting in an approximately 140-fold increase in catalytic activity, using intact Dictyostelium myosin II. Recombinant Dictyostelium myosin II regulatory light chain and Kemptamide were also readily phosphorylated by activated MLCK-A. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that MLCK-A expressed by Escherichia coli was autophosphorylated at Thr289 and that, subsequent to Thr166 phosphorylation, MLCK-A also underwent a slow rate of autophosphorylation at multiple Ser residues. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we show that autophosphorylation at Thr289 is required for efficient phosphorylation and activation by an upstream kinase. By performing enzyme kinetics analysis on a series of MLCK-A truncation mutants, we found that residues 283-288 function as an autoinhibitory domain and that autoinhibition is fully relieved by Thr166 phosphorylation. Simple removal of this region resulted in a significant increase in the kcat of MLCK-A; however, it did not generate maximum enzymatic activity. Together with the results of our kinetic analysis of the enzymes, these findings demonstrate that Thr166 phosphorylation of MLCK-A by an upstream kinase subsequent to autophosphorylation at Thr289 results in generation of maximum MLCK-A activity through both release of an autoinhibitory domain from its catalytic core and a further increase (15-19-fold) in the kcat of the enzyme.     

Scavenger receptor expressed by endothelial cells I (SREC-I) mediates the uptake of acetylated low density lipoproteins by macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide

Scavenger receptor expressed by endothelial cells I (SREC-I) is a novel endocytic receptor for acetylated low density lipoprotein (LDL). Here we show that SREC-I is expressed in a wide variety of tissues, including macrophages and aortas. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) robustly stimulated the expression of SREC-I in macrophages. In an initial attempt to clarify the role of SREC-I in the uptake of modified lipoproteins as well as in the development of atherosclerosis, we generated mice with a targeted disruption of the SREC-I gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. To exclude the overwhelming effect of the type A scavenger receptor (SR-A) on the uptake of Ac-LDL, we further generated mice lacking both SR-A and SREC-I (SR-A(-/-);SREC-I(-/-)) by cross-breeding and compared the uptake and degradation of Ac-LDL in the isolated macrophages. The contribution of SR-A and SREC-I to the overall degradation of Ac-LDL was 85 and 5%, respectively, in a non-stimulated condition. LPS increased the uptake and degradation of Ac-LDL by 1.8-fold. In this condition, the contribution of SR-A and SREC-I to the overall degradation of Ac-LDL was 90 and 6%, respectively. LPS increased the absolute contribution of SR-A and SREC-I by 1.9- and 2.3-fold, respectively. On the other hand, LPS decreased the absolute contribution of other pathways by 31%. Consistently, LPS did not increase the expression of other members of the scavenger receptor family such as CD36. In conclusion, SREC-I serves as a major endocytic receptor for Ac-LDL in LPS-stimulated macrophages lacking SR-A, suggesting that it has a key role in the development of atherosclerosis in concert with SR-A.     

Specific inhibition of hepatitis C virus replication by cyclosporin A

The difficulty in eradicating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is attributable to the limited treatment options against the virus. Recently, cyclosporin A (CsA), a widely used immunosuppressive drug, has been reported to be effective against HCV infection [J. Gastroenterol. 38 (2003) 567], although little is understood about the mechanism of its action against HCV. In this study, we investigated the anti-viral effects of CsA using an HCV replicon system. Human hepatoma Huh7 cells were transfected with an HCV replicon expressing a chimeric gene encoding a luciferase reporter and neomycin phosphotransferase (Huh7/Rep-Feo). Treatment of the Huh7/Rep-Feo cells with CsA resulted in suppression of the replication of the HCV replicon in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 of approximately 0.5 microg/ml. There were no changes in the rate of cell growth or viability, suggesting that the effect of CsA against HCV is specific and not due to cytotoxicity. In contrast, FK506, another immunosuppressive drug, did not suppress HCV replication. CsA did not activate interferon-stimulated gene responses, suggesting that its action is independent of that of interferon. In conclusion, CsA inhibits HCV replication in vitro specifically at clinical concentrations. Further defining its mode of action against HCV replication potentially may be important for identifying novel molecular targets to treat HCV infection.     

Double PHD Fingers Protein DPF2 Recognizes Acetylated Histones and Suppresses the Function of Estrogen-related Receptor α through Histone Deacetylase 1

Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily and regulates many physiological functions, including mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid metabolism. ERRα enhances the transactivation function without endogenous ligand by associating with coactivators such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 α and β (PGC-1α and -β) and members of the steroid receptor coactivator family. However, the molecular mechanism by which the transactivation function of ERRα is converted from a repressive state to an active state is poorly understood. Here we used biochemical purification techniques to identify ERRα-associated proteins in HeLa cells stably expressing ERRα. Interestingly, we found that double PHD fingers protein DPF2/BAF45d suppressed PGC-1α-dependent transactivation of ERRα by recognizing acetylated histone H3 and associating with HDAC1. DPF2 directly bound to ERRα and suppressed the transactivation function of nuclear receptors such as androgen receptor. DPF2 was recruited to ERR target gene promoters in myoblast cells, and knockdown of DPF2 derepressed the level of mRNA expressed by target genes of ERRα. These results show that DPF2 acts as a nuclear receptor-selective co-repressor for ERRα by associating with both acetylated histone H3 and HDAC1.     

Solution Structure of Histone Chaperone ANP32B: Interaction with Core Histones H3-H4 through Its Acidic Concave Domain

Eukaryotic gene expression is regulated by histone deposition onto and eviction from nucleosomes, which are mediated by several chromatin-modulating factors. Among them, histone chaperones are key factors that facilitate nucleosome assembly. Acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32B (ANP32B) belongs to the ANP32 family, which shares N-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) and a C-terminal variable anionic region. The C-terminal region functions as an inhibitor of histone acetylation, but the functional roles of the LRR domain in chromatin regulation have remained elusive. Here, we report that the LRR domain of ANP32B possesses histone chaperone activity and forms a curved structure with a parallel β-sheet on the concave side and mostly helical elements on the convex side. Our analyses revealed that the interaction of ANP32B with the core histones H3-H4 occurs on its concave side, and both the acidic and hydrophobic residues that compose the concave surface are critical for histone binding. These results provide a structural framework for understanding the functional mechanisms of acidic histone chaperones.     

An engineered human IgG1 antibody with longer serum half-life

The serum half-life of IgG Abs is regulated by the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). By binding to FcRn in endosomes, IgG Abs are salvaged from lysosomal degradation and recycled to the circulation. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between the binding affinity of IgG Abs to FcRn and their serum half-lives in mice, including engineered Ab fragments with longer serum half-lives. Our recent study extended this correlation to human IgG2 Ab variants in primates. In the current study, several human IgG1 mutants with increased binding affinity to human FcRn at pH 6.0 were generated that retained pH-dependent release. A pharmacokinetics study in rhesus monkeys of one of the IgG1 variants indicated that its serum half-life was approximately 2.5-fold longer than the wild-type Ab. Ag binding was unaffected by the Fc mutations, while several effector functions appeared to be minimally altered. These properties suggest that engineered Abs with longer serum half-lives may prove to be effective therapeutics in humans.     

Acceleration of matrix metalloproteinase-1 production and activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta in human coronary smooth muscle cells by oxidized LDL and 4-hydroxynonenal

Increases in matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) at atherosclerotic lesions are involved in the migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into the intima and to the rupture of plaques, being implicated in the progression of atherosclerosis. The present study examined the mechanisms underlying the production of MMP-1, interstitial collagenase-1, induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), factors proposed to play a pivotal role in atherogenesis, in human coronary SMCs. oxLDL promoted the production of MMP-1 with the preceding phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. Immunoprecipitation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-beta) revealed that oxLDL induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. Inhibition of the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 resulted in a suppression of the production of MMP-1. Consistently, 4-HNE also elicited the production of MMP-1 with the preceding phosphorylation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2. The 4-HNE-induced production of MMP-1 was prevented when the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 was inhibited. The present results suggest that the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 is involved in the production of MMP-1 in oxLDL- and 4-HNE-stimulated human coronary SMCs.