Circadian dysfunction in response to in?vivo treatment with the mitochondrial toxin 3-nitropropionic acid

Sleep disorders are common in neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington''s disease (HD) and develop early in the disease process. Mitochondrial alterations are believed to play a critical role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the circadian system of mice after inhibiting mitochondrial complex II of the respiratory chain with the toxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). We found that a subset of mice treated with low doses of 3-NP exhibited severe circadian deficit in behavior. The temporal patterning of sleep behavior is also disrupted in some mice with evidence of difficulty in the initiation of sleep behavior. Using the open field test during the normal sleep phase, we found that the 3-NP-treated mice were hyperactive. The molecular clockwork responsible for the generation of circadian rhythms as measured by PER2::LUCIFERASE was disrupted in a subset of mice. Within the SCN, the 3-NP treatment resulted in a reduction in daytime firing rate in the subset of mice which had a behavioral deficit. Anatomically, we confirmed that all of the treated mice showed evidence for cell loss within the striatum but we did not see evidence for gross SCN pathology. Together, the data demonstrates that chronic treatment with low doses of the mitochondrial toxin 3-NP produced circadian deficits in a subset of treated mice. This work does raise the possibility that the neural damage produced by mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to the sleep/circadian dysfunction seen so commonly in neurodegenerative diseases.     

Smad5 determines murine amnion fate through the control of bone morphogenetic protein expression and signalling levels

Smad5 is an intracellular mediator of bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signalling. It is essential for primordial germ cell (PGC) development, for the development of the allantois and for amnion closure, as demonstrated by loss of Bmp signalling. By contrast, the appearance of ectopic PGC-like cells and regionalized ectopic vasculogenesis and haematopoiesis in thickened Smad5(m1/m1) amnion are amnion defects that have not been associated with loss of Bmp signalling components. We show that defects in amnion and allantois can already be detected at embryonic day (E) 7.5 in Smad5 mutant mice. However, ectopic Oct4-positive (Oct4(+)) and alkaline phosphatase-positive (AP(+)) cells appear suddenly in thickened amnion at E8.5, and at a remote distance from the allantois and posterior primitive streak, suggesting a change of fate in situ. These ectopic Oct4(+), AP(+) cells appear to be Stella negative and hence cannot be called bona fide PGCs. We demonstrate a robust upregulation of Bmp2 and Bmp4 expression, as well as of Erk and Smad activity, in the Smad5 mutant amnion. The ectopic expression of several Bmp target genes in different domains and the regionalized presence of cells of several Bmp-sensitive lineages in the mutant amnion suggest that different levels of Bmp signalling may determine cell fate. Injection of rBMP4 in the exocoelom of wild-type embryos can induce thickening of amnion, mimicking the early amnion phenotype in Smad5 mutants. These results support a model in which loss of Smad5 results paradoxically in gain of Bmp function defects in the amnion.     

Tadpole-like Conformations of Huntingtin Exon 1 Are Characterized by Conformational Heterogeneity that Persists regardless of Polyglutamine Length

Soluble huntingtin exon 1 (Httex1) with expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) engenders neurotoxicity in Huntington's disease. To uncover the physical basis of this toxicity, we performed structural studies of soluble Httex1 for wild-type and mutant polyQ lengths. Nuclear magnetic resonance experiments show evidence for conformational rigidity across the polyQ region. In contrast, hydrogen–deuterium exchange shows absence of backbone amide protection, suggesting negligible persistence of hydrogen bonds. The seemingly conflicting results are explained by all-atom simulations, which show that Httex1 adopts tadpole-like structures with a globular head encompassing the N-terminal amphipathic and polyQ regions and the tail encompassing the C-terminal proline-rich region. The surface area of the globular domain increases monotonically with polyQ length. This stimulates sharp increases in gain-of-function interactions in cells for expanded polyQ, and one of these interactions is with the stress-granule protein Fus. Our results highlight plausible connections between Httex1 structure and routes to neurotoxicity.     

Oxidation of calmodulin alters activation and regulation of CaMKII

Increases in reactive oxygen species and mis-regulation of calcium homeostasis are associated with various physiological conditions and disease states including aging, ischemia, exposure to drugs of abuse, and neurodegenerative diseases. In aged animals, this is accompanied by a reduction in oxidative repair mechanisms resulting in increased methionine oxidation of the calcium signaling protein calmodulin in the brain. Here, we show that oxidation of calmodulin results in an inability to: (1) activate CaMKII; (2) support Thr(286) autophosphorylation of CaMKII; (3) prevent Thr(305/6) autophosphorylation of CaMKII; (4) support binding of CaMKII to the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor; and (5) compete with alpha-actinin for binding to CaMKII. Moreover, oxidized calmodulin does not efficiently bind calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in rat brain lysates or in vitro. These observations contrast from past experiments performed with oxidized calmodulin and the plasma membrane calcium ATPase, where oxidized calmodulin binds to, and partially activates the PMCA. When taken together, these data suggest that oxidative stress may perturb neuronal and cardiac function via a decreased ability of oxidized calmodulin to bind, activate, and regulate the interactions of CaMKII.     

Poly(dG)-poly(dC) DNA appears shorter than poly(dA)-poly(dT) and possibly adopts an A-related conformation on a mica surface under ambient conditions

Three types of DNA: approximately 2700 bp polydeoxyguanylic olydeoxycytidylic acid [poly(dG)-poly(dC)], approximately 2700 bp polydeoxyadenylic polydeoxythymidylic acid [poly(dA)-poly(dT)] and 2686 bp linear plasmid pUC19 were deposited on a mica surface and imaged by atomic force microscopy. Contour length measurements show that the average length of poly(dG)-poly(dC) is approximately 30% shorter than that of poly(dA)-poly(dT) and the plasmid. This led us to suggest that individual poly(dG)-poly(dC) molecules are immobilized on mica under ambient conditions in a form which is likely related to the A-form of DNA in contrast to poly(dA)-poly(dT) and random sequence DNA which are immobilized in a form that is related to the DNA B-form.     

Toward the brave new zoo: Species program planning for reproductive technology development

This article outlines some of the advantages inherent in domestic animal reproductive technology development and compares them to the disadvantages in such development in wildlife species. Species program planning (as proposed by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan) is offered as an important first step in organizing appropriate research toward reproductive technology development in wildlife species.