scholarly journals Cell-free Expression of Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter in the Presence of Nanodiscs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoa Quynh Do ◽  
Carla M Bassil ◽  
Elizabeth I Andersen ◽  
Michaela Jansen

The Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter (PCFT) is a transmembrane transport protein that controls the absorption of dietary folates in the small intestine. PCFT also mediates uptake of chemotherapeutically used antifolates into tumor cells. PCFT has been identified within lipid rafts observed in phospholipid bilayers of plasma membranes, a micro environment that is altered in tumor cells. The present study aimed at investigating the impact of different lipids within Lipid-protein nanodiscs (LPNs), discoidal lipid structures stabilized by membrane scaffold proteins, to yield soluble PCFT expression in an E. coli lysate-based cell-free transcription/translation system. In the absence of detergents or lipids, we observed PCFT quantitatively as precipitate in this system. We then explored the ability of LPNs to support solubilized PCFT expression when present during in-vitro translation. LPNs consisted of either dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), palmitoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC), or dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG). While POPC did not lead to soluble PCFT expression, both DMPG and DMPC supported PCFT translation directly into LPNs, the latter in a concentration dependent manner. The results obtained through this study provide insights into the lipid preferences of PCFT. Membrane-embedded or solubilized PCFT will enable further studies with diverse biophysical approaches to enhance the understanding of the structure and molecular mechanism of folate transport through PCFT.

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0253184
Author(s):  
Hoa Quynh Do ◽  
Carla M. Bassil ◽  
Elizabeth I. Andersen ◽  
Michaela Jansen

The Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter (PCFT) is a transmembrane transport protein that controls the absorption of dietary folates in the small intestine. PCFT also mediates uptake of chemotherapeutically used antifolates into tumor cells. PCFT has been identified within lipid rafts observed in phospholipid bilayers of plasma membranes, a micro environment that is altered in tumor cells. The present study aimed at investigating the impact of different lipids within Lipid-protein nanodiscs (LPNs), discoidal lipid structures stabilized by membrane scaffold proteins, to yield soluble PCFT expression in an E. coli lysate-based cell-free transcription/translation system. In the absence of detergents or lipids, we observed PCFT quantitatively as precipitate in this system. We then explored the ability of LPNs to support solubilized PCFT expression when present during in-vitro translation. LPNs consisted of either dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), palmitoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC), or dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG). While POPC did not lead to soluble PCFT expression, both DMPG and DMPC supported PCFT translation directly into LPNs, the latter in a concentration dependent manner. The results obtained through this study provide insights into the lipid preferences of PCFT. Membrane-embedded or solubilized PCFT will enable further studies with diverse biophysical approaches to enhance the understanding of the structure and molecular mechanism of folate transport through PCFT.


Reproduction ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
pp. 693-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gunnarsson ◽  
Per Leffler ◽  
Emelie Ekwurtzel ◽  
Gunilla Martinsson ◽  
Kui Liu ◽  
...  

Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers in a number of daily-life products. In this study, we investigated the influence of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), the active metabolite of the frequently used plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), on gonadal steroidogenesisin vitro. MEHP (25–100 μM) stimulated basal steroid synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner in immortalized mouse Leydig tumor cells (MLTC-1). The stimulatory effect was also detected in KK-1 granulosa tumor cells. MEHP exposure did not influence cAMP or StAR protein levels and induced a gene expression profile of key steroidogenic proteins different from the one induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Simultaneous treatment with MEHP and a p450scc inhibitor (aminoglutethimide) indicated that MEHP exerts its main stimulatory effect prior to pregnenolone formation. MEHP (10–100 μM) up-regulated hormone-sensitive lipase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, suggesting that MEHP increases the amount of cholesterol available for steroidogenesis. Our data suggest that MEHP, besides its known inhibitory effect on hCG action, can directly stimulate gonadal steroidogenesis in both sexes through a cAMP- and StAR-independent mechanism. The anti-steroidogenic effect of DEHP has been proposed to cause developmental disorders such as hypospadias and cryptorchidism, whereas a stimulation of steroid synthesis may prematurely initiate the onset of puberty and theoretically affect the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S287-S287
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Cheminet ◽  
Patrice Nordmann ◽  
Francoise Chau ◽  
Nicolas Kieffer ◽  
Katell Peoc’h ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A strategy used by bacterial strains to resist β-lactam antibiotics is the expression of metallo-β-lactamases (MBL) requiring zinc for activity. The use of a zinc chelator may restore carbapenem activity against MBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. DMSA is a heavy metal chelator approved in humans with a satisfactory safety record. Our objective was to evaluate the activity of DMSA in combination with carbapenems, in vitro and in a fatal murine peritonitis model, against MBL-producing Escherichia coli. Methods Isogenic derivatives of wild-type E. coli CFT073 producing the MBL NDM-1, VIM-2, IMP-1, and the serine carbapenemases OXA-48 and KPC-3 were constructed. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem were determined against each strain alone or in combination with DMSA. Mice were infected with E. coli CFT073 or NDM-1 and treated intraperitoneally for 24 hours with imipenem 100 mg/kg every 4 hours, DMSA 200 mg/kg every 4 hours, or both. Mice survival rates and bacterial counts in peritoneal fluid (PF) and spleen were assessed at 24 hours. Results In vitro, DMSA in combination with each carbapenem permitted a significant decrease of the MICs against all MBL-producing strains, in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximum effect was found for the NDM-1 strain with a 6- to 8-fold MIC reduction, depending on the carbapenem used. NDM-1 strain became susceptible to carbapenems with concentrations of DMSA ≥6 mM. Increasing zinc concentrations above 1 mg/L (average human plasma concentration) did not alter this effect. No benefit of DMSA was observed against non-MBL strains. In vivo, when used alone, the DMSA regimen was not toxic in uninfected mice and ineffective against NDM-1-infected mice (100% mortality). Combination of imipenem and DMSA significantly reduced bacterial counts in PF and spleen as compared with imipenem alone (P < 0.001), and reduced mortality, although not significantly (11% vs. 37%, respectively, P = 0.12). No benefit of the combination was observed against CFT073. Conclusion DMSA is highly effective in vitro in reducing carbapenems MICs against MBL-producing E. coli and appears as a promising strategy in combination with carbapenems for the treatment of NDM-1-related infections. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Tohda ◽  
Nobutoshi Chikazumi ◽  
Takuya Ueda ◽  
Kazuya Nishikawa ◽  
Kimitsuna Watanabe

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Gordon ◽  
Sonsiray Álvarez-Narváez ◽  
John F. Peroni

The development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the lack of novel antibiotic strategies to combat those bacteria is an ever-present problem in both veterinary and human medicine. The goal of this study is to evaluate platelet lysate (PL) as a biological alternative antimicrobial product. Platelet lysate is an acellular platelet-derived product rich in growth factors and cytokines that is manufactured via plateletpheresis and pooled from donor horses. In the current study, we sought to define the antimicrobial properties of PL on select gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Results from an end-point in vitro assay showed that PL did not support bacterial growth, and in fact significantly reduced bacterial content compared to normal growth media. An in vitro assay was then utilized to further determine the effects on bacterial growth dynamics and showed that all strains exhibited a slower growth rate and lower yield in the presence of PL. The specific effects of PL were unique for each bacterial strain: E. coli and P. aeruginosa growth was affected in a concentration-dependent manner, such that higher amounts of PL had a greater effect, while this was not true for S. aureus or E. faecalis. Furthermore, the onset of exponential growth was delayed for E. coli and P. aeruginosa in the presence of PL, which has significant clinical implications for developing a dosing schedule. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the potential value of PL as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial that would offer an alternative to traditional antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infection in equine species.


2014 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajib K. Paul ◽  
Nagendra S. Singh ◽  
Mohammed Khadeer ◽  
Ruin Moaddel ◽  
Mitesh Sanghvi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Subanesthetic doses of (R,S)-ketamine are used in the treatment of neuropathic pain and depression. In the rat, the antidepressant effects of (R,S)-ketamine are associated with increased activity and function of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR); however, (R,S)-ketamine is extensively metabolized and the contribution of its metabolites to increased mTOR signaling is unknown. Methods: Rats (n = 3 per time point) were given (R,S)-ketamine, (R,S)-norketamine, and (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine and their effect on the mTOR pathway determined after 20, 30, and 60 min. PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells (n = 3 per experiment) were treated with escalating concentrations of each compound and the impact on the mTOR pathway was determined. Results: The phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream targets was significantly increased in rat prefrontal cortex tissue by more than ~2.5-, ~25-, and ~2-fold, respectively, in response to a 60-min postadministration of (R,S)-ketamine, (R,S)-norketamine, and (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine (P &lt; 0.05, ANOVA analysis). In PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells, the test compounds activated the mTOR pathway in a concentration-dependent manner, which resulted in a significantly higher expression of serine racemase with ~2-fold increases at 0.05 nM (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine, 10 nM (R,S)-norketamine, and 1,000 nM (R,S)-ketamine. The potency of the effect reflected antagonistic activity of the test compounds at the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Conclusions: The data demonstrate that (R,S)-norketamine and (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine have potent pharmacological activity both in vitro and in vivo and contribute to the molecular effects produced by subanesthetic doses of (R,S)-ketamine. The results suggest that the determination of the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant and analgesic effects of (R,S)-ketamine requires a full study of the parent compound and its metabolites.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 3593-3600 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Cheminet ◽  
V de Lastours ◽  
L Poirel ◽  
F Chau ◽  
K Peoc’h ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales represent a major therapeutic challenge. MBLs, requiring zinc at their catalytic site, could be inhibited by meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a heavy metal chelator already widely used for treating lead intoxication. Objectives To evaluate the activity of carbapenems alone or combined with DMSA against MBL-producing Escherichia coli in a severe murine peritonitis model. Methods Isogenic strains of wild-type E. coli CFT073 producing the MBLs NDM-1, VIM-2 and IMP-1, and the control serine carbapenemases OXA-48 and KPC-3 were constructed. MIC determinations and time–kill assays were performed for imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem alone or in combination with DMSA. Infected mice were treated intraperitoneally for 24 h with imipenem, DMSA or their combination. Bacterial counts in peritoneal fluid and spleen were assessed at 24 h. Results DMSA in combination with each carbapenem caused a significant decrease in the MICs for all MBL-producing strains, in a concentration-dependent manner, but did not provide benefit against non-MBL strains. In mice infected with the NDM-1-producing strain, the combination of imipenem and DMSA significantly reduced bacterial counts in peritoneal fluid (P = 0.0006) and spleen (P &lt; 0.0001), as compared with imipenem alone, with no benefit against the KPC-3-producing and CFT073 strains. DMSA concentrations in plasma of mice were comparable to those obtained in humans with a standard oral dose. Conclusions DMSA restores the activity of carbapenems against MBL-producing strains, and its combination with carbapenems appears to be a promising strategy for the treatment of NDM-producing E. coli infections.


1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Ghosh ◽  
Richard C. Franson

Autoclaved Escherichia coli labelled with [1-14C]oleate in the 2-acyl position have been used extensively to measure phospholipase A2 activity in vitro. The present study demonstrates that this membranous substrate is also useful for the measurement of in vitro phospholipase D activity. Phospholipase D from Streptomyces chromofuscus catalyzed the hydrolysis of [1-14C]oleate labelled, autoclaved E. coli optimally at pH 7.0–8.0 to generate [14C]phosphatidic acid in the presence of 5 mM added Ca2+. Other divalent cations would not substitute for Ca2+. Activity was linear with time and protein up to 30% of the hydrolysis of substrate. Phospholipase D activity was stimulated in a dose-dependent manner by the addition of Triton X-100. The activity was increased 5.5-fold with 0.05% Triton, a concentration that totally inhibited hydrolysis of E. coli by human synovial fluid phospholipase A2. Accumulation of [14C]diglyceride was observed after 10 min of incubation. This accumulation was inhibited by NaF (IC50 = 18 μM) or propanolol (IC50 = 180 μM) suggesting the S. chromofuscus phospholipase D was contaminated with phosphatidate phosphohydrolase. Phosphatidic acid released by the action of cabbage phospholipase D was converted to phosphatidylethanol in an ethanol concentration dependent manner. These results demonstrate that [1-14C]oleate labelled, autoclaved E. coli can be used to measure phospholipase D activity by monitoring accumulation of either [14C]phosphatidic acid or [14C]phosphatidylethanol.Key words: Escherichia coli, substrate, phospholipase D, Streptomyces chromofuscus, sodium fluoride, propranolol.


Author(s):  
Vijayta Gupta ◽  
Vinay Kant ◽  
Meena Sharma

The promising results of metal oxides nanoparticles in different areas including the biological system lead us to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial actions of chemically synthesized cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles. The different concentrations of synthesized Co3O4 nanoparticles were prepared and evaluated for different parameters at different time intervals i.e.  on day 1, 30 and 60 after preparations.  Co3O4 nanoparticles synthesized in this study were of 52.2 nm average size with a polydispersity index of 0.465. We observed that Co3O4 nanoparticles scavenge different in vitro free radicals (DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide radicals) in concentration dependent manner. The percentage of inhibitions of free radicals by Co3O4 nanoparticles was markedly more on day 1 as compared to day 30 and 60. The IC50 values of Co3O4 nanoparticles for these free radicals were also on day 1 as compared to day 30 and 60. The Co3O4 nanoparticles showed the antibacterial actions against both the bacterial strains i.e. S. aureus and E. coli. The MIC and MBC values revealed that action of Co3O4 nanoparticles was more against E. coli than S. aureus. The MIC and MBC values were lower on day 1 as compared to day 30 and 60 with respective to specific bacteria. In conclusions, the Co3O4 nanoparticles synthesized in this study showed potent antioxidant and antibacterial properties due to which it may serve as promising candidate for the combat the biological problems humans, animals and plants associated with reactive oxygen species and bacteria.


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