Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts protein-1: A new calcium-sensitive protein functionally activated by endoplasmic reticulum calcium release and calmodulin binding in astrocytes.

BACKGROUND: MLC1 is a membrane protein highly expressed in brain perivascular astrocytes and whose mutations account for the rare leukodystrophy (LD) megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts disease (MLC). MLC is characterized by macrocephaly, brain edema and cysts, myelin vacuolation and astrocyte swelling which cause cognitive and motor dysfunctions and epilepsy. In cultured astrocytes, lack of functional MLC1 disturbs cell volume regulation by affecting anion channel (VRAC) currents and the consequent regulatory volume decrease (RVD) occurring in response to osmotic changes. Moreover, MLC1 represses intracellular signaling molecules (EGFR, ERK1/2, NF-kB) inducing astrocyte activation and swelling following brain insults. Nevertheless, to date, MLC1 proper function and MLC molecular pathogenesis are still elusive. We recently reported that in astrocytes MLC1 phosphorylation by the Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) in response to intracellular Ca2+ release potentiates MLC1 activation of VRAC. These results highlighted the importance of Ca2+ signaling in the regulation of MLC1 functions, prompting us to further investigate the relationships between intracellular Ca2+ and MLC1 properties. METHODS: We used U251 astrocytoma cells stably expressing wild-type (WT) or mutated MLC1, primary mouse astrocytes and mouse brain tissue, and applied biochemistry, molecular biology, video imaging and electrophysiology techniques. RESULTS: We revealed that WT but not mutant MLC1 oligomerization and trafficking to the astrocyte plasma membrane is favored by Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but not by capacitive Ca2+ entry in response to ER depletion. We also clarified the molecular events underlining MLC1 response to cytoplasmic Ca2+ increase, demonstrating that, following Ca2+ release, MLC1 binds the Ca2+ effector protein calmodulin (CaM) at the carboxyl terminal where a CaM binding sequence was identified. Using a CaM inhibitor and generating U251 cells expressing MLC1 with CaM binding site mutations, we found that CaM regulates MLC1 assembly, trafficking and function, being RVD and MLC-linked signaling molecules abnormally regulated in these latter cells. CONCLUSION: Overall, we qualified MLC1 as a Ca2+ sensitive protein involved in the control of volume changes in response to ER Ca2+ release and astrocyte activation. These findings provide new insights for the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the myelin degeneration occurring in MLC and other LD where astrocytes have a primary role in the pathological process.

Peroxynitrite-dependent activation of src tyrosine kinases lyn and hck in erythrocytes is under mechanistically different pathways of redox control.

Peroxynitrite, the product of superoxide and nitric oxide radicals, is considered one of the major oxidants formed in vivo under intense oxidative stress. We have previously reported the upregulation by peroxynitrite of src kinase activity in red blood cells. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of peroxynitrite action and we demonstrate that two src kinases (lyn and hck) are activated through different pathways involving cysteine-dependent or -independent oxidations. Activation of hck by peroxynitrite or by hydrogen peroxide could be explained by reversible SH redox changes, whereas lyn was unaffected by hydrogen peroxide and its direct activation by peroxynitrite occurred through a still unknown modification(s) not reverted by SH reduction or inhibited by SH alkylation. Moreover, lyn could be activated also downstream by peroxynitrite-activated hck. The cross talk between lyn and hck was selective, since activated hck did not activate the non-src kinase syk. This study illustrates the complexity of redox-dependent src regulation and suggests that one reason for src heterogeneity may be a peculiar difference in their sensitivity to physiological oxidants. Irrespectively of the activation pathway, the final effect of peroxynitrite is the amplification of tyrosine-dependent signaling, a finding of general interest in nitric oxide-related pathophysiology.

Activation of src tyrosine kinases by peroxynitrite.

In this study, we demonstrate that the phosphorylation activity of five tyrosine kinases of the src family from both human erythrocytes (lyn, hck and c-fgr) and bovine synaptosomes (lyn and fyn) was stimulated by treatment with 30-250 microM peroxynitrite. This effect was not observed with syk, a non-src family tyrosine kinase. Treatment of kinase immunoprecipitates with 0.01-10 microM peroxynitrite showed that the interaction of these enzymes with the oxidant also activated the src kinases. Higher concentrations of peroxynitrite inhibited the activity of all kinases, indicating enzyme inactivation. The addition of bicarbonate (1.3 mM CO2) did not modify the upregulation of src kinases but significantly protected the kinases against peroxynitrite-mediated inhibition. Upregulation of src kinase activity by 1 microM peroxynitrite was 3.5-5-fold in erythrocytes and 1.2-2-fold in synaptosomes, but this could be the result, at least in part, of the higher basal level of src kinase activity in synaptosomes. Our results indicate that peroxynitrite can upregulate the tyrosine phosphorylation signal through the activation of src kinases.

Peroxynitrite induces tryosine nitration and modulates tyrosine phosphorylation of synaptic proteins.

Peroxynitrite, the product of the radical-radical reaction between nitric oxide and superoxide anion, is a potent oxidant involved in tissue damage in neurodegenerative disorders. We investigated the modifications induced by peroxynitrite in tyrosine residues of proteins from synaptosomes. Peroxynitrite treatment (> or =50 microM) induced tyrosine nitration and increased tyrosine phosphorylation. Synaptophysin was identified as one of the major nitrated proteins and pp60src kinase as one of the major phosphorylated substrates. Further fractionation of synaptosomes revealed nitrated synaptophysin in the synaptic vesicles, whereas phosphorylated pp60src was enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction. Tyrosine phosphorylation was increased by treatment with 50-500 microM peroxynitrite and decreased by higher concentrations, suggesting a possible activation/inactivation of kinases. Immunocomplex kinase assay proved that peroxynitrite treatment of synaptosomes modulated the pp60src autophosphorylation activity. The addition of bicarbonate (CO2 1.3 mM) produced a moderate enhancing effect on some nitrated proteins but significantly protected the activity of pp60src against peroxynitrite-mediated inhibition so that at 1 mM peroxynitrite, the kinase was still more active than in untreated synaptosomes. The phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity of synaptosomes was inhibited by peroxynitrite (> or =50 microM) but significantly protected by CO2. Thus, the increase of phosphorylation cannot be attributed to peroxynitrite-mediated inhibition of phosphatases. We suggest that peroxynitrite may regulate the posttranslational modification of tyrosine residues in pre- and postsynaptic proteins. Identification of the major protein targets gives insight into the pathways possibly involved in neuronal degeneration associated with peroxynitrite overproduction.

Nitric oxide-dependent NAD linkage to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase: possible involvement of a cysteine thiyl radical intermediate.

Previous studies have demonstrated that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) undergoes NAD(H) linkage to an active site thiol when it comes into contact with .NO-related oxidants. We found that a free-radical generator 2,2'-azobis-(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH), which does not release either .NO or .NO-related species, was indeed able to induce the NAD(H) linkage to GAPDH. We performed spin-trapping studies with purified apo-GAPDH to identify a putative thiol intermediate produced by AAPH as well as by .NO-related oxidants. As .NO sources we used .NO gas and two .NO-donors, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine and 3-morpholinosydno-nimine hydrochloride (SIN-1). Because SIN-1 produces .NO and a superoxide radical simultaneously, we also tested the effects of peroxynitrite. All the .NO-related oxidants were able to induce the linkage of NAD(H) to GAPDH and the formation of a protein free-radical identified as a thiyl radical (inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide). .NO gas and the .NO-donors required molecular oxygen to induce the formation of the GAPDH thiyl radical, suggesting the possible involvement of higher nitrogen oxides. Thiyl radical formation was decreased by the reconstitution of GAPDH with NAD+. Apo-GAPDH was a strong scavenger of AAPH radicals, but its scavenging ability was decreased when its cysteine residues were alkylated or when it was reconstituted with NAD+. In addition, after treatment with AAPH, a thiyl radical of GAPDH was trapped at high enzyme concentrations. We suggest that the NAD(H) linkage to GAPDH is mediated by a thiyl radical intermediate not specific to .NO or .NO-related oxidants. The cysteine residue located at the active site of GAPDH (Cys-149) is oxidized by free radicals to a thiyl radical, which reacts with the neighbouring coenzyme to form Cys-NAD(H) linkages. Studies with the NAD+ molecule radio-labelled in the nicotinamide or adenine portion revealed that both portions of the NAD+ molecule are linked to GAPDH.

Role of thiols in the targeting of S-nitroso thiols to red blood cells.

We compared the nitric oxide (.NO)-releasing characteristics of two NO donors, the S-nitroso adduct of bovine serum albumin (BSANO) and the S-nitroso adduct of L-glutathione (GSNO). In oxygenated phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and in hemoglobin solution, both NO donors released .NO only in the presence of a low molecular weight thiol (the most active was L-cysteine). The requirement of thiol to release .NO strongly suggests that a transnitrosation reaction occurs between the S-nitroso adduct of the NO donor and the sulfhydryl group of the NO acceptor. The reaction produced a labile S-nitroso-L-cysteine intermediate that released .NO. As shown by spin-trapping experiments, the transnitrosation reaction involved the formation of .NO (trapped by 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide) and .S radicals (trapped by 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide) of both the NO donors and the NO acceptor (L-cysteine). The reaction leading to .S radical formation was distinct from the transnitrosation reaction, since it was oxygen-dependent. We suggest that .S radicals are formed from oxidizing species produced after a reaction between .NO and molecular oxygen (.NO2 is a likely candidate). As for pure .NO gas, the major oxidation product of NO donors, in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), was NO2-, with no formation of NO3-. In the presence of oxyhemoglobin, both NO donors produced only NO3-. BSANO and GSNO showed distinct patterns of .NO release both in phosphate buffer and in the presence of hemoglobin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)