Effect of methylglyoxal on multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Katsuhiko eHayashi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Honey has a complex chemistry, and its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity varies with floral source, climate, and harvesting conditions. Methylglyoxal was identified as the dominant antibacterial component of manuka honey. Although it has been known that methylglyoxal has antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, there is not much information describing its activity against gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we report the effect of methylglyoxal against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP using 53 clinically isolated strains. We also assessed the effect of deleting the five multidrug efflux systems in P. aeruginosa, as well as the efflux systems in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, on MICs of methylglyoxal. Our results indicate that methylglyoxal inhibits the growth of MDRP at concentrations of 128–512 µg/ml (1.7–7.1 mM and is not recognized by drug efflux systems.

Metilglioxal: uma toxina endógena? Is methylglyoxal an endogenous toxin?

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Adriano Sartori

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Methylglyoxal is a very reactive α-oxoaldehyde putatively produced by glycolysis, cytochrome P450-catalyzed acetone oxidation and aminoacetone oxidation. Methylglyoxal has been pointed as a substrate for the glyoxalase system ultimately energy-yielding pyruvate, but methylglyoxal is also a toxicant involved in protein aggregation and DNA modification. Controversial hypothesis on methylglyoxal as an anticancer agent, an energy-yielding glycolysis intermediates, and as a regulator of cell division have also been proposed. Methylglyoxal research focuses now on unveiling its biological properties and on the discovery of drugs capable to inhibit its toxic effects, principally in diabetes.

Induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

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Pegg, A E; Erwin, B G; Persson, L

1985-10-17

The anti-tumor agent methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was found to be a competitive inhibitor of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase with a Ki of about 8 microM. Treatment of rats with this drug lead to a very large increase in the total amount of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase in liver, kidney and spleen. The total increase as measured using a specific antiserum amounted to 700-fold in liver and 100-fold in kidney within 18 h of treatment with 80 mg/kg doses. At least part of this induction was due to a pronounced increase in the half-life of the acetyltransferase which increased from 15 min to more than 12 h. The very large increase in the amount of the enzyme is likely to overwhelm the direct inhibition, and a net increase in the acetylation of polyamines by this enzyme would be expected to occur after treatment with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). The acetylated polyamines are known to be rapidly degraded by polyamine oxidase producing putrescine. Direct evidence that a substantial part of the increase in the content of putrescine in the liver of rats treated with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) occurs via the induction of this acetylase/oxidase pathway was obtained. These results indicate that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) affects cellular polyamine levels not only by means of its inhibitory effect on S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase but also by the induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase. They also raise the possibility that the enormous increase in this enzyme which occurs with higher doses may contribute to the very severe toxicity of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Polyamine metabolism in the kidneys of castrated and testosterone-treated mice after administration of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

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Henningsson, S; Persson, L; Rosengren, E

1979-02-01

The effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) activity were studied in the mouse kidney stimulated to growth by testosterone administration. The drug was found a potent inhibitor of the enzyme in vitrol Administration of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in vivo resulted in a transient inhibition followed by a strong enhancement of the enzyme activity. Dialysis of the kidney extract, to remove remaining methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), revealed a great and rapid increase in the activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase. Injections of testosterone to castrated mice resulted in a marked increase in kidney weight and an accumulation of renal putrescine, spermidine and spermine. These effects of testosterone could not be blocked by simultaneous injections of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). It appears that due to secondary effects by which the inhibition of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase activity is circumvented the inhibitor seems to be of uncertain value in attempts to decrease selectively the in vivo levels of polyamines.

Chromatographic analysis of methylglyoxal and other α-dicarbonyls using gas-diffusion microextraction.

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Santos, Christiane M; Valente, Inês M; Gonçalves, Luís M; Rodrigues, José A

2013-12-07

Many α-dicarbonyl compounds such as methylglyoxal, diacetyl and pentane-2,3-dione are important quality markers of processed foods. They are produced by enzymatic and chemical processes, the Maillard reaction is the most known chemical route for α-dicarbonyl formation. In the case of methylglyoxal, there are obstacles to be overcome when analysing this compound due to its high reactivity, low volatility and low concentration. The use of extraction techniques based on the volatilization of methylglyoxal (like solid-phase microextraction) showed to be ineffective for the methylglyoxal extraction from aqueous solutions. Therefore, derivatization is typically applied to increase analyte's volatility. In this work a new methodology for the extraction and analysis of methylglyoxal and also diacetyl and pentane-2,3-dione from selected food matrices is presented. It is based on a gas-diffusion microextraction step followed by high performance liquid chromatographic analysis. It was successfully applied to port wines, black tea and soy sauce. Methylglyoxal, diacetyl and pentane-2,3-dione were quantified in the following concentration ranges: 0.24-1.74 mg L(-1), 0.1-1.85 mg L(-1) and 0.023-0.15 mg L(-1), respectively. The main advantages over existing methodologies are its simplicity in terms of sample handling, not requiring any chemical modification of the α-dicarbonyls prior to the extraction, low reagent consumption and short time of analysis.

Suppression of phytohemagglutinin-induction of thymidine uptake in guinea pig lymphocytes by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment.

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Otani, S; Matsui, I; Morisawa, S

1977-10-18

Treatment with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), a specific inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), suppressed the phytohemagglutinin-induction of [3H]thymidine uptake by guinea pig lymphocytes. The kinetics of [3H]thymidine uptake revealed that the Km value for thymidine was not changed, but the V value was markedly lowered by the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment. The induction of ATP: thymidine 5'-phosphotransferase (EC 2.7.1.75) (thymidine kinase) activity by phytohemagglutinin was suppressed to about the same extent as the induction of thymidine uptake. These suppressions were dependent on the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) doses and on duration of the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment. Analysis of [3H]thymidine labelled compounds of the acid-soluble fraction showed that conversion of thymidine to thymidine 5'-triphosphate was inhibited by the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment. DNA polymerase activity was less inhibited by the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment in comparison with the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibition of thymidine uptake by whole cells. These results strongly suggested that blocking of polyamine accumulation by the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment influenced phytohemagglutinin induction of thymidine phosphorylation, resulting in a decrease of thymidine incorporation into DNA.

Edaravone Protects against Methylglyoxal-Induced Barrier Damage in Human Brain Endothelial Cells

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Tóth, Andrea E.; Walter, Fruzsina R.; Bocsik, Alexandra; Sántha, Petra; Veszelka, Szilvia; Nagy, Lajos; Puskás, László G.; Couraud, Pierre-Olivier; Takata, Fuyuko; Dohgu, Shinya; Kataoka, Yasufumi; Deli, Mária A.

2014-01-01

Background Elevated level of reactive carbonyl species, such as methylglyoxal, triggers carbonyl stress and activates a series of inflammatory responses leading to accelerated vascular damage. Edaravone is the active substance of a Japanese medicine, which aids neurological recovery following acute brain ischemia and subsequent cerebral infarction. Our aim was to test whether edaravone can exert a protective effect on the barrier properties of human brain endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3 cell line) treated with methylglyoxal. Methodology Cell viability was monitored in real-time by impedance-based cell electronic sensing. The barrier function of the monolayer was characterized by measurement of resistance and flux of permeability markers, and visualized by immunohistochemistry for claudin-5 and β-catenin. Cell morphology was also examined by holographic phase imaging. Principal Findings Methylglyoxal exerted a time- and dose-dependent toxicity on cultured human brain endothelial cells: a concentration of 600 µM resulted in about 50% toxicity, significantly reduced the integrity and increased the permeability of the barrier. The cell morphology also changed dramatically: the area of cells decreased, their optical height significantly increased. Edaravone (3 mM) provided a complete protection against the toxic effect of methylglyoxal. Co-administration of edaravone restored cell viability, barrier integrity and functions of brain endothelial cells. Similar protection was obtained by the well-known antiglycating molecule, aminoguanidine, our reference compound. Conclusion These results indicate for the first time that edaravone is protective in carbonyl stress induced barrier damage. Our data may contribute to the development of compounds to treat brain endothelial dysfunction in carbonyl stress related diseases. PMID:25033388

Edaravone protects against methylglyoxal-induced barrier damage in human brain endothelial cells.

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Andrea E Tóth

Full Text Available Elevated level of reactive carbonyl species, such as methylglyoxal, triggers carbonyl stress and activates a series of inflammatory responses leading to accelerated vascular damage. Edaravone is the active substance of a Japanese medicine, which aids neurological recovery following acute brain ischemia and subsequent cerebral infarction. Our aim was to test whether edaravone can exert a protective effect on the barrier properties of human brain endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3 cell line treated with methylglyoxal.Cell viability was monitored in real-time by impedance-based cell electronic sensing. The barrier function of the monolayer was characterized by measurement of resistance and flux of permeability markers, and visualized by immunohistochemistry for claudin-5 and β-catenin. Cell morphology was also examined by holographic phase imaging.Methylglyoxal exerted a time- and dose-dependent toxicity on cultured human brain endothelial cells: a concentration of 600 µM resulted in about 50% toxicity, significantly reduced the integrity and increased the permeability of the barrier. The cell morphology also changed dramatically: the area of cells decreased, their optical height significantly increased. Edaravone (3 mM provided a complete protection against the toxic effect of methylglyoxal. Co-administration of edaravone restored cell viability, barrier integrity and functions of brain endothelial cells. Similar protection was obtained by the well-known antiglycating molecule, aminoguanidine, our reference compound.These results indicate for the first time that edaravone is protective in carbonyl stress induced barrier damage. Our data may contribute to the development of compounds to treat brain endothelial dysfunction in carbonyl stress related diseases.

Alterations in bone marrow and blood mononuclear cell polyamine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) levels: phase I evaluation of alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment of human hematological malignancies.

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Maddox, A M; Freireich, E J; Keating, M J; Haddox, M K

1988-03-01

Nine patients with hematological malignancies were treated with difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). The number of circulating blast cells decreased in all of the patients treated with DFMO and MGBG for longer than 1 wk. Morphological evidence of myeloid maturation was evident in four patients with leukemia and the circulating M Protein decreased in one patient with multiple myeloma. The polyamine content of the mononuclear cells in both the peripheral blood and bone marrow was transiently increased after the initial MGBG dose. During administration of DFMO decreases were achieved in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell putrescine levels in 7 patients, spermidine levels in 5 patients, and spermine levels in 4 patients. Alterations in bone marrow mononuclear cell polyamine levels were similar to those which occurred in the peripheral cells. An average of 9 days of DFMO treatment was required to lower mononuclear cell polyamine levels. Three of the 4 evaluable patients receiving multiple MGBG doses had an increased mononuclear cell content of MGBG after DFMO pretreatment. Enhancement of cellular MGBG levels was not directly correlated to the degree of cellular polyamine depletion.

Ferricytochrome (c directly oxidizes aminoacetone to methylglyoxal, a catabolite accumulated in carbonyl stress.

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Adriano Sartori

Full Text Available Age-related diseases are associated with increased production of reactive oxygen and carbonyl species such as methylglyoxal. Aminoacetone, a putative threonine catabolite, is reportedly known to undergo metal-catalyzed oxidation to methylglyoxal, NH4(+ ion, and H2O2 coupled with (i permeabilization of rat liver mitochondria, and (ii apoptosis of insulin-producing cells. Oxidation of aminoacetone to methylglyoxal is now shown to be accelerated by ferricytochrome c, a reaction initiated by one-electron reduction of ferricytochrome c by aminoacetone without amino acid modifications. The participation of O2(•- and HO (• radical intermediates is demonstrated by the inhibitory effect of added superoxide dismutase and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spin-trapping experiments with 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide. We hypothesize that two consecutive one-electron transfers from aminoacetone (E0 values = -0.51 and -1.0 V to ferricytochrome c (E0 = 0.26 V may lead to aminoacetone enoyl radical and, subsequently, imine aminoacetone, whose hydrolysis yields methylglyoxal and NH4(+ ion. In the presence of oxygen, aminoacetone enoyl and O2(•- radicals propagate aminoacetone oxidation to methylglyoxal and H2O2. These data endorse the hypothesis that aminoacetone, putatively accumulated in diabetes, may directly reduce ferricyt c yielding methylglyoxal and free radicals, thereby triggering redox imbalance and adverse mitochondrial responses.

Comparison of specificity of inhibition of polyamine synthesis in bovine lymphocytes by ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

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Igarashi, K; Porter, C W; Morris, D R

1984-11-01

Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG) was compared as an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) in bovine small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. EGBG brought about a decrease in spermidine and spermine levels equal to that found with MGBG, but at a 5-fold lower intracellular drug concentration. Despite identical polyamine levels, the degree of inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis by EGBG was smaller than that observed with MGBG, in either the presence or absence of the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine. It was found that in vitro protein synthesis and in vivo mitochondrial function were inhibited by concentrations of MGBG necessary to inhibit polyamine synthesis in cells (1 to 3 mM), but not by efficacious levels of EGBG (0.2 to 0.6 mM). These results suggest that EGBG is more suitable as a specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis and that use of this drug, rather than MGBG, in combination with alpha-difluoromethylornithine may be useful for studying the physiological functions of polyamines in animal cells.

Accumulation of methylglyoxal increases the advanced glycation end-product levels in DRG and contributes to lumbar disk herniation-induced persistent pain.

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Liu, Cui-Cui; Zhang, Xin-Sheng; Ruan, Yu-Ting; Huang, Zhu-Xi; Zhang, Su-Bo; Liu, Meng; Luo, Hai-Jie; Wu, Shao-Ling; Ma, Chao

2017-08-01

Lumbar disk herniation (LDH) with discogenic low back pain and sciatica is a common and complicated musculoskeletal disorder. The underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, and there are no effective therapies for LDH-induced pain. In the present study, we found that the patients who suffered from LDH-induced pain had elevated plasma methylglyoxal (MG) levels. In rats, implantation of autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) to the left lumbar 5 spinal nerve root, which mimicked LDH, induced mechanical allodynia, increased MG level in plasma and dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and enhanced the excitability of small DRG neurons (DRG neurons ex vivo increased the number of action potentials evoked by depolarizing current pulses. Furthermore, inhibition of MG accumulation by aminoguanidine attenuated the enhanced excitability of small DRG neurons and the mechanical allodynia induced by NP implantation. In addition, NP implantation increased levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in DRG, and intrathecal injection of MG-derived AGEs induced the mechanical allodynia and DRG neuronal hyperactivity. Intrathecal injection of MG also significantly increased the expression of AGEs in DRG. Importantly, scavenging of MG by aminoguanidine also attenuated the increase in AGEs induced by NP implantation. These results suggested that LDH-induced MG accumulation contributed to persistent pain by increasing AGE levels. Thus generation of AGEs from MG may represent a target for treatment of LDH-induced pain. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study demonstrates that methylglyoxal accumulation via increasing advanced glycation end-product levels in dorsal root ganglion contributes to the persistent pain induced by lumbar disk herniation, which proposed potential targets for the treatment of lumbar disk herniation-induced persistent pain. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Amelioration in secretion of hyperthermostable and Ca2+ -independent alpha-amylase of Geobacillus thermoleovorans by some polyamines and their biosynthesis inhibitor methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone.

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Uma Maheswar Rao, J L; Satyanarayana, T

2004-01-01

Effect of polyamines and their biosynthesis inhibitors on the production of hyperthermostable and Ca2+ -independent alpha-amylase by Geobacillus thermoleovorans MTCC 4220. The alpha-amylase was produced in starch-yeast extract-tryptone (SYT) broth with different polyamines (PA) and polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors, methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG) and cyclohexylammonium sulphate (CHA) at 70 degrees C. The bacterial pellets were obtained after growing G. thermoleovorans at different temperatures, and used in determining total PA. The cell-free culture filtrates were used in alpha-amylase assays. During growth, total polyamines in biomass increased till 2 h, and thereafter, decreased gradually. The total polyamine content was very high in the biomass cultivated at 55 degrees C when compared with that of higher temperatures. Enzyme titre enhanced up to 70 degrees C, and thereafter declined. Extracellular enzyme and protein levels declined in the presence of exogenously added PA. The intracellular enzyme titres, however, were higher in putrescine (put) and spermidine (spd) than in spermine (spm). Polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor, MGBG enhanced secretion of alpha-amylase in a laboratory fermentor as well as shake flasks, although CHA did not affect it. The intracellular accumulation of put in the presence of MGBG appeared to enhance synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase. Extracellular enzyme and protein levels were low in the presence of exogenously added PA, but their intracellular levels, however, were higher in put and spd than in spm. A substantial increase in the synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase was attained in G. thermoleovorans in the presence of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor MGBG.

Electron affinity and excited states of methylglyoxal

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Dauletyarov, Yerbolat; Dixon, Andrew R.; Wallace, Adam A.; Sanov, Andrei

2017-07-01

Using photoelectron imaging spectroscopy, we characterized the anion of methylglyoxal (X2A″ electronic state) and three lowest electronic states of the neutral methylglyoxal molecule: the closed-shell singlet ground state (X1A'), the lowest triplet state (a3A″), and the open-shell singlet state (A1A″). The adiabatic electron affinity (EA) of the ground state, EA(X1A') = 0.87(1) eV, spectroscopically determined for the first time, compares to 1.10(2) eV for unsubstituted glyoxal. The EAs (adiabatic attachment energies) of two excited states of methylglyoxal were also determined: EA(a3A″) = 3.27(2) eV and EA(A1A″) = 3.614(9) eV. The photodetachment of the anion to each of these two states produces the neutral species near the respective structural equilibria; hence, the a3A″ ← X2A″ and A1A″ ← X2A″ photodetachment transitions are dominated by intense peaks at their respective origins. The lowest-energy photodetachment transition, on the other hand, involves significant geometry relaxation in the X1A' state, which corresponds to a 60° internal rotation of the methyl group, compared to the anion structure. Accordingly, the X1A' ← X2A″ transition is characterized as a broad, congested band, whose vertical detachment energy, VDE = 1.20(4) eV, significantly exceeds the adiabatic EA. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the ab initio predictions using several equation-of-motion methodologies, combined with coupled-cluster theory.

Effects of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on hepatic nuclear structure and deoxyribonucleic acid template activity.

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Brown, K B; Nelson, N F; Brown, D G

1975-12-01

1. The interaction of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) (1, 1'-[(methylethanediylidene)-dinitrilo]diguanidine) with isolated rat liver nuclei was investigated by electron microscopy. 2. At 4mM, putrescine was without effect; however, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) resulted in dispersed chromatin and alterations in nucleolar structure. In addition, spermidine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) caused marked aggregation of interchromatin granules. 3. The DNA template property of calf thymus DNA was examined by using DNA polymerases from Escherichia coli, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and calf thymus in the presence of 0-5 mM-amine. 4. In the presence of DNA polymerase, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibited activity, whereas putrescine or spermidine had much less effect or in some cases stimulated [3H]dTMP incorporation. 5. Template activity which was inhibited by spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) could be partially restored by additional DNA or enzyme. 6. When mixed with calf thymus DNA, calf thymus histone inhibited template activity as measured with E. coli DNA polymerase. The template activity of such a 'histone-nucleate' could not be restored by putrescine, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). 7. DNA template activity of isolated rat liver nuclei was tested by using E. coli DNA polymerase. None of the amines was able to increase the template activity of the nuclear DNA in vitro.

Modulation of Spc1 stress-activated protein kinase activity by methylglyoxal through inhibition of protein phosphatase in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takatsume, Yoshifumi; Izawa, Shingo; Inoue, Yoshiharu

2007-01-01

Methylglyoxal, a ubiquitous metabolite derived from glycolysis has diverse physiological functions in yeast cells. Previously, we have reported that extracellularly added methylglyoxal activates Spc1, a stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK), in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe [Y. Takatsume, S. Izawa, Y. Inoue, J. Biol. Chem. 281 (2006) 9086-9092]. Phosphorylation of Spc1 by treatment with methylglyoxal in S. pombe cells defective in glyoxalase I, an enzyme crucial for the metabolism of methylglyoxal, continues for a longer period than in wild-type cells. Here we show that methylglyoxal inhibits the activity of the protein phosphatase responsible for the dephosphorylation of Spc1 in vitro. In addition, we found that methylglyoxal inhibits human protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) also. We propose a model for the regulation of the activity of the Spc1-SAPK signaling pathway by methylglyoxal in S. pombe

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal Setschenow salting constants in sulfate, nitrate, and chloride solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waxman, Eleanor M.; Elm, Jonas; Kurtén, Theo

2015-01-01

Knowledge about Setschenow salting constants, KS, the exponential dependence of Henry's Law coefficients on salt concentration, is of particular importance to predict secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from soluble species in atmospheric waters with high salt concentrations, such as aerosols....... We have measured KS of glyoxal and methylglyoxal for the atmospherically relevant salts (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3, NaNO3, and NaCl and find that glyoxal consistently "salts-in" (KS of -0.16, -0.06, -0.065, -0.1 molality(-1), respectively) while methylglyoxal "salts-out" (KS of +0.16, +0.075, +0.02, +0.......06 molality(-1)). We show that KS values for different salts are additive and present an equation for use in atmospheric models. Additionally, we have performed a series of quantum chemical calculations to determine the interactions between glyoxal/methylglyoxal monohydrate with Cl(-), NO3(-), SO4(2-), Na...

Ketone Body Acetoacetate Buffers Methylglyoxal via a Non-enzymatic Conversion during Diabetic and Dietary Ketosis

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Salomon, Trine; Sibbersen, Christian; Hansen, Jakob

2017-01-01

now demonstrate that during ketosis, another meta- bolic route is operative via direct non-enzymatic aldol reaction between methylglyoxal and the ke- tone body acetoacetate, leading to 3-hydroxyhex- ane-2,5-dione. This novel metabolite is present at a concentration of 10%–20% of the methylglyoxal...

Voltammetric detection of the α-dicarbonyl compound: Methylglyoxal as a flavoring agent in wine and beer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatterjee, Sanghamitra; Chen Aicheng

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Synergistic electrocatalytic effect of Pt nanoparticles and single-wall carbon nanotubes on the reduction of methylglyoxal. ► Novel electrochemical Pt/SWNT/GCE sensor designed for the determination of methylglyoxal. ► Excellent analytical performance with low detection limit and high sensitivity. ► The developed methylglyoxal sensor shows promising process control, clinical and, biomedical applications. - Abstract: A simple, rapid and highly selective method for the determination of the most abundant α-dicarbonyl compound in wine and beer has been developed for the first time by employing square wave voltammetry. A novel electrochemical sensor, based on the electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles onto single wall carbon nanotubes that were cast on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) substrate, is presented in this paper. This modified electrode exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the electroreduction of methylglyoxal, showing much higher peak currents than those measured on an unmodified GCE. The effects of different experimental and instrumental parameters, such as solution pH and square wave frequency, were examined. The reduction peak current showed a linear range of from 0.1 × 10 −6 to 100 × 10 −6 M with a 0.9979 correlation coefficient; and a low detection limit of 2.8 × 10 −9 M was also obtained. The proposed methodology was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis of methylglyoxal in wine and beer samples. The developed sensor possesses advantageous properties such as a high active surface area, stability, and rapid electron transfer rate, which cumulatively demonstrate high performance toward the electrocatalytic reduction and detection of methylglyoxal.

Nitrogen-Containing, Light-Absorbing Oligomers Produced in Aerosol Particles Exposed to Methylglyoxal, Photolysis, and Cloud Cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

De Haan, David O; Tapavicza, Enrico; Riva, Matthieu; Cui, Tianqu; Surratt, Jason D; Smith, Adam C; Jordan, Mary-Caitlin; Nilakantan, Shiva; Almodovar, Marisol; Stewart, Tiffany N; de Loera, Alexia; De Haan, Audrey C; Cazaunau, Mathieu; Gratien, Aline; Pangui, Edouard; Doussin, Jean-François

2018-04-03

Aqueous methylglyoxal chemistry has often been implicated as an important source of oligomers in atmospheric aerosol. Here we report on chemical analysis of brown carbon aerosol particles collected from cloud cycling/photolysis chamber experiments, where gaseous methylglyoxal and methylamine interacted with glycine, ammonium, or methylammonium sulfate seed particles. Eighteen N-containing oligomers were identified in the particulate phase by liquid chromatography/diode array detection/electrospray ionization high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Chemical formulas were determined and, for 6 major oligomer products, MS 2 fragmentation spectra were used to propose tentative structures and mechanisms. Electronic absorption spectra were calculated for six tentative product structures by an ab initio second order algebraic-diagrammatic-construction/density functional theory approach. For five structures, matching calculated and measured absorption spectra suggest that they are dominant light-absorbing species at their chromatographic retention times. Detected oligomers incorporated methylglyoxal and amines, as expected, but also pyruvic acid, hydroxyacetone, and significant quantities of acetaldehyde. The finding that ∼80% (by mass) of detected oligomers contained acetaldehyde, a methylglyoxal photolysis product, suggests that daytime methylglyoxal oligomer formation is dominated by radical addition mechanisms involving CH 3 CO*. These mechanisms are evidently responsible for enhanced browning observed during photolytic cloud events.

LR-90 prevents methylglyoxal-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human endothelial cells

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Figarola, James L.; Singhal, Jyotsana; Rahbar, Samuel; Awasthi, Sanjay

2014-01-01

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound known to induce cellular injury and cytoxicity, including apoptosis in vascular cells. Vascular endothelial cell apoptosis has been implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether the advanced glycation end-product inhibitor LR-90 could prevent MGO-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were pre-treated with LR-90 and then stimulated with MGO. Cell morphology, cytotoxicity and apoptosis were evaluated by light microscopy, MTT assay, and Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide double staining, respectively. Levels of Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and caspase activities were assessed by Western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured with fluorescent probes. LR-90 dose-dependently prevented MGO-associated HUVEC cytotoxicity and apoptotic biochemical changes such as loss of MMP, increased Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio, mitochondrial cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3 and 9. Additionally, LR-90 blocked intracellular ROS formation and MAPK (p44/p42, p38, JNK) activation, though the latter seem to be not directly involved in MGO-induced HUVEC apoptosis. LR-90 prevents MGO-induced HUVEC apoptosis by inhibiting ROS and associated mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic signaling cascades, suggesting that LR-90 possess cytoprotective ability which could be beneficial in prevention of diabetic related-atherosclerosis. PMID:24615331

Secondary organic material formed by methylglyoxal in aqueous aerosol mimics

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N. Sareen

2010-02-01

Full Text Available We show that methylglyoxal forms light-absorbing secondary organic material in aqueous ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate solutions mimicking tropospheric aerosol particles. The kinetics were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The results suggest that the bimolecular reaction of methylglyoxal with an ammonium or hydronium ion is the rate-limiting step for the formation of light-absorbing species, with k_NH4+^II=5×10⁻⁶ M⁻¹ min⁻¹ and k_H3O+^II≤10⁻³ M⁻¹ min⁻¹. Evidence of aldol condensation products and oligomeric species up to 759 amu was found using chemical ionization mass spectrometry with a volatilization flow tube inlet (Aerosol-CIMS. Tentative identifications of carbon-nitrogen species and a sulfur-containing compound were also made using Aerosol-CIMS. Aqueous solutions of methylglyoxal, with and without inorganic salts, exhibit significant surface tension depression. These observations add to the growing body of evidence that dicarbonyl compounds may form secondary organic material in the aerosol aqueous phase, and that secondary organic aerosol formation via heterogeneous processes may affect seed aerosol properties.

Mechanisms leading to oligomers and SOA through aqueous photooxidation: insights from OH radical oxidation of acetic acid and methylglyoxal

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Y. Tan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Previous experiments have demonstrated that the aqueous OH radical oxidation of methylglyoxal produces low volatility products including pyruvate, oxalate and oligomers. These products are found predominantly in the particle phase in the atmosphere, suggesting that methylglyoxal is a precursor of secondary organic aerosol (SOA. Acetic acid plays a central role in the aqueous oxidation of methylglyoxal and it is a ubiquitous product of gas phase photochemistry, making it a potential "aqueous" SOA precursor in its own right. However, the fate of acetic acid upon aqueous-phase oxidation is not well understood. In this research, acetic acid (20 μM–10 mM was oxidized by OH radicals, and pyruvic acid and methylglyoxal experimental samples were analyzed using new analytical methods, in order to better understand the formation of SOA from acetic acid and methylglyoxal. Glyoxylic, glycolic, and oxalic acids formed from acetic acid and OH radicals. In contrast to the aqueous OH radical oxidation of methylglyoxal, the aqueous OH radical oxidation of acetic acid did not produce succinic acid and oligomers. This suggests that the methylgloxal-derived oligomers do not form through the acid catalyzed esterification pathway proposed previously. Using results from these experiments, radical mechanisms responsible for oligomer formation from methylglyoxal oxidation in clouds and wet aerosols are proposed. The importance of acetic acid/acetate as an SOA precursor is also discussed. We hypothesize that this and similar chemistry is central to the daytime formation of oligomers in wet aerosols.

Methylglyoxal is associated with changes in kidney function among individuals with screen-detected Type 2 diabetes mellitus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, T. M.; Vistisen, D.; Fleming, Thomas D

2016-01-01

of renal function during a 6-year follow-up in 1481 people with screen-detected Type 2 diabetes, as part of the Danish arm of the ADDITION-Europe trial (ADDITION-DK). Methods: Biobank serum samples collected at ADDITION-DK baseline (2001–2006) and follow-up (2009–2010) were used in the current analysis......-hypertensive treatment, LDL-cholesterol, lipid-lowering treatment, C-reactive protein and smoking. Conclusions: In a population of people with screen-detected Type 2 diabetes, we observed associations between methylglyoxal and markers of renal function: 6-year change in methylglyoxal was inversely associated with 6-year......Aims: The glycolysis-derived metabolite methylglyoxal has been linked to clinical microvascular complications, including diabetic nephropathy. We aimed to further investigate the hypothesis that methylglyoxal is involved in decline in renal function by assessing the associations between measures...

Voltammetric detection of the {alpha}-dicarbonyl compound: Methylglyoxal as a flavoring agent in wine and beer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chatterjee, Sanghamitra [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada); Chen Aicheng, E-mail: achen@lakeheadu.ca [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada)

2012-11-02

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Synergistic electrocatalytic effect of Pt nanoparticles and single-wall carbon nanotubes on the reduction of methylglyoxal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Novel electrochemical Pt/SWNT/GCE sensor designed for the determination of methylglyoxal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Excellent analytical performance with low detection limit and high sensitivity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The developed methylglyoxal sensor shows promising process control, clinical and, biomedical applications. - Abstract: A simple, rapid and highly selective method for the determination of the most abundant {alpha}-dicarbonyl compound in wine and beer has been developed for the first time by employing square wave voltammetry. A novel electrochemical sensor, based on the electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles onto single wall carbon nanotubes that were cast on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) substrate, is presented in this paper. This modified electrode exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the electroreduction of methylglyoxal, showing much higher peak currents than those measured on an unmodified GCE. The effects of different experimental and instrumental parameters, such as solution pH and square wave frequency, were examined. The reduction peak current showed a linear range of from 0.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6} to 100 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6} M with a 0.9979 correlation coefficient; and a low detection limit of 2.8 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} M was also obtained. The proposed methodology was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis of methylglyoxal in wine and beer samples. The developed sensor possesses advantageous properties such as a high active surface area, stability, and rapid electron transfer rate, which cumulatively demonstrate high performance toward the electrocatalytic reduction and detection of methylglyoxal.

Aerosol-Forming Reactions of Glyoxal, Methylglyoxal and Amino Acids in Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

de Haan, D. O.; Smith, K. W.; Stroik, D. R.; Corrigan, A. L.; Lee, F. E.; Phan, J. T.; Conley, A. C.

2008-12-01

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal are two common aldehydes present in fog and cloud water. Amino acids are present in clouds at similar concentrations. Here we present bulk and aerosol mass spectroscopic data demonstrating that irreversible reactions between glyoxal and amino acids, triggered by droplet evaporation, produce N-derivatized imidazole compounds along with deeply colored Maillard reaction products. These reactions can occur in the dark and in the absence of oxidants. Reactions between methylglyoxal and amino acids produce analogous methylated products plus oligomers with masses up to m/z = 1000. These reactions, which go to completion on the 10-min-timescale of cloud processing, could be significant sources of secondary organic aerosol and humic-like substances (HULIS or brown carbon).

Gas-phase water-mediated equilibrium between methylglyoxal and its geminal diol

Science.gov (United States)

Axson, Jessica L.; Takahashi, Kaito; De Haan, David O.; Vaida, Veronica

2010-01-01

In aqueous solution, aldehydes, and to a lesser extent ketones, hydrate to form geminal diols. We investigate the hydration of methylglyoxal (MG) in the gas phase, a process not previously considered to occur in water-restricted environments. In this study, we spectroscopically identified methylglyoxal diol (MGD) and obtained the gas-phase partial pressures of MG and MGD. These results, in conjunction with the relative humidity, were used to obtain the equilibrium constant, KP, for the water-mediated hydration of MG in the gas phase. The Gibbs free energy for this process, ΔG°, obtained as a result, suggests a larger than expected gas-phase diol concentration. This may have significant implications for understanding the role of organics in atmospheric chemistry. PMID:20142510

Rapid and Reliable HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Dihydroxyacetone, Methylglyoxal and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in Leptospermum Honeys.

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Matthew Pappalardo

Full Text Available A reliable determination of dihydroxyacetone, methylglyoxal and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is essential to establishing the commercial value and antimicrobial potential of honeys derived from the Leptospermum species endemic to Australia and New Zealand. We report a robust method for quantitation of all three compounds in a single HPLC run. Honey samples (n = 6 that are derivatized with o-(2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine were quantitated against a stable anisole internal standard. Linear regression analysis was performed using calibration standards for each compound (n = 6 and results indicated a high degree of accuracy (R2 = 0.999 for this method. The reliability of some commercial methylglyoxal solutions were found to be questionable. Effective quantitation of methylglyoxal content in honey is critical for researchers and industry, and the use of some commercial standards may bias data. Two accurate methylglyoxal standards are proposed, including a commercial standard and a derivative that can be prepared within the laboratory.

Inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase activities by analogues of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and their cellular uptake during lymphocyte activation.

OpenAIRE

Jänne, J; Morris, D R

1984-01-01

Several congeners of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) were tested for their ability to inhibit eukaryotic putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) and intestinal diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6). All the compounds tested, namely methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), dimethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and the di-N"-methyl derivative of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), were strong inhibitors of both yeast and mouse liver adenosylm...

The role of serum methylglyoxal on diabetic peripheral and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, C.S.; Jensen, T.M.; Jensen, J.S.

2015-01-01

AIMS: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy are common diabetic complications and independent predictors of cardiovascular disease. The glucose metabolite methylglyoxal has been suggested to play a causal role in the pathogeneses of diabetic peripheral neuropathy...... and possibly diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional association between serum methylglyoxal and diabetic peripheral neuropathy and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in a subset of patients in the ADDITION-Denmark study with short-term screen......-detected Type 2 diabetes (duration ~ 5.8 years). METHODS: The patients were well controlled with regard to HbA(1c), lipids and blood pressure. Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy was assessed by measures of resting heart rate variability and cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy...

Perturbation of human coronary artery endothelial cell redox state and NADPH generation by methylglyoxal.

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Philip E Morgan

Full Text Available Diabetes is associated with elevated plasma glucose, increased reactive aldehyde formation, oxidative damage, and glycation/glycoxidation of biomolecules. Cellular detoxification of, or protection against, such modifications commonly requires NADPH-dependent reducing equivalents (e.g. GSH. We hypothesised that reactive aldehydes may modulate cellular redox status via the inhibition of NADPH-generating enzymes, resulting in decreased thiol and NADPH levels. Primary human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC were incubated with high glucose (25 mM, 24 h, 37°C, or methylglyoxal (MGO, glyoxal, or glycolaldehyde (100-500 µM, 1 h, 37°C, before quantification of intracellular thiols and NADPH-generating enzyme activities. Exposure to MGO, but not the other species examined, significantly (P<0.05 decreased total thiols (∼35%, further experiments with MGO showed significant losses of GSH (∼40% and NADPH (∼10%; these changes did not result in an immediate loss of cell viability. Significantly decreased (∼10% NADPH-producing enzyme activity was observed for HCAEC when glucose-6-phosphate or 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate were used as substrates. Cell lysate experiments showed significant MGO-dose dependent inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate-dependent enzymes and isocitrate dehydrogenase, but not malic enzyme. Analysis of intact cell or lysate proteins showed that arginine-derived hydroimidazolones were the predominant advanced glycation end-product (AGE formed; lower levels of N(ε-(carboxyethyllysine (CEL and N(ε-(carboxymethyllysine (CML were also detected. These data support a novel mechanism by which MGO exposure results in changes in redox status in human coronary artery endothelial cells, via inhibition of NADPH-generating enzymes, with resultant changes in reduced protein thiol and GSH levels. These changes may contribute to the endothelial cell dysfunction observed in diabetes-associated atherosclerosis.

Polyamines and polyamine biosynthesis in cells exposed to hyperthermia

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Gerner, E.W.; Stickney, D.G.; Herman, T.S.; Fuller, D.J.

1983-02-01

The issue of how polyamines act to sensitize cultured cells to the lethal effects of hyperthermia was investigated using Chinese hamster cells which were induced to express thermotolerance. Intracellular levels of these naturally occurring polycations were manipulated in certain situations by treating whole cells with methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of the S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylases. Exogenous spermine as low as 100 ..mu..M in the culture media dramatically sensitized cells expressing thermotolerance to the lethal effects of subsequent 42/sup 0/C exposures. When thermotolerance was differentially induced in cultures exposed to 42.4/sup 0/C by varying the rate of heating from 37 to 42.4/sup 0/C, the most resistant cells and the highest levels of intracellular spermidine and spermine. This finding was explainable in part by the observation that the putrescine-dependent S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase activity was minimally affected in cells expressng the greatest degree of thermotolerance. When this enzyme activity was inhibited by drug, lowered intracellular polyamine levels did not correspond with subsequent survival responses to heat. Interestingly, cultures treated with methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) 24 hr previous to heat exposure showed a reduced capacity to express rate of heating-induced thermotolerance. Together, these results demonstrate that the polyamines, especially spermidine and spermine, enhance hyperthermia-induced cell killing by some mechanism involving the plasma membrane. Further, our data suggest that methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) can act to affect thermal responses by a mechanism(s) other than modification of intracellular polyamine levels.

Intracellular thiol levels and radioresistance: Studies with glutathione and glutathione mono ethyl ester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astor, M.B.; Meister, A.; Anderson, M.E.

1987-01-01

Intracellular thiols such as glutathione (GSH) protect cells against free radicals formed during oxidative metabolism or from exposure to drugs or ionizing radiation. The role of intracellular GSH in the repair of radiation induced free radical damage was studied using GSH or its analog glutathione mono ethyl ester (GEE), which readily penetrates into the cell. Chinese hamster V79 cells with normal GSH levels were afforded equal protection under aerated and hypoxic conditions (DMF = 1.2 OER = 3.7) by both 10 mM GSH and GEE although GEE had raised interacellular GSH levels three-fold. Growth of V79 cells in cysteine free media resulted in undetectable levels of GSH and OER of 2.2 with no change in aerated survival. Restoration of intracellular GSH by 10 mM GEE resulted in an increase of the OER from 2.2. to 3.8 (DMF = 1.7). Only 14% of the intracellular GSH needs to be repleted to give an OER of 3.0. These experiments provide evidence that thiols do play a role in the oxygen effect and are present at levels in excess of what is necessary for maximal radioprotection

The effect of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) on mitochondrial Ca(2+) fluxes.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvi, Mauro; Toninello, Antonio

2002-01-15

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) induces a dose-dependent inhibition of the electrophoretic Ca(2+) uptake by rat liver mitochondria (RLM) without affecting the electrical membrane potential. MGBG is also able to inhibit the electroneutral Ca(2+) release from mitochondria. These effects result in a progressive increase of Ca(2+) level in suspending medium indicating that Ca(2+) uptake is inhibited at higher extent than Ca(2+) efflux. Spermine instead, induces a lowering of external Ca(2+) concentration. This action is reversed by MGBG which again raises the external Ca(2+) concentration then in the absence of spermine, though at a lower extent. The mechanism of MGBG effects and their implications on energy metabolism are discussed.

Brown Carbon Production in Ammonium- or Amine-Containing Aerosol Particles by Reactive Uptake of Methylglyoxal and Photolytic Cloud Cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

De Haan, David O; Hawkins, Lelia N; Welsh, Hannah G; Pednekar, Raunak; Casar, Jason R; Pennington, Elyse A; de Loera, Alexia; Jimenez, Natalie G; Symons, Michael A; Zauscher, Melanie; Pajunoja, Aki; Caponi, Lorenzo; Cazaunau, Mathieu; Formenti, Paola; Gratien, Aline; Pangui, Edouard; Doussin, Jean-François

2017-07-05

The effects of methylglyoxal uptake on the physical and optical properties of aerosol containing amines or ammonium sulfate were determined before and after cloud processing in a temperature- and RH-controlled chamber. The formation of brown carbon was observed upon methylglyoxal addition, detected as an increase in water-soluble organic carbon mass absorption coefficients below 370 nm and as a drop in single-scattering albedo at 450 nm. The imaginary refractive index component k 450 reached a maximum value of 0.03 ± 0.009 with aqueous glycine aerosol particles. Browning of solid particles occurred at rates limited by chamber mixing (cloud events with chamber lights on, suggesting photosensitized brown carbon formation. Despite these changes in optical aerosol characteristics, increases in dried aerosol mass were rarely observed (<1 μg/m 3 in all cases), consistent with previous experiments on methylglyoxal. Under dry, particle-free conditions, methylglyoxal reacted (presumably on chamber walls) with methylamine with a rate constant k = (9 ± 2) × 10 -17 cm 3 molecule -1 s -1 at 294 K and activation energy E a = 64 ± 37 kJ/mol.

A perspective on SOA generated in aerosol water from glyoxal and methylglyoxal and its impacts on climate-relevant aerosol properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sareen, N.; McNeill, V. F.

2011-12-01

In recent years, glyoxal and methylglyoxal have emerged to be potentially important SOA precursors with significant implications for climate-related aerosol properties. Here we will discuss how the chemistry of these and similar organic compounds in aerosol water can affect the aerosol optical and cloud formation properties. Aqueous-phase SOA production from glyoxal and methylglyoxal is a potential source of strongly light-absorbing organics, or "brown carbon". We characterized the kinetics of brown carbon formation from these precursors in mixtures of ammonium sulfate and water using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. This mechanism has been incorporated into a photochemical box model with coupled gas phase-aqueous aerosol chemistry. Methylglyoxal and related compounds also may impact an aerosol's ability to act as a cloud condensation nucleus. We recently showed via pendant drop tensiometry and aerosol chamber studies that uptake of methylglyoxal from the gas phase driven by aqueous-phase oligomerization chemistry is a potentially significant, previously unidentified source of surface-active organic material in aerosols. Results from pendant drop tensiometry showed significantly depressed surface tension in methylglyoxal-ammonium sulfate solutions. We further found that ammonium sulfate particles exposed to gas-phase methylglyoxal in a 3.5 m3 aerosol reaction chamber activate into cloud droplets at sizes up to 15% lower at a given supersaturation than do pure ammonium sulfate particles. The observed enhancement exceeds that predicted based on Henry's Law and our measurements of surface tension depression in bulk solutions, suggesting that surface adsorption of methylglyoxal plays a role in determining CCN activity. Methylglyoxal and similar gas-phase surfactants may be an important and overlooked source of enhanced CCN activity in the atmosphere. To characterize the SOA products formed in these solutions, an Aerosol Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (CIMS) was used

Inhibition of the synthesis of polyamines and DNA in activated lymphocytes by a combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, D R; Jorstad, C M; Seyfried, C E

1977-09-01

The cancer chemotherapeutic drug, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibits the synthesis of spermidine and spermine, but allows continued putrescine production in small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. DNA replication in these cells is inhibited 50% while the synthesis of protein and RNA continues normally. When excess putrescine accumulation in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was inhibited with alpha-methylornithine, a competitive inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, the inhibition of DNA replication was accentuated, with still no effect on protein or RNA synthesis. No inhibition of DNA synthesis by the combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was observed when the inhibitors were added after accumulation of cellular polyamines. In addition, inhibition was reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine, or spermine. We conclude that putrescine can fulfill in part the role normally played by spermidine and spermine in DNA replication, and that blocking putrescine synthesis in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) amplifies the polyamine requirement. The implications of this with regard to polyamine synthesis as a site of chemotherapy are discussed.

Non-p-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance in detransformed rat cells selected for resistance to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, J M; Sircar, S; Horvath, J; Dion, P

1989-11-01

Three independent variants (G2, G4, G5), resistant to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), an anticancer drug, have been isolated by single step selection from an adenovirus-transformed rat brain cell line (1). These variants display selective cross-resistance to several natural product drugs of dissimilar structure and action. Multidrug resistance has recently been shown to be caused by overexpression of the membrane-associated p-glycoprotein, most often caused by amplification of the mdr gene. Several types of experiments were conducted to determine whether the observed drug resistance in our cell lines could be due to changes at the mdr locus. The following results were obtained: (a) the mdr locus was not amplified; (b) transcription of the mdr gene and p-glycoprotein synthesis were not increased; (c) multidrug resistance cell lines, which carry an amplified mdr locus, were not cross-resistant to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone); (d) verapamil did not reverse the resistance of G cells or mdr cells to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), nor that of G cells to vincristine; and (e) methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) resistance was recessive and depended on a block to drug uptake, as opposed to mdr cells which are dominant and express increased drug efflux. The results obtained suggest that the drug resistance in the G2, G4, and G5 cells was atypical and may be due to a mechanism distinct from that mediated by the mdr locus.

Methylglyoxal and other carbohydrate metabolites induce lanthanum-sensitive Ca2+ transients and inhibit growth in E. coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Anthony K; Naseem, Riffat; Holland, I Barry; Matthews, Stephanie B; Wann, Kenneth T

2007-12-01

The results here are the first demonstration of a family of carbohydrate fermentation products opening Ca2+ channels in bacteria. Methylglyoxal, acetoin (acetyl methyl carbinol), diacetyl (2,3 butane dione), and butane 2,3 diol induced Ca2+ transients in Escherichia coli, monitored by aequorin, apparently by opening Ca2+ channels. Methylglyoxal was most potent (K(1/2) = 1 mM, 50 mM for butane 2,3 diol). Ca2+ transients depended on external Ca2+ (0.1-10 mM), and were blocked by La3+ (5 mM). The metabolites affected growth, methylglyoxal being most potent, blocking growth completely up to 5 h without killing the cells. But there was no affect on the number of viable cells after 24 h. These results were consistent with carbohydrate products activating a La3+-sensitive Ca2+ channel, rises in cytosolic Ca2+ possibly protecting against certain toxins. They have important implications in bacterial-host cell signalling, and where numbers of different bacteria compete for the same substrates, e.g., the gut in lactose and food intolerance.

Intracellular NAD(H) levels control motility and invasion of glioma cells.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horssen, R. van; Willemse, M.P.; Haeger, A.; Attanasio, F.; Guneri, T.; Schwab, A.; Stock, C.M.; Buccione, R.; Fransen, J.A.M.; Wieringa, B.

2013-01-01

Oncogenic transformation involves reprogramming of cell metabolism, whereby steady-state levels of intracellular NAD(+) and NADH can undergo dramatic changes while ATP concentration is generally well maintained. Altered expression of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), the rate-limiting

Oxidative modification of ferritin induced by methylglyoxal

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Sung Ho An

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Methylglyoxal (MG was identified as an intermediate innon-enzymatic glycation and increased levels were reported inpatients with diabetes. In this study, we evaluated the effects ofMG on the modification of ferritin. When ferritin wasincubated with MG, covalent crosslinking of the proteinincreased in a time- and MG dose-dependent manner.Reactive oxygen species (ROS scavengers, N-acetyl-L-cysteineand thiourea suppressed the MG-mediated ferritinmodification. The formation of dityrosine was observed inMG-mediated ferritin aggregates and ROS scavengers inhibitedthe formation of dityrosine. During the reaction betweenferritin and MG, the generation of ROS was increased as afunction of incubation time. These results suggest that ROSmay play a role in the modification of ferritin by MG. Thereaction between ferritin and MG led to the release of ironions from the protein. Ferritin exposure to MG resulted in aloss of arginine, histidine and lysine residues. It was assumedthat oxidative damage to ferritin caused by MG may induce anincrease in the iron content in cells, which is deleterious tocells. This mechanism, in part, may provide an explanation orthe deterioration of organs under diabetic conditions. [BMBreports 2012; 45(3: 147-152

Suppression of the formation of polyamines and macromolecules by dl-α-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in phytohaemagglutinin-activated human lymphocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Jänne, Juhani; Hovi, Tapani; Hölttä, Erkki

1979-01-01

1. The activation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin in vitro was accompanied by striking increases in the concentrations of the natural polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine. 2. The enhanced accumulation of polyamines could be almost totally abolished by dl-α-difluoromethylornithine, a newly discovered irreversible inhibitor of l-ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), or by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1′-[(methylethanediylidene)dinitrilo]diguanidine}, an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50). The inhibition of polyamine accumulation was associated with a marked suppression of DNA synthesis, which was partially or totally reversed by low concentrations of exogenous putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine and by higher concentrations of 1,3-diaminopropane. 3. In contrast with some earlier studies, we found that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), at concentrations that were sufficient to prevent polyamine accumulation, also caused a clear inhibition of protein synthesis in the activated lymphocytes. Similar results were obtained with difluoromethylornithine. The decrease in protein synthesis caused by both compounds preceded the impairment of DNA synthesis. The inhibition of protein synthesis by difluoromethylornithine was fully reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and that caused by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by spermidine and spermine. In further support of the idea that the inhibition of protein synthesis by these compounds was related to the polyamine depletion, we found that difluoromethylornithine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the incorporation of [14C]leucine into lymphocyte proteins which closely correlated with the decreased concentrations of cellular spermidine. 4. Difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) also elicited a variable depression in the incorporation of [3H]uridine and [14C]adenine into total RNA. The

Suppression of the formation of polyamines and macromolecules by DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in phytohaemagglutinin-activated human lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hölttä, E; Jänne, J; Hovi, T

1979-01-15

1. The activation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin in vitro was accompanied by striking increases in the concentrations of the natural polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine. 2. The enhanced accumulation of polyamines could be almost totally abolished by dl-alpha-difluoromethylornithine, a newly discovered irreversible inhibitor of l-ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), or by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1'-[(methylethanediylidene)dinitrilo]diguanidine}, an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50). The inhibition of polyamine accumulation was associated with a marked suppression of DNA synthesis, which was partially or totally reversed by low concentrations of exogenous putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine and by higher concentrations of 1,3-diaminopropane. 3. In contrast with some earlier studies, we found that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), at concentrations that were sufficient to prevent polyamine accumulation, also caused a clear inhibition of protein synthesis in the activated lymphocytes. Similar results were obtained with difluoromethylornithine. The decrease in protein synthesis caused by both compounds preceded the impairment of DNA synthesis. The inhibition of protein synthesis by difluoromethylornithine was fully reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and that caused by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by spermidine and spermine. In further support of the idea that the inhibition of protein synthesis by these compounds was related to the polyamine depletion, we found that difluoromethylornithine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the incorporation of [(14)C]leucine into lymphocyte proteins which closely correlated with the decreased concentrations of cellular spermidine. 4. Difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) also elicited a variable depression in the incorporation of [(3)H]uridine and [(14)C]adenine into total RNA

Voltammetric detection of the α-dicarbonyl compound: methylglyoxal as a flavoring agent in wine and beer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Sanghamitra; Chen, Aicheng

2012-11-02

A simple, rapid and highly selective method for the determination of the most abundant α-dicarbonyl compound in wine and beer has been developed for the first time by employing square wave voltammetry. A novel electrochemical sensor, based on the electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles onto single wall carbon nanotubes that were cast on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) substrate, is presented in this paper. This modified electrode exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the electroreduction of methylglyoxal, showing much higher peak currents than those measured on an unmodified GCE. The effects of different experimental and instrumental parameters, such as solution pH and square wave frequency, were examined. The reduction peak current showed a linear range of from 0.1×10(-6) to 100×10(-6)M with a 0.9979 correlation coefficient; and a low detection limit of 2.8×10(-9)M was also obtained. The proposed methodology was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis of methylglyoxal in wine and beer samples. The developed sensor possesses advantageous properties such as a high active surface area, stability, and rapid electron transfer rate, which cumulatively demonstrate high performance toward the electrocatalytic reduction and detection of methylglyoxal. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant-rich leaf extract of Barringtonia racemosa significantly alters the in vitro expression of genes encoding enzymes that are involved in methylglyoxal degradation III

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kin Weng Kong

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background Barringtonia racemosa is a medicinal plant belonging to the Lecythidaceae family. The water extract of B. racemosa leaf (BLE has been shown to be rich in polyphenols. Despite the diverse medicinal properties of B. racemosa, information on its major biological effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms are still lacking. Methods In this study, the effect of the antioxidant-rich BLE on gene expression in HepG2 cells was investigated using microarray analysis in order to shed more light on the molecular mechanism associated with the medicinal properties of the plant. Results Microarray analysis showed that a total of 138 genes were significantly altered in response to BLE treatment (p < 0.05 with a fold change difference of at least 1.5. SERPINE1 was the most significantly up-regulated gene at 2.8-fold while HAMP was the most significantly down-regulated gene at 6.5-fold. Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA revealed that “Cancer, cell death and survival, cellular movement” was the top network affected by the BLE with a score of 44. The top five canonical pathways associated with BLE were Methylglyoxal Degradation III followed by VDR/RXR activation, TR/RXR activation, PXR/RXR activation and gluconeogenesis. The expression of genes that encode for enzymes involved in methylglyoxal degradation (ADH4, AKR1B10 and AKR1C2 and glycolytic process (ENO3, ALDOC and SLC2A1 was significantly regulated. Owing to the Warburg effect, aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells may increase the level of methylglyoxal, a cytotoxic compound. Conclusions BLE has the potential to be developed into a novel chemopreventive agent provided that the cytotoxic effects related to methylglyoxal accumulation are minimized in normal cells that rely on aerobic glycolysis for energy supply.

Intracellular calcium levels can regulate Importin-dependent nuclear import

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaur, Gurpreet; Ly-Huynh, Jennifer D.; Jans, David A.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • High intracellular calcium inhibits Impα/β1- or Impβ1-dependent nuclear protein import. • The effect of Ca 2+ on nuclear import does not relate to changes in the nuclear pore. • High intracellular calcium can result in mislocalisation of Impβ1, Ran and RCC1. - Abstract: We previously showed that increased intracellular calcium can modulate Importin (Imp)β1-dependent nuclear import of SRY-related chromatin remodeling proteins. Here we extend this work to show for the first time that high intracellular calcium inhibits Impα/β1- or Impβ1-dependent nuclear protein import generally. The basis of this relates to the mislocalisation of the transport factors Impβ1 and Ran, which show significantly higher nuclear localization in contrast to various other factors, and RCC1, which shows altered subnuclear localisation. The results here establish for the first time that intracellular calcium modulates conventional nuclear import through direct effects on the nuclear transport machinery

Intracellular calcium levels can regulate Importin-dependent nuclear import

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaur, Gurpreet; Ly-Huynh, Jennifer D.; Jans, David A., E-mail: David.Jans@monash.edu

2014-07-18

Highlights: • High intracellular calcium inhibits Impα/β1- or Impβ1-dependent nuclear protein import. • The effect of Ca{sup 2+} on nuclear import does not relate to changes in the nuclear pore. • High intracellular calcium can result in mislocalisation of Impβ1, Ran and RCC1. - Abstract: We previously showed that increased intracellular calcium can modulate Importin (Imp)β1-dependent nuclear import of SRY-related chromatin remodeling proteins. Here we extend this work to show for the first time that high intracellular calcium inhibits Impα/β1- or Impβ1-dependent nuclear protein import generally. The basis of this relates to the mislocalisation of the transport factors Impβ1 and Ran, which show significantly higher nuclear localization in contrast to various other factors, and RCC1, which shows altered subnuclear localisation. The results here establish for the first time that intracellular calcium modulates conventional nuclear import through direct effects on the nuclear transport machinery.

Differential effects of 2-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on the testosterone-induced growth of ventral prostate and seminal vesicles of castrated rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Käpyaho, K; Kallio, A; Jänne, J

1984-05-01

2-Difluoromethylornithine totally prevented any increases in putrescine and spermidine concentrations in the ventral prostate of castrated rats during a 6-day testosterone treatment. Prostatic ornithine decarboxylase activity was inhibited by 80%, whereas S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase was stimulated by more than 9-fold. In seminal vesicle, the inhibition of putrescine and spermidine accumulation, as well as of ornithine decarboxylase activity, was only minimal, and no stimulation of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase was observed. Administration of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) to castrated androgen-treated rats resulted in a marked increase in concentrations of all prostatic polyamines. Prostatic ornithine decarboxylase activity was nearly 2 times and adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity 9 times higher than that of the testosterone-treated animals. In contrast with ventral prostate, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment inhibited moderately the accumulation of spermidine and spermine in seminal vesicle, although both ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activities were stimulated. Difluoromethylornithine inhibited significantly the weight gain of ventral prostate, but methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) produced a substantial increase in prostatic weight. These changes were largely due to the fact that the volume of prostatic secretion was greatly decreased by difluoromethylornithine, whereas methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) increased the amount of secretion. Treatment with difluoromethylornithine strikingly increased the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) content of both ventral prostate and seminal vesicle, but even under these conditions the drug concentration remained low in comparison with other tissues. The results indicate that a combined use of these two polyamine anti-metabolites does not necessarily result in a synergistic growth inhibition of the androgen-induced growth of male accessory sexual glands.

Epalrestat increases intracellular glutathione levels in Schwann cells through transcription regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keisuke Sato

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Epalrestat (EPS, approved in Japan, is the only aldose reductase inhibitor that is currently available for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Here we report that EPS at near-plasma concentration increases the intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH, which is important for protection against oxidative injury, through transcription regulation. Treatment of Schwann cells with EPS caused a dramatic increase in intracellular GSH levels. EPS increased the mRNA levels of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS, the enzyme catalyzing the first and rate-limiting step in de novo GSH synthesis. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2 is a key transcription factor that plays a central role in regulating the expression of γ-GCS. ELISA revealed that EPS increased nuclear Nrf2 levels. Knockdown of Nrf2 by siRNA suppressed the EPS-induced GSH biosynthesis. Furthermore, pretreatment with EPS reduced the cytotoxicity induced by H2O2, tert-butylhydroperoxide, 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane dihydrochloride, and menadione, indicating that EPS plays a role in protecting against oxidative stress. This is the first study to show that EPS induces GSH biosynthesis via the activation of Nrf2. We suggest that EPS has new beneficial properties that may prevent the development and progression of disorders caused by oxidative stress.

Gelsolin-Cu/ZnSOD interaction alters intracellular reactive oxygen species levels to promote cancer cell invasion

KAUST Repository

Tochhawng, Lalchhandami

2016-07-07

The actin-binding protein, gelsolin, is a well known regulator of cancer cell invasion. However, the mechanisms by which gelsolin promotes invasion are not well established. As reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to promote cancer cell invasion, we investigated on the hypothesis that gelsolin-induced changes in ROS levels may mediate the invasive capacity of colon cancer cells. Herein, we show that increased gelsolin enhances the invasive capacity of colon cancer cells, and this is mediated via gelsolin\\'s effects in elevating intracellular superoxide (O2 .-) levels. We also provide evidence for a novel physical interaction between gelsolin and Cu/ZnSOD, that inhibits the enzymatic activity of Cu/ZnSOD, thereby resulting in a sustained elevation of intracellular O2 .-. Using microarray data of human colorectal cancer tissues from Gene Omnibus, we found that gelsolin gene expression positively correlates with urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), an important matrix-degrading protease invovled in cancer invasion. Consistent with the in vivo evidence, we show that increased levels of O2 .- induced by gelsolin overexpression triggers the secretion of uPA. We further observed reduction in invasion and intracellular O2 .- levels in colon cancer cells, as a consequence of gelsolin knockdown using two different siRNAs. In these cells, concurrent repression of Cu/ ZnSOD restored intracellular O2 .- levels and rescued invasive capacity. Our study therefore identified gelsolin as a novel regulator of intracellular O2 .- in cancer cells via interacting with Cu/ZnSOD and inhibiting its enzymatic activity. Taken together, these findings provide insight into a novel function of gelsolin in promoting tumor invasion by directly impacting the cellular redox milieu.

Control of intracellular heme levels: Heme transporters and heme oxygenases

OpenAIRE

Khan, Anwar A.; Quigley, John G.

2011-01-01

Heme serves as a co-factor in proteins involved in fundamental biological processes including oxidative metabolism, oxygen storage and transport, signal transduction and drug metabolism. In addition, heme is important for systemic iron homeostasis in mammals. Heme has important regulatory roles in cell biology, yet excessive levels of intracellular heme are toxic; thus, mechanisms have evolved to control the acquisition, synthesis, catabolism and expulsion of cellular heme. Recently, a number...

The relationship between the violet pigment PP-V production and intracellular ammonium level in Penicillium purpurogenum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Ryo; Arai, Teppei; Matsufuji, Hiroshi; Kasumi, Takafumi; Watanabe, Taisuke; Ogihara, Jun

2016-12-01

Penicillium purpurogenum is the fungus that produces an azaphilone pigment. However, details about the pigment biosynthesis pathway are unknown. The violet pigment PP-V is the one of the main pigments biosynthesized by this fungus. This pigment contains an amino group in a pyran ring as its core structure. We focused on this pigment and examined the relationship between intracellular ammonium concentration and pigment production using glutamine as a nitrogen source. The intracellular ammonium level decreased about 1.5-fold in conditions favoring PP-V production. Moreover, P. purpurogenum was transferred to medium in which it commonly produces the related pigment PP-O after cultivating it in the presence or absence of glutamine to investigate whether this fungus biosynthesizes PP-V using surplus ammonium in cells. Only mycelia cultured in medium containing 10 mM glutamine produced the violet pigment, and simultaneously intracellular ammonium levels decreased under this condition. From comparisons of the amount of PP-V that was secreted with quantity of surplus intracellular ammonium, it is suggested that P. purpurogenum maintains ammonium homeostasis by excreting waste ammonium as PP-V.

Convenient synthesis of [2-14C]-methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), [14C]-mitoguazone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burgos, A.; Ellames, G.J.

1995-01-01

[2- 14 C]-Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) dihydrochloride, [ 14 C]-mitoguazone has been prepared in three steps from potassium[1- 14 C]-acetate in an overall radiochemical yield of 16%. The key steps in this procedure are the formation of the sodium salt of[acetone-2- 14 C]-methylsulfinylacetone, and Pummerer rearrangement to the [ 14 C] labelled hermithioacetal, which is trapped with two equivalents of aminoguanidine to afford the desired [ 14 C]-mitoguazone. (Author)

Formation yields of glyoxal and methylglyoxal from the gas-phase OH radical-initiated reactions of toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes as a function of NO2 concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishino, Noriko; Arey, Janet; Atkinson, Roger

2010-09-23

Aromatic hydrocarbons comprise 20% of non-methane volatile organic compounds in urban areas and are transformed mainly by atmospheric chemical reactions with OH radicals during daytime. In this work we have measured the formation yields of glyoxal and methylglyoxal from the OH radical-initiated reactions of toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes over the NO2 concentration range (0.2-10.3) × 1013 molecules cm(-3). For toluene, o-, m-, and p-xylene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, the yields showed a dependence on NO2, decreasing with increasing NO2 concentration and with no evidence for formation of glyoxal or methylglyoxal from the reactions of the OH-aromatic adducts with NO2. In contrast, for 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene the glyoxal and methylglyoxal formation yields were independent of the NO2 concentration within the experimental uncertainties. Extrapolations of our results to NO2 concentrations representative of the ambient atmosphere results in the following glyoxal and methylglyoxal yields, respectively: for toluene, 26.0 ± 2.2% and 21.5 ± 2.9%; for o-xylene, 12.7 ± 1.9% and 33.1 ± 6.1%; for m-xylene, 11.4 ± 0.7% and 51.5 ± 8.5%; for p-xylene, 38.9 ± 4.7% and 18.7 ± 2.2%; for 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 4.7 ± 2.4% and 15.1 ± 3.3%; for 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 8.7 ± 1.6% and 27.2 ± 8.1%; and for 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 58.1 ± 5.3% (methylglyoxal).

Protection against methylglyoxal-derived AGEs by regulation of glyoxalase 1 prevents retinal neuroglial and vasodegenerative pathology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berner, A. K.; Brouwers, O.; Pringle, R.; Klaassen, I.; Colhoun, L.; McVicar, C.; Brockbank, S.; Curry, J. W.; Miyata, T.; Brownlee, M.; Schlingemann, R. O.; Schalkwijk, C.; Stitt, A. W.

2012-01-01

Methylglyoxal (MG) is an important precursor for AGEs. Normally, MG is detoxified by the glyoxalase (GLO) enzyme system (including component enzymes GLO1 and GLO2). Enhanced glycolytic metabolism in many cells during diabetes may overpower detoxification capacity and lead to AGE-related pathology.

Chronic lithium treatment increased intracellular S100ß levels in rat primary neuronal culture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoumeh Emamghoreishi

2015-02-01

Full Text Available S100ß a neurotrophic factor mainly released by astrocytes, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder. Thus, lithium may exert its neuroprotective effects to some extent through S100ß. Furthermore, the possible effects of lithium on astrocytes as well as on interactions between neurons and astrocytes as a part of its mechanisms of actions are unknown. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of lithium on S100β in neurons, astrocytes and a mixture of neurons and astrocytes. Rat primary astrocyte, neuronal and mixed neuro-astroglia cultures were prepared from cortices of 18-day's embryos. Cell cultures were exposed to lithium (1mM or vehicle for 1day (acute or 7 days (chronic. RT-PCR and ELISA determined S100β mRNA and intra- and extracellular protein levels. Chronic lithium treatment significantly increased intracellular S100β in neuronal and neuro-astroglia cultures in comparison to control cultures (P<0.05. Acute and chronic lithium treatments exerted no significant effects on intracellular S100β protein levels in astrocytes, and extracellular S100β protein levels in three studied cultures as compared to control cultures. Acute and chronic lithium treatments did not significantly alter S100β mRNA levels in three studied cultures, compared to control cultures. Chronic lithium treatment increased intracellular S100ß protein levels in a cell-type specific manner which may favor its neuroprotective action. The findings of this study suggest that lithium may exert its neuroprotective action, at least partly, by increasing neuronal S100ß level, with no effect on astrocytes or interaction between neurons and astrocytes.

Na+/K+-ATPase interaction with methylglyoxal as reactive metabolic side product.

Science.gov (United States)

Svrckova, Marika; Zatloukalova, Martina; Dvorakova, Petra; Coufalova, Dominika; Novak, David; Hernychova, Lenka; Vacek, Jan

2017-07-01

Proteins are subject to oxidative modification and the formation of adducts with a broad spectrum of reactive species via enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. Here we report that in vitro non-enzymatic methylglyoxal (MGO) binding causes the inhibition and formation of MGO advanced glycation end-products (MAGEs) in Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA). Concretely, MGO adducts with NKA amino acid residues (mainly Arg) and N ε -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) formation were found. MGO is not only an inhibitor for solubilized NKA (IC 50 =91±16μM), but also for reconstituted NKA in the lipid bilayer environment, which was clearly demonstrated using a DPPC/DPPE liposome model in the presence or absence of the NKA-selective inhibitor ouabain. High-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of a tryptic digest of NKA isolated from pig (Sus scrofa) kidney indicates that the intracellular α-subunit is naturally (post-translationally) modified by MGO in vivo. In contrast to this, the β-subunit could only be modified by MGO artificially, and the transmembrane part of the protein did not undergo MGO binding under the experimental setup used. As with bovine serum albumin, serving as the water-soluble model, we also demonstrated a high binding capacity of MGO to water-poorly soluble NKA using a multi-spectral methodology based on electroanalytical, immunochemical and fluorimetric tools. In addition, a partial suppression of the MGO-mediated inhibitory effect could be observed in the presence of aminoguanidine (pimagedine), a glycation suppressor and MGO-scavenger. All the results here were obtained with the X-ray structure of NKA in the E1 conformation (3WGV) and could be used in the further interpretation of the functionality of this key enzyme in the presence of highly-reactive metabolic side-products, glycation agents and generally under oxidative stress conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cyanobacteria perceive nitrogen status by sensing intracellular 2-oxoglutarate levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Muro-Pastor, M I; Reyes, J C; Florencio, F J

2001-10-12

The regulatory circuits that control nitrogen metabolism are relatively well known in several bacterial model groups. However, much less is understood about how the nitrogen status of the cell is perceived in vivo. In cyanobacteria, the transcription factor NtcA is required for regulation (activation or repression) of an extensive number of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism. In contrast, how NtcA activity is regulated is largely unknown. Assimilation of ammonium by most microorganisms occurs through the sequential action of two enzymes: glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase. Interestingly, regulation of the expression of NtcA-dependent genes in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is altered in mutants with modified levels of GS activity. Two types of mutants were analyzed: glnA null mutants that lack GS type I and gif mutants unable to inactivate GS in the presence of ammonium. Changes in the intracellular pools of 19 different amino acids and the keto acid 2-oxoglutarate were recorded in wild-type and mutant strains under different nitrogen conditions. Our data strongly indicate that the nitrogen status in cyanobacteria is perceived as changes in the intracellular 2-oxoglutarate pool.

Keeping the intracellular vitamin C at a physiologically relevant level in endothelial cell culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frikke-Schmidt, Henriette Rønne; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

2010-01-01

It is generally accepted that the addition of vitamin C to cell culture medium improves cell growth. However, once added, the vitamin C concentration declines rapidly. This situation differs from the in vivo environment where the endothelium is constantly supplied with ascorbate from the blood....... With a focus on intracellular vitamin C, we simulated constant supply of ascorbate by the hourly addition of freshly prepared medium containing 75 lM ascorbate and subsequently compared it with more practical regimens using combinations of ascorbate and 2-phosphoascorbate. We found that a single supplement...... of ascorbate and 2-phosphoascorbate adequately maintains intracellular vitamin C at physiological levels for up to 72 h....

Regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis by polyamines. Reversal by spermine of inhibition by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) of ribonucleic acid synthesis and histone acetylation in rabbit heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Caldarera, C M; Casti, A; Guarnier, C; Moruzzi, G

1975-10-01

The relationship between polyamines and RNA synthesis was studied by considering the action of spermine on histone acetylation in perfused heart. In addition, the effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibitor of putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity, on RNA and polyamine specific radioactivity and on acetylation of histone fractions was also investigated in perfused heart. Different concentrations of spermine and/or methylglyoxas bis(guanylhydrazone) were injected into the heart, 15 min after beginning the perfusion. The results demonstrate that spermine stimulates the specific radioactivity of RNA of subcellular fractions. Acetylation of the arginine-rich histone fractions, involved in the regulation of RNA transcription, is enhanced by spermine. The perfusion with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) causes a decrease in the specific radioactivity of polyamines and RNA, and in acetylation of histone fractions. However, spermine is able to reverse the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibition when injected simultaneously. From these results we may assume a possible role for spermine in the regulation of RNA transcription.

Site specific modification of the human plasma proteome by methylglyoxal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimzey, Michael J.; Kinsky, Owen R.; Yassine, Hussein N.; Tsaprailis, George; Stump, Craig S.; Monks, Terrence J.; Lau, Serrine S.

2015-01-01

Increasing evidence identifies dicarbonyl stress from reactive glucose metabolites, such as methylglyoxal (MG), as a major pathogenic link between hyperglycemia and complications of diabetes. MG covalently modifies arginine residues, yet the site specificity of this modification has not been thoroughly investigated. Sites of MG adduction in the plasma proteome were identified using LC–MS/MS analysis in vitro following incubation of plasma proteins with MG. Treatment of plasma proteins with MG yielded 14 putative MG hotspots from five plasma proteins (albumin [nine hotspots], serotransferrin, haptoglobin [2 hotspots], hemopexin, and Ig lambda-2 chain C regions). The search results revealed two versions of MG-arginine modification, dihydroxyimidazolidine (R + 72) and hydroimidazolone (R + 54) adducts. One of the sites identified was R257 in human serum albumin, which is a critical residue located in drug binding site I. This site was validated as a target for MG modification by a fluorescent probe displacement assay, which revealed significant drug dissociation at 300 μM MG from a prodan–HSA complex (75 μM). Moreover, twelve human plasma samples (six male, six female, with two type 2 diabetic subjects from both genders) were analyzed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) tandem mass spectrometry and revealed the presence of the MG-modified albumin R257 peptide. These data provide insights into the nature of the site-specificity of MG modification of arginine, which may be useful for therapeutic treatments that aim to prevent MG-mediated adverse responses in patients. - Highlights: • Methylglyoxal (MG) selectively modifies arginine sites in human plasma proteome. • Dihydroxyimidazolidine and hydroimidazolone adducts on serum albumin identified • MG modification on albumin R257 associated with loss of drug site I binding capacity • MRM-tandem mass spectrometry enables sensitive detection of albumin MG-R257. • Site-specific MG modification may

Site specific modification of the human plasma proteome by methylglyoxal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimzey, Michael J.; Kinsky, Owen R. [Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Yassine, Hussein N. [Department of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Tsaprailis, George [Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Stump, Craig S. [Department of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, AZ 85723 (United States); Monks, Terrence J. [Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Lau, Serrine S., E-mail: lau@pharmacy.arizona.edu [Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2015-12-01

Increasing evidence identifies dicarbonyl stress from reactive glucose metabolites, such as methylglyoxal (MG), as a major pathogenic link between hyperglycemia and complications of diabetes. MG covalently modifies arginine residues, yet the site specificity of this modification has not been thoroughly investigated. Sites of MG adduction in the plasma proteome were identified using LC–MS/MS analysis in vitro following incubation of plasma proteins with MG. Treatment of plasma proteins with MG yielded 14 putative MG hotspots from five plasma proteins (albumin [nine hotspots], serotransferrin, haptoglobin [2 hotspots], hemopexin, and Ig lambda-2 chain C regions). The search results revealed two versions of MG-arginine modification, dihydroxyimidazolidine (R + 72) and hydroimidazolone (R + 54) adducts. One of the sites identified was R257 in human serum albumin, which is a critical residue located in drug binding site I. This site was validated as a target for MG modification by a fluorescent probe displacement assay, which revealed significant drug dissociation at 300 μM MG from a prodan–HSA complex (75 μM). Moreover, twelve human plasma samples (six male, six female, with two type 2 diabetic subjects from both genders) were analyzed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) tandem mass spectrometry and revealed the presence of the MG-modified albumin R257 peptide. These data provide insights into the nature of the site-specificity of MG modification of arginine, which may be useful for therapeutic treatments that aim to prevent MG-mediated adverse responses in patients. - Highlights: • Methylglyoxal (MG) selectively modifies arginine sites in human plasma proteome. • Dihydroxyimidazolidine and hydroimidazolone adducts on serum albumin identified • MG modification on albumin R257 associated with loss of drug site I binding capacity • MRM-tandem mass spectrometry enables sensitive detection of albumin MG-R257. • Site-specific MG modification may

Kinetics of the methylglyoxal scavenging by antidiabetic biguanide drugs investigated using ion transfer voltammetry and capillary electrophoresis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Langmaier, Jan; Samec, Zdeněk; Tůma, P.; Samcová, E.

2015-01-01

Roč. 61, č. 3 (2015), s. 215-215 ISSN 0034-6691. [Annual Meeting of the Polarographic Society of Japan /61./. 24.11.2015-25.11.2015, Himeji] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-03139S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : electrochemistry * methylglyoxal * electrophoresis Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry

Antileishmanial activity of berenil and methylglyoxal bis (guanylhydrazone) and its correlation with S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and polyamines.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, R; Madhubala, R

1995-01-01

Leishmania donovani S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) decarboxylase was found to show a growth related pattern. Methylglyoxal bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) and Berenil inhibited the growth of Leishmania donovani promastigotes (strain UR6) in a dose dependent manner. The concentrations of MGBG and Berenil required for 50% inhibition of rate of growth were 67 and 47 microM, respectively. The growth inhibition of MGBG was partially reversed by spermidine (100 microM) and spermine (100 microM). Berenil inhibition of promastigote growth was partially reversed by 100 microM spermidine whereas 100 microM spermine did not result in any reversal of growth. The reduction in parasitemia in vitro by these inhibitors was accompanied by inhibition of AdoMet decarboxylase activity and spermidine levels.

Limonene protects osteoblasts against methylglyoxal-derived adduct formation by regulating glyoxalase, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function.

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Kwang Sik; Chon, Suk; Choi, Eun Mi

2017-12-25

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a potent protein glycating agent and an important precursor of advanced glycation end products, which are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic osteopathy. In this study, we investigated the effects of limonene on MG-induced damage in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Pretreating cells with limonene prevented MG-induced protein adduct formation, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 release, mitochondrial superoxide production, and cardiolipin peroxidation. In addition, limonene increased glyoxalase I activity, and glutathione and heme oxygenase-1 levels in the presence of MG. Pretreatment with limonene prior to MG exposure reduced MG-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by preventing mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation and adenosine triphosphate loss, and reduced the levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, and nitric oxide. These results demonstrate that limonene may prevent the development of diabetic osteopathy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Convenient synthesis of [2-{sup 14}C]-methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), [{sup 14}C]-mitoguazone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burgos, A.; Ellames, G.J. [Sterling Winthrop Research Centre, Alnwick (United Kingdom). Pharmaceuticals Research Div.

1995-01-01

[2-{sup 14}C]-Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) dihydrochloride, [{sup 14}C]-mitoguazone has been prepared in three steps from potassium[1-{sup 14}C]-acetate in an overall radiochemical yield of 16%. The key steps in this procedure are the formation of the sodium salt of[acetone-2-{sup 14}C]-methylsulfinylacetone, and Pummerer rearrangement to the [{sup 14}C] labelled hermithioacetal, which is trapped with two equivalents of aminoguanidine to afford the desired [{sup 14}C]-mitoguazone. (Author).

Volatility of methylglyoxal cloud SOA formed through OH radical oxidation and droplet evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Montalvo, Diana L.; Schwier, Allison N.; Lim, Yong B.; McNeill, V. Faye; Turpin, Barbara J.

2016-04-01

The volatility of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed through cloud processing (aqueous hydroxyl radical (radOH) oxidation and droplet evaporation) of methylglyoxal (MGly) was studied. Effective vapor pressure and effective enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap,eff) were determined using 1) droplets containing MGly and its oxidation products, 2) a Vibrating Orifice Aerosol Generator (VOAG) system, and 3) Temperature Programmed Desorption Aerosol-Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TPD Aerosol-CIMS). Simulated in-cloud MGly oxidation (for 10-30 min) produces an organic mixture of higher and lower volatility components with an overall effective vapor pressure of (4 ± 7) × 10-7 atm at pH 3. The effective vapor pressure decreases by a factor of 2 with addition of ammonium hydroxide (pH 7). The fraction of organic material remaining in the particle-phase after drying was smaller than for similar experiments with glycolaldehyde and glyoxal SOA. The ΔHvap,eff of pyruvic acid and oxalic acid + methylglyoxal in the mixture (from TPD Aerosol-CIMS) were smaller than the theoretical enthalpies of the pure compounds and smaller than that estimated for the entire precursor/product mix after droplet evaporation. After 10-30 min of aqueous oxidation (one cloud cycle) the majority of the MGly + radOH precursor/product mix (even neutralized) will volatilize during droplet evaporation; neutralization and at least 80 min of oxidation at 10-12 M radOH (or >12 h at 10-14 M) is needed before low volatility ammonium oxalate exceeds pyruvate.

Single-cell intracellular nano-pH probes†

OpenAIRE

Özel, Rıfat Emrah; Lohith, Akshar; Mak, Wai Han; Pourmand, Nader

2015-01-01

Within a large clonal population, such as cancerous tumor entities, cells are not identical, and the differences between intracellular pH levels of individual cells may be important indicators of heterogeneity that could be relevant in clinical practice, especially in personalized medicine. Therefore, the detection of the intracellular pH at the single-cell level is of great importance to identify and study outlier cells. However, quantitative and real-time measurements of the intracellular p...

Intracellular calcium levels determine differential modulation of allosteric interactions within G protein-coupled receptor heteromers.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Gemma; Aguinaga, David; Moreno, Estefania; Hradsky, Johannes; Reddy, Pasham P; Cortés, Antoni; Mallol, Josefa; Casadó, Vicent; Mikhaylova, Marina; Kreutz, Michael R; Lluís, Carme; Canela, Enric I; McCormick, Peter J; Ferré, Sergi

2014-11-20

The pharmacological significance of the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR)-dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) heteromer is well established and it is being considered as an important target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the physiological factors that control its distinctive biochemical properties are still unknown. We demonstrate that different intracellular Ca2+ levels exert a differential modulation of A2AR-D2R heteromer-mediated adenylyl-cyclase and MAPK signaling in striatal cells. This depends on the ability of low and high Ca2+ levels to promote a selective interaction of the heteromer with the neuronal Ca2+-binding proteins NCS-1 and calneuron-1, respectively. These Ca2+-binding proteins differentially modulate allosteric interactions within the A2AR-D2R heteromer, which constitutes a unique cellular device that integrates extracellular (adenosine and dopamine) and intracellular (Ca+2) signals to produce a specific functional response.

miR-214-Dependent Increase of PHLPP2 Levels Mediates the Impairment of Insulin-Stimulated Akt Activation in Mouse Aortic Endothelial Cells Exposed to Methylglyoxal

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Cecilia Nigro

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Evidence has been provided linking microRNAs (miRNAs and diabetic complications, by the regulation of molecular pathways, including insulin-signaling, involved in the pathophysiology of vascular dysfunction. Methylglyoxal (MGO accumulates in diabetes and is associated with cardiovascular complications. This study aims to analyze the contribution of miRNAs in the MGO-induced damaging effect on insulin responsiveness in mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs. miRNA modulation was performed by transfection of specific miRNA mimics and inhibitors in MAECs, treated or not with MGO. miRNA-target protein levels were evaluated by Western blot. PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2 regulation by miR-214 was tested by luciferase assays and by the use of a target protector specific for miR-214 on PHLPP2-3′UTR. This study reveals a 4-fold increase of PHLPP2 in MGO-treated MAECs. PHLPP2 levels inversely correlate with miR-214 modulation. Moreover, miR-214 overexpression is able to reduce PHLPP2 levels in MGO-treated MAECs. Interestingly, a direct regulation of PHLPP2 is proved to be dependent by miR-214. Finally, the inhibition of miR-214 impairs the insulin-dependent Akt activation, while its overexpression rescues the insulin effect on Akt activation in MGO-treated MAECs. In conclusion, this study shows that PHLPP2 is a target of miR-214 in MAECs, and identifies miR-214 downregulation as a contributing factor to MGO-induced endothelial insulin-resistance.

Gelsolin-Cu/ZnSOD interaction alters intracellular reactive oxygen species levels to promote cancer cell invasion

KAUST Repository

Tochhawng, Lalchhandami; Deng, Shuo; Ganesan, Pugalenthi; Kumar, Alan Prem; Lim, Kiat Hon; Yang, Henry; Hooi, Shing Chuan; Goh, Yaw Chong; Maciver, Sutherland K.; Pervaiz, Shazib; Yap, Celestial T.

2016-01-01

, and this is mediated via gelsolin's effects in elevating intracellular superoxide (O2 .-) levels. We also provide evidence for a novel physical interaction between gelsolin and Cu/ZnSOD, that inhibits the enzymatic activity of Cu/ZnSOD, thereby resulting in a sustained

Evaluation of intracellular anion superoxide level, heat shock protein A2 and protamine positive spermatozoa percentages in teratoasthenozoospermia

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Parvin Sabeti

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Teratoasthenozoospermia (TA is a severe form of male infertility with no clear etiology. Objective: To compare the level of intracellular anion superoxide (O2–, heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2 and protamine deficiencies in ejaculated spermatozoa between teratoasthenozoospermic and normozoospermic men. Materials and Methods: In this case- control study, semen samples of 20 infertile men, with TA (with normal morphology lower than 4%_ and total motility lower than 40% as the case group and 20 normozoospermic fertile men as the control group were evaluated for intracellular O2 – and HSPA2 by flow cytometry and protamine deficiency by Chromomycin A3 (CMA3 test. Results: The rate of CMA3+ spermatozoa in the case group was higher than controls (p=0.001. The percentages of HSPA2+ spermatozoa in the cases were significantly lower than controls (p=0.001. Also, intracellular O2 – levels in the case group were significantly higher than controls (p=0.001 and had positive correlations with sperm apoptosis (r=0.79, p=0.01 and CMA3 positive sperm (r=0.76, p=0.01, but negative correlations with normal morphology (r=-0.81, p=0.01 and motility (r=-0.81, p=0.01. There was no significant correlation between intracellular O2 – and HSPA2 in the case group (r=0.041, p=0.79. Conclusion: We suggest that the increase in intracellular O2 –, decrease in spermatozoa HSPA2+, and high percentages of spermatozoa with immature chromatin might be considered as etiologies of infertility in TA patients

Carnitine prevents the early mitochondrial damage induced by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in L1210 leukaemia cells.

OpenAIRE

Nikula, P; Ruohola, H; Alhonen-Hongisto, L; Jänne, J

1985-01-01

We previously found that the anti-cancer drug methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (mitoguazone) depresses carnitine-dependent oxidation of long-chain fatty acids in cultured mouse leukaemia cells [Nikula, Alhonen-Hongisto, Seppänen & Jänne (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120, 9-14]. We have now investigated whether carnitine also influences the development of the well-known mitochondrial damage produced by the drug in L1210 leukaemia cells. Palmitate oxidation was distinctly inhibited in...

[Establishment of oxygen and glucose deprive model of in vitro cultured hippocampal neuron and effect of ligustrazine on intracellular Ca+ level in model neurons].

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Hai-tong; Wang, Yu; Yang, Jie-hong

2007-03-01

To establish the oxygen and glucose deprive (OGD) model in cultured hippocampal neuron and study the effect of ligustrazine on intracellular Ca2+ level in the model neurons. The OGD model was established in cultured hippocampal neuron, and the intracellular Ca2+ level in it was detected by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). The OGD model was successfully established in cultured hippocampal neurons; the intracellular Ca2+ level in the OGD model group was significantly higher than that in the blank control group (P neuron, which could be antagonized by ligustrazine, indicating that ligustrazine has a protective effect on hippocampal neuron from hypoxic-ischemic injury.

Heat and exercise acclimation increases intracellular levels of Hsp72 and inhibits exercise-induced increase in intracellular and plasma Hsp72 in humans.

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Magalhães, Flávio de Castro; Amorim, Fabiano Trigueiro; Passos, Renata L Freitas; Fonseca, Michele Atalla; Oliveira, Kenya Paula Moreira; Lima, Milene Rodrigues Malheiros; Guimarães, Juliana Bohen; Ferreira-Júnior, João Batista; Martini, Angelo R P; Lima, Nilo R V; Soares, Danusa Dias; Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes; Rodrigues, Luiz Oswaldo Carneiro

2010-11-01

In order to verify the effects of heat and exercise acclimation (HA) on resting and exercise-induced expression of plasma and leukocyte heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) in humans, nine healthy young male volunteers (25.0 ± 0.7 years; 80.5 ± 2.0 kg; 180 ± 2 cm, mean ± SE) exercised for 60 min in a hot, dry environment (40 ± 0°C and 45 ± 0% relative humidity) for 11 days. The protocol consisted of running on a treadmill using a controlled hyperthermia technique in which the work rate was adjusted to elevate the rectal temperature by 1°C in 30 min and maintain it elevated for another 30 min. Before and after the HA, the volunteers performed a heat stress test (HST) at 50% of their individual maximal power output for 90 min in the same environment. Blood was drawn before (REST), immediately after (POST) and 1 h after (1 h POST) HST, and plasma and leukocytes were separated and stored. Subjects showed expected adaptations to HA: reduced exercise rectal and mean skin temperatures and heart rate, and augmented sweat rate and exercise tolerance. In HST1, plasma Hsp72 increased from REST to POST and then returned to resting values 1 h POST (REST: 1.11 ± 0.07, POST: 1.48 ± 0.10, 1 h POST: 1.22 ± 0.11 ng mL(-1); p  0.05). HA increased resting levels of intracellular Hsp72 (HST1: 1 ± 0.02 and HST2: 4.2 ± 1.2 density units, p  0.05). Regression analysis showed that the lower the pre-exercise expression of intracellular Hsp72, the higher the exercise-induced increase (R = -0.85, p < 0.05). In conclusion, HA increased resting leukocyte Hsp72 levels and inhibited exercise-induced expression. This intracellular adaptation probably induces thermotolerance. In addition, the non-increase in plasma Hsp72 after HA may be related to lower stress at the cellular level in the acclimated individuals.

Control of intracellular heme levels: Heme transporters and Heme oxygenases

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Khan, Anwar A.; Quigley, John G.

2011-01-01

Heme serves as a co-factor in proteins involved in fundamental biological processes including oxidative metabolism, oxygen storage and transport, signal transduction and drug metabolism. In addition, heme is important for systemic iron homeostasis in mammals. Heme has important regulatory roles in cell biology, yet excessive levels of intracellular heme are toxic; thus, mechanisms have evolved to control the acquisition, synthesis, catabolism and expulsion of cellular heme. Recently, a number of transporters of heme and heme synthesis intermediates have been described. Here we review aspects of heme metabolism and discuss our current understanding of heme transporters, with emphasis on the function of the cell-surface heme exporter, FLVCR. Knockdown of Flvcr in mice leads to both defective erythropoiesis and disturbed systemic iron homeostasis, underscoring the critical role of heme transporters in mammalian physiology. PMID:21238504

Methylglyoxal Induces Changes in the Glyoxalase System and Impairs Glutamate Uptake Activity in Primary Astrocytes.

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Hansen, Fernanda; Galland, Fabiana; Lirio, Franciane; de Souza, Daniela Fraga; Da Ré, Carollina; Pacheco, Rafaela Ferreira; Vizuete, Adriana Fernanda; Quincozes-Santos, André; Leite, Marina Concli; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

2017-01-01

The impairment of astrocyte functions is associated with diabetes mellitus and other neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes have been proposed to be essential cells for neuroprotection against elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive aldehyde derived from the glycolytic pathway. MG exposure impairs primary astrocyte viability, as evaluated by different assays, and these cells respond to MG elevation by increasing glyoxalase 1 activity and glutathione levels, which improve cell viability and survival. However, C6 glioma cells have shown strong signs of resistance against MG, without significant changes in the glyoxalase system. Results for aminoguanidine coincubation support the idea that MG toxicity is mediated by glycation. We found a significant decrease in glutamate uptake by astrocytes, without changes in the expression of the major transporters. Carbenoxolone, a nonspecific inhibitor of gap junctions, prevented the cytotoxicity induced by MG in astrocyte cultures. Thus, our data reinforce the idea that astrocyte viability depends on gap junctions and that the impairment induced by MG involves glutamate excitotoxicity. The astrocyte susceptibility to MG emphasizes the importance of this compound in neurodegenerative diseases, where the neuronal damage induced by MG may be aggravated by the commitment of the cells charged with MG clearance.

Acute effects of nitroglycerin depend on both plasma and intracellular sulfhydryl compound levels in vivo. Effect of agents with different sulfhydryl-modulating properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boesgaard, S; Poulsen, H E; Aldershvile, J

1993-01-01

in SH group concentrations (cysteine and glutathione [GSH]) affect the responsiveness to NTG in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS: GSH and cysteine levels in plasma, vena cava, and aorta were measured after administration of N-acetylserine (placebo, n = 6), N-acetylcysteine (NAC, extracellular and intracellular......BACKGROUND: Changes in sulfhydryl (SH) compound availability may alter the hemodynamic effect of nitroglycerin (NTG). Data on the relation between NTG effect and thiol levels are, however, limited to in vitro experiments. The present study investigates how intracellular and extracellular changes...... SH donor, n = 6), oxothiazolidine (OXO, intracellular SH donor, n = 6), buthionine sulfoximine (BSO, intracellular GSH-depleting agent, n = 6), BSO+NAC (n = 6), and BSO+OXO (n = 6) in chronically catheterized conscious rats. In addition, the effect of 2.5 mg NTG/kg i.v. on mean arterial pressure (MAP...

Fisetin lowers methylglyoxal dependent protein glycation and limits the complications of diabetes.

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Pamela Maher

Full Text Available The elevated glycation of macromolecules by the reactive dicarbonyl and α-oxoaldehyde methylglyoxal (MG has been associated with diabetes and its complications. We have identified a rare flavone, fisetin, which increases the level and activity of glyoxalase 1, the enzyme required for the removal of MG, as well as the synthesis of its essential co-factor, glutathione. It is shown that fisetin reduces two major complications of diabetes in Akita mice, a model of type 1 diabetes. Although fisetin had no effect on the elevation of blood sugar, it reduced kidney hypertrophy and albuminuria and maintained normal levels of locomotion in the open field test. This correlated with a reduction in proteins glycated by MG in the blood, kidney and brain of fisetin-treated animals along with an increase in glyoxalase 1 enzyme activity and an elevation in the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of glutathione, a co-factor for glyoxalase 1. The expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE, serum amyloid A and serum C-reactive protein, markers of protein oxidation, glycation and inflammation, were also increased in diabetic Akita mice and reduced by fisetin. It is concluded that fisetin lowers the elevation of MG-protein glycation that is associated with diabetes and ameliorates multiple complications of the disease. Therefore, fisetin or a synthetic derivative may have potential therapeutic use for the treatment of diabetic complications.

Fisetin Lowers Methylglyoxal Dependent Protein Glycation and Limits the Complications of Diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Maher, Pamela; Dargusch, Richard; Ehren, Jennifer L.; Okada, Shinichi; Sharma, Kumar; Schubert, David

2011-01-01

The elevated glycation of macromolecules by the reactive dicarbonyl and α-oxoaldehyde methylglyoxal (MG) has been associated with diabetes and its complications. We have identified a rare flavone, fisetin, which increases the level and activity of glyoxalase 1, the enzyme required for the removal of MG, as well as the synthesis of its essential co-factor, glutathione. It is shown that fisetin reduces two major complications of diabetes in Akita mice, a model of type 1 diabetes. Although fisetin had no effect on the elevation of blood sugar, it reduced kidney hypertrophy and albuminuria and maintained normal levels of locomotion in the open field test. This correlated with a reduction in proteins glycated by MG in the blood, kidney and brain of fisetin-treated animals along with an increase in glyoxalase 1 enzyme activity and an elevation in the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of glutathione, a co-factor for glyoxalase 1. The expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), serum amyloid A and serum C-reactive protein, markers of protein oxidation, glycation and inflammation, were also increased in diabetic Akita mice and reduced by fisetin. It is concluded that fisetin lowers the elevation of MG-protein glycation that is associated with diabetes and ameliorates multiple complications of the disease. Therefore, fisetin or a synthetic derivative may have potential therapeutic use for the treatment of diabetic complications. PMID:21738623

Differential inhibitory response to telcagepant on αCGRP induced vasorelaxation and intracellular Ca(2+) levels in the perfused and non-perfused isolated rat middle cerebral artery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Erdling, André; Sheykhzade, Majid; Edvinsson, Lars

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is one of the most potent endogenous vasodilators identified to date. The present study elucidates the differential interaction of CGRP, its receptor and the effect of the CGRP-receptor antagonist telcagepant on intracellular Ca(2+) -levels...... and tension in rat middle cerebral arteries (MCA) by pressurized arteriography, FURA-2/wire myography and immunohistochemistry. METHODS: A pressurized arteriograph system was used to evaluate changes in MCA tension when subjected to CGRP and/or telcagepant. Intracellular calcium levels were evaluated using......, while abluminal telcagepant inhibited the relaxation (10(-6) M). Using the FURA-2 method in combination with wire myography we observed that αCGRP reduced intracellular calcium levels and in parallel the vascular tone. Telcagepant (10(-6) M) inhibited both vasorelaxation and drop in intracellular...

A mitochondria-targeted mass spectrometry probe to detect glyoxals: implications for diabetes☆

Science.gov (United States)

Pun, Pamela Boon Li; Logan, Angela; Darley-Usmar, Victor; Chacko, Balu; Johnson, Michelle S.; Huang, Guang W.; Rogatti, Sebastian; Prime, Tracy A.; Methner, Carmen; Krieg, Thomas; Fearnley, Ian M.; Larsen, Lesley; Larsen, David S.; Menger, Katja E.; Collins, Yvonne; James, Andrew M.; Kumar, G.D. Kishore; Hartley, Richard C.; Smith, Robin A.J.; Murphy, Michael P.

2014-01-01

The glycation of protein and nucleic acids that occurs as a consequence of hyperglycemia disrupts cell function and contributes to many pathologies, including those associated with diabetes and aging. Intracellular glycation occurs after the generation of the reactive 1,2-dicarbonyls methylglyoxal and glyoxal, and disruption of mitochondrial function is associated with hyperglycemia. However, the contribution of these reactive dicarbonyls to mitochondrial damage in pathology is unclear owing to uncertainties about their levels within mitochondria in cells and in vivo. To address this we have developed a mitochondria-targeted reagent (MitoG) designed to assess the levels of mitochondrial dicarbonyls within cells. MitoG comprises a lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cationic function, which directs the molecules to mitochondria within cells, and an o-phenylenediamine moiety that reacts with dicarbonyls to give distinctive and stable products. The extent of accumulation of these diagnostic heterocyclic products can be readily and sensitively quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, enabling changes to be determined. Using the MitoG-based analysis we assessed the formation of methylglyoxal and glyoxal in response to hyperglycemia in cells in culture and in the Akita mouse model of diabetes in vivo. These findings indicated that the levels of methylglyoxal and glyoxal within mitochondria increase during hyperglycemia both in cells and in vivo, suggesting that they can contribute to the pathological mitochondrial dysfunction that occurs in diabetes and aging. PMID:24316194

Determination of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) in body fluids by ion-pair chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Roboz, J; Wu, K T; Hart, R D

1980-01-01

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone), Methyl-G, is a potent antineoplastic agent currently undergoing Phase l clinical trials. Serum, ascitic and pleural fluids, and urine are deproteinized with methanol, supernatant is evaporated, residue is redissolved in the eluent, lipids are removed with carbon tetrachloride, and an aliquot of the aqueous layer injected into the chromatograph. Ethylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (Ethyl-G) is the internal standard. The mobile phase is a mixture of an aqueous buffer (containing 0.004 M heptane and pentane sulfonic acid, 90%:10%, buffered to pH 3.5) and methanol (68%:32%). The ion-pair complex is retained on a micro Bondapak C18 column, eluted with a flow of 2.0 mL/min. Absorbance is measured at 280 nm. Detectability: 30 ng/mL (0.11 micro M) in serum, ascitic and pleural fluids, 300 ng/mL (1.1 micro M) in urine. Calibration curves (peak height ratios of Methyl-G/Ethyl-G plotted against known drug concentrations) were linear in the 0.1-30 microg/mL range. Correlation coefficinets were 0.999; coefficients of variation for reproducibility were less than 5%. Residual blood levels of Methyl-G persist for several days. Methyl-G was found to pass into ascitic fluid.

Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) as an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis in L1210 leukemia cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Seppänen, P; Ruohola, H; Jänne, J

1984-04-16

Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), a close derivative of the known anti-cancer drug methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), is also a powerful inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), the enzyme needed for the synthesis of spermidine and spermine. There were, however, marked differences between the ethyl and methyl derivatives of glyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) when tested in cultured L1210 cells. The cellular accumulation of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) represented only a fraction (20-25%) of that of the methyl derivative. Moreover, polyamine depletion, which is known to strikingly stimulate the uptake of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), decreased, if anything, the uptake of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by L1210 cells. The compound produced spermidine and spermine depletion fully comparable to that achieved with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) at micromolar concentrations. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was growth-inhibitory to L1210 cells and produced an additive antiproliferative action when used together with 2-difluoromethylornithine. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was distinctly less effective than methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in releasing bound polyamines from isolated cell organelles in vitro. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was also devoid of the early and profound mitochondrial toxicity typical to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). These findings may indicate that this compound is a more specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis with less intracellular polyamine 'receptor-site' activity than methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Phg1/TM9 proteins control intracellular killing of bacteria by determining cellular levels of the Kil1 sulfotransferase in Dictyostelium.

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Marion Le Coadic

Full Text Available Dictyostelium discoideum has largely been used to study phagocytosis and intracellular killing of bacteria. Previous studies have shown that Phg1A, Kil1 and Kil2 proteins are necessary for efficient intracellular killing of Klebsiella bacteria. Here we show that in phg1a KO cells, cellular levels of lysosomal glycosidases and lysozyme are decreased, and lysosomal pH is increased. Surprisingly, overexpression of Kil1 restores efficient killing in phg1a KO cells without correcting these lysosomal anomalies. Conversely, kil1 KO cells are defective for killing, but their enzymatic content and lysosomal pH are indistinguishable from WT cells. The killing defect of phg1a KO cells can be accounted for by the observation that in these cells the stability and the cellular amount of Kil1 are markedly reduced. Since Kil1 is the only sulfotransferase characterized in Dictyostelium, an (unidentified sulfated factor, defective in both phg1a and kil1 KO cells, may play a key role in intracellular killing of Klebsiella bacteria. In addition, Phg1B plays a redundant role with Phg1A in controlling cellular amounts of Kil1 and intracellular killing. Finally, cellular levels of Kil1 are unaffected in kil2 KO cells, and Kil1 overexpression does not correct the killing defect of kil2 KO cells, suggesting that Kil2 plays a distinct role in intracellular killing.

Effects of phenylated compounds of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on diamine oxidase activity from rat small intestine.

Science.gov (United States)

Balaña-Fouce, R; Pulido, T G; Escudero, D O; Sanz-Sanchez, F

1986-01-01

Two phenylated compounds of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), potentially inhibitors of diamine oxidase activity, have been synthesized: phenylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and diphenylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). Their inhibitory capacity was tested: while PGBG was able to reduce the enzyme activity by 50% at 1.3 microM, DPGBG was only able to reduce diamine oxidase activity by less than 2% at a concentration 1000-fold higher. The inhibition of PGBG was non-competitive and the Ki calculated by a Dixon plot was estimated as 1.7 microM.

The change of intracellular NAD level at the process of fusarium sambucinum growth and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulyamova, T.G.; Ehshtukhtarova, M.Kh.; Umarova, G.D.; Kerbalaeva, A.M.; Khalmuradov, A.G.

1996-01-01

Alterations of intracellular NAD(Nicotinamide-Adenine Dinucleotide) level have been studied in the process of growth and development of Fusanium sambucinum, selected earlier as a potential NAD producer. It was established that essential fluctuations of NAD concentration are dependent on growth phase, morphological cell type and DNA biosynthesis, that allowed to propose a real linkage between coenzyme pool and replicative activity of cells. (author). 7 refs., 2 figs

Determination of gaseous and particulate carbonyls (glycolaldehyde, hydroxyacetone, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, nonanal and decanal in the atmosphere at Mt. Tai

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K. Kawamura

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Gaseous and particulate semi-volatile carbonyl compounds were determined every three hours in the atmosphere of Mount Tai (elevation, 1534 m in the North China Plain during 2–5, 23–24 and 25 June 2006 under clear sky conditions. Using a two-step filter cartridge in a series, particulate carbonyls were first collected on a quartz filter and then gaseous carbonyls were collected on a quartz filter impregnated with O-benzylhydroxylamine (BHA. After the two-step derivatization with BHA and N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (BSTFA, carbonyl derivatives were measured using a gas chromatography. The gaseous concentrations were obtained as follow: glycolaldehyde (range 0–826 ng m−3, average 303 ng m−3, hydroxyacetone (0–579 ng m−3, 126 ng m−3, glyoxal (46–1200 ng m−3, 487 ng m−3, methylglyoxal (88–2690 ng m−3, 967 ng m−3, n-nonanal (0–500 ng m−3, 89 ng m−3, and n-decanal (0–230 ng m−3, 39 ng m−3. These concentrations are among the highest ever reported in the urban and forest atmosphere. We found that gaseous α-dicarbonyls (glyoxal and methylglyoxal are more than 20 times more abundant than particulate carbonyls and that glycolaldehyde is one order of magnitude more abundant than in aerosol phase. In contrast, hydroxyacetone and normal aldehydes (nonanal and decanal are equally present in both phases. Time-resolved variations of carbonyls did not show any a clear diurnal pattern, except for hydroxyacetone. We found that glyoxal, methylglyoxal and glycolaldehyde positively correlated with levoglucosan (a tracer of biomass burning, suggesting that a contribution from field burning of agricultural wastes (wheat crops is significant for the bifunctional carbonyls in the atmosphere of Mt. Tai. Upward transport of the pollutants to the mountaintop from the low lands in the North China Plain is a major process to control the distributions of carbonyls in the upper atmosphere over Mt. Tai.

Single-cell intracellular nano-pH probes†

Science.gov (United States)

Özel, Rıfat Emrah; Lohith, Akshar; Mak, Wai Han; Pourmand, Nader

2016-01-01

Within a large clonal population, such as cancerous tumor entities, cells are not identical, and the differences between intracellular pH levels of individual cells may be important indicators of heterogeneity that could be relevant in clinical practice, especially in personalized medicine. Therefore, the detection of the intracellular pH at the single-cell level is of great importance to identify and study outlier cells. However, quantitative and real-time measurements of the intracellular pH of individual cells within a cell population is challenging with existing technologies, and there is a need to engineer new methodologies. In this paper, we discuss the use of nanopipette technology to overcome the limitations of intracellular pH measurements at the single-cell level. We have developed a nano-pH probe through physisorption of chitosan onto hydroxylated quartz nanopipettes with extremely small pore sizes (~100 nm). The dynamic pH range of the nano-pH probe was from 2.6 to 10.7 with a sensitivity of 0.09 units. We have performed single-cell intracellular pH measurements using non-cancerous and cancerous cell lines, including human fibroblasts, HeLa, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, with the pH nanoprobe. We have further demonstrated the real-time continuous single-cell pH measurement capability of the sensor, showing the cellular pH response to pharmaceutical manipulations. These findings suggest that the chitosan-functionalized nanopore is a powerful nano-tool for pH sensing at the single-cell level with high temporal and spatial resolution. PMID:27708772

Single-cell intracellular nano-pH probes.

Science.gov (United States)

Özel, Rıfat Emrah; Lohith, Akshar; Mak, Wai Han; Pourmand, Nader

2015-01-01

Within a large clonal population, such as cancerous tumor entities, cells are not identical, and the differences between intracellular pH levels of individual cells may be important indicators of heterogeneity that could be relevant in clinical practice, especially in personalized medicine. Therefore, the detection of the intracellular pH at the single-cell level is of great importance to identify and study outlier cells. However, quantitative and real-time measurements of the intracellular pH of individual cells within a cell population is challenging with existing technologies, and there is a need to engineer new methodologies. In this paper, we discuss the use of nanopipette technology to overcome the limitations of intracellular pH measurements at the single-cell level. We have developed a nano-pH probe through physisorption of chitosan onto hydroxylated quartz nanopipettes with extremely small pore sizes (~100 nm). The dynamic pH range of the nano-pH probe was from 2.6 to 10.7 with a sensitivity of 0.09 units. We have performed single-cell intracellular pH measurements using non-cancerous and cancerous cell lines, including human fibroblasts, HeLa, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, with the pH nanoprobe. We have further demonstrated the real-time continuous single-cell pH measurement capability of the sensor, showing the cellular pH response to pharmaceutical manipulations. These findings suggest that the chitosan-functionalized nanopore is a powerful nano-tool for pH sensing at the single-cell level with high temporal and spatial resolution.

MR imaging of intracellular and extracellular deoxyhemoglobin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janick, P.A.; Grossman, R.I.; Asakura, T.

1989-01-01

MR imaging was performed on varying concentrations of intracellular and extracellular deoxyhemoglobin as well as varying proportions of deoxyhemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin in vitro at 1.5T with use of standard spin-echo and gradient-refocused spin sequences. This study indicates that susceptibility-induced T2 shortening occurs over a broad range of intracellular deoxyhemoglobin concentrations (maximal at hematocrits between 20% and 45%), reflecting diffusional effects at the cellular level. T2* gradient-echo imaging enhances the observed hypointensity in images of intracellular deoxyhemoglobin. The characteristic MR appearance of acute hemotomas can be modeled by the behavior of intracellular and extracellular deoxyhemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin

Biatriosporin D displays anti-virulence activity through decreasing the intracellular cAMP levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Ming; Chang, Wenqiang; Shi, Hongzhuo; Zhou, Yanhui; Zheng, Sha; Li, Ying; Li, Lin; Lou, Hongxiang, E-mail: louhongxiang@sdu.edu.cn

2017-05-01

Candidiasis has long been a serious human health problem, and novel antifungal approaches are greatly needed. During both superficial and systemic infection, C. albicans relies on a battery of virulence factors, such as adherence, filamentation, and biofilm formation. In this study, we found that a small phenolic compound, Biatriosporin D (BD), isolated from an endolichenic fungus, Biatriospora sp., displayed anti-virulence activity by inhibiting adhesion, hyphal morphogenesis and biofilm formation of C. albicans. Of note is the high efficacy of BD in preventing filamentation with a much lower dose than its MIC value. Furthermore, BD prolonged the survival of worms infected by C. albicans in vivo. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis, exogenous cAMP rescue experiments and intracellular cAMP measurements revealed that BD regulates the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway by reducing cAMP levels to inhibit the hyphal formation. Further investigation showed that BD could upregulate Dpp3 to synthesize much more farnesol, which could inhibit the activity of Cdc35 and reduce the generation of cAMP. Taken together, these findings indicate that BD stimulates the expression of Dpp3 to synthesize more farnesol that directly inhibits the Cdc35 activity, reducing intracellular cAMP and thereby disrupting the morphologic transition and attenuating the virulence of C. albicans. Our study uncovers the underlying mechanism of BD as a prodrug in fighting against pathogenic C. albicans and provides a potential application of BD in fighting clinically relevant fungal infections by targeting fungal virulence. - Highlights: • BD inhibits the filamentation of C. albicans in multiple hypha-inducing conditions. • BD can prolong the survival of nematodes infected by C. albicans. • BD stimulates the expression of Dpp3 to synthesize more farnesol. • BD reduces intracellular cAMP and regulates Ras1-cAMP-PKA pathway.

Biatriosporin D displays anti-virulence activity through decreasing the intracellular cAMP levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Chang, Wenqiang; Shi, Hongzhuo; Zhou, Yanhui; Zheng, Sha; Li, Ying; Li, Lin; Lou, Hongxiang

2017-01-01

Candidiasis has long been a serious human health problem, and novel antifungal approaches are greatly needed. During both superficial and systemic infection, C. albicans relies on a battery of virulence factors, such as adherence, filamentation, and biofilm formation. In this study, we found that a small phenolic compound, Biatriosporin D (BD), isolated from an endolichenic fungus, Biatriospora sp., displayed anti-virulence activity by inhibiting adhesion, hyphal morphogenesis and biofilm formation of C. albicans. Of note is the high efficacy of BD in preventing filamentation with a much lower dose than its MIC value. Furthermore, BD prolonged the survival of worms infected by C. albicans in vivo. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis, exogenous cAMP rescue experiments and intracellular cAMP measurements revealed that BD regulates the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway by reducing cAMP levels to inhibit the hyphal formation. Further investigation showed that BD could upregulate Dpp3 to synthesize much more farnesol, which could inhibit the activity of Cdc35 and reduce the generation of cAMP. Taken together, these findings indicate that BD stimulates the expression of Dpp3 to synthesize more farnesol that directly inhibits the Cdc35 activity, reducing intracellular cAMP and thereby disrupting the morphologic transition and attenuating the virulence of C. albicans. Our study uncovers the underlying mechanism of BD as a prodrug in fighting against pathogenic C. albicans and provides a potential application of BD in fighting clinically relevant fungal infections by targeting fungal virulence. - Highlights: • BD inhibits the filamentation of C. albicans in multiple hypha-inducing conditions. • BD can prolong the survival of nematodes infected by C. albicans. • BD stimulates the expression of Dpp3 to synthesize more farnesol. • BD reduces intracellular cAMP and regulates Ras1-cAMP-PKA pathway.

Cystatins - Extra- and intracellular cysteine protease inhibitors: High-level secretion and uptake of cystatin C in human neuroblastoma cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wallin, Hanna; Bjarnadottir, Maria; Vogel, Lotte

2010-01-01

signal peptides) for cellular export following translation. Results indicating existence of systems for significant internalisation of type 2 cystatins from the extracellular to intracellular compartments are reviewed. Data showing that human neuroblastoma cell lines generally secrete high levels...

Effect of coffee filtrate, methylglyoxal, glyoxal, and caffeine on Salmonella typhimurium and S. enteritidis survival in ground chicken breasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Maletta, Anne B; Were, Lilian M

2012-02-01

The antimicrobial effect of roasted coffee filtrate (CF) and dicarbonyls on Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis in raw ground chicken breast meat (GCB) was investigated. Coffee was brewed and filtered before addition to GCB. Coffee filtrate with and without added caffeine, methylglyoxal, and/or glyoxal was added to GCB and then inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis. Ground chicken samples were stomached with peptone water at days 1, 3, 5, and 7, plated on XLD agar with a TSA overlay, and Salmonella survivors were enumerated. CF alone gave less than a 1 Log reduction in all runs compared to control GCB with no treatment. Methylglyoxal (2.28 mg/g GCB) had the greatest antimicrobial effect against Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis in GCB with average Log reductions of 2.27 to 3.23, respectively, over the 7 d duration of the experiment compared to control GCB with no treatment. A 1 Log reduction was observed in GCB with CF, 0.93 mg glyoxal, and 1 mg caffeine/g chicken compared to the control and GCB with only CF. Heat-produced coffee compounds could potentially reduce Salmonella in retail ground chicken and chicken products. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Polyphenols of leaves of Apium graveolensinhibit in vitro protein glycationand protect RINm5F cells against methylglyoxal-induced cytotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Martha Perez-Gutierrez

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: The health benefits of edible plants have been widely investigated and disseminated. However, only polyphenols have been found to have sufficient therapeutic potential to be considered in clinical trials. Fewer manuscripts have other applications such as prospective health benefits and disease treatment. Other components of edible plants are responsible for a range of other benefits including antimalarial, burns, flu, cancer, inflammation, diabetes, glycation, antimicrobial, prevention of neurodegeneration, analgesic, antimigraine activity, sedative activities, etc. Accordingly, the public needs to be informed of the potential edible plants have to act on different targets and maintain better control over diabetes compared to commercial drugs which can be toxic, have side effects, do not have the capacity to maintain blood glucose at normal levels, and do not protect the patient from the complications of diabetes over time. Consequently, edible plants, such as Apium graveolen, which have therapeutic targets on AGEs formation, are potentially a better alternative treatment for diabetes. Methods: The leaves of celery were extracted with methanol (CM. Polyphenols contents in CM were investigated by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass. The ability of the compounds to inhibit formation of AGEs was evaluated in vitro models using formation of AGE fluorescence intensity, level of fructosamine, Nε-(carboxymethyllysine (CML, methylglyoxal (MG-derived protein, and formation of amyloid cross β structure. Protein-oxidation was determined by thiol group and protein carbonyl content. Inhibition of MG-derived AGEs and MG-trapping ability were also measured. Additionally, insulin production was determined in methylglyoxal-treated pancreatic RINm5F cells assay. Results: Apigenin, kaempferol, apiin, rutin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumaroylquinic acid, and p-coumaric acid were the major polyphenols contained in CM

HYPERTHERMIA, INTRACELLULAR FREE CALCIUM AND CALCIUM IONOPHORES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

STEGE, GJJ; WIERENGA, PK; KAMPINGA, HH; KONINGS, AWT

1993-01-01

It is shown that heat-induced increase of intracellular calcium does not correlate with hyperthermic cell killing. Six different cell lines were investigated; in four (EAT, HeLa S3, L5178Y-R and L5178Y-S) heat treatments killing 90% of the cells did not affect the levels of intracellular free

A mitochondria-targeted mass spectrometry probe to detect glyoxals: implications for diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pun, Pamela Boon Li; Logan, Angela; Darley-Usmar, Victor; Chacko, Balu; Johnson, Michelle S; Huang, Guang W; Rogatti, Sebastian; Prime, Tracy A; Methner, Carmen; Krieg, Thomas; Fearnley, Ian M; Larsen, Lesley; Larsen, David S; Menger, Katja E; Collins, Yvonne; James, Andrew M; Kumar, G D Kishore; Hartley, Richard C; Smith, Robin A J; Murphy, Michael P

2014-02-01

The glycation of protein and nucleic acids that occurs as a consequence of hyperglycemia disrupts cell function and contributes to many pathologies, including those associated with diabetes and aging. Intracellular glycation occurs after the generation of the reactive 1,2-dicarbonyls methylglyoxal and glyoxal, and disruption of mitochondrial function is associated with hyperglycemia. However, the contribution of these reactive dicarbonyls to mitochondrial damage in pathology is unclear owing to uncertainties about their levels within mitochondria in cells and in vivo. To address this we have developed a mitochondria-targeted reagent (MitoG) designed to assess the levels of mitochondrial dicarbonyls within cells. MitoG comprises a lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cationic function, which directs the molecules to mitochondria within cells, and an o-phenylenediamine moiety that reacts with dicarbonyls to give distinctive and stable products. The extent of accumulation of these diagnostic heterocyclic products can be readily and sensitively quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, enabling changes to be determined. Using the MitoG-based analysis we assessed the formation of methylglyoxal and glyoxal in response to hyperglycemia in cells in culture and in the Akita mouse model of diabetes in vivo. These findings indicated that the levels of methylglyoxal and glyoxal within mitochondria increase during hyperglycemia both in cells and in vivo, suggesting that they can contribute to the pathological mitochondrial dysfunction that occurs in diabetes and aging. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling HIV-1 intracellular replication: two simulation approaches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zarrabi, N.; Mancini, E.; Tay, J.; Shahand, S.; Sloot, P.M.A.

2010-01-01

Many mathematical and computational models have been developed to investigate the complexity of HIV dynamics, immune response and drug therapy. However, there are not many models which consider the dynamics of virus intracellular replication at a single level. We propose a model of HIV intracellular

3-Methylcholanthrene inhibits lymphocyte proliferation and increases intracellular calcium levels in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynaud, S.; Duchiron, C.; Deschaux, P.

2003-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important class of environmental pollutants that are known to be carcinogenic and immunotoxic. Many authors have focused on macrophage activities in fish exposed to PAHs. However, fewer studies have reported decrease in specific immunity in such fish. We investigated the intracellular mechanisms by which the 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) decreased lymphocyte proliferation in carp. T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were inhibited by 3-MC (0.5-50 μM). 3-MC also produced a rapid and a sustained increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) (2 h minimum). However, the cytochrome P450 1A and Ah receptor inhibitor, α-naphtoflavone (a-NF), also inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and did not reverse the effects of 3-MC. Moreover, since a-NF and 3-MC increased [Ca 2+ ] i and inhibited lymphocyte proliferation it was possible that calcium release played a role in 3-MC-inhibited lymphocyte proliferation. The rise in [Ca 2+ ] i induced by 3-MC was potentiated by the inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPases, thapsigargin. Treating cells with 3-MC decreased calcium mobilization caused by thapsigargin. These results suggest that 3-MC acts on the endoplasmic reticulum, perhaps directly on calcium ATPases, to increase intracellular calcium levels in carp leucocytes

Methylglyoxal-induced modification causes aggregation of myoglobin

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Sauradipta; Maity, Subhajit; Chakraborti, Abhay Sankar

2016-02-01

Post-translational modification of proteins by Maillard reaction, known as glycation, is thought to be the root cause of different complications, particularly in diabetes mellitus and age-related disorders. Methylglyoxal (MG), a reactive α-oxoaldehyde, increases in diabetic condition and reacts with proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs) following Maillard-like reaction. We have investigated the in vitro effect of MG (200 μM) on the monomeric heme protein myoglobin (Mb) (100 μM) in a time-dependent manner (7 to 18 days incubation at 25 °C). MG induces significant structural alterations of the heme protein, including heme loss, changes in tryptophan fluorescence, decrease of α-helicity with increased β-sheet content etc. These changes occur gradually with increased period of incubation. Incubation of Mb with MG for 7 days results in formation of the AGE adducts: carboxyethyllysine at Lys-16, carboxymethyllysine at Lys-87 and carboxyethyllysine or pyrraline-carboxymethyllysine at Lys-133. On increasing the period of incubation up to 14 days, additional AGEs namely, carboxyethyllysine at Lys-42 and hydroimidazolone or argpyrimidine at Arg-31 and Arg-139 have been detected. MG also induces aggregation of Mb, which is clearly evident with longer period of incubation (18 days), and appears to have amyloid nature. MG-derived AGEs may thus have an important role as the precursors of protein aggregation, which, in turn, may be associated with physiological complications.

Cellular pharmacodynamics of the cytotoxic guanidino-containing drug CHS 828. Comparison with methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Ekelund, S; Sjöholm, A; Nygren, P; Binderup, L; Larsson, R

2001-04-20

N-(6-(4-chlorophenoxy)hexyl)-N'-cyano-N"-4-pyridylguanidine (CHS 828) is a new guanidino-containing compound with antitumoral activity both in vitro and in vivo. Its activity profile differs from those of standard cytotoxic drugs but the mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. CHS 828 is presently in early phase I and II clinical trials. In the present study, the pharmacodynamic effects at the cellular level of CHS 828 was compared to another compound containing two guanidino groups, methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG). MGBG is known to inhibit the synthesis of polyamines, which are important in, e.g., proliferation and macromolecular synthesis. The concentration-response relationship of CHS 828 closely resembled that of MGBG and the drugs were similar with respect to inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis. On the other hand, CHS 828 induced a significant increase in cellular metabolism while MGBG did not. The cytotoxic effect of MGBG was reversed by the addition of exogenous polyamines, while that of CHS 828 was unaffected. Unlike MGBG, there was also no effect of CHS 828 on the levels of decarboxylating enzymes in the polyamine biosynthesis. In conclusion, CHS 828 does not appear to share any major mechanisms of action with the polyamine synthesis inhibitor MGBG. Further studies will be required to define the exact mechanism of action of CHS 828.

The influence of low dose irradiation on intracellular pH level, synthesizing activity and ATP level in cultured chinese fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parkhomenko, I.M.; Perishvili, G.V.; Turovetskij, V.B.; Kudryashov, Yu.B.; Rubin, A.B.; Brovko, L.Yu.

1993-01-01

X-irradiation of Chinese fibroblasts with doses of 0.05-0.15 Gy was shown to cause intracellular pH (pH i ) changes: its diminishing during the first 40-60 min by 0.16-0.18 pH units, then the return to the control level 120 min after irradiation and, finally, the increase by 0.18-0.20 pH units. Simultaneously, the synthesizing activity of the cells changed in the same way. The ATP level changed in the opposite way: increased when pH fell and decreased when pH grew. It was shown that pH i changes were connected with the changes in Na + /H + -exchange system, and they seemed to be primary in the chain of the alterations observed

[Association between intracellular zinc levels and nutritional status in HIV-infected and uninfected children exposed to the virus].

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez G, Erika María; Maldonado C, María Elena; Rojas L, Mauricio; Posada J, Gladys

2015-01-01

Malnutrition, growth retardation and opportunistic infections outlast the metabolic, immune and gastrointestinal disorders produced by HIV. Zinc deficiency has been associated with deteriorating nutritional status, growth failure, and risk of infection. The aim of this study is to determine the association between zinc levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the nutritional status of HIV-infected and uninfected children exposed to the virus. An analytical, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 17 infected and 17 exposed children, aged 2-10 years. Anthropometric measurements, clinical and nutritional history, 24h recall, measurement of physical activity, and zinc in PBMC by flow cytometry analysis were recorded. Height according to age, energy consumption and adequacy of energy, protein and dietary zinc were significantly higher in children exposed to the virus compared to those infected with HIV (P .05). However, the median levels of zinc in monocytes of infected patients was higher (218.6) compared to the control group (217.0). No association was found between zinc intake and levels of intracellular zinc. The deterioration of nutritional status and growth retardation in children were associated with HIV, but not with the levels of intracellular zinc. The dietary intake of this nutrient was not associated with levels of zinc in monocytes or CD4 + and CD4- lymphocytes. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Inhibition of proliferation of x-irradiated L5178Y-S cells by methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) and its reversal by spermidine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosiek, O.; Wronowski, T.; Lerczak, K.; Kopec, M.

1981-01-01

The effect of 10 -5 M methylglyoxal-bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), an inhibitor of spermidine and spermine synthesis, on multiplication of murine lymphoblasts L5178Y-S irradiated with a dose of 100 rads was assessed. MGBG-induced inhibition of cell proifleration could be prevented by concurrent administration of 10 -4 M spermidine. The results suggest a close relationship between polyamines and the cell proliferation process after irradiation. (author)

Inhibition of proliferation of x-irradiated L5178Y-S cells by methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) and its reversal by spermidine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosiek, O.; Wronowski, T.; Lerczak, K.; Kopec, M. (Institute of Nuclear Research, Warsaw (Poland))

1981-01-01

The effect of 10/sup -5/ M methylglyoxal-bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), an inhibitor of spermidine and spermine synthesis, on multiplication of murine lymphoblasts L5178Y-S irradiated with a dose of 100 rads was assessed. MGBG-induced inhibition of cell proifleration could be prevented by concurrent administration of 10/sup -4/ M spermidine. The results suggest a close relationship between polyamines and the cell proliferation process after irradiation.

Identification of light absorbing oligomers from glyoxal and methylglyoxal aqueous processing: a comparative study at the molecular level

Science.gov (United States)

Finessi, Emanuela; Hamilton, Jacqueline; Rickard, Andrew; Baeza-Romero, Maria; Healy, Robert; Peppe, Salvatore; Adams, Tom; Daniels, Mark; Ball, Stephen; Goodall, Iain; Monks, Paul; Borras, Esther; Munoz, Amalia

2014-05-01

Numerous studies point to the reactive uptake of gaseous low molecular weight carbonyls onto atmospheric waters (clouds/fog droplets and wet aerosols) as an important SOA formation route not yet included in current models. However, the evaluation of these processes is challenging because water provides a medium for a complex array of reactions to take place such as self-oligomerization, aldol condensation and Maillard-type browning reactions in the presence of ammonium salts. In addition to adding to SOA mass, aqueous chemistry products have been shown to include light absorbing, surface-active and high molecular weight oligomeric species, and can therefore affect climatically relevant aerosol properties such as light absorption and hygroscopicity. Glyoxal (GLY) and methylglyoxal (MGLY) are the gaseous carbonyls that have perhaps received the most attention to date owing to their ubiquity, abundance and reactivity in water, with the majority of studies focussing on bulk physical properties. However, very little is known at the molecular level, in particular for MGLY, and the relative potential of these species as aqueous SOA precursors in ambient air is still unclear. We have conducted experiments with both laboratory solutions and chamber-generated particles to simulate the aqueous processing of GLY and MGLY with ammonium sulphate (AS) under typical atmospheric conditions and investigated their respective aging products. Both high performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV-Vis detection and ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MSn) and high resolution mass spectrometry (FTICRMS) have been used for molecular identification purposes. Comprehensive gas chromatography with nitrogen chemiluminescence detection (GCxGC-NCD) has been applied for the first time to these systems, revealing a surprisingly high number of nitrogen-containing organics (ONs), with a large extent of polarities. GCxGC-NCD proved to be a valuable tool to determine overall amount and rates of

Tenofovir-induced Fanconi syndrome and osteomalacia in two HIV-infected patients: Role of intracellular tenofovir diphosphate levels and review of the literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haverkort, M.E.; van der Spek, B.W.; Lips, P.T.A.M.; Slieker, W.A.; ter Heine, R.; Huitema, A.D.; Bronsveld, W.

2011-01-01

We present 2 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-induced Fanconi syndrome, leading to osteomalacia. Intracellular tenofovir diphosphate levels were measured in 1 patient and were found to be very high, with plasma tenofovir levels just slightly elevated.

Enhanced Formation of Methylglyoxal-Derived Advanced Glycation End Products in Arabidopsis Under Ammonium Nutrition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaudia Borysiuk

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Nitrate (NO3– and ammonium (NH4+ are prevalent nitrogen (N sources for plants. Although NH4+ should be the preferred form of N from the energetic point of view, ammonium nutrition often exhibits adverse effects on plant physiological functions and induces an important growth-limiting stress referred as ammonium syndrome. The effective incorporation of NH4+ into amino acid structures requires high activity of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle and the glycolytic pathway. An unavoidable consequence of glycolytic metabolism is the production of methylglyoxal (MG, which is very toxic and inhibits cell growth in all types of organisms. Here, we aimed to investigate MG metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown on NH4+ as a sole N source. We found that changes in activities of glycolytic enzymes enhanced MG production and that markedly elevated MG levels superseded the detoxification capability of the glyoxalase pathway. Consequently, the excessive accumulation of MG was directly involved in the induction of dicarbonyl stress by introducing MG-derived advanced glycation end products (MAGEs to proteins. The severe damage to proteins was not within the repair capacity of proteolytic enzymes. Collectively, our results suggest the impact of MG (mediated by MAGEs formation in proteins in the contribution to NH4+ toxicity symptoms in Arabidopsis.

Enhanced Formation of Methylglyoxal-Derived Advanced Glycation End Products in Arabidopsis Under Ammonium Nutrition

Science.gov (United States)

Borysiuk, Klaudia; Ostaszewska-Bugajska, Monika; Vaultier, Marie-Noëlle; Hasenfratz-Sauder, Marie-Paule; Szal, Bożena

2018-01-01

Nitrate (NO3–) and ammonium (NH4+) are prevalent nitrogen (N) sources for plants. Although NH4+ should be the preferred form of N from the energetic point of view, ammonium nutrition often exhibits adverse effects on plant physiological functions and induces an important growth-limiting stress referred as ammonium syndrome. The effective incorporation of NH4+ into amino acid structures requires high activity of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle and the glycolytic pathway. An unavoidable consequence of glycolytic metabolism is the production of methylglyoxal (MG), which is very toxic and inhibits cell growth in all types of organisms. Here, we aimed to investigate MG metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown on NH4+ as a sole N source. We found that changes in activities of glycolytic enzymes enhanced MG production and that markedly elevated MG levels superseded the detoxification capability of the glyoxalase pathway. Consequently, the excessive accumulation of MG was directly involved in the induction of dicarbonyl stress by introducing MG-derived advanced glycation end products (MAGEs) to proteins. The severe damage to proteins was not within the repair capacity of proteolytic enzymes. Collectively, our results suggest the impact of MG (mediated by MAGEs formation in proteins) in the contribution to NH4+ toxicity symptoms in Arabidopsis. PMID:29881392

Glycolytic metabolite methylglyoxal inhibits cold and menthol activation of the transient receptor potential melastatin type 8 channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciobanu, A C; Selescu, T; Gasler, I; Soltuzu, L; Babes, A

2016-03-01

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a reactive dicarbonyl compound involved in protein modifications linked to diabetes mellitus. The plasma level of MG is elevated in diabetic patients, particularly those with painful diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is often associated with spontaneous pain and altered thermal perception. This study assesses effects of MG on TRPM8, an ion channel involved in innocuous cold sensing and cold allodynia and also in cold-mediated analgesia. Acute treatment with MG inhibited the activation of recombinant rat and human transient receptor potential melastatin type 8 (TRPM8) by cold and chemical agonists. A similar effect was observed when native TRPM8 was investigated in cultured rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. DRG neurons treated with MG for 16-24 hr displayed a significant reduction in the fraction of cold- and menthol-sensitive neurons, most likely expressing TRPM8. The fraction of allyl isothiocyanate-sensitive neurons was also reduced, and the coexpression among different neuronal populations was affected. The same prolonged exposure to MG significantly reduced the expression of TRPM8 at the mRNA level. Overall, our data provide evidence for decreased activity and expression level of TRPM8 in the presence of MG, which may be linked to some of the alterations in pain and temperature sensing reported by diabetic patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Suppression of the increasing level of acetylcholine-stimulated intracellular Ca2+ in guinea pig airway smooth muscle cells by mabuterol.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xirui; Zhao, Chao; Dai, Cailing; Ren, Yanxin; An, Nan; Wen, Huimin; Pan, L I; Cheng, Maosheng; Zhang, Yuyang

2015-11-01

The present study aimed to establish an effective method for the in vitro culture of guinea pig airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells, and also investigate the suppressive effect of mabuterol hydrochloride (Mab) on the increased level of intracellular Ca 2+ in ASM cells induced with acetylcholine (Ach). Two different methods, i.e. with or without collagenase to pretreat tracheal tissues, were applied to the manufacture of ASM cells. Cell viability was determined with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthinazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence were used for the identification of ASM cells. Different concentration levels (10 -3 , 10 -4 , 10 -5 , 10 -6 and 10 -7 mmol/l) of Mab were administered 5 min before Ach (10 -4 M) treatment, respectively. The Ca 2+ fluorescent probe, Fura-2/AM or Fluo-3/AM were applied to the inspection of Ca 2+ fluorescent intensity with Varioskan Flash, immunocytometry systems and an inverted system microscope, respectively. The results showed that the fresh method, in which isolated tracheal tissues were previously treated with collagenase for 20 min, was more advantageous for the preparation of guinea pig ASM cells compared to when the enzyme was not used. The time for the ASM cells to initially migrate out of the 'tissue blocks' and the culture having to be generated due to the thick cell density was significantly less. On identification with immunocytochemistry or immunofluorescent staining, >95% of the cells were ASM cells. Mab (10 -3 -10 -7 mmol/l) significantly suppressed the elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ induced by Ach in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory rates of intracellular Ca 2+ by different concentrations of Mab, from low to high, were 14.93, 24.73, 40.06, 48.54 and 57.13%, respectively, when Varioskan Flash was used for determination. In conclusion, this novel method has a shorter harvesting period for ASM cells. Mab can suppress the increasing level of intracellular Ca 2

Effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and two phenylated analogues on S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity from Eimeria stiedai (Apicomplexa).

Science.gov (United States)

San-Martín Núñez, B; Alunda, J M; Balaña-Fouce, R; Ordóñez Escudero, D

1987-01-01

1. Activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, one of the rate-limiting enzymes of polyamine biosynthesis, was determined in oocysts of Eimeria stiedai, a coccidian parasite of the rabbit. 2. Several properties of the enzyme were compared to the mammalian enzyme. It showed considerably less substrate affinity than the analog enzyme from the rabbit. 3. The E. stiedai enzyme showed a low sensitivity to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), a frequently used inhibitor of the enzyme in mammals, and two phenylated derivatives. 4. Results with the inhibitors are discussed in view of their potential use in chemotherapy.

Intracellular cholesterol level regulates sensitivity of glioblastoma cells against temozolomide-induced cell death by modulation of caspase-8 activation via death receptor 5-accumulation and activation in the plasma membrane lipid raft.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Yutaro; Tomiyama, Arata; Sasaki, Nobuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Shirakihara, Takuya; Nakashima, Katsuhiko; Kumagai, Kosuke; Takeuchi, Satoru; Toyooka, Terushige; Otani, Naoki; Wada, Kojiro; Narita, Yoshitaka; Ichimura, Koichi; Sakai, Ryuichi; Namba, Hiroki; Mori, Kentaro

2018-01-01

Development of resistance against temozolomide (TMZ) in glioblastoma (GBM) after continuous treatment with TMZ is one of the critical problems in clinical GBM therapy. Intracellular cholesterol regulates cancer cell biology, but whether intracellular cholesterol is involved in TMZ resistance of GBM cells remains unclear. The involvement of intracellular cholesterol in acquired resistance against TMZ in GBM cells was investigated. Intracellular cholesterol levels were measured in human U251 MG cells with acquired TMZ resistance (U251-R cells) and TMZ-sensitive control U251 MG cells (U251-Con cells), and found that the intracellular cholesterol level was significantly lower in U251-R cells than in U251-Con cells. In addition, treatment by intracellular cholesterol remover, methyl-beta cyclodextrin (MβCD), or intracellular cholesterol inducer, soluble cholesterol (Chol), regulated TMZ-induced U251-Con cell death in line with changes in intracellular cholesterol level. Involvement of death receptor 5 (DR5), a death receptor localized in the plasma membrane, was evaluated. TMZ without or with MβCD and/or Chol caused accumulation of DR5 into the plasma membrane lipid raft and formed a complex with caspase-8, an extrinsic caspase cascade inducer, reflected in the induction of cell death. In addition, treatment with caspase-8 inhibitor or knockdown of DR5 dramatically suppressed U251-Con cell death induced by combination treatment with TMZ, MβCD, and Chol. Combined treatment of Chol with TMZ reversed the TMZ resistance of U251-R cells and another GBM cell model with acquired TMZ resistance, whereas clinical antihypercholesterolemia agents at physiological concentrations suppressed TMZ-induced cell death of U251-Con cells. These findings suggest that intracellular cholesterol level affects TMZ treatment of GBM mediated via a DR5-caspase-8 mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

N-epsilon-(carboxyethyl)lysine, a product of the chemical modification of proteins by methylglyoxal, increases with age in human lens proteins.

OpenAIRE

Ahmed, M U; Brinkmann Frye, E; Degenhardt, T P; Thorpe, S R; Baynes, J W

1997-01-01

Advanced glycation end-products and glycoxidation products, such as Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and pentosidine, accumulate in long-lived tissue proteins with age and are implicated in the aging of tissue proteins and in the development of pathology in diabetes, atherosclerosis and other diseases. In this paper we describe a new advanced glycation end-product, Nepsilon-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), which is formed during the reaction of methylglyoxal with lysine residues in model compo...

Pharmacokinetics of [14C]methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone) in patients with leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenblum, M G; Keating, M J; Yap, B S; Loo, T L

1981-05-01

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG; NSC 32946), a competitive inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), currently being reevaluated for its clinical antileukemic activity. MGBG labeled with 14C in the guanylhydrazone moiety was administered i.v. (150 microCi; specific activity, 1.9 microCi/mumol; 20 mg total) to six patients with leukemia. All patients in the study had normal renal and hepatic function. [14C]MGBG underwent no in vivo metabolism; it disappeared from the plasma with an average terminal t 1/2 of 4.1 hr. The 72-hr cumulative urinary excretion was only 14.5 +/- 2.2% (S.E.M.) of the total radioactive dose. The apparent volume of distribution was 661 ml/kg and the total clearance rate was 21.2 ml/kg/min. The low urinary excretion rate and the relatively rapid plasma clearance suggest that MGBG may be sequestered in the body. Therefore, if MGBG is administered by a frequent treatment schedule, the prolonged biological half-life in humans may significantly contribute to its clinical toxicity.

The methylglyoxal-derived AGE tetrahydropyrimidine is increased in plasma of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in atherosclerotic lesions and is associated with sVCAM-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Eupen, M G A; Schram, M T; Colhoun, H M

2013-01-01

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a major precursor for advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which are thought to play a role in vascular complications in diabetes. Known MGO-arginine-derived AGEs are 5-hydro-5-methylimidazolone (MG-H1), argpyrimidine and tetrahydropyrimidine (THP). We studied THP in rel...

Intracellular Drug Bioavailability: Effect of Neutral Lipids and Phospholipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Treyer, Andrea; Mateus, André; Wiśniewski, Jacek R; Boriss, Hinnerk; Matsson, Pär; Artursson, Per

2018-06-04

Intracellular unbound drug concentrations are the pharmacologically relevant concentrations for targets inside cells. Intracellular drug concentrations are determined by multiple processes, including the extent of drug binding to intracellular structures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of neutral lipid (NL) and phospholipid (PL) levels on intracellular drug disposition. The NL and/or PL content of 3T3-L1 cells were enhanced, resulting in phenotypes (in terms of morphology and proteome) reminiscent of adipocytes (high NL and PL) or mild phospholipidosis (only high PL). Intracellular bioavailability ( F ic ) was then determined for 23 drugs in these cellular models and in untreated wild-type cells. A higher PL content led to higher intracellular drug binding and a lower F ic . The induction of NL did not further increase drug binding but led to altered F ic due to increased lysosomal pH. Further, there was a good correlation between binding to beads coated with pure PL and intracellular drug binding. In conclusion, our results suggest that PL content is a major determinant of drug binding in cells and that PL beads may constitute a simple alternative to estimating this parameter. Further, the presence of massive amounts of intracellular NLs did not influence drug binding significantly.

Role of Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1 and methylglyoxal (MG in behavior: recent advances and mechanistic insights

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Margaret G Distler

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1 is a ubiquitous cellular enzyme that participates in the detoxification of methylglyoxal (MG, a cyotoxic byproduct of glycolysis that induces protein modification (advanced glycation end-products, AGEs, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The concentration of MG is elevated under high-glucose conditions, such as diabetes. As such, GLO1 and MG have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Recently, findings have linked GLO1 to numerous behavioral phenotypes, including psychiatric diseases (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and autism and pain. This review highlights GLO1’s association with behavioral phenotypes, describes recent discoveries that have elucidated the underlying mechanisms, and identifies opportunities for future research.

Epithelial Cell Gene Expression Induced by Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus

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Xianglu Li

2009-01-01

Full Text Available HEp-2 cell monolayers were cocultured with intracellular Staphylococcus aureus, and changes in gene expression were profiled using DNA microarrays. Intracellular S. aureus affected genes involved in cellular stress responses, signal transduction, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis, and cholesterol biosynthesis. Transcription of stress response and signal transduction-related genes including atf3, sgk, map2k1, map2k3, arhb, and arhe was increased. In addition, elevated transcription of proinflammatory genes was observed for tnfa, il1b, il6, il8, cxcl1, ccl20, cox2, and pai1. Genes involved in proapoptosis and fibrosis were also affected at transcriptional level by intracellular S. aureus. Notably, intracellular S. aureus induced strong transcriptional down-regulation of several cholesterol biosynthesis genes. These results suggest that epithelial cells respond to intracellular S. aureus by inducing genes affecting immunity and in repairing damage caused by the organism, and are consistent with the possibility that the organism exploits an intracellular environment to subvert host immunity and promote colonization.

Formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers by methylglyoxal and amines in simulated evaporating cloud droplets.

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De Haan, David O; Hawkins, Lelia N; Kononenko, Julia A; Turley, Jacob J; Corrigan, Ashley L; Tolbert, Margaret A; Jimenez, Jose L

2011-02-01

Reactions of methylglyoxal with amino acids, methylamine, and ammonium sulfate can take place in aqueous aerosol and evaporating cloud droplets. These processes are simulated by drying droplets and bulk solutions of these compounds (at low millimolar and 1 M concentrations, respectively) and analyzing the residuals by scanning mobility particle sizing, nuclear magnetic resonance, aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS), and electrospray ionization MS. The results are consistent with imine (but not diimine) formation on a time scale of seconds, followed by the formation of nitrogen-containing oligomers, methylimidazole, and dimethylimidazole products on a time scale of minutes to hours. Measured elemental ratios are consistent with imidazoles and oligomers being major reaction products, while effective aerosol densities suggest extensive reactions take place within minutes. These reactions may be a source of the light-absorbing, nitrogen-containing oligomers observed in urban and biomass-burning aerosol particles.

Reexamination of the Physiological Role of PykA in Escherichia coli Revealed that It Negatively Regulates the Intracellular ATP Levels under Anaerobic Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chunhua; Lin, Zhao; Dong, Hongjun; Zhang, Yanping; Li, Yin

2017-06-01

Pyruvate kinase is one of the three rate-limiting glycolytic enzymes that catalyze the last step of glycolysis, conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) into pyruvate, which is associated with ATP generation. Two isozymes of pyruvate kinase, PykF and PykA, are identified in Escherichia coli PykF is considered important, whereas PykA has a less-defined role. Prior studies inactivated the pykA gene to increase the level of its substrate, PEP, and thereby increased the yield of end products derived from PEP. We were surprised when we found a pykA ::Tn 5 mutant in a screen for increased yield of an end product derived from pyruvate ( n -butanol), suggesting that the role of PykA needs to be reexamined. We show that the pykA mutant exhibited elevated intracellular ATP levels, biomass concentrations, glucose consumption, and n -butanol production. We also discovered that the pykA mutant expresses higher levels of a presumed pyruvate transporter, YhjX, permitting the mutant to recapture and metabolize excreted pyruvate. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the nucleotide diphosphate kinase activity of PykA leads to negative regulation of the intracellular ATP levels. Taking the data together, we propose that inactivation of pykA can be considered a general strategy to enhance the production of pyruvate-derived metabolites under anaerobic conditions. IMPORTANCE This study showed that knocking out pykA significantly increased the intracellular ATP level and thus significantly increased the levels of glucose consumption, biomass formation, and pyruvate-derived product formation under anaerobic conditions. pykA was considered to be encoding a dispensable pyruvate kinase; here we show that pykA negatively regulates the anaerobic glycolysis rate through regulating the energy distribution. Thus, knocking out pykA can be used as a general strategy to increase the level of pyruvate-derived fermentative products. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Acetylation of spermidine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in baby-hamster kidney cells (BHK-21/C13).

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, H M; Nuttall, M E; Robinson, F C

1988-01-01

Treatment of BHK-21/C13 cells with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) induced the cytosolic form of spermidine N1-acetyltransferase. It stabilized the enzyme against proteolytic degradation, but the drug did not affect the enzyme activity in vitro. MGBG was itself acetylated by BHK-21/C13 cells, but at only one-tenth the rate at which spermidine was acetylated. Acetylation occurred almost exclusively in the nuclear fraction. The product was identified as N-acetyl-MGBG by h.p.l.c., by using [3H]acetyl-CoA and [14C]MGBG as co-substrates. The results suggest that the acetylation of MGBG by BHK-21/C13 cells occurs by a different acetyltransferase enzyme from that which acetylates spermidine. PMID:3421945

Methylglyoxal and carboxyethyllysine reduce glutamate uptake and S100B secretion in the hippocampus independently of RAGE activation.

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Hansen, Fernanda; Battú, Cíntia Eickhoff; Dutra, Márcio Ferreira; Galland, Fabiana; Lirio, Franciane; Broetto, Núbia; Nardin, Patrícia; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto

2016-02-01

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high fasting-glucose levels. Diabetic complications have been associated with hyperglycemia and high levels of reactive compounds, such as methylglyoxal (MG) and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) formation derived from glucose. Diabetic patients have a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Herein, we examined the effect of high glucose, MG and carboxyethyllysine (CEL), a MG-derived AGE of lysine, on oxidative, metabolic and astrocyte-specific parameters in acute hippocampal slices, and investigated some of the mechanisms that could mediate these effects. Glucose, MG and CEL did not alter reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, glucose uptake or glutamine synthetase activity. However, glutamate uptake and S100B secretion were decreased after MG and CEL exposure. RAGE activation and glycation reactions, examined by aminoguanidine and L-lysine co-incubation, did not mediate these changes. Acute MG and CEL exposure, but not glucose, were able to induce similar effects on hippocampal slices, suggesting that conditions of high glucose concentrations are primarily toxic by elevating the rates of these glycation compounds, such as MG, and by generation of protein cross-links. Alterations in the secretion of S100B and the glutamatergic activity mediated by MG and AGEs can contribute to the brain dysfunction observed in diabetic patients.

Thioredoxin-1 promotes survival in cells exposed to S-nitrosoglutathione: Correlation with reduction of intracellular levels of nitrosothiols and up-regulation of the ERK1/2 MAP Kinases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Roberto J.; Ogata, Fernando T.; Batista, Wagner L.; Masutani, Hiroshi; Yodoi, Junji; Debbas, Victor; Augusto, Ohara; Stern, Arnold; Monteiro, Hugo P.

2008-01-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that post-translational protein modifications by nitric oxide and its derived species are critical effectors of redox signaling in cells. These protein modifications are most likely controlled by intracellular reductants. Among them, the importance of the 12 kDa dithiol protein thioredoxin-1 (TRX-1) has been increasingly recognized. However, the effects of TRX-1 in cells exposed to exogenous nitrosothiols remain little understood. We investigated the levels of intracellular nitrosothiols and survival signaling in HeLa cells over-expressing TRX-1 and exposed to S-nitrosoglutahione (GSNO). A role for TRX-1 expression on GSNO catabolism and cell viability was demonstrated by the concentration-dependent effects of GSNO on decreasing TRX-1 expression, activation of caspase-3, and increasing cell death. The over-expression of TRX-1 in HeLa cells partially attenuated caspase-3 activation and enhanced cell viability upon GSNO treatment. This was correlated with reduction of intracellular levels of nitrosothiols and increasing levels of nitrite and nitrotyrosine. The involvement of ERK, p38 and JNK pathways were investigated in parental cells treated with GSNO. Activation of ERK1/2 MAP kinases was shown to be critical for survival signaling. In cells over-expressing TRX-1, basal phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 MAP kinases were higher and further increased after GSNO treatment. These results indicate that the enhanced cell viability promoted by TRX-1 correlates with its capacity to regulate the levels of intracellular nitrosothiols and to up-regulate the survival signaling pathway mediated by the ERK1/2 MAP kinases

Effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on tumour and skin responses to hyperthermia in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyakoshi, J.; Oda, W.; Inagaki, C.; Hiraoka, M.; Takahashi, M.; Abe, M.

1984-01-01

Effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) on tumour and skin responses to hyperthermia (42degC) were examined in C3H mice. MGBG (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to mice 4 hours before hyperthermic treatment. The tumour (FM3A) growth time was elongated by an amount dependent on the exposure time of treatment at 42degC (60, 90 and 120 min). Pre-treatment of mice with MGBG (50 mg/kg, i.p.) apparently further lengthened the tumour growth time after treatment at 42degC. No significant damage of foot skin was caused by 42degC hyperthermia. Pre-treatment with MGBG did not make the foot skin susceptible to the heating. From these findings, it can be considered that MGBG or related less-toxic compounds may have a clinical advantage for the mild (42degC) hyperthermic treatment in cancer therapy. (author)

Effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on tumour and skin responses to hyperthermia in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyakoshi, J.; Oda, W.; Inagaki, C. (Kyoto Coll. of Pharmacy (Japan)); Hiraoka, M.; Takahashi, M.; Abe, M. (Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

1984-09-01

Effects of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) on tumour and skin responses to hyperthermia (42degC) were examined in C3H mice. MGBG (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to mice 4 hours before hyperthermic treatment. The tumour (FM3A) growth time was elongated by an amount dependent on the exposure time of treatment at 42degC (60, 90 and 120 min). Pre-treatment of mice with MGBG (50 mg/kg, i.p.) apparently further lengthened the tumour growth time after treatment at 42degC. No significant damage of foot skin was caused by 42degC hyperthermia. Pre-treatment with MGBG did not make the foot skin susceptible to the heating. From these findings, it can be considered that MGBG or related less-toxic compounds may have a clinical advantage for the mild (42degC) hyperthermic treatment in cancer therapy.

Engineering of a Bacillus subtilis strain with adjustable levels of intracellular biotin for secretory production of functional streptavidin.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Sau-Ching; Wong, Sui-Lam

2002-03-01

Streptavidin is a biotin-binding protein which has been widely used in many in vitro and in vivo applications. Because of the ease of protein recovery and availability of protease-deficient strains, the Bacillus subtilis expression-secretion system is an attractive system for streptavidin production. However, attempts to produce streptavidin using B. subtilis face the problem that cells overproducing large amounts of streptavidin suffer poor growth, presumably because of biotin deficiency. This problem cannot be solved by supplementing biotin to the culture medium, as this will saturate the biotin binding sites in streptavidin. We addressed this dilemma by engineering a B. subtilis strain (WB800BIO) which overproduces intracellular biotin. The strategy involves replacing the natural regulatory region of the B. subtilis chromosomal biotin biosynthetic operon (bioWAFDBIorf2) with an engineered one consisting of the B. subtilis groE promoter and gluconate operator. Biotin production in WB800BIO is induced by gluconate, and the level of biotin produced can be adjusted by varying the gluconate dosage. A level of gluconate was selected to allow enhanced intracellular production of biotin without getting it released into the culture medium. WB800BIO, when used as a host for streptavidin production, grows healthily in a biotin-limited medium and produces large amounts (35 to 50 mg/liter) of streptavidin, with over 80% of its biotin binding sites available for future applications.

Late-onset running biphasically improves redox balance, energy- and methylglyoxal-related status, as well as SIRT1 expression in mouse hippocampus.

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Stefano Falone

Full Text Available Despite the active research in this field, molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced beneficial effects on brain physiology and functions are still matter of debate, especially with regard to biological processes activated by regular exercise affecting the onset and progression of hippocampal aging in individuals unfamiliar with habitual physical activity. Since such responses seem to be mediated by changes in antioxidative, antiglycative and metabolic status, a possible exercise-induced coordinated response involving redox, methylglyoxal- and sirtuin-related molecular networks may be hypothesized. In this study, hippocampi of CD1 mice undergoing the transition from mature to middle age were analyzed for redox-related profile, oxidative and methylglyoxal-dependent damage patterns, energy metabolism, sirtuin1 and glyoxalase1 expression after a 2- or 4-mo treadmill running program. Our findings suggested that the 4-mo regular running lowered the chance of dicarbonyl and oxidative stress, activated mitochondrial catabolism and preserved sirtuin1-related neuroprotection. Surprisingly, the same cellular pathways were negatively affected by the first 2 months of exercise, thus showing an interesting biphasic response. In conclusion, the duration of exercise caused a profound shift in the response to regular running within the rodent hippocampus in a time-dependent fashion. This research revealed important details of the interaction between exercise and mammal hippocampus during the transition from mature to middle age, and this might help to develop non-pharmacological approaches aimed at retarding brain senescence, even in individuals unfamiliar with habitual exercise.

Acrolein produces nitric oxide through the elevation of intracellular calcium levels to induce apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells: implications for smoke angiopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Misonou, Yoshiko; Asahi, Michio; Yokoe, Shunichi; Miyoshi, Eiji; Taniguchi, Naoyuki

2006-03-01

Acrolein is a highly electrophilic alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehyde, the levels of which are increased in the blood of smokers. To determine if acrolein is involved in the pathology of smoke angiopathy, the effect of acrolein on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was examined. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO) levels, determined using diaminofluorescein-2 diacetate (DAF-2 DA), an NO sensitive fluorescent dye, were found to be increased after treatment in HUVEC with 10 microM acrolein. The measurement of nitrite with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene and a Western blot analysis revealed that nitrite and S-nitroso-cysteine levels were increased in a dose-dependent manner, confirming that NO production is increased by acrolein. The increase was not reduced by treatment with 10mM N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant, but was reduced with 10 microM of the intracellular calcium chelator, 1,2-bis (o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetra (acetoxymethyl) ester. Acrolein-stimulated NO production was significantly reduced by pretreatment with 1mM N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), an NO synthase inhibitor. The cytotoxicity of acrolein was reduced by pretreatment with 10 microM 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO), an intracellular NO scavenger, or 1mM L-NAME, whereas it was not reduced by 10mM NAC, 20 microM Curcumin, another peroxide scavenger, or 100 microM Mn(III)TMPyP, a superoxide dismutase mimic. Nuclear staining and a Western blot analysis using an anti-cleaved caspase 3 antibody revealed that the reduced viability of HUVEC by acrolein was due to apoptosis, which was reversed after pretreatment with 0.1mM carboxy-PTIO or 1mM L-NAME. Thus, acrolein increases intracellular calcium production to induce intracellular NO production by a calcium-dependent NO synthase, possibly eNOS, and the excess and rapid increase in NO might lead to the apoptosis of HUVEC. These data suggest that acrolein might be

High-level intracellular expression of heterologous proteins in Brevibacillus choshinensis SP3 under the control of a xylose inducible promoter

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D’Urzo Nunzia

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In past years research has focused on the development of alternative Gram positive bacterial expression systems to produce industrially relevant proteins. Brevibacillus choshinensis is an easy to handle non-sporulating bacterium, lacking extracellular proteases, that has been already shown to provide a high level of recombinant protein expression. One major drawback, limiting the applicability of the Brevibacillus expression system, is the absence of expression vectors based on inducible promoters. Here we used the PxylA inducible promoter, commonly employed in other Bacillae expression systems, in Brevibacillus. Results Using GFP, α-amylase and TcdA-GT as model proteins, high level of intracellular protein expression (up to 250 mg/L for the GFP was achieved in Brevibacillus, using the pHis1522 vector carrying the B. megaterium xylose-inducible promoter (PxylA. The GFP expression yields were more than 25 fold higher than those reported for B. megaterium carrying the same vector. All the tested proteins show significant increment in their expression levels (2-10 folds than those obtained using the available plasmids based on the P2 constitutive promoter. Conclusion Combining the components of two different commercially available Gram positive expression systems, such as Brevibacillus (from Takara Bio and B. megaterium (from Mobitec, we demonstrate that vectors based on the B. megaterium PxylA xylose inducible promoter can be successfully used to induce high level of intracellular expression of heterologous proteins in Brevibacillus.

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of intracellular ions in perfused from heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnstein, D.; Fossel, E.T.

1987-01-01

Intracellular sodium, potassium, and lithium were observed in a perfused frog heart by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A perfusate buffer containing the shift reagent, dysprosium tripolyphosphate, was used in combination with mathematical filtering or presaturation of the extracellular resonance to separate the intra- and extracellular sodium NMR signals. Addition of 10 μM ouabain to the perfusate, perfusion with a zero potassium, low-calcium buffer, and replacement of 66% of the perfusate sodium with lithium resulted in changes in the intracellular sodium levels. An increase of 45% in the intracellular sodium was observed when changing the pacing rate from 0 to 60 beats/min (with proportional changes for intermediate pacing rates). The ratio of intracellular potassium to sodium concentration was determined to be 2.3 by NMR, indicating that a substantial amount of the intracellular potassium is undetectable with these NMR method. In addition, intracellular lithium was observed during perfusion with a lithium-containing perfusate

Role of UBIAD1 in Intracellular Cholesterol Metabolism and Vascular Cell Calcification.

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Sha Liu

Full Text Available Vascular calcification is an important risk factor associated with mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease. Intracellular cholesterol metabolism is involved in the process of vascular cell calcification. In this study, we investigated the role of UbiA prenyltransferase domain containing 1 (UBIAD1 in intracellular cholesterol metabolism and vascular cell calcification, and identified its subcellular location. Primary human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs were incubated with either growth medium (1.4 mmol/L Pi or calcification medium (CM (3.0 mmol/L Pi. Under treatment with CM, HUVSMCs were further incubated with exogenous cholesterol, or menaquinone-4, a product of UBIAD1. The plasmid and small interfering RNA were transfected in HUVSMCs to alter the expression of UBIAD1. Matrix calcium quantitation, alkaline phosphatase activity, intracellular cholesterol level and menaquinone-4 level were measured. The expression of several genes involved in cholesterol metabolism were analyzed. Using an anti-UBIAD1 antibody, an endoplasmic reticulum marker and a Golgi marker, the subcellular location of UBIAD1 in HUVSMCs was analyzed. CM increased matrix calcium, alkaline phosphatase activity and intracellular cholesterol level, and reduced UBIAD1 expression and menaquinone-4 level. Addition of cholesterol contributed to increased matrix calcification and alkaline phosphatase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Elevated expression of UBIAD1 or menaquinone-4 in HUVSMCs treated with CM significantly reduced intracellular cholesterol level, matrix calcification and alkaline phosphatase activity, but increased menaquinone-4 level. Elevated expression of UBIAD1 or menaquinone-4 reduced the gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2, and increased gene expression of ATP binding cassette transporters A1, which are in charge of cholesterol synthesis and efflux. UBIAD1 co-localized with the endoplasmic reticulum marker and

Intracellular Cholesterol Trafficking and Impact in Neurodegeneration

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Fabian Arenas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Cholesterol is a critical component of membrane bilayers where it plays key structural and functional roles by regulating the activity of diverse signaling platforms and pathways. Particularly enriched in brain, cholesterol homeostasis in this organ is singular with respect to other tissues and exhibits a heterogeneous regulation in distinct brain cell populations. Due to the key role of cholesterol in brain physiology and function, alterations in cholesterol homeostasis and levels have been linked to brain diseases and neurodegeneration. In the case of Alzheimer disease (AD, however, this association remains unclear with evidence indicating that either increased or decreased total brain cholesterol levels contribute to this major neurodegenerative disease. Here, rather than analyzing the role of total cholesterol levels in neurodegeneration, we focus on the contribution of intracellular cholesterol pools, particularly in endolysosomes and mitochondria through its trafficking via specialized membrane domains delineated by the contacts between endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, in the onset of prevalent neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, Parkinson disease, and Huntington disease as well as in lysosomal disorders like Niemann-Pick type C disease. We dissect molecular events associated with intracellular cholesterol accumulation, especially in mitochondria, an event that results in impaired mitochondrial antioxidant defense and function. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the distribution of cholesterol in intracellular compartments may shed light on the role of cholesterol homeostasis disruption in neurodegeneration and may pave the way for specific intervention opportunities.

Atomic force microscopy for cellular level manipulation: imaging intracellular structures and DNA delivery through a membrane hole.

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Afrin, Rehana; Zohora, Umme Salma; Uehara, Hironori; Watanabe-Nakayama, Takahiro; Ikai, Atsushi

2009-01-01

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a versatile tool for imaging, force measurement and manipulation of proteins, DNA, and living cells basically at the single molecular level. In the cellular level manipulation, extraction, and identification of mRNA's from defined loci of a cell, insertion of plasmid DNA and pulling of membrane proteins, for example, have been reported. In this study, AFM was used to create holes at defined loci on the cell membrane for the investigation of viability of the cells after hole creation, visualization of intracellular structure through the hole and for targeted gene delivery into living cells. To create large holes with an approximate diameter of 5-10 microm, a phospholipase A(2) coated bead was added to the AFM cantilever and the bead was allowed to touch the cell surface for approximately 5-10 min. The evidence of hole creation was obtained mainly from fluorescent image of Vybrant DiO labeled cell before and after the contact with the bead and the AFM imaging of the contact area. In parallel, cells with a hole were imaged by AFM to reveal intracellular structures such as filamentous structures presumably actin fibers and mitochondria which were identified with fluorescent labeling with rhodamine 123. Targeted gene delivery was also attempted by inserting an AFM probe that was coated with the Monster Green Fluorescent Protein phMGFP Vector for transfection of the cell. Following targeted transfection, the gene expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed and confirmed by the fluorescence microscope. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Manuka honey (Leptospermum scoparium) inhibits jack bean urease activity due to methylglyoxal and dihydroxyacetone.

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Rückriemen, Jana; Klemm, Oliver; Henle, Thomas

2017-09-01

Manuka honey (Leptospermum scoparium) exerts a strong antibacterial effect. Bacterial enzymes are an important target for antibacterial compounds. The enzyme urease produces ammonia and enables bacteria to adapt to an acidic environment. A new enzymatic assay, based on photometric detection of ammonia with ninhydrin, was developed to study urease activity. Methylglyoxal (MGO) and its precursor dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which are naturally present in manuka honey, were identified as jack bean urease inhibitors with IC 50 values of 2.8 and 5.0mM, respectively. Urease inhibition of manuka honey correlates with its MGO and DHA content. Non-manuka honeys, which lack MGO and DHA, showed significantly less urease inhibition. MGO depletion from manuka honey with glyoxalase reduced urease inhibition. Therefore, urease inhibition by manuka honey is mainly due to MGO and DHA. The results obtained with jack bean urease as a model urease, may contribute to the understanding of bacterial inhibition by manuka honey. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relationship between the violet pigment PP-V production and intracellular ammonium level in Penicillium purpurogenum

OpenAIRE

Kojima, Ryo; Arai, Teppei; Matsufuji, Hiroshi; Kasumi, Takafumi; Watanabe, Taisuke; Ogihara, Jun

2016-01-01

Penicillium purpurogenum is the fungus that produces an azaphilone pigment. However, details about the pigment biosynthesis pathway are unknown. The violet pigment PP-V is the one of the main pigments biosynthesized by this fungus. This pigment contains an amino group in a pyran ring as its core structure. We focused on this pigment and examined the relationship between intracellular ammonium concentration and pigment production using glutamine as a nitrogen source. The intracellular ammonium...

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chp Chemosensory System Regulates Intracellular cAMP Levels by Modulating Adenylate Cyclase Activity

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Fulcher, Nanette B.; Holliday, Phillip M.; Klem, Erich; Cann, Martin J.; Wolfgang, Matthew C.

2010-01-01

Summary Multiple virulence systems in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa are regulated by the second messenger signaling molecule adenosine 3’, 5’-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). Production of cAMP by the putative adenylate cyclase enzyme CyaB represents a critical control point for virulence gene regulation. To identify regulators of CyaB, we screened a transposon insertion library for mutants with reduced intracellular cAMP. The majority of insertions resulting in reduced cAMP mapped to the Chp gene cluster encoding a putative chemotaxis-like chemosensory system. Further genetic analysis of the Chp system revealed that it has both positive and negative effects on intracellular cAMP and that it regulates cAMP levels by modulating CyaB activity. The Chp system was previously implicated in the production and function of type IV pili (TFP). Given that cAMP and the cAMP-dependent transcriptional regulator Vfr control TFP biogenesis gene expression, we explored the relationship between cAMP, the Chp system and TFP regulation. We discovered that the Chp system controls TFP production through modulation of cAMP while control of TFP-dependent twitching motility is cAMP-independent. Overall, our data define a novel function for a chemotaxis-like system in controlling cAMP production and establish a regulatory link between the Chp system, TFP and other cAMP-dependent virulence systems. PMID:20345659

Inflammation and insulin resistance induced by trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid depend on intracellular calcium levels in primary cultures of human adipocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kennedy, Arion; Martinez, Kristina; Chung, Soonkyu

2010-01-01

We previously demonstrated that trans-10, cis-12 (10,12) conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) induced inflammation and insulin resistance in primary human adipocytes by activating nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling. In this study, we demonstrated...... that the initial increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) mediated by 10,12 CLA was attenuated by TMB-8, an inhibitor of calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), by BAPTA, an intracellular calcium chelator, and by D609, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. Moreover, BAPTA, TMB-8, and D609 attenuated......, and suppression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma protein levels and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. These data suggest that 10,12 CLA increases inflammation and insulin resistance in human adipocytes, in part by increasing [Ca2+]i levels, particularly calcium from the ER....

Methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone inhibits osteopontin expression and differentiation in cultured human monocytes.

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Jin, Xia; Xu, Hua; McGrath, Michael S

2018-01-01

Monocyte activation and polarization play essential roles in many chronic inflammatory diseases. An imbalance of M1 and M2 macrophage activation (pro-inflammatory and alternatively activated, respectively) is believed to be a key aspect in the etiology of these diseases, thus a therapeutic approach that regulates macrophage activation could be of broad clinical relevance. Methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG), a regulator of polyamine metabolism, has recently been shown to be concentrated in monocytes and macrophages, and interfere with HIV integration into the DNA of these cells in vitro. RNA expression analysis of monocytes from HIV+ and control donors with or without MGBG treatment revealed the only gene to be consistently down regulated by MGBG to be osteopontin (OPN). The elevated expression of this pro-inflammatory cytokine and monocyte chemoattractant is associated with various chronic inflammatory diseases. We demonstrate that MGBG is a potent inhibitor of secreted OPN (sOPN) in cultured monocytes with 50% inhibition achieved at 0.1 μM of the drug. Furthermore, inhibition of OPN RNA transcription in monocyte cultures occurs at similar concentrations of the drug. During differentiation of monocytes into macrophages in vitro, monocytes express cell surface CD16 and the cells undergo limited DNA synthesis as measured by uptake of BrdU. MGBG inhibited both activities at similar doses to those regulating OPN expression. In addition, monocyte treatment with MGBG inhibited differentiation into both M1 and M2 classes of macrophages at non-toxic doses. The inhibition of differentiation and anti-OPN effects of MGBG were specific for monocytes in that differentiated macrophages were nearly resistant to MGBG activities. Thus MGBG may have potential therapeutic utility in reducing or normalizing OPN levels and regulating monocyte activation in diseases that involve chronic inflammation.

Inhibition of HIV Expression and Integration in Macrophages by Methylglyoxal-Bis-Guanylhydrazone.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Xia; McGrath, Michael S; Xu, Hua

2015-11-01

Macrophages are a target for infection with HIV and represent one of the viral reservoirs that are relatively resistant to current antiretroviral drugs. Here we demonstrate that methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG), a polyamine analog and potent S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase inhibitor, decreases HIV expression in monocytes and macrophages. MGBG is selectively concentrated by these cells through a mechanism consistent with active transport by the polyamine transporter. Using a macrophage-tropic reporter virus tagged with the enhanced green fluorescent protein, we demonstrate that MGBG decreases the frequency of HIV-infected cells. The effect is dose dependent and correlates with the production of HIV p24 in culture supernatants. This anti-HIV effect was further confirmed using three macrophage-tropic primary HIV isolates. Viral life cycle mapping studies show that MGBG inhibits HIV DNA integration into the cellular DNA in both monocytes and macrophages. Our work demonstrates for the first time the selective concentration of MGBG by monocytes/macrophages, leading to the inhibition of HIV-1 expression and a reduction in proviral load within macrophage cultures. These results suggest that MGBG may be useful in adjunctive macrophage-targeted therapy for HIV infection. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Functional Consequences of Intracellular Proline Levels Manipulation Affecting PRODH/POX-Dependent Pro-Apoptotic Pathways in a Novel in Vitro Cell Culture Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zareba, Ilona; Surazynski, Arkadiusz; Chrusciel, Marcin; Miltyk, Wojciech; Doroszko, Milena; Rahman, Nafis; Palka, Jerzy

2017-01-01

The effect of impaired intracellular proline availability for proline dehydrogenase/proline oxidase (PRODH/POX)-dependent apoptosis was studied. We generated a constitutively knocked-down PRODH/POX MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (MCF-7shPRODH/POX) as a model to analyze the functional consequences of impaired intracellular proline levels. We have used inhibitor of proline utilization in collagen biosynthesis, 2-metoxyestradiol (MOE), inhibitor of prolidase that generate proline, rapamycin (Rap) and glycyl-proline (GlyPro), substrate for prolidase. Collagen and DNA biosynthesis were evaluated by radiometric assays. Cell viability was determined using Nucleo-Counter NC-3000. The activity of prolidase was determined by colorimetric assay. Expression of proteins was assessed by Western blot and immunofluorescence bioimaging. Concentration of proline was analyzed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. PRODH/POX knockdown decreased DNA and collagen biosynthesis, whereas increased prolidase activity and intracellular proline level in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. All studied compounds decreased cell viability in MCF-7 and MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. DNA biosynthesis was similarly inhibited by Rap and MOE in both cell lines, but GlyPro inhibited the process only in MCF-7shPRODH/POX and MOE+GlyPro only in MCF-7 cells. All the compounds inhibited collagen biosynthesis, increased prolidase activity and cytoplasmic proline level in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells and contributed to the induction of pro-survival mode only in MCF-7shPRODH/POX cells. In contrast, all studied compounds upregulated expression of pro-apoptotic protein only in MCF-7 cells. PRODH/POX was confirmed as a driver of apoptosis and proved the eligibility of MCF-7shPRODH/POX cell line as a highly effective model to elucidate the different mechanisms underlying proline utilization or generation in PRODH/POX-dependent pro-apoptotic pathways. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Determination of Intracellular Vitrification Temperatures for Unicellular Micro Organisms under Conditions Relevant for Cryopreservation.

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Fonseca, Fernanda; Meneghel, Julie; Cenard, Stéphanie; Passot, Stéphanie; Morris, G John

2016-01-01

During cryopreservation ice nucleation and crystal growth may occur within cells or the intracellular compartment may vitrify. Whilst previous literature describes intracellular vitrification in a qualitative manner, here we measure the intracellular vitrification temperature of bacteria and yeasts under conditions relevant to cryopreservation, including the addition of high levels of permeating and nonpermeating additives and the application of rapid rates of cooling. The effects of growth conditions that are known to modify cellular freezing resistance on the intracellular vitrification temperature are also examined. For bacteria a plot of the activity on thawing against intracellular glass transition of the maximally freeze-concentrated matrix (Tg') shows that cells with the lowest value of intracellular Tg' survive the freezing process better than cells with a higher intracellular Tg'. This paper demonstrates the role of the physical state of the intracellular environment in determining the response of microbial cells to preservation and could be a powerful tool to be manipulated to allow the optimization of methods for the preservation of microorganisms.

Characterization of Leptin Intracellular Trafficking

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E Walum

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Leptin is produced by adipose tissue, and its concentration in plasma is related to the amount of fat in the body. The leptin receptor (OBR is a member of the class I cytokine receptor family and several different isoforms, produced by alternative mRNA splicing are found in many tissues, including the hypothalamus. The two predominant isoforms includes a long form (OBRl with an intracellular domain of 303 amino acids and a shorter form (OBRs with an intracellular domain of 34 amino acids. Since OBRl is mainly expressed in the hypotalamus, it has been suggested to be the main signalling form. The peripheral production of leptin by adipocyte tissue and its effects as a signal of satiety in the central nervous system imply that leptin gains access to regions of the brain regulating in energy balance by crossing the blood-brain barrier. In an attempt to characterize the intracellular transport of leptin, we have followed binding internalization and degradation of leptin in HEK293 cells. We have also monitored the intracellular transport pathway of fluorescent conjugated leptin in HEK293 cells. Phenylarsine oxide, a general inhibitor of endocytosis, as well as incubation at mild hypertonic conditions, prevented the uptake of leptin, confirming a receptor-mediated internalization process. When internalized, 125I-leptin was rapidly accumulated inside the cells and reached a maximum after 10 min. After 70 minutes about 40-50% of total counts in each time point were found in the medium as TCA-soluble material. Leptin sorting, at the level of early endosomes, did not seem to involve recycling endosomes, since FITC-leptin was sorted from Cy3- transferrin containing compartments at 37°C. At 45 minutes of continuos internalization, FITC-leptin appeared mainly accumulated in late endocytic structures colocalizing with internalized rhodamine coupled epidermial growth factor (EGF and the lysosomal marker protein lamp-1. The transport of leptin was also shown

The role of cPLA2 in Methylglyoxal-induced cell apoptosis of HUVECs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Jie; Zhu, Chao; Hong, Yali; Sun, Zongxing; Fang, Xianjun; Wu, Biao; Li, Shengnan

2017-01-01

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, is mainly formed as a byproduct of glycolysis. Elevated MGO level is known to induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, which is implicated with progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic complications. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been exhaustively investigated yet. Here, we further characterized the mechanisms how MGO induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our data revealed that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) played an important role in MGO-induced cell apoptosis. It was found that MGO could increase both the activity and expression of cPLA2. Inhibition of cPLA2 by Pyrrophenone (PYR) or siRNA significantly attenuated the MGO-induced apoptosis. Additionally, MGO time-dependently decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Pretreatment of the cells with NF-κB inhibitor, BAY11-7082, further increased MGO-induced apoptosis of HUVECs, indicating that NF-κB played a survival role in this MGO-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, in the presence of si-cPLA2 or PYR, MGO no longer decreased NF-κB phosphorylation. Beyond that, the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) could reverse the changes of both cPLA2 and NF-κB caused by MGO. p38, the upstream of cPLA2, was also significantly phosphorylated by MGO. However, p38 inhibitor failed to reverse the apoptosis induced by MGO. This study gives an important insight into the downstream signaling mechanisms of MGO, cPLA2-NF-κB, in endothelial apoptosis. - Highlights: • cPLA2 participated in MGO-induced HUVECs apoptosis. • Inhibition of NF-κB was involved in MGO-cPLA2-mediated cell apoptosis. • Antioxidant NAC attenuated MGO-induced cPLA2 activation and cell apoptosis.

The role of cPLA2 in Methylglyoxal-induced cell apoptosis of HUVECs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Jie; Zhu, Chao; Hong, Yali; Sun, Zongxing; Fang, Xianjun [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Cardiovascular Diseases and Molecular intervention, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China); Wu, Biao, E-mail: wubiao@ncu.edu.cn [Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University (China); Li, Shengnan, E-mail: snli@njmu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Cardiovascular Diseases and Molecular intervention, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China)

2017-05-15

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, is mainly formed as a byproduct of glycolysis. Elevated MGO level is known to induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, which is implicated with progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic complications. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been exhaustively investigated yet. Here, we further characterized the mechanisms how MGO induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our data revealed that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) played an important role in MGO-induced cell apoptosis. It was found that MGO could increase both the activity and expression of cPLA2. Inhibition of cPLA2 by Pyrrophenone (PYR) or siRNA significantly attenuated the MGO-induced apoptosis. Additionally, MGO time-dependently decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Pretreatment of the cells with NF-κB inhibitor, BAY11-7082, further increased MGO-induced apoptosis of HUVECs, indicating that NF-κB played a survival role in this MGO-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, in the presence of si-cPLA2 or PYR, MGO no longer decreased NF-κB phosphorylation. Beyond that, the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) could reverse the changes of both cPLA2 and NF-κB caused by MGO. p38, the upstream of cPLA2, was also significantly phosphorylated by MGO. However, p38 inhibitor failed to reverse the apoptosis induced by MGO. This study gives an important insight into the downstream signaling mechanisms of MGO, cPLA2-NF-κB, in endothelial apoptosis. - Highlights: • cPLA2 participated in MGO-induced HUVECs apoptosis. • Inhibition of NF-κB was involved in MGO-cPLA2-mediated cell apoptosis. • Antioxidant NAC attenuated MGO-induced cPLA2 activation and cell apoptosis.

Silver ions increase plasma membrane permeability through modulation of intracellular calcium levels in tobacco BY-2 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Klíma, Petr; Laňková, Martina; Vandenbussche, Filip; Van Der Straeten, Dominique; Petrášek, Jan

2018-05-01

Silver ions increase plasma membrane permeability for water and small organic compounds through their stimulatory effect on plasma membrane calcium channels, with subsequent modulation of intracellular calcium levels and ion homeostasis. The action of silver ions at the plant plasma membrane is largely connected with the inhibition of ethylene signalling thanks to the ability of silver ion to replace the copper cofactor in the ethylene receptor. A link coupling the action of silver ions and cellular auxin efflux has been suggested earlier by their possible direct interaction with auxin efflux carriers or by influencing plasma membrane permeability. Using tobacco BY-2 cells, we demonstrate here that besides a dramatic increase of efflux of synthetic auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), treatment with AgNO 3 resulted in enhanced efflux of the cytokinin trans-zeatin (tZ) as well as the auxin structural analogues tryptophan (Trp) and benzoic acid (BA). The application of AgNO 3 was accompanied by gradual water loss and plasmolysis. The observed effects were dependent on the availability of extracellular calcium ions (Ca 2+ ) as shown by comparison of transport assays in Ca 2+ -rich and Ca 2+ -free buffers and upon treatment with inhibitors of plasma membrane Ca 2+ -permeable channels Al 3+ and ruthenium red, both abolishing the effect of AgNO 3 . Confocal microscopy of Ca 2+ -sensitive fluorescence indicator Fluo-4FF, acetoxymethyl (AM) ester suggested that the extracellular Ca 2+ availability is necessary to trigger the response to silver ions and that the intracellular Ca 2+ pool alone is not sufficient for this effect. Altogether, our data suggest that in plant cells the effects of silver ions originate from the primal modification of the internal calcium levels, possibly by their interaction with Ca 2+ -permeable channels at the plasma membrane.

Quantifying intracellular hydrogen peroxide perturbations in terms of concentration

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Beijing K. Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Molecular level, mechanistic understanding of the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS in a variety of pathological conditions is hindered by the difficulties associated with determining the concentration of various ROS species. Here, we present an approach that converts fold-change in the signal from an intracellular sensor of hydrogen peroxide into changes in absolute concentration. The method uses extracellular additions of peroxide and an improved biochemical measurement of the gradient between extracellular and intracellular peroxide concentrations to calibrate the intracellular sensor. By measuring peroxiredoxin activity, we found that this gradient is 650-fold rather than the 7–10-fold that is widely cited. The resulting calibration is important for understanding the mass-action kinetics of complex networks of redox reactions, and it enables meaningful characterization and comparison of outputs from endogenous peroxide generating tools and therapeutics across studies.

Comparison of the biological effects of {sup 18}F at different intracellular levels

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Kashino, Genro, E-mail: kashino@oita-u.ac.jp [Advanced Molecular Imaging Center, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita 879-5593 (Japan); Hayashi, Kazutaka; Douhara, Kazumasa [Advanced Molecular Imaging Center, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita 879-5593 (Japan); Kobashigawa, Shinko; Mori, Hiromu [Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu City, Oita 879-5593 (Japan)

2014-11-07

Highlights: • We estimated the inductions of DNA DSB in cell treated with {sup 18}F-FDG. • We found that inductions of DNA DSB are dependent on accumulation of {sup 18}F in cell. • Accumulation of {sup 18}F in cell may be indispensable for risk estimation of PET. - Abstract: We herein examined the biological effects of cells treated with {sup 18}F labeled drugs for positron emission tomography (PET). The relationship between the intracellular distribution of {sup 18}F and levels of damaged DNA has yet to be clarified in detail. We used culture cells (Chinese Hamster Ovary cells) treated with two types of {sup 18}F labeled drugs, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and fluorine ion (HF). FDG efficiently accumulated in cells, whereas HF did not. To examine the induction of DNA double strand breaks (DSB), we measured the number of foci for 53BP1 that formed at the site of DNA DSB. The results revealed that although radioactivity levels were the same, the induction of 53BP1 foci was stronger in cells treated with {sup 18}F-FDG than in those treated with {sup 18}F-HF. The clonogenic survival of cells was significantly lower with {sup 18}F-FDG than with {sup 18}F-HF. We concluded that the efficient accumulation of {sup 18}F in cells led to stronger biological effects due to more severe cellular lethality via the induction of DNA DSB.

Reduced intracellular c-di-GMP content increases expression of quorum sensing-regulated genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chua, Song Lin; Liu, Yang; Li, Yingying

2017-01-01

Cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is an intracellular secondary messenger which controls the biofilm life cycle in many bacterial species. High intracellular c-di-GMP content enhances biofilm formation via the reduction of motility and production of biofilm matrix, while low c-di-GMP content in biofilm...... cells leads to increased motility and biofilm dispersal. While the effect of high c-di-GMP levels on bacterial lifestyles is well studied, the physiology of cells at low c-di-GMP levels remains unclear. Here, we showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells with high and low intracellular c-di-GMP contents...... possessed distinct transcriptome profiles. There were 535 genes being upregulated and 432 genes downregulated in cells with low c-di-GMP, as compared to cells with high c-di-GMP. Interestingly, both rhl and pqs quorum-sensing (QS) operons were expressed at higher levels in cells with low intracellular c-di-GMP...

PKC-η-MARCKS Signaling Promotes Intracellular Survival of Unopsonized Burkholderia thailandensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Micheva-Viteva, Sofiya N; Shou, Yulin; Ganguly, Kumkum; Wu, Terry H; Hong-Geller, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Pathogenic Burkholderia rely on host factors for efficient intracellular replication and are highly refractory to antibiotic treatment. To identify host genes that are required by Burkholderia spp. during infection, we performed a RNA interference (RNAi) screen of the human kinome and identified 35 host kinases that facilitated Burkholderia thailandensis intracellular survival in human monocytic THP-1 cells. We validated a selection of host kinases using imaging flow cytometry to assess efficiency of B. thailandensis survival in the host upon siRNA-mediated knockdown. We focused on the role of the novel protein kinase C isoform, PKC-η, in Burkholderia infection and characterized PKC-η/MARCKS signaling as a key event that promotes the survival of unopsonized B. thailandensis CDC2721121 within host cells. While infection of lung epithelial cells with unopsonized Gram-negative bacteria stimulated phosphorylation of Ser175/160 in the MARCKS effector domain, siRNA-mediated knockdown of PKC-η expression reduced the levels of phosphorylated MARCKS by >3-fold in response to infection with Bt CDC2721121. We compared the effect of the conventional PKC-α and novel PKC-η isoforms on the growth of B. thailandensis CDC2721121 within monocytic THP-1 cells and found that ≥75% knock-down of PRKCH transcript levels reduced intracellular bacterial load 100% more efficiently when compared to growth in cells siRNA-depleted of the classical PKC-α, suggesting that the PKC-η isoform can specifically mediate Burkholderia intracellular survival. Based on imaging studies of intracellular B. thailandensis , we found that PKC-η function stimulates phagocytic pathways that promote B. thailandensis escape into the cytoplasm leading to activation of autophagosome flux. Identification of host kinases that are targeted by Burkholderia during infection provides valuable molecular insights in understanding Burkholderia pathogenesis, and ultimately, in designing effective host

Intracellular mechanisms of solar water disinfection

Science.gov (United States)

Castro-Alférez, María; Polo-López, María Inmaculada; Fernández-Ibáñez, Pilar

2016-12-01

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is a zero-cost intervention measure to disinfect drinking water in areas of poor access to improved water sources, used by more than 6 million people in the world. The bactericidal action of solar radiation in water has been widely proven, nevertheless the causes for this remain still unclear. Scientific literature points out that generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside microorganisms promoted by solar light absorption is the main reason. For the first time, this work reports on the experimental measurement of accumulated intracellular ROS in E. coli during solar irradiation. For this experimental achievement, a modified protocol based on the fluorescent probe dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), widely used for oxidative stress in eukaryotic cells, has been tested and validated for E. coli. Our results demonstrate that ROS and their accumulated oxidative damages at intracellular level are key in solar water disinfection.

Lansoprazole induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells through inhibition of intracellular proton extrusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Shangrong; Wang, Yifan; Li, Shu Jie, E-mail: shujieli@nankai.edu.cn

2014-06-13

Highlights: • Lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells. • LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion. • LPZ induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and ROS accumulation. - Abstract: The increased glycolysis and proton secretion in tumors is proposed to contribute to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells during the process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Here, treatment of human breast cancer cells with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In the implantation of the MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice, administration of LPZ significantly inhibits tumorigenesis and induces large-scale apopotosis of tumor cells. LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion, induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in breast cancer cells. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a specific pharmacological inhibitor of NADPH oxidases (NOX), significantly abolish LPZ-induced ROS accumulation in breast cancer cells. Our results suggested that LPZ may be used as a new therapeutic drug for breast tumor.

Lansoprazole induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells through inhibition of intracellular proton extrusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Shangrong; Wang, Yifan; Li, Shu Jie

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells. • LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion. • LPZ induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and ROS accumulation. - Abstract: The increased glycolysis and proton secretion in tumors is proposed to contribute to the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells during the process of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Here, treatment of human breast cancer cells with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole (LPZ) induces cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In the implantation of the MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice, administration of LPZ significantly inhibits tumorigenesis and induces large-scale apopotosis of tumor cells. LPZ markedly inhibits intracellular proton extrusion, induces an increase in intracellular ATP level, lysosomal alkalinization and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in breast cancer cells. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a specific pharmacological inhibitor of NADPH oxidases (NOX), significantly abolish LPZ-induced ROS accumulation in breast cancer cells. Our results suggested that LPZ may be used as a new therapeutic drug for breast tumor

Detection of Intracellular Factor VIII Protein in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells by Flow Cytometry

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Gouri Shankar Pandey

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Flow cytometry is widely used in cancer research for diagnosis, detection of minimal residual disease, as well as immune monitoring and profiling following immunotherapy. Detection of specific host proteins for diagnosis predominantly uses quantitative PCR and western blotting assays. In this study, we optimized a flow cytometry-based detection assay for Factor VIII protein in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs. An indirect intracellular staining (ICS method was standardized using monoclonal antibodies to different domains of human Factor VIII protein. The FVIII protein expression level was estimated by calculating the mean and median fluorescence intensities (MFI values for each monoclonal antibody. ICS staining of transiently transfected cell lines supported the method's specificity. Intracellular FVIII protein expression was also detected by the monoclonal antibodies used in the study in PBMCs of five blood donors. In summary, our data suggest that intracellular FVIII detection in PBMCs of hemophilia A patients can be a rapid and reliable method to detect intracellular FVIII levels.

Multiple pathways for uptake of paraquat, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), and polyamines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byers, T.L.; Kameji, R.; Rannels, D.E.; Pegg, A.E.

1987-06-01

The uptake of polyamines, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), and paraquat (N,N-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium) into control Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and a mutant CHO cell line selected for resistance to the toxicity of MGBG was examined. In contrast to control CHO cells, the mutant cells had no detectable uptake of (/sup 14/C)-MGBG or any of the polyamines. There was no difference between the two cell lines in the uptake of ..cap alpha..-aminoisobutyric (/sup 3/H-AIB), which indicates that there was no general change in membrane transport processes. The mutant cells were also found to be resistant to the toxicity of paraquat and to have a reduced capability to take up the herbicide. This finding confirms that the uptake of paraquat is necessary for the toxicity of this compound and that the paraquat is taken up by a transport system that also transports MGBG. Competition experiments showed that an excess of unlabeled paraquat inhibited uptake of MGBG and, to a lesser extent, uptake of putrescine and spermidine, but no inhibitory action on spermine uptake could be detected. Studies with type II cells isolated from rat lung also demonstrated uptake of paraquat and spermidine, but paraquat was only a weak inhibitor of spermidine uptake in this system. These results suggest that there may be multiple systems for the uptake of MGBG and polyamines and that paraquat is taken up by at least one but not by all of these systems.

Multiple pathways for uptake of paraquat, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), and polyamines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byers, T.L.; Kameji, R.; Rannels, D.E.; Pegg, A.E.

1987-01-01

The uptake of polyamines, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), and paraquat [N,N-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium] into control Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and a mutant CHO cell line selected for resistance to the toxicity of MGBG was examined. In contrast to control CHO cells, the mutant cells had no detectable uptake of [ 14 C]-MGBG or any of the polyamines. There was no difference between the two cell lines in the uptake of α-aminoisobutyric ( 3 H-AIB), which indicates that there was no general change in membrane transport processes. The mutant cells were also found to be resistant to the toxicity of paraquat and to have a reduced capability to take up the herbicide. This finding confirms that the uptake of paraquat is necessary for the toxicity of this compound and that the paraquat is taken up by a transport system that also transports MGBG. Competition experiments showed that an excess of unlabeled paraquat inhibited uptake of MGBG and, to a lesser extent, uptake of putrescine and spermidine, but no inhibitory action on spermine uptake could be detected. Studies with type II cells isolated from rat lung also demonstrated uptake of paraquat and spermidine, but paraquat was only a weak inhibitor of spermidine uptake in this system. These results suggest that there may be multiple systems for the uptake of MGBG and polyamines and that paraquat is taken up by at least one but not by all of these systems

A novel natural Nrf2 activator with PPARγ-agonist (monascin) attenuates the toxicity of methylglyoxal and hyperglycemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Wei-Hsuan; Lee, Bao-Hong; Chang, Yu-Ying [Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Hsu, Ya-Wen [SunWay Biotechnology Company, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Pan, Tzu-Ming, E-mail: tmpan@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

2013-11-01

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a toxic-glucose metabolite and a major precursor of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). MG has been reported to result in inflammation by activating receptor for AGEs (RAGE). We recently found that Monascus-fermented metabolite monascin acts as a novel natural peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonist that improves insulin sensitivity. We investigated the metabolic, biochemical, and molecular abnormalities characteristic of type 2 diabetes in MG-treated Wistar rats treated with oral administration of monascin or rosiglitazone. Monascin (a novel PPARγ agonist) activated nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and down-regulated hyperinsulinmia in oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Monascin was able to elevate glyoxalase-1 expression via activation of hepatic Nrf2, hence, resulting in MG metabolism to D-lactic acid and protected from AGEs production in MG-treated rats. Rosiglitazone did not activate Nrf2 nor glyoxalase expression to lower serum and hepatic AGEs levels. Monascin acts as a novel natural Nrf2 activator with PPARγ-agonist activity were confirmed by Nrf2 and PPARγ reporter assays in Hep G2 cells. These findings suggest that monascin acts as an anti-diabetic and anti-oxidative stress agent to a greater degree than rosiglitazone and thus may have therapeutic potential for the prevention of diabetes. - Highlights: • Monascin acts as a PPARgamma agonist. • Monascin activates Nrf2 and AMPK. • Monascin promotes MG metabolism into D-lactic acid. • Monascin attenuates inflammation and diabetes in vivo.

Methylglyoxal Impairs Insulin Secretion of Pancreatic β-Cells through Increased Production of ROS and Mitochondrial Dysfunction Mediated by Upregulation of UCP2 and MAPKs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinshuang Bo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Methylglyoxal (MG is a highly reactive glucose metabolic intermediate and a major precursor of advanced glycation end products. MG level is elevated in hyperglycemic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. Substantial evidence has shown that MG is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications. We investigated the impact of MG on insulin secretion by MIN6 and INS-1 cells and the potential mechanisms of this effect. Our study demonstrates that MG impaired insulin secretion by MIN6 or ISN-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. It increased reactive oxygen species (ROS production and apoptosis rate in MIN6 or ISN-1 cells and inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP and ATP production. Furthermore, the expression of UCP2, JNK, and P38 as well as the phosphorylation JNK and P38 was increased by MG. These effects of MG were attenuated by MG scavenger N-acetyl cysteine. Collectively, these data indicate that MG impairs insulin secretion of pancreatic β-cells through increasing ROS production. High levels of ROS can damage β-cells directly via JNK/P38 upregulation and through activation of UCP2 resulting in reduced MMP and ATP production, leading to β-cell dysfunction and impairment of insulin production.

Vitamin D is positively associated with sperm motility and increases intracellular calcium in human spermatozoa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blomberg Jensen, Martin; Bjerrum, Poul J; Jessen, Torben E

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is expressed in human spermatozoa, and VDR-knockout mice and vitamin D (VD) deficiency in rodents results in impaired fertility, low sperm counts and a low number of motile spermatozoa. We investigated the role of activated VD (1,25(OH)(2)D(3)) in human...... spermatozoa and whether VD serum levels are associated with semen quality. METHODS Cross-sectional association study of semen quality and VD serum level in 300 men from the general population, and in vitro studies on spermatozoa from 40 men to investigate the effects of VD on intracellular calcium, sperm......M). 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) increased intracellular calcium concentration in human spermatozoa through VDR-mediated calcium release from an intracellular calcium storage, increased sperm motility and induced the acrosome reaction in vitro. CONCLUSIONS 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) increased intracellular calcium...

Insecticide resistance and intracellular proteases.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Richard M

2017-12-01

Pesticide resistance is an example of evolution in action with mechanisms of resistance arising from mutations or increased expression of intrinsic genes. Intracellular proteases have a key role in maintaining healthy cells and in responding to stressors such as pesticides. Insecticide-resistant insects have constitutively elevated intracellular protease activity compared to corresponding susceptible strains. This increase was shown for some cases originally through biochemical enzyme studies and subsequently putatively by transcriptomics and proteomics methods. Upregulation and expression of proteases have been characterised in resistant strains of some insect species, including mosquitoes. This increase in proteolysis results in more degradation products (amino acids) of intracellular proteins. These may be utilised in the resistant strain to better protect the cell from stress. There are changes in insect intracellular proteases shortly after insecticide exposure, suggesting a role in stress response. The use of protease and proteasome inhibitors or peptide mimetics as synergists with improved application techniques and through protease gene knockdown using RNA interference (possibly expressed in crop plants) may be potential pest management strategies, in situations where elevated intracellular proteases are relevant. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of dietary cholesterol on 26-hydroxycholesterol and the effect of 26-hydroxycholesterol on the intracellular free calcium level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kou, I.L.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing serum level of 26-hydroxycholesterol after long-term consumption of cholesterol by animals. It is also to examine the effect of this sterol on intracellular free calcium level. Purified 26-hydroxycholesterol was synthesized from kryptogenin by the Clemmemsen and Wolff-Kishner reduction method. 26-Hydroxycholesterol was also used for fatty acid esters syntheses, and to study its influence on membranes. Tritiated 26-hydroxycholesterol which was synthesized by an enzymatic method, was used to monitor the 26-hydroxycholesterol loss during the procedure. The ester form of 26-hydroxycholesterol was also synthesized, and used to investigate its effects on membranes. The HPLC method that was developed for the analysis of 26-hydroxycholesterol levels in animal tissues was accurate, efficient, and reproducible for the determination of 26-hydroxycholesterol in plasma. However, it was not suitable for the analysis of other tissues, due to the overlapping of peaks making quantitation difficult

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase inhibitors: new aryl and heteroaryl analogues of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

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Stanek, J; Caravatti, G; Capraro, H G; Furet, P; Mett, H; Schneider, P; Regenass, U

1993-01-08

A series of 3-acylbenzamidine (amidino)hydrazones 7a-h, the corresponding (hetero)aromatic congeners 7i-p, and 3,3'-bis-amidino-biaryls 25a-e were synthesized. The hydrazones 7a-p were prepared by conversion of the corresponding acyl nitriles 1a,c-d,i,n-p to the imido esters 3a,c-d,i and the amidines 5a,c-d,h-i, followed by a reaction with aminoguanidine, or vice versa. Similarly, the biaryl 3,3'-dinitriles 23a-e were converted, via the imino esters 24a-c or the imino thioesters 27d-e, to the diamidines 25a-e. These new products are conformationally constrained analogues of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG). They are up to 100 times more potent as inhibitors of rat liver S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SMDC) and generally less potent inhibitors of rat small intestine diamine oxidase (DAO) than MGBG. Some of these SAMDC inhibitors, e.g., compounds 7a, 7e, 7i, 25a, and 25d, have shown antiproliferative effects against T24 human bladder carcinoma cells. These products, whose structure-activity relationships are discussed, are of interest as potential anticancer agents and drugs for the treatment of protozoal and Pneumocystis carinii infections.

Caveats and limitations of plate reader-based high-throughput kinetic measurements of intracellular calcium levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heusinkveld, Harm J.; Westerink, Remco H.S.

2011-01-01

Calcium plays a crucial role in virtually all cellular processes, including neurotransmission. The intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) is therefore an important readout in neurotoxicological and neuropharmacological studies. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for high-throughput measurements of [Ca 2+ ] i , e.g. using multi-well microplate readers, in hazard characterization, human risk assessment and drug development. However, changes in [Ca 2+ ] i are highly dynamic, thereby creating challenges for high-throughput measurements. Nonetheless, several protocols are now available for real-time kinetic measurement of [Ca 2+ ] i in plate reader systems, though the results of such plate reader-based measurements have been questioned. In view of the increasing use of plate reader systems for measurements of [Ca 2+ ] i a careful evaluation of current technologies is warranted. We therefore performed an extensive set of experiments, using two cell lines (PC12 and B35) and two fluorescent calcium-sensitive dyes (Fluo-4 and Fura-2), for comparison of a linear plate reader system with single cell fluorescence microscopy. Our data demonstrate that the use of plate reader systems for high-throughput real-time kinetic measurements of [Ca 2+ ] i is associated with many pitfalls and limitations, including erroneous sustained increases in fluorescence, limited sensitivity and lack of single cell resolution. Additionally, our data demonstrate that probenecid, which is often used to prevent dye leakage, effectively inhibits the depolarization-evoked increase in [Ca 2+ ] i . Overall, the data indicate that the use of current plate reader-based strategies for high-throughput real-time kinetic measurements of [Ca 2+ ] i is associated with caveats and limitations that require further investigation. - Research highlights: → The use of plate readers for high-throughput screening of intracellular Ca 2+ is associated with many pitfalls and limitations. → Single cell

Effect of insulin resistance on intracellular signal transduction of vessels in diabetic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cen Rongguang; Wei Shaoying; Mo Xingju

2003-01-01

To investigate the relationship between the insulin resistance (IR) and the intracellular signal transduction of vessels, changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), inositol triphosphate (IP 3 ), protein kinase C(PKC) and intracellular total calcium concentration in 31 diabetic patients were compared with those of 39 normal controls. The levels of FBG, FINS, TG and TC in diabetic patients were significantly higher than those of normal controls (P 3 and PKC in diabetic patients were significantly lower than those of normal controls (P<0.01). The results suggest that there is a causal relation between insulin resistance and abnormalities of cellular calcium metabolism and intracellular signal transduction of vessels

Novel agmatine analogue, γ-guanidinooxypropylamine (GAPA) efficiently inhibits proliferation of Leishmania donovani by depletion of intracellular polyamine levels

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Singh, Sushma; Jhingran, Anupam; Sharma, Ankur; Simonian, Alina R.; Soininen, Pasi; Vepsalainen, Jouko; Khomutov, Alex R.; Madhubala, Rentala

2008-01-01

The efficacy of γ-guanidinooxypropylamine (GAPA), a novel agmatine analogue against protozoan parasite, Leishmaniadonovani was evaluated. Wild-type and ornithine decarboxylase-overexpressors of L. donovani were used to study the effect and mode of action of this inhibitor. GAPA inhibited the growth of both promastigotes and amastigotes. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and polyamine levels were markedly lower in cells treated with GAPA and proliferation was rescued by addition of putrescine or spermidine. GAPA inhibited L. donovani recombinant ODC with K i value of ∼60 μM. The ODC-overexpressors showed significant resistance to GAPA. GAPA has pK a 6.71 and at physiological pH the analogue can mimic protonated state of putrescine and can probably use putrescine transport system. Transport of putrescine in wild-type L. donovani promastigotes was inhibited by GAPA. We for the first time report that GAPA is a potential antileishmanial lead compound and it possibly inhibits L. donovani growth by depletion of intracellular polyamine levels

Interleukin-6, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, and glycodelin A levels in serum and peritoneal fluid as biomarkers for endometriosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosbah, Alaa; Nabiel, Yasmin; Khashaba, Eman

2016-09-01

To compare levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and glycodelin A in serum and peritoneal fluid of patients with and without endometriosis, and to correlate levels with disease stage. An observational study was undertaken at Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt, between March 2014 and June 2015. Patients aged 21-48 years laparoscopically diagnosed with endometriosis and those without endometriosis who underwent laparoscopy for tubal ligation were included. Levels of IL-6, ICAM-1, and glycodelin A were measured in samples of serum and peritoneal fluid. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Forty-eight women with endometriosis and 20 without the disorder were included. IL-6 and glycodelin A levels in serum and peritoneal fluid were higher in the endometriosis group than in the control group (Pperitoneal fluid markers were 85.4% and 89.0%, 60.4% and 50.0%, and 89.6% and 90.0%, respectively. IL-6 and glycodelin A levels in serum and peritoneal fluid increased with disease stage (Pendometriosis and are positively correlated with the disease stage. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promotion and Rescue of Intracellular Brucella neotomae Replication during Coinfection with Legionella pneumophila.

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Kang, Yoon-Suk; Kirby, James E

2017-05-01

We established a new Brucella neotomae in vitro model system for study of type IV secretion system-dependent (T4SS) pathogenesis in the Brucella genus. Importantly, B. neotomae is a rodent pathogen, and unlike B. abortus , B. melitensis , and B. suis , B. neotomae has not been observed to infect humans. It therefore can be handled more facilely using biosafety level 2 practices. More particularly, using a series of novel fluorescent protein and lux operon reporter systems to differentially label pathogens and track intracellular replication, we confirmed T4SS-dependent intracellular growth of B. neotomae in macrophage cell lines. Furthermore, B. neotomae exhibited early endosomal (LAMP-1) and late endoplasmic reticulum (calreticulin)-associated phagosome maturation. These findings recapitulate prior observations for human-pathogenic Brucella spp. In addition, during coinfection experiments with Legionella pneumophila , we found that defective intracellular replication of a B. neotomae T4SS virB4 mutant was rescued and baseline levels of intracellular replication of wild-type B. neotomae were significantly stimulated by coinfection with wild-type but not T4SS mutant L. pneumophila Using confocal microscopy, it was determined that intracellular colocalization of B. neotomae and L. pneumophila was required for rescue and that colocalization came at a cost to L. pneumophila fitness. These findings were not completely expected based on known temporal and qualitative differences in the intracellular life cycles of these two pathogens. Taken together, we have developed a new system for studying in vitro Brucella pathogenesis and found a remarkable T4SS-dependent interplay between Brucella and Legionella during macrophage coinfection. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Imaging and controlling intracellular reactions: Lysosome transport as a function of diameter and the intracellular synthesis of conducting polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Christine

2014-03-01

Eukaryotic cells are the ultimate complex environment with intracellular chemical reactions regulated by the local cellular environment. For example, reactants are sequestered into specific organelles to control local concentration and pH, motor proteins transport reactants within the cell, and intracellular vesicles undergo fusion to bring reactants together. Current research in the Payne Lab in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech is aimed at understanding and utilizing this complex environment to control intracellular chemical reactions. This will be illustrated using two examples, intracellular transport as a function of organelle diameter and the intracellular synthesis of conducting polymers. Using single particle tracking fluorescence microscopy, we measured the intracellular transport of lysosomes, membrane-bound organelles, as a function of diameter as they underwent transport in living cells. Both ATP-dependent active transport and diffusion were examined. As expected, diffusion scales with the diameter of the lysosome. However, active transport is unaffected suggesting that motor proteins are insensitive to cytosolic drag. In a second example, we utilize intracellular complexity, specifically the distinct micro-environments of different organelles, to carry out chemical reactions. We show that catalase, found in the peroxisomes of cells, can be used to catalyze the polymerization of the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS. More importantly, we have found that a range of iron-containing biomolecules are suitable catalysts with different iron-containing biomolecules leading to different polymer properties. These experiments illustrate the advantage of intracellular complexity for the synthesis of novel materials.

Aldolase B knockdown prevents high glucose-induced methylglyoxal overproduction and cellular dysfunction in endothelial cells.

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Jianghai Liu

Full Text Available We used cultured endothelial cells as a model to examine whether up-regulation of aldolase B and enhanced methylglyoxal (MG formation play an important role in high glucose-induced overproduction of advanced glycosylation endproducts (AGEs, oxidative stress and cellular dysfunction. High glucose (25 mM incubation up-regulated mRNA levels of aldose reductase (an enzyme converting glucose to fructose and aldolase B (a key enzyme that catalyzes MG formation from fructose and enhanced MG formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs and HUVEC-derived EA. hy926 cells. High glucose-increased MG production in EA. hy926 cells was completely prevented by siRNA knockdown of aldolase B, but unaffected by siRNA knockdown of aldolase A, an enzyme responsible for MG formation during glycolysis. In addition, inhibition of cytochrome P450 2E1 or semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase which produces MG during the metabolism of lipid and proteins, respectively, did not alter MG production. Both high glucose (25 mM and MG (30, 100 µM increased the formation of N(ε-carboxyethyl-lysine (CEL, a MG-induced AGE, oxidative stress (determined by the generation of oxidized DCF, H(2O(2, protein carbonyls and 8-oxo-dG, O-GlcNAc modification (product of the hexosamine pathway, membrane protein kinase C activity and nuclear translocation of NF-κB in EA. hy926 cells. However, the above metabolic and signaling alterations induced by high glucose were completely prevented by knockdown of aldolase B and partially by application of aminoguanidine (a MG scavenger or alagebrium (an AGEs breaker. In conclusion, efficient inhibition of aldolase B can prevent high glucose-induced overproduction of MG and related cellular dysfunction in endothelial cells.

Nanoparticles for intracellular-targeted drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulo, Cristiana S O; Pires das Neves, Ricardo; Ferreira, Lino S

2011-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are very promising for the intracellular delivery of anticancer and immunomodulatory drugs, stem cell differentiation biomolecules and cell activity modulators. Although initial studies in the area of intracellular drug delivery have been performed in the delivery of DNA, there is an increasing interest in the use of other molecules to modulate cell activity. Herein, we review the latest advances in the intracellular-targeted delivery of short interference RNA, proteins and small molecules using NPs. In most cases, the drugs act at different cellular organelles and therefore the drug-containing NPs should be directed to precise locations within the cell. This will lead to the desired magnitude and duration of the drug effects. The spatial control in the intracellular delivery might open new avenues to modulate cell activity while avoiding side-effects.

Alterations of the intracellular peptidome in response to the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib.

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Julia S Gelman

Full Text Available Bortezomib is an antitumor drug that competitively inhibits proteasome beta-1 and beta-5 subunits. While the impact of bortezomib on protein stability is known, the effect of this drug on intracellular peptides has not been previously explored. A quantitative peptidomics technique was used to examine the effect of treating human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T cells with 5-500 nM bortezomib for various lengths of time (30 minutes to 16 hours, and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with 500 nM bortezomib for 1 hour. Although bortezomib treatment decreased the levels of some intracellular peptides, the majority of peptides were increased by 50-500 nM bortezomib. Peptides requiring cleavage at acidic and hydrophobic sites, which involve beta-1 and -5 proteasome subunits, were among those elevated by bortezomib. In contrast, the proteasome inhibitor epoxomicin caused a decrease in the levels of many of these peptides. Although bortezomib can induce autophagy under certain conditions, the rapid bortezomib-mediated increase in peptide levels did not correlate with the induction of autophagy. Taken together, the present data indicate that bortezomib alters the balance of intracellular peptides, which may contribute to the biological effects of this drug.

DNA damage by carbonyl stress in human skin cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, Michael J.; Wondrak, Georg T.; Laurean, Daniel Cervantes; Jacobson, Myron K.; Jacobson, Elaine L.

2003-01-01

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) are potent mediators of cellular carbonyl stress originating from endogenous chemical processes such as lipid peroxidation and glycation. Skin deterioration as observed in photoaging and diabetes has been linked to accumulative protein damage from glycation, but the effects of carbonyl stress on skin cell genomic integrity are ill defined. In this study, the genotoxic effects of acute carbonyl stress on HaCaT keratinocytes and CF3 fibroblasts were assessed. Administration of the α-dicarbonyl compounds glyoxal and methylglyoxal as physiologically relevant RCS inhibited skin cell proliferation, led to intra-cellular protein glycation as evidenced by the accumulation of N ε -(carboxymethyl)-L-lysine (CML) in histones, and caused extensive DNA strand cleavage as assessed by the comet assay. These effects were prevented by treatment with the carbonyl scavenger D-penicillamine. Both glyoxal and methylglyoxal damaged DNA in intact cells. Glyoxal caused DNA strand breaks while methylglyoxal produced extensive DNA-protein cross-linking as evidenced by pronounced nuclear condensation and total suppression of comet formation. Glycation by glyoxal and methylglyoxal resulted in histone cross-linking in vitro and induced oxygen-dependent cleavage of plasmid DNA, which was partly suppressed by the hydroxyl scavenger mannitol. We suggest that a chemical mechanism of cellular DNA damage by carbonyl stress occurs in which histone glycoxidation is followed by reactive oxygen induced DNA stand breaks. The genotoxic potential of RCS in cultured skin cells and its suppression by a carbonyl scavenger as described in this study have implications for skin damage and carcinogenesis and its prevention by agents selective for carbonyl stress

DNA damage by carbonyl stress in human skin cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, Michael J.; Wondrak, Georg T.; Laurean, Daniel Cervantes; Jacobson, Myron K.; Jacobson, Elaine L

2003-01-28

Reactive carbonyl species (RCS) are potent mediators of cellular carbonyl stress originating from endogenous chemical processes such as lipid peroxidation and glycation. Skin deterioration as observed in photoaging and diabetes has been linked to accumulative protein damage from glycation, but the effects of carbonyl stress on skin cell genomic integrity are ill defined. In this study, the genotoxic effects of acute carbonyl stress on HaCaT keratinocytes and CF3 fibroblasts were assessed. Administration of the {alpha}-dicarbonyl compounds glyoxal and methylglyoxal as physiologically relevant RCS inhibited skin cell proliferation, led to intra-cellular protein glycation as evidenced by the accumulation of N{sup {epsilon}}-(carboxymethyl)-L-lysine (CML) in histones, and caused extensive DNA strand cleavage as assessed by the comet assay. These effects were prevented by treatment with the carbonyl scavenger D-penicillamine. Both glyoxal and methylglyoxal damaged DNA in intact cells. Glyoxal caused DNA strand breaks while methylglyoxal produced extensive DNA-protein cross-linking as evidenced by pronounced nuclear condensation and total suppression of comet formation. Glycation by glyoxal and methylglyoxal resulted in histone cross-linking in vitro and induced oxygen-dependent cleavage of plasmid DNA, which was partly suppressed by the hydroxyl scavenger mannitol. We suggest that a chemical mechanism of cellular DNA damage by carbonyl stress occurs in which histone glycoxidation is followed by reactive oxygen induced DNA stand breaks. The genotoxic potential of RCS in cultured skin cells and its suppression by a carbonyl scavenger as described in this study have implications for skin damage and carcinogenesis and its prevention by agents selective for carbonyl stress.

Measurement of Intracellular Ionized Calcium in a Free-living Soil Nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaii, S; Yoshizawa, Y; Mizutani, J

1993-01-01

A calcium chelating fluorescence indicator, fura-2, was used to measure intracellular ionized calcium in Caenorhabditis elegans. The indicator loading process was harmless to the nematode, and completed within 2-3 h. Fura-2 was loaded mainly at its intestinal tract. The effects of DOPA on locomotion and the level of intracellular calcium were investigated and measured by using a microfluorometer. The addition of DOPA temporarily increased [Ca(2+)]i for several minutes.

Pathogenic mechanisms of intracellular bacteria.

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Niller, Hans Helmut; Masa, Roland; Venkei, Annamária; Mészáros, Sándor; Minarovits, Janos

2017-06-01

We wished to overview recent data on a subset of epigenetic changes elicited by intracellular bacteria in human cells. Reprogramming the gene expression pattern of various host cells may facilitate bacterial growth, survival, and spread. DNA-(cytosine C5)-methyltransferases of Mycoplasma hyorhinis targeting cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides and a Mycobacterium tuberculosis methyltransferase targeting non-CpG sites methylated the host cell DNA and altered the pattern of gene expression. Gene silencing by CpG methylation and histone deacetylation, mediated by cellular enzymes, also occurred in M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. M. tuberculosis elicited cell type-specific epigenetic changes: it caused increased DNA methylation in macrophages, but induced demethylation, deposition of euchromatic histone marks and activation of immune-related genes in dendritic cells. A secreted transposase of Acinetobacter baumannii silenced a cellular gene, whereas Mycobacterium leprae altered the epigenotype, phenotype, and fate of infected Schwann cells. The 'keystone pathogen' oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis induced local DNA methylation and increased the level of histone acetylation in host cells. These epigenetic changes at the biofilm-gingiva interface may contribute to the development of periodontitis. Epigenetic regulators produced by intracellular bacteria alter the epigenotype and gene expression pattern of host cells and play an important role in pathogenesis.

Different efflux rates may determine the cellular accumulation of various bis(guanylhydrazones).

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Alhonen-Hongisto, L; Fagerström, R; Laine, R; Elo, H; Jänne, J

1984-01-01

Three bis(guanylhydrazones) (those of methylglyoxal, glyoxal and ethylglyoxal) were compared for their affinity for the putative polyamine carrier and for their cellular retention in L1210 mouse leukaemia cells. All the bis(guanylhydrazones) inhibited equally effectively the uptake of spermidine by the tumour cells, indicating that the compounds had roughly equal affinity for the polyamine carrier. The fact that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and glyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) were much more effectively concentrated in the animal cells than was ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was obviously attributable to the finding that the efflux rate of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) greatly exceeded that of the other bis(guanylhydrazones). The rate of efflux of the drugs was slowed down if the tumour cells were treated with 2-difluoromethylornithine before exposure to the bis(guanylhydrazones). These results suggest that intracellular binding of the bis(guanylhydrazones) determines their cellular accumulation. PMID:6431972

Efficient intracellular delivery and improved biocompatibility of colloidal silver nanoparticles towards intracellular SERS immuno-sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhardwaj, Vinay; Srinivasan, Supriya; McGoron, Anthony J

2015-06-21

High throughput intracellular delivery strategies, electroporation, passive and TATHA2 facilitated diffusion of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are investigated for cellular toxicity and uptake using state-of-art analytical techniques. The TATHA2 facilitated approach efficiently delivered high payload with no toxicity, pre-requisites for intracellular applications of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (PMNPs) in sensing and therapeutics.

UV light induces premature senescence in Akt1-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts by increasing intracellular levels of ROS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jee, Hye Jin; Kim, Hyun-Ju; Kim, Ae Jeong; Bae, Yoe-Sik; Bae, Sun Sik; Yun, Jeanho

2009-01-01

Akt/PKB plays a pivotal role in cell survival and proliferation. Previously, we reported that UV-irradiation induces extensive cell death in Akt2 -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) while Akt1 -/- MEFs show cell cycle arrest. Here, we find that Akt1 -/- MEFs exhibit phenotypic changes characteristics of senescence upon UV-irradiation. An enlarged and flattened morphology, a reduced cell proliferation and an increased senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA β-gal) staining indicate that Akt1 -/- MEFs undergo premature senescence after UV-irradiation. Restoring Akt1 expression in Akt1 -/- MEFs suppressed SA β-gal activity, indicating that UV-induced senescence is due to the absence of Akt1 function. Notably, levels of ROS were rapidly increased upon UV-irradiation and the ROS scavenger NAC inhibits UV-induced senescence of Akt1 -/- MEFs, suggesting that UV light induces premature senescence in Akt1 -/- MEFs by modulating intracellular levels of ROS. In conjunction with our previous work, this indicates that different isoforms of Akt have distinct function in response to UV-irradiation.

HFE mRNA expression is responsive to intracellular and extracellular iron loading: short communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Kosha J; Farnaud, Sebastien; Patel, Vinood B

2017-10-01

In liver hepatocytes, the HFE gene regulates cellular and systemic iron homeostasis by modulating cellular iron-uptake and producing the iron-hormone hepcidin in response to systemic iron elevation. However, the mechanism of iron-sensing in hepatocytes remain enigmatic. Therefore, to study the effect of iron on HFE and hepcidin (HAMP) expressions under distinct extracellular and intracellular iron-loading, we examined the effect of holotransferrin treatment (1, 2, 5 and 8 g/L for 6 h) on intracellular iron levels, and mRNA expressions of HFE and HAMP in wild-type HepG2 and previously characterized iron-loaded recombinant-TfR1 HepG2 cells. Gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR and intracellular iron was measured by ferrozine assay. Data showed that in the wild-type cells, where intracellular iron content remained unchanged, HFE expression remained unaltered at low holotransferrin treatments but was upregulated upon 5 g/L (p HFE and HAMP expressions were elevated only at low 1 g/L treatment (p HFE (p HFE mRNA was independently elevated by extracellular and intracellular iron-excess. Thus, it may be involved in sensing both, extracellular and intracellular iron. Repression of HAMP expression under simultaneous intracellular and extracellular iron-loading resembles non-hereditary iron-excess pathologies.

Intracellular calcium signal at the leading edge regulates mesodermal sheet migration during Xenopus gastrulation.

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Hayashi, Kentaro; Yamamoto, Takamasa S; Ueno, Naoto

2018-02-05

During the gastrulation stage in animal embryogenesis, the cells leading the axial mesoderm migrate toward the anterior side of the embryo, vigorously extending cell protrusions such as lamellipodia. It is thought that the leading cells sense gradients of chemoattractants emanating from the ectodermal cells and translate them to initiate and maintain the cell movements necessary for gastrulation. However, it is unclear how the extracellular information is converted to the intracellular chemical reactions that lead to motion. Here we demonstrated that intracellular Ca 2+ levels in the protrusion-forming leading cells are markedly higher than those of the following cells and the axial mesoderm cells. We also showed that inhibiting the intracellular Ca 2+ significantly retarded the gastrulation cell movements, while increasing the intracellular Ca 2+ with an ionophore enhanced the migration. We further found that the ionophore treatment increased the active form of the small GTPase Rac1 in these cells. Our results suggest that transient intracellular Ca 2+ signals play an essential role in the active cell migration during gastrulation.

The In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species of Sweet Potato Leaf Polyphenols

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Hongnan Sun

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS of the total and individual phenolic compounds from Yuzi No. 7 sweet potato leaves were investigated in this study. Sweet potato leaf polyphenols possessed significantly higher antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid, tea polyphenols, and grape seed polyphenols. Among the individual phenolic compounds, caffeic acid showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by monocaffeoylquinic acids and dicaffeoylquinic acids, while 3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid showed the lowest value. Sweet potato leaf polyphenols could significantly decrease the level of intracellular ROS in a dose-dependent manner. The order of the inhibiting effect of individual phenolic compounds on the intracellular ROS level was not in accordance with that of antioxidant activity, suggesting that there was no direct relationship between antioxidant activity and intracellular ROS-inhibiting effect. Sweet potato leaves could be a good source of biologically active polyphenols with multiple applications in the development of foods, health products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

The In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species of Sweet Potato Leaf Polyphenols

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hongnan; Mu, Bona; Song, Zhen; Ma, Zhimin

2018-01-01

The in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) of the total and individual phenolic compounds from Yuzi No. 7 sweet potato leaves were investigated in this study. Sweet potato leaf polyphenols possessed significantly higher antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid, tea polyphenols, and grape seed polyphenols. Among the individual phenolic compounds, caffeic acid showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by monocaffeoylquinic acids and dicaffeoylquinic acids, while 3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid showed the lowest value. Sweet potato leaf polyphenols could significantly decrease the level of intracellular ROS in a dose-dependent manner. The order of the inhibiting effect of individual phenolic compounds on the intracellular ROS level was not in accordance with that of antioxidant activity, suggesting that there was no direct relationship between antioxidant activity and intracellular ROS-inhibiting effect. Sweet potato leaves could be a good source of biologically active polyphenols with multiple applications in the development of foods, health products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. PMID:29643978

The effects of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) on spermine binding and transport in liver mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Toninello, A; Via, L D; Di Noto, V; Mancon, M

1999-12-15

This study evaluated the effect of the anticancer drug methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) on the binding of the polyamine spermine to the mitochondrial membrane and its transport into the inner compartment of this organelle. Spermine binding was studied by applying a new thermodynamic treatment of ligand-receptor interactions (Di Noto et al., Macromol Theory Simul 5: 165-181, 1996). Results showed that MGBG inhibited the binding of spermine to the site competent for the first step in polyamine transport; the interaction of spermine with this site, termed S1, also mediates the inhibitory effect of the polyamine on the mitochondrial permeability transition (Dalla Via et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 1284: 247-252, 1996). In the presence of 1 mM MGBG, the binding capacity and affinity of this site were reduced by about 2.6-fold; on the contrary, the binding capacity of the S2 site, which is most likely responsible for the internalization of cytoplasmic proteins (see Dalla Via et al., reference cited above), increased by about 1.3-fold, and its binding affinity remained unaffected. MGBG also inhibited the initial rate of spermine transport in a dose-dependent manner by establishing apparently sigmoidal kinetics. Consequently, the total extent of spermine accumulation inside mitochondria was inhibited. This inhibition in transport seems to reflect a conformational change at the level of the channel protein constituting the polyamine transport system, rather than competitive inhibition at the inner active site of the channel, thereby excluding the possibility that the polyamine and drug use the same transport pathway. Furthermore, it is suggested that, in the presence of MGBG, the S2 site is able to participate in residual spermine transport. MGBG also strongly inhibits deltapH-dependent spermine efflux, resulting in a complete block in the bidirectional flux of the polyamine and its sequestration inside the matrix space. The effects of MGBG on spermine accumulation

Skeletal muscle intracellular pH and levels of high energy phosphates during hypercapnia in intact lizards by 31P NMR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, D.C.; Hitzig, B.M.; Elmden, K.; McFarland, E.; Koutcher, J.; Kazemi, H.

1986-01-01

Lizards have been shown to reduce ventilation during CO 2 breathing. This is thought to be detrimental to the maintenance of intracellular pH (pHi) and levels of high energy phosphates. The authors subjected chameleons (n=4) to 5% CO 2 breathing and made serial measurements of tail (skeletal) muscle pHi, levels of phosphocreatine (PCr), and ATP utilizing high resolution 31 P NMR. pHi was unchanged from controls (7.27 +/- 0.06 units) (mean +/- SE) during 30 minutes of hypercapnia (7.19 +/- 0.09 units) (p>.2) demonstrating effective regulation of skeletal muscle pHi; however, there were significant decreases in the PCr/ATP ratios to 65% +/- 5% (p 2 availability because there were no increases in the levels of glycolytic intermediates and inorganic phosphate which would indicate tissue hypoxia. It is possible that an active process requiring ATP is required for the maintenance of pHi in the presence of hypercapnia and that the reduction of PCr/ATP ratio is a reflection of an increased utilization of ATP

The protective role of isorhamnetin on human brain microvascular endothelial cells from cytotoxicity induced by methylglyoxal and oxygen-glucose deprivation.

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Li, Wenlu; Chen, Zhigang; Yan, Min; He, Ping; Chen, Zhong; Dai, Haibin

2016-02-01

As the first target of stroke, cerebral endothelial cells play a key role in brain vascular repair and maintenance, and their function is impeded in diabetes. Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive dicarbonyl produced during glucose metabolism, accumulates in diabetic patients. MGO and MGO-induced advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) could ameliorate stroke-induced brain vascular damage, closely related with ECs dysfunction. Using MGO plus oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) to mimic diabetic stroke, we reported the protective effect of isorhamnetin on OGD-induced cytotoxicity after MGO treatment on primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and explored the underlying mechanisms. Treatment of MGO for 24 h significantly enhanced 3-h OGD-induced HBMEC toxic effect, which was inhibited by pretreatment of isorhamnetin (100 μmol/L). Moreover, the protective effect of isorhamnetin is multiple function dependent, which includes anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptosis effects. Besides its well-known inhibition on the mitochondria-dependent or intrinsic apoptotic pathway, isorhamnetin also reduced activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, as characterized by the decreased expression and activity of caspase 3 and caspase 8. Furthermore, pretreatment with isorhamnetin specifically inhibited FAS/FASL expression and suppressed nuclear factor-kappa B nuclear translocation. Taken together, our results indicated that isorhamnetin protected against OGD-induced cytotoxicity after MGO treatment in cultured HBMEC due to its multiple protective effects and could inhibit Fas-mediated extrinsic apoptosis. Therefore, isorhamnetin is a promising reagent for the treatment of hyperglycemia and ischemia-induced cerebral vascular degeneration. A proposed model of the potential protective mechanism of isorhamnetin, a metabolite of quercetin, on methylglyoxal (MGO) treatment plus oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) exposure-induced cytotoxicity in cultured human

Effect of calcium electroporation in combination with metformin in vivo and correlation between viability and intracellular ATP level after calcium electroporation in vitro

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Stine Krog; Gehl, Julie

2017-01-01

cancer cell lines: Breast (MDA-MB231) and colon (HT29), and in normal human fibroblasts (HDF-n), as well as investigating viability in human bladder cancer cells (SW780) and human small cell lung cancer cells (H69) where we have previously published intracellular ATP levels. RESULTS: Calcium...... with calcium alone (pHDF-n, and MDA-MB231; p

Accumulation of intra-cellular polyphosphate in Chlorella vulgaris cells is related to indole-3-acetic acid produced by Azospirillum brasilense.

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Meza, Beatriz; de-Bashan, Luz E; Hernandez, Juan-Pablo; Bashan, Yoav

2015-06-01

Accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate, as polyphosphate, was measured when the microalga Chlorella vulgaris was immobilized in alginate with either of two wild-type strains of the microalgae growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense or their corresponding IAA-attenuated mutants. Wild type strains of A. brasilense induced higher amounts of intra-cellular phosphate in Chlorella than their respective mutants. Calculations comparing intra-cellular phosphate accumulation by culture or net accumulation by the cell and the amount of IAA that was produced by each of these strains revealed that higher IAA was linked to higher accumulations of intra-cellular phosphate. Application of four levels of exogenous IAA reported for A. brasilense and their IAA-attenuated mutants to cultures of C. vulgaris enhanced accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate; the higher the content of IAA per culture or per single cell, the higher was the amount of accumulated phosphate. When an IAA-attenuated mutant was complemented with exogenous IAA, accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate at the culture level was even higher than phosphate accumulation with the respective wild type strains. When calculating the net accumulation of intra-cellular phosphate in the complementation experiment, net intra-cellular phosphate induced by the IAA-attenuated mutant was completely restored and was similar to the wild strains. We propose that IAA produced by A. brasilense is linked to polyphosphate accumulation in C. vulgaris. Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Crystallographic study of FABP5 as an intracellular endocannabinoid transporter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanson, Benoît; Wang, Tao; Sun, Jing; Wang, Liqun; Kaczocha, Martin; Ojima, Iwao; Deutsch, Dale; Li, Huilin

2014-01-01

FABP5 was recently found to intracellularly transport endocannabinoid signaling lipids. The structures of FABP5 complexed with two endocannabinoids and an inhibitor were solved. Human FABP5 was found to dimerize via a domain-swapping mechanism. This work will help in the development of inhibitors to raise endocannabinoid levels. In addition to binding intracellular fatty acids, fatty-acid-binding proteins (FABPs) have recently been reported to also transport the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), arachidonic acid derivatives that function as neurotransmitters and mediate a diverse set of physiological and psychological processes. To understand how the endocannabinoids bind to FABPs, the crystal structures of FABP5 in complex with AEA, 2-AG and the inhibitor BMS-309403 were determined. These ligands are shown to interact primarily with the substrate-binding pocket via hydrophobic interactions as well as a common hydrogen bond to the Tyr131 residue. This work advances our understanding of FABP5–endocannabinoid interactions and may be useful for future efforts in the development of small-molecule inhibitors to raise endocannabinoid levels

Crystallographic study of FABP5 as an intracellular endocannabinoid transporter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanson, Benoît; Wang, Tao [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000 (United States); Sun, Jing; Wang, Liqun; Kaczocha, Martin [Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5213 (United States); Ojima, Iwao [Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 1794-3400 (United States); Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400 (United States); Deutsch, Dale, E-mail: dale.deutsch@stonybrook.edu [Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5213 (United States); Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400 (United States); Li, Huilin, E-mail: dale.deutsch@stonybrook.edu [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000 (United States); Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5213 (United States); Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400 (United States)

2014-02-01

FABP5 was recently found to intracellularly transport endocannabinoid signaling lipids. The structures of FABP5 complexed with two endocannabinoids and an inhibitor were solved. Human FABP5 was found to dimerize via a domain-swapping mechanism. This work will help in the development of inhibitors to raise endocannabinoid levels. In addition to binding intracellular fatty acids, fatty-acid-binding proteins (FABPs) have recently been reported to also transport the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), arachidonic acid derivatives that function as neurotransmitters and mediate a diverse set of physiological and psychological processes. To understand how the endocannabinoids bind to FABPs, the crystal structures of FABP5 in complex with AEA, 2-AG and the inhibitor BMS-309403 were determined. These ligands are shown to interact primarily with the substrate-binding pocket via hydrophobic interactions as well as a common hydrogen bond to the Tyr131 residue. This work advances our understanding of FABP5–endocannabinoid interactions and may be useful for future efforts in the development of small-molecule inhibitors to raise endocannabinoid levels.

Enhanced intracellular delivery and antibacterial efficacy of enrofloxacin-loaded docosanoic acid solid lipid nanoparticles against intracellular Salmonella.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Shuyu; Yang, Fei; Tao, Yanfei; Chen, Dongmei; Qu, Wei; Huang, Lingli; Liu, Zhenli; Pan, Yuanhu; Yuan, Zonghui

2017-01-23

Enrofloxacin-loaded docosanoic acid solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with different physicochemical properties were developed to enhance activity against intracellular Salmonella. Their cellular uptake, intracellular elimination and antibacterial activity were studied in RAW 264.7 cells. During the experimental period, SLN-encapsulated enrofloxacin accumulated in the cells approximately 27.06-37.71 times more efficiently than free drugs at the same extracellular concentration. After incubation for 0.5 h, the intracellular enrofloxacin was enhanced from 0.336 to 1.147 μg/mg of protein as the sizes of nanoparticles were increased from 150 to 605 nm, and from 0.960 to 1.147 μg/mg of protein when the charge was improved from -8.1 to -24.9 mv. The cellular uptake was more significantly influenced by the size than it was by the charge, and was not affected by whether the charge was positive or negative. The elimination of optimal SLN-encapsulated enrofloxacin from the cells was significantly slower than that of free enrofloxacin after removing extracellular drug. The inhibition effect against intracellular Salmonella CVCC541 of 0.24 and 0.06 μg/mL encapsulated enrofloxacin was stronger than 0.6 μg/mL free drug after all of the incubation periods and at 48 h, respectively. Docosanoic acid SLNs are thus considered as a promising carrier for intracellular bacterial treatment.

Intracellular pH Campylobacter jejuni when treated with aqueous chlorine dioxide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smigic, Nada; Rajkovic, Andreja; Arneborg, Nils

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the response of Campylobacter jejuni at single-cell level when exposed to different concentrations of chlorine dioxide (ClO2). The parameter of choice, intracellular pH (pHi), was determined by using fluorescence ratio imaging microscopy with a p...

Methylglyoxal, the foe and friend of glyoxalase and Trx/TrxR systems in HT22 nerve cells.

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Dafre, A L; Goldberg, J; Wang, T; Spiegel, D A; Maher, P

2015-12-01

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a major glycating agent that reacts with basic residues of proteins and promotes the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which are believed to play key roles in a number of pathologies, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and inflammation. Here, we examined the effects of MGO on immortalized mouse hippocampal HT22 nerve cells. The endpoints analyzed were MGO and thiol status, the glyoxalase system, comprising glyoxalase 1 and 2 (GLO1/2), and the cytosolic and mitochondrial Trx/TrxR systems, as well as nuclear Nrf2 and its target genes. We found that nuclear Nrf2 is induced by MGO treatment in HT22 cells, as corroborated by induction of the Nrf2-controlled target genes and proteins glutamate cysteine ligase and heme oxygenase 1. Nrf2 knockdown prevented MGO-dependent induction of glutamate cysteine ligase and heme oxygenase 1. The cystine/glutamate antiporter, system xc(-), which is also controlled by Nrf2, was also induced. The increased cystine import (system xc(-)) activity and GCL expression promoted GSH synthesis, leading to increased levels of GSH. The data indicate that MGO can act as both a foe and a friend of the glyoxalase and the Trx/TrxR systems. At low concentrations of MGO (0.3mM), GLO2 is strongly induced, but at high MGO (0.75 mM) concentrations, GLO1 is inhibited and GLO2 is downregulated. The cytosolic Trx/TrxR system is impaired by MGO, where Trx is downregulated yet TrxR is induced, but strong MGO-dependent glycation may explain the loss in TrxR activity. We propose that Nrf2 can be the unifying element to explain the observed upregulation of GSH, GCL, HO1, TrxR1, Trx2, TrxR2, and system xc(-) system activity. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis in UV-irradiated mouse skin by 2-difluoromethylornithine, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), and their combination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaepyaho, K.; Lauharanta, J.; Jaenne, J.

1983-08-01

Exposure of mouse skin to UVB irradiation greatly enhanced the biosynthesis and accumulation of putrescine and spermidine before or concomitantly with stimulation of epidermal macromolecular (DNA and protein) synthesis. Topical treatment of UV-exposed skin with 2 inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis, 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) prevented the enhanced epidermal accumulation of polyamines, especially spermidine, and also inhibited the incorporation of radioactive precursors into DNA and protein. When applied in combination, these 2 antimetabolites of polyamines produced an inhibition of macromolecular synthesis that was at least additive: (/sup 3/H)thymidine incorporation decreased by 80% and (/sup 14/C)leucine incorporation by 44% as compared with the UVB-irradiated control mice. A slight decrease in the ratio of (/sup 3/H)histidine/(/sup 14/C)leucine incorporation indicated that protein synthesis of the differentiating cell layers was also affected by the inhibitors. The effects of the combined DFMO and MGBG treatment were partially reversed by concomitant topical application of spermidine.

Characterization of Trypanosoma brucei brucei S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase and its inhibition by Berenil, pentamidine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Bitonti, A J; Dumont, J A; McCann, P P

1986-01-01

Trypanosoma brucei brucei S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) decarboxylase was found to be relatively insensitive to activation by putrescine as compared with the mammalian enzyme, being stimulated by only 50% over a 10,000-fold range of putrescine concentrations. The enzyme was not stimulated by up to 10 mM-Mg2+. The Km for AdoMet was 30 microM, similar to that of other eukaryotic AdoMet decarboxylases. T.b. brucei AdoMet decarboxylase activity was apparently irreversibly inhibited in vitro by Berenil and reversibly by pentamidine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). Berenil also inhibited trypanosomal AdoMet decarboxylase by 70% within 4 h after administration to infected rats and markedly increased the concentration of putrescine in trypanosomes that were exposed to the drug in vivo. Spermidine and spermine blocked the curative effect of Berenil on model mouse T.b. brucei infections. This effect of the polyamines was probably not due to reversal of Berenil's inhibitory effects on the AdoMet decarboxylase. PMID:3800910

Inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis in UV-irradiated mouse skin by 2-difluoromethylornithine, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), and their combination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaepyaho, K.; Lauharanta, J.; Jaenne, J.

1983-01-01

Exposure of mouse skin to UVB irradiation greatly enhanced the biosynthesis and accumulation of putrescine and spermidine before or concomitantly with stimulation of epidermal macromolecular (DNA and protein) synthesis. Topical treatment of UV-exposed skin with 2 inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis, 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) prevented the enhanced epidermal accumulation of polyamines, especially spermidine, and also inhibited the incorporation of radioactive precursors into DNA and protein. When applied in combination, these 2 antimetabolites of polyamines produced an inhibition of macromolecular synthesis that was at least additive: [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation decreased by 80% and [ 14 C]leucine incorporation by 44% as compared with the UVB-irradiated control mice. A slight decrease in the ratio of [ 3 H]histidine/[ 14 C]leucine incorporation indicated that protein synthesis of the differentiating cell layers was also affected by the inhibitors. The effects of the combined DFMO and MGBG treatment were partially reversed by concomitant topical application of spermidine

Self-organization of intracellular gradients during mitosis

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Fuller Brian G

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Gradients are used in a number of biological systems to transmit spatial information over a range of distances. The best studied are morphogen gradients where information is transmitted over many cell lengths. Smaller mitotic gradients reflect the need to organize several distinct events along the length of the mitotic spindle. The intracellular gradients that characterize mitosis are emerging as important regulatory paradigms. Intracellular gradients utilize intrinsic auto-regulatory feedback loops and diffusion to establish stable regions of activity within the mitotic cytosol. We review three recently described intracellular mitotic gradients. The Ran GTP gradient with its elaborate cascade of nuclear transport receptors and cargoes is the best characterized, yet the dynamics underlying the robust gradient of Ran-GTP have received little attention. Gradients of phosphorylation have been observed on Aurora B kinase substrates both before and after anaphase onset. In both instances the phosphorylation gradient appears to result from a soluble gradient of Aurora B kinase activity. Regulatory properties that support gradient formation are highlighted. Intracellular activity gradients that regulate localized mitotic events bare several hallmarks of self-organizing biologic systems that designate spatial information during pattern formation. Intracellular pattern formation represents a new paradigm in mitotic regulation.

Signaling molecule methylglyoxal ameliorates cadmium injury in wheat (Triticum aestivum L) by a coordinated induction of glutathione pool and glyoxalase system.

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Li, Zhong-Guang; Nie, Qian; Yang, Cong-Li; Wang, Yue; Zhou, Zhi-Hao

2018-03-01

Methylglyoxal (MG) now is found to be an emerging signaling molecule. It can relieve the toxicity of cadmium (Cd), however its alleviating mechanism still remains unknown. In this study, compared with the Cd-stressed seedlings without MG treatment, MG treatment could stimulate the activities of glutathione reductase (GR) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) in Cd-stressed wheat seedlings, which in turn induced an increase of reduced glutathione (GSH). Adversely, the activated enzymes related to GSH biosynthesis and increased GSH were weakened by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC, MG scavenger), 2,4-dihydroxy-benzylamine (DHBA) and 1,3-bischloroethyl-nitrosourea (BCNU, both are specific inhibitors of GR), buthionine sulfoximine (BSO, a specific inhibitors of GSH biosynthesis), and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM, GSH scavenger), respectively. In addition, MG increased the activities of glyoxalase I (Gly I) and glyoxalase II (Gly II) in Cd-treated seedlings, followed by declining an increase in endogenous MG as comparision to Cd-stressed seedlings alone. On the contrary, the increased glyoxalase activity and decreased endogenous MG level were reversed by NAC and specific inhibitors of Gly I (isoascorbate, IAS; squaric acid, SA). Furthermore, MG alleviated an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in Cd-treated wheat seedlings. These results indicated that MG could alleviate Cd toxicity and improve the growth of Cd-stressed wheat seedlings by a coordinated induction of glutathione pool and glyoxalase system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age-associated intracellular superoxide dismutase deficiency potentiates dermal fibroblast dysfunction during wound healing.

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Fujiwara, Toshihiro; Dohi, Teruyuki; Maan, Zeshaan N; Rustad, Kristine C; Kwon, Sun Hyung; Padmanabhan, Jagannath; Whittam, Alexander J; Suga, Hirotaka; Duscher, Dominik; Rodrigues, Melanie; Gurtner, Geoffrey C

2017-07-04

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) impair wound healing through destructive oxidation of intracellular proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD1) regulates ROS levels and plays a critical role in tissue homoeostasis. Recent evidence suggests that age-associated wound healing impairments may partially result from decreased SOD1 expression. We investigated the mechanistic basis by which increased oxidative stress links to age-associated impaired wound healing. Fibroblasts were isolated from unwounded skin of young and aged mice, and myofibroblast differentiation was assessed by measuring α-smooth muscle actin and collagen gel contraction. Excisional wounds were created on young and aged mice to study the healing rate, ROS levels and SOD1 expression. A mechanistic link between oxidative stress and fibroblast function was explored by assessing the TGF-β1 signalling pathway components in young and aged mice. Age-related wounds displayed reduced myofibroblast differentiation and delayed wound healing, consistent with a decrease in the in vitro capacity for fibroblast-myofibroblast transition following oxidative stress. Young fibroblasts with normal SOD1 expression exhibited increased phosphorylation of ERK in response to elevated ROS. In contrast, aged fibroblasts with reduced SOD1 expression displayed a reduced capacity to modulate intracellular ROS. Collectively, age-associated wound healing impairments are associated with fibroblast dysfunction that is likely the result of decreased SOD1 expression and subsequent dysregulation of intracellular ROS. Strategies targeting these mechanisms may suggest a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds in the aged population. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Drosophila VAMP7 regulates Wingless intracellular trafficking.

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Gao, Han; He, Fang; Lin, Xinhua; Wu, Yihui

2017-01-01

Drosophila Wingless (Wg) is a morphogen that determines cell fate during development. Previous studies have shown that endocytic pathways regulate Wg trafficking and signaling. Here, we showed that loss of vamp7, a gene required for vesicle fusion, dramatically increased Wg levels and decreased Wg signaling. Interestingly, we found that levels of Dally-like (Dlp), a glypican that can interact with Wg to suppress Wg signaling at the dorsoventral boundary of the Drosophila wing, were also increased in vamp7 mutant cells. Moreover, Wg puncta in Rab4-dependent recycling endosomes were Dlp positive. We hypothesize that VAMP7 is required for Wg intracellular trafficking and the accumulation of Wg in Rab4-dependent recycling endosomes might affect Wg signaling.

A novel aldo-keto reductase from Jatropha curcas L. (JcAKR) plays a crucial role in the detoxification of methylglyoxal, a potent electrophile.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudalkar, Shalini; Sreeharsha, Rachapudi Venkata; Reddy, Attipalli Ramachandra

2016-05-20

Abiotic stress leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which further results in the production of reactive carbonyls (RCs) including methylglyoxal (MG). MG, an α, β-dicarbonyl aldehyde, is highly toxic to plants and the mechanism behind its detoxification is not well understood. Aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) play a role in detoxification of reactive aldehydes and ketones. In the present study, we cloned and characterised a putative AKR from Jatropha curcas (JcAKR). Phylogenetically, it forms a small clade with AKRs of Glycine max and Rauwolfia serpentina. JcAKR was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL-21(DE3) cells and the identity of the purified protein was confirmed through MALDI-TOF analysis. The recombinant protein had high enzyme activity and catalytic efficiency in assays containing MG as the substrate. Protein modelling and docking studies revealed MG was efficiently bound to JcAKR. Under progressive drought and salinity stress, the enzyme and transcript levels of JcAKR were higher in leaves compared to roots. Further, the bacterial and yeast cells expressing JcAKR showed more tolerance towards PEG (5%), NaCl (200mM) and MG (5mM) treatments compared to controls. In conclusion, our results project JcAKR as a possible and potential target in crop improvement for abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of a novel intracellular ADP-ribosyl cyclase.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dev Churamani

2007-08-01

Full Text Available ADP-ribosyl cyclases are remarkable enzymes capable of catalyzing multiple reactions including the synthesis of the novel and potent intracellular calcium mobilizing messengers, cyclic ADP-ribose and NAADP. Not all ADP-ribosyl cyclases however have been characterized at the molecular level. Moreover, those that have are located predominately at the outer cell surface and thus away from their cytosolic substrates.Here we report the molecular cloning of a novel expanded family of ADP-ribosyl cyclases from the sea urchin, an extensively used model organism for the study of inositol trisphosphate-independent calcium mobilization. We provide evidence that one of the isoforms (SpARC1 is a soluble protein that is targeted exclusively to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen when heterologously expressed. Catalytic activity of the recombinant protein was readily demonstrable in crude cell homogenates, even under conditions where luminal continuity was maintained.Our data reveal a new intracellular location for ADP-ribosyl cyclases and suggest that production of calcium mobilizing messengers may be compartmentalized.

Exposure to ultrafine particles, intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in leukocytes and altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, Kim; Møller, Peter; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela; Olsen, Yulia; Bekö, Gabriel; Clausen, Geo; Hersoug, Lars-Georg; Loft, Steffen

2016-01-01

Exposure to particles in the fine and ultrafine size range has been linked to induction of low-grade systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and development of cardiovascular diseases. Declining levels of endothelial progenitor cells within systemic circulation have likewise been linked to progression of cardiovascular diseases. The objective was to determine if exposure to fine and ultrafine particles from indoor and outdoor sources, assessed by personal and residential indoor monitoring, is associated with altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells, and whether such effects are related to leukocyte-mediated oxidative stress. The study utilized a cross sectional design performed in 58 study participants from a larger cohort. Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells, defined as either late (CD34 + KDR + cells) or early (CD34 + CD133 + KDR + cells) subsets were measured using polychromatic flow cytometry. We additionally measured production of reactive oxygen species in leukocyte subsets (lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes) by flow cytometry using intracellular 2′,7′-dichlorofluoroscein. The measurements encompassed both basal levels of reactive oxygen species production and capacity for reactive oxygen species production for each leukocyte subset. We found that the late endothelial progenitor subset was negatively associated with levels of ultrafine particles measured within the participant residences and with reactive oxygen species production capacity in lymphocytes. Additionally, the early endothelial progenitor cell levels were positively associated with a personalised measure of ultrafine particle exposure and negatively associated with both basal and capacity for reactive oxygen species production in lymphocytes and granulocytes, respectively. Our results indicate that exposure to fine and ultrafine particles derived from indoor sources may have adverse effects on human vascular health.

Intracellular Zn(2+) signaling in the dentate gyrus is required for object recognition memory.

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Takeda, Atsushi; Tamano, Haruna; Ogawa, Taisuke; Takada, Shunsuke; Nakamura, Masatoshi; Fujii, Hiroaki; Ando, Masaki

2014-11-01

The role of perforant pathway-dentate granule cell synapses in cognitive behavior was examined focusing on synaptic Zn(2+) signaling in the dentate gyrus. Object recognition memory was transiently impaired when extracellular Zn(2+) levels were decreased by injection of clioquinol and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylendediamine. To pursue the effect of the loss and/or blockade of Zn(2+) signaling in dentate granule cells, ZnAF-2DA (100 pmol, 0.1 mM/1 µl), an intracellular Zn(2+) chelator, was locally injected into the dentate molecular layer of rats. ZnAF-2DA injection, which was estimated to chelate intracellular Zn(2+) signaling only in the dentate gyrus, affected object recognition memory 1 h after training without affecting intracellular Ca(2+) signaling in the dentate molecular layer. In vivo dentate gyrus long-term potentiation (LTP) was affected under the local perfusion of the recording region (the dentate granule cell layer) with 0.1 mM ZnAF-2DA, but not with 1-10 mM CaEDTA, an extracellular Zn(2+) chelator, suggesting that the blockade of intracellular Zn(2+) signaling in dentate granule cells affects dentate gyrus LTP. The present study demonstrates that intracellular Zn(2+) signaling in the dentate gyrus is required for object recognition memory, probably via dentate gyrus LTP expression. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Model-based control of the temporal patterns of intracellular signaling in silico

Science.gov (United States)

Murakami, Yohei; Koyama, Masanori; Oba, Shigeyuki; Kuroda, Shinya; Ishii, Shin

2017-01-01

The functions of intracellular signal transduction systems are determined by the temporal behavior of intracellular molecules and their interactions. Of the many dynamical properties of the system, the relationship between the dynamics of upstream molecules and downstream molecules is particularly important. A useful tool in understanding this relationship is a methodology to control the dynamics of intracellular molecules with an extracellular stimulus. However, this is a difficult task because the relationship between the levels of upstream molecules and those of downstream molecules is often not only stochastic, but also time-inhomogeneous, nonlinear, and not one-to-one. In this paper, we present an easy-to-implement model-based control method that makes the target downstream molecule to trace a desired time course by changing the concentration of a controllable upstream molecule. Our method uses predictions from Monte Carlo simulations of the model to decide the strength of the stimulus, while using a particle-based approach to make inferences regarding unobservable states. We applied our method to in silico control problems of insulin-dependent AKT pathway model and EGF-dependent Akt pathway model with system noise. We show that our method can robustly control the dynamics of the intracellular molecules against unknown system noise of various strengths, even in the absence of complete knowledge of the true model of the target system. PMID:28275530

Trade-Offs of Escherichia coli Adaptation to an Intracellular Lifestyle in Macrophages.

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M Azevedo

Full Text Available The bacterium Escherichia coli exhibits remarkable genomic and phenotypic variation, with some pathogenic strains having evolved to survive and even replicate in the harsh intra-macrophage environment. The rate and effects of mutations that can cause pathoadaptation are key determinants of the pace at which E. coli can colonize such niches and become pathogenic. We used experimental evolution to determine the speed and evolutionary paths undertaken by a commensal strain of E. coli when adapting to intracellular life. We estimated the acquisition of pathoadaptive mutations at a rate of 10-6 per genome per generation, resulting in the fixation of more virulent strains in less than a hundred generations. Whole genome sequencing of independently evolved clones showed that the main targets of intracellular adaptation involved loss of function mutations in genes implicated in the assembly of the lipopolysaccharide core, iron metabolism and di- and tri-peptide transport, namely rfaI, fhuA and tppB, respectively. We found a substantial amount of antagonistic pleiotropy in evolved populations, as well as metabolic trade-offs, commonly found in intracellular bacteria with reduced genome sizes. Overall, the low levels of clonal interference detected indicate that the first steps of the transition of a commensal E. coli into intracellular pathogens are dominated by a few pathoadaptive mutations with very strong effects.

Analysis, distribution, and dietary exposure of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in cookies and their relationship with other heat-induced contaminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Arribas-Lorenzo, Gema; Morales, Francisco J

2010-03-10

Thermal processing of food leads to the formation of dicarbonyls such as glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO), which are potentially harmful because they are precursors of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). GO and MGO formation was examined during the baking process of cookies as cookies are a widely distributed food commodity in Western diets. GO and MGO were chromatographically analyzed after employment of an improved method of derivatization with orthophenylenediamine to produce stable quinoxaline derivatives. Sample extraction, cleanup, and chromatographic conditions were evaluated to provide an in-house validated procedure for GO and MGO analysis in cookies. Quantification limits were set at 1.5 and 2 mg/kg for GO and MGO, respectively, with an average recovery of 103% and a calculated precision lower than 7%. Studies were carried out both on laboratory-scale cookies under controlled conditions and on commercial samples as well. GO and MGO values in commercial cookies ranged from 4.8 to 26.0 mg/kg and from 3.7 to 81.4 mg/kg, respectively. Commercial cookies made from ammonium bicarbonate and fructose showed the highest levels of MGO. Dicarbonyls were rapidly formed on the upper side of the cookie regardless of the shape or thickness of the samples, confirming there was a surface effect. Under controlled baking conditions, the formations of GO and MGO were linearly correlated with baking time. MGO formation was related with acrylamide, a heat-processing contaminant, in commercial cookies, but this relationship was not observed for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Dietary exposure of the Spanish population to GO and MGO from cookies was estimated to be 213 and 216 microg/person/day, respectively.

Stochastic models of intracellular transport

KAUST Repository

Bressloff, Paul C.

2013-01-09

The interior of a living cell is a crowded, heterogenuous, fluctuating environment. Hence, a major challenge in modeling intracellular transport is to analyze stochastic processes within complex environments. Broadly speaking, there are two basic mechanisms for intracellular transport: passive diffusion and motor-driven active transport. Diffusive transport can be formulated in terms of the motion of an overdamped Brownian particle. On the other hand, active transport requires chemical energy, usually in the form of adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis, and can be direction specific, allowing biomolecules to be transported long distances; this is particularly important in neurons due to their complex geometry. In this review a wide range of analytical methods and models of intracellular transport is presented. In the case of diffusive transport, narrow escape problems, diffusion to a small target, confined and single-file diffusion, homogenization theory, and fractional diffusion are considered. In the case of active transport, Brownian ratchets, random walk models, exclusion processes, random intermittent search processes, quasi-steady-state reduction methods, and mean-field approximations are considered. Applications include receptor trafficking, axonal transport, membrane diffusion, nuclear transport, protein-DNA interactions, virus trafficking, and the self-organization of subcellular structures. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Glutathione-induced drought stress tolerance in mung bean: coordinated roles of the antioxidant defence and methylglyoxal detoxification systems

Science.gov (United States)

Nahar, Kamrun; Hasanuzzaman, Mirza; Alam, Md. Mahabub; Fujita, Masayuki

2015-01-01

Drought is considered one of the most acute environmental stresses presently affecting agriculture. We studied the role of exogenous glutathione (GSH) in conferring drought stress tolerance in mung bean (Vigna radiata L. cv. Binamoog-1) seedlings by examining the antioxidant defence and methylglyoxal (MG) detoxification systems and physiological features. Six-day-old seedlings were exposed to drought stress (−0.7 MPa), induced by polyethylene glycol alone and in combination with GSH (1 mM) for 24 and 48 h. Drought stress decreased seedling dry weight and leaf area; resulted in oxidative stress as evidenced by histochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and O2⋅− in the leaves; increased lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde), reactive oxygen species like H2O2 content and O2⋅− generation rate and lipoxygenase activity; and increased the MG level. Drought decreased leaf succulence, leaf chlorophyll and relative water content (RWC); increased proline (Pro); decreased ascorbate (AsA); increased endogenous GSH and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content; decreased the GSH/GSSG ratio; increased ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase activities; and decreased the activities of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and catalase. The activities of glyoxalase I (Gly I) and glyoxalase II (Gly II) increased due to drought stress. In contrast to drought stress alone, exogenous GSH enhanced most of the components of the antioxidant and glyoxalase systems in drought-affected mung bean seedlings at 24 h, but GSH did not significantly affect AsA, Pro, RWC, leaf succulence and the activities of Gly I and DHAR after 48 h of stress. Thus, exogenous GSH supplementation with drought significantly enhanced the antioxidant components and successively reduced oxidative damage, and GSH up-regulated the glyoxalase system and reduced MG toxicity, which played a significant role in improving the physiological features and drought

Exploring Anti-Bacterial Compounds against Intracellular Legionella

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Christopher F.; Kicka, Sébastien; Trofimov, Valentin; Berschl, Kathrin; Ouertatani-Sakouhi, Hajer; Ackermann, Nikolaus; Hedberg, Christian; Cosson, Pierre; Soldati, Thierry; Hilbi, Hubert

2013-01-01

Legionella pneumophila is a ubiquitous fresh-water bacterium which reproduces within its erstwhile predators, environmental amoeba, by subverting the normal pathway of phagocytosis and degradation. The molecular mechanisms which confer resistance to amoeba are apparently conserved and also allow replication within macrophages. Thus, L. pneumophila can act as an ‘accidental’ human pathogen and cause a severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease. The intracellular localisation of L. pneumophila protects it from some antibiotics, and this fact must be taken into account to develop new anti-bacterial compounds. In addition, the intracellular lifestyle of L. pneumophila may render the bacteria susceptible to compounds diminishing bacterial virulence and decreasing intracellular survival and replication of this pathogen. The development of a single infection cycle intracellular replication assay using GFP-producing L. pneumophila and Acanthamoeba castellanii amoeba is reported here. This fluorescence-based assay allows for continuous monitoring of intracellular replication rates, revealing the effect of bacterial gene deletions or drug treatment. To examine how perturbations of the host cell affect L. pneumophila replication, several known host-targeting compounds were tested, including modulators of cytoskeletal dynamics, vesicle scission and Ras GTPase localisation. Our results reveal a hitherto unrealized potential antibiotic property of the β-lactone-based Ras depalmitoylation inhibitor palmostatin M, but not the closely related inhibitor palmostatin B. Further characterisation indicated that this compound caused specific growth inhibition of Legionella and Mycobacterium species, suggesting that it may act on a common bacterial target. PMID:24058631

Exploring anti-bacterial compounds against intracellular Legionella.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher F Harrison

Full Text Available Legionella pneumophila is a ubiquitous fresh-water bacterium which reproduces within its erstwhile predators, environmental amoeba, by subverting the normal pathway of phagocytosis and degradation. The molecular mechanisms which confer resistance to amoeba are apparently conserved and also allow replication within macrophages. Thus, L. pneumophila can act as an 'accidental' human pathogen and cause a severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. The intracellular localisation of L. pneumophila protects it from some antibiotics, and this fact must be taken into account to develop new anti-bacterial compounds. In addition, the intracellular lifestyle of L. pneumophila may render the bacteria susceptible to compounds diminishing bacterial virulence and decreasing intracellular survival and replication of this pathogen. The development of a single infection cycle intracellular replication assay using GFP-producing L. pneumophila and Acanthamoebacastellanii amoeba is reported here. This fluorescence-based assay allows for continuous monitoring of intracellular replication rates, revealing the effect of bacterial gene deletions or drug treatment. To examine how perturbations of the host cell affect L. pneumophila replication, several known host-targeting compounds were tested, including modulators of cytoskeletal dynamics, vesicle scission and Ras GTPase localisation. Our results reveal a hitherto unrealized potential antibiotic property of the β-lactone-based Ras depalmitoylation inhibitor palmostatin M, but not the closely related inhibitor palmostatin B. Further characterisation indicated that this compound caused specific growth inhibition of Legionella and Mycobacterium species, suggesting that it may act on a common bacterial target.

Hydroxyhydroquinone, a by-product of coffee bean roasting, increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration in rat thymic lymphocytes.

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Kamae, Risa; Nojima, Shoko; Akiyoshi, Kenji; Setsu, Shoki; Honda, Sari; Masuda, Toshiya; Oyama, Yasuo

2017-04-01

Hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ) is generated during coffee bean roasting. A cup of coffee contains 0.1-1.7 mg of HHQ. The actions of HHQ on mammalian DNA were examined because HHQ is a metabolite of benzene, which causes leukemia. Currently, information on the cellular actions of HHQ is limited. We examined the effects of sublethal levels of HHQ on the concentration of intracellular Ca 2+ in rat thymic lymphocytes by using a flow cytometric technique with fluorescent probes. HHQ at 10 μM or more significantly elevated intracellular Ca 2+ levels by increasing the membrane permeability of divalent cations, resulting in hyperpolarization via the activation of Ca 2+ -dependent K + channels. HHQ-induced changes in the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration and membrane potential may affect the cell functions of lymphocytes. HHQ-reduced coffee may be preferable in order to avoid the possible adverse effects of HHQ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glyphosate and AMPA inhibit cancer cell growth through inhibiting intracellular glycine synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qingli; Lambrechts, Mark J; Zhang, Qiuyang; Liu, Sen; Ge, Dongxia; Yin, Rutie; Xi, Mingrong; You, Zongbing

2013-01-01

Glycine is a nonessential amino acid that is reversibly converted from serine intracellularly by serine hydroxymethyltransferase. Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), are analogs to glycine, thus they may inhibit serine hydroxymethyltransferase to decrease intracellular glycine synthesis. In this study, we found that glyphosate and AMPA inhibited cell growth in eight human cancer cell lines but not in two immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell lines. AMPA arrested C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cells in the G1/G0 phase and inhibited entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. AMPA also promoted apoptosis in C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cell lines. AMPA upregulated p53 and p21 protein levels as well as procaspase 9 protein levels in C4-2B cells, whereas it downregulated cyclin D3 protein levels. AMPA also activated caspase 3 and induced cleavage of poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase. This study provides the first evidence that glyphosate and AMPA can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells, suggesting that they have potentials to be developed into a new anticancer therapy.

Intracellular sphingosine releases calcium from lysosomes.

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Höglinger, Doris; Haberkant, Per; Aguilera-Romero, Auxiliadora; Riezman, Howard; Porter, Forbes D; Platt, Frances M; Galione, Antony; Schultz, Carsten

2015-11-27

To elucidate new functions of sphingosine (Sph), we demonstrate that the spontaneous elevation of intracellular Sph levels via caged Sph leads to a significant and transient calcium release from acidic stores that is independent of sphingosine 1-phosphate, extracellular and ER calcium levels. This photo-induced Sph-driven calcium release requires the two-pore channel 1 (TPC1) residing on endosomes and lysosomes. Further, uncaging of Sph leads to the translocation of the autophagy-relevant transcription factor EB (TFEB) to the nucleus specifically after lysosomal calcium release. We confirm that Sph accumulates in late endosomes and lysosomes of cells derived from Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) patients and demonstrate a greatly reduced calcium release upon Sph uncaging. We conclude that sphingosine is a positive regulator of calcium release from acidic stores and that understanding the interplay between Sph homeostasis, calcium signaling and autophagy will be crucial in developing new therapies for lipid storage disorders such as NPC.

Methylglyoxal Induced Basophilic Spindle Cells with Podoplanin at the Surface of Peritoneum in Rat Peritoneal Dialysis Model

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Ichiro Hirahara

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Peritoneal dialysis (PD is a common treatment for patients with reduced or absent renal function. Long-term PD leads to peritoneal injury with structural changes and functional decline. At worst, peritoneal injury leads to encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS, which is a serious complication of PD. In order to carry out PD safely, it is important to define the mechanism of progression of peritoneal injury and EPS. We prepared rat models of peritoneal injury by intraperitoneal administration of glucose degradation products, such as methylglyoxal (MGO or formaldehyde (FA, chlorhexidine gluconate (CG, and talc. In rats treated with MGO, peritoneal fibrous thickening with the appearance of basophilic spindle cells with podoplanin, cytokeratin, and α-smooth muscle actin at the surface of the peritoneum was observed. These cells may have been derived from mesothelial cells by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In FA- or CG-treated rats, the peritoneum was thickened, and mesothelial cells were absent at the surface of the peritoneum. The CG- or MGO-treated rats presented with a so-called abdominal cocoon. In the talc-treated rats, extensive peritoneal adhesion and peritoneal thickening were observed. MGO-induced peritoneal injury model may reflect human histopathology and be suitable to analyze the mechanism of progression of peritoneal injury and EPS.

Novel methods of cytokine detection: Real-time PCR, ELISPOT, and intracellular cytokine staining

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Eliza Turlej

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Cytokines are small hormone-like proteins that play important roles in immune system control. Cytokines regulate the proliferation and differentiation of cells and hematopoiesis and act as mediators in the inflammatory reaction. Changes in cytokine levels are found in many diseases, such as sepsis, bowel inflammatory disease, autoimmune diseases, as well as graft-versus-host disease. Cytokines levels can be detected using in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo techniques. The level of cytokine produced can be measured by immunoenzymatic test (ELISA in supernatant after cell culture with the addition of stimulant and in plasma by techniques that measure the level of cytokine secretion in cells (e.g. immunohistochemical staining, ELISPOT, and intracellular cytokine staining, and by molecular biological methods (RPA, real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, and Northern blot. Detection of cytokine mRNA in tissues is useful in the direct determination of heterogenic populations of cytokine-producing cells. Nowadays the most frequently used methods for measuring cytokine level are ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining with flow cytometry detection, and real-time PCR. These methods have an important clinical role in vaccine efficacy, in viral, bacterial, and verminous diagnostics, and in determining the efficacy of cancer treatment.

Glyoxal and methylglyoxal as urinary markers of diabetes. Determination using a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor-Belda, M; Fernández-García, A J; Campillo, N; Pérez-Cárceles, M D; Motas, M; Hernández-Córdoba, M; Viñas, P

2017-08-04

Glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are α-oxoaldehydes that can be used as urinary diabetes markers. In this study, their levels were measured using a sample preparation procedure based on salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effect of the derivatization reaction with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, the addition of acetonitrile and sodium chloride to urine, and the DLLME step using the acetonitrile extract as dispersant solvent and carbon tetrachloride as extractant solvent were carefully optimized. Quantification was performed by the internal standard method, using 5-bromo-2-chloroanisole. The intraday and interday precisions were lower than 6%. Limits of detection were 0.12 and 0.06ngmL -1 , and enrichment factors 140 and 130 for GO and MGO, respectively. The concentrations of these α-oxoaldehydes in urine were between 0.9 and 35.8ngg -1 levels (creatinine adjusted). A statistical comparison of the analyte contents of urine samples from non-diabetic and diabetic patients pointed to significant differences (P=0.046, 24 subjects investigated), particularly regarding MGO, which was higher in diabetic patients. The novelty of this study compared with previous procedures lies in the treatment of the urine sample by SALLE based on the addition of acetonitrile and sodium chloride to the urine. The DLLME procedure is performed with a sedimented drop of the extractant solvent, without a surfactant reagent, and using acetonitrile as dispersant solvent. Separation of the analytes was performed using GC-MS detection, being the analytes unequivocal identified. The proposed procedure is the first microextraction method applied to the analysis of urine samples from diabetic and non-diabetic patients that allows a clear differentiation between both groups using a simple analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium intracellulare Infection Mimicking Progression of Scleroderma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krabbe, Simon; Engelhart, Merete; Thybo, Sören

2017-01-01

This case report describes a patient with scleroderma who developed Mycobacterium intracellulare infection, which for more than a year mimicked worsening of her connective tissue disorder. The patient was diagnosed with scleroderma based on puffy fingers that developed into sclerodactyly, abnormal......, unfortunately with significant scarring. Immunodeficiency testing was unremarkable. In summary, an infection with Mycobacterium intracellulare was mistaken for an unusually severe progression of scleroderma....

A novel source of methylglyoxal and glyoxal in retina: implications for age-related macular degeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Kee Dong; Yamamoto, Kazunori; Ueda, Keiko; Zhou, Jilin; Sparrow, Janet R

2012-01-01

Aging of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of the eye is marked by accumulations of bisretinoid fluorophores; two of the compounds within this lipofuscin mixture are A2E and all-trans-retinal dimer. These pigments are implicated in pathological mechanisms involved in some vision-threatening disorders including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Studies have shown that bisretinoids are photosensitive compounds that undergo photooxidation and photodegradation when irradiated with short wavelength visible light. Utilizing ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) we demonstrate that photodegradation of A2E and all-trans-retinal dimer generates the dicarbonyls glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MG), that are known to modify proteins by advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation. By extracellular trapping with aminoguanidine, we established that these oxo-aldehydes are released from irradiated A2E-containing RPE cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA) revealed that the substrate underlying A2E-containing RPE was AGE-modified after irradiation. This AGE deposition was suppressed by prior treatment of the cells with aminoguanidine. AGE-modification causes structural and functional impairment of proteins. In chronic diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis, MG and GO modify proteins by non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation reactions. AGE-modified proteins are also components of drusen, the sub-RPE deposits that confer increased risk of AMD onset. These results indicate that photodegraded RPE bisretinoid is likely to be a previously unknown source of MG and GO in the eye.

Identification of lactoferricin B intracellular targets using an Escherichia coli proteome chip.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Yu-Hsuan; Ho, Yu-Hsuan; Chuang, Ying-Chih; Chen, Po-Chung; Chen, Chien-Sheng

2011-01-01

Lactoferricin B (LfcinB) is a well-known antimicrobial peptide. Several studies have indicated that it can inhibit bacteria by affecting intracellular activities, but the intracellular targets of this antimicrobial peptide have not been identified. Therefore, we used E. coli proteome chips to identify the intracellular target proteins of LfcinB in a high-throughput manner. We probed LfcinB with E. coli proteome chips and further conducted normalization and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses. The results of the GO analyses showed that the identified proteins were associated with metabolic processes. Moreover, we validated the interactions between LfcinB and chip assay-identified proteins with fluorescence polarization (FP) assays. Sixteen proteins were identified, and an E. coli interaction database (EcID) analysis revealed that the majority of the proteins that interact with these 16 proteins affected the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Knockout assays were conducted to further validate the FP assay results. These results showed that phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was a target of LfcinB, indicating that one of its mechanisms of action may be associated with pyruvate metabolism. Thus, we used pyruvate assays to conduct an in vivo validation of the relationship between LfcinB and pyruvate level in E. coli. These results showed that E. coli exposed to LfcinB had abnormal pyruvate amounts, indicating that LfcinB caused an accumulation of pyruvate. In conclusion, this study successfully revealed the intracellular targets of LfcinB using an E. coli proteome chip approach.

Identification of lactoferricin B intracellular targets using an Escherichia coli proteome chip.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Hsuan Tu

Full Text Available Lactoferricin B (LfcinB is a well-known antimicrobial peptide. Several studies have indicated that it can inhibit bacteria by affecting intracellular activities, but the intracellular targets of this antimicrobial peptide have not been identified. Therefore, we used E. coli proteome chips to identify the intracellular target proteins of LfcinB in a high-throughput manner. We probed LfcinB with E. coli proteome chips and further conducted normalization and Gene Ontology (GO analyses. The results of the GO analyses showed that the identified proteins were associated with metabolic processes. Moreover, we validated the interactions between LfcinB and chip assay-identified proteins with fluorescence polarization (FP assays. Sixteen proteins were identified, and an E. coli interaction database (EcID analysis revealed that the majority of the proteins that interact with these 16 proteins affected the tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle. Knockout assays were conducted to further validate the FP assay results. These results showed that phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was a target of LfcinB, indicating that one of its mechanisms of action may be associated with pyruvate metabolism. Thus, we used pyruvate assays to conduct an in vivo validation of the relationship between LfcinB and pyruvate level in E. coli. These results showed that E. coli exposed to LfcinB had abnormal pyruvate amounts, indicating that LfcinB caused an accumulation of pyruvate. In conclusion, this study successfully revealed the intracellular targets of LfcinB using an E. coli proteome chip approach.

Noradrenaline represses PPAR (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor) gamma2 gene expression in brown adipocytes: intracellular signalling and effects on PPARgamma2 and PPARgamma1 protein levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgren, Eva M; Nielsen, Ronni; Petrovic, Natasa

2004-01-01

phases, with the highest mRNA levels being found at the time of transition between the phases. PPARgamma2 mRNA levels were downregulated by noradrenaline treatment (EC50, 0.1 microM) in both proliferative and differentiating cells, with a lagtime of 1 h and lasting up to 4 h, after which expression...... was thus to investigate the influence of noradrenaline on PPARgamma gene expression in brown adipocytes. In primary cultures of brown adipocytes, PPARgamma2 mRNA levels were 20-fold higher than PPARgamma1 mRNA levels. PPARgamma expression occurred during both the proliferation and the differentiation...... gradually recovered. The down-regulation was beta-adrenoceptor-induced and intracellularly mediated via cAMP and protein kinase A; the signalling pathway did not involve phosphoinositide 3-kinase, Src, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Treatment...

Uptake and intracellular activity of AM-1155 in phagocytic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, T; Kusajima, H; Hosaka, M; Fukuda, H; Oomori, Y; Shinoda, H

1996-01-01

The uptake and intracellular activity of AM-1155 in murine J774.1 macrophages and human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were investigated. AM-1155 penetrated phagocytic cells rapidly and reversibly, although the penetration process was not affected by metabolic inhibitors such as sodium fluoride, cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, or ouabain or by nucleoside transport system inhibitors such as adenosine. The intracellular concentration-to-extracellular concentration ratio of AM-1155 in both cell types of phagocytes ranged from 5 to 7. These ratios were almost equal to those for sparfloxacin. The intracellular activity of AM-1155 in J774.1 macrophages, examined with Staphylococcus aureus 209P as a test bacterium, was dependent on the extracellular concentration. AM-1155 at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml reduced the number of viable cells of S. aureus ingested by more than 90%. The intracellular activity of AM-1155 was more potent than those of sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, flomoxef, and erythromycin. These results suggest that the potent intracellular activity of AM-1155 might mainly be due to the high intracellular concentration and its potent in vitro activity. PMID:9124835

Relevance of intracellular polarity to accuracy of eukaryotic chemotaxis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiraiwa, Tetsuya; Nishikawa, Masatoshi; Shibata, Tatsuo; Nagamatsu, Akihiro; Akuzawa, Naohiro

2014-01-01

Eukaryotic chemotaxis is usually mediated by intracellular signals that tend to localize at the front or back of the cell. Such intracellular polarities frequently require no extracellular guidance cues, indicating that spontaneous polarization occurs in the signal network. Spontaneous polarization activity is considered relevant to the persistent motions in random cell migrations and chemotaxis. In this study, we propose a theoretical model that connects spontaneous intracellular polarity and motile ability in a chemoattractant solution. We demonstrate that the intracellular polarity can enhance the accuracy of chemotaxis. Chemotactic accuracy should also depend on chemoattractant concentration through the concentration-dependent correlation time in the polarity direction. Both the polarity correlation time and the chemotactic accuracy depend on the degree of responsiveness to the chemical gradient. We show that optimally accurate chemotaxis occurs at an intermediate responsiveness of intracellular polarity. Experimentally, we find that the persistence time of randomly migrating Dictyostelium cells depends on the chemoattractant concentration, as predicted by our theory. At the optimum responsiveness, this ameboid cell can enhance its chemotactic accuracy tenfold. (paper)

Melanoma cells present high levels of HLA-A2-tyrosinase in association with instability and aberrant intracellular processing of tyrosinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Michaeli, Yael; Sinik, Keren; Haus-Cohen, Maya; Reiter, Yoram

2012-04-01

Short-lived protein translation products are proposed to be a major source of substrates for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen processing and presentation; however, a direct link between protein stability and the presentation level of MHC class I-peptide complexes has not been made. We have recently discovered that the peptide Tyr((369-377)) , derived from the tyrosinase protein is highly presented by HLA-A2 on the surface of melanoma cells. To examine the molecular mechanisms responsible for this presentation, we compared characteristics of tyrosinase in melanoma cells lines that present high or low levels of HLA-A2-Tyr((369-377)) complexes. We found no correlation between mRNA levels and the levels of HLA-A2-Tyr((369-377)) presentation. Co-localization experiments revealed that, in cell lines presenting low levels of HLA-A2-Tyr((369-377)) complexes, tyrosinase co-localizes with LAMP-1, a melanosome marker, whereas in cell lines presenting high HLA-A2-Tyr((369-377)) levels, tyrosinase localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum. We also observed differences in tyrosinase molecular weight and glycosylation composition as well as major differences in protein stability (t(1/2) ). By stabilizing the tyrosinase protein, we observed a dramatic decrease in HLA-A2-tyrosinase presentation. Our findings suggest that aberrant processing and instability of tyrosinase are responsible for the high presentation of HLA-A2-Tyr((369-377)) complexes and thus shed new light on the relationship between intracellular processing, stability of proteins, and MHC-restricted peptide presentation. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multiple roles of glyoxalase 1-mediated suppression of methylglyoxal glycation in cancer biology-Involvement in tumour suppression, tumour growth, multidrug resistance and target for chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabbani, Naila; Xue, Mingzhan; Weickert, Martin O; Thornalley, Paul J

2018-04-01

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) is part of the glyoxalase system in the cytoplasm of all human cells. It catalyses the glutathione-dependent removal of the endogenous reactive dicarbonyl metabolite, methylglyoxal (MG). MG is formed mainly as a side product of anaerobic glycolysis. It modifies protein and DNA to form mainly hydroimidazolone MG-H1 and imidazopurinone MGdG adducts, respectively. Abnormal accumulation of MG, dicarbonyl stress, increases adduct levels which may induce apoptosis and replication catastrophe. In the non-malignant state, Glo1 is a tumour suppressor protein and small molecule inducers of Glo1 expression may find use in cancer prevention. Increased Glo1 expression is permissive for growth of tumours with high glycolytic activity and is thereby a biomarker of tumour growth. High Glo1 expression is a cause of multi-drug resistance. It is produced by over-activation of the Nrf2 pathway and GLO1 amplification. Glo1 inhibitors are antitumour agents, inducing apoptosis and necrosis, and anoikis. Tumour stem cells and tumours with high flux of MG formation and Glo1 expression are sensitive to Glo1 inhibitor therapy. It is likely that MG-induced cell death contributes to the mechanism of action of current antitumour agents. Common refractory tumours have high prevalence of Glo1 overexpression for which Glo1 inhibitors may improve therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Intracellular Metabolites from Microorganisms: Quenching and Extraction Protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinu, Farhana R; Villas-Boas, Silas G; Aggio, Raphael

2017-10-23

Sample preparation is one of the most important steps in metabolome analysis. The challenges of determining microbial metabolome have been well discussed within the research community and many improvements have already been achieved in last decade. The analysis of intracellular metabolites is particularly challenging. Environmental perturbations may considerably affect microbial metabolism, which results in intracellular metabolites being rapidly degraded or metabolized by enzymatic reactions. Therefore, quenching or the complete stop of cell metabolism is a pre-requisite for accurate intracellular metabolite analysis. After quenching, metabolites need to be extracted from the intracellular compartment. The choice of the most suitable metabolite extraction method/s is another crucial step. The literature indicates that specific classes of metabolites are better extracted by different extraction protocols. In this review, we discuss the technical aspects and advancements of quenching and extraction of intracellular metabolite analysis from microbial cells.

Influence of intracellular acidosis on contractile function in the working rat heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffrey, F.M.H.; Malloy, C.R.; Radda, G.K.

1987-01-01

The decrease in myocardial contractility during ischemia, hypoxia, and extracellular acidosis has been attributed to intracellular acidosis. Previous studies of the relationship between pH and contractile state have utilized respiratory or metabolic acidosis to alter intracellular pH. The authors developed a model in the working perfused rat heart to study the effects of intracellular acidosis with normal external pH and optimal O 2 delivery. Intracellular pH and high-energy phosphates were monitored by 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Hearts were perfused to a steady state with a medium containing 10 mM NH 4 Cl. Acidosis induced a substantial decrease in aortic flow and stroke volume which was associated with little change in peak systolic pressure. It was concluded that (1) for the same intracellular acidosis the influence on tension development was more pronounced with a combined extra- and intracellular acidosis than with an isolated intracellular acidosis, and (2) stroke volume at constant preload was impaired by intracellular acidosis even though changes in developed pressure were minimal. These observations suggest that isolated intracellular acidosis has adverse effects on diastolic compliance and/or relaxation

Intracellular trafficking of new anticancer therapeutics: antibody–drug conjugates

Science.gov (United States)

Kalim, Muhammad; Chen, Jie; Wang, Shenghao; Lin, Caiyao; Ullah, Saif; Liang, Keying; Ding, Qian; Chen, Shuqing; Zhan, Jinbiao

2017-01-01

Antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) is a milestone in targeted cancer therapy that comprises of monoclonal antibodies chemically linked to cytotoxic drugs. Internalization of ADC takes place via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and pinocytosis. Conjugation strategies, endocytosis and intracellular trafficking optimization, linkers, and drugs chemistry present a great challenge for researchers to eradicate tumor cells successfully. This inventiveness of endocytosis and intracellular trafficking has given considerable momentum recently to develop specific antibodies and ADCs to treat cancer cells. It is significantly advantageous to emphasize the endocytosis and intracellular trafficking pathways efficiently and to design potent engineered conjugates and biological entities to boost efficient therapies enormously for cancer treatment. Current studies illustrate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of ADC, protein, and linker strategies in unloading and also concisely evaluate practically applicable ADCs. PMID:28814834

Intracellular trafficking of new anticancer therapeutics: antibody-drug conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalim, Muhammad; Chen, Jie; Wang, Shenghao; Lin, Caiyao; Ullah, Saif; Liang, Keying; Ding, Qian; Chen, Shuqing; Zhan, Jinbiao

2017-01-01

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a milestone in targeted cancer therapy that comprises of monoclonal antibodies chemically linked to cytotoxic drugs. Internalization of ADC takes place via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and pinocytosis. Conjugation strategies, endocytosis and intracellular trafficking optimization, linkers, and drugs chemistry present a great challenge for researchers to eradicate tumor cells successfully. This inventiveness of endocytosis and intracellular trafficking has given considerable momentum recently to develop specific antibodies and ADCs to treat cancer cells. It is significantly advantageous to emphasize the endocytosis and intracellular trafficking pathways efficiently and to design potent engineered conjugates and biological entities to boost efficient therapies enormously for cancer treatment. Current studies illustrate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of ADC, protein, and linker strategies in unloading and also concisely evaluate practically applicable ADCs.

Spatial Cytoskeleton Organization Supports Targeted Intracellular Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Hafner, Anne E.; Rieger, Heiko

2018-03-01

The efficiency of intracellular cargo transport from specific source to target locations is strongly dependent upon molecular motor-assisted motion along the cytoskeleton. Radial transport along microtubules and lateral transport along the filaments of the actin cortex underneath the cell membrane are characteristic for cells with a centrosome. The interplay between the specific cytoskeleton organization and the motor performance realizes a spatially inhomogeneous intermittent search strategy. In order to analyze the efficiency of such intracellular search strategies we formulate a random velocity model with intermittent arrest states. We evaluate efficiency in terms of mean first passage times for three different, frequently encountered intracellular transport tasks: i) the narrow escape problem, which emerges during cargo transport to a synapse or other specific region of the cell membrane, ii) the reaction problem, which considers the binding time of two particles within the cell, and iii) the reaction-escape problem, which arises when cargo must be released at a synapse only after pairing with another particle. Our results indicate that cells are able to realize efficient search strategies for various intracellular transport tasks economically through a spatial cytoskeleton organization that involves only a narrow actin cortex rather than a cell body filled with randomly oriented actin filaments.

Intracellular PHB conversion in a type II methanotroph studied by 13 C NMR

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vecherskaya, M.; Dijkema, C.; Stams, A.J.M.

2001-01-01

Poly-g-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) formation under aerobic conditions via incorporation of [13C-2]acetate as a cosubstrate and its intracellular degradation under anaerobic conditions in a Type II methanotroph was studied by 13C NMR. During PHB synthesis in the presence of labelled acetate, low levels of

Multielemental accumulation and its intracellular distribution in tissues of some aquatic birds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Dong-Ha; Anan, Yasumi; Ikemoto, Tokutaka; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2005-01-01

This study was aimed at determining multielemental concentration and its intracellular distribution in selected tissues of cormorant and waterfowl species. Non-essential elements such as Hg, Tl, Cd, Pb and V in tissues were generally consistent with those in ingested items, indicating the significance of food sources of non-essential metal accumulation in great cormorants and mallards. Great cormorants and four waterfowl species examined reflected natural background levels of toxic metals such as Cd, Hg and Pb as well as some essential elements, indicating no specific metal exposure from local sources. Most of Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Ag, Cd, Cs, and Hg contents were present in the hepatocytosolic fraction, whereas a large percentage of V and Mo were present in insoluble fraction in great cormorant, mallard, and spot-billed duck. The major role of these subcelluar fractions in elemental regulation accounts for the high percentage contribution of each cellular fraction to the total metal contents. Cadmium and Cu are chiefly sequestered through binding to metallothioneins (MTs) of hepatocytosolic fraction in these three avian species. Both MTs and high-molecular-weight substance (HMWS) for Zn and low-molecular-weight substance (LMWS) for Rb were also involved in their sequestration in cytosolic fractions. Relatively different species-specific cytosolic substances were responsible for varying degrees of Ag, Mn, and Co accumulation. It is worth noting that these intracellular metal levels in birds are closely regulated by metal-associated cellular constituents. Therefore, risk assessment studies of metal accumulation in such wild birds should take intracellular metal distribution and specific cellular constituents into account

Analysis of Intracellular Metabolites from Microorganisms: Quenching and Extraction Protocols

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Farhana R. Pinu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Sample preparation is one of the most important steps in metabolome analysis. The challenges of determining microbial metabolome have been well discussed within the research community and many improvements have already been achieved in last decade. The analysis of intracellular metabolites is particularly challenging. Environmental perturbations may considerably affect microbial metabolism, which results in intracellular metabolites being rapidly degraded or metabolized by enzymatic reactions. Therefore, quenching or the complete stop of cell metabolism is a pre-requisite for accurate intracellular metabolite analysis. After quenching, metabolites need to be extracted from the intracellular compartment. The choice of the most suitable metabolite extraction method/s is another crucial step. The literature indicates that specific classes of metabolites are better extracted by different extraction protocols. In this review, we discuss the technical aspects and advancements of quenching and extraction of intracellular metabolite analysis from microbial cells.

Electrochemical monitoring of intracellular enzyme activity of single living mammalian cells by using a double-mediator system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumae, Yoshiharu; Takahashi, Yasufumi; Ino, Kosuke; Shiku, Hitoshi; Matsue, Tomokazu

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells were evaluated by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). - Highlights: • NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity of single cells were evaluated with SECM. • Fe(CN) 6 3− /menadione concentrations were optimized for long-term SECM monitoring. • Menadione affect the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and GSH. • At 100 μM menadione, the Fe(CN) 6 3− generation rate decreased rapidly within 30 min. - Abstract: We evaluated the intracellular NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double-mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The double-mediator system was used to amplify the current response from the intracellular NQO activity and to reduce menadione-induced cell damage. The electron shuttle between the electrode and menadione was mediated by the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox couple. Generation of ferrocyanide was observed immediately after the addition of a lower concentration (10 μM) of menadione. The ferrocyanide generation rate was constant for 120 min. At a higher menadione concentration (100 μM), the ferrocyanide generation rate decreased within 30 min because of the cytotoxic effect of menadione. We also investigated the relationship between intracellular reactive oxygen species or glutathione levels and exposure to different menadione concentrations to determine the optimal condition for SECM with minimal invasiveness. The present study clearly demonstrates that SECM is useful for the analysis of intracellular enzymatic activities in single cells with a double-mediator system

Electrochemical monitoring of intracellular enzyme activity of single living mammalian cells by using a double-mediator system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumae, Yoshiharu [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Takahashi, Yasufumi [Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Ino, Kosuke [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Shiku, Hitoshi, E-mail: shiku@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Matsue, Tomokazu, E-mail: matsue@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

2014-09-09

Graphical abstract: NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells were evaluated by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). - Highlights: • NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity of single cells were evaluated with SECM. • Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 3−}/menadione concentrations were optimized for long-term SECM monitoring. • Menadione affect the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and GSH. • At 100 μM menadione, the Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 3−} generation rate decreased rapidly within 30 min. - Abstract: We evaluated the intracellular NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double-mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The double-mediator system was used to amplify the current response from the intracellular NQO activity and to reduce menadione-induced cell damage. The electron shuttle between the electrode and menadione was mediated by the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox couple. Generation of ferrocyanide was observed immediately after the addition of a lower concentration (10 μM) of menadione. The ferrocyanide generation rate was constant for 120 min. At a higher menadione concentration (100 μM), the ferrocyanide generation rate decreased within 30 min because of the cytotoxic effect of menadione. We also investigated the relationship between intracellular reactive oxygen species or glutathione levels and exposure to different menadione concentrations to determine the optimal condition for SECM with minimal invasiveness. The present study clearly demonstrates that SECM is useful for the analysis of intracellular enzymatic activities in single cells with a double-mediator system.

Manipulation of Host Cholesterol by Obligate Intracellular Bacteria

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Dhritiman Samanta

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Cholesterol is a multifunctional lipid that plays important metabolic and structural roles in the eukaryotic cell. Despite having diverse lifestyles, the obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens Chlamydia, Coxiella, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia all target cholesterol during host cell colonization as a potential source of membrane, as well as a means to manipulate host cell signaling and trafficking. To promote host cell entry, these pathogens utilize cholesterol-rich microdomains known as lipid rafts, which serve as organizational and functional platforms for host signaling pathways involved in phagocytosis. Once a pathogen gains entrance to the intracellular space, it can manipulate host cholesterol trafficking pathways to access nutrient-rich vesicles or acquire membrane components for the bacteria or bacteria-containing vacuole. To acquire cholesterol, these pathogens specifically target host cholesterol metabolism, uptake, efflux, and storage. In this review, we examine the strategies obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens employ to manipulate cholesterol during host cell colonization. Understanding how obligate intracellular pathogens target and use host cholesterol provides critical insight into the host-pathogen relationship.

A Thapsigargin-Resistant Intracellular Calcium Sequestering Compartment in Rat Brain

Science.gov (United States)

2000-03-31

have a major impact on neuronal intracellular signaling. Most of the ER in neurons and glia appears to accumulate calcium by energy driven ion pumps...secretion of exocrine, endocrine, and neurocrine products, regulation of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis , intracellular transport, secretion of fluids...the RyRs [140]. Furthermore, the intracellular expression of these receptor-channels in neuronal ER is also reciprocal with RyRs located primarily in

Oxygen effect and intracellular oxygen content (adaptation hypothesis)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yarmonenko, S P; Ehpshtejn, I M [Akademiya Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, Moscow. Onkologicheskij Tsentr

1977-01-01

Experimental data indicating that a radiomodifying action of hypoxia is dependent on the ''prehistory'' of the irradiated object are considered. This dependence manifests itself in a decreased protective action of acute hypoxia on the hypoxia-adapted objects. To explain this a hypothesis is proposed connecting a degree of cell radiosensitivity modification, determined by the oxygen effect, with the intracellular oxygen content. The latter, in accord with current ideas, is regulated by variations in the diffusion resistance to oxygen shown by the cytoplasmic membranes depending on the energy level of the cell and the degree of its oxygenation.

Oxygen effect and intracellular oxygen content (adaptation hypothesis)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarmonenko, S.P.; Ehpshtejn, I.M.

1977-01-01

Experimental data indicating that a radiomodifying action of hypoxia is dependent on the ''prehistory'' of the irradiated object are considered. This dependence manifests itself in a decreased protective action of acute hypoxia on the hypoxia-adapted objects. To explain this a hypothesis is proposed connecting a degree of cell radiosensitivity modification, determined by the oxygen effect, with the intracellular oxygen content. The latter, in accord with current ideas, is regulated by variations in the diffusion resistance to oxygen shown by the cytoplasmic membranes depending on the energy level of the cell and the degree of its oxygenation

Determination of methylglyoxal in human blood plasma using fluorescence high performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 1,2-diamino-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogasawara, Yuki; Tanaka, Ryo; Koike, Shin; Horiuchi, Yasue; Miyashita, Mitsuhiro; Arai, Makoto

2016-09-01

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound that promotes the non-enzymatic glycation of proteins to yield irreversible advanced glycated end products, leading to the cross-linking or degradation of proteins. The physiological relevance of MG currently remains unclear because its metabolic behavior has not yet been elucidated in detail. Although several labeling methods that require a HPLC system have been developed and used to measure MG, a standard method to analyze the content of MG in biological samples has not been established. We herein present a practical method based on HPLC with fluorescence detection to measure low MG levels. MG concentrations were also measured in human blood plasma using the present method in order to demonstrate its utility. A calibration curve was produced using freshly purified MG at concentrations ranging between 0.05 and 1.0μM. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard diviations of the method were 2.55% and 4.03%, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 60fmol and 200fmol, respectively for MG with a 10-μl injection volume of the derivatized sample solution. When the optimized method was applied to human plasma, the resulting concentrations of MG in the plasma of healthy subjects (n=23) ranged between 0.024 and 0.258μM (mean±SD=0.098±0.066). Thus, the method developed herein is simple, sensitive, and easy to operate for the measurement of MG in biological samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RNAi reduces expression and intracellular retention of mutant cartilage oligomeric matrix protein.

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Karen L Posey

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP, a large extracellular glycoprotein expressed in musculoskeletal tissues, cause two skeletal dysplasias, pseudoachondroplasia and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. These mutations lead to massive intracellular retention of COMP, chondrocyte death and loss of growth plate chondrocytes that are necessary for linear growth. In contrast, COMP null mice have only minor growth plate abnormalities, normal growth and longevity. This suggests that reducing mutant and wild-type COMP expression in chondrocytes may prevent the toxic cellular phenotype causing the skeletal dysplasias. We tested this hypothesis using RNA interference to reduce steady state levels of COMP mRNA. A panel of shRNAs directed against COMP was tested. One shRNA (3B reduced endogenous and recombinant COMP mRNA dramatically, regardless of expression levels. The activity of the shRNA against COMP mRNA was maintained for up to 10 weeks. We also demonstrate that this treatment reduced ER stress. Moreover, we show that reducing steady state levels of COMP mRNA alleviates intracellular retention of other extracellular matrix proteins associated with the pseudoachondroplasia cellular pathology. These findings are a proof of principle and the foundation for the development of a therapeutic intervention based on reduction of COMP expression.

Effects of hirsutine, an antihypertensive indole alkaloid from Uncaria rhynchophylla, on intracellular calcium in rat thoracic aorta.

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, S; Yano, S; Aimi, N; Sakai, S; Watanabe, K

1992-01-01

The effects of hirsutine, an indole alkaloid from Uncaria rhynchophylla (MIQ.) Jackson, on cytosolic Ca2+ level ([Ca2+]cyt) were studied by using fura-2-Ca2+ fluorescence in smooth muscle of the isolated rat aorta. Noradrenaline and high K+ solution produced a sustained increase in [Ca2+]cyt. Application of hirsutine after the increases in [Ca2+]cyt induced by noradrenaline and high K+ notably decreased [Ca2+]cyt, suggesting that hirsutine inhibits Ca2+ influx mainly through a voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel. Furthermore, the effect of hirsutine on intracellular Ca2+ store was studied by using contractile responses to caffeine under the Ca(2+)-free nutrient condition in the rat aorta. When hirsutine was added at 30 microM before caffeine treatment, the agent slightly but significantly reduced the caffeine-induced contraction. When added during Ca2+ loading, hirsutine definitely augmented the contractile response to caffeine. These results suggest that hirsutine inhibits Ca2+ release from the Ca2+ store and increases Ca2+ uptake into the Ca2+ store, leading to a reduction of intracellular Ca2+ level. It is concluded that hirsutine reduces intracellular Ca2+ level through its effect on the Ca2+ store as well as through its effect on the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel.

Intracellular pH homeostasis in Leishmania donovani amastigotes and promastigotes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glaser, T.A.; Baatz, J.E.; Kreishman, G.P.; Mukkada, A.J.

1988-01-01

Intracellular pH and pH gradients of Leishmania donovani amastigotes and promastigotes were determined over a broad range of extracellular pH values. Intracellular pH was determined by 31 P NMR and by equilibrium distribution studies with 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione or methylamine. Promastigotes maintain intracellular pH values close to neutral between extracellular pH values of 5.0 and 7.4. Amastigote intracellular pH is maintained close to neutral at external pH values as low as 4.0. Both life stages maintain a positive pH gradient to an extracellular pH of 7.4, which is important for active transport of substrates. Treatment with ionophores, such as nigericin and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and the ATPase inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, reduced pH gradients in both stages. Maintenance of intracellular pH in the physiologic range is especially relevant for the survival of the amastigote in its acidic in vivo environment

Quantitative comparison of the efficacy of various compounds in lowering intracellular cholesterol levels in Niemann-Pick type C fibroblasts.

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Zachary T Wehrmann

Full Text Available Niemann-Pick Type C disease (NPC is a lethal, autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the NPC1 and NPC2 cholesterol transport proteins. NPC's hallmark symptoms include an accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and other lipids in the late endosomal and lysosomal cellular compartments, causing progressive neurodegeneration and death. Although the age of onset may vary in those affected, NPC most often manifests in juveniles, and is usually fatal before adolescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of various drugs, many of which modify the epigenetic control of NPC1/NPC2 gene expression, in lowering the otherwise harmful elevated intracellular cholesterol levels in NPC cells. Our studies utilized a previously described image analysis technique, which allowed us to make quantitative comparisons of the efficacy of these drugs in lowering cholesterol levels in a common NPC1 mutant model. Of the drugs analyzed, several that have been previously studied (vorinostat, panobinostat, and β-cyclodextrin significantly lowered the relative amount of unesterified cellular cholesterol, consistent with earlier observations. In addition, a novel potential treatment, rapamycin, likewise alleviated the NPC phenotype. We also studied combinations of effective compounds with β-cyclodextrin; the addition of β-cyclodextrin significantly enhanced the cholesterol-lowering activity of vorinostat and panobinostat, but had mixed effects with rapamycin. Collectively, these results may provide a basis for the eventual development of improved NPC therapies.

Directed antigen delivery as a vaccine strategy for an intracellular bacterial pathogen

Science.gov (United States)

Bouwer, H. G. Archie; Alberti-Segui, Christine; Montfort, Megan J.; Berkowitz, Nathan D.; Higgins, Darren E.

2006-03-01

We have developed a vaccine strategy for generating an attenuated strain of an intracellular bacterial pathogen that, after uptake by professional antigen-presenting cells, does not replicate intracellularly and is readily killed. However, after degradation of the vaccine strain within the phagolysosome, target antigens are released into the cytosol for endogenous processing and presentation for stimulation of CD8+ effector T cells. Applying this strategy to the model intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, we show that an intracellular replication-deficient vaccine strain is cleared rapidly in normal and immunocompromised animals, yet antigen-specific CD8+ effector T cells are stimulated after immunization. Furthermore, animals immunized with the intracellular replication-deficient vaccine strain are resistant to lethal challenge with a virulent WT strain of L. monocytogenes. These studies suggest a general strategy for developing safe and effective, attenuated intracellular replication-deficient vaccine strains for stimulation of protective immune responses against intracellular bacterial pathogens. CD8+ T cell | replication-deficient | Listeria monocytogenes

Involvement of intracellular Zn2+ signaling in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamano, Haruna; Nishio, Ryusuke; Takeda, Atsushi

2017-07-01

Physiological significance of synaptic Zn 2+ signaling was examined at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. In vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses was induced using a recording electrode attached to a microdialysis probe and the recording region was locally perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) via the microdialysis probe. Perforant pathway LTP was not attenuated under perfusion with CaEDTA (10 mM), an extracellular Zn 2+ chelator, but attenuated under perfusion with ZnAF-2DA (50 μM), an intracellular Zn 2+ chelator, suggesting that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling is required for perforant pathway LTP. Even in rat brain slices bathed in CaEDTA in ACSF, intracellular Zn 2+ level, which was measured with intracellular ZnAF-2, was increased in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare where perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses were contained after tetanic stimulation. These results suggest that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling, which originates in internal stores/proteins, is involved in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. Because the influx of extracellular Zn 2+ , which originates in presynaptic Zn 2+ release, is involved in LTP at Schaffer collateral-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses, synapse-dependent Zn 2+ dynamics may be involved in plasticity of postsynaptic CA1 pyramidal cells. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The small molecule triclabendazole decreases the intracellular level of cyclic AMP and increases resistance to stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

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Yong Joo Lee

Full Text Available The Ras-adenylyl cyclase-protein kinase A nutrient-sensing pathway controls metabolism, proliferation and resistance to stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The genetic disruption of this pathway increases resistance to a variety of stresses. We show here that the pharmacological inhibition of this pathway by the drug triclabendazole increases resistance to oxidants, heat stress and extends the chronological life. Evidence is presented that triclabendazole decreases the intracellular level of cyclic AMP by inhibiting adenylyl cyclase and triggers the parallel rapid translocation of the stress-resistance transcription factor Msn2 from the cytosol into the nucleus, as deduced from experiments employing a strain in which MSN2 is replaced with MSN2-GFP (GFP, green fluorescent protein. Msn2 and Msn4 are responsible for activating the transcription of numerous genes that encode proteins that protect cells from stress. The results are consistent with triclabendazole either inhibiting the association of Ras with adenylyl cyclase or directly inhibiting adenylyl cyclase, which in turn triggers Msn2/4 to enter the nucleus and activate stress-responsible element gene expression.

Detection of ubiquitinated huntingtin species in intracellular aggregates

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Katrin eJuenemann

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Protein conformation diseases, including polyglutamine diseases, result from the accumulation and aggregation of misfolded proteins. Huntington’s disease is one of nine diseases caused by an expanded polyglutamine repeat within the affected protein and is hallmarked by intracellular inclusion bodies composed of aggregated N-terminal huntingtin fragments and other sequestered proteins. Fluorescence microscopy and filter trap assay are conventional methods to study protein aggregates, but cannot be used to analyze the presence and levels of post-translational modifications of aggregated huntingtin such as ubiquitination. Ubiquitination of proteins can be a signal for degradation and intracellular localization, but also affects protein activity and protein-protein interactions. The function of ubiquitination relies on its mono- and polymeric isoforms attached to protein substrates. Studying the ubiquitination pattern of aggregated huntingtin fragments offers an important possibility to understand huntingtin degradation and aggregation processes within the cell. For the identification of aggregated huntingtin and its ubiquitinated species, solubilization of the cellular aggregates is mandatory. Here we describe methods to identify post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination of aggregated mutant huntingtin. This approach is specifically described for use with mammalian cell culture and is suitable to study other disease-related proteins prone to aggregate.

Intracellular Enzymes Contribution to the Biocatalytic Removal of Pharmaceuticals by Trametes hirsuta.

Science.gov (United States)

Haroune, Lounès; Saibi, Sabrina; Cabana, Hubert; Bellenger, Jean-Philippe

2017-01-17

The use of white rot fungi (WRF) for bioremediation of recalcitrant trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) is becoming greatly popular. Biosorption and lignin modifying enzymes (LMEs) are the most often reported mechanisms of action. Intracellular enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 (CYP450), have also been suggested to contribute. However, direct evidence of TrOCs uptake and intracellular transformation is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative contribution of biosorption, extracellular LMEs activity, TrOCs uptake, and intracellular CYP450 on the removal of six nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIs) by Trametes hirsuta. Results show that for most tested NSAIs, LMEs activity and biosorption failed to explain the observed removal. Most tested TrOCs are quickly taken up and intracellularly transformed. Fine characterization of intracellular transformation using ketoprofen showed that CYP450 is not the sole intracellular enzyme responsible for intracellular transformation. The contribution of CYP450 in further transformation of ketoprofen byproducts is also reported. These results illustrate that TrOCs transformation by WRF is a more complex process than previously reported. Rapid uptake of TrOCs and intracellular transformation through diverse enzymatic systems appears to be important components of WRF efficiency toward TrOCs.

MRP8/14 induces autophagy to eliminate intracellular Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jinli; Huang, Chunyu; Wu, Minhao; Zhong, Qiu; Yang, Kun; Li, Miao; Zhan, Xiaoxia; Wen, Jinsheng; Zhou, Lin; Huang, Xi

2015-04-01

To explore the role of myeloid-related protein 8/14 in mycobacterial infection. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MRP8 or MRP14 were measured by real-time PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. Role of MRP8/14 was tested by overexpression or RNA interference assays. Flow cytometry and colony forming unit were used to test the phagocytosis and the survival of intracellular Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG), respectively. Autophagy mediated by MRP8/14 was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The colocalization of BCG phagosomes with autophagosomes or lysosomes was by detected by confocal microscopy. ROS production was detected by flow cytometry. MRP8/14 expressions were up-regulated in human monocytic THP1 cells and primary macrophages after mycobacterial challenge. Silencing of MRP8/14 suppressed bacterial killing, but had no influence on the phagocytosis of BCG. Importantly, silencing MRP8/14 decreased autophagy and BCG phagosome maturation in THP1-derived macrophages, thereby increasing the BCG survival. Additionally, we demonstrated that MRP8/14 promoted autophagy in a ROS-dependent manner. The present study revealed a novel role of MRP8/14 in the autophagy-mediated elimination of intracellular BCG by promoting ROS generation, which may provide a promising therapeutic target for tuberculosis and other intracellular bacterial infectious diseases. Copyright © 2014 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

N-Acetylcysteine-induced vasodilatation is modulated by KATP channels, Na+/K+-ATPase activity and intracellular calcium concentration: An in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vezir, Özden; Çömelekoğlu, Ülkü; Sucu, Nehir; Yalın, Ali Erdinç; Yılmaz, Şakir Necat; Yalın, Serap; Söğüt, Fatma; Yaman, Selma; Kibar, Kezban; Akkapulu, Merih; Koç, Meryem İlkay; Seçer, Didem

2017-08-01

In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of ATP-sensitive potassium (K ATP ) channel, Na + /K + -ATPase activity, and intracellular calcium levels on the vasodilatory effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in thoracic aorta by using electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Rat thoracic aorta ring preparations and cultured thoracic aorta cells were divided into four groups as control, 2mM NAC, 5mM NAC, and 10mM NAC. Thoracic aorta rings were isolated from rats for measurements of relaxation responses and Na + /K + -ATPase activity. In the cultured thoracic aorta cells, we measured the currents of K ATP channel, the concentration of intracellular calcium and mRNA expression level of K ATP channel subunits (KCNJ8, KCNJ11, ABCC8 and ABCC9). The relaxation rate significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to control. Similarly, Na + /K + - ATPase activity also significantly decreased in NAC groups. Outward K ATP channel current significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to the control group. Intracellular calcium concentration decreased significantly in all groups with compared control. mRNA expression level of ABCC8 subunit significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to the control group. Pearson correlation analysis showed that relaxation rate was significantly associated with K ATP current, intracellular calcium concentration, Na + /K + -ATPase activity and mRNA expression level of ABCC8 subunit. Our findings suggest that NAC relaxes vascular smooth muscle cells through a direct effect on K ATP channels, by increasing outward K+ flux, partly by increasing mRNA expression of K ATP subunit ABCC8, by decreasing in intracellular calcium and by decreasing in Na + /K + -ATPase activity. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Functional characterization of the protein C A267T mutation: evidence for impaired secretion due to defective intracellular transport

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Tjeldhorn Lena

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Activated protein C (PC is a serine protease that regulates blood coagulation by inactivating coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. PC deficiency is an autosomally inherited disorder associated with a high risk of recurrent venous thrombosis. The aim of the study was to explore the mechanisms responsible for severe PC deficiency in a patient with the protein C A267T mutation by in-vitro expression studies. Results Huh7 and CHO-K1 cells were transiently transfected with expression vectors containing wild-type (WT PC and mutated PC (A267T PC cDNAs. PC mRNA levels were assessed by qRT-PCR and the PC protein levels were measured by ELISA. The mRNA levels of WT PC and A267T PC were similar, while the intracellular protein level of A267T PC was moderately decreased compared to WT PC. The secretion of A267T PC into the medium was severely impaired. No differences in molecular weights were observed between WT and A267T PC before and after treatment with endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Proteasomal and lysosomal degradations were examined using lactacystin and bafilomycin, respectively, and revealed that A267T PC was slightly more susceptible for proteasomal degradation than WT PC. Intracellular co-localization analysis indicated that A267T PC was mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER, whereas WT PC was observed in both ER and Golgi. Conclusions In contrast to what has been reported for other PC mutants, intracellular degradation of A267T PC was not the main/dominant mechanism underlying the reduced intracellular and secretion levels of PC. Our results indicate that the A267T mutation most likely caused misfolding of PC, which might lead to increased retention of the mutated PC in ER.

Ortholog-based screening and identification of genes related to intracellular survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaowen; Wang, Jiawei; Bing, Guoxia; Bie, Pengfei; De, Yanyan; Lyu, Yanli; Wu, Qingmin

2018-04-20

Bioinformatics and comparative genomics analysis methods were used to predict unknown pathogen genes based on homology with identified or functionally clustered genes. In this study, the genes of common pathogens were analyzed to screen and identify genes associated with intracellular survival through sequence similarity, phylogenetic tree analysis and the λ-Red recombination system test method. The total 38,952 protein-coding genes of common pathogens were divided into 19,775 clusters. As demonstrated through a COG analysis, information storage and processing genes might play an important role intracellular survival. Only 19 clusters were present in facultative intracellular pathogens, and not all were present in extracellular pathogens. Construction of a phylogenetic tree selected 18 of these 19 clusters. Comparisons with the DEG database and previous research revealed that seven other clusters are considered essential gene clusters and that seven other clusters are associated with intracellular survival. Moreover, this study confirmed that clusters screened by orthologs with similar function could be replaced with an approved uvrY gene and its orthologs, and the results revealed that the usg gene is associated with intracellular survival. The study improves the current understanding of intracellular pathogens characteristics and allows further exploration of the intracellular survival-related gene modules in these pathogens. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analysis of global gene expression profile of rice in response to methylglyoxal indicates its possible role as a stress signal molecule

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Charanpreet eKaur

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Methylglyoxal (MG is a toxic metabolite produced primarily as a byproduct of glycolysis. Being a potent glycating agent, it can readily bind macromolecules like DNA, RNA or proteins, modulating their expression and activity. In plants, despite the known inhibitory effects of MG on growth and development, still limited information is available about the molecular mechanisms and response pathways elicited upon elevation in MG levels. To gain insight into the molecular basis of MG response, we have investigated changes in global gene expression profiles in rice upon exposure to exogenous MG using GeneChip microarrays. Initially, growth of rice seedlings was monitored in response to increasing MG concentrations which could retard plant growth in a dose-dependent manner. Upon exposure to 10 mM concentration of MG, a total of 1685 probe sets were up- or down-regulated by more than 1.5-fold in shoot tissues within 16 h. These were classified into ten functional categories. The genes involved in signal transduction such as, protein kinases and transcription factors, were significantly over-represented in the perturbed transcriptome, of which several are known to be involved in abiotic and biotic stress response indicating a cross-talk between MG-responsive and stress-responsive signal transduction pathways. Through in silico studies, we could predict 7-8 bp long conserved motif as a possible MG-responsive element (MGRE in the 1 kb upstream region of genes that were more than ten-fold up- or down-regulated in the analysis. Since several perturbations were found in signaling cascades in response to MG, we hereby suggest that it plays an important role in signal transduction probably acting as a stress signal molecule.

DMPD: Intracellular DNA sensors in immunity. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 18573338 Intracellular DNA sensors in immunity. Takeshita F, Ishii KJ. Curr Opin Im...munol. 2008 Aug;20(4):383-8. Epub 2008 Jun 23. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Intracellular DNA sensors ...in immunity. PubmedID 18573338 Title Intracellular DNA sensors in immunity. Authors Takeshita F, Ishii KJ. P

Stochastic models of intracellular transport

KAUST Repository

Bressloff, Paul C.; Newby, Jay M.

2013-01-01

mechanisms for intracellular transport: passive diffusion and motor-driven active transport. Diffusive transport can be formulated in terms of the motion of an overdamped Brownian particle. On the other hand, active transport requires chemical energy, usually

Modulating and Measuring Intracellular H2O2 Using Genetically Encoded Tools to Study Its Toxicity to Human Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Beijing K; Stein, Kassi T; Sikes, Hadley D

2016-12-16

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H 2 O 2 play paradoxical roles in mammalian physiology. It is hypothesized that low, baseline levels of H 2 O 2 are necessary for growth and differentiation, while increased intracellular H 2 O 2 concentrations are associated with pathological phenotypes and genetic instability, eventually reaching a toxic threshold that causes cell death. However, the quantities of intracellular H 2 O 2 that lead to these different responses remain an unanswered question in the field. To address this question, we used genetically encoded constructs that both generate and quantify H 2 O 2 in a dose-response study of H 2 O 2 -mediated toxicity. We found that, rather than a simple concentration-response relationship, a combination of intracellular concentration and the cumulative metric of H 2 O 2 concentration multiplied by time (i.e., the area under the curve) determined the occurrence and level of cell death. Establishing the quantitative relationship between H 2 O 2 and cell toxicity promotes a deeper understanding of the intracellular effects of H 2 O 2 specifically as an individual reactive oxygen species, and it contributes to an understanding of its role in various redox-related diseases.

Memantine Can Reduce Ethanol-Induced Caspase-3 Activity and Apoptosis in H4 Cells by Decreasing Intracellular Calcium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaolong; Chen, Jiajun; Wang, Hongbo; Yu, Hao; Wang, Changliang; You, Jiabin; Wang, Pengfei; Feng, Chunmei; Xu, Guohui; Wu, Xu; Zhao, Rui; Zhang, Guohua

2017-08-01

Caspase-3 activation and apoptosis are associated with various neurodegenerative disorders. Calcium activation is an important factor in promoting apoptosis. We, therefore, assessed the role of intracellular calcium in ethanol-induced activation of caspase-3 in H4 human neuroglioma cells and the protective effect of the NMDA receptor antagonist, memantine, on ethanol-induced apoptosis in H4 cells. H4 cells were treated with 100 mM EtOH (in culture medium) for 2 days. For interaction studies, cells were treated with memantine (4 μM), EDTA (1 mM), or BAPTA-AM (10 μM) before treatment with EtOH. Knockdown of the gene encoding the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor was performed using RNAi. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry. Cell viability was detected using an MTS cell proliferation kit. Fluorescence dual wavelength spectrophotometry was used to determine the intracellular calcium concentration. The levels of NR1, caspase-3, IP3R1, and SERCA1 proteins were detected by western blotting. NR1, IP3R1, and SERCA1 mRNA levels were detected by qPCR. We observed increased expression of NR1, IP3R1, SERCA1, and increased intracellular levels of calcium ions in H4 cells exposed to ethanol. In addition, the calcium chelators, EDTA and BAPTA, and RNAi disruption of the NMDA receptor reduced ethanol-induced caspase-3 activation in H4 cells. Memantine treatment reduced the ethanol-induced increase of intracellular calcium, caspase-3 activation, apoptosis, and the ethanol-induced decrease in cell viability. Our results indicate that ethanol-induced caspase-3 activation and apoptosis are likely to be dependent on cytosolic calcium levels and that they can be reduced by memantine treatment.

Intracellular calcium mobilization in human lymphocytes in the presence of synthetic IgG Fc peptides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plummer, J.M.; Panahi, Y.P.; McClurg, M.R.; Hahn, G.S.; Naemura, J.R.

1986-01-01

Certain synthetic peptides derived from the Fc region of human IgG can suppress the mixed lymphocyte response. These peptides were tested for the ability to induce intracellular calcium mobilization in human lymphocytes using fura-2/calcium fluorescence. T cells were isolated by rosetting and were > 90% OKT3 positive. Lymphocytes were incubated with the acetoxymethyl ester of fura-2 (10 μM) for 60 minutes at 37 0 C. Fluorescence intensity changes at 505 nm were monitored at an excitation lambda of 340 nm. Fura-2 was not cytotoxic compared to quin-2 since fura-2 loaded mononuclear cells incorporated 3 H-thymidine when stimulated by PHA, succinyl Con A, PWM or LPS-STM whereas quin-2 loaded cells showed a dose dependent inhibition of proliferation. Those synthetic peptides (5 to 400 μg/ml) that suppressed the MLR induced a dose dependent increase in intracellular calcium in mononuclear cells, lymphocytes, non-T cells and T cells. The fura-2 calcium fluorescence time course response was similar for peptide, PHA and succinyl Con A. These results suggest that these immunoregulatory peptides suppress 3 H-thymidine incorporation at a point after intracellular calcium mobilization and that fura-2 has advantages over quin-2 in measuring intracellular calcium levels in lymphocytes

Intracellular Complement Activation Sustains T Cell Homeostasis and Mediates Effector Differentiation

Science.gov (United States)

Liszewski, M. Kathryn; Kolev, Martin; Le Friec, Gaelle; Leung, Marilyn; Bertram, Paula G.; Fara, Antonella F.; Subias, Marta; Pickering, Matthew C.; Drouet, Christian; Meri, Seppo; Arstila, T. Petteri; Pekkarinen, Pirkka T.; Ma, Margaret; Cope, Andrew; Reinheckel, Thomas; Rodriguez de Cordoba, Santiago; Afzali, Behdad; Atkinson, John P.; Kemper, Claudia

2013-01-01

Summary Complement is viewed as a critical serum-operative component of innate immunity, with processing of its key component, C3, into activation fragments C3a and C3b confined to the extracellular space. We report here that C3 activation also occurred intracellularly. We found that the T cell-expressed protease cathepsin L (CTSL) processed C3 into biologically active C3a and C3b. Resting T cells contained stores of endosomal and lysosomal C3 and CTSL and substantial amounts of CTSL-generated C3a. While “tonic” intracellular C3a generation was required for homeostatic T cell survival, shuttling of this intracellular C3-activation-system to the cell surface upon T cell stimulation induced autocrine proinflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, T cells from patients with autoimmune arthritis demonstrated hyperactive intracellular complement activation and interferon-γ production and CTSL inhibition corrected this deregulated phenotype. Importantly, intracellular C3a was observed in all examined cell populations, suggesting that intracellular complement activation might be of broad physiological significance. PMID:24315997

Monitoring changes in the intracellular calcium concentration and synaptic efficacy in the mollusc Aplysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludwar, Bjoern Ch; Evans, Colin G; Cropper, Elizabeth C

2012-07-15

synaptic transmission in identified pre- and postsynaptic neurons. At the conclusion of each trial, a custom script combines electrophysiology and imaging data. To ensure proper synchronization we use a light pulse from a LED mounted in the camera port of the microscope. Manipulation of presynaptic calcium levels (e.g. via intracellular EGTA injection) allows us to test specific hypotheses, concerning the role of intracellular calcium in mediating various forms of plasticity.

Optimizing Nanoelectrode Arrays for Scalable Intracellular Electrophysiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Jeffrey; Ye, Tianyang; Ham, Donhee; Park, Hongkun

2018-03-20

Electrode technology for electrophysiology has a long history of innovation, with some decisive steps including the development of the voltage-clamp measurement technique by Hodgkin and Huxley in the 1940s and the invention of the patch clamp electrode by Neher and Sakmann in the 1970s. The high-precision intracellular recording enabled by the patch clamp electrode has since been a gold standard in studying the fundamental cellular processes underlying the electrical activities of neurons and other excitable cells. One logical next step would then be to parallelize these intracellular electrodes, since simultaneous intracellular recording from a large number of cells will benefit the study of complex neuronal networks and will increase the throughput of electrophysiological screening from basic neurobiology laboratories to the pharmaceutical industry. Patch clamp electrodes, however, are not built for parallelization; as for now, only ∼10 patch measurements in parallel are possible. It has long been envisioned that nanoscale electrodes may help meet this challenge. First, nanoscale electrodes were shown to enable intracellular access. Second, because their size scale is within the normal reach of the standard top-down fabrication, the nanoelectrodes can be scaled into a large array for parallelization. Third, such a nanoelectrode array can be monolithically integrated with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electronics to facilitate the large array operation and the recording of the signals from a massive number of cells. These are some of the central ideas that have motivated the research activity into nanoelectrode electrophysiology, and these past years have seen fruitful developments. This Account aims to synthesize these findings so as to provide a useful reference. Summing up from the recent studies, we will first elucidate the morphology and associated electrical properties of the interface between a nanoelectrode and a cellular membrane

Investigating Internalization and Intracellular Trafficking of GPCRs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foster, Simon R; Bräuner-Osborne, Hans

2017-01-01

for signal transduction. One of the major mechanisms for GPCR regulation involves their endocytic trafficking, which serves to internalize the receptors from the plasma membrane and thereby attenuate G protein-dependent signaling. However, there is accumulating evidence to suggest that GPCRs can signal...... independently of G proteins, as well as from intracellular compartments including endosomes. It is in this context that receptor internalization and intracellular trafficking have attracted renewed interest within the GPCR field. In this chapter, we will review the current understanding and methodologies...

The epithelial cell cytoskeleton and intracellular trafficking. I. Shiga toxin B-subunit system: retrograde transport, intracellular vectorization, and more.

Science.gov (United States)

Johannes, Ludger

2002-07-01

Many intracellular transport routes are still little explored. This is particularly true for retrograde transport between the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum. Shiga toxin B subunit has become a powerful tool to study this pathway, and recent advances on the molecular mechanisms of transport in the retrograde route and on its physiological function(s) are summarized. Furthermore, it is discussed how the study of retrograde transport of Shiga toxin B subunit allows one to design new methods for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic compounds.

New perspective in the assessment of total intracellular magnesium

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Azzurra Sargenti

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Magnesium (Mg is essential for biological processes, but its cellular homeostasis has not been thoroughly elucidated, mainly because of the inadequacy of the available techniques to map intracellular Mg distribution. Recently, particular interest has been raised by a new family of fluorescent probes, diaza-18-crown-hydroxyquinoline (DCHQ, that shows remarkably high affinity and specificity for Mg, thus permitting the detection of the total intracellular Mg. The data obtained by fluori- metric and cytofluorimetric assays performed with DCHQ5 are in good agreement with atomic absorption spectroscopy, confirming that DCHQ5 probe allows both qualitative and quantitative determination of total intracellular Mg.

Lens intracellular hydrostatic pressure is generated by the circulation of sodium and modulated by gap junction coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Junyuan; Sun, Xiurong; Moore, Leon C.; White, Thomas W.; Brink, Peter R.

2011-01-01

We recently modeled fluid flow through gap junction channels coupling the pigmented and nonpigmented layers of the ciliary body. The model suggested the channels could transport the secretion of aqueous humor, but flow would be driven by hydrostatic pressure rather than osmosis. The pressure required to drive fluid through a single layer of gap junctions might be just a few mmHg and difficult to measure. In the lens, however, there is a circulation of Na+ that may be coupled to intracellular fluid flow. Based on this hypothesis, the fluid would cross hundreds of layers of gap junctions, and this might require a large hydrostatic gradient. Therefore, we measured hydrostatic pressure as a function of distance from the center of the lens using an intracellular microelectrode-based pressure-sensing system. In wild-type mouse lenses, intracellular pressure varied from ∼330 mmHg at the center to zero at the surface. We have several knockout/knock-in mouse models with differing levels of expression of gap junction channels coupling lens fiber cells. Intracellular hydrostatic pressure in lenses from these mouse models varied inversely with the number of channels. When the lens’ circulation of Na+ was either blocked or reduced, intracellular hydrostatic pressure in central fiber cells was either eliminated or reduced proportionally. These data are consistent with our hypotheses: fluid circulates through the lens; the intracellular leg of fluid circulation is through gap junction channels and is driven by hydrostatic pressure; and the fluid flow is generated by membrane transport of sodium. PMID:21624945

Advances in genetic manipulation of obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul eBeare

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Infections by obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens result in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. These bacteria include Chlamydia spp., which causes millions of cases of sexually transmitted disease and blinding trachoma annually, and members of the α-proteobacterial genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Orientia and Rickettsia, agents of serious human illnesses including epidemic typhus. Coxiella burnetii, the agent of human Q fever, has also been considered a prototypical obligate intracellular bacterium, but recent host cell-free (axenic growth has rescued it from obligatism. The historic genetic intractability of obligate intracellular bacteria has severely limited molecular dissection of their unique lifestyles and virulence factors involved in pathogenesis. Host cell restricted growth is a significant barrier to genetic transformation that can make simple procedures for free-living bacteria, such as cloning, exceedingly difficult. Low transformation efficiency requiring long term culture in host cells to expand small transformant populations is another obstacle. Despite numerous technical limitations, the last decade has witnessed significant gains in genetic manipulation of obligate intracellular bacteria including allelic exchange. Continued development of genetic tools should soon enable routine mutation and complementation strategies for virulence factor discovery and stimulate renewed interest in these refractory pathogens. In this review, we discuss the technical challenges associated with genetic transformation of obligate intracellular bacteria and highlight advances made with individual genera.

Intracellular transport of fat-soluble vitamins A and E.

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, Nozomu; Arai, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Vitamins are compounds that are essential for the normal growth, reproduction and functioning of the human body. Of the 13 known vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K are lipophilic compounds and are therefore called fat-soluble vitamins. Because of their lipophilicity, fat-soluble vitamins are solubilized and transported by intracellular carrier proteins to exert their actions and to be metabolized properly. Vitamin A and its derivatives, collectively called retinoids, are solubilized by intracellular retinoid-binding proteins such as cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP), cellular retinoic acid-binding protein (CRABP) and cellular retinal-binding protein (CRALBP). These proteins act as chaperones that regulate the metabolism, signaling and transport of retinoids. CRALBP-mediated intracellular retinoid transport is essential for vision in human. α-Tocopherol, the main form of vitamin E found in the body, is transported by α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) in hepatic cells. Defects of α-TTP cause vitamin E deficiency and neurological disorders in humans. Recently, it has been shown that the interaction of α-TTP with phosphoinositides plays a critical role in the intracellular transport of α-tocopherol and is associated with familial vitamin E deficiency. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms and biological significance of the intracellular transport of vitamins A and E. © 2014 The Authors. Traffic published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ciprofloxacin nano-niosomes for targeting intracellular infections: an in vitro evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akbari, Vajihe; Abedi, Daryoush; Pardakhty, Abbas; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat

2013-01-01

In order to propose non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) for the treatment of intracellular infections, a remote loading method (active drug encapsulation) followed by sonication was used to prepare nano-niosome formulations containing ciprofloxacin (CPFX). Size analysis, size distribution and zeta potentials of niosomes were evaluated and then their antimicrobial activity, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, intracellular distribution, and antibacterial activity against intracellular Staphylococcus aureus infection of murine macrophage-like, J774, cells were investigated in comparison to free drug. Our findings reveal that size and composition of the niosome formula can influence their in vitro biological properties. Vesicles in the 300–600 nm size range were phagocytosed to a greater degree by macrophages in comparison to other size vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CPFX-loaded niosomes were two to eightfold lower than MICs of free CPFX. In addition, niosome encapsulation of CPFX provided high intracellular antimicrobial activities while free CPFX is ineffective for eradicating intracellular forms of S. aureus. Encapsulation of CPFX in niosomes generally decreased its in vitro cytotoxicity. Our results show that niosomes are suitable drug delivery systems with good efficacy and safety properties to be proposed for drug targeting against intracellular infections.

Ciprofloxacin nano-niosomes for targeting intracellular infections: an in vitro evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akbari, Vajihe; Abedi, Daryoush [Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Pardakhty, Abbas [Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutics Research Center (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat, E-mail: sadeghi@pharm.mui.ac.ir [Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-04-15

In order to propose non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) for the treatment of intracellular infections, a remote loading method (active drug encapsulation) followed by sonication was used to prepare nano-niosome formulations containing ciprofloxacin (CPFX). Size analysis, size distribution and zeta potentials of niosomes were evaluated and then their antimicrobial activity, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, intracellular distribution, and antibacterial activity against intracellular Staphylococcus aureus infection of murine macrophage-like, J774, cells were investigated in comparison to free drug. Our findings reveal that size and composition of the niosome formula can influence their in vitro biological properties. Vesicles in the 300-600 nm size range were phagocytosed to a greater degree by macrophages in comparison to other size vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CPFX-loaded niosomes were two to eightfold lower than MICs of free CPFX. In addition, niosome encapsulation of CPFX provided high intracellular antimicrobial activities while free CPFX is ineffective for eradicating intracellular forms of S. aureus. Encapsulation of CPFX in niosomes generally decreased its in vitro cytotoxicity. Our results show that niosomes are suitable drug delivery systems with good efficacy and safety properties to be proposed for drug targeting against intracellular infections.

Spectrofluorometric determination of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cancer cells using the 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loetchutinat, Chatchanok [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi 20131 (Thailand); Kothan, Suchart [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi 20131 (Thailand); Dechsupa, Samarn [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi 20131 (Thailand); Meesungnoen, Jintana [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi 20131 (Thailand); Departement de medecine nucleaire et de radiobiologie, Faculte de medecine, Groupe en sciences des radiations, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4 (Canada); Jay-Gerin, Jean-Paul [Departement de medecine nucleaire et de radiobiologie, Faculte de medecine, Groupe en sciences des radiations, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4 (Canada); Mankhetkorn, Samlee [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi 20131 (Thailand)]. E-mail: samlee@bucc4.buu.ac.th

2005-02-01

This article examines a non-invasive spectrofluorometric method using the 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCHF-DA) assay for quantifying the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS{sub i}) produced in four cultured cancer cell lines: drug-sensitive (K562) and drug-resistant (K562/adr) human erythromyelogenous leukemia cell lines, and drug-sensitive (GLC4) and drug-resistant (GLC4/adr) human small cell lung carcinoma cell lines. The oxidation of the probe to the fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) was continuously monitored by following the DCF fluorescence intensity as a function of time using a standard spectrofluorometer in the presence of an extracellular DCF fluorescence quencher (Co{sup 2+}). By fitting the spectrofluorometric data to a kinetic model based on the following two reactions: (i) deacetylation of DCHF-DA to the oxidant-sensitive compound 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCHF) by cellular esterase enzymes (pseudo-first-order rate constant: k{sub e}) and (ii) oxidation of DCHF by ROS{sub i} (second-order rate constant: k{sub 2}), the parameters intervening in DCF formation, k{sub e} and the product of k{sub 2} by the ROS{sub i} concentration, were quantitatively determined for the different cell lines studied. The results revealed that the intracellular esterase content or activity is similar in K562, K562/adr, and GLC4 cells, but 5-fold higher in GLC4/adr cells. The product k{sub 2}[ROS{sub i}] was found to be similar in the four cell lines considered, with a mean value of (5.3+/-0.9)x10{sup -7}cell{sup -1}s{sup -1}. Assuming that H{sub 2}O{sub 2} (in combination with peroxidases) is the primary responsible species for DCHF oxidation in intact cells, and using the rate constant value k2=790+/-62M-1s-1 established in our laboratory for the reaction of DCHF with H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in the presence of horseradish peroxidase, the mean value of the intracellular levels of ROS{sub i} in those cells was estimated to be 0.67+/-0.16n

Light-induced dynamic structural color by intracellular 3D photonic crystals in brown algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Garcia, Martin; Masters, Nathan; O'Brien, Heath E; Lennon, Joseph; Atkinson, George; Cryan, Martin J; Oulton, Ruth; Whitney, Heather M

2018-04-01

Natural photonic crystals are responsible for strong reflectance at selective wavelengths in different natural systems. We demonstrate that intracellular opal-like photonic crystals formed from lipids within photosynthetic cells produce vivid structural color in the alga Cystoseira tamariscifolia . The reflectance of the opaline vesicles is dynamically responsive to environmental illumination. The structural color is present in low light-adapted samples, whereas higher light levels produce a slow disappearance of the structural color such that it eventually vanishes completely. Once returned to low-light conditions, the color re-emerges. Our results suggest that these complex intracellular natural photonic crystals are responsive to environmental conditions, changing their packing structure reversibly, and have the potential to manipulate light for roles beyond visual signaling.

Cytometric evaluation of intracellular IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in thyroid follicular cells from patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bossowski Artur

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In recent few years is underlined that altered balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of AITD. The aim of this study was to estimate intracellular INF-γ and IL-4 levels in thyroid-infiltrating lymphocytes and thyrocytes isolated from thyroid tissues in 54 adolescent patients aged 8-21 years, with Graves' disease (GD; n = 18, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT; n = 18 and non-toxic multinodular goiter (NTMG; n = 18. Methods Fresh thyroid tissues were taken on culture medium RPMI -1640, it was mechanically prepared. In next step were added cell activators -12- myristate 13- the acetate (PMA and Ionomycin as well as the inhibitor of transportation of proteins - Breferdin A. They were cultured 24 hours in 50 ml flasks at 37°C in a 5-95% CO2-air water-saturated atmosphere. After that, thyrocytes were identified by mouse mAb directed against human TPO epitope 64 conjugated with rabbit anti-mouse antibodies IgG (Fab'2 labeled by FITC. After incubation at room temperature to each of samples added reagent A fixative the cellular membrane. In next step into the cell suspensions were added reagent B to permeabilization of cellular membrane and specific anti-IL-4-PE or anti-IFN-γ-PE mAbs. Identification of intracellular cytokines in T lymphocytes was performed in the same procedure with application of anti-CD4-PerCP and anti-CD8-PerCP mAbs specific for T lymphocytes. The cells were analyzed in a flow cytometry (Coulter EPICS XL. Results In examined group of patients with GD we observed statistically significant higher mean percentage of cells with phenotype CD4+IL-4 (p Conclusions We conclude that human thyrocytes in autoimmune thyroid disorders could be a source of cytokine production and that their activation influences local interaction with T lymphocytes inflowing to the thyroid gland.

Analysis of glyoxal, methylglyoxal and dimethylglyoxal in beverages and edible products by mekc using meso-stilbenediamine as derivatizing reagent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirza, M.; Chaudhary, M.A.; Khuhawar, M.Y.; Arain, R.

2013-01-01

Summary: The reactive alpha-diketones; glyoxal (Go), methylglyoxal (MGo) and dimethyglyoxal (DMGo) were determined from wines, beers, whisky, coffee, tea, soy sauce, juices and yoghurt by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) using meso-stilbenediamine (meso-SD) as derivatizing reagent. The separation was carried out from uncoated fused silica capillary with effective length 39 cm x 75 micro m internal diameter (id), applied voltage 20 kV and photodiode detection at 228 nm. SDS was used as micellar medium at pH 8, and sodium tetraborate (0.1M) as buffer. The amounts of Go, MGo, and DMGo in Pakistani wines and beers were found within 1.31-6.49 micro g /mL with RSD 1.2 -3.7 %. The amount of Go, MGo and DMGo in food products (Brewed Coffee, Instant Coffee, Instant Tea, Soy sauce, Orange juice , Apple juice and Yoghurt) found were within 0.043-3.42 micro g /mL or micro g /g with RSD 1.1-3.9 %. The analysis was repeatable and reproducible using MEKC. Samples of wine and apple juice were also analyzed by using standard addition method and recoveries were calculated within 96.3-98.5 % with RSD 1.8-2.6 %. (author)

A bacteriophage endolysin that eliminates intracellular streptococci

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yang; Barros, Marilia; Vennemann, Tarek; Gallagher, D Travis; Yin, Yizhou; Linden, Sara B; Heselpoth, Ryan D; Spencer, Dennis J; Donovan, David M; Moult, John; Fischetti, Vincent A; Heinrich, Frank; Lösche, Mathias; Nelson, Daniel C

2016-01-01

PlyC, a bacteriophage-encoded endolysin, lyses Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy) on contact. Here, we demonstrate that PlyC is a potent agent for controlling intracellular Spy that often underlies refractory infections. We show that the PlyC holoenzyme, mediated by its PlyCB subunit, crosses epithelial cell membranes and clears intracellular Spy in a dose-dependent manner. Quantitative studies using model membranes establish that PlyCB interacts strongly with phosphatidylserine (PS), whereas its interaction with other lipids is weak, suggesting specificity for PS as its cellular receptor. Neutron reflection further substantiates that PlyC penetrates bilayers above a PS threshold concentration. Crystallography and docking studies identify key residues that mediate PlyCB–PS interactions, which are validated by site-directed mutagenesis. This is the first report that a native endolysin can traverse epithelial membranes, thus substantiating the potential of PlyC as an antimicrobial for Spy in the extracellular and intracellular milieu and as a scaffold for engineering other functionalities. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13152.001 PMID:26978792

Glycine facilitates gamma-glutamylcysteinylethyl ester-mediated increase in liver glutathione level.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishida, K; Ohta, Y; Ishiguro, I

1997-08-27

gamma-Glutamylcysteinylethyl ester (gamma-GCE) increases reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in GSH-depleted rat hepatocytes. Because glycine, a constituent of GSH, exists at 0.3 to 0.4 mM in rat plasma, we examined the influence of glycine added to the medium on the action of gamma-GCE to increase GSH levels in the rat hepatocytes. Glycine (0.2-0.8 mM) dose-dependently enhanced gamma-GCE-mediated increase in intracellular GSH levels with an increase in intracellular gamma-GCE levels. These results indicate that exogenous glycine facilitates gamma-GCE-mediated increase in intracellular GSH levels in rat hepatocytes possibly by enhancing the uptake of gamma-GCE into the cells.

LDL Receptors as Gateways for Intracellular Porphyrin Uptake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novick, S.; Laster, B.; Quastel, M.

2004-01-01

Boronated compounds are currently being studied for possible use in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). We found that one of these agents, BOPP (tetrakis-carborane-carboxylate, esters of 2,4-bis (a,b- dihydroxyethyl) deuteroporphyrin IX), could also be labeled with indium (In-BOPP) and, therefore, could also be used potentially to transport high Z atoms into tumor cell DNA for AET (Auger Electron Therapy). In order to assess the uptake of these agents into cells, the role of the LDL receptor in the intracellular accumulation of BOPP and In-BOPP was investigated. Pre-incubation of V-79 Chinese hamster cells in medium containing delipidized fetal bovine serum (FBS) markedly increased the subsequent uptake of intracellular boron transported by both BOPP and In-BOPP when compared with cells that had been pre-incubated with medium containing 10% normal FBS (lipidized). The increased uptake was characterized by elevated levels of receptor, and greater affinity was shown for both BOPP and In-BOPP, although less marked with the latter. Positive cooperativity was demonstrated by sigmoid saturation curves, Scatchard analysis and Hill plots. Increasing the amount of LDL in the incubation medium had a relatively small effect on the total accumulation of either indium or boron atoms inside the cell. Furthermore, chemical acetylation of LDL did not decrease the intracellular uptake of either boron or indium transported by BOPP or In-BOPP. It is thus concluded that BOPP and In-BOPP preferentially enter the cells directly by way of the LDL receptor and that only a small fraction of these molecules are transported into the cells indirectly using serum LDLs as their carriers. These data suggest a novel way of bringing greater amounts of boron and indium (and perhaps other agents) into tissues. Porphyrins can be used to transport different agents into tumor cells because they are tumor affinic molecules. Tumors express a higher number of LDL receptors than do most normal tissues

Photodynamic Action of LED-Activated Curcumin against Staphylococcus aureus Involving Intracellular ROS Increase and Membrane Damage

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Yuan Jiang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To investigate the effect of photodynamic action of LED-activated curcumin on cell viability, membrane permeability, and intracellular reactive oxygen species of Staphylococcus aureus. Methods. Staphylococcus aureus was incubated with the different concentrations of curcumin for 60 min and then irradiated by blue light with the wavelength of 470 nm and with light dose of 3 J/cm2. The colony forming unit assay was used to investigate photocytotoxicity of curcumin on Staphylococcus aureus, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM and flow cytometry (FCM for assaying membrane permeability, FCM analysis with DCFH-DA staining for measuring the intracellular ROS level, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM for observing morphology and structure. Results. Blue light-activated curcumin significantly killed Staphylococcus aureus in a curcumin dose-dependent manner. TEM observed remarkable structural damages in S. aureus after light-activated curcumin. More red fluorescence of PI dye was found in S. aureus treated by blue light-activated curcumin than in those of the controlled bacterial cells. Intracellular ROS increase was observed after light-activated curcumin. Conclusion. Blue light-activated curcumin markedly damaged membrane permeability, resulting in cell death of Staphylococcus aureus and highlighted that intracellular ROS increase might be an important event in photodynamic killing of Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of curcumin.

Effects of exposure to high glucose on primary cultured hippocampal neurons: involvement of intracellular ROS accumulation.

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Liu, Di; Zhang, Hong; Gu, Wenjuan; Zhang, Mengren

2014-06-01

Recent studies showed that hyperglycemia is the main trigger of diabetic cognitive impairment and can cause hippocampus abnormalities. The goal of this study is to explore the effects of different concentrations of high glucose for different exposure time on cell viability as well as intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Hippocampal neurons were exposed to different concentrations of high glucose (50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 mM) for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Cell viability and nuclear morphology were evaluated by MTT and Hoechst assays, respectively. Intracellular ROS were monitored using the fluorescent probe DCFH-DA. The results showed that, compared with control group, the cell viability of all high glucose-treated groups decreased significantly after 72 h and there also was a significant increase of apoptotic nuclei in high glucose-treated groups from 72 to 96 h. Furthermore, 50 mM glucose induced a peak rise in ROS generation at 24 h and the intracellular ROS levels of 50 mM glucose group were significantly higher than the corresponding control group from 6 to 72 h. These results suggest that hippocampal neurons could be injured by high glucose exposure and the neuronal injury induced by high glucose is potentially mediated through intracellular ROS accumulation.

Light irradiation helps magnetotactic bacteria eliminate intracellular reactive oxygen species.

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Li, Kefeng; Wang, Pingping; Chen, Chuanfang; Chen, Changyou; Li, Lulu; Song, Tao

2017-09-01

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) demonstrate photoresponse. However, little is known about the biological significance of this behaviour. Magnetosomes exhibit peroxidase-like activity and can scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). Magnetosomes extracted from the Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1 show enhanced peroxidase-like activity under illumination. The present study investigated the effects of light irradiation on nonmagnetic (without magnetosomes) and magnetic (with magnetosomes) AMB-1 cells. Results showed that light irradiation did not affect the growth of nonmagnetic and magnetic cells but significantly increased magnetosome synthesis and reduced intracellular ROS level in magnetic cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to analyse the expression level of magnetosome formation-associated genes (mamA, mms6, mms13 and mmsF) and stress-related genes (recA, oxyR, SOD, amb0664 and amb2684). Results showed that light irradiation upregulated the expression of mms6, mms13 and mmsF. Furthermore, light irradiation upregulated the expression of stress-related genes in nonmagnetic cells but downregulated them in magnetic cells. Additionally, magnetic cells exhibited stronger phototactic behaviour than nonmagnetic ones. These results suggested that light irradiation could heighten the ability of MTB to eliminate intracellular ROS and help them adapt to lighted environments. This phenomenon may be related to the enhanced peroxidase-like activity of magnetosomes under light irradiation. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitative measurement of intracellular transport of nanocarriers by spatio-temporal image correlation spectroscopy

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Coppola, S.; Pozzi, D.; Candeloro De Sanctis, S.; Digman, M. A.; Gratton, E.; Caracciolo, G.

2013-03-01

Spatio-temporal image correlation spectroscopy (STICS) is a powerful technique for assessing the nature of particle motion in complex systems although it has been rarely used to investigate the intracellular dynamics of nanocarriers so far. Here we introduce a method for characterizing the mode of motion of nanocarriers and for quantifying their transport parameters on different length scales from single-cell to subcellular level. Using this strategy we were able to study the mechanisms responsible for the intracellular transport of DOTAP-DOPC/DNA (DOTAP: 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane; DOPC: dioleoylphosphocholine) and DC-Chol-DOPE/DNA (DC-Chol: 3β-[N-(N,N-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol; DOPE: dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine) lipoplexes in CHO-K1 (CHO: Chinese hamster ovary) live cells. Measurement of both diffusion coefficients and velocity vectors (magnitude and direction) averaged over regions of the cell revealed the presence of distinct modes of motion. Lipoplexes diffused slowly on the cell surface (diffusion coefficient: D ≈ 0.003 μm2 s-1). In the cytosol, the lipoplexes’ motion was characterized by active transport with average velocity v ≈ 0.03 μm2 s-1 and random motion. The method permitted us to generate an intracellular transport map showing several regions of concerted motion of lipoplexes.

Quantitative measurement of intracellular transport of nanocarriers by spatio-temporal image correlation spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coppola, S; Pozzi, D; De Sanctis, S Candeloro; Caracciolo, G; Digman, M A; Gratton, E

2013-01-01

Spatio-temporal image correlation spectroscopy (STICS) is a powerful technique for assessing the nature of particle motion in complex systems although it has been rarely used to investigate the intracellular dynamics of nanocarriers so far. Here we introduce a method for characterizing the mode of motion of nanocarriers and for quantifying their transport parameters on different length scales from single-cell to subcellular level. Using this strategy we were able to study the mechanisms responsible for the intracellular transport of DOTAP–DOPC/DNA (DOTAP: 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane; DOPC: dioleoylphosphocholine) and DC-Chol–DOPE/DNA (DC-Chol: 3β-[N-(N,N-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol; DOPE: dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine) lipoplexes in CHO-K1 (CHO: Chinese hamster ovary) live cells. Measurement of both diffusion coefficients and velocity vectors (magnitude and direction) averaged over regions of the cell revealed the presence of distinct modes of motion. Lipoplexes diffused slowly on the cell surface (diffusion coefficient: D ≈ 0.003 μm 2 s −1 ). In the cytosol, the lipoplexes’ motion was characterized by active transport with average velocity v ≈ 0.03 μm 2 s −1 and random motion. The method permitted us to generate an intracellular transport map showing several regions of concerted motion of lipoplexes. (paper)

Effect of asoka on the intracellular glutathione levels and skin tumour promotion in mice.

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Varghese, C D; Nair, S C; Panikkar, B; Panikkar, K R

1993-04-15

The bark of Saraka asoca (asoka) is commonly used to treat various diseases by the Indian system of medicine and in Sri Lanka. Further purification and chemical analysis of the active compound from the bark extract of asoka showed that (-)-epicatechin was responsible for the observed antitumour/anticarcinogenic activity. Papilloma formation in mice initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and promoted using croton oil was inhibited by the topical application of 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of (-)-epicatechin isolated from asoka bark extract. Oral administration of the same dose restricted the growth of s.c. injected 20 methylcholanthrene (MCA) induced soil tissue fibrosarcomas significantly in mice. Elevations of almost 2-4-fold in the intracellular reduced glutathione and related enzymes viz., glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase of sarcoma-180 tumour cells were noted in the presence of 1 microgram/ml of (-)-epicatechin, further highlighting its antiproliferative effect.

Exercise Training under Exposure to Low Levels of Fine Particulate Matter: Effects on Heart Oxidative Stress and Extra-to-Intracellular HSP70 Ratio

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Aline Sfalcin Mai

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Fine particulate matter (PM2.5 promotes heart oxidative stress (OS and evokes anti-inflammatory responses observed by increased intracellular 70 kDa heat shock proteins (iHSP70. Furthermore, PM2.5 increases the levels of these proteins in extracellular fluids (eHSP70, which have proinflammatory roles. We investigated whether moderate and high intensity training under exposure to low levels of PM2.5 modifies heart OS and the eHSP70 to iHSP70 ratio (H-index, a biomarker of inflammatory status. Male mice (n=32, 30 days old, were divided into six groups for 12 weeks: control (CON, moderate (MIT and high intensity training (HIT, exposure to 5 μg of PM2.5 daily (PM2.5, and moderate and high intensity training exposed to PM2.5 (MIT + PM2.5 and HIT + PM2.5 groups. The CON and PM2.5 groups remained sedentary. The MIT + PM2.5 group showed higher heart lipid peroxidation levels than the MIT and PM2.5 groups. HIT and HIT + PM2.5 showed higher heart lipid peroxidation levels and lower eHSP70 and H-index levels compared to sedentary animals. No alterations were found in heart antioxidant enzyme activity or iHSP70 levels. Moderate exercise training under exposure to low levels of PM2.5 induces heart OS but does not modify eHSP70 to iHSP70 ratio (H-index. High intensity exercise training promotes anti-inflammatory profile despite exposure to low levels of PM2.5.

The interferon response to intracellular DNA: why so many receptors?

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Unterholzner, Leonie

2013-11-01

The detection of intracellular DNA has emerged to be a key event in the innate immune response to viruses and intracellular bacteria, and during conditions of sterile inflammation and autoimmunity. One of the consequences of the detection of DNA as a 'stranger' and a 'danger' signal is the production of type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Much work has been dedicated to the elucidation of the signalling cascades that activate this DNA-induced gene expression programme. However, while many proteins have been proposed to act as sensors for intracellular DNA in recent years, none has been met with universal acceptance, and a theory linking all the recent observations is, as yet, lacking. This review presents the evidence for the various interferon-inducing DNA receptors proposed to date, and examines the hypotheses that might explain why so many different receptors appear to be involved in the innate immune recognition of intracellular DNA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Size and Species on Lens Intracellular Hydrostatic Pressure

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Gao, Junyuan; Sun, Xiurong; Moore, Leon C.; Brink, Peter R.; White, Thomas W.; Mathias, Richard T.

2013-01-01

Purpose. Previous experiments showed that mouse lenses have an intracellular hydrostatic pressure that varied from 335 mm Hg in central fibers to 0 mm Hg in surface cells. Model calculations predicted that in larger lenses, all else equal, pressure should increase as the lens radius squared. To test this prediction, lenses of different radii from different species were studied. Methods. All studies were done in intact lenses. Intracellular hydrostatic pressures were measured with a microelectrode-manometer–based system. Membrane conductances were measured by frequency domain impedance analysis. Intracellular Na+ concentrations were measured by injecting the Na+-sensitive dye sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate. Results. Intracellular hydrostatic pressures were measured in lenses from mice, rats, rabbits, and dogs with radii (cm) 0.11, 0.22, 0.49, and 0.57, respectively. In each species, pressure varied from 335 ± 6 mm Hg in central fiber cells to 0 mm Hg in surface cells. Further characterization of transport in lenses from mice and rats showed that the density of fiber cell gap junction channels was approximately the same, intracellular Na+ concentrations varied from 17 mM in central fiber cells to 7 mM in surface cells, and intracellular voltages varied from −45 mV in central fiber cells to −60 mV in surface cells. Fiber cell membrane conductance was a factor of 2.7 times larger in mouse than in rat lenses. Conclusions. Intracellular hydrostatic pressure is an important physiological parameter that is regulated in lenses from these different species. The most likely mechanism of regulation is to reduce the density of open Na+-leak channels in fiber cells of larger lenses. PMID:23211824

Microaerobic growth and anaerobic survival of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Amy Herndon; Falkinham, Joseph O

2015-03-01

Representative strains of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (MAIS) grew at equal rates in laboratory medium at 21% (air) and 12% oxygen. Growth in 6% oxygen proceeded at a 1.4-1.8-fold lower rate. Colony formation was the same at 21% (air) and 6% oxygen. The MAIS strains survived rapid shifts from aerobic to anaerobic conditions as measured by two experimental approaches (Falkinham (1996) [1]). MAIS cells grown aerobically to log phase in broth were diluted, spread on agar medium, and incubated anaerobically for up to 20 days at 37°C. Although no colonies formed anaerobically, upon transfer to aerobic conditions, greater than 25% of the colony forming units (CFU) survived after 20 days of anaerobic incubation (Prince et al. (1989) [2]). MAIS cells grown in broth aerobically to log phase were sealed and vigorous agitation led to oxygen depletion (Wayne model). After 12 days anaerobic incubation, M. avium and M. scrofulaceum survival were high (>50%), while M. intracellulare survival was lower (22%). M. avium cells shifted to anaerobiosis in broth had increased levels of glycine dehydrogenase and isocitrate lyase. Growth of MAIS strains at low oxygen levels and their survival following a rapid shift to anaerobiosis is consistent with their presence in environments with fluctuating oxygen levels. Copyright © 2015 Asian African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microaerobic growth and anaerobic survival of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum

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Amy Herndon Lewis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Representative strains of Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (MAIS grew at equal rates in laboratory medium at 21% (air and 12% oxygen. Growth in 6% oxygen proceeded at a 1.4–1.8-fold lower rate. Colony formation was the same at 21% (air and 6% oxygen. The MAIS strains survived rapid shifts from aerobic to anaerobic conditions as measured by two experimental approaches (Falkinham (1996 [1]. MAIS cells grown aerobically to log phase in broth were diluted, spread on agar medium, and incubated anaerobically for up to 20 days at 37 °C. Although no colonies formed anaerobically, upon transfer to aerobic conditions, greater than 25% of the colony forming units (CFU survived after 20 days of anaerobic incubation (Prince et al. (1989 [2]. MAIS cells grown in broth aerobically to log phase were sealed and vigorous agitation led to oxygen depletion (Wayne model. After 12 days anaerobic incubation, M. avium and M. scrofulaceum survival were high (>50%, while M. intracellulare survival was lower (22%. M. avium cells shifted to anaerobiosis in broth had increased levels of glycine dehydrogenase and isocitrate lyase. Growth of MAIS strains at low oxygen levels and their survival following a rapid shift to anaerobiosis is consistent with their presence in environments with fluctuating oxygen levels.

Evaluation of Two Biochemical Markers for Salt Stress in Three Pistachio Rootstocks Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae)

OpenAIRE

Shamshiri M.H.; Fattahi. M.

2014-01-01

The possible involvement of the methylglyoxal and proline accumulation in leaves and roots of three pistachio rootstocks, cv. Sarakha, Abareqi and Bane baghi, pre-inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus ( Glomus mosseae ) in response to salt stress was studied during a greenhouse experiment in 2013. Six months old pistachio seedlings were exposed to four salinity levels of irrigation water (EC of 0.5 as control, 5, 10 and 15 dS m -1) for 70 days. Methylglyoxal and proline of the roots a...

Influence of docosahexaenoic acid in vitro on intracellular adriamycin concentration in lymphocytes and human adriamycin-sensitive and -resistant small-cell lung cancer cell lines, and on cytotoxicity in the tumor cell lines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zijlstra, J G; de Vries, E G; Muskiet, F A; Martini, I A; Timmer-Bosscha, H; Mulder, N H

1987-01-01

An increase in the therapeutic effects of cancer chemotherapeutic agents and circumvention of drug resistance in cancer cells might result from an increase in the intracellular drug level. Alteration of the lipid domain of the cell membrane can result in a higher intracellular drug level. This

Involvement of indole-3-acetic acid produced by Azospirillum brasilense in accumulating intracellular ammonium in Chlorella vulgaris.

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Meza, Beatriz; de-Bashan, Luz E; Bashan, Yoav

2015-01-01

Accumulation of intracellular ammonium and activities of the enzymes glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were measured when the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was immobilized in alginate with either of two wild type strains of Azospirillum brasilense or their corresponding indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-attenuated mutants. After 48 h of immobilization, both wild types induced higher levels of intracellular ammonium in the microalgae than their respective mutants; the more IAA produced, the higher the intracellular ammonium accumulated. Accumulation of intracellular ammonium in the cells of C. vulgaris followed application of four levels of exogenous IAA reported for A. brasilense and its IAA-attenuated mutants, which had a similar pattern for the first 24 h. This effect was transient and disappeared after 48 h of incubation. Immobilization of C. vulgaris with any bacteria strain induced higher GS activity. The bacterial strains also had GS activity, comparable to the activity detected in C. vulgaris, but weaker than when immobilized with the bacteria. When net activity was calculated, the wild type always induced higher GS activity than IAA-attenuated mutants. GDH activity in most microalgae/bacteria interactions resembled GS activity. When complementing IAA-attenuated mutants with exogenous IAA, GS activity in co-immobilized cultures matched those of the wild type A. brasilense immobilized with the microalga. Similarity occurred when the net GS activity was measured, and was higher with greater quantities of exogenous IAA. It is proposed that IAA produced by A. brasilense is involved in ammonium uptake and later assimilation by C. vulgaris. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The effects of red ginseng saponin fraction-A (RGSF-A) on phagocytosis and intracellular signaling in Brucella abortus infected RAW 264.7 cells.

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Arayan, Lauren Togonon; Simborio, Hannah Leah; Reyes, Alisha Wehdnesday Bernardo; Hop, Huynh Tan; Min, WonGi; Lee, Hu Jang; Rhee, Man Hee; Chang, Hong Hee; Kim, Suk

2015-06-01

This study indicated that RGSF-A caused a marked reduction in the adherence, internalization and intracellular growth of Brucella abortus in RGSF-A-treated cells. Furthermore, a decline in the intensity of F-actin fluorescence was observed in RGSF-A-treated cells compared with untreated B. abortus-infected cells. In addition, an evaluation of phagocytic signaling proteins by Western blot analysis revealed an apparent reduction of ERK and p38α phosphorylation levels in B. abortus-infected RGSF-A-treated cells compared with the control. Upon intracellular trafficking of the pathogen, a higher number of B. abortus-containing phagosomes colocalized with LAMP-1 in RGSF-A-treated cells compared with control cells. These results strongly suggest that inhibition of B. abortus uptake could be mediated by suppression in the activation of MAPKs signaling proteins phospho-ERK 1/2, and p38 levels. On the other hand, inhibition of intracellular replication results from the enhancement of phagolysosome fusion in host macrophages. This study highlights the phagocytic and intracellular modulating effect of RGSF-A and its potential as an alternative remedy to control B. abortus infection. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Melatonin-Mediated Intracellular Insulin during 2-Deoxy-d-glucose Treatment Is Reduced through Autophagy and EDC3 Protein in Insulinoma INS-1E Cells

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Han Sung Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available 2-DG triggers glucose deprivation without altering other nutrients or metabolic pathways and then activates autophagy via activation of AMPK and endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress. We investigated whether 2-DG reduced intracellular insulin increased by melatonin via autophagy/EDC3 in insulinoma INS-1E cells. p-AMPK and GRP78/BiP level were significantly increased by 2-DG in the presence/absence of melatonin, but IRE1α level was reduced in 2-DG treatment. Levels of p85α, p110, p-Akt (Ser473, Thr308, and p-mTOR (Ser2481 were also significantly reduced by 2-DG in the presence/absence of melatonin. Mn-SOD increased with 2-DG plus melatonin compared to groups treated with/without melatonin alone. Bcl-2 was decreased and Bax increased with 2-DG plus melatonin. LC3II level increased with 2-DG treatment in the presence/absence of melatonin. Intracellular insulin production increased in melatonin plus 2-DG but reduced in treatment with 2-DG with/without melatonin. EDC3 was increased by 2-DG in the presence/absence of melatonin. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, increased GRP78/BiP and EDC3 levels in a dose-dependent manner and subsequently resulted in a decrease in intracellular production of insulin. These results suggest that melatonin-mediated insulin synthesis during 2-DG treatment involves autophagy and EDC3 protein in rat insulinoma INS-1E cells and subsequently results in a decrease in intracellular production of insulin.

Inhibitory effect of red ginseng acidic polysaccharide from Korean red ginseng on phagocytic activity and intracellular replication of Brucella abortus in RAW 264.7 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Alisha Wehdnesday Bernardo; Simborio, Hannah Leah Tadeja; Hop, Huynh Tan; Arayan, Lauren Togonon; Min, Won Gi; Lee, Hu Jang; Rhee, Man Hee; Chang, Hong Hee; Kim, Suk

2016-09-30

Korean red ginseng (KRG) has long been used in traditional Korean and Oriental medicine. However, the anti-bacterial mechanism and therapeutic efficiency of KGR for intracellular Brucella infection are still unclear. In this study, the bactericidal activity of Korean red ginseng acidic polysaccharide (RGAP) on Brucella (B.) abortus and its cytotoxic effects on RAW 264.7 cells were evaluated. In addition, B. abortus internalization and intracellular replication in macrophages were investigated after RGAP treatment. RGAP-incubated cells displayed a marked reduction in the adherence, internalization and intracellular growth of B. abortus in macrophages. Furthermore, decreased F-actin fluorescence was observed relative to untreated B. abortus-infected cells. Western blot analysis of intracellular signaling proteins revealed reduced ERK, JNK and p38α phosphorylation levels in B. abortus-infected RGAP-treated cells compared to the control. Moreover, elevated co-localization of B. abortus-containing phagosomes with lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1) were observed in RGAP-treated cells compared with the control. Overall, the results of this study suggest that RGAP can disrupt phagocytic activity of B. abortus via suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling proteins ERK, JNK and p38 levels and inhibit intracellular replication of B. abortus by enhancing phagolysosome fusion, which may provide an alternative control of brucellosis.

Involvement of histone H3 phosphorylation via the activation of p38 MAPK pathway and intracellular redox status in cytotoxicity of HL-60 cells induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract.

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Hidetomo; Yuan, Bo; Yuhara, Eisuke; Imai, Masahiko; Furutani, Ryota; Fukushima, Shin; Hazama, Shingo; Hirobe, Chieko; Ohyama, Kunio; Takagi, Norio; Toyoda, Hiroo

2014-08-01

We have demonstrated that an extract from the ripe fruit of Vitex angus-castus (Vitex), might be a promising anticancer candidate. In order to further provide a molecular rationale for clinical development in anticancer therapy, a detailed mechanism underlying the efficacy of Vitex against HL-60 cells was investigated. Vitex induced a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability associated with induction of apoptosis and G(2)/M cell cycle arrest, both of which were suppressed by the addition of SB203580, an inhibitor for p38 MAPK. Furthermore, SB203580 significantly suppressed Vitex-induced phosphorylation of histone H3, a downstream molecule of p38 MAPK known to be involved in apoptosis induction in tumor cells. Notably, Vitex induced upregulation of intracellular ATP, known to bind its binding pocket inside activated p38 MAPK and to be required for the activation of p38 MAPK pathway. These results, thus, suggest that upregulation of intracellular ATP and phosphorylation of histone H3 are closely associated with the activation of p38 MAPK pathway, consequently contributing to Vitex-mediated cytotoxicity. Intriguingly, a significant decrease of intracellular ROS levels and downregulation of expression level of gp91(phox), an important component of NADPH oxidase, were observed in Vitex-treated cells. A greater decline in ROS levels along with enhanced apoptosis was observed after treatment with Vitex in combination with SnPP, an inhibitor specific for HO-1. Since NADPH oxidase and HO-1 are closely correlated to redox status associated with intracellular ROS levels, the two enzymes are suggested to be implicated in Vitex-mediated cytotoxicity in HL-60 cells by regulating ROS generation. We also suggest that activation of the p38 MAPK pathway may be dependent on the alterations of intracellular ATP levels, rather than that of intracellular ROS levels. These results may have important implications for appropriate clinical uses of Vitex and provide novel insights

Surveillance for Intracellular Antibody by Cytosolic Fc Receptor TRIM21

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William A. McEwan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available TRIM21 has emerged as an atypical Fc receptor that is broadly conserved and widely expressed in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Viruses that traffic surface-bound antibodies into the cell during infection recruit TRIM21 via a high affinity interaction between Fc and TRIM21 PRYSPRY domain. Following binding of intracellular antibody, TRIM21 acts as both antiviral effector and sensor for innate immune signalling. These activities serve to reduce viral replication by orders of magnitude in vitro and contribute to host survival during in vivo infection. Neutralization occurs rapidly after detection and requires the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The microbial targets of this arm of intracellular immunity are still being identified: TRIM21 activity has been reported following infection by several non-enveloped viruses and intracellular bacteria. These findings extend the sphere of influence of antibodies to the intracellular domain and have broad implications for immunity. TRIM21 has been implicated in the chronic auto-immune condition systemic lupus erythematosus and is itself an auto-antigen in Sjögren’s syndrome. This review summarises our current understanding of TRIM21’s role as a cytosolic Fc receptor and briefly discusses pathological circumstances where intracellular antibodies have been described, or are hypothesized to occur, and may benefit from further investigations of the role of TRIM21.

Evaluation of Two Biochemical Markers for Salt Stress in Three Pistachio Rootstocks Inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae

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Shamshiri M.H.

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The possible involvement of the methylglyoxal and proline accumulation in leaves and roots of three pistachio rootstocks, cv. Sarakha, Abareqi and Bane baghi, pre-inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus mosseae in response to salt stress was studied during a greenhouse experiment in 2013. Six months old pistachio seedlings were exposed to four salinity levels of irrigation water (EC of 0.5 as control, 5, 10 and 15 dS m-1 for 70 days. Methylglyoxal and proline of the roots and leaves were increased by increasing salt stress. The highest concentrations of proline in leaves and roots were recorded in Abareqi rootstock while the lowest concentration was observed in Sarakhs. In general, a negative relationship was obtained between proline and methylglyoxal concentrations in both tissues especially at two highest levels of salinity. A very strong relationship between salinity and measured biochemical markers were found. The level of both biomarkers were reduced in both tissues and in all rootstocks as the effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Root colonization percentage was declined as the effect of salinity in Abareqi and Bane baghi and not in Sarakhs.

Mobilization of Intracellular Copper by Gossypol and Apogossypolone Leads to Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Cell Death: Putative Anticancer Mechanism

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Haseeb Zubair

2016-06-01

Full Text Available There is compelling evidence that serum, tissue and intracellular levels of copper are elevated in all types of cancer. Copper has been suggested as an important co-factor for angiogenesis. It is also a major metal ion present inside the nucleus, bound to DNA bases, particularly guanine. We have earlier proposed that the interaction of phenolic-antioxidants with intracellular copper leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS that ultimately serve as DNA cleaving agents. To further validate our hypothesis we show here that the antioxidant gossypol and its semi-synthetic derivative apogossypolone induce copper-mediated apoptosis in breast MDA-MB-231, prostate PC3 and pancreatic BxPC-3 cancer cells, through the generation of ROS. MCF10A breast epithelial cells refractory to the cytotoxic property of these compounds become sensitized to treatment against gossypol, as well as apogossypolone, when pre-incubated with copper. Our present results confirm our earlier findings and strengthen our hypothesis that plant-derived antioxidants mobilize intracellular copper instigating ROS-mediated cellular DNA breakage. As cancer cells exist under significant oxidative stress, this increase in ROS-stress to cytotoxic levels could be a successful anticancer approach.

Legionella pneumophila transcriptome during intracellular multiplication in human macrophages

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Sebastien P Faucher

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, an acute pulmonary infection. L. pneumophila is able to infect and multiply in both phagocytic protozoa, such as Acanthamoeba castellanii, and mammalian professional phagocytes. The best-known L. pneumophila virulence determinant is the Icm/Dot Type IVB secretion system (TFBSS, which is used to translocate more than 150 effector proteins to host cells. While the transcriptional response of Legionella to the intracellular environment of A. castellanii has been investigated, much less is known about the Legionella transcriptional response inside human macrophages. In this study, the transcriptome of L. pneumophila was monitored during exponential and post-exponential phase in rich AYE broth as well as during infection of human cultured macrophages. This was accomplished with microarrays and an RNA amplification procedure called SCOTS to detect small amounts of mRNA from low numbers of intracellular bacteria. Among the genes induced intracellularly are those involved in amino acid biosynthetic pathways leading to L-arginine, L-histidine and L-proline as well as many transport systems involved in amino acid and iron uptake. Gene involved in catabolism of glycerol is also induced during intracellular growth and could be used as a carbon source. The genes encoding the Icm/Dot system are not differentially expressed inside cells compared to control bacteria grown in rich broth, but the genes encoding several translocated effectors are strongly induced. Moreover, we used the transcriptome data to predict previously unrecognized Icm/Dot effector genes based on their expression pattern and confirmed translocation for three candidates. This study provides a comprehensive view of how L. pneumophila responds to the human macrophage intracellular environment.

Direct Targeting of Macrophages With Methylglyoxal-Bis-Guanylhydrazone Decreases SIV-Associated Cardiovascular Inflammation and Pathology.

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Walker, Joshua A; Miller, Andrew D; Burdo, Tricia H; McGrath, Michael S; Williams, Kenneth C

2017-04-15

Despite effective combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected individuals develop comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, where activated macrophages play a key role. To date, few therapies target activated monocytes and macrophages. We evaluated a novel oral form of the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG) on cardiovascular inflammation, carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), and fibrosis in a simian immunodeficiency virus infection model of AIDS. Eleven simian immunodeficiency virus-infected animals received MGBG (30 mg/kg) once daily and 8 received a placebo control both beginning at 21 days postinfection (dpi). Animals were time sacrificed at 49 days post infection (dpi), when their matched placebo controls developed AIDS (63, 70, 77, 80), or at the study end-point (84 dpi). Aorta, carotid artery, and cardiac tissues were analyzed. Quantitative analyses of macrophage populations and T lymphocytes were done and correlated with cIMT and fibrosis. MGBG treatment resulted in 2.19-fold (CD163), 1.86-fold (CD68), 2.31-fold (CD206), and 2.12-fold (MAC387) decreases in macrophages in carotid arteries and significant 2.07-fold (CD163), 1.61-fold (CD68), 1.95-fold (MAC387), and 1.62-fold (CD206) decreases in macrophages in cardiac tissues. cIMT (1.49-fold) and fibrosis (2.05-fold) also were significantly decreased with MGBG treatment. Numbers of macrophage and the degree of fibrosis in treated animals were similar to uninfected animals. A positive correlation between decreased macrophage in the carotid artery and cIMT, and cardiac macrophages and fibrosis was found. These data demonstrate that directly targeting macrophages with MGBG can reduce cardiovascular inflammation, cIMT, and fibrosis. They suggest that therapies targeting macrophages with HIV could be used in conjunction with combination antiretroviral therapy.

Pulsed electromagnetic fields promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts by reinforcing intracellular calcium transients.

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Tong, Jie; Sun, Lijun; Zhu, Bin; Fan, Yun; Ma, Xingfeng; Yu, Liyin; Zhang, Jianbao

2017-10-01

Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) can be used to treat bone-related diseases, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear, especially the process by which PEMFs initiate biological effects. In this study, we demonstrated the effects of PEMF on proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts using the model of calcium transients induced by high extracellular calcium. Our results showed that PEMF can increase both the percentage of responding cells and amplitude of intracellular calcium transients induced by high extracellular calcium stimulation. Compared with corresponding extracellular calcium levels, PEMF stimulation increased proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and related gene expressions, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and osteocalcin (OCN), which can be completely abolished by BAPTA-AM. Moreover, PEMF did not affect proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts if no intracellular calcium transient was present in osteoblasts during PEMF exposure. Our results revealed that PEMF affects osteoblast proliferation and differentiation through enhanced intracellular calcium transients, which provided a cue to treat bone-related diseases with PEMF. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:541-549, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intracellular fate of recombinant human interferon-gamma (rIFN) in U937 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finbloom, D.S.

1986-01-01

After IFN binds to specific receptors on macrophages, both modulation of surface molecules and induction of microbicidal and tumoricidal activity occurs 24-48 hr later. Since the intracellular events required to insure these responses are poorly defined, the fate of radiolabeled rIFN in U937 cells was examined. Endocytosis was determined by exposing cells to pH 2.5 to allow rIFN to dissociate leaving only intracellular ligand. Degradation was measured as trichloroacetic acid soluble radioactivity in the media. Of the 4-5000 molecules of rIFN that specifically and saturably (at 300 U/ml) bound at 4 0 C, 40% dissociated during 15-30 min after cells were warmed to 37 0 C. However, if cells were continuously exposed at 37 0 C to lower levels of rIFN (60-100 U/ml), 30-40% of those molecules capable of binding to the cell at that concentration were internalized. Furthermore, 60% of the molecules were degraded during 3-4 hr of additional culture. Since exposure of cells to chloroquine and monensin resulted in only partial inhibition of degradation (75% and 43%, respectively), there may also be degradation within endosomes or on the cell following binding to its receptor. Soon thereafter, degradation products are measurable. Since many biological responses require prolonged incubation with the molecule, intracellular processing of IFN may be important for expression of these effects

Depletion of intracellular calcium stores facilitates the influx of extracellular calcium in platelet derived growth factor stimulated A172 glioblastoma cells.

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Vereb, G; Szöllösi, J; Mátyus, L; Balázs, M; Hyun, W C; Feuerstein, B G

1996-05-01

Calcium signaling in non-excitable cells is the consequence of calcium release from intracellular stores, at times followed by entry of extracellular calcium through the plasma membrane. To study whether entry of calcium depends upon the level of saturation of intracellular stores, we measured calcium channel opening in the plasma membrane of single confluent A172 glioblastoma cells stimulated with platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and/or bradykinin (BK). We monitored the entry of extracellular calcium by measuring manganese quenching of Indo-1 fluorescence. PDGF raised intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) after a dose-dependent delay (tdel) and then opened calcium channels after a dose-independent delay (tch). At higher doses (> 3 nM), BK increased [Ca2+]i after a tdel approximately 0 s, and tch decreased inversely with both dose and peak [Ca2+]i. Experiments with thapsigargin (TG), BK, and PDGF indicated that BK and PDGF share intracellular Ca2+ pools that are sensitive to TG. When these stores were depleted by treatment with BK and intracellular BAPTA, tdel did not change, but tch fell to almost 0 s in PDGF stimulated cells, indicating that depletion of calcium stores affects calcium channel opening in the plasma membrane. Our data support the capacitative model for calcium channel opening and the steady-state model describing quantal Ca2+ release from intracellular stores.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 is a novel target to improve net ultrafiltration in methylglyoxal-induced peritoneal injury.

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Terabayashi, Takeshi; Ito, Yasuhiko; Mizuno, Masashi; Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Kinashi, Hiroshi; Sakata, Fumiko; Tomita, Takako; Iguchi, Daiki; Tawada, Mitsuhiro; Nishio, Ryosuke; Maruyama, Shoichi; Imai, Enyu; Matsuo, Seiichi; Takei, Yoshifumi

2015-09-01

Appropriate fluid balance is important for good clinical outcomes and survival in patients on peritoneal dialysis. We recently reported that lymphangiogenesis associated with fibrosis developed in the peritoneal cavity via the transforming growth factor-β1-vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) pathway. We investigated whether VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR-3), the receptor for VEGF-C and -D, might be a new target to improve net ultrafiltration by using adenovirus-expressing soluble VEGFR-3 (Adeno-sVEGFR-3) in rodent models of peritoneal injury induced by methylglyoxal (MGO). We demonstrated that lymphangiogenesis developed in these MGO models, especially in the diaphragm, indicating that lymphangiogenesis is a common feature in the peritoneal cavity with inflammation and fibrosis. In MGO models, VEGF-D was significantly increased in the diaphragm; however, VEGF-C was not significantly upregulated. Adeno-sVEGFR-3, which was detected on day 50 after administration via tail vein injections, successfully suppressed lymphangiogenesis in the diaphragm and parietal peritoneum in mouse MGO models without significant effects on fibrosis, inflammation, or neoangiogenesis. Drained volume in the peritoneal equilibration test using a 7.5% icodextrin peritoneal dialysis solution (the 7.5% icodextrin peritoneal equilibration test) was improved by Adeno-sVEGFR-3 on day 22 (Ptarget to improve net ultrafiltration by suppressing lymphatic absorption and that the 7.5% icodextrin peritoneal equilibration test is useful for estimation of lymphatic absorption.

Modulation of intracellular calcium waves and triggered activities by mitochondrial ca flux in mouse cardiomyocytes.

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Zhenghang Zhao

Full Text Available Recent studies have suggested that mitochondria may play important roles in the Ca(2+ homeostasis of cardiac myocytes. However, it is still unclear if mitochondrial Ca(2+ flux can regulate the generation of Ca(2+ waves (CaWs and triggered activities in cardiac myocytes. In the present study, intracellular/cytosolic Ca(2+ (Cai (2+ was imaged in Fluo-4-AM loaded mouse ventricular myocytes. Spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR Ca(2+ release and CaWs were induced in the presence of high (4 mM external Ca(2+ (Cao (2+. The protonophore carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP reversibly raised basal Cai (2+ levels even after depletion of SR Ca(2+ in the absence of Cao (2+ , suggesting Ca(2+ release from mitochondria. FCCP at 0.01 - 0.1 µM partially depolarized the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ m and increased the frequency and amplitude of CaWs in a dose-dependent manner. Simultaneous recording of cell membrane potentials showed the augmentation of delayed afterdepolarization amplitudes and frequencies, and induction of triggered action potentials. The effect of FCCP on CaWs was mimicked by antimycin A (an electron transport chain inhibitor disrupting Δψ m or Ru360 (a mitochondrial Ca(2+ uniporter inhibitor, but not by oligomycin (an ATP synthase inhibitor or iodoacetic acid (a glycolytic inhibitor, excluding the contribution of intracellular ATP levels. The effects of FCCP on CaWs were counteracted by the mitochondrial permeability transition pore blocker cyclosporine A, or the mitochondrial Ca(2+ uniporter activator kaempferol. Our results suggest that mitochondrial Ca(2+ release and uptake exquisitely control the local Ca(2+ level in the micro-domain near SR ryanodine receptors and play an important role in regulation of intracellular CaWs and arrhythmogenesis.

Inhibition of Methylglyoxal-Induced AGEs/RAGE Expression Contributes to Dermal Protection by N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine

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Chun-tao Yang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim: Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs is a major cause of diabetes mellitus (DM skin complications. Methylglyoxal (MGO, a reactive dicarbonyl compound, is a crucial intermediate of AGEs generation. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC, an active ingredient of some medicines, can induce endogenous GSH and hydrogen sulfide generation, and set off a condensation reaction with MGO. However, there is rare evidence to show NAC can alleviate DM-induced skin injury through inhibition of AGEs generation or toxicity. The present study aimed to observe the effects of NAC on MGO-induced inflammatory injury and investigate the roles of AGEs and its receptor (RAGE in NAC’s dermal protection in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Methods: The cells were exposed to MGO to simulate a high MGO status in diabetic blood or tissues. The content of AGEs in serum or cell medium was measured with ELISA. The protective effects of NAC against MGO-induce injury were evaluated by administration before MGO one hour, in virtue of cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, inflammation reaction, nuclear factor (NF-κB activation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9 expression, as well as cellular behavioral function. Results: We found the AGEs levels of patients with DM were elevated comparing with healthy volunteers. The in vitro AGEs generation was also able to be enhanced by the exposure of HaCaT cells to MGO, which reduced dose-dependently cellular viability, damaged mitochondrial function, triggered secretion of interleukin (IL-6 and IL-8, activated NF-κB and upregulated MMP-9 expression. Furthermore, the exposure caused cellular adhesion and migration dysfunction, as well as collagen type I inhibition. Importantly, before the exposure to MGO, the preconditioning with NAC significantly attenuated MGO-induced AGEs generation, improved cellular viability and mitochondrial function, partially reversed the overexpression of proinflammatory factors and MMP-9

Antibody- and TRIM21-dependent intracellular restriction of Salmonella enterica.

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Rakebrandt, Nikolas; Lentes, Sabine; Neumann, Heinz; James, Leo C; Neumann-Staubitz, Petra

2014-11-01

TRIM21 ('tripartite motif-containing protein 21', Ro52) is a ubiquitously expressed cytosolic Fc receptor, which has a potent role in protective immunity against nonenveloped viruses. TRIM21 mediates intracellular neutralisation of antibody-coated viruses, a process called ADIN (antibody-dependent intracellular neutralisation). Our results reveal a similar mechanism to fight bacterial infections. TRIM21 is recruited to the intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica in epithelial cells early in infection. TRIM21 does not bind directly to S. enterica, but to antibodies opsonising it. Most importantly, bacterial restriction is dependent on TRIM21 as well as on the opsonisation state of the bacteria. Finally, Salmonella and TRIM21 colocalise with the autophagosomal marker LC3, and intracellular defence is enhanced in starved cells suggesting an involvement of the autophagocytic pathway. Our data extend the protective role of TRIM21 from viruses to bacteria and thereby strengthening the general role of ADIN in cellular immunity. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data for automated, high-throughput microscopy analysis of intracellular bacterial colonies using spot detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ernstsen, Christina Lundgaard; Login, Frédéric H.; Jensen, Helene Halkjær

2017-01-01

Quantification of intracellular bacterial colonies is useful in strategies directed against bacterial attachment, subsequent cellular invasion and intracellular proliferation. An automated, high-throughput microscopy-method was established to quantify the number and size of intracellular bacteria...

Metabolic Characterization of Intact Cells Reveals Intracellular Amyloid Beta but Not Its Precursor Protein to Reduce Mitochondrial Respiration

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Schaefer, Patrick M.; von Einem, Bjoern; Walther, Paul; Calzia, Enrico; von Arnim, Christine A. F.

2016-01-01

One hallmark of Alzheimer´s disease are senile plaques consisting of amyloid beta (Aβ), which derives from the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer´s disease and both Aβ and APP have been reported to affect mitochondrial function in isolated systems. However, in intact cells, considering a physiological localization of APP and Aβ, it is pending what triggers the mitochondrial defect. Thus, the aim of this study was to dissect the impact of APP versus Aβ in inducing mitochondrial alterations with respect to their subcellular localization. We performed an overexpression of APP or beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), increasing APP and Aβ levels or Aβ alone, respectively. Conducting a comprehensive metabolic characterization we demonstrate that only APP overexpression reduced mitochondrial respiration, despite lower extracellular Aβ levels compared to BACE overexpression. Surprisingly, this could be rescued by a gamma secretase inhibitor, oppositionally indicating an Aβ-mediated mitochondrial toxicity. Analyzing Aβ localization revealed that intracellular levels of Aβ and an increased spatial association of APP/Aβ with mitochondria are associated with reduced mitochondrial respiration. Thus, our data provide marked evidence for a prominent role of intracellular Aβ accumulation in Alzheimer´s disease associated mitochondrial dysfunction. Thereby it highlights the importance of the localization of APP processing and intracellular transport as a decisive factor for mitochondrial function, linking two prominent hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:28005987

Overexpression of the transcription factor Yap1 modifies intracellular redox conditions and enhances recombinant protein secretion

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Marizela Delic

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Oxidative folding of secretory proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER is a redox active process, which also impacts the redox conditions in the cytosol. As the transcription factor Yap1 is involved in the transcriptional response to oxidative stress, we investigate its role upon the production of secretory proteins, using the yeast Pichia pastoris as model, and report a novel important role of Yap1 during oxidative protein folding. Yap1 is needed for the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS caused by increased oxidative protein folding. Constitutive co-overexpression of PpYAP1 leads to increased levels of secreted recombinant protein, while a lowered Yap1 function leads to accumulation of ROS and strong flocculation. Transcriptional analysis revealed that more than 150 genes were affected by overexpression of YAP1, in particular genes coding for antioxidant enzymes or involved in oxidation-reduction processes. By monitoring intracellular redox conditions within the cytosol and the ER using redox-sensitive roGFP1 variants, we could show that overexpression of YAP1 restores cellular redox conditions of protein-secreting P. pastoris by reoxidizing the cytosolic redox state to the levels of the wild type. These alterations are also reflected by increased levels of oxidized intracellular glutathione (GSSG in the YAP1 co-overexpressing strain. Taken together, these data indicate a strong impact of intracellular redox balance on the secretion of (recombinant proteins without affecting protein folding per se. Re-establishing suitable redox conditions by tuning the antioxidant capacity of the cell reduces metabolic load and cell stress caused by high oxidative protein folding load, thereby increasing the secretion capacity.

Quantification and isotopic analysis of intracellular sulfur metabolites in the dissimilatory sulfate reduction pathway

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Sim, Min Sub; Paris, Guillaume; Adkins, Jess F.; Orphan, Victoria J.; Sessions, Alex L.

2017-06-01

Microbial sulfate reduction exhibits a normal isotope effect, leaving unreacted sulfate enriched in 34S and producing sulfide that is depleted in 34S. However, the magnitude of sulfur isotope fractionation is quite variable. The resulting changes in sulfur isotope abundance have been used to trace microbial sulfate reduction in modern and ancient ecosystems, but the intracellular mechanism(s) underlying the wide range of fractionations remains unclear. Here we report the concentrations and isotopic ratios of sulfur metabolites in the dissimilatory sulfate reduction pathway of Desulfovibrio alaskensis. Intracellular sulfate and APS levels change depending on the growth phase, peaking at the end of exponential phase, while sulfite accumulates in the cell during stationary phase. During exponential growth, intracellular sulfate and APS are strongly enriched in 34S. The fractionation between internal and external sulfate is up to 49‰, while at the same time that between external sulfate and sulfide is just a few permil. We interpret this pattern to indicate that enzymatic fractionations remain large but the net fractionation between sulfate and sulfide is muted by the closed-system limitation of intracellular sulfate. This 'reservoir effect' diminishes upon cessation of exponential phase growth, allowing the expression of larger net sulfur isotope fractionations. Thus, the relative rates of sulfate exchange across the membrane versus intracellular sulfate reduction should govern the overall (net) fractionation that is expressed. A strong reservoir effect due to vigorous sulfate reduction might be responsible for the well-established inverse correlation between sulfur isotope fractionation and the cell-specific rate of sulfate reduction, while at the same time intraspecies differences in sulfate uptake and/or exchange rates could account for the significant scatter in this relationship. Our approach, together with ongoing investigations of the kinetic isotope

Opposing Roles of Calcium and Intracellular ATP on Gating of the Purinergic P2X2 Receptor Channel

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Milos B. Rokic

2018-04-01

Full Text Available P2X2 receptors (P2X2R exhibit a slow desensitization during the initial ATP application and a progressive, calcium-dependent increase in rates of desensitization during repetitive stimulation. This pattern is observed in whole-cell recordings from cells expressing recombinant and native P2X2R. However, desensitization is not observed in perforated-patched cells and in two-electrode voltage clamped oocytes. Addition of ATP, but not ATPγS or GTP, in the pipette solution also abolishes progressive desensitization, whereas intracellular injection of apyrase facilitates receptor desensitization. Experiments with injection of alkaline phosphatase or addition of staurosporine and ATP in the intracellular solution suggest a role for a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation in receptor desensitization. Mutation of residues that are potential phosphorylation sites identified a critical role of the S363 residue in the intracellular ATP action. These findings indicate that intracellular calcium and ATP have opposing effects on P2X2R gating: calcium allosterically facilitates receptor desensitization and ATP covalently prevents the action of calcium. Single cell measurements further revealed that intracellular calcium stays elevated after washout in P2X2R-expressing cells and the blockade of mitochondrial sodium/calcium exchanger lowers calcium concentrations during washout periods to basal levels, suggesting a role of mitochondria in this process. Therefore, the metabolic state of the cell can influence P2X2R gating.

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 Is Effective against both Extra- and Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus

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Noore, Jabeen; Noore, Adly

2013-01-01

The increasing resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics and the challenges posed by intracellular bacteria, which may be responsible for chronic and recurrent infections, have driven the need for advanced antimicrobial drugs for effective elimination of both extra- and intracellular pathogens. The purpose of this study was to determine the killing efficacy of cationic antimicrobial peptide LL-37 compared to conventional antibiotics against extra- and intracellular Staphylococcus aureus. Bacterial killing assays and an infection model of osteoblasts and S. aureus were studied to determine the bacterial killing efficacy of LL-37 and conventional antibiotics against extra- and intracellular S. aureus. We found that LL-37 was effective in killing extracellular S. aureus at nanomolar concentrations, while lactoferricin B was effective at micromolar concentrations and doxycycline and cefazolin at millimolar concentrations. LL-37 was surprisingly more effective in killing the clinical strain than in killing an ATCC strain of S. aureus. Moreover, LL-37 was superior to conventional antibiotics in eliminating intracellular S. aureus. The kinetic studies further revealed that LL-37 was fast in eliminating both extra- and intracellular S. aureus. Therefore, LL-37 was shown to be very potent and prompt in eliminating both extra- and intracellular S. aureus and was more effective in killing extra- and intracellular S. aureus than commonly used conventional antibiotics. LL-37 could potentially be used to treat chronic and recurrent infections due to its effectiveness in eliminating not only extracellular but also intracellular pathogens. PMID:23274662

Protective Effects of Extracellular and Intracellular Polysaccharides on Hepatotoxicity by Hericium erinaceus SG-02.

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Cui, Fangyuan; Gao, Xia; Zhang, Jianjun; Liu, Min; Zhang, Chen; Xu, Nuo; Zhao, Huajie; Lin, Lin; Zhou, Meng; Jia, Le

2016-09-01

The protective effects of extracellular and intracellular polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus SG-02 on the CCl4-induced hepatic injury of mice were investigated in this work. By the analysis of GC, the extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) were composed of arabinose, mannose, galactose, and glucose with a ratio of 1:7:14:52, and the composition of intracellular polysaccharides (IPS) was rhamnose, xylose, mannose, galactose, and glucose with a ratio of 3:4:7:14:137. The model of hepatic injury of mice was induced by CCl4 and three tested levels (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) of EPS and IPS were set as the experimental group. Results showed that the aspartate aminotransferase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase activities in serum were reduced by the supplement of EPS and IPS, while the blood lipid levels including cholesterol, triglyceride, and albumin were improved. In liver tissue, the lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde were largely decreased, and the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly increased. The evidence demonstrated that the EPS and IPS of H. erinaceus SG-02 were protective for liver injury. The histopathological observations of mice liver slices indicated that EPS and IPS had obvious effects on liver protection.

Size-Dependent Regulation of Intracellular Trafficking of Polystyrene Nanoparticle-Based Drug-Delivery Systems.

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Wang, Ting; Wang, Lu; Li, Xiaoming; Hu, Xingjie; Han, Yuping; Luo, Yao; Wang, Zejun; Li, Qian; Aldalbahi, Ali; Wang, Lihua; Song, Shiping; Fan, Chunhai; Zhao, Yun; Wang, Maolin; Chen, Nan

2017-06-07

Nanoparticles (NPs) have shown great promise as intracellular imaging probes or nanocarriers and are increasingly being used in biomedical applications. A detailed understanding of how NPs get "in and out" of cells is important for developing new nanomaterials with improved selectivity and less cytotoxicity. Both physical and chemical characteristics have been proven to regulate the cellular uptake of NPs. However, the exocytosis process and its regulation are less explored. Herein, we investigated the size-regulated endocytosis and exocytosis of carboxylated polystyrene (PS) NPs. PS NPs with a smaller size were endocytosed mainly through the clathrin-dependent pathway, whereas PS NPs with a larger size preferred caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, our results revealed exocytosis of larger PS NPs and tracked the dynamic process at the single-particle level. These results indicate that particle size is a key factor for the regulation of intracellular trafficking of NPs and provide new insight into the development of more effective cellular nanocarriers.

Dual Targeting of Intracellular Pathogenic Bacteria with a Cleavable Conjugate of Kanamycin and an Antibacterial Cell-Penetrating Peptide.

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Brezden, Anna; Mohamed, Mohamed F; Nepal, Manish; Harwood, John S; Kuriakose, Jerrin; Seleem, Mohamed N; Chmielewski, Jean

2016-08-31

Bacterial infection caused by intracellular pathogens, such as Mycobacterium, Salmonella, and Brucella, is a burgeoning global health epidemic that necessitates urgent action. However, the therapeutic value of a number of antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, against intracellular pathogenic bacteria is compromised due to their inability to traverse eukaryotic membranes. For this significant problem to be addressed, a cleavable conjugate of the antibiotic kanamycin and a nonmembrane lytic, broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide with efficient mammalian cell penetration, P14LRR, was prepared. This approach allows kanamycin to enter mammalian cells as a conjugate linked via a tether that breaks down in the reducing environment within cells. Potent antimicrobial activity of the P14KanS conjugate was demonstrated in vitro, and this reducible conjugate effectively cleared intracellular pathogenic bacteria within macrophages more potently than that of a conjugate lacking the disulfide moiety. Notably, successful clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis within macrophages was observed with the dual antibiotic conjugate, and Salmonella levels were significantly reduced in an in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model.

Cell internalizable and intracellularly degradable cationic polyurethane micelles as a potential platform for efficient imaging and drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Mingming; Zeng, Xin; He, Xueling; Li, Jiehua; Tan, Hong; Fu, Qiang

2014-08-11

A cell internalizable and intracellularly degradable micellar system, assembled from multiblock polyurethanes bearing cell-penetrating gemini quaternary ammonium pendent groups in the side chain and redox-responsive disulfide linkages throughout the backbone, was developed for potential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and drug delivery. The nanocarrier is featured as a typical "cleavable core-internalizable shell-protective corona" architecture, which exhibits small size, positive surface charge, high loading capacity, and reduction-triggered destabilization. Furthermore, it can rapidly enter tumor cells and release its cargo in response to an intracellular level of glutathione, resulting in enhanced drug efficacy in vitro. The magnetic micelles loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles demonstrate excellent MRI contrast enhancement, with T2 relaxivity found to be affected by the morphology of SPIO-clustering inside the micelle core. The multifunctional carrier with good cytocompatibility and nontoxic degradation products can serve as a promising theranostic candidate for efficient intracellular delivery of anticancer drugs and real-time monitoring of therapeutic effect.

Studies on the intracellular localization of hHR23B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katiyar, Samiksha; Lennarz, William J.

2005-01-01

Yeast Rad23, originally identified as a DNA repair protein, has been proposed to participate in other cellular functions, i.e., the proteasome-degradation pathway, the process of spindle pole body duplication and as a component of the anaphase checkpoint. Two human homologs of yeast Rad23, hHR23A and hHR23B, exhibit high sequence homology with yRad23 and also have been shown to be involved in DNA repair and proteasome-dependent degradation. Previous studies on the intracellular localization of hHR23A and hHR23B revealed their predominant localization in the nucleus during interphase and in the cytoplasm during mitosis. We have analyzed the localization of hHR23B during all the phases of the cell cycle using immunofluorescence. Unlike previous studies, our results suggest localization of hHR23B in the nucleus as well as in the cytoplasm during G1 phase. The nuclear levels of hHR23B decrease during S-phase of the cell cycle. When the cell enters mitosis, hHR23B relocalizes in the cytoplasm without association with chromatin. These results indicate that the intracellular distribution hHR23B is cell cycle dependent

Subversion of the cytoskeleton by intracellular bacteria: lessons from Listeria, Salmonella, and Vibrio

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Santos, Marcela; Orth, Kim

2018-01-01

Summary Entry into host cells and intracellular persistence by invasive bacteria are tightly coupled to the ability of the bacterium to disrupt the eukaryotic cytoskeletal machinery. Herein we review the main strategies used by three intracellular pathogens to harness key modulators of the cytoskeleton. Two of these bacteria, namely Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, exhibit quite distinct intracellular lifestyles, and therefore, provide a comprehensive panel for the understanding of the intricate bacteria-cytoskeleton interplay during infections. The emerging intracellular pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus is depicted as a developing model for the uncovering of novel mechanisms used to hijack the cytoskeleton. PMID:25440316

Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Multiplication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under Reduced Oxygen Conditions Using Intracellular and Axenic Assays

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Purva D. Bhatter

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. Test the activity of selected medicinal plant extracts on multiplication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under reduced oxygen concentration which represents nonreplicating conditions. Material and Methods. Acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plants Acorus calamus L. (rhizome, Ocimum sanctum L. (leaf, Piper nigrum L. (seed, and Pueraria tuberosa DC. (tuber were tested on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv intracellularly using an epithelial cell (A549 infection model. The extracts found to be active intracellularly were further studied axenically under reducing oxygen concentrations. Results and Conclusions. Intracellular multiplication was inhibited ≥60% by five of the twelve extracts. Amongst these 5 extracts, in axenic culture, P. nigrum (acetone was active under aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic conditions indicating presence of multiple components acting at different levels and P. tuberosa (aqueous showed bactericidal activity under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions implying the influence of anaerobiosis on its efficacy. P. nigrum (aqueous and A. calamus (aqueous and ethanol extracts were not active under axenic conditions but only inhibited intracellular growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suggesting activation of host defense mechanisms to mediate bacterial killing rather than direct bactericidal activity.

Tethering factors as organizers of intracellular vesicular traffic.

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Yu, I-Mei; Hughson, Frederick M

2010-01-01

Intracellular trafficking entails the budding, transport, tethering, and fusion of transport vesicles and other membrane carriers. Here we review recent progress toward a mechanistic understanding of vesicle tethering. The known tethering factors are large complexes important for one or more intracellular trafficking pathways and are capable of interacting directly with many of the other principal components of the cellular trafficking machinery. Our review emphasizes recent developments in the in vitro reconstitution of vesicle tethering and the structural characterization of multisubunit tethering factors. The combination of these and other approaches has led to exciting progress toward understanding how these essential nanomachines work.

Concentration-dependent fluorescence live-cell imaging and tracking of intracellular nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Ji Hye; Joo, Sang-Woo [Department of Chemistry, Soongsil University, Seoul 156-743 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Keunchang [Logos Biosystems, Incorporated, Anyang 431-070 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, So Yeong, E-mail: leeso@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: sjoo@ssu.ac.kr [Laboratory of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-06-10

Using live-cell imaging techniques we investigated concentration-dependent intracellular movements of fluorescence nanoparticles (NPs) in real-time after their entry into HeLa cells via incubation. Intracellular particle traces appeared to be a mixture of both random and fairly unidirectional movements of the particles. At rather low concentrations of NPs, a majority of the non-random intracellular particle trajectories are assumed to mostly go along microtubule networks after endocytosis, as evidenced from the inhibition test with nocodazole. On the other hand, as the concentrations of NPs increased, random motions were more frequently observed inside the cells.

Concentration-dependent fluorescence live-cell imaging and tracking of intracellular nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Ji Hye; Joo, Sang-Woo; Cho, Keunchang; Lee, So Yeong

2011-01-01

Using live-cell imaging techniques we investigated concentration-dependent intracellular movements of fluorescence nanoparticles (NPs) in real-time after their entry into HeLa cells via incubation. Intracellular particle traces appeared to be a mixture of both random and fairly unidirectional movements of the particles. At rather low concentrations of NPs, a majority of the non-random intracellular particle trajectories are assumed to mostly go along microtubule networks after endocytosis, as evidenced from the inhibition test with nocodazole. On the other hand, as the concentrations of NPs increased, random motions were more frequently observed inside the cells.

Fluorescent probes and nanoparticles for intracellular sensing of pH values

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Wen; Li, Xiaohua; Ma, Huimin

2014-12-01

Intracellular pH regulates a number of cell metabolism processes and its sensing is thus of great importance for cell studies. Among various methods, fluorescent probes have been widely used for sensing intracellular pH values because of their high sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution capability. In this article, the development of fluorescent probes with good practicability in sensing intracellular pH values and pH variation during 2009 - 2014 is reviewed. These fluorescence probes are divided into two kinds: small molecules and nanoparticles. Photophysical properties, advantages/disadvantages and applications of the two kinds of probes are discussed in detail.

Biomineralization Patterns of Intracellular Carbonatogenesis in Cyanobacteria: Molecular Hypotheses

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Jinhua Li

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The recent discovery of intracellular carbonatogenesis in several cyanobacteria species has challenged the traditional view that this process was extracellular and not controlled. However, a detailed analysis of the size distribution, chemical composition and 3-D-arrangement of carbonates in these cyanobacteria is lacking. Here, we characterized these features in Candidatus Gloeomargarita lithophora C7 and Candidatus Synechococcus calcipolaris G9 by conventional transmission electron microscopy, tomography, ultramicrotomy, and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM. Both Ca. G. lithophora C7 and Ca. S. calcipolaris G9 formed numerous polyphosphate granules adjacent or engulfing Ca-carbonate inclusions when grown in phosphate-rich solutions. Ca-carbonates were scattered within Ca. G. lithophora C7 cells under these conditions, but sometimes arranged in one or several chains. In contrast, Ca-carbonates formed at cell septa in Ca. S. calcipolaris G9 and were segregated equally between daughter cells after cell division, arranging as distorted disks at cell poles. The size distribution of carbonates evolved from a positively to a negatively skewed distribution as particles grew. Conventional ultramicrotomy did not preserve Ca-carbonates explaining partly why intracellular calcification has been overlooked in the past. All these new observations allow discussing with unprecedented insight some nucleation and growth processes occurring in intracellularly calcifying cyanobacteria with a particular emphasis on the possible involvement of intracellular compartments and cytoskeleton.

Detection and quantification of intracellular bacterial colonies by automated, high-throughput microscopy.

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Ernstsen, Christina L; Login, Frédéric H; Jensen, Helene H; Nørregaard, Rikke; Møller-Jensen, Jakob; Nejsum, Lene N

2017-08-01

To target bacterial pathogens that invade and proliferate inside host cells, it is necessary to design intervention strategies directed against bacterial attachment, cellular invasion and intracellular proliferation. We present an automated microscopy-based, fast, high-throughput method for analyzing size and number of intracellular bacterial colonies in infected tissue culture cells. Cells are seeded in 48-well plates and infected with a GFP-expressing bacterial pathogen. Following gentamicin treatment to remove extracellular pathogens, cells are fixed and cell nuclei stained. This is followed by automated microscopy and subsequent semi-automated spot detection to determine the number of intracellular bacterial colonies, their size distribution, and the average number per host cell. Multiple 48-well plates can be processed sequentially and the procedure can be completed in one working day. As a model we quantified intracellular bacterial colonies formed by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) during infection of human kidney cells (HKC-8). Urinary tract infections caused by UPEC are among the most common bacterial infectious diseases in humans. UPEC can colonize tissues of the urinary tract and is responsible for acute, chronic, and recurrent infections. In the bladder, UPEC can form intracellular quiescent reservoirs, thought to be responsible for recurrent infections. In the kidney, UPEC can colonize renal epithelial cells and pass to the blood stream, either via epithelial cell disruption or transcellular passage, to cause sepsis. Intracellular colonies are known to be clonal, originating from single invading UPEC. In our experimental setup, we found UPEC CFT073 intracellular bacterial colonies to be heterogeneous in size and present in nearly one third of the HKC-8 cells. This high-throughput experimental format substantially reduces experimental time and enables fast screening of the intracellular bacterial load and cellular distribution of multiple

Intracellular sodium hydrogen exchange inhibition and clinical myocardial protection.

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Mentzer, Robert M; Lasley, Robert D; Jessel, Andreas; Karmazyn, Morris

2003-02-01

Although the mechanisms underlying ischemia/reperfusion injury remain elusive, evidence supports the etiologic role of intracellular calcium overload and oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species. Activation of the sodium hydrogen exchanger (NHE) is associated with intracellular calcium accumulation. Inhibition of the NHE-1 isoform may attenuate the consequences of this injury. Although there is strong preclinical and early clinical evidence that NHE inhibitors may be cardioprotective, definitive proof of this concept in humans awaits the results of ongoing clinical trials.

The effect of sodium bicarbonate on intracellular pH using 31P-MR spectroscopy

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Nakashima, Kazuya; Kashiwagi, Shiro; Ito, Haruhide; Yamashita, Tetsuo; Kitahara, Tetsuhiro; Nakayama, Naoto; Saito, Kennichi

1997-01-01

This report deals with the effects of sodium bicarbonate on the intracellular pH of the brain and cerebral blood flow (CBF); five normal volunteers were studied. Intracellular pH and CBF were measured by phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 31 P-MRS) and stable xenon computed tomography (Xe-CT), respectively. Each individual received 7% sodium bicarbonate (3.5 ml/kg body weight), infused intravenously over a 15-min period. Intracellular pH, CBF, and physiological parameters were determined before and after the injection. Intracellular pH was significantly decreased and CBF was increased. Among the physiological parameters, the hematocrit was significantly decreased and arterial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2 ), increased. These results suggest that increasing CO 2 contributes to the decrease in intracellular pH. In conclusion, three factors increase CBF during the administration of sodium bicarbonate to humans: arterial dilatation in response to carbon dioxide; decrease of the hematocrit, and intracellular cerebral acidosis. (author)

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-1) Deficiency Ameliorates Sex Difference in Cardiac Contractile Function and Intracellular Ca2+ Homeostasis

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Ceylan-Isik, Asli F.; Li, Qun; Ren, Jun

2011-01-01

Sex difference in cardiac contractile function exists which may contribute to the different prevalence in cardiovascular diseases between genders. However, the precise mechanisms of action behind sex difference in cardiac function are still elusive. Given that sex difference exists in insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) cascade, this study is designed to evaluate the impact of severe liver IGF-1 deficiency (LID) on sex difference in cardiac function. Echocardiographic, cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca2+ properties were evaluated including ventricular geometry, fractional shortening, peak shortening, maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (± dL/dt), time-to-peak shortening (TPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR90), fura-fluorescence intensity (FFI) and intracellular Ca2+ clearance. Female C57 mice exhibited significantly higher plasma IGF-1 levels than their male counterpart. LID mice possessed comparably low IGF-1 levels in both sexes. Female C57 and LID mice displayed lower body, heart and liver weights compared to male counterparts. Echocardiographic analysis revealed larger LV mass in female C57 but not LID mice without sex difference in other cardiac geometric indices. Myocytes from female C57 mice exhibited reduced peak shortening, ± dL/dt, longer TPS, TR90 and intracellular Ca2+ clearance compared with males. Interestingly, this sex difference was greatly attenuated or abolished by IGF-1 deficiency. Female C57 mice displayed significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, SERCA2a and phosphorylated phospholamban as well as SERCA activity compared with male C57 mice. These sex differences in Ca2+ regulatory proteins were abolished or overtly attenuated by IGF-1 deficiency. In summary, our data suggested that IGF-1 deficiency may significantly attenuated or mitigate the sex difference in cardiomyocyte contractile function associated with intracellular Ca2+ regulation. PMID:21763763

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) deficiency ameliorates sex difference in cardiac contractile function and intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis.

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Ceylan-Isik, Asli F; Li, Qun; Ren, Jun

2011-10-10

Sex difference in cardiac contractile function exists which may contribute to the different prevalence in cardiovascular diseases between genders. However, the precise mechanisms of action behind sex difference in cardiac function are still elusive. Given that sex difference exists in insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) cascade, this study is designed to evaluate the impact of severe liver IGF-1 deficiency (LID) on sex difference in cardiac function. Echocardiographic, cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca(2+) properties were evaluated including ventricular geometry, fractional shortening, peak shortening, maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (±dL/dt), time-to-peak shortening (TPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR(90)), fura-fluorescence intensity (FFI) and intracellular Ca(2+) clearance. Female C57 mice exhibited significantly higher plasma IGF-1 levels than their male counterpart. LID mice possessed comparably low IGF-1 levels in both sexes. Female C57 and LID mice displayed lower body, heart and liver weights compared to male counterparts. Echocardiographic analysis revealed larger LV mass in female C57 but not LID mice without sex difference in other cardiac geometric indices. Myocytes from female C57 mice exhibited reduced peak shortening, ±dL/dt, longer TPS, TR(90) and intracellular Ca(2+) clearance compared with males. Interestingly, this sex difference was greatly attenuated or abolished by IGF-1 deficiency. Female C57 mice displayed significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger, SERCA2a and phosphorylated phospholamban as well as SERCA activity compared with male C57 mice. These sex differences in Ca(2+) regulatory proteins were abolished or overtly attenuated by IGF-1 deficiency. In summary, our data suggested that IGF-1 deficiency may significantly attenuated or mitigate the sex difference in cardiomyocyte contractile function associated with intracellular Ca(2+) regulation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland

Fluorescent nanoparticles for intracellular sensing: A review

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Ruedas-Rama, Maria J.; Walters, Jamie D.; Orte, Angel; Hall, Elizabeth A.H.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Analytical applications of fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) in intracellular sensing. ► Critical review on performance of QDots, metal NPs, silica NPs, and polymer NPs. ► Highlighted potential of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). - Abstract: Fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs), including semiconductor NPs (Quantum Dots), metal NPs, silica NPs, polymer NPs, etc., have been a major focus of research and development during the past decade. The fluorescent nanoparticles show unique chemical and optical properties, such as brighter fluorescence, higher photostability and higher biocompatibility, compared to classical fluorescent organic dyes. Moreover, the nanoparticles can also act as multivalent scaffolds for the realization of supramolecular assemblies, since their high surface to volume ratio allow distinct spatial domains to be functionalized, which can provide a versatile synthetic platform for the implementation of different sensing schemes. Their excellent properties make them one of the most useful tools that chemistry has supplied to biomedical research, enabling the intracellular monitoring of many different species for medical and biological purposes. In this review, we focus on the developments and analytical applications of fluorescent nanoparticles in chemical and biological sensing within the intracellular environment. The review also points out the great potential of fluorescent NPs for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Finally, we also give an overview of the current methods for delivering of fluorescent NPs into cells, where critically examine the benefits and liabilities of each strategy.

Intracellular renin disrupts chemical communication between heart cells. Pathophysiological implications

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Walmor eDe Mello

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of intracellular renin on the process of chemical communication between cardiac cells was investigated in cell pairs isolated from the left ventricle of adult Wistar Kyoto rats. The enzyme together with Lucifer yellow CH was dialyzed into one cell of the pair using the whole cell clamp technique. The diffusion of the dye in the dialyzed and in non-dialyzed cell was followed by measuring the intensity of fluorescence in both cells as a function of time. The results indicated that; 1 under normal conditions, Lucifer Yellow flows from cell-to-cell through gap junctions; 2 the intracellular dialysis of renin (100nM disrupts chemical communication-an effect enhanced by simultaneous administration of angiotensinogen (100nM; 3 enalaprilat (10-9M administered to the cytosol together with renin reduced drastically the uncoupling action of the enzyme; 4 aliskiren (10-8M inhibited the effect of renin on chemical communication;5 the possible role of intracellular renin independently of angiotensin II (Ang II was evaluated including the increase of the inward calcium current elicited by the enzyme and the possible role of oxidative stress on the disruption of cell communication; 6 the possible harmful versus the beneficial effect of intracellular renin during myocardial infarction was discussed;7 the present results indicate that intracellular renin due to internalization or in situ synthesis, causes a severe impairment of chemical communication in the heart resulting in derangement of metabolic cooperation with serious consequences for heart function.

Fatty Acid Signaling: The New Function of Intracellular Lipases

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Zuzana Papackova

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Until recently, intracellular triacylglycerols (TAG stored in the form of cytoplasmic lipid droplets have been considered to be only passive “energy conserves”. Nevertheless, degradation of TAG gives rise to a pleiotropic spectrum of bioactive intermediates, which may function as potent co-factors of transcription factors or enzymes and contribute to the regulation of numerous cellular processes. From this point of view, the process of lipolysis not only provides energy-rich equivalents but also acquires a new regulatory function. In this review, we will concentrate on the role that fatty acids liberated from intracellular TAG stores play as signaling molecules. The first part provides an overview of the transcription factors, which are regulated by fatty acids derived from intracellular stores. The second part is devoted to the role of fatty acid signaling in different organs/tissues. The specific contribution of free fatty acids released by particular lipases, hormone-sensitive lipase, adipose triacylglycerol lipase and lysosomal lipase will also be discussed.

Data for automated, high-throughput microscopy analysis of intracellular bacterial colonies using spot detection.

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Ernstsen, Christina L; Login, Frédéric H; Jensen, Helene H; Nørregaard, Rikke; Møller-Jensen, Jakob; Nejsum, Lene N

2017-10-01

Quantification of intracellular bacterial colonies is useful in strategies directed against bacterial attachment, subsequent cellular invasion and intracellular proliferation. An automated, high-throughput microscopy-method was established to quantify the number and size of intracellular bacterial colonies in infected host cells (Detection and quantification of intracellular bacterial colonies by automated, high-throughput microscopy, Ernstsen et al., 2017 [1]). The infected cells were imaged with a 10× objective and number of intracellular bacterial colonies, their size distribution and the number of cell nuclei were automatically quantified using a spot detection-tool. The spot detection-output was exported to Excel, where data analysis was performed. In this article, micrographs and spot detection data are made available to facilitate implementation of the method.

Fluorescent probes and nanoparticles for intracellular sensing of pH values

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Wen; Li, Xiaohua; Ma, Huimin

2014-01-01

Intracellular pH regulates a number of cell metabolism processes and its sensing is thus of great importance for cell studies. Among various methods, fluorescent probes have been widely used for sensing intracellular pH values because of their high sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution capability. In this article, the development of fluorescent probes with good practicability in sensing intracellular pH values and pH variation during 2009 − 2014 is reviewed. These fluorescence probes are divided into two kinds: small molecules and nanoparticles. Photophysical properties, advantages/disadvantages and applications of the two kinds of probes are discussed in detail. (topical review)

Creatine supplementation with methylglyoxal: a potent therapy for cancer in experimental models.

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Pal, Aparajita; Roy, Anirban; Ray, Manju

2016-08-01

The anti-cancer effect of methylglyoxal (MG) is now well established in the literature. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of creatine as a supplement in combination with MG both in vitro and in vivo. In case of the in vitro studies, two different cell lines, namely MCF-7 (human breast cancer cell line) and C2C12 (mouse myoblast cell line) were chosen. MG in combination with creatine showed enhanced apoptosis as well as higher cytotoxicity in the breast cancer MCF-7 cell line, compared to MG alone. Pre-treatment of well-differentiated C2C12 myotubes with cancerogenic 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) induced a dedifferentiation of these myotubes towards cancerous cells (that mimic the effect of 3MC observed in solid fibro-sarcoma animal models) and subsequent exposure of these induced cancer cells with MG proved to be cytotoxic. Thus, creatine plus ascorbic acid enhanced the anti-cancer effects of MG. In contrast, when normal C2C12 muscle cells or myotubes (mouse normal myoblast cell line) were treated with MG or MG plus creatine and ascorbic acid, no detrimental effects were seen. This indicated that cytotoxic effects of MG are specifically limited towards cancer cells and are further enhanced when MG is used in combination with creatine and ascorbic acid. For the in vivo studies, tumors were induced by injecting Sarcoma-180 cells (2 × 10(6) cells/mouse) in the left hind leg. After 7 days of tumor inoculation, treatments were started with MG (20 mg/kg body wt/day, via the intravenous route), with or without creatine (150 mg/kg body wt/day, fed orally) and ascorbic acid (50 mg/kg body wt/day, fed orally) and continued for 10 consecutive days. Significant regression of tumor size was observed when Sarcoma-180 tumor-bearing mice were treated with MG and even more so with the aforesaid combination. The creatine-supplemented group demonstrated better overall survival in comparison with tumor-bearing mice without creatine. In conclusion, it may be

Vector-free intracellular delivery by reversible permeabilization.

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Shirley O'Dea

Full Text Available Despite advances in intracellular delivery technologies, efficient methods are still required that are vector-free, can address a wide range of cargo types and can be applied to cells that are difficult to transfect whilst maintaining cell viability. We have developed a novel vector-free method that uses reversible permeabilization to achieve rapid intracellular delivery of cargos with varying composition, properties and size. A permeabilizing delivery solution was developed that contains a low level of ethanol as the permeabilizing agent. Reversal of cell permeabilization is achieved by temporally and volumetrically controlling the contact of the target cells with this solution. Cells are seeded in conventional multi-well plates. Following removal of the supernatant, the cargo is mixed with the delivery solution and applied directly to the cells using an atomizer. After a short incubation period, permeabilization is halted by incubating the cells in a phosphate buffer saline solution that dilutes the ethanol and is non-toxic to the permeabilized cells. Normal culture medium is then added. The procedure lasts less than 5 min. With this method, proteins, mRNA, plasmid DNA and other molecules have been delivered to a variety of cell types, including primary cells, with low toxicity and cargo functionality has been confirmed in proof-of-principle studies. Co-delivery of different cargo types has also been demonstrated. Importantly, delivery occurs by diffusion directly into the cytoplasm in an endocytic-independent manner. Unlike some other vector-free methods, adherent cells are addressed in situ without the need for detachment from their substratum. The method has also been adapted to address suspension cells. This delivery method is gentle yet highly reproducible, compatible with high throughput and automated cell-based assays and has the potential to enable a broad range of research, drug discovery and clinical applications.

A method for functional trans-complementation of intracellular Francisella tularensis.

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Shaun Steele

Full Text Available Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious bacterial pathogen that invades and replicates within numerous host cell types. After uptake, F. tularensis bacteria escape the phagosome, replicate within the cytosol, and suppress cytokine responses. However, the mechanisms employed by F. tularensis to thrive within host cells are mostly unknown. Potential F. tularensis mutants involved in host-pathogen interactions are typically discovered by negative selection screens for intracellular replication or virulence. Mutants that fulfill these criteria fall into two categories: mutants with intrinsic intracellular growth defects and mutants that fail to modify detrimental host cell processes. It is often difficult and time consuming to discriminate between these two possibilities. We devised a method to functionally trans-complement and thus identify mutants that fail to modify the host response. In this assay, host cells are consistently and reproducibly infected with two different F. tularensis strains by physically tethering the bacteria to antibody-coated beads. To examine the efficacy of this protocol, we tested phagosomal escape, cytokine suppression, and intracellular replication for F. tularensis ΔripA and ΔpdpC. ΔripA has an intracellular growth defect that is likely due to an intrinsic defect and fails to suppress IL-1β secretion. In the co-infection model, ΔripA was unable to replicate in the host cell when wild-type bacteria infected the same cell, but cytokine suppression was rescued. Therefore, ΔripA intracellular growth is due to an intrinsic bacterial defect while cytokine secretion results from a failed host-pathogen interaction. Likewise, ΔpdpC is deficient for phagosomal escape, intracellular survival and suppression of IL-1β secretion. Wild-type bacteria that entered through the same phagosome as ΔpdpC rescued all of these phenotypes, indicating that ΔpdpC failed to properly manipulate the host. In summary, functional

Direct and sustained intracellular delivery of exogenous molecules using acoustic-transfection with high frequency ultrasound

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Yoon, Sangpil; Kim, Min Gon; Chiu, Chi Tat; Hwang, Jae Youn; Kim, Hyung Ham; Wang, Yingxiao; Shung, K. Kirk

2016-02-01

Controlling cell functions for research and therapeutic purposes may open new strategies for the treatment of many diseases. An efficient and safe introduction of membrane impermeable molecules into target cells will provide versatile means to modulate cell fate. We introduce a new transfection technique that utilizes high frequency ultrasound without any contrast agents such as microbubbles, bringing a single-cell level targeting and size-dependent intracellular delivery of macromolecules. The transfection apparatus consists of an ultrasonic transducer with the center frequency of over 150 MHz and an epi-fluorescence microscope, entitled acoustic-transfection system. Acoustic pulses, emitted from an ultrasonic transducer, perturb the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane of a targeted single-cell to induce intracellular delivery of exogenous molecules. Simultaneous live cell imaging using HeLa cells to investigate the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ and propidium iodide (PI) and the delivery of 3 kDa dextran labeled with Alexa 488 were demonstrated. Cytosolic delivery of 3 kDa dextran induced via acoustic-transfection was manifested by diffused fluorescence throughout whole cells. Short-term (6 hr) cell viability test and long-term (40 hr) cell tracking confirmed that the proposed approach has low cell cytotoxicity.

Leishmania hijacking of the macrophage intracellular compartments.

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Liévin-Le Moal, Vanessa; Loiseau, Philippe M

2016-02-01

Leishmania spp., transmitted to humans by the bite of the sandfly vector, are responsible for the three major forms of leishmaniasis, cutaneous, diffuse mucocutaneous and visceral. Leishmania spp. interact with membrane receptors of neutrophils and macrophages. In macrophages, the parasite is internalized within a parasitophorous vacuole and engages in a particular intracellular lifestyle in which the flagellated, motile Leishmania promastigote metacyclic form differentiates into non-motile, metacyclic amastigote form. This phenomenon is induced by Leishmania-triggered events leading to the fusion of the parasitophorous vacuole with vesicular members of the host cell endocytic pathway including recycling endosomes, late endosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. Maturation of the parasitophorous vacuole leads to the intracellular proliferation of the Leishmania amastigote forms by acquisition of host cell nutrients while escaping host defense responses. © 2015 FEBS.

pH-sensitive intracellular photoluminescence of carbon nanotube-fluorescein conjugates in human ovarian cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, M T; Ishikawa, F N; Gundersen, M A; Gomez, L M; Vernier, P T; Zhou, C

2009-01-01

To add to the understanding of the properties of functionalized carbon nanotubes in biological applications, we report a monotonic pH sensitivity of the intracellular fluorescence emission of single-walled carbon nanotube-fluorescein carbazide (SWCNT-FC) conjugates in human ovarian cancer cells. Light-stimulated intracellular hydrolysis of the amide linkage and localized intracellular pH changes are proposed as mechanisms. SWCNT-FC conjugates may serve as intracellular pH sensors.

Fragrance chemicals lyral and lilial decrease viability of HaCat cells' by increasing free radical production and lowering intracellular ATP level: protection by antioxidants.

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Usta, Julnar; Hachem, Yassmine; El-Rifai, Omar; Bou-Moughlabey, Yolla; Echtay, Karim; Griffiths, David; Nakkash-Chmaisse, Hania; Makki, Rajaa Fakhoury

2013-02-01

We investigate in this study the biochemical effects on cells in culture of two commonly used fragrance chemicals: lyral and lilial. Whereas both chemicals exerted a significant effect on primary keratinocyte(s), HaCat cells, no effect was obtained with any of HepG2, Hek293, Caco2, NIH3T3, and MCF7 cells. Lyral and lilial: (a) decreased the viability of HaCat cells with a 50% cell death at 100 and 60 nM respectively; (b) decreased significantly in a dose dependant manner the intracellular ATP level following 12-h of treatment; (c) inhibited complexes I and II of electron transport chain in liver sub-mitochondrial particles; and (d) increased reactive oxygen species generation that was reversed by N-acetyl cysteine and trolox and the natural antioxidant lipoic acid, without influencing the level of free and/or oxidized glutathione. Lipoic acid protected HaCat cells against the decrease in viability induced by either compound. Dehydrogenation of lyral and lilial produce α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, that reacts with lipoic acid requiring proteins resulting in their inhibition. We propose lyral and lilial as toxic to mitochondria that have a direct effect on electron transport chain, increase ROS production, derange mitochondrial membrane potential, and decrease cellular ATP level, leading thus to cell death. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, structural characterization and effect on human granulocyte intracellular cAMP levels of abscisic acid analogs.

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Bellotti, Marta; Salis, Annalisa; Grozio, Alessia; Damonte, Gianluca; Vigliarolo, Tiziana; Galatini, Andrea; Zocchi, Elena; Benatti, Umberto; Millo, Enrico

2015-01-01

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), in addition to regulating physiological functions in plants, is also produced and released by several mammalian cell types, including human granulocytes, where it stimulates innate immune functions via an increase of the intracellular cAMP concentration ([cAMP]i). We synthesized several ABA analogs and evaluated the structure-activity relationship, by the systematical modification of selected regions of these analogs. The resulting molecules were tested for their ability to inhibit the ABA-induced increase of [cAMP]i in human granulocytes. The analogs with modified configurations at C-2' and C-3' abrogated the ABA-induced increase of the [cAMP]i and also inhibited several pro-inflammatory effects induced by exogenous ABA on granulocytes and monocytes. Accordingly, these analogs could be suitable as novel putative anti-inflammatory compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-III) cell apoptosis induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract through intracellular oxidative stress.

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Ohyama, Kunio; Akaike, Takenori; Imai, Masahiko; Toyoda, Hiroo; Hirobe, Chieko; Bessho, Toshio

2005-07-01

We have previously reported that an ethanol extract of the dried ripe fruit of Vitex agnus-castus (Vitex) displays cytotoxic activity against certain kinds of human cancer cell line resulting in the induction of apoptosis. In this paper, we investigate the molecular mechanism of apoptosis induced by Vitex using a human gastric signet ring carcinoma cell line, KATO-III. DNA fragmentation was observed in Vitex-treated KATO-III cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. DNA fragmentation was accompanied by the following phenomena: elevation in the level of hemeoxygenase-1 protein and thioredoxin reductase mRNA; repression of Mn-superoxide dismutase and catalase mRNAs; release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol; activation of caspases-8, -9 and -3; decrease in the level of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bid protein; increase in the level of Bad protein. The intracellular oxidized state, measured using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, increased after Vitex treatment. While the amount of intracellular GSH decreased significantly after treatment with Vitex, the level of GSSG was unaffected. Furthermore, no significant perturbation in the amount of proteins/mRNAs related to glutathione metabolism could be detected. These apoptotic alterations induced by exposure to Vitex were blocked by the presence of an anti-oxidative reagent, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, or the addition of exogenous GSH. Our results demonstrate that intracellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane damage is responsible for Vitex-induced apoptosis, which may be mediated by a diminution of reduced type glutathione within the cell.

Vasoinhibins Prevent Bradykinin-Stimulated Endothelial Cell Proliferation by Inactivating eNOS via Reduction of both Intracellular Ca2+ Levels and eNOS Phosphorylation at Ser1179

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Carmen Clapp

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Vasoinhibins, a family of antiangiogenic peptides derived from prolactin proteolysis, inhibit the vascular effects of several proangiogenic factors, including bradykinin (BK. Here, we report that vasoinhibins block the BK-induced proliferation of bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells. This effect is mediated by the inactivation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, as the NO donor DETA-NONOate reverted vasoinhibin action. It is an experimentally proven fact that the elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i upon BK stimulation activates eNOS, and vasoinhibins blocked the BK-mediated activation of phospholipase C and the formation of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate leading to a reduced release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. The [Ca2+]i rise evoked by BK also involves the influx of extracellular Ca2+ via canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC channels. Vasoinhibins likely interfere with TRPC-mediated Ca2+ entry since La3+, which is an enhancer of TRPC4 and TRPC5 channel activity, prevented vasoinhibins from blocking the stimulation by BK of endothelial cell NO production and proliferation, and vasoinhibins reduced the BK-induced increase of TRPC5 mRNA expression. Finally, vasoinhibins prevented the BK-induced phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1179, a post-translational modification that facilitates Ca2+-calmodulin activation of eNOS. Together, our data show that vasoinhibins, by lowering NO production through the inhibition of both [Ca2+]i mobilization and eNOS phosphorylation, prevent the BK-induced stimulation of endothelial cell proliferation. Thus, vasoinhibins help to regulate BK effects on angiogenesis and vascular homeostasis.

Microsporidia are natural intracellular parasites of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

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Troemel, Emily R; Félix, Marie-Anne; Whiteman, Noah K; Barrière, Antoine; Ausubel, Frederick M

2008-12-09

For decades the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been an important model system for biology, but little is known about its natural ecology. Recently, C. elegans has become the focus of studies of innate immunity and several pathogens have been shown to cause lethal intestinal infections in C. elegans. However none of these pathogens has been shown to invade nematode intestinal cells, and no pathogen has been isolated from wild-caught C. elegans. Here we describe an intracellular pathogen isolated from wild-caught C. elegans that we show is a new species of microsporidia. Microsporidia comprise a large class of eukaryotic intracellular parasites that are medically and agriculturally important, but poorly understood. We show that microsporidian infection of the C. elegans intestine proceeds through distinct stages and is transmitted horizontally. Disruption of a conserved cytoskeletal structure in the intestine called the terminal web correlates with the release of microsporidian spores from infected cells, and appears to be part of a novel mechanism by which intracellular pathogens exit from infected cells. Unlike in bacterial intestinal infections, the p38 MAPK and insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathways do not appear to play substantial roles in resistance to microsporidian infection in C. elegans. We found microsporidia in multiple wild-caught isolates of Caenorhabditis nematodes from diverse geographic locations. These results indicate that microsporidia are common parasites of C. elegans in the wild. In addition, the interaction between C. elegans and its natural microsporidian parasites provides a system in which to dissect intracellular intestinal infection in vivo and insight into the diversity of pathogenic mechanisms used by intracellular microbes.

DMPD: NOD-like receptors (NLRs): bona fide intracellular microbial sensors. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 18585455 NOD-like receptors (NLRs): bona fide intracellular microbial sensors. Shaw...tml) (.csml) Show NOD-like receptors (NLRs): bona fide intracellular microbial sensors. PubmedID 18585455 Ti...tle NOD-like receptors (NLRs): bona fide intracellular microbial sensors. Authors

Porphyromonas gingivalis evasion of autophagy and intracellular killing by human myeloid dendritic cells involves DC-SIGN-TLR2 crosstalk.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Awady, Ahmed R; Miles, Brodie; Scisci, Elizabeth; Kurago, Zoya B; Palani, Chithra D; Arce, Roger M; Waller, Jennifer L; Genco, Caroline A; Slocum, Connie; Manning, Matthew; Schoenlein, Patricia V; Cutler, Christopher W

2015-02-01

Signaling via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed on professional antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), is crucial to the fate of engulfed microbes. Among the many PRRs expressed by DCs are Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and C-type lectins such as DC-SIGN. DC-SIGN is targeted by several major human pathogens for immune-evasion, although its role in intracellular routing of pathogens to autophagosomes is poorly understood. Here we examined the role of DC-SIGN and TLRs in evasion of autophagy and survival of Porphyromonas gingivalis in human monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs). We employed a panel of P. gingivalis isogenic fimbriae deficient strains with defined defects in Mfa-1 fimbriae, a DC-SIGN ligand, and FimA fimbriae, a TLR2 agonist. Our results show that DC-SIGN dependent uptake of Mfa1+P. gingivalis strains by MoDCs resulted in lower intracellular killing and higher intracellular content of P. gingivalis. Moreover, Mfa1+P. gingivalis was mostly contained within single membrane vesicles, where it survived intracellularly. Survival was decreased by activation of TLR2 and/or autophagy. Mfa1+P. gingivalis strain did not induce significant levels of Rab5, LC3-II, and LAMP1. In contrast, P. gingivalis uptake through a DC-SIGN independent manner was associated with early endosomal routing through Rab5, increased LC3-II and LAMP-1, as well as the formation of double membrane intracellular phagophores, a characteristic feature of autophagy. These results suggest that selective engagement of DC-SIGN by Mfa-1+P. gingivalis promotes evasion of antibacterial autophagy and lysosome fusion, resulting in intracellular persistence in myeloid DCs; however TLR2 activation can overcome autophagy evasion and pathogen persistence in DCs.

Edaravone Protected Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells from Methylglyoxal-Induced Injury by Inhibiting AGEs/RAGE/Oxidative Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenlu; Xu, Hongjiao; Hu, Yangmin; He, Ping; Ni, Zhenzhen; Xu, Huimin; Zhang, Zhongmiao; Dai, Haibin

2013-01-01

Subjects with diabetes experience an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease and stroke compared with nondiabetic age-matched individuals. Increased formation of reactive physiological dicarbonyl compound methylglyoxal (MGO) seems to be implicated in the development of diabetic vascular complication due to its protein glycation and oxidative stress effect. Edaravone, a novel radical scavenger, has been reported to display the advantageous effects on ischemic stroke both in animals and clinical trials; however, little is known about whether edaravone has protective effects on diabetic cerebrovascular injury. Using cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC), protective effects of edaravone on MGO and MGO enhancing oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induced injury were investigated. Cell injury was measured by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) formation, cell account, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and Rhodamine 123 staining. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation and receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) expression were measured by western blotting. Cellular oxidative stress was measured by reactive oxygen species (ROS) release. Treatment of MGO for 24 h significantly induced HBMEC injury, which was inhibited by pretreatment of edaravone from 10–100 µmol/l. What’s more, treatment of MGO enhanced AGEs accumulation, RAGE expression and ROS release in the cultured HBMEC, which were inhibited by 100 µmol/l edaravone. Finally, treatment of MGO for 24 h and then followed by 3 h OGD insult significantly enhanced cell injury when compared with OGD insult only, which was also protected by 100 µmol/l edaravone. Thus, edaravone protected HBMEC from MGO and MGO enhancing OGD-induced injury by inhibiting AGEs/RAGE/oxidative stress. PMID:24098758

Edaravone protected human brain microvascular endothelial cells from methylglyoxal-induced injury by inhibiting AGEs/RAGE/oxidative stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenlu Li

Full Text Available Subjects with diabetes experience an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease and stroke compared with nondiabetic age-matched individuals. Increased formation of reactive physiological dicarbonyl compound methylglyoxal (MGO seems to be implicated in the development of diabetic vascular complication due to its protein glycation and oxidative stress effect. Edaravone, a novel radical scavenger, has been reported to display the advantageous effects on ischemic stroke both in animals and clinical trials; however, little is known about whether edaravone has protective effects on diabetic cerebrovascular injury. Using cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC, protective effects of edaravone on MGO and MGO enhancing oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD induced injury were investigated. Cell injury was measured by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT formation, cell account, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH release and Rhodamine 123 staining. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs formation and receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE expression were measured by western blotting. Cellular oxidative stress was measured by reactive oxygen species (ROS release. Treatment of MGO for 24 h significantly induced HBMEC injury, which was inhibited by pretreatment of edaravone from 10-100 µmol/l. What's more, treatment of MGO enhanced AGEs accumulation, RAGE expression and ROS release in the cultured HBMEC, which were inhibited by 100 µmol/l edaravone. Finally, treatment of MGO for 24 h and then followed by 3 h OGD insult significantly enhanced cell injury when compared with OGD insult only, which was also protected by 100 µmol/l edaravone. Thus, edaravone protected HBMEC from MGO and MGO enhancing OGD-induced injury by inhibiting AGEs/RAGE/oxidative stress.

Ca analysis: An Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular calcium transients including multiple, simultaneous regression analysis☆

Science.gov (United States)

Greensmith, David J.

2014-01-01

Here I present an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular Ca transients recorded using fluorescent indicators. The program can perform all the necessary steps which convert recorded raw voltage changes into meaningful physiological information. The program performs two fundamental processes. (1) It can prepare the raw signal by several methods. (2) It can then be used to analyze the prepared data to provide information such as absolute intracellular Ca levels. Also, the rates of change of Ca can be measured using multiple, simultaneous regression analysis. I demonstrate that this program performs equally well as commercially available software, but has numerous advantages, namely creating a simplified, self-contained analysis workflow. PMID:24125908

Molecular analysis of clinical isolates previously diagnosed as Mycobacterium intracellulare reveals incidental findings of "Mycobacterium indicus pranii" genotypes in human lung infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Su-Young; Park, Hye Yun; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Huh, Hee Jae; Ki, Chang-Seok; Lee, Nam Yong; Han, Seung-Jung; Shin, Sung Jae; Koh, Won-Jung

2015-09-30

Mycobacterium intracellulare is a major cause of Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease in many countries. Molecular studies have revealed several new Mycobacteria species that are closely related to M. intracellulare. The aim of this study was to re-identify and characterize clinical isolates from patients previously diagnosed with M. intracellulare lung disease at the molecular level. Mycobacterial isolates from 77 patients, initially diagnosed with M. intracellulare lung disease were re-analyzed by multi-locus sequencing and pattern of insertion sequences. Among the 77 isolates, 74 (96 %) isolates were designated as M. intracellulare based on multigene sequence-based analysis. Interestingly, the three remaining strains (4 %) were re-identified as "Mycobacterium indicus pranii" according to distinct molecular phylogenetic positions in rpoB and hsp65 sequence-based typing. In hsp65 sequevar analysis, code 13 was found in the majority of cases and three unreported codes were identified. In 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequevar analysis, all isolates of both species were classified within the Min-A ITS sequevar. Interestingly, four of the M. intracellulare isolates harbored IS1311, a M. avium-specific element. Two of three patients infected with "M. indicus pranii" had persistent positive sputum cultures after antibiotic therapy, indicating the clinical relevance of this study. This analysis highlights the importance of precise identification of clinical isolates genetically close to Mycobacterium species, and suggests that greater attention should be paid to nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease caused by "M. indicus pranii".

Fluorescent nanoparticles for intracellular sensing: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruedas-Rama, Maria J., E-mail: mjruedas@ugr.esmailto [Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Cartuja, 18071, Granada (Spain); Walters, Jamie D. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 1QT (United Kingdom); Orte, Angel [Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Cartuja, 18071, Granada (Spain); Hall, Elizabeth A.H., E-mail: lisa.hall@biotech.cam.ac.uk [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QT (United Kingdom)

2012-11-02

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Analytical applications of fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) in intracellular sensing. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Critical review on performance of QDots, metal NPs, silica NPs, and polymer NPs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highlighted potential of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). - Abstract: Fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs), including semiconductor NPs (Quantum Dots), metal NPs, silica NPs, polymer NPs, etc., have been a major focus of research and development during the past decade. The fluorescent nanoparticles show unique chemical and optical properties, such as brighter fluorescence, higher photostability and higher biocompatibility, compared to classical fluorescent organic dyes. Moreover, the nanoparticles can also act as multivalent scaffolds for the realization of supramolecular assemblies, since their high surface to volume ratio allow distinct spatial domains to be functionalized, which can provide a versatile synthetic platform for the implementation of different sensing schemes. Their excellent properties make them one of the most useful tools that chemistry has supplied to biomedical research, enabling the intracellular monitoring of many different species for medical and biological purposes. In this review, we focus on the developments and analytical applications of fluorescent nanoparticles in chemical and biological sensing within the intracellular environment. The review also points out the great potential of fluorescent NPs for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Finally, we also give an overview of the current methods for delivering of fluorescent NPs into cells, where critically examine the benefits and liabilities of each strategy.

Intracellular Methamphetamine Prevents the Dopamine-induced Enhancement of Neuronal Firing*

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Kaustuv; Sambo, Danielle; Richardson, Ben D.; Lin, Landon M.; Butler, Brittany; Villarroel, Laura; Khoshbouei, Habibeh

2014-01-01

The dysregulation of the dopaminergic system is implicated in multiple neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Parkinson disease and drug addiction. The primary target of psychostimulants such as amphetamine and methamphetamine is the dopamine transporter (DAT), the major regulator of extracellular dopamine levels in the brain. However, the behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of methamphetamine and amphetamine administration are unique from one another, thereby suggesting these two compounds impact dopaminergic neurotransmission differentially. We further examined the unique mechanisms by which amphetamine and methamphetamine regulate DAT function and dopamine neurotransmission; in the present study we examined the impact of extracellular and intracellular amphetamine and methamphetamine on the spontaneous firing of cultured midbrain dopaminergic neurons and isolated DAT-mediated current. In dopaminergic neurons the spontaneous firing rate was enhanced by extracellular application of amphetamine > dopamine > methamphetamine and was DAT-dependent. Amphetamine > methamphetamine similarly enhanced DAT-mediated inward current, which was sensitive to isosmotic substitution of Na+ or Cl− ion. Although isosmotic substitution of extracellular Na+ ions blocked amphetamine and methamphetamine-induced DAT-mediated inward current similarly, the removal of extracellular Cl− ions preferentially blocked amphetamine-induced inward current. The intracellular application of methamphetamine, but not amphetamine, prevented the dopamine-induced increase in the spontaneous firing of dopaminergic neurons and the corresponding DAT-mediated inward current. The results reveal a new mechanism for methamphetamine-induced dysregulation of dopaminergic neurons. PMID:24962577

Intracellular response to process optimization and impact on productivity and product aggregates for a high-titer CHO cell process.

Science.gov (United States)

Handlogten, Michael W; Lee-O'Brien, Allison; Roy, Gargi; Levitskaya, Sophia V; Venkat, Raghavan; Singh, Shailendra; Ahuja, Sanjeev

2018-01-01

A key goal in process development for antibodies is to increase productivity while maintaining or improving product quality. During process development of an antibody, titers were increased from 4 to 10 g/L while simultaneously decreasing aggregates. Process development involved optimization of media and feed formulations, feed strategy, and process parameters including pH and temperature. To better understand how CHO cells respond to process changes, the changes were implemented in a stepwise manner. The first change was an optimization of the feed formulation, the second was an optimization of the medium, and the third was an optimization of process parameters. Multiple process outputs were evaluated including cell growth, osmolality, lactate production, ammonium concentration, antibody production, and aggregate levels. Additionally, detailed assessment of oxygen uptake, nutrient and amino acid consumption, extracellular and intracellular redox environment, oxidative stress, activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) expression, and heavy and light chain mRNA expression provided an in-depth understanding of the cellular response to process changes. The results demonstrate that mRNA expression and UPR activation were unaffected by process changes, and that increased PDI expression and optimized nutrient supplementation are required for higher productivity processes. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate the role of extra- and intracellular redox environment on productivity and antibody aggregation. Processes using the optimized medium, with increased concentrations of redox modifying agents, had the highest overall specific productivity, reduced aggregate levels, and helped cells better withstand the high levels of oxidative stress associated with increased productivity. Specific productivities of different processes positively correlated to average intracellular values of total glutathione. Additionally

Reduction of intracellular glutathione content and radiosensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vos, O.; Schans, G.P. van der; Roos-Verheij, W.S.D.

1986-05-01

The intracellular glutathione (GSH) content in HeLa, CHO and V79 cells was reduced by incubating the cells in growth medium containing buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) or diethyl maleate (DEM). Clonogenicity, single strand DNA breaks (ssb) and double strand DNA breaks (dsb) were used as criteria for radiation induced damage after X- or γ irradiation. In survival experiments DEM gave a slightly larger sensitization although it gave a smaller reduction of the intracellular GSH. In general, sensitization was larger for dsb than for ssb, also the reduction of the OER was generally larger for dsb than for ssb. This may be due to the higher dose rate in case of dsb experiments resulting in a higher rate of radiochemical oxygen consumption. In general, no effect was found on post-irradiation repair of ssb and dsb. (Auth.)

Reduction of intracellular glutathione content and radiosensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vos, O.; Schans, G.P. van der; Roos-Verheij, W.S.D.

1986-01-01

The intracellular glutathione (GSH) content of HeLa, CHO and V79 cells was reduced by incubating the cells in growth medium containing buthionine sulphoximine or diethyl maleate (DEM). Clonogenicity, single-strand DNA breaks (ssb) and double-strand DNA breaks (dsb) were used as criteria for radiation-induced damage after X- or γ-irradiation. In survival experiments, DEM gave a slightly larger sensitization although it gave a smaller reduction of the intracellular GSH. In general, sensitization was larger for dsb than for ssb, also the reduction of the o.e.r. was generally larger for dsb than for ssb. This may be due to the higher dose rate in case of dsb experiments resulting in a higher rate of radiochemical oxygen consumption. In general, no effect was found on post-irradiation repair of ssb and dsb. (author)

Intracellular serotonin modulates insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells by protein serotonylation.

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Nils Paulmann

2009-10-01

Full Text Available While serotonin (5-HT co-localization with insulin in granules of pancreatic beta-cells was demonstrated more than three decades ago, its physiological role in the etiology of diabetes is still unclear. We combined biochemical and electrophysiological analyses of mice selectively deficient in peripheral tryptophan hydroxylase (Tph1-/- and 5-HT to show that intracellular 5-HT regulates insulin secretion. We found that these mice are diabetic and have an impaired insulin secretion due to the lack of 5-HT in the pancreas. The pharmacological restoration of peripheral 5-HT levels rescued the impaired insulin secretion in vivo. These findings were further evidenced by patch clamp experiments with isolated Tph1-/- beta-cells, which clearly showed that the secretory defect is downstream of Ca(2+-signaling and can be rescued by direct intracellular application of 5-HT via the clamp pipette. In elucidating the underlying mechanism further, we demonstrate the covalent coupling of 5-HT by transglutaminases during insulin exocytosis to two key players in insulin secretion, the small GTPases Rab3a and Rab27a. This renders them constitutively active in a receptor-independent signaling mechanism we have recently termed serotonylation. Concordantly, an inhibition of such activating serotonylation in beta-cells abates insulin secretion. We also observed inactivation of serotonylated Rab3a by enhanced proteasomal degradation, which is in line with the inactivation of other serotonylated GTPases. Our results demonstrate that 5-HT regulates insulin secretion by serotonylation of GTPases within pancreatic beta-cells and suggest that intracellular 5-HT functions in various microenvironments via this mechanism in concert with the known receptor-mediated signaling.

Glutathione provides a source of cysteine essential for intracellular multiplication of Francisella tularensis.

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Khaled Alkhuder

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious bacterium causing the zoonotic disease tularemia. Its ability to multiply and survive in macrophages is critical for its virulence. By screening a bank of HimarFT transposon mutants of the F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS to isolate intracellular growth-deficient mutants, we selected one mutant in a gene encoding a putative gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT. This gene (FTL_0766 was hence designated ggt. The mutant strain showed impaired intracellular multiplication and was strongly attenuated for virulence in mice. Here we present evidence that the GGT activity of F. tularensis allows utilization of glutathione (GSH, gamma-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine and gamma-glutamyl-cysteine dipeptide as cysteine sources to ensure intracellular growth. This is the first demonstration of the essential role of a nutrient acquisition system in the intracellular multiplication of F. tularensis. GSH is the most abundant source of cysteine in the host cytosol. Thus, the capacity this intracellular bacterial pathogen has evolved to utilize the available GSH, as a source of cysteine in the host cytosol, constitutes a paradigm of bacteria-host adaptation.

Multiple-Targeted Graphene-based Nanocarrier for Intracellular Imaging of mRNAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Ying; Li, Zhaohui; Liu, Misha; Hu, Dehong; Lin, Yuehe; Li, Jinghong

2017-08-29

Simultaneous detection and imaging of multiple intracellular messenger RNA (mRNAs) hold great significant for early cancer diagnostics and preventive medicine development. Herein, we propose a multiple-targeted graphene oxide (GO) nanocarrier that can simultaneously detect and image different type mRNAs in living cells. First of all, in vitro detection of multiple targets have been realized successfully based on the multiple-targeted GO nanocarrier with linear relationship ranging from 3 nM to 200 nM, as well as sensitive detection limit of 1.84 nM for manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) mRNA and 2.45 nM for β-actin mRNA. Additionally, this nanosensing platform composed of fluorescent labeled single strand DNA probes and GO nanocarrier can identify Mn-SOD mRNA and endogenous mRNA of β-actin in living cancer cells, showing rapid response, high specificity, nuclease stability, and good biocompatibility during the cell imaging. Thirdly, changes of the expression levels of mRNA in living cells before or after the drug treatment can be monitored successfully. By using multiple ssDNA as probes and GO nanocarrier as the cellular delivery cargo, the proposed simultaneous multiple-targeted sensing platform will be of great potential as a powerful tool for intracellular trafficking process from basic research to clinical diagnosis.

Delivery of rifampicin-chitin nanoparticles into the intracellular compartment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Smitha, K T; Nisha, N; Maya, S; Biswas, Raja; Jayakumar, R

2015-03-01

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) provide the primary host defence against invading pathogens by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and microbicidal products. However, few pathogens can survive for a prolonged period of time within the PMNs. Additionally their intracellular lifestyle within the PMNs protect themselves from the additional lethal action of host immune systems such as antibodies and complements. Antibiotic delivery into the intracellular compartments of PMNs is a major challenge in the field of infectious diseases. In order to deliver antibiotics within the PMNs and for the better treatment of intracellular bacterial infections we synthesized rifampicin (RIF) loaded amorphous chitin nanoparticles (RIF-ACNPs) of 350±50 nm in diameter. RIF-ACNPs nanoparticles are found to be non-hemolytic and non-toxic against a variety of host cells. The release of rifampicin from the prepared nanoparticles was ∼60% in 24 h, followed by a sustained pattern till 72 h. The RIF-ACNPs nanoparticles showed 5-6 fold enhanced delivery of RIF into the intracellular compartments of PMNs. The RIF-ACNPs showed anti-microbial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and a variety of other bacteria. In summary, our results suggest that RIF-ACNPs could be used to treat a variety of intracellular bacterial infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intracellular phase for an extracellular bacterial pathogen: MgtC shows the way

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Audrey Bernut

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extracellular pathogen known to impair host phagocytic functions. However, our recent results identify MgtC as a novel actor in P. aeruginosa virulence, which plays a role in an intramacrophage phase of this pathogen. In agreement with its intracellular function, P. aeruginosa mgtC gene expression is strongly induced when the bacteria reside within macrophages. MgtC was previously known as a horizontally-acquired virulence factor important for multiplication inside macrophages in several intracellular bacterial pathogens. MgtC thus provides a singular example of a virulence determinant that subverts macrophages both in intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Moreover, we demonstrate that P. aeru-ginosa MgtC is required for optimal growth in Mg2+ deprived medium, a property shared by MgtC factors from intracellular pathogens and, under Mg2+ limitation, P. aeruginosaMgtC prevents biofilm formation. We propose that MgtC has a similar function in intracellular and extracellular pathogens, which contributes to macrophage resistance and fine-tune adaptation to the host in relation to the different bacterial lifestyles. MgtC thus appears as an attractive target for antivirulence strategies and our work provides a natural peptide as MgtC antagonist, which paves the way for the development of MgtC inhibitors.

Model Linking Plasma and Intracellular Tenofovir/Emtricitabine with Deoxynucleoside Triphosphates.

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Xinhui Chen

Full Text Available The coformulation of the nucleos(tide analogs (NA tenofovir (TFV disoproxil fumarate (TDF and emtricitabine (FTC is approved for HIV-infection treatment and prevention. Plasma TFV and FTC undergo complicated hybrid processes to form, accumulate, and retain as their active intracellular anabolites: TFV-diphosphate (TFV-DP and FTC-triphosphate (FTC-TP. Such complexities manifest in nonlinear intracellular pharmacokinetics (PK. In target cells, TFV-DP/FTC-TP compete with endogenous deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTP at the active site of HIV reverse transcriptase, underscoring the importance of analog:dNTP ratios for antiviral efficacy. However, NA such as TFV and FTC have the potential to disturb the dNTP pool, which could augment or reduce their efficacies. We conducted a pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PKPD study among forty subjects receiving daily TDF/FTC (300 mg/200 mg from the first-dose to pharmacological intracellular steady-state (30 days. TFV/FTC in plasma, TFV-DP/FTC-TP and dNTPs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC were quantified using validated LC/MS/MS methodologies. Concentration-time data were analyzed using nonlinear mixed effects modeling (NONMEM. Formations and the accumulation of intracellular TFV-DP/FTC-TP was driven by plasma TFV/FTC, which was described by a hybrid of first-order formation and saturation. An indirect response link model described the interplay between TFV-DP/FTC-TP and the dNTP pool change. The EC50 (interindividual variability, (%CV of TFV-DP and FTC-TP on the inhibition of deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP and deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP production were 1020 fmol/106 cells (130% and 44.4 pmol/106 cells (82.5%, resulting in (90% prediction interval 11% (0.45%, 53% and 14% (2.6%, 35% reductions. Model simulations of analog:dNTP molar ratios using IPERGAY dosing suggested that FTC significantly contributes to the protective effect of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP. Simulation

Molecular detection and characterization of sustainable intracellular ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

3Centre for Biopolymer and Bio-Molecular Research, Athlone College of Technology, Republic of Ireland. ... cells was associated with the elongation of micro-villar extension that ... Keywords: Intracellular contaminants, cell cultures, bacteria culture, pre-clinical studies. ... production work involving culture technology.

Cationic polymers for intracellular delivery of proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coué, G.M.J.P.C.; Engbersen, Johannes F.J.; Samal, Sangram; Dubruel, Peter

2015-01-01

Many therapeutic proteins exert their pharmaceutical action inside the cytoplasm or onto individual organelles inside the cell. Intracellular protein delivery is considered to be the most direct, fastest and safest approach for curing gene-deficiency diseases, enhancing vaccination and triggering

Biological synthesis and characterization of intracellular gold ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

thods of reduction of metal ions using plants or microorganisms are often ... have several advantages over bacteria, they are often pre- ferred. ... in static condition for a period of 7 days. ... work was focused on the production of intracellular gold.

The effect of sodium bicarbonate on intracellular pH using {sup 31}P-MR spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakashima, Kazuya; Kashiwagi, Shiro; Ito, Haruhide [Yamaguchi Univ., Ube (Japan). School of Medicine; Yamashita, Tetsuo; Kitahara, Tetsuhiro; Nakayama, Naoto; Saito, Kennichi

1997-03-01

This report deals with the effects of sodium bicarbonate on the intracellular pH of the brain and cerebral blood flow (CBF); five normal volunteers were studied. Intracellular pH and CBF were measured by phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ({sup 31}P-MRS) and stable xenon computed tomography (Xe-CT), respectively. Each individual received 7% sodium bicarbonate (3.5 ml/kg body weight), infused intravenously over a 15-min period. Intracellular pH, CBF, and physiological parameters were determined before and after the injection. Intracellular pH was significantly decreased and CBF was increased. Among the physiological parameters, the hematocrit was significantly decreased and arterial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO{sub 2}), increased. These results suggest that increasing CO{sub 2} contributes to the decrease in intracellular pH. In conclusion, three factors increase CBF during the administration of sodium bicarbonate to humans: arterial dilatation in response to carbon dioxide; decrease of the hematocrit, and intracellular cerebral acidosis. (author)

Intracellular insulin processing is altered in monocytes from patients with type II diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trischitta, V.; Benzi, L.; Brunetti, A.; Cecchetti, P.; Marchetti, P.; Vigneri, R.; Navalesi, R.

1987-01-01

We studied total cell-associated A14-[ 125 I]insulin radioactivity (including surface-bound and internalized radioactivity), insulin internalization, and its intracellular degradation at 37 C in monocytes from nonobese type II untreated diabetic patients (n = 9) and normal subjects (n = 7). Total cell-associated radioactivity was decreased in diabetic patients [2.65 +/- 1.21% (+/- SD) vs. 4.47 +/- 1.04% of total radioactivity. Insulin internalization was also reduced in diabetic patients (34.0 +/- 6.8% vs. 59.0 +/- 11.3% of cell-associated radioactivity. Using high performance liquid chromatography six intracellular forms of radioactivity derived from A14-[ 125 I] insulin were identified; 10-20% of intracellular radioactivity had approximately 300,000 mol wt and was identified as radioactivity bound to the insulin receptor, and the remaining intracellular radioactivity included intact A14-[ 125 I]insulin, [ 125 I]iodide, or [ 125 I]tyrosine, and three intermediate compounds. A progressive reduction of intact insulin and a corresponding increase in iodine were found when the incubation time was prolonged. Intracellular insulin degradation was reduced in monocytes from diabetic patients; intracellular intact insulin was 65.6 +/- 18.1% vs. 37.4 +/- 18.0% of intracellular radioactivity after 2 min and 23.6 +/- 22.3% vs. 3.9 +/- 2.3% after 60 min in diabetic patients vs. normal subjects, respectively. In conclusion, 1) human monocytes internalize and degrade insulin in the intracellular compartment in a stepwise time-dependent manner; and 2) in monocytes from type II diabetic patients total cell-associated radioactivity, insulin internalization, and insulin degradation are significantly reduced. These defects may be related to the cellular insulin resistance present in these patients

Simple Recovery of Intracellular Gold Nanoparticles from Peanut Seedling Roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Raju, D; Mehta, Urmil J; Ahmad, Absar

2015-02-01

Fabrication of inorganic nanomaterials via a biological route witnesses the formation either extracellularly, intracellulary or both. Whereas extracellular formation of these nanomaterials is cherished owing to their easy and economical extraction and purification processes; the intracellular formation of nanomaterials, due to the lack of a proper recovery protocol has always been dreaded, as the extraction processes used so far were tedious, costly, time consuming and often resulting in very low recovery. The aim of the present study was to overcome the problems related with the extraction and recovery of intracellularly synthesized inorganic nanoparticles, and to devise a method to increasing the output, the shape, size, composition and dispersal of nanoparticles is not altered. Water proved to be much better system as it provided well dispersed, stable gold nanoparticles and higher recovery. This is the first report, where intracellular nanoparticles have been recovered using a very cost-effective and eco-friendly approach.

Intracellular Ca2+ Regulation in Calcium Sensitive Phenotype of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HERMANSYAH

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Intracellular cytosolic Ca2+ concentration accumulation plays an essential information in Saccharomyces cerevisiae i.e. to explain cellular mechanism of Ca2+ sensitive phenotype. Disruption both S. cerevisiae PPase PTP2 and MSG5 genes showed an inhibited growth in the presence of Ca2+. On the other hand, by using Luminocounter with apoaequorin system, a method based upon luminescent photoprotein aequorin, intracellular Ca2+ concentration was accumulated as a consequence of calcium sensitive phenotype of S. cerevisiae. This fact indicated that PPase ptp2Δ and msg5Δ were involved in intracellular Ca2+ transport in addition their already known pathways i.e Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase cell wall integrity pathway, high osmolarity glycerol (HOG pathway, and pheromone response FUS3 pathway.

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare cellulitis occurring with septic arthritis after joint injection: a case report

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Murdoch David M

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cellulitis caused by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare has rarely been described. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is a rare cause of septic arthritis after intra-articular injection, though the causative role of injection is difficult to ascertain in such cases. Case presentation A 57-year-old with rheumatoid arthritis treated with prednisone and azathioprine developed bilateral painful degenerative shoulder arthritis. After corticosteroid injections into both acromioclavicular joints, he developed bilateral cellulitis centered over the injection sites. Skin biopsy showed non-caseating granulomas, and culture grew Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. Joint aspiration also revealed Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection. Conclusion Although rare, skin and joint infections caused by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare should be considered in any immunocompromised host, particularly after intra-articular injection. Stains for acid-fast bacilli may be negative in pathologic samples even in the presence of infection; cultures of tissue specimens should always be obtained.

Intracellular nitrate of marine diatoms as a driver of anaerobic nitrogen cycling in sinking aggregates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamp, Anja; Stief, Peter; Bristow, Laura A.

2016-01-01

% was recovered as nitrite. Hence, aggregate-associated diatoms accumulate nitrate from the surrounding water and sustain complex nitrogen transformations, including loss of fixed nitrogen, in anoxic, pelagic microniches. Additionally, it may be expected that intracellular nitrate not converted before...... store nitrate intracellularly, we explored the fate of intracellular nitrate and its availability for microbial metabolism within anoxic diatom-bacteria aggregates. The ubiquitous nitrate-storing diatom Skeletonema marinoi was studied as both axenic cultures and laboratory-produced diatom......-bacteria aggregates. Stable 15N isotope incubations under dark and anoxic conditions revealed that axenic S. marinoi is able to reduce intracellular nitrate to ammonium that is immediately excreted by the cells. When exposed to a light:dark cycle and oxic conditions, S. marinoi stored nitrate intracellularly...

Intracellular Nitrate of Marine Diatoms as a Driver of Anaerobic Nitrogen Cycling in Sinking Aggregates

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Anja Kamp

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Diatom-bacteria aggregates are key for the vertical transport of organic carbon in the ocean. Sinking aggregates also represent pelagic microniches with intensified microbial activity, oxygen depletion in the center, and anaerobic nitrogen cycling. Since some of the aggregate-forming diatom species store nitrate intracellularly, we explored the fate of intracellular nitrate and its availability for microbial metabolism within anoxic diatom-bacteria aggregates. The ubiquitous nitrate-storing diatom Skeletonema marinoi was studied as both axenic cultures and laboratory-produced diatom-bacteria aggregates. Stable 15N isotope incubations under dark and anoxic conditions revealed that axenic S. marinoi is able to reduce intracellular nitrate to ammonium that is immediately excreted by the cells. When exposed to a light:dark cycle and oxic conditions, S. marinoi stored nitrate intracellularly in concentrations > 60 mmol L-1 both as free-living cells and associated to aggregates. Intracellular nitrate concentrations exceeded extracellular concentrations by three orders of magnitude. Intracellular nitrate was used up within 2-3 days after shifting diatom-bacteria aggregates to dark and anoxic conditions. Thirty-one percent of the diatom-derived nitrate was converted to nitrogen gas, indicating that a substantial fraction of the intracellular nitrate pool of S. marinoi becomes available to the aggregate-associated bacterial community. Only 5% of the intracellular nitrate was reduced to ammonium, while 59% was recovered as nitrite. Hence, aggregate-associated diatoms accumulate nitrate from the surrounding water and sustain complex nitrogen transformations, including loss of fixed nitrogen, in anoxic, pelagic microniches. Additionally, it may be expected that intracellular nitrate not converted before the aggregates have settled onto the seafloor could fuel benthic nitrogen transformations.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF INTRACELLULAR IONS TO Kv CHANNEL VOLTAGE SENSOR DYNAMICS.

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Samuel eGoodchild

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Voltage sensing domains of Kv channels control ionic conductance through coupling of the movement of charged residues in the S4 segment to conformational changes at the cytoplasmic region of the pore domain, that allow K+ ions to flow. Conformational transitions within the voltage sensing domain caused by changes in the applied voltage across the membrane field are coupled to the conducting pore region and the gating of ionic conductance. However, several other factors not directly linked to the voltage dependent movement of charged residues within the voltage sensor impact the dynamics of the voltage sensor, such as inactivation, ionic conductance, intracellular ion identity and block of the channel by intracellular ligands. The effect of intracellular ions on voltage sensor dynamics is of importance in the interpretation of gating current measurements and the physiology of pore/voltage sensor coupling. There is a significant amount of variability in the reported kinetics of voltage sensor deactivation kinetics of Kv channels attributed to different mechanisms such as open state stabilization, immobilization and relaxation processes of the voltage sensor. Here we separate these factors and focus on the causal role that intracellular ions can play in allosterically modulating the dynamics of Kv voltage sensor deactivation kinetics. These considerations are of critical importance in understanding the molecular determinants of the complete channel gating cycle from activation to deactivation.

Killing of intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis by receptor-mediated drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumdar, S.; Basu, S.K.

1991-01-01

p-Aminosalicylic acid (PAS) conjugated to maleylated bovine serum albumin (MBSA) was taken up efficiently through high-affinity MBSA-binding sites on macrophages. Binding of the radiolabeled conjugate to cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages at 4 degrees C was competed for by MBSA but not by PAS. At 37 degrees C, the radiolabeled conjugate was rapidly degraded by the macrophages, leading to release of acid-soluble degradation products in the medium. The drug conjugate was nearly 100 times as effective as free PAS in killing the intracellular mycobacteria in mouse peritoneal macrophages infected in culture with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The killing of intracellular mycobacteria mediated by the drug conjugate was effectively prevented by simultaneous addition of excess MBSA (100 micrograms/ml) or chloroquine (3 microM) to the medium, whereas these agents did not affect the microbicidal action of free PAS. These results suggest that (i) uptake of the PAS-MBSA conjugate was mediated by cell surface receptors on macrophages which recognize MBSA and (ii) lysosomal hydrolysis of the internalized conjugate resulted in intracellular release of a pharmacologically active form of the drug, which led to selective killing of the M. tuberculosis harbored by mouse macrophages infected in culture. This receptor-mediated modality of delivering drugs to macrophages could contribute to greater therapeutic efficacy and minimization of toxic side effects in the management of tuberculosis and other intracellular mycobacterial infections

Complexation of intracellular cyanide by hydroxocobalamin using a human cellular model.

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Astier, A; Baud, F J

1996-01-01

1. The rational for administering hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl) as an antidote to cyanide poisoning is based on the high affinity of CN ion for cobalt compounds. However, only few data are available on the influence of OHCbl on the intracellular cyanide pool. 2. In human fibroblasts incubated for 10 min with 500 microM of [14C] cyanide, the accumulation ratio was 25 at 37 degrees C (10.45 +/- 1.51 mM) and 11.9 at 4 degrees C. 3. Using the monoblastic U-937 cell line, a rapid uptake of radioactive cyanide was observed with a maximum accumulation ratio of 1.97 at 5 min. 4. A linear relationship between cyanide uptake by U-937 cells and cyanide concentration in incubation medium (10-500 microM; 5 min) was found suggesting a first order process (k = 0.25 min-1). 5. After incubation of fibroblasts with 500 microM of OHCbl, a 75% decrease of intracellular cyanide was observed, with concomittant formation of intracellular cyanocobalamin CNCbl (intracellular/extracellular ratio: 158). 6. These findings suggest that OHCbl is able to penetrate into heavily cyanide loaded cells and to complex cyanide to the non-toxic CNCbl form.

Dynamics of gradient formation by intracellular shuttling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berezhkovskii, Alexander M. [Mathematical and Statistical Computing Laboratory, Division of Computational Bioscience, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 (United States); Shvartsman, Stanislav Y. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States)

2015-08-21

A number of important cellular functions rely on the formation of intracellular protein concentration gradients. Experimental studies discovered a number of mechanisms for the formation of such gradients. One of the mechanisms relies on the intracellular shuttling of a protein that interconverts between the two states with different diffusivities, under the action of two enzymes, one of which is localized to the plasma membrane, whereas the second is uniformly distributed in the cytoplasm. Recent work reported an analytical solution for the steady state gradient in this mechanism, obtained in the framework of a one-dimensional reaction-diffusion model. Here, we study the dynamics in this model and derive analytical expressions for the Laplace transforms of the time-dependent concentration profiles in terms of elementary transcendental functions. Inverting these transforms numerically, one can obtain time-dependent concentration profiles of the two forms of the protein.

Response of Listeria monocytogenes to disinfection stress at the single-cell and population levels as monitored by intracellular pH measurements and viable-cell counts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Nielsen, Dennis S.; Arneborg, Nils

2009-01-01

of the bacterium. In situ analyses of Listeria monocytogenes single cells were performed during exposure to different concentrations of the disinfectant Incimaxx DES to study a possible population subdivision. Bacterial survival was quantified with plate counting and disinfection stress at the single-cell level...... by measuring intracellular pH (pHi) over time by fluorescence ratio imaging microscopy. pHi values were initially 7 to 7.5 and decreased in both attached and planktonic L. monocytogenes cells during exposure to sublethal and lethal concentrations of Incimaxx DES. The response of the bacterial population...... was homogenous; hence, subpopulations were not detected. However, pregrowth with NaCl protected the planktonic bacterial cells during disinfection with Incimaxx (0.0015%) since pHi was higher (6 to 6.5) for the bacterial population pregrown with NaCl than for cells grown without NaCl (pHi 5 to 5.5) (P

Enhanced NMDA receptor-mediated intracellular calcium signaling in magnocellular neurosecretory neurons in heart failure rats.

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Stern, Javier E; Potapenko, Evgeniy S

2013-08-15

An enhanced glutamate excitatory function within the hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricluar nuclei is known to contribute to increased neurosecretory and presympathetic neuronal activity, and hence, neurohumoral activation, during heart failure (HF). Still, the precise mechanisms underlying enhanced glutamate-driven neuronal activity in HF remain to be elucidated. Here, we performed simultaneous electrophysiology and fast confocal Ca²⁺ imaging to determine whether altered N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ levels (NMDA-ΔCa²⁺) occurred in hypothalamic magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) in HF rats. We found that activation of NMDA receptors resulted in a larger ΔCa²⁺ in MNCs from HF when compared with sham rats. The enhanced NMDA-ΔCa²⁺ was neither dependent on the magnitude of the NMDA-mediated current (voltage clamp) nor on the degree of membrane depolarization or firing activity evoked by NMDA (current clamp). Differently from NMDA receptor activation, firing activity evoked by direct membrane depolarization resulted in similar changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ in sham and HF rats. Taken together, our results support a relatively selective alteration of intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis and signaling following activation of NMDA receptors in MNCs during HF. The downstream functional consequences of such altered ΔCa²⁺ signaling during HF are discussed.

Intracellular crowding effects on the self-association of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ.

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Naddaf, Lamis; Sayyed-Ahmad, Abdallah

2014-12-15

The dimerization rate of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ is strongly affected by the intracellular crowding. Yet the complexity of the intracellular environment makes it difficult to investigate via all-atom molecular dynamics or other detailed theoretical methods. We study the crowding effect on FtsZ dimerization which is the first step of an oligomerization process that results in more elaborate supramolecular structures. In particular, we consider the effect of intracellular crowding on the reaction rates, and their dependence on the different concentrations of crowding agents. We achieved this goal by using Brownian dynamics (BD) simulation techniques and a modified post-processing approach in which we decompose the rate constant in crowded media as a product of the rate constant in the dilute solution times a factor that incorporates the crowding effect. The latter factor accounts for the diffusion reduction and crowder induced energy. In addition we include the crowding effects on water viscosity in the BD simulations of crowded media. We finally show that biomolecular crowding has a considerable effect on the FtsZ dimerization by increasing the dimerization rate constant from 2.6×10(7)M(-1)s(-1) in the absence of crowders to 1.0×10(8)M(-1)s(-1) at crowding level of 0.30. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glyphosate and AMPA inhibit cancer cell growth through inhibiting intracellular glycine synthesis

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Li Q

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Qingli Li,1,2 Mark J Lambrechts,1 Qiuyang Zhang,1 Sen Liu,1 Dongxia Ge,1 Rutie Yin,2 Mingrong Xi,2 Zongbing You1 1Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology and Orthopaedic Surgery, Tulane Cancer Center and Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, Tulane Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, and Tulane Center for Aging, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Glycine is a nonessential amino acid that is reversibly converted from serine intracellularly by serine hydroxymethyltransferase. Glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA, are analogs to glycine, thus they may inhibit serine hydroxymethyltransferase to decrease intracellular glycine synthesis. In this study, we found that glyphosate and AMPA inhibited cell growth in eight human cancer cell lines but not in two immortalized human normal prostatic epithelial cell lines. AMPA arrested C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cells in the G1/G0 phase and inhibited entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. AMPA also promoted apoptosis in C4-2B and PC-3 cancer cell lines. AMPA upregulated p53 and p21 protein levels as well as procaspase 9 protein levels in C4-2B cells, whereas it downregulated cyclin D3 protein levels. AMPA also activated caspase 3 and induced cleavage of poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose polymerase. This study provides the first evidence that glyphosate and AMPA can inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of cancer cells but not normal cells, suggesting that they have potentials to be developed into a new anticancer therapy. Keywords: serine hydroxymethyltransferase, prostate cancer, apoptosis

Electron Microscopy of Intracellular Protozoa

Science.gov (United States)

1988-12-20

Classification) " ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF INTRACELLULAR PROTOZOA 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Aikawa, Masamichi 13a. TYPE OF REPORT I13b. TIME COVERED 114...authors suggest that anti-CS protein antibody is important in reducing the prevalence of malaria with increasing age among persons in such areas and... Hygine 33, 220-226. 0Giudice, G.D., Engers, H.D., Tougne, C., Biro, S.S., Weiss, N., Verdini, A.S., Pessi, A., Degremont, A.A., Freyvogel, T.A., Lambert

Ca analysis: an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular calcium transients including multiple, simultaneous regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Greensmith, David J

2014-01-01

Here I present an Excel based program for the analysis of intracellular Ca transients recorded using fluorescent indicators. The program can perform all the necessary steps which convert recorded raw voltage changes into meaningful physiological information. The program performs two fundamental processes. (1) It can prepare the raw signal by several methods. (2) It can then be used to analyze the prepared data to provide information such as absolute intracellular Ca levels. Also, the rates of change of Ca can be measured using multiple, simultaneous regression analysis. I demonstrate that this program performs equally well as commercially available software, but has numerous advantages, namely creating a simplified, self-contained analysis workflow. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Emerging Paradigm of Intracellular Targeting of G Protein-Coupled Receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedi, Madhu; Schilling, Justin; Beautrait, Alexandre; Bouvier, Michel; Benovic, Jeffrey L; Shukla, Arun K

2018-05-04

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) recognize a diverse array of extracellular stimuli, and they mediate a broad repertoire of signaling events involved in human physiology. Although the major effort on targeting GPCRs has typically been focused on their extracellular surface, a series of recent developments now unfold the possibility of targeting them from the intracellular side as well. Allosteric modulators binding to the cytoplasmic surface of GPCRs have now been described, and their structural mechanisms are elucidated by high-resolution crystal structures. Furthermore, pepducins, aptamers, and intrabodies targeting the intracellular face of GPCRs have also been successfully utilized to modulate receptor signaling. Moreover, small molecule compounds, aptamers, and synthetic intrabodies targeting β-arrestins have also been discovered to modulate GPCR endocytosis and signaling. Here, we discuss the emerging paradigm of intracellular targeting of GPCRs, and outline the current challenges, potential opportunities, and future outlook in this particular area of GPCR biology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of high pressure on the intracellular trehalose synthase activity of Thermus aquaticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yongsheng; Ma, Lei; Duan, Yuanliang

2016-01-01

To understand the effect of high pressure on the intracellular trehalose synthase activity, Thermus aquaticus (T. aquaticus) in the logarithmic growth phase was treated with high-pressure air, and its intracellular trehalose synthase (TSase) activity was determined. Our results indicated that pressure is a factor strongly affecting the cell growth. High pressure significantly attenuated the growth rate of T. aquaticus and shortened the duration of stationary phase. However, after 2 h of culture under 1.0 MPa pressure, the activity of intracellular TSase in T. aquaticus reached its maximum value, indicating that pressure can significantly increase the activity of intracellular TSase in T. aquaticus. Thus the present study provides an important guide for the enzymatic production of trehalose.

Intracellular diffusion restrictions in isolated cardiomyocytes from rainbow trout

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Birkedal Rikke

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Restriction of intracellular diffusion of adenine nucleotides has been studied intensively on adult rat cardiomyocytes. However, their cause and role in vivo is still uncertain. Intracellular membrane structures have been suggested to play a role. We therefore chose to study cardiomyocytes from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, which are thinner and have fewer intracellular membrane structures than adult rat cardiomyocytes. Previous studies suggest that trout permeabilized cardiac fibers also have diffusion restrictions. However, results from fibers may be affected by incomplete separation of the cells. This is avoided when studying permeabilized, isolated cardiomyocytes. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of diffusion restrictions in trout cardiomyocytes by comparing ADP-kinetics of mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized fibers, permeabilized cardiomyocytes and isolated mitochondria from rainbow trout heart. Experiments were performed at 10, 15 and 20°C in the absence and presence of creatine. Results Trout cardiomyocytes hypercontracted in the solutions used for mammalian cardiomyocytes. We developed a new solution in which they retained their shape and showed stable steady state respiration rates throughout an experiment. The apparent ADP-affinity of permeabilized cardiomyocytes was different from that of fibers. It was higher, independent of temperature and not increased by creatine. However, it was still about ten times lower than in isolated mitochondria. Conclusions The differences between fibers and cardiomyocytes suggest that results from trout heart fibers were affected by incomplete separation of the cells. However, the lower ADP-affinity of cardiomyocytes compared to isolated mitochondria indicate that intracellular diffusion restrictions are still present in trout cardiomyocytes despite their lower density of intracellular membrane structures. The lack of a creatine effect indicates that

Intracellular Na(+) and metabolic modulation of Na/K pump and excitability in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi-Chi; Yang, Jyh-Jeen; Huang, Rong-Chi

2012-10-01

Na/K pump activity and metabolic rate are both higher during the day in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that houses the circadian clock. Here we investigated the role of intracellular Na(+) and energy metabolism in regulating Na/K pump activity and neuronal excitability. Removal of extracellular K(+) to block the Na/K pump excited SCN neurons to fire at higher rates and return to normal K(+) to reactivate the pump produced rebound hyperpolarization to inhibit firing. In the presence of tetrodotoxin to block the action potentials, both zero K(+)-induced depolarization and rebound hyperpolarization were blocked by the cardiac glycoside strophanthidin. Ratiometric Na(+) imaging with a Na(+)-sensitive fluorescent dye indicated saturating accumulation of intracellular Na(+) in response to pump blockade with zero K(+). The Na(+) ionophore monensin also induced Na(+) loading and hyperpolarized the membrane potential, with the hyperpolarizing effect of monensin abolished in zero Na(+) or by pump blockade. Conversely, Na(+) depletion with Na(+)-free pipette solution depolarized membrane potential but retained residual Na/K pump activity. Cyanide inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation blocked the Na/K pump to depolarize resting potential and increase spontaneous firing in most cells, and to raise intracellular Na(+) levels in all cells. Nonetheless, the Na/K pump was incompletely blocked by cyanide but completely blocked by iodoacetate to inhibit glycolysis, indicating the involvement of both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in fueling the Na/K pump. Together, the results indicate the importance of intracellular Na(+) and energy metabolism in regulating Na/K pump activity as well as neuronal excitability in the SCN neurons.

Effects of combined radiofrequency radiation exposure on levels of reactive oxygen species in neuronal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Kyoung Ah; Lee, Hyung Chul; Lee, Je-Jung

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the combined RF radiation (837 MHz CDMA plus 1950 MHz WCDMA) signal on levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neuronal cells. Exposure of the combined RF signal was conducted at specific absorption rate values of 2 W/kg of CDMA plus 2 W/kg of WCDMA for 2 h. Co-exposure to combined RF radiation with either H 2 O 2 or menadione was also performed. The experimental exposure groups were incubator control, sham-exposed, combined RF radiation-exposed with or without either H 2 O 2 or menadione groups. The intracellular ROS level was measured by flow cytometry using the fluorescent probe dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Intracellular ROS levels were not consistently affected by combined RF radiation exposure alone in a time-dependent manner in U87, PC12 or SH-SY5Y cells. In neuronal cells exposed to combined RF radiation with either H 2 O 2 or menadione, intracellular ROS levels showed no statically significant alteration compared with exposure to menadione or H 2 O 2 alone. These findings indicate that neither combined RF radiation alone nor combined RF radiation with menadione or H 2 O 2 influences the intracellular ROS level in neuronal cells such as U87, PC12 or SH-SY5Y. (author)

CIRRHOSIS INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN RENAL TISSUE THROUGH INTRACELLULAR OXIDATIVE STRESS

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Keli Cristina Simões da SILVEIRA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background Renal failure is a frequent and serious complication in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Objectives We aimed to evaluate the renal oxidative stress, cell damage and impaired cell function in animal model of cirrhosis. Methods Secondary biliary cirrhosis was induced in rats by ligation of the common bile duct. We measured TBARS, ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential in kidney as markers of oxidative stress, and activities of the antioxidant enzymes. Relative cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye-exclusion assay. Annexin V-PE was used with a vital dye, 7-AAD, to distinguish apoptotic from necrotic cells and comet assay was used for determined DNA integrity in single cells. Results In bile duct ligation animals there was significant increase in the kidney lipoperoxidation and an increase of the level of intracellular ROS. There was too an increase in the activity of all antioxidant enzymes evaluated in the kidney. The percentage viability was above 90% in the control group and in bile duct ligation was 64.66% and the dominant cell death type was apoptosis. DNA damage was observed in the bile duct ligation. There was a decreased in the mitochondrial membrane potential from 71.40% ± 6.35% to 34.48% ± 11.40% in bile duct ligation. Conclusions These results indicate that intracellular increase of ROS cause damage in the DNA and apoptosis getting worse the renal function in cirrhosis.

Hemochromatosis enhances tumor progression via upregulation of intracellular iron in head and neck cancer.

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Michelle Lenarduzzi

Full Text Available Despite improvements in treatment strategies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC, outcomes have not significantly improved; highlighting the importance of identifying novel therapeutic approaches to target this disease. To address this challenge, we proceeded to evaluate the role of iron in HNSCC.Expression levels of iron-related genes were evaluated in HNSCC cell lines using quantitative RT-PCR. Cellular phenotypic effects were assessed using viability (MTS, clonogenic survival, BrdU, and tumor formation assays. The prognostic significance of iron-related proteins was determined using immunohistochemistry.In a panel of HNSCC cell lines, hemochromatosis (HFE was one of the most overexpressed genes involved in iron regulation. In vitro knockdown of HFE in HNSCC cell lines significantly decreased hepcidin (HAMP expression and intracellular iron level. This in turn, resulted in a significant decrease in HNSCC cell viability, clonogenicity, DNA synthesis, and Wnt signalling. These cellular changes were reversed by re-introducing iron back into HNSCC cells after HFE knockdown, indicating that iron was mediating this phenotype. Concordantly, treating HNSCC cells with an iron chelator, ciclopirox olamine (CPX, significantly reduced viability and clonogenic survival. Finally, patients with high HFE expression experienced a reduced survival compared to patients with low HFE expression.Our data identify HFE as potentially novel prognostic marker in HNSCC that promotes tumour progression via HAMP and elevated intracellular iron levels, leading to increased cellular proliferation and tumour formation. Hence, these findings suggest that iron chelators might have a therapeutic role in HNSCC management.

Hemochromatosis Enhances Tumor Progression via Upregulation of Intracellular Iron in Head and Neck Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Lenarduzzi, Michelle; Hui, Angela B. Y.; Yue, Shijun; Ito, Emma; Shi, Wei; Williams, Justin; Bruce, Jeff; Sakemura-Nakatsugawa, Noriko; Xu, Wei; Schimmer, Aaron; Liu, Fei-Fei

2013-01-01

Introduction Despite improvements in treatment strategies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), outcomes have not significantly improved; highlighting the importance of identifying novel therapeutic approaches to target this disease. To address this challenge, we proceeded to evaluate the role of iron in HNSCC. Experimental Design Expression levels of iron-related genes were evaluated in HNSCC cell lines using quantitative RT-PCR. Cellular phenotypic effects were assessed using viability (MTS), clonogenic survival, BrdU, and tumor formation assays. The prognostic significance of iron-related proteins was determined using immunohistochemistry. Results In a panel of HNSCC cell lines, hemochromatosis (HFE) was one of the most overexpressed genes involved in iron regulation. In vitro knockdown of HFE in HNSCC cell lines significantly decreased hepcidin (HAMP) expression and intracellular iron level. This in turn, resulted in a significant decrease in HNSCC cell viability, clonogenicity, DNA synthesis, and Wnt signalling. These cellular changes were reversed by re-introducing iron back into HNSCC cells after HFE knockdown, indicating that iron was mediating this phenotype. Concordantly, treating HNSCC cells with an iron chelator, ciclopirox olamine (CPX), significantly reduced viability and clonogenic survival. Finally, patients with high HFE expression experienced a reduced survival compared to patients with low HFE expression. Conclusions Our data identify HFE as potentially novel prognostic marker in HNSCC that promotes tumour progression via HAMP and elevated intracellular iron levels, leading to increased cellular proliferation and tumour formation. Hence, these findings suggest that iron chelators might have a therapeutic role in HNSCC management. PMID:23991213

DMPD: Ubiquitin: tool and target for intracellular NF-kappaB inhibitors. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 16982211 Ubiquitin: tool and target for intracellular NF-kappaB inhibitors. Wullaer...vg) (.html) (.csml) Show Ubiquitin: tool and target for intracellular NF-kappaB inhibitors. PubmedID 1698221...1 Title Ubiquitin: tool and target for intracellular NF-kappaB inhibitors. Author

Intracellular pH and inorganic phosphate content of heart in vivo: A 31P-NMR study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katz, L.A.; Swain, J.A.; Portman, M.A.; Balaban, R.S.

1988-01-01

Studies were performed to determine the contribution of red blood cells to the 31 P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of the canine heart in vivo and the feasibility of measuring myocardial intracellular phosphate and pH. This was accomplished by replacing whole blood with a perfluorochemical perfusion emulsion blood substitute, Oxypherol, and noting the difference in the 31 P-NMR spectrum of the heart. NMR data were collected with a NMR transmitter-receiver coil on the surface of the distal portion of the left ventricle. These studies demonstrated that a small contribution from 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) and phosphodiesters in the blood could be detected. The magnitude and shift of these blood-borne signals permitted the relative quantification of intracellular inorganic phosphate (P i ) content as well as intracellular pH. Under resting conditions, the intracellular ATP/P i was 7.0 ± 0.08. This corresponds to a free intracellular P 1 content of ∼ 0.8 μmol./g wet wt. The intracellular pH was 7.10 ± 0.01. Acute respiratory alkalosis and acidosis, with the arterial pH ranging from ∼7.0 to 7.7, resulted in only small changes in the intracellular pH. These latter results demonstrate an effective myocardial intracellular proton-buffering mechanism in vivo

Chelation of intracellular calcium blocks insulin action in the adipocyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pershadsingh, H.A.; Shade, D.L.; Delfert, D.M.; McDonald, J.M.

1987-01-01

The hypothesis that intracellular Ca 2+ is an essential component of the intracellular mechanism of insulin action in the adipocyte was evaluated. Cells were loaded with the Ca 2+ chelator quin-2, by preincubating them with quin-2 AM, the tetrakis(acetoxymethyl) ester of quin-2. Quin-2 loading inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose transport without affecting basal activity. The ability of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake in quin-2-loaded cells could be partially restored by preincubating cells with buffer supplemented with 1.2 mM CaCl 2 and the Ca 2+ ionophore A23187. These conditions had no effect on basal activity and omission of CaCl 2 from the buffer prevented the restoration of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by A23187. Quin-2 loading also inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation and the ability of insulin to inhibit cAMP-stimulated lipolysis without affecting their basal activities. Incubation of cells with 100 μM quin-2 or quin-2 AM had no effect on intracellular ATP concentration or the specific binding of 125 I=labeled insulin to adipocytes. These findings suggest that intracellular Ca 2+ is an essential component in the coupling of the insulin-activated receptor complex to cellular physiological/metabolic machinery. Furthermore, differing quin-2 AM dose-response profiles suggest the presence of dual Ca 2+ -dependent pathways in the adipocyte. One involves insulin stimulation of glucose transport and oxidation, whereas the other involves the antilipolytic action of insulin

Role of methylglyoxal as a transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 agonist in colon motility disturbances associated with diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmohsen Assiri

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Evidence has been found to suggest that methylglyoxal (MG plays a mediating role in diabetes-related gastrointestinal conditions, and a possible mechanism relating to these conditions could be revealed by determining MG as a transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1 channel agonist. Methods: Muscle strips from the distal colon of male Wistar rats were used, and organ bath was employed to gain insight into the impact of MG + TRPA1 antagonist (HC-030031. Results: Considerable rise of spontaneous contractions for longitudinal muscle strips subjected to pre-treatment with MG were observed. The potentiation of the contractile response of control longitudinal muscle strips to electric field stimulation (EFS took place as a consequence of pre-treatment with 10 mM MG, and maximum response values displayed a rise from 2.16 g ± 0.323 to 3.64 g ± 0.421. 10 μM HC-030031 was observed to block the improvement of EFS responses by MG, and regarding circular muscle strips, a considerable decline in the maximum relaxation response was facilitated by 10 mM MG. Specifically, this was achieved at 20 Hz from 0.26 g ± 0.036 to 0.055 g ± 0.046. Conclusion: MG has been found to directly contract the distal colons of Wistar rats while enhancing the responses initiated as a result of carbachol and EFS. After blockading the impacts using HC-030031, evidence was found to suggest that the mediation of the impacts takes place through the activation of the TRPA1 channel, which occurs from the excretion of excitatory neurotransmitters. The findings also implicate MG in the blocking of inhibitory neurotransmission.

Molecular design and nanoparticle-mediated intracellular delivery of functional proteins to target cellular pathways

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Shah, Dhiral Ashwin

Intracellular delivery of specific proteins and peptides represents a novel method to influence stem cells for gain-of-function and loss-of-function. Signaling control is vital in stem cells, wherein intricate control of and interplay among critical pathways directs the fate of these cells into either self-renewal or differentiation. The most common route to manipulate cellular function involves the introduction of genetic material such as full-length genes and shRNA into the cell to generate (or prevent formation of) the target protein, and thereby ultimately alter cell function. However, viral-mediated gene delivery may result in relatively slow expression of proteins and prevalence of oncogene insertion into the cell, which can alter cell function in an unpredictable fashion, and non-viral delivery may lead to low efficiency of genetic delivery. For example, the latter case plagues the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and hinders their use for in vivo applications. Alternatively, introducing proteins into cells that specifically recognize and influence target proteins, can result in immediate deactivation or activation of key signaling pathways within the cell. In this work, we demonstrate the cellular delivery of functional proteins attached to hydrophobically modified silica (SiNP) nanoparticles to manipulate specifically targeted cell signaling proteins. In the Wnt signaling pathway, we have targeted the phosphorylation activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) by designing a chimeric protein and delivering it in neural stem cells. Confocal imaging indicates that the SiNP-chimeric protein conjugates were efficiently delivered to the cytosol of human embryonic kidney cells and rat neural stem cells, presumably via endocytosis. This uptake impacted the Wnt signaling cascade, indicated by the elevation of beta-catenin levels, and increased transcription of Wnt target genes, such as c-MYC. The results presented here suggest that

Intracellular delivery of poly(I:C) induces apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes via an unknown dsRNA sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpus, Olga N.; Hsiao, Cheng-Chih; Kort, Hanneke de; Tak, Paul P.; Hamann, Jörg, E-mail: j.hamann@amc.uva.nl

2016-08-26

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) express functional membranous and cytoplasmic sensors for double-stranded (ds)RNA. Notably, FLS undergo apoptosis upon transfection with the synthetic dsRNA analog poly(I:C). We here studied the mechanism of intracellular poly(I:C) recognition and subsequent cell death in FLS. FLS responded similarly to poly(I:C) or 3pRNA transfection; however, only intracellular delivery of poly(I:C) induced significant cell death, accompanied by upregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins Puma and Noxa, caspase 3 cleavage, and nuclear segregation. Knockdown of the DExD/H-box helicase MDA5 did not affect the response to intracellular poly(I:C); in contrast, knockdown of RIG-I abrogated the response to 3pRNA. Knockdown of the downstream adaptor proteins IPS, STING, and TRIF or inhibition of TBK1 did not affect the response to intracellular poly(I:C), while knockdown of IFNAR blocked intracellular poly(I:C)-mediated signaling and cell death. We conclude that a so far unknown intracellular sensor recognizes linear dsRNA and induces apoptosis in FLS. - Highlights: • Intracellular poly(I:C) and 3pRNA evoke immune responses in FLS. • Only intracellular delivery of poly(I:C) induces FLS apoptosis. • FLS do not require MDA5 for their response to intracellular poly(I:C). • FLS respond to intracellular poly(I:C) independent of IPS and STING. • An unknown intracellular sensor recognizes linear dsRNA in FLS.

Highly efficient quenching of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) electrochemiluminescence by ozone using formaldehyde, methylglyoxal, and glyoxalate as co-reactants and its application to ozone sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ying; Liu, Xiaoyun; Qi, Wenjing; Gao, Wenyue; Li, Yunhui; Xu, Guobao

2015-06-21

Most electrochemiluminescence (ECL) systems require high concentrations of quencher to totally quench ECL. In this study, we found that ozone can quench tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) ECL using formaldehyde, methylglyoxal, or glyoxalate as co-reactants at a glassy carbon electrode with remarkable efficiencies even when the concentration of ozone is merely 0.25% of that of the co-reactant. The strongest quenching is observed with the tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)/formaldehyde ECL system. The tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)/formaldehyde ECL intensities decrease linearly with the ozone concentration over the range of 0.025-25 μM (r = 0.9947) with a limit of detection of 8 nM. The method is more sensitive and faster than most methods. It shows high selectivity in the presence of other ROS or oxidants and some metal ions, such as H2O2, ClO(-), Mg(2+), Ni(2+), etc. The method exhibits high recoveries for the detection of ozone in a ventilated photocopy room.

Valosin-containing protein VCP/p97 is essential for the intracellular development of Leishmania and its survival under heat stress.

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Aguiar, Bruno G; Padmanabhan, Prasad K; Dumas, Carole; Papadopoulou, Barbara

2018-06-12

VCP/p97/Cdc48 is one of the best-characterized type II cytosolic AAA+ ATPases most known for their role in ubiquitin-dependent protein quality control. Here, we provide functional insights into the role of the Leishmania VCP/p97 homolog (LiVCP) in the parasite intracellular development. We demonstrate that although LiVCP is an essential gene, L. infantum promastigotes can grow with less VCP. In contrast, growth of axenic and intracellular amastigotes is dramatically affected upon decreased LiVCP levels in heterozygous and temperature sensitive LiVCP mutants or the expression of dominant negative mutants known to specifically target the second conserved VCP ATPase domain, a major contributor of the VCP overall ATPase activity. Interestingly, these VCP mutants are also unable to survive heat stress and a temperature sensitive VCP mutant is defective in amastigote growth. Consistent with LiVCP's essential function in amastigotes, LiVCP mRNA undergoes 3'UTR-mediated developmental regulation, resulting in higher VCP expression in amastigotes. Furthermore, we show that parasite mutant lines expressing lower VCP levels or dominant negative VCP forms exhibit high accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and increased sensitivity to proteotoxic stress, supporting the ubiquitin-selective chaperone function of LiVCP. Together, these results emphasize the crucial role LiVCP plays under heat stress and during the parasite intracellular development. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Intracellular pH gradients in migrating cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martin, Christine; Pedersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Schwab, Albrecht

2011-01-01

might function as such unevenly distributed regulators as they modulate the interaction of focal adhesion proteins and components of the cytoskeleton in vitro. However, an intracellular pH (pH(i)) gradient reflecting a spatial asymmetry of protons has not been shown so far. One major regulator of p...

Biological synthesis and characterization of intracellular gold ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the present study, Aspergillus fumigatus was used for the intracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles. Stable nanoparticles were produced when an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) was reduced by A. fumigatus biomass as the reducing agent. Production of nanoparticles was confirmed by the colour ...

Development of nanosensors for studying intracellular phosphate levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Hong

-time monitoring of Pi metabolism in living cells, providing a new tool for fluxomics (measurement of metabolic flux), analysis of pathophysiology or changes of Pi during cell activity. Transformation of plants with FLIPs had resulted in only low expression levels. As an alternative a protein transduction domain......Abstract Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is an essential macronutrient that plays a central role in metabolism and signal transduction in plants. Uptake, compartmentation and transport are important players of cellular Pi homeostasis; however, methods to determine the cellular phosphate concentration...... of a substrate-binding protein linked to two fluorescent reporter proteins. Substrate binding changes the conformation of the nanosensor and, hence, the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the reporter proteins. The aim of the present project was to develop nanosensors for Pi...

An oral form of methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone reduces monocyte activation and traffic to the dorsal root ganglia in a primate model of HIV-peripheral neuropathy.

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Lakritz, Jessica R; Yalamanchili, Samshita; Polydefkis, Michael J; Miller, Andrew D; McGrath, Michael S; Williams, Kenneth C; Burdo, Tricia H

2017-08-01

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a major comorbidity of HIV infection that is caused in part by chronic immune activation. HIV-PN is associated with infiltration of monocytes/macrophages to the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) causing neuronal loss and formation of Nageotte nodules. Here, we used an oral form of methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG), a polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor, to specifically reduce activation of myeloid cells. MGBG is selectively taken up by monocyte/macrophages in vitro and inhibits HIV p24 expression and DNA viral integration in macrophages. Here, MGBG was administered to nine SIV-infected, CD8-depleted rhesus macaques at 21 days post-infection (dpi). An additional nine SIV-infected, CD8-depleted rhesus macaques were used as untreated controls. Cell traffic to tissues was measured by in vivo BrdU pulse labeling. MGBG treatment significantly diminished DRG histopathology and reduced the number of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages in DRG tissue. The number of recently trafficked BrdU+ cells in the DRG was significantly reduced with MGBG treatment. Despite diminished DRG pathology, intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) did not recover after treatment with MGBG. These data suggest that MGBG alleviated DRG pathology and inflammation.

IP3-dependent intracellular Ca2+ release is required for cAMP-induced c-fos expression in hippocampal neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wenting; Tingare, Asmita; Ng, David Chi-Heng; Johnson, Hong W.; Schell, Michael J.; Lord, Rebecca L.; Chawla, Sangeeta

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► cAMP-induced c-fos expression in hippocampal neurons requires a submembraneous Ca 2+ pool. ► The submembraneous Ca 2+ pool derives from intracellular ER stores. ► Expression of IP 3 -metabolizing enzymes inhibits cAMP-induced c-fos expression. ► SRE-mediated and CRE-mediated gene expression is sensitive to IP 3 -metabolizing enzymes. ► Intracellular Ca 2+ release is required for cAMP-induced nuclear translocation of TORC1. -- Abstract: Ca 2+ and cAMP are widely used in concert by neurons to relay signals from the synapse to the nucleus, where synaptic activity modulates gene expression required for synaptic plasticity. Neurons utilize different transcriptional regulators to integrate information encoded in the spatiotemporal dynamics and magnitude of Ca 2+ and cAMP signals, including some that are Ca 2+ -responsive, some that are cAMP-responsive and some that detect coincident Ca 2+ and cAMP signals. Because Ca 2+ and cAMP can influence each other’s amplitude and spatiotemporal characteristics, we investigated how cAMP acts to regulate gene expression when increases in intracellular Ca 2+ are buffered. We show here that cAMP-mobilizing stimuli are unable to induce expression of the immediate early gene c-fos in hippocampal neurons in the presence of the intracellular Ca 2+ buffer BAPTA-AM. Expression of enzymes that attenuate intracellular IP 3 levels also inhibited cAMP-dependent c-fos induction. Synaptic activity induces c-fos transcription through two cis regulatory DNA elements – the CRE and the SRE. We show here that in response to cAMP both CRE-mediated and SRE-mediated induction of a luciferase reporter gene is attenuated by IP 3 metabolizing enzymes. Furthermore, cAMP-induced nuclear translocation of the CREB coactivator TORC1 was inhibited by depletion of intracellular Ca 2+ stores. Our data indicate that Ca 2+ release from IP 3 -sensitive pools is required for cAMP-induced transcription in hippocampal neurons.

Pulsed magneto-motive ultrasound imaging to detect intracellular accumulation of magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrmohammadi, Mohammad; Qu Min; Sokolov, Konstantin V; Emelianov, Stanislav Y; Ma, Li L; Johnston, Keith P; Romanovicz, Dwight K

2011-01-01

As applications of nanoparticles in medical imaging and biomedicine rapidly expand, the interactions of nanoparticles with living cells have become an area of active interest. For example, intracellular accumulation of nanoparticles-an important part of cell-nanoparticle interaction-has been well studied using plasmonic nanoparticles and optical or optics-based techniques due to the change in optical properties of the nanoparticle aggregates. However, magnetic nanoparticles, despite their wide range of clinical applications, do not exhibit plasmonic-resonant properties and therefore their intracellular aggregation cannot be detected by optics-based imaging techniques. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of a novel imaging technique-pulsed magneto-motive ultrasound (pMMUS)-to identify intracellular accumulation of endocytosed magnetic nanoparticles. In pMMUS imaging a focused, high intensity, pulsed magnetic field is used to excite the cells labeled with magnetic nanoparticles, and ultrasound imaging is then used to monitor the mechanical response of the tissue. We demonstrated previously that clusters of magnetic nanoparticles amplify the pMMUS signal in comparison to the signal from individual nanoparticles. Here we further demonstrate that pMMUS imaging can identify interaction between magnetic nanoparticles and living cells, i.e. intracellular accumulation of nanoparticles within the cells. The results of our study suggest that pMMUS imaging can not only detect the presence of magnetic nanoparticles but also provides information about their intracellular accumulation non-invasively and in real-time.

Chronic ethanol exposure induces SK-N-SH cell apoptosis by increasing N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor expression and intracellular calcium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongbo; Wang, Xiaolong; Li, Yan; Yu, Hao; Wang, Changliang; Feng, Chunmei; Xu, Guohui; Chen, Jiajun; You, Jiabin; Wang, Pengfei; Wu, Xu; Zhao, Rui; Zhang, Guohua

2018-04-01

It has been identified that chronic ethanol exposure damages the nervous system, particularly neurons. There is scientific evidence suggesting that neuronal loss caused by chronic ethanol exposure has an association with neuron apoptosis and intracellular calcium oscillation is one of the primary inducers of apoptosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the inductive effects of intracellular calcium oscillation on apoptosis in SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells and the protective effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, memantine, on SK-N-SH cell apoptosis caused by chronic ethanol exposure. SK-N-SH cells were treated with 100 mM ethanol and memantine (4 µM) for 2 days. Protein expression of NR1 was downregulated by RNA interference (RNAi). Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) double-staining and flow cytometry and cell viability was detected using an MTS kit. Fluorescence dual wavelength spectrophotometry was used to determine the intracellular calcium concentration and the levels of NR1 and caspase-3 were detected using western blotting. NR1 mRNA levels were also detected using qPCR. It was found that chronic ethanol exposure reduced neuronal cell viability and caused apoptosis of SK-N-SH cells, and the extent of damage in SK-N-SH cells was associated with ethanol exposure concentration and time. In addition, chronic ethanol exposure increased the concentration of intracellular calcium in SK-N-SH cells by inducing the expression of NMDAR, resulting in apoptosis, and memantine treatment reduced ethanol-induced cell apoptosis. The results of the present study indicate that the application of memantine may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of alcoholic dementia.

Brucella abortus nicotinamidase (PncA) contributes to its intracellular replication and infectivity in mice.

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Kim, Suk; Kurokawa, Daisuke; Watanabe, Kenta; Makino, Sou-Ichi; Shirahata, Toshikazu; Watarai, Masahisa

2004-05-15

Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that have the ability to survive and multiply in professional and non-professional phagocytes, and cause abortion in domestic animals and undulant fever in humans. The mechanism and factors of virulence are not fully understood. Nicotinamidase/pyrazinamidase mutant (pncA mutant) of Brucella abortus failed to replicate in HeLa cells, and showed a lower rate of intracellular replication than that of wild-type strain in macrophages. Addition of nicotinic acid, but not nicotinamide, into medium supported intracellular replication of pncA mutant in HeLa cells and macrophages. The pncA mutant was not co-localizing with either late endosomes or lysosomes. The B. abortus virB4 mutant was completely cleared from the spleens of mice after 4 weeks, while the pncA mutant showed a 1.5-log reduction of the number of bacteria isolated from spleens after 10 weeks. Although pncA mutant showed reduced virulence in mice and defective intracellular replication, its ability to confer protection against the virulent B. abortus strain 544 was fully retained. These results suggest that PncA does not contribute to intracellular trafficking of B. abortus, but contributes to utilization of nutrients required for intracellular growth. Our results indicate that detailed characterizations of the pncA mutant may help the improvement of currently available live vaccines. Copyright 2004 Federation of European Microbiological Societies

Getting “Inside” Type I IFNs: Type I IFNs in Intracellular Bacterial Infections

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Deann T. Snyder

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Type I interferons represent a unique and complex group of cytokines, serving many purposes during innate and adaptive immunity. Discovered in the context of viral infections, type I IFNs are now known to have myriad effects in infectious and autoimmune disease settings. Type I IFN signaling during bacterial infections is dependent on many factors including whether the infecting bacterium is intracellular or extracellular, as different signaling pathways are activated. As such, the repercussions of type I IFN induction can positively or negatively impact the disease outcome. This review focuses on type I IFN induction and downstream consequences during infection with the following intracellular bacteria: Chlamydia trachomatis, Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus, Legionella pneumophila, and Coxiella burnetii. Intracellular bacterial infections are unique because the bacteria must avoid, circumvent, and even co-opt microbial “sensing” mechanisms in order to reside and replicate within a host cell. Furthermore, life inside a host cell makes intracellular bacteria more difficult to target with antibiotics. Because type I IFNs are important immune effectors, modulating this pathway may improve disease outcomes. But first, it is critical to understand the context-dependent effects of the type I IFN pathway in intracellular bacterial infections.

Horseradish Peroxidase-Encapsulated Hollow Silica Nanospheres for Intracellular Sensing of Reactive Oxygen Species

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsin-Yi; Wu, Si-Han; Chen, Chien-Tsu; Chen, Yi-Ping; Chang, Feng-Peng; Chien, Fan-Ching; Mou, Chung-Yuan

2018-04-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have crucial roles in cell signaling and homeostasis. Overproduction of ROS can induce oxidative damage to various biomolecules and cellular structures. Therefore, developing an approach capable of monitoring and quantifying ROS in living cells is significant for physiology and clinical diagnoses. Some cell-permeable fluorogenic probes developed are useful for the detection of ROS while in conjunction with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Their intracellular scenario is however hindered by the membrane-impermeable property of enzymes. Herein, a new approach for intracellular sensing of ROS by using horseradish peroxidase-encapsulated hollow silica nanospheres (designated HRP@HSNs), with satisfactory catalytic activity, cell membrane permeability, and biocompatibility, was prepared via a microemulsion method. These HRP@HSNs, combined with selective probes or targeting ligands, could be foreseen as ROS-detecting tools in specific organelles or cell types. As such, dihydrorhodamine 123-coupled HRP@HSNs were used for the qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of physiological H2O2 levels in activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. We envision that this HSNs encapsulating active enzymes can be conjugated with selective probes and targeting ligands to detect ROS in specific organelles or cell types of interest.

Estrogen-induced disruption of intracellular iron metabolism leads to oxidative stress, membrane damage, and cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajbouj, Khuloud; Shafarin, Jasmin; Abdalla, Maher Y; Ahmad, Iman M; Hamad, Mawieh

2017-10-01

It is well established that several forms of cancer associate with significant iron overload. Recent studies have suggested that estrogen (E2) disrupts intracellular iron homeostasis by reducing hepcidin synthesis and maintaining ferroportin integrity. Here, the ability of E2 to alter intracellular iron status and cell growth potential was investigated in MCF-7 cells treated with increasing concentrations of E2. Treated cells were assessed for intracellular iron status, the expression of key proteins involved in iron metabolism, oxidative stress, cell survival, growth, and apoptosis. E2 treatment resulted in a significant reduction in hepcidin expression and a significant increase in hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha, ferroportin, transferrin receptor, and ferritin expression; a transient decrease in labile iron pool; and a significant increase in total intracellular iron content mainly at 20 nM/48 h E2 dose. Treated cells also showed increased total glutathione and oxidized glutathione levels, increased superoxide dismutase activity, and increased hemoxygenase 1 expression. Treatment with E2 at 20 nM for 48 h resulted in a significant reduction in cell growth (0.35/1 migration rate) and decreased cell survival (iron metabolism and precipitates adverse effects concerning cell viability, membrane integrity, and growth potential.

Mycobacterium intracellulare Pleurisy Identified on Liquid Cultures of the Pleural Fluid and Pleural Biopsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Jong Gu; O, Sei Won; Lee, Ki Dong; Suk, Dong Keun; Jung, Tae Young; Shim, Tae Sun; Chon, Gyu Rak

2013-03-01

Pleural effusion is a rare complication in non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. We report a case of Mycobacterium intracellulare pleuritis with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in a 69-year-old man presenting with dyspnea. Pleural effusion revealed lymphocyte dominant exudate. M. intracellulare was identified using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method and liquid cultures of pleural effusion and pleural biopsy. After combination therapy for M. intracellulare pulmonary disease, the patient was clinically well at a 1-month follow-up.

NAD+-Glycohydrolase Promotes Intracellular Survival of Group A Streptococcus.

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Onkar Sharma

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A global increase in invasive infections due to group A Streptococcus (S. pyogenes or GAS has been observed since the 1980s, associated with emergence of a clonal group of strains of the M1T1 serotype. Among other virulence attributes, the M1T1 clone secretes NAD+-glycohydrolase (NADase. When GAS binds to epithelial cells in vitro, NADase is translocated into the cytosol in a process mediated by streptolysin O (SLO, and expression of these two toxins is associated with enhanced GAS intracellular survival. Because SLO is required for NADase translocation, it has been difficult to distinguish pathogenic effects of NADase from those of SLO. To resolve the effects of the two proteins, we made use of anthrax toxin as an alternative means to deliver NADase to host cells, independently of SLO. We developed a novel method for purification of enzymatically active NADase fused to an amino-terminal fragment of anthrax toxin lethal factor (LFn-NADase that exploits the avid, reversible binding of NADase to its endogenous inhibitor. LFn-NADase was translocated across a synthetic lipid bilayer in vitro in the presence of anthrax toxin protective antigen in a pH-dependent manner. Exposure of human oropharyngeal keratinocytes to LFn-NADase in the presence of protective antigen resulted in cytosolic delivery of NADase activity, inhibition of protein synthesis, and cell death, whereas a similar construct of an enzymatically inactive point mutant had no effect. Anthrax toxin-mediated delivery of NADase in an amount comparable to that observed during in vitro infection with live GAS rescued the defective intracellular survival of NADase-deficient GAS and increased the survival of SLO-deficient GAS. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that delivery of LFn-NADase prevented intracellular trafficking of NADase-deficient GAS to lysosomes. We conclude that NADase mediates cytotoxicity and promotes intracellular survival of GAS in host cells.

Depletion of intracellular polyamine content does not alter the survival of 9L rat brain tumour cells after X-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidenfeld, J.; Deen, D.F.; Marton, L.J.

1980-01-01

A 24-hour preincubation of 9L rat brain tumour cells with 10 mM DL-α methylornithine (αMO) reduced 9L putrescine content by more than 97%, spermidine content by 67% and total polyamine content by 50%. This did not increase the sensitivity of 9L cells to killing by X-rays. Polyamine content of treated and untreated cells did not vary with X-ray dose. A similar experiment was performed with 9L cells incubated for 48 hours in the presence and absence of 25 mM DL-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). X-ray dose again did not affect polyamine contents of either DFMO treated or untreated cells. The reduction of total polyamine content by 75% produced by this treatment did not affect the X-ray dose-response curve of 9L cells. Incubation of 9L cells with 40 μM methylglyoxal bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) for 48 hours also did not increase the sensitivity of the treated cells to killing by X-rays. Measurement of intracellular polyamine contents for MGBG-treated and untreated cell showed that Sd was reduced by 70% and Sp by 66%. The increase in Pu content resulted in equal total polyamine contents on a molar basis for both groups of cells. Cultures of 9L cells were incubated for 48 hours in the presence or absence of 40 μM MGBG + 25 mM DFMO, producing an 87% reduction in total polyamine content of treated cells. The Sd content of cells treated with DFMO alone was lower than that of cells treated with DFMO + MGBG, and the combination of the two inhibitors had no effect on the X-ray dose-response. 0.1 mM DFMO did not affect the CFE of untreated unirradiated 9L cells. Addition of 1 mM DFMO caused a greater reduction in the CFE of 9L cells when added at the same time as seeding the cells than when added 24 hours later. There was no difference between the effects of 10 and 25 mM DFMO on the CFE of 9L cells. (U.K.)

Neurotrophin-3 Regulates Synapse Development by Modulating TrkC-PTPσ Synaptic Adhesion and Intracellular Signaling Pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Kyung Ah; Woo, Doyeon; Kim, Seungjoon; Choii, Gayoung; Jeon, Sangmin; Won, Seoung Youn; Kim, Ho Min; Heo, Won Do; Um, Ji Won; Ko, Jaewon

2016-04-27

Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) is a secreted neurotrophic factor that binds neurotrophin receptor tyrosine kinase C (TrkC), which in turn binds to presynaptic protein tyrosine phosphatase σ (PTPσ) to govern excitatory synapse development. However, whether and how NT-3 cooperates with the TrkC-PTPσ synaptic adhesion pathway and TrkC-mediated intracellular signaling pathways in rat cultured neurons has remained unclear. Here, we report that NT-3 enhances TrkC binding affinity for PTPσ. Strikingly, NT-3 treatment bidirectionally regulates the synaptogenic activity of TrkC: at concentrations of 10-25 ng/ml, NT-3 further enhanced the increase in synapse density induced by TrkC overexpression, whereas at higher concentrations, NT-3 abrogated TrkC-induced increases in synapse density. Semiquantitative immunoblotting and optogenetics-based imaging showed that 25 ng/ml NT-3 or light stimulation at a power that produced a comparable level of NT-3 (6.25 μW) activated only extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt, whereas 100 ng/ml NT-3 (light intensity, 25 μW) further triggered the activation of phospholipase C-γ1 and CREB independently of PTPσ. Notably, disruption of TrkC intracellular signaling pathways, extracellular ligand binding, or kinase activity by point mutations compromised TrkC-induced increases in synapse density. Furthermore, only sparse, but not global, TrkC knock-down in cultured rat neurons significantly decreased synapse density, suggesting that intercellular differences in TrkC expression level are critical for its synapse-promoting action. Together, our data demonstrate that NT-3 is a key factor in excitatory synapse development that may direct higher-order assembly of the TrkC/PTPσ complex and activate distinct intracellular signaling cascades in a concentration-dependent manner to promote competition-based synapse development processes. In this study, we present several lines of experimental evidences to support the conclusion that

New intracellular activities of matrix metalloproteinases shine in the moonlight.

Science.gov (United States)

Jobin, Parker G; Butler, Georgina S; Overall, Christopher M

2017-11-01

Adaption of a single protein to perform multiple independent functions facilitates functional plasticity of the proteome allowing a limited number of protein-coding genes to perform a multitude of cellular processes. Multifunctionality is achievable by post-translational modifications and by modulating subcellular localization. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), classically viewed as degraders of the extracellular matrix (ECM) responsible for matrix protein turnover, are more recently recognized as regulators of a range of extracellular bioactive molecules including chemokines, cytokines, and their binders. However, growing evidence has convincingly identified select MMPs in intracellular compartments with unexpected physiological and pathological roles. Intracellular MMPs have both proteolytic and non-proteolytic functions, including signal transduction and transcription factor activity thereby challenging their traditional designation as extracellular proteases. This review highlights current knowledge of subcellular location and activity of these "moonlighting" MMPs. Intracellular roles herald a new era of MMP research, rejuvenating interest in targeting these proteases in therapeutic strategies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Matrix Metalloproteinases edited by Rafael Fridman. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Intracellular Signaling Downstream Chimeric Antigen Receptors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Karlsson

Full Text Available CD19-targeting CAR T cells have shown potency in clinical trials targeting B cell leukemia. Although mainly second generation (2G CARs carrying CD28 or 4-1BB have been investigated in patients, preclinical studies suggest that third generation (3G CARs with both CD28 and 4-1BB have enhanced capacity. However, little is known about the intracellular signaling pathways downstream of CARs. In the present work, we have analyzed the signaling capacity post antigen stimulation in both 2G and 3G CARs. 3G CAR T cells expanded better than 2G CAR T cells upon repeated stimulation with IL-2 and autologous B cells. An antigen-driven accumulation of CAR+ cells was evident post antigen stimulation. The cytotoxicity of both 2G and 3G CAR T cells was maintained by repeated stimulation. The phosphorylation status of intracellular signaling proteins post antigen stimulation showed that 3G CAR T cells had a higher activation status than 2G. Several proteins involved in signaling downstream the TCR were activated, as were proteins involved in the cell cycle, cell adhesion and exocytosis. In conclusion, 3G CAR T cells had a higher degree of intracellular signaling activity than 2G CARs which may explain the increased proliferative capacity seen in 3G CAR T cells. The study also indicates that there may be other signaling pathways to consider when designing or evaluating new generations of CARs.

Cannabidiol induces intracellular calcium elevation and cytotoxicity in oligodendrocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mato, Susana; Victoria Sánchez-Gómez, María; Matute, Carlos

2010-11-01

Heavy marijuana use has been linked to white matter histological alterations. However, the impact of cannabis constituents on oligodendroglial pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the in vitro effects of cannabidiol, the main nonpsychoactive marijuana component, on oligodendrocytes. Exposure to cannabidiol induced an intracellular Ca(2+) rise in optic nerve oligodendrocytes that was not primarily mediated by entry from the extracellular space, nor by interactions with ryanodine or IP(3) receptors. Application of the mitochondrial protonophore carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP; 1 μM) completely prevented subsequent cannabidiol-induced Ca(2+) responses. Conversely, the increase in cytosolic Ca(2+) levels elicited by FCCP was reduced after previous exposure to cannabidiol, further suggesting that the mitochondria acts as the source of cannabidiol-evoked Ca(2+) rise in oligodendrocytes. n addition, brief exposure to cannabidiol (100 nM-10 μM) led to a concentration-dependent decrease of oligodendroglial viability that was not prevented by antagonists of CB(1), CB(2), vanilloid, A(2A) or PPARγ receptors, but was instead reduced in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+). The oligodendrotoxic effect of cannabidiol was partially blocked by inhibitors of caspase-3, -8 and -9, PARP-1 and calpains, suggesting the activation of caspase-dependent and -independent death pathways. Cannabidiol also elicited a concentration-dependent alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential, and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that was reduced in the absence of extracellular Ca(2+). Finally, cannabidiol-induced cytotoxicity was partially prevented by the ROS scavenger trolox. Together, these results suggest that cannabidiol causes intracellular Ca(2+) dysregulation which can lead to oligodendrocytes demise.

Viral evasion of intracellular DNA and RNA sensing

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Chan, Ying Kai; Gack, Michaela U.

2016-01-01

The co-evolution of viruses with their hosts has led to the emergence of viral pathogens that are adept at evading or actively suppressing host immunity. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are key components of antiviral immunity that detect conserved molecular features of viral pathogens and initiate signalling that results in the expression of antiviral genes. In this Review, we discuss the strategies that viruses use to escape immune surveillance by key intracellular sensors of viral RNA or DNA, with a focus on RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS) and interferon-γ (IFNγ)-inducible protein 16 (IFI16). Such viral strategies include the sequestration or modification of viral nucleic acids, interference with specific post-translational modifications of PRRs or their adaptor proteins, the degradation or cleavage of PRRs or their adaptors, and the sequestration or relocalization of PRRs. An understanding of viral immune-evasion mechanisms at the molecular level may guide the development of vaccines and antivirals. PMID:27174148

Identification of the C-terminal domain of Daxx acts as a potential regulator of intracellular cholesterol synthesis in HepG2 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Shaowei; Wen, Juan; Qiu, Fei; Yin, Yufang; Xu, Guina; Li, Tianping; Nie, Juan; Xiong, Guozuo; Zhang, Caiping; Liao, Duangfang; Chen, Jianxiong; Tuo, Qinhui

2016-01-01

Daxx is a highly conserved nuclear transcriptional factor, which has been implicated in many nuclear processes including transcription and cell cycle regulation. Our previous study demonstrated Daxx also plays a role in regulation of intracellular cholesterol content. Daxx contains several domains that are essential for interaction with a growing number of proteins. To delineate the underlying mechanism of hypocholesterolemic activity of Daxx, we constructed a set of plasmids which can be used to overexpress different fragments of Daxx and transfected to HepG2 cells. We found that the C- terminal region Daxx626–740 clearly reduced intracellular cholesterol levels and inhibited the expression of SREBPs and SCAP. In GST pull-down experiments and Double immunofluorescence assays, Daxx626–740 was demonstrated to bind directly to androgen receptor (AR). Our findings suggest that the interaction of Daxx626-740 and AR abolishes the AR-mediated activation of SCAP/SREBPs pathway, which suppresses the de novo cholesterol synthesis. Thus, C-terminal domain of Daxx acts as a potential regulator of intracellular cholesterol content in HepG2 cells. - Highlights: • Daxx C-terminal domain reduces cholesterol levels. • Daxx C-terminal domain binds directly to AR. • The interaction of Daxx C-terminal domain and AR suppresses cholesterol synthesis.

A T4SS Effector Targets Host Cell Alpha-Enolase Contributing to Brucella abortus Intracellular Lifestyle.

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Marchesini, María I; Morrone Seijo, Susana M; Guaimas, Francisco F; Comerci, Diego J

2016-01-01

Brucella abortus , the causative agent of bovine brucellosis, invades and replicates within cells inside a membrane-bound compartment known as the Brucella containing vacuole (BCV). After trafficking along the endocytic and secretory pathways, BCVs mature into endoplasmic reticulum-derived compartments permissive for bacterial replication. Brucella Type IV Secretion System (VirB) is a major virulence factor essential for the biogenesis of the replicative organelle. Upon infection, Brucella uses the VirB system to translocate effector proteins from the BCV into the host cell cytoplasm. Although the functions of many translocated proteins remain unknown, some of them have been demonstrated to modulate host cell signaling pathways to favor intracellular survival and replication. BPE123 (BAB2_0123) is a B. abortus VirB-translocated effector protein recently identified by our group whose function is yet unknown. In an attempt to identify host cell proteins interacting with BPE123, a pull-down assay was performed and human alpha-enolase (ENO-1) was identified by LC/MS-MS as a potential interaction partner of BPE123. These results were confirmed by immunoprecipitation assays. In bone-marrow derived macrophages infected with B. abortus , ENO-1 associates to BCVs in a BPE123-dependent manner, indicating that interaction with translocated BPE123 is also occurring during the intracellular phase of the bacterium. Furthermore, ENO-1 depletion by siRNA impaired B. abortus intracellular replication in HeLa cells, confirming a role for α-enolase during the infection process. Indeed, ENO-1 activity levels were enhanced upon B. abortus infection of THP-1 macrophagic cells, and this activation is highly dependent on BPE123. Taken together, these results suggest that interaction between BPE123 and host cell ENO-1 contributes to the intracellular lifestyle of B. abortus .

Bee venom induces apoptosis through intracellular Ca2+ -modulated intrinsic death pathway in human bladder cancer cells.

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Ip, Siu-Wan; Chu, Yung-Lin; Yu, Chun-Shu; Chen, Po-Yuan; Ho, Heng-Chien; Yang, Jai-Sing; Huang, Hui-Ying; Chueh, Fu-Shin; Lai, Tung-Yuan; Chung, Jing-Gung

2012-01-01

To focus on bee venom-induced apoptosis in human bladder cancer TSGH-8301 cells and to investigate its signaling pathway to ascertain whether intracellular calcium iron (Ca(2+)) is involved in this effect. Bee venom-induced cytotoxic effects, productions of reactive oxygen species and Ca(2+) and the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis-associated proteins were examined by Western blot analysis and confocal laser microscopy. Bee venom-induced cell morphological changes and decreased cell viability through the induction of apoptosis in TSGH-8301 cell were found. Bee venom promoted the protein levels of Bax, caspase-9, caspase-3 and endonuclease G. The enhancements of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related protein levels were shown in bee venom-provoked apoptosis of TSGH-8301 cells. Bee venom promoted the activities of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, increased Ca(2+) release and decreased the level of ΔΨm. Co-localization of immunofluorescence analysis showed the releases of endonuclease G and apoptosis-inducing factor trafficking to nuclei for bee venom-mediated apoptosis. The images revealed evidence of nuclear condensation and formation of apoptotic bodies by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and DNA gel electrophoresis showed the DNA fragmentation in TSGH-8301 cells. Bee venom treatment induces both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptotic death through intracellular Ca(2+) -modulated intrinsic death pathway in TSGH-8301 cells. © 2011 The Japanese Urological Association.

Induction of a stringent metabolic response in intracellular stages of Leishmania mexicana leads to increased dependence on mitochondrial metabolism.

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Eleanor C Saunders

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Leishmania parasites alternate between extracellular promastigote stages in the insect vector and an obligate intracellular amastigote stage that proliferates within the phagolysosomal compartment of macrophages in the mammalian host. Most enzymes involved in Leishmania central carbon metabolism are constitutively expressed and stage-specific changes in energy metabolism remain poorly defined. Using (13C-stable isotope resolved metabolomics and (2H2O labelling, we show that amastigote differentiation is associated with reduction in growth rate and induction of a distinct stringent metabolic state. This state is characterized by a global decrease in the uptake and utilization of glucose and amino acids, a reduced secretion of organic acids and increased fatty acid β-oxidation. Isotopomer analysis showed that catabolism of hexose and fatty acids provide C4 dicarboxylic acids (succinate/malate and acetyl-CoA for the synthesis of glutamate via a compartmentalized mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle. In vitro cultivated and intracellular amastigotes are acutely sensitive to inhibitors of mitochondrial aconitase and glutamine synthetase, indicating that these anabolic pathways are essential for intracellular growth and virulence. Lesion-derived amastigotes exhibit a similar metabolism to in vitro differentiated amastigotes, indicating that this stringent response is coupled to differentiation signals rather than exogenous nutrient levels. Induction of a stringent metabolic response may facilitate amastigote survival in a nutrient-poor intracellular niche and underlie the increased dependence of this stage on hexose and mitochondrial metabolism.

Intracellular and membrane-damaging activities of methyl gallate isolated from Terminalia chebula against multidrug-resistant Shigella spp.

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Acharyya, Saurabh; Sarkar, Prodipta; Saha, Dhira R; Patra, Amarendra; Ramamurthy, T; Bag, Prasanta K

2015-08-01

Shigella spp. (Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii and Shigella sonnei) cause bacillary dysentery (shigellosis), which is characterized by bloody mucous diarrhoea. Although a variety of antibiotics have been effective for treatment of shigellosis, options are becoming limited due to globally emerging drug resistance. In the present study, in vitro antibacterial activity of methyl gallate (MG) isolated from Terminalia chebula was determined by performing MIC, minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill kinetic studies. Bacterial membrane-damaging activity of MG was determined by membrane perturbation and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cellular drug accumulation, cell infection and assessment of intracellular activities of MG and reference antibiotics were performed using HeLa cell cultures. The bactericidal activity of MG against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Shigella spp. in comparison with other commonly used drugs including fluoroquinolone was demonstrated here. TEM findings in the present study revealed that MG caused the total disintegration of inner and outer membranes, and leakage of the cytoplasmic contents of S. dysenteriae. The level of accumulation of MG and tetracycline in HeLa cells incubated for 24  h was relatively higher than that of ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid (ratio of intracellular concentration/extracellular concentration of antibiotic for MG and tetracycline>ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid). The viable number of intracellular S. dysenteriae was decreased in a time-dependent manner in the presence of MG (4 × MBC) and reduced to zero within 20  h. The significant intracellular activities of MG suggested that it could potentially be used as an effective antibacterial agent for the treatment of severe infections caused by MDR Shigella spp.

Allopregnanolone-induced rise in intracellular calcium in embryonic hippocampal neurons parallels their proliferative potential

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Brinton Roberta

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Factors that regulate intracellular calcium concentration are known to play a critical role in brain function and neural development, including neural plasticity and neurogenesis. We previously demonstrated that the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (APα; 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one promotes neural progenitor proliferation in vitro in cultures of rodent hippocampal and human cortical neural progenitors, and in vivo in triple transgenic Alzheimer's disease mice dentate gyrus. We also found that APα-induced proliferation of neural progenitors is abolished by a calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, indicating a calcium dependent mechanism for the proliferation. Methods In the present study, we investigated the effect of APα on the regulation of intracellular calcium concentration in E18 rat hippocampal neurons using ratiometric Fura2-AM imaging. Results Results indicate that APα rapidly increased intracellular calcium concentration in a dose-dependent and developmentally regulated manner, with an EC50 of 110 ± 15 nM and a maximal response occurring at three days in vitro. The stereoisomers 3β-hydroxy-5α-hydroxy-pregnan-20-one, and 3β-hydroxy-5β-hydroxy-pregnan-20-one, as well as progesterone, were without significant effect. APα-induced intracellular calcium concentration increase was not observed in calcium depleted medium and was blocked in the presence of the broad spectrum calcium channel blocker La3+, or the L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine. Furthermore, the GABAA receptor blockers bicuculline and picrotoxin abolished APα-induced intracellular calcium concentration rise. Conclusion Collectively, these data indicate that APα promotes a rapid, dose-dependent, stereo-specific, and developmentally regulated increase of intracellular calcium concentration in rat embryonic hippocampal neurons via a mechanism that requires both the GABAA receptor and L-type calcium channel. These data suggest that AP�

Intracellular Bacterial Infections: A Challenge for Developing Cellular Mediated Immunity Vaccines for Farmed Fish

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Hetron Mweemba Munang’andu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Aquaculture is one of the most rapidly expanding farming systems in the world. Its rapid expansion has brought with it several pathogens infecting different fish species. As a result, there has been a corresponding expansion in vaccine development to cope with the increasing number of infectious diseases in aquaculture. The success of vaccine development for bacterial diseases in aquaculture is largely attributed to empirical vaccine designs based on inactivation of whole cell (WCI bacteria vaccines. However, an upcoming challenge in vaccine design is the increase of intracellular bacterial pathogens that are not responsive to WCI vaccines. Intracellular bacterial vaccines evoke cellular mediated immune (CMI responses that “kill” and eliminate infected cells, unlike WCI vaccines that induce humoral immune responses whose protective mechanism is neutralization of extracellular replicating pathogens by antibodies. In this synopsis, I provide an overview of the intracellular bacterial pathogens infecting different fish species in aquaculture, outlining their mechanisms of invasion, replication, and survival intracellularly based on existing data. I also bring into perspective the current state of CMI understanding in fish together with its potential application in vaccine development. Further, I highlight the immunological pitfalls that have derailed our ability to produce protective vaccines against intracellular pathogens for finfish. Overall, the synopsis put forth herein advocates for a shift in vaccine design to include CMI-based vaccines against intracellular pathogens currently adversely affecting the aquaculture industry.

Semiconductor quantum dots as Förster resonance energy transfer donors for intracellularly-based biosensors

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Field, Lauren D.; Walper, Scott A.; Susumu, Kimihiro; Oh, Eunkeu; Medintz, Igor L.; Delehanty, James B.

2017-02-01

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based assemblies currently comprise a significant portion of intracellularly based sensors. Although extremely useful, the fluorescent protein pairs typically utilized in such sensors are still plagued by many photophysical issues including significant direct acceptor excitation, small changes in FRET efficiency, and limited photostability. Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs) are characterized by many unique optical properties including size-tunable photoluminescence, broad excitation profiles coupled to narrow emission profiles, and resistance to photobleaching, which can cumulatively overcome many of the issues associated with use of fluorescent protein FRET donors. Utilizing QDs for intracellular FRET-based sensing still requires significant development in many areas including materials optimization, bioconjugation, cellular delivery and assay design and implementation. We are currently developing several QD-based FRET sensors for various intracellular applications. These include sensors targeting intracellular proteolytic activity along with those based on theranostic nanodevices for monitoring drug release. The protease sensor is based on a unique design where an intracellularly expressed fluorescent acceptor protein substrate assembles onto a QD donor following microinjection, forming an active complex that can be monitored in live cells over time. In the theranostic configuration, the QD is conjugated to a carrier protein-drug analogue complex to visualize real-time intracellular release of the drug from its carrier in response to an external stimulus. The focus of this talk will be on the design, properties, photophysical characterization and cellular application of these sensor constructs.

Intracellularly Induced Cyclophilins Play an Important Role in Stress Adaptation and Virulence of Brucella abortus

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García Fernández, Lucía; DelVecchio, Vito G.; Briones, Gabriel

2013-01-01

Brucella is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes the worldwide zoonotic disease brucellosis. Brucella virulence relies on its ability to transition to an intracellular lifestyle within host cells. Thus, this pathogen must sense its intracellular localization and then reprogram gene expression for survival within the host cell. A comparative proteomic investigation was performed to identify differentially expressed proteins potentially relevant for Brucella intracellular adaptation. Two proteins identified as cyclophilins (CypA and CypB) were overexpressed in the intracellular environment of the host cell in comparison to laboratory-grown Brucella. To define the potential role of cyclophilins in Brucella virulence, a double-deletion mutant was constructed and its resulting phenotype was characterized. The Brucella abortus ΔcypAB mutant displayed increased sensitivity to environmental stressors, such as oxidative stress, pH, and detergents. In addition, the B. abortus ΔcypAB mutant strain had a reduced growth rate at lower temperature, a phenotype associated with defective expression of cyclophilins in other microorganisms. The B. abortus ΔcypAB mutant also displays reduced virulence in BALB/c mice and defective intracellular survival in HeLa cells. These findings suggest that cyclophilins are important for Brucella virulence and survival in the host cells. PMID:23230297

Effects of intracellular iron overload on cell death and identification of potent cell death inhibitors.

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Fang, Shenglin; Yu, Xiaonan; Ding, Haoxuan; Han, Jianan; Feng, Jie

2018-06-11

Iron overload causes many diseases, while the underlying etiologies of these diseases are unclear. Cell death processes including apoptosis, necroptosis, cyclophilin D-(CypD)-dependent necrosis and a recently described additional form of regulated cell death called ferroptosis, are dependent on iron or iron-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, whether the accumulation of intracellular iron itself induces ferroptosis or other forms of cell death is largely elusive. In present study, we study the role of intracellular iron overload itself-induced cell death mechanisms by using ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) and a membrane-permeable Ferric 8-hydroxyquinoline complex (Fe-8HQ) respectively. We show that FAC-induced intracellular iron overload causes ferroptosis. We also identify 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) inhibitor GSK2334470 as a potent ferroptosis inhibitor. Whereas, Fe-8HQ-induced intracellular iron overload causes unregulated necrosis, but partially activates PARP-1 dependent parthanatos. Interestingly, we identify many phenolic compounds as potent inhibitors of Fe-8HQ-induced cell death. In conclusion, intracellular iron overload-induced cell death form might be dependent on the intracellular iron accumulation rate, newly identified cell death inhibitors in our study that target ferroptosis and unregulated oxidative cell death represent potential therapeutic strategies against iron overload related diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parvalbumin overexpression alters immune-mediated increases in intracellular calcium, and delays disease onset in a transgenic model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

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Beers, D. R.; Ho, B. K.; Siklos, L.; Alexianu, M. E.; Mosier, D. R.; Mohamed, A. H.; Otsuka, Y.; Kozovska, M. E.; McAlhany, R. E.; Smith, R. G.;

Intracellular bacteria: the origin of dinoflagellate toxicity.

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Silva, E S

1990-01-01

Dinoflagellate blooms of the same species have been registered either as toxic or nontoxic and, in the latter case, toxicity may be of different types. A hypothesis has been formulated according to which the bacteria having in some way taken part in the toxin formation are either inside the dinoflagellate cell or in the nutritive liquid. The presence of intracellular bacteria in those microorganisms has been studied mainly in material from cultures, a few from the sea, and several strains were isolated from different species. Experiments with crossed inoculations have shown that the bacterial strain from Gonyaulax tamarensis caused the cells of some other species to become toxic. From nontoxic clonal cultures of Prorocentrum balticum, Glenodinium foliaceum, and Gyrodinium instriatum, after inoculation of that bacterial strain, cultures were obtained whose cell extracts showed the same kind of toxicity as G. tamarensis. No toxic action could be found in the extracts of the bacterial cells form the assayed strains. The interference of intracellular bacteria in the metabolism of dinoflagellates must be the main cause of their toxicity.

Effects of polyamines on the DNA-reactive properties of dimeric mithramycin complexed with cobalt(II): implications for anticancer therapy.

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Hou, Ming-Hon; Lu, Wen-Je; Huang, Chun-Yu; Fan, Ruey-Jane; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P

2009-06-09

Few studies have examined the effects of polyamines on the action of DNA-binding anticancer drugs. Here, a Co(II)-mediated dimeric mithramycin (Mith) complex, (Mith)(2)-Co(II), was shown to be resistant to polyamine competition toward the divalent metal ion when compared to the Fe(II)-mediated drug complexes. Surface plasmon resonance experiments demonstrated that polyamines interfered with the binding capacity and association rates of (Mith)(2)-Co(II) binding to DNA duplexes, while the dissociation rates were not affected. Although (Mith)(2)-Co(II) exhibited the highest oxidative activity under physiological conditions (pH 7.3 and 37 degrees C), polyamines (spermine in particular) inhibited the DNA cleavage activity of the (Mith)(2)-Co(II) in a concentration-dependent manner. Depletion of intracellular polyamines by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) enhanced the sensitivity of A549 lung cancer cells to (Mith)(2)-Co(II), most likely due to the decreased intracellular effect of polyamines on the action of (Mith)(2)-Co(II). Our study suggests a novel method for enhancing the anticancer activity of DNA-binding metalloantibiotics through polyamine depletion.

Squalestatin alters the intracellular trafficking of a neurotoxic prion peptide

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Williams Alun

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neurotoxic peptides derived from the protease-resistant core of the prion protein are used to model the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The current study characterised the ingestion, internalization and intracellular trafficking of a neurotoxic peptide containing amino acids 105–132 of the murine prion protein (MoPrP105-132 in neuroblastoma cells and primary cortical neurons. Results Fluorescence microscopy and cell fractionation techniques showed that MoPrP105-132 co-localised with lipid raft markers (cholera toxin and caveolin-1 and trafficked intracellularly within lipid rafts. This trafficking followed a non-classical endosomal pathway delivering peptide to the Golgi and ER, avoiding classical endosomal trafficking via early endosomes to lysosomes. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis demonstrated close interactions of MoPrP105-132 with cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 and cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1, enzymes implicated in the neurotoxicity of prions. Treatment with squalestatin reduced neuronal cholesterol levels and caused the redistribution of MoPrP105-132 out of lipid rafts. In squalestatin-treated cells, MoPrP105-132 was rerouted away from the Golgi/ER into degradative lysosomes. Squalestatin treatment also reduced the association between MoPrP105-132 and cPLA2/COX-1. Conclusion As the observed shift in peptide trafficking was accompanied by increased cell survival these studies suggest that the neurotoxicity of this PrP peptide is dependent on trafficking to specific organelles where it activates specific signal transduction pathways.

Intracellular Chemistry: Integrating Molecular Inorganic Catalysts with Living Systems.

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Ngo, Anh H; Bose, Sohini; Do, Loi H

2018-03-23

This concept article focuses on the rapid growth of intracellular chemistry dedicated to the integration of small-molecule metal catalysts with living cells and organisms. Although biological systems contain a plethora of biomolecules that can deactivate inorganic species, researchers have shown that small-molecule metal catalysts could be engineered to operate in heterogeneous aqueous environments. Synthetic intracellular reactions have recently been reported for olefin hydrogenation, hydrolysis/oxidative cleavage, azide-alkyne cycloaddition, allylcarbamate cleavage, C-C bond cross coupling, and transfer hydrogenation. Other promising targets for new biocompatible reaction discovery will also be discussed, with a special emphasis on how such innovations could lead to the development of novel technologies and chemical tools. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Intracellular signaling by diffusion: can waves of hydrogen peroxide transmit intracellular information in plant cells?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Christian L.; Flyvbjerg, Henrik; Møller, Ian Max

2012-01-01

of the physical and biochemical conditions in plant cells. As model system, we use a H(2)O(2) signal originating at the plasma membrane (PM) and spreading through the cytosol. We consider two maximally simple types of signals, isolated pulses and harmonic oscillations. First we consider the basic limits......Amplitude- and frequency-modulated waves of Ca(2+) ions transmit information inside cells. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), specifically hydrogen peroxide, have been proposed to have a similar role in plant cells. We consider the feasibility of such an intracellular communication system in view...

Effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on hepatic, heart and skeletal muscle mitochrondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase and. beta. -oxidation of fatty acids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brady, L.J.; Brady, P.S.; Gandour, R.D.

1986-05-01

Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) is an antileukemic agent and polyamine analog which inhibits S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase. However, MGBG also produces mitochondrial structural damage and inhibition of ..beta..-oxidation. The present experiments were designed to determine if MGBG acts via carnitine palmitoyltransferase-A (CPT-A) inhibition. Liver, heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria were isolated from rats following a 24 h fast. MGBG was competitive with 1-carnitine. The MGBG CPT-A Ki were (mM): liver, 5.0 +/- 0.6 (n = 15); heart, 3.2 +/- 1.2 (n = 3); skeletal muscle, 2.8 +/- 1.0 (n = 3). Lysis of hepatic mitochondria with Triton X-100 yielded a Ki of 4.0 +/- 2.0. Purified hepatic CPT was also sensitive to MGBG inhibition (Ki = 4.5 mM). Spermine and spermidine, which are structurally similar to MGBG, did not inhibit CPT or acid-soluble product formation from 1-(/sup 14/C)-palmitoyl-CoA. MGBG inhibited mitochondrial state 3 oxidation rates of palmitoyl-CoA and palmitoylcarnitine, as well as of glutamate. However, the fatty acid substrates were considerably more sensitive than glutamate to MGBG inhibition. MGBG also increased hepatic mitochondrial aggregation which was reversed by 1-carnitine. Fluorescence polarization, using diphenylhexatriene as a probe, indicated that MGBG increased membrane rigidity in a dose dependent manner. This effect was not reversed by 1-carnitine. The authors conclude that MGBG exhibits competitive competition with 1-carnitine for CPT. However, MGBG also exhibits a number of effects which may be mediated through membrane interaction and which are not necessarily reversed by carnitine.

Effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on hepatic, heart and skeletal muscle mitochrondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase and β-oxidation of fatty acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brady, L.J.; Brady, P.S.; Gandour, R.D.

1986-01-01

Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) is an antileukemic agent and polyamine analog which inhibits S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase. However, MGBG also produces mitochondrial structural damage and inhibition of β-oxidation. The present experiments were designed to determine if MGBG acts via carnitine palmitoyltransferase-A (CPT-A) inhibition. Liver, heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria were isolated from rats following a 24 h fast. MGBG was competitive with 1-carnitine. The MGBG CPT-A Ki were (mM): liver, 5.0 +/- 0.6 (n = 15); heart, 3.2 +/- 1.2 (n = 3); skeletal muscle, 2.8 +/- 1.0 (n = 3). Lysis of hepatic mitochondria with Triton X-100 yielded a Ki of 4.0 +/- 2.0. Purified hepatic CPT was also sensitive to MGBG inhibition (Ki = 4.5 mM). Spermine and spermidine, which are structurally similar to MGBG, did not inhibit CPT or acid-soluble product formation from 1-[ 14 C]-palmitoyl-CoA. MGBG inhibited mitochondrial state 3 oxidation rates of palmitoyl-CoA and palmitoylcarnitine, as well as of glutamate. However, the fatty acid substrates were considerably more sensitive than glutamate to MGBG inhibition. MGBG also increased hepatic mitochondrial aggregation which was reversed by 1-carnitine. Fluorescence polarization, using diphenylhexatriene as a probe, indicated that MGBG increased membrane rigidity in a dose dependent manner. This effect was not reversed by 1-carnitine. The authors conclude that MGBG exhibits competitive competition with 1-carnitine for CPT. However, MGBG also exhibits a number of effects which may be mediated through membrane interaction and which are not necessarily reversed by carnitine

Regulation of dopamine transporter trafficking by intracellular amphetamine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kahlig, Kristopher M; Lute, Brandon J; Wei, Yuqiang

2006-01-01

-induced cell surface DAT redistribution may result in long-lasting changes in DA homeostasis. The molecular mechanism by which AMPH induces trafficking is not clear. Because AMPH is a substrate, we do not know whether extracellular AMPH stimulates trafficking through its interaction with DAT and subsequent...... alteration in DAT function, thereby triggering intracellular signaling or whether AMPH must be transported and then act intracellularly. In agreement with our previous studies, extracellular AMPH caused cytosolic redistribution of the wild-type human DAT (WT-hDAT). However, AMPH did not induce cytosolic...... redistribution in an uptake-impaired hDAT (Y335A-hDAT) that still binds AMPH. The divalent cation zinc (Zn(2+)) inhibits WT-hDAT activity, but it restores Y335A-hDAT uptake. Coadministration of Zn(2+) and AMPH consistently reduced WT-hDAT trafficking but stimulated cytosolic redistribution of Y335A...

Effect of bauhinia bauhinioides kallikrein inhibitor on endothelial proliferation and intracellular calcium concentration.

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Bilgin, M; Burgazli, K M; Rafiq, A; Mericliler, M; Neuhof, C; Oliva, M L; Parahuleva, M; Soydan, N; Doerr, O; Abdallah, Y; Erdogan, A

2014-01-01

Proteinase inhibitors act as a defensive system against predators e.g. insects, in plants. Bauhinia bauhinioides kallikrein inhibitor (BbKI) is a serine proteinase inhibitor, isolated from seeds of Bauhinia bauhinioides and is structurally similar to plant Kunitz-type inhibitors but lacks disulfide bridges. In this study we evaluated the antiproliferative effect of BbKI on endothelial cells and its impact on changes in membrane potential and intracellular calcium. HUVEC proliferation was significantly reduced by incubation with BbKI 50 and 100 µM 12% and 13%. Furthermore, BbKI (100 µM) exposure caused a significant increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration by 35% as compared to untreated control. The intracellular rise in calcium was not affected by the absence of extracellular calcium. BBKI also caused a significant change in the cell membrane potential but the antiproliferative effect was independent of changes in membrane potential. BBKI has an antiproliferative effect on HUVEC, which is independent of the changes in membrane potential, and it causes an increase in intracellular Ca2+.

B-Vitamin Competition: Intracellular and Dissolved B-Vitamins Provide Insight into Marine Microbial Community Dynamics

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Suffridge, C.; Gomez-Consarnau, L.; Qu, P.; Tenenbaum, N.; Fu, F.; Hutchins, D. A.; Sanudo-Wilhelmy, S. A.

2016-02-01

The availability of B-vitamins has the ability to directly affect the dynamics of the marine microbial community. Here we show, for the first time, the connection between dissolved and intracellular B-vitamins in a marine environmental community. Two incubation experiments were conducted at a long-term study site (SPOT) in the San Pedro Basin off the coast of Los Angeles, CA. Experiments were conducted in oligotrophic, preupwelling conditions. Due to the 2015 El Niño event, the seasonal upwelling at SPOT did not occur, creating unusually nutrient depleted conditions. Vitamins B1, B7, and B12 were added in addition to macronutrients at concentrations similar to typical SPOT upwelling conditions. Intracellular and dissolved B-vitamin analyses were conducted to determine shifts in cellular B-vitamin requirements as a function of growth rate. We observed a significant bacterioplankton and phytoplankton growth responses with the addition of B-vitamins in a manner that appears to match the enzymatic requirements for these compounds (e.g. B1>B7>B12). Intracellular B-vitamin analysis of T0 samples support this observation, as all four forms of B12 were not detectable within cells, yet multiple forms of B1 and B7 were detected at or near levels previously reported. Treatments with B12 and macronutrients were observed to have the greatest growth rates. This finding, in addition to the apparent lack of intracellular B12 in the initial community, appears to indicate that the initial microbial community was limited by B12. The addition of each vitamin caused a distinct shift in the blooming microbial community. Our results demonstrate that B-vitamins strongly influence not only the growth rate, but also the species composition and species succession of the microbial community as a whole. Large-scale changes to upwelling regimes are predicted in the future ocean; our results indicate that B-vitamins will have a substantial role in controlling microbial community dynamics under

Biological macromolecules based targeted nanodrug delivery systems for the treatment of intracellular infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Aparna, V; Shiva, M; Biswas, Raja; Jayakumar, R

2018-04-15

Intracellular infections are tricky to treat, the reason being the poor penetration of antibiotics/antimycotics into the microbial niche (host cell). Macrophages are primary targets of facultative and obligate intracellular bacteria/fungi to be abused as host cells. The need for drugs with better intracellular penetration led to the development of endocytosable drug carriers, which can cross the cell membrane of the host cells (macrophages) by imitating the entry path of the pathogens. Therefore, the drugs can be targeted to macrophages ensuring enhanced therapeutic effect. This review discusses the exploitation of various nanocarriers for targeted delivery of drugs to the macrophages in the last two decades. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating the biophysical properties of neurons with intracellular calcium dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jingxin; Rozdeba, Paul J; Morone, Uriel I; Daou, Arij; Abarbanel, Henry D I

2014-06-01

We investigate the dynamics of a conductance-based neuron model coupled to a model of intracellular calcium uptake and release by the endoplasmic reticulum. The intracellular calcium dynamics occur on a time scale that is orders of magnitude slower than voltage spiking behavior. Coupling these mechanisms sets the stage for the appearance of chaotic dynamics, which we observe within certain ranges of model parameter values. We then explore the question of whether one can, using observed voltage data alone, estimate the states and parameters of the voltage plus calcium (V+Ca) dynamics model. We find the answer is negative. Indeed, we show that voltage plus another observed quantity must be known to allow the estimation to be accurate. We show that observing both the voltage time course V(t) and the intracellular Ca time course will permit accurate estimation, and from the estimated model state, accurate prediction after observations are completed. This sets the stage for how one will be able to use a more detailed model of V+Ca dynamics in neuron activity in the analysis of experimental data on individual neurons as well as functional networks in which the nodes (neurons) have these biophysical properties.

Azithromycin effectiveness against intracellular infections of Francisella

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mann Barbara J

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Macrolide antibiotics are commonly administered for bacterial respiratory illnesses. Azithromycin (Az is especially noted for extremely high intracellular concentrations achieved within macrophages which is far greater than the serum concentration. Clinical strains of Type B Francisella (F. tularensis have been reported to be resistant to Az, however our laboratory Francisella strains were found to be sensitive. We hypothesized that different strains/species of Francisella (including Type A may have different susceptibilities to Az, a widely used and well-tolerated antibiotic. Results In vitro susceptibility testing of Az confirmed that F. tularensis subsp. holarctica Live Vaccine Strain (LVS (Type B was not sensitive while F. philomiragia, F. novicida, and Type A F. tularensis (NIH B38 and Schu S4 strain were susceptible. In J774A.1 mouse macrophage cells infected with F. philomiragia, F. novicida, and F. tularensis LVS, 5 μg/ml Az applied extracellularly eliminated intracellular Francisella infections. A concentration of 25 μg/ml Az was required for Francisella-infected A549 human lung epithelial cells, suggesting that macrophages are more effective at concentrating Az than epithelial cells. Mutants of RND efflux components (tolC and ftlC in F. novicida demonstrated less sensitivity to Az by MIC than the parental strain, but the tolC disc-inhibition assay demonstrated increased sensitivity, indicating a complex role for the outer-membrane transporter. Mutants of acrA and acrB mutants were less sensitive to Az than the parental strain, suggesting that AcrAB is not critical for the efflux of Az in F. novicida. In contrast, F. tularensis Schu S4 mutants ΔacrB and ΔacrA were more sensitive than the parental strain, indicating that the AcrAB may be important for Az efflux in F. tularensis Schu S4. F. novicida LPS O-antigen mutants (wbtN, wbtE, wbtQ and wbtA were found to be less sensitive in vitro to Az compared to the wild

Modularly Constructed Synthetic Granzyme B Molecule Enables Interrogation of Intracellular Proteases for Targeted Cytotoxicity.

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Ho, Patrick; Ede, Christopher; Chen, Yvonne Y

2017-08-18

Targeted therapies promise to increase the safety and efficacy of treatments against diseases ranging from cancer to viral infections. However, the vast majority of targeted therapeutics relies on the recognition of extracellular biomarkers, which are rarely restricted to diseased cells and are thus prone to severe and sometimes-fatal off-target toxicities. In contrast, intracellular antigens present a diverse yet underutilized repertoire of disease markers. Here, we report a protein-based therapeutic platform-termed Cytoplasmic Oncoprotein VErifier and Response Trigger (COVERT)-which enables the interrogation of intracellular proteases to trigger targeted cytotoxicity. COVERT molecules consist of the cytotoxic protein granzyme B (GrB) fused to an inhibitory N-terminal peptide, which can be removed by researcher-specified proteases to activate GrB function. We demonstrate that fusion of a small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO1) protein to GrB yields a SUMO-GrB molecule that is specifically activated by the cancer-associated sentrin-specific protease 1 (SENP1). SUMO-GrB selectively triggers apoptotic phenotypes in HEK293T cells that overexpress SENP1, and it is highly sensitive to different SENP1 levels across cell lines. We further demonstrate the rational design of additional COVERT molecules responsive to enterokinase (EK) and tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp), highlighting the COVERT platform's modularity and adaptability to diverse protease targets. As an initial step toward engineering COVERT-T cells for adoptive T-cell therapy, we verified that primary human T cells can express, package, traffic, and deliver engineered GrB molecules in response to antigen stimulation. Our findings set the foundation for future intracellular-antigen-responsive therapeutics that can complement surface-targeted therapies.

Study on the inactivation of intracellular enzyme molecules by X-ray irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.B.

1977-01-01

Inactivation of the glutamic acid dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme molecules in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cells of the mouse were studied. The above mentioned intracellular enzyme molecules were irradiated by the X-ray radiation under the condition of 65 kV, 1 Amp under the atmosphere of nitrogen gases and by 4 0 C. Thereby, irradiation doses were 580 KR/min(error: +-3%). After irradiation, the cell homogentes were prepared through liquid air techniques. There after, the activities of the enzymes were measured with photometric method given by O. Warburg and W. Christian. The dose effect curves of the activities of the two enzymes by the X-ray irradiation showed both exponential and the inactivation doses were 6.5x10 6 and 5.0x10 6 R respectively. These results showed one side that the inactivation process of the intracellular enzyme molecules was one hit reaction after target theory, and the other side that this inactivation process could not be the primary causes of the death through X-ray irradiation of the vertebrate animals, because of the high resistance of the intracellular protein molecules against X-ray irradiation. The one hit reaction by the inactivation process of the irradiated intracellular enzyme molecules was discussed. (author)

Intracellular pH-sensing using core/shell silica nanoparticles.

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Korzeniowska, B; Woolley, R; DeCourcey, J; Wencel, D; Loscher, C E; McDonagh, C

2014-07-01

An in-depth understanding of biochemical processes occurring within biological systems is key for early diagnosis of disease and identification of appropriate treatments. Nanobiophotonics offers huge potential benefits for intracellular diagnostics and therapeutics. Intracellular sensing using fluorescent nanoparticles is a potentially useful tool for real-time, in vivo monitoring of important cellular analytes. This work is focused on synthesis of optical chemical nanosensors for the quantitative analysis of pH inside living cells. The structure of the nanosensor comprises a biofriendly silica matrix with co-encapsulated Texas Red, acting as a reference dye, and pH-sensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate enabling ratiometric quantitative environmental detection. In order to obtain silica-based nanoparticles -70 nm in size, a modified sol-gel-based Stöber method was employed. The potential of these nanosensors for intracellular pH monitoring is demonstrated inside a live human embryonic kidney cell line whereby a significant change in fluorescence is observed when the cell pH is switched from acidic to basic. High loading efficiencies of nanoparticles into the cells is seen, with little effect on cell morphology even following extended nanoparticle exposure (up to 72 h). Nanoparticle incubation time and the fast response of the nanosensor (-2 s) make it a very powerful tool in monitoring the processes occurring within the cytosol.

Intracellular Hg(0) Oxidation in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132.

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Wang, Yuwei; Schaefer, Jeffra K; Mishra, Bhoopesh; Yee, Nathan

2016-10-03

The disposal of elemental mercury (Hg(0)) wastes in mining and manufacturing areas has caused serious soil and groundwater contamination issues. Under anoxic conditions, certain anaerobic bacteria can oxidize dissolved elemental mercury and convert the oxidized Hg to neurotoxic methylmercury. In this study, we conducted experiments with the Hg-methylating bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 to elucidate the role of cellular thiols in anaerobic Hg(0) oxidation. The concentrations of cell-surface and intracellular thiols were measured, and specific fractions of D. desulfuricans ND132 were examined for Hg(0) oxidation activity and analyzed with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. The experimental data indicate that intracellular thiol concentrations are approximately six times higher than those of the cell wall. Cells reacted with a thiol-blocking reagent were severely impaired in Hg(0) oxidation activity. Spheroplasts lacking cell walls rapidly oxidized Hg(0) to Hg(II), while cell wall fragments exhibited low reactivity toward Hg(0). EXAFS analysis of spheroplast samples revealed that multiple different forms of Hg-thiols are produced by the Hg(0) oxidation reaction and that the local coordination environment of the oxidized Hg changes with reaction time. The results of this study indicate that Hg(0) oxidation in D. desulfuricans ND132 is an intracellular process that occurs by reaction with thiol-containing molecules.

Autophagic clearance of bacterial pathogens: molecular recognition of intracellular microorganisms.

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Pareja, Maria Eugenia Mansilla; Colombo, Maria I

2013-01-01

Autophagy is involved in several physiological and pathological processes. One of the key roles of the autophagic pathway is to participate in the first line of defense against the invasion of pathogens, as part of the innate immune response. Targeting of intracellular bacteria by the autophagic machinery, either in the cytoplasm or within vacuolar compartments, helps to control bacterial proliferation in the host cell, controlling also the spreading of the infection. In this review we will describe the means used by diverse bacterial pathogens to survive intracellularly and how they are recognized by the autophagic molecular machinery, as well as the mechanisms used to avoid autophagic clearance.

Salmonella Intracellular Lifestyles and Their Impact on Host-to-Host Transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Pucciarelli, M Graciela; García-Del Portillo, Francisco

2017-07-01

More than a century ago, infections by Salmonella were already associated with foodborne enteric diseases with high morbidity in humans and cattle. Intestinal inflammation and diarrhea are hallmarks of infections caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella serovars, and these pathologies facilitate pathogen transmission to the environment. In those early times, physicians and microbiologists also realized that typhoid and paratyphoid fever caused by some Salmonella serovars could be transmitted by "carriers," individuals outwardly healthy or at most suffering from some minor chronic complaint. In his pioneering study of the nontyphoidal serovar Typhimurium in 1967, Takeuchi published the first images of intracellular bacteria enclosed by membrane-bound vacuoles in the initial stages of the intestinal epithelium penetration. These compartments, called Salmonella -containing vacuoles, are highly dynamic phagosomes with differing biogenesis depending on the host cell type. Single-cell studies involving real-time imaging and gene expression profiling, together with new approaches based on genetic reporters sensitive to growth rate, have uncovered unprecedented heterogeneous responses in intracellular bacteria. Subpopulations of intracellular bacteria displaying fast, reduced, or no growth, as well as cytosolic and intravacuolar bacteria, have been reported in both in vitro and in vivo infection models. Recent investigations, most of them focused on the serovar Typhimurium, point to the selection of persisting bacteria inside macrophages or following an autophagy attack in fibroblasts. Here, we discuss these heterogeneous intracellular lifestyles and speculate on how these disparate behaviors may impact host-to-host transmissibility of Salmonella serovars.

Tissue- and Cell-Specific Co-localization of Intracellular Gelatinolytic Activity and Matrix Metalloproteinase 2

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Solli, Ann Iren; Fadnes, Bodil; Winberg, Jan-Olof; Uhlin-Hansen, Lars

2013-01-01

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) is a proteolytic enzyme that degrades extracellular matrix proteins. Recent studies indicate that MMP-2 also has a role in intracellular proteolysis during various pathological conditions, such as ischemic injuries in heart and brain and in tumor growth. The present study was performed to map the distribution of intracellular MMP-2 activity in various mouse tissues and cells under physiological conditions. Samples from normal brain, heart, lung, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, adrenal gland, thyroid gland, gonads, oral mucosa, salivary glands, esophagus, intestines, and skin were subjected to high-resolution in situ gelatin zymography and immunohistochemical staining. In hepatocytes, cardiac myocytes, kidney tubuli cells, epithelial cells in the oral mucosa as well as in excretory ducts of salivary glands, and adrenal cortical cells, we found strong intracellular gelatinolytic activity that was significantly reduced by the metalloprotease inhibitor EDTA but not by the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64. Furthermore, the gelatinolytic activity was co-localized with MMP-2. Western blotting and electron microscopy combined with immunogold labeling revealed the presence of MMP-2 in different intracellular compartments of isolated hepatocytes. Our results indicate that MMP-2 takes part in intracellular proteolysis in specific tissues and cells during physiological conditions. PMID:23482328

Intracellular transport of low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol is defective in Niemann-Pick type C fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liscum, L.; Ruggiero, R.M.; Faust, J.R.

1989-01-01

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is characterized by substantial intracellular accumulation of unesterified cholesterol. The accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in NPC fibroblasts cultured with low density lipoprotein (LDL) appears to result from the inability of LDL to stimulate cholesterol esterification in addition to impaired LDL-mediated downregulation of LDL receptor activity and cellular cholesterol synthesis. Although a defect in cholesterol transport in NPC cells has been inferred from previous studies, no experiments have been reported that measure the intracellular movement of LDL-cholesterol specifically. We have used four approaches to assess intracellular cholesterol transport in normal and NPC cells and have determined the following: (a) mevinolin-inhibited NPC cells are defective in using LDL-cholesterol for growth. However, exogenously added mevalonate restores cell growth equally in normal and NPC cells; (b) the transport of LDL-derived [3H]cholesterol to the plasma membrane is slower in NPC cells, while the rate of appearance of [3H]acetate-derived, endogenously synthesized [3H]cholesterol at the plasma membrane is the same for normal and NPC cells; (c) in NPC cells, LDL-derived [3H]cholesterol accumulates in lysosomes to higher levels than normal, resulting in defective movement to other cell membranes; and (d) incubation of cells with LDL causes an increase in cholesterol content of NPC lysosomes that is threefold greater than that observed in normal lysosomes. Our results indicate that a cholesterol transport defect exists in NPC that is specific for LDL-derived cholesterol

The β-hemolysin and intracellular survival of Streptococcus agalactiae in human macrophages.

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Sagar, Anubha; Klemm, Carolin; Hartjes, Lara; Mauerer, Stefanie; van Zandbergen, Ger; Spellerberg, Barbara

2013-01-01

S. agalactiae (group B streptococci, GBS) is a major microbial pathogen in human neonates and causes invasive infections in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. The S. agalactiae β-hemolysin is regarded as an important virulence factor for the development of invasive disease. To examine the role of β-hemolysin in the interaction with professional phagocytes, the THP-1 monocytic cell line and human granulocytes were infected with a serotype Ia S. agalactiae wild type strain and its isogenic nonhemolytic mutant. We could show that the nonhemolytic mutants were able to survive in significantly higher numbers than the hemolytic wild type strain, in THP-1 macrophage-like cells and in assays with human granulocytes. Intracellular bacterial multiplication, however, could not be observed. The hemolytic wild type strain stimulated a significantly higher release of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α than the nonhemolytic mutant in THP-1 cells, while similar levels of the chemokine Interleukin-8 were induced. In order to investigate bacterial mediators of IL-8 release in this setting, purified cell wall preparations from both strains were tested and found to exert a potent proinflammatory stimulus on THP-1 cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that the β-hemolysin has a strong influence on the intracellular survival of S. agalactiae and that a tightly controlled regulation of β-hemolysin expression is required for the successful establishment of S. agalactiae in different host niches.

Potential Degradation of Swainsonine by Intracellular Enzymes of Arthrobacter sp. HW08

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Haili Li

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Swainsonine (SW is a toxin produced by locoweeds and harmful to the livestock industry. Degrading SW by Arthrobacter sp. HW08 was demonstrated as a promising way to deal with SW poisoning. However, it is unknown which part of the subcellular enzymes in Arthrobacter sp. HW08 is responsible for biodegrading SW and whether the metabolites are atoxic. In this study, intracellular and extracellular enzymes of Arthrobacter sp. HW08 were isolated and their enzyme activity was evaluated. The metabolites were fed to mice, and physiological and histological properties of the treated mice were investigated. The results showed that only intracellular enzyme of Arthrobacter sp. HW08 (IEHW08 could degrade SW efficiently. Compared with mice in SW treatment group, mice in SW + IEHW08 treatment group (1 increased their body weights; (2 showed higher number of platelets and lower number of white blood cells; (3 decreased the levels of creatinine, urea nitrogen, alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase in serum; (4 reduced the number of vacuolated cells in cerebellum, liver and kidney. All these data demonstrate that IEHW08 was potentially safe for mice, while keeping the capacity of degrading SW. This study indicates a possible application of IEHW08 as an additive in the livestock industry to protect animals from SW poisoning.

Intracellular Na+ regulation of Na+ pump sites in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, J.C.; Navran, S.S.; Seidel, C.L.; Dennison, D.K.; Amann, J.M.; Jemelka, S.K.

1989-01-01

Enzymatically dispersed cells from canine saphenous vein and femoral artery were grown in fetal calf serum and studied at day 0 (freshly dispersed) through confluence in primary culture. Intracellular Na levels (Nai), but not intracellular K (Ki), were increased after 24 h in culture and then decreased to a steady state by 4 days. Na+ pump site number [( 3 H] ouabain binding) increased through day 3 and remained elevated. Nai was still elevated at 2 days when the Na+ pump site number began to increase. Total pump turnover (maximum ouabain-inhibited 86 Rb uptake) reflected the increase in Na+ pump site number. These key events precede the observed increases in both protein production and cellular proliferation. If the same cells are maintained in defined medium, without fetal calf serum, Nai, Ki, and the number of [ 3 H]ouabain binding sites do not change with time. These data are consistent with the suggestion that the initial mitogenic response of vascular smooth muscle cells to fetal calf serum involves an increased Na+ influx, and a Nai accumulation, caused by low Na+ pump density. The synthesis of new pump sites effects a decrease in the accumulated Nai, which may be related to cell proliferation

Intracellular serpins, firewalls and tissue necrosis.

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Marciniak, Stefan J; Lomas, David A

2008-02-01

Luke and colleagues have recently attributed a new role to a member of the serpin superfamily of serine proteinase inhibitors. They have used Caenorhabditis elegans to show that an intracellular serpin is crucial for maintaining lysosomal integrity. We examine the role of this firewall in preventing necrosis and attempt to integrate this with current theories of stress-induced protein degradation. We discuss how mutant serpins cause disease either through polymerization or now, perhaps, by unleashing necrosis.

Cytoplasmic tail of coronavirus spike protein has intracellular

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/jbsc/042/02/0231-0244. Keywords. Coronavirus spike protein trafficking; cytoplasmic tail signal; endoplasmic reticulum–Golgi intermediate complex; lysosome. Abstract. Intracellular trafficking and localization studies of spike protein from SARS and OC43 showed that SARS spikeprotein is ...

Facilitating Intracellular Drug Delivery by Ultrasound-Activated Microbubbles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lammertink, BHA

2017-01-01

The goal of this thesis was to investigate the combination of ultrasound and microbubbles (USMB) for intracellular delivery of (model) drugs in vitro. We have focused on clinically approved drugs, i.e. cisplatin, and microbubbles, i.e. SonoVue™, to facilitate clinical translation. In addition, model

Heavy metals toxicity after acute exposure of cultured renal cells. Intracellular accumulation and repartition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodja, Hicham; Carriere, Marie; Avoscan, Laure; Gouget, Barbara

2005-01-01

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and uranium (U) present no known biological function but are toxic in various concentration ranges. Pb and Cd lead generally to nephrotoxicity consisting in proximal renal tubular dysfunction and accumulation while U has been reported to induce chemical kidney toxicity, functional and histological damages being as well mainly observed in proximal tubule cells. This work address the question of Cd, Pb, and U cytotoxicity, intracellular accumulation and repartition after acute intoxication of renal proximal tubule epithelial cells. After cells exposure to different concentrations of metals for various times, morphological changes were observed and intracellular concentrations and distributions of toxic metals were specified by PIXE coupled to RBS. Cell viability, measured by biochemical tests, was used as toxicity indicator. A direct correlation between cytotoxicity and intracellular accumulation in renal epithelial cells have been established. Finally, intracellular Pb and U localizations were detected while Cd was found to be uniformly distributed in renal cells. (author)

Reactive oxygen species as a signal in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Pi, Jingbo; Bai, Yushi; Zhang, Qiang; Wong, Victoria; Floering, Lisa M; Daniel, Kiefer; Reece, Jeffrey M; Deeney, Jude T; Andersen, Melvin E; Corkey, Barbara E; Collins, Sheila

2007-07-01

One of the unique features of beta-cells is their relatively low expression of many antioxidant enzymes. This could render beta-cells susceptible to oxidative damage but may also provide a system that is sensitive to reactive oxygen species as signals. In isolated mouse islets and INS-1(832/13) cells, glucose increases intracellular accumulation of H2O2. In both models, insulin secretion could be stimulated by provision of either exogenous H2O2 or diethyl maleate, which raises intracellular H2O2 levels. Provision of exogenous H2O2 scavengers, including cell permeable catalase and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, inhibited glucose-stimulated H2O2 accumulation and insulin secretion (GSIS). In contrast, cell permeable superoxide dismutase, which metabolizes superoxide into H2O2, had no effect on GSIS. Because oxidative stress is an important risk factor for beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes, the relationship between glucose-induced H2O2 generation and GSIS was investigated under various oxidative stress conditions. Acute exposure of isolated mouse islets or INS-1(832/13) cells to oxidative stressors, including arsenite, 4-hydroxynonenal, and methylglyoxal, led to decreased GSIS. This impaired GSIS was associated with increases in a battery of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Taken together, these findings suggest that H2O2 derived from glucose metabolism is one of the metabolic signals for insulin secretion, whereas oxidative stress may disturb its signaling function.

A general mechanism for intracellular toxicity of metal-containing nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sabella, Stefania; Carney, Randy P.; Brunetti, Virgilio; Malvindi, Maria Ada; Al-Juffali, Noura; Vecchio, Giuseppe; Janes, Sam M.; Bakr, Osman M.; Cingolani, Roberto; Stellacci, Francesco; Pompa, Pier Paolo

2014-05-01

The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment - where particles are abundantly internalized - is responsible for the cascading events associated with nanoparticles-induced intracellular toxicity. We call this mechanism a ``lysosome-enhanced Trojan horse effect'' since, in the case of nanoparticles, the protective cellular machinery designed to degrade foreign objects is actually responsible for their toxicity. To test our hypothesis, we compare the toxicity of similar gold particles whose main difference is in the internalization pathways. We show that particles known to pass directly through cell membranes become more toxic when modified so as to be mostly internalized by endocytosis. Furthermore, using experiments with chelating and lysosomotropic agents, we found that the toxicity mechanism for different metal containing NPs (such as metallic, metal oxide, and semiconductor NPs) is mainly associated with the release of the corresponding toxic ions. Finally, we show that particles unable to release toxic ions (such as stably coated NPs, or diamond and silica NPs) are not harmful to intracellular environments.The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment - where

Disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection in a broad-snouted caiman Caiman latirostris.

Science.gov (United States)

Kik, Marja J L

2013-11-25

A 10 yr old broad-snouted caiman Caiman latirostris from a small Dutch animal park was presented with long-term variable periods of anorexia and weight loss. Blood chemistry showed slightly elevated uric acid levels and low ionised calcium concentration. Ultrasonographical thickening of the intestinal wall in the region of the duodenum was evident. Pathological changes were a thickening of the wall of 90% of the small intestines, enlarged spleen with multifocal white foci and an enlarged light-brown liver. Histopathological lesions consisted of disseminated granulomas in the intestinal wall, the liver and the spleen. Multinucleated giant cells and epitheloid macrophages were abundant. Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed numerous intralesional acid-fast bacteria. Polymerase chain reaction for Mycobacterium intracellulare was positive.

Rapid tissue regeneration induced by intracellular ATP delivery-A preliminary mechanistic study.

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Harshini Sarojini

Full Text Available We have reported a new phenomenon in acute wound healing following the use of intracellular ATP delivery-extremely rapid tissue regeneration, which starts less than 24 h after surgery, and is accompanied by massive macrophage trafficking, in situ proliferation, and direct collagen production. This unusual process bypasses the formation of the traditional provisional extracellular matrix and significantly shortens the wound healing process. Although macrophages/monocytes are known to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of wound healing, their in situ proliferation and direct collagen production in wound healing have never been reported previously. We have explored these two very specific pathways during wound healing, while excluding confounding factors in the in vivo environment by analyzing wound samples and performing in vitro studies. The use of immunohistochemical studies enabled the detection of in situ macrophage proliferation in ATP-vesicle treated wounds. Primary human macrophages and Raw 264.7 cells were used for an in vitro study involving treatment with ATP vesicles, free Mg-ATP alone, lipid vesicles alone, Regranex, or culture medium. Collagen type 1α 1, MCP-1, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were determined by ELISA of the culture supernatant. The intracellular collagen type 1α1 localization was determined with immunocytochemistry. ATP-vesicle treated wounds showed high immunoreactivity towards BrdU and PCNA antigens, indicating in situ proliferation. Most of the cultured macrophages treated with ATP-vesicles maintained their classic phenotype and expressed high levels of collagen type 1α1 for a longer duration than was observed with cells treated with Regranex. These studies provide the first clear evidence of in situ macrophage proliferation and direct collagen production during wound healing. These findings provide part of the explanation for the extremely rapid tissue regeneration, and this treatment may hold

Radiation-induced apoptosis of stem/progenitor cells in human umbilical cord blood is associated with alterations in reactive oxygen and intracellular pH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Tomonori; Hayashi, Ikue; Shinohara, Tomoko; Morishita, Yukari; Nagamura, Hiroko; Kusunoki, Yoichiro; Kyoizumi, Seishi; Seyama, Toshio; Nakachi, Kei

2004-01-01

To investigate the sensitivity of human hematopoietic stem cell populations to radiation and its relevance to intracellular events, specifically alteration in cellular energy production systems, we examined the frequency of apoptotic cells, generation of superoxide anions (O2-), and changes in cytosol pH in umbilical cord blood (UCB) CD34 + /CD38 - , CD34 + /CD38 + and CD34 - /CD38 + cells before and after 5Gy of X-irradiation. Human UCB mononucleated cells were used in this study. After X-irradiation and staining subgroups of the cells with fluorescence (FITC, PE, or CY)-labeled anti-CD34 and anti-CD38 antibodies, analyses were performed by FACScan using as stains 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) for the detection of apoptosis, and hydroethidine (HE) for the measurement of O2- generation in the cells. For intracellular pH, image analysis was conducted using confocal laser microscopy after irradiation and staining with carboxy-SNAFR-1. The frequency of apoptotic cells, as determined by cell staining with 7-AAD, was highest in the irradiated CD34 + /CD38 - cell population, where the level of O2- detected by the oxidation of HE was also most highly elevated. Intracellular pH measured with carboxy-SNARF-1-AM by image cytometer appeared to be lowest in the same irradiated CD34 + /CD38 - cell population, and this intracellular pH decreased as early as 4h post-irradiation, virtually simultaneous with the significant elevation of O2- generation. These results suggest that the CD34 + /CD38 - stem cell population is sensitive to radiation-induced apoptosis as well as production of intracellular O2-, compare to more differentiated CD34 + /CD38 + and CD34 - /CD38 + cells and that its intracellular pH declines at an early phase in the apoptosis process

Highly Efficient Intracellular Protein Delivery by Cationic Polyethyleneimine-Modified Gelatin Nanoparticles

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Ming-Ju Chou

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Intracellular protein delivery may provide a safe and non-genome integrated strategy for targeting abnormal or specific cells for applications in cell reprogramming therapy. Thus, highly efficient intracellular functional protein delivery would be beneficial for protein drug discovery. In this study, we generated a cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI-modified gelatin nanoparticle and evaluated its intracellular protein delivery ability in vitro and in vivo. The experimental results showed that the PEI-modified gelatin nanoparticle had a zeta potential of approximately +60 mV and the particle size was approximately 135 nm. The particle was stable at different biological pH values and temperatures and high protein loading efficiency was observed. The fluorescent image results revealed that large numbers of particles were taken up into the mammalian cells and escaped from the endosomes into the cytoplasm. In a mouse C26 cell-xenograft cancer model, particles accumulated in cancer cells. In conclusion, the PEI-modified gelatin particle may provide a biodegradable and highly efficient protein delivery system for use in regenerative medicine and cancer therapy.

Mechanisms of cellular invasion by intracellular parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Dawn M; Oghumu, Steve; Gupta, Gaurav; McGwire, Bradford S; Drew, Mark E; Satoskar, Abhay R

2014-04-01

Numerous disease-causing parasites must invade host cells in order to prosper. Collectively, such pathogens are responsible for a staggering amount of human sickness and death throughout the world. Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, and malaria are neglected diseases and therefore are linked to socio-economical and geographical factors, affecting well-over half the world's population. Such obligate intracellular parasites have co-evolved with humans to establish a complexity of specific molecular parasite-host cell interactions, forming the basis of the parasite's cellular tropism. They make use of such interactions to invade host cells as a means to migrate through various tissues, to evade the host immune system, and to undergo intracellular replication. These cellular migration and invasion events are absolutely essential for the completion of the lifecycles of these parasites and lead to their for disease pathogenesis. This review is an overview of the molecular mechanisms of protozoan parasite invasion of host cells and discussion of therapeutic strategies, which could be developed by targeting these invasion pathways. Specifically, we focus on four species of protozoan parasites Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium, and Toxoplasma, which are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

Conditions With High Intracellular Glucose Inhibit Sensing Through Glucose Sensor Snf3 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karhumaa, Kaisa; Wu, B.Q.; Kielland-Brandt, Morten

2010-01-01

as for amino acids. An alternating-access model of the function of transporter-like sensors has been previously suggested based on amino acid sensing, where intracellular ligand inhibits binding of extracellular ligand. Here we studied the effect of intracellular glucose on sensing of extracellular glucose...... through the transporter-like sensor Snf3 in yeast. Sensing through Snf3 was determined by measuring degradation of Mth1 protein. High intracellular glucose concentrations were achieved by using yeast strains lacking monohexose transporters which were grown on maltose. The apparent affinity...... of extracellular glucose to Snf3 was measured for cells grown in non-fermentative medium or on maltose. The apparent affinity for glucose was lowest when the intracellular glucose concentration was high. The results conform to an alternating-access model for transporter-like sensors. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 920...

Palatal Actinomycosis and Kaposi Sarcoma in an HIV-Infected Subject with Disseminated Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection

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