Glycyrrhizin ameliorates metabolic syndrome-induced liver damage in experimental rat model.

Glycyrrhizin, a major constituent of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, has been reported to ameliorate insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity in rats with metabolic syndrome. Liver dysfunction is associated with this syndrome. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of glycyrrhizin treatment on metabolic syndrome-induced liver damage. After induction of metabolic syndrome in rats by high fructose (60%) diet for 6 weeks, the rats were treated with glycyrrhizin (50 mg/kg body weight, single intra-peritoneal injection). After 2 weeks of treatment, rats were sacrificed to collect blood samples and liver tissues. Compared to normal, elevated activities of serum alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase, increased levels of liver advanced glycation end products, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl, protein kinase Cα, NADPH oxidase-2, and decreased glutathione cycle components established liver damage and oxidative stress in fructose-fed rats. Activation of nuclear factor κB, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways as well as signals from mitochondria were found to be involved in liver cell apoptosis. Increased levels of cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-12 proteins suggested hepatic inflammation. Metabolic syndrome caused hepatic DNA damage and poly-ADP ribose polymerase cleavage. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting using annexin V/propidium iodide staining confirmed the apoptotic hepatic cell death. Histology of liver tissue also supported the experimental findings. Treatment with glycyrrhizin reduced oxidative stress, hepatic inflammation, and apoptotic cell death in fructose-fed rats. The results suggest that glycyrrhizin possesses therapeutic potential against hepatocellular damage in metabolic syndrome.

Comparative proteomics of dehydration response in the rice nucleus: new insights into the molecular basis of genotype-specific adaptation.

Dehydration is the most crucial environmental factor that considerably reduces the crop harvest index, and thus has become a concern for global agriculture. To better understand the role of nuclear proteins in water-deficit condition, a nuclear proteome was developed from a dehydration-sensitive rice cultivar IR-64 followed by its comparison with that of a dehydration-tolerant c.v. Rasi. The 2DE protein profiling of c.v. IR-64 coupled with MS/MS analysis led to the identification of 93 dehydration-responsive proteins (DRPs). Among those identified proteins, 78 were predicted to be destined to the nucleus, accounting for more than 80% of the dataset. While the detected number of protein spots in c.v. IR-64 was higher when compared with that of Rasi, the number of DRPs was found to be less. Fifty-seven percent of the DRPs were found to be common to both sensitive and tolerant cultivars, indicating significant differences between the two nuclear proteomes. Further, we constructed a functional association network of the DRPs of c.v. IR-64, which suggests that a significant number of the proteins are capable of interacting with each other. The combination of nuclear proteome and interactome analyses would elucidate stress-responsive signaling and the molecular basis of dehydration tolerance in plants.

Glycyrrhizin ameliorates insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in fructose-induced metabolic syndrome-X in rat model.

This study investigates if glycyrrhizin, a constituent of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, is able to treat the complications (insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and oxidative stress) of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome was induced in rats by feeding a fructose-enriched (60%) diet for six weeks, after which single dose of glycyrrhizin (50 mg/kg body weight) was administered intraperitoneally. Different biochemical parameters from blood were estimated during three weeks after treatment. Then the rats were sacrificed to collect skeletal muscle tissue. Glycyrrhizin reduced the enhanced levels of blood glucose, insulin and lipids in metabolic syndrome group. Increased advanced glycation end products of hemoglobin, glycohemoglobin, hemoglobin-mediated iron release and iron-mediated free radical reactions (arachidonic acid and deoxyribose degradation) in metabolic syndrome were inhibited by glycyrrhizin treatment. Reduced activities of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and elevated oxidative stress markers (malonaldehyde, fructosamine, hemoglobin carbonyl content and DNA damage) in metabolic syndrome were reversed to almost normal levels by glycyrrhizin. The decreased levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) proteins in skeletal muscle of metabolic syndrome group were elevated by glycyrrhizin, indicating improved fatty acid oxidation and glucose homeostasis.

Proteomic analysis reveals the diversity and complexity of membrane proteins in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

BACKGROUND: Compartmentalization is a unique feature of eukaryotes that helps in maintaining cellular homeostasis not only in intra- and inter-organellar context, but also between the cells and the external environment. Plant cells are highly compartmentalized with a complex metabolic network governing various cellular events. The membranes are the most important constituents in such compartmentalization, and membrane-associated proteins play diverse roles in many cellular processes besides being part of integral component of many signaling cascades. RESULTS: To obtain valuable insight into the dynamic repertoire of membrane proteins, we have developed a proteome reference map of a grain legume, chickpea, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. MALDI-TOF/TOF and LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis led to the identification of 91 proteins involved in a variety of cellular functions viz., bioenergy, stress-responsive and signal transduction, metabolism, protein synthesis and degradation, among others. Significantly, 70% of the identified proteins are putative integral membrane proteins, possessing transmembrane domains. CONCLUSIONS: The proteomic analysis revealed many resident integral membrane proteins as well as membrane-associated proteins including those not reported earlier. To our knowledge, this is the first report of membrane proteome from aerial tissues of a crop plant. The findings may provide a better understanding of the biochemical machinery of the plant membranes at the molecular level that might help in functional genomics studies of different developmental pathways and stress-responses.

Dehydration-responsive reversible and irreversible changes in the extracellular matrix: comparative proteomics of chickpea genotypes with contrasting tolerance.

Dehydration is the most crucial environmental factor that limits plant growth, development, and productivity affecting agriculture throughout the world. Studies on genetic variations for dehydration tolerance in plants is crucial because divergent cultivars with contrasting traits aid the identification of key cellular components that confer better adaptability. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic structure that serves as the repository for important signaling components and acts as a front-line defense. To better understand dehydration adaptation, a proteomic study was performed on the extracellular matrix of ICCV-2, a dehydration-susceptible genotype of chickpea. The proteome was generated with ECM-enriched fractions using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis led to the identification of 81 dehydration-responsive proteins. The proteome was then compared with that of JG-62, a tolerant genotype. Comparative proteomics revealed genotype-specific expression of many proteins involved in a variety of cellular functions. Further, the reversible and irreversible changes in the proteomes revealed their differing ability to recover from dehydration-induced damage. We propose that cell wall restructuring and superior homeostasis, particularly the management of reactive oxygen species, may render better dehydration-adaptation. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the comprehensive comparison of dehydration-responsive organellar proteome of two genotypes with contrasting tolerance.

Molecular and functional characterization of EhPAK3, a p21 activated kinase from Entamoeba histolytica.

p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are a family of serine/threonine kinases whose activity is regulated by the binding of the small Rho family GTPases as well as by RhoGTPase independent mechanisms. PAKs have wide-ranging functions which include cytoskeletal organisation, cell motility, cell proliferation and survival. We have identified a PAK from Entamoeba histolytica - EhPAK3 that is distributed in the cytoplasm of unstimulated cells and localizes to the caps after induction of capping with Concanavalin A. EhPAK3 contains a GTPase interacting (CRIB) domain, an N-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and a C-terminal kinase domain. Among the PAKs of E. histolytica studied so far, EhPAK3 bears the maximum similarity to Dictyostelium discoideum PAKC (DdPAKC). Phylogenetic analysis showed that EhPAK3 was closely related to DdPAKC and forms a group with DdPAKA, Dd Myosin I heavy chain kinase (DdMIHCK), and a PAK reported earlier from E. histolytica EhPAK2. Recombinant full-length EhPAK3 undergoes auotophosphorylation and phosphorylates histone H1 in vitro in the absence of any small GTPase. This is the first comprehensive characterization of a PAK protein from E. histolytica, which has constitutive activity and has demonstrated a strong involvement in receptor capping.

Identification, structure, and phylogenetic relationships of a mitogen-activated protein kinase homologue from the parasitic protist Entamoeba histolytica.

A gene encoding mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) from the human enteric parasite, Entamoeba histolytica has been identified. Sequence analyses of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) products reveal that the EhMAPK gene is intronless and encodes a protein of 352 amino acids. EhMAPK shows significant homology with other MAPKs and contains the 11 subdomains including the invariant residues characteristic of serine/threonine protein kinases. The MAPK signature residues and motifs are also present in EhMAPK. The atomic model of EhMAPK built with rat ERK2 as template exhibits the conservation of all major secondary structural features. However, a deletion in close proximity to the dual phosphorylation/activation site is of particular interest as it may have functional implications. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that EhMAPK is tightly clustered with Giardia intestinalis ERK2 and Dictyostelium discoideum ERK2. Detailed sequence analysis and phylogenetic study aided us to postulate that EhMAPK belongs to the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) family. Although EhMAPK bears good homology and phylogenetic closeness with human ERK8 and rat ERK7, sequence analysis indicates that they may be functionally different. The significant differences such as the deletions in the vicinity of the phosphorylation lip, variations in the P+1 specificity pocket, presence of additional acidic amino acids in the common docking domain provide a ground for postulations that activators and substrates for EhMAPK may be to some extent divergent from that of the ERKs of the mammalian host. Although functional characterization of EhMAPK remains to be done, this is the first study of any member of the MAPK signaling system in this organism.

EhMAPK, the mitogen-activated protein kinase from Entamoeba histolytica is associated with cell survival.

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) are a class of serine/threonine kinases that regulate a number of different cellular activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and even death. The pathogen Entamoeba histolytica possess a single homologue of a typical MAPK gene (EhMAPK) whose identification was previously reported by us but its functional implications remained unexplored. EhMAPK, the only mitogen-activated protein kinase from the parasitic protist Entamoeba histolytica with Threonine-X-Tyrosine (TXY) phosphorylation motif was cloned, expressed in E. coli and functionally characterized under different stress conditions. The expression profile of EhMAPK at the protein and mRNA level remained similar among untreated, heat shocked and hydrogen peroxide-treated samples in all cases of dose and time. But a significant difference was obtained in the phosphorylation status of the protein in response to different stresses. Heat shock at 43°C or 0.5 mM H(2)O(2) treatment enhanced the phosphorylation status of EhMAPK and augmented the kinase activity of the protein whereas 2.0 mM H(2)O(2) treatment induced dephosphorylation of EhMAPK and loss of kinase activity. 2.0 mM H(2)O(2) treatment reduced parasite viability significantly but heat shock and 0.5 mM H(2)O(2) treatment failed to adversely affect E. histolytica viability. Therefore, a distinct possibility that activation of EhMAPK is associated with stress survival in E. histolytica is seen. Our study also gives a glimpse of the regulatory mechanism of the protein under in vivo conditions. Since the parasite genome lacks any typical homologue of mammalian MEK, the dual specificity kinases which are the upstream activators of MAPK, indications of the existence of some alternate regulatory mechanisms of the EhMAPK activity is perceived. These may include the autophosphorylation activity of the protein itself in combination with some upstream phosphatases which are not yet identified.

Involvement of the Akt/PKB signaling pathway with disease processes.

Akt/PKB is a serine/threonine kinase, which controls vital cellular functions such as cell survival/apoptosis, cell cycle progression and glucose metabolism. Akt/PKB acts down-stream from growth factors and hormones and is a key mediator of their pro-survival, proliferative and metabolic effects. Akt/PKB carries out these diverse tasks through phosphorylation of a number of cellular substrates. The substrates of Akt/PKB, which promote the inhibition of apoptosis after being phosphorylated by Akt, include the Forkhead transcription factors and the Bcl-2 family member Bad. The cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors are substrates of Akt which when phosphorylated relinquish their inhibitory influence on cell cycle progression. Akt mediates many of the stimulatory effects of insulin on glucose metabolism through deactivation of glycogen synthase kinase, activation of phosphofructokinase, and modulation of glucose transporter activity. Consequently, Akt can be implicated in the pathological processes, which are associated with defects in regulation of apoptosis/survival and energy metabolism.