Effects of pre-eclampsia on maternal plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and umbilical cord urotensin II concentrations: a pilot study † †This work was presented at the Liverpool meeting of the Anaesthetic Research Society, July 8–9, 2004 (E. Cowley, J. Waugh, N. Ali, P. Sharpe, J. P. Thompson and D. G. Lambert. Urotensin II concentrations are not elevated in pre-eclampsia. Br J Anaesth 2004; 612P)

Decreased PPP1R3G in pre-eclampsia impairs human trophoblast invasion and migration via Akt/MMP-9 signaling pathway

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy complication characterized by impaired trophoblast invasion and spiral artery remodeling and can have serious consequences for both mother and child. Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3G (PPP1R3G) is involved in numerous tumor-related biological processes. However, the biological action and underlying mechanisms of PPP1R3G in PE progression remain unclear. We used western blotting and immunohistochemistry to investigate PPP1R3G expression in gestational age-matched pre-eclamptic and normal placental tissues. After lentivirus transfection, wound-healing, Transwell, cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and TdT mediateddUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assays were used to assess trophoblast migration, invasion, proliferation, and apoptosis, respectively. The relative expression levels of PPP1R3G and the proteins involved in the Akt signaling pathway were determined using western blotting. The results showed that PPP1R3G levels were significantly lower in the placental tissues and GSE74341 microarray of the PE group than those of the healthy control group. We also found that neonatal weight and Apgar score were lower at birth, and peak systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were higher in the PE group than in the non-PE group. In addition, PPP1R3G knockdown decreased p-Akt/Akt expression and inhibited migration, invasion, and proliferation in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblasts but had no discernible effect on cell apoptosis. Furthermore, PPP1R3G positively regulated matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), which was downregulated in placental tissues of pregnant women with PE. These results provided the first evidence that the reduced levels of PPP1R3G might contribute to PE by suppressing the invasion and migration of trophoblasts and targeting the Akt/MMP-9 signaling pathway.

Elevated levels of protein AMBP in cerebrospinal fluid of women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnant women

PURPOSE

To investigate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome of patients with preeclampsia (PE) and normotensive pregnant women, in order to provide a better understanding of brain involvement in PE.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Ninety-eight CSF samples (43 women with PE and 55 normotensive controls) were analyzed by LC-MS/MS proteome profiling. CSF was obtained during the spinal puncture before caesarean delivery.

RESULTS

Eight proteins were higher abundant and 17 proteins were lower abundant in patients with PE. The most significantly differentially abundant protein was protein AMBP (alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor). This finding was validated by performing an ELISA experiment (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The current study showed a clear difference between the protein profiles of CSF from patients with PE and normotensive pregnant women. Protein AMBP is a precursor of a heme-binding protein that counteracts the damaging effects of free hemoglobin, which may be related to the presence of free hemoglobin in CSF. Protein levels showed correlations with clinical symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. To our knowledge, this is the first LC-MS/MS proteome profiling study on a unique set of CSF samples from (severe) preeclamptic patients and normotensive pregnant women.

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCII. Urotensin II, urotensin II-related peptide, and their receptor: from structure to function

Urotensin II (UII) is a cyclic neuropeptide that was first isolated from the urophysis of teleost fish on the basis of its ability to contract the hindgut. Subsequently, UII was characterized in tetrapods including humans. Phylogenetic studies and synteny analysis indicate that UII and its paralogous peptide urotensin II-related peptide (URP) belong to the somatostatin/cortistatin superfamily. In mammals, the UII and URP genes are primarily expressed in cholinergic neurons of the brainstem and spinal cord. UII and URP mRNAs are also present in various organs notably in the cardiovascular, renal, and endocrine systems. UII and URP activate a common G protein-coupled receptor, called UT, that exhibits relatively high sequence identity with somatostatin, opioid, and galanin receptors. The UT gene is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and in peripheral tissues including the retina, heart, vascular bed, lung, kidney, adrenal medulla, and skeletal muscle. Structure-activity relationship studies and NMR conformational analysis have led to the rational design of a number of peptidic and nonpeptidic UT agonists and antagonists. Consistent with the wide distribution of UT, UII has now been shown to exert a large array of biologic activities, in particular in the CNS, the cardiovascular system, and the kidney. Here, we review the current knowledge concerning the pleiotropic actions of UII and discusses the possible use of antagonists for future therapeutic applications.

Signaling switch of the urotensin II vasosactive peptide GPCR: prototypic chemotaxic mechanism in glioma

Multiform glioblastomas (GBM) are the most frequent and aggressive primary brain tumors in adults. The poor prognosis is due to neo-angiogenesis and cellular invasion, processes that require complex chemotaxic mechanisms involving motility, migration and adhesion. Understanding these different cellular events implies identifying receptors and transduction pathways that lead to and promote either migration or adhesion. Here we establish that glioma express the vasoactive peptide urotensin II (UII) and its receptor UT and that UT-mediated signaling cascades are involved in glioma cell migration and adhesion. Components of the urotensinergic systems, UII and UT, are widely expressed in patient-derived GBM tissue sections, glioma cell lines and fresh biopsy explants. Interestingly, gradient concentrations of UII produced chemoattracting migratory/motility effects in glioma as well as HEK293 cells expressing human UT. These effects mainly involved the G13/Rho/rho kinase pathway while partially requiring Gi/o/PI3K components. In contrast, we observed that homogeneous concentrations of UII drastically blocked cell motility and stimulated cell-matrix adhesions through a UT/Gi/o signaling cascade, partially involving phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase. Finally, we provide evidence that, in glioma cells, homogeneous concentration of UII allowed translocation of Gα13 to the UT receptor at the plasma membrane and increased actin stress fibers, lamellipodia formation and vinculin-stained focal adhesions. UII also provoked a re-localization of UT precoupled to Gαi in filipodia and initiated integrin-stained focal points. Altogether, these findings suggest that UT behaves as a chemotaxic receptor, relaying a signaling switch between directional migration and cell adhesion under gradient or homogeneous concentrations, thereby redefining sequential mechanisms affecting tumor cells during glioma invasion. Taken together, our results allow us to propose a model in order to improve the design of compounds that demonstrate signaling bias for therapies that target specifically the Gi/o signaling pathway.

Urotensin-II 143 G/A polymorphism is not associated with the risk of preeclampsia in Korean women

PROBLEM

Urotensin-II (UTS-II) may be associated with preeclampsia. We therefore assessed whether the UTS-II 143 G/A polymorphism is associated with preeclampsia in Korean women.

METHOD OF STUDY

This prospective case-control study enrolled 109 patients with preeclampsia and 144 healthy pregnant controls, all of whom were genotyped for the UTS-II 143 G/A polymorphism using the real-time TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the distribution of the 143 G/A polymorphism or the frequency of the 143 A allele between women with preeclampsia and controls. In a dominant model, carriers of the A allele were not significantly more prevalent in the preeclamptic (53.2%) than in the control (60.4%) group. In addition, subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in genotype distribution or allelic frequency of the 143 G/A polymorphism between women with mild or severe preeclampsia and controls.

CONCLUSION

In Korean women, the common UTS-II 143 G/A polymorphism is unlikely to have an association with the risk of preeclampsia.

Association between urotensin II gene polymorphism and pre-eclampsia

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of a specific polymorphism (S89N) in exon 3 of the urotensin II (UTS2) gene in pre-eclampsia.

STUDY DESIGN

One hundred and forty-two subjects, 85 with a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (group I) and 57 healthy pregnant subjects as a control group (group II), who had been admitted between January 2006 and December 2007, were included. All the subjects were tested for G to A transition in codon 266 in the urotensin II gene by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The distributions of genotypes and allele frequencies were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Demographics such as age, gestational age, gravidity, abortion and parity were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups concerning genotype distribution and allele frequency (p = 0.305, p = 0.326, respectively). The observed genotype counts did not deviate significantly from those expected according to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that UTS2 single gene (S89N) polymorphism is not associated with pre-eclampsia. Further studies are needed to investigate the prevalence of other single nucleotide gene polymorphisms in pre-eclampsia.

Nociceptin and urotensin-II concentrations in critically ill patients with sepsis

BACKGROUND

The systemic inflammatory response to infection (sepsis) involves widespread organ dysfunction, including changes in immune modulation, cardiovascular derangements, and neural activation. Two neuropeptide/receptor systems, nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) which acts at the non-classical opioid receptor NOP and urotensin-II (U-II) which acts at the urotensin receptor (UT), have been implicated in neural, immune, and cardiovascular system function. In this study, we make measurements of these peptides in critically ill patients.

METHODS

Plasma samples from 21 critically ill patients with sepsis were collected over four consecutive days. Plasma N/OFQ and U-II concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay and compared with biochemical and clinical markers of illness severity, including serum creatinine, bilirubin, platelet and white cell counts, admission APACHE II and serial SOFA scores.

RESULTS

Median (inter-quartile range) admission plasma N/OFQ concentrations in sepsis were higher in patients who died within 30 days (n=4) compared with survivors (n=17); 3.0 (2.5-5.0) vs 1.0 (1.0-2.5) pg ml(-1) (P=0.028). Plasma N/OFQ concentrations were increased in a subgroup of five patients who had undergone major gastrointestinal surgery. There were no significant changes in plasma U-II concentrations. There were no correlations between plasma U-II and N/OFQ concentrations and markers of illness severity and organ system dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma N/OFQ concentrations were increased in critically ill patients with sepsis who had undergone major gastrointestinal surgery and in patients who subsequently died. Further work is required to clarify the significance of plasma N/OFQ concentrations in sepsis.

Role of urotensin II and its receptor in health and disease

Urotensin II (U-II) is currently the most potent vasoconstrictor identified. This action is brought about via activation of a G(q/11)-protein coupled receptor (UT receptor). U-II activation of the UT receptor increases inositol phosphate turnover and intracellular Ca(2+). In addition to producing vasoconstriction, dilation and ionotropic effects have also been described. There is considerable variation in the responsiveness of particular vascular beds from the same and different species, including humans. Receptors for U-II are located peripherally on vascular smooth muscle (contractile responses) and endothelial cells (dilatory responses via nitric oxide). In humans, plasma U-II is elevated in heart failure, renal failure, liver disease, and diabetes. Iontophoresis of U-II in healthy volunteers produces vasodilation (of the forearm) while in patients with heart failure or hypertension a constriction is observed. To date there is only one clinical study using a UT receptor antagonist (palosuran) in diabetic patients with macroalbuminuria. This antagonist reduced albumin excretion, probably by increasing renal blood flow. Studies in other disease conditions are eagerly awaited. In summary, the U-II / UT receptor system has clinical potential, and for the anesthesiologist, this novel peptide-receptor system may be of use in the intensive care unit.

Does cigarette smoking increase plasma urotensin II concentrations?

OBJECTIVE

Human urotensin II (UII) acts on the urotensin (UT) receptor and is the most potent mammalian vasoconstrictor identified to date. The role of UII in human cardiovascular regulation remains unclear, and the results of plasma measurements have been conflicting, perhaps because different measurement techniques have been used. The effects of cigarette smoking on plasma UII concentrations are unknown. The primary aim of our study was to demonstrate whether cigarette smoking had any effect on plasma UII concentrations in otherwise healthy volunteers. Our secondary aim was to compare the results obtained from assaying simultaneously using both radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoluminometric assay (ILMA).

METHODS

Blood was taken from 20 healthy male non-smokers and 20 healthy male cigarette smokers. Plasma was separated and stored at -70 degrees C. Samples were batch analysed simultaneously for UII using RIA and ILMA.

RESULTS

Median (range) plasma UII concentrations were lower in non-smokers [1.67 (1.0-2.27) pg ml(-1)] compared to smokers [2.62 (1.87-3.46) pg ml(-1)] (P = 0.03) measured using RIA. Those who had smoked a cigarette in the 10 min before sampling had greater concentrations of UII [3.10 (1.87-4.60) pg ml(-1)] compared to controls (P = 0.01). Plasma UII concentrations determined by ILMA were consistently low with no differences between groups.

CONCLUSION

The data obtained by RIA show that smoking may increase plasma concentrations of UII with a more pronounced increase when a cigarette has been smoked recently. There was a complete lack of correlation between RIA and ILMA for the whole data set, which suggests that some of the variability in plasma UII reported in the literature may result from differences between assays.

Urotensin-II and cardiovascular diseases

Urotensin-II (U-II) is a vasoactive factor with pleiotropic effects. U-II exerts its activity by binding to a G-protein-coupled receptor termed UT. U-II and its receptor are highly expressed in the cardiovascular system. Increased U-II plasma levels have been reported in patients with cardiovascular disease of varying etiologies. We and others have shown that U-II and UT expression is elevated in both clinical and experimental heart failure and atherosclerosis. U-II induces cardiac fibrosis by increasing fibroblast collagen synthesis. In addition, U-II induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and increased vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. We have shown that U-II antagonism using a selective U-II blocker, SB-611812 reduces neointimal thickening and increases lumen diameter in a rat restenosis model of carotid artery angioplasty. These findings suggest an important role for U-II in cardiovascular dysfunction and remodeling.

Magnifying endoscopic observation of the gastric mucosa, particularly in patients with atrophic gastritis

The gastric mucosal surface was observed using the magnifying fibergastroscope (FGS-ML), and the fine gastric mucosal patterns, which were even smaller than one unit of gastric area, were examined at a magnification of about 30. For simplicification, we classified these patterns by magnifying endoscopy in the following ways; FP, FIP, FSP, SP and MP, modifying Yoshii's classification under the dissecting microscope. The FIP, which was found to have round and long elliptical gastric pits, is a new addition to our endoscopic classification. The relationship between the FIP and the intermediate zone was evaluated by superficial and histological studies of surgical and biopsy specimens. The width of the band of FIP seems to be related to the severity of atrophic gastritis. Also, the transformation of FP to FIP was assessed by comparing specimens taken from the resected and residual parts of the stomach, respectively. Moreover, it appears that severe gastritis occurs in the gastric mucosa which shows a FIP. Therefore, we consider that the FIP indicates the position of the atrophic border.