Mitochondria-derived glutamate at the interplay between branched-chain amino acid and glucose-induced insulin secretion

In pancreatic beta-cells, glutamate has been proposed to mediate insulin secretion as a glucose-derived factor, although it is also considered for its sole catabolic function. Hence, changes in cellular glutamate levels are a matter of debate. Here, we investigated the effects of glucose and the glutamate precursor glutamine on kinetics of glutamate levels together with insulin secretion in INS-1E beta-cells. Preincubation at low (1 mM) glucose resulted in reduced cellular glutamate levels, which were doubled by exposure to glutamine. In glutamine-deprived cells, 5 mM glucose restored glutamate concentrations. Incubation at 15 mM glucose increased cellular glutamate, along with stimulation of insulin secretion, following both glutamine-free and glutamine-rich preincubations. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of INS-1E cells exposed to 15 mM D-[1-(13)C]glucose revealed glutamate as the major glucose metabolic product. Branched-chain amino acids, such as leucine, reduced cellular glutamate levels at low and intermediate glucose. This study demonstrates that glucose stimulates glutamate generation, whereas branched-chain amino acids promote competitive glutamate expenditure.     

The ICF syndrome: new case and update

The ICF syndrome: New case and update: We report the clinical progress in a 5-year-old boy with the (ICF) syndrome. Early diagnosis and intervention has led to a good outcome. DNMT3B mutation analysis was negative, supporting genetic heterogeneity in this condition.     

New protease inhibitors prevent gamma-secretase-mediated production of Abeta40/42 without affecting Notch cleavage

We have designed new non-peptidic potential inhibitors of gamma-secretase and examined their ability to prevent production of amyloid-beta 40 (Abeta40) and Abeta42 by human cells expressing wild-type and Swedish-mutant beta-amyloid precursor protein (betaAPP). Here we identify three such agents that markedly reduce recovery of both Abeta40 and Abeta42 produced by both cell lines, and increase that of C99 and C83, the carboxy-terminal fragments of betaAPP that are derived from beta-and alpha-secretase, respectively. Furthermore, we show that these inhibitors do not affect endoproteolysis of endogenous or overexpressed presenilins. These inhibitors are totally unable to affect the mDeltaEnotch-1 cleavage that leads to generation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD). These represent the first non-peptidic inhibitors that are able to prevent gamma-secretase cleavage of betaAPP without affecting processing of mDeltaEnotch-1 or endoproteolysis of presenilins. The distinction between these two proteolytic events, which are both prevented by disruption of presenilin genes, indicates that although they are intimately linked with betaAPP and Notch maturation, presenilins are probably involved in the control of maturation processes upstream of enzymes that cleave gamma-secretase and Notch.     

Extreme sex-biased dispersal in the communally breeding,nonmigratory Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii)

Maternity colonies of the communally breeding, nonmigratory Bechstein's bat consist of closely related females that live together with unrelated females, and average colony relatedness is low despite the absence of immigration. We compared the genetic structure of both nuclear and mitochondrial microsatellites in order to quantify sex-specific dispersal rates. More specifically, we aimed at testing whether male dispersal is able to balance the genetic effect of strong (absolute) female philopatry. Absolute female philopatry, indicated by an extreme mitochondrial DNA population differentiation of 96%, was indeed opposed by strong (possibly complete) male dispersal. Based on our knowledge of the biology of Myotis bechsteinii, we conclude that inbreeding avoidance is likely to be the crucial factor driving male dispersal in this species.     

Seasonal fluctuations and long-term persistence of pathogenic populations of Agrobacterium spp. in soils

Short- and long-term persistence of pathogenic (i.e., tumor forming) agrobacteria in soil was investigated in six nursery plots with a history of high crown gall incidence. No pathogenic Agrobacterium strains were isolated in soil samples taken in fall and winter in any plots, but such strains were isolated from both bulk soils and weed rhizospheres (over 0.5 x 10(5) pathogenic CFU/g of bulk soil or rhizosphere) in three out of six plots in spring and summer. PCR amplifications of a vir sequence from DNA extracted from soil confirmed the presence of Ti plasmids in summer and their absence in fall and winter. The results indicate that strains that harbor a Ti plasmid had an unforeseen positive fitness versus Ti plasmid-free strains in soil and rhizosphere in spring and summer in spite of the apparent absence of tumor, and hence of opines. The gain of fitness occurred during a bloom of all cultivable agrobacteria observed only in conducive soils. An evolution of the pathogenic population was recorded during a 4-year period in one particularly conducive soil. In 1990, the pathogenic population in this soil consisted of only biovar 1 strains harboring both octopine- and nopaline-type Ti plasmids. In 1994, it consisted of only nopaline-type Ti plasmids equally distributed among biovar 1 and 2 strains. These results suggest that nopaline-type Ti plasmids conferred a better survival ability than octopine-type Ti plasmids to biovar 2 agrobacteria under the present field conditions.     

Myosin VIIa,harmonin and cadherin 23, three Usher I gene products that cooperate to shape the sensory hair cell bundle

Deaf-blindness in three distinct genetic forms of Usher type I syndrome (USH1) is caused by defects in myosin VIIa, harmonin and cadherin 23. Despite being critical for hearing, the functions of these proteins in the inner ear remain elusive. Here we show that harmonin, a PDZ domain-containing protein, and cadherin 23 are both present in the growing stereocilia and that they bind to each other. Moreover, we demonstrate that harmonin b is an F-actin-bundling protein, which is thus likely to anchor cadherin 23 to the stereocilia microfilaments, thereby identifying a novel anchorage mode of the cadherins to the actin cytoskeleton. Moreover, harmonin b interacts directly with myosin VIIa, and is absent from the disorganized hair bundles of myosin VIIa mutant mice, suggesting that myosin VIIa conveys harmonin b along the actin core of the developing stereocilia. We propose that the shaping of the hair bundle relies on a functional unit composed of myosin VIIa, harmonin b and cadherin 23 that is essential to ensure the cohesion of the stereocilia.     

Essential bacterial helicases that counteract the toxicity of recombination proteins

PcrA, Rep and UvrD are three closely related bacterial helicases with a DExx signature. PcrA is encoded by Gram-positive bacteria and is essential for cell growth. Rep and UvrD are encoded by Gram-negative bacteria, and mutants lacking both helicases are also not viable. To understand the non-viability of the helicase mutants, we characterized spontaneous extragenic suppressors of a Bacillus subtilis pcrA null mutation. Here we report that one of these suppressors maps in recF and that previously isolated mutations in B.subtilis recF, recL, recO and recR, which belong to the same complementation group, all suppress the lethality of a pcrA mutation. Similarly, recF, recO or recR mutations suppress the lethality of the Escherichia coli rep uvrD double mutant. We conclude that RecFOR proteins are toxic in cells devoid of PcrA in Gram-positive bacteria, or Rep and UvrD in Gram-negative bacteria, and propose that the RecFOR proteins interfere with an essential cellular process, possibly replication, when DExx helicases PcrA, or Rep and UvrD are absent.     

New N-pyridinyl(methyl)-indole-2- and 3-(alkyl)carboxamides and derivatives acting as systemic and topical inflammation inhibitors

A series of novel N-substituted-(indol-2-yl)carboxamides (12-18) and (indol-3-alkyl)carboxamides (25-31) were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of the inflammation process. Pharmacomodulation at the level of the amidic nitrogen by incorporation of the previously described pharmacophoric moieties 6-aminolutidine, beta-picolylamine, 4-aminopyridine and piperazine was investigated; only two compounds (12) and (31) exhibited significant (approximately 40%) inhibitory effect in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema after oral administration of a dose of 0.1 mM kg(-1). Replacement of the indole core by indazole failed to increase activity. Incorporation of an alkyl chain spacer led to more efficient compounds (46-52) especially in the indolepropanamide sub-series. Determination of the efficiency of the most active compounds on topical inflammation, by measuring reduction of ear thickness in the acute tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear swelling assay, confirmed the high potency of propanamides (49) and (51) after oral administration: ID50 = 0.041 +/- 0.013 and 0.042 +/- 0.016 mM kg(-1) respectively. The less toxic propanamide (51) exerted a high level of inhibitory activity after topical application of 2 x 100 microg/ear: 78 +/- 2%.     

Aminoglycoside-derived cationic lipids as efficient vectors for gene transfection in vitro and in vivo

Background

Cationic lipids are at present very actively investigated for gene transfer studies and gene therapy applications. Basically, they rely on the formation of DNA/lipid aggregates via electrostatic interactions between their cationic headgroup and the negatively charged DNA. Although their structure/activity relationships are not well understood, it is generally agreed that the nature of the positive headgroup impacts on their transfection activity. Thus, we have directed our efforts toward the development of cationic lipids with novel cationic moieties. In the present work, we have explored the transfection potential of the lipophilic derivatives of the aminoglycoside kanamycin A. Indeed, aminoglycosides, which are natural polyamines known to bind to nucleic acids, provide a favorable scaffold for the synthesis of a variety of cationic lipids because of their structural features and multifunctional nature.

Methods and results

We report here the synthesis of a cationic cholesterol derivative characterized by a kanamycin A headgroup and of its polyguanidinylated derivative. The amino‐sugar‐based cationic lipid is highly efficient for gene transfection into a variety of mammalian cell lines when used either alone or as a liposomal formulation with the neutral phospholipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). Its polyguanidinylated derivative was also found to mediate in vitro gene transfection. In addition, colloidally stable kanamycin‐cholesterol/DOPE lipoplexes were found to be efficient for gene transfection into the mouse airways in vivo.

Conclusions

These results reveal the usefulness of cationic lipids characterized by headgroups composed of an aminoglycoside or its guanidinylated derivative for gene transfection in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.