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Serine: From Metabolic Intermediate to Signaling Entity.

Serine, a nonessential amino acid classically defined as a precursor for protein synthesis and one-carbon metabolism, is increasingly recognized as a signaling metabolite that links the cellular metabolic status to regulatory decision-making. Intracellular serine availability is shaped by nutrient conditions, glycolytic flux, and activity of the serine synthesis pathway, and these fluctuations are sensed to elicit coordinated metabolic and signaling responses. This review discusses mechanisms by which serine modulates cell growth and stress responses, with particular emphasis on its interaction with central nutrient-sensing pathways, including mTORC1 and the integrated stress response. In parallel, serine-driven one-carbon metabolism is examined for its role in supporting nucleotide biosynthesis, methylation reactions, and redox homeostasis through folate-dependent pathways and NADPH generation, thereby coupling anabolic processes to the maintenance of redox balance and genome integrity. In addition to intracellular functions, serine contributes to intercellular signaling. Conversion of l-serine to d-serine mediates neuromodulatory activity via N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, while serine availability also influences immune cell function, inflammatory signaling, and host-microbe interactions. Dysregulation of serine metabolism and signaling is further considered in the context of disease states, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. Together, these observations support a framework in which serine functions as an information-bearing metabolic signal that coordinates the biosynthetic capacity with cellular adaptation and intercellular communication.

Serine

Role of the CTCF binding site in Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus-1 pathogenesis.

During HTLV-1 infection, the virus integrates into the host cell genome as a provirus with a single CCCTC binding protein (CTCF) binding site (vCTCF-BS), which acts as an insulator between transcriptionally active and inactive regions. Previous studies have shown that the vCTCF-BS is important for maintenance of chromatin structure, regulation of viral expression, and DNA and histone methylation. Here, we show that the vCTCF-BS also regulates viral infection and pathogenesis in vivo in a humanized (Hu) mouse model of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Three cell lines were used to initiate infection of the Hu-mice, i) HTLV-1-WT which carries an intact HTLV-1 provirus genome, ii) HTLV-1-CTCF, which contains a provirus with a mutated vCTCF-BS which abolishes CTCF binding, and a stop codon immediately upstream of the mutated vCTCF-BS which deletes the last 23 amino acids of the p12 gene, and iii) HTLV-1-p12stop that contains the intact vCTCF-BS, but retains the same stop codon in p12 as in the HTLV-1-CTCF cell line. Hu-mice were infected with mitomycin-treated or irradiated HTLV-1 producing cell lines. There was a delay in pathogenicity when Hu-mice were infected with the HTLV-1-CTCF virus compared to mice infected with either HTLV-1-p12 stop or HTLV-1-WT virus. Proviral load (PVL), spleen weights, and CD4 T cell counts were significantly lower in HTLV-1-CTCF infected mice compared to HTLV-1-p12stop infected mice. Furthermore, we found a direct correlation between the PVL in peripheral blood and death of HTLV-1-CTCF infected mice. In cell lines, we found that the vCTCF-BS regulates Tax expression in a time-dependent manner. The scRNAseq analysis of splenocytes from infected mice suggests that the vCTCF-BS plays an important role in activation and expansion of T lymphocytes in vivo. Overall, these findings indicate that the vCTCF-BS regulates Tax expression, proviral load, and HTLV pathogenicity in vivo.

Human T-lymphotropic virus 1

A Functional chromatin domain does not resist X chromosome inactivation: silencing of cLys correlates with methylation of a dual promoter-replication origin.

To investigate the molecular mechanism(s) involved in the propagation and maintenance of X chromosome inactivation (XCI), the 21.4-kb chicken lysozyme (cLys) chromatin domain was inserted into the Hprt locus on the mouse X chromosome. The inserted fragment includes flanking matrix attachment regions (MARs), an origin of bidirectional replication (OBR), and all the cis-regulatory elements required for correct tissue-specific expression of cLys. It also contains a recently identified and widely expressed second gene, cGas41. The cLys domain is known to function as an autonomous unit resistant to chromosomal position effects, as evidenced by numerous transgenic mouse lines showing copy-number-dependent and development-specific expression of cLys in the myeloid lineage. We asked the questions whether this functional chromatin domain was resistant to XCI and whether the X inactivation signal could spread across an extended region of avian DNA. A generally useful method was devised to generate pure populations of macrophages with the transgene either on the active (Xa) or the inactive (Xi) chromosome. We found that (i) cLys and cGas41 are expressed normally from the Xa; (ii) the cLys chromatin domain, even when bracketed by MARs, is not resistant to XCI; (iii) transcription factors are excluded from lysozyme enhancers on the Xi; and (iv) inactivation correlates with methylation of a CpG island that is both an OBR and a promoter of the cGas41 gene.

Animals

The effects of some methyl prostaglandin derivatives on the ductus arteriosus of swine in vivo.

Three methylated analogues of prostaglandin E1 and E2 were examined for their ability to open the ductus arterious of neonatal piglets in vivo. Fifteen (S) 15 methyl prostaglandin E1 (15-Me PGE1), 15 (S) 1K methyl prostaglandin E2 (15-Me PGE2), and 16' 16' dimethyl prostaglandin E1 (16-diMe PGE1) all opened the ductus when given intravenously, intramuscularly or orally. The effects on ductal patency lasted four hours or more in many instances. Side-effects included apnea with intravenous and intramuscular dosages, and with high oral dosages of 15-Me PGE1. A transient drop in heart rate and blood pressure occurred with each dose. In one animal the ductus was kept open for 19 days with six-hourly intramuscular injections of 3 microgram/kg 15-Me PGE1. Transient sedation occurred with each dose. Death occurred on the 19th day and histological studies showed that the morphology of the ductus wall was similar to that seen in a two day old animal. These studies suggest that maintenance od ductal patency in the infant may be possible with oral administration of methyl prostaglandin derivatives.

Administration, Oral

Use of methanethiolation to investigate the catalytic role of sulphydryl groups in rabbit skeletal muscle pyruvate kinase.

Incubation of rabbit skeletal muscle pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) with methyl methanethiosulphonate resulted in the time- and inhibitor concentration-dependent loss of enzyme activity. Substrates or products of the catalytic reaction prevented the loss of activity caused by methanethiolation. Their effectiveness as protecting agents was placed in the order ADP greater than ATP greater than Mg2+ greater than phosphoenolpyruvate greater than pyruvate. The essential catalytic cation, K+, had no effect on the methanethiolation reaction. [Me-3H]Methanethiosulphonate modified all the available cysteine thiol groups which correlated to the incorporation of four SC3H3 groups per protomer. Four radioactive peptides were obtained on tryptic peptide mapping. When methanethiolation was carried out in the presence of Mg2+ alone or with Mg2+ and ATP together, then only three SC3H3 groups were incorporated into each subunit. If MgATP protected methanethiolated pyruvate kinase was reacted with iodo[2-3H]acetic acid then 1.37 +/- 0.2 groups per protomer were carboxymethylated. 70% of the radioactivity was located in a single peptide on tryptic peptide mapping. This peptide was isolated and contained the segment carboxymethyl cysteine (Glx, Asx, Ser) Arg. Collectively these data indicate that although all thiol groups are equally accessible to methyl methanethiosulphonate, only a single thiol group participates in the catalytic event. An additional role in the maintenance of structure for this thiol group was also shown in studied of reduction and thermal denaturation of the enzyme.

Adenosine Diphosphate

Herpes simplex virus type 2 functions expressed during stimulation of human cell DNA synthesis.

Experiments were designed to identify herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-specific functions expressed during stimulation of human embryo fibroblast DNA synthesis. Cultures were partially arrested in DNA synthesis by pretreatment with 5-fluorouracil and maintenance in low-serum (0.2%) medium during virus infection. Results showed that continuous [methyl-(3)H]thymidine uptake into cellular DNA was ninefold greater in HSV-2-infected than in mock-infected cultures measured after 24 h of incubation at 42 degrees C. Shifting mock-infected cultures from low- to high-serum (10%) medium also caused some stimulation, but [methyl-(3)H]thymidine uptake was only twofold greater than in cells maintained with low serum. Plating efficiencies of both HSV-2-infected and mock-infected cells at 42 degrees C were essentially the same and ranged from 37 to 76% between zero time and 72 h of incubation. De novo RNA and protein syntheses were continuously required for HSV-2 stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis. HSV-2 infection markedly enhanced transport, phosphorylation, and rate of incorporation of [methyl-(3)H]thymidine into cellular DNA, starting at 3 h and reaching a maximum by 12 h; after 12 h, these processes gradually declined to low levels. In mock-infected cells these processes remained at low levels throughout the observation period. Pretreatment of cells with interferon or addition of arabinofuranosylthymine at the time of virus infection inhibited stimulation caused by HSV-2. 5-Bromodeoxyuridine density-labeled experiments revealed that HSV-2 stimulates predominantly semiconservative DNA replication and some DNA repair. Stimulation of [methyl-(3)H]thymidine into cellular DNA correlated with detection of virus-specific thymidine kinase activity. In conclusion, HSV-2 stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis appeared to involve at least four virus-specific functions: induction of thymidine transport, HSV-2 thymidine kinase activity, semiconservative replication, and repair of cellular DNA.

Arabinonucleotides

[Clinical observations during accumulative oral glycoside therapy with meproscillarin (author's transl)].

In heart failure of the severity degrees II and III according to Friedberg's classification, administration of a daily maintenance dose of 0.5--0.75 mg of 14-hydroxy-3beta-[(4-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]-14beta-bufa-4,20,22-trienolide (mesproscillarin, Clift) induces a cumulative blood level of 1--1.5 mg after 8--10 days. This level eliminates manifestations of heart failure both clinically and with regard to objective criteria. Increased heart rate returns to normal particularly in types of the tachycardiac atrial fibrillation. The frequency corrected QT-time is significantly reduced by about 30 ms. The relative heart volume decreases. The heart's work is increased by about 15%. No side effects are observed under this oral accumulative glycoside therapy.

Adult

Reversible acute tubular necrosis following severe acute renal rejection.

The clinical observation of 6 out of 250 renal transplant patients showed that acute renal rejection may lead to reversible acute tubular necrosis (ATN) necessitating intermittent haemodialysis treatment. Despite missing early response to high-dose (methyl-) prednisolone therapy (during a mean period of 4.7 days) all 6 patients developed spontaneous diuresis 14.5 days on average after onset of rejection while on maintenance immunosuppressive therapy. From the clinical course the conclusion was drawn that in severe cases of renal rejection with arteriographic and histological findings consistent with acute tubular necrosis, prolonged therapy with high doses of (methyl-) prednisolone is not desirable, since after reversal of immunological rejection the onset of spontaneous diuresis will be determined mainly by the duration of the healing and recovery phase of acute tubular necrosis.

Acute Kidney Injury

Urinary excretion of amino acids in patients receiving intravenous hyperalimentation.

Urinary outputs of amino acids in nine patients receiving intravenous hyperalimentation were estimated for evaluating adequacy of dosage and composition of the infusage for the maintenance of normal metabolism of tissue proteins in the subjects. The daily outputs of the methylated amino acids (3-methylhistidine, epsilon-N-methylated lysines and guanidino-N-methylated arginines), which are thought to be derived from tissue proteins, remained in the normal ranges, suggesting that the normal metabolism of tissue proteins was sustained during intravenous hyperalimentation. Relatively large urinary excretion of threonine, serine and glycine might reflect the large dosage of glucose in the infusate and disuse of these amino acids during the treatment, especially in the patients with hepatic dysfunction. Diurnal rhythms in urinary outputs of amino acids in patients receiving intravenous hyperalimentation were not observed, except for the outputs of threonine, serine and glycine, which were large during the 3.00-9.00 h and 15.00-21.00 h periods. The absence of daily fluctuations of the methylated amino acids in urine suggested that there were no diurnal rhythms in the metabolism of tissue proteins in the subjects.

Adult

Contrasting roles of histone 3 lysine 27 demethylases in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) is a haematological malignancy with a dismal overall prognosis, including a relapse rate of up to 25%, mainly because of the lack of non-cytotoxic targeted therapy options. Drugs that target the function of key epigenetic factors have been approved in the context of haematopoietic disorders, and mutations that affect chromatin modulators in a variety of leukaemias have recently been identified; however, 'epigenetic' drugs are not currently used for T-ALL treatment. Recently, we described that the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) has a tumour-suppressor role in T-ALL. Here we delineated the role of the histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylases JMJD3 and UTX in T-ALL. We show that JMJD3 is essential for the initiation and maintenance of T-ALL, as it controls important oncogenic gene targets by modulating H3K27 methylation. By contrast, we found that UTX functions as a tumour suppressor and is frequently genetically inactivated in T-ALL. Moreover, we demonstrated that the small molecule inhibitor GSKJ4 (ref. 5) affects T-ALL growth, by targeting JMJD3 activity. These findings show that two proteins with a similar enzymatic function can have opposing roles in the context of the same disease, paving the way for treating haematopoietic malignancies with a new category of epigenetic inhibitors.

Animals

A comparative study of antiestrogen action: temporal patterns of antagonism of estrogen stimulated uterine growth and effects on estrogen receptor levels.

Studies were undertaken to ascertain the effects of structural modification of two well-known antiestrogens (CI-628 and U-11,100A) on their estrogenic and antiestrogenic potencies and temporal patterns of effectiveness in the immature rat uterus. Changes in the chemical structures of these anti-estrogens produce compounds with markedly different affinities for the uterine estrogen receptor as measured in an in vitro cell-free cytosol system; binding affinities relative to estradiol (100%) are: CI-628, 4%; CI-680, 34%; 94X1127 (94X),222%; U-11,100A (UA), 6%; and U-23,469 (U-23), 0.1%. Although all five antiestrogens (daily injections of 50 microng over three days) appear equally effective in stimulating 72 h uterine weight when given alone, or in blocking the estradiol-stimulated weight increase when given with estradiol, marked differences in their potencies are noted when the effects of the compounds are monitored beyond 24 h following a single injection. The compounds CI-628, CI-680 and UA (50 microng sc in saline), which have a methylated hydroxyl group (at the site analogous to the steroid position 3), show a prolonged maintenance of elevated levels of nuclear receptor (beyond 48 h) and elevated uterine weight (until 72 h); this correlates with a prolonged period of depressed cytoplasmic receptor levels (beyond 48 h) and prolonged uterine insensitivity to estrogen (beyond 36 h as monitored by 3 h wet weight response). In contrast, a single injection of 50 microng of 94X (having a free hydroxyl group) or U-23 (with a side chain and central ring different from UA) maintained nuclear receptor levels elevated for only 12 h (94X) or 36 h (U-23) and uterine weights declined after 36-48 h; cytoplasmic receptor levels remained depressed for only 12 h (94X) or 24 h (U-23) and then returned to control levels or above by 36 h. These latter compounds likewise evoked the shortest period of uterine insensitivity to estrogen (ineffective as antagonists by 36 h). Comparative studies with these five compounds indicate that they are effective as estrogen antagonists only so long as they maintain cytoplasmic receptor levels low, and that the magnitude of the responsiveness to estradiol after antiestrogen correlates with the extent of reappearance of cytoplasmic receptor. Thus, chemical modifications of antiestrogen structure have significant effects on their temporal patterns of effectiveness as estrogens and as estrogen antagonists.

Animals

Epigenetic drift and LINE-1 activation in aging brain: Implications for neurodegenerative disease.

Brain aging and age-associated neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), are largely attributed to epigenetic drift which is characterized by the gradual accumulation of alterations in neural cell methylation patterns over time. These methylation changes are particularly evident in transposable element (TE)-derived sequences such as Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1) which comprises approximately 17% of the human genome. During aging, LINE-1 elements gradually lose their methylation, as well as the regulatory safeguard mechanisms that usually keep them inactive. This repression loss can lead to LINE-1 reactivation, contributing to harmful effects including genomic instability, neuroinflammation, and more. Together these findings indicate that impaired epigenetic maintenance, especially in repetitive genome regions, plays a key role in biological aging of neurons and glial cells. In this narrative review, we discuss the methylation dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of LINE-1 retrotransposons, their activation processes during aging, and contribution to age-associated neurological diseases. We also highlight the potential of targeting LINE-1 methylation to restore methylation homeostasis, epigenetic stability and delay brain aging.

Humans

Propanil-chloracne and methomyl toxicity in workers of a pesticide manufacturing plant.

In a survey of occupationally acquired disease in workers at a pesticide plant, we found that 11 (11%) of 102 workers had been hospitalized for illness related to chemical exposures; highest hospitalization rates occurred in packaging (27%), production (22%), and maintenance (9%) workers. Commonest causes of hospitalization were intoxication by the carbamate pesticide methomyl [1-(methylthio)ethylideneamino methyl carbamate], a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor, and methemoglobinemia following exposure to 3,4-dichloroaniline. On clinical evaluation, five (46%) of 11 packaging workers, the group with the highest exposure to methomyl, had experienced blurred vision or pupillary constriction. Seventeen (61%) of 28 production workers with exposure to dichloroaniline and propanil (3'4'-dichloropropionanilide) had chloracne, an acne-form dermatosis caused by the contaminant tetrachlorazobenzene in propanil and dichloroaniline. The chloracnegenic potentials of propanil and dichloroaniline were verified by rabbit ear tests. These findings reemphasize the hazards inherent in the the manufacture and formulation of pesticides and herbicides.

Acne Vulgaris

DNA topoisomerase II promotes N6-adenosine mRNA methylation.

DNA topoisomerase II (TOP2) is an enzyme that regulates DNA topology, primarily by removing DNA supercoiling. This function is crucial during transcription, as the movement of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) generates torsional stress. However, the specific role of TOP2 in the regulation of gene expression remains to be fully elucidated, as both TOP2 inhibitors and poisons have been shown to upregulate specific genes. In this study, we show that TOP2 poisoning negatively affects transcription elongation of genes repressed at the level of promoter-proximal pausing. Importantly, this effect is counteracted by defective mRNA N6-adenosine methylation (m6A), which results in altered RNA turnover and pre-mRNA splicing. We propose that TOP2 serves a dual function, supporting the maintenance of basal transcription elongation while simultaneously promoting m6A modification in pre-mRNAs to reduce the overall gene expression output.

RNA Methylation

[Clinical study of meproscillarin rates of inactivation and persistence, bioavailability and maintenance dose].

With a rate of inactivation of about 40% and a bioavailability of about 70% corresponding approximately to that of digoxin 14-hydroxy-3beta-[(4-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]-14beta-bufa-4,20,22-trienolide (meproscillarin, Clift) is--according to our results--a new therapeutic possibility for cardiac decompensated patients, especially in the presence of renal failure. The number of side effects was low. Occasionally diarrhoea occurred which, however, only in a few cases required treatment or discontinuance of therapy.

Aged

Catecholamine depletion in mice upon reexposure to stress: mediation of the escape deficits produced by inescapable shock.

Immediately following exposure to 60 inescapable shocks, Swiss-Webster mice had significantly reduced hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE). Within 24 hr NE levels returned to control values. Reexposure to as few as 10 shocks 24 hr after initial stress exposure resulted in a significant decline of hypothalamic NE. Moreover, at this interval after inescapable shock, escape performance was severely disrupted, with a large proportion of mice exhibiting numerous failures to escape shock. Increasing brain dopamine (DA) and NE by L-dopa treatment prior to inescapable shock prevented the escape deficits. Conversely, pairing five inescapable shocks with NE depletion by FLA-63, or both DA and NE depletion by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, disrupted escape performance 24 hr later. Residual drug effects, state dependence, or sustained amine turnover could not account for the behavioral changes observed. Data are discussed in terms of catecholamine mediation of escape performance through variations in response maintenance abilities. Furthermore, it is suggested that the long-term effects of inescapable shock may be due to sensitization effects or conditioned amine depletion.

Animals

[On the development of an oral preparation of meproscillarin (author's transl)].

Analytical methods of determination, investigations of stability and the behaviour of the substance in artificial gastric and intestinal fluids are the bases for the formulation of an oral preparation of 14-hydroxy-3beta-[4-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]-14beta-bufa-4,20,22-trienolide (meproscillarin, Clift). The problems of developing a stable form, the maintenance of uniform content and the bioavailability are discussed.

Administration, Oral