Physicochemical interactions of amyloid β-peptide with lipid bilayers

The aggregation and deposition onto neuronal cells of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Accumulating evidence suggests that membranes play a catalytic role in the aggregation of Aβ. This article summarizes the structures and properties of Aβ in solution and the physicochemical interaction of Aβ with lipid bilayers of various compositions. Reasons for discrepancies between results by different research groups are discussed. The importance of ganglioside clusters in the aggregation of Aβ is emphasized. Finally, a hypothetical physicochemical cascade in the pathogenesis of the disease is proposed.     

Evidence that PI3K, Rac, Rho, and Rho kinase are involved in basic fibroblast growth factor-stimulated fibroblast-Collagen matrix contraction

Fibroblast-collagen matrix contraction has been used as a model system to study how cells organize connective tissue. Previous work showed that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-stimulated floating collagen matrix contraction is independent of Rho kinase while platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated contraction is Rho kinase-dependent. The current studies were carried out to determine the signaling mechanisms of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-stimulated fibroblast-collagen matrix contraction. Both bFGF and LPA promoted equally collagen matrix contraction well. Three different inhibitors, LY294002 for phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), C3 exotransferase for Rho and Y27632 for Rho kinase, suppressed the bFGF-stimulated fibroblast-collagen matrix contraction. With bFGF stimulation, fibroblasts spread with prominent stress fiber network formation and focal adhesions. In the presence of Rho kinase inhibitor, focal adhesions and stress fibers were mostly lost. We demonstrated that bFGF stimulation for fibroblast caused transient Rac and Rho activation but did not activate Cdc42. In addition, bFGF enhanced fibroblast migration in wound healing assay. The present study implicates PI3K, Rac, Rho, and Rho kinase as being involved in bFGF-stimulated collagen matrix contraction. The elucidation of bFGF-triggered signal transduction may be an important clue to understand the roles of bFGF in wound healing.     

Phosphoinositide-regulated retrograde transport of ricin: crosstalk between hVps34 and sorting nexins

The plant toxin ricin is transported from the plasma membrane via early endosomes and the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum. From this compartment, it enters the cytosol and inhibits protein synthesis. Lipid phosphorylation is an important regulator of vesicular transport, and in the present study we have investigated the role of the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase hVps34 in retrograde transport of ricin. Our data demonstrate that transport of ricin from endosomes to the Golgi apparatus in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293) is dependent on PI(3)P. By using PI 3-kinase inhibitors, by sequestering the hVps34 product PI(3)P and by expressing mutants of hVps34 or small interfering RNA targeted against its messenger RNA, we show that hVps34 and its product PI(3)P are involved in transport of ricin from endosome to Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, we identify two effector proteins in the hVps34-dependent pathway, namely sorting nexin (SNX) 2 and SNX4. Knockdown of SNX2 or SNX4 inhibits ricin transport to the Golgi apparatus to the same extent as when hVps34 is perturbed. Furthermore, inhibition or knockdown of hVps34 redistributes these proteins. Interestingly, knocking down both SNX2 and SNX4 results in a better inhibition than knocking down only one of them, suggesting that they may act on separate pathways.     

褐飞虱磷脂酰肌醇3激酶p85α亚基基因NlPIK3R1的克隆与功能分析

【目的】PI3K信号通路在生物体中发挥重要功能,涉及糖和脂质的代谢、细胞和组织生长以及生物个体寿命等。本研究旨在探明该通路中磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(PI3K)在褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens中的功能。【方法】根据转录组提供的PI3K p85α核心序列信息,应用c DNA末端快速克隆的技术(RACE)获得了编码PI3K p85α的基因Nl PIK3R1的全长c DNA(Gen Bank登录号为KP635379),并应用荧光定量PCR和通过给成虫喂食ds Nl PIK3R1对Nl PIK3R1进行RNA干扰(RNAi)分别对该基因的表达规律和功能进行了研究。【结果】荧光定量PCR测定结果表明,Nl PIK3R1在褐飞虱若虫和雄成虫中表达量均较低,但在怀卵雌成虫中大量表达。RNAi结果表明,给褐飞虱成虫喂食0.1和0.5μg/μL ds Nl PIK3R1均导致Nl PIK3R1的表达明显受到抑制,高浓度组的抑制效果尤为明显。喂食ds Nl PIK3R1对褐飞虱成虫具有极显著致死效果,高浓度组的褐飞虱成虫在饲喂第7天时存活率仅为37.5%,相比于空白对照组(87.00%)和ds GFP对照组(76.67%)均达到了极显著差异(P0.01)。对Nl PIK3R1的RNAi导致褐飞虱成虫羽化率下降和体重变轻。【结论】本研究结果显示,Nl PIK3R1基因对褐飞虱的生存、生长和发育具有重要作用,可以作为防治褐飞虱的潜在靶标。     

Assembly and Molecular Architecture of the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase p85α Homodimer

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that are activated by growth factor and G-protein-coupled receptors and propagate intracellular signals for growth, survival, proliferation, and metabolism. p85α, a modular protein consisting of five domains, binds and inhibits the enzymatic activity of class IA PI3K catalytic subunits. Here, we describe the structural states of the p85α dimer, based on data from in vivo and in vitro solution characterization. Our in vitro assembly and structural analyses have been enabled by the creation of cysteine-free p85α that is functionally equivalent to native p85α. Analytical ultracentrifugation studies showed that p85α undergoes rapidly reversible monomer-dimer assembly that is highly exothermic in nature. In addition to the documented SH3-PR1 dimerization interaction, we identified a second intermolecular interaction mediated by cSH2 domains at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide. We have demonstrated in vivo concentration-dependent dimerization of p85α using fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy. Finally, we have defined solution conditions under which the protein is predominantly monomeric or dimeric, providing the basis for small angle x-ray scattering and chemical cross-linking structural analysis of the discrete dimer. These experimental data have been used for the integrative structure determination of the p85α dimer. Our study provides new insight into the structure and assembly of the p85α homodimer and suggests that this protein is a highly dynamic molecule whose conformational flexibility allows it to transiently associate with multiple binding proteins.     

Essential Role of the EF-hand Domain in Targeting Sperm Phospholipase Cζ to Membrane Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate (PIP2)

Sperm-specific phospholipase C-ζ (PLCζ) is widely considered to be the physiological stimulus that triggers intracellular Ca²⁺ oscillations and egg activation during mammalian fertilization. Although PLCζ is structurally similar to PLCδ1, it lacks a pleckstrin homology domain, and it remains unclear how PLCζ targets its phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) membrane substrate. Recently, the PLCδ1 EF-hand domain was shown to bind to anionic phospholipids through a number of cationic residues, suggesting a potential mechanism for how PLCs might interact with their target membranes. Those critical cationic EF-hand residues in PLCδ1 are notably conserved in PLCζ. We investigated the potential role of these conserved cationic residues in PLCζ by generating a series of mutants that sequentially neutralized three positively charged residues (Lys-49, Lys-53, and Arg-57) within the mouse PLCζ EF-hand domain. Microinjection of the PLCζ EF-hand mutants into mouse eggs enabled their Ca²⁺ oscillation inducing activities to be compared with wild-type PLCζ. Furthermore, the mutant proteins were purified, and the in vitro PIP₂ hydrolysis and binding properties were monitored. Our analysis suggests that PLCζ binds significantly to PIP₂, but not to phosphatidic acid or phosphatidylserine, and that sequential reduction of the net positive charge within the first EF-hand domain of PLCζ significantly alters in vivo Ca²⁺ oscillation inducing activity and in vitro interaction with PIP₂ without affecting its Ca²⁺ sensitivity. Our findings are consistent with theoretical predictions provided by a mathematical model that links oocyte Ca²⁺ frequency and the binding ability of different PLCζ mutants to PIP₂. Moreover, a PLCζ mutant with mutations in the cationic residues within the first EF-hand domain and the XY linker region dramatically reduces the binding of PLCζ to PIP₂, leading to complete abolishment of its Ca²⁺ oscillation inducing activity.     

Role of G(i/o)-Src kinase-PI3K/Akt pathway and caveolin-1 in β₂-adrenoceptor coupling to endothelial NO synthase in mouse pulmonary artery

Activation of the β₂-adrenoceptor (β₂-AR) elicits an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-dependent relaxation in mouse pulmonary artery, which, contrary to the muscarinic receptor-dependent relaxation, is preserved in hypoxic pulmonary arterial hypertension. We therefore characterized the signaling pathways underlying the β₂-AR-mediated eNOS activation, with special focus on G_i/o proteins, protein kinases and caveolae. Functional studies (for evaluation of vasorelaxant response), Western blotting (for assessment of eNOS and caveolin-1 phosphorylation) and transmission electron microscopy (for visualization of caveolae) were conducted in pulmonary arteries from wild-type or caveolin-1 knockout mice. In wild-type isolated arteries, relaxation to the selective β₂-AR agonist procaterol was reduced by inhibitors of G_i/o proteins (pertussis toxin, PTX), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K; wortmannin or LY 294002), Akt (Akt inhibitor X) and Src-kinase (PP2) and by cholesterol depletion (using methyl-β-cyclodextrin). Procaterol induced eNOS phosphorylation at Ser¹¹⁷⁷, which was prevented by PTX, PP2 or Akt inhibitor. Procaterol also promoted caveolin-1 phosphorylation at Tyr¹⁴, which was decreased by PTX or PP2. Caveolin-1 gene deletion resulted in endothelial caveolae disruption in mouse pulmonary artery and in potentiation of procaterol-induced relaxation. Unlike procaterol, acetylcholine-induced relaxation was unaffected by PTX, methyl-β-cyclodextrin or caveolin-1 gene deletion. To conclude, the mouse pulmonary endothelial β₂-AR is coupled to a G_i/o-Src kinase-PI3K/Akt pathway to promote eNOS phosphorylation at Ser¹¹⁷⁷ leading to a NO-dependent vasorelaxation. Caveolin-1 exerts a negative control on this response that is abrogated by its phosphorylation at Tyr¹⁴, through a G_i/o-Src kinase pathway. Since pulmonary β₂-AR- and muscarinic receptor-mediated relaxations differentiate in their respective signaling pathways leading to eNOS activation and sensitivities during hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension, mechanisms underlying eNOS activation might be key determinants of pulmonary endothelial dysfunction.