Role of connexin-43 in protective PI3K-Akt-GSK-3β signaling in cardiomyocytes

2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (12) ◽  
pp. H2536-H2544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoko Ishikawa ◽  
Atsushi Kuno ◽  
Masaya Tanno ◽  
Takayuki Miki ◽  
Hidemichi Kouzu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Cx43 Protein ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
H9c2 Cardiomyocytes ◽  
Gsk 3Β ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase ◽  
Δ Opioid Receptor

Sarcolemmal connexin-43 (Cx43) and mitochondrial Cx43 play distinct roles: formation of gap junctions and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for redox signaling. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that Cx43 contributes to activation of a major cytoprotective signal pathway, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) signaling, in cardiomyocytes. A δ-opioid receptor agonist {[d-Ala2,d-Leu5]enkephalin acetate (DADLE)}, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Reduction of Cx43 protein to 20% of the normal level by Cx43 small interfering RNA abolished phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β induced by DADLE or ET-1 but not that induced by IGF-1. DADLE and IGF-1 protected H9c2 cells from necrosis after treatment with H2O2 or antimycin A. The protection by DADLE or ET-1, but not that by IGF-1, was lost by reduction of Cx43 protein expression. In contrast to Akt and GSK-3β, PKC-ε, ERK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase were phosphorylated by ET-1 in Cx43-knocked-down cells. Like diazoxide, an activator of the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K+ channel, DADLE and ET-1 induced significant ROS production in mitochondria, although such an effect was not observed for IGF-1. Cx43 knockdown did not attenuate the mitochondrial ROS production by DADLE or ET-1. Cx43 was coimmunoprecipitated with the β-subunit of G protein (Gβ), and knockdown of Gβ mimicked the effect of Cx43 knockdown on ET-1-induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β. These results suggest that Cx43 contributes to activation of class IB PI3K in PI3K-Akt-GSK-3β signaling possibly as a cofactor of Gβ in cardiomyocytes.

scholarly journals Sex modifies exercise and cardiac adaptation in mice

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (6) ◽  
pp. H2768-H2776 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Konhilas ◽  
Alexander H. Maass ◽  
Stephen W. Luckey ◽  
Brian L. Stauffer ◽  
Eric N. Olson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Cardiac Myocyte ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Mouse Strains ◽  
Hypertrophic Response ◽  
Cardiac Adaptation ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Gsk 3Β

How an individual's sex and genetic background modify cardiac adaptation to increased workload is a topic of great interest. We systematically evaluated morphological and physiological cardiac adaptation in response to voluntary and forced exercise. We found that sex/gender is a dominant factor in exercise performance (in two exercise paradigms and two mouse strains) and that females of one of these strains have greater capacity to increase their cardiac mass in response to similar amounts of exercise. To explore the biochemical mechanisms for these differences, we examined signaling pathways previously implicated in cardiac hypertrophy. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) activity was significantly greater in males compared with females and increased after voluntary cage-wheel exposure in both sexes, but the proportional increase in CaMK activity was twofold higher in females compared with males. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) was evident after 7 days of cage-wheel exposure in both sexes and remained elevated in females only by 21 days of exercise. Despite moderate increases in myocyte enhancer factor-2 (a downstream effector of CaMK) transcriptional activity and phosphorylation of Akt with exercise, there were no sex differences. Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling components (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular regulated kinase 1/2) were not different between male and female mice and were not affected by exercise. We conclude that females have increased exercise capacity and increased hypertrophic response to exercise. We have also identified sex-specific differences in hypertrophic signaling within the cardiac myocyte that may contribute to sexual dimorphism in exercise and cardiac adaptation to exercise.

scholarly journals Fucoxanthin, a Marine Carotenoid, Attenuates β-Amyloid Oligomer-Induced Neurotoxicity Possibly via Regulating the PI3K/Akt and the ERK Pathways in SH-SY5Y Cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajia Lin ◽  
Jie Yu ◽  
Jiaying Zhao ◽  
Ke Zhang ◽  
Jiachen Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Neuronal Loss ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Erk Pathway ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Amyloid A ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by neurofibrillary tangles, synaptic impairments, and loss of neurons. Oligomers of β-amyloid (Aβ) are widely accepted as the main neurotoxins to induce oxidative stress and neuronal loss in AD. In this study, we discovered that fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid with antioxidative stress properties, concentration dependently prevented Aβ oligomer-induced increase of neuronal apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species in SH-SY5Y cells. Aβ oligomers inhibited the prosurvival phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt cascade and activated the proapoptotic extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Moreover, inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) synergistically prevented Aβ oligomer-induced neuronal death, suggesting that the PI3K/Akt and ERK pathways might be involved in Aβ oligomer-induced neurotoxicity. Pretreatment with fucoxanthin significantly prevented Aβ oligomer-induced alteration of the PI3K/Akt and ERK pathways. Furthermore, LY294002 and wortmannin, two PI3K inhibitors, abolished the neuroprotective effects of fucoxanthin against Aβ oligomer-induced neurotoxicity. These results suggested that fucoxanthin might prevent Aβ oligomer-induced neuronal loss and oxidative stress via the activation of the PI3K/Akt cascade as well as inhibition of the ERK pathway, indicating that further studies of fucoxanthin and related compounds might lead to a useful treatment of AD.

Postnatal shifts in ischemic tolerance and cell survival signaling in murine myocardium

2013 ◽  
Vol 305 (10) ◽  
pp. R1171-R1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Y. Liaw ◽  
Louise See Hoe ◽  
Freya L. Sheeran ◽  
Jason N. Peart ◽  
John P. Headrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Survival ◽  
Connexin 43 ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
High Expression ◽  
Hsp27 Phosphorylation ◽  
Myocardial Stress ◽  
Survival Signaling ◽  
Gsk 3Β

The immature heart is known to be resistant to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury; however, key proteins engaged in phospho-dependent signaling pathways crucial to cell survival are not yet defined. Our goal was to determine the postnatal changes in myocardial tolerance to I/R, including baseline expression of key proteins governing I/R tolerance and their phosphorylation during I/R. Hearts from male C57Bl/6 mice (neonates, 2, 4, 8, and 12 wk of age, n = 6/group) were assayed for survival signaling/effectors [Akt, p38MAPK, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), connexin-43, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and caveolin-3] and regulators of apoptosis (Bax and Bcl-2) and autophagy (LC3B, Parkin, and Beclin1). The effect of I/R on ventricular function was measured in isolated perfused hearts from immature (4 wk) and adult (12 wk) mice. The neonatal myocardium exhibits a large pool of inactive Akt; high phospho-activation of p38MAPK, HSP27 and connexin-43; phospho-inhibition of GSK-3β; and high expression of caveolin-3, HIF-1α, LC3B, Beclin1, Bax, and Bcl-2. Immature hearts sustained less dysfunction and infarction following I/R than adults. Emergence of I/R intolerance in adult vs. immature hearts was associated with complex proteomic changes: decreased expression of Akt, Bax, and Bcl-2; increased GSK-3β, connexin-43, HIF-1α, LC3B, and Bax:Bcl-2; enhanced postischemic HIF-1α, caveolin-3, Bax, and Bcl-2; and greater postischemic GSK-3β and HSP27 phosphorylation. Neonatal myocardial stress resistance reflects high expression of prosurvival and autophagy proteins and apoptotic regulators. Notably, there is high phosphorylation of GSK-3β, p38MAPK, and HSP27 and low phosphorylation of Akt (high Akt “reserve”). Subsequent maturation-related reductions in I/R tolerance are associated with reductions in Akt, Bcl-2, LC3B, and Beclin1, despite increased expression and reduced phospho-inhibition of GSK-3β.

Parkinson´s related protein DJ-1 is involved in aberrant cell cycle re-entry through Cdk5

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mª José López-Grueso ◽  
Carmen Alicia Padilla ◽  
José Antonio Bárcena ◽  
Raquel Requejo-Aguilar
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Cell Cycle Progression ◽  
Cell Cycle Checkpoints ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
Multifunctional Protein ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase

Abstract DJ-1 is a multifunctional protein involved in Parkinson disease (PD) that can act as antioxidant, molecular chaperone, protease, glyoxalase and transcriptional regulator. However, the exact mechanism by which DJ-1 dysfunction contributes to development of Parkinson´s disease remains elusive. Here, using a comparative proteomic analysis between normal cortical neurons and neurons lacking DJ-1, we show that this protein is involved in cell cycle checkpoints disruption as a consequence of increased amount of p-Tau and a-synuclein proteins, altered signalling pathways, as the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and deregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5). Cdk5 is normally involved in dendritic growth, axon formation and the establishment of synapses, but can also contribute to cell cycle progression, as in our case, in pathological conditions. In addition, we observed a decrease in proteasomal activity, probably due to Tau phosphorylation that can also lead to activation of mitogenic signalling pathways. Taken together, our findings indicate, for the first time, that aborted cell cycle re-entry could be at the onset of DJ-1 associated PD. Thereby, new approaches targeting cell cycle re-entry can be envisaged to improve current therapeutic strategies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document