Functional Characterization of a ClC-2-Like Cl− Conductance in Surface Epithelial Cells of Rat Rectal Colon

ClC-2, a member of the voltage-gated Cl⁻ channel family, is expressed in the distal colonic surface epithelial cells of various species, but its functional significance remains unclear. Here, by means of electrophysiological and molecular biological techniques, we have identified and characterized a ClC-2-like conductance naturally expressed by surface epithelial cells acutely dissociated from rectal colon of rats fed a standard diet. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments showed that the surface cells, whether an amiloride-sensitive Na⁺ conductance was present or not, displayed a strong hyperpolarization-activated, inwardly rectifying Cl⁻ current. Analysis both by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of ClC-2 in the rectal surface epithelium. The native Cl⁻ current shared common electrophysiological properties including voltage-dependent activation, anion selectivity sequence, and Zn²⁺ sensitivity with that recorded from HEK293 cells transfected with ClC-2 cloned from rat rectal colon (rClC-2). Cell-attached patch recordings on the surface cells revealed that native ClC-2-like currents activated only at potentials at least 40 mV more negative than resting membrane potentials. In Ussing chamber experiments with rat rectal mucosa, either basolateral or apical application of Zn²⁺ (0.1 mM), which inhibited both native ClC-2-like currents and recombinant rClC-2 currents, had little, if any, effects on basal amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current. Collectively, these results not only demonstrate that a functional ClC-2-type Cl⁻ channel is expressed in rat rectal surface epithelium, but also suggest that the channel activity may be negligible and thus nonessential for controlling electrogenic Na⁺ transport in this surface epithelium under basal physiological conditions.     

Surgical influence of pancreatectomy on the function and count of circulating dendritic cells in patients with pancreatic cancer

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are important for an immune surveillance. Myeloid DCs (DC1) are important for an effective antitumor immune system. The function and count of circulating DC1 (cDC1) in hosts with a malignant tumor would be defective. This study focused on analyzing the immunological features of cDC1 in patients with pancreatic cancer during the perioperative period. Materials and methods: Thirty-two pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pancreatectomy and 18 age-matched healthy individuals as controls were enrolled in this study. The perioperative cDC count, the stimulatory capacity of cDC1 against allogeneic T cells and TGF-β1 level in the serum were measured. The cDC count was measured at 12 months after the operation. Results: The preoperative cDC1/cDC2 ratio, cDC1 count, and stimulatory capacity of cDC1 were impaired in patients in comparison to controls (P<0.05). The serum TGF-β1 level was significantly higher in patients than controls (P<0.001). The stimulatory capacity of cDC1 recovered after pancreatectomy (P<0.05). The serum TGF-β1 level significantly decreased after the operation (P<0.05); however, they were still significantly higher than controls (P<0.05). Although the cDC1/cDC2 ratio and the cDC1 count did not increase after the pancreatectomy, they recovered as the controls’ level at 12 months after the pancreatectomy in disease-free patients (P<0.05) and the serum TGF-β1 level in those patients at 12 months after the operation significantly decreased compared with those at the postoperative period (P<0.05). Conclusion: Surgical resection of pancreatic cancer could be associated with improved cDC1 function. When a patient remained disease free, the recovery of cDC1 counts was observed approximately 12 months after pancreatectomy. Further strategy will be needed to improve immune function in patients with pancreatic cancer.     

Histidine button engineered into cardiac troponin I protects the ischemic and failing heart

The myofilament protein troponin I (TnI) has a key isoform-dependent role in the development of contractile failure during acidosis and ischemia. Here we show that cardiac performance in vitro and in vivo is enhanced when a single histidine residue present in the fetal cardiac TnI isoform is substituted into the adult cardiac TnI isoform at codon 164. The most marked effects are observed under the acute challenges of acidosis, hypoxia, ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion, in chronic heart failure in transgenic mice and in myocytes from failing human hearts. In the isolated heart, histidine-modified TnI improves systolic and diastolic function and mitigates reperfusion-associated ventricular arrhythmias. Cardiac performance is markedly enhanced in transgenic hearts during reperfusion despite a high-energy phosphate content similar to that in nontransgenic hearts, providing evidence for greater energetic economy. This pH-sensitive 'histidine button' engineered in TnI produces a titratable molecular switch that 'senses' changes in the intracellular milieu of the cardiac myocyte and responds by preferentially augmenting acute and long-term function under pathophysiological conditions. Myofilament-based inotropy may represent a therapeutic avenue to improve myocardial performance in the ischemic and failing heart.     

The Autophagy-related Protein Kinase Atg1 Interacts with the Ubiquitin-like Protein Atg8 via the Atg8 Family Interacting Motif to Facilitate Autophagosome Formation

In autophagy, a cup-shaped membrane called the isolation membrane is formed, expanded, and sealed to complete a double membrane-bound vesicle called the autophagosome that encapsulates cellular constituents to be transported to and degraded in the lysosome/vacuole. The formation of the autophagosome requires autophagy-related (Atg) proteins. Atg8 is a ubiquitin-like protein that localizes to the isolation membrane; a subpopulation of this protein remains inside the autophagosome and is transported to the lysosome/vacuole. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Atg1 is a serine/threonine kinase that functions in the initial step of autophagosome formation and is also efficiently transported to the vacuole via autophagy. Here, we explore the mechanism and significance of this autophagic transport of Atg1. In selective types of autophagy, receptor proteins recognize degradation targets and also interact with Atg8, via the Atg8 family interacting motif (AIM), to link the targets to the isolation membrane. We find that Atg1 contains an AIM and directly interacts with Atg8. Mutations in the AIM disrupt this interaction and abolish vacuolar transport of Atg1. These results suggest that Atg1 associates with the isolation membrane by binding to Atg8, resulting in its incorporation into the autophagosome. We also show that mutations in the Atg1 AIM cause a significant defect in autophagy, without affecting the functions of Atg1 implicated in triggering autophagosome formation. We propose that in addition to its essential function in the initial stage, Atg1 also associates with the isolation membrane to promote its maturation into the autophagosome.     

Estrogen regulates hepcidin expression via GPR30-BMP6-dependent signaling in hepatocytes

Hepcidin, a liver-derived iron regulatory protein, plays a crucial role in iron metabolism. It is known that gender differences exist with respect to iron storage in the body; however, the effects of sex steroid hormones on iron metabolism are not completely understood. We focused on the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen on hepcidin expression. First, ovariectomized (OVX) and sham-operated mice were employed to investigate the effects of estrogen on hepcidin expression in an in vivo study. Hepcidin expression was decreased in the livers of OVX mice compared to the sham-operated mice. In OVX mice, bone morphologic protein-6 (BMP6), a regulator of hepcidin, was also found to be downregulated in the liver, whereas ferroportin (FPN), an iron export protein, was upregulated in the duodenum. Both serum and liver iron concentrations were elevated in OVX mice relative to their concentrations in sham-operated mice. In in vitro studies, 17β-estradiol (E(2)) increased the mRNA expression of hepcidin in HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. E(2)-induced hepatic hepcidin upregulation was not inhibited by ICI 182720, an inhibitor of the estrogen receptor; instead, hepcidin expression was increased by ICI 182720. E(2) and ICI 182720 exhibit agonist actions with G-protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), the 7-transmembrane estrogen receptor. G1, a GPR30 agonist, upregulated hepcidin expression, and GPR30 siRNA treatment abolished E(2)-induced hepcidin expression. BMP6 expression induced by E(2) was abolished by GPR30 silencing. Finally, both E(2) and G1 supplementation restored reduced hepatic hepcidin and BMP6 expression and reversed the augmentation of duodenal FPN expression in the OVX mice. In contrast, serum hepcidin was elevated in OVX mice, which was reversed in these mice with E(2) and G1. Thus, estrogen is involved in hepcidin expression via a GPR30-BMP6-dependent mechanism, providing new insight into the role of estrogen in iron metabolism.     

Effects of Kupffer cell-depletion on Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis

TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, and MIP-2 are known to be involved in Con A-induced hepatitis. Although Kupffer cells are reportedly involved in TNF-α production, it is largely unknown whether or not Kupffer cells also play a role in the production of other cytokines, such as IFN-γ, IL-4, and MIP-2. In this study we examined the liver injury and the levels of plasma cytokines, including above four cytokines, KC, and IL-10 in Kupffer cell-depleted mice obtained through administration of liposome-encapsulated dichloromethylene bisphosphonate. The liver injury was significantly suppressed in Kupffer cell-depleted mice, as assessed as to the plasma ALT level and histochemistry. The cytokine levels were also significantly suppressed in such mice except for those of IFN-γ, which was slightly suppressed at 12 h, and IL-10, which was not significantly suppressed at any time. Apoptosis was also significantly suppressed in such mice, as found immunohistochemically with anti-ssDNA Ab. Taken together, these results suggest that Kupffer cells are involved in the production of MIP-2, KC, IL-4, and TNF-α in Con A-induced hepatitis, thereby contributing to the liver injury either directly or indirectly.     

Is pulse transit time useful in differentiating respiratory events for patients with a sleep breathing disorder? A pilot study

Variation of inspiratory effort in sleep disordered breathing induces the oscillation in blood pressure, which corresponds inversely to pulse transit time (PTT). This study evaluated the feasibility of PTT as a visual parameter for differentiating respiratory events in patients with a sleep breathing disorder. Sixteen patients who complained of snoring and sleep apnea were booked into the study. Polysomnographic data of Zopiclone induced daytime sleep were analyzed, PTT and intraesophageal pressure (Peso) were assessed for each respiratory event. With respect to Peso, the total accuracy of PTT was 51.8% for 1266 events. The relatively high coincidence rate could be observed in obstructive events (57.1%), with crescendo Peso pattern (71.5%), in lateral position (82.2%). Pulse transit time oscillation could only partly reflect respiratory rhythm to some degree (56.5%). Absolute PTT value presented a poor relationship with respiratory effort. Pulse transit time coincided well with crescendo Peso in lateral position for obstructive events. Swings in PTT could only partly fit respiratory wave data. Absolute PTT value and its change could not reflect respiratory effort. Although PTT is a non-invasive and convenient way for assessing inspiratory effort, its variable sensitivity to different events, respiratory patterns, positions, different patients and other situations, limit its feasibility. Further work is required.

     

Activation of cardiac progenitor cells through paracrine effects of mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplantation has been proved to be promising strategy to treat the failing heart. The effect of MSC transplantation is thought to be mediated mainly in a paracrine manner. Recent reports have suggested that cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) reside in the heart. In this study, we investigated whether MSC had paracrine effects on CPC in vitro. CPC were isolated from the neonatal rat heart using an explant method. MSC were isolated from the adult rat bone marrow. MSC-derived conditioned medium promoted proliferation of CPC and inhibited apoptosis of CPC induced by hypoxia and serum starvation. Chemotaxis chamber assay demonstrated that MSC-derived conditioned medium enhanced migration of CPC. Furthermore, MSC-derived conditioned medium upregulated expression of cardiomyocyte-related genes in CPC such as β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). In conclusion, MSC-derived conditioned medium had protective effects on CPC and enhanced their migration and differentiation.