Less calcemic Vitamin D analogs enhance creatine kinase specific activity and modulate responsiveness to gonadal steroids in the vasculature

Vitamin D receptors are widely expressed in the cardiovascular system, in which Vitamin D and its metabolites exert a variety of biological activities such as regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation, cell calcium transients and cell energy metabolism in vitro. The latter is mediated through the control of the brain type creatine kinase specific activity (CK), which serves to provide a readily available reservoir for ATP generation under increased work-load. In the present study we undertook to assess the role of Vitamin D on energy metabolism in the rat heart and aorta in vivo by using CK, which is a key energy metabolizing enzyme and compare Vitamin D depleted and repleted animals. Vascular tissues from female or male Vitamin D-depleted rats showed 61-80% lower CK activity in the aorta (Ao) and left ventricle of the heart (Lv) than control, Vitamin D-replete rats. Moreover, neither estradiol-17beta (E2) nor dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which increases CK specific activity in Ao and Lv of intact female or male rats, respectively, were able to stimulate CK in Vitamin D-depleted rats. Treatment of intact female rats for 2 weeks or 2 months with the less-calcemic Vitamin D analogs JKF 1624F2-2 (JKF) or QW 1624F2-2 (QW) (Fig. 1), did not significantly affect CK specific activity. However, after pretreatment with these analogs, there was an up regulation of the E2-induced CK response in Ao and Lv. In intact female rats, all Vitamin D analogs also potentiated the in vivo CK response to the SERMs raloxifene (Ral) and tamoxifen (TAM) in Ao and Lv. However the inhibitory effect of Ral or TAM on E2-induced CK activity was lost after pretreatment with Vitamin D analogs. The non-calcemic analog CB 1093 (CB) induced a significant increase in estradiol receptor alpha (ERalpha) protein in both myocardial and aortic tissue from intact and from ovariectomized female rats. Collectively, these results indicate that Vitamin D analogs modulate cell energy homeostasis in vascular tissues through induction of CK and up regulation of the response and sensitivity of CK in vascular tissues to E2 and to SERMs, possibly through via an increase in ERalpha protein in female derived organs. These results corroborate our previous in vitro studies in human vascular cells and further suggest that the Vitamin D system plays an important physiological role in maintaining normal cell energy reservoir in the vasculature.     

The CCAAT binding factor can mediate interactions between CONSTANS-like proteins and DNA

CONSTANS-Like (COL) proteins are plant-specific nuclear regulators of gene expression but do not contain a known DNA-binding motif. We tested whether a common DNA-binding protein can deliver these proteins to specific cis-acting elements. We screened for proteins that interact with two members of a subgroup of COL proteins. These COL proteins were Tomato COL1 (TCOL1), which does not seem to be involved in the control of flowering time, and the Arabidopsis thaliana CONSTANS (AtCO) protein which mediates photoperiodic induction of flowering. We show that the C-terminal plant-specific CCT (CO, CO-like, TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1) domain of both proteins binds the trimeric CCAAT binding factor (CBF) via its HAP5/NF-YC component. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that TCOL is recruited to the CCAAT motifs of the yeast CYC1 and HEM1 promoters by HAP5. In Arabidopsis, each of the three CBF components is encoded by several different genes that are highly transcribed. Under warm long days, high levels of expression of a tomato HAP5 (THAP5a) gene can reduce the flowering time of Arabidopsis. A mutation in the CCT domain of TCOL1 disrupts the interaction with THAP5 and the analogous mutation in AtCO impairs its function and delays flowering. CBFs are therefore likely to recruit COL proteins to their DNA target motifs in planta.     

Pluripotency genes overexpressed in primate embryonic stem cells are localized on homologues of human chromosomes 16, 17, 19, and X

While human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are predisposed toward chromosomal aneploidities on 12, 17, 20, and X, rendering them susceptible to transformation, the specific genes expressed are not yet known. Here, by identifying the genes overexpressed in pluripotent rhesus ESCs (nhpESCs) and comparing them both to their genetically identical differentiated progeny (teratoma fibroblasts) and to genetically related differentiated parental cells (parental skin fibroblasts from whom gametes were used for ESC derivation), we find that some of those overexpressed genes in nhpESCs cluster preferentially on rhesus chromosomes 16, 19, 20, and X, homologues of human chromosomes 17, 19, 16, and X, respectively. Differentiated parental skin fibroblasts display gene expression profiles closer to nhpESC profiles than to teratoma cells, which are genetically identical to the pluripotent nhpESCs. Twenty over- and underexpressed pluripotency modulators, some implicated in neurogenesis, have been identified. The overexpression of some of these genes discovered using pedigreed nhpESCs derived from prime embryos generated by fertile primates, which is impossible to perform with the anonymously donated clinically discarded embryos from which hESCs are derived, independently confirms the importance of chromosome 17 and X regions in pluripotency and suggests specific candidates for targeting differentiation and transformation decisions.     

Perturbing the ubiquitin pathway reveals how mitosis is hijacked to denucleate and regulate cell proliferation and differentiation in vivo

Background

The eye lens presents a unique opportunity to explore roles for specific molecules in cell proliferation, differentiation and development because cells remain in place throughout life and, like red blood cells and keratinocytes, they go through the most extreme differentiation, including removal of nuclei and cessation of protein synthesis. Ubiquitination controls many critical cellular processes, most of which require specific lysines on ubiquitin (Ub). Of the 7 lysines (K) least is known about effects of modification of K6.

Methodology and Principal Findings

We replaced K6 with tryptophan (W) because K6 is the most readily modified K and W is the most structurally similar residue to biotin. The backbone of K6W-Ub is indistinguishable from that of Wt-Ub. K6W-Ub is effectively conjugated and deconjugated but the conjugates are not degraded via the ubiquitin proteasome pathways (UPP). Expression of K6W-ubiquitin in the lens and lens cells results in accumulation of intracellular aggregates and also slows cell proliferation and the differentiation program, including expression of lens specific proteins, differentiation of epithelial cells into fibers, achieving proper fiber cell morphology, and removal of nuclei. The latter is critical for transparency, but the mechanism by which cell nuclei are removed has remained an age old enigma. This was also solved by expressing K6W-Ub. p27^kip, a UPP substrate accumulates in lenses which express K6W-Ub. This precludes phosphorylation of nuclear lamin by the mitotic kinase, a prerequisite for disassembly of the nuclear membrane. Thus the nucleus remains intact and DNAseIIβ neither gains entry to the nucleus nor degrades the DNA. These results could not be obtained using chemical proteasome inhibitors that cannot be directed to specific tissues.

Conclusions and Significance

K6W-Ub provides a novel, genetic means to study functions of the UPP because it can be targeted to specific cells and tissues. A fully functional UPP is required to execute most stages of lens differentiation, specifically removal of cell nuclei. In the absence of a functional UPP, small aggregate prone, cataractous lenses are formed.     

From subgenome analysis to protein structure

Groups of related genes abound in large eukaryotic genomes. In such 'subgenomes', homology modeling carried out for a few genes will probably have relevance to the entire group. Subgenomes also afford unique ways of determining protein structural information. In addition to analyses based on the quantification of residue variability in paralogs, two-way comparisons, both within and among species, help to disclose functional amino acids. Comparative studies of gene families throughout the mammalian genome will also help elucidate the functional significance of single nucleotide polymorphisms in coding regions.     

Cognitive State following Stroke: The Predominant Role of Preexisting White Matter Lesions

Background and purpose

Stroke is a major cause of cognitive impairment and dementia in adults, however the role of the ischemic lesions themselves, on top of other risk factors known in the elderly, remains controversial. This study used structural equation modeling to determine the respective impact of the new ischemic lesions'' volume, preexisting white matter lesions and white matter integrity on post stroke cognitive state.

Methods

Consecutive first ever mild to moderate stroke or transient ischemic attack patients recruited into the ongoing prospective TABASCO study underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans within seven days of stroke onset and were cognitively assessed one year after the event using a computerized neuropsychological battery. The volumes of both ischemic lesions and preexisting white matter lesions and the integrity of the normal appearing white matter tissue were measured and their contribution to cognitive state was assessed using structural equation modeling path analysis taking into account demographic parameters. Two models were hypothesized, differing by the role of ischemic lesions'' volume.

Results

Structural equation modeling analysis of 142 patients confirmed the predominant role of white matter lesion volume (standardized path coefficient β = −0.231) and normal appearing white matter integrity (β = −0.176) on the global cognitive score, while ischemic lesions'' volume showed no such effect (β = 0.038). The model excluding the ischemic lesion presented better fit to the data (comparative fit index 0.9 versus 0.092).

Conclusions

Mild to moderate stroke patients with preexisting white matter lesions are more vulnerable to cognitive impairment regardless of their new ischemic lesions. Thus, these patients can serve as a target group for studies on cognitive rehabilitation and neuro-protective therapies which may, in turn, slow their cognitive deterioration.