Recombinant VSV G proteins reveal a novel raft-dependent endocytic pathway in resorbing osteoclasts

Transcytotic membrane flow delivers degraded bone fragments from the ruffled border to the functional secretory domain, FSD, in bone resorbing osteoclasts. Here we show that there is also a FSD-to-ruffled border trafficking pathway that compensates for the membrane loss during the matrix uptake process and that rafts are essential for this ruffled border-targeted endosomal pathway. Replacing the cytoplasmic tail of the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein with that of CD4 resulted in partial insolubility in Triton X-100 and retargeting from the peripheral non-bone facing plasma membrane to the FSD. Recombinant G proteins were subsequently endosytosed and delivered from the FSD to the peripheral fusion zone of the ruffled border, which were both rich in lipid rafts as suggested by viral protein transport analysis and visualizing the rafts with fluorescent recombinant cholera toxin. Cholesterol depletion by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin impaired the ruffled border-targeted vesicle trafficking pathway and inhibited bone resorption dose-dependently as quantified by measuring the CTX and TRACP 5b secreted to the culture medium and by measuring the resorbed area visualized with a bi-phasic labeling method using sulpho-NHS-biotin and WGA-lectin. Thus, rafts are vital for membrane recycling from the FSD to the late endosomal/lysosomal ruffled border and bone resorption.     

Inhibition of Voltage-Sensitive Calcium Channels by the A2A Adenosine Receptor in PC12 cells

Abstract: The role of the A_2A adenosine receptor in regulating voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) was investigated in PC12 cells. Ca²⁺ influx induced by membrane depolarization with 70 m M K⁺ could be inhibited with CGS21680, an A_2A receptor-specific agonist. Both L- and N-type VSCCs were inhibited by CGS21680 treatment. Effects of adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists indicate that the typical A_2A receptor mediates inhibition of VSCCs. Cholera toxin (CTX) treatment for 24 h completely eliminated the CGS21680 potency. Similar inhibitory effects on VSCCs were obtained by membrane-permeable activators of protein kinase A (PKA). These effects were blocked by Rp -adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate, a PKA inhibitor. The data suggest that activation of the A_2A receptor leads to inhibition of VSCCs via a CTX-sensitive G protein and PKA. ATP pretreatment caused a reduction in subsequent rise in cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentration induced by 70 m M K⁺, presumably by inactivation of VSCCs. Simultaneous treatment with ATP and CGS21680 produced significantly greater inhibition of VSCCs than treatment with CGS21680 or ATP alone. Furthermore, the CGS21680-induced inhibition of VSCCs was not affected by the presence of reactive blue 2. CGS21680 still significantly inhibited ATP-evoked Ca²⁺ influx without VSCC activity after cobalt or 70 m M K⁺ pretreatment. These data suggest that the A_2A receptor-sensitive VSCCs differ from those activated by ATP treatment. Although A_2A receptors induce inhibition of VSCCs as well as ATP-induced Ca²⁺ influx, the two inhibitory effects are clearly distinct from each other.     

Lysophospholipase L2 of Vibrio cholerae O1 affects cholera toxin production

Abstract The implication in cholera toxin (CT) production of the newly identified gene, lypA , that encodes the lysophospholipase L₂ of Vibrio cholerae , was investigated. Introduction of lypA into the V. cholerae O1 mutant (NF404), which has a Tn5-insertion in lypA and has lost CT as well as haemolysin production, restored the lysophospholipase activity and CT production but not the haemolytic activity. Inactivation of the lypA gene of the wild-type strain by chromosomal integration of a plasmid containing a portion of the lypA gene decreased the lysophospholipase L₂ activity and the production of CT but not the haemolytic activity. Furthermore, constructed mutants of El Tor-biotype and Classical-biotype strains which have a defective lypA failed to produce CT and exhibited decreased enterotoxicity in the ligated rabbit ileal loop test. These results suggest that lypA is possibly required for the expression of CT and may play a role in pathogenicity of V. cholerae .     

Development of an improved synthetic medium for a better production of the new cholera toxin and its immunological relationship with the toxin produced by Vibrio cholerae O139 strains

Abstract An improved synthetic medium (M4) comprising syncase medium supplemented with sodium chloride (1%) and sucrose (0.5%) pH adjusted to 7.4 was developed for a better production of the new cholera toxin (NCT). The culture filtrates prepared in the M4 medium caused significantly ( P < 0.05) more fluid accumulation than that in syncase medium. Crude toxin, prepared in the M4 medium with V. cholerae O1 strains (X-392 and 2740-80) caused a reaction similar to that of the same amount of NCT (32 μg) prepared in the syncase medium. The neutralization of the optimal loop reacting dose of the NCT prepared in the M4 medium by anti-NCT raised against syncase prepared toxin indicates the release of the same kind of toxin in both media. These observations indicate that the modified M4 medium may be used for NCT preparation and further characterization. All the strains of Vibro cholerae O139 used in this study produced a toxin antigenically similar to NCT.     

A novel cholera toxin-sensitive G-protein (Gc) regulating receptor-mediated phosphoinositide signalling in human pituitary clonal cells

Recent studies have implicated that a GTP-binding protein (G-protein) is involved in the coupling of both CCK-8 and muscarinic cholinergic receptors to phosphoinositidase C (PIC) in the human embryonic pituitary cell line, Flow 9000. Pretreatment of these cells with cholera toxin, but not pertussis toxin, inhibited the stimulation of [³H]inositol phosphate production by CCK-8 and acetylcholine. These inhibitory effects of cholera toxin could not be reproduced by treating the cells with the B-subunit of cholera toxin or cAMP-generating agents such as forskolin. These data suggest the presence of a novel G_c protein which is responsible for receptor-PIC coupling in Flow 9000 cells.     

Corticosterone Regulates the Expression of ADP-Ribosylation Factor Messenger RNA and Protein in Rat Cerebral Cortex

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) comprise a family of small GTP-binding proteins found in brain and other tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated that the expression of the larger heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins is under control by steroid hormones. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the influence of glucocorticoids on the expression of ARF mRNA and protein. using specific cDNA probes and antisera, respectively. Chronic administration of corticosterone (7 days) significantly increased levels of mRNA for ARF1 and ARF3, two subtypes of ARF, in rat cerebral cortex. Chronic administration of corticosterone was also found to increase levels of ARF immunoreactivity in this brain region. However, 1-day administration of corticosterone did not influence levels of mRNA for either ARF1 or ARF3. In contrast to corticosterone, bilateral adrenalectomy (7 days after surgery) was found to decrease ARF1 and ARF3 message relative to sham controls; this effect of adrenalectomy was reversed by corticosterone treatment. These results demonstrate that the expression of ARF is under hormonal control and may underlie aspects of glucocorticoid action on neuronal function.     

冻干口服霍乱rBS—WC菌苗安全及保护效果评价的小鼠模型探讨

本文仿照人口服免疫程序用小鼠为模型对冻干口服霍乱ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗制品进行了安全及保护率评价。给ＫＭ小鼠口服三种不同剂量的ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗后,无发病,无体重减轻,无死亡现象,表明该菌苗安全,无毒副作用。免疫组与安慰剂组小鼠用肠结扎攻毒试验评价保护效果,两组小鼠用吴江－２及滨－４３活菌攻击后,免疫组显示良好保护作用（Ｐ＜０．０５）。此法可以用于口服型ｒＢＳ－ＷＣ菌苗的评价,但也存在需要动物数较多,个体间差异较大,手术较麻烦的问题。     

幽门螺杆菌重组vacA-ctxB蛋白的基因克隆与表达

目的构建幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)vacA毒性片段与霍乱毒素B亚单位(ctxB)基因的原核表达载体,并诱导表达VCTB重组蛋白,为制备防治H.pylori感染的口服疫苗奠定基础。方法以H.pylori基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增vacA毒性片段基因,克隆至质粒pQE30中,获得重组质粒pQE30-vacA。再以pET32(a) -ctxB质粒为模板PCR扩增ctxB目的基因并插入pQE30-vacA中,构建含双基因的表达质粒pQE-vctB。克隆至大肠埃希菌Top10,并在DH5α中诱导表达。SDS-PAGE分析表达结果,Ni-NTA柱纯化后Western blot鉴定其抗原性,免疫家兔后ELISA法检测血清中VacA和CtxB抗体鉴定其免疫原性。结果vacA的DNA片段为723 bp左右。ctxB基因的DNA片段为372 bp左右,与预计长度相符合。测序结果vctB融合基因由1092 bp组成,编码364个氨基酸残基的多肽,与基因文库相符。表达蛋白VCTB经SDS-PAGE分析,相对分子量为40 000,与预期的一致;表达量约占菌体总蛋白的20%,提纯后SDS-PAGE分析可见单一条带,纯度可达92%以上。Western blot鉴定能与抗VacA人血清发生特异性反应,ELISA测定能与抗ctxB兔血清发生特异性反应。结论含vctA和ctxB融合基因的表达载体构建成功,并在大肠埃希菌DH5α中表达了重组蛋白质VCTB,表达蛋白具有良好的抗原性和免疫原性,可用于制备口服疫苗。     

N-terminal Extension of the Cholera Toxin A1-chain Causes Rapid Degradation after Retrotranslocation from Endoplasmic Reticulum to Cytosol

Cholera toxin travels from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum of host cells, where a portion of the toxin, the A1-chain, is unfolded and targeted to a protein-conducting channel for retrotranslocation to the cytosol. Unlike most retrotranslocation substrates, the A1-chain escapes degradation by the proteasome and refolds in the cytosol to induce disease. How this occurs remains poorly understood. Here, we show that an unstructured peptide appended to the N terminus of the A1-chain renders the toxin functionally inactive. Cleavage of the peptide extension prior to cell entry rescues toxin half-life and function. The loss of toxicity is explained by rapid degradation by the proteasome after retrotranslocation to the cytosol. Degradation of the mutant toxin does not follow the N-end rule but depends on the two Lys residues at positions 4 and 17 of the native A1-chain, consistent with polyubiquitination at these sites. Thus, retrotranslocation and refolding of the wild-type A1-chain must proceed in a way that protects these Lys residues from attack by E3 ligases.