scholarly journals Role of Chymotrypsin-like Elastase 1 in Lung Physiology and in α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashika Joshi ◽  
Andrea Heinz ◽  
Qiang Fan ◽  
Shuling Guo ◽  
Brett Monia ◽  
...  

Abstractα1-antitrypsin related lung disease (AAT-RLD) is the fourth leading indication for lung transplantation and is characterized by protease-mediated progressive emphysema that manifests in the 4th or 5th decade of life. Chymotrypsin-like elastase 1 (Cela1) is a digestive enzyme that binds to elastin in a stretch-dependent manner and is covalently neutralized by AAT. We hypothesized a role for Cela1 in AAT-RLD. Cela1-/- mice where phenotypically similar to wild type but had higher lung elastance and lacked stretch-inducible elastase activity. Wild-type mice administered anti-AAT oligo had reduced amounts of lung Cela1-AAT fusion protein in lung homogenate and spontaneously developed emphysema after 6 weeks. Cela1-/- mice administered anti-AAT oligo were completely protected from these emphysematous changes. Cela1 recombinant protein did not require propeptide cleavage for elastolysis, and its elastolytic profile was similar to that of other pancreatic elastases. Phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate Cela promoter and protein sequences showed that placental mammal Cela1 was distinct from other Cela’s, and that the placental mammal the Cela1 gene was invariantly conserved despite variable loss of other Cela genes in non-carnivores. These data demonstrate that the pancreatic enzyme Cela1 has been evolutionarily co-opted for a role in reducing lung elastance in the placental mammal lineage and that its stretch-regulated expression and elastolytic activity is responsible for emphysema in the absence of its anti-protease: AAT.

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 3219
Author(s):  
Natalia I. Krupenko ◽  
Jaspreet Sharma ◽  
Halle M. Fogle ◽  
Peter Pediaditakis ◽  
Kyle C. Strickland ◽  
...  

Cytosolic 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (ALDH1L1) is commonly downregulated in human cancers through promoter methylation. We proposed that ALDH1L1 loss promotes malignant tumor growth. Here, we investigated the effect of the Aldh1l1 mouse knockout (Aldh1l1−/−) on hepatocellular carcinoma using a chemical carcinogenesis model. Fifteen-day-old male Aldh1l1 knockout mice and their wild-type littermate controls (Aldh1l1+/+) were injected intraperitoneally with 20 μg/g body weight of DEN (diethylnitrosamine). Mice were sacrificed 10, 20, 28, and 36 weeks post-DEN injection, and livers were examined for tumor multiplicity and size. We observed that while tumor multiplicity did not differ between Aldh1l1−/− and Aldh1l1+/+ animals, larger tumors grew in Aldh1l1−/− compared to Aldh1l1+/+ mice at 28 and 36 weeks. Profound differences between Aldh1l1−/− and Aldh1l1+/+ mice in the expression of inflammation-related genes were seen at 10 and 20 weeks. Of note, large tumors from wild-type mice showed a strong decrease of ALDH1L1 protein at 36 weeks. Metabolomic analysis of liver tissues at 20 weeks showed stronger differences in Aldh1l1+/+ versus Aldh1l1−/− metabotypes than at 10 weeks, which underscores metabolic pathways that respond to DEN in an ALDH1L1-dependent manner. Our study indicates that Aldh1l1 knockout promoted liver tumor growth without affecting tumor initiation or multiplicity.


2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinli Li ◽  
Tamás Borsics ◽  
H. Michael Harrington ◽  
David A. Christopher

We have isolated and characterised AtCNGC10, one of the 20 members of the family of cyclic nucleotide (CN)-gated and calmodulin (CaM)-regulated channels (CNGCs) from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. AtCNGC10 bound CaM in a C-terminal subregion that contains a basic amphiphillic structure characteristic of CaM-binding proteins and that also overlaps with the predicted CN-binding domain. AtCNGC10 is insensitive to the broad-range K+ channel blocker, tetraethylammonium, and lacks a typical K+-signature motif. However, AtCNGC10 complemented K+ channel uptake mutants of Escherichia coli (LB650), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CY162) and Arabidopsis (akt1-1). Sense 35S-AtCNGC10 transformed into the Arabidopsis akt1-1 mutant, grew 1.7-fold better on K+-limited medium relative to the vector control. Coexpression of CaM and AtCNGC10 in E. coli showed that Ca2+ / CaM inhibited cell growth by 40%, while cGMP reversed the inhibition by Ca2+ / CaM, in a AtCNGC10-dependent manner. AtCNGC10 did not confer tolerance to Cs+ in E. coli, however, it confers tolerance to toxic levels of Na+ and Cs+ in the yeast K+ uptake mutant grown on low K+ medium. Antisense AtCNGC10 plants had 50% less potassium than wild type Columbia. Taken together, the studies from three evolutionarily diverse species demonstrated a role for the CaM-binding channel, AtCNGC10, in mediating the uptake of K+ in plants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Busacca ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Annabel Sharkey ◽  
Alan G. Dawson ◽  
David A. Moore ◽  
...  

AbstractWe hypothesized that small molecule transcriptional perturbation could be harnessed to target a cellular dependency involving protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) in the context of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) deletion, seen frequently in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Here we show, that MTAP deletion is negatively prognostic in MPM. In vitro, the off-patent antibiotic Quinacrine efficiently suppressed PRMT5 transcription, causing chromatin remodelling with reduced global histone H4 symmetrical demethylation. Quinacrine phenocopied PRMT5 RNA interference and small molecule PRMT5 inhibition, reducing clonogenicity in an MTAP-dependent manner. This activity required a functional PRMT5 methyltransferase as MTAP negative cells were rescued by exogenous wild type PRMT5, but not a PRMT5E444Q methyltransferase-dead mutant. We identified c-jun as an essential PRMT5 transcription factor and a probable target for Quinacrine. Our results therefore suggest that small molecule-based transcriptional perturbation of PRMT5 can leverage a mutation-selective vulnerability, that is therapeutically tractable, and has relevance to 9p21 deleted cancers including MPM.


Endocrinology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 145 (12) ◽  
pp. 5525-5531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary M. Leong ◽  
Sofia Moverare ◽  
Jesena Brce ◽  
Nathan Doyle ◽  
Klara Sjögren ◽  
...  

Abstract Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) are important negative regulators of cytokine action. We recently reported that estrogen stimulates SOCS-2 expression and inhibits GH signaling in kidney cells. The effects of estrogen on SOCS expression in other tissues are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo and in vitro whether estrogen affected SOCS expression in the liver, a major target organ of GH. The in vivo hepatic effects of estrogen on ovariectomized mice lacking estrogen receptor (ER)-α, ERβ, or both and their wild-type littermates were examined by DNA microarray analysis. In vitro, the effects of estrogen on SOCS expression in human hepatoma cells were examined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Long-term (3 wk) estrogen treatment induced a 2- to 3-fold increase in hepatic expression of SOCS-2 and -3 in wild-type and ERβ knockout mice but not in those lacking ERα or both ER subtypes. Short-term treatment (at 24 h) increased the mRNA level of SOCS-3 but not SOCS-2. In cultured hepatoma cells, estrogen increased SOCS-2 and -3 mRNA levels by 2-fold in a time- and dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Estrogen induced murine SOCS-3 promoter activity by 2-fold (P < 0.05) in constructs containing a region between nucleotides −1862 and −855. Moreover, estrogen and GH had additive effects on the SOCS-3 promoter activity. In summary, estrogen, via ERα, up-regulated hepatic expression of SOCS-2 and -3, probably through transcriptional activation. This indicates a novel mechanism of estrogen regulation of cytokine action.


2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Perfetti ◽  
H Hui ◽  
K Chamie ◽  
S Binder ◽  
M Seibert ◽  
...  

The Arg64 beta(3)-adrenergic receptor (beta(3)AR) variant is associated with an earlier age of onset of diabetes and lower levels of insulin secretion in humans. The aims of this study were to investigate whether beta(3)AR is expressed by islet cells, if receptor binding affects insulin secretion and, finally, if the beta(3)AR Arg64 variant induces abnormal insulin secretory activity. Human pancreas extracts were subjected to RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunostaining analyses. DNA sequencing and Western blotting demonstrated that the beta(3)AR gene is transcribed and translated in the human pancreas; immunostaining showed that it is expressed by the islets of Langerhans. Cultured rat beta-cells responded to human beta(3)AR agonists in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Transfection of cultured rat beta-cells with the wild-type human beta(3)AR produced an increased baseline and ligand-dependent insulin secretion compared with parental cells. On the other hand, cells transfected with the Arg64 variant of the beta(3)AR secreted less insulin, both spontaneously and after exposure to human beta(3)AR agonists. Furthermore, while transfection with the wild-type beta(3)AR preserved the glucose-dependent secretion of insulin, expression of the variant receptor rendered the host cells significantly less responsive to glucose. In summary, cells express the beta(3)AR, and its activation contributes to the regulation of insulin secretion. These findings may help explain the low levels of insulin secretion in response to an i.v. glucose tolerance test observed in humans carrying the Arg64 polymorphism.


2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 2286-2296 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Sause ◽  
Andrea R. Castillo ◽  
Karen M. Ottemann

ABSTRACTThe human pathogenHelicobacter pyloriemploys a diverse collection of outer membrane proteins to colonize, persist, and drive disease within the acidic gastric environment. In this study, we sought to elucidate the function of the host-induced geneHP0289, which encodes an uncharacterized outer membrane protein. We first generated an isogenicH. pylorimutant that lacksHP0289and found that the mutant has a colonization defect in single-strain infections and is greatly outcompeted in mouse coinfection experiments with wild-typeH. pylori. Furthermore, we used protease assays and biochemical fractionation coupled with an HP0289-targeted peptide antibody to verify that the HP0289 protein resides in the outer membrane. Our previous findings showed that theHP0289promoter is upregulated in the mouse stomach, and here we demonstrate thatHP0289expression is induced under acidic conditions in an ArsRS-dependent manner. Finally, we have shown that theHP0289mutant induces greater expression of the chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) and the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in gastric carcinoma cells (AGS). Similarly, transcription of the IL-8 homolog keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) is elevated in murine infections with the HP0289 mutant than in murine infections with wild-typeH. pylori. On the basis of this phenotype, we renamed HP0289 ImaA forimmunomodulatoryautotransporter protein. Our work has revealed that genes inducedin vivoplay an important role inH. pyloripathogenesis. Specifically, the outer membrane protein ImaA modulates a component of the host inflammatory response, and thus may allowH. pylorito fine tune the host immune response based on ImaA expression.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (5) ◽  
pp. G706-G710 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Jung ◽  
D. S. Louie ◽  
C. Owyang

In rat pancreatic slices, rat pancreatic polypeptide (PP) or C-terminal hexapeptide of PP [PP-(31-36)] inhibited potassium-stimulated amylase release in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was unaffected by addition of hexamethonium but blocked by atropine. In contrast, PP(31-36) did not have any effect on acetylcholine- or cholecystokinin octapeptide-stimulated amylase release. In addition, when pancreatic slices were incubated with [3H] choline, PP(31-36) inhibited the potassium-evoked release of synthesized [3H] acetylcholine in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory action of PP was unaffected by adrenergic, dopaminergic, or opioid receptor antagonists. Thus PP inhibits pancreatic enzyme secretion via presynaptic modulation of acetylcholine release. This newly identified pathway provides a novel mechanism for hormonal inhibition of pancreatic enzyme secretion via modulation of the classic neurotransmitter function.


2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 2521-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lange ◽  
D. Rittmann ◽  
V. F. Wendisch ◽  
M. Bott ◽  
H. Sahm

ABSTRACT Addition of l-valine (50 to 200 mM) to glucose minimal medium had no effect on the growth of wild-type Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 but inhibited the growth of the derived valine production strain VAL1 [13032 ΔilvA ΔpanBC(pJC1ilvBNCD)] in a concentration-dependent manner. In order to explore this strain-specific valine effect, genomewide expression profiling was performed using DNA microarrays, which showed that valine caused an increased ilvBN mRNA level in VAL1 but not in the wild type. This unexpected result was confirmed by an increased cellular level of the ilvB protein product, i.e., the large subunit of acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS), and by an increased AHAS activity of valine-treated VAL1 cells. The conclusion that valine caused the limitation of another branched-chain amino acid was confirmed by showing that high concentrations of l-isoleucine could relieve the valine effect on VAL1 whereas l-leucine had the same effect as valine. The valine-caused isoleucine limitation was supported by the finding that the inhibitory valine effect was linked to the ilvA deletion that results in isoleucine auxotrophy. Taken together, these results implied that the valine effect is caused by competition for uptake of isoleucine by the carrier BrnQ, which transports all branched-chained amino acids. Indeed, valine inhibition could also be relieved by supplementing VAL1 with the dipeptide isoleucyl-isoleucine, which is taken up by a dipeptide transport system rather than by BrnQ. Interestingly, addition of external valine stimulated valine production by VAL1. This effect is most probably due to a reduced carbon usage for biomass production and to the increased expression of ilvBN, indicating that AHAS activity may still be a limiting factor for valine production in the VAL1 strain.


2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (13) ◽  
pp. 2593-2604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuhiro Kato ◽  
Tsubasa Yazawa ◽  
Kentaro Taki ◽  
Kazutaka Mori ◽  
Shujie Wang ◽  
...  

Cell migration is essential for various physiological and pathological processes. Polarization in motile cells requires the coordination of several key signaling molecules, including RhoA small GTPases and phosphoinositides. Although RhoA participates in a front–rear polarization in migrating cells, little is known about the functional interaction between RhoA and lipid turnover. We find here that src-homology 2–containing inositol-5-phosphatase 2 (SHIP2) interacts with RhoA in a GTP-dependent manner. The association between SHIP2 and RhoA is observed in spreading and migrating U251 glioma cells. The depletion of SHIP2 attenuates cell polarization and migration, which is rescued by wild-type SHIP2 but not by a mutant defective in RhoA binding. In addition, the depletion of SHIP2 impairs the proper localization of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, which is not restored by a mutant defective in RhoA binding. These results suggest that RhoA associates with SHIP2 to regulate cell polarization and migration.


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