Zebrafish semaphorin Z1a collapses specific growth cones and alters their pathway in vivo

Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (7) ◽  
pp. 1275-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Shoji ◽  
C.S. Yee ◽  
J.Y. Kuwada

The semaphorin/collapsin gene family encodes secreted and transmembrane proteins several of which can repulse growth cones. Although the in vitro activity of Semaphorin III/D/Collapsin 1 is clear, recent analyses of two different strains of semaphorin III/D/collapsin 1 knockout mice have generated conflicting findings. In order to clarify the in vivo action of this molecule, we analyzed sema Z1a, a zebrafish homolog of semaphorin III/D/collapsin 1. The expression pattern of sema Z1a suggested that it delimited the pathway of the growth cones of a specific set of sensory neurons, the posterior ganglion of the lateral line, in zebrafish. To examine the in vivo action of this molecule, we analyzed (1) the pathways followed by lateral line growth cones in mutants in which the expression of sema Z1a is altered in an interesting way, (2) response of lateral line growth cones to exogenous Sema Z1a in living embryos, and (3) the pathway followed by lateral line growth cones when Sema Z1a is misexpressed by cells along their normal route. The results suggest that a repulsive action of Sema Z1a helps guide the growth cones of the lateral line along their normal pathway.

1995 ◽  
Vol 129 (5) ◽  
pp. 1355-1362 ◽  
Author(s):  
K K Briggs ◽  
A J Silvers ◽  
K M Johansen ◽  
J Johansen

The mAb lan3-6 recognizes a cytosolic antigen which is selectively expressed in the growth cones and axons of a small subset of peripheral sensory neurons fasciculating in a single tract common to all hirudinid leeches. We have used this antibody to clone a novel EF-hand calcium-binding protein, calsensin, by screening an expression vector library. A full-length clone of 1.1 kb identified by the antibody was isolated and sequenced. In situ hybridizations with calsensin probes and antibody staining using new polyclonal antisera generated against calsensin sequence demonstrate that calsensin indeed corresponds to the lan3-6 antigen. Calsensin consists of 83 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 9.1 kD that contains two helix-loop-helix domains. The calcium-binding domains are likely to be functional in vivo since a fusion protein derived from the calsensin clone binds 45Ca2+ in vitro. Immunoaffinity purification experiments with the lan3-6 antibody shows that a large 200,000 M(r) protein selectively copurifies with calsensin in two different leech species. These results suggest that calsensin may be functioning as a trigger protein which interacts with the larger protein. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that calsensin may mediate calcium-dependent signal transduction events in the growth cones and axons of this small group of sensory neurons which fasciculate in a single axon tract.


1979 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 391-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bray

Evidence is presented that (a) the growth cone of cultured neurons can exert mechanical tension, and (b) that the direction of advance of the growth cone is determined by the tension existing between it and the rest of the cell. (a) The evidence that growth cones can pull comes from a vectorial analysis of the outlines of individually isolated sensory neurons. The angles formed in these outgrowths are very close to those of tension-generated networks anchored at their free ends and these values are restored shortly after an experimental displacement. The relative mechanical tension on each segment of an outgrowth can be calculated by standard methods and is found to decrease at each branch point. It appears to be correlated with the diameter of the fibre so that thicker fibres maintain more tension than thinner ones. (b) The influence of tension on the direction of advance of the growth cone is shown by 2 kinds of experient. If a growing neurite is pulled to one side with a microelectrode then the direction of its advance is changed immediately according to the new stress. If the mechanical tension on the growth cone of a neurite is released by amputation or displacement the growth cone is found to have a high probability of branching shortly afterwards. The ability of the growth cone to exert tension is discussed in relation to evidence that microspikes have contractile properties and in terms of the distribution of microfilaments within the neurite. It is suggested that the exertion of tension by a growth cone could serve to guide the neurite along paths of high adhesivity both in vitro and in vivo.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Santucci ◽  
Daniel J. Greenwood ◽  
Antony Fearns ◽  
Kai Chen ◽  
Haibo Jiang ◽  
...  

AbstractTo be effective, chemotherapy against tuberculosis (TB) must kill the intracellular population of the pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, how host cell microenvironments affect antibiotic accumulation and efficacy remains unclear. Here, we use correlative light, electron, and ion microscopy to investigate how various microenvironments within human macrophages affect the activity of pyrazinamide (PZA), a key antibiotic against TB. We show that PZA accumulates heterogeneously among individual bacteria in multiple host cell environments. Crucially, PZA accumulation and efficacy is maximal within acidified phagosomes. Bedaquiline, another antibiotic commonly used in combined TB therapy, enhances PZA accumulation via a host cell-mediated mechanism. Thus, intracellular localisation and specific microenvironments affect PZA accumulation and efficacy. Our results may explain the potent in vivo efficacy of PZA, compared to its modest in vitro activity, and its critical contribution to TB combination chemotherapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lifeng Feng ◽  
Miaoqin Chen ◽  
Yiling Li ◽  
Muchun Li ◽  
Shiman Hu ◽  
...  

Abstractp62/SQSTM1 is frequently up-regulated in many cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma. Highly expressed p62 promotes hepato-carcinogenesis by activating many signaling pathways including Nrf2, mTORC1, and NFκB signaling. However, the underlying mechanism for p62 up-regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma remains largely unclear. Herein, we confirmed that p62 was up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and its higher expression was associated with shorter overall survival in patients. The knockdown of p62 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells decreased cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, p62 protein stability could be reduced by its acetylation at lysine 295, which was regulated by deacetylase Sirt1 and acetyltransferase GCN5. Acetylated p62 increased its association with the E3 ligase Keap1, which facilitated its poly-ubiquitination-dependent proteasomal degradation. Moreover, Sirt1 was up-regulated to deacetylate and stabilize p62 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Additionally, Hepatocyte Sirt1 conditional knockout mice developed much fewer liver tumors after Diethynitrosamine treatment, which could be reversed by the re-introduction of exogenous p62. Taken together, Sirt1 deacetylates p62 at lysine 295 to disturb Keap1-mediated p62 poly-ubiquitination, thus up-regulating p62 expression to promote hepato-carcinogenesis. Therefore, targeting Sirt1 or p62 is a reasonable strategy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.


2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 2261-2264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee-Soo Park ◽  
Hyun-Joo Kim ◽  
Min-Jung Seol ◽  
Dong-Rack Choi ◽  
Eung-Chil Choi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT DW-224a showed the most potent in vitro activity among the quinolone compounds tested against clinical isolates of gram-positive bacteria. Against gram-negative bacteria, DW-224a was slightly less active than the other fluoroquinolones. The in vivo activities of DW-224a against gram-positive bacteria were more potent than those of other quinolones.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Savard ◽  
Julie Labonté ◽  
Céléna Dubuc ◽  
Witold Neugebauer ◽  
Pedro D’Orléans-Juste ◽  
...  

Abstract We recently identified a novel human B2 receptor (B2R) agonist [Hyp3,Thi5,NChg7,Thi8]-bradykinin (NG291) with greater in vitro and in vivo potency and duration of action than natural bradykinin (BK). Here, we further examined its stability and selectivity toward B2R. The hypotensive, antithrombotic, and profibrinolytic functions of NG291 relative to BK and its analogue ([Hyp3,Thi5,(4-Me)Tyr8(ΨCH2NH)Arg9]-BK) (RMP-7) were also tested. Contraction assays using isolated mouse stomachs (containing kinin B1R, B2R, and kininase I- and II-like activities) showed that NG291 is a more potent contractant than BK and is inhibited by HOE-140 (B2R antagonist) but unaffected by R954 (B1R antagonist), whereas both decreased the potency of BK. In stomach tissues from B2R knockout mice, BK maintained its activity via B1R, whereas NG291 had no contractile effect, indicating that it was selective for B2R. Unlike BK, NG291 was not degraded by rabbit lung ACE. Comparing intravenously administered BK and NG291 revealed that NG291 exhibited more potent and prolonged hypotensive action and greater antithrombotic and profibrinolytic activities. These effects were of comparable magnitude to RMP-7 and were absent in B2R knockout mice. We concluded that NG291 is a novel biostable B2R-selective agonist that may prove suitable for investigating the (pre)clinical cardioprotective efficacy of B2R activation.


1991 ◽  
Vol 331 (1261) ◽  
pp. 259-262

In the developing vertebrate nervous system the survival of neurons becomes dependent on the supply of a neurotrophic factor from their targets when their axons reach these targets. To determine how the onset of neurotrophic factor dependency is coordinated with the arrival of axons in the target field, we have studied the growth and survival of four populations of cranial sensory neurons whose axons have markedly different distances to grow to reach their targets. Axonal growth rate both in vivo and in vitro is related to target distance; neurons with more distant targets grow faster. The onset trophic factor dependency in culture is also related to target distance; neurons with more distant targets survive longer before becoming trophic factor dependent. These data suggest that programmes of growth and survival in early neurons play an important role in coordinating the timing of trophic interactions in the developing nervous system.


2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 611-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woong Shick Ahn ◽  
Su Mi Bae ◽  
Keun Ho Lee ◽  
Joon Mo Lee ◽  
Sung Eun Namkoong ◽  
...  

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