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Inhibition of actin-dystrophin interaction by inositide phosphate.

Dystrophin, the protein absent from Duchenne dystrophy, is a member of the alpha-actinin protein family and located in the membrane cytoskeleton. It bridges a transmembrane glycoprotein complex with actin filaments. This work investigates the binding of dystrophin issued from Torpedo marmorata electric organ with actin in the presence of the phosphoinositide PIP2 that regulates alpha-actinin and filamin binding with actin. The interaction was inhibited (80%) by PIP2 and reached its minimum above 20 microM PIP2, but the effect was abolished when PIP2 was previously cleaved by phospholipase C. Using antibodies directed against the 27 kDa actin binding domain of alpha-actinin, a reliable carrier for actin binding sites ABS-1, ABS-2 and ABS-3 also involved in dystrophin and filamin, it was shown that PIP2 affects the ABS-3 environment.

Actins↗

Terminal phalangeal accessory ossification center of the thumb: an additional radiographic finding in Larsen syndrome.

Larsen syndrome is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by multiple joint dislocations, vertebral anomalies and dysmorphic facies. Both autosomal-dominant and autosomal-recessive forms of the disorder have been proposed. Individuals with autosomal-dominant Larsen syndrome have characteristic "cylindrical-shape" thumbs caused by broad, shortened phalanges. Autosomal-dominant Larsen syndrome results from heterozygosity for mutations in filamin B, a cytoskeletal protein involved in multicellular processes. We report here a patient with a duplicated or accessory distal thumb phalanx and multiple large joint dislocations who was shown to be heterozygous for a filamin B mutation predicting the amino acid substitution G1691S. This adds a new radiographic finding, duplicated or accessory distal phalanx, to the radiographic abnormalities seen in this rare dominant disorder.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

An F-actin- and calmodulin-binding protein from isolated intestinal brush borders has a morphology related to spectrin.

A high molecular weight protein from the brush border of chicken intestinal epithelial cells has been purified. This protein (TW 260/240), a complex of two polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 260,000 and 240,000, accounts for a significant amount of the terminal web organization. TW 260/240 is an F-actin-binding protein that also interacts with calmodulin. Rotary shadowing reveals long flexible rods of double-stranded morphology tightly connected at each end. TW 260/240 is quite distinct from smooth muscle filamin and macrophage actin-binding protein (APB), but, in spite of its higher contour length (265 nm), seems to be related to erythrocyte spectrin (194 nm for the tetramer). Immunofluorescence microscopy with antibodies against TW 260/240 indicates the existence of a submembranous organization distinctly different from that of stress fibers. We have compared TW 260/240 with fodrin, a brain protein known to occur in submembranous organization but not previously characterized in molecular terms. TW 260/240 and fodrin are clearly distinct molecules but are similar in many aspects. Ultrastructural, biochemical and immunological results indicate three distinct classes of rod-like high molecular weight actin-binding proteins, possibly reflected by the prototypes filamin (ABP), spectrin and TW 260/240 (fodrin). The latter group may be responsible for calmodulin control of submembranous microfilament structures in various nonmuscle cells.

Actins↗

Decreased expression of the seven ARP2/3 complex genes in human gastric cancers.

The Arp2/3 complex and filamins play important roles in organization of actin cytoskeleton, and thus in cellular morphology and locomotion. We recently identified decreased expression of a gene for one of seven subunits of the Arp2/3 complex, the p41-Arc gene, and silencing of a filamin gene, the FLNc gene, in human gastric cancers. In this study, gene expressions of the seven subunits of the Arp2/3 complex, including p41-Arc, and their methylation statuses were analyzed in human gastric cancers. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of 32 primary gastric cancer samples and eight gastric cancer cell lines revealed that expressions of all the seven genes were significantly decreased. All the 32 primary cancer samples showed decreased expression of at least one subunit, and 25 samples showed decreased expressions of four or more of the seven subunits. Methylation-specific PCR analysis showed that none of the CpG islands in the 5' regions of the six genes other than p41-Arc were methylated in primary gastric cancers or cell lines. The consistent decrease of the Arp2/3 complex genes and its important role in actin organization suggested that the decrease could be involved in cancer phenotypes, such as dysplastic morphology.

Actin-Related Protein 2↗

Degradation of sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins in cultured skeletal muscle cells.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the roles of calpains and their interactions with the proteasome and the lysosome in degradation of individual sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins in cultured muscle cells. Rat L8-CID muscle cells, in which we expressed a transgene calpain inhibitor (CID), were used in the study. L8-CID cells were grown as myotubes after which the relative roles of calpain, proteasome and lysosome in total protein degradation were assessed during a period of serum withdrawal. Following this, the roles of proteases in degrading cytoskeletal proteins (desmin, dystrophin and filamin) and of sarcomeric proteins (alpha-actinin and tropomyosin) were assessed. Total protein degradation was assessed by release of radioactive tyrosine from pre-labeled myotubes in the presence and absence of protease inhibitors. Effects of protease inhibitors on concentrations of individual sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins were assessed by Western blotting. Inhibition of calpains, proteasome and lysosome caused 20, 62 and 40% reductions in total protein degradation (P<0.05), respectively. Therefore, these three systems account for the bulk of degradation in cultured muscle cells. Two cytoskeletal proteins were highly-sensitive to inhibition of their degradation. Specifically, desmin and dystrophin concentrations increased markedly when calpain, proteasome and lysosome activities were inhibited. Conversely, sarcomeric proteins (alpha-actinin and tropomyosin) and filamin were relatively insensitive to the addition of protease inhibitors to culture media. These data demonstrate that proteolytic systems work in tandem to degrade cytoskeletal and sarcomeric protein complexes and that the cytoskeleton is more sensitive to inhibition of degradation than the sarcomere. Mechanisms, which bring about changes in the activities of the proteases, which mediate muscle protein degradation are not known and represent the next frontier of understanding needed in muscle wasting diseases and in muscle growth biology.

Actinin↗

Isolation of a high molecular weight actin-binding protein from baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells.

A high molecular weight protein (HMWP) with properties similar to those of both actin-binding protein (ABP) and filamin has been isolated from cultured baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells. The protein was present in an actomyosin-depleted sucrose extract of the cells and was eluted, upon gel chromatography on Sepharose 4B, near the void volume. The subunit migration on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels and the amino acid composition of HMWP were similar to those of ABP and filamin. HMWP bound to and crosslinked F-actin from rabbit muscle, as shown by the formation of a gel that was sedimented with low-speed centrifugation. This interaction was insensitive to temperature and low concentrations of calcium ions, although it may depend on the presence of myosin. Observation of thin sections of the actin-HMWP gel revealed crosslinked complexes of laterally aggregated actin filaments. The axial period of the dense crosslinks was 34 nm. The HMWP may be involved in regulation of microfilament organization.

Actins↗

Identification and characterization of cvHsp. A novel human small stress protein selectively expressed in cardiovascular and insulin-sensitive tissues.

Starting with computational tools that search for tissue-selective expression of assembled expressed sequenced tags, we have identified by focusing on heart libraries a novel small stress protein of 170 amino acids that we named cvHsp. cvHsp was found as being computationally selectively and highly (0.3% of the total RNA) expressed in human heart. The cvHsp gene mapped to 1p36.23-p34.3 between markers D1S434 and D1S507. The expression of cvHsp was analyzed with RNA dot, Northern blots, or reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction: expression was high in heart, medium in skeletal muscle, and low in aorta or adipose tissues. In the heart of rat models of cardiac pathologies, cvHsp mRNA expression was either unchanged (spontaneous hypertension), up-regulated (right ventricular hypertrophy induced by monocrotaline treatment), or down-regulated (left ventricular hypertrophy following aortic banding). In obese Zucker rats, cvHsp mRNA was increased in skeletal muscle, brown, and white adipose tissues but remained unchanged in the heart. Western blot analysis using antipeptide polyclonal antibodies revealed two specific bands at 23 and 25 kDa for cvHsp in human heart. cvHsp interacted in both yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation experiments with alpha-filamin or actin-binding protein 280. Within cvHsp, amino acid residues 56-119 were shown to be important for its specific interaction with the C-terminal tail of alpha-filamin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Calpain is required for normal osteoclast function and is down-regulated by calcitonin.

Osteoclast motility is thought to depend on rapid podosome assembly and disassembly. Both mu-calpain and m-calpain, which promote the formation and disassembly of focal adhesions, were observed in the podosome belt of osteoclasts. Calpain inhibitors disrupted the podosome belt, blocked the constitutive cleavage of the calpain substrates filamin A, talin, and Pyk2, which are enriched in the podosome belt, induced osteoclast retraction, and reduced osteoclast motility and bone resorption. The motility and resorbing activity of mu-calpain(-/-) osteoclast-like cells were also reduced, indicating that mu-calpain is required for normal osteoclast activity. Histomorphometric analysis of tibias from mu-calpain(-/-) mice revealed increased osteoclast numbers and decreased trabecular bone volume that was apparent at 10 weeks but not at 5 weeks of age. In vitro studies suggested that the increased osteoclast number in the mu-calpain(-/-) bones resulted from increased osteoclast survival, not increased osteoclast formation. Calcitonin disrupted the podosome ring, induced osteoclast retraction, and reduced osteoclast motility and bone resorption in a manner similar to the effects of calpain inhibitors and had no further effect on these parameters when added to osteoclasts pretreated with calpain inhibitors. Calcitonin inhibited the constitutive cleavage of a fluorogenic calpain substrate and transiently blocked the constitutive cleavage of filamin A, talin, and Pyk2 by a protein kinase C-dependent mechanism, demonstrating that calcitonin induces the inhibition of calpain in osteoclasts. These results indicate that calpain activity is required for normal osteoclast activity and suggest that calcitonin inhibits osteoclast bone resorbing activity in part by down-regulating calpain activity.

Animals↗

Localization of actin and microfilament-associated proteins in the microvilli and terminal web of the intestinal brush border by immunofluorescence microscopy.

Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy was used to localize microfilament-associated proteins in the brush border of mouse intestinal epithelial cells. As expected, antibodies to actin decorated the microfilaments of the microvilli, giving rise to a very intense fluorescence. By contrast, antibodies to myosin, tropomyosin, filamin, and alpha-actinin did not decorate the microvilli. All these antibodies, however, decorated the terminal web region of the brush border. Myosin, tropomyosin, and alpha-actinin, although present throughout the terminal web, were found to be preferentially located around the periphery of the organelle. Therefore, two classes of microfilamentous structures can be documented in the brush border. First, the highly ordered microfilaments which make up the cores of the microvilli apparently lack the associated proteins. Second, seemingly less-ordered microfilaments are found in the terminal web, in which region the myosin, tropomyosin, filamin and alpha-actinin are located.

Actinin↗

Purification of a high molecular weight actin filament gelation protein from Acanthamoeba that shares antigenic determinants with vertebrate spectrins.

I have purified a high molecular weight actin filament gelation protein (GP-260) from Acanthamoeba castellanii, and found by immunological cross-reactivity that it is related to vertebrate spectrins, but not to two other high molecular weight actin-binding proteins, filamin or the microtubule-associated protein, MAP-2. GP-260 was purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, selective precipitation with actin and myosin-II, chromatography on hydroxylapatite in 0.6 M Kl, and selective precipitation at low ionic strength. The yield was 1-2 micrograms/g cells. GP-260 had the same electrophoretic mobility in SDS as the 260,000-mol-wt alpha-chain of spectrin from pig erythrocytes and brain. Electron micrographs of GP-260 shadowed on mica showed slender rod-shaped particles 80-110 nm long. GP-260 raised the low shear apparent viscosity of solutions of Acanthamoeba actin filaments and, at 100 micrograms/ml, formed a gel with a 8 microM actin. Purified antibodies to GP-260 reacted with both 260,000- and 240,000-mol-wt polypeptides in samples of whole ameba proteins separated by gel electrophoresis in SDS, but only the 260,000-mol-wt polypeptide was extracted from the cell with 0.34 M sucrose and purified in this study. These antibodies to GP-260 also reacted with purified spectrin from pig brain and erythrocytes, and antibodies to human erythrocyte spectrin bound to GP-260 and the 240,000-mol-wt polypeptide present in the whole ameba. The antibodies to GP-260 did not bind to chicken gizzard filamin or pig brain MAP-2, but they did react with high molecular weight polypeptides from man, a marsupial, a fish, a clam, a myxomycete, and two other amebas. Fluorescent antibody staining with purified antibodies to GP-260 showed that it is concentrated near the plasma membrane in the ameba.

Amoeba↗

Separation and identification of the major constituents of cytoplasmic gels from macrophages.

Proteins which bind to actin filaments in macrophages were investigated by developing a procedure for the isolation of cytoplasmic gels. The gels were found to consist of five major constituents: actin, filamin and the 105-kDa, 70-kDa and 55-kDa components. Prolonged exposure of this macromolecular complex to high-ionic-strength buffer solubilized almost all the proteins, leaving behind the 55-kDa component along with a large amount of actin. Gel filtration of the solubilized extract led to the isolation of five constituents comprising actin, filamin, the 105-kDa and 70-kDa polypeptides, plus a molecular species which eluted at the position of a 280-kDa globular protein. The biochemical and immunological properties of the 105-kDa component were analogous to those of alpha-actinin. Although several attempts were made to correlate the three other constituents (280-kDa, 70-kDa and 55-kDa) with known cytoskeletal proteins, their identity remains to be established. alpha-Actinin, and the 280-kDa and 70-kDa species all exhibited the ability to co-sediment with F-actin and to pack actin filaments into bundles. The bundling activity of the 70-kDa protein was significantly decreased in the presence of micromolar concentrations of calcium, while the activity of the 280-kDa protein was not. Such a Ca2+-sensitive protein could be very important in controlling the local cytoplasmic viscosity.

Actins↗

Migfilin and its binding partners: from cell biology to human diseases.

Links between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton are essential for maintaining tissue integrity and for controlling cell morphology and behavior. Studies over the past several decades have identified dozens of components of such junctions. One of the most recently identified is migfilin, a widely expressed protein consisting of an N-terminal filamin-binding domain, a central proline-rich domain and three C-terminal LIM domains. Migfilin is recruited to cell-matrix contacts in response to adhesion and colocalizes with beta-catenin at cell-cell junctions in epithelial and endothelial cells. Migfilin also travels from the cytoplasm into the nucleus, a process that is regulated by RNA splicing and calcium signaling. Through interactions with multiple binding partners, including Mig-2, filamin and VASP, migfilin links the cell adhesion structures to the actin cytoskeleton. It regulates actin remodeling, cell morphology and motility. In nuclei, migfilin interacts with the cardiac transcriptional factor CSX/NKX2-5 and promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation. It probably functions as a key regulator both at cell adhesion sites and nuclei, coordinating multiple cellular processes, and is implicated in the pathogenesis of several human diseases.

Carrier Proteins↗

Changes in the abundance and distribution of actin and associated proteins during terminal differentiation of human epidermal keratinocytes.

We have examined the abundance and distribution of actin and several actin-associated proteins in human epidermal keratinocytes before and after initiation of terminal differentiation. Keratinocytes were placed in suspension in methylcellulose for 1 h or 24 h and then extracted for immunoblotting. At 24 h, when the proportion of cells expressing the terminal differentiation marker, involucrin, had increased approximately 3-fold, there were marked decreases in the levels of vinculin, talin, filamin and gelsolin. The level of actin was unchanged and the level of alpha-actinin decreased only slightly. To complement the immunoblot analysis, we also examined the distribution of each protein in basal (involucrin-negative) and suprabasal (involucrin-positive) cells in stratified colonies, using confocal microscopy. Gelsolin, filamin, vinculin, talin, alpha-actinin and filamentous actin were all less abundant in suprabasal cells than in basal cells. There were also differences in the distribution of all the proteins in the basal compared to the suprabasal layers. In addition to the changes associated with terminal differentiation, there was variation in the distribution of focal contacts and stress fibres and in gelsolin levels between basal cells at the periphery of colonies and those in the centre. These results are discussed in the context of the known association of the actin cytoskeleton with receptors of the integrin family, the loss of integrins that occurs during keratinocyte terminal differentiation, and the possible role of the cytoskeleton in signalling between integrins and the nucleus.

3T3 Cells↗

A monovalent cation-sensitive actin-binding factor in a myeloid leukemia cell line.

Cell extracts of a murine leukemia cell line, M1, apparently contain three kinds of actin-gelation factors; a filamin-like protein, and 38K-dimer and 105K-dimer proteins. Unlike gelation by the filamin-like protein, gelation by the latter two proteins is inhibited by low concentrations of KCl. Our study of the 38K protein has been reported elsewhere (Takagi, K. et al., J. Biochem. Tokyo 97, 605-616, 1985). We here describe the purification and characterization of the 105K protein. The 105K protein differs from the alpha-actinin group of proteins in its antigenicity, peptide components and Ca2+-insensitivity. The saturated binding ratio of the protein to purified skeletal muscle actin is 1:8; when this ratio exceeds 1:20, gelation takes place. This gelation is inhibited completely by the presence of 25 mM KCl. Electron microscopy revealed that, in the absence of KCl, the 105K protein/actin mixture forms short actin bundles that are accompanied by a meshwork of short single filaments. The presence of 25 mM KCl did not prevent actin-bundling, but the bundles became longer and the meshwork of short filaments was no longer present.

Actins↗

A novel 53 kDa actin binding protein from porcine brain--further biochemical and immunological characterization.

We have previously described some of the characteristics of an actin binding protein, 53 K protein, purified from porcine brains. The purification procedure was revised in order to investigate of this actin binding protein further. A Scatchard plot analysis showed that the association constant between actin and the 53 K protein has around the same value as those reported for the fascin-actin and for the filamin-actin interactions. The binding experiments also demonstrated the occurrence of competitive binding with other actin binding proteins such as filamin, alpha-actinin, caldesmon and tropomyosin for the actin filament. Antibody was produced against brain 53 K protein and further purified on an affinity column. Immunoblot analysis using the antibody showed that this protein is localized in both the soluble and membraneous fraction of the brain. Other tissues such as liver and lung also contain 53 K protein. The immunoblot analysis also revealed that the gelation product of rat brain extract described by Palmer et al. contains immunoreactive polypeptides having slightly lower molecular weights and more basic isoelectric points than porcine brain 53 K protein. Immunological localization of the 53 K protein within HeLa and BS-C-1 cells showed that this protein is distributed throughout the cell in small granules, and in some regions of the cell, these granules were aggregated into much larger granules.

Actins↗

Four and half lim protein 2 (FHL2) stimulates osteoblast differentiation.

UNLABELLED: FHL2, a molecule that interacts with many integrins and transcription factors, was found to play an important role in osteoblast differentiation. Overexpression of FHL2 increases the accumulation of osteoblast differentiation markers and matrix mineralization, whereas FHL2 deficiency results in inhibition of osteoblast differentiation and decreased bone formation. INTRODUCTION: Integrin-matrix interaction plays a critical role in osteoblast function. It has been shown that the cytoplasmic domains of integrin beta subunits mediate signal transduction induced by integrin-matrix interaction. We reasoned that the identification of proteins interacting with beta-cytoplasmic tails followed by analysis of the function of these proteins would enhance our understanding on integrin signaling and the roles of these proteins in osteoblast activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Yeast two hybrid assay was used to identify proteins interacting with the cytoplasmic domain of integrin beta5 subunit. The association of these proteins with integrin alphavbeta5 was confirmed by confocal analysis and co-immunoprecipitation. A stable MC3T3-E1 cells line overexpressing Four and Half Lim Protein 2 (FHL2) and mouse osteoblasts deficient in FHL2 were used to study the roles of FHL2 in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Matrix protein expression was determined by mRNA analysis and Western blotting. Matrix mineralization was detected by Alizarin red staining. Alkaline phosphatase activity was also measured. muCT was used to determine bone histomorphometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: FHL2 and actin-binding proteins, palladin and filamin A, were identified as proteins interacting with beta5 cytoplasmic domain. FHL2 co-localized with alphavbeta5 at the focal adhesion sites in association with palladin and filamin A. FHL2 was also present in nuclei. Osteoblasts overexpressing FHL2 exhibited increased adhesion to and migration on matrix proteins. Conversely, FHL2 stimulation of CREB activity was dependent on integrin function because it was inhibited by Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptide. The expression of osteoblast differentiation markers and Msx2 was upregulated, and bone matrix mineralization was increased in FHL2 overexpressing cells. In contrast, FHL2-deficient bone marrow cells and osteoblasts displayed decreased osteoblast colony formation and differentiation, respectively, compared with wildtype cells. Moreover, FHL2-deficient female mice exhibited greater bone loss than the wildtype littermates after ovariectomy. Thus, FHL2 plays an important role in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.

Animals↗

Proteome analysis. II. Protein subcellular redistribution: linking physiology to genomics via the proteome and separation technologies involved.

While annotated two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis databases contain thousands of proteins, they do not represent the entire genome. High-molecular-mass proteins in particular are conspicuously absent from such databases. Filamin is prototypical of this class of proteins since it is a dimer with relative molecular mass (Mr) of 520000 containing at least 240 potential phosphorylation sites. Filamin is not readily separated by current 2D procedures, and is difficult to study with respect to cycles of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation. Novel technologies are needed to identify biochemical pathways impinging upon such targets. The success of immunofluorescence microscopy as a research tool can be attributed in part to the fact that proteins redistribute in response to a variety of physiological stimuli. Comparable quantitative methods are required in proteome analysis. Three components are necessary for development of an approach that is capable of screening for protein redistribution events: (1) subcellular fractionation, (2) protein labeling and (3) data acquisition. An integrated approach is presented that utilizes differential detergent fractionation combined with reversible, luminescent protein stains and analytical imaging for high-throughput analysis of signal transduction events leading to protein subcellular redistribution. The procedure has been successfully implemented to rapidly define key second messenger pathways leading to endothelial cell junctional permeability and to guide in the design of a new family of peptide-based anti-inflammatory drugs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[The localization of the components of the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton in myocardial biopsies in alcoholic cardiomyopathy].

Distribution of I, III, IV and V-type collagen, fibronectin, vimentin, filamin, and desmin in myocardial biopsy specimens of 8 patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy was studied by indirect immunofluorescence. It is found that all types of collagen and fibronectin participate in formation of diffuse cardiosclerosis while small cardiosclerosis is formed by interstitial types of collagen and to a lower extent of fibronectin. Filamin and desmin distribution in cardiomyocytes proves deformation and destruction of Z-lines and intercalated discs.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗