The cystine/cysteine cycle: a redox cycle regulating susceptibility versus resistance to cell death.

The glutathione-dependent system is one of the key systems regulating cellular redox balance, and thus cell fate. Cysteine, typically present in its oxidized form cystine in the extracellular space, is regarded as the rate-limiting substrate for glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Cystine is transported into cells by the highly specific amino-acid antiporter system xc-. Since Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL) cells display limited uptake capacity for cystine, and are thus prone to oxidative stress-induced cell death, we stably expressed the substrate-specific subunit of system xc-, xCT, in HH514 BL cells. xCT-overexpressing cells became highly resistant to oxidative stress, particularly upon GSH depletion. Contrary to previous predictions, the increase of intracellular cysteine did not affect the cellular GSH pool, but concomitantly boosted extracellular cysteine concentrations. Even though cells were depleted of bulk GSH, xCT overexpression maintained cellular integrity by protecting against lipid peroxidation, a very early event in cell death progression. Our results show that system xc- protects against oxidative stress not by elevating intracellular GSH levels, but rather creates a reducing extracellular environment by driving a highly efficient cystine/cysteine redox cycle. Our findings show that the cystine/cysteine redox cycle by itself must be viewed as a discrete major regulator of cell survival.

Role of cystine transport in intracellular glutathione level and cisplatin resistance in human ovarian cancer cell lines.

Transport system x(c)(-) is a member of plasma membrane heterodimeric amino-acid transporters and consists of two protein components, xCT and 4F2hc. This system mediates cystine entry coupled with the exodus of intracellular glutamate and regulates the intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels in most mammalian cultured cells. We studied the activity of system x(c)(-) and GSH content in human ovarian cancer cell line (A2780) and its cisplatin (CDDP)-resistant variant (A2780DDP). The rate of cystine uptake was approximately 4.5-fold higher in A2780DDP cells than in A2780 cells and the cystine uptake in A2780DDP cells was mediated by system x(c)(-). Intracellular GSH content was much higher in A2780DDP cells but it fell drastically in the presence of excess glutamate, which inhibited the cystine uptake competitively. xCT and 4F2hc mRNAs were definitely expressed in A2780DDP cells, but far less in A2780 cells. Expression of system x(c)(-) activity by transfection with cDNAs for xCT and 4F2hc made A2780 cells more resistant to CDDP. Similar results on the cystine uptake were obtained in human colonic cancer cell lines. These findings suggest that the system x(c)(-) plays an important role in maintaining the higher levels of GSH and consequently in CDDP resistance in cancer cell lines.

Restored vulnerability of cultured endothelial cells to high glucose by iron replenishment.

High glucose (HG) concentrations are toxic to various cells in vivo, but cells become insensitive to HG toxicity when they are subcultured serially in vitro. Oxidative stress is involved in HG toxicity, and metal ions, especially iron, mediate some oxidative stress. To investigate mechanisms involved in the insensitiveness of cultured cells to HG toxicity, we focused on the level of intracellular iron. Freshly prepared human umbilical vein endothelial cells contained a substantial amount of iron, whereas its level decreased rapidly during the course of culture (to less than 10%). The iron content was restored by incubation of the cells with Fe(III)/8-hydroxyquinoline, and the iron-supplemented cells were more susceptible to both oxidant- and HG-induced injury. Under the HG conditions, the iron-loaded cells were subjected to higher levels of oxidative stress. The enhanced HG toxicity by iron was attenuated by the treatment with several antioxidants including catalase, ascorbic acid, and pyruvate. These data suggested that the insensitiveness of subcultured cells to HG toxicity is, at least in part, due to rapid and dramatic loss of intracellular iron. Supplementation with iron is useful to restore the vulnerability of cultured cells to HG that is normally observed in in vivo situations.

Hyperglycemia in diabetic rats reduces the glutathione content in the aortic tissue.

The glutathione redox cycle plays a major role in scavenging hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) under physiological conditions. Recently, we demonstrated that a high glucose concentration in the culture medium reduced the level of H2O2 scavenging activity of human vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMCs). We also showed that a high glucose concentration reduced the intracellular glutathione (GSH) content and the rate of uptake of cystine, which itself is a rate-limiting factor that maintains the GSH level (FEBS Lett.421: 19-22,1998). In the present study, we investigated whether the hyperglycemic condition in diabetic rats impairs the glutathione content in the aortic tissue in vivo. Wistar rats were divided into the following three groups: streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-D, n=7), insulin-treated STZ-D rats (I-STZ-D, n=8), and non-diabetic controls (C, n=7). Fourteen days after streptozotocin injection, the aortic tissue was extracted and the GSH content in the aortic tissue was measured. Furthermore, the relationship between the GSH content in the aortic tissue and blood glucose level in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats aged 30 weeks, which developed diabetes spontaneously, was investigated. The GSH content in the aortic tissue of the STZ-D group (0.99+/-0.14 nmol/mg protein) was significantly lower than that of the control group (1.68+/-0.15 nmol/mg protein). Insulin treatment to the diabetic rats restored the GSH content in the aortic tissue (I-STZ-D group; 1.45+/-0.11 nmol/mg protein). Among the 22 Wistar rats, the GSH content in the aortic tissue was negatively correlated with the blood glucose level (r=-0.69, p<0.01, n=22). Among the OLETF rats, a similar negative correlation between the GSH content in the aortic tissue and blood glucose level was seen (r=-0.64, p<0.05, n=10). We demonstrated in vivo that the hyperglycemic condition in STZ-induced diabetic Wistar rats and OLETF rats reduced the GSH content in aortic tissue. This suggested reduced glutathione redox cycle function of aorta.

Effects of hyperoxia and iron on iron regulatory protein-1 activity and the ferritin synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Ferritin is an intracellular iron storage protein and its translation is inhibited by binding of iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) to the iron-responsive element (IRE) located in the 5' untranslated region of its mRNA. In this paper, we have investigated the effect of hyperoxia and iron on the binding activity of IRP-1 and the ferritin synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The binding activity of IRP-1 was increased and the ferritin synthesis was suppressed when the macrophages were cultured under hyperoxia, and the reverse occurred under hypoxia. Iron diminished the IRP-1-binding activity and the enhanced synthesis of ferritin. However, this effect was arrested under hyperoxia. Consistently, hypoxia-induced loss of binding activity of IRP-1 and the enhanced synthesis of ferritin were blocked in the presence of an iron chelator deferoxamine. These alterations of the binding activity of IRP-1 in response to oxygen and iron were not reproduced in the cell-free extract. The data suggest that in the macrophages oxygen and iron inversely act on the binding activity of IRP-1 and the ferritin synthesis, and that intracellular mechanism(s) to sense iron and/or oxygen is required for these actions.

Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity in brain membrane fractions by arachidonic acid and related unsaturated fatty acids.

Pretreatment of mouse brain membranes with arachidonic acid (AA) and related unsaturated fatty acids at 30 degrees C for 10 min decreased basal activity and isoproterenol/guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S)- and forskolin-stimulated activities of adenylyl cyclase to a level less than 5% of control. The presence of the carboxyl group on the fatty acids was essential for the inhibition, because no such inhibition was found with ethyl arachidonate or AA attached to diacylglycerols and phospholipids. The AA-mediated inhibition was observed when the activity was measured in the presence of Mn2+ or forskolin and was insensitive to pertussis toxin or guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDPbetaS), indicating a mechanism independent of GTP-binding proteins. In addition, the fact that stimulators of the adenylyl cyclase catalytic unit, ATP, GTP gamma S and forskolin, when present during pretreatment, attenuate the inhibitory effect of AA may suggest that the catalytic unit is a target of AA. Bovine serum albumin suppressed the inhibition when present in the mixtures for pretreatment, but could not restore the adenylyl cyclase activity that had been reduced by AA, indicating an irreversible inhibition by AA. The effect of AA was found to be additive to P-site-mediated inhibition. The present study suggests the existence of another mechanism of regulation of adenylyl cyclase by unsaturated fatty acids.

Effect of oxygen on induction of the cystine transporter by bacterial lipopolysaccharide in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Amino acid transport in mouse peritoneal macrophages is mediated by several membrane carriers with different substrate specificity and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. We reported previously that transport activities of cystine and arginine in the macrophages were induced markedly by low concentrations of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is known that a variety of macrophage functions are affected by ambient oxygen tension. In this study, we have investigated the effects of oxygen on the induction of amino acid transport activity by LPS and found that the induction of cystine, but not arginine, transport activity was dependent on the ambient oxygen tension. When the macrophages were cultured with 2% O(2) in the presence of 1 ng/ml LPS, induction of cystine transport activity was reduced by approximately 70% compared with cells cultured under normoxic conditions. In macrophages, transport of cystine is mediated by a Na(+)-independent anionic amino acid transporter named system x(c)(-). System x(c)(-) is composed of two protein components, xCT and 4F2hc, and the expression of xCT was closely correlated with system x(c)(-) activity. A putative NF-kappaB binding site was found in the 5'-flanking region of the xCT gene, but the enhanced expression of xCT by LPS and oxygen was not mediated by NF-kappaB binding. An increase in intracellular GSH in macrophages paralleled induction of xCT, but not gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase. These results suggest the importance of system x(c)(-) in antioxidant defense in macrophages exposed to LPS and oxidative stress.

Transcription factor Nrf2 coordinately regulates a group of oxidative stress-inducible genes in macrophages.

Electrophiles and reactive oxygen species have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Transcription factor Nrf2 was recently identified as a general regulator of one defense mechanism against such havoc. Nrf2 regulates the inducible expression of a group of detoxication enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferase and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, via antioxidant response elements. Using peritoneal macrophages from Nrf2-deficient mice, we show here that Nrf2 also controls the expression of a group of electrophile- and oxidative stress-inducible proteins and activities, which includes heme oxygenase-1, A170, peroxiredoxin MSP23, and cystine membrane transport (system x(c)(-)) activity. The response to electrophilic and reactive oxygen species-producing agents was profoundly impaired in Nrf2-deficient cells. The lack of induction of system x(c)(-) activity resulted in the minimum level of intracellular glutathione, and Nrf2-deficient cells were more sensitive to toxic electrophiles. Several stress agents induced the DNA binding activity of Nrf2 in the nucleus without increasing its mRNA level. Thus Nrf2 regulates a wide-ranging metabolic response to oxidative stress.

Induction of murine intestinal and hepatic peroxiredoxin MSP23 by dietary butylated hydroxyanisole.

Feeding mice with 2(3)-t-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) induces phase II detoxifying enzymes that inhibit the action of carcinogens. We have found that dietary BHA induces intestinal and hepatic MSP23 (also called peroxiredoxin I), a stress-inducible antioxidant, in a manner similar to the induction of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). The levels of MSP23 in the proximal intestine and liver, estimated by immunoblotting, increased approximately 1.9- and 1.3-fold, respectively, in mice fed a diet containing 0.7% (w/w) BHA for 7 days. The level of MSP23 mRNA in these tissues also increased more than 2-fold after mice were fed BHA, suggesting that the induction of MSP23 is controlled at the transcription level. Immunostaining of the small intestine shows that MSP23 is expressed mainly in the columnar epithelial cells. The induction of MSP23 may be important to protect the cells and tissues against toxic electrophiles and reactive oxygen species.

Peroxiredoxin I (macrophage 23 kDa stress protein) is highly and widely expressed in the rat nervous system.

Expression pattern of peroxiredoxin I (Prx I), a novel stress-inducible 23 kDa protein, initially found in macrophages, was investigated in the normal rat nervous system by western blot and immunohistochemistry. The protein was widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous system, particularly in oligodendroglia and Schwann cells. Weak staining of axons and neuropil suggests neuronal processes also may contain Prx I. Immunostaining of neuronal cell bodies were not evident. Since Prx I reduces hydrogen peroxide, the widespread glial expression of Prx I indicates that it may play an important protective role against oxidative damage in the nervous system.

Effect of hypoxia on nitric oxide production and its synthase gene expression in rat smooth muscle cells.

It has not been clarified yet as to whether hypoxia and inflammation affect NO synthesis. In this study, we investigated the transcription of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA and the production of nitric oxide (NO) in rat smooth muscle cells (SMCs) cultured under hypoxic conditions in the presence and absence of proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that hypoxia inhibited the production of NO but did not affect the transcription of iNOS mRNA in rat SMCs treated with IFN-gamma, LPS, or both. These results indicate that O(2) is involved in the regulation of NO synthesis in inflammatory tissues.

Molecular cloning and expression of human xCT, the light chain of amino acid transport system xc-.

Transport of system xc- is an exchange agency with high specificity for anionic form of cystine and glutamate. The protein mediating this transport is a disulfide-linked heterodimer of a light chain named xCT and a heavy chain previously known as 4F2hc. We have isolated two cDNAs encoding xCT from the human cDNA library. One clone coded for a protein of 501 amino acids with 12 putative transmembrane domains. When functionally expressed in Xenopus oocytes together with the human 4F2hc, human xCT induced the transport activity whose characteristics are similar to those of system xc-. Another clone seemed to contain a partial human xCT and a long 3' untranslated region. The human xCT gene was localized at chromosome 4q28-31. Analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the human xCT gene revealed several sites for potentially binding of transcriptional factors, including NF-E2 and AP-1. Transport of cystine via system xc- has been known as a regulatory factor for the intracellular glutathione level, and its transport activity is induced in response to the oxygen tension in culture. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of both xCT and 4F2hc was significantly enhanced by oxygen. The results suggest that oxygen regulates the activity of system xc- by modulating the expression of both xCT and 4F2hc mRNAs.

Induction of antioxidant stress proteins in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells: protective action of vitamin C against atherogenic lipoproteins.

Elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and increased formation of reactive oxygen species within the vascular wall in atherosclerosis can overwhelm cellular antioxidant defence mechanisms. Accumulating evidence implicates oxidatively modified low density lipoproteins (LDL) in vascular dysfunction in atherosclerosis and oxidized LDL have been localized with in atherosclerotic lesions. We here report that human oxidatively modified LDL induce expression of 'antioxidant-like' stress proteins in vascular cells, involving increases in the activity of L-cystine transport, glutathione synthesis, heme oxygenase-1 and the murine stress protein MSP23. Moreover, treatment of human arterial smooth muscle cells with the dietary antioxidant vitamin C markedly attenuates adaptive increases in endogenous antioxidant gene expression and affords protection against smooth muscle cell apoptosis induced by moderately oxidized LDL. As vascular cell death is a key feature of atherosclerotic lesions and may contribute to the plaque 'necrotic' core, cap rupture and thrombosis, our findings suggest that the cytoprotective actions of vitamin C could limit plaque instability in advanced atherosclerosis.

Oxidative stress-inducible proteins in macrophages.

Macrophages produce reactive oxygen species such as O2-, H2O2 and *OH that contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases such as inflammation and atherosclerosis. The cells have multiple defense systems against those reactive oxygen species, and we describe here such an oxidative stress-inducible defense system. Upon exposure to reactive oxygen species and electrophilic agents, murine peritoneal macrophages induce stress proteins to protect themselves. Using differential screening, we cloned two novel proteins designated MSP23 and A170 that are induced in the cells by low levels of reactive oxygen species, electrophilic agents and other oxidative stress agents. MSP23 is murine peroxiredoxin I having a thioredoxin peroxidase activity and A170 is known as an ubiquitin- and PKC xi-binding protein. In addition to these two proteins, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and cystine transport activity are also induced in the cells under oxidative stress conditions. Using nrf2-deficient macrophages, we found that transcription factor Nrf2, which is known to interact with antioxidant responsive elements (AREs) in the regulatory sequences of the genes, plays an important role in the oxidative stress-inducible response in the cells.

Peroxiredoxin I expression in human thyroid tumors.

Peroxiredoxin I (Prx I) is newly discovered oxidative stress inducible protein, having a thioredoxin peroxidase activity. The Prx I expression level in 107 samples out of 60 thyroid lesions, including normal thyroid, tumors and thyroiditis including Graves' disease were examined using immunoblotting. Prx I expression levels in follicular neoplasm (P = 0.00005) and thyroiditis group (P = 0.0037) were significantly higher than that of the control group, while papillary carcinoma group did not show statistical significance. Immunohistochemistry indicated that Prx I was in epithelial cells of thyroid follicles. These results suggest that Prx I is expected to be a candidate for novel tumor markers to discriminate tissue types of tumors.

Purification and properties of major alpha-D-mannosidase in the luminal fluid of porcine epididymis.

A lysosomal type alpha-D-mannosidase was successfully purified by DEAE-Sephacel, Red-Amicon and Superdex 200 column chromatographies from porcine cauda epididymal fluid. The purified enzyme consisted of 63 and 51 kDa subunits at equimolar amounts. It cleaved alpha1-2 linked mannosyl residues and less but significantly cleaved alpha1-3 and alpha1-6 linked mannosyl residues in the high-mannose oligosaccharides. The optimal pH to hydrolyze oligosaccharide was in the acidic pH range (pH 3.5 approximately 4.0). Total alpha-D-mannosidase activities in the porcine epididymal fluid increased from proximal to distal caput epididymis, which maintained to cauda epididymis. At least two kinds of alpha-D-mannosidase (lysosomal type enzyme and 135 kDa alpha-D-mannosidase (MAN2B2)) were contained in the porcine epididymal fluid. The activity of the lysosomal type enzyme is much higher than MAN2B2 at the physiological pH. These results suggest that the lysosomal type alpha-D-mannosidase is the predominantly active enzyme in the luminal fluid of porcine epididymis and that it participates in the glycoprotein modification on the sperm surface during epididymal transit.

Effects of kainate-mediated excitotoxicity on the expression of rat counterparts of A170 and MSP23 stress proteins in the brain.

Stress proteins play important roles in the protective mechanisms under critical conditions for cell survival. We report here the expression of A170 and MSP23, oxidative stress-inducible proteins, under kainate-mediated excitotoxicity in the rat brain. A170 mRNA was significantly induced in the brain 5-8 h after i.p. kainate administration. MSP23 mRNA was observed at quite a low level in the rat brain, and the induction of MSP23 mRNA was not observed during the period 24 h after kainate administration. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the maximal expression level of A170 protein occurred 8 h after treatment in each part of the brain. MSP23 protein was constitutively expressed in the brain and the level of this protein was significantly decreased during the period 24 h after kainate administration. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies showed that A170 was expressed predominantly in neurons, especially in pyramidal neurons of the cerebrum and cerebellar Purkinje cells, while MSP23 was expressed in oligodendrocytes. The induction of A170 was observed in the regions which are affected by excitotoxicity and this induction was observed in the earlier phase than cell death. Also, the region which shows high vulnerability to excitotoxicity such as pyramidal cell layer in the hippocampus, showed lower A170 expression than that which shows resistance to excitotoxicity, such as the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. These results suggest that A170 may play a protective role in the brain under kainate-mediated excitotoxicity.

Heme oxygenase-1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma as involved in lymph node metastasis.

Thirty-eight oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) were semi-quantitatively analyzed by immunohistochemical staining, and the relation between heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and the clinical status were correlated. High immunostaining of HO-1 was detected in lymph node metastasis negative groups (P = 0.0018) and in well-differentiated SCCs (P = 0.0016). There were no significant correlations between heme oxygenase-1 expression and other factors, such as size of the tumor, staging, age and sex. These findings further support the proposition that high heme oxygenase-1 expression in oral SCCs can be useful in identifying patients at low risk of lymph node metastasis.

Cloning and expression of a plasma membrane cystine/glutamate exchange transporter composed of two distinct proteins.

Transport system xc- found in plasma membrane of cultured mammalian cells is an exchange agency for anionic amino acids with high specificity for anionic form of cystine and glutamate. We have isolated cDNA encoding the transporter for system xc- from mouse activated macrophages by expression in Xenopus oocytes. The expression of system xc- activity in oocytes required two cDNA transcripts, and the sequence analysis revealed that one is identical with the heavy chain of 4F2 cell surface antigen (4F2hc) and the other is a novel protein of 502 amino acids with 12 putative transmembrane domains. The latter protein, named xCT, showed a significant homology with those recently reported to mediate cationic or zwitterionic amino acid transport when co-expressed with 4F2hc. Thus xCT is a new member of a family of amino acid transporters that form heteromultimeric complex with 4F2hc, with a striking difference in substrate specificity. The expression of system xc- was highly regulated, and Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of both 4F2hc and xCT was enhanced in macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide or an electrophilic agent. However, the expression of xCT was more directly correlated with the system xc- activity.