scholarly journals Ferroportin 3 is a dual-targeted mitochondrial/chloroplast iron exporter necessary for iron homeostasis in Arabidopsis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah J. Kim ◽  
Kaitlyn M. Tsuyuki ◽  
Fengling Hu ◽  
Emily Y. Park ◽  
Jingwen Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Deficiency ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Chloroplast Ultrastructure ◽  
Iron Regulation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mitochondrial Ultrastructure ◽  
Iron Deficient

ABSTRACTMitochondria and chloroplasts are organelles with high iron demand that are particularly susceptible to iron-induced oxidative stress. Despite the necessity of strict iron regulation in these organelles, much remains unknown about mitochondrial and chloroplast iron transport in plants. Here, we propose that Arabidopsis Ferroportin 3 (FPN3) is an iron exporter dual-targeted to mitochondria and chloroplasts. FPN3 is expressed in shoots regardless of iron conditions, but its transcripts accumulate under iron deficiency in roots. fpn3 mutants cannot grow as well as wild type under iron-deficient conditions and shoot iron levels are reduced in fpn3 mutants compared to wild type. ICP-MS measurements show that iron levels in the mitochondria and chloroplasts are increased relative to wild type, consistent with the proposed role of FPN3 as a mitochondrial/plastid iron exporter. In iron deficient fpn3 mutants, abnormal mitochondrial ultrastructure was observed, whereas chloroplast ultrastructure was not affected, implying that FPN3 plays a critical role in the mitochondria. Overall, our study suggests that FPN3 is essential for optimal iron homeostasis.Significance statementIron homeostasis must be tightly controlled in the mitochondria and chloroplasts, but iron trafficking in these organelles is not fully understood. Our work suggests that FPN3 is an iron exporter required for maintaining proper iron levels in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Furthermore, FPN3 is necessary for the optimal growth and normal mitochondrial ultrastructure under iron deficiency. This study reveals the physiological role of FPN3 and advances our understanding of iron regulation in mitochondria and chloroplasts.

scholarly journals The critical role of T cells in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Song ◽  
Lijuan Cao ◽  
Rui Liu ◽  
Hui Ma ◽  
Yanan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Receptor Activator ◽  
Steady State Levels ◽  
Induced Apoptosis

AbstractGlucocorticoids (GC) are widely used clinically, despite the presence of significant side effects, including glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). While GC are believed to act directly on osteoblasts and osteoclasts to promote osteoporosis, the detailed underlying molecular mechanism of GC-induced osteoporosis is still not fully elucidated. Here, we show that lymphocytes play a pivotal role in regulating GC-induced osteoporosis. We show that GIOP could not be induced in SCID mice that lack T cells, but it could be re-established by adoptive transfer of splenic T cells from wild-type mice. As expected, T cells in the periphery are greatly reduced by GC; instead, they accumulate in the bone marrow where they are protected from GC-induced apoptosis. These bone marrow T cells in GC-treated mice express high steady-state levels of NF-κB receptor activator ligand (RANKL), which promotes the formation and maturation of osteoclasts and induces osteoporosis. Taken together, these findings reveal a critical role for T cells in GIOP.

scholarly journals Bub1 mediates cell death in response to chromosome missegregation and acts to suppress spontaneous tumorigenesis

2007 ◽  
Vol 179 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Jeganathan ◽  
Liviu Malureanu ◽  
Darren J. Baker ◽  
Susan C. Abraham ◽  
Jan M. van Deursen
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Mitotic Checkpoint ◽  
Critical Threshold ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Checkpoint Protein ◽  
Chromosome Missegregation ◽  
Mitotic Checkpoint Protein

The physiological role of the mitotic checkpoint protein Bub1 is unknown. To study this role, we generated a series of mutant mice with a gradient of reduced Bub1 expression using wild-type, hypomorphic, and knockout alleles. Bub1 hypomorphic mice are viable, fertile, and overtly normal despite weakened mitotic checkpoint activity and high percentages of aneuploid cells. Bub1 haploinsufficient mice, which have a milder reduction in Bub1 protein than Bub1 hypomorphic mice, also exhibit reduced checkpoint activity and increased aneuploidy, but to a lesser extent. Although cells from Bub1 hypomorphic and haploinsufficient mice have similar rates of chromosome missegregation, cell death after an aberrant separation decreases dramatically with declining Bub1 levels. Importantly, Bub1 hypomorphic mice are highly susceptible to spontaneous tumors, whereas Bub1 haploinsufficient mice are not. These findings demonstrate that loss of Bub1 below a critical threshold drives spontaneous tumorigenesis and suggest that in addition to ensuring proper chromosome segregation, Bub1 is important for mediating cell death when chromosomes missegregate.

Heparan sulfate side chains have a critical role in the inhibitory effects of perlecan on vascular smooth muscle cell response to arterial injury

2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (3) ◽  
pp. H337-H345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Gotha ◽  
Sang Yup Lim ◽  
Azriel B. Osherov ◽  
Rafael Wolff ◽  
Beiping Qiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Arterial Injury ◽  
Side Chains ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Injury Response ◽  
Migratory Response

Perlecan is a proteoglycan composed of a 470-kDa core protein linked to three heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycan chains. The intact proteoglycan inhibits the smooth muscle cell (SMC) response to vascular injury. Hspg2Δ3/Δ3 (MΔ3/Δ3) mice produce a mutant perlecan lacking the HS side chains. The objective of this study was to determine differences between these two types of perlecan in modifying SMC activities to the arterial injury response, in order to define the specific role of the HS side chains. In vitro proliferative and migratory activities were compared in SMC isolated from MΔ3/Δ3 and wild-type mice. Proliferation of MΔ3/Δ3 SMC was 1.5× greater than in wild type ( P < 0.001), increased by addition of growth factors, and showed a 42% greater migratory response than wild-type cells to PDGF-BB ( P < 0.001). In MΔ3/Δ3 SMC adhesion to fibronectin, and collagen types I and IV was significantly greater than wild type. Addition of DRL-12582, an inducer of perlecan expression, decreased proliferation and migratory response to PDGF-BB stimulation in wild-type SMC compared with MΔ3/Δ3. In an in vivo carotid artery wire injury model, the medial thickness, medial area/lumen ratio, and macrophage infiltration were significantly increased in the MΔ3/Δ3 mice, indicating a prominent role of the HS side chain in limiting vascular injury response. Mutant perlecan that lacks HS side chains had a marked reduction in the inhibition of in vitro SMC function and the in vivo arterial response to injury, indicating the critical role of HS side chains in perlecan function in the vessel wall.

scholarly journals Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α–deficient Mice Are Resistant to Collagen-induced Arthritis

2003 ◽  
Vol 197 (10) ◽  
pp. 1297-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hegen ◽  
Linhong Sun ◽  
Naonori Uozumi ◽  
Kazuhiko Kume ◽  
Mary E. Goad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Collagen Induced Arthritis ◽  
Cytosolic Phospholipase ◽  
Severity Scores ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α ◽  
Antibody Levels ◽  
Deficient Mice

Pathogenic mechanisms relevant to rheumatoid arthritis occur in the mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Cytosolic phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α) releases arachidonic acid from cell membranes to initiate the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the development of CIA. To test the hypothesis that cPLA2α plays a key role in the development of CIA, we backcrossed cPLA2α-deficient mice on the DBA/1LacJ background that is susceptible to CIA. The disease severity scores and the incidence of disease were markedly reduced in cPLA2α-deficient mice compared with wild-type littermates. At completion of the study, &gt;90% of the wild-type mice had developed disease whereas none of the cPLA2α-deficient mice had more than one digit inflamed. Furthermore, visual disease scores correlated with severity of disease determined histologically. Pannus formation, articular fibrillation, and ankylosis were all dramatically reduced in the cPLA2α-deficient mice. Although the disease scores differed significantly between cPLA2α mutant and wild-type mice, anti-collagen antibody levels were similar in the wild-type mice and mutant littermates. These data demonstrate the critical role of cPLA2α in the pathogenesis of CIA.

scholarly journals Regulation of the cognitive aging process by the transcriptional repressor RP58

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoko Tanaka ◽  
Shinobu Hirai ◽  
Hiroyuki Manabe ◽  
Kentaro Endo ◽  
Hiroko Shimbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Damage ◽  
Dna Repair ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Transcriptional Repressor ◽  
Repair Pathway ◽  
Wild Type

Aging involves a decline in physiology which is a natural event in all living organisms. An accumulation of DNA damage contributes to the progression of aging. DNA is continually damaged by exogenous sources and endogenous sources. If the DNA repair pathway operates normally, DNA damage is not life threatening. However, impairments of the DNA repair pathway may result in an accumulation of DNA damage, which has a harmful effect on health and causes an onset of pathology. RP58, a zinc-finger transcriptional repressor, plays a critical role in cerebral cortex formation. Recently, it has been reported that the expression level of RP58 decreases in the aged human cortex. Furthermore, the role of RP58 in DNA damage is inferred by the involvement of DNMT3, which acts as a co-repressor for RP58, in DNA damage. Therefore, RP58 may play a crucial role in the DNA damage associated with aging. In the present study, we investigated the role of RP58 in aging. We used RP58 hetero-knockout and wild-type mice in adolescence, adulthood, or old age. We performed immunohistochemistry to determine whether microglia and DNA damage markers responded to the decline in RP58 levels. Furthermore, we performed an object location test to measure cognitive function, which decline with age. We found that the wild-type mice showed an increase in single-stranded DNA and gamma-H2AX foci. These results indicate an increase in DNA damage or dysfunction of DNA repair mechanisms in the hippocampus as age-related changes. Furthermore, we found that, with advancing age, both the wild-type and hetero-knockout mice showed an impairment of spatial memory for the object and increase in reactive microglia in the hippocampus. However, the RP58 hetero-knockout mice showed these symptoms earlier than the wild-type mice did. These results suggest that a decline in RP58 level may lead to the progression of aging.

scholarly journals Dopamine desynchronizes the retinal clock through a melanopsin-dependent regulation of acetylcholine retinal waves during development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaimaa Kinane ◽  
Hugo Calligaro ◽  
Antonin Jandot ◽  
Christine Coutanson ◽  
Nasser Haddjeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Retinal Waves ◽  
Dopaminergic Cells ◽  
Bidirectional Regulation ◽  
Chemical Synapses ◽  
External Time ◽  
Da Release

AbstractDopamine (DA) plays a critical role in retinal physiology, including resetting of the retinal circadian clock that in turn regulates DA release. DA acts on major classes of retinal cells by reconfiguring electrical and chemical synapses. Although a bidirectional regulation between intrinsically photosensitive melanopsin ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and dopaminergic cells has been demonstrated during development and adulthood, DA involvement in the ontogeny of the retinal clock is still unknown.Using wild-typePer2Lucand melanopsin knockout (Opn4-/-::Per2Luc) mice at different postnatal stages, we found that the retina can generate self-sustained circadian rhythms from postnatal day 5 that emerge in the absence of external time cues in both genotypes. Intriguingly, DA lengthens the endogenous period only in wild-type retinas, suggesting that this desynchronizing effect requires melanopsin. Furthermore, blockade of cholinergic retinal waves in wild-type retinas induces a shortening of the period, similarly toOpn4-/-::Per2Lucexplants. Altogether, these data suggest that DA desynchronizes the retinal clock through a melanopsin-dependent regulation of acetylcholine retinal waves, thus offering a new role of melanopsin in setting the period of the retinal clock during development.

scholarly journals Maternal Hepcidin Suppression Is Essential for Healthy Pregnancy

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 43-44
Author(s):  
Veena Sangkhae ◽  
Tomas Ganz ◽  
Elizabeta Nemeth
Keyword(s):  
Iron Deficiency ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hematological Parameters ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Physiological Mechanism ◽  
Deficiency Anemia ◽  
Private Company ◽  
Iron Stores ◽  
Primary Mouse

Iron is essential for maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, and iron requirements increase substantially in the second half of gestation1. However, the molecular mechanisms ensuring increased iron availability during pregnancy are not well understood. Hepcidin is the key iron-regulatory hormone and functions by occluding and degrading the iron exporter ferroportin (FPN) to inhibit dietary iron absorption and mobilization of iron from stores. In healthy human and rodent pregnancies, maternal hepcidin decreases starting in the second trimester and is nearly undetectable by late pregnancy2,3 (Figure A). We explored the role of maternal and embryo hepcidin in regulating embryo iron endowment using mouse models. By generating combinations of dams and embryos lacking hepcidin or not, we showed that in normal mouse pregnancy, only maternal but not embryo or placental hepcidin determines embryo iron endowment4. Maternal hepcidin was inversely related to embryo iron stores, and embryos from hepcidin-deficient dams had significantly higher hepatic iron stores regardless of their own hepcidin genotype. When maternal hepcidin was elevated during the second half of pregnancy in mice by administering a hepcidin mimetic, this led to dose-dependent embryo iron deficiency, anemia, and in severe cases, embryo death4. Embryos were particularly sensitive to maternal iron restriction as they developed iron deficiency in the liver and the brain even when maternal hematological parameters were unaffected. These data highlight the critical role of maternal hepcidin suppression for heathy pregnancy. Yet, the physiological mechanism of maternal hepcidin suppression remains unknown. We showed in mice that maternal hepcidin decreases prior to a significant decrease in liver iron and without any changes in serum iron, suggesting that maternal hepcidin suppression is not driven solely by iron deficiency. Using an in vitro model, we determined that the placenta secretes a hepcidin-suppressing factor. Exposure of primary mouse hepatocytes to supernatants from cultured human placenta cells, but not control media, suppressed hepcidin mRNA more than 10-fold (Figure B) and for up to 48hrs. The suppressive factor in the supernatant was &gt;100kDa in size and not associated with exosomes. Studies to identify the placenta-derived hepcidin suppressor are ongoing. In summary, suppression of maternal hepcidin is essential to ensure adequate iron supply for transfer to the fetus and for the increase in maternal red blood cell mass2, and a placenta-derived hepcidin suppressor likely plays an important role in this adaptation. 1Fisher AL and Nemeth E, Am J Clin Nutr, 2017 2Sangkhae V et al, JCI, 2020 3van Santen S et al, Clin Chem Lab Med, 2013 4Sangkhae V et al, Blood, 2020 Figure 1 Disclosures Ganz: Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy; Ionis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; American Regent: Consultancy; Rockwell: Consultancy; Vifor: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy; Akebia: Consultancy; Gossamer Bio: Consultancy; Silarus Therapeutics: Current equity holder in private company; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy; Ambys: Consultancy; Disc Medicine: Consultancy; Intrinsic LifeSciences: Current equity holder in private company. Nemeth:Intrinsic LifeSciences: Current equity holder in private company; Silarus Therapeutics: Current equity holder in private company; Ionis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Protagonist: Consultancy; Vifor: Consultancy.

Maternal iron deficiency alters trophoblast differentiation and placental development in rat pregnancy

Endocrinology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Roberts ◽  
Andrew G Woodman ◽  
Kelly J Baines ◽  
Mariyan J Jeyarajah ◽  
Stephane L Bourque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Deficiency ◽  
Fetal Growth ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Junctional Zone ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Iron Deficient ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Maternal Iron

Abstract Iron deficiency occurs when iron demands chronically exceed intake, and is prevalent in pregnant women. Iron deficiency during pregnancy poses major risks for the baby, including fetal growth restriction and long-term health complications. The placenta serves as the interface between a pregnant mother and her baby, and ensures adequate nutrient provisions for the fetus. Thus, maternal iron deficiency may impact fetal growth and development by altering placental function. We used a rat model of diet-induced iron deficiency to investigate changes in placental growth and development. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a low-iron or iron-replete diet starting two weeks before mating. Compared to controls, both maternal and fetal hemoglobin were reduced in dams fed low-iron diets. Iron deficiency decreased fetal liver and body weight, but not brain, heart or kidney weight. Placental weight was increased in iron deficiency, due primarily to expansion of the placental junctional zone. The stimulatory effect of iron deficiency on junctional zone development was recapitulated in vitro, as exposure of rat trophoblast stem cells to the iron chelator deferoxamine increased differentiation toward junctional zone trophoblast subtypes. Gene expression analysis revealed 464 transcripts changed at least 1.5-fold (P&lt;0.05) in placentas from iron-deficient dams, including altered expression of genes associated with oxygen transport and lipoprotein metabolism. Expression of genes associated with iron homeostasis was unchanged despite differences in levels of their encoded proteins. Our findings reveal robust changes in placentation during maternal iron deficiency, which could contribute to the increased risk of fetal distress in these pregnancies.

scholarly journals CD44 contributes to hyaluronan-mediated insulin resistance in skeletal muscle of high-fat-fed C57BL/6 mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (6) ◽  
pp. E973-E983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Hasib ◽  
Chandani K. Hennayake ◽  
Deanna P. Bracy ◽  
Aimée R. Bugler-Lamb ◽  
Louise Lantier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Chow Diet ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Insulin Resistant ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Extracellular matrix hyaluronan is increased in skeletal muscle of high-fat-fed insulin-resistant mice, and reduction of hyaluronan by PEGPH20 hyaluronidase ameliorates diet-induced insulin resistance (IR). CD44, the main hyaluronan receptor, is positively correlated with type 2 diabetes. This study determines the role of CD44 in skeletal muscle IR. Global CD44-deficient ( cd44−/−) mice and wild-type littermates ( cd44+/+) were fed a chow diet or 60% high-fat diet for 16 wk. High-fat-fed cd44−/− mice were also treated with PEGPH20 to evaluate its CD44-dependent action. Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (ICv). High-fat feeding increased muscle CD44 protein expression. In the absence of differences in body weight and composition, despite lower clamp insulin during ICv, the cd44−/− mice had sustained glucose infusion rate (GIR) regardless of diet. High-fat diet-induced muscle IR as evidenced by decreased muscle glucose uptake (Rg) was exhibited in cd44+/+ mice but absent in cd44−/− mice. Moreover, gastrocnemius Rg remained unchanged between genotypes on chow diet but was increased in high-fat-fed cd44−/− compared with cd44+/+ when normalized to clamp insulin concentrations. Ameliorated muscle IR in high-fat-fed cd44−/− mice was associated with increased vascularization. In contrast to previously observed increases in wild-type mice, PEGPH20 treatment in high-fat-fed cd44−/− mice did not change GIR or muscle Rg during ICv, suggesting a CD44-dependent action. In conclusion, genetic CD44 deletion improves muscle IR, and the beneficial effects of PEGPH20 are CD44-dependent. These results suggest a critical role of CD44 in promoting hyaluronan-mediated muscle IR, therefore representing a potential therapeutic target for diabetes.

scholarly journals Deletion of the rpoZ gene, encoding the ω subunit of RNA polymerase, results in pleiotropic surface-related phenotypes in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (6) ◽  
pp. 1741-1750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renjith Mathew ◽  
Raju Mukherjee ◽  
Radhakrishnan Balachandar ◽  
Dipankar Chatterji
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Mycobacterium Smegmatis ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Biofilm Growth ◽  
Mutant Bacterium ◽  
Sliding Motility

The ω subunit, the smallest subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase, is known to be involved in maintaining the conformation of the β′ subunit and aiding its recruitment to the rest of the core enzyme assembly in Escherichia coli. It has recently been shown in Mycobacterium smegmatis, by creating a deletion mutation of the rpoZ gene encoding ω, that the physiological role of the ω subunit also includes providing physical protection to β′. Interestingly, the mutant had altered colony morphology. This paper demonstrates that the mutant mycobacterium has pleiotropic phenotypes including reduced sliding motility and defective biofilm formation. Analysis of the spatial arrangement of biofilms by electron microscopy suggests that the altered phenotype of the mutant arises from a deficiency in generation of extracellular matrix. Complementation of the mutant strain with a copy of the wild-type rpoZ gene integrated in the bacterial chromosome restored both sliding motility and biofilm formation to the wild-type state, unequivocally proving the role of ω in the characteristics observed for the mutant bacterium. Analysis of the cell wall composition demonstrated that the mutant bacterium had an identical glycopeptidolipid profile to the wild-type, but failed to synthesize the short-chain mycolic acids characteristic of biofilm growth in M. smegmatis.

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