Hepatic carcinoma-associated fibroblasts induce IDO-producing regulatory dendritic cells through IL-6-mediated STAT3 activation.

Although carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in tumor microenvironments have a critical role in immune cell modulation, their effects on the generation of regulatory dendritic cells (DCs) are still unclear. In this study, we initially show that CAFs derived from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors facilitate the generation of regulatory DCs, which are characterized by low expression of costimulatory molecules, high suppressive cytokines production and enhanced regulation of immune responses, including T-cell proliferation impairment and promotion of regulatory T-cell (Treg) expansion via indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) upregulation. Our findings also indicate that STAT3 activation in DCs, as mediated by CAF-derived interleukin (IL)-6, is essential to IDO production. Moreover, IDO inhibitor, STAT3 and IL-6 blocking antibodies can reverse this hepatic CAF-DC regulatory function. Therefore, our results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which CAFs induce tumor immune escape as well as a novel cancer immunotherapeutic approach (for example, targeting CAFs, IDO or IL-6).

Assessment of angiographic vascularity of meningiomas with dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The roles of DTI and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced-PWI in predicting the angiographic vascularity of meningiomas have not been studied. We aimed to investigate if these 2 techniques could reflect the angiographic vascularity of meningiomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients with meningiomas who had preoperative dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced-PWI, DTI, and conventional angiography were retrospectively included. The correlations between angiographic vascularity of meningiomas, classified with a 4-point grading scale, and the clinical or imaging variables-age and sex of patient, as well as size, CBV, fractional anisotropy, and ADC of meningiomas-were analyzed. The meningiomas were dichotomized into high-vascularity and low-vascularity groups. The differences in clinical and imaging variables between the 2 groups were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic performance of these variables. RESULTS: In meningiomas, angiographic vascularity correlated positively with CBV but negatively with fractional anisotropy. High-vascularity meningiomas demonstrated significantly higher CBV but lower fractional anisotropy as compared with low-vascularity meningiomas. In differentiating between the 2 groups, the area under the curve values were 0.991 for CBV and 0.934 for fractional anisotropy on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS: CBV and fractional anisotropy correlate well with angiographic vascularity of meningiomas. They may differentiate between low-vascularity and high-vascularity meningiomas.

Mesenchymal stem cell as salvage treatment for refractory chronic GVHD.

Refractory chronic GVHD (cGVHD) is an important complication after allogeneic hematopoietic SCT and is prognostic of poor outcome. MSCs are involved in tissue repair and modulating immune responses in vitro and in vivo. From April 2005 to October 2008, 19 patients with refractory cGVHD were treated with MSCs derived from the BM of volunteers. The median dose of MSCs was 0.6 × 10(6) cells per kg body weight. Fourteen of 19 patients (73.7%) responded well to MSCs, achieving a CR (n=4) or a PR (n=10). The immunosuppressive agent could be tapered to less than 50% of the starting dose in 5 of 14 surviving patients, and five patients could discontinue immunosuppressive agents. The median duration between MSC administration and immunosuppressive therapy discontinuation was 324 days (range, 200-550 days). No patients experienced adverse events during or immediately after MSC infusion. The 2-year survival rate was 77.7% in this study. Clinical improvement was accompanied by the increasing ratio of CD5+CD19+/CD5-CD19+ B cells and CD8+CD28-/CD8+CD28+ T cells. In conclusion, transfusion of MSCs expanded in vitro, irrespective of the donor, might be a safe and effective salvage therapy for patients with steroid-resistant, cGVHD.

Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator injected into the vitreous cavity may penetrate the retinal veins of a porcine model of vascular occlusion.

AIM: To determine if recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) injected into the vitreous cavity can penetrate the retinal vessels of porcine eyes with or without vascular occlusion. METHODS: Eight eyes (group I) of four pigs underwent clamping of the optic nerve flush with the globe for 90 minutes. One hour after reperfusion, one eye of each pig was injected with 75 microg of rtPA, and the fellow eye was injected with balanced salt solution (BSS). Eyes were processed for immunohistochemistry. Four additional eyes (group II) of two pigs were subjected to the same injections, but without optic nerve clamping. RESULTS: After reperfusion, the clinical picture was similar to that of a central retinal vein occlusion. Immunoperoxidase staining showed rtPA only in the retinal veins but not the retinal arteries in all eyes injected with rtPA in both groups I and II. Those eyes also showed intense rtPA staining at the level of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). No staining was seen at the level of the ILM or inside the retinal vessels in the BSS injected eyes. Immunofluorescence staining showed intense staining at the level of the ILM, but not inside the retinal vessels in the rtPA-injected eyes. CONCLUSIONS: rtPA may penetrate the retinal veins, but not the arteries of porcine eyes with and without vascular occlusion. The ILM may play a part in preventing rtPA penetration.

Interleukin-10 -1082 promoter polymorphism is associated with schizophrenia in a Han Chinese sib-pair study.

The interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene has been identified as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia in Caucasians. A previous case-control study conducted by our group revealed a weak association between polymorphism, -592C/A, of the IL-10 gene promoter and schizophrenia. Our present study was aimed at confirming the association of the IL-10 promoter with schizophrenia using 197 Han Chinese sib-pair families. A family-based association test (FBAT) and haplotype analysis was undertaken using the FBAT v1.5.5. The global TDT was significant for a different polymorphism, -1082G/A (chi2=13.16, P=0.000285) and that the allele -1082G was preferentially transmitted to schizophrenia-affected children. Furthermore, haplotype TDT analysis showed that haplotype "GCC" was significantly associated with the disease (chi2=8.1, P=0.00443). Our results also indicate that the IL-10 gene may play a significant role in the etiology of schizophrenia among Han Chinese.

Gas6 receptors Axl, Sky and Mer enhance platelet activation and regulate thrombotic responses.

Gas6 (encoded by growth arrest-specific gene 6) is a vitamin-K dependent protein highly homologous to coagulation protein S that is secreted from platelet alpha-granules and has recently been demonstrated to participate in platelet thrombus formation. The current study evaluated the contribution of each of the three known Gas6 receptors (Axl, Sky and Mer) in human and mouse platelet function. Flow cytometry analyses confirmed that all three receptors are present on both human and mouse platelets. Pre-incubation of human platelets with either an anti-Gas6 antibody or blocking antibodies to Sky or Mer inhibited platelet aggregation and degranulation responses to both ADP and the PAR-1 activating peptide, SFLLRN, by more than 80%. In contrast, a stimulatory anti-Axl antibody increased activation responses to these agonists, suggesting a potentiating role for Gas6 in platelet activation. Moreover, in a mouse model of thrombosis, administration of Gas6 or Sky blocking antibodies resulted in a decrease in thrombus weight similar to clopidogrel but, unlike clopidogrel, produced no increase in template bleeding. Thus, Gas6 enhances platelet degranulation and aggregation responses through its known receptors, promoting platelet activation and mediating thrombus formation such that its inhibition prevents thrombosis without increasing bleeding.

Transmission disequilibrium analysis of the GSN gene in a cohort of family trios with schizophrenia.

Apoptosis is thought to play a role in neuronal pathology in schizophrenia. Recently, the GSN gene was reported to have anti-apoptotic properties. In a genome-wide expression analysis on schizophrenia, GSN was also found to be significantly down-regulated in schizophrenia. All the hints suggest that GSN is a novel candidate gene in occurrence of schizophrenia. In this work, we genotyped 3 SNPs around the GSN locus in 493 sets of the Han Chinese trio sample using allele-specific PCR. A weak association or a marginally positive result was detected (0.05 for P-value of the overtransmitted haplotype and 0.02 for a global P-value).

Characterization of a tissue factor/factor VIIa-dependent model of thrombosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Tissue factor (TF) expressed in arterial atherosclerotic plaque plays a key role in activating the extrinsic coagulation pathway and triggering acute coronary syndromes. In this study, we developed and characterized a TF-factor (F)VIIa-mediated thrombosis model in rabbits. Balloon catheter-induced endothelial denudation in the femoral artery and a 4-week high cholesterol diet produced a localized atherosclerotic plaque at the injured site. High levels of TF mRNA and TF protein antigen (152 +/- 25 vs. 49 +/- 12 pg mg-1 protein in normal vessels) were detected in these atherosclerotic plaques. Plasma FVII coagulant activity (FVII:C) was significantly increased in the hypercholesterolemic rabbits (36 +/- 1 s) compared with the normal rabbits (44 +/- 1 s, P < 0.0001). Plaque rupture was induced by balloon angioplasty, which resulted in thrombus formation in the injured vessel segment after a brief period of stasis. FVIIai, a specific TF-FVIIa inhibitor, was administered intravenously to rabbits before plaque rupture at 0.3 and 1.0 mg kg-1. FVIIai dose-dependently reduced thrombus mass (14.7 +/- 2.5 and 5.9 +/- 2.2 mg, respectively, vs. 21.6 +/- 1.9 mg in the control group). PD198961, a novel factor Xa inhibitor, and argatroban, a thrombin inhibitor, also dose-dependently inhibited thrombosis. These results indicate that thrombus formation in this model is initiated by the activation of TF-FVIIa pathway, which is attributed to TF expression in the atherosclerotic plaque and enhanced plasma FVII coagulant activity. This model may be useful for evaluating in vivo efficacy of new antithrombotic drugs, particularly TF-FVIIa inhibitors.

Ectopic synaptogenesis during retinal degeneration in the royal college of surgeons rat.

Rod photoreceptor-specific mutations cause ectopic synapses to form between cone photoreceptor terminals and rod bipolar cell dendrites in degenerating retinas of rhodopsin transgenic (P347L) pigs and retinal degeneration mice. Since the mutations occur in rod photoreceptor-specific genes in these two models, it is not known if ectopic synaptogenesis occurs specifically due to some rod photoreceptor cell-autonomous properties of a mutation or as a general consequence of photoreceptor degeneration. In the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat, a mutation in the receptor tyrosine kinase gene, Mertk, causes failure of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to phagocytose shed photoreceptor outer segments; subsequently, both rod and cone photoreceptors die. The non-phagocytic phenotype of the RCS rat is RPE cell-autonomous and the photoreceptors degenerate secondarily. Here we show that in 35-day-old RCS rats, where a majority of rod and cone photoreceptors remained, rod bipolar cell dendrites had abnormal (flat-contact type) synaptic contacts with rod and cone terminals. Demonstration of ectopic synapses in the RCS rat suggested that ectopic synaptogenesis could occur as a result of photoreceptor degeneration, even when the rods and cones were developmentally normal. This further supported the hypothesis that ectopic synaptogenesis may be a common step in the disease progression of different forms of retinal degeneration that include photoreceptor death as a feature, such as retinitis pigmentosa.

Selective expression of the small GTPase RhoB in the early developing mouse lens.

This report describes the expression and distribution pattern of RhoB GTPase in the developing mouse lens. RhoB expression was confirmed by sequencing an reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-generated DNA fragment of RhoB. Immunohistochemical analysis of RhoB revealed expression in the lens vesicle (both anterior and posterior vesicle) at embryonic day (E) 11.5, and in the epithelium and primary fibers of the E14.5 lens. Compared with the neonatal stage (day 1), where RhoB is detected in the entire lens (epithelium, primary, and secondary fibers), expression of this protein is restricted to the epithelial and outer cortical secondary fibers in postnatal lenses (from day 7 to day18). Interestingly, in E11.5 and E14.5 lenses, RhoB is localized predominantly in the lens, but not detectable in the retina, cornea, or other ocular tissues. RhoB expression appears to be down-regulated in the postnatal lens with concomitant up-regulation in the retina and cornea, compared with earlier stages of development (eyes of E11.5, E14.5, and neonatal mice). This study reveals the selective expression of RhoB in the lens during early eye development and suggests a potential role for this small GTPase in cytoskeletal reorganization associated with lens epithelial cell elongation and differentiation.

The antithrombotic effects of CI-1031 (ZK-807834) and enoxaparin in a canine electrolytic injury model of arterial and venous thrombosis.

Factor Xa is a serine protease positioned at the convergence point of the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways and is therefore an attractive target in the development of novel anticoagulant drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of CI-1031 (N-[2-[5-amidino-2-hydroxyphenoxy]-6-[3-(1-methyl-1H-imidazolin-2-yl)-phenoxy]-3,5-difluoropyrid), a potent and selective inhibitor of Factor Xa, in a canine electrolytic injury model of arterial and venous thrombosis. Enoxaparin (enoxaparin sodium), a low molecular weight heparin currently approved for treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis and unstable angina, was also tested for efficacy in this model. CI-1031 was administered intravenously to anesthetized dogs at three doses: 1.25, 2.5 and 5 microg/kg/min (n=5 for each group) as a continuous infusion for 5.5 h. The control group (n=5) received a continuous infusion of vehicle (3.69 mmol citric acid and 0.9% sodium chloride solution) at a rate of 1 ml/kg/h. Ninety minutes after administration of CI-1031 prothrombin times increased 1.2-, 1.6- and 2.0-fold over baseline values in the 1.25, 2.5 and 5 microg/kg/min groups, respectively. The time to formation of an occlusive thrombus in the femoral arteries averaged 69+/-5 min in the control group compared to 127+/-19, 192+/-33 and 219+/-15 min in the low-, mid- and high-dose CI-1031 groups. In the femoral veins, occlusion time in the controls averaged 56+/-11 min compared to 153+/-22, 137+/-30 and 214+/-26 min in the three treatment groups. Thrombus weights in the control arteries averaged 51+/-4 mg compared to 45+/-5, 28+/-10 and 15+/-3 mg in the CI-1031 treated groups. On the venous side, control thrombus weights averaged 96+/-18 mg compared to 75+/-16, 51+/-16 and 25+/-4 mg in the low-, mid- and high-dose CI-1031 groups. A plasma CI-1031 concentration of approximately 400 ng/ml was associated with a 50% reduction in thrombus weight relative to control animals. Enoxaparin was administered intravenously at a loading dose of 50, 100 or 200 IU/kg for 1 h followed by a maintenance infusion of 25, 50 or 100 IU/kg/h for 4.5 h. The most dramatic changes in coagulation parameters were observed in thrombin time with virtually no changes in prothrombin time. Enoxaparin elicited a dose-dependent increase in time to thrombotic occlusion and a dose-dependent decrease in thrombus weight similar to that observed with CI-1031. Time to occlusion in the enoxaparin-treated groups averaged 117+/-33, 188+/-32 and 217+/-22 min in the low-, mid- and high-dose groups in the femoral arteries and 84+/-22, 171+/-31 and 133+/-33 min in the femoral veins. Thrombus weights averaged 33+/-10, 12+/-5 and 10+/-4 mg in the arteries and 32+/-9, 13+/-2 and 21+/-6 mg in the veins in the low-, mid- and high-dose groups. Blood loss with CI-1031 tended to be less than enoxaparin at doses that provided comparable efficacy. These results demonstrate that CI-1031, like enoxaparin, is an effective antithrombotic agent in an established canine model of arterial and venous thrombosis. CI-1031 provided dose-dependent efficacy with minimal changes in ex vivo coagulation parameters, suggesting it may be a safe and effective antithrombotic agent for both arterial and venous indications.

The mammalian retinal degeneration B2 gene is not required for photoreceptor function and survival.

The retinal degeneration B (rdgB) gene in Drosophila is essential for photoreceptor function and survival. The rdgB mutant fly exhibits an abnormal electroretinogram and a light-dependent photoreceptor degeneration. The function of RdgB is not fully understood, but the presence of a phosphatidylinositol transfer protein domain suggests a possible role in phosphatidylinositol metabolism and signaling. Two mammalian homologs, M-RdgB1 and M-RdgB2, are known. While M-RdgB1 is widely expressed, M-RdgB2 is found primarily in the retina and the dentate gyrus. Functional conservation between the Drosophila and mammalian RdgBs was demonstrated by the ability of both M-RdgBs to rescue the photoreceptor phenotype in rdgB mutant flies through transgenic expression. To investigate the role of M-RdgB2 in the mammalian retina, we disrupted the m-rdgB2 gene in mice by gene targeting. The homozygous knockout mice are fertile and apparently healthy. By light microscopy, immunocytochemistry and electroretinograms, mice up to 18 months of age showed normal photoreceptor function and survival. The inner retinal neurons were also examined by immunolabeling with a number of cell-specific markers and no apparent defects were found in the major cell populations. We conclude that M-rdgB2 is not essential for phototransduction and photoreceptor survival. Thus, m-rdgB2 is not a candidate gene for human retinal degenerations. Whether M-rdgB2 has a role in visual processing in the inner retina, or whether it is required for hippocampal function, remains to be determined.

Antithrombotic effect of LB-30057 (CI-1028), a new synthetic thrombin inhibitor, in a rabbit model of thrombosis: comparison with inogatran.

LB-30057 (CI-1028) is a novel, orally bioavailable, direct thrombin inhibitor with a Ki of 0.38 nM against human thrombin. The effects of LB-30057 on thrombus formation and hemostasis were evaluated in a veno-venous shunt model of thrombosis in rabbits, and compared with inogatran, another direct inhibitor of thrombin. Each compound was studied at 5 or 6 different doses with 5 or 6 rabbits in each group. After administration as a bolus i.v. injection followed by continuous infusion, both LB-30057 and inogatran dose-dependently inhibited thrombus formation, which was measured as an increase in time to occlusion (TTO) and a decrease in thrombus weight. Both compounds also improved vena caval blood flow and reduced the overall incidence of thrombotic occlusion. LB-30057 significantly prolonged TTO from 23 +/- 4 min (before dose) to 110 +/- 10 min at the highest dose (0.7 mg/kg + 47 microg/kg/min) (p < 0.001), and reduced thrombus weight from 57 +/- 2 mg to 15 +/- 5 mg (p < 0.001). Occlusive thrombus formed in only one of six rabbits that received the highest dose of LB-30057 (vs. 13/13 in the control group, p < 0.01). At the dose that produced the maximum antithrombotic effect (0.7 mg/kg + 47 microg/kg/min), LB-30057 increased aPTT and bleeding time approximately 2-and 2.5-fold above baseline, respectively. On a gravimetric basis, LB-30057 and inogatran displayed comparable in vivo antithrombotic efficacy. When compared to equally effective anti thrombotic doses of inogatran, LB-30057 caused less prolongation in aPTT, had no effect on PT, and tended to have less of effect on bleeding time. These results indicate that LB-30057 is an effective antithrombotic compound and it appears to have a better benefit/risk profile than inogatran in this experimental model.

Early loss of synaptic protein PSD-95 from rod terminals of rhodopsin P347L transgenic porcine retina.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a type of retinal degeneration involving first rod and then slow cone photoreceptor degeneration, can be caused by any of a number of mutations in different genes. In the cases of mutations affecting rod-specific genes such as rhodopsin, it is unclear how the mutations may cause degeneration of cones. We have used the porcine retina, which is rod-dominated and has an abundance of cones, to study the mutation-induced changes in both rod and cone photoreceptors. Like patients with the same mutation, rhodopsin P347L transgenic swine manifest rod-cone degeneration. In addition, the rod bipolar cells fail to form synaptic connections with rods; instead, they form ectopic synapses with cones. The mechanisms that prevent the formation of the rod-rod bipolar cell synaptic connection are not known. We used specific antibodies and immunocytochemistry to show that the synaptic protein, PSD-95, is present in both normal and transgenic porcine retinas. During neonatal development, however, PSD-95 is lost from rod terminals in the transgenic swine. This loss is virtually complete (90%) by postnatal day 5, at a time when greater than 80% of rod cell bodies still remain. Furthermore, the remaining rods retain their outer segments and their gross morphology appears relatively normal. In contrast, PSD-95 expression continues in cone terminals, even in 10-month-old transgenic swine, where the rods have all disappeared and the cones show signs of severe degeneration. These results suggest that loss of PSD-95 may not be a general consequence of the deteriorating cell. Rather, the very early and selective loss of PSD-95 from the rod terminals may be causally related to the absence of rod-rod bipolar cell synapses in the rhodopsin P347L transgenic retina.

Ectopic synaptogenesis in the mammalian retina caused by rod photoreceptor-specific mutations.

In addition to rod photoreceptor loss, many mutations in rod photoreceptor-specific genes cause degeneration of other neuronal types. Identifying mechanisms of cell-cell interactions initiated by rod-specific mutations and affecting other retinal cells is important for understanding the pathogenesis and progression of retinal degeneration. Here we show in animals with rod and cone degeneration due to mutations in the genes encoding rhodopsin and cGMP phosphodiesterase beta-subunit (PDE-beta) respectively, that rod bipolar cells received ectopic synapses from cones in the absence of rods. Thus, synaptic plasticity links certain rod-specific mutations to retina-wide structural alterations that involve different types of neurons.

Regulation of protein phosphatase 2A activity by caspase-3 during apoptosis.

Although the available evidence suggests that whereas the caspase family plays a major role in apoptosis, they are not the sole stimulators of death. A random yeast two-hybrid screen of a lymphocyte cDNA library (using caspase-3 as the bait) found an interaction between caspase-3 and the regulatory subunit Aalpha of protein phosphatase 2A. This protein was found to be a substrate for caspase-3, but not caspase-1, and could compete effectively against either a protein or synthetic peptide substrate. In Jurkat cells induced to undergo apoptosis with anti-Fas antibody, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity increased 4.5-fold after 6 h. By 12 h, the regulatory Aalpha subunit could no longer be detected in cell lysates. There was no change in the amount of the catalytic subunit. The effects on PP2A could be prevented by the caspase family inhibitors acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD) aldehyde or Ac-DEVD fluoromethyl ketone. The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway is regulated by PP2A. At 12 h after the addition of anti-Fas antibody, a decrease in the amount of the phosphorylated forms of MAP kinase was observed. Again, this loss of activated MAP kinase could be prevented by the addition of DEVD-cho or DEVD-fmk. These data are consistent with a pathway whereby induction of apoptosis activates caspase-3. This enzyme then cleaves the regulatory Aalpha subunit of PP2A, increasing its activity. These data show that the activated PP2A will then effect a change in the phosphorylation state of the cell. These data provide a link between the caspases and signal transduction pathways.

Identification of components of a phosphoinositide signaling pathway in retinal rod outer segments.

Phototransduction in retinal rods involves a G protein-coupled signaling cascade that leads to cGMP hydrolysis and the closure of cGMP-gated cation channels that are open in darkness, producing a membrane hyperpolarization as the light response. For many years there have also been reports of the presence of a phosphoinositide pathway in the rod outer segment, though its functions and the molecular identities of its components are still unclear. Using immunocytochemistry with antibodies against various phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) isozymes (beta1-4, gamma1-2, and delta1-2), we have found PLCbeta4-like immunoreactivity in rod outer segments. Similar experiments with antibodies against the alpha-subunits of the G(q) family of G proteins, which are known to activate PLCbeta4, have also demonstrated G(alpha11)-like immunoreactivity in this location. Immunoblots of total proteins from whole retina or partially purified rod outer segments with anti-PLCbeta4 and anti-G(alpha11) antibodies gave, respectively, a single protein band of the expected molecular mass, suggesting specific labelings. The retinal locations of the two proteins were also supported by in situ hybridization experiments on mouse retina with probes specific for the corresponding mouse genes. These two proteins, or immunologically identical isoforms, therefore likely mediate the phosphoinositide signaling pathway in the rod outer segment. At present, G(alpha11) or a G(alpha11)-like protein represents the only G protein besides transducin (which mediates phototransduction) identified so far in the rod outer segment. Although absent in the outer segment layer, other PLC isoforms as well as G(alpha q) (another G(q) family member), are present elsewhere in the retina.

Mutations in the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the rod cGMP-gated channel in autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa.

Mutations in the genes encoding two proteins of the retinal rod phototransduction cascade, opsin and the beta subunit of rod cGMP phosphodiesterase, cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in some families. Here we report defects in a third member of this biochemical pathway in still other patients with this disease. We screened 94 unrelated patients with autosomal dominant RP and 173 unrelated patients with autosomal recessive RP for mutations in the gene encoding the alpha subunit of the rod cGMP-gated cation channel. Five mutant sequences cosegregated with disease among four unrelated families with autosomal recessive RP. Two of these were nonsense mutations early in the reading frame (Glu76End and Lys139End) and one was a deletion encompassing most if not all of the transcriptional unit; these three alleles would not be expected to encode a functional channel. The remaining two mutations were a missense mutation (Ser316Phe) and a frameshift [Arg654(1-bp del)] mutation truncating the last 32 aa in the C terminus. The latter two mutations were expressed in vitro and found to encode proteins that were predominantly retained inside the cell instead of being targeted to the plasma membrane. We conclude that the absence or paucity of functional cGMP-gated cation channels in the plasma membrane is deleterious to rod photoreceptors and is an uncommon cause of RP.

Distribution of glutamate receptor subtypes in the vertebrate retina.

The distribution of glutamate receptor subunit/subtypes in the vertebrate retina was investigated by immunocytochemistry using anti-peptide antibodies against AMPA (GluR1-4), kainate (GluR6/7) and metabotropic (mGluR1 alpha) receptors. All receptor subtypes examined are present in the mammalian retina, but they are distributed differentially. GluR1 is present in the inner plexiform layer as well as amacrine and ganglion cell bodies. GluR2 is present mainly in the outer plexiform layer and bipolar cells. An anti-GluR2/3 antibody labels both plexiform layers and various cell bodies in the inner nuclear layer and the ganglion cell layer. GluR4 is present on Müller glial cells. In the goldfish retina, GluR2 immunoreactivity is prominent in the Mb type of ON-bipolar cells, including the dendrites and the large synaptic terminal. The putative dendritic localization is surprising, because no depolarizing conductance increase induced by glutamate is thought to be present in these cells. An AMPA receptor at a presynaptic terminal is also unusual, and probably provides feedback control of glutamate release. GluR6/7 is most widespread in the retina, being present in horizontal, bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells. Ion channels composed of GluR6 are now known to be phosphorylated by protein kinase A, resulting in current potentiation. This property and our present observation together suggest that the glutamate receptors previously studied electrophysiologically by others in horizontal cells may contain GluR6. mGluR1 alpha is found mostly in the inner plexiform layer; its localization partially overlaps with that of the inositol trisphosphate receptor in the retina. Our results suggest that, in the retina, glutamate receptor subtypes may be expressed in selective cell types according to their specific functions.

Zinc modulation of a transient potassium current and histochemical localization of the metal in neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

The effect of Zn2+ on a voltage-dependent, transient potassium current (IA) in acutely dissociated neurons from the suprachiasmatic nucleus was studied with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. At micromolar concentrations, Zn2+ markedly potentiated IA activated from a holding potential of -60 mV, which is the resting potential of these neurons. This potentiation occurred at a Zn2+ concentration as low as 2 microM and increased with higher Zn2+ concentrations. The Zn2+ action appears to arise from a shift in the steady-state inactivation of IA to more positive voltages. At 30 microM, Zn2+ shifted the half-inactivation voltage by +20 mV (from -80 mV to -60 mV), and 200 microM Zn2+ shifted this voltage by +45 mV (from -80 mV to -35 mV). Histochemically, we have also observed Zn2+ staining throughout the suprachiasmatic nucleus; the staining is particularly intense in the ventrolateral region of the nucleus, which receives the major fiber inputs. Our findings suggest that Zn2+, presumably synaptically released, may modulate the electrical activity of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons through IA. Because vesicular Zn2+ is fairly widespread in the central nervous system, it is conceivable that this kind of Zn2+ modulation on IA, and possibly on other voltage-activated currents, exists elsewhere in the brain.