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Biomedical subjects

Y Shibasaki

Publications and source records attributed to Y Shibasaki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Two glucose transporter isoforms are sorted differentially and are expressed in distinct cellular compartments.

Rat GLUT4 (adipocyte/muscle-type glucose transporter) was expressed in two fibroblastic cell lines, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, under the control of the methallothionein I promoter. Although immunoblotting with a GLUT4-specific anti-peptide antibody demonstrated that the amount of GLUT4 expressed was comparable with that in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and rat adipose tissues, no increase in 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake was observed in the basal state in fibroblasts. Immunocytochemical studies showed that the expressed GLUT4 appeared to be localized in a specific region in the cytoplasm. These results were in marked contrast to those obtained in CHO cells expressing GLUT1 (HepG2/erythrocyte-type glucose transporter) using the same expression vector. In this case the expressed GLUT1 protein appeared to reside mainly on the plasma membranes, and a significant increase in glucose uptake was observed. Although insulin increased glucose uptake in CHO cells and 3T3-L1 fibroblasts as well as in the cells expressing rat GLUT4, an increment due to insulin above basal values was small, at most 2-fold, and no significant differences were observed in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake between transfected and parental cells. In addition, no apparent differences in the subcellular distribution of expressed GLUT4 were observed between the insulin-stimulated and the basal state. These results indicate that in fibroblastic cell lines GLUT1 and GLUT4 proteins are sorted in a different fashion, and the expression of GLUT4 protein per se is not enough to produce a large insulin-induced increase in glucose transport activity such as that observed in rat adipocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Thus unidentified aspects of the cellular environment which are present in the adipocytes but not in fibroblastic cell lines may be required for a large insulin-induced increase in glucose transport activity to be observed.

Adipose Tissue

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) gene analysis in a Japanese diabetic with marked islet amyloid deposition.

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) is a major constituent of pancreatic amyloid deposits in many patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). We analyzed the IAPP gene in a Japanese diabetic with marked islet amyloid deposition. Pancreatic specimens were obtained from an 87-year-old NIDDM patient who had had diabetes for 37 years. All islets (100/100) in his pancreas had IAPP-positive amyloid deposition, and 70% of the area of the islet was replaced by amyloid. We amplified the coding regions as well as the upstream region of the IAPP gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The products of PCR were sequenced, and the sequences of the coding regions were identical to the Caucasian ones. However, the nucleotides of two positions of 5'-upstream and one position of intron 2 were different from the Caucasian data: the upstream region of the IAPP gene in the patient had cytosine substituted for thymine at -259, and had two alleles including cytosine and adenine at -229, respectively. The nucleotide of position 539, that is guanine, was deleted. A possible difference in the IAPP promoting region between the Japanese and Caucasian population was suggested.

Aged

The effect of apo E secretion on lipoprotein uptake in transfected cells.

To investigate the role of apolipoprotein E (apo E) secreted by peripheral tissues in local lipoprotein metabolism, we developed a cell strain that constitutively produced and secreted apo E. A fusion plasmid containing rat apo E genomic DNA under control of mouse metallothionein promotor was constructed and transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells. A stable transformant designated CHO-MAEII constitutively secreted rat apo E mainly in the form of sialylated free protein. The secretion was further enhanced by metal induction up to 1 micrograms apo E/ml per 12 h. When incubated with 125I-labeled very low density lipoprotein (125I-VLDL) at 37 degrees C, CHO-MAEII took up and degraded 125I-VLDL with higher affinity than control cells. Furthermore, considerable amount of methylated 125I-VLDL was degraded by CHO-MAEII, while no methylated 125I-VLDL was degraded by control cells. No significant differences were found in the uptake of 125I-LDL. The data indicated that apo E molecules secreted by CHO-MAEII were transferred to 125-VLDL particles, which caused a higher affinity of these particles for LDL receptors on the cells. It is suggested that apo E secreted from peripheral tissues enhances the uptake of lipoproteins by themselves or by surrounding cells in the local environment which demand cholesterol and express LDL receptors. CHO-MAEII was a good model for these 'auto- or paracrine-like functions' of apo E.

Animals

Expression of the GLUT1 glucose transporter increases thymidine uptake in Chinese hamster ovary cells at low glucose concentrations.

An increase in expression of the GLUT1 glucose transporter gene has been observed to be associated with an increase in glucose transport activity upon oncogenic transformation of the cells. Increased expression of this glucose transporter isoform has been also observed in fetal tissues. To investigate the consequences of this phenomenon on cellular metabolism and cell growth, an expression vector containing the GLUT1 glucose transporter complementary DNA was transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells. Overexpression of this glucose transporter isoform resulted in an increase in not only glucose uptake and utilization but also thymidine uptake when cells were exposed to glucose-deficient conditions. This increase in glucose metabolism and DNA synthesis may play an important role on the growth and/or survival of cancer cells and fetal tissues.

3-O-Methylglucose

The glucose transport activity of GLUT1 is markedly decreased by substitution of a single amino acid with a different charge at residue 415.

GLUT1 glucose transporter cDNA was modified to introduce a single amino acid substitution of aspartic acid for asparagine 415, which is conserved among all facilitative glucose transporter isoforms. Although a significant amount of the mutated transporter was expressed into plasma membranes of Chinese hamster ovary cells by transfection with expression vector, almost no increase in glucose transport activity was observed. Analysis of glucose uptake with Lineweaver-Burk plot depicts that the mutation induced a marked decrease (more than 5-fold) in turnover number and a slight increase (1.5-fold) in Km compared with the wild-type GLUT1. Results obtained with cytochalasin B and ethylidene glucose suggested that the inner but not outer glucose binding site was modulated. These results suggest that asparagine 415 is located close to the inner glucose binding site and the putative inner gate of GLUT1 glucose transporter and that an ionic charge in this domain might play an important role in the rate of conformational change between an inward-facing form and an outward-facing form of glucose transporter.

Animals

Substitution of leucine for tryptophan 412 does not abolish cytochalasin B labeling but markedly decreases the intrinsic activity of GLUT1 glucose transporter.

GLUT1 glucose transporter cDNA was modified to introduce a single amino acid substitution of leucine for tryptophan 412, a putative cytochalasin B photo-affinity labeling site. Although the mutated transporter was expressed into plasma membranes of Chinese hamster ovary cells, glucose transport activity of the mutated transporter was observed to be only 15-30% of that of the wild-type GLUT1 when glucose transport activity was assessed by 2-deoxyglucose uptake at 0.1-10 mM concentrations. Analysis of glucose uptake kinetics depict that a mutation induced a 3-fold decrease in turnover number and a 2.5-fold increase in Km compared with the wild-type GLUT1. Importantly, cytochalasin B labeling was not abolished but decreased by 40%, and cytochalasin B binding was also decreased. In addition, the results obtained with side-specific glucose analogs suggested that the outer glucose binding site of the mutant appeared intact but the inner binding site was modulated. These results indicate 1) tryptophan 412 is not a cytochalasin B labeling site(s), although this residue is located in or close to the inner glucose binding site of the GLUT1 glucose transporter, 2) substitution of leucine for tryptophan 412 decreases the intrinsic activity of GLUT1 glucose transporter, which is definable as the turnover number/Km, to approximately 15% of that of the wild-type.

Affinity Labels

Altered expression of glucose transporter isoforms with aging in rats--selective decrease in GluT4 in the fat tissue and skeletal muscle.

To elucidate the cellular mechanisms of glucose intolerance associated with aging, both the protein and mRNA levels of glucose transporter isoforms were studied in the various tissues of young (7-week-old) and aged (20-month-old) rats. GluT4 (adipose/muscle-type glucose transporter) protein, which is specifically expressed in insulin-responsive tissues, was selectively decreased per milligram of cellular membrane protein in both the epididymal fat tissues and the gastrocnemius muscle of the aged rats compared with the young rats. When the changes in total cellular membranes per gram of tissue are taken into account, a further decrease in GluT4 protein per gram of tissue was observed in the tissues of the aged rats compared with the young rats. The decreased amount of GluT4 protein in the fat tissues of the aged rats is probably due to the decreased protein synthesis rather than the stability, since GluT4 mRNA/micrograms of cellular total RNA was also decreased. In contrast, GluT4 mRNA in the gastrocnemius muscle was rather increased and a ratio of GluT4 protein/GluT4 mRNA was decreased by 70% in the aged rats, suggesting that the translational efficiency and/or stability of GluT4 protein is decreased in the skeletal muscle of the aged rats compared with the young rats. GluT2 (liver-type glucose transporter) protein and mRNA in the liver were also decreased in the aged rats, while no apparent decrease in GluT1 (HepG2/brain-type glucose transporter) protein/mg of cellular membrane protein was observed in the skeletal muscle and fat tissues of the aged rats compared with the young rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue

A stable analogue of thromboxane A2, 9,11-epithio-11,12-methanothromboxane A2, stimulates bone resorption in vitro and osteoclast-like cell formation in mouse marrow culture.

Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a powerful promoter of platelet aggregation and smooth muscle contraction. However, this compound is highly unstable and is rapidly hydrated to a more stable metabolite, thromboxane B2 (TXB2). TXA2 has been considered to be involved in bone resorption, in particular bone loss caused by inflammatory diseases and by orthodontic treatment. However precise mechanisms of bone resorption caused by TXA2 have not yet been proved because of its highly unstable nature. Recently, a chemically stable analogue of TXA2, 9,11-epithio-11,12-methanothromboxane A2 (STA2), was successfully synthesized. Using this synthetic compound, we examined its in vitro bone resorbing activity and induction of osteoclast-like cells in a mouse marrow culture system in comparison with related compounds with bone resorbing activity. Like prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a well-known bone resorbing agent, STA2 time- and dose-dependently stimulated the release of 45Ca from prelabelled mouse calvariae. Both STA2 and PGE2 induced the accumulation of cAMP in mouse calvariae. The TXA2 antagonist, ONO-3708, inhibited STA2-induced release of 45Ca. TXB2 induced neither bone resorption nor cAMP accumulation. When mouse marrow cells were cultured with STA2 for 8 days, osteoclast-like multinucleated cells appeared in parallel with the increase of the amount of STA2 added. Again TXB2 showed no effect on osteoclast-like cell formation. These results indicate a role for TXA2 in some form of bone resorption.

Animals

An enzyme-coupled assay for acyl-CoA synthetase.

An enzyme-coupled, colorimetric method for the assay of acyl-CoA synthetase is described. Acyl-CoA formed from fatty acid and CoA by acyl-CoA synthetase was dehydrogenated by acyl-CoA oxidase. Hydrogen peroxide produced was then converted into formaldehyde in the presence of methanol by catalase. The formaldehyde reacted with a triazole compound, 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, in an alkaline condition to form a purple dye, and the absorbance was measured spectrophotometrically.

Coenzyme A Ligases

Functional identification of the transcriptional regulatory elements within the promoter region of the human ventricular myosin alkali light chain gene.

We have identified and functionally characterized DNA sequences that regulate the expression of the human ventricular/slow twitch isoform of myosin alkali light chain (VLC1) gene. By using primer extension and S1 nuclease mapping techniques, we have shown that the VLC1 gene is transcribed from the identical site in the ventricular and slow twitch skeletal muscles. Comparison of the VLC1 sequences from +1 to -1296 in the genes for human and mouse showed that the 5'-proximal flanking region, up to about 220 nucleotides, was highly conserved (83% homology). To determine the location of sites that may be important for the function of the VLC1 promoter, a series of transient expression vectors containing progressive deletions of the VLC1 gene 5'-flanking sequence fused to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene was introduced into myogenic and nonmyogenic cells. Deletion mutagenesis of sequences between -357 and +40 revealed the presence of positive and negative activity in all the cells tested. We demonstrated that the minimal promoter sequence required to generate muscle cell-specific expression is the region between -94 to -64 upstream from the cap site and a sequence element located between -107 and -94 was found to have a positive effect in both myogenic cells and nonmyogenic cells. These two proximal regions located between -107 and -64 appear to act together to determine the cell type-specific high level expression of the VLC1 gene in muscle cells. Competition gel retardation assays revealed that the CArG sequence located between -96 and -87 interacts specifically with nuclear extracts from myogenic and nonmyogenic cells and compete for binding with the CArG sequence present in the human cardiac alpha-actin gene and with the serum response element of the c-fos gene. These results strongly suggested that similar, if not identical, the CArG box binding proteins interact with the functionally different promoter element in the VLC1, cardiac alpha-actin, and c-fos genes.

Animals

Overexpression of glucose transporter modulates insulin biosynthesis in insulin producing cell line.

Glucose transporter (GT) has been suggested to be involved in the insulin biosynthesis. However, the functional relationship between GT and insulin biosynthesis is not well understood. In this report, we have generated rat pancreatic B cell lines (RINr) that stably overexpress a cDNA encoding the brain type GT. These cell lines showed 3- to 4-fold increase in insulin mRNA and protein. These results suggest that GT might have some relationship to the insulin biosynthesis in the pancreatic B cells.

Animals

Phosphorylation state and biological function of a mutant human insulin receptor Val996.

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell transfectants that expressed human insulin receptors whose glycine 996 was substituted by valine were studied. Receptor processing and insulin binding were unaffected by this mutation; however, this mutant insulin receptor had little or no tyrosine kinase activity. Nevertheless, the Val996 mutant exhibited seryl and threonyl phosphorylation in both the basal and insulin-stimulated state in intact cells. This is in contrast to the Lys----Ala1018 tyrosine kinase deficient mutant (Russell, D. S., Gherzi, R., Johnson, E. L., Chou, C-K., and Rosen, O. M. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 11833-11840). Cells expressing the normal human receptor were 10-fold more sensitive to insulin than the untransfected CHO cells with respect to phosphorylation of a cellular substrate (pp 185) on tyrosyl residues, glucose incorporation into glycogen, thymidine incorporation into DNA, and phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6. Cells expressing the mutant receptor exhibited the same insulin sensitivity as the untransfected CHO cells. Insulin was rapidly internalized in cells expressing the normal human receptor and the number of receptors expressed on the cell surface was decreased in response to exposure to insulin. However, little insulin was internalized in cells expressing the mutant receptor, and the number of receptors on the cell surface was not significantly diminished in response to exposure to insulin. It is concluded that despite the occurrence of seryl and threonyl phosphorylations, post-receptor effects of insulin described above are not mediated by the tyrosine kinase-deficient receptor, Val996.

Amino Acid Sequence

Insulin enhancer binding protein has helix-loop-helix structure.

Insulin gene expression is restricted to pancreatic B cells and the 5' flanking region is responsible for the tissue specificity. The GCCATCTG motif in this region of the rat insulin 1 gene functions as an enhancer for insulin transcription. A cDNA coding for a GCCATCTG motif-binding protein (IEBP1) was isolated from a rat pancreatic B cell tumor lambda gt11 library. The IEBP1 protein was found to be the rat counterpart of the immunoglobulin (Ig) enhancer binding protein E12/47 having a helix-loop-helix domain. This result indicates that the Ig gene and insulin gene employ the same (or a similar) binding protein as a part of their transcriptional apparatus.

Amino Acid Sequence

C-terminal truncated glucose transporter is locked into an inward-facing form without transport activity.

The facilitated glucose transporters comprise a structurally related family of proteins predicted to have 12 membrane-spanning domains, with the amino terminus, a relatively large middle loop and the carboxy-terminus all oriented towards the cytoplasm. An alternating conformation model has been proposed to explain the mechanism of facilitated glucose transport. To understand the structure-function relationships, especially the role of the intracellular C-terminal domain, we have modified the rabbit equivalent of the erythroid-type transporter, GLUT1 (ref. 18), using complementary DNA to code for a deletion mutant that lacks most (37 out of 42 amino acids) of the intracellular C-terminal domain. This deletion mutant is expressed at the cell surface of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, but is functionally inactive, probably because it has lost its capacity to alternate in conformation and so is locked into an inward-facing form.

Animals

Concanavalin A-induced receptor aggregation stimulates the tyrosine kinase activity of the insulin receptor in intact cells.

Concanavalin A (ConA) stimulated the phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor and an Mr-185,000 protein on serine and tyrosine residues in intact H-35 rat hepatoma cells. This Mr-185,000 protein whose phosphorylation was stimulated by ConA was identical to pp185, a protein reported previously to be a putative endogenous substrate for the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase in rat hepatoma cells. In Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with cDNA of the human insulin receptor, tyrosine-phosphorylation of pp185 was strongly enhanced by ConA compared with the controls, suggesting that the induction of tyrosine-phosphorylation of pp185 was due to stimulation of the insulin receptor kinase by ConA. Moreover, monovalent ConA only slightly induced the tyrosine-phosphorylation of pp185, which was enhanced by the addition of anti-ConA IgG, suggesting that ConA stimulated the insulin receptor kinase mainly by the receptor cross-linking or aggregation in intact cells. These data suggest that the insulin-mimetic action of ConA is related to the autophosphorylation and activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, as well as the subsequent phosphorylation of pp185 in intact cells.

Animals

Effect of a continuously applied compressive pressure on mouse osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) in vitro.

Bone metabolism is often affected by a variety of mechanical forces, but the cytological basis of their action is not known. In this study, we examined the effect of a continuously applied compressive pressure (CCP) on the growth and differentiation of clonal mouse osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) cultured in a specifically devised culture chamber. The gas phase of the chamber was maintained at a pressure of 2 atmospheres (atm) above ambient (3 atm total, 3.1 kg/cm2; 3.0 x 10(5) Pa) by continuously infusing a compressed mixed gas (O2: N2:CO2 = 7.0%:91.3%:1.7%). The pO2, pCO2, and pH in the culture medium at 37 degrees C under 3 atm were maintained at the same levels as those under 1 atm. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in alpha-minimal essential medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum under either 3 atm in the CCP culture chamber or 1 atm in an ordinary CO2 incubator. Alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of osteoblasts, was greatly suppressed by the CCP treatment. The inhibition of alkaline phosphatase activity was rapidly restored when the cells were transferred to an ordinary CO2 incubator under 1 atm, indicating that the inhibition of alkaline phosphatase activity by CCP is reversible. Cell growth was not altered under CCP. The CCP treatment greatly increased the production and secretion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Adding either conditioned medium from the CCP culture or exogenous PGE2 to the control culture under 1 atm suppressed alkaline phosphatase activity dose-dependently. The CCP treatment also suppressed collagen synthesis and calcification. These results suggest that CCP causes the cells to produce and secrete PGE2, which, in turn, inhibits differentiation of osteoblasts and the concomitant calcification.

Animals