scholarly journals PTEN differentially regulates endocytosis, migration, and proliferation in the enteric protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samia Kadri ◽  
Kumiko Nakada-Tsukui ◽  
Natsuki Watanabe ◽  
Ghulam Jeelani ◽  
Tomoyoshi Nozaki
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Transcript Level ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Transcriptional Gene Silencing ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Trophozoite Stage ◽  
Catalytic Function ◽  
And Migration

PTEN is a lipid phosphatase that is highly conserved and involved in a broad range of biological processes includingcytoskeletal reorganization, endocytosis, signal transduction, and cell migration in all eukaryotes. Although regulation of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] signaling via PTEN has been well established in model organisms and mammals, it remains elusive in the parasitic protist E. histolytica, which heavily relies on PtdIns phosphate(s)-dependent membrane traffic, migration, and phago- and trogocytosis for its pathogenesis. In this study, we characterized the major PTEN from E. histolytica, EhPTEN1, which shows the highest expression at the transcript level in the trophozoite stage among 6 possible PTENs, to understand the significance of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling in this parasite. Live imaging of GFP-EhPTEN1 expressing amebic trophozoites showed localization mainly in the cytosol with a higher concentration at pseudopods and the extending edge of the phago- and trogocytic cups. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of phago- and trogocytosis using a confocal image cytometer showed that overexpression of EhPTEN1 caused reduction in trogo- and phagocytosis while transcriptional gene silencing of EhPTEN1 gene caused opposite phenotypes. These data suggest that EhPTEN1 has an inhibitory role in these biological processes. Conversely, EhPTEN1 acts as a positive regulator for fluid-phase and receptor-mediated endocytosis in E. histolytica trophozoites. Moreover, we showed that EhPTEN1 was required for optimal growth and migration of this parasite. Finally, the phosphatase activity of EhPTEN1 towards PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 was demonstrated, suggesting that the biological roles of EhPTEN1 are likely linked to its catalytic function. Taken together, these results indicate that EhPTEN1 differentially regulates multiple cellular activities essential for proliferation and pathogenesis of the organism, via PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling. Elucidation of biological roles of PTEN and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling at the molecular levels promotes our understanding of the pathogenesis of this parasite and potentially leads to the design of novel therapeutics against amebiasis.

Apoptosis and development

2003 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 11-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin V McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Apoptotic Pathway ◽  
Genetic Pathways ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved process used by multicellular organisms to developmentally regulate cell number or to eliminate cells that are potentially detrimental to the organism. The large diversity of regulators of apoptosis in mammalian cells and their numerous interactions complicate the analysis of their individual functions, particularly in development. The remarkable conservation of apoptotic mechanisms across species has allowed the genetic pathways of apoptosis determined in lower species, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, to act as models for understanding the biology of apoptosis in mammalian cells. Though many components of the apoptotic pathway are conserved between species, the use of additional model organisms has revealed several important differences and supports the use of model organisms in deciphering complex biological processes such as apoptosis.

Glioblastoma invasion and NMDA receptors: A novel prospect

2019 ◽  
Vol 106 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
DN Nandakumar ◽  
P Ramaswamy ◽  
C Prasad ◽  
D Srinivas ◽  
K Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Glutamate Receptors ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Transcript Level ◽  
Glioblastoma Cells ◽  
Invasion And Migration ◽  
Matrigel Invasion ◽  
Nmdar Activation ◽  
And Migration

Purpose Glioblastoma cells create glutamate-rich tumor microenvironment, which initiates activation of ion channels and modulates downstream intracellular signaling. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs; a type of glutamate receptors) have a high affinity for glutamate. The role of NMDAR activation on invasion of glioblastoma cells and the crosstalk with α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) is yet to be explored. Main methods LN18, U251MG, and patient-derived glioblastoma cells were stimulated with NMDA to activate NMDAR glutamate receptors. The role of NMDAR activation on invasion and migration and its crosstalk with AMPAR were evaluated. Invasion and migration of glioblastoma cells were investigated by in vitro trans-well Matrigel invasion and trans-well migration assays, respectively. Expression of NMDARs and AMPARs at transcript level was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results We determined that NMDA stimulation leads to enhanced invasion in LN18, U251MG, and patient-derived glioblastoma cells, whereas inhibition of NMDAR using MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDAR, significantly decreased the invasive capacity. Concordant with these findings, migration was significantly augmented by NMDAR in both cell lines. Furthermore, NMDA stimulation upregulated the expression of GluN2 and GluA1 subunits at the transcript level. Conclusions This study demonstrated the previously unexplored role of NMDAR in invasion of glioblastoma cells. Furthermore, the expression of the GluN2 subunit of NMDAR and the differential overexpression of the GluA1 subunit of AMPAR in both cell lines provide a plausible rationale of crosstalk between these calcium-permeable subunits in the glutamate-rich microenvironment of glioblastoma.

scholarly journals Expression of wild-type and mutated rabbit osteopontin in Escherichia coli, and their effects on adhesion and migration of P388D1 cells

1995 ◽  
Vol 307 (1) ◽  
pp. 257-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Nasu ◽  
T Ishida ◽  
M Setoguchi ◽  
Y Higuchi ◽  
S Akizuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Intradermal Injection ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Leucocyte ◽  
Alpha Subunit ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Alpha Subunits ◽  
Leucocyte Migration ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Chemotactic Effect

Recombinant wild-type rabbit osteopontin (rOP) and the protein with an aspartate-to-glutamate transposition induced by a point mutation in the rabbit OP cDNA within the Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) sequence were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. P388D1 cells bound rOP in a saturable manner. rOP induced adhesion and haptotaxis of P388D1 cells, whereas mutated rabbit OP (rOPmut) did not. Anti-rOP IgG F(ab′)2 and synthetic GRGDS peptide inhibited rOP-mediated adhesion and haptotaxis of P388D1 cells. Fibronectin (FN)-mediated adhesion of P388D1 cells was markedly inhibited in the presence of fluid-phase rOP. Adhesion of P388D1 cells to rOP was significantly inhibited by anti-[alpha-subunits of VLA4 (alpha 4) and VLA5 (alpha 5)] monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), but not by anti-[alpha-subunit of vitronectin (VN) receptor (alpha V) or Mac-1 (alpha M)] mAb. Adhesion of P388D1 cells to FN and VN was significantly inhibited by anti-alpha V mAb but not anti-alpha 4, -alpha 5 or -alpha M mAb. Haptotaxis of P388D1 cells to rOP was significantly inhibited by anti-alpha V mAb, but not by anti-alpha 4, -alpha 5 and alpha M mAbs, whereas that to FN showed no inhibition with all three mAbs. Haptotaxis of P388D1 cells to VN was significantly inhibited by anti-alpha 5 and -alpha V mAbs but not by anti-alpha 4 and -alpha M mAbs. Similar features of inhibition of adhesion and haptotaxis of P388D1 cells to human OP were observed by mAbs. rOP had no chemotactic effect on P388D1 cells. Significant polymorphonuclear leucocyte migration was observed 3-12 h after intradermal injection of rOP into rabbits.

scholarly journals Hidden in plain sight: What remains to be discovered in the eukaryotic proteome?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Wood ◽  
Antonia Lock ◽  
Midori A. Harris ◽  
Kim Rutherford ◽  
Jürg Bähler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Ontology ◽  
Fission Yeast ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Biological Process ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Health And Disease

AbstractThe first decade of genome sequencing stimulated an explosion in the characterization of unknown proteins. More recently, the pace of functional discovery has slowed, leaving around 20% of the proteins even in well-studied model organisms without informative descriptions of their biological roles. Remarkably, many uncharacterized proteins are conserved from yeasts to human, suggesting that they contribute to fundamental biological processes. To fully understand biological systems in health and disease, we need to account for every part of the system. Unstudied proteins thus represent a collective blind spot that limits the progress of both basic and applied biosciences.We use a simple yet powerful metric based on Gene Ontology (GO) biological process terms to define characterized and uncharacterized proteins for human, budding yeast, and fission yeast. We then identify a set of conserved but unstudied proteins in S. pombe, and classify them based on a combination of orthogonal attributes determined by large-scale experimental and comparative methods. Finally, we explore possible reasons why these proteins remain neglected, and propose courses of action to raise their profile and thereby reap the benefits of completing the catalog of proteins’ biological roles.

scholarly journals Active reconfiguration of cytoplasmic lipid droplets governs migration of nutrient-limited phytoplankton

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anupam Sengupta ◽  
Jayabrata Dhar ◽  
Francesco Danza ◽  
Arkajyoti Ghoshal ◽  
Sarah Elisabeth Mueller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Red Tide ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Phosphorus Limitation ◽  
Vertical Movement ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Motile Species

As open oceans continue to warm, modified currents and enhanced stratification exacerbate nitrogen and phosphorus limitation, constraining primary production. The ability to migrate vertically bestows motile phytoplankton a crucial – albeit energetically expensive – advantage toward vertically redistributing for optimal growth, uptake and resource storage in nutrient-limited water columns. However, this traditional view discounts the possibility that phytoplankton migration may be actively selected by the storage dynamics when nutrients turn limiting. Here we report that storage and migration in phytoplankton are coupled traits, whereby motile species harness energy storing lipid droplets (LDs) to biomechanically regulate migration in nutrient limited settings. LDs grow and translocate directionally within the cytoplasm to accumulate below the cell nucleus, tuning the speed, trajectory and stability of swimming cells. Nutrient reincorporation reverses the LD translocation, restoring the homeostatic migratory traits measured in population-scale millifluidic experiments. Combining intracellular LD tracking and quantitative morphological analysis of red-tide forming alga, Heterosigma akashiwo , along with a model of cell mechanics, we discover that the size and spatial localization of growing LDs govern the ballisticity and orientational stability of migration. The strain-specific shifts in migration which we identify here are amenable to a selective emergence of mixotrophy in nutrient-limited phytoplankton. We rationalize these distinct behavioral acclimatization in an ecological context, relying on concomitant tracking of the photophysiology and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and propose a dissipative mechanical energy budget for motile phytoplankton for alleviating nutrient limitation. The emergent resource acquisition strategies, enabled by distinct strain-specific migratory acclimatizing mechanisms, highlight the active role of the reconfigurable cytoplasmic LDs in vertical movement. By uncovering a mechanistic coupling between dynamics of intracellular changes to physiologically governed migration strategies, this work offers a tractable framework to delineate diverse strategies which phytoplankton may harness to maximize fitness and resource pool in nutrient-limited open oceans of the future.

scholarly journals Haploinsufficiency of the psychiatric risk gene Cyfip1 causes abnormal postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis through microglial and Arp2/3 mediated actin dependent mechanisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Haan ◽  
Laura J Westacott ◽  
Jenny Carter ◽  
Michael J Owen ◽  
William P Gray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Risk ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Hippocampal Neurogenesis ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Risk Gene ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Adult Born Neurons ◽  
Newborn Neurons ◽  
And Migration

AbstractGenetic risk factors can significantly increase chances of developing psychiatric disorders, but the underlying biological processes through which this risk is effected remain largely unknown. Here we show that haploinsufficiency of Cyfip1, a candidate risk gene present in the pathogenic 15q11.2(BP1-BP2) deletion may impact on psychopathology via abnormalities in cell survival and migration of newborn neurons during postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis. We demonstrate that haploinsufficiency of Cyfip1 leads to increased numbers of adult born hippocampal neurons due to reduced apoptosis, without altering proliferation. We confirm this is due to a cell autonomous failure of microglia to induce apoptosis through the secretion of the appropriate factors. Furthermore, we show an abnormal migration of adult-born neurons due to altered Arp2/3 mediated actin dynamics. Together, our findings throw new light on how the genetic risk candidate Cyfip1 may influence the hippocampus, a brain region with strong evidence for involvement in psychopathology.

scholarly journals Extracellular matrix plasticity as a driver of cell spreading

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (42) ◽  
pp. 25999-26007
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Grolman ◽  
Philipp Weinand ◽  
David J. Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Wound Repair ◽  
Kinetic Monte Carlo ◽  
Cell Spreading ◽  
Cell Biophysics ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations ◽  
Network Plasticity ◽  
And Migration

Mammalian cell morphology has been linked to the viscoelastic properties of the adhesion substrate, which is particularly relevant in biological processes such as wound repair and embryonic development where cell spreading and migration are critical. Plastic deformation, degradation, and relaxation of stress are typically coupled in biomaterial systems used to explore these effects, making it unclear which variable drives cell behavior. Here we present a nondegradable polymer architecture that specifically decouples irreversible creep from stress relaxation and modulus. We demonstrate that network plasticity independently controls mesenchymal stem cell spreading through a biphasic relationship dependent on cell-intrinsic forces, and this relationship can be shifted by inhibiting actomyosin contractility. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations also show strong correlation with experimental cell spreading data as a function of the extracellular matrix (ECM) plasticity. Furthermore, plasticity regulates many ECM adhesion and remodeling genes. Altogether, these findings confirm a key role for matrix plasticity in stem cell biophysics, and we anticipate this will have ramifications in the design of biomaterials to enhance therapeutic applications of stem cells.

scholarly journals Near-chromosome level genome assembly reveals ploidy diversity and plasticity in the intestinal protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica

BMC Genomics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuro Kawano-Sugaya ◽  
Shinji Izumiyama ◽  
Yasuaki Yanagawa ◽  
Yumiko Saito-Nakano ◽  
Koji Watanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Intestinal Protozoan ◽  
Disease Symptoms ◽  
Veterinary Importance ◽  
Reference Genomes ◽  
Chromosome Level

Abstract Background Amoebozoa is a eukaryotic supergroup composed of unicellular and multicellular amoebic protozoa (e.g. Acanthamoeba, Dictyostelium, and Entamoeba). They are model organisms for studies in cellular and evolutionary biology and are of medical and veterinary importance. Despite their importance, Amoebozoan genome organization and genetic diversity remain poorly studied due to a lack of high-quality reference genomes. The slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is the only Amoebozoan species whose genome is available at the chromosome-level. Results Here, we provide a near-chromosome-level assembly of the Entamoeba histolytica genome, the second semi-completed Amoebozoan genome. The availability of this improved genome allowed us to discover inter-strain heterogeneity in ploidy at the near-chromosome or sub-chromosome level among 11 clinical isolates and the reference strain. Furthermore, we observed ploidy-independent regulation of gene expression, contrary to what is observed in other organisms, where RNA levels are affected by ploidy. Conclusions Our findings offer new insights into Entamoeba chromosome organization, ploidy, transcriptional regulation, and inter-strain variation, which will help to further decipher observed spectrums of virulence, disease symptoms, and drug sensitivity of E. histolytica isolates.

scholarly journals Learning on the Fly: The Interplay between Caspases and Cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Cui Xu ◽  
Lewis Arthurton ◽  
Luis Alberto Baena-Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Genetic Manipulation ◽  
Evolutionary Conservation ◽  
Cellular Mechanism ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Hallmarks Of Cancer ◽  
The Family ◽  
Cancerous Cells

The ease of genetic manipulation, as well as the evolutionary conservation of gene function, has placedDrosophila melanogasteras one of the leading model organisms used to understand the implication of many proteins with disease development, including caspases and their relation to cancer. The family of proteases referred to as caspases have been studied over the years as the major regulators of apoptosis: the most common cellular mechanism involved in eliminating unwanted or defective cells, such as cancerous cells. Indeed, the evasion of the apoptotic programme resulting from caspase downregulation is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. Recent investigations have also shown an instrumental role for caspases in non-lethal biological processes, such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, intercellular communication, and cell migration. Importantly, malfunction of these essential biological tasks can deeply impact the initiation and progression of cancer. Here, we provide an extensive review of the literature surrounding caspase biology and its interplay with many aspects of cancer, emphasising some of the key findings obtained fromDrosophilastudies. We also briefly describe the therapeutic potential of caspase modulation in relation to cancer, highlighting shortcomings and hopeful promises.

Lysine-specific histone demethylase LSD1 and the dynamic control of chromatin

2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (8) ◽  
pp. 1019-1028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Rudolph ◽  
Stefanie Beuch ◽  
Gunter Reuter
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Analysis ◽  
Transcriptional Repression ◽  
Amine Oxidase ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Histone Demethylase ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Transcriptional Gene Silencing ◽  
Heterochromatin Formation ◽  
Enzyme Complexes

Abstract The flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent amine oxidase LSD1 is the first molecularly defined histone demethylase, which specifically demethylates H3K4me1/me2. The enzyme dynamically controls a large variety of biological processes and is associated with protein complexes controlling transcriptional repression and activation. Molecular analysis of the Drosophila LSD1 homolog revealed new insights into the epigenetic control of heterochromatin formation during early embryogenesis, the establishment of transcriptional gene silencing and the epigenetic mechanisms associated with the maintenance of stem cell identity in primordial germline cells. This review summarizes our recent knowledge about the control of enzymatic activity and molecular function of LSD1 enzyme complexes in different model organisms including Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Drosophila and mammals. Finally, new developments in applied cancer research based on molecular analysis of LSD1 in cancer cells are discussed.

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