Deciphering specificity and cross-reactivity in tachykinin NK1 and NK2 receptors.

The tachykinin receptors neurokinin 1 (NK1R) and neurokinin 2 (NK2R) are G protein-coupled receptors that bind preferentially to the natural peptide ligands substance P and neurokinin A, respectively, and have been targets for drug development. Despite sharing a common C-terminal sequence of Phe-X-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2 that helps direct biological function, the peptide ligands exhibit some degree of cross-reactivity toward each other's non-natural receptor. Here, we investigate the detailed structure-activity relationships of the ligand-bound receptor complexes that underlie both potent activation by the natural ligand and cross-reactivity. We find that the specificity and cross-reactivity of the peptide ligands can be explained by the interactions between the amino acids preceding the FxGLM consensus motif of the bound peptide ligand and two regions of the receptor: the ß-hairpin of the extracellular loop 2 (ECL2) and a N-terminal segment leading into transmembrane helix 1. Positively charged sidechains of the ECL2 (R177 of NK1R and K180 of NK2R) are seen to play a vital role in the interaction. The N-terminal positions 1 to 3 of the peptide ligand are entirely dispensable. Mutated and chimeric receptor and ligand constructs neatly swap around ligand specificity as expected, validating the structure-activity hypotheses presented. These findings will help in developing improved agonists or antagonists for NK1R and NK2R.

Mitochondrial clearance and maturation of autophagosomes are compromised in LRRK2 G2019S familial Parkinson's disease patient fibroblasts.

This study utilized human fibroblasts as a preclinical discovery and diagnostic platform for identification of cell biological signatures specific for the LRRK2 G2019S mutation producing Parkinson's disease (PD). Using live cell imaging with a pH-sensitive Rosella biosensor probe reflecting lysosomal breakdown of mitochondria, mitophagy rates were found to be decreased in fibroblasts carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation compared to cells isolated from healthy subject (HS) controls. The mutant LRRK2 increased kinase activity was reduced by pharmacological inhibition and targeted antisense oligonucleotide treatment, which normalized mitophagy rates in the G2019S cells and also increased mitophagy levels in HS cells. Detailed mechanistic analysis showed a reduction of mature autophagosomes in LRRK2 G2019S fibroblasts, which was rescued by LRRK2 specific kinase inhibition. These findings demonstrate an important role for LRRK2 protein in regulation of mitochondrial clearance by the lysosomes, which is hampered in PD with the G2019S mutation. The current results are relevant for cell phenotypic diagnostic approaches and potentially for stratification of PD patients for targeted therapy.

Skeletal Muscle to Pancreatic ß-Cell Cross-talk: The Effect of Humoral Mediators Liberated by Muscle Contraction and Acute Exercise on ß-Cell Apoptosis.

CONTEXT: Mechanisms explaining exercise-induced ß-cell health are unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to define the role of muscle contraction and acute exercise-derived soluble humoral mediators on ß-cell health. DESIGN: In vitro models were used. SETTING: University. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy subjects. INTERVENTION(S): Conditioned media (CM) were collected from human skeletal muscle (HSkM) cells treated with or without electrical pulse stimulation (EPS). Antecubital and femoral venous blood serum were collected before and after an exercise bout. CM and sera with or without IL-6 neutralization were used to incubate insulin-producing INS-1 cells and rat islets for 24 h in the presence or absence of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß+IFN-γ). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): INS-1 and islet apoptosis and accumulated insulin secretion. RESULTS: IL-1ß+IFN-γ increased INS-1 and islet apoptosis and decreased insulin secretion. EPS-treated HSkM cell CM did not affect these variables. Exercise-conditioned antecubital but not femoral sera prevented IL-1ß+IFN-γ-induced INS-1 and islet apoptosis. Femoral sera reduced insulin secretion under normal and proinflammatory conditions in INS-1 but not islet cells. EPS increased HSkM cell IL-6 secretion and exercise increased circulating IL-6 levels in antecubital and femoral serum. IL-6 neutralization demonstrated that muscle-derived IL-6 prevents INS-1 and islet apoptosis in the absence of IL-1ß+IFN-γ, but augments apoptosis under proinflammatory conditions, and that muscle-derived IL-6 supports islet insulin secretion in the absence of IL-1ß+IFN-γ. CONCLUSIONS: Unidentified circulating humoral mediators released during exercise prevent proinflammatory cytokine-induced ß-cell apoptosis. Muscle-derived mediators released during exercise suppress ß-cell insulin secretion. Furthermore, muscle-derived IL-6 seems to prevent ß-cell apoptosis under normal conditions but contributes to ß-cell apoptosis under proinflammatory conditions.

HDAC inhibitor-mediated beta-cell protection against cytokine-induced toxicity is STAT1 Tyr701 phosphorylation independent.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition protects pancreatic beta-cells against apoptosis induced by the combination of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and interferon (IFN)-γ. Decreased expression of cell damage-related genes is observed on the transcriptional level upon HDAC inhibition using either IL-1ß or IFN-γ alone. Whereas HDAC inhibition has been shown to regulate NFκB-activity, related primarily to IL-1ß signaling, it is unknown whether the inhibition of HDACs affect IFN-γ signaling in beta-cells. Further, in non-beta-cells, there is a dispute whether HDAC inhibition regulates IFN-γ signaling at the level of STAT1 Tyr701 phosphorylation. Using different small molecule HDAC inhibitors with varying class selectivity, INS-1E wild type and stable HDAC1-3 knockdown pancreatic INS-1 cell lines, we show that IFN-γ-induced Cxcl9 and iNos expression as well as Cxcl9 and GAS reporter activity were decreased by HDAC inhibition in a STAT1 Tyr701 phosphorylation-independent fashion. In fact, knockdown of HDAC1 increased IFN-γ-induced STAT1 phosphorylation.

Anti-inflammatory properties of a novel peptide interleukin 1 receptor antagonist.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is implicated in neuroinflammation, an essential component of neurodegeneration. We evaluated the potential anti-inflammatory effect of a novel peptide antagonist of IL-1 signaling, Ilantide. METHODS: We investigated the binding of Ilantide to IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) using surface plasmon resonance, the inhibition of Il-1ß-induced activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in HEK-Blue cells that contained an IL-1ß-sensitive reporter, the secretion of TNF-α in macrophages, protection against IL-1-induced apoptosis in neonatal pancreatic islets, and the penetration of Ilantide through the blood-brain barrier using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We studied the effects of the peptide on social behavior and memory in rat models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and amyloid-induced neuroinflammation, respectively, and its effect in a rat model of experimental autoimmune enchephalomyelitis. RESULTS: Ilantide bound IL-1RI, inhibited the IL-1ß-induced activation of NF-κB, and inhibited the secretion of TNF-α in vitro. Ilantide protected pancreatic islets from apoptosis in vitro and reduced inflammation in an animal model of arthritis. The peptide penetrated the blood-brain barrier. It reduced the deficits in social activity and memory in LPS- and amyloid-treated animals and delayed the development of experimental autoimmune enchephalomyelitis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that Ilantide is a novel and potent IL-1RI antagonist that is able to reduce inflammatory damage in the central nervous system and pancreatic islets.

Transcriptional and translational regulation of cytokine signaling in inflammatory ß-cell dysfunction and apoptosis.

Disease is conventionally viewed as the chaotic inappropriate outcome of deranged tissue function resulting from aberrancies in cellular processes. Yet the patho-biology of cellular dysfunction and death encompasses a coordinated network no less sophisticated and regulated than maintenance of homeostatic balance. Cellular demise is far from passive subordination to stress but requires controlled coordination of energy-requiring activities including gene transcription and protein translation that determine the graded transition between defensive mechanisms, cell cycle regulation, dedifferentiation and ultimately to the activation of death programmes. In fact, most stressors stimulate both homeostasis and regeneration on one hand and impairment and destruction on the other, depending on the ambient circumstances. Here we illustrate this bimodal ambiguity in cell response by reviewing recent progress in our understanding of how the pancreatic ß cell copes with inflammatory stress by changing gene transcription and protein translation by the differential and interconnected action of reactive oxygen and nitric oxide species, microRNAs and posttranslational protein modifications.

The lysine deacetylase inhibitor Givinostat inhibits ß-cell IL-1ß induced IL-1ß transcription and processing.

AIMS: Pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, in particular IL-1ß, IFNγ, and CXCL10, contribute to ß-cell failure and loss in DM via IL-1R, IFNγR, and TLR4 signaling. IL-1 signaling deficiency reduces diabetes incidence, islet IL-1ß secretion, and hyperglycemia in animal models of diabetes. Further, IL-1R antagonism improves normoglycemia and ß-cell function in type 2 diabetic patients. Inhibition of lysine deacetylases (KDACi) counteracts ß-cell toxicity induced by the combination of IL-1 and IFNγ and reduces diabetes incidence in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. We hypothesized that KDACi breaks an autoinflammatory circuit by differentially preventing ß-cell expression of the ß-cell toxic inflammatory molecules IL-1ß and CXCL10 induced by single cytokines. RESULTS: CXCL10 did not induce transcription of IL-1ß mRNA. IL-1ß induced ß-cell IL-1ß mRNA and both IL-1ß and IFNγ individually induced Cxcl10 mRNA transcription. Givinostat inhibited IL-1ß-induced IL-1ß mRNA expression in INS-1 and rat islets and IL-1ß processing in INS-1 cells. Givinostat also reduced IFNγ induced Cxcl10 transcription in INS-1 cells but not in rat islets, while IL-1ß induced Cxcl10 transcription was unaffected in both. MATERIALS AND METHODS: INS-1 cells and rat islets of Langerhans were exposed to IL-1ß, IFNγ or CXCL10 in the presence or absence of KDACi (givinostat). Cytokine and chemokine mRNA expressions were quantified by real-time qPCR, and IL-1ß processing by western blotting of cell lysates. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Inhibition of ß-cell IL-1ß expression and processing and Cxcl10 transcription contributes to the ß-cell protective actions of KDACi. In vitro ß-cell destructive effects of CXCL10 are not mediated via IL-1ß transcription. The differential proinflammatory actions of KDACs may be attractive novel drug targets in DM.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition as a novel treatment for diabetes mellitus.

Both common forms of diabetes have an inflammatory pathogenesis in which immune and metabolic factors converge on interleukin-1ß as a key mediator of insulin resistance and ß-cell failure. In addition to improving insulin resistance and preventing ß-cell inflammatory damage, there is evidence of genetic association between diabetes and histone deacetylases (HDACs); and HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) promote ß-cell development, proliferation, differentiation and function and positively affect late diabetic microvascular complications. Here we review this evidence and propose that there is a strong rationale for preclinical studies and clinical trials with the aim of testing the utility of HDACi as a novel therapy for diabetes.