The Arf GAP ASAP1 provides a platform to regulate Arf4- and Rab11-Rab8-mediated ciliary receptor targeting.

Dysfunctional trafficking to primary cilia is a frequent cause of human diseases known as ciliopathies, yet molecular mechanisms for specific targeting of sensory receptors to cilia are largely unknown. Here, we show that the targeting of ciliary cargo, represented by rhodopsin, is mediated by a specialized system, the principal component of which is the Arf GAP ASAP1. Ablation of ASAP1 abolishes ciliary targeting and causes formation of actin-rich periciliary membrane projections that accumulate mislocalized rhodopsin. We find that ASAP1 serves as a scaffold that brings together the proteins necessary for transport to the cilia including the GTP-binding protein Arf4 and the two G proteins of the Rab family--Rab11 and Rab8--linked by the Rab8 guanine nucleotide exchange factor Rabin8. ASAP1 recognizes the FR ciliary targeting signal of rhodopsin. Rhodopsin FR-AA mutant, defective in ASAP1 binding, fails to interact with Rab8 and translocate across the periciliary diffusion barrier. Our study implies that other rhodopsin-like sensory receptors may interact with this conserved system and reach the cilia using the same platform.

PACAP centrally mediates emotional stress-induced corticosterone responses in mice.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a pleiotropic neuropeptide widely distributed in the nervous system. Recently, PACAP was shown to be involved in restraint stress-induced corticosterone release and concomitant expression of the genes involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. Therefore, in this study, we have addressed the types of stressors and the levels of the HPA axis in which PACAP signaling is involved using mice lacking PACAP (PACAP⁻/⁻). Among four different types of stressors, open-field exposure, cold exposure, ether inhalation, and restraint, the corticosterone response to open-field exposure and restraint, which are categorized as emotional stressors, but not the other two, was markedly attenuated in PACAP⁻/⁻ mice. Peripheral administration of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) or adrenocorticotropic hormone induced corticosterone increase similarly in PACAP⁻/⁻ and wild-type mice. In addition, the restraint stress-induced c-Fos expression was significantly decreased in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and medial amygdala (MeA), but not the medial prefrontal cortex, in PACAP⁻/⁻ mice. In the PVN of PACAP⁻/⁻ mice, the stress-induced c-Fos expression was blunted in the CRF neurons. These results suggest that PACAP is critically involved in activation of the MeA and PVN CRF neurons to centrally regulate the HPA axis response to emotional stressors.

Depression-like behavior in the forced swimming test in PACAP-deficient mice: amelioration by the atypical antipsychotic risperidone.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide with pleiotropic functions. We report here that PACAP-deficient (PACAP-/-) mice showed increased immobility in a forced swimming test, which was reduced by the antidepressant desipramine, to a similar extent as in wild-type mice. The atypical antipsychotic risperidone and the selective serotonin (5-HT)(2) antagonist ritanserin normalized the depression-like behavior in PACAP-/- mice. The 5-HT(2) agonist (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine-induced 5-HT syndrome was exaggerated in PACAP-/- mice, which suggests a 5-HT(2)-receptor-dependent mechanism in the depression-like behavior. The circadian rhythm of plasma corticosterone and body core temperature was significantly flattened in the mutants. mRNA expression of glucocorticoid receptor was reduced in the mutant hippocampus. The present results suggest that alterations in PACAP signaling might contribute to the pathogenesis of certain depressive conditions amenable to atypical antipsychotic drugs.

The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide is a physiological inhibitor of platelet activation.

The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide of the vasoactive intestinal peptide/secretin/glucagon superfamily. Studies in two related patients with a partial trisomy 18p revealed three copies of the PACAP gene and elevated PACAP concentrations in plasma. The patients suffer from severe mental retardation and have a bleeding tendency with mild thrombocytopenia, and their fibroblasts show increased PACAP mRNA levels. The PACAP receptor (vasoactive intestinal peptide/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide receptor 1 [VPAC1]) in platelets and fibroblasts is coupled to adenylyl cyclase activation. Accordingly, we found increased basal cAMP levels in patients' platelets and fibroblasts, providing a basis for the reduced platelet aggregation in these patients. Megakaryocyte-specific transgenic overexpression of PACAP in mice correspondingly increased PACAP release from platelets, reduced platelet activation, and prolonged the tail bleeding time. In contrast, the PACAP antagonist PACAP(6-38) or a monoclonal PACAP antibody enhanced the collagen-induced aggregation of normal human platelets, and in PACAP knockout mice, an increased platelet sensitivity toward collagen was found. Thus, we found that PACAP modulates platelet function and demonstrated what we believe to be the first hemostatic defect associated with PACAP overexpression; our study suggests the therapeutic potential to manage arterial thrombosis or bleeding by administration of PACAP mimetics or inhibitors, respectively.

Lack of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone in PACAP-deficient mice.

Accumulating evidence implicates pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in a number of stress responses. By using PACAP-deficient mice, PACAP has been shown to have an in vivo role in the regulation of the sympathoadrenal axis, but a role in regulating the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has not been fully addressed. To elucidate the role of endogenous PACAP in HPA axis regulation during pathological conditions, mice lacking the Adcyap1 gene encoding the neuropeptide PACAP (Adcyap1-/-) were injected with trimethyltin (TMT), a neurotoxin known to induce neuronal damage and several systemic responses including elevated plasma corticosterone levels. In wild-type controls, TMT induced transient decreases in water and food intake, with a concomitant decrease in body weight; however, no significant changes were observed in Adcyap1-/- mice. Basal corticosterone levels were not significantly different between the mutant and wild-type mice. TMT induced a marked elevation of plasma corticosterone above basal levels in wild-type mice but no significant increase was seen in Adcyap1-/- mice. The present article suggests that PACAP is involved in the corticosterone release in some pathological conditions but not in the basal state.

[A case of recurrence of cerebral hemorrhage in a patient with adult moyamoya disease in the recovery period rehabilitation ward].

A 61-year-old woman with a history of repeated cerebral hemorrhage due to moyamoya disease was admitted to our recovery period rehabilitation ward for walking training. She suddenly noticed paresthesia in her left forearm and the palm seven days later. Brain computed tomography on that day and magnetic resonance imaging on the next day after the onset of paresthesia revealed right thalamic hemorrhage. It was suggested that the hematoma localized to a small part of the central portion of the ventroposterior lateral nucleus caused paresthesia limited to the forearm and the palm. In a recovery period rehabilitation ward, we should carefully listen to the complaints of patients who are in advanced age and have a risk like our patient. Then adequate neurological examination should be performed for the pertinent inspection diagnosis, if needed.

Neuroprotective action of endogenous PACAP in cultured rat cortical neurons.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) exerts neurotrophic effects both in vitro and in vivo. Here we demonstrate the upregulation of PACAP mRNA expression in cultured rat cortical neurons after excitotoxic glutamate exposure, and the exacerbating effect of the PACAP receptor antagonist, PACAP(6-38), on neuronal viability. PACAP mRNA levels were increased up to 3.5-fold 8 h after glutamate exposure. PACAP(6-38) decreased the viability of cortical neurons, irrespective of whether the cells were exposed to glutamate or not. PACAP(6-38) also inhibited glutamate-induced expression of PACAP mRNA, suggesting that PACAP acts via an autocrine or paracrine mechanism to enhance PACAP expression itself. Glutamate exposure is known to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression. This increased expression was markedly suppressed by PACAP(6-38). Our previous study has shown that PACAP stimulates the PACAP gene transcription in PC12 cells. Taken together, these data may suggest that endogenous PACAP regulates the expression of PACAP itself and BDNF. Although it may also be possible that PACAP(6-38)-induced death of PACAP and BDNF mRNA-expressing cells, per se, results in reduced levels of these mRNAs, the present results support the idea that endogenous PACAP has a neuroprotective action.

[Jargonagraphia in a left-handed aphasia due to a left hemisphere lesion].

We report a case who developed jargonagraphia, severe aphasia and unilateral spatial neglect due to cerebral infarction in the left hemisphere. The patient was a 57 year-old left-handed woman. She suddenly developed hemiplegia on the right side and aphasia, and was admitted to our hospital. Neuropsychological examination showed non-fluent spontaneous speech. Repetition, reading and auditory comprehension were impaired. Writing was severely impaired and she showed paragraphia without meaning (jargonagraphia). Right unilateral spatial neglect and buccofacial apraxia were noted, but neither ideomotor nor ideational apraxia was observed. The mechanisms of jargonagraphia remain unknown. The localization of language function in this patient is not a mirror image of same function in dextral aphasia. Her condition was considered that free-running on motor engrams of characters stored in the right hemisphere caused jargonagraphia.

A conserved signal and GTPase complex are required for the ciliary transport of polycystin-1.

Primary cilia regulate epithelial differentiation and organ function. Failure of mutant polycystins to localize to cilia abolishes flow-stimulated calcium signaling and causes autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. We identify a conserved amino acid sequence, KVHPSST, in the C-terminus of polycystin-1 (PC1) that serves as a ciliary-targeting signal. PC1 binds a multimeric protein complex consisting of several GTPases (Arf4, Rab6, Rab11) and the GTPase-activating protein (GAP), ArfGAP with SH3 domain, ankyrin repeat and PH domain 1 (ASAP1) in the Golgi, which facilitates vesicle budding and Golgi exocytosis. A related N-terminal ciliary-targeting sequence in polycystin-2 similarly binds Arf4. Deletion of the extreme C-terminus of PC1 ablates Arf4 and ASAP1 binding and prevents ciliary localization of an integral membrane CD16.7-PC1 chimera. Interactions are confirmed for chimeric and endogenous proteins through quantitated in vitro and cell-based approaches. PC1 also complexes with Rab8; knockdown of trafficking regulators Arf4 or Rab8 functionally blocks CD16.7-PC1 trafficking to cilia. Mutations in rhodopsin disrupt a similar signal and cause retinitis pigmentosa, while Bardet-Biedl syndrome, primary open-angle glaucoma, and tumor cell invasiveness are linked to dysregulation of ASAP1 or Rab8 or its effectors. In this paper, we provide evidence for a conserved GTPase-dependent ciliary-trafficking mechanism that is shared between epithelia and neurons, and is essential in ciliary-trafficking and cell homeostasis.

Regulation of autonomic nerve activities by central pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a peptidergic neurotransmitter that is expressed in high levels in nervous systems. Here, we investigated the roles of PACAP in autonomic system regulation by evaluating the changes caused in the autonomic nerve activities after injecting PACAP into the central nervous system (CNS) and examining stress-induced blood glucose changes in PACAP-deficient (PACAP-/-) mice. Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), blood pressure, and heart rate were elevated after injecting PACAP into the third cerebral ventricle (3CV). Similarly, other sympathetic nerve activities, including adrenal sympathetic nerve activity (ASNA), celiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA), and brown adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity (BAT-SNA), were accelerated by PACAP injection. In contrast, injecting PACAP into 3CV significantly suppressed parasympathetic nerve activities, including gastric vagal nerve activity (GVNA) and celiac vagal nerve activity (CVNA). In addition, blood glucose elevations induced by stress, such as immobilization or ether exposure, were disrupted in PACAP-/- mice, although basal glucose levels in mutants were comparable to that in wild-type mice. These results suggest that CNS PACAP regulates autonomic function by maintaining a sympathetic-parasympathetic balance and contributes to peripheral homeostatic maintenance, especially under conditions of stress.

Markedly reduced white adipose tissue and increased insulin sensitivity in adcyap1-deficient mice.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide implicated in several metabolic functions, including insulin secretion and sympathoadrenal activation. To clarify the roles of PACAP in maintenance of whole-body glucose and lipid homeostasis, the impact of the deletion of PACAP on glucose homeostasis, body weight, and adipose tissue mass was examined by comparing mice lacking the Adcyap1 gene encoding PACAP (Adcyap1(-/-)) with wild-type littermate controls. Adcyap1(-/-) mice showed significant hypoinsulinemia, although being normoglycemic, and lower body weight as well as reduced food intake. They also showed greatly reduced white adipose tissue mass, in which the mRNA expression of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), a marker of adipocyte differentiation, was decreased. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests revealed increased insulin sensitivity in Adcyap1(-/-) mice. In accordance with these observations, plasma levels of resistin, an adipocytokine implicated in insulin resistance, were decreased in Adcyap1(-/-) mice. After a high-fat dietary challenge for six weeks, Adcyap1(-/-) mice still showed lower body weights and increased insulin sensitivity. These results indicate the crucial roles of PACAP in energy metabolism, including lipid metabolism, and in the regulation of body weight, raising the possibility that the PACAP-signaling pathway that favors energy storage could be a therapeutic target for obesity.

Possible involvement of a cyclic AMP-dependent mechanism in PACAP-induced proliferation and ERK activation in astrocytes.

In cultured astrocytes, PACAP activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and induces cell proliferation at picomolar concentrations. Here, we examined the role of cyclic AMP signaling underlying the effects of PACAP. PACAP38 induced accumulation of cyclic AMP in astrocytes at concentrations as low as 10(-12)M. PACAP38 (10(-12)-10(-9)M)-stimulated cell proliferation was completely abolished by the cyclic AMP antagonist Rp-cAMP, whereas the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89 had no effect. This PACAP38-mediated effect was also abolished by the ERK kinase inhibitor PD98059, suggesting the involvement of ERK in PACAP-induced proliferation. PACAP38 (10(-12)M)-stimulated phosphorylation of ERK lasted for at least 60 min. This effect was completely abolished by Rp-cAMP but not by H89. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP maximally stimulated the incorporation of thymidine and activation of ERK at 10(-10)M. These results suggest that PACAP-mediated stimulation of ERK activity and proliferation of astrocytes may involve a cyclic AMP-dependent, but PKA-independent, pathway.