scholarly journals Proprotein Convertase 5/6 Is Critical for Embryo Implantation in Women: Regulating Receptivity by Cleaving EBP50, Modulating Ezrin Binding, and Membrane-Cytoskeletal Interactions

Endocrinology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (12) ◽  
pp. 5041-5052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophea Heng ◽  
Ana Cervero ◽  
Carlos Simon ◽  
Andrew N. Stephens ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
...  

Establishment of endometrial receptivity is vital for successful embryo implantation; its failure causes infertility. Epithelial receptivity acquisition involves dramatic structural changes in the plasma membrane and cytoskeleton. Proprotein convertase 5/6 (PC6), a serine protease of the proprotein convertase (PC) family, is up-regulated in the human endometrium specifically at the time of epithelial receptivity and stromal cell decidualization. PC6 is the only PC member tightly regulated in this manner. The current study addressed the importance and mechanisms of PC6 action in regulating receptivity in women. PC6 was dysregulated in the endometrial epithelium during the window of implantation in infertile women of three demographically different cohorts. Its critical role in receptivity was evidenced by a significant reduction in mouse blastocyst attachment of endometrial epithelial cells after PC6 knockdown by small interfering RNA. Using a proteomic approach, we discovered that PC6 cleaved the key scaffolding protein, ezrin-radixin-moesin binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50), thereby profoundly affecting its interaction with binding protein ezrin (a key protein bridging actin filaments and plasma membrane), EBP50/ezrin cellular localization, and cytoskeleton-membrane connections. We further validated this novel PC6 regulation of receptivity in human endometrium in vivo in fertile vs. infertile patients. These results strongly indicate that PC6 plays a key role in regulating fundamental cellular remodeling processes, such as plasma membrane transformation and membrane-cytoskeletal interface reorganization. PC6 cleavage of a crucial scaffolding protein EBP50, thereby profoundly regulating membrane-cytoskeletal reorganization, greatly extends the current knowledge of PC biology and provides substantial new mechanistic insight into the fields of reproduction, basic cellular biology, and PC biochemistry.

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 201
Author(s):  
H. Yang ◽  
E.-B. Jeung

Plasma membrane Ca2+-pumping ATPases (PMCA) play a critical role in maintaining cellular Ca2+ homeostasis. The PMCA mRNA are encoded on 4 genes, designated PMCA1 to PMCA4. In a previous study, we found that both PMCA1 and PMCA4 are expressed at similar levels in astrocytes and in neurons. Although PMCA1b is expressed in the uterus of rats during the oestrous cycle, the expression of PMCA1 and its potential roles has not been elucidated during the menstrual cycle in the human endometrium. Thus, in the current study, the expression pattern of PMCA1 was examined to predict its roles in the human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Human uterine tissues (total n = 40) were separated into 3 groups according to menstrual cycle phase: menstrual phase, proliferative phase (early, mid, late), and secretory phase (early, mid, late). Using real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, uterine expression of PMCA1 mRNA and protein increased to 1.5-fold in the early-, mid- and late-proliferative phases in the endometrium of the human uterus, compared with other menstrual phases. In addition, uterine PMCA1 was abundantly localised in the cytoplasm of the luminal and glandular epithelial cells in the menstrual phases, indicating that this protein may participate in the uterine Ca balance of the human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Taken together, these results suggest that a high level of uterine PMCA1 expression may be involved in reproductive functions during the menstrual cycle of humans.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
G. Nie ◽  
Y. Li ◽  
L. A. Salamonsen ◽  
C. Simon ◽  
A. Quiñonero ◽  
...  

Successful embryo implantation is an important step in establishing pregnancy, requiring a healthy embryo and a receptive endometrium. Establishment of endometrial receptivity involves morphological and physiological changes initially in the endometrial epithelium, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. We have previously demonstrated that proprotein convertase 5/6 (PC6), a member of the proprotein convertase (PC) family, is up-regulated in the endometrium specifically at implantation in association with epithelial differentiation, in the human and monkey. PCs convert a range of precursor proteins of important functions into their bioactive forms; they are thus regarded as critical “master switch” molecules. The present study aimed to determine whether PC6 is a critical regulator in the endometrial epithelium for receptivity and implantation. We examined whether endometrial epithelial PC6 dys-regulation is associated with implantation failure in women and whether knockdown of PC6 by siRNA in human endometrial epithelial cells affects embryo adhesion in a cell culture model. Endometrial PC6 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in the mid-secretory phase of the menstrual cycle (receptive phase) in two unique clinical cohorts comprising women of known fertility and infertility (with no obvious gynecological disorders, and with fertile males). Endometrial epithelial PC6 levels were significantly lower in infertile vs fertile women in both cohorts. To further establish that PC6 is important for receptivity, a cell model relevant to human implantation was used involving co-culture of uterine epithelial cells with mouse embryos. The epithelial cells were stably transfected with PC6 siRNA and PC6 knock down was confirmed at the levels of mRNA, protein, and activity by real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and activity assay respectively. Embryos readily adhered to normal epithelial cells, but the adhesion was significantly reduced in the PC6 knockdown epithelial cells. We are currently using proteomics technology to identify the pathways affected by PC6 knockdown. These results strongly suggest that PC6 plays a critical role in modulating the human endometrial epithelium for receptivity and implantation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1371-1385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Katherine Bradford ◽  
Karen Whitworth ◽  
Beverly Wendland

Endocytosis is a well-conserved process by which cells invaginate small portions of the plasma membrane to create vesicles containing extracellular and transmembrane cargo proteins. Dozens of proteins and hundreds of specific binding interactions are needed to coordinate and regulate these events. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a powerful model system with which to study clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). Pan1 is believed to be a scaffolding protein due to its interactions with numerous proteins that act throughout the endocytic process. Previous research characterized many Pan1 binding interactions, but due to Pan1's essential nature, the exact mechanisms of Pan1's function in endocytosis have been difficult to define. We created a novel Pan1-degron allele, Pan1-AID, in which Pan1 can be specifically and efficiently degraded in <1 h upon addition of the plant hormone auxin. The loss of Pan1 caused a delay in endocytic progression and weakened connections between the coat/actin machinery and the membrane, leading to arrest in CME. In addition, we determined a critical role for the central region of Pan1 in endocytosis and viability. The regions important for endocytosis and viability can be separated, suggesting that Pan1 may have a distinct role in the cell that is essential for viability.


eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J Brighton ◽  
Yojiro Maruyama ◽  
Katherine Fishwick ◽  
Pavle Vrljicak ◽  
Shreeya Tewary ◽  
...  

In cycling human endometrium, menstruation is followed by rapid estrogen-dependent growth. Upon ovulation, progesterone and rising cellular cAMP levels activate the transcription factor Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) in endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs), leading to cell cycle exit and differentiation into decidual cells that control embryo implantation. Here we show that FOXO1 also causes acute senescence of a subpopulation of decidualizing EnSCs in an IL-8 dependent manner. Selective depletion or enrichment of this subpopulation revealed that decidual senescence drives the transient inflammatory response associated with endometrial receptivity. Further, senescent cells prevent differentiation of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells in decidualizing cultures. As the cycle progresses, IL-15 activated uterine natural killer (uNK) cells selectively target and clear senescent decidual cells through granule exocytosis. Our findings reveal that acute decidual senescence governs endometrial rejuvenation and remodeling at embryo implantation, and suggest a critical role for uNK cells in maintaining homeostasis in cycling endometrium.


Author(s):  
M.J. Witcomb ◽  
M.A. O'Keefe ◽  
CJ. Echer ◽  
C. Nelson ◽  
J.H. Turner ◽  
...  

Under normal circumstances, Pt dissolves only a very small amount of interstitial carbon in solid solution. Even so, an appropriate quench/age treatment leads to the formation of stable Pt2C {100} plate precipitates. Excess (quenched-in) vacancies play a critical role in the process by accommodating the volume and structural changes that accompany the transformation. This alloy system exhibits other interesting properties. Due to a large vacancy/carbon atom binding energy, Pt can absorb excess carbon at high temperatures in a carburizing atmosphere. In regions rich in carbon and vacancies, another carbide phase, Pt7C which undergoes an order-disorder reaction was formed. The present study of Pt carburized at 1160°C and aged at 515°C shows that other carbides in the PtxC series can be produced.


1999 ◽  
Vol 339 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur L. KRUCKEBERG ◽  
Ling YE ◽  
Jan A. BERDEN ◽  
Karel van DAM

The Hxt2 glucose transport protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was genetically fused at its C-terminus with the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The Hxt2-GFP fusion protein is a functional hexose transporter: it restored growth on glucose to a strain bearing null mutations in the hexose transporter genes GAL2 and HXT1 to HXT7. Furthermore, its glucose transport activity in this null strain was not markedly different from that of the wild-type Hxt2 protein. We calculated from the fluorescence level and transport kinetics that induced cells had 1.4×105 Hxt2-GFP molecules per cell, and that the catalytic-centre activity of the Hxt2-GFP molecule in vivo is 53 s-1 at 30 °C. Expression of Hxt2-GFP was induced by growth at low concentrations of glucose. Under inducing conditions the Hxt2-GFP fluorescence was localized to the plasma membrane. In a strain impaired in the fusion of secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane, the fluorescence accumulated in the cytoplasm. When induced cells were treated with high concentrations of glucose, the fluorescence was redistributed to the vacuole within 4 h. When endocytosis was genetically blocked, the fluorescence remained in the plasma membrane after treatment with high concentrations of glucose.


Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiuna Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Jiang ◽  
Jie Yin ◽  
Shiying Dou ◽  
Xiaoli Xie ◽  
...  

AbstractRING finger proteins (RNFs) play a critical role in cancer initiation and progression. RNF141 is a member of RNFs family; however, its clinical significance, roles, and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the expression of RNF141 in 64 pairs of CRC and adjacent normal tissues by real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis. We found that there was more expression of RNF141 in CRC tissue compared with its adjacent normal tissue and high RNF141 expression associated with T stage. In vivo and in vitro functional experiments were conducted and revealed the oncogenic role of RNF141 in CRC. RNF141 knockdown suppressed proliferation, arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase, inhibited migration, invasion and HUVEC tube formation but promoted apoptosis, whereas RNF141 overexpression exerted the opposite effects in CRC cells. The subcutaneous xenograft models showed that RNF141 knockdown reduced tumor growth, but its overexpression promoted tumor growth. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry indicated RNF141 interacted with KRAS, which was confirmed by Co-immunoprecipitation, Immunofluorescence assay. Further analysis with bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down assays showed that RNF141 could directly bind to KRAS. Importantly, the upregulation of RNF141 increased GTP-bound KRAS, but its knockdown resulted in a reduction accordingly. Next, we demonstrated that RNF141 induced KRAS activation via increasing its enrichment on the plasma membrane not altering total KRAS expression, which was facilitated by the interaction with LYPLA1. Moreover, KRAS silencing partially abolished the effect of RNF141 on cell proliferation and apoptosis. In addition, our findings presented that RNF141 functioned as an oncogene by upregulating KRAS activity in a manner of promoting KRAS enrichment on the plasma membrane in CRC.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 802
Author(s):  
Teresa Vezza ◽  
Aranzazu M. de Marañón ◽  
Francisco Canet ◽  
Pedro Díaz-Pozo ◽  
Miguel Marti ◽  
...  

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease widespread throughout the world, with significant human, social, and economic costs. Its multifactorial etiology leads to persistent hyperglycemia, impaired carbohydrate and fat metabolism, chronic inflammation, and defects in insulin secretion or insulin action, or both. Emerging evidence reveals that oxidative stress has a critical role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species can promote an imbalance between the production and neutralization of antioxidant defence systems, thus favoring lipid accumulation, cellular stress, and the activation of cytosolic signaling pathways, and inducing β-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, and tissue inflammation. Over the last few years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted growing attention as important mediators of diverse aspects of oxidative stress. These small endogenous non-coding RNAs of 19–24 nucleotides act as negative regulators of gene expression, including the modulation of redox signaling pathways. The present review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge concerning the molecular crosstalk that takes place between oxidative stress and microRNAs in the physiopathology of type 2 diabetes, with a special emphasis on its potential as a therapeutic target.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 253
Author(s):  
Xi Guo ◽  
Hong Yi ◽  
Tin Chiu Li ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
Huilin Wang ◽  
...  

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known angiogenic factor that plays a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes. VEGF also contributes to the process of embryo implantation by enhancing embryo development, improving endometrial receptivity, and facilitating the interactions between the developing embryo and the endometrium. There is a correlation between the alteration of VEGF expression and reproductive failure, including recurrent implantation failure (RIF) and recurrent miscarriage (RM). In order to clarify the role of VEGF in embryo implantation, we reviewed recent literature concerning the expression and function of VEGF in the reproductive system around the time of embryo implantation and we provide a summary of the findings reported so far. We also explored the effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of action of VEGF in embryo implantation.


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