Sox9 Accelerates Vascular Aging by Regulating Extracellular Matrix Composition and Stiffness.

BACKGROUND: Vascular calcification and increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness are hallmarks of vascular aging. Sox9 (SRY-box transcription factor 9) has been implicated in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteo/chondrogenic conversion; however, its relationship with aging and calcification has not been studied. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed on human aortic samples from young and aged patients. Young and senescent primary human VSMCs were induced to produce ECM, and Sox9 expression was manipulated using adenoviral overexpression and depletion. ECM properties were characterized using atomic force microscopy and proteomics, and VSMC phenotype on hydrogels and the ECM were examined using confocal microscopy. RESULTS: In vivo, Sox9 was not spatially associated with vascular calcification but correlated with the senescence marker p16 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A). In vitro Sox9 showed mechanosensitive responses with increased expression and nuclear translocation in senescent cells and on stiff matrices. Sox9 was found to regulate ECM stiffness and organization by orchestrating changes in collagen (Col) expression and reducing VSMC contractility, leading to the formation of an ECM that mirrored that of senescent cells. These ECM changes promoted phenotypic modulation of VSMCs, whereby senescent cells plated on ECM synthesized from cells depleted of Sox9 returned to a proliferative state, while proliferating cells on a matrix produced by Sox9 expressing cells showed reduced proliferation and increased DNA damage, reiterating features of senescent cells. LH3 (procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 3) was identified as an Sox9 target and key regulator of ECM stiffness. LH3 is packaged into extracellular vesicles and Sox9 promotes extracellular vesicle secretion, leading to increased LH3 deposition within the ECM. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the crucial role of ECM structure and composition in regulating VSMC phenotype. We identify a positive feedback cycle, whereby cellular senescence and increased ECM stiffening promote Sox9 expression, which, in turn, drives further ECM modifications to further accelerate stiffening and senescence.

UMAD1 contributes to ESCRT-III dynamic subunit turnover during cytokinetic abscission.

Abscission is the final stage of cytokinesis whereby the midbody, a thin intercellular bridge, is resolved to separate the daughter cells. Cytokinetic abscission is mediated by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), a conserved membrane remodelling machinery. The midbody organiser CEP55 recruits early acting ESCRT factors such as ESCRT-I and ALIX (also known as PDCD6IP), which subsequently initiate the formation of ESCRT-III polymers that sever the midbody. We now identify UMAD1 as an ESCRT-I subunit that facilitates abscission. UMAD1 selectively associates with VPS37C and VPS37B, supporting the formation of cytokinesis-specific ESCRT-I assemblies. TSG101 recruits UMAD1 to the site of midbody abscission, to stabilise the CEP55-ESCRT-I interaction. We further demonstrate that the UMAD1-ESCRT-I interaction facilitates the final step of cytokinesis. Paradoxically, UMAD1 and ALIX co-depletion has synergistic effects on abscission, whereas ESCRT-III recruitment to the midbody is not inhibited. Importantly, we find that both UMAD1 and ALIX are required for the dynamic exchange of ESCRT-III subunits at the midbody. Therefore, UMAD1 reveals a key functional connection between ESCRT-I and ESCRT-III that is required for cytokinesis.

Cyclin D-CDK4 Disulfide Bond Attenuates Pulmonary Vascular Cell Proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a chronic vascular disease characterized, among other abnormalities, by hyperproliferative smooth muscle cells and a perturbed cellular redox and metabolic balance. Oxidants induce cell cycle arrest to halt proliferation; however, little is known about the redox-regulated effector proteins that mediate these processes. Here, we report a novel kinase-inhibitory disulfide bond in cyclin D-CDK4 (cyclin-dependent kinase 4) and investigate its role in cell proliferation and PH. METHODS: Oxidative modifications of cyclin D-CDK4 were detected in human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells and human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells. Site-directed mutagenesis, tandem mass-spectrometry, cell-based experiments, in vitro kinase activity assays, in silico structural modeling, and a novel redox-dead constitutive knock-in mouse were utilized to investigate the nature and definitively establish the importance of CDK4 cysteine modification in pulmonary vascular cell proliferation. Furthermore, the cyclin D-CDK4 oxidation was assessed in vivo in the pulmonary arteries and isolated human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and in 3 preclinical models of PH. RESULTS: Cyclin D-CDK4 forms a reversible oxidant-induced heterodimeric disulfide dimer between C7/8 and C135, respectively, in cells in vitro and in pulmonary arteries in vivo to inhibit cyclin D-CDK4 kinase activity, decrease Rb (retinoblastoma) protein phosphorylation, and induce cell cycle arrest. Mutation of CDK4 C135 causes a kinase-impaired phenotype, which decreases cell proliferation rate and alleviates disease phenotype in an experimental mouse PH model, suggesting this cysteine is indispensable for cyclin D-CDK4 kinase activity. Pulmonary arteries and human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension display a decreased level of CDK4 disulfide, consistent with CDK4 being hyperactive in human pulmonary arterial hypertension. Furthermore, auranofin treatment, which induces the cyclin D-CDK4 disulfide, attenuates disease severity in experimental PH models by mitigating pulmonary vascular remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: A novel disulfide bond in cyclin D-CDK4 acts as a rapid switch to inhibit kinase activity and halt cell proliferation. This oxidative modification forms at a critical cysteine residue, which is unique to CDK4, offering the potential for the design of a selective covalent inhibitor predicted to be beneficial in PH.

A Versatile Virus-Mimetic Engineering Approach for Concurrent Protein Nanocage Surface-Functionalization and Cargo Encapsulation.

Naturally occurring protein nanocages like ferritin are self-assembled from multiple subunits. Because of their unique cage-like structure and biocompatibility, there is a growing interest in their biomedical use. A multipurpose and straightforward engineering approach does not exist for using nanocages to make drug-delivery systems by encapsulating hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs and developing vaccines by surface functionalization with a protein like an antigen. Here, a versatile engineering approach is described by mimicking the HIV-1 Gap polyprotein precursor. Various PREcursors of nanoCages (PREC) are designed and created by linking two ferritin subunits via a flexible linker peptide containing a protease cleavage site. These precursors can have additional proteins at their N-terminus, and their protease cleavage generates ferritin-like nanocages named protease-induced nanocages (PINCs). It is demonstrated that PINC formation allows concurrent surface decoration with a protein and hydrophilic or hydrophobic drug encapsulation up to fourfold more than the amount achieved using other methods. The PINCs/Drug complex is stable and efficiently kills cancer cells. This work provides insight into the precursors' design rules and the mechanism of PINCs formation. The engineering approach and mechanistic insight described here will facilitate nanocages' applications in drug delivery or as a platform for making multifunctional therapeutics like mosaic vaccines.

Proteome of the 2-h in vivo Formed Acquired Enamel Pellicle of Adolescents with Erosive Tooth Wear, Caries, or Sound.

INTRODUCTION: Acquired pellicle (AP) acts as a membrane preventing acids from coming into direct contact with the tooth. Possibly, individuals with different dental health status present changes in its composition that could disrupt this function. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the protein composition of the AP in adolescents with erosive tooth wear (ETW), caries, or sound. METHODS: Calibrated examiners in BEWE index and ICDAS-merged Epi criteria assessed ETW and caries in a sample of 454 systemically healthy adolescents aged 12-15 years old. Thirty subjects from that sample were selected for this study: ETW group (n = 10; total BEWE ≥9 and absence of dentinal caries lesions); caries group (n = 10; total BEWE <9 and with at least one dentinal caries lesion), and sound group (n = 10; total BEWE <9 and absence of dentinal caries lesions). Two-hour-formation AP samples were taken from buccal, occlusal/incisal, palatal/lingual tooth surfaces. Protein composition was analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Using mean reporter ion values, relative abundances of proteins were compared among the three groups to calculate for fold changes. Twofold protein increases or decreases were reported (t test, p < 0.05). Gene Ontology (GO) of included proteins was assigned. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 13.1 ± 1.14 years and 56.6% were females. The prevalence of ETW was of 66.6% and of dentinal caries of 33.3%. The GO analyses showed that the majority of detected proteins were stress response related. The ETW group disclosed upregulated relative abundance of antileukoprotease (2.85-fold in ETW vs. sound and 2.34-fold in ETW group vs. caries group); histatin (2.42-fold in ETW group vs. sound group and 2.20-fold in ETW group vs. caries group), and prolactin-induced protein (2.30-fold in ETW group vs. sound group and 2.06-fold in ETW group vs. caries group) (p < 0.05). Hemoglobin subunits alpha (HBA) and beta (HBB) showed decreased relative abundances in the ETW and caries groups when compared to the sound group (HBA: 0.42-fold in ETW group and 0.40-fold in caries group; HBB: 0.45-fold in ETW group and 0.38-fold in caries group; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AP from individuals with ETW showed differences when compared to other dental conditions, with relative abundance increasing of some stress response-associated proteins in ETW and a decrease in proteins related to salivary protection against acid challenges.

MdaB and NfrA, Two Novel Reductases Important in the Survival and Persistence of the Major Enteropathogen Campylobacter jejuni.

The paralogues RrpA and RrpB, which are members of the MarR family of DNA binding proteins, are important for the survival of the global bacterial foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni under redox stress. We report that RrpA is a positive regulator of mdaB, encoding a flavin-dependent quinone reductase that contributes to the protection from redox stress mediated by structurally diverse quinones, while RrpB negatively regulates the expression of cj1555c (renamed nfrA for NADPH-flavin reductase A), encoding a flavin reductase. NfrA reduces riboflavin at a greater rate than its derivatives, suggesting that exogenous free flavins are the natural substrate. MdaB and NfrA both prefer NADPH as an electron donor. Cysteine substitution and posttranslational modification analyses indicated that RrpA and RrpB employ a cysteine-based redox switch. Complete genome sequence analyses revealed that mdaB is frequently found in Campylobacter and related Helicobacter spp., while nfrA is predominant in C. jejuni strains. Quinones and flavins are redox cycling agents secreted by a wide range of cell types that can form damaging superoxide by one-electron reactions. We propose a model for stress adaptation where MdaB and NfrA facilitate a two-electron reduction mechanism to the less toxic hydroquinones, thus aiding survival and persistence of this major pathogen. IMPORTANCE Changes in cellular redox potential result in alteration in the oxidation state of intracellular metabolites and enzymes; consequently, cells make adjustments that favor growth and survival. The work we present here answers some of the many questions that have remained elusive over the years of investigation into the enigmatic microaerophile bacterium Campylobacter jejuni. We employed molecular approaches to understand the regulation mechanisms and functional analyses to reveal the roles of two novel quinone and flavin reductases; both serve as major pools of cellular redox-active molecules. This work extends our knowledge on bacterial redox sensing mechanisms and the significance of hemostasis.

Database search engines and target database features impinge upon the identification of post-translationally cis-spliced peptides in HLA class I immunopeptidomes.

Unconventional epitopes presented by HLA class I complexes are emerging targets for T cell targeted immunotherapies. Their identification by mass spectrometry (MS) required development of novel methods to cope with the large number of theoretical candidates. Methods to identify post-translationally spliced peptides led to a broad range of outcomes. We here investigated the impact of three common database search engines - that is, Mascot, Mascot+Percolator, and PEAKS DB - as final identification step, as well as the features of target database on the ability to correctly identify non-spliced and cis-spliced peptides. We used ground truth datasets measured by MS to benchmark methods' performance and extended the analysis to HLA class I immunopeptidomes. PEAKS DB showed better precision and recall of cis-spliced peptides and larger number of identified peptides in HLA class I immunopeptidomes than the other search engine strategies. The better performance of PEAKS DB appears to result from better discrimination between target and decoy hits and hence a more robust FDR estimation, and seems independent to peptide and spectrum features here investigated.

Nucleolin acts as the receptor for C1QTNF4 and supports C1QTNF4-mediated innate immunity modulation.

The C1q and TNF related 4 (C1QTNF4) protein is a structurally unique member of the C1QTNF family, a family of secreted proteins that have structural homology with both complement C1q and the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. C1QTNF4 has been linked to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus through genetic studies; however, its role in immunity and inflammation remains poorly defined and a cell surface receptor of C1QTNF4 has yet to be identified. Here we report identification of nucleolin as a cell surface receptor of C1QTNF4 using mass spectrometric analysis. Additionally, we present evidence that the interaction between C1QTNF4 and nucleolin is mediated by the second C1q-like domain of C1QTNF4 and the C terminus of nucleolin. We show that monocytes and B cells are target cells of C1QTNF4 and observe extensive binding to dead cells. Imaging flow cytometry experiments in monocytes show that C1QTNF4 becomes actively internalized upon cell binding. Our results suggest that nucleolin may serve as a docking molecule for C1QTNF4 and act in a context-dependent manner through coreceptors. Taken together, these findings further our understanding of C1QTNF4's function in the healthy immune system and how dysfunction may contribute to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Agonists of Orally Expressed TRP Channels Stimulate Salivary Secretion and Modify the Salivary Proteome.

Natural compounds that can stimulate salivary secretion are of interest in developing treatments for xerostomia, the perception of a dry mouth, that affects between 10 and 30% of the adult and elderly population. Chemesthetic transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are expressed in the surface of the oral mucosa. The TRPV1 agonists capsaicin and piperine have been shown to increase salivary flow when introduced into the oral cavity but the sialogogic properties of other TRP channel agonists have not been investigated. In this study we have determined the influence of different TRP channel agonists on the flow and protein composition of saliva. Mouth rinsing with the TRPV1 agonist nonivamide or menthol, a TRPM8 agonist, increased whole mouth saliva (WMS) flow and total protein secretion compared with unstimulated saliva, the vehicle control mouth rinse or cinnamaldehyde, a TRPA1 agonist. Nonivamide also increased the flow of labial minor gland saliva but parotid saliva flow rate was not increased. The influence of TRP channel agonists on the composition and function of the salivary proteome was investigated using a multi-batch quantitative MS method novel to salivary proteomics. Inter-personal and inter-mouth rinse variation was observed in the secreted proteomes and, using a novel bioinformatics method, inter-day variation was identified with some of the mouth rinses. Significant changes in specific salivary proteins were identified after all mouth rinses. In the case of nonivamide, these changes were attributed to functional shifts in the WMS secreted, primarily the over representation of salivary and nonsalivary cystatins which was confirmed by immunoassay. This study provides new evidence of the impact of TRP channel agonists on the salivary proteome and the stimulation of salivary secretion by a TRPM8 channel agonist, which suggests that TRP channel agonists are potential candidates for developing treatments for sufferers of xerostomia.

Co-ordinated control of the Aurora B abscission checkpoint by PKCε complex assembly, midbody recruitment and retention.

A requirement for PKCε in exiting from the Aurora B dependent abscission checkpoint is associated with events at the midbody, however, the recruitment, retention and action of PKCε in this compartment are poorly understood. Here, the prerequisite for 14-3-3 complex assembly in this pathway is directly linked to the phosphorylation of Aurora B S227 at the midbody. However, while essential for PKCε control of Aurora B, 14-3-3 association is shown to be unnecessary for the activity-dependent enrichment of PKCε at the midbody. This localisation is demonstrated to be an autonomous property of the inactive PKCε D532N mutant, consistent with activity-dependent dissociation. The C1A and C1B domains are necessary for this localisation, while the C2 domain and inter-C1 domain (IC1D) are necessary for retention at the midbody. Furthermore, it is shown that while the IC1D mutant retains 14-3-3 complex proficiency, it does not support Aurora B phosphorylation, nor rescues division failure observed with knockdown of endogenous PKCε. It is concluded that the concerted action of multiple independent events facilitates PKCε phosphorylation of Aurora B at the midbody to control exit from the abscission checkpoint.

Profiling of Haemophilus influenzae strain R2866 with carbohydrate-based covalent probes.

We demonstrate the application of four covalent probes based on anomerically pure d-galactosamine and d-glucosamine scaffolds for the profiling of Haemophilus influenzae strain R2866. The probes have been used successfully for the labelling of target proteins not only in cell lysates, but also in intact cells. Differences in the labelling patterns between lysates and intact cells indicate that the probes can penetrate into the periplasm, but not the cytoplasm of H. influenzae. Analysis of selected target proteins by LC-MS/MS suggests predominant labelling of nucleotide-binding proteins, including several known antibacterial drug targets. Our protocols will aid the identification of molecular determinants of bacterial pathogenicity in Haemophilus influenzae and other bacterial pathogens.

Profiling protein expression in Klebsiella pneumoniae with a carbohydrate-based covalent probe.

We report the application of a covalent probe based on a d-glucosamine scaffold for the profiling of the bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. Incubation of K. pneumoniae lysates with the probe followed by electrophoretic separation and in-gel fluorescence detection allowed the generation of strain-specific signatures and the differentiation of a carbapenem-resistant strain. The labelling profile of the probe was independent of its anomeric configuration and included several low-abundance proteins not readily detectable by conventional protein staining. Initial target identification experiments by mass spectrometry suggest that target proteins include several carbohydrate-recognising proteins, which indicates that the sugar scaffold may have a role for target recognition.

Blood Pressure-Lowering by the Antioxidant Resveratrol Is Counterintuitively Mediated by Oxidation of cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase.

BACKGROUND: The health-promoting and disease-limiting abilities of resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, has led to considerable interest in understanding the mechanisms of its therapeutic actions. The polyphenolic rings of resveratrol enable it to react with and detoxify otherwise injurious oxidants. Whilst the protective actions of resveratrol are commonly ascribed to its antioxidant activity, here we show that this is a misconception. METHODS: The ability of resveratrol to oxidize cGMP-dependent PKG1α (protein kinase 1α) was assessed in isolated rat aortic smooth muscle cells, and the mechanism of action of this polyphenol was characterized using in vitro experiments, mass spectrometry and electron paramagnetic resonance. The blood pressure of wild-type and C42S knock-in mice was assessed using implanted telemetry probes. Mice were made hypertensive by administration of angiotensin II via osmotic mini-pumps and blood pressure monitored during 15 days of feeding with chow diet containing vehicle or resveratrol. RESULTS: Oxidation of the phenolic rings of resveratrol paradoxically leads to oxidative modification of proteins, explained by formation of a reactive quinone that oxidizes the thiolate side chain of cysteine residues; events that were enhanced in cells under oxidative stress. Consistent with these observations and its ability to induce vasodilation, resveratrol induced oxidative activation of PKG1α and lowered blood pressure in hypertensive wild-type mice, but not C42S PKG1α knock-in mice that are resistant to disulfide activation. CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol mediates lowering of blood pressure by paradoxically inducing protein oxidation, especially during times of oxidative stress, a mechanism that may be a common feature of antioxidant molecules.

Correction to: Wnt3a induces exosome secretion from primary cultured rat microglia.

Following the publication of this article [1], it has been noted by the authors that an image of the same cell nuclei has been used in error twice, in Fig. 8, parts A and B. These images are redundant in this figure as the images in parts D and E show Wnt3a treated and control cells stained with both Hoechst 33342 (as in parts A and B) and fluorescein diacetate. The data from multiple repetitions of the Hoechst 33342 stain experiment are presented in graph C. Thus, the duplicated images (in Fig. 8A and B) add no additional data and do not change the results or conclusions reached in the article. The authors apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Differences in the coronal proteome acquired by particles depositing in the lungs of asthmatic versus healthy humans.

Most inhaled nanomedicines in development are for the treatment of lung disease, yet little is known about their interaction with the respiratory tract lining fluids (RTLFs). Here we combined the use of nano-silica, as a protein concentrator, with label-free snapshot proteomics (LC-MS/MS; key findings confirmed by ELISA) to generate a quantitative profile of the RTLF proteome and provided insight into the evolved corona; information that may be used in future to improve drug targeting to the lungs by inhaled medicines. The asthmatic coronal proteome displayed a reduced contribution of surfactant proteins (SP-A and B) and a higher contribution of α1-antitrypsin. Pathway analysis suggested that asthmatic RTLFs may also be deficient in proteins related to metal handling (e.g. lactoferrin). This study demonstrates how the composition of the corona acquired by inhaled nanoparticles is modified in asthma and suggests depressed mucosal immunity even in mild airway disease.

N-terminally truncated FOXP1 protein expression and alternate internal FOXP1 promoter usage in normal and malignant B cells.

Strong FOXP1 protein expression is a poor risk factor in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and has been linked to an activated B-cell-like subtype, which preferentially expresses short FOXP1 (FOXP1S) proteins. However, both short isoform generation and function are incompletely understood. Here we prove by mass spectrometry and N-terminal antibody staining that FOXP1S proteins in activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are N-terminally truncated. Furthermore, a rare strongly FOXP1-expressing population of normal germinal center B cells lacking the N-terminus of the regular long protein (FOXP1L) was identified. Exon-targeted silencing and transcript analyses identified three alternate 5' non-coding exons [FOXP1-Ex6b(s), FOXP1-Ex7b and FOXP1-Ex7c], downstream of at least two predicted promoters, giving rise to FOXP1S proteins. These were differentially controlled by B-cell activation and methylation, conserved in murine lymphoma cells, and significantly correlated with FOXP1S protein expression in primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma samples. Alternatively spliced isoforms lacking exon 9 (e.g. isoform 3) did not encode FOXP1S, and an alternate long human FOXP1 protein (FOXP1AL) likely generated from a FOXP1-Ex6b(L) transcript was detected. The ratio of FOXP1L:FOXP1S isoforms correlated with differential expression of plasmacytic differentiation markers in U-2932 subpopulations, and altering this ratio was sufficient to modulate CD19 expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines. Thus, the activity of multiple alternate FOXP1 promoters to produce multiple protein isoforms is likely to regulate B-cell maturation.

Enrichment of immunoregulatory proteins in the biomolecular corona of nanoparticles within human respiratory tract lining fluid.

When inhaled nanoparticles deposit in the lungs, they transit through respiratory tract lining fluid (RTLF) acquiring a biomolecular corona reflecting the interaction of the RTLF with the nanomaterial surface. Label-free snapshot proteomics was used to generate semi-quantitative profiles of corona proteins formed around silica (SiO2) and poly(vinyl) acetate (PVAc) nanoparticles in RTLF, the latter employed as an archetype drug delivery vehicle. The evolved PVAc corona was significantly enriched compared to that observed on SiO2 nanoparticles (698 vs. 429 proteins identified); however both coronas contained a substantial contribution from innate immunity proteins, including surfactant protein A, napsin A and complement (C1q and C3) proteins. Functional protein classification supports the hypothesis that corona formation in RTLF constitutes opsonisation, preparing particles for phagocytosis and clearance from the lungs. These data highlight how an understanding of the evolved corona is necessary for the design of inhaled nanomedicines with acceptable safety and tailored clearance profiles. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: Inhaled nanoparticles often acquire a layer of protein corona while they go through the respiratory tract. Here, the authors investigated the identity of these proteins. The proper identification would improve the understanding of the use of inhaled nanoparticles in future therapeutics.

Prostate-derived sterile 20-like kinases (PSKs/TAOKs) phosphorylate tau protein and are activated in tangle-bearing neurons in Alzheimer disease.

In Alzheimer disease (AD), the microtubule-associated protein tau is highly phosphorylated and aggregates into characteristic neurofibrillary tangles. Prostate-derived sterile 20-like kinases (PSKs/TAOKs) 1 and 2, members of the sterile 20 family of kinases, have been shown to regulate microtubule stability and organization. Here we show that tau is a good substrate for PSK1 and PSK2 phosphorylation with mass spectrometric analysis of phosphorylated tau revealing more than 40 tau residues as targets of these kinases. Notably, phosphorylated residues include motifs located within the microtubule-binding repeat domain on tau (Ser-262, Ser-324, and Ser-356), sites that are known to regulate tau-microtubule interactions. PSK catalytic activity is enhanced in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus, areas of the brain that are most susceptible to Alzheimer pathology, in comparison with the cerebellum, which is relatively spared. Activated PSK is associated with neurofibrillary tangles, dystrophic neurites surrounding neuritic plaques, neuropil threads, and granulovacuolar degeneration bodies in AD brain. By contrast, activated PSKs and phosphorylated tau are rarely detectible in immunostained control human brain. Our results demonstrate that tau is a substrate for PSK and suggest that this family of kinases could contribute to the development of AD pathology and dementia.

Axonal growth towards Xenopus skin in vitro is mediated by matrix metalloproteinase activity.

We have previously demonstrated that the growth of peripheral nervous system axons is strongly attracted towards limb buds and skin explants in vitro. Here, we show that directed axonal growth towards skin explants of Xenopus laevis in matrigel is associated with expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-18 and also other MMPs, and that this long-range neurotropic activity is inhibited by the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors BB-94 and GM6001. We also show that forced expression of MMP-18 in COS-7 cell aggregates enhances axonal growth from Xenopus dorsal root ganglia explants. Nidogen is the target of MMPs released by cultured skin in matrigel, whereas other components remain intact. Our results suggest a novel link between MMP activity and extracellular matrix breakdown in the control of axonal growth.