Skeletal changes in multiparous, nulliparous and ovariectomized mice fed either a nutrient-sufficient or -deficient diet containing cadmium.

As a simulation of the etiological factors known for Itai-Itai disease, a syndrome characterized by osteomalacia and renal dysfunction in its Japanese victims, female mice were subjected to the individual and combined stresses of dietary cadmium, nutrient-deficient diet, multiparity and ovariectomy; the calcium-depleting effect of each factor was evaluated by determining Ca levels in femur and lumbar vertebrae. At age 68 days, female mice were given nutrient-sufficient (+) or -deficient (-), purified diets containing either 0.25 (environmental), 5, or 50 ppm Cd as CdCl2; the nutritional composition of (-) diet simulated that of food consumed by Japanese victims of Itai-Itai disease. At age 70 days, half of the females began a breeding regimen of six consecutive, 42-day rounds of pregnancy/lactation (PL mice); the remainder were maintained as virgin, non-pregnant controls (NP mice). Limited numbers of PL and NP mice were sacrificed at the end of each reproductive round. PL(+) mice taken at the end of round (R)-6 had successively borne litters in all six rounds, while PL(-) counterparts had nonsuccessively borne only three. At the conclusion of the 252-day reproductive period, remaining females entered the 392-day, post-reproductive phase of the experiment. At age 546 days (mid-R-12), PL females having successfully borne at least three litters were ovariectomized (OV) to mimic human menopause; at the same time, NP females were either ovariectomized or sham-operated (SO). After surgery, all females were maintained to age 714 days (mid-R-16), then sacrificed. During the post-reproductive period, food consumption by females of the same reproductive status was unaffected by elevated levels of Cd or nutrient-deficiencies in diet. However by R-16, Cd at 50 vs. 0.25 ppm had reduced body mass by 11% in both NP and PLOV females, femur and lumbar vertebral calcium content (TCa) by 20 and 25% in the respective groups, and femur and vertebral calcium/dry weight ratios (Ca/DW) by 12 and 11%. Alternative R-16 comparisons indicated that (-) diet also diminished skeletal Ca, but that the additional factors of (prior) multiparity and ovariectomy generated only small and non-significant effects. Comparison of skeletal status between the ends of the reproductive and post-reproductive periods indicated that (1) individual NP groups, regardless of Cd exposure, generally sustained small decreases in TCa and CaDW over time (consistent with aging), but PL groups without exception secured significant gains (consistent with cessation of multiparous activity), (2) skeletal integrity of PL groups was significantly more compromised by the combination of Itai etiological factors at the end of R-6 than R-16, and (3) among those factors, the most demineralizing over lifetime were chronic exposure to Cd followed by ingestion of (-) diet. Despite these findings, skeletal degeneration characteristic of the Itai-Itai syndrome was ultimately not duplicated in this mouse model suggesting that the full-blown disease required primary and profound skeletal demineralization secondarily supported and enhanced by renal dysfunction.

Asterriquinones produced by Aspergillus candidus inhibit binding of the Grb-2 adapter to phosphorylated EGF receptor tyrosine kinase.

Five new asterriquinone analogs (2-4, 6, 7), together with previously identified neoasterriquinone (1) and isoasterriquinone (5), were isolated from a fermentation broth of the fungus Aspergillus candidus and purified by HSCCC (high speed counter current chromatography) followed by HPLC. The structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and MS/MS techniques. All seven showed inhibitory activity against the binding of a recombinant protein containing the SH2 protein domain of Grb-2 to the tyrosine phosphorylated form of the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase. Some of these asterriquinones exhibited specific inhibition of Grb-2 binding compared to Grb-7 and PLC-gamma.

Endotoxin-stimulated monocytes release multiple forms of IL-1 beta, including a proIL-1 beta form whose detection is affected by export.

The processing and release of 31-kDa proIL-1 beta to the mature 17-kDa form of IL-1 beta are still poorly understood. To help elucidate the mechanisms involved in IL-1 beta processing and release, we measured IL-1 beta forms released from endotoxin-stimulated monocytes by immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled protein, by Western blots, and by our recently developed ELISA specific for proIL-1 beta. Our studies demonstrate that in addition to the 17-kDa mature IL-1 beta, IL-1 beta is also released as 31-, 28-, and 3-kDa molecules. The 31-kDa-released form of proIL-1 beta represented 20-40% of the total released IL-1 beta, as measured by SDS-PAGE with densitometry. This released proIL-1 beta was susceptible to ICE processing; however, this proIL-1 beta was not detectable by either a mature or proIL-1 beta-specific ELISA, suggesting that release induces a conformational change. The ELISA inability to detect proIL-1 beta was not due to inadequate sensitivity or subsequent degradation in the ELISA. Furthermore, while immunoaffinity-purified cytosolic proIL-1 beta could complex the type II IL-1R, released proIL-1 beta did not. Finally, the absence of a band shift in nondenaturing gel electrophoresis excluded proIL-1 beta binding to another protein. These findings imply that IL-1 beta is exported from monocytes as 3-, 17-, 28-, and 31-kDa forms and that the released 31-kDa form differs from cytosolic proIL-1 beta.

The combination of endotoxin and dexamethasone induces type II interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1r II) in monocytes: a comparison to interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra).

Soluble type II interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1r II) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) regulate inflammation by competitively inhibiting the binding of IL-1 beta to the signalling IL-1 receptor. In addition, glucocorticoids also regulate IL-1 beta by suppressing gene transcription. More recently, glucocorticoids have been shown to increase soluble IL-1r II concentrations, which may contribute to their anti-inflammatory properties. Interestingly, increased serum levels of soluble IL-1r II and IL-1ra have been measured in septic patients, although the mechanism is unclear. In this respect, the authors characterize new pathways in which IL-1r II and IL-1ra may be regulated in sepsis through combined stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and dexamethasone of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). This paper confirms that while dexamethasone induces release of IL-1r II, LPS augments dexamethasone-induced IL-1r II release 45-fold. Furthermore, LPS plus dexamethasone induces IL-1r II protein and mRNA, whereas LPS alone does not. Additionally, it was shown by flow cytometric analysis that the monocyte is the primary IL-1r II producer in response to LPS and dexamethasone administration. Therefore, LPS and dexamethasone synergism in IL-1r II induction may be important in controlling IL-1 beta effects. In contrast, LPS alone induces IL-1ra, while dexamethasone attenuates this LPS-induced response. Although IL-1r II and IL-1ra may work together to suppress IL-1 beta effects in sepsis, inflammatory cells differentially regulate these cytokines.

mLin-7 is localized to the basolateral surface of renal epithelia via its NH(2) terminus.

In Caenorhabditis elegans, the basolateral localization of the Let-23 growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase requires the expression of three genes: lin-2, lin-7, and lin-10. Mammalian homologs of these three genes have been identified, and a complex of their protein products exists in mammalian neurons. In this paper, we examine the interaction of these mammalian proteins in renal epithelia. Coprecipitation experiments demonstrated that mLin-2/CASK binds to mLin-7, and immunofluorescent labeling showed that these proteins colocalized at the basolateral surface of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and renal epithelia. Although labeling intensity varied markedly among different renal epithelial cells, those cells strongly expressing mLin-7 also showed intense mLin-2/CASK labeling. We have also demonstrated that mLin-2/CASK binding requires amino acids 12-32 of mLin-7 and have shown that this region of mLin-7 is also necessary for the targeting of mLin-7 to the basolateral surface. Furthermore, the overexpression of mLin-2/CASK mutants in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells caused endogenous mLin-7 to mislocalize. In summary, the NH(2) terminus of mLin-7 is crucial for its basolateral localization, likely through its interaction with mLin-2/CASK.

IL-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) is present and functional in human alveolar macrophages: macrophage IL-1 beta release limitation is ICE independent.

Tissue macrophages readily produce intracellular pro-IL-1beta in response to stimuli such as LPS, but are limited in mature IL-1beta release compared with blood monocytes. The mechanism of this IL-1beta control may provide important insights into the physiology of IL-1beta at the tissue level. Since it has been hypothesized that IL-1beta processing by the IL-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE) regulates IL-1beta release, we compared human alveolar macrophages and human blood monocytes for relative ICE expression and activation. Using immunoblots and enzyme-linked immunoassay for ICE, we demonstrate that alveolar macrophages do not differ from blood monocytes in antigenic p45 ICE. Furthermore, an indirect assay for functional ICE documents similar ICE activities in both monocytes and alveolar macrophages, i.e., similar concentrations of soluble synthetic ICE inhibitor (IC50 values of 0.3 +/- 0.01 and 0.6 +/- 0.2 microM, respectively) are required to block mature IL-1beta generation. However, as has been reported for THP-1 myelomonocytic cells, neither alveolar macrophages nor blood monocytes contain directly quantifiable levels of functional ICE forms (p22/p20 and p10) when assayed by immunoblots or by a sensitive capture ELISA that uses an irreversible, biotinylated ICE inhibitor. These findings document that the macrophage limitation in mature IL-1beta release is not due to a lack of ICE or to an inability to activate ICE. Finally, using a staged release assay, the time to half-maximum mature IL-1beta release is significantly depressed in macrophages compared with that in monocytes. Taken together, these findings suggest that macrophage IL-1beta export is regulated independently of ICE activation.

Expression of Grb7 growth factor receptor signaling protein in kidney development and in adult kidney.

Grb7, a signaling protein whose physiological function is unknown, binds receptor tyrosine kinases important for normal kidney development. By investigating and correlating Grb7 gene expression with that reported for Grb7-binding receptors, we provide clues to Grb7 function(s). RT-PCR and immunoblot were used to demonstrate Grb7 gene and protein expression in the mature kidney. Additional RT-PCR studies detected gene expression in all microdissected adult nephron segments examined, except glomeruli, and in the mouse metanephric kidney from embryonic day 11 (E11) through to day 17 (E17). In situ hybridization at E14 demonstrated the following cellular pattern of localization: Grb7 mRNA in metanephric epithelia of mesenchymal and ureteric bud origin; no expression in the undifferentiated mesenchyme; and little expression in podocyte-destined cells or primitive glomeruli. Grb7 mRNA was also present in the epithelia of the lung and gut at E14. Thus Grb7 may have a basic function in growth factor signaling in terminally differentiated epithelia along the nephron and in developing epithelia in the kidney, lung, and gut. It is localized in a pattern permissive for a role in Her2 and Ret receptor signaling.