scholarly journals Attenuated Induction of the Unfolded Protein Response in Adult Human Primary Astrocytes in Response to Recurrent Low Glucose

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Weightman Potter ◽  
Sam J. Washer ◽  
Aaron R. Jeffries ◽  
Janet E. Holley ◽  
Nick J. Gutowski ◽  
...  

Aims/hypothesisRecurrent hypoglycaemia (RH) is a major side-effect of intensive insulin therapy for people with diabetes. Changes in hypoglycaemia sensing by the brain contribute to the development of impaired counterregulatory responses to and awareness of hypoglycaemia. Little is known about the intrinsic changes in human astrocytes in response to acute and recurrent low glucose (RLG) exposure.MethodsHuman primary astrocytes (HPA) were exposed to zero, one, three or four bouts of low glucose (0.1 mmol/l) for three hours per day for four days to mimic RH. On the fourth day, DNA and RNA were collected. Differential gene expression and ontology analyses were performed using DESeq2 and GOseq, respectively. DNA methylation was assessed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip platform.Results24 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected (after correction for multiple comparisons). One bout of low glucose exposure had the largest effect on gene expression. Pathway analyses revealed that endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress-related genes such as HSPA5, XBP1, and MANF, involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), were all significantly increased following low glucose (LG) exposure, which was diminished following RLG. There was little correlation between differentially methylated positions and changes in gene expression yet the number of bouts of LG exposure produced distinct methylation signatures.Conclusions/interpretationThese data suggest that exposure of human astrocytes to transient LG triggers activation of genes involved in the UPR linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Following RLG, the activation of UPR related genes was diminished, suggesting attenuated ER stress. This may be a consequence of a successful metabolic adaptation, as previously reported, that better preserves intracellular energy levels and a reduced necessity for the UPR.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G Weightman Potter ◽  
Sam Washer ◽  
Aaron R Jeffries ◽  
Janet E Holley ◽  
Nick J Gutowski ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAims/hypothesisRecurrent hypoglycaemia (RH) is a major side-effect of intensive insulin therapy for people with diabetes. Changes in hypoglycaemia sensing by the brain contribute to the development of impaired counterregulatory responses to and awareness of hypoglycaemia. Little is known about the intrinsic changes in human astrocytes in response to acute and recurrent low glucose (RLG) exposure.MethodsHuman primary astrocytes (HPA) were exposed to zero, one, three or four bouts of low glucose (0.1 mmol/l) for three hours per day for four days to mimic RH. On the fourth day, DNA and RNA were collected. Differential gene expression and ontology analyses were performed using DESeq2 and GOseq respectively. DNA methylation was assessed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip platform.Results24 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected (after correction for multiple comparisons). One bout of low glucose exposure had the largest effect on gene expression. Pathway analyses revealed that endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress-related genes such as HSPA5, XBP1, and MANF, involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), were all significantly increased following LG exposure, which was diminished following RLG. There was little correlation between differentially methylated positions and changes in gene expression yet the number of bouts of LG exposure produced distinct methylation signatures.Conclusions/interpretationThese data suggest that exposure of human astrocytes to transient LG triggers activation of genes involved in the UPR linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Following RLG, the activation of UPR related genes was diminished, suggesting attenuated ER stress. This may be mediated by metabolic adaptations to better preserve intracellular and/or ER ATP levels, but this requires further investigation.


2018 ◽  
pp. MCB.00054-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunice Domínguez-Martín ◽  
Laura Ongay-Larios ◽  
Laura Kawasaki ◽  
Olivier Vincent ◽  
Gerardo Coello ◽  
...  

The Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) is an adaptive pathway that restores cellular homeostasis after endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The ER-resident kinase/ribonuclease Ire1 is the only UPR sensor conserved during evolution. Autophagy, a lysosomal degradative pathway, also contributes to the recovery of cell homeostasis after ER-stress but the interplay between these two pathways is still poorly understood. We describe the Dictyostelium discoideum ER-stress response and characterize its single bonafide Ire1 orthologue, IreA. We found that tunicamycin (TN) triggers a gene-expression reprogramming that increases the protein folding capacity of the ER and alleviates ER protein load. Further, IreA is required for cell-survival after TN-induced ER-stress and is responsible for nearly 40% of the transcriptional changes induced by TN. The response of Dictyostelium cells to ER-stress involves the combined activation of an IreA-dependent gene expression program and the autophagy pathway. These two pathways are independently activated in response to ER-stress but, interestingly, autophagy requires IreA at a later stage for proper autophagosome formation. We propose that unresolved ER-stress in cells lacking IreA causes structural alterations of the ER, leading to a late-stage blockade of autophagy clearance. This unexpected functional link may critically affect eukaryotic cell survival under ER-stress.


mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonam Grover ◽  
Tarina Sharma ◽  
Yadvir Singh ◽  
Sakshi Kohli ◽  
Manjunath P. ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the causal organism of tuberculosis (TB), encodes a unique protein family known as the PE/PPE/PGRS family, present exclusively in the genus Mycobacterium and nowhere else in the living kingdom, with largely unexplored functions. We describe the functional significance of the PGRS domain of Rv0297, a member of this family. In silico analyses revealed the presence of intrinsically disordered stretches and putative endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localization signals in the PGRS domain of Rv0297 (Rv0297PGRS). The PGRS domain aids in ER localization, which was shown by infecting macrophage cells with M. tuberculosis and by overexpressing the protein by transfection in macrophage cells followed by activation of the unfolded protein response, as evident from increased expression of GRP78/GRP94 and CHOP/ATF4, leading to disruption of intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis and increased nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The consequent activation of the effector caspase-8 resulted in apoptosis of macrophages, which was Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) dependent. Administration of recombinant Rv0297PGRS (rRv0297PGRS) also exhibited similar effects. These results implicate a hitherto-unknown role of the PGRS domain of the PE_PGRS protein family in ER stress-mediated cell death through TLR4. Since this protein is already known to be present at later stages of infection in human granulomas it points to the possibility of it being employed by M. tuberculosis for its dissemination via an apoptotic mechanism. IMPORTANCE Apoptosis is generally thought to be a defense mechanism in protecting the host against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in early stages of infection. However, apoptosis during later stages in lung granulomas may favor the bacterium in disseminating the disease. ER stress has been found to induce apoptosis in TB granulomas, in zones where apoptotic macrophages accumulate in mice and humans. In this study, we report ER stress-mediated apoptosis of host cells by the Rv0297-encoded PE_PGRS5 protein of M. tuberculosis exceptionally present in the pathogenic Mycobacterium genus. The PGRS domain of Rv0297 aids the protein in localizing to the ER and induces the unfolded protein response followed by apoptosis of macrophages. The effect of the Rv0297PGRS domain was found to be TLR4 dependent. This study presents novel insights on the strategies employed by M. tuberculosis to disseminate the disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenza Sisinni ◽  
Michele Pietrafesa ◽  
Silvia Lepore ◽  
Francesca Maddalena ◽  
Valentina Condelli ◽  
...  

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a stress response activated by the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and its uncontrolled activation is mechanistically responsible for several human pathologies, including metabolic, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Indeed, ER stress and the downstream UPR activation lead to changes in the levels and activities of key regulators of cell survival and autophagy and this is physiologically finalized to restore metabolic homeostasis with the integration of pro-death or/and pro-survival signals. By contrast, the chronic activation of UPR in cancer cells is widely considered a mechanism of tumor progression. In this review, we focus on the relationship between ER stress, apoptosis, and autophagy in human breast cancer and the interplay between the activation of UPR and resistance to anticancer therapies with the aim to disclose novel therapeutic scenarios. The hypothesis that autophagy and UPR may provide novel molecular targets in human malignancies is discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. R1-R17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kira Meyerovich ◽  
Fernanda Ortis ◽  
Florent Allagnat ◽  
Alessandra K Cardozo

Insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells are extremely dependent on their endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cope with the oscillatory requirement of secreted insulin to maintain normoglycemia. Insulin translation and folding rely greatly on the unfolded protein response (UPR), an array of three main signaling pathways designed to maintain ER homeostasis and limit ER stress. However, prolonged or excessive UPR activation triggers alternative molecular pathways that can lead to β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis. An increasing number of studies suggest a role of these pro-apoptotic UPR pathways in the downfall of β-cells observed in diabetic patients. Particularly, the past few years highlighted a cross talk between the UPR and inflammation in the context of both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this article, we describe the recent advances in research regarding the interplay between ER stress, the UPR, and inflammation in the context of β-cell apoptosis leading to diabetes.


eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anush Bakunts ◽  
Andrea Orsi ◽  
Milena Vitale ◽  
Angela Cattaneo ◽  
Federica Lari ◽  
...  

Insufficient folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to restore homeostasis. Yet, how the UPR achieves ER homeostatic readjustment is poorly investigated, as in most studies the ER stress that is elicited cannot be overcome. Here we show that a proteostatic insult, provoked by persistent expression of the secretory heavy chain of immunoglobulin M (µs), is well-tolerated in HeLa cells. Upon µs expression, its levels temporarily eclipse those of the ER chaperone BiP, leading to acute, full-geared UPR activation. Once BiP is in excess again, the UPR transitions to chronic, submaximal activation, indicating that the UPR senses ER stress in a ratiometric fashion. In this process, the ER expands about three-fold and becomes dominated by BiP. As the UPR is essential for successful ER homeostatic readjustment in the HeLa-µs model, it provides an ideal system for dissecting the intricacies of how the UPR evaluates and alleviates ER stress.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 996-996
Author(s):  
Xavier Leleu ◽  
Lian Xu ◽  
Daniel D. Santos ◽  
Allen W. Ho ◽  
Zachary R. Hunter ◽  
...  

Abstract The unfolded protein response (UPR) maintains the quality of newly synthesized secretory and transmembrane proteins such as immunoglobulins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of eukaryotic cells. The most proximal sensors of the UPR are the ATF6, IRE1a-Xbp1, and PERK proteins. Bip, an ER stress-induced pro-survival molecular chaperone, controls the trafficking of Atf6 and is considered as an indicator of the onset of the UPR. EDEM, downstream of Xbp1 splicing, regulates the extraction of misfolded proteins into the cytosol for proteasome-mediated destruction. Ultimately, the initially cytoprotective UPR triggers an apoptotic cascade if ER stress is not corrected. We studied the UPR stress system in patients with Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), a B-cell disorder characterized by excess secretion of IgM. As part of these efforts, we examined the UPR genes Bip-Atf6, Ire1a-Xbp1, Perk, as well as genes downstream of the UPR pathway including Xbp1 spliced-Edem, eIF2a and Gadd34 using semi-quantitative PCR analysis of CD19+ selected bone marrow lymphoplasmacytic cells (LPC) from 46 patients with the consensus panel diagnosis of WM. We found that UPR gene expression was highly heterogeneous with 16 (35%) patients expressing all genes, whilst 11 patients (24%) expressed only Xbp1 and Edem. Among patients expressing all UPR genes, median serum IgM (p=0.025) and B2M (p=0.05) levels, as well as bone marrow involvement (p=0.06) were higher, with levels of Bip showing greatest correlation to serum IgM and B2M levels, and BM involvement (p=0.01). These results confirm that UPR gene expression is related to disease activity in WM, and suggest a particular role for Bip as a prognostic factor in this disease.


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1536-1551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Fusakio ◽  
Jeffrey A. Willy ◽  
Yongping Wang ◽  
Emily T. Mirek ◽  
Rana J. T. Al Baghdadi ◽  
...  

Disturbances in protein folding and membrane compositions in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) elicit the unfolded protein response (UPR). Each of three UPR sensory proteins—PERK (PEK/EIF2AK3), IRE1, and ATF6—is activated by ER stress. PERK phosphorylation of eIF2 represses global protein synthesis, lowering influx of nascent polypeptides into the stressed ER, coincident with preferential translation of ATF4 (CREB2). In cultured cells, ATF4 induces transcriptional expression of genes directed by the PERK arm of the UPR, including genes involved in amino acid metabolism, resistance to oxidative stress, and the proapoptotic transcription factor CHOP (GADD153/DDIT3). In this study, we characterize whole-body and tissue-specific ATF4-knockout mice and show in liver exposed to ER stress that ATF4 is not required for CHOP expression, but instead ATF6 is a primary inducer. RNA-Seq analysis indicates that ATF4 is responsible for a small portion of the PERK-dependent UPR genes and reveals a requirement for expression of ATF4 for expression of genes involved in oxidative stress response basally and cholesterol metabolism both basally and under stress. Consistent with this pattern of gene expression, loss of ATF4 resulted in enhanced oxidative damage, and increased free cholesterol in liver under stress accompanied by lowered cholesterol in sera.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document