scholarly journals Transgenic Overexpression of the Extra-Large Gsα Variant XLαs Enhances Gsα-Mediated Responses in the Mouse Renal Proximal Tubule in Vivo

Endocrinology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (4) ◽  
pp. 1222-1233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zun Liu ◽  
Hiroko Segawa ◽  
Cumhur Aydin ◽  
Monica Reyes ◽  
Reinhold G. Erben ◽  
...  

Abstract XLαs, a variant of the stimulatory G protein α-subunit (Gsα), can mediate receptor-activated cAMP generation and, thus, mimic the actions of Gsα in transfected cells. However, it remains unknown whether XLαs can act in a similar manner in vivo. We have now generated mice with ectopic transgenic expression of rat XLαs in the renal proximal tubule (rptXLαs mice), where Gsα mediates most actions of PTH. Western blots and quantitative RT-PCR showed that, while Gsα and type-1 PTH receptor levels were unaltered, protein kinase A activity and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 1-α-hydroxylase (Cyp27b1) mRNA levels were significantly higher in renal proximal tubules of rptXLαs mice than wild-type littermates. Immunohistochemical analysis of kidney sections showed that the sodium-phosphate cotransporter type 2a was modestly reduced in brush border membranes of male rptXLαs mice compared to gender-matched controls. Serum calcium, phosphorus, and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D were within the normal range, but serum PTH was ∼30% lower in rptXLαs mice than in controls (152 ± 16 vs. 222 ± 41 pg/ml; P < 0.05). After crossing the rptXLαs mice to mice with ablation of maternal Gnas exon 1 (E1m−/+), male offspring carrying both the XLαs transgene and maternal Gnas exon 1 ablation (rptXLαs/E1m−/+) were significantly less hypocalcemic than gender-matched E1m−/+ littermates. Both E1m−/+ and rptXLαs/E1m−/+ offspring had higher serum PTH than wild-type littermates, but the degree of secondary hyperparathyroidism tended to be lower in rptXLαs/E1m−/+ mice. Hence, transgenic XLαs expression in the proximal tubule enhanced Gsα-mediated responses, indicating that XLαs can mimic Gsα in vivo.

2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (5) ◽  
pp. F1222-F1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryann B. Herman ◽  
Trivikram Rajkhowa ◽  
Facundo Cutuli ◽  
James E. Springate ◽  
Mary Taub

Prostaglandins (PGs) play a number of roles in the kidney, including regulation of salt and water reabsorption. In this report, evidence was obtained for stimulatory effects of PGs on Na-K-ATPase in primary cultures of rabbit renal proximal tubule (RPT) cells. The results of our real-time PCR studies indicate that in primary RPTs the effects of PGE2, the major renal PG, are mediated by four classes of PGE (EP) receptors. The role of these EP receptors in the regulation of Na-K-ATPase was examined at the transcriptional level. Na-K-ATPase consists of a catalytic α-subunit encoded by the ATP1A1 gene, as well as a β-subunit encoded by the ATP1B1 gene. Transient transfection studies conducted with pHβ1-1141 Luc, a human ATP1B1 promoter/luciferase construct, indicate that both PGE1and PGE2are stimulatory. The evidence for the involvement of both the cAMP and Ca2+signaling pathways includes the inhibitory effects of the myristolylated PKA inhibitor PKI, the adenylate cyclase (AC) inhibitor SQ22536, and the PKC inhibitors Gö 6976 and Ro-32-0432 on the PGE1stimulation. Other effectors that similarly act through cAMP and PKC were also stimulatory to transcription, including norepinephrine and dopamine. In addition to its effects on transcription, a chronic incubation with PGE1was observed to result in an increase in Na-K-ATPase mRNA levels as well as an increase in Na-K-ATPase activity. An acute stimulatory effect of PGE1on Na-K-ATPase was observed and was associated with an increase in the level of Na-K-ATPase in the basolateral membrane.


Author(s):  
J. M. Barrett ◽  
P. M. Heidger

Microbodies have received extensive morphological and cytochemical investigation since they were first described by Rhodin in 1954. To our knowledge, however, all investigations of microbodies and cytoplasmic bodies of rat renal proximal tubule cells have employed immersion fixation. Tisher, et al. have shown convincing evidence of fine structural alteration of microbodies in rhesus monkey kidney following immersion fixation; these alterations were not encountered when in vivo intravascular perfusion was employed. In view of these studies, and the fact that techniques for perfusion fixation have been established specifically for the rat kidney by Maunsbach, it seemed desirable to employ perfusion fixation to study the fine structure and distribution of microbodies and cytoplasmic bodies within the rat renal proximal tubule.


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.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2924-2937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaoru Tominaga ◽  
Bhakti Kirtane ◽  
James G. Jackson ◽  
Yuji Ikeno ◽  
Takayoshi Ikeda ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT MRG15 is a highly conserved protein, and orthologs exist in organisms from yeast to humans. MRG15 associates with at least two nucleoprotein complexes that include histone acetyltransferases and/or histone deacetylases, suggesting it is involved in chromatin remodeling. To study the role of MRG15 in vivo, we generated knockout mice and determined that the phenotype is embryonic lethal, with embryos and the few stillborn pups exhibiting developmental delay. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates that apoptosis in Mrg15 − / − embryos is not increased compared with wild-type littermates. However, the number of proliferating cells is significantly reduced in various tissues of the smaller null embryos compared with control littermates. Cell proliferation defects are also observed in Mrg15 − / − mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The hearts of the Mrg15 − / − embryos exhibit some features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The increase in size of the cardiomyocytes is most likely a response to decreased growth of the cells. Mrg15 − / − embryos appeared pale, and microarray analysis revealed that α-globin gene expression was decreased in null versus wild-type embryos. We determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation that MRG15 was recruited to the α-globin promoter during dimethyl sulfoxide-induced mouse erythroleukemia cell differentiation. These findings demonstrate that MRG15 has an essential role in embryonic development via chromatin remodeling and transcriptional regulation.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (16) ◽  
pp. 3336-3344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu Laitala ◽  
Ellinoora Aro ◽  
Gail Walkinshaw ◽  
Joni M. Mäki ◽  
Maarit Rossi ◽  
...  

AbstractAn endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H-TM) is able to hydroxylate the α subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in vitro and in cultured cells, but nothing is known about its roles in mammalian erythropoiesis. We studied such roles here by administering a HIF-P4H inhibitor, FG-4497, to P4h-tm−/− mice. This caused larger increases in serum Epo concentration and kidney but not liver Hif-1α and Hif-2α protein and Epo mRNA levels than in wild-type mice, while the liver Hepcidin mRNA level was lower in the P4h-tm−/− mice than in the wild-type. Similar, but not identical, differences were also seen between FG-4497–treated Hif-p4h-2 hypomorphic (Hif-p4h-2gt/gt) and Hif-p4h-3−/− mice versus wild-type mice. FG-4497 administration increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values similarly in the P4h-tm−/− and wild-type mice, but caused higher increases in both values in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt mice and in hematocrit value in the Hif-p4h-3−/− mice than in the wild-type. Hif-p4h-2gt/gt/P4h-tm−/− double gene-modified mice nevertheless had increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values without any FG-4497 administration, although no such abnormalities were seen in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt or P4h-tm−/− mice. Our data thus indicate that P4H-TM plays a role in the regulation of EPO production, hepcidin expression, and erythropoiesis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thu H. Le ◽  
Michael I. Oliverio ◽  
Hyung-Suk Kim ◽  
Harmony Salzler ◽  
Rajesh C. Dash ◽  
...  

To understand the physiological role of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptors in the proximal tubule of the kidney, we generated a transgenic mouse line in which the major murine AT1 receptor isoform, AT1A, was expressed under the control of the P1 portion of the γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γGT) promoter. In transgenic mice, this promoter has been shown to confer cell-specific expression in epithelial cells of the renal proximal tubule. To avoid random integration of multiple copies of the transgene, we used gene targeting to produce mice with a single-copy transgene insertion at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase ( Hprt) locus on the X chromosome. The physiological effects of the γGT-AT1A transgene were examined on a wild-type background and in mice with targeted disruption of one or both of the murine AT1 receptor genes ( Agtr1a and Agtr1b). On all three backgrounds, γGT-AT1A transgenic mice were healthy and viable. On the wild-type background, the presence of the transgene did not affect development, blood pressure, or kidney structure. Despite relatively low levels of expression in the proximal tubule, the transgene blunted the increase in renin expression typically seen in AT1-deficient mice and partially rescued the kidney phenotype associated with Agtr1a−/− Agtr1b−/− mice, significantly reducing cortical cyst formation by more than threefold. However, these low levels of cell-specific expression of AT1 receptors in the renal proximal tubule did not increase the low blood pressures or abolish sodium sensitivity, which are characteristic of AT1 receptor-deficient mice. Although our studies do not clearly identify a role for AT1 receptors in the proximal tubules of the kidney in blood pressure homeostasis, they support a major role for these receptors in modulating renin expression and in maintaining structural integrity of the renal cortex.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1720-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Zacchia ◽  
Xuefei Tian ◽  
Enrica Zona ◽  
Robert J. Alpern ◽  
Patricia A. Preisig

Background Urine citrate is reabsorbed exclusively along the renal proximal tubule via the apical Na+-dicarboxylate cotransporter NaDC-1. We previously showed that an acid load in vivo and media acidification in vitro increase NaDC-1 activity through endothelin-1 (ET-1)/endothelin B (ETB) signaling. Here, we further examined the signaling pathway mediating acid-induced NaDC-1 activity.Methods We transiently transfected cultured opossum kidney cells, a model of the proximal tubule, with NaDC-1 and ETB and measured [14C]-citrate uptake after media acidification under various experimental conditions, including inactivation of Pyk2 and c-Src, which were previously shown to be activated by media acidification. Wild-type (Pyk2+/+) and Pyk2-null (Pyk2−/−) mice were exposed to NH4Cl loading and euthanized after various end points, at which time we harvested the kidneys for immunoblotting and brush border membrane NaDC-1 activity studies.Results Inhibition of Pyk2 or c-Src prevented acid stimulation but not ET-1 stimulation of NaDC-1 in vitro. Consistent with these results, NH4Cl loading stimulated NaDC-1 activity in kidneys of wild-type but not Pyk2−/− mice. In cultured cells and in mice, ERK1/2 was rapidly phosphorylated by acid loading, even after Pyk2 knockdown, and it was required for acid but not ET-1/ETB stimulation of NaDC-1 in vitro. Media acidification also induced the phosphorylation of Raf1 and p90RSK, components of the ERK1/2 pathway, and inhibition of these proteins blocked acid stimulation of NaDC-1 activity.Conclusions Acid stimulation of NaDC-1 activity involves Pyk2/c-Src and Raf1-ERK1/2-p90RSK signaling pathways, but these pathways are not downstream of ET-1/ETB in this process.


2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (6) ◽  
pp. H2422-H2426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent R. Sharp ◽  
Steven P. Jones ◽  
David M. Rimmer ◽  
David J. Lefer

Two strains of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-deficient (−/−) mice have been developed that respond differently to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R). We evaluated both strains of eNOS−/− mice in an in vivo model of MI/R. Harvard (Har) eNOS−/− mice ( n = 12) experienced an 84% increase in myocardial necrosis compared with wild-type controls ( P < 0.05). University of North Carolina (UNC) eNOS−/−( n = 10) exhibited a 52% reduction in myocardial injury versus wild-type controls ( P < 0.05). PCR analysis of myocardial inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels revealed a significant ( P < 0.05) increase in the UNC eNOS−/− mice compared with wild-type mice, and there was no significant difference between the Har eNOS−/− and wild-type mice. UNC eNOS−/− mice treated with an iNOS inhibitor (1400W) exacerbated the extent of myocardial necrosis. When treated with 1400W, Har eNOS−/− did not exhibit a significant increase in myocardial necrosis. These data demonstrate that two distinct strains of eNOS−/− mice display opposite responses to MI/R. Although the protection seen in the UNC eNOS−/− mouse may result from compensatory increases in iNOS, other genes may be involved.


2004 ◽  
Vol 384 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane A. LEHTINEN ◽  
Fred W. PERRINO

The ε-subunit contains the catalytic site for the 3′→5′ proofreading exonuclease that functions in the DNA pol III (DNA polymerase III) core to edit nucleotides misinserted by the α-subunit DNA pol. A novel mutagenesis strategy was used to identify 23 dnaQ alleles that exhibit a mutator phenotype in vivo. Fourteen of the ε mutants were purified, and these proteins exhibited 3′→5′ exonuclease activities that ranged from 32% to 155% of the activity exhibited by the wild-type ε protein, in contrast with the 2% activity exhibited by purified MutD5 protein. DNA pol III core enzymes constituted with 11 of the 14 ε mutants exhibited an increased error rate during in vitro DNA synthesis using a forward mutation assay. Interactions of the purified ε mutants with the α- and θ-subunits were examined by gel filtration chromatography and exonuclease stimulation assays, and by measuring polymerase/exonuclease ratios to identify the catalytically active ε511 (I170T/V215A) mutant with dysfunctional proofreading in the DNA pol III core. The ε511 mutant associated tightly with the α-subunit, but the exonuclease activity of ε511 was not stimulated in the α–ε511 complex. Addition of the θ-subunit to generate the α–ε511–θ DNA pol III core partially restored stimulation of the ε511 exonuclease, indicating a role for the θ-subunit in co-ordinating the α–ε polymerase–exonuclease interaction. The α–ε511–θ DNA pol III core exhibited a 3.5-fold higher polymerase/exonuclease ratio relative to the wild-type DNA pol III core, further indicating dysfunctional proofreading in the α–ε511–θ complex. Thus the ε511 mutant has wild-type 3′→5′ exonuclease activity and associates physically with the α- and θ-subunits to generate a proofreading-defective DNA pol III enzyme.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 4763-4763
Author(s):  
Donghoon Yoon ◽  
Hyojin Kim ◽  
Minyoung Jang ◽  
Jihyun Song ◽  
Gregory E Arnold ◽  
...  

Abstract Hypoxia regulates erythropoiesis and other essential processes via hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs). HIFs are heterodimers that consist of an α subunit (3 isotypes with significant homology; HIF-1α, HIF-2α, HIF-3α), and a common b-subunit; HIF-1 and HIF-2, in some instances exhibiting tissue- and gene-specific gene regulation. Erythropoietin (EPO) was the first identified HIF-1 target gene with the defined HIF-1 binding sequence. However, subsequent works suggested that HIF-2 also regulates EPO transcription and that there are other regulatory elements of EPO gene (i.e. Kidney Inducible Element KIE, Negative Regulatory Element NRE, and Negative Regulatory Liver specific Element NRLE). In silico analysis of the human EPO genome found two additional potential HIF-binding elements in the KIE and NRE regions. The comparative analysis of phylogenically conserved sequences of human, mouse, dog, and rat Epo genes further refined these mouse Epo gene HIF-binding elements as mKIE, mNRE1, mNRE2, and mNRLE2. We treated mice in hypoxia chamber (8% O2) and monitored changes of Epo mRNA levels in liver, kidney, brain, spleen, and bone marrow. All tested tissues increased Epo transcription during hypoxia. Bone marrow, spleen, kidney, and brain showed a peak of induction of Epo transcript at 3 hours of hypoxia treatment, while liver reached the highest level at 6 hours. Mice were sacrificed and organs were harvested, and in vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIPs) was performed with antibodies against HIF-1α and HIF- 2α and tissue-specific binding regions were defined. The results from these studies are summarized below. HIF-1 mKIE rnNRE mNRE2 mNRLE2 Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Liver − + − − + − ? ? Kidney − + − − + − + − Brain − + − − − + − + BM − + − − − − − + Splsen − + − − − − − + HIF-2 mKIE mNRE mNRE2 mNRLE2 Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp Norm Hyp “+” denotes presence and “-” absence of binding of HIF-1 and HIF-2, “?” – indicates inconclusive results. “Norm” - normoxia, “Hyp” - hypoxia. Liver − + − − − + − + Kidney + − − − + − ? ? Brain − − − − − − − + BM − − − − − − + − Spleen − + − − − − − + In conclusion, we demonstrate the differential hypoxia-induced binding of HIF-1 and HIF-2 at different HIF binding elements in the tissues known to express Epo. Further studies will be required to define the function of these HIF-1 and HIF-2 binding elements in tissue specific Epo expression and their role in health and disease.


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