Copper overload affects copper and iron metabolism in Hep-G2 cells.

Divalent metal transporter #1 (DMT1) is responsible for intestinal nonheme Fe apical uptake. However, DMT1 appears to have an additional function in Cu transport in intestinal cells. Because the liver has an essential role in body Cu homeostasis, we examined the potential involvement of Cu in the regulation of DMT1 expression and activity in Hep-G2 cells. Cells exposed to 10 microM Cu exhibited a 22-fold increase in Cu content and a twofold decrease in Fe content compared with cells maintained in 0.4 microM Cu. (64)Cu uptake in Cu-deficient Hep-G2 cells showed a twofold decrease in K(m) compared with cells grown in 10 microM Cu. The decreased K(m) may represent an adaptive response to Cu deficiency. Cells treated with >50 microM Cu, showed an eightfold increase in cytosolic metallothionein. DMT1 protein decreased (35%), suggesting that intracellular Cu caused a reduction of DMT1 protein levels. Our data indicate that, as a result of Cu overload, Hep-G2 cells reduced their Fe content and their DMT1 protein levels. These findings strongly suggest a relationship between Cu and Fe homeostasis in Hep-G2 cells in which Cu accumulation downregulates DMT1 activity.

Expression pattern of DMAP-85 during Drosophila embryonic development.

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) play major regulatory roles on the organization and integrity of the cytoskeletal network. Previously, we identified DMAP-85, a Drosophila MAP that promotes tubulin polymerization in vitro. In this work, we examine the distribution of DMAP-85 and its association pattern with microtubules at embryonic stages. Immunoblots revealed that DMAP-85 was present throughout embryogenesis, but it was most abundant in stages 6-9. Immunofluorescence studies showed that DMAP-85 was associated with sub-populations of stable microtubules during embryo cellularization, and after gastrulation with interphase microtubule arrays. At late embryonic stages, it was preferentially found in the ventral nerve cord, co-localizing with axonal microtubules. These observations are in agreement with previous reports on DMAP-85 functions, suggesting that DMAP-85 might be required for the stabilization and organization of cytoplasmic microtubules during embryonic development.

Microtubule binding of the drosophila DMAP-85 protein is regulated by phosphorylation in vitro.

The phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) is thought to be a key factor in the regulation of microtubule (MT) stability. Previously we isolated DMAP-85, a Drosophila MAP shown to be associated with stable MTs. In this work we show that DMAP-85 phosphorylated in cell-free early embryo extracts is released from MTs. MPM-2 antibodies recognize the phosphorylated protein. In vitro, DMAP-85 can be phosphorylated by the mitotic kinase Polo affecting its binding to MTs and creating MPM-2 epitopes on the protein. The results suggest that phosphorylation of DMAP-85 might affect its MT stabilizing activity during early mitotic cycles.

Bone extracellular matrix stimulates invasiveness of estrogen-responsive human mammary MCF-7 cells.

Bone is the most frequent site of metastasis in breast cancer. This causes destructive osteolytic lesions. To achieve metastasis to bone, breast cancer cells must proliferate in a new microenvironment, arrest on extracellular matrix and invade. Breast cancer cells progress in the invasive processes only if they destroy bone with the assistance of osteoclasts. In this work, we present data suggesting that MCF-7 cells, an estradiol receptor-positive cell line that exhibits modest invasive capacity, proliferate in the presence of soluble factors secreted by the osteogenic cell line SaOS-2. The cells acquire a more aggressive phenotype when cultured on an extracellular matrix produced by the same osseous cell line. Acquisition of the invasive phenotype appears to be related to the capacity of bone extracellular matrix to induce the expression of urokinase-like plasminogen activator by MCF-7 cells, which is specific for MCF-7 cells, given that MDA-231 cells, an estradiol receptor-negative and more aggressive cell line, did not show significant changes when cultured in the presence of soluble and insoluble bone factors.

The beta-isoform of heat shock protein hsp-90 is structurally related with human microtubule-interacting protein Mip-90.

Through major research advances in the study of cytoskeletal organization, an integrated view of the complexity of this system has emerged. Recent findings on the microtubule-interacting protein Mip-90, which associates with microtubules and actin filaments in different cell domains, have shed light on its roles in cytoskeletal regulation. In order to study structural features of Mip-90, we sequenced several peptide fragments. A comparative sequence analysis revealed a high degree of similarity between the primary structure of this protein and the human heat shock protein of 90 kDa (hsp-90). Taken together, the present studies indicate the identity between Mip-90 and the the beta-isoform of hsp-90 (hsp-90beta). Western blot assays with an anti-hsp-90 monoclonal antibody showed cross-reactivity of hsp-90 and Mip-90 affinity purified from HeLa cells. Furthermore, the observed structural identity of Mip-90 with the hsp-90beta was sustained by immunoblot assays using monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize the alpha- and beta-forms of hsp-90. Comparative fingerprinting analysis, along with the evidence of a remarkably similar biochemical behavior of both hsp-90 and Mip-90 in different affinity chromatographic systems, supported these observations. These studies, along with previous investigations, provide new data to elucidate the functional significance of these interesting cellular components and its relationships with other proteins linked to the cell architecture.

[Nutrition and aging]. / Nutrición y envejecimiento.

Genetic and environmental factors influence the process of aging. Longevity is extraordinarily constant along species and there are several genes that regulate it. Special consideration deserve apoprotein E alleles, specially allele eee4 that is associated with development of Alzheimer disease, atheroesclerosis and a shorter life. However environmental influences on longevity are of utmost importance. In rats, mice and non human primates, caloric restriction prolongs life and retards the appearance of several conditions associated with aging. This effect of caloric restriction is probably due mainly to a reduction in the generation of primary and secondary reactive oxygen species. Noteworthy is the reduction of DNA oxidative damage and the consequent reduction in transcriptional defects. Telomeres, special structures located in the extremes of chromosomes, are specially susceptible to oxidative damage. This structures have been postulated to act as biological clocks of cells, since their progressive shortening is a signal to stop replication. In humans, telomeres shorten throughout life and in some diseases associated with premature aging such as trisomy 21 and Werner syndrome, the loss of telomeric bases occurs at a higher rate. The knowledge about environmental influences on aging will allow us to increase our life span and to reduce the disabilities associated with aging.

The interaction of Mip-90 with microtubules and actin filaments in human fibroblasts.

The novel microtubule-interacting protein Mip-90 was originally isolated from HeLa cells by using affinity columns of agarose derivatized with peptides from the C-terminal regulatory domain on beta-tubulin. Biochemical and immunocytochemical data have suggested that the association of Mip-90 with the microtubule system contributes to its cellular organization. Here we report the interaction patterns of Mip-90 with microtubules and actin filaments in interphase human fibroblasts. A polyclonal monospecific antibody against Mip-90 was used for immunofluorescence microscopy analysis to compare the distribution patterns of this protein with tubulin and actin. A detailed observation of fibroblasts revealed the colocalization of Mip-90 with microtubules and actin filaments. These studies were complemented with experiments using cytoskeleton-disrupting drugs which showed that colocalization patterns of Mip-90 with microtubules and actin filaments requires the integrity of these cytoskeletal components. Interestingly, a colocalization of Mip-90 with actin at the leading edge of fibroblasts grown under subconfluency was observed, suggesting that Mip-90 could play a role in actin organization, particularly at this cellular domain. Mip-90 interaction with actin polymers was further supported in vitro by cosedimentation and immunoprecipitation experiments. The cosedimentation analysis indicated that Mip-90 bound to actin filaments with an association constant Ka = 1 x 10(6) M-1, while an stoichiometry Mip-90/actin of 1:12 mol/mol was calculated. Western blots of the immunoprecipitates revealed that Mip-90 associated to both actin and tubulin in fibroblasts extracts. These studies indicate that Mip-90, described as a microtubule-interacting protein, also bears the capacity to interact with the microfilament network, suggesting that it may play a role in modulating the interactions between these cytoskeletal filaments in nonneuronal cells.

Tubulin domains for the interaction of microtubule associated protein DMAP-85 from Drosophila melanogaster.

The interaction of microtubule associated proteins (MAPs) with the microtubule system has been characterized in depth in neuronal cells from various mammalian species. These proteins interact with well-defined domains within the acidic tubulin carboxyl-terminal regulatory region. However, there is little information on the mechanisms of MAPs-tubulin interactions in nonmammalian systems. Recently, a novel tau-like protein designated as DMAP-85 has been identified in Drosophila melanogaster, and the regulation of its interactions with cytoskeletal elements was analyzed throughout different developmental stages of this organism. In this report, the topographic domains involved in the binding of DMAP-85 with tubulin heterodimer were investigated. Affinity chromatography of DMAP-85 in matrixes of taxol-stabilized microtubules showed the reversible interaction of DMAP-85 with domains on the microtubular surface. Co-sedimentation studies using the subtilisin-treated tubulin (S-tubulin) indicated the lack of association of DMAP-85 to this tubulin moiety. Moreover, studies on affinity chromatography of the purified 4 kDa C-terminal tubulin peptide bound to an affinity column, confirmed that DMAP-85 interacts directly with this regulatory domain on tubulin subunits. Further studies on sequential affinity chromatography using a calmodulin affinity column followed by the microtubule column confirmed the similarities in the interaction behaviour of DMAP-85 with that of tau. DMAP-85 associated to both calmodulin and the microtubular polymer. These studies support the idea that the carboxyl-terminal region on tubulin constitutes a common binding domain for most microtubule-interacting proteins.

Role of microtubule-associated proteins in the control of microtubule assembly.

In eukaryotic cells, microtubules, actin, and intermediate filaments interact to form the cytoskeletal network involved in determination of cell architecture, intracellular transport, modulation of surface receptors, mitosis, cell motility, and differentiation. Cytoskeletal organization and dynamics depend on protein self-associations and interactions with regulatory elements such as microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The MAP family includes large proteins like MAP-1A, MAP-1B, MAP-1C, MAP-2, and MAP-4 and smaller components like tau and MAP-2C. This review focuses on relevant aspects of MAP function, with emphasis on their roles in modulating cytoskeletal interactions. In this context, MAP expression mechanisms and posttranslational modifications are also discussed. Microtubule-associated proteins have a rather widespread distribution among cells, but certain MAPs have been identified in specific cell types. Within single neurons, MAP-2 is dendritic while tau is preferentially an axonal protein. Their expression is developmentally regulated. Even though MAPs share a capacity to interact with the COOH-terminal tubulin domain, stabilize microtubules, and link them with other cytoskeletal polymers, they exhibit structural differences. However, MAP-2, MAP-4, and tau have common repetitive microtubule-binding motifs. Microtubule-associated proteins not only control cytoskeletal integrity, but they also appear to interact with highly structural elements of cells. Molecular biological approaches permitted localization of new MAPs in cultured mammalian cells and invertebrate organisms and other microtubule-interacting proteins that exhibit transient interactions with microtubules. The structural/functional aspects of several new MAP-like proteins in centrosomes and the mitotic spindle, functionally implicated in cell cycle events, are also analyzed.

Functional organization of tau proteins during neuronal differentiation and development.

Tau proteins play major regulatory roles in the organization and integrity of the cytoskeletal network. In neurons, a specific axonal compartmentalization of tau has been shown. However, recent studies demonstrate that tau displays a widespread distribution in a variety of non-neuronal cell types. These proteins have been found in human fibroblasts and in several transformed cell lines. The heterogeneous family of tau is formed by a set of molecular species that share common peptide sequences. There is a single gene that contains several exons encoding for the six different tau isoforms in mammalian brain. Alternative splicing of a common RNA transcript as well as post-translational modifications contribute to its heterogeneity. Tau isoforms generated by splicing differ from one another by having either three or four repeats in their C-terminal half, and a variable number of inserts in their N-terminal moiety. These repeats have been shown to constitute microtubule-binding motifs. In this review some relevant aspects of tau function and its regulation are analyzed. Three major topics are discussed. The first one focuses on the tau roles in regulating the interactions between microtubules with actin filaments and with intermediate filament systems. Another problem deals with the question of whether tau isoforms segregate into functionally different subsets of microtubules in axonal processes, or tau associates with these polymers in a random fashion. The third question that emerges is the involvement of tau and tau-like proteins in morphogenetic events. The regulation of the interactions of DMAP-85, a recently discovered tau-like protein, with the cytoskeleton during development of Drosophila melanogaster is analyzed.

Functional organization of tau proteins during neuronal differentiation and development

Tau proteins play major regulatory roles in the organization and integrity of the cystoskeletal networks. In neurons, a specific axonal compartmentalization of tau has been shown. However, recent studies demonstrate that tau displays a widespread distribution in a variety of non-neuronal cell types. These proteins have been found in human fibroblasts and in several transformed cell lines. The heterogenous family of tau is formed by a set of molecular species that share common peptide sequences. There is a single gene that contains several exons enconding for the six different tau isoforms in mammalian brain. Alternative splicing of a common RNA transcript as well as post-translational modifications contribute to its heterogeneity. Tau isoforms generated by splicing differ from one another by having either three or four repeats in their C-terminal half, and a variable number of inserts in their N-terminal moiety. These repeats have been shown to constitute microtubule-binding motifs. In this review some relevant aspects of tau function and its regulation are analysed. Three major topics are discussed. The first one focuses on the tau roles in regulating the interactions between microtubules with actin filaments and with intermediate filment systems. Another problem deals with the question of whether tau isoforms segregate into functionally different subsets of microtubules in axonal processes, or tau associates with these polymers in a random fashion. The third question that emerges is the involvement of tau and tau-like proteins in morphogenetic events. The regulation of the interactions of DMAP-85, a recently discovered tau-like protein, with the cytoskeleton during development of Drosophila melanogaster is analyzed.

Identification of a new microtubule-interacting protein Mip-90.

The interaction of different protein systems with microtubules is a critical step in the cellular function of these organelles. The family of microtube-associated proteins (MAPs) together with a set of motor proteins such as kinesin, cytosolic dynein and dynamin are among the most clear examples of microtubule-interacting proteins. In addition, an increasing number of recently discovered proteins have been shown to interact with microtubules, even though they do not remain associated after cycles of assembly and disassembly. By using affinity columns of agarose derivatized with peptides from the C-terminal regulatory domain on tubulin, we found a 90 kDa protein that interacts with tubulin and microtubules. This protein, here designated as Mip-90, was isolated from neuroblastoma N2A and HeLa cells. It was also identified in high-speed supernatants of the neuroblastoma N-115, and non-neuronal cell lines NIH 3T3, Huh-7, HTB-145 and SW-13 vim+. Mip-90 was able to specifically bind to affinity columns of the agarose-bound beta-II(422-434) and beta-II(434-443) tubulin peptides, containing the sequences of MAP binding domains on beta-II-tubulin. Specific antibodies to Mip-90 along with an anti-beta-tubulin antibody used in double immunofluorescence experiments revealed a striking colocalization of this protein with the microtubule network. Nocodazole-treated cells showed significant changes in Mip-90 distribution as correlated to disruption of the microtubule cytoskeleton. On the other hand, Mip-90 colocalized with microtubule bundles with a perinuclear distribution in HeLa cells treated with taxol. The binding of Mip-90 to microtubules was confirmed by cosedimentation experiments. This protein also exhibited a strong affinity for a calmodulin-agarose affinity matrix, and a preparation of Mip-90 isolated by this affinity procedure was able to promote in vitro tubulin assembly into microtubules. The capacity of Mip-90 to interact with microtubules and with calmodulin suggested functional similarities to tau proteins. However, Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antibody against this protein revealed no cross-reactivity of Mip-90 with tau components. In addition, the 90 kDa protein is a thermosensitive protein. On the other hand, site-directed antibodies that recognize a repetitive binding domain on tau, MAP-2 and MAP-4 failed to react with Mip-90. The studies suggest that Mip-90, a microtubule-interacting protein incorporates into microtubules in vitro, and may play a role in modulating microtubule assembly and organization in non-neuronal cells, thus contributing to the regulation of the dynamics of the cytoskeletal network.

DMAP-85: a tau-like protein from Drosophila melanogaster larvae.

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) play major regulatory roles in the organization and integrity of the cytoskeletal network. Our main interest in this study was the identification and the analysis of structural and functional aspects of Drosophila melanogaster MAPs. A novel MAP with a relative molecular mass of 85 kDa from Drosophila larvae was found associated with taxol-polymerized microtubules. In addition, this protein bound to mammalian tubulin in an overlay assay and coassembled with purified bovine brain tubulin in microtubule sedimentation experiments. The estimated stoichiometry of 85-kDa protein versus tubulin in the polymers was 1:5.3 +/- 0.2 mol/mol. It was shown that the 85-kDa protein bound specifically to an affinity column of Sepharose-beta II-(422-434) tubulin peptide, which contains the sequence of the MAP binding domain on beta II-tubulin. Affinity-purified 85-kDa protein enhanced microtubule assembly in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect was significantly decreased by the presence of the beta II-(422-434) peptide in the assembly assays, thus confirming the specificity of the 85-kDa protein interaction with the C-terminal domain on tubulin. Furthermore, this protein also exhibited a strong affinity for calmodulin, based on affinity chromatographic assays. Monoclonal and polyclonal anti-tau antibodies, including sequence-specific probes that recognize repeated microtubule-binding motifs on tau, MAP-2, and MAP-4 and specific N-terminal sequences of tau, cross-reacted with the 85-kDa protein from Drosophila larvae. These results suggest that tau and Drosophila 85-kDa protein share common functional and structural epitopes. We have named this protein as DMAP-85 for Drosophila MAP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Memory through metamorphosis in normal and mutant Drosophila.

To establish that a stable, long-lasting form of memory exists in Drosophila, we trained third-instar larvae by electroshocking them in the presence of a specific odor using a Pavlovian conditioning procedure. We show that conditioned odor avoidance produced in larvae still was present in adults 8 d later. Such memory through metamorphosis was specific to the temporal pairing of odor and shock; presentations of odors alone or shock alone did not produce a change. Thus, the memory involved associative processes. We also show that similar training of the single-gene memory mutants dunce and amnesiac did not yield any detectable learning in larvae or memory retention in adults, suggesting that these mutations interfere with long-term memory (LTM) formation even if LTM is induced independently of earlier memory retention processes.

Proteoglycan production in Drosophila egg development: effect of beta-D-xyloside on proteoglycan synthesis and larvae motility.

1. Proteoglycans (PGs) of the extracellular matrix (ECM) play an important role in several morphogenetic and differentiation events that occur during embryonic development. 2. The purpose of this work was to characterize the ECM PGs present during development of Drosophila melanogaster, in an attempt to elucidate their functional relevance. 3. The major 35SO4 incorporation into PGs occurred during the first instar larvae. Sulfated PGs (90%) from both first and second instar larvae were degraded by HNO2 treatment. 4. This result indicated that heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) are present in Drosophila ECM throughout early development. 5. Charge fractionation of PGs on DEAE-Sephacel columns indicated that most of them eluted at 0.45 M NaCl and were sensitive to HNO2. 6. The administration of beta-D-xyloside, a drug that competes with core proteins for the glycosaminoglycan synthetic apparatus, generated biochemical modifications in the ECM PGs together with alterations in larval locomotor behavior.