Blockade of L-type voltage-gated Ca channel inhibits ischemia-induced neurogenesis by down-regulating iNOS expression in adult mouse

Neurogenesis in the adult mammalian hippocampus may contribute to repairing the brain after injury. The signals that regulate neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus following ischemic stroke insult are not well known. We have previously reported that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression is necessary for ischemia-stimulated neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus. Here, we show that mice subjected to 90 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) significantly increased the number of new neurons and up-regulated iNOS expression in the dentate gyrus. Blockade of the L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel (L-VGCC) prevented neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and subventricular zone (SVZ), and down-regulated iNOS expression in the dentate gyrus after cerebral ischemia. This study suggests that Ca(2+) influx through L-VGCC is involved in ischemia-induced neurogenesis by up-regulating iNOS expression.     

Rab8 Interacts with Distinct Motifs in α2B- and β2-Adrenergic Receptors and Differentially Modulates Their Transport

The molecular mechanism underlying the post-Golgi transport of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) remains poorly understood. Here we determine the role of Rab8 GTPase, which modulates vesicular protein transport between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and the plasma membrane, in the cell surface targeting of α_2B- and β₂-adrenergic receptors (AR). Transient expression of GDP- and GTP-bound Rab8 mutants and short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of Rab8 more potently inhibited the cell surface expression of α_2B-AR than β₂-AR. The GDP-bound Rab8(T22N) mutant attenuated ERK1/2 activation by α_2B-AR, but not β₂-AR, and arrested α_2B-AR in the TGN compartment. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that both α_2B-AR and β₂-AR physically interacted with Rab8 and glutathione S-transferase fusion protein pulldown assays demonstrated that Rab8 interacted with the C termini of both receptors. Interestingly, mutation of the highly conserved membrane-proximal C terminus dileucine motif selectively blocked β₂-AR interaction with Rab8, whereas mutation of residues Val⁴³¹-Phe⁴³²-Asn⁴³³-Gln⁴³⁴, Pro⁴⁴⁷-Trp⁴⁴⁸, Gln⁴⁵⁰-Thr⁴⁵¹, and Trp⁴⁵³ in the C terminus impaired α_2B-AR interaction with Rab8. Furthermore, transport inhibition by Rab8(T22N) of a chimeric β₂-AR carrying the α_2B-AR C terminus was similar to α_2B-AR. These data provide strong evidence indicating that Rab8 GTPase interacts with distinct motifs in the C termini of α_2B-AR and β₂-AR and differentially modulates their traffic from the TGN to the cell surface.     

Protein kinase-mediated regulation of calcineurin through the phosphorylation of modulatory calcineurin-interacting protein 1

Calcineurin is a serine/threonine protein phosphatase that plays a critical role in many physiologic processes such as T-cell activation, skeletal myocyte differentiation, and cardiac hypertrophy. We previously showed that active MEKK3 is capable of stimulating calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) signaling in cardiac myocytes through phosphorylation of modulatory calcineurin-interacting protein 1 (MCIP1). However, the protein kinases that function downstream of MEKK3 to mediate MCIP1 phosphorylation and the mechanism of MCIP1-mediated calcineurin regulation have not been defined. Here, we show that MEK5 and big MAP kinase 1 (BMK1) function downstream of MEKK3 in a signaling cascade that induces calcineurin activity through phosphorylation of MCIP1. Genetic studies showed that BMK1-deficient mouse lung fibroblasts failed to mediate MCIP1 phosphorylation and activate calcineurin/NFAT in response to angiotensin II, a potent NFAT activator. Conversely, restoring BMK1 to the deficient cells restored angiotensin II-mediated calcineurin/NFAT activation. Thus, using BMK1-deficient mouse lung fibroblast cells, we provided the genetic evidence that BMK1 is required for angiotensin II-mediated calcineurin/NFAT activation through MICP1 phosphorylation. Finally, we discovered that phosphorylated MCIP1 dissociates from calcineurin and binds with 14-3-3, thereby relieving its inhibitory effect on calcineurin activity. In summary, our findings reveal a previously unrecognized essential regulatory role of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in calcineurin activation through the reversible phosphorylation of a calcineurin-interacting protein, MCIP1.     

骨关节炎相关Smad3突变基因的克隆及其初步的功能分析

以前的研究结果显示Smad3错义突变(P197N→I)可能与骨关节炎发生的病理过程有关。本研究构建了带有该点突变的Smad3 cDNA的表达载体,转染Smad3基因缺失的成纤维细胞,检测细胞培养液中MMP-2的表达水平和活性变化。结果显示,转染野生型Smad3表达载体可以使Smad3基因缺失的成纤维细胞MMP-2表达活性明显降低,而转染Smad3突变体表达载体丧失对MMP-2表达活性的调节作用。本研究结果提示骨关节炎相关的Smad3突变体可能丧失对成纤维细胞表达MMP-2的抑制作用。     

盾叶薯蓣营养器官薯蓣皂甙元含量的动态变化

利用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法对盾叶薯蓣营养器官特别是根状茎中薯蓣皂甙元含量的动态变化、品种之间的差异以及雌雄株之间的差异进行了研究。结果表明：实生苗根状茎中薯蓣皂甙元的含量,2年生高于1年生;根茎营养繁殖的2年生根状茎中皂甙元的含量高于1年生的含量;花叶品种的含量高于绿叶品种的含量;雄株的含量比雌株的含量高。在地上的缠绕茎和叶中没有检测到薯蓣皂甙元。由根茎繁殖的1年生根状茎前期皂甙元含量增加缓慢,后期增加较快;2年生根状茎盛花期含量最高,开花后期含量最低,随后含量逐渐增加。为此应在花叶品种中选择产量高、抗性强的品种作为栽培品种。合适的采挖期仍以地上缠绕茎枯萎期为宜。     

Lipoxygenase-catalyzed polymerization of phenolic lipids suggests a new mechanism for allergic contact dermatitis induced by urushiol and its analogs

Lipoxygenase was found to catalyze the oxidative polymerization of phenolic lipids containing a (Z,Z)-pentadiene in the side chain, the model compounds of urushiol and its analog, yielding methanol-soluble and insoluble polymers. The structural analysis of the resulted polymers suggested that the polymerization occurred at both the phenol and the unsaturated side chain. The key step of the polymerization was the generation of the hydroperoxide at the unsaturated side chain by lipoxygenase. The decomposition of hydroperoxide and concomitant dehydrogenation of phenol ring catalyzed by lipoxygenase might produce radicals that could be coupled to form cross-linked polymers. This lipoxygenase-mediated reaction implies a new mechanism for contact allergy of urushiol and its analogs.     

Quantitation of Rat Dopamine Transporter mRNA: Effects of Cocaine Treatment and Withdrawal

Dopamine transporter mRNA levels in the rat substantia nigra were quantified using a sensitive nuclease protection assay with a highly homologous human dopamine transporter cDNA clone. The same probe was also used to visualize dopamine transporter mRNA in the substantia nigra by in situ hybridization. Repeated cocaine administration (15 mg/kg, twice a day for 6.5 days) resulted in a greater than 40% decrease in nigral dopamine transporter mRNA levels. In contrast, dopamine transporter mRNA levels were unchanged after either acute treatment (4 h before death) or repeated cocaine treatment followed by a 72-h withdrawal period. Thus, blockade of the dopamine transporter by repeated cocaine administration may result in the down-regulation of dopamine transporter gene expression in dopamine neurons.     

Protein kinase C-δ is involved in induction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">NOX1</Emphasis> gene expression by aldosterone in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

In this study, we focused on the relationship between aldosterone and NOX1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). For the first time, with the use of specific inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), we report that PKCδ mediates upregulation of NOX1 induced by 10 nM aldosterone in cultured VSMCs. Participation of PKC in the mediation of NOX1 regulation was further confirmed by the effect of diacylglycerol, a PKC agonist, on the NOX1 RNA in A7r5 cells with Northern blot analysis. To establish cause and effect, we next silenced the PKCδ gene partly by RNA interference and found knockdown of PKCδ gene attenuated aldosterone-induced NOX1 expression, generation of superoxide, as well as protein synthesis in VSMCs. Taken together, these data indicated PKCδ might mediate aldosterone-dependent NOX1 upregulation in VSMCs. In addition, we showed that the cascade from aldosterone to PKCδ activation had the participation of the mineralocorticoid receptor.