PICK1 inhibits the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of Parkin and reduces its neuronal protective effect.

Parkin functions as a multipurpose E3 ubiquitin ligase, and Parkin loss of function is associated with both sporadic and familial Parkinson's disease (PD). We report that the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain of protein interacting with PRKCA1 (PICK1) bound to the really interesting new gene 1 (RING1) domain of Parkin and potently inhibited the E3 ligase activity of Parkin by disrupting its interaction with UbcH7. Parkin translocated to damaged mitochondria and led to their degradation in neurons, whereas PICK1 robustly inhibited this process. PICK1 also impaired the protective function of Parkin against stresses in SH-SY5Y cells and neurons. The protein levels of several Parkin substrates were reduced in young PICK1-knockout mice, and these mice were resistant to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-mediated toxicity. Taken together, the results indicate that PICK1 is a potent inhibitor of Parkin, and the reduction of PICK1 enhances the protective effect of Parkin.

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein exacerbates cerebral ischaemia injury by disrupting the blood-brain barrier.

AIMS: Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is an adipokine implicating in various metabolic diseases. Elevated circulating levels of A-FABP correlate positively with poor prognosis in ischaemic stroke (IS) patients. No information is available concerning the role of A-FABP in the pathogenesis of IS. Experiments were designed to determine whether or not A-FABP mediates blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and if so, to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this deleterious effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Circulating A-FABP and its cerebral expression were increased in mice after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of A-FABP alleviated cerebral ischaemia injury with reduced infarction volume, cerebral oedema, neurological deficits, and neuronal apoptosis; BBB disruption was attenuated and accompanied by reduced degradation of tight junction proteins and induction of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9). In patients with acute IS, elevated circulating A-FABP levels positively correlated with those of MMP-9 and cerebral infarct volume. Mechanistically, ischaemia-induced elevation of A-FABP selectively in peripheral blood monocyte-derived macrophages and cerebral resident microglia promoted MMP-9 transactivation by potentiating JNK/c-Jun signalling, enhancing degradation of tight junction proteins and BBB leakage. The detrimental effects of A-FABP were prevented by pharmacological inhibition of MMP-9. CONCLUSION: A-FABP is a key mediator of cerebral ischaemia injury promoting MMP-9-mediated BBB disruption. Inhibition of A-FABP is a potential strategy to improve IS outcome.

Astrocytic endothelin-1 overexpression promotes neural progenitor cells proliferation and differentiation into astrocytes via the Jak2/Stat3 pathway after stroke.

BACKGROUND: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is synthesized and upregulated in astrocytes under stroke. We previously demonstrated that transgenic mice over-expressing astrocytic ET-1 (GET-1) displayed more severe neurological deficits characterized by a larger infarct after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). ET-1 is a known vasoconstrictor, mitogenic, and a survival factor. However, it is unclear whether the observed severe brain damage in GET-1 mice post stroke is due to ET-1 dysregulation of neurogenesis by altering the stem cell niche. METHODS: Non-transgenic (Ntg) and GET-1 mice were subjected to tMCAO with 1 h occlusion followed by long-term reperfusion (from day 1 to day 28). Neurological function was assessed using a four-point scale method. Infarct area and volume were determined by 2,3,5-triphenyltetra-zolium chloride staining. Neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and migration in subventricular zone (SVZ) were evaluated by immunofluorescence double labeling of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), Ki67 and Sox2, Nestin, and Doublecortin (DCX). NSC differentiation in SVZ was evaluated using the following immunofluorescence double immunostaining: BrdU and neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN), BrdU and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Phospho-Stat3 (p-Stat3) expression detected by Western-blot and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: GET-1 mice displayed a more severe neurological deficit and larger infarct area after tMCAO injury. There was a significant increase of BrdU-labeled progenitor cell proliferation, which co-expressed with GFAP, at SVZ in the ipsilateral side of the GET-1 brain at 28 days after tMCAO. p-Stat3 expression was increased in both Ntg and GET-1 mice in the ischemia brain at 7 days after tMCAO. p-Stat3 expression was significantly upregulated in the ipsilateral side in the GET-1 brain than that in the Ntg brain at 7 days after tMCAO. Furthermore, GET-1 mice treated with AG490 (a JAK2/Stat3 inhibitor) sh owed a significant reduction in neurological deficit along with reduced infarct area and dwarfed astrocytic differentiation in the ipsilateral brain after tMCAO. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that astrocytic endothelin-1 overexpression promotes progenitor stem cell proliferation and astr ocytic differentiation via the Jak2/Stat3 pathway.

Exchange protein activated by cAMP 1 (Epac1)-deficient mice develop ß-cell dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.

Previously, exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 2 (Epac2) and PKA were known to play a role in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by pancreatic ß cells. The present study shows that Epac1 mRNA is also expressed by ß cells. Therefore, we generated mice and embryonic stem (ES) cells with deletion of the Epac1 gene to define its role in ß-cell biology and metabolism. The homozygous Epac1-knockout (Epac1(-/-)) mice developed impaired glucose tolerance and GSIS with deranged islet cytoarchitecture, which was confirmed by isolated islets from adult Epac1(-/-) mice. Moreover, Epac1(-/-) mice developed more severe hyperglycemia with increased ß-cell apoptosis and insulitis after multiple low-dose streptozotocin (MLDS; 40 mg/kg) treatment than Epac1(+/+) mice. Interestingly, Epac1(-/-) mice also showed metabolic defects, including increased respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and plasma triglyceride (TG), and more severe diet-induced obesity with insulin resistance, which may contributed to ß-cell dysfunction. However, islets differentiated from Epac1(-/-) ES cells showed insulin secretion defect, reduced Glut2 and PDX-1 expression, and abolished GLP-1-stimulated PCNA induction, suggesting a role of Epac1 in ß-cell function. The current study provides in vitro and in vivo evidence that Epac1 has an important role in GSIS of ß cells and phenotype resembling metabolic syndrome.

Targeted over-expression of endothelin-1 in astrocytes leads to more severe brain damage and vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor, and astrocytic ET-1 is reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemic injury and cytotoxic edema. However, it is still unknown whether astrocytic ET-1 also contributes to vasogenic edema and vasospasm during subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In the present study, transgenic mice with astrocytic endothelin-1 over-expression (GET-1 mice) were used to investigate the pathophysiological role of ET-1 in SAH pathogenesis. RESULTS: The GET-1 mice experienced a higher mortality rate and significantly more severe neurological deficits, blood-brain barrier breakdown and vasogenic edema compared to the non-transgenic (Ntg) mice following SAH. Oral administration of vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist, SR 49059, significantly reduced the cerebral water content in the GET-1 mice. Furthermore, the GET-1 mice showed significantly more pronounced middle cerebral arterial (MCA) constriction after SAH. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that the calcium-activated potassium channels and the phospho-eNOS were significantly downregulated, whereas PKC-α expression was significantly upregulated in the MCA of the GET-1 mice when compared to Ntg mice after SAH. Administration of ABT-627 (ETA receptor antagonist) significantly down-regulated PKC-α expression in the MCA of the GET-1 mice following SAH. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that astrocytic ET-1 involves in SAH-induced cerebral injury, edema and vasospasm, through ETA receptor and PKC-mediated potassium channel dysfunction. Administration of ABT-627 (ETA receptor antagonist) and SR 49059 (vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist) resulted in amelioration of edema and vasospasm in mice following SAH. These data provide a strong rationale to investigate SR 49059 and ABT-627 as therapeutic drugs for the treatment of SAH patients.

Transgenic mice over-expressing endothelial endothelin-1 show cognitive deficit with blood-brain barrier breakdown after transient ischemia with long-term reperfusion.

Increased level of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, has been found in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multi-infarction dementia, suggesting a possible role of ET-1 in cognitive deficit associated with stroke. Previously, we have reported that synthesis of ET-1 is induced in endothelial cells in hypoxic/ischemic conditions. Transgenic mice over-expressing endothelin-1 in endothelial cells (TET-1) developed systemic hypertension and showed more severe brain damage after transient ischemia. To further understand the significance of endothelial ET-1 in cognitive deficit, we subjected adult TET-1 mice to 30 min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with 7 days reperfusion. At baseline, TET-1 mice showed similar locomotor activity, emotion and cognitive function compared to non-transgenic (NTg) mice. However, after 30 min MCAO and 7 days reperfusion, although the sensorimotor function measured by neurological scores was recovered in both genotypes, TET-1 mice showed increased anxiety-like behavior in the open field test and impaired spatial learning and reference memory in the Morris water maze. Parallel with these behavioral changes, TET-1 mice showed more severe brain damage with blood-brain-barrier breakdown (BBB), reactive astrogliosis, increased caspase-3, and increased peroxiredoxin 6 (Prx6) expressions around blood vessels in the ipsilateral hippocampus, compared to that of NTg mice, suggesting that ET-1 over-expression in the endothelial cells leads to more severe BBB breakdown and increased oxidative stress which may resulted in neuronal apoptosis and glial reactivity, which might contribute to the emotional changes and cognitive deficits after short-term ischemia with long-term reperfusion.

Aldose reductase deficiency leads to oxidative stress-induced dopaminergic neuronal loss and autophagic abnormality in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Fungicide exposure causes degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and contributes to Parkinson's disease (PD). Benomyl inhibits enzymes responsible for detoxifying the reactive dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde. Aldose reductase (AR) is known as tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) reductase that generates BH4, a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) involved in dopamine synthesis. AR also acts as an aldehyde reductase involved in detoxifying 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde. In PD patients, the level of AR is significantly lower in the cerebellum. To determine if AR deficiency contributes to PD, AR wild-type (AR+/+) and knockout (AR-/-) mice were administrated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl -1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The MPTP-treated AR-/- mice showed more severe behavioral deficits and brain damage than that of AR+/+ mice. Contrary to expectation, under normal or MPTP-treated condition, AR-/- mice showed a significant elevation of BH4 and dopamine in the midbrain, suggesting that either AR does not contribute to BH4 production, or other BH4 synthetic pathways are induced. The AR-/- brain showed upregulation of peroxynitrite, inducible nitric oxide synthase and downregulation of antioxidant enzymes, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxiredoxin 2 (Prx2), which indicate an increase in oxidative stress. In line with the animal data, pretreating the SH-SY5Y cells with AR inhibitors (Fidarestat or Epalrestat) before MPP+ treatment, increased severe cell death and mitochondrial fragmentation with downregulation of SOD were observed when compared to the MPP+ treatment alone. Cycloxygenase 2 (COX2), which can lead to the oxidation of dopamine, was upregulated in AR-/- brains. Autophagic proteins, beclin-1 and LC3B were also downregulated. The loss of dopaminergic neurons was associated with activation of p-ERK1/2. These findings suggest that AR plays an important role in protecting dopaminergic neuron against neurotoxic metabolites in PD.

Selective astrocytic endothelin-1 overexpression contributes to dementia associated with ischemic stroke by exaggerating astrocyte-derived amyloid secretion.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is synthesized by endothelial cells and astrocytes in stroke and in brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. Our transgenic mice with ET-1 overexpression in the endothelial cells (TET-1) showed more severe blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, neuronal apoptosis, and glial reactivity after 2-hour transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) with 22-hour reperfusion and more severe cognitive deficits after 30 minutes tMCAO with 5 months reperfusion. However, the role of astrocytic ET-1 in contributing to poststroke cognitive deficits after tMCAO is largely unknown. Therefore, GET-1 mice were challenged with tMCAO to determine its effect on neurologic and cognitive deficit. The GET-1 mice transiently displayed a sensorimotor deficit after reperfusion that recovered shortly, then more severe deficit in spatial learning and memory was observed at 3 months after ischemia compared with that of the controls. Upregulation of TNF-α, cleaved caspase-3, and Thioflavin-S-positive aggregates was observed in the ipsilateral hemispheres of the GET-1 brains as early as 3 days after ischemia. In an in vitro study, ET-1 overexpressing astrocytic cells showed amyloid secretion after hypoxia/ischemia insult, which activated endothelin A (ETA) and endothelin B (ETB) receptors in a PI3K/AKT-dependent manner, suggesting role of astrocytic ET-1 in dementia associated with stroke by astrocyte-derived amyloid production.

Cyclic ADP-ribose links metabolism to multiple fission in the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii.

Cellular metabolism is required for cell proliferation. However, the way in which metabolic signals are conveyed to cell cycle decisions is unclear. Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), the NAD(+) metabolite, mobilizes calcium from calcium stores in many cells. We found that dinoflagellate cells with higher metabolic rate underwent multiple fission (MF), a division mode in which cells can exceed twice their sizes at G1. A temperature shift-down experiment suggested that MF involves a commitment point at late G1. In fast-growing cells, cADPR level peaked in G(1) and increased with increasing concentrations of glucose in the medium. Addition of glycolytic poison iodoacetate inhibited cell growth, reduced cADPR levels as well as the commitment of cell cycles in fast-growing cells. Commitment of MF cell cycles was induced by a cell permeant cADPR agonist, but blocked by a specific antagonist of cADPR-induced Ca(2+) release. Our results establish cADPR as a link between cellular metabolism and cell cycle control.

Monitoring cytosolic calcium in the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii with calcium orange-AM.

Calcium plays several important roles in the signal transduction pathways of dinoflagellates. We describe here the development of calcium orange-AM as an intracellular calcium reporter for the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii. We demonstrated with confocal microscopy that by restricting the incubation period to 30-45 min, no compartmentalization of the dye occurs in the mitochondria or endoplasmic reticulum. The dye fluorescence responded well to the effects of calcium ionophores and calcium chelators. By calibrating the dye with known calcium concentrations, we determined the intracellular calcium concentration of C. cohnii to be 158 +/- 56 nM, which rose to about 550 nM upon mechanical stimulation.

Mimosine, the Allelochemical from the leguminous tree Leucaena leucocephala, selectively enhances cell proliferation in dinoflagellates.

Mimosine, the allelochemical from the leguminous tree Leucaena leucocephala, is toxic to most terrestrial animals and plants. We report here that while mimosine inhibits major phytoplankton groups, it enhances cell proliferation in dinoflagellates. On addition to coastal seawater samples, mimosine is able to confer a growth advantage to dinoflagellates. The use of mimosine will promote the isolation and culture of this group of phytoplankton.