Exocytosis in excitable cells: a conserved molecular machinery from yeast to neuron

1997 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Lledo

One of the basic cellular functions of nearly every cell type is the exocytotic release of synthesized molecules, stored and packaged into intracellular vesicles or granules. A variety of approaches has been used to identify and characterize the molecules that mediate vesicular trafficking along the secretory pathway. The findings obtained with these approaches suggest that common mechanisms may underlie a wide variety of vesicle-mediated transport steps. This review presents some of the recent findings regarding the study of the cellular mechanisms which control neurotransmitter and hormone release from neurons and endocrine cells respectively, and focuses on regulation of these mechanisms. The similarities between these two cell types can be seen as evidence to support the hypothesis according to which the regulated exocytosis apparatus could have evolved from a constitutive fusion machinery to which some key modulators have been added. Insight into secretory vesicles will be relevant not only to the understanding of vesicular trafficking or cell polarity but also to the understanding of higher nervous functions resulting from synaptic plasticity.

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (40) ◽  
pp. 24825-24836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashlee H. Sun ◽  
John R. Collette ◽  
Richard N. Sifers

The failure of polypeptides to achieve conformational maturation following biosynthesis can result in the formation of protein aggregates capable of disrupting essential cellular functions. In the secretory pathway, misfolded asparagine (N)-linked glycoproteins are selectively sorted for endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) in response to the catalytic removal of terminal alpha-linked mannose units. Remarkably, ER mannosidase I/Man1b1, the first alpha-mannosidase implicated in this conventional N-glycan-mediated process, can also contribute to ERAD in an unconventional, catalysis-independent manner. To interrogate this functional dichotomy, the intracellular fates of two naturally occurring misfolded N-glycosylated variants of human alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT), Null Hong Kong (NHK), and Z (ATZ), in Man1b1 knockout HEK293T cells were monitored in response to mutated or truncated forms of transfected Man1b1. As expected, the conventional catalytic system requires an intact active site in the Man1b1 luminal domain. In contrast, the unconventional system is under the control of an evolutionarily extended N-terminal cytoplasmic tail. Also, N-glycans attached to misfolded AAT are not required for accelerated degradation mediated by the unconventional system, further demonstrating its catalysis-independent nature. We also established that both systems accelerate the proteasomal degradation of NHK in metabolic pulse-chase labeling studies. Taken together, these results have identified the previously unrecognized regulatory capacity of the Man1b1 cytoplasmic tail and provided insight into the functional dichotomy of Man1b1 as a component in the mammalian proteostasis network.


2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (7) ◽  
pp. 1397-1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.P. Li ◽  
P. Liu ◽  
B.K. Pilcher ◽  
R.G. Anderson

In commonly used tissue culture cells, caveolin-1 is embedded in caveolae membranes. It appears to reach this location after being cotranslationally inserted into ER membranes, processed in the Golgi and shipped to the cell surface. We now report that caveolae are not the preferred location for caveolin-1 in all cell types. Skeletal muscle cells and keratinocytes target caveolin-1 to the cytosol while in exocrine and endocrine cells it accumulates in the secretory pathway. We also found that airway epithelial cells accumulate caveolin-1 in modified mitochondria. The cytosolic and the secreted forms appear to be incorporated into a soluble, lipid complex. We conclude that caveolin-1 can be targeted to a variety of intracellular destinations, which suggests a novel mechanism for the intracellular traffic of this protein.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Palmerini ◽  
Silvia Monzani ◽  
Quentin Laurichesse ◽  
Rihab Loudhaief ◽  
Sara Mari ◽  
...  

AbstractThe Drosophila tumour necrosis factor (TNF) ligand-receptor system consists of a unique ligand, Eiger (Egr), and two receptors, Grindelwald (Grnd) and Wengen (Wgn), and therefore provides a simple system for exploring the interplay between ligand and receptors, and the requirement for Grnd and Wgn in TNF/Egr-mediated processes. Here, we report the crystallographic structure of the extracellular domain (ECD) of Grnd in complex with Egr, a high-affinity hetero-hexameric assembly reminiscent of human TNF:TNFR complexes. We show that ectopic expression of Egr results in internalisation of Egr:Grnd complexes in vesicles, a step preceding and strictly required for Egr-induced apoptosis. We further demonstrate that Wgn binds Egr with much reduced affinity and is localised in intracellular vesicles that are distinct from those containing Egr:Grnd complexes. Altogether, our data provide insight into ligand-mediated activation of Grnd and suggest that distinct affinities of TNF ligands for their receptors promote different and non-redundant cellular functions.


2006 ◽  
Vol 394 (3) ◽  
pp. 527-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale W. Laird

Evaluation of the human genome suggests that all members of the connexin family of gap-junction proteins have now been successfully identified. This large and diverse family of proteins facilitates a number of vital cellular functions coupled with their roles, which range from the intercellular propagation of electrical signals to the selective intercellular passage of small regulatory molecules. Importantly, the extent of gap-junctional intercellular communication is under the direct control of regulatory events associated with channel assembly and turnover, as the vast majority of connexins have remarkably short half-lives of only a few hours. Since most cell types express multiple members of the connexin family, compensatory mechanisms exist to salvage tissue function in cases when one connexin is mutated or lost. However, numerous studies of the last decade have revealed that mutations in connexin genes can also lead to severe and debilitating diseases. In many cases, single point mutations lead to dramatic effects on connexin trafficking, assembly and channel function. This review will assess the current understanding of wild-type and selected disease-linked mutant connexin transport through the secretory pathway, gap-junction assembly at the cell surface, internalization and degradation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (3) ◽  
pp. E383-E387 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. D. Bloch ◽  
N. Zamir ◽  
D. Lichtstein ◽  
C. E. Seidman ◽  
J. G. Seidman

Neonatal rat atrial and ventricular cardiocytes in primary culture secrete proatrial natriuretic factor (proANF), the 126-amino acid precursor of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF). The cellular mechanisms of proANF secretion differ in the two cell types: atrial cardiocytes store proANF in abundant secretory granules before secretion, whereas ventricular cardiocytes secrete the precursor rapidly after synthesis. In this study, we used the Na+-K+-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) inhibitor ouabain to investigate the functional significance of these differing secretory mechanisms. Ouabain increased immunoreactive ANF (iANF) secretion by atrial cardiocytes 1.5- to 2.4-fold. Metabolic labeling studies demonstrated that proANF was the form of iANF released in response to ouabain. Ventricular secretion of iANF was unaffected by the Na+-K+-ATPase inhibitor. These observations are consistent with a model in which atrial cardiocytes are able to release proANF via a regulated secretory pathway, whereas ventricular cardiocytes utilize a constitutive secretory pathway. The ability of ouabain to stimulate proANF secretion suggests that an increase in intracellular calcium concentration may promote fusion of secretory granules with atrial cell membranes thereby mediating exocytosis of stored proANF.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Thyagarajan ◽  
Mamdouh Salman A. Alshehri ◽  
Kelly L.R. Miller ◽  
Catherine M. Sherwin ◽  
Jeffrey B. Travers ◽  
...  

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a devastating human malignancy with poor prognosis and low survival rates. Several cellular mechanisms have been linked with pancreatic carcinogenesis and also implicated in inducing tumor resistance to known therapeutic regimens. Of various factors, immune evasion mechanisms play critical roles in tumor progression and impeding the efficacy of cancer therapies including PDAC. Among immunosuppressive cell types, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been extensively studied and demonstrated to not only support PDAC development but also hamper the anti-tumor immune responses elicited by therapeutic agents. Notably, recent efforts have been directed in devising novel approaches to target MDSCs to limit their effects. Multiple strategies including immune-based approaches have been explored either alone or in combination with therapeutic agents to target MDSCs in preclinical and clinical settings of PDAC. The current review highlights the roles and mechanisms of MDSCs as well as the implications of this immunomodulatory cell type as a potential target to improve the efficacy of therapeutic regimens for PDAC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 767-781
Author(s):  
Vanessa Pinatto Gaspar ◽  
Anelise Cardoso Ramos ◽  
Philippe Cloutier ◽  
José Renato Pattaro Junior ◽  
Francisco Ferreira Duarte Junior ◽  
...  

KIN (Kin17) protein is overexpressed in a number of cancerous cell lines, and is therefore considered a possible cancer biomarker. It is a well-conserved protein across eukaryotes and is ubiquitously expressed in all cell types studied, suggesting an important role in the maintenance of basic cellular function which is yet to be well determined. Early studies on KIN suggested that this nuclear protein plays a role in cellular mechanisms such as DNA replication and/or repair; however, its association with chromatin depends on its methylation state. In order to provide a better understanding of the cellular role of this protein, we investigated its interactome by proximity-dependent biotin identification coupled to mass spectrometry (BioID-MS), used for identification of protein–protein interactions. Our analyses detected interaction with a novel set of proteins and reinforced previous observations linking KIN to factors involved in RNA processing, notably pre-mRNA splicing and ribosome biogenesis. However, little evidence supports that this protein is directly coupled to DNA replication and/or repair processes, as previously suggested. Furthermore, a novel interaction was observed with PRMT7 (protein arginine methyltransferase 7) and we demonstrated that KIN is modified by this enzyme. This interactome analysis indicates that KIN is associated with several cell metabolism functions, and shows for the first time an association with ribosome biogenesis, suggesting that KIN is likely a moonlight protein.


Author(s):  
Daniel Elieh Ali Komi ◽  
Wolfgang M. Kuebler

AbstractMast cells (MCs) are critically involved in microbial defense by releasing antimicrobial peptides (such as cathelicidin LL-37 and defensins) and phagocytosis of microbes. In past years, it has become evident that in addition MCs may eliminate invading pathogens by ejection of web-like structures of DNA strands embedded with proteins known together as extracellular traps (ETs). Upon stimulation of resting MCs with various microorganisms, their products (including superantigens and toxins), or synthetic chemicals, MCs become activated and enter into a multistage process that includes disintegration of the nuclear membrane, release of chromatin into the cytoplasm, adhesion of cytoplasmic granules on the emerging DNA web, and ejection of the complex into the extracellular space. This so-called ETosis is often associated with cell death of the producing MC, and the type of stimulus potentially determines the ratio of surviving vs. killed MCs. Comparison of different microorganisms with specific elimination characteristics such as S pyogenes (eliminated by MCs only through extracellular mechanisms), S aureus (removed by phagocytosis), fungi, and parasites has revealed important aspects of MC extracellular trap (MCET) biology. Molecular studies identified that the formation of MCET depends on NADPH oxidase-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we summarize the present state-of-the-art on the biological relevance of MCETosis, and its underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. We also provide an overview over the techniques used to study the structure and function of MCETs, including electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy using specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to detect MCET-associated proteins such as tryptase and histones, and cell-impermeant DNA dyes for labeling of extracellular DNA. Comparing the type and biofunction of further MCET decorating proteins with ETs produced by other immune cells may help provide a better insight into MCET biology in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders as well as microbial defense.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiqing Du ◽  
Marie-Kristin von Wrisberg ◽  
Burak Gulen ◽  
Matthias Stahl ◽  
Christian Pett ◽  
...  

AbstractLegionella pneumophila infects eukaryotic cells by forming a replicative organelle – the Legionella containing vacuole. During this process, the bacterial protein DrrA/SidM is secreted and manipulates the activity and post-translational modification (PTM) states of the vesicular trafficking regulator Rab1. As a result, Rab1 is modified with an adenosine monophosphate (AMP), and this process is referred to as AMPylation. Here, we use a chemical approach to stabilise low-affinity Rab:DrrA complexes in a site-specific manner to gain insight into the molecular basis of the interaction between the Rab protein and the AMPylation domain of DrrA. The crystal structure of the Rab:DrrA complex reveals a previously unknown non-conventional Rab-binding site (NC-RBS). Biochemical characterisation demonstrates allosteric stimulation of the AMPylation activity of DrrA via Rab binding to the NC-RBS. We speculate that allosteric control of DrrA could in principle prevent random and potentially cytotoxic AMPylation in the host, thereby perhaps ensuring efficient infection by Legionella.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Samantha Sparapani ◽  
Cassandra Millet-Boureima ◽  
Joshua Oliver ◽  
Kathy Mu ◽  
Pegah Hadavi ◽  
...  

Vasopressins are evolutionarily conserved peptide hormones. Mammalian vasopressin functions systemically as an antidiuretic and regulator of blood and cardiac flow essential for adapting to terrestrial environments. Moreover, vasopressin acts centrally as a neurohormone involved in social and parental behavior and stress response. Vasopressin synthesis in several cell types, storage in intracellular vesicles, and release in response to physiological stimuli are highly regulated and mediated by three distinct G protein coupled receptors. Other receptors may bind or cross-bind vasopressin. Vasopressin is regulated spatially and temporally through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms, sex, tissue, and cell-specific receptor expression. Anomalies of vasopressin signaling have been observed in polycystic kidney disease, chronic heart failure, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Growing knowledge of the central biological roles of vasopressin has enabled pharmacological advances to treat these conditions by targeting defective systemic or central pathways utilizing specific agonists and antagonists.


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