Effect of constitution on mass of individual organs and their association with metabolic rate in humans--a detailed view on allometric scaling

Resting energy expenditure (REE)-power relationships result from multiple underlying factors including weight and height. In addition, detailed body composition, including fat free mass (FFM) and its components, skeletal muscle mass and internal organs with high metabolic rates (i.e. brain, heart, liver, kidneys), are major determinants of REE. Since the mass of individual organs scales to height as well as to weight (and, thus, to constitution), the variance in these associations may also add to the variance in REE. Here we address body composition (measured by magnetic resonance imaging) and REE (assessed by indirect calorimetry) in a group of 330 healthy volunteers differing with respect to age (17-78 years), sex (61% female) and BMI (15.9-47.8 kg/m(2)). Using three dimensional data interpolation we found that the inter-individual variance related to scaling of organ mass to height and weight and, thus, the constitution-related variances in either FFM (model 1) or kidneys, muscle, brain and liver (model 2) explained up to 43% of the inter-individual variance in REE. These data are the first evidence that constitution adds to the complexity of REE. Since organs scale differently as weight as well as height the "fit" of organ masses within constitution should be considered as a further trait.     

Serum levels of the adipokine chemerin are increased in preeclampsia during and 6 months after pregnancy

Preeclampsia is a serious cardiovascular complication in pregnancy which is associated with an increased future metabolic and cardiovascular risk for mother and newborn. Recently, chemerin was introduced as a novel adipokine inducing insulin resistance in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we investigated serum concentrations of chemerin by ELISA in control and preeclampsia patients during pregnancy (Control: n=37, preeclampsia: n=37) and 6 months after delivery (Control: n=35, preeclampsia: n=36). Furthermore, the association between chemerin and markers of renal function, glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as inflammation was studied in pregnant patients. Median maternal chemerin concentrations were significantly elevated in preeclampsia patients (249.5 [range: 123.1-366.9] μg/l) as compared to controls (204.8 [138.5-280.8] μg/l) (p<0.001). Furthermore, chemerin serum levels positively correlated with blood pressure, creatinine, free fatty acids, cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), leptin, adiponectin, and C-reactive protein in univariate analyses. In multivariate analyses, TG and leptin remained independently associated with circulating chemerin. Interestingly, median chemerin concentrations 6 months after delivery remained significantly higher in former preeclampsia patients (196.0 [119.8-368.7] μg/l) as compared to controls (152.2 [102.8-216.4] μg/l). Taken together, maternal chemerin serum concentrations are significantly increased in preeclampsia during and after pregnancy. Furthermore, TG and leptin are independent predictors of circulating chemerin during pregnancy.     

Characterization of the self-cleaving effector protein NopE1 of Bradyrhizobium japonicum

NopE1 is a type III-secreted protein of the symbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum which is expressed in nodules. In vitro it exhibits self-cleavage in a duplicated domain of unknown function (DUF1521) but only in the presence of calcium. Here we show that either domain is self-sufficient for cleavage. An exchange of the aspartic acid residue at the cleavage site with asparagine prevented cleavage; however, cleavage was still observed with glutamic acid at the same position, indicating that a negative charge at the cleavage site is sufficient. Close to each cleavage site, an EF-hand-like motif is present. A replacement of one of the conserved aspartic acid residues with alanine prevented cleavage at the neighboring site. Except for EDTA, none of several protease inhibitors blocked cleavage, suggesting that a known protease-like mechanism is not involved in the reaction. In line with this, the reaction takes place within a broad pH and temperature range. Interestingly, magnesium, manganese, and several other divalent cations did not induce cleavage, indicating a highly specific calcium-binding site. Based on results obtained by blue-native gel electrophoresis, it is likely that the uncleaved protein forms a dimer and that the fragments of the cleaved protein oligomerize. A database search reveals that the DUF1521 domain is present in proteins encoded by Burkholderia phytofirmans PsNJ (a plant growth-promoting betaproteobacterium) and Vibrio coralliilyticus ATCC BAA450 (a pathogenic gammaproteobacterium). Obviously, this domain is more widespread in proteobacteria, and it might contribute to the interaction with hosts.     

Early endosomal SNAREs form a structurally conserved SNARE complex and fuse liposomes with multiple topologies

SNARE proteins mediate membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells. They contain conserved SNARE motifs that are usually located adjacent to a C-terminal transmembrane domain. SNARE motifs spontaneously assemble into four helix bundles, with each helix belonging to a different subfamily. Liposomes containing SNAREs spontaneously fuse with each other, but it is debated how the SNAREs are distributed between the membranes. Here, we report that the SNAREs mediating homotypic fusion of early endosomes fuse liposomes in five out of seven possible combinations, in contrast to previously studied SNAREs involved in heterotypic fusion events. The crystal structure of the early endosomal SNARE complex resembles that of the neuronal and late endosomal complexes, but differs in surface side-chain interactions. We conclude that homotypic fusion reactions may proceed with multiple SNARE topologies, suggesting that the conserved SNARE structure allows for flexibility in the initial interactions needed for fusion.     

A mutation in CHN-1/CHIP suppresses muscle degeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most severe X-linked, inherited diseases of childhood, characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness as the consequence of mutations in the dystrophin gene. The protein encoded by dystrophin is a huge cytosolic protein that links the intracellular F-actin filaments to the members of the dystrophin-glycoprotein-complex (DGC). Dystrophin deficiency results in the absence or reduction of complex components that are degraded through an unknown pathway. We show here that muscle degeneration in a Caenorhabditis elegans DMD model is efficiently reduced by downregulation of chn-1, encoding the homologue of the human E3/E4 ubiquitylation enzyme CHIP. A deletion mutant of chn-1 delays the cell death of body-wall muscle cells and improves the motility of animals carrying mutations in dystrophin and MyoD. Elimination of chn-1 function in the musculature, but not in the nervous system, is sufficient for this effect, and can be phenocopied by proteasome inhibitor treatment. This suggests a critical role of CHIP/CHN-1-mediated ubiquitylation in the control of muscle wasting and degeneration and identifies a potential new drug target for the treatment of this disease.     

CXC Chemokine Receptor 7 (CXCR7) Regulates CXCR4 Protein Expression and Capillary Tuft Development in Mouse Kidney

Background

The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is involved in kidney development by regulating formation of the glomerular tuft. Recently, a second CXCL12 receptor was identified and designated CXCR7. Although it is established that CXCR7 regulates heart and brain development in conjunction with CXCL12 and CXCR4, little is known about the influence of CXCR7 on CXCL12 dependent kidney development.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We provided analysis of CXCR7 expression and function in the developing mouse kidney. Using in situ hybridization, we identified CXCR7 mRNA in epithelial cells including podocytes at all nephron stages up to the mature glomerulus. CXCL12 mRNA showed a striking overlap with CXCR7 mRNA in epithelial structures. In addition, CXCL12 was detected in stromal cells and the glomerular tuft. Expression of CXCR4 was complementary to that of CXCR7 as it occurred in mesenchymal cells, outgrowing ureteric buds and glomerular endothelial cells but not in podocytes. Kidney examination in CXCR7 null mice revealed ballooning of glomerular capillaries as described earlier for CXCR4 null mice. Moreover, we detected a severe reduction of CXCR4 protein but not CXCR4 mRNA within the glomerular tuft and in the condensed mesenchyme. Malformation of the glomerular tuft in CXCR7 null mice was associated with mesangial cell clumping.

Conclusions/Significance

We established that there is a similar glomerular pathology in CXCR7 and CXCR4 null embryos. Based on the phenotype and the anatomical organization of the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 system in the forming glomerulus, we propose that CXCR7 fine-tunes CXCL12/CXCR4 mediated signalling between podocytes and glomerular capillaries.     

Secretome analysis of Clostridium difficile strains

Clostridium difficile causes infections ranging from mild C. difficile-associated diarrhea to severe pseudomembranous colitis. Since 2003 new hypervirulent C. difficile strains (PCR ribotype 027) emerged characterized by a dramatically increased mortality. The secretomes of the three C. difficile strains CDR20291, CD196, and CD630 were analyzed and compared. Proteins were separated and analyzed by means of SDS--PAGE and LC-MS. MS data were analyzed using Mascot and proteins were checked for export signals with SecretomeP and SignalP. LC-MS analysis revealed 158 different proteins in the supernatant of C. difficile. Most of the identified proteins originate from the cytoplasm. Thirty-two proteins in CDR20291, 36 in CD196 and 26 in CD630 were identified to be secreted by C. difficile strains. Those were mainly S-layer proteins, substrate-binding proteins of ABC-transporters, cell wall hydrolases, pilin and unknown hypothetical proteins. Toxin A and toxin B were identified after growth in brain heart infusion medium using immunological techniques. The ADP-ribosyltransferase-binding component protein, which is a part of the binary toxin CDT, was only identified in the hypervirulent ribotype 027 strains. Further proteins that are secreted specifically by hypervirulent strains were identified.     

Vaccenic acid-mediated reduction in cytokine production is independent of c9,t11-CLA in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The ruminant trans fatty acid vaccenic acid (tVA) favorably alters markers of inflammation. However, it is not yet clear whether these effects are attributed to its endogenous partial conversion to c9,t11-CLA, which is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties. We compared the cytokine reducing potential of tVA to c9,t11-CLA in human T-helper (Th) cells as a main source of cytokine production during inflammation. Secondly, we assessed whether a bioconversion of tVA to c9,t11-CLA via stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) encoded activity takes place in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in order to relate the outcomes of intracellular cytokine measurement to the degree of conversion. TVA reduced the percentage of both IL-2 and TNF-α expressing Th cells significantly, but to a lesser extent compared to c9,t11-CLA, as determined by flow cytometry after alloreactive stimulation of PBMC. Pre-treatment with the selective PPARγ antagonist T0070907 largely re-established the IL-2 and TNF-α positive Th cell population in both tVA and c9,t11-CLA treated cultures. Interestingly, while the portion of tVA dose-dependently increased within the cellular lipid fraction, the initially marginal amount of c9,t11-CLA remained unaltered. However, SCD mRNA although abundantly expressed in PBMC was not regulated by tVA. Conclusively, these results suggest that the cytokine reducing effect of tVA in human T cells is independent of c9,t11-CLA, since no bioconversion occurred. Moreover, the data provide evidence that tVA mechanistically acts in a manner similar to c9,t11-CLA.