scholarly journals The Esterase Activities of Human Plasmin during Purification and Subsequent Activation by Streptokinase or Glycerol

1960 ◽  
Vol 235 (8) ◽  
pp. 2262-2266
Author(s):  
Phyllis S. Roberts
2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (2) ◽  
pp. C569-C578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander A. Mongin ◽  
Harold K. Kimelberg

Volume-dependent ATP release and subsequent activation of purinergic P2Y receptors have been implicated as an autocrine mechanism triggering activation of volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) in hepatoma cells. In the brain ATP is released by both neurons and astrocytes and participates in intercellular communication. We explored whether ATP triggers or modulates the release of excitatory amino acid (EAAs) via VRACs in astrocytes in primary culture. Under basal conditions exogenous ATP (10 μM) activated a small EAA release in 70–80% of the cultures tested. In both moderately (5% reduction of medium osmolarity) and substantially (35% reduction of medium osmolarity) swollen astrocytes, exogenous ATP greatly potentiated EAA release. The effects of ATP were mimicked by P2Y agonists and eliminated by P2Y antagonists or the ATP scavenger apyrase. In contrast, the same pharmacological maneuvers did not inhibit volume-dependent EAA release in the absence of exogenous ATP, ruling out a requirement of autocrine ATP release for VRAC activation. The ATP effect in nonswollen and moderately swollen cells was eliminated by a 5–10% increase in medium osmolarity or by anion channel blockers but was insensitive to tetanus toxin pretreatment, further supporting VRAC involvement. Our data suggest that in astrocytes ATP does not trigger EAA release itself but acts synergistically with cell swelling. Moderate cell swelling and ATP may serve as two cooperative signals in bidirectional neuron-astrocyte communication in vivo.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0271678X2199439
Author(s):  
Cen Yang ◽  
Jingjing Liu ◽  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Anqi Yin ◽  
Zhenhua Jiang ◽  
...  

There are no effective treatments for stroke. The activation of endogenous protective mechanisms is a promising therapeutic approach, which evokes the intrinsic ability of the brain to protect itself. Accumulated evidence strongly suggests that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment induces rapid tolerance to cerebral ischemia. With regard to mechanisms underlying ischemic tolerance induced by EA, many molecules and signaling pathways are involved, such as the endocannabinoid system, although the exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we employed mutant mice, neuropharmacology, microdialysis, and virus transfection techniques in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model to explore the cell-specific and brain region-specific mechanisms of EA-induced neuroprotection. EA pretreatment resulted in increased ambient endocannabinoid (eCB) levels and subsequent activation of ischemic penumbral astroglial cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1R) which led to moderate upregulation of extracellular glutamate that protected neurons from cerebral ischemic injury. These findings provide a novel cellular mechanism of EA and a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shasha Yin ◽  
Liu Liu ◽  
Charles Brobbey ◽  
Viswanathan Palanisamy ◽  
Lauren E. Ball ◽  
...  

AbstractAKT is involved in a number of key cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis and metabolism. Hyperactivation of AKT is associated with many pathological conditions, particularly cancers. Emerging evidence indicates that arginine methylation is involved in modulating AKT signaling pathway. However, whether and how arginine methylation directly regulates AKT kinase activity remain unknown. Here we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), but not other PRMTs, promotes AKT activation by catalyzing symmetric dimethylation of AKT1 at arginine 391 (R391). Mechanistically, AKT1-R391 methylation cooperates with phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 trisphosphate (PIP3) to relieve the pleckstrin homology (PH)-in conformation, leading to AKT1 membrane translocation and subsequent activation by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2). As a result, deficiency in AKT1-R391 methylation significantly suppresses AKT1 kinase activity and tumorigenesis. Lastly, we show that PRMT5 inhibitor synergizes with AKT inhibitor or chemotherapeutic drugs to enhance cell death. Altogether, our study suggests that R391 methylation is an important step for AKT activation and its oncogenic function.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inah Hwang ◽  
Hiroki Uchida ◽  
Ziwei Dai ◽  
Fei Li ◽  
Teresa Sanchez ◽  
...  

AbstractNeural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) persist over the lifespan while encountering constant challenges from age or injury related brain environmental changes like elevated oxidative stress. But how oxidative stress regulates NSPC and its neurogenic differentiation is less clear. Here we report that acutely elevated cellular oxidative stress in NSPCs modulates neurogenic differentiation through induction of Forkhead box protein O3 (FOXO3)-mediated cGAS/STING and type I interferon (IFN-I) responses. We show that oxidative stress activates FOXO3 and its transcriptional target glycine-N-methyltransferase (GNMT) whose upregulation triggers depletion of s-adenosylmethionine (SAM), a key co-substrate involved in methyl group transfer reactions. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that reduced intracellular SAM availability disrupts carboxymethylation and maturation of nuclear lamin, which induce cytosolic release of chromatin fragments and subsequent activation of the cGAS/STING-IFN-I cascade to suppress neurogenic differentiation. Together, our findings suggest the FOXO3-GNMT/SAM-lamin-cGAS/STING-IFN-I signaling cascade as a critical stress response program that regulates long-term regenerative potential.


1994 ◽  
Vol 267 (5) ◽  
pp. L625-L633 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. I. Gobran ◽  
Z. X. Xu ◽  
Z. Lu ◽  
S. A. Rooney

ATP is known to stimulate surfactant phospholipid secretion in type II cells, and there is evidence that this effect is mediated by a P2 purinoceptor. At least five subtypes of the P2 receptor have been reported, but it is not clear which one exists on the type II cell. To determine whether it is the P2u subtype, at which UTP is equipotent with ATP, we have compared the effects of ATP and UTP on phosphatidylcholine secretion and second messenger formation in primary cultures of rat type II cells. ATP and UTP were equally potent in stimulating phosphatidylcholine secretion and phospholipase D activation. The potency order, UTP = ATP > ADP > 2-methylthio-ATP, was the same as that reported for the P2u receptor. UTP stimulated diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid formation to the same extent as ATP. ATP also increased choline formation. Formation of diacylglycerol was biphasic, and the first peak in response to ATP was previously shown to be associated with inositol trisphosphate formation. Northern analysis showed that the P2u receptor gene was expressed to a greater extent in type II cells than in whole lung. These data suggest that ATP and UTP act via a P2u receptor that is coupled to phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C with subsequent activation of phospholipase D acting on phosphatidylcholine. ATP has also been reported to act at an additional type II cell receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase. In contrast, UTP did not promote adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate formation and therefore does not act at that receptor.


2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 445-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Bonacci ◽  
Mark A. Browne ◽  
Awantha Dissanayake ◽  
Josephine A. Hagger ◽  
Ilaria Corsi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 129 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Alex ◽  
Kai Su ◽  
Izabela Tuleta ◽  
Nikolaos G Frangogiannis

Infarct healing is dependent on recruitment of inflammatory leukocytes and subsequent activation of myofibroblasts (MF) and neovessel formation, ultimately resulting in formation of a highly vascularized collagen-enriched scar. Though the heart has an abundant population of periendothelial pericytes, its role in wound healing upon myocardial infarction (MI) has not been studied. We hypothesized that in the infarcted myocardium, pericytes may become activated, contributing to inflammatory, fibrotic and angiogenic responses. We used pericyte/fibroblast reporter mice (NG2 DsRed ;PDGFRα GFP ), lineage tracing studies and in vitro approaches to study the fate and role of pericytes in the infarcted myocardium. In normal hearts, NG2+/PDGFRα- pericytes and PDGFRα+/NG2- fibroblasts had distinct transcriptomic profiles. Pericytes expressed mural genes like Acta2 , Pdgfrb and low amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes, whereas fibroblasts synthesized collagens, Timp2/3 and matricellular genes. 7 days post-MI, expansion of the NG2+ population in the infarct zone was associated with emergence of non-mural NG2+/αSMA+ cells with MF characteristics. FACS-sorted NG2+/PDGFRα- cells from 7-day infarcts expressed higher levels of collagens when compared to NG2+/PDGFRα- cells from normal hearts. Infarct pericytes had high integrin and MMP14 expression, reflecting an activated migratory phenotype. Lineage tracing using NG2CreER TM ;Rosa tdTomato ;PDGFRα GFP mice showed that 5.7%±1.04 of PDGFRα+ fibroblasts and 10.49%±2.73 of infarct MFs were derived from NG2+ lineage. Pericyte-derived fibroblasts exhibited higher ECM gene synthesis, in comparison to fibroblasts from non-pericyte origin, while pericyte-derived mural cells showed accentuated inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Immunostaining showed pericytes actively contribute to vascular maturation, forming a mural cell coat enwrapping infarct neovessels. In vitro, TGFβ induced integrins, collagens and MMPs in human pericytes, similar to the changes observed in infarct pericytes. Taken together, our evidences show that after MI, pericytes become activated and contribute to repair by undergoing conversion to a subset of myofibroblasts and by coating infarct neovessels.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (5) ◽  
pp. F1105-F1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Zaika ◽  
Mykola Mamenko ◽  
Roger G. O'Neil ◽  
Oleh Pochynyuk

Activation of the renal kallikrein-kinin system results in natriuresis and diuresis, suggesting its possible role in renal tubular sodium transport regulation. Here, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology to directly assess the effects of bradykinin (BK) on the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) activity in freshly isolated split-opened murine aldosterone-sensitive distal nephrons (ASDNs). BK acutely inhibits ENaC activity by reducing channel open probability ( Po) in a dose-dependent and reversible manner. Inhibition of B2 receptors with icatibant (HOE-140) abolished BK actions on ENaC. In contrast, activation of B1 receptors with the selective agonist Lys-des-Arg9-BK failed to reproduce BK actions on ENaC. This is consistent with B2 receptors playing a critical role in mediating BK signaling to ENaC. BK has little effect on ENaC Po when Gq/11 was inhibited with Gp antagonist 2A. Moreover, inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) with U73122, but not saturation of cellular cAMP levels with the membrane-permeable nonhydrolysable cAMP analog 8-cpt-cAMP, prevents BK actions on ENaC activity. This argues that BK stimulates B2 receptors with subsequent activation of Gq/11-PLC signaling cascade to acutely inhibit ENaC activity. Activation of BK signaling acutely depletes apical PI( 4 , 5 )P2 levels. However, inhibition of Ca2+ pump SERCA of the endoplasmic reticulum with thapsigargin does not prevent BK signaling to ENaC. Furthermore, caffeine, while producing a similar rise in [Ca2+]i as in response to BK stimulation, fails to recapitulate BK actions on ENaC. Therefore, we concluded that BK acutely inhibits ENaC Po in mammalian ASDN via stimulation of B2 receptors and following depletion of PI( 4 , 5 )P2, but not increases in [Ca2+]i.


2008 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1897-1908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy W. Wu ◽  
C. Savio Chan ◽  
D. James Surmeier ◽  
John F. Disterhoft

Experience-dependent modification in the electrical properties of central neurons is a form of intrinsic plasticity that occurs during development and has been observed following behavioral learning. We report a novel form of intrinsic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons mediated by the KV7/KCNQ and CaV1/L-type Ca2+ channels. Enhancing Ca2+ influx with a conditioning spike train (30 Hz, 3 s) potentiated the KV7/KCNQ channel function and led to a long-lasting, activity-dependent increase in spike frequency adaptation—a gradual reduction in the firing frequency in response to sustained excitation. These effects were abolished by specific blockers for CaV1/L-type Ca2+ channels, KV7/KCNQ channels, and protein kinase A (PKA). Considering the widespread expression of these two channel types, the influence of Ca2+ influx and subsequent activation of PKA on KV7/KCNQ channels may represent a generalized principle in fine tuning the output of central neurons that promotes stability in firing—an example of homeostatic regulation of intrinsic membrane excitability.


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