Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha Is a Key Factor Related to Depression and Physiological Homeostasis in the Mouse Brain

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder that involves marked disabilities in global functioning, anorexia, and severe medical comorbidities. MDD is associated with not only psychological and sociocultural problems, but also pervasive physical dysfunctions such as metabolic, neurobiological and immunological abnormalities. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the interactions between these factors have yet to be determined in detail. The aim of the present study was to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for the interactions between MDD and dysregulation of physiological homeostasis, including immunological function as well as lipid metabolism, coagulation, and hormonal activity in the brain. We generated depression-like behavior in mice using chronic mild stress (CMS) as a model of depression. We compared the gene expression profiles in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of CMS and control mice using microarrays. We subsequently categorized genes using two web-based bioinformatics applications: Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and The Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery. We then confirmed significant group-differences by analyzing mRNA and protein expression levels not only in the PFC, but also in the thalamus and hippocampus. These web tools revealed that hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (Hnf4a) may exert direct effects on various genes specifically associated with amine synthesis, such as genes involved in serotonin metabolism and related immunological functions. Moreover, these genes may influence lipid metabolism, coagulation, and hormonal activity. We also confirmed the significant effects of Hnf4a on both mRNA and protein expression levels in the brain. These results suggest that Hnf4a may have a critical influence on physiological homeostasis under depressive states, and may be associated with the mechanisms responsible for the interactions between MDD and the dysregulation of physiological homeostasis in humans.     

Partial Characterization of a 17 kDa Acidic Protein, EFP, Induced by Thiocarbamate in the Early Flowering Phase in Asparagus Seedlings

Asparagus officinalis seedlings treated with either thiocarbamatesor carbamates are induced to flower within 2-3 weeks of application.SDS-PAGE and 2-D PAGE resolutions of total soluble proteinsof treated seedlings showed the accumulation of an acidic 17kDa polypeptide. Partialmino acid sequence of the acidic proteinshowed homology to the wound-responsive A. officinalisPR 1,AoPRl. We named this protein EFP, early flowering protein, owingto its advanced appearance during the early transition fromvegetative to floral phase. Carbamates and thiocarbamates thatinduced more than 80% flowering rates corresponded with increasedlevel of EFP while compounds that are weak flower inducers showedreduced amount of EFP. The observation thus denned the correlationshipof EFP to variable flowering rates. (Received May 27, 1996; Accepted July 11, 1996)     

A hexanucleotide sequence (dC1-dC6 tract) restricts the dC-specific cleavage of single-stranded DNA by endonuclease IV of bacteriophage T4

Endonuclease (Endo) IV encoded by denB of bacteriophage T4 is an enzyme that cleaves single-stranded (ss) DNA in a dC-specific manner. Previously we have demonstrated that a dTdCdA is most preferable for Endo IV when an oligonucleotide substrate having a single dC residue is used. Here we demonstrate that Endo IV cleaves ssDNAs exclusively at the 5′-proximal dC where a sequence comprises dC residues both at the 5′ proximal and 3′ proximal positions (a dCs tract-dependent cleavage). The dCs tract-dependent cleavage is efficient and occurs when a dCs tract has at least 6 bases. Some dCs tracts larger than 6 bases behave as that of 6 bases (an extended dCs tract), while some others do not. One decameric dCs tract was shown to be cleavable in a dCs tract-dependent manner, but that with 13 dCs was not. The dCs tract-dependent cleavage is enhanced by the presence of a third dC residue at least for a 6 or 7 dCs tract. In contrast to the dCs tract-dependent cleavage, a dCs tract-independent one is generally inefficient and if two modes are possible for a substrate DNA, a dCs tract-dependent mode prevails. A model for the dCs tract-dependent cleavage is proposed.     

Constitutive over-expression of VEGF results in reduced expression of Hand-1 during cardiac development in Xenopus

During heart development, various signaling cascades are tightly regulated in a stage- and region-dependent manner. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the important molecules required for both vascular development and cardiac morphogenesis. VEGF receptors are present in the embryonic heart, so we focused on heart formation in VEGF-over-expressing Xenopus embryos. Over-expression of VEGF(170) caused disorganized vessels, while the expression of an endothelial marker, Tie-2, was increased. The embryo's heart was distinctly larger than that of control, and showed abnormal morphology. Histological analysis of these embryos showed failure of heart looping. In situ hybridization with Hand-1, which controls intrinsic morphogenetic pathways, revealed that the expression level of Hand-1 was decreased in the heart region. These results suggest that increased VEGF(170) levels disturb Hand-1 expression in the region required for normal heart morphogenesis. VEGF expression level may be important in heart morphology during embryonic development.     

Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 as extracellular chaperone receptor: its versatile functions and human diseases

Well-known coronary risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, smoking, and diabetes are reported to induce the oxidative stress. Under the oxidative stress, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is oxidatively modified in the vasculature, and formed oxidized LDL induces endothelial dysfunction, expression of adhesion molecules and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells. It has become evident that these cellular responses induced by oxidized LDL are mediated by lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1). LOX-1 was originally identified from cultured aortic endothelial cells as a receptor for oxidized LDL; however, recent investigations revealed that LOX-1 has diverse roles in the host-defense system and inflammatory responses, and it is involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as atherosclerosis-based cardiovascular diseases and septic shock. Beside oxidized LDL, LOX-1 recognizes multiple ligands including apoptotic cells, platelets, advanced glycation end products, bacteria, and heat shock proteins (HSPs). The HSPs function as a chaperone to affect protein folding of newly synthesized or denatured proteins. There are accumulating evidences that the HSPs released into the extracellular space have potent biological activities and it may work as a kind of cytokines. It is demonstrated that LOX-1 works as a receptor for HSP70, since it has high affinity for HSP70. The interaction of LOX-1 with HSP70 is involved in the cross-presentation of antigen. Given the potent and wide variety of biological activities, more understanding their interaction provides potential therapeutic strategy for various human diseases.     

PLANT U-BOX PROTEIN10 Regulates MYC2 Stability in Arabidopsis

MYC2 is an important regulator for jasmonic acid (JA) signaling, but little is known about its posttranslational regulation. Here, we show that the MYC2 C-terminal region interacted with the PLANT U-BOX PROTEIN10 (PUB10) armadillo repeats in vitro. MYC2 was efficiently polyubiquitinated by PUB10 with UBC8 as an E2 enzyme and the conserved C249 in PUB10 was required for activity. The inactive PUB10(C249A) mutant protein retained its ability to heterodimerize with PUB10, thus blocking PUB10 E3 activity as a dominant-negative mutant. Both MYC2 and PUB10 were nucleus localized and coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed their interaction in vivo. Although unstable in the wild type, MYC2 stability was enhanced in pub10, suggesting destabilization by PUB10. Moreover, MYC2 half-life was shortened or prolonged by induced expression of PUB10 or the dominant-negative PUB10(C249A) mutant, respectively. Root growth of pub10 seedlings phenocopied 35S:MYC2 seedlings and was hypersensitive to methyl jasmonate, whereas 35S:PUB10 and jin1-9 (myc2) seedlings were hyposensitive. In addition, the root phenotype conferred by MYC2 overexpression in double transgenic plants was reversed or enhanced by induced expression of PUB10 or PUB10(C249A), respectively. Similar results were obtained with three other JA-regulated genes, TAT, JR2, and PDF1.2. Collectively, our results show that MYC2 is targeted by PUB10 for degradation during JA responses.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a bimodal CXCR4 antagonistic peptide

The antagonistic Ac-TZ14011 peptide, which binds to the chemokine receptor 4, has been labeled with a multifunctional single attachment point reagent that contains a DTPA chelate and a fluorescent dye with Cy5.5 spectral properties. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy showed that the bimodal labeled peptide gave a specific receptor binding that is similar to monofunctionalized peptide derivatives. Therefore, the newly developed bimodal peptide derivative can be used in multimodal imaging applications.     

Efficient production of (2S)-flavanones by Escherichia coli containing an artificial biosynthetic gene cluster

For the fermentative production of plant-specific flavanones (naringenin, pinocembrin) by Escherichia coli, a plasmid was constructed which carried an artificial biosynthetic gene cluster, including PAL encoding a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from a yeast, ScCCL encoding a cinnamate/coumarate:CoA ligase from the actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), CHS encoding a chalcone synthase from a licorice plant and CHI encoding a chalcone isomerase from the Pueraria plant. The recombinant E. coli cells produced (2S)-naringenin from tyrosine and (2S)-pinocembrin from phenylalanine. When the two subunit genes of acetyl-CoA carboxylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum were expressed under the control of the T7 promoter and the ribosome-binding sequence in the recombinant E. coli cells, the flavanone yields were greatly increased, probably because enhanced expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase increased a pool of malonyl-CoA that was available for flavanone synthesis. Under cultural conditions where E. coli at a cell density of 50 g/l was incubated in the presence of 3 mM tyrosine or phenylalanine, the yields of naringenin and pinocembrin reached about 60 mg/l. The fermentative production of flavanones in E. coli is the first step in the construction of a library of flavonoid compounds and un-natural flavonoids in bacteria.     

Dosing-time-dependent differences in lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in rats

Dosing-time-dependent differences in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury were examined in rats housed under a 12 h light:dark (LD) cycle. LPS (5 mg/kg) was intravenously injected into different groups of rats at 2, 14, or 20 h after light on (HALO). Elevations in serum liver enzymes after 14 HALO were significantly greater than those after 2 HALO. These parameters were lower in rats given LPS at 20 HALO, compared to 14 HALO. The number of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in the liver and the amount of hepatic myeloperoxidase activity, which reflects the number of PMN in liver tissues, was significantly greater in the 14 than in the 2 HALO group. In addition, hepatic interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in the 14 HALO group was enhanced compared to that in the 2 HALO trial. These results suggest that LPS-induced liver injury is greater during the early active than during the early resting period. Dosing-time-dependent variation in the accumulation of PMN in the liver and, potentially, subsequent IL-6 production in liver tissues might be involved in this phenomenon.