Cyclic AMP stimulated phosphorylation of liver pyruvate kinase in hepatocytes.

The addition of glucagon (10^?6 M) to an incubation mixture containing ³²Pi and hepatocytes isolated from livers of rats fed $\text{ad libitum}$ results in both a 3-fold increased incorporation of ³²P into L-type pyruvate kinase and a decreased catalytic activity. The ³²P incorporated into pyruvate kinase was covalently bound to the enzyme as evidenced by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. In addition, exogenous cyclic AMP (10^?3 M) stimulated the phosphorylation and the suppression of catalytic activity to a similar extent. On the other hand, insulin (10^?7 M) had essentially no effect on the incorporation of ³²P into pyruvate kinase or on its catalytic activity under the conditions used in this study. These results suggest that phosphorylation of pyruvate kinase $\text{invivo}$ is stimulated by glucagon via cyclic AMP and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and that the activity of the enzyme is, at least in part, regulated by a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation mechanism.     

Syntheses of ( + )-Phrymarolin II and Its Stereoisomers

Phrymarolin II, a unique naturally-occurring lignan having a 1,2-dioxygenated 3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane skeleton, was synthesized by the reaction of sesamol, in the presence of cadmium carbonate, with 1-acetoxy-2-chloro-6-(2′-methoxy-4′,5′-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane. The latter was prepared through 13 steps starting from an aldol condensation of β-vinyl-γ-butyrolactone with 2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde. Three diastereomers of phrymarolin II were also obtained.     

The enantiomer pair of 24S- and 24R-hydroxycholesterol differentially alter activity of large-conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ (slo1 BK) channel

24S-hydroxycholesterol (HC) is most abundant oxysterols in the brain, passes through blood brain barrier, and is therefore regarded as an intermediary for brain cholesterol elimination. We reported that large-conductance Ca²⁺- and voltage-activated K⁺ (slo1 BK) channels are suppressed by this oxysterol, which is presumably intercalated into cell membrane to access the outer surface of the channel. Such an outer approach would make it difficult to interact with the inner, ion-conducting part of the channel. The present findings showed that 24R-HC, the racemic counterpart of 24S-HC, also suppressed slo1 BK channel but in a different voltage-dependent manner. There was a difference between the effects of the two enantiomers on activation kinetics but not on deactivation kinetics. It is suggested that the chirality contributes to the efficacy of channel blockers that act from outer lipophilic parts of channels, as with those which act on the inner, ion-permeable surface.     

Increase of salt dependence of halophilic nucleoside diphosphate kinase caused by a single amino acid substitution

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (HsNDK) from an extremely halophilic archaea, Halobacterium salinarum, is composed of a homo hexamer, assembled as a trimer of basic dimeric units. It requires >2 M NaCl for refolding, although it does not require NaCl for stability or enzymatic activity below 30 °C. A HisN111L mutant with an N-terminal extension sequence containing hexa-His tag, in which Asn111 was replaced with Leu, was designed to be less stable between basic dimeric units. This mutant can lose between 6 and 12 hydrogen bonds between basic dimeric units in the hexamer structure. The HisN111L mutant had enhanced salt requirements for enzymatic activity and refolding even though the secondary structure of the HisN111L mutant was confirmed to be similar to the control, HisNDK, in low and high salt solutions using circular dichroism. We reported previously that G114R and D148C mutants, which had enhanced interactions between basic dimeric units, showed facilitated refolding and stabilization in low salt solution. The results of this study help to elucidate the process for engineering industrial enzymes by controlling subunit–subunit interactions through mutations.     

Plasma B-type Natriuretic Peptide as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Events in Subjects with Atrial Fibrillation: A Community-Based Study

Objectives

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant public health issue due to its high prevalence in the general population, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events including systemic thrombo-embolism, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. The relationship between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and CV risk in real world AF subjects remains unknown.

Methods

The subject of the study (n = 228; mean age = 69 years) was unselected individuals with AF in a community-based population (n = 15,394; AF prevalence rate = 1.5%). The CV event free rate within each BNP tertile was estimated, and Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the relative risk of the onset of CV events among the tertiles. The prognostic ability of BNP was compared to an established risk score for embolic events (CHADS2 score). In addition, to determine the usefulness of BNP as a predictor in addition to CHADS2 score, we calculated Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) and Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI) indices.

Results

During the follow-up period 58 subjects experienced CV events (52 per 1,000 person-years). The event-free ratio was significantly lower in the highest tertile (p < 0.02). After adjustment for established CV risk factors, the hazard ratio (HR) of the highest tertile was significantly higher than that of the lowest tertile (HR = 2.38; p < 0.02). The predictive abilities of plasma BNP in terms of sensitivity and specificity for general CV events were comparable to those of CHADS2 score. Adding BNP to the CHADS2 score only model improved the NRI (0.319; p < 0.05) and the IDI (0.046; p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Plasma BNP is a valuable biomarker both singly or in combination with an established scoring system for assessing general CV risk including stroke, heart failure and acute coronary syndrome in real-world AF subjects.     

TNF-α Decreases VEGF Secretion in Highly Polarized RPE Cells but Increases It in Non-Polarized RPE Cells Related to Crosstalk between JNK and NF-κB Pathways

Asymmetrical secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in situ is critical for maintaining the homeostasis of the retina and choroid. VEGF is also involved in the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We studied the effect of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on the secretion of VEGF in polarized and non-polarized RPE cells (P-RPE cells and N-RPE cells, respectively) in culture and in situ in rats. A subretinal injection of TNF-α caused a decrease in VEGF expression and choroidal atrophy. Porcine RPE cells were seeded on Transwell™ filters, and their maturation and polarization were confirmed by the asymmetrical VEGF secretion and trans electrical resistance. Exposure to TNF-α decreased the VEGF secretion in P-RPE cells but increased it in N-RPE cells in culture. TNF-α inactivated JNK in P-RPE cells but activated it in N-RPE cells, and TNF-α activated NF-κB in P-RPE cells but not in N-RPE cells. Inhibition of NF-κB activated JNK in both types of RPE cells indicating crosstalk between JNK and NF-κB. TNF-α induced the inhibitory effects of NF-κB on JNK in P-RPE cells because NF-κB is continuously inactivated. In N-RPE cells, however, it was not evident because NF-κB was already activated. The basic activation pattern of JNK and NF-κB and their crosstalk led to opposing responses of RPE cells to TNF-α. These results suggest that VEGF secretion under inflammatory conditions depends on cellular polarization, and the TNF-α-induced VEGF down-regulation may result in choroidal atrophy in polarized physiological RPE cells. TNF-α-induced VEGF up-regulation may cause neovascularization by non-polarized or non-physiological RPE cells.     

EBF2 Determines and Maintains Brown Adipocyte Identity

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Highlights? Ebf2 is selectively expressed in brown relative to white adipocytes and binds to chromatin at brown fat-specific target sites of Pparγ ? Ebf2 expression in white fat or muscle precursor cells recruits Pparγ to its brown fat-specific gene targets and drives a complete program of brown adipocyte differentiation ? Brown adipose cells and tissue from Ebf2-deficient mice display a complete loss of thermogenic characteristics while gaining molecular attributes of white adipose     

Macrophage lipoprotein lipase modulates the development of atherosclerosis but not adiposity

The role of macrophage lipoprotein lipase (LpL) in the development of atherosclerosis and adiposity was examined in macrophage LpL knockout (MLpLKO) mice. MLpLKO mice were generated using cre-loxP gene targeting. Loss of LpL in macrophages did not alter plasma LpL activity or lipoprotein levels. Incubation of apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-deficient β-VLDL with peritoneal macrophages from ApoE knockout mice lacking macrophage LpL (MLpLKO/ApoEKO) led to less cholesteryl ester formation than that found with ApoEKO macrophages. MLpLKO/ApoEKO macrophages had reduced intracellular triglyceride levels, with decreased CD36 and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 mRNA levels compared with ApoEKO macrophages, when incubated with VLDL. Although both MLpLKO/ApoEKO and ApoEKO mice developed comparable hypercholesterolemia in response to feeding with a Western-type diet for 12 weeks, atherosclerosis was less in MLpLKO/ApoEKO mice. Epididymal fat mass and gene expression levels associated with inflammation did not differ between the two groups. In conclusion, macrophage LpL plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis but not adiposity.