Characterization of calpain II in the retina and photoreceptor outer segments

1993 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 787-798
Author(s):  
S.M. Azarian ◽  
C.L. Schlamp ◽  
D.S. Williams

Calpain II was purified to apparent homogeneity from bovine neural retinas. It was found to be biochemically similar to brain calpain II, purified by the same procedure, with respect to: subunit mobility in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; Ca2+ sensitivity; inhibition by calpeptin and other cysteine protease inhibitors; and optimal pH. Semithin cryosections were immuno-labeled with antibodies specific for the catalytic subunit of calpain II. Calpain II was detected in most layers of the retina, with the most pronounced label present in the plexiform layers (synaptic regions) and the photoreceptor outer segments. In dark-adapted retinas, the label was distributed throughout the outer segments. In light-adapted retinas, outer segment labeling was concentrated in the connecting cilium, and the inner segments were labeled. A partially pure preparation of calpain II from isolated rod outer segments was found to have the same biochemical characteristics as calpain II prepared in the same way from the whole retina. The enzyme was distributed fairly evenly between the cytosolic and cytoskeletal fractions of isolated rod outer segments. Immunoblots of the rod outer segment cytoskeleton were used to determine the susceptibility of known components of the actin-based cytoskeleton to proteolysis by calpain II in vitro. Actin was not proteolyzed at all, alpha-actinin was only slowly degraded, but myosin II heavy chain was rapidly proteolyzed. Actin filaments have been shown previously to be associated with myosin II and alpha-actinin in a small domain within the connecting cilium, where they play an essential role in the morphogenesis of new disk membranes. The localization of calpain II in the connecting cilium after light exposure, combined with the in vitro proteolysis of myosin II, suggests that calpain II could be involved in light-dependent regulation of disk membrane morphogenesis by proteolysis of myosin II.

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
HANA JINDROVA ◽  
PETER B. DETWILER

In retinal rods, light exposure decreases the total outer segment content of both cGMP and cAMP by about 50%. The functional role of the light-evoked change in cAMP is not known. It is postulated to trigger changes in the phosphorylation state of phosducin, a phosphoprotein that is phosphorylated in the dark by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and dephosphorylated by basal phosphatase activity when PKA is inhibited by the light-evoked drop in cAMP. In biochemical studies, dephosphorylated phosducin binds to free βγ dimer of transducin (Tβγ) and prevents the regeneration of heterotrimeric transducin by blocking the re-association of the βγ and α subunits. Phosducin's interaction with Tβγ is blocked when it is phosphorylated on a single residue by PKA. To evaluate the effect of the light-evoked fall in cAMP, functionally intact isolated lizard rod outer segments were dialyzed in whole-cell voltage clamp with a standard internal solution and electrical light responses were recorded with and without adding cAMP to the dialysis solution. Since the total outer segment content of cAMP in darkness is ∼5 μM, internal dialysis with solution containing a much higher concentration (100 μM) of cAMP (or 8-bromo-cAMP) will overcome the effects of a light-evoked decrease in its concentration by keeping cAMP-dependent processes fully activated. Neither cyclic nucleotide had any influence on the generation, light sensitivity, recovery, or background adaptation of the flash response. These results also argue against the participation of phosducin in the sequence of events that are responsible for these aspects of rod function. This does not exclude the possibility of phosducin being involved in adaptation caused by higher light levels than used in the present study, that is, bleaching adaptation, or in light-dependent processes other than phototransduction.


1977 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
J C Besharse ◽  
J G Hollyfield ◽  
M E Rayborn

The rate of disk addition to rod outer segments (ROS) varies widely in Xenopus laevis tadpoles kept in cyclic light (12L:12D). When measured as radioactive band (3H-band) displacement during the 2nd day after injection of [3H]leucine, 75% of the daily increment of displacement occurred during the first 8 h of light. During the same interval, the number of open disks at the ROS base increased more than threefold. During the last 8 h of darkness, 3H-band displacement was undetectable and the number of open disks was reduced. These observations suggest the possibility that disk addition may occur discontinuously. During the 3rd and 4th days after injection of [3H]leucine, maximal displacement of the 3H-band occurred later in the day than on the 2nd day, its movement no longer corresponding to the increase in open disks. This delay in 3H-band displacement may reflect a time delay as a result of propagation of compressive stress in an elastic ROS system. Maximal disk loss from ROS as reflected in counts of phagosomes in the pigment epithelium occurred within 1 h of light exposure, and phagosome counts remained high for 4 h before declining to a low level in darkness. Modified lighting regimes affected the daily rhythms of shedding and disk addition differently, suggesting that control mechanisms for the two processes are not directly coupled. During 3 days in darkness, disk addition was reduced 50% compared to controls (12L:12D), whereas shedding was reduced by about 40%. Although reduced in level, shedding occurred as a free-running circadian rhythm. There was no evidence of rhythmicity of disk addition in darkness. In constant light, the rate of disk addition was not different from controls, but shedding was reduced by about 80% after the 1st day. This resulted in a 21% increase in ROS length. Among animals kept on a 2.5L:21.5D cycle, the rate of disk addition was reduced by 40% while shedding was maintained near control levels, resulting in a slight decrease in ROS length. These observations indicate that normal shedding requires alternating light and darkness, and that the daily rhythm of disk addition is due primarily to daily stimulation by light.


1978 ◽  
Vol 201 (1143) ◽  
pp. 149-167 ◽  

Light microscopic autoradiography and electron microscopy were used to examine outer segment renewal and the development of photoreceptors and pigment epithelium in the larval Xenopus retina. Following the injection of [ 3 H]-leucine at stages 37/38–40 (when outer segments first develop) or 53–54 (when rod outer segments (r. o. s.) attain adult length), a band of label accumulated at the base of r. o. s. and was displaced sclerally with time, whereas label was diffusely distributed in cone outer segments (c. o. s.). By taking into account the change in shape of r. o. s. from conical to cylindrical around stage 46, and calculating outer segment growth (determined from the rate of band displacement) as volume of material added with time, we found a constant rate of membrane addition (1.59 μm/day) from the time of initial outer segment formation. The changes observed in r. o. s. length therefore indicate variations in the rate of disk shedding and phagocytosis, which is minimal before stage 46 and rises to 1.19 μm/day after stages 53–54. Ultrastructural observation showed that although all photoreceptor outer segments form by the repeated evagination of the plasma membrane of the connecting cilium, r. o. s. and c. o. s. are distinguishable by differences in membrane appearance even before they develop divergent membrane topologies. Fibrous granules near the basal body of young receptors may be precursors to the elongating ciliary microtubules. Clusters of cisternae observed near the ciliary base in photoreceptor inner segments may represent a stage in the transport of newly-synthesized opsin to the outer segment base.


1996 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.W. Ryeom ◽  
J.R. Sparrow ◽  
R.L. Silverstein

Mechanisms of phagocytosis are complex and incompletely understood. The retinal pigment epithelium provides an ideal system to study the specific aspects of phagocytosis since an important function of this cell is the ingestion of packets of membranous discs that are normally discarded at the apical ends of rod and cone cells during outer segment renewal. Here we provide evidence that rod outer segment phagocytosis by retinal pigment epithelium is mediated by CD36, a transmembrane glycoprotein which has been previously characterized on hematopoietic cells as a receptor for apoptotic neutrophils and oxidized low density lipoprotein. Immunocytochemical staining with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies demonstrated CD36 expression by both human and rat retinal pigment epithelium in transverse cryostat sections of normal retina and in primary cultured cells. By western blot analysis of retinal pigment epithelial cell lysates, polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to CD36 recognized an 88 kDa protein which comigrated with platelet CD36. Furthermore, the synthesis of CD36 mRNA by retinal pigment epithelium was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-PCR using specific CD36 oligonucleotides. The addition of CD36 antibodies to cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells reduced the binding and internalization of 125I-labeled rod outer segments by 60%. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy confirmed that outer segment uptake was significantly diminished by an antibody to CD36. Moreover, we found that transfection of a human melanoma cell line with CD36 cDNA enabled these cells to bind and internalize isolated photoreceptor outer segments as seen by double immunofluorescent staining for surface bound and total cell-associated rod outer segments, and by measurement of cell-associated 125I-labeled rod outer segments. We conclude that the multifunctional scavenger receptor CD36 participates in the clearance of photoreceptor outer segments by retinal pigment epithelium and thus, participates in the visual process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 8677
Author(s):  
Lital Remez ◽  
Ben Cohen ◽  
Mariela J. Nevet ◽  
Leah Rizel ◽  
Tamar Ben-Yosef

Photoreceptor disc component (PRCD) is a small protein which is exclusively localized to photoreceptor outer segments, and is involved in the formation of photoreceptor outer segment discs. Mutations in PRCD are associated with retinal degeneration in humans, mice, and dogs. The purpose of this work was to identify PRCD-binding proteins in the retina. PRCD protein-protein interactions were identified when implementing the Ras recruitment system (RRS), a cytoplasmic-based yeast two-hybrid system, on a bovine retina cDNA library. An interaction between PRCD and tubby-like protein 1 (TULP1) was identified. Co-immunoprecipitation in transfected mammalian cells confirmed that PRCD interacts with TULP1, as well as with its homolog, TUB. These interactions were mediated by TULP1 and TUB highly conserved C-terminal tubby domain. PRCD localization was altered in the retinas of TULP1- and TUB-deficient mice. These results show that TULP1 and TUB, which are involved in the vesicular trafficking of several photoreceptor proteins from the inner segment to the outer segment, are also required for PRCD exclusive localization to photoreceptor outer segment discs.


Author(s):  
Gilad Allon ◽  
Irit Mann ◽  
Lital Remez ◽  
Elisabeth Sehn ◽  
Leah Rizel ◽  
...  

Abstract Mutations of the PRCD gene are associated with rod-cone degeneration in both dogs and humans. Prcd is expressed in the mouse eye as early as embryonic day 14. In the adult mouse retina PRCD is expressed in the outer segments of both rod and cone photoreceptors. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that PRCD is located at the outer segment rim, and that it is highly concentrated at the base of the outer segment. Prcd-knockout mice present with progressive retinal degeneration, starting at 20 weeks of age and onwards. This process is reflected by a significant and progressive reduction of both scotopic and photopic electroretinographic responses, and by thinning of the retina, and specifically of the outer nuclear layer, indicating photoreceptor loss. Electron microscopy revealed severe damage to photoreceptor outer segments, which is associated with immigration of microglia cells to the Prcd-knockout retina, and accumulation of vesicles in the inter-photoreceptor space. Phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segment discs by the retinal pigmented epithelium is severely reduced. Our data show that Prcd-knockout mice serve as a good model for retinal degeneration caused by PRCD mutations in humans. Our findings in these mice support the involvement of PRCD in outer segment disc formation of both rod and cone photoreceptors. Furthermore, they suggest a feedback mechanism which coordinates the rate of photoreceptor outer segment disc formation, shedding and phagocytosis. This study has important implications for understanding the function of PRCD in the retina, as well as for future development of treatment modalities for PRCD-deficiency in humans.


1973 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan I. Korenbrot ◽  
Dennis T. Brown ◽  
Richard A. Cone

Freshly isolated frog rod outer segments are sensitive osmometers which retain their photosensitivity; their osmotic behavior reveals essentially the same light-sensitive Na+ influx observed electrophysiologically in the intact receptor cell. Using appropriate osmotic conditions we have examined freeze-etch replicas of freshly isolated outer segments to identify the membrane which regulates the flow of water and ions. Under isosmotic conditions we find that the disc to disc repeat distance is almost exactly twice the thickness of a disc. This ratio appears to be the same in a variety of vertebrate rod outer segments and can be reliably measured in freeze-etch images. Under all our osmotic conditions the discs appear nearly collapsed. However, when the length of the outer segment is reduced by hyperosmotic shocks the discs move closer together. This markedly reduces the ratio of repeat distance to disc thickness since disc thickness remains essentially constant. Thus, the length reduction of isolated outer segments after hyperosmotic shocks primarily results from reduction of the extradisc volume. Since the discs are free floating and since they undergo negligibly small changes in volume, the plasma membrane alone must be primarily responsible for regulating the water flux and the light-sensitive Na+ influx in freshly isolated outer segments. On this basis we calculate, from the osmotic behavior, that the plasma membrane of frog rod outer segment has a Na+ permeability constant of about 2.8 x 10-6 cm/s and an osmotic permeability coefficient of greater than 2 x 10-3 cm/s.


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