Biomechanics of the lung parenchyma: critical roles of collagen and mechanical forces.

The biomechanical properties of connective tissues play fundamental roles in how mechanical interactions of the body with its environment produce physical forces at the cellular level. It is now recognized that mechanical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) have major regulatory effects on cellular physiology and cell-cycle kinetics that can lead to the reorganization and remodeling of the ECM. The connective tissues are composed of cells and the ECM, which includes water and a variety of biological macromolecules. The macromolecules that are most important in determining the mechanical properties of these tissues are collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans. Among these macromolecules, the most abundant and perhaps most critical for structural integrity is collagen. In this review, we examine how mechanical forces affect the physiological functioning of the lung parenchyma, with special emphasis on the role of collagen. First, we overview the composition of the connective tissue of the lung and their complex structural organization. We then describe how mechanical properties of the parenchyma arise from its composition as well as from the architectural organization of the connective tissue. We argue that, because collagen is the most important load-bearing component of the parenchymal connective tissue, it is also critical in determining the homeostasis and cellular responses to injury. Finally, we overview the interactions between the parenchymal collagen network and cellular remodeling and speculate how mechanotransduction might contribute to disease propagation and the development of small- and large-scale heterogeneities with implications to impaired lung function in emphysema.     

Positively charged amino acids are essential for electron transfer and protein-protein interactions in the soluble methane monooxygenase complex from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

The soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) complex from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) catalyses oxygen- and NAD(P)H-dependent oxygenation of methane, propene, and other substrates. Whole-complex sMMO oxygenase activity requires all three sMMO components: the hydroxylase, the reductase, and protein B. Also, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the hydroxylase alone catalyzes substrate oxygenation via the peroxide shunt reaction. We investigated the effect of amine cross-linking on hydroxylase activity to probe the role of a gross conformational change that occurs in the hydroxylase upon binding of the other protein components. The cross-linker inhibited hydroxylase activity in the whole complex, but this effect was due to covalent modification of primary amine groups rather than cross-linking. Covalent modification of arginine side-chains on the hydroxylase had a similar effect, but, most remarkably, neither form of modification affected the activity of the hydroxylase via the peroxide shunt reaction. It was shown that covalent modification of positively charged groups on the hydroxylase, which occurred at multiple sites, interfered with its physical and functional interactions with protein B and with the passage of electrons from the reductase. These results indicate that protein B and the reductase of the sMMO complex interact via positively charged groups on the surface of the hydroxylase to induce a conformational change that is necessary for delivery of electrons into the active site of the hydroxylase. Modification of positively charged groups on protein B had no effect on its function, consistent with the hypothesis that positively charged groups on the hydroxylase interact with negative charges on protein B. Thus, we have discovered a means of specifically inactivating the interactions between the sMMO complex while preserving the catalytic activity of the hydroxylase active site which provides a new method of studying intercomponent interactions within sMMO.     

A nonlinear viscoelastic model of lung tissue mechanics.

There have been a number of attempts recently to use linear models to describe the low-frequency (0-2 Hz) dependence of lung tissue resistance (Rti) and elastance (Eti). Only a few attempts, however, have been made to account for the volume dependence of these quantities, all of which require the tissues to be plastoelastic. In this paper we specifically avoid invoking plastoelasticity and develop a nonlinear viscoelastic model that is also capable of accounting for the nonlinear and frequency-dependent features of lung tissue mechanics. The model parameters were identified by fitting the model to data obtained in a previous study from dogs during sinusoidal ventilation. The model was then used to simulate pressure and flow data by use of various types of ventilation patterns similar to those that have been employed experimentally. Rti and Eti were estimated from the simulated data by use of four different estimation techniques commonly applied in respiratory mechanics studies. We found that the estimated volume dependence of Rti and Eti is sensitive to both the ventilation pattern and the estimation technique, being in error by as much as 217 and 22%, respectively.     

Influenza virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) disrupts interferon signaling

Type I interferons (IFNs) function as the first line of defense against viral infections by modulating cell growth, establishing an antiviral state and influencing the activation of various immune cells. Viruses such as influenza have developed mechanisms to evade this defense mechanism and during infection with influenza A viruses, the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) encoded by the virus genome suppresses induction of IFNs-α/β. Here we show that expression of avian H5N1 NS1 in HeLa cells leads to a block in IFN signaling. H5N1 NS1 reduces IFN-inducible tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT2 and STAT3 and inhibits the nuclear translocation of phospho-STAT2 and the formation of IFN-inducible STAT1:1-, STAT1:3- and STAT3:3- DNA complexes. Inhibition of IFN-inducible STAT signaling by NS1 in HeLa cells is, in part, a consequence of NS1-mediated inhibition of expression of the IFN receptor subunit, IFNAR1. In support of this NS1-mediated inhibition, we observed a reduction in expression of ifnar1 in ex vivo human non-tumor lung tissues infected with H5N1 and H1N1 viruses. Moreover, H1N1 and H5N1 virus infection of human monocyte-derived macrophages led to inhibition of both ifnar1 and ifnar2 expression. In addition, NS1 expression induces up-regulation of the JAK/STAT inhibitors, SOCS1 and SOCS3. By contrast, treatment of ex vivo human lung tissues with IFN-α results in the up-regulation of a number of IFN-stimulated genes and inhibits both H5N1 and H1N1 virus replication. The data suggest that NS1 can directly interfere with IFN signaling to enhance viral replication, but that treatment with IFN can nevertheless override these inhibitory effects to block H5N1 and H1N1 virus infections.     

Mechanics, nonlinearity, and failure strength of lung tissue in a mouse model of emphysema: possible role of collagen remodeling.

Enlargement of the respiratory air spaces is associated with the breakdown and reorganization of the connective tissue fiber network during the development of pulmonary emphysema. In this study, a mouse (C57BL/6) model of emphysema was developed by direct instillation of 1.2 IU of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) and compared with control mice treated with saline. The PPE treatment caused 95% alveolar enlargement (P = 0.001) associated with a 29% lower elastance along the quasi-static pressure-volume curves (P < 0.001). Respiratory mechanics were measured at several positive end-expiratory pressures in the closed-chest condition. The dynamic tissue elastance was 19% lower (P < 0.001), hysteresivity was 9% higher (P < 0.05), and harmonic distortion, a measure of collagen-related dynamic nonlinearity, was 33% higher in the PPE-treated group (P < 0.001). Whole lung hydroxyproline content, which represents the total collagen content, was 48% higher (P < 0.01), and alpha-elastin content was 13% lower (P = 0.16) in the PPE-treated group. There was no significant difference in airway resistance (P = 0.7). The failure stress at which isolated parenchymal tissues break during stretching was 40% lower in the PPE-treated mice (P = 0.002). These findings suggest that, after elastolytic injury, abnormal collagen remodeling may play a significant role in all aspects of lung functional changes and mechanical forces, leading to progressive emphysema.     

Isolation and characterization of tyrosinase produced by marine actinobacteria and its application in the removal of phenol from aqueous environment

The present study was focused on screening and characterization of tyrosinase enzyme produced by marine actinobacteria and its application in phenolic compounds removal from aqueous solution. A total of 20 strains were isolated from marine sediment sample and screened for tyrosinase production by using skimmed milk agar medium. Among 20 isolates, two isolates LK-4 and LK-20 showed zone of hydrolysis and these were taken for secondary screening by using tyrosiue agar medium. Based on the result of secondary screening LK-4 was selected for further analysis, such as tyrosinase assay, protein content and specific activity of the enzyme. The tyrosinase enzyme was produced in a SS medium and was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis and SDS PAGE. The isolate （LK-4） was identified as Streptomyces espinosus using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and named as ＂Streptomyces espinosus strain LK4 （KF806735）＂. The tyrosinase enzyme was immobilized in sodium alginate which was applied to remove phenolic compounds from water. The enzyme efficiently removed the phenolic compounds from aqueous solution within few hours which indicated that tyrosinasc enzyme produced by Streptomyces espinosus strain LK-4 can be potently used for the removal of phenol and phenolic compounds from wastewater in industries.