Impaired Presynaptic High-Affinity Choline Transporter Causes a Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome with Episodic Apnea.

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is one of the best-studied cholinergic synapses. Inherited defects of peripheral neurotransmission result in congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs), a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of rare diseases with fluctuating fatigable muscle weakness as the clinical hallmark. Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing in six unrelated families identified compound heterozygous and homozygous mutations in SLC5A7 encoding the presynaptic sodium-dependent high-affinity choline transporter 1 (CHT), which is known to be mutated in one dominant form of distal motor neuronopathy (DHMN7A). We identified 11 recessive mutations in SLC5A7 that were associated with a spectrum of severe muscle weakness ranging from a lethal antenatal form of arthrogryposis and severe hypotonia to a neonatal form of CMS with episodic apnea and a favorable prognosis when well managed at the clinical level. As expected given the critical role of CHT for multisystemic cholinergic neurotransmission, autonomic dysfunctions were reported in the antenatal form and cognitive impairment was noticed in half of the persons with the neonatal form. The missense mutations induced a near complete loss of function of CHT activity in cell models. At the human NMJ, a delay in synaptic maturation and an altered maintenance were observed in the antenatal and neonatal forms, respectively. Increased synaptic expression of butyrylcholinesterase was also observed, exposing the dysfunction of cholinergic metabolism when CHT is deficient in vivo. This work broadens the clinical spectrum of human diseases resulting from reduced CHT activity and highlights the complexity of cholinergic metabolism at the synapse.

Heptahelical protein PQLC2 is a lysosomal cationic amino acid exporter underlying the action of cysteamine in cystinosis therapy.

Cystinosin, the lysosomal cystine exporter defective in cystinosis, is the founding member of a family of heptahelical membrane proteins related to bacteriorhodopsin and characterized by a duplicated motif termed the PQ loop. PQ-loop proteins are more frequent in eukaryotes than in prokaryotes; except for cystinosin, their molecular function remains elusive. In this study, we report that three yeast PQ-loop proteins of unknown function, Ypq1, Ypq2, and Ypq3, localize to the vacuolar membrane and are involved in homeostasis of cationic amino acids (CAAs). We also show that PQLC2, a mammalian PQ-loop protein closely related to yeast Ypq proteins, localizes to lysosomes and catalyzes a robust, electrogenic transport that is selective for CAAs and strongly activated at low extracytosolic pH. Heterologous expression of PQLC2 at the yeast vacuole rescues the resistance phenotype of an ypq2 mutant to canavanine, a toxic analog of arginine efficiently transported by PQLC2. Finally, PQLC2 transports a lysine-like mixed disulfide that serves as a chemical intermediate in cysteamine therapy of cystinosis, and PQLC2 gene silencing trapped this intermediate in cystinotic cells. We conclude that PQLC2 and Ypq1-3 proteins are lysosomal/vacuolar exporters of CAAs and suggest that small-molecule transport is a conserved feature of the PQ-loop protein family, in agreement with its distant similarity to SWEET sugar transporters and to the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier. The elucidation of PQLC2 function may help improve cysteamine therapy. It may also clarify the origin of CAA abnormalities in Batten disease.

Sodium-dependent activity of aquaporin-1 in rat glioma cells: a new mechanism of cell volume regulation.

Cell volume controls many functions and is itself regulated. To study cell volume regulations, the mean volume of C6-BU-1 rat glioma cells was electronically measured under isotonic and anisotonic conditions. Two isotonic solutions were used containing either normal (solution 1) or low (solution 2) NaCl. Anisotonicity was induced by changing NaCl or sucrose concentrations in solutions 1 and 2, respectively. The cells behaved like perfect osmometers when the tonicity was increased. In contrast, just after hypotonic challenges, the cell volume was smaller than that predicted by a perfect osmometer. This deviation reveals a new mechanism, which we call the volume increase limitation (VIL). When hypotonicity was induced by decreasing NaCl, a classical slow regulatory volume decrease (RVD) was also observed in addition to VIL. The cells expressed aquaporin-1 sensitive to HgCl(2) and decreased by siRNA, which both reduced fast volume changes. In this study, we show that: (1) RVD is proportional to the change in external Cl(-) concentration and is inhibited by Cl(-) channel and K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter blockers; (2) cell swelling due to the influx of H(2)O through aquaporins shows rectification with decreasing osmolarity and is sensitive to the internal Na(+) concentration; (3) VIL is linearly related with hypotonicity and is abolished in solutions 1 and 2 by the Na(+) ionophore monensin and in solution 1 by the Na(+)-K(+) ATPase inhibitor ouabain. These results suggest that VIL is triggered by the decrease in internal Na(+) caused by hyponatrema and cell swelling. In addition to RVD, VIL should protect cells during hyposmotic stress.

Detection of choline transporter-like 1 protein CTL1 in neuroblastoma x glioma cells and in the CNS, and its role in choline uptake.

Choline is an essential nutrient necessary for synthesis of membrane phospholipids, cell signalling molecules and acetylcholine. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize the choline transporter-like 1 (CTL1/SLC44A1) protein in CNS tissues and the hybrid neuroblastoma x glioma cell line NG108-15, which synthesizes acetylcholine and has high affinity choline transport but does not express the cholinergic high affinity choline transporter 1. The presence of CTL1 protein in NG108-15 cells was confirmed using our antibody G103 which recognizes the C-terminal domain of human CTL1. Three different cognate small interfering RNAs were used to decrease CTL1 mRNA in NG108-15 cells, causing lowered CTL1 protein expression, choline uptake and cell growth. None of the small interfering RNAs influenced carnitine transport, demonstrating the absence of major non-specific effects. In parental C6 cells knockdown of CTL1 also reduced high affinity choline transport. Our results support the concept that CTL1 protein is necessary for the high affinity choline transport which supplies choline for cell growth. The presence of CTL1 protein in rat and human CNS regions, where it is found in neuronal, glial and endothelial cells, suggests that malfunction of this transporter could have important implications in nervous system development and repair following injury, and in neurodegenerative diseases.

Expression of CTL1 in myelinating structures of Torpedo marmorata.

We initially isolated CTL1 from the electric lobe of brain through functional complementation of a yeast mutant deficient in choline transport. Here, we present the first characterization of an antibody to the C-terminal of CTL1. When full length torpedo CTL1 was expressed in oocytes, a broad 60 kDa band appeared concomitant with the detection of immunoreactivity at the plasma membrane. In, the native protein was prominent throughout the CNS and along the electric nerves. CTL1 immunolabeling was particularly conspicuous in the myelin sheath surrounding the electric nerve and in central myelinated structures. The association of the presumptive choline transporter, CTL1, with myelin membranes suggests a role for this new protein in lipid production.

CHOLINE TRANSPORTER-LIKE1 is required for sieve plate development to mediate long-distance cell-to-cell communication.

Phloem, a plant tissue responsible for long-distance molecular transport, harbours specific junctions, sieve areas, between the conducting cells. To date, little is known about the molecular framework related to the biogenesis of these sieve areas. Here we identify mutations at the CHER1/AtCTL1 locus of Arabidopsis thaliana. The mutations cause several phenotypic abnormalities, including reduced pore density and altered pore structure in the sieve areas associated with impaired phloem function. CHER1 encodes a member of a poorly characterized choline transporter-like protein family in plants and animals. We show that CHER1 facilitates choline transport, localizes to the trans-Golgi network, and during cytokinesis is associated with the phragmoplast. Consistent with its function in the elaboration of the sieve areas, CHER1 has a sustained, polar localization in the forming sieve plates. Our results indicate that the regulation of choline levels is crucial for phloem development and conductivity in plants.

The choline transporter-like family SLC44: properties and roles in human diseases.

The Na(+)-independent, high affinity choline carrier system proposed to supply choline for the synthesis of cell membrane phospholipids was recently associated with SLC44 family members (SLC44A1-5) also called choline-like transporter family. SLC44A1 is widely expressed throughout the nervous system in both neurons and oligodendrocytes, while SLC44A2-4 are mainly detected in peripheral tissues. The subcellular localization of the proteins was mainly addressed for SLC44A1 through the development of specific antibodies. SLC44A1 is detected in both the plasma and mitochondrial membranes where the protein is able to transport choline at high affinity and in a Na(+)-independent manner. The physiological relevance of SLC44A1 as a choline carrier is indicated by its likely involvement in membrane synthesis for cell growth or repair, and also by its role in phospholipid production for the generation of lung surfactant. Moreover, an autoimmune disease has been related to the blockade of SLC44A2 function, which results in the alteration of hair cells in the inner ear and leads to autoimmune hearing loss. In the alloimmune syndrome called transfusion-related acute lung injury, antibodies to SLC44A2 cause a deleterious aggregation of granulocytes. Therefore transporters of the SLC44 family represent attractive and promising targets for therapeutic and diagnostic applications regarding both immune and degenerative diseases.

Cell size-dependent and independent proliferation of rodent neuroblastoma x glioma cells.

For decades, the connection between cell size and division has been the subject of controversy. While in yeast, cell size checkpoints coordinate cellular growth with cell-cycle progression, it has been recently shown that large and small Schwann cells proliferate at the same rate (Conlon and Raff, 2003, J Biol 2:7). From this point of view, it is important to know whether normal and tumoral cells are similar. During continuous culture of NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma cells, the rate of proliferation, cell size, and external pH changed in parallel. At constant pH, the cell size-proliferation relationship followed a bell-shaped curve, so that proliferation was optimal within a cell volume window. In contrast, external acidification decreased proliferation independently of cell size. Using electrophysiological techniques, we showed that changes in cell size were dependent on both the uptake of nutrients and the passive influx of ions. Furthermore, an increase in cell size was associated with an increase in total proteins/cell. Another way to influence cell growth and proliferation is to alter the activity of the PI-3 kinase and target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway. In NG108-15 cells, pharmacological inhibition of these proteins with LY 294002 and rapamycin respectively decreased proliferation but did not modify cell size. In contrast, aphidicolin treated cells did not proliferate, but they continued to increase in size. Altogether these results indicate that the proliferation of NG108-15 cells is controlled by both cell size-dependent and independent mechanisms that include extracellular pH and PI-3 kinase activity.

Synapsin associates with cyclophilin B in an ATP- and cyclosporin A-dependent manner.

Immunophilins are ubiquitous enzymes responsible for proline isomerisation during protein synthesis and for the chaperoning of several membrane proteins. These activities can be blocked by the immunosuppressants cyclosporin A, FK506 and rapamycin. It has been shown that all three immunosuppressants have neurotrophic activity and can modulate neurotransmitter release, but the molecular basis of these effects is currently unknown. Here, we show that synapsin I, a synaptic vesicle-associated protein, can be purified from Torpedo cholinergic synaptosomes through its affinity to cyclophilin B, an immunophilin that is particularly abundant in brain. The interaction is direct and conserved in mammals, and shows a dissociation constant of about 0.5 microM in vitro. The binding between the two proteins can be disrupted by cyclosporin A and inhibited by physiological concentrations of ATP. Furthermore, cyclophilin B co-localizes with synapsin I in rat synaptic vesicle fractions and its levels in synaptic vesicle-containing fractions are decreased in synapsin knockout mice. These results suggest that immunophilins are involved in the complex protein networks operating at the presynaptic level and implicate the interaction between cyclophilin B and synapsins in presynaptic function.

Selection and characterization of the choline transport mutation suppressor from Torpedo electric lobe, CTL1.

The presumptive choline transporter, CTL1, was initially identified through functional complementation of a triple yeast mutant (ctr ise URA3delta) with deficiencies in both choline transport and choline neosynthesis under selective conditions that cause perturbations in membrane synthesis and growth. After transformation of these yeasts with a heterologous yeast expression library made from Torpedo electric lobe cDNAs, several colonies showed increased growth but only one clone increased the accumulation of external choline. The corresponding full-length cDNA was isolated and encodes a protein with 10 transmembrane domains. Northern analysis of Torpedo mRNA indicates that CTL1 is expressed at high levels in the spinal cord and brain. In Xenopus oocytes, Torpedo CTL1 expression was associated with the appearance of sodium independent high-affinity choline uptake. We propose that CTL1 plays a role in providing choline for membrane synthesis in the nervous system.

The neuronal choline transporter CHT1 is regulated by immunosuppressor-sensitive pathways.

The immunosuppressor cyclosporin A inhibits the peptidyl-prolyl-cis/trans-isomerase activity of cyclophilins and the resulting complex inhibits the phosphatase activity of calcineurin. Both enzymes were detected in peripheral nerve endings isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo and shown to be affected by 10 micro m cyclosporin A. Among the cholinergic properties studied, choline uptake was specifically inhibited by cyclosporin A to a maximum of 40%. Cyclosporin A decreased the rate of choline transport but not the binding of the non-transportable choline analogue hemicholinium-3, indicating that the number of membrane transporters was not affected. Through the use of two other immunosuppressors, FK506, which also inhibits calcineurin, and rapamycin, which does not, two different mechanisms of choline uptake inhibition were uncovered. FK506 inhibited the rate of choline transport, whereas rapamycin diminished the affinity for choline. The Torpedo homologue of the high affinity choline transporter CHT1 was cloned and its activity was reconstituted in Xenopus oocytes. Choline uptake by oocytes expressing tCHT1 was inhibited by all three immunosuppressors and also by microinjection of the specific calcineurin autoinhibitory domain A457-481, indicating that the phosphatase calcineurin regulates CHT1 activity and could be the common target of cyclosporin and FK506. Rapamycin, which changed the affinity of the transporter, may have acted through an immunophilin on the isomerization of critical prolines that are found in the tCHT1 sequence.