Iron Regulatory Proteins Control a Mucosal Block to Intestinal Iron Absorption

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Highlights? Disruption of intestinal IRP function constrains iron absorption in adult mice ? IRPs must limit mucosal ferritin for efficient iron absorption ? IRPs control ferroportin directly and DMT1 directly or through HIF2α ? IRPs define a set point for hepcidin-mediated regulation of iron absorption     

Characterization of biotransformation enzyme activities in primary rat proximal tubular cells

The proximal tubule is a frequent target for nephrotoxic compounds due to it's ability to transport and accumulate xenobiotics and their metabolites, as well as by the presence of an organ-selective set of biotransformation enzymes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the activities of different biotransformation enzymes during primary culturing of rat proximal tubular cells (PT cells). Specific marker substrates for determining cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activity of primary cultured PT cells include 7-ethoxyresorufin (CYP1A1), caffeine (CYP1A), testosterone (CY2B/C, CYP3A), tolbutamide (CYP2C) and dextromethorphan (CYP2D1). Activities of the CYP450 isoenzymes decreased considerably during culture with the greatest loss in activity within 24 h of culture. In addition, expression of CYP450 apoprotein, including CYP1A, CYP2C, CYP2D, CYP2E and CYP4A, was detected in microsomes from freshly isolated PT cells by immunoblotting using specific antibodies. CYP2B and CYP3A apoprotein could not be detected. Activity of the phase II biotransformation enzymes GST, GGT, beta-lyase and UGT was determined with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, L-glutamic acid gamma-(7-amido-4-methyl-coumarin), S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine and 1-naphthol, respectively, as marker substrates. Activity of the phase II enzymes remained more stable and, in contrast to CYP450 activity, significant activity was still expressed after 1 week of PT cell culture. Thus, despite the obvious advantages of PT cells as an in-vitro model for studies of biotransformation mediated toxicity, the strong time dependency of especially phase I and, to a lesser extent, phase II biotransformation activities confers limitations to their application.     

Comparison of in vitro models for the prediction of compound absorption across the human intestinal mucosa

Several in vitro assays have been developed to evaluate the gastrointestinal absorption of compounds. Our aim was to compare 3 of these methods: 1) the bio-mimetic artificial membrane permeability assay (BAMPA) method, which offers a high-throughput, noncellular approach to the measurement of passive transport; 2) the traditional Caco-2 cell assay, the use of which as a high-throughput tool is limited by the long cell differentiation time (21 days); and 3) The BioCoat high-throughput screening Caco-2 Assay System, which reduces Caco-2 cell differentiation to 3 days. The transport of known compounds (such as cephalexin, propranolol, or chlorothiazide) was studied at pH 7.4 and 6.5 in BAMPA and both Caco-2 cell models. Permeability data obtained was correlated to known values of human absorption. Best correlations (r = 0.9) were obtained at pH 6.5 for BAMPA and at pH 7.4 for the Caco-2 cells grown for 21 days. The Caco-2 BioCoat HTS Caco-2 Assay System does not seem to be adequate for the prediction of absorption. The overall results indicate that BAMPA and the 21-day Caco-2 system can be complementary for an accurate prediction of human intestinal absorption.     

Cre recombinase-mediated gene targeting of mesenchymal cells

Loss-of-function approaches by the Cre/loxP technology have provided powerful tools for functional analyses of genes of interest expressed preferentially in a particular tissue. Here we describe the generation of transgenic mouse lines expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the promoter/enhancer unit of the gene for the alpha2 chain of collagen type I (Col1alpha2). As an expression vector, we used a P1-derived artificial chromosome (PAC), which harbors approximately 100 kb carrying the col1alpha2 gene. The improved coding sequence of the Cre recombinase was introduced to replace the first exon of col1alpha2. Cre expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and Cre-mediated onset of beta-galactosidase expression in ROSA26R-Cre reporter mice. In four analyzed transgenic lines, Cre recombinase was efficiently expressed during embryogenesis and in adult animals in cells of mesenchymal origin, such as dermal fibroblasts, mesenchymal cells of blood vessel walls, and cells in fibrous connective tissues surrounding internal organs.     

Kidney sulfatides in mouse models of inherited glycosphingolipid disorders: determination by nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Sulfatides show structural, and possibly physiological similarities to gangliosides. Kidney dysfunction might be correlated with changes in sulfatides, the major acidic glycosphingolipids in this organ. To elucidate their in vivo metabolic pathway these compounds were analyzed in mice afflicted with inherited glycosphingolipid disorders. The mice under study lacked the genes encoding either beta-hexosaminidase alpha-subunit (Hexa-/-), the beta-hexosaminidase beta-subunit (Hexb-/-), both beta-hexosaminidase alpha and beta-subunits (Hexa-/- and Hexb-/-), GD3 synthase (GD3S-/-), GD3 synthase and GalNAc transferase (GD3S-/- and GalNAcT-/-), GM2 activator protein (Gm2a-/-), or arylsulfatase A (ASA-/-). Quantification of the sulfatides, I(3)SO(3)(-)-GalCer (SM4s), II(3)SO(3)(-)-LacCer (SM3), II(3)SO(3)(-)-Gg(3)Cer (SM2a), and IV(3,) II(3)-(SO(3)(-))(2)-Gg(4)Cer (SB1a), was performed by nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. We conclude for the in vivo situation in mouse kidneys that: 1) a single enzyme (GalNAc transferase) is responsible for the synthesis of SM2a and GM2 from SM3 and GM3, respectively. 2) In analogy to GD1a, SB1a is degraded via SM2a. 3) SM2a is hydrolyzed to SM3 by beta-hexosaminidase S (Hex S) and Hex A, but not Hex B. Both enzymes are supported by GM2-activator protein. 4) Arylsulfatase A is required to degrade SB1a. It is probably the sole sphingolipid-sulfatase cleaving the galactosyl-3-sulfate bond. In addition, a human Tay-Sachs patient's liver was investigated, which showed accumulation of SM2a along with GM2 storage. The different ceramide compositions of both compounds indicated they were probably derived from different cell types. These data demonstrate that in vivo the sulfatides of the ganglio-series follow the same metabolic pathways as the gangliosides with the replacement of sulfotransferases and sulfatases by sialyltransferases and sialidases. Furthermore, a novel neutral GSL, IV(6)GlcNAcbeta-Gb(4)Cer, was found to accumulate only in Hexa-/- and Hexb-/- mouse kidneys. From this we conclude that Hex S also efficiently cleaves terminal beta1-6-linked HexNAc residues from neutral GSLs in vivo.     

Subproteomic analysis of metal-interacting proteins in human B cells

Metal-protein interactions are vitally important in all living organisms. Metalloproteins, including structural proteins and metabolic enzymes, participate in energy transfer and redox reactions or act as metallochaperones in metal trafficking. Among metal-associated diseases, T cell mediated allergy to nickel (Ni) represents the most common form of human contact hypersensitivity. With the aim to elucidate disease-underlying mechanisms such as Ni-specific T cell activation, we initiated a proteomic approach to identify Ni-interacting proteins in human B cells. As antigen presenting cells, B cells are capable of presenting MHC-associated Ni-epitopes to T cells, a prerequisite for hapten-specific T cell activation. Using metal-affinity enrichment, 2-DE and MS, 22 Ni-interacting proteins were identified. In addition to known Ni-binding molecules such as tubulin, actin or cullin-2, we unexpectedly discovered that at least nine of these 22 proteins belong to stress-inducible heat shock proteins or chaperonins. Enrichment was particularly effective for the hetero-oligomeric TRiC/CCT complex, which is involved in MHC class I processing. Blue Native/SDS electrophoresis analysis revealed that Ni-NTA-beads specifically retained the complete protein machinery, including the associated chaperonin substrate tubulin. The apparent Ni-affinity of heat shock proteins suggests a new function of these molecules in human Ni allergy, by linking innate and adaptive immune responses.