{beta}-Arrestin is crucial for ubiquitination and down-regulation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor by acting as adaptor for the MDM2 E3 ligase

The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays important roles in physiological growth and aging as well as promoting several crucial functions in cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in expression and down-regulation of IGF-1R are still poorly understood. Here we provide evidence that beta-arrestin, otherwise known to be involved in the regulation of G protein-coupled receptors, serves as an adaptor to bring the oncoprotein E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 to the IGF-1R. In this way, beta-arrestin acts as a crucial component in the ubiquitination and down-regulation of the receptor. Both MDM2 and beta-arrestin co-immunoprecipitated with the IGF-1R. The beta-arrestin isoform 1 appeared to be more strongly associated with the receptor than isoform 2, and in a molecular context it was 4-fold more efficient in inducing polyubiquitination of IGF-1R, a reaction that required the presence of beta-arrestin and MDM2. Ligand stimulation accelerated IGF-1R ubiquitination. In mouse P6 cells (overexpressing human IGF-1R) absence of beta-arrestin 1, but not of beta-arrestin 2, blocked ubiquitination of IGF-1R. Conversely, in the two studied human melanoma cell lines both beta-arrestin isoforms seemed to be involved in IGF-1R ubiquitination. However, because depletion of beta-arrestin 1 almost completely eliminated degradation, and IGF-1 induced down-regulation of the receptor in these cells, whereas beta-arrestin 2 only had a partial effect, beta-arrestin 1 seems to the more important isoform in affecting the expression of IGF-1R. To our knowledge this is the first study demonstrating a defined molecular role of beta-arrestin with direct relevance to cell growth and cancer.     

Wound healing property of ethanolic extract of leaves of Hyptis suaveolens with supportive role of antioxidant enzymes

Ethanolic extract of leaves of Hyptis suaveolens was evaluated for its wound healing activity in ether-anaesthetized Wistar rats at two different doses (400 and 800 mg/kg) using incision, excision, and dead space wound model. Significant increase in skin breaking strength, granuloma breaking strength, wound contraction, hydroxyproline content and dry granuloma weight and decrease in epithelization period was observed. A supportive study made on granuloma tissue to estimate the levels of catalase and superoxide dismutase recorded a significant increase in the level of these antioxidant enzymes. Granuloma tissue was subjected to histopathological examination to determine the pattern of lay-down for collagen using Van Gieson and Masson Trichrome stains. Enhanced wound healing activity may be due to free radical scavenging action of the plant and enhanced level of antioxidant enzymes in granuloma tissue. Better collagenation may be because of improved antioxidant studies.     

Fine needle aspiration diagnosis in HIV-related lymphadenopathy in Mangalore, India

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of fine needle aspiration (FNA) study of lymph nodes in HIV-positive patients. STUDY DESIGN: The study was conducted at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India. Samples from lymph nodes of 48 HIV-positive patients were taken and air dried, and wet smears were made. After staining with routine cytologic stains and special stains, detailed cytomorphologic study was conducted. RESULTS: Tuberculosis accounted for nearly half (48%) the cases,followed by HIV lymphadenitis (36%), lymphoma (10%), suppurative lymphadenitis (2%), Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare lymphadenitis (2%) and metastases (2%), in descending order of their frequency. A suppurative picture, which was found in 13% of cases of tuberculous lymphadenitis in AIDS patients, occasionally was misleading without the help of acid fast bacilli stain. CONCLUSION: FNA is a useful tool in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy in HIV-positive patients provided that proper safety measures are taken to avoid contracting the infection.     

beta-arrestin-1 competitively inhibits insulin-induced ubiquitination and degradation of insulin receptor substrate 1

beta-arrestin-1 is an adaptor protein that mediates agonist-dependent internalization and desensitization of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and also participates in the process of heterologous desensitization between receptor tyrosine kinases and GPCR signaling. In the present study, we determined whether beta-arrestin-1 is involved in insulin-induced insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) degradation. Overexpression of wild-type (WT) beta-arrestin-1 attenuated insulin-induced degradation of IRS-1, leading to increased insulin signaling downstream of IRS-1. When endogenous beta-arrestin-1 was knocked down by transfection of beta-arrestin-1 small interfering RNA, insulin-induced IRS-1 degradation was enhanced. Insulin stimulated the association of IRS-1 and Mdm2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and this association was inhibited to overexpression of WT beta-arrestin-1, which led by decreased ubiquitin content of IRS-1, suggesting that both beta-arrestin-1 and IRS-1 competitively bind to Mdm2. In summary, we have found the following: (i) beta-arrestin-1 can alter insulin signaling by inhibiting insulin-induced proteasomal degradation of IRS-1; (ii) beta-arrestin-1 decreases the rate of ubiquitination of IRS-1 by competitively binding to endogenous Mdm2, an E3 ligase that can ubiquitinate IRS-1; (iii) dephosphorylation of S412 on beta-arrestin and the amino terminus of beta-arrestin-1 are required for this effect of beta-arrestin on IRS-1 degradation; and (iv) inhibition of beta-arrestin-1 leads to enhanced IRS-1 degradation and accentuated cellular insulin resistance.     

Differential regulation of SR calcium transporters by thyroid hormone in rat atria and ventricles

Thyroid hormone exerts positive inotropic effects on the heart mediated in part by its regulation of calcium transporter proteins, including sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2), phospholamban (PLB), and Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX). To further understand the potential cardiac chamber-specific effects of thyroid hormone action, we compared the triiodo-L-thyronine (T(3)) responsiveness of calcium transporter proteins in atrial versus ventricular tissues. Rats were rendered hypothyroid by ingestion of propylthiouracil, and a subgroup of animals was treated with T(3) for 7 days (7 microg/day by constant infusion). Atrial and left ventricular (LV) tissue homogenates were analyzed for expression of SERCA2, PLB, and NCX proteins by Western blot analysis. SERCA2 protein significantly decreased by 50% in hypothyroid LV and was normalized by T(3) treatment. In contrast, SERCA2 protein in atria was unaltered in the hypothyroid state. PLB protein expression significantly increased by 1.6- and 5-fold in the hypothyroid LV and atria, respectively, and returned to euthyroid levels with T(3) treatment. Expression of NCX protein showed a greater response to T(3) treatment in atria tissue than in ventricular tissue. Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium cycling is determined in part by the ratio of SERCA2 to PLB. This ratio was sixfold higher in the atria compared with LV, suggesting that PLB may play a minor role in the regulation of SERCA2 function in normal atria. We conclude that calcium transporter proteins are responsive to thyroid hormone in a chamber-specific manner, with atria showing a greater change in protein content in response to T(3). The differential effect on atria may account for the occurrence of atrial rather than ventricular arrhythmias in response to even mild degrees of thyrotoxicosis.     

Subunit IV of cytochrome bc1 complex from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Localization of regions essential for interaction with the three-subunit core complex

Recombinant subunit IV mutants which identify the regions essential for restoration of bc(1) activity to the three-subunit core complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides were generated and characterized. Four C-terminal truncated mutants: IV(1-109), IV(1-85), IV(1-76), and IV(1-40) had 100, 0, 0, and 0% of reconstitutive activity of the wild-type IV, indicating that residues 86-109 are essential. IV(1-109) is associated with the core complex in the same manner as the wild-type IV while mutants IV(1-85), IV(1-76), and IV(1-40) do not associate with the core complex, indicating that subunit IV requires its transmembrane helix region (residues 86-109) for assembly into the bc(1) complex. Since GST-IV(86-109) fusion protein has little reconstitutive activity, some region(s) in residues 1-85 are required for bc(1) activity restoration after subunit IV is incorporated into the complex through the transmembrane helix, presumably by interaction with cytochrome b in the core complex. The interacting regions are identified as residues 41-53 and 77-85, since mutants IV(21-109), IV(41-109), IV(54-109), and IV(77-109) had 95, 98, 53, and 53% of the reconstitutive activity of the wild-type IV. These two interacting regions are on the cytoplasmic side of the chromatophore membrane and closed to the DE loop and helix G of cytochrome b, respectively.     

Human intestinal epithelial cells express a novel receptor for IgA

Binding and transport of polymeric Igs (pIgA and IgM) across epithelia is mediated by the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR), which is expressed on the basolateral surface of secretory epithelial cells. Although an Fc receptor for IgA (FcalphaR) has been identified on myeloid cells and some cultured mesangial cells, the expression of an FcalphaR on epithelial cells has not been described. In this study, binding of IgA to a human epithelial line, HT-29/19A, with features of differentiated colonic epithelial cells, was examined. Radiolabeled monomeric IgA (mIgA) showed a dose-dependent, saturable, and cation-independent binding to confluent monolayers of HT-29/19A cells. Excess of unlabeled mIgA, but not IgG or IgM, competed for the mIgA binding, indicating that the binding was IgA isotype-specific and was not mediated by the pIgR. The lack of competition by asialoorosomucoid and the lack of requirement for divalent cations excluded the possibility that IgA binding to HT-29/19A cells was due to the asialoglycoprotein receptor or beta-1, 4-galactosyltransferase, previously described on HT-29 cells. Moreover, the FcalphaR (CD89) protein and message were undetectable in HT-29/19A cells. FACS analysis of IgA binding demonstrated two discrete populations of HT-29/19 cells, which bound different amounts of mIgA. IgA binding to other colon carcinoma cell lines was also demonstrated by FACS analysis, suggesting that an IgA receptor, distinct from the pIgR, asialoglycoprotein receptor, galactosyltransferase, and CD89 is constitutively expressed on cultured human enterocytes. The function of this novel IgA receptor in mucosal immunity remains to be elucidated.     

Epicatechin and catechin are O-methylated and glucuronidated in the small intestine

There is considerable interest in the bioavailability of polyphenols and their bioactivity in vivo. We have studied the absorption and metabolism of catechin and epicatechin in the small intestine and the comparative transfer across the jejunum and ileum. Perfusion of isolated jejunum with the flavanols resulted in glucuronidation ( approximately 45%), O-methylation: 3'-O-Methyl- and 4'-O-methyl- ( approximately 30%), and O-methyl-glucuronidation ( approximately 20% of total flavanols identified) during transfer across the enterocytes to the serosal side. This demonstrates the activity of catechol-O-methyl transferases in the metabolism of flavanols and suggests that these metabolites and conjugates are likely to enter the portal vein. In contrast, in the case of the ileum, the majority of the flavanols appeared on the serosal side unmetabolised and the total percentage of flavanols transferred was higher than that in the jejunum ( approximately fivefold).     

Thyroid hormone metabolism and cardiac gene expression after acute myocardial infarction in the rat

In a rat model of acute myocardial infarction (MI) produced by coronary artery ligation, thyroid hormone metabolism was altered with significant reductions (54%) in serum triiodo-L-thyronine (T(3)), the cellular active hormone metabolite. T(3) has profound effects on the heart; therefore, rats were treated with T(3) after acute MI for 2 or 3 wk, at either replacement or elevated doses, to determine whether cardiac function and gene expression could be normalized. Acute MI resulted in a 50% (P < 0.001) decrease in percent ejection fraction (%EF) with a 32-35% increase (P < 0.01) in compensatory left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy. Treatment of the MI animals with either replacement or elevated doses of T(3) significantly increased %EF to 64 and 73% of control, respectively. Expression levels of several T(3)-responsive genes were altered in the hypertrophied LV after MI, including significant decreases in alpha-myosin heavy chain (MHC), sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-activated ATPase (SERCA2), and Kv1.5 mRNA, whereas beta-MHC and phospholamban (PLB) mRNA were significantly increased. Normalization of serum T(3) did not restore expression of all T(3)-regulated genes, indicating altered T(3) responsiveness in the postinfarcted myocardium. Although beta-MHC and Kv1.5 mRNA content was returned to control levels, alpha-MHC and SERCA2 were unresponsive to T(3) at replacement doses, and only at higher doses of T(3) was alpha-MHC mRNA returned to control values. The present study showed that acute MI in the rat was associated with a fall in serum T(3) levels, LV dysfunction, and altered expression of T(3)-responsive genes and that T(3) treatment significantly improved cardiac function, with normalization of some, but not all, of the changes in gene expression.