Changes in masseter muscle structure, membrane lipid peroxidation and Ca-ATPase activity as effects of different local anesthetics.

Local anesthetics (LA) can cause undesired effects such as sustained contraction of skeletal muscles as a result of structural and functional changes. Proper skeletal muscle function is controlled by intracellular Ca2+ concentration and efficient energy (ATP) production, which is closely related to cell ultrastructure. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the structural and functional changes caused by LAs. Materials and Method: Male Wistar rats weighing 200 to 250g were used (n:49). They were divided into seven groups. One group was not anesthetized or treated (Control). The other six groups underwent intramuscular (IM) anesthesia with xylazine 2% (0.05 ml) and ketamine 50 mg/ml (0.1 ml/100g rat weight), and one of the following was applied to the masseter muscle (MM): no further treatment (Anesthetic Control group, CA); 0.1ml physiological saline solution (group SF); Carrageenin (group Carr) 1% as positive control group; prilocaine (group Pri), mepivacaine (group Mepi); or articaine (group Arti) 0.3M, IM. The animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation one hour after treatment. The effects of the different anesthetics on the MM were evaluated histologically and by electronic microscopy (EM). Ca-ATPase and membrane lipid peroxidation (LPX) were evaluated in muscle homogenates under the same conditions as those used to prepare the histological sections. Results: In general, structural damage and increased muscle contraction were observed in tissues treated with anesthetics. The most extreme values of Ca-ATPase activity and LPX were observed in the positive control group (carrageenin). Results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA for multiple comparisons and Tukey's test (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that in the short term, local anesthetics affect the muscle function and are associated to structural changes.

Los anestésicos locales (AL), pueden causar efectos no deseados como la contracción sostenida de los músculos esqueléticos como consecuencia de cambios estructurales y funcionales. Como es sabido, la función adecuada del músculo esquelético está controlada por la concentración de Ca2+ intracelular y por la producción eficiente de energía (ATP), íntimamente relacionado con la ultraestructura celular. Objetivo: El propósito de este trabajo fue relacionar los cambios estructurales y funcionales provocados por los AL. Materiales y Método: se utilizaron ratas Wistar macho de 200 a 250g de peso (n:49), bajo anestesia intramuscular (IM) de xilazina 2% (0,05 ml) y ketamina 50 mg/ml (0,1 ml/100g peso de rata) se les aplicó en el músculo masetero (MM): 0,1ml de solución fisiológica (grupo SF) o Carragenina (grupo Carr) 1% como grupo control positivo o Prilocaína (grupo Pri), Mepivacaína (grupo Mepi) y articaína (grupo Arti) 0,3M, IM. Un grupo no recibió tratamiento, grupo Control (C). Se realizó la eutanasia por dislocación cervical a la hora post tratamiento. Se evaluó histológicamente y mediante microscopía electrónica (ME) los efectos de los distintos anestésicos a la hora post-inyección en músculo masetero. Además, se evaluó la actividad Ca-ATPásica y la lipoperoxidación de membrana (LPX) en homogenatos de músculo con las mismas condiciones que el utilizado para realizar los cortes histológicos. Resultados: En general se observaron daños estructurales en los tejidos tratados con anestésicos y aumento de la contracción muscular. Los valores extremos de la actividad Ca-ATPásica y la LPX se observaron en el control positivo (carragenina). Los resultados obtenidos se analizaron por comparación múltiple ANOVA de 1 via y test de Tukey (p < 0,05). Conclusiones: los resultados sugieren que los AL, a corto plazo, afectarían la función muscular asociados a los cambios estructurales.

Increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia in Hailey-Hailey disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is a rare autosomal dominant skin disease caused by mutations in the ATP2C1 gene, which encodes the secretory Ca2+/Mn2+-ATPase (SPCA1) pump in the Golgi apparatus. Although ATP2C1 is ubiquitously expressed in the body, possible extracutaneous manifestations of HHD are unknown. However, dysfunction of the Golgi apparatus not specifically coupled to ATP2C1 has been associated with heart disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between HHD and common heart disease in a Swedish, population-based cohort. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study based on a linkage of Swedish nationwide registers to investigate the relationship between HHD and heart disease. We have been granted ethical approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority to conduct this study. The patients in this manuscript have given written informed consent to the publication of their case details. A total of 342 individuals with an ICD-10 diagnosis of HHD (Q82.8E) were identified and matched with randomly selected comparison individuals without HHD on a 1:100 ratio. Furthermore, in a separate clinical cohort we matched 23 HHD patients for age, sex, and BMI with control subjects to examine electrocardiogram parameters, electrolytes, and cardiovascular biomarkers. RESULTS: Compared with individuals without HHD, individuals with HHD had an excess risk of arrhythmia (RR 1.4, CI 1.0-2.0), whereas no increased risks of myocardial infarction (RR 1.1, CI 0.6-1.7) or heart failure (RR 1.0, CI 0.6-1.6; Table 1) were found. We found no difference in ECG parameters, cardiovascular biomarkers, and electrolytes in the clinical subset. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that HHD is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmia and represents the first data of any extracutaneous comorbidity in HHD. Thus, HHD may be a systemic disease. Our findings also shed light on the importance of the Golgi apparatus' Ca2+/Mn2+ homeostasis in common heart disease.

Conserved N-terminal Regulation of the ACA8 Calcium Pump with Two Calmodulin Binding Sites.

The autoinhibited plasma membrane calcium ATPase ACA8 from A. thaliana has an N-terminal autoinhibitory domain. Binding of calcium-loaded calmodulin at two sites located at residues 42-62 and 74-96 relieves autoinhibition of ACA8 activity. Through activity studies and a yeast complementation assay we investigated wild-type (WT) and N-terminally truncated ACA8 constructs (Δ20, Δ30, Δ35, Δ37, Δ40, Δ74 and Δ100) to explore the role of conserved motifs in the N-terminal segment preceding the calmodulin binding sites. Furthermore, we purified WT, Δ20- and Δ100-ACA8, tested activity in vitro and performed structural studies of purified Δ20-ACA8 stabilized in a lipid nanodisc to explore the mechanism of autoinhibition. We show that an N-terminal segment between residues 20 and 35 including conserved Phe32, upstream of the calmodulin binding sites, is important for autoinhibition and the activation by calmodulin. Cryo-EM structure determination at 3.3 Å resolution of a beryllium fluoride inhibited E2 form, and at low resolution for an E1 state combined with AlphaFold prediction provide a model for autoinhibition, consistent with the mutational studies.

Effects of multi-frequency ultrasound-assisted immersion freezing processing on myofibrillar protein structure and lipid oxidation of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) during long-time frozen storage.

In this study, large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) was frozen using multi-frequency ultrasound-assisted freezing (MUIF) with different powers (160 W, 175 W, and 190 W, respectively) and stored at -18 °C for ten months. The effect of different ultrasound powers on the myofibrillar protein (MP) structures and lipid oxidation of large yellow croaker was investigated. The results showed that MUIF significantly slowed down the oxidation of MP by inhibiting carbonyl formation and maintaining high sulfhydryl contents. These treatments also held a high activity of Ca2+-ATPase in the MP. MUIF maintained a higher ratio of α-helix to ß-sheet during frozen storage, thereby protecting the secondary structure of the tissue and stabilizing the tertiary structure. In addition, MUIF inhibited the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value and the loss of unsaturated fatty acid content, indicating that MUIF could better inhibit lipid oxidation of large yellow croaker during long-time frozen storage.

P-type calcium ATPases play important roles in biotic and abiotic stress signaling.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Knowledge of Ca2+-ATPases is imperative for improving crop quality/ food security, highly threatened due to global warming. Ca2+-ATPases modulates calcium, essential for stress signaling and modulating growth, development, and immune activities. Calcium is considered a versatile secondary messenger and essential for short- and long-term responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Coordinated transport activities from both calcium influx and efflux channels are required to generate cellular calcium signals. Various extracellular stimuli cause an induction in cytosolic calcium levels. To cope with such stresses, it is important to maintain intracellular Ca2+ levels. Plants need to evolve efficient efflux mechanisms to maintain Ca2+ ion homeostasis. Plant Ca2+-ATPases are members of the P-type ATPase superfamily and localized in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They are required for various cellular processes, including plant growth, development, calcium signaling, and even retorts to environmental stress. These ATPases play an essential role in Ca2+ homeostasis and are actively involved in Ca2+ transport. Plant Ca2+-ATPases are categorized into two major classes: type IIA and type IIB. Although these two classes of ATPases share similarities in protein sequence, they differ in their structure, cellular localization, and sensitivity to inhibitors. Due to the emerging role of Ca2+-ATPase in abiotic and biotic plant stress, members of this family may help promote agricultural improvement under stress conditions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of P-type Ca2+-ATPase, and their role in Ca2+ transport, stress signaling, and cellular homeostasis focusing on their classification, evolution, ion specificities, and catalytic mechanisms. It also describes the main aspects of the role of Ca2+-ATPase in transducing signals during plant biotic and abiotic stress responses and its role in plant development and physiology.

Overexpression of tonoplast Ca2+-ATPase in guard cells synergistically enhances stomatal opening and drought tolerance.

Stomata play a crucial role in plants by controlling water status and responding to drought stress. However, simultaneously improving stomatal opening and drought tolerance has proven to be a significant challenge. To address this issue, we employed the OnGuard quantitative model, which accurately represents the mechanics and coordination of ion transporters in guard cells. With the guidance of OnGuard, we successfully engineered plants that overexpressed the main tonoplast Ca2+-ATPase gene, ACA11, which promotes stomatal opening and enhances plant growth. Surprisingly, these transgenic plants also exhibited improved drought tolerance due to reduced water loss through their stomata. Again, OnGuard assisted us in understanding the mechanism behind the unexpected stomatal behaviors observed in the ACA11 overexpressing plants. Our study revealed that the overexpression of ACA11 facilitated the accumulation of Ca2+ in the vacuole, thereby influencing Ca2+ storage and leading to an enhanced Ca2+ elevation in response to abscisic acid. This regulatory cascade finely tunes stomatal responses, ultimately leading to enhanced drought tolerance. Our findings underscore the importance of tonoplast Ca2+-ATPase in manipulating stomatal behavior and improving drought tolerance. Furthermore, these results highlight the diverse functions of tonoplast-localized ACA11 in response to different conditions, emphasizing its potential for future applications in plant enhancement.

Targeting ATP2B1 impairs PI3K/Akt/FOXO signaling and reduces SARS-COV-2 infection and replication.

ATP2B1 is a known regulator of calcium (Ca2+) cellular export and homeostasis. Diminished levels of intracellular Ca2+ content have been suggested to impair SARS-CoV-2 replication. Here, we demonstrate that a nontoxic caloxin-derivative compound (PI-7) reduces intracellular Ca2+ levels and impairs SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, a rare homozygous intronic variant of ATP2B1 is shown to be associated with the severity of COVID-19. The mechanism of action during SARS-CoV-2 infection involves the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation, inactivation of FOXO3 transcription factor function, and subsequent transcriptional inhibition of the membrane and reticulum Ca2+ pumps ATP2B1 and ATP2A1, respectively. The pharmacological action of compound PI-7 on sustaining both ATP2B1 and ATP2A1 expression reduces the intracellular cytoplasmic Ca2+ pool and thus negatively influences SARS-CoV-2 replication and propagation. As compound PI-7 lacks toxicity in vitro, its prophylactic use as a therapeutic agent against COVID-19 is envisioned here.

The Plasmodiophora brassicae Golgi-localized UPF0016 protein PbGDT1 mediates calcium but not manganese transport in yeast and Nicotiana benthamiana.

Manganese and calcium homeostasis and signalling, in eukaryotic organisms, are regulated through membrane located pumps, channels and exchangers, including the Mn2+/Ca2+ uncharacterized protein family 0016 (UPF0016). Here we show that Plasmodiophora brassicae PbGDT1 is a member of the UPF0016 and an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gdt1p (GCR Dependent Translation Factor 1) protein involved in manganese homeostasis as well as the calcium mediated stress response in yeast. PbGDT1 complemented the ScGdt1p and ScPMR1 (Ca2+ ATPase) double null mutant under elevated calcium stress but not under elevated manganese conditions. In both yeast and Nicotiana benthamiana, PbGDT1 localizes to the Golgi apparatus, with additional ER association in N. benthamiana. Expression of PbGDT1 in N. benthamiana, suppresses BAX-triggered cell death, further highlighting the importance of calcium homeostasis in maintaining cell physiology and integrity in a stress environment.

Lack of ATP2B1 in CD4+ T Cells Causes Colitis.

BACKGROUND: The ATP2B1 gene encodes for a calcium pump, which plays a role in removing Ca2+ from cells and maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Reduction of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in CD4+ T cells is thought to reduce the severity of colitis, while elevation of Ca2+ in CD4+ T cells induces T cell hyperactivity. Our aim was to clarify the role of ATP2B1 in CD4+ T cells and in inflammatory bowel disease development. METHODS: A murine CD4+ T cell-specific knockout (KO) of ATP2B1 was created using a Cre-loxP system. CD4+ T cells were isolated from thymus, spleen, and blood using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. To quantify messenger RNA levels, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed. RESULTS: Although the percentages of CD4+ T cells in both KO mouse spleen and blood decreased compared with those of the control samples, both T-bet (a T helper 1 [Th1] activity marker) and GATA3 (a Th2 activity marker) expression levels were further increased in KO mouse blood CD4+ T cells (vs control blood). Diarrhea and colonic wall thickening (with mucosal changes, including crypt distortion) were seen in KO mice but not in control mice. Prior to diarrhea onset, the KO mouse colon length was already noted to be shorter, and the KO mouse stool water and lipid content were higher than that of the control mice. Tumor necrosis factor α and gp91 expressions were increased in KO mouse colon. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of ATP2B1 in CD4+ T cells leads to Th1 and Th2 activation, which contributes to colitis via elevation of tumor necrosis factor α and oxidative stress.

ATP2B1 deficiency in CD4+ T cells leads to T helper 1/T helper 2 activation, which in turn increases tumor necrosis factor α and oxidative stress. These changes contribute to colitis, which is characterized by diarrhea and colonic wall thickening.

Upregulation of the secretory pathway Ca2+/Mn2+-ATPase isoform 1 in LPS-stimulated microglia and its involvement in Mn2+-induced Golgi fragmentation.

Microglia play an important protective role in the healthy nervous tissue, being able to react to a variety of stimuli that induce different intracellular cascades for specific tasks. Ca2+ signaling can modulate these pathways, and we recently reported that microglial functions depend on the endoplasmic reticulum as a Ca2+ store, which involves the Ca2+ transporter SERCA2b. Here, we investigated whether microglial functions may also rely on the Golgi, another intracellular Ca2+ store that depends on the secretory pathway Ca2+/Mn2+-transport ATPase isoform 1 (SPCA1). We found upregulation of SPCA1 upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation of microglia BV2 cells and primary microglia, where alterations of the Golgi ribbon were also observed. Silencing and overexpression experiments revealed that SPCA1 affects cell morphology, Golgi apparatus integrity, and phagocytic functions. Since SPCA1 is also an efficient Mn2+ transporter and considering that Mn2+ excess causes manganism in the brain, we addressed the role of microglial SPCA1 in Mn2+ toxicity. Our results revealed a clear effect of Mn2+ excess on the viability and morphology of microglia. Subcellular analysis showed Golgi fragmentation and subsequent alteration of SPCA1 distribution from early stages of toxicity. Removal of Mn2+ by washing improved the culture viability, although it did not effectively reverse Golgi fragmentation. Interestingly, pretreatment with curcumin maintained microglia cultures viable, prevented Mn2+-induced Golgi fragmentation, and preserved SPCA Ca2+-dependent activity, suggesting curcumin as a potential protective agent against Mn2+-induced Golgi alterations in microglia.

The Development of Aspergillus flavus and Biosynthesis of Aflatoxin B1 are Regulated by the Golgi-Localized Mn2+ Transporter Pmr1.

Microorganisms rely on diverse ion transport and trace elements to sustain growth, development, and secondary metabolism. Manganese (Mn2+) is essential for various biological processes and plays a crucial role in the metabolism of human cells, plants, and yeast. In Aspergillus flavus, we confirmed that Pmr1 localized in cis- and medial-Golgi compartments was critical in facilitating Mn2+ transport, fungal growth, development, secondary metabolism, and glycosylation. In comparison to the wild type, the Δpmr1 mutant displayed heightened sensitivity to environmental stress, accompanied by inhibited synthesis of aflatoxin B1, kojic acid, and a substantial reduction in pathogenicity toward peanuts and maize. Interestingly, the addition of exogenous Mn2+ effectively rectified the developmental and secondary metabolic defects in the Δpmr1 mutant. However, Mn2+ supplement failed to restore the growth and development of the Δpmr1Δgdt1 double mutant, which indicated that the Gdt1 compensated for the functional deficiency of pmr1. In addition, our results showed that pmr1 knockout leads to an upregulation of O-glycosyl-N-acetylglucose (O-GlcNAc) and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), while Mn2+ supplementation can restore the glycosylation in A. flavus. Collectively, this study indicates that the pmr1 regulates Mn2+ via Golgi and maintains growth and metabolism functions of A. flavus through regulation of the glycosylation.

SERCA1 Overexpression in Skeletal Muscle Attenuates Muscle Atrophy and Improves Motor Function in a Mouse Model of ALS.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and muscle function. Previous work from our lab demonstrated that skeletal muscles from a mouse model of ALS show elevated intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels and heightened endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Objective: To investigate whether overexpression of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ ATPase 1 (SERCA1) in skeletal muscle would improve intracellular Ca2+ handling, attenuate ER stress, and improve motor function ALS transgenic mice. Methods: B6SJL-Tg (SOD1*G93A)1Gur/J (ALS-Tg) mice were bred with skeletal muscle α-actinin SERCA1 overexpressing mice to generate wild type (WT), SERCA1 overexpression (WT/+SERCA1), ALS-Tg, and SERCA1 overexpressing ALS-Tg (ALS-Tg/+SERCA1) mice. Motor function (grip test) was assessed weekly and skeletal muscles were harvested at 16 weeks of age to evaluate muscle mass, SR-Ca2+ ATPase activity, levels of SERCA1 and ER stress proteins - protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), Grp78/BiP, and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Single muscle fibers were also isolated from the flexor digitorum brevis muscle to assess changes in resting and peak Fura-2 ratios. Results: ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 mice showed improved motor function, delayed onset of disease, and improved muscle mass compared to ALS-Tg. Further, ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 mice returned levels of SERCA1 protein and SR-Ca2+ ATPase activity back to levels in WT mice. Unexpectedly, SERCA-1 overexpression increased levels of the ER stress maker Grp78/BiP in both WT and ALS-Tg mice, while not altering protein levels of PDI or CHOP. Lastly, single muscle fibers from ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 had similar resting but lower peak Fura-2 levels (at 30 Hz and 100 Hz) compared to ALS-Tg mice. Conclusions: These data indicate that SERCA1 overexpression attenuates the progressive loss of muscle mass and maintains motor function in ALS-Tg mice while not lowering resting Ca2+ levels or ER stress.

Dual effect of polyaromatic hydrocarbons on sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) activity of a teleost fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are embryo- and cardiotoxic to fish that might be associated with improper intracellular Ca2+ management. Since sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) is a major regulator of intracellular Ca2+, the SERCA activity and the contractile properties of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ventricle were measured in the presence of 3- and 4-cyclic PAHs. In unfractionated ventricular homogenates, acute exposure of SERCA to 0.1-1.0 µM phenanthrene (Phe), retene (Ret), fluoranthene (Flu), or pyrene (Pyr) resulted in concentration-dependent increase in SERCA activity, except for the Flu exposure, with maximal effects of 49.7-83 % at 1 µM. However, PAH mixture did not affect the contractile parameters of trout ventricular strips. Similarly, all PAHs, except Ret, increased the myotomal SERCA activity, but with lower effect (27.8-40.8 % at 1 µM). To investigate the putative chronic effects of PAHs on SERCA, the atp2a2a gene encoding trout cardiac SERCA was expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. Culture of HEK cells in the presence of 0.3-1.0 µM Phe, Ret, Flu, and Pyr for 4 days suppressed SERCA expression in a concentration-dependent manner, with maximal inhibition of 49 %, 65 %, 39 % (P < 0.05), and 18 % (P > 0.05), respectively at 1 µM. Current findings indicate divergent effects of submicromolar PAH concentrations on SERCA: stimulation of SERCA activity in acute exposure and inhibition of SERCA expression in chronic exposure. The depressed expression of SERCA is likely to contribute to the embryo- and cardiotoxicity of PAHs by depressing muscle function and altering gene expression.

Hailey-Hailey Disease is Associated with Diabetes: A Population-based Cohort Study, Clinical Cohort Study, and Pedigree Analysis.

Hailey-Hailey disease is a rare hereditary skin disease caused by mutations in the ATP2C1 gene encoding the secretory pathway Ca2+/Mn2+-ATPase 1 (SPCA1) protein. Extracutaneous manifestations of Hailey-Hailey disease are plausible but still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the association between Hailey-Hailey disease and diabetes. A population-based cohort study of 347 individuals with Hailey-Hailey  disease was performed to assess the risks of type 1  diabetes and type 2 diabetes, using Swedish nationwide registries. Pedigrees from 2 Swedish families with Hailey-Hailey disease were also investigated: 1 with concurrent type 1 diabetes and HLA-DQ3, the other with type 2 diabetes. Lastly, a clinical cohort with 23 individuals with Hailey-Hailey disease and matched healthy controls was evaluated regarding diabetes. In the register data males with Hailey-Hailey disease had a 70% elevated risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas no  excess risk among women could be confirmed. In both pedigrees an unusually high inheritance for diabetes was observed. In the clinical cohort, individuals with Hailey-Hailey disease displayed a metabolic phenotype indicative of type 2 diabetes. Hailey-Hailey disease seems to act as a synergistic risk factor for diabetes. This study indicates, for the first time, an association between Hailey-Hailey disease and diabetes and represents human evidence that SPCA1 and the Golgi apparatus may be implicated in diabetes pathophysiology.

Ultrashort wave alleviates oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation injury via up-regulation of SPCA1 expression in N2a cells. / è¶ çŸ­æ³¢é€šè¿‡ä¸Šè°ƒSPCA1的表达减轻N2a细胞氧糖剥夺复氧后的损伤.

OBJECTIVES: Application of ultrashort wave (USW) to rats with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury could inhibit the decrease of expression of secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase 1 (SPCA1), an important participant in Golgi stress, reduce the damage of Golgi apparatus and the apoptosis of neuronal cells, thereby alleviating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. This study aims to investigate the effect of USW on oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) injury and the expression of SPCA1 at the cellular level. METHODS: N2a cells were randomly divided into a control (Con) group, an OGD/R group, and an USW group. The cells in the Con group were cultured without exposure to OGD. The cells in the OGD/R group were treated with OGD/R. The cells in the USW group were treated with USW after OGD/R. Cell morphology was observed under the inverted phase-contrast optical microscope, cell activity was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and SPCA1 expression was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Most of the cells in the Con group showed spindle shape with a clear outline and good adhesion. In the OGD/R group, cells were wrinkled, with blurred outline, poor adhesion, and lots of suspended dead cells appeared; compared with the OGD/R group, the cell morphology and adherence were improved, with clearer outlines and fewer dead cells in the USW group. Compared with the Con group, the OGD/R group showed decreased cell activity, increased apoptotic rate, and down-regulating SPCA1 expression with significant differences (all P<0.001); compared with the OGD/R group, the USW group showed increased cell activity, decreased apoptotic rate, and up-regulating SPCA1 expression with significant differences (P<0.01 or P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: USW alleviates the injury of cellular OGD/R, and its protective effect may be related to its up-regulation of SPCA1 expression.

Plant Ca2+-ATPases: From biochemistry to signalling.

Calcium (Ca2+)-ATPases are ATP-dependent enzymes that transport Ca2+ ions against their electrochemical gradient playing the fundamental biological function of keeping the free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in the submicromolar range to prevent cytotoxic effects. In plants, type IIB autoinhibited Ca2+-ATPases (ACAs) are localised both at the plasma membrane and at the endomembranes including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and tonoplast and their activity is primarily regulated by Ca2+-dependent mechanisms. Instead, type IIA ER-type Ca2+-ATPases (ECAs) are present mainly at the ER and Golgi Apparatus membranes and are active at resting Ca2+. Whereas research in plants has historically focused on the biochemical characterization of these pumps, more recently the attention has been also addressed on the physiological roles played by the different isoforms. This review aims to highlight the main biochemical properties of both type IIB and type IIA Ca2+ pumps and their involvement in the shaping of cellular Ca2+ dynamics induced by different stimuli.

New insights into the effect of VMP1 on the treatment of pressure overload-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy: Involving SERCA-regulated autophagic flux.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive reaction in response to pressure or volume overload. Autophagy is critical for damage caused by pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Vacuole membrane protein 1 (VMP1) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane protein that is effective in activating autophagy. However, the role of VMP1 in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study was designed to explore the potential mechanisms of VMP1 on pressure overload-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy. In this work, abdominal aorta constriction (AAC) surgery was used to induce pathological cardiac hypertrophy in male C57BL/6 mice. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were treated with phenylephrine stimulation (PE) to induce the hypertrophic response. The in vivo results revealed that mice with AAC surgery caused pathological cardiac hypertrophy as evidenced by improved cardiac function according to multiple echocardiographic parameters. Moreover, elevated VMP1 expression was also observed in mice after AAC surgery. VMP1 knockdown aggravated changes in cardiac structure, cardiac dysfunction, and fibrosis. Meanwhile, VMP1 knockdown suppressed autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) activity in heart tissues. H9C2 cardiomyocytes with VMP1 overexpression were used to investigate the specific mechanism of VMP1 in pathological cardiac hypertrophy, and VMP1 overexpression increased autophagic flux by upregulating SERCA activity. In conclusion, these findings revealed that VMP1 protected against pressure overload-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy by inducing SERCA-regulated autophagic flux. Our results provide valuable insights regarding the pathophysiology of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and clues to a novel target for the treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Calcium-binding Cab45 regulates the polarized apical secretion of soluble proteins in epithelial cells.

Protein secretion is essential for epithelial tissue homoeostasis and therefore has to be tightly regulated. However, while the mechanisms regulating polarized protein sorting and trafficking have been widely studied in the past decade, those governing polarized secretion remain elusive. The calcium manganese pump SPCA1 and the calcium-binding protein Cab45 were recently shown to regulate the secretion of a subset of soluble cargoes in nonpolarized HeLa cells. Interestingly, we demonstrated that in polarized epithelial cells calcium levels in the trans-Golgi network (TGN), controlled by SPCA1, and Cab45 are critical for the apical sorting of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), a class of integral membrane proteins containing a soluble protein attached to the membrane by the GPI anchor, prompting us to investigate the mechanism regulating the polarized secretion of soluble cargoes. By reducing Cab45 expression level or overexpressing an inactive mutant of SPCA1, we found that Cab45 and calcium levels in the TGN drive the polarized apical secretion of a secretory form of placental alkaline phosphatase, exogenously expressed, and the endogenous soluble protein clusterin/Gp80 in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. These data highlight the critical role of a calcium-dependent Cab45 mechanism regulating apical exocytosis in polarized MDCK cells.

Structure and transport mechanism of the human calcium pump SPCA1.

Secretory-pathway Ca2+-ATPases (SPCAs) play critical roles in maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis, but the exact mechanism of SPCAs-mediated Ca2+ transport remains unclear. Here, we determined six cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human SPCA1 (hSPCA1) in a series of intermediate states, revealing a near-complete conformational cycle. With the aid of molecular dynamics simulations, these structures offer a clear structural basis for Ca2+ entry and release in hSPCA1. We found that hSPCA1 undergoes unique conformational changes during ATP binding and phosphorylation compared to other well-studied P-type II ATPases. In addition, we observed a conformational distortion of the Ca2+-binding site induced by the separation of transmembrane helices 4L and 6, unveiling a distinct Ca2+ release mechanism. Particularly, we determined a structure of the long-sought CaE2P state of P-type IIA ATPases, providing valuable insights into the Ca2+ transport cycle. Together, these findings enhance our understanding of Ca2+ transport by hSPCA1 and broaden our knowledge of P-type ATPases.

Ca2+ Dependent Formation/Collapse of Cylindrical Ca2+-ATPase Crystals in Scallop Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR) Vesicles: A Possible Dynamic Role of SR in Regulation of Muscle Contraction.

[Ca2+]-dependent crystallization of the Ca2+-ATPase molecules in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles isolated from scallop striated muscle elongated the vesicles in the absence of ATP, and ATP stabilized the crystals. Here, to determine the [Ca2+]-dependence of vesicle elongation in the presence of ATP, SR vesicles in various [Ca2+] environments were imaged using negative stain electron microscopy. The images obtained revealed the following phenomena. (i) Crystal-containing elongated vesicles appeared at ≤1.4 µM Ca2+ and almost disappeared at ≥18 µM Ca2+, where ATPase activity reaches its maximum. (ii) At ≥18 µM Ca2+, almost all SR vesicles were in the round form and covered by tightly clustered ATPase crystal patches. (iii) Round vesicles dried on electron microscopy grids occasionally had cracks, probably because surface tension crushed the solid three-dimensional spheres. (iv) [Ca2+]-dependent ATPase crystallization was rapid (<1 min) and reversible. These data prompt the hypothesis that SR vesicles autonomously elongate or contract with the help of a calcium-sensitive ATPase network/endoskeleton and that ATPase crystallization may modulate physical properties of the SR architecture, including the ryanodine receptors that control muscle contraction.