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Ma S, Sandhoff R, Luo X, Shang F, Shi Q, Li Z, Wu J, Ming Y, Schwarz F, Madi A, Weisshaar N, Mieg A, Hering M, Zettl F, Yan X, Mohr K, Ten Bosch N, Li Z, Poschet G, Rodewald HR, Papavasiliou N, Wang X, Gao P, Cui G. Serine enrichment in tumors promotes regulatory T cell accumulation through sphinganine-mediated regulation of c-Fos. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadg8817. [PMID: 38640251 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adg8817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and suppress the immune system. Whether and how metabolite availability in the TME influences Treg cell differentiation is not understood. Here, we measured 630 metabolites in the TME and found that serine and palmitic acid, substrates required for the synthesis of sphingolipids, were enriched. A serine-free diet or a deficiency in Sptlc2, the rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing sphingolipid synthesis, suppressed Treg cell accumulation and inhibited tumor growth. Sphinganine, an intermediate metabolite in sphingolipid synthesis, physically interacted with the transcription factor c-Fos. Sphinganine c-Fos interactions enhanced the genome-wide recruitment of c-Fos to regions near the transcription start sites of target genes including Pdcd1 (encoding PD-1), which promoted Pdcd1 transcription and increased inducible Treg cell differentiation in vitro in a PD-1-dependent manner. Thus, Sptlc2-mediated sphingolipid synthesis translates the extracellular information of metabolite availability into nuclear signals for Treg cell differentiation and limits antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sicong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Roger Sandhoff
- Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group (A411), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xiu Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Fuwei Shang
- Cellular Immunology (D110), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Qiaozhen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaolong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jingxia Wu
- Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Yanan Ming
- Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Frank Schwarz
- Core Facility Antibodies (W170), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alaa Madi
- Immune Diversity (D150), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Weisshaar
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alessa Mieg
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marvin Hering
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Zettl
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xin Yan
- Immune Diversity (D150), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Mohr
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nora Ten Bosch
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zhe Li
- Division of Pathogenesis of Virus Associated Tumors (F100), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gernot Poschet
- Metabolomics Core Technology Platform, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Reimer Rodewald
- Cellular Immunology (D110), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Papavasiliou
- Immune Diversity (D150), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pu Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Guoliang Cui
- Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230601, China
- T Cell Metabolism (D192), German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Signaling cascades in the failing heart and emerging therapeutic strategies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:134. [PMID: 35461308 PMCID: PMC9035186 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00972-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic heart failure is the end stage of cardiac diseases. With a high prevalence and a high mortality rate worldwide, chronic heart failure is one of the heaviest health-related burdens. In addition to the standard neurohormonal blockade therapy, several medications have been developed for chronic heart failure treatment, but the population-wide improvement in chronic heart failure prognosis over time has been modest, and novel therapies are still needed. Mechanistic discovery and technical innovation are powerful driving forces for therapeutic development. On the one hand, the past decades have witnessed great progress in understanding the mechanism of chronic heart failure. It is now known that chronic heart failure is not only a matter involving cardiomyocytes. Instead, chronic heart failure involves numerous signaling pathways in noncardiomyocytes, including fibroblasts, immune cells, vascular cells, and lymphatic endothelial cells, and crosstalk among these cells. The complex regulatory network includes protein-protein, protein-RNA, and RNA-RNA interactions. These achievements in mechanistic studies provide novel insights for future therapeutic targets. On the other hand, with the development of modern biological techniques, targeting a protein pharmacologically is no longer the sole option for treating chronic heart failure. Gene therapy can directly manipulate the expression level of genes; gene editing techniques provide hope for curing hereditary cardiomyopathy; cell therapy aims to replace dysfunctional cardiomyocytes; and xenotransplantation may solve the problem of donor heart shortages. In this paper, we reviewed these two aspects in the field of failing heart signaling cascades and emerging therapeutic strategies based on modern biological techniques.
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Kitazawa R, Haraguchi R, Kohara Y, Kitazawa S. RANK- NFATc1 signaling forms positive feedback loop on rank gene expression via functional NFATc1 responsive element in rank gene promoter. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 572:86-91. [PMID: 34358968 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.07.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Receptor Activator of NF-κB (RANK) expressed on osteoclasts and their precursors is a receptor for RANK ligand (RANKL). Signals transduced by RANKL-RANK interaction induce genes essential for the differentiation and function of osteoclasts, partly through the direct binding of NFATc1, to target gene promoters. We have previously cloned a 6-kb fragment containing the 5'-flanking region of the mouse RANK gene and have demonstrated the presence of binding elements of hematological transcription factors, such as MITF, PU.1 and AP-1. Here, we demonstrated the presence of the functional NFATc1 responsive element on the RANK gene promoter. Transfection of an NFATc1-expression vector increased RANK mRNA that was subsequently nullified by NFATc1 knockdown. With the use of electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), an oligonucleotide (-388/-353) showed specific protein-DNA binding that was blockshifted with an anti-NFATc1 antibody and washed out with excess amounts of the cold consensus sequence. Co-transfection studies with the use of an NFATc1-expression vector and RANK promoter-reporter constructs showed that NFATc1 increased promoter activity 2-fold in RAW264.7 cells that was again nullified as disclosed by mutagenesis studies. Taken together, these results indicate that RANK transcription is positively regulated by the RANKL signal through the direct binding of NFATc1 to its specific binding site of the RANK gene promoter, and suggest the presence of a crucial positive feedback mechanism of gene expression that promotes accelerated terminal differentiation of RANK-positive committed precursors to mature osteoclasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riko Kitazawa
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan; Division of Diagnostic Molecular Pathology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho 7-5-1, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan; Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Ehime University Hospital, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan
| | - Ryuma Haraguchi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Kohara
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan
| | - Sohei Kitazawa
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan; Division of Diagnostic Molecular Pathology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kusunoki-cho 7-5-1, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
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Huang J, Hu M, Niu H, Wang J, Si Y, Cheng S, Ding W. Osteopontin isoform c promotes the survival of cisplatin-treated NSCLC cells involving NFATc2-mediated suppression on calcium-induced ROS levels. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:750. [PMID: 34187410 PMCID: PMC8243455 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08495-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor microenvironment (TME) critically contributed to the malignant progression of transformed cells and the chemical responses to chemotherapy reagents. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secretory onco-protein with several splicing isoforms, all of which were known to regulate tumor growth and able to alter cell-cell or cell-TME communication, however, the exact role and regulation of the OPN splicing isoforms was not well understood. Methods In this study, the effects of conditioned medium from the culture of OPN splicing isoforms overexpressing cells on cell functions were evaluated. The methods of nuclear calcium reporter assays and subcellular distribution of nuclear factor of activated T cells c2 (NFATc2) assays were used to investigate the molecular mechanism underlining the roles of OPN splicing isoforms. Results We found that the survival of NSCLC cells treated with cisplatin was increased by secretory OPNc in the condition medium, where reduction of apoptosis by OPNc was associated with the activation of cellular calcium signals and subsequent nuclear translocation of NFATc2. Conclusions The results revealed a mechanism of OPN and downstream signal for tumor cells to survive in chemo-stressed TME, which emphasized the importance of secretory proteins in alternative splicing isoforms. Our study not only demonstrated the importance of OPN neutralization for anti-tumor effects, but also implied that modulation in calcium/NFATc2/ROS axis could be a novel approach for improving the long-term outcome of NSCLC treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-021-08495-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Mu Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Huan Niu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yang Si
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Shan Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Wei Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Do NQ, Zheng S, Park B, Nguyen QTN, Choi BR, Fang M, Kim M, Jeong J, Choi J, Yang SJ, Yi TH. Camu-Camu Fruit Extract Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses by Regulating NFAT and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways in High Glucose-Induced Human Keratinocytes. Molecules 2021; 26:3174. [PMID: 34073317 PMCID: PMC8198278 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh (camu-camu) belongs to the family Myrtaceae. Although camu-camu has received a great deal of attention for its potential pharmacological activities, there is little information on the anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects of camu-camu fruit in skin diseases. In the present study, we investigated the preventative effect of 70% ethanol camu-camu fruit extract against high glucose-induced human keratinocytes. High glucose-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was inhibited by camu-camu fruit treatment. In response to ROS reduction, camu-camu fruit modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK)/activator protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathways related to inflammation by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, camu-camu fruit treatment activated the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and subsequently increased the NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase1 (NQO1) expression to protect keratinocytes against high-glucose-induced oxidative stress. These results indicate that camu-camu fruit is a promising material for preventing oxidative stress and skin inflammation induced by high glucose level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhung Quynh Do
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Shengdao Zheng
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Bom Park
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Quynh T. N. Nguyen
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Bo-Ram Choi
- Department of Herbal Crop Research, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, RDA, Eumseong 27709, Korea;
| | - Minzhe Fang
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Minseon Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
- Snow White Factory Co., Ltd., 807 Nonhyeonro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06032, Korea;
| | - Jeehaeng Jeong
- Snow White Factory Co., Ltd., 807 Nonhyeonro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06032, Korea;
| | - Junhui Choi
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
| | - Su-Jin Yang
- Gu Star Co., Ltd., 7/F, Cheongho B/D, 19, Eonju-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06054, Korea;
| | - Tae-Hoo Yi
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-Daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; (N.Q.D.); (S.Z.); (B.P.); (Q.T.N.N.); (M.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.)
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Ray S, Tillo D, Durell SR, Khund-Sayeed S, Vinson C. REL Domain of NFATc2 Binding to Five Types of DNA Using Protein Binding Microarrays. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:4147-4154. [PMID: 33644537 PMCID: PMC7906578 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
NFATc2 is a DNA binding protein in the Rel family transcription factors, which binds a CGGAA motif better when both cytosines in the CG dinucleotide are methylated. Using protein binding microarrays (PBMs), we examined the DNA binding of NFATc2 to three additional types of DNA: single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) with either 5-methylcytosine (5mC, M) or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC, H) in one strand and a cytosine in the second strand. ATTTCCAC, the complement of the core GGAA motif, is better bound as ssDNA compared to dsDNA. dsDNA containing the 5-mer CGGAA with either 5mC or 5hmC in one DNA strand is bound stronger than CGGAA. In contrast, the reverse complement TTCCG is bound weaker when it contains 5mC. Analysis of the available NFATc2:dsDNA complexes rationalizes these PBM data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejana Ray
- Laboratory
of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5000, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Desiree Tillo
- Laboratory
of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5000, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Stewart R. Durell
- Laboratory
of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5000, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Syed Khund-Sayeed
- Laboratory
of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5000, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Charles Vinson
- Laboratory
of Metabolism, National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Building 37, Room 5000, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
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Huang J, Wang S, Jia Y, Zhang Y, Dai X, Li B. Targeting FOXP3 complex ensemble in drug discovery. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 121:143-168. [PMID: 32312420 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2019.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Forkhead Box P3 (FOXP3) is a key transcriptional regulator of regulatory T cells (Tregs), especially for its function of immune suppression. The special immune suppression function of Tregs plays an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis, and is related to several diseases including cancer, and autoimmune diseases. At the same time, FOXP3 takes a place in a large transcriptional complex, whose stability and functions can be controlled by various post-translational modification. More and more researches have suggested that targeting FOXP3 or its partners might be a feasible solution to immunotherapy. In this review, we focus on the transcription factor FOXP3 in Tregs, Treg functions in diseases and the FOXP3 targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyao Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuoyang Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuxin Jia
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujia Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueyu Dai
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Hu W, Li Q, Li B, Ma K, Zhang C, Fu X. Optogenetics sheds new light on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Biomaterials 2019; 227:119546. [PMID: 31655444 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics has demonstrated great potential in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, from basic research to clinical applications. Spatiotemporal encoding during individual development has been widely identified and is considered a novel strategy for regeneration. A as a noninvasive method with high spatiotemporal resolution, optogenetics are suitable for this strategy. In this review, we discuss roles of dynamic signal coding in cell physiology and embryonic development. Several optogenetic systems are introduced as ideal optogenetic tools, and their features are compared. In addition, potential applications of optogenetics for tissue engineering are discussed, including light-controlled genetic engineering and regulation of signaling pathways. Furthermore, we present how emerging biomaterials and photoelectric technologies have greatly promoted the clinical application of optogenetics and inspired new concepts for optically controlled therapies. Our summation of currently available data conclusively demonstrates that optogenetic tools are a promising method for elucidating and simulating developmental processes, thus providing vast prospects for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Hu
- Wound Healing and Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medicine Science, College of Life Science, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China
| | - Qiankun Li
- Wound Healing and Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medicine Science, College of Life Science, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China
| | - Bingmin Li
- Wound Healing and Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medicine Science, College of Life Science, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China
| | - Kui Ma
- Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China
| | - Cuiping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Xiaobing Fu
- Wound Healing and Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medicine Science, College of Life Science, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, PR China; Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration of PLA and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration, Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 100048, Beijing, PR China.
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Movellan KT, Najbauer EE, Pratihar S, Salvi M, Giller K, Becker S, Andreas LB. Alpha protons as NMR probes in deuterated proteins. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2019; 73:81-91. [PMID: 30762170 PMCID: PMC6441447 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-019-00230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
We describe a new labeling method that allows for full protonation at the backbone Hα position, maintaining protein side chains with a high level of deuteration. We refer to the method as alpha proton exchange by transamination (α-PET) since it relies on transaminase activity demonstrated here using Escherichia coli expression. We show that α-PET labeling is particularly useful in improving structural characterization of solid proteins by introduction of an additional proton reporter, while eliminating many strong dipolar couplings. The approach benefits from the high sensitivity associated with 1.3 mm samples, more abundant information including Hα resonances, and the narrow proton linewidths encountered for highly deuterated proteins. The labeling strategy solves amide proton exchange problems commonly encountered for membrane proteins when using perdeuteration and backexchange protocols, allowing access to alpha and all amide protons including those in exchange-protected regions. The incorporation of Hα protons provides new insights, as the close Hα-Hα and Hα-HN contacts present in β-sheets become accessible, improving the chance to determine the protein structure as compared with HN-HN contacts alone. Protonation of the Hα position higher than 90% is achieved for Ile, Leu, Phe, Tyr, Met, Val, Ala, Gln, Asn, Thr, Ser, Glu, Asp even though LAAO is only active at this degree for Ile, Leu, Phe, Tyr, Trp, Met. Additionally, the glycine methylene carbon is labeled preferentially with a single deuteron, allowing stereospecific assignment of glycine alpha protons. In solution, we show that the high deuteration level dramatically reduces R2 relaxation rates, which is beneficial for the study of large proteins and protein dynamics. We demonstrate the method using two model systems, as well as a 32 kDa membrane protein, hVDAC1, showing the applicability of the method to study membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Tekwani Movellan
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eszter E Najbauer
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Supriya Pratihar
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michele Salvi
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Karin Giller
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Becker
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Loren B Andreas
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen, Germany.
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Tan Z, Kang T, Zhang X, Tong Y, Chen S. Nerve growth factor prevents arsenic-induced toxicity in PC12 cells through the AKT/GSK-3β/NFAT pathway. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:4726-4738. [PMID: 30256405 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The potential risk of arsenic-related neurodegeneration has been a growing concern. Arsenic exposure has been reported to disrupt neurite growth and neuron body integrity in vitro; however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Previously, we showed that arsenic sulfide (AS) exerted cytotoxicity in gastric and colon cancer cells through regulating nuclear factor of the activated T cells (NFAT) pathway. The NFAT pathway regulates axon path finding and neural development. Using neural crest cell line PC12 cells as a model, here we show that AS caused mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, reactive oxygen species production, and cytochrome c release, leading to mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via the AKT/GSK-3β/NFAT pathway. Increased glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) activation leads to the inactivation of NFAT and its antiapoptotic effects. Through inhibiting GSK-3β activity, both nerve growth factor (NGF) and Tideglusib, a GSK-3β inhibitor partially rescued the PC12 cells from the AS-induced cytotoxicity and restored the expression of NFATc3. In addition, overexpression of NFATc3 stimulated neurite outgrowth and potentiated the effect of NGF on promoting the neurite outgrowth. Collectively, our results show that NFATc3 serves as the downstream target of NGF and plays a key role in preventing AS-induced neurotoxicity through regulating the AKT/GSK-3β/NFAT pathway in PC12 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Tan
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Kang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiuli Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingying Tong
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Hishida A, Nakatochi M, Akiyama M, Kamatani Y, Nishiyama T, Ito H, Oze I, Nishida Y, Hara M, Takashima N, Turin TC, Watanabe M, Suzuki S, Ibusuki R, Shimoshikiryo I, Nakamura Y, Mikami H, Ikezaki H, Furusyo N, Kuriki K, Endoh K, Koyama T, Matsui D, Uemura H, Arisawa K, Sasakabe T, Okada R, Kawai S, Naito M, Momozawa Y, Kubo M, Wakai K. Genome-Wide Association Study of Renal Function Traits: Results from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Am J Nephrol 2018; 47:304-316. [PMID: 29779033 DOI: 10.1159/000488946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a rapidly growing, worldwide public health problem. Recent advances in genome-wide-association studies (GWAS) revealed several genetic loci associated with renal function traits worldwide. METHODS We investigated the association of genetic factors with the levels of serum creatinine (SCr) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in Japanese population-based cohorts analyzing the GWAS imputed data with 11,221 subjects and 12,617,569 variants, and replicated the findings with the 148,829 hospital-based Japanese subjects. RESULTS In the discovery phase, 28 variants within 4 loci (chromosome [chr] 2 with 8 variants including rs3770636 in the LDL receptor related protein 2 gene locus, on chr 5 with 2 variants including rs270184, chr 17 with 15 variants including rs3785837 in the BCAS3 gene locus, and chr 18 with 3 variants including rs74183647 in the nuclear factor of -activated T-cells 1 gene locus) reached the suggestive level of p < 1 × 10-6 in association with eGFR and SCr, and 2 variants on chr 4 (including rs78351985 in the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein gene locus) fulfilled the suggestive level in association with the risk of CKD. In the replication phase, 25 variants within 3 loci (chr 2 with 7 variants, chr 17 with 15 variants and chr 18 with 3 variants) in association with eGFR and SCr, and 2 variants on chr 4 associated with the risk of CKD became nominally statistically significant after Bonferroni correction, among which 15 variants on chr 17 and 3 variants on chr 18 reached genome-wide significance of p < 5 × 10-8 in the combined study meta-analysis. The associations of the loci on chr 2 and 18 with eGFR and SCr as well as that on chr 4 with CKD risk have not been previously reported in the Japanese and East Asian populations. CONCLUSION Although the present GWAS of renal function traits included the largest sample of Japanese participants to date, we did not identify novel loci for renal traits. However, we identified the novel associations of the genetic loci on chr 2, 4, and 18 with renal function traits in the Japanese population, suggesting these are transethnic loci. Further investigations of these associations are expected to further validate our findings for the potential establishment of personalized prevention of renal disease in the Japanese and East Asian populations.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Asian People/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4/genetics
- Cohort Studies
- Creatinine/blood
- Female
- Genetic Loci
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Genome-Wide Association Study
- Glomerular Filtration Rate
- Humans
- Japan/epidemiology
- Kidney/physiopathology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- Prevalence
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/blood
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/epidemiology
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Asahi Hishida
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakatochi
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masato Akiyama
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kamatani
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nishiyama
- Department of Public Health, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Hidemi Ito
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Isao Oze
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Nishida
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Megumi Hara
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Takashima
- Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tanvir Chowdhury Turin
- Department of Family Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Miki Watanabe
- Department of Public Health, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sadao Suzuki
- Department of Public Health, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Rie Ibusuki
- Department of International Island and Community Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ippei Shimoshikiryo
- Department of International Island and Community Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yohko Nakamura
- Cancer Prevention Center, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Haruo Mikami
- Cancer Prevention Center, Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ikezaki
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Norihiro Furusyo
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kiyonori Kuriki
- Laboratory of Public Health, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kaori Endoh
- Laboratory of Public Health, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Teruhide Koyama
- Department of Epidemiology for Community Health and Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Daisuke Matsui
- Department of Epidemiology for Community Health and Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Uemura
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kokichi Arisawa
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Tae Sasakabe
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Rieko Okada
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sayo Kawai
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mariko Naito
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | - Michiaki Kubo
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kenji Wakai
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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12
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An ELISA for the study of calcineurin-NFAT unstructured region interaction. Anal Biochem 2018; 549:66-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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13
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Abstract
It is well-established that dynamics are central to protein function; their importance is implicitly acknowledged in the principles of the Monod, Wyman and Changeux model of binding cooperativity, which was originally proposed in 1965. Nowadays the concept of protein dynamics is formulated in terms of the energy landscape theory, which can be used to understand protein folding and conformational changes in proteins. Because protein dynamics are so important, a key to understanding protein function at the molecular level is to design experiments that allow their quantitative analysis. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is uniquely suited for this purpose because major advances in theory, hardware, and experimental methods have made it possible to characterize protein dynamics at an unprecedented level of detail. Unique features of NMR include the ability to quantify dynamics (i) under equilibrium conditions without external perturbations, (ii) using many probes simultaneously, and (iii) over large time intervals. Here we review NMR techniques for quantifying protein dynamics on fast (ps-ns), slow (μs-ms), and very slow (s-min) time scales. These techniques are discussed with reference to some major discoveries in protein science that have been made possible by NMR spectroscopy.
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14
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Fu J, Tao YD, Chen J, Zhang Y, He J. Role of RANKL in the regulation of NFATc1 and c‑Src mRNA expression in osteoclast‑like cells. Mol Med Rep 2016; 13:5163-8. [PMID: 27122093 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.5176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to determine the effects of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) on the mRNA expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic, calcineurin-dependent 1 (NFATc1) and c‑Src in rat osteoclast‑like cells. The marrow cells were exposed to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M‑CSF; 25 ng/ml) and different concentrations of RANKL (0, 50, 75 and 100 ng/ml) for 9 days. The mRNA expression of NFATc1 and c‑Src was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Compared with the M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (0 ng/ml) group, the levels of NFATc1 and c‑Src mRNA expression were significantly increased in the M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (75 and 100 ng/ml) groups (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively). Compared with the M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (50 ng/ml) group, the levels of NFATc1 and c‑Src mRNA expression was significantly increased in the M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (75 and 100 ng/ml) groups (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively). Compared with M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (75 ng/ml) group, the levels of NFATc1 and c‑Src mRNA expression was significantly increased in the M‑CSF (25 ng/ml)+RANKL (100 ng/ml) group, (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively). These data suggest that RANKL could regulate the expression of NFATc1 and c‑Src mRNA in the marrow culture system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifan Fu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
| | - You Di Tao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
| | - Yongsheng Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
| | - Jianquan He
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361004, P.R. China
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15
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Yan M, Chen C, Gong W, Yin Z, Zhou L, Chaugai S, Wang DW. miR-21-3p regulates cardiac hypertrophic response by targeting histone deacetylase-8. Cardiovasc Res 2014; 105:340-52. [PMID: 25504627 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvu254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Growing evidences indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in cardiac hypertrophy development. Multiple miRNAs have been identified as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of cardiac hypertrophy, as well as potential therapeutic tools. The present study aimed to investigate the functions and regulatory mechanisms of miR-21-3p in cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS AND RESULTS Decreased expression of miR-21-3p was observed in cardiac hypertrophy induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and angiotensin (Ang) II infusion in mice. To further explore the role of miR-21-3p in cardiac hypertrophy, rAAV-miR-21-3p was administered intravenously in mice. Overexpression of miR-21-3p markedly suppressed TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and also blocked Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy as determined by cardiac function measurement and biomarker detection. Furthermore, western blot assays showed that histone deacetylase-8 (HDAC8) was silenced by miR-21-3p, and luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-21-3p binds to the 3' UTR of HDAC8. Moreover, re-expression of HDAC8 attenuated miR-21-3p-mediated suppression of cardiac hypertrophy by enhancing phospho-Akt and phospho-Gsk3β expression. CONCLUSION Our data reveal a role of miR-21-3p in regulating HDAC8 expression and Akt/Gsk3β pathway, and suggest that modulation of miR-21-3p levels may provide a therapeutic approach for cardiac hypertrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Yan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Wei Gong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Zhongwei Yin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Ling Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Sandip Chaugai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Dao Wen Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Hypertension, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
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16
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Muhammad K, Alrefai H, Marienfeld R, Pham DAT, Murti K, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U, Kondo E, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E. NF-κB factors control the induction of NFATc1 in B lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol 2014; 44:3392-402. [PMID: 25179582 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201444756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In peripheral lymphocytes, the transcription factors (TFs) NF-κB, NFAT, and AP-1 are the prime targets of signals that emerge from immune receptors. Upon activation, these TFs induce gene networks that orchestrate the growth, expansion, and effector function of peripheral lymphocytes. NFAT and NF-κB factors share several properties, such as a similar mode of induction and architecture in their DNA-binding domain, and there is a subgroup of κB-like DNA promoter motifs that are bound by both types of TFs. However, unlike NFAT and AP-1 factors that interact and collaborate in binding to DNA, NFAT, and NF-κB seem neither to interact nor to collaborate. We show here that NF-κB1/p50 and c-Rel, the most prominent NF-κB proteins in BCR-induced splenic B cells, control the induction of NFATc1/αA, a prominent short NFATc1 isoform. In part, this is mediated through two composite κB/NFAT-binding sites in the inducible Nfatc1 P1 promoter that directs the induction of NFATc1/αA by BCR signals. In concert with coreceptor signals that induce NF-κB factors, BCR signaling induces a persistent generation of NFATc1/αA. These data suggest a tight connection between NFATc1 and NF-κB induction in B lymphocytes contributing to the effector function of peripheral B cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Muhammad
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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17
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Cribbs AP, Kennedy A, Penn H, Read JE, Amjadi P, Green P, Syed K, Manka SW, Brennan FM, Gregory B, Williams RO. Treg Cell Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Compromised by CTLA-4 Promoter Methylation Resulting in a Failure to Activate the Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Pathway. Arthritis Rheumatol 2014; 66:2344-54. [DOI: 10.1002/art.38715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Kennedy
- Kennedy Institute and University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | | | | | - Parisa Amjadi
- Kennedy Institute and University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | | | - Khaja Syed
- Kennedy Institute and University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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18
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Qin JJ, Nag S, Wang W, Zhou J, Zhang WD, Wang H, Zhang R. NFAT as cancer target: mission possible? Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2014; 1846:297-311. [PMID: 25072963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2014.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Revised: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The NFAT signaling pathway regulates various aspects of cellular functions; NFAT acts as a calcium sensor, integrating calcium signaling with other pathways involved in development and growth, immune response, and inflammatory response. The NFAT family of transcription factors regulates diverse cellular functions such as cell survival, proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. The NFAT isoforms are constitutively activated and overexpressed in several cancer types wherein they transactivate downstream targets that play important roles in cancer development and progression. Though the NFAT family has been conclusively proved to be pivotal in cancer progression, the different isoforms play distinct roles in different cellular contexts. In this review, our discussion is focused on the mechanisms that drive the activation of various NFAT isoforms in cancer. Additionally, we analyze the potential of NFAT as a valid target for cancer prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| | - Subhasree Nag
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Toxicology, Cancer Center, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, PR China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Research, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, PR China; Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100021, PR China
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA.
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19
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Zasedateleva OA, Vasiliskov VA, Surzhikov SA, Sazykin AY, Putlyaeva LV, Schwarz AM, Kuprash DV, Rubina AY, Barsky VE, Zasedatelev AS. UV fluorescence of tryptophan residues effectively measures protein binding to nucleic acid fragments immobilized in gel elements of microarrays. Biotechnol J 2014; 9:1074-80. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2013] [Revised: 05/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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20
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Gal M, Li S, Luna RE, Takeuchi K, Wagner G. The LxVP and PxIxIT NFAT motifs bind jointly to overlapping epitopes on calcineurin's catalytic domain distant to the regulatory domain. Structure 2014; 22:1016-27. [PMID: 24954618 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2014.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin (Cn) targets the nuclear factors of activated T cells (NFATs) that activate cytokine genes. Calcium influx activates Cn to dephosphorylate multiple serine residues within the ∼200 residue NFAT regulatory domain, which triggers joint nuclear translocation of NFAT and Cn. The dephosphorylation process relies on the interaction between Cn and the conserved motifs PxIxIT and LxVP, which are located N- and C-terminal to the phosphorylation sites in NFAT's regulatory domain. Here, we show that an NFATc1-derived 15-residue peptide segment containing the conserved LxVP motif binds to an epitope on Cn's catalytic domain (CnA), which overlaps with the previously established PxIxIT binding site on CnA and is distant to the regulatory domain (CnB). Both NFAT motifs partially compete for binding but do not fully displace each other on the CnA epitope, revealing that both segments bind simultaneously to the same epitope on the catalytic domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Gal
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rafael E Luna
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Koh Takeuchi
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gerhard Wagner
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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21
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Moore DL, Goldberg JL. Multiple transcription factor families regulate axon growth and regeneration. Dev Neurobiol 2012; 71:1186-211. [PMID: 21674813 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.20934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding axon regenerative failure remains a major goal in neuroscience, and reversing this failure remains a major goal for clinical neurology. Although an inhibitory central nervous system environment clearly plays a role, focus on molecular pathways within neurons has begun to yield fruitful insights. Initial steps forward investigated the receptors and signaling pathways immediately downstream of environmental cues, but recent work has also shed light on transcriptional control mechanisms that regulate intrinsic axon growth ability, presumably through whole cassettes of gene target regulation. Here we will discuss transcription factors that regulate neurite growth in vitro and in vivo, including p53, SnoN, E47, cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT), c-Jun activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), sex determining region Ybox containing gene 11 (Sox11), nuclear factor κ-light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB), and Krüppel-like factors (KLFs). Revealing the similarities and differences among the functions of these transcription factors may further our understanding of the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in axon growth and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcie L Moore
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Florida, USA
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22
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Wang S, Kim SY, Jung KH, Ladizhansky V, Brown LS. A Eukaryotic-Like Interaction of Soluble Cyanobacterial Sensory Rhodopsin Transducer with DNA. J Mol Biol 2011; 411:449-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2011] [Revised: 06/01/2011] [Accepted: 06/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Abstract
Cyclosporin A and tacrolimus have been used as immunosuppressive agents initially in organ transplantation after their discovery, and are also used for treatment of the autoimmune disease, providing an excellent therapeutic effect. These agents act targeting on intracellular phosphatase calcineurin (CN), and subsequently inhibit activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), a key regulator of stimulation-dependent gene activation. The CN-NFAT system is involved not only in the immunoregulation including activation and development of helper T cells, regulatory T cells and NKT cells, but in a variety of cellular and developmental events other than immune system. CN inhibitors also affect organs outside of immune system leading to adverse effects, including nephrotoxicity and glucose intolerance. We review recent findings in CN-NFAT system, as well as development of potential CN inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiharu Amasaki
- The Center for Rheumatic Diseases/Tonan Hospital, KKR Sapporo Medical Center, Japan
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Angelosanto JM, Wherry EJ. Transcription factor regulation of CD8+ T-cell memory and exhaustion. Immunol Rev 2010; 236:167-75. [PMID: 20636816 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.2010.00927.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
During an infection, antigen-specific CD8+ T cells undergo numerous cellular and transcriptional changes as they develop from naive T cells into effector and memory cells. However, when the antigen persists in a chronic infection, the cellular programs governing effector and memory development are influenced by chronic stimulation, and dysfunctional or exhausted CD8+ T cells are generated. Recently, exhausted CD8+ T cells were found to differ dramatically from naive and functional memory CD8+ T cells on a transcriptional level, demonstrating that exposure to chronic antigen can impact T cells at a fundamental level. While transcriptional changes in CD8+ T cells during memory development is currently a topic of particular interest, the transcriptional changes related to exhaustion and other forms of T-cell dysfunction have received less attention. New computational methods are not only uncovering important transcription factors in these developmental processes but are also going further to define and connect these transcription factors into transcriptional modules that work in parallel to control cell fate and state. Understanding the molecular processes behind the development of CD8+ T-cell memory and exhaustion should not only increase our understanding of the immune system but also could reveal therapeutic targets and treatments for infectious and immunological diseases. Here, we provide a basic overview of acute and chronic viral infections and the transcription factors known to influence the development of virus-specific T cells in both settings. We also discuss recent innovations in genomic and computational tools that could be used to enhance the way we understand the development of T-cell responses to infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Angelosanto
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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25
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Shimada M, Miyagawa T, Kawashima M, Tanaka S, Honda Y, Honda M, Tokunaga K. An approach based on a genome-wide association study reveals candidate loci for narcolepsy. Hum Genet 2010; 128:433-41. [PMID: 20677014 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-010-0862-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2010] [Accepted: 07/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and a pathological manifestation of rapid eye movement during sleep. Narcoleptic pathogenesis is triggered by both genetic and environmental factors. Recently, development of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has identified new genetic factors, with many more susceptibility genes yet to be elucidated. Using a new approach that consists of a combination of GWAS and an extensive database search for candidate genes, we picked up 202 candidate genes and performed a replication study in 222 narcoleptic patients and 380 controls. Statistical analysis indicated that six genes, NFATC2, SCP2, CACNA1C, TCRA, POLE, and FAM3D, were associated with narcolepsy (P<0.001). Some of these associations were further supported by gene expression analyses and an association study in essential hypersomnia (EHS), CNS hypersonia similar to narcolepsy. This novel approach will be applicable to other GWAS in the search of disease-related susceptibility genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihoko Shimada
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
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26
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Abstract
The transcription factor NFATp integrates multiple signal transduction pathways through coordinate binding with basic-region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins and other transcription factors. The NFATp monomer, even in the absence of its activation domains, recruits bZIP proteins to canonical NFAT-bZIP composite DNA elements. By contrast, the NFATp dimer and its bZIP partner bind noncooperatively to the NFAT-bZIP element of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene promoter. This observation raises the possibility that the function of the activation domains of NFATp is dimer-specific. Here, we determine the consensus DNA binding site of the NFATp dimer, describe monomer- and dimer-specific NFATp-DNA contact patterns, and demonstrate that NFATp dimerization and dimer-specific activation subdomains are required for transcriptional activation from the TNF NFAT-bZIP element. We also show that these NFATp subdomains interact with the coactivator CBP (CREB-binding protein), which is required for NFATp-dependent TNF gene transcription. Thus, the context-specific function of the activation domains of NFAT can be potentiated by DNA-directed dimerization.
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27
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Poulain P, Saladin A, Hartmann B, Prévost C. Insights on protein-DNA recognition by coarse grain modelling. J Comput Chem 2008; 29:2582-92. [PMID: 18478582 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.21014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Coarse grain modelling of macromolecules is a new approach, potentially well adapted to answer numerous issues, ranging from physics to biology. We propose here an original DNA coarse grain model specifically dedicated to protein-DNA docking, a crucial, but still largely unresolved, question in molecular biology. Using a representative set of protein-DNA complexes, we first show that our model is able to predict the interaction surface between the macromolecular partners taken in their bound form. In a second part, the impact of the DNA sequence and electrostatics, together with the DNA and protein conformations on docking is investigated. Our results strongly suggest that the overall DNA structure mainly contributes in discriminating the interaction site on cognate proteins. Direct electrostatic interactions between phosphate groups and amino acid side chains strengthen the binding. Overall, this work demonstrates that coarse grain modeling can reveal itself a precious auxiliary for a general and complete description and understanding of protein-DNA association mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Poulain
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, UPR CNRS 9080, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
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Real-time imaging of NF-AT nucleocytoplasmic shuttling with a photoswitchable fluorescence protein in live cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2008; 1780:1403-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2008.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2008] [Revised: 08/01/2008] [Accepted: 08/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Abstract
This overview provides an illustrated, comprehensive survey of some commonly observed protein‐fold families and structural motifs, chosen for their functional significance. It opens with descriptions and definitions of the various elements of protein structure and associated terminology. Following is an introduction into web‐based structural bioinformatics that includes surveys of interactive web servers for protein fold or domain annotation, protein‐structure databases, protein‐structure‐classification databases, structural alignments of proteins, and molecular graphics programs available for personal computers. The rest of the overview describes selected families of protein folds in terms of their secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structural arrangements, including ribbon‐diagram examples, tables of representative structures with references, and brief explanations pointing out their respective biological and functional significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Sun
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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30
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Heit JJ. Calcineurin/NFAT signaling in the beta-cell: From diabetes to new therapeutics. Bioessays 2007; 29:1011-21. [PMID: 17876792 DOI: 10.1002/bies.20644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic beta-cells in the islet of Langerhans produce the hormone insulin, which maintains blood glucose homeostasis. Perturbations in beta-cell function may lead to impairment of insulin production and secretion and the onset of diabetes mellitus. Several essential beta-cell factors have been identified that are required for normal beta-cell function, including six genes that when mutated give rise to inherited forms of diabetes known as Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY). However, the intracellular signaling pathways that control expression of MODY and other factors continue to be revealed. Post-transplant diabetes mellitus in patients taking the calcineurin inhibitors tacrolimus (FK506) or cyclosporin A indicates that calcineurin and its substrate the Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells (NFAT) may be required for beta-cell function. Here recent advances in our understanding of calcineurin and NFAT signaling in the beta-cell are reviewed. Novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diabetes are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy J Heit
- Department of Developmental Biology, B300 Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 279 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5329, USA.
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31
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Takeuchi K, Roehrl MHA, Sun ZYJ, Wagner G. Structure of the calcineurin-NFAT complex: defining a T cell activation switch using solution NMR and crystal coordinates. Structure 2007; 15:587-97. [PMID: 17502104 PMCID: PMC1989110 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2007.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2007] [Revised: 03/10/2007] [Accepted: 03/27/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Calcineurin (Cn) is a serine/threonine protein phosphatase that plays pivotal roles in many physiological processes, including cell proliferation, development, and apoptosis. Most prominently, Cn targets the nuclear factors of activated T cell (NFATs), transcription factors that activate cytokine genes. Calcium-activated Cn dephosphorylates multiple residues within the regulatory domain of NFAT, triggering joint nuclear translocation. This relies crucially on the interaction between the catalytic domain of Cn (CnCat) and the conserved PxIxIT motif located in a region distinct from the dephosphorylation sites of NFAT. Here, we present the structure of the complex between the 39 kDa CnCat and a 14 residue peptide containing a PVIVIT segment that was derived from affinity-driven peptide selection based on the conserved PxIxIT motif of NFATs. The structure of the complex was determined by using NMR assignments and structural constraints and the coordinates of the CnCat crystal structure. The NMR analysis relied on recently developed labeling and spectroscopic techniques. The VIVIT peptide is accommodated in a hydrophobic cleft formed by beta strands 11 and 14, and the loop between beta strands 11 and 12, forming a short parallel beta sheet with the exposed beta strand 14 in Cn. The side chains of conserved residues in the PxIxIT sequences make extensive interactions with conserved residues in Cn, while those of nonconserved residues are solvent exposed. The architecture of the interface explains the diversity of recognition sequences compatible with NFAT function and uncovers a potential targeting site for immune-suppressive agents. The structure reveals that the orientation of the bound PxIxIT directs the phosphorylation sites in NFAT's regulatory domain toward the Cn catalytic site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koh Takeuchi
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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32
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Abstract
Cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure are major causes of morbidity and mortality in Western societies. Many factors have been implicated in cardiac remodeling, including alterations in gene expression in myocytes, cardiomyocytes apoptosis, cytokines and growth factors that influence cardiac dynamics, and deficits in energy metabolism as well as alterations in cardiac extracellular matrix composition. Many therapeutic means have been shown to prevent or reverse cardiac hypertrophy. New concepts for characterizing the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy have been drawn from various aspects, including medical therapy and gene therapy, or use of stem cells for tissue regeneration. In this review, we focus on various types of cardiac hypertrophy, defining the causes of hypertrophy, describing available animal models of hypertrophy, discussing the mechanisms for development of hypertrophy and its transition to heart failure, and presenting the potential use of novel promising therapeutic strategies derived from new advances in basic scientific research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhiranjan Gupta
- Department of Molecular Cardiology, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA
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34
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de Lumley M, Hart DJ, Cooper MA, Symeonides S, Blackburn JM. A biophysical characterisation of factors controlling dimerisation and selectivity in the NF-kappaB and NFAT families. J Mol Biol 2004; 339:1059-75. [PMID: 15178248 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.03.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2003] [Revised: 02/11/2004] [Accepted: 03/31/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The Rel/NF-kappaB family of eukaryotic transcription factors bind DNA with high specificity and affinity as homo- or heterodimers to mediate a diverse range of biological processes. By comparison, the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) family has been recognised as Rel homologues due to structural similarities between the DNA-binding domains, yet they bind DNA as lower-affinity monomers. The structural and functional overlap between the NF-kappaB and NFAT families suggests that they may be evolutionarily divergent from a common, monomeric ancestor but have evolved different mechanisms to achieve high-affinity binding to their target DNA sequences. In order to understand the origin of these mechanistic differences, we constructed two chimeric proteins, based on molecular modelling, comprising the DNA-binding domain of NFAT and the dimerisation domain of NF-kappaB p50, differing only in the position of the splice site. Biophysical characterisation of the wild-type and chimeric proteins revealed that one of the chimeras bound DNA as a high-affinity, NF-kappaB-like cooperative dimer, whilst the other bound as a lower-affinity, NFAT-like monomer, demonstrating the importance of the interdomain linker in controlling the intrinsic ability of NFATc to form dimers. In addition, we have studied the rate of exchange of monomers between preformed NF-kappaB dimers and have determined, for the first time, the intrinsic homodimerisation constant for NF-kappaB p50. These data support a model in which NF-kappaB proteins bind DNA both in vitro and in vivo as high-affinity preformed homo- or heterodimers, which in an unbound form can still exchange monomer units on a physiologically relevant timescale in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie de Lumley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
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35
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Abstract
The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is a calcium-dependent transcription factor that cooperates with a myriad of partner transcription factors to regulate distinct transcription programs. Transcription activation by NFAT without the cooperation of co-stimulatory signals in lymphocytes can also impose a genetic program of anergy. Although the ternary NFAT1/Fos-Jun/DNA complex has been structurally characterized, how NFAT1 recognizes DNA in the absence of cooperative partners and how such a binary NFAT/DNA complex may lead to the assembly of distinct high-order NFAT transcription complexes are still poorly understood. We have determined the crystal structure of the entire Rel homology region (RHR) of human NFAT1 (NFATc2) bound to DNA as a monomer. We also present footprinting evidence that corroborates the protein-DNA contacts observed in the crystal structure. Our structural and biochemical studies reveal the mechanism by which the monomeric Rel protein NFAT recognizes its cognate DNA site. A remarkable feature of the binary NFAT/DNA complex is the conformational flexibility exhibited by NFAT1 in the four independent copies of the NFAT/DNA complex in the crystal structure, which may reflect a mechanism by which NFAT1 interacts with a variety of protein partners as it mediates disparate biological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Stroud
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Box 215, Boulder, CO 80309-0437, USA
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36
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Giffin MJ, Stroud JC, Bates DL, von Koenig KD, Hardin J, Chen L. Structure of NFAT1 bound as a dimer to the HIV-1 LTR kappa B element. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2003; 10:800-6. [PMID: 12949493 DOI: 10.1038/nsb981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2003] [Accepted: 08/01/2003] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
DNA binding by NFAT1 as a dimer has been implicated in the activation of host and viral genes. Here we report a crystal structure of NFAT1 bound cooperatively as a dimer to the highly conserved kappa B site from the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR). This structure reveals a new mode of dimerization and protein-DNA recognition by the Rel homology region (RHR) of NFAT1. The two NFAT1 monomers form a complete circle around the kappa B DNA through protein-protein interactions mediated by both their N- and C-terminal subdomains. The major dimer interface, formed by the C-terminal domain, is asymmetric and substantially different from the symmetric dimer interface seen in other Rel family proteins. Comparison to other NFAT structures, including NFAT5 and the NFAT1-Fos-Jun-ARRE2 complex, reveals that NFAT1 adopts different conformations and its protein surfaces mediate distinct protein-protein interactions in the context of different DNA sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Giffin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0215, USA
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37
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Jin L, Sliz P, Chen L, Macián F, Rao A, Hogan PG, Harrison SC. An asymmetric NFAT1 dimer on a pseudo-palindromic kappa B-like DNA site. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2003; 10:807-11. [PMID: 12949491 DOI: 10.1038/nsb975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2003] [Accepted: 08/01/2003] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of the NFAT1 Rel homology region (RHR) bound to a pseudo-palindromic DNA site reveals an asymmetric dimer interaction between the RHR-C domains, unrelated to the contact seen in Rel dimers such as NF kappa B. Binding studies with a form of the NFAT1 RHR defective in the dimer contact show loss of cooperativity and demonstrate that the same interaction is present in solution. The structure we have determined may correspond to a functional NFAT binding mode at palindromic sites of genes induced during the anergic response to weak TCR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jin
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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38
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Abstract
Cardiac hypertrophy is the heart's response to a variety of extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli that impose increased biomechanical stress. While hypertrophy can eventually normalize wall tension, it is associated with an unfavorable outcome and threatens affected patients with sudden death or progression to overt heart failure. Accumulating evidence from studies in human patients and animal models suggests that in most instances hypertrophy is not a compensatory response to the change in mechanical load, but rather is a maladaptive process. Accordingly, modulation of myocardial growth without adversely affecting contractile function is increasingly recognized as a potentially auspicious approach in the prevention and treatment of heart failure. In this review, we summarize recent insights into hypertrophic signaling and consider several novel antihypertrophic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Frey
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9148, USA.
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39
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Abstract
The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) group of transcription factors regulates gene expression in immune and non-immune cells. NFAT-mediated gene transcription is orchestrated, in part, by formation of a composite regulatory element. Here we demonstrate that NFAT interacts with transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) to form a composite enhancer complex, to potentiate expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 gene. Formation of a ternary NFAT.C/EBP.DNA complex is required for the transcriptional cooperation. A similar NFAT.C/EBP composite element is found in the regulatory region of the insulin-like growth factor 2, angiotensin-converting enzyme homolog, and transcription factor POU4F3 genes. Thus, the NFAT.C/EBP composite element represents a novel regulatory enhancer to direct NFAT-mediated gene transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teddy T C Yang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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40
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Rayet B, Fan Y, Gélinas C. Mutations in the v-Rel transactivation domain indicate altered phosphorylation and identify a subset of NF-kappaB-regulated cell death inhibitors important for v-Rel transforming activity. Mol Cell Biol 2003; 23:1520-33. [PMID: 12588973 PMCID: PMC151695 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.23.5.1520-1533.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Consistent with the constitutive activation of Rel/NF-kappaB in human hematopoietic tumors, the v-Rel oncoprotein induces aggressive leukemia/lymphomas in animal models. v-Rel is thus a valuable tool to characterize the role of Rel/NF-kappaB in cancer and the mechanisms involved. Prior studies by our group identified a serine-rich domain in v-Rel that was required for biological activity. Here, we investigated the molecular basis for the transformation defect of specific serine mutants. We show that the transforming efficiency of these mutants in primary lymphoid cells is correlated with their ability to mediate kappaB site-dependent transactivation and with specific changes in phosphorylation profiles. Interestingly, coexpression of the death antagonists Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 significantly increased their oncogenicity, whereas other NF-kappaB-regulated death inhibitors showed little or no effect. The fact that a subset of apoptosis inhibitors could rescue v-Rel transactivation mutants suggests that their reduced transcriptional activity may critically affect expression of defined death antagonists essential for oncogenesis. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed selection for high endogenous expression of Bcl-2-related death antagonists in cells transformed by weakly transforming v-Rel mutants. These results emphasize the need for Rel/NF-kappaB to efficiently activate expression of a subset of antiapoptotic genes from the Bcl-2 family to manifest its oncogenic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Béatrice Rayet
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine. Department of Biochemistry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-5638, USA
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41
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Abstract
NF-Y, also referred to as CCAAT-binding factor, is a major CCAAT-binding transcription factor. The present study demonstrated that the 3'-flanking region of the CCAAT box is involved in the formation of a stable NF-Y.DNA complex. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that the interaction of NF-Y with DNA 15 bp downstream of the CCAAT box alters not only the affinity of NF-Y for its binding site but also the electrophoretic mobility of the NF-Y.DNA complex. This interaction is accompanied by a conformational change of NF-Y as demonstrated by a change in the reactivity of an anti-NF-YA antibody to the NF-Y.DNA complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoaki Sugiura
- Department of Biochemistry I, National Defense Medical College, Namiki 3-2, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan
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42
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Ikura M, Osawa M, Ames JB. The role of calcium-binding proteins in the control of transcription: structure to function. Bioessays 2002; 24:625-36. [PMID: 12111723 DOI: 10.1002/bies.10105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is coupled with numerous intracellular signaling processes often mediated by second messengers. Now, growing evidence points to the importance of Ca(2+), one of the most versatile second messengers, in activating or inhibiting gene transcription through actions frequently mediated by members of the EF-hand superfamily of Ca(2+)-binding proteins. Calmodulin and calcineurin, representative members of this EF-hand superfamily, indirectly regulate transcription through phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of transcription factors in response to a Ca(2+) increase in the cell. Recently, a novel EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein called DREAM has been found to interact with regulatory sequences of DNA, thereby acting as a direct regulator of transcription. Finally, S100B, a dimeric EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein, interacts with the tumor suppressor p53 and controls its transcriptional activity. In light of the structural studies reported to date, this review provides an overview of the structural basis of EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding proteins linked with transcriptional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuhiko Ikura
- Division of Molecular and Structural Biology, Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Room 7-707A, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2M9.
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43
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Abstract
Calcium signaling activates the phosphatase calcineurin and induces movement of NFATc proteins into the nucleus, where they cooperate with other proteins to form complexes on DNA. Nuclear import is opposed by kinases such as GSK3, thereby rendering transcription continuously responsive to receptor occupancy. Disruptions of the genes involved in NFAT signaling are implicating this pathway as a regulator of developmental cell-cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald R Crabtree
- Department of Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Antos CL, McKinsey TA, Frey N, Kutschke W, McAnally J, Shelton JM, Richardson JA, Hill JA, Olson EN. Activated glycogen synthase-3 beta suppresses cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:907-12. [PMID: 11782539 PMCID: PMC117404 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.231619298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 369] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2001] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The adult myocardium responds to a variety of pathologic stimuli by hypertrophic growth that frequently progresses to heart failure. The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin is a potent transducer of hypertrophic stimuli. Calcineurin dephosphorylates members of the nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) family of transcription factors, which results in their translocation to the nucleus and activation of calcium-dependent genes. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) phosphorylates NFAT proteins and antagonizes the actions of calcineurin by stimulating NFAT nuclear export. To determine whether activated GSK-3 can act as an antagonist of hypertrophic signaling in the adult heart in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that express a constitutively active form of GSK-3 beta under control of a cardiac-specific promoter. These mice were physiologically normal under nonstressed conditions, but their ability to mount a hypertrophic response to calcineurin activation was severely impaired. Similarly, cardiac-specific expression of activated GSK-3 beta diminished hypertrophy in response to chronic beta-adrenergic stimulation and pressure overload. These findings reveal a role for GSK-3 beta as an inhibitor of hypertrophic signaling in the intact myocardium and suggest that elevation of cardiac GSK-3 beta activity may provide clinical benefit in the treatment of pathologic hypertrophy and heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Antos
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA
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45
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Yang T, Davis RJ, Chow CW. Requirement of two NFATc4 transactivation domains for CBP potentiation. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:39569-76. [PMID: 11514544 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m102961200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Recruitment of the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP) to transcription factors is important for gene expression. Various regions of CBP such as the KIX and CH3 domains have been shown to interact with numerous transcription factors. The NFAT group of transcription factors is involved in multiple biological processes. NFATc4/NFAT3 has been proposed to play an important role in heart hypertrophy, adipocyte differentiation, and learning and memory. We demonstrate here that two transactivation domains, located at the NH(2) and COOH termini of NFATc4, are critical for interacting with CBP. Each transactivation domain interacts with a distinct region of the CBP protein (the KIX and CH3 domains). Binding of CBP potentiates NFATc4-mediated transcription activity. Both transactivation domains of NFATc4 are required for CBP function. Removal of either NFATc4 transactivation domain abolishes CBP potentiation. Conversely, mutation of the KIX or CH3 domain prevents CBP-mediated potentiation of NFATc4 transcription activation. These data demonstrate that formation of a functional NFATc4.CBP transcription complex requires interactions at two distinct sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Yang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York 10461, USA
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46
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Abstract
NFATc proteins transduce Ca(2+) signals to the nucleus and then pair with other proteins on DNA to generate NFAT complexes that activate transcription in response to both electrical and tyrosine kinase signaling. The four NFATc genes arose at the origin of vertebrates, implying that they have evolved for the development of vertebrate-specific functions, such as a complex nervous system, a recombinational immune system, and a vascular system with a complex heart. These speculations are borne out by studies of mice with null mutations in the different family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- I A Graef
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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47
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Abstract
Among the naturally unfolded proteins there are many polypeptides that retain an extended conformation in the absence of any apparent signal. Using sequence alignment and secondary structure prediction tools, a conserved (LS/SL)(D/E)(D/E)(D/E)X(E/D) motif is uncovered in the vicinity of the N-terminus of their unfolded helices. A comparison of these data with published observations allows one to propose that the (LS/SL)(D/E)(D/E)(D/E)X(E/D) motif is a helix-unfolding signal. Furthermore, the strong similarity between this motif and the STXXDE casein kinase II phosphorylation site suggests a regulatory mechanism for the naturally unfolded proteins within the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Dötsch
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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López-Rodríguez C, Aramburu J, Jin L, Rakeman AS, Michino M, Rao A. Bridging the NFAT and NF-kappaB families: NFAT5 dimerization regulates cytokine gene transcription in response to osmotic stress. Immunity 2001; 15:47-58. [PMID: 11485737 DOI: 10.1016/s1074-7613(01)00165-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor NFAT5/TonEBP is evolutionarily the oldest member of the NFAT/Rel family of transcription factors. We show that NFAT5 is uniquely related to NF-kappaB and is the only member of the Rel/NFAT family to be activated by osmotic stress. Like Rel/NF-kappaB proteins but unlike the calcium-regulated NFAT proteins, NFAT5 is constitutively dimeric, and dimerization is essential for DNA binding and transcriptional activity. Using dominant-negative proteins that inhibit NFAT5 dimerization, we show that NFAT5 regulates expression of the TNFalpha and lymphotoxin-beta genes in osmotically stressed T cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments confirm that NFAT5 binds to the TNFalpha promoter in vivo. We suggest that NFAT5 participates in specific aspects of host defense by upregulating TNF family genes and other target genes in T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- C López-Rodríguez
- The Center for Blood Research and, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Graef IA, Gastier JM, Francke U, Crabtree GR. Evolutionary relationships among Rel domains indicate functional diversification by recombination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2001; 98:5740-5. [PMID: 11344309 PMCID: PMC33283 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.101602398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/20/2000] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent sequencing of several complete genomes has made it possible to track the evolution of large gene families by their genomic structure. Following the large-scale association of exons encoding domains with well defined functions in invertebrates could be useful in predicting the function of complex multidomain proteins in mammals produced by accretion of domains. With this objective, we have determined the genomic structure of the 14 genes in invertebrates and vertebrates that contain rel domains. The sequence encoding the rel domain is defined by intronic boundaries and has been recombined with at least three structurally and functionally distinct genomic sequences to generate coding sequences for: (i) the rel/Dorsal/NFkappaB proteins that are retained in the cytoplasm by IkB-like proteins; (ii) the NFATc proteins that sense calcium signals and undergo cytoplasmic-to-nuclear translocation in response to dephosphorylation by calcineurin; and (iii) the TonEBP tonicity-responsive proteins. Remarkably, a single exon in each NFATc family member encodes the entire Ca(2+)/calcineurin sensing region, including nuclear import/export, calcineurin-binding, and substrate regions. The Rel/Dorsal proteins and the TonEBP proteins are present in Drosophila but not Caenorhabditis elegans. On the other hand, the calcium-responsive NFATc proteins are present only in vertebrates, suggesting that the NFATc family is dedicated to functions specific to vertebrates such as a recombinational immune response, cardiovascular development, and vertebrate-specific aspects of the development and function of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- I A Graef
- Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305-5323, USA
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