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Expression of muscle calsequestrin in epithelial HeLa cells: distribution and functional role.

Calsequestrin is a Ca2+ binding protein expressed by a few cell types (mostly muscle fibers). In these cells the distribution of the protein is within the endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum, however, not uniformly throughout but at discrete sites of the lumen. In order to investigate the mechanisms of this unusual intracellular distribution together with the possible functions of the protein, we have studied stable transfected clones of epithelial HeLa cells. Treatment of these cells with butyric acid induced a rapid (24 h) and massive (approx. 10-fold) increase of the transfected protein, whereas the other lumenal and membrane proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum were either modified slightly or unchanged. When butyric acid treatment was interrupted the calsequestrin levels returned rapidly (within 24 h) to the pre-treatment level. Such a rapid turnover was due in part to secretion, sustained by both spontaneous and Ca(2+)-dependent release of calsequestrin to the extracellular medium. From the physiological point of view, the transfected cells exhibited only moderate increases of the Ca2+ release responses triggered by either ATP (a ligand addressed to the P2u receptor and working through IP3 generation) or thapsigargin (a blocker of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase), with no further increase after butyric acid induction of calsequestrin. This result appears to correlate with the occurrence of only small amounts of calsequestrin within the endoplasmic reticulum lumen of all transfected cells. The bulk of calsequestrin, in contrast, was found sequestered within large vacuoles distributed both near the cell surface and, after butyric acid treatment, also in the deep cytoplasm. These vacuoles (possibly a lysosomal subcompartment) appear to contain no Ca2+ as no difference in 45Ca release from transfected cells was observed without or with butyric acid pretreatment when exposed to ionomycin, alone or combined with monensin. We conclude that HeLa cells possess no adequate mechanisms to keep calsequestrin in its physiologically relevant location, the endoplasmic reticulum. In the transfected cell the protein seems therefore to be diverted (possibly by default) to vacuoles destined to be rapidly eliminated by the cell.

Butyrates↗

Nuclear compartmentalization of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (AD) is a fatal encephalopathy of uncertain etiology. Whether the neurotoxin aluminum plays any role in the AD process in unknown. Here we report an increased amount of aluminum in a chromatin subcompartment, the micrococcal nuclease (MN; EC 3.1.31.1) accessible dinucleosome fraction, in neocortical nuclei isolated from 17 control and 21 AD-affected brains. At these MN-accessible loci we also observe an increase in H1 zero linker histone proteins, DNA-binding proteins which are thought to act as regulators of chromatin compaction. These data support the hypothesis that one deleterious effect of aluminum upon nuclear structure in AD-afflicted brain may be to condense brain chromatin nonrandomly through an interaction with H1 zero linker protein and thereby alter the ability of brain DNA to be effectively transcribed.

Adult↗

Parvalbumin and calbindin-D28K immunoreactivity as developmental markers of auditory and vocal motor nuclei of the zebra finch.

The posthatch developmental profiles of parvalbumin and calbindin-D28K immunoreactivity were compared for the auditory nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars caudalis in the midbrain, n. ovoidalis in the thalamus, and telencephalic field L, as well as for the telencephalic vocal motor nuclei hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudalis and n. robustus archistriatalis. The two calcium-binding proteins showed specific temporal patterns of expression in each nucleus, without following an ascending or descending sequence. Calbindin-D28K immunoreactivity usually preceded parvalbumin immunoreactivity. Onset of expression, especially of parvalbumin-immunostaining, was earlier in auditory nuclei than in vocal motor nuclei. The developmental order of appearance of immunoreactivity in somata, dendrites and axons was different in various brain regions. In some structures parvalbumin or calbindin-D28K immunoreactivity occurred only transiently. The two antibodies bound to separate but spatially complementary groups of cells in the nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis and n. ovoidalis, as has previously been described in visual nuclei. This pattern was maintained into adulthood. These hitherto unknown subcompartments may reflect internal functional organization in these nuclei. A transitory neostriatal zone containing parvalbumin-positive neurons and fibres was observed between the immature field L and the emerging hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudalis. Some comparative aspects are discussed as to the way in which neurons distinguished by the two Ca-binding proteins may differ in energy metabolism, activity pattern and other functional mechanisms.

Animals↗

Prolactin binding components in prostatic cancer tissue specimens obtained by TURP.

The concentration of unoccupied prolactin binding components was measured in 11 prostatic malignant tissue specimens obtained by TURP. Prolactin labeled with 125I binds specifically to mitochondrial and microsomal membrane subcompartments in some well- and medium-differentiated prostate cancer structures (67 and 50% of tumors, respectively). All the examined low-differentiated prostatic cancers (4/4) were found to be receptor-poor tissues. Thermal stability of prolactin binding components in tissues stored for 45 days at -30 degrees C is satisfactory and apparently is significantly greater than that of prostatic androgen receptors.

Hot Temperature↗

Tissue-specific expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) may allow differential diagnosis of neuroblastoma from embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.

The MSD1 region of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was originally described as being spliced into the 120-kDa isoform of NCAM isolated from muscle. The 105 bp region is inserted between exons 12 and 13 and actually consists of three separate exons, MSD1a, MSD1b and MSD1c of 15, 48, 42 bp, respectively. In addition, a further exons consisting of a single triplet has been designated MSD1d, making the full insert size 108 bp. As the MSD1 region was originally described as being selectively expressed in muscle tissue, we have investigated whether it is also present on tumours of rhabdoid origins and whether its presence can be used as the diagnostic marker to distinguish other small round cell tumours of childhood, such as neuroblastoma. Using a variety of human tumour cell lines, we demonstrated the presence of the MSD1 region on all rhabdomyosarcomas investigated. However, neuroblastoma cell lines only expressed subcompartments of the MSD1 region. The MSD1c exon was not spliced into the NCAM molecules isolated from any of the neuroblastoma cell lines investigated. On the basis of this finding, it appears that neuroblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma can be distinguished by the expression of MSD1c mini-exon. Further studies are underway to attempt to define a monoclonal antibody that recognises the region, using mice immunised with synthetic peptides, and to confirm the finding using fresh biopsy material.

Base Sequence↗

Caveolae, caveolin and caveolin-rich membrane domains: a signalling hypothesis.

Caveolae, 50-100 nm invaginations that represent a subcompartment of the plasma membrane, have been known for many years, but their exact roles remain uncertain. The findings that the caveolae coat protein caveolin is a v-Src substrate and that G-protein-coupled receptors are present in caveolae have suggested a relationship between caveolae, caveolin and transmembrane signalling. The recent isolation of caveolin-rich membrane domains in which caveolin exists as a hetero-oligomeric complex with integral membrane proteins and known cytoplasmic signalling molecules provides support for this hypothesis. Compartmentalization of certain signalling molecules within caveolae could allow efficient and rapid coupling of activated receptors to more than one effector system.

Journal Article↗

DnaJ-like proteins: molecular chaperones and specific regulators of Hsp70.

The folding of proteins and the assembly of protein complexes within subcompartments of the eukaryotic cell is catalysed by different members of the Hsp70 protein family. The chaperone function of Hsp70 proteins in these events is regulated by members of the DnaJ-like protein family, which occurs through direct interaction of different Hsp70 and DnaJ-like protein pairs that appear to be specifically adapted to each other. This review highlights the diversity of functions of DnaJ-like proteins by using specific examples of DnaJ-Hsp70 interactions with polypeptides in yeast protein-biogenesis pathways.

Escherichia coli↗

Trapping magnetically oriented chloroplast thylakoid membranes in gels for electric measurements.

Electrochromic absorbance change and light gradient photovoltage measurements were carried out in chloroplast thylakoid membranes embedded in different compositions of gels. The goal was to find a system suitable for determining the dependence of the amplitude of the anomalous light gradient photovoltage signal, with opposite sign with respect to the ordinary signal, on the alignment of membranes. We found that polyacrylamide gel drastically increased the permeability of membranes which rendered electric measurements impossible in this gel. Agarose gel was successfully used in electric measurements. We will show that the light gradient photovoltage induced by a 580 nm laser flash depends strongly on the alignment of membranes with respect to the direction of the excitation beam. With face-aligned membranes the amplitude of the anomalous (negative) signal was drastically diminished, and the ordinary (positive) signal became clearly discernible. The observed differences in the decay of the two signals are tentatively explained by differences in the rates of ionic equilibration between different subcompartments of the inner aqueous phase of the thylakoid membrane system.

Acrylamides↗

Extensive trafficking of MHC class II-invariant chain complexes in the endocytic pathway and appearance of peptide-loaded class II in multiple compartments.

Major histocompatibility complex class II molecules bind and present to T cells fragments of protein antigens entering the endocytic pathway. Using normal B lymphoblasts, we have combined metabolic pulse-chase labelling, high resolution organelle fractionation, and immunoprecipitation to examine class II trafficking and antigen loading in a physiological model system. Most newly synthesized class II-invariant chain complexes first entered early endosomes, then accessed multiple discrete endocytic subcompartments cofractionating with late endosomes and immature lysosomes. Invariant chain was removed and peptide-loaded class II molecules appeared in each of these latter distinct organelles. These findings suggest that class II molecules traffic through much of the endocytic pathway, permitting capture of distinct determinants made available under differing conditions of pH and proteolytic activity.

Animals↗

pH difference across the outer mitochondrial membrane measured with a green fluorescent protein mutant.

In this study we have generated a EYFP targeted to the mitochondrial intermembrane space (MIMS-EYFP) to determine for the first time the pH within this compartment. The fragment encoding HAI-tagged EYFP was fused with the C-terminus of glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase, an integral protein of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Human ECV304 cells transiently transfected with MIMS-EYFP showed the typical mitochondrial network, co-localized with MitoTracker Red. Following the calibration procedure, an estimation of the pH value in the intermembrane space was obtained. This value (6.88+/-0.09) was significantly lower than that determined in the cytosol after transfection with a cytosolic EYFP (7.59+/-0.01). Further, the pH of the mitochondrial matrix, determined with a EYFP targeted to this subcompartment, was 0.9 pH units higher than that in the intermembrane space. In conclusion, MIMS-EYFP represents a novel powerful tool to monitor pH changes in the mitochondrial intermembrane space of live cells.

Biosensing Techniques↗

Crosstalk in gene expression: coupling and co-regulation of rDNA transcription, pre-ribosome assembly and pre-rRNA processing.

Ribosomes, the large RNPs that translate mRNA into protein in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, are synthesized in a subcompartment of the nucleus, the nucleolus. There, transcription by Pol I yields a pre-rRNA which is modified, cleaved and assembled with ribosomal proteins to make functional ribosomes. Previously, rRNA transcription and pre-rRNA cleavage in eukaryotes were considered to be separable steps in gene expression. However, recent findings suggest that these two steps in gene expression can be concurrent and are co-regulated. Unexpectedly, optimal rDNA transcription requires the presence of a defined subset of components of the pre-rRNA processing machinery.

Animals↗

Inositol trisphosphate producing agonists do not mobilize the thapsigargin-insensitive part of the endoplasmic-reticulum and Golgi Ca2+ store.

Non-mitochondrial intracellular Ca2+ stores contain both thapsigargin-sensitive sarco(endo)plasmic-reticulum Ca2+-ATPases (SERCA) and thapsigargin-insensitive secretory-pathway Ca2+-ATPases (SPCA1). We now have studied the Ca2+-release properties of the compartments associated with these pumps in intact, i.e. non-permeabilized, cells of different origin (HeLa, keratinocytes, 16HBE14o-, COS-1, A7r5) and with different approaches (45Ca2+ fluxes, Ca2+ imaging and measurements of the free luminal [Ca2+] in the endoplasmic-reticulum and the Golgi apparatus using targeted aequorin). Application of an extracellular agonist in the absence of thapsigargin induced in all cells a Ca2+ release from both the endoplasmic-reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. The agonists were not able to release Ca2+ in the presence of 10 microM thapsigargin, except in COS-1 cells overexpressing SPCA1, where this pump not only appeared in the Golgi compartment but also overflowed into the agonist-sensitive part of the endoplasmic-reticulum. We conclude that the subcompartments of the endoplasmic-reticulum and of the Golgi complex that endogenously express SPCA1 are insensitive to agonist stimulation.

Animals↗

Controversies in clinical neurophysiology. MEG is superior to EEG in the localization of interictal epileptiform activity: Con.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether MEG is superior to scalp-EEG in the localization of interictal epileptiform activity and to stress the 'con' part in this controversy. METHODS: Advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques were systematically reviewed. RESULTS: While MEG and EEG complement each other for the detection of interictal epileptiform discharges, EEG offers the advantage of long-term recording significantly increasing its diagnostic yield which is not feasible with MEG. Localization accuracies of EEG and MEG are comparable once inaccuracies for the solution of the forward problem are eliminated. MEG may be more sensitive for the detection of neocortical spike sources. EEG and MEG source localizations show comparable agreement with invasive electrical recordings, can clarify the spatial relationship between the irritative zone and structural lesions, guide the placement of invasive electrodes and attribute epileptic activity to lobar subcompartments in temporal lobe epilepsy and to a lesser extent in extratemporal epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: A clear superiority of MEG over EEG for the localization of interictal epileptiform activity cannot be derived from the studies presently available. SIGNIFICANCE: The combination of EEG and MEG provides information for the localization of interictal epileptiform activity which cannot be obtained with either technique alone.

Electroencephalography↗

Kinase signaling cascades in the mitochondrion: a matter of life or death.

In addition to powering energy needs of the cell, mitochondria function as pivotal integrators of cell survival/death signals. In recent years, numerous studies indicate that each of the major kinase signaling pathways can be stimulated to target the mitochondrion. These include protein kinase A, protein kinase B/Akt, protein kinase C, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Although most studies focus on phosphorylation of pro- and antiapoptotic proteins (BAD, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL), kinase-mediated regulation of complex I activity, anion and cation channels, metabolic enzymes, and Mn-SOD mRNA has also been reported. Recent identification of a number of scaffold proteins (AKAP, PICK, Sab) that bring specific kinases to the cytoplasmic surface of mitochondria further emphasizes the importance of mitochondrial kinase signaling. Immunogold electron microscopy, subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence studies demonstrate the presence of kinases within subcompartments of the mitochondrion, following diverse stimuli and in neurodegenerative diseases. Given the sensitivity of these signaling pathways to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, in situ activation of mitochondrial kinases may represent a potent reverse-signaling mechanism for communication of mitochondrial status to the rest of the cell.

Animals↗

Intracellular accumulation of hepatitis C virus proteins in a human hepatoma cell line.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The establishment of HCV replicon systems strongly improved the research on the replication processes but poorly advanced our knowledge on the subcellular localization of the structural glycoproteins, mainly due to their low expression. We sought to verify whether reinforcing E1E2 expression in the context of both HCV genomic and subgenomic replicon from either homologous or heterologous strains leads to formation of supramolecular structures including structural and nonstructural proteins. METHODS: Robust expression of HCV glycoproteins was achieved by stable expression of E1E2p7 from genotype 1a and 1b. RESULTS: In these cells, E1 and E2 triggered the formation of dot-like structures in which they co-localized with core and the nonstructural proteins NS3 and NS5A. Confocal microscopy analyses suggested that accumulation of HCV proteins occurs in an ER-derived subcompartment. Moreover, by labeling de novo-synthesized HCV RNA, we showed that these structures constitute a site of viral RNA synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Expression in trans of HCV glycoproteins in the context of replicative viral genome or subgenome generates accumulation of structural and nonstructural viral proteins in peculiar cytoplasmic structures. The simultaneous presence of viral RNA, structural and nonstructural protein suggests that these complexes represent not only sites of HCV replication but also potential places of viral pre-budding.

Base Sequence↗

Inter-helical hydrogen bond formation during membrane protein integration into the ER membrane.

Recent work has shown that efficient di- or trimerization of hydrophobic transmembrane helices in detergent micelles or lipid bilayers can be driven by inter-helix hydrogen bonding involving polar residues such as Asn or Asp. Using in vitro translation in the presence of rough microsomes of a model integral membrane protein, we now show that the formation of so-called helical hairpins, two tightly spaced transmembrane helices connected by a short loop, can likewise be promoted by the introduction of Asn-Asn or Asp-Asp pairs in a long transmembrane hydrophobic segment. These observations suggest that inter-helix hydrogen bonds can form within the context of the Sec61 translocon in the endoplasmic reticulum, implying that hydrophobic segments in a nascent polypeptide chain in transit through the Sec61 channel have immediate access to a non-aqueous subcompartment within the translocon.

Animals↗

The essential mitochondrial protein Erv1 cooperates with Mia40 in biogenesis of intermembrane space proteins.

The proteins of the mitochondrial intermembrane space (IMS) are encoded by nuclear genes and synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes. While some IMS proteins are imported by the classical presequence pathway that involves the membrane potential deltapsi across the inner mitochondrial membrane and proteolytic processing to release the mature protein to the IMS, the import of numerous small IMS proteins is independent of a deltapsi and does not include proteolytic processing. The biogenesis of small IMS proteins requires an essential mitochondrial IMS import and assembly protein, termed Mia40. Here, we show that Erv1, a further essential IMS protein that has been reported to function as a sulfhydryl oxidase and participate in biogenesis of Fe/S proteins, is also required for the biogenesis of small IMS proteins. We generated a temperature-sensitive yeast mutant of Erv1 and observed a strong reduction of the levels of small IMS proteins upon shift of the cells to non-permissive temperature. Isolated erv1-2 mitochondria were selectively impaired in import of small IMS proteins while protein import pathways to other mitochondrial subcompartments were not affected. Small IMS precursor proteins remained associated with Mia40 in erv1-2 mitochondria and were not assembled into mature oligomeric complexes. Moreover, Erv1 associated with Mia40 in a reductant-sensitive manner. We conclude that two essential proteins, Mia40 and Erv1, cooperate in the assembly pathway of small proteins of the mitochondrial IMS.

Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins↗

Modulating effect of a selective endothelin A receptor antagonist on pulmonary endothelin system protein expression in experimental diaphragmatic hernia.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Previously, we reported that perinatal administration of atrasentan, a selective endothelin A receptor (ETA) antagonist, provided a beneficial effect on the cardiopulmonary profile under short-term conditions in newborn lambs with surgically induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We hypothesized that changes in the hemodynamic profile that we observed at birth in treated animals could be influenced by pulmonary modulation of the endothelin (ET) system. METHODS: The effect of atrasentan on protein expression levels of ETs and ET receptors (ETA and ETB receptor) was investigated by immunohistochemistry in lung tissues of untreated control (n = 3), treated control (n = 6), untreated CDH (n = 6), and treated CDH newborn lambs (n = 8). RESULTS: Right lung tissue of treated control lambs showed significantly higher ETA protein expression levels in both vascular adventitia and airway epithelia when compared with that of untreated control lambs (P < .05). In contrast, protein expression levels of ETA and ETB receptor were significantly lower in the vascular smooth muscle cells among other tissue subcompartments of the right lung of treated CDH newborn lambs vs CDH lambs (P < .02 and P = .005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that rapid pulmonary modulation of ET system protein expression levels by atrasentan results from an indirect effect possibly dependent on ventilation and/or perfusion. In CDH groups, this could contribute to the beneficial effect of the treatment.

Animals↗