Loss of Stim2 in zebrafish induces glaucoma-like phenotype.

Calcium is involved in vision processes in the retina and implicated in various pathologies, including glaucoma. Rod cells rely on store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) to safeguard against the prolonged lowering of intracellular calcium ion concentrations. Zebrafish that lacked the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sensor Stim2 (stim2 knockout [KO]) exhibited impaired vision and lower light perception-related gene expression. We sought to understand mechanisms that are responsible for vision impairment in stim2 KO zebrafish. The single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing of neuronal cells from brains of 5 days postfertilization larvae distinguished 27 cell clusters, 10 of which exhibited distinct gene expression patterns, including amacrine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic retinal interneurons and GABAergic optic tectum cells. Five clusters exhibited significant changes in cell proportions between stim2 KO and controls, including GABAergic diencephalon and optic tectum cells. Transmission electron microscopy of stim2 KO zebrafish revealed decreases in width of the inner plexiform layer, ganglion cells, and their dendrites numbers (a hallmark of glaucoma). GABAergic neuron densities in the inner nuclear layer, including amacrine cells, as well as photoreceptors significantly decreased in stim2 KO zebrafish. Our study suggests a novel role for Stim2 in the regulation of neuronal insulin expression and GABAergic-dependent vision causing glaucoma-like retinal pathology.

Study of Biological Effects Induced in Solid Tumors by Shortened-Duration Thermal Ablation Using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

The HIFU ablation technique is limited by the long duration of the procedure, which results from the large difference between the size of the HIFU beam's focus and the tumor size. Ablation of large tumors requires treating them with a sequence of single HIFU beams, with a specific time interval in-between. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological effects induced in a malignant solid tumor of the rat mammary gland, implanted in adult Wistar rats, during HIFU treatment according to a new ablation plan which allowed researchers to significantly shorten the duration of the procedure. We used a custom, automated, ultrasound imaging-guided HIFU ablation device. Tumors with a 1 mm thickness margin of healthy tissue were subjected to HIFU. Three days later, the animals were sacrificed, and the HIFU-treated tissues were harvested. The biological effects were studied, employing morphological, histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural techniques. Massive cell death, hemorrhages, tissue loss, influx of immune cells, and induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines were observed in the HIFU-treated tumors. No damage to healthy tissues was observed in the area surrounding the safety margin. These results confirmed the efficacy of the proposed shortened duration of the HIFU ablation procedure and its potential for the treatment of solid tumors.

E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF2 protects polymerase ι from destabilization.

Human DNA polymerase ι (Polι) belongs to the Y-family of specialized DNA polymerases engaged in the DNA damage tolerance pathway of translesion DNA synthesis that is crucial to the maintenance of genome integrity. The extreme infidelity of Polι and the fact that both its up- and down-regulation correlate with various cancers indicate that Polι expression and access to the replication fork should be strictly controlled. Here, we identify RNF2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a new interacting partner of Polι that is responsible for Polι stabilization in vivo. Interestingly, while we report that RNF2 does not directly ubiquitinate Polι, inhibition of the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of RNF2 affects the cellular level of Polι thereby protecting it from destabilization. Additionally, we indicate that this mechanism is more general, as DNA polymerase η, another Y-family polymerase and the closest paralogue of Polι, share similar features.

Autophagy initiation triggers p150Glued-AP-2ß interaction on the lysosomes and facilitates their transport.

The endocytic adaptor protein 2 (AP-2) complex binds dynactin as part of its noncanonical function, which is necessary for dynein-driven autophagosome transport along microtubules in neuronal axons. The absence of this AP-2-dependent transport causes neuronal morphology simplification and neurodegeneration. The mechanisms that lead to formation of the AP-2-dynactin complex have not been studied to date. However, the inhibition of mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) enhances the transport of newly formed autophagosomes by influencing the biogenesis and protein interactions of Rab-interacting lysosomal protein (RILP), another dynein cargo adaptor. We tested effects of mTORC1 inhibition on interactions between the AP-2 and dynactin complexes, with a focus on their two essential subunits, AP-2ß and p150Glued. We found that the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin enhanced p150Glued-AP-2ß complex formation in both neurons and non-neuronal cells. Additional analysis revealed that the p150Glued-AP-2ß interaction was indirect and required integrity of the dynactin complex. In non-neuronal cells rapamycin-driven enhancement of the p150Glued-AP-2ß interaction also required the presence of cytoplasmic linker protein 170 (CLIP-170), the activation of autophagy, and an undisturbed endolysosomal system. The rapamycin-dependent p150Glued-AP-2ß interaction occurred on lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (Lamp-1)-positive organelles but without the need for autolysosome formation. Rapamycin treatment also increased the acidification and number of acidic organelles and increased speed of the long-distance retrograde movement of Lamp-1-positive organelles. Altogether, our results indicate that autophagy regulates the p150Glued-AP-2ß interaction, possibly to coordinate sufficient motor-adaptor complex availability for effective lysosome transport.

Impaired iron recycling from erythrocytes is an early hallmark of aging.

Aging affects iron homeostasis, as evidenced by tissue iron loading and anemia in the elderly. Iron needs in mammals are met primarily by iron recycling from senescent red blood cells (RBCs), a task chiefly accomplished by splenic red pulp macrophages (RPMs) via erythrophagocytosis. Given that RPMs continuously process iron, their cellular functions might be susceptible to age-dependent decline, a possibility that has been unexplored to date. Here, we found that 10- to 11-month-old female mice exhibit iron loading in RPMs, largely attributable to a drop in iron exporter ferroportin, which diminishes their erythrophagocytosis capacity and lysosomal activity. Furthermore, we identified a loss of RPMs during aging, underlain by the combination of proteotoxic stress and iron-dependent cell death resembling ferroptosis. These impairments lead to the retention of senescent hemolytic RBCs in the spleen, and the formation of undegradable iron- and heme-rich extracellular protein aggregates, likely derived from ferroptotic RPMs. We further found that feeding mice an iron-reduced diet alleviates iron accumulation in RPMs, enhances their ability to clear erythrocytes, and reduces damage. Consequently, this diet ameliorates hemolysis of splenic RBCs and reduces the burden of protein aggregates, mildly increasing serum iron availability in aging mice. Taken together, we identified RPM collapse as an early hallmark of aging and demonstrated that dietary iron reduction improves iron turnover efficacy.

ESCRT-I fuels lysosomal degradation to restrict TFEB/TFE3 signaling via the Rag-mTORC1 pathway.

Within the endolysosomal pathway in mammalian cells, ESCRT complexes facilitate degradation of proteins residing in endosomal membranes. Here, we show that mammalian ESCRT-I restricts the size of lysosomes and promotes degradation of proteins from lysosomal membranes, including MCOLN1, a Ca2+ channel protein. The altered lysosome morphology upon ESCRT-I depletion coincided with elevated expression of genes annotated to biogenesis of lysosomes due to prolonged activation of TFEB/TFE3 transcription factors. Lack of ESCRT-I also induced transcription of cholesterol biosynthesis genes, in response to inefficient delivery of cholesterol from endolysosomal compartments. Among factors that could possibly activate TFEB/TFE3 signaling upon ESCRT-I deficiency, we excluded lysosomal cholesterol accumulation and Ca2+-mediated dephosphorylation of TFEB/TFE3. However, we discovered that this activation occurs due to the inhibition of Rag GTPase-dependent mTORC1 pathway that specifically reduced phosphorylation of TFEB at S112. Constitutive activation of the Rag GTPase complex in cells lacking ESCRT-I restored S112 phosphorylation and prevented TFEB/TFE3 activation. Our results indicate that ESCRT-I deficiency evokes a homeostatic response to counteract lysosomal nutrient starvation, that is, improper supply of nutrients derived from lysosomal degradation.

Muscle-derived exophers promote reproductive fitness.

Organismal functionality and reproduction depend on metabolic rewiring and balanced energy resources. However, the crosstalk between organismal homeostasis and fecundity and the associated paracrine signaling mechanisms are still poorly understood. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we discovered that large extracellular vesicles (known as exophers) previously found to remove damaged subcellular elements in neurons and cardiomyocytes are released by body wall muscles (BWM) to support embryonic growth. Exopher formation (exopheresis) by BWM is sex-specific and a non-cell autonomous process regulated by developing embryos in the uterus. Embryo-derived factors induce the production of exophers that transport yolk proteins produced in the BWM and ultimately deliver them to newly formed oocytes. Consequently, offspring of mothers with a high number of muscle-derived exophers grew faster. We propose that the primary role of muscular exopheresis is to stimulate reproductive capacity, thereby influencing the adaptation of worm populations to the current environmental conditions.

G3BPs tether the TSC complex to lysosomes and suppress mTORC1 signaling.

Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding proteins 1 and 2 (G3BP1 and G3BP2, respectively) are widely recognized as core components of stress granules (SGs). We report that G3BPs reside at the cytoplasmic surface of lysosomes. They act in a non-redundant manner to anchor the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) protein complex to lysosomes and suppress activation of the metabolic master regulator mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) by amino acids and insulin. Like the TSC complex, G3BP1 deficiency elicits phenotypes related to mTORC1 hyperactivity. In the context of tumors, low G3BP1 levels enhance mTORC1-driven breast cancer cell motility and correlate with adverse outcomes in patients. Furthermore, G3bp1 inhibition in zebrafish disturbs neuronal development and function, leading to white matter heterotopia and neuronal hyperactivity. Thus, G3BPs are not only core components of SGs but also a key element of lysosomal TSC-mTORC1 signaling.

DNA polymerase ι is acetylated in response to SN2 alkylating agents.

DNA polymerase iota (Polι) belongs to the Y-family of DNA polymerases that are involved in DNA damage tolerance through their role in translesion DNA synthesis. Like all other Y-family polymerases, Polι interacts with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Rev1, ubiquitin and ubiquitinated-PCNA and is also ubiquitinated itself. Here, we report that Polι also interacts with the p300 acetyltransferase and is acetylated. The primary acetylation site is K550, located in the Rev1-interacting region. However, K550 amino acid substitutions have no effect on Polι's ability to interact with Rev1. Interestingly, we find that acetylation of Polι significantly and specifically increases in response to SN2 alkylating agents and to a lower extent to SN1 alkylating and oxidative agents. As we have not observed acetylation of Polι's closest paralogue, DNA polymerase eta (Polη), with which Polι shares many functional similarities, we believe that this modification might exclusively regulate yet to be determined, and separate function(s) of Polι.

ESCRT Proteins Control the Dendritic Morphology of Developing and Mature Hippocampal Neurons.

The proper shape of dendritic arbors of different types of neurons determines their proper communication within neuronal networks. The shape of dendritic arbors is acquired during a complex and multistep process called dendritogenesis. In most cases, once proper morphology is achieved, it remains stable throughout the lifespan, with the exception of rare events during which dendrites are abruptly pruned. The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) is multisubunit machinery that is involved in various cellular processes when membrane scission is needed. ESCRT subcomplexes regulate dendrite pruning in Drosophila neurons. However, the contribution of ESCRT components to the dendritogenesis of mammalian neurons and control of dendrite stability remains poorly defined. In the present study, we found that ESCRT-0, ESCRT-I, ESCRT-II, and ESCRT-III and Vps4 are required for proper dendrite morphology under basal culture conditions and for accelerated dendritogenesis in response to phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activation. The knockdown of Vps28 (ESCRT-I) and Vps25 (ESCRT-II) resulted in downregulation of the activity of mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1. We also demonstrated that Vps28, Vps24, and Vps25 are required for dendrite stabilization in mature neurons.

GSK3ß Controls mTOR and Prosurvival Signaling in Neurons.

Glycogen synthase kinases-3ß (GSK3ß) is a key regulator of cell homeostasis. In neurons, GSK3ß contributes to control of neuronal transmission and plasticity. Despite extensive studies in non-neuronal cells, crosstalk between GSK3ß and other signaling pathways remains not well defined in neurons. In the present study, we report that GSK3ß positively affected the activity of effectors of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and complex 2 (mTORC2), in mature neurons in vitro and in vivo. GSK3ß also promoted prosurvival signaling and attenuated kainic acid-induced apoptosis. Our study identified GSK3ß as a positive regulator of prosurvival signaling, including the mTOR pathway, and indicates the possible neuroprotective role of GSK3ß in models of pharmacologically induced excitotoxicity.

Kainic Acid Induces mTORC1-Dependent Expression of Elmo1 in Hippocampal Neurons.

Epileptogenesis is a process triggered by initial environmental or genetic factors that result in epilepsy and may continue during disease progression. Important parts of this process include changes in transcriptome and the pathological rewiring of neuronal circuits that involves changes in neuronal morphology. Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is upregulated by proconvulsive drugs, e.g., kainic acid, and is needed for progression of epileptogenesis, but molecular aspects of its contribution are not fully understood. Since mTOR can modulate transcription, we tested if rapamycin, an mTOR complex 1 inhibitor, affects kainic acid-evoked transcriptome changes. Using microarray technology, we showed that rapamycin inhibits the kainic acid-induced expression of multiple functionally heterogeneous genes. We further focused on engulfment and cell motility 1 (Elmo1), which is a modulator of actin dynamics and therefore could contribute to pathological rewiring of neuronal circuits during epileptogenesis. We showed that prolonged overexpression of Elmo1 in cultured hippocampal neurons increased axonal growth, decreased dendritic spine density, and affected their shape. In conclusion, data presented herein show that increased mTORC1 activity in response to kainic acid has no global effect on gene expression. Instead, our findings suggest that mTORC1 inhibition may affect development of epilepsy, by modulating expression of specific subset of genes, including Elmo1, and point to a potential role for Elmo1 in morphological changes that accompany epileptogenesis.

Tuberous sclerosis complex neuropathology requires glutamate-cysteine ligase.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease resulting from mutation in TSC1 or TSC2 and subsequent hyperactivation of mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR). Common TSC features include brain lesions, such as cortical tubers and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs). However, the current treatment with mTOR inhibitors has critical limitations. We aimed to identify new targets for TSC pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: The results of our shRNA screen point to glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), a key enzyme in glutathione synthesis, as a contributor to TSC-related phenotype. GCLC inhibition increased cellular stress and reduced mTOR hyperactivity in TSC2-depleted neurons and SEGA-derived cells. Moreover, patients' brain tubers showed elevated GCLC and stress markers expression. Finally, GCLC inhibition led to growth arrest and death of SEGA-derived cells. CONCLUSIONS: We describe GCLC as a part of redox adaptation in TSC, needed for overgrowth and survival of mutant cells, and provide a potential novel target for SEGA treatment.

Spatiotemporal characterization of mTOR kinase activity following kainic acid induced status epilepticus and analysis of rat brain response to chronic rapamycin treatment.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a protein kinase that senses nutrient availability, trophic factors support, cellular energy level, cellular stress, and neurotransmitters and adjusts cellular metabolism accordingly. Adequate mTOR activity is needed for development as well as proper physiology of mature neurons. Consequently, changes in mTOR activity are often observed in neuropathology. Recently, several groups reported that seizures increase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase activity, and such increased activity in genetic models can contribute to spontaneous seizures. However, the current knowledge about the spatiotemporal pattern of mTOR activation induced by proconvulsive agents is rather rudimentary. Also consequences of insufficient mTOR activity on a status epilepticus are poorly understood. Here, we systematically investigated these two issues. We showed that mTOR signaling was activated by kainic acid (KA)-induced status epilepticus through several brain areas, including the hippocampus and cortex as well as revealed two waves of mTOR activation: an early wave (2 h) that occurs in neurons and a late wave that predominantly occurs in astrocytes. Unexpectedly, we found that pretreatment with rapamycin, a potent mTOR inhibitor, gradually (i) sensitized animals to KA treatment and (ii) induced gross anatomical changes in the brain.

Beyond control of protein translation: what we have learned about the non-canonical regulation and function of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine-threonine kinase involved in almost every aspect of mammalian cell function. This kinase was initially believed to control protein translation in response to amino acids and trophic factors, and this function has become a canonical role for mTOR. However, mTOR can form two separate protein complexes (mTORCs). Recent advances clearly demonstrate that both mTORCs can respond to various stimuli and change myriad cellular processes. Therefore, our current view of the cellular roles of TORCs has rapidly expanded and cannot be fully explained without appreciating recent findings about the new modes of mTOR regulation and identification of non-canonical effectors of mTOR that contribute to transcription, cytoskeleton dynamics, and membrane trafficking. This review discusses the molecular details of these newly discovered non-canonical functions that allow mTORCs to control the cellular environment at multiple levels. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Inhibitors of Protein Kinases (2012).

Functional anatomy of neural circuits regulating fear and extinction.

The memory of fear extinction is context dependent: fear that is suppressed in one context readily renews in another. Understanding of the underlying neuronal circuits is, therefore, of considerable clinical relevance for anxiety disorders. Prefrontal cortical and hippocampal inputs to the amygdala have recently been shown to regulate the retrieval of fear memories, but the cellular organization of these projections remains unclear. By using anterograde tracing in a transgenic rat in which neurons express a dendritically-targeted PSD-95:Venus fusion protein under the control of a c-fos promoter, we found that, during the retrieval of extinction memory, the dominant input to active neurons in the lateral amygdala was from the infralimbic cortex, whereas the retrieval of fear memory was associated with greater hippocampal and prelimbic inputs. This pattern of retrieval-related afferent input was absent in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Our data show functional anatomy of neural circuits regulating fear and extinction, providing a framework for therapeutic manipulations of these circuits.

Exercise-induced motor improvement after complete spinal cord transection and its relation to expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and presynaptic markers.

BACKGROUND: It has been postulated that exercise-induced activation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may account for improvement of stepping ability in animals after complete spinal cord transection. As we have shown previously, treadmill locomotor exercise leads to up-regulation of BDNF protein and mRNA in the entire neuronal network of intact spinal cord. The questions arise: (i) how the treadmill locomotor training, supplemented with tail stimulation, affects the expression of molecular correlates of synaptic plasticity in spinal rats, and (ii) if a response is related to BDNF protein level and distribution. We investigated the effect of training in rats spinalized at low thoracic segments on the level and distribution of BDNF immunoreactivity (IR) in ventral quadrants of the lumbar segments, in conjunction with markers of presynaptic terminals, synaptophysin and synaptic zinc. RESULTS: Training improved hindlimb stepping in spinal animals evaluated with modified Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale. Grades of spinal trained animals ranged between 5 and 11, whereas those of spinal were between 2 and 4. Functional improvement was associated with changes in presynaptic markers and BDNF distribution. Six weeks after transection, synaptophysin IR was reduced by 18% around the large neurons of lamina IX and training elevated its expression by over 30%. The level of synaptic zinc staining in the ventral horn was unaltered, whereas in ventral funiculi it was decreased by 26% postlesion and tended to normalize after the training. Overall BDNF IR levels in the ventral horn, which were higher by 22% postlesion, were unchanged after the training. However, training modified distribution of BDNF in the processes with its predominance in the longer and thicker ones. It also caused selective up-regulation of BDNF in two classes of cells (soma ranging between 100-400 microm2 and over 1000 microm2) of the ventrolateral and laterodorsal motor nuclei. CONCLUSION: Our results show that it is not BDNF deficit that determines lack of functional improvement in spinal animals. They indicate selectivity of up-regulation of BDNF in distinct subpopulations of cells in the motor nuclei which leads to changes of innervation targeting motoneurons, tuned up by locomotor activity as indicated by a region-specific increase of presynaptic markers.

Injury induced dendritic plasticity in the mature central nervous system.

Injury to the mature central nervous system (CNS) induces a series of transient changes leading not only to death of neurons, but also to spontaneous rearrangement of the affected network. One of such pro plastic events, detected following injury, is an increased level of neurotrophins. Neurotrophins are a family of proteins involved in survival and outgrowth processes. The other one, more difficult to observe, is a change in the complexity of the dendritic tree, causing arborization or pruning, depending on many circumstances: i.e. lesion etiology. Subsequent therapies like enriched environment or locomotor exercise bring about a functional improvement, which was found to further increase the neurotrophin level and induced additional arborization of dendrites. Another important consequence of damage to CNS connections is deafferentation, shown to induce a down regulation of outgrowth inhibitors. Their suppression in turn may facilitate dendritic plasticity. Taken together, these factors may contribute to enhanced plasticity in the injured mature CNS. Thus the proper use of endogenously increased plastic potential seems to be important for design and optimizing therapeutic strategies. Further investigation of mechanisms involved in switching on plasticity may help to improve on existing therapies and find new ways to obtain better recovery following injury.

Locomotor exercise alters expression of pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor TrkB in the spinal cord of adult rats.

Previous evidence indicates that locomotor exercise is a powerful means of increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its signal transduction receptor TrkB mRNA levels, immunolabeling intensity and number of BDNF- and TrkB-immunopositive cells in the spinal cord of adult rats but the contribution of specific cell types to changes resulting from long-term activity is unknown. As changes in BDNF protein distribution due to systemic stimuli may reflect either its in-situ synthesis or its translocation from other sources, we investigated where BDNF and TrkB mRNA are expressed in the spinal lumbar segments. We report on the cell types defined by size, BDNF mRNA levels and number of cells with TrkB transcripts in sedentary and exercised animals following 28 days of treadmill walking. In the majority of cells, exercise increased perikaryonal levels of BDNF mRNA but did not affect TrkB transcript levels. Bidirectional changes in a number of TrkB mRNA-expressing cells occurred in small groups of ventral horn neurons. An increase in BDNF transcripts was translated into changes in pro-BDNF and BDNF levels. A 7-day walking regimen increased BDNF protein levels similarly to 28-day treadmill walking. Our observations indicate that long- and short-term locomotor activity of moderate intensity produce stimuli sufficient to recruit a majority of spinal cells to increased BDNF synthesis, suggesting that continuous tuning of pro-BDNF and BDNF levels permits spinal networks to undergo trophic modulation not requiring changes in TrkB mRNA supply.