Inflammation-associated lysyl oxidase protein expression in vivo, and modulation by FGF-2 plus IGF-1

 Lysyl oxidase is the extracellular enzyme that catalyzes oxidative deamination of peptidyl-lysine residues in elastin precursors, and lysine and hydroxylysine residues in collagen precursors to form peptidyl-aldehydes. These aldehydes then spontaneously condense to crosslink collagen and elastin and thereby allow the formation of a mature and functional extracellular matrix. In the present study, cryosections made from aseptic immune-induced periapical lesions experimentally generated in laboratory rats were examined by immunohistochemistry to investigate whether lysyl oxidase protein expression is altered in inflamed oral tissues. Periapical lesions are experimentally induced endodontic lesions of tooth roots. In addition, the effect of administration of a mixture of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 into these lesions on lysyl oxidase expression was determined. Lysyl oxidase expression was found to be increased in non-mineralized connective tissue adjacent to inflamed lesions. Morphometric analyses indicated that maximum lysyl oxidase expression occurred at a discrete distance from the lesion not exceeding 350 μm from the inflammatory cells. Staining was associated with mesenchymal cells with a fibroblastic morphology. No lysyl oxidase staining was found near teeth where no lesion was induced. Application of a mixture of FGF-2 and IGF-1 resulted in a further twofold increase in lysyl oxidase expression. These results provide a new in vivo model to study lysyl oxidase regulation, and suggest that inflammatory cells may control lysyl oxidase expression in oral tissues, possibly by a mechanism involving secretion of cytokines and other factors, probably contributing to the regulation of extracellular matrix accumulation. Accepted: 19 December 1998     

Elimination of bean seed-borne bacteria by thermotherapy and meristem culture

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) -     

Kinetic mechanism of quinone oxidoreductase 2 and its inhibition by the antimalarial quinolines

Quinone oxidoreductase 2 (QR2) purified from human red blood cells was recently shown to be a potential target of the quinoline antimalarial compounds [Graves et al., (2002) Mol. Pharmacol. 62, 1364]. QR2 catalyzes the two-electron reduction of menadione via the oxidation of N-alkylated or N-ribosylated nicotinamides. To investigate the mechanism and consequences of inhibition of QR2 by the quinolines further, we have used steady-state and transient-state kinetics to define the mechanism of QR2. Importantly, we have shown that QR2 when isolated from an overproducing strain of E. coli is kinetically equivalent to the enzyme from the native human red blood cell source. We observe ping-pong kinetics consistent with one substrate/inhibitor binding site that shows selectivity for the oxidation state of the FAD cofactor, suggesting that selective inhibition of the liver versus red blood cell forms of malaria may be possible. The reductant N-methyldihydronicotinamide and the inhibitor primaquine bind exclusively to the oxidized enzyme. In contrast, the inhibitors quinacrine and chloroquine bind exclusively to the reduced enzyme. The quinone substrate menadione, on the other hand, binds nonspecifically to both forms of the enzyme. Single-turnover kinetics of the reductive half-reaction are chemically and kinetically competent and confirm the inhibitor selectivity seen in the steady-state experiments. Our studies shed light on the possible in vivo potency of the quinolines and provide a foundation for future studies aimed at creating more potent QR2 inhibitors and at understanding the physiological significance of QR2.     

A γ-Secretase Inhibitor,but Not a γ-Secretase Modulator,Induced Defects in BDNF Axonal Trafficking and Signaling: Evidence for a Role for APP

Clues to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis come from a variety of different sources including studies of clinical and neuropathological features, biomarkers, genomics and animal and cellular models. An important role for amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its processing has emerged and considerable interest has been directed at the hypothesis that Aβ peptides induce changes central to pathogenesis. Accordingly, molecules that reduce the levels of Aβ peptides have been discovered such as γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and modulators (GSMs). GSIs and GSMs reduce Aβ levels through very different mechanisms. However, GSIs, but not GSMs, markedly increase the levels of APP CTFs that are increasingly viewed as disrupting neuronal function. Here, we evaluated the effects of GSIs and GSMs on a number of neuronal phenotypes possibly relevant to their use in treatment of AD. We report that GSI disrupted retrograde axonal trafficking of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), suppressed BDNF-induced downstream signaling pathways and induced changes in the distribution within neuronal processes of mitochondria and synaptic vesicles. In contrast, treatment with a novel class of GSMs had no significant effect on these measures. Since knockdown of APP by specific siRNA prevented GSI-induced changes in BDNF axonal trafficking and signaling, we concluded that GSI effects on APP processing were responsible, at least in part, for BDNF trafficking and signaling deficits. Our findings argue that with respect to anti-amyloid treatments, even an APP-specific GSI may have deleterious effects and GSMs may serve as a better alternative.     

Structural mechanism of oxidative regulation of the phosphatase Cdc25B via an intramolecular disulfide bond

Cdc25B phosphatase, an important regulator of the cell cycle, forms an intramolecular disulfide bond in response to oxidation leading to reversible inactivation of phosphatase activity. We have obtained a crystallographic time course revealing the structural rearrangements that occur in the P-loop as the enzyme goes from its apo state, through the sulfenic (Cys-SO(-)) intermediate, to the stable disulfide. We have also obtained the structures of the irreversibly oxidized sulfinic (Cys-SO(2)(-)) and sulfonic (Cys-SO(3)(-)) Cdc25B. The active site P-loop is found in three conformations. In the apoenzyme, the P-loop is in the active conformation. In the sulfenic intermediate, the P-loop partially obstructs the active site cysteine, poised to undergo the conformational changes that accompany disulfide bond formation. In the disulfide form, the P-loop is closed over the active site cysteine, resulting in an enzyme that is unable to bind substrate. The structural changes that occur in the sulfenic intermediate of Cdc25B are distinctly different from those seen in protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B where a five-membered sulfenyl amide ring is generated as the stable end product. This work elucidates the mechanism by which chemistry and structure are coupled in the regulation of Cdc25B by reactive oxygen species.     

Taurine and glycine conjugation and sulfation of lithocholate in primary hepatocyte cultures

Rat primary liver cells were used to study taurine and glycine conjugation and sulfation of lithocholate. After addition of [14C]lithocholate to the tissue culture medium, synthesis and excretion of amidated and/or sulfated products were investigated for up to 24 h. After incubation for 1 h, more than 83% of the labeled bile salt was amidated but not sulfated and between 5 and 11% was sulfated, with more than 80% of the sulfated bile salts being also amidated. After 24 h, the proportion of sulfated lithocholate had increased to about 23% and more than 99% of the lithocholate sulfate was additionally conjugated with glycine or taurine. Both sulfates and non-sulfates were preferably amidated with taurine. We conclude that in primary rat hepatocytes, (1) lithocholate is rapidly and almost completely conjugated with glycine or taurine (amidated), whereas sulfation of lithocholate (and its amidates) proceeds slowly and even after 24 h represents only a small proportion of the total lithocholate metabolites, and (2) sulfated and unsulfated bile salts are both preferably amidated with taurine.     

A Conserved GPG-Motif in the HIV-1 Nef Core Is Required for Principal Nef-Activities

To find out new determinants required for Nef activity we performed a functional alanine scanning analysis along a discrete but highly conserved region at the core of HIV-1 Nef. We identified the GPG-motif, located at the 121–137 region of HIV-1 NL4.3 Nef, as a novel protein signature strictly required for the p56^Lck dependent Nef-induced CD4-downregulation in T-cells. Since the Nef-GPG motif was dispensable for CD4-downregulation in HeLa-CD4 cells, Nef/AP-1 interaction and Nef-dependent effects on Tf-R trafficking, the observed effects on CD4 downregulation cannot be attributed to structure constraints or to alterations on general protein trafficking. Besides, we found that the GPG-motif was also required for Nef-dependent inhibition of ring actin re-organization upon TCR triggering and MHCI downregulation, suggesting that the GPG-motif could actively cooperate with the Nef PxxP motif for these HIV-1 Nef-related effects. Finally, we observed that the Nef-GPG motif was required for optimal infectivity of those viruses produced in T-cells. According to these findings, we propose the conserved GPG-motif in HIV-1 Nef as functional region required for HIV-1 infectivity and therefore with a potential interest for the interference of Nef activity during HIV-1 infection.