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A Alfonso

Publications and source records attributed to A Alfonso.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Modulation of cytosolic calcium levels of human lymphocytes by yessotoxin, a novel marine phycotoxin.

Yessotoxin (YTX) is a polyether toxin of marine origin that has been classified among the diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins group due to its lipophilic nature. However, unlike other DSP toxins, YTX does not produce diarrhea and its mechanisms of action are unknown. We studied the effect of YTX on the cytosolic calcium levels of freshly isolated human lymphocytes by means of fluorescence imaging microscopy. We showed that YTX produced a calcium influx through nifedipine and SKF 96365 (1-[beta-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxyl]-4-methoxyphenyl]-1H-imidazole hydrochloride)-sensitive channels. This Ca2+ entry was not affected by the DSP toxin okadaic acid, which inhibits protein phosphatases. In addition, YTX also produced an inhibition of capacitative calcium entry activated by thapsigargin or by preincubation in a Ca2+-free medium. This capacitative calcium entry was not sensitive to nifedipine. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of YTX was dependent on the time of addition of the toxin. We suggest that YTX may interact with calcium channels in a way similar to that described for other polyether marine compounds such as brevetoxins and maitotoxin, although an involvement of other second messengers is also likely.

Biological Transport↗

Confocal microscopy study of the different patterns of 2-NBDG uptake in rabbit enterocytes in the apical and basal zone.

D-Glucose uptake in isolated rabbit enterocytes was studied using confocal microscopy and 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NDBG), a D-glucose fluorescent analogue, by analysing the fluorescence of apical and basal enterocyte zones. Under normal conditions, apical fluorescence was always higher than basal, presumably due to the location of the Na+-D-glucose cotransporter in the brush-border membrane. After blocking this transporter with phlorizin, apical and basal fluorescence values were similar. This suggests that both brush-border and basolateral membranes participate in phlorizin-insensitive D-glucose transport, since transport across only one membrane cannot explain the uniform overall fluorescence observed. Similarly, after inhibiting the Na+-D-glucose cotransporter by incubating the enterocytes in a medium containing 0.5 mM Na+, neither apical nor basal fluorescence predominated. In contrast, with 130.5 mM extracellular Na+, apical fluorescence was clearly higher than basal fluorescence. These results suggest that phlorizin-insensitive, Na+-independent 2-NDBG uptake occurred through both brush-border and basolateral membranes, probably via the glucose uniporters GLUT2 and GLUT5, suggesting that the latter is a D-glucose transporter.

4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan↗

Pyrazolopyrimidines: synthesis, effect on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells and cytotoxic activity.

A series of 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines (3--6) substituted at positions 1 (R(1)=Ph, H, tert-butyl and ribosetribenzoate), 4 (R(2)=chlorine, nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles), and 6 (dimethylamino) have been synthesized and their effect on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells measured. After chemical stimulation, (polymer 48/80), several compounds (i.e. 3b, 4a, 4b, 4d, 4g, 5a), produce inhibition two to three times higher (40--60%) than DSCG but this action is lower after preincubation. 4b (R(1)=Ph, R(2)=NHCH(2)Ph; 50--70% inhibition) and 5a (R(1)=H, R(2)=OMe; 50--55% inhibition) are the most active ones in both experiments. With ovoalbumin as stimulus, several pyrazolopyrimidines show inhibition similar to DSCG, the most active compounds being 6a--d (IC(50)=12--16 microM; R(1)=ribosetribenzoate, R(2)=methoxy and amino). Compounds 4e (R(1)=t-butyl, R(2)=OMe) and 4g (R(1)=t-butyl, R(2)=piperidino) are inducers of the release of histamine (60 and 150% increase). Compounds 4b and 4c showed cytotoxic activity (IC(50)=1 microg/mL) to HT-29 human colon cancer cells.

Animals↗

Ouabain-induced enhancement of rat mast cells response. Modulation by protein phosphorylation and intracellular pH.

The digitalic glicoside ouabain induces potentiation of rat mast cell histamine release in response to several stimuli, which is mediated by Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. In this work, we studied the effect of ouabain on cytosolic calcium, intracellular pH and histamine release with Ca2+ ionophore A23187 in conditions designed to maximize ouabain-induced potentiation of rat mast cells response. The effect of protein kinase C (PKC), cAMP and phosphatase inhibition was also tested. Ouabain induced an enhancement in histamine release, cytosolic calcium and intracellular pH. The adenylate cyclase activator forskolin reduced the effect of ouabain on histamine release and intracellular pH, but enhanced the effect on cytosolic calcium. PKC activator PMA enhanced the effect of ouabain on histamine release and cytosolic calcium, without affecting intracellular pH. A PKC inhibitor, GF-109203X, reduced ouabain-induced enhancement of histamine release and intracellular pH, but increased the enhancement on cytosolic calcium. Finally, inhibition of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A with okadaic acid, increased the effect of ouabain on histamine release and intracellular pH, but reduced cytosolic calcium in presence of ouabain. This result suggest that ouabain-induced potentiation of rat mast cell histamine release with A23187 is modulated by kinases, and this modulation may be carried out by changes in intracellular alkalinization. However, the mechanism underlying cellular alkalinization remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗

Maitotoxin-induced calcium entry in human lymphocytes: modulation by yessotoxin, Ca(2+) channel blockers and kinases.

We have studied the effect of the ciguatera-related toxin maitotoxin (MTX) on the cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) of human peripheral blood lymphocytes loaded with the fluorescent probe Fura2 and the regulation of MTX action by different drugs known to interfere in cellular Ca(2+) signalling mechanisms and by the marine phycotoxin yessotoxin (YTX). MTX produced a concentration-dependent elevation of [Ca(2+)]i in a Ca(2+)-containing medium. This effect was stimulated by pretreatment with YTX 1 microM and NiCl(2) 15 microM. The voltage-independent Ca(2+) channel antagonist 1-[beta-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxyl]-4-methoxyphenyl]-1H-imidazole hydrochloride (SKF96365) blocked the MTX-induced [Ca(2+)]i elevation, while the L-type channel blocker nifedipine had no effect. Pretreatment with NiCl(2) or nifedipine did not modify YTX-induced potentiation of MTX effect, and SKF96365-induced inhibition was reduced in the presence of YTX, which suggest different pathways to act on [Ca(2+)]i. Preincubation with N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide.2HCl (H-89) or genistein (10 microM) also had no effect on the MTX-induced [Ca(2+)]i increment. In contrast, the PKC inhibitor bisindolilmaleimide I (GF109203X 1 microM) potentiated the MTX effect, whereas phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibition with wortmannin (10 nM) reduced the MTX-elicited Ca(2+) entry. In summary, MTX produced Ca(2+) influx into human lymphocytes through a SKF96365-sensitive, nifedipine-insensitive pathway. The MTX-induced [Ca(2+)]i elevation was stimulated by the marine toxin YTX through a mechanism insensitive to SKF96365, nifedipine or NiCl(2). It was also stimulated by the divalent cation Ni(2+) and PKC inhibition and was partially inhibited by PI 3-kinase inhibition.

Calcium↗

Prolactin induces calcium influx and release from intracellular pools in human T lymphocytes by activation of tyrosine kinases.

The early events related to intracellular signals after prolactin (PRL) activation in T lymphocytes are not clearly established. The aim of this work was to study the effect of PRL in cytosolic calcium levels in human T lymphocytes. By using the dye FURA-2 AM, the variations in cytosolic Ca(2+) were studied in peripheral human T lymphocytes isolated from extracted blood from healthy donors. Fifty nanograms per milliliter PRL induces a small increase in cytosolic calcium. When the cells are preincubated overnight (16-20 h) in the presence of PRL, the increase in calcium is higher. This high increase is due to the release from intracellular pools and to the influx from the extracellular media. That is, after overnight incubation with PRL, calcium influx in T cells follows the capacitative model. Since PRL receptor (PRL-R) activation involves the tyrosine kinase pathway, we check calcium effect in the presence of genistein, a known inhibitor of tyrosine kinases. When cells are preincubated in the presence of 10 microM genistein, and PRL is immediately added, no increase in cytosolic calcium is observed. The presence of genistein also completely blocks the increase in cytosolic calcium stimulated by PRL after overnight incubation with PRL. In the presence of PRL and N,N-dimethyl-D-erythro-sphingosine (DMS), a stimulus that increases cytosolic calcium in T cells by tyrosine kinase stimulation, a high, even insignificant, calcium influx is induced. However, when the cells are incubated overnight in the presence of PRL, and then DMS is added, a significant increase in cytosolic calcium levels takes place. This increase is associated with an increase in calcium release from intracellular pools and an increase in calcium uptake. Genistein reduces the influx of external calcium induced by DMS after short incubation with PRL and significantly inhibits both, calcium pools empty, and calcium influx is induced by DMS after overnight incubation with PRL. In summary, PRL induces calcium influx in normal T lymphocytes. The influx is magnified after long PRL exposures, intracellular Ca(2+) pool-dependent, and activated through tyrosine kinases.

Calcium↗

Hypertonicity-induced intracellular pH changes in rat mast cells.

In a non-isotonic environment, cells can shrink or swell and return to their normal shape by activating ion transport pathways. Changes in intracellular pH (pHi) after osmotic stress have been identified in several cells. In order to study the mechanisms that regulate cytosolic pH of rat mast cells in a hypertonic medium, we used the pH sensitive dye, BCECF. Under these hypertonic conditions, pHi undergoes an alkalinization following an initial acidification. The alkalinization is mediated by a Na+/H+ exchanger, since it is inhibited by amiloride and lack of extracellular sodium. Under these conditions, the alkalinization is increased with the PKC activators, TPA and OAG, and partially blocked with trifluoperazine, an unspecific protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca2+ calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (Ca2+/CaM K) inhibitor. There is also an anion exchanger, blocked with DIDS but not activated by PKC, that participates in the observed alkalinization. However, Na+/H+ exchanger is the main mechanism involved in the alkalinization of pHi of mast cells in a hyperosmotic environment.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Functional compartments in rat mast cells for cAMP and calcium on histamine release.

The crosstalk between 3', 5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), intracellular calcium, and histamine release in rat mast cells using the stimulatory effect of three different drugs, thapsigargin, sodium fluoride (NaF), and compound 48/80 were studied. Each of these drugs induces histamine release by different mechanisms. The transducting pathways modulating cAMP and intracellular calcium levels were modified by using, cholera toxin (CTX) which ADP-rybosylates Gs-protein, pertussis toxin (PTX) which ADP-rybosylates Gi-protein, and okadaic acid (OA) which inhibits phosphatases 1 and 2a. Our results show that CTX increased cAMP levels and inhibited histamine release elicited by thapsigargin and compound 48/80. The inhibitory effect of CTX on histamine release was potentiated by OA in the presence of compound 48/80 but was decreased in the presence of thapsigargin. Calcium uptake was stimulated by NaF and compound 48/80. The previous treatment with OA increased calcium uptake when combined with compound 48/80 but not with NaF. Treatment with NaF highly stimulated calcium uptake and cAMP levels only when combined with OA and CTX. These results suggest that the modulatory effect of intracellular calcium and cAMP on histamine release depend more on the crosstalk of the activated signal transducting pathway than on the final level of calcium or cAMP, further supporting the theory that rat mast cells are divided into functionally distinct compartments.

Animals↗

Crosstalk between cytosolic pH and intracellular calcium in human lymphocytes: effect of 4-aminopyridin, ammoniun chloride and ionomycin.

Stimulation of lymphocytes by specific antigens is followed by the activation of different signal transduction mechanisms, such as alterations in the cytoplasmic levels of Ca(2+), H(+) and variations in membrane potential. To study interrelationships among these parameters, changes in pHi and Ca(2+) were measured with the fluorescent probes BCECF and Fura-2 in freshly isolated blood human lymphocytes. Moreover, membrane potential qualitative alterations were recorded with the fluorescent dye bis-oxonol. In a bicarbonate-free medium, cell alkalinization with NH(4)Cl slightly decreased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) due to efflux of Ca(2+) from the cell. In contrast, an elevation of pHi induced with 4-AP increased [Ca(2+)](i), either in the presence or absence of external Ca(2+). The increase in Ca(2+)-free medium is likely to be due to Ca(2+) release from thapsigargin and caffeine-independent intracellular stores. Both 4-AP or NH(4)Cl induced a plasma membrane depolarisation, although with different kinetics. The ionosphere ionomycin increased pHi, Ca(2+) levels and also induced membrane depolarisation. Together, these observations demonstrate a lack of correlation between the magnitude of changes in pHi and Ca(2+).

4-Aminopyridine↗

Calcium-pH crosstalks in rat mast cells: cytosolic alkalinization, but not intracellular calcium release, is a sufficient signal for degranulation.

The aim of this work was to study the relationship between intracellular alkalinization, calcium fluxes and histamine release in rat mast cells. Intracellular alkalinization was induced by nigericin, a monovalent cation ionophore, and by NH(4)Cl (ammonium chloride). Calcium cytosolic and intracellular pH were measured by fluorescence digital imaging using Fura-2-AM and BCECF-AM. In rat mast cells, nigericin and NH(4)Cl induce a dose-dependent intracellular alkalinization, a dose-dependent increase in intracellular calcium levels by releasing calcium from intracellular pools, and an activation of capacitative calcium influx. The increase in both intracellular calcium and pH activates exocytosis (histamine release) in the absence of external calcium. Under the same conditions, thapsigargin does not activate exocytosis, the main difference being that thapsigargin does not alkalinize the cytosol. After alkalinization, histamine release is intracellular-calcium dependent. With 2.5 mM EGTA and thapsigargin the cell response decreases by 62%. The cytosolic alkalinization, in addition to the calcium increase it is enough signal to elicit the exocytotic process in rat mast cells.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Severe necrotizing mastopathy caused by calciphylaxis alleviated by total parathyroidectomy.

Calciphylaxis is a complication caused by secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic renal failure. These patients may present with clinical findings of ischemic necrosis involving the skin and muscle resulting in subsequent gangrene and vascular calcifications. We report a rare case of necrotizing mastopathy caused by calciphylaxis in a 70-year-old female with end-stage renal disease whose symptoms resolved with a total parathyroidectomy.

Aged↗

Breathing pattern in highly competitive cyclists during incremental exercise.

The purpose of our investigation was to analyse the breathing patterns of professional cyclists during incremental exercise from submaximal to maximal intensities. A group of 11 elite amateur male road cyclists [E, mean age 23 (SD 2) years, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) 73.8 (SD 5.0) ml kg(-1) min(-1)] and 14 professional male road cyclists [P, mean age 26 (SD 2) years, (VO2peak) 73.2 (SD 6.6) ml kg(-1) min(-1)] participated in this study. Each of the subjects performed an exercise test on a cycle ergometer following a ramp protocol (exercise intensity increases of 25 W x min(-1)) until the subject was exhausted. For each subject, the following parameters were recorded during the tests: oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide output (VCO2), pulmonary ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT), breathing frequency (fb), ventilatory equivalents for oxygen (VE x VO2(-1)) and carbon dioxide (VE x VCO2(-1)), end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen and partial pressure of carbon dioxide, inspiratory (tI) and expiratory (tE) times, inspiratory duty cycle (tI/tTOT, where tTOT is the time for one respiratory cycle), and mean inspiratory flow rate (VT/tI). Mean values of VE were significantly higher in E at 300, 350 and 400 W (P < 0.05, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively); fb was also higher in E in most moderate-to-maximal intensities. On the other hand, VT showed a different pattern in both groups at near-to maximal intensities, since no plateau was observed in P. The response of tI and tE was also different. Finally, VT/tI and tI/tTOT showed a similar response in both P and E. It was concluded that the breathing pattern of the two groups differed mainly in two aspects: in the professional cyclists, VE increased at any exercise intensity as a result of increases in both VT and fb, with no evidence of tachypnoeic shift, and tE was prolonged in this group at high exercise intensities. In contrast, neither the central drive nor the timing component of respiration seem to have been significantly altered by the training demands of professional cycling.

Adult↗

Imaging synaptic activity in intact brain and slices with FM1-43 in C. elegans, lamprey, and rat.

The fluorescent probe FM1-43 has been used extensively for imaging vesicle recycling; however, high nonspecific adsorption resulting in elevated background levels has precluded its use in certain tissues, notably brain slices. We have found that a sulfobutylated derivative of beta-cyclodextrin (ADVASEP-7) has a higher affinity for FM1-43 than the plasma membrane. ADVASEP-7 was used as a carrier to remove FM1-43 nonspecifically bound to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane or extracellular molecules, significantly reducing background staining. This has enabled us to visualize synaptic vesicle recycling in the nematode C. elegans, intact lamprey spinal cord, and rat brain slices.

Animals↗

UNC-11, a Caenorhabditis elegans AP180 homologue, regulates the size and protein composition of synaptic vesicles.

The unc-11 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans encodes multiple isoforms of a protein homologous to the mammalian brain-specific clathrin-adaptor protein AP180. The UNC-11 protein is expressed at high levels in the nervous system and at lower levels in other tissues. In neurons, UNC-11 is enriched at presynaptic terminals but is also present in cell bodies. unc-11 mutants are defective in two aspects of synaptic vesicle biogenesis. First, the SNARE protein synaptobrevin is mislocalized, no longer being exclusively localized to synaptic vesicles. The reduction of synaptobrevin at synaptic vesicles is the probable cause of the reduced neurotransmitter release observed in these mutants. Second, unc-11 mutants accumulate large vesicles at synapses. We propose that the UNC-11 protein mediates two functions during synaptic vesicle biogenesis: it recruits synaptobrevin to synaptic vesicle membranes and it regulates the size of the budded vesicle during clathrin coat assembly.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport↗

Characterization of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger on rat mast cells. Evidence for a functional role on the regulation of the cellular response.

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger has not been characterized in rat mast cells, although its existence has been previously suggested. In this work, we determine that this exchanger exists on rat mast cells and that it has an important regulatory role on the cellular function. We have studied uptake and release of 45Ca in the presence of different external sodium concentrations and, under the same conditions, the simultaneous uptake of 22Na and 45Ca. The results show that uptake and release of 45Ca in these cells are related to the concentration of sodium in the extracellular medium and that there is also a perfect coupling between 22Na and 45Ca fluxes. In these conditions, we evaluated the intracellular calcium levels in fura-2 loaded cells. When the extracellular sodium concentration was lower than 60 mM, we observed an increase in intracellular calcium, reaching its maximum when the extracellular medium has no sodium. Then we investigated the effect on histamine release. The ionophore A23187 elicits histamine release in rat mast cells, depending on the extracellular calcium concentration. This drug releases more histamine (up to twofold) with sodium concentrations <60 mM. In the presence of 2,4-dichlorobenzamil hydrochloride, a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger inhibitor, the release of histamine induced by the ionophore was lower than in controls in media with low external sodium, and, on the contrary, at extracellular sodium concentrations >60 mM, the histamine release was higher than in controls. In the same conditions, but when the Na+-K+ ATPase was inhibited by ouabain, and as a consequence more sodium was inside the cells, a high increase in histamine release induced by A23187 in a sodium-free medium was observed. Under the same conditions, a high increase in intracellular calcium takes place. The overall data are preliminary evidence suggesting the existence of a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in rat mast cells with a threshold to get reversed at 60 mM external sodium, lower concentrations of this ion increasing internal calcium and producing higher histamine release.

Amiloride↗

Synthesis and antiallergic activity of pyridothienopyrimidines.

The synthesis of a series of pyridothienopyrimidines and their evaluation as inhibitors or inducers of the release of histamine from rat mast cells is reported. The activity was measured after immunological stimulation with ovoalbumin and chemical stimulation with polymer 48/80 and the drugs adryamicin and vinorelbine. The experiments were carried out with and without preincubation of the stimulus with the cells before addition of the drug. Several pyridothienopyrimidines show inhibitory IC50 values in the range 2-25 microM, indicating they are up to 100 times more potent than cromoglycate (DSCG) and 10 times greater than Ketotifen. Compound 9l is a potent inhibitor in all the conditions tested and shows IC50 = 9-25 microM. Pyridothienopyrimidines 4l and 9e are very strong inducers of histamine release in the immunological (4l, 170-230%) and chemical (9e, 100-150%) assays, respectively. Compounds 4l and 9i are cytotoxic in vitro (IC50 = 0.1-0.2 microgram/mL) against P-388, A-549, HT-29, and MEL-28 tumor cell lines.

Animals↗

Construction of a whole-genome radiation hybrid panel for high-resolution gene mapping in pigs.

We have developed a panel of 152 whole-genome radiation hybrids by fusing irradiated diploid pig lymphocytes or fibroblasts with recipient hamster permanent cells. The number and size of the porcine chromosome fragments retained in each hybrid clone were checked by fluorescence in situ hybridization with a SINE probe or by primed in situ labeling (PRINS) with SINE-specific primers. A strategy based on the interspersed repetitive sequence polymerase chain reaction (IRS-PCR) was developed for selected clones to determine if the large fragments painted by the SINE probe corresponded to one pig chromosome or to different fragments of several chromosomes. This strategy was buttressed by a double PRINS approach using primers specific for alpha-satellite sequences of two different groups of swine chromosomes. Genome retention frequency was estimated for each clone by PCR with 32 markers localized on different porcine chromosomes. Of the 152 hybrids produced, 126 were selected on the basis of cytogenetic content and chromosome retention frequency to construct a radiation hybrid map of swine chromosome 8. Our initial results for this chromosome indicate that the resolution of the radiation hybrid map is 18 times higher than that obtained by linkage analysis.

Animals↗

Sodium, PMA and calcium play an important role on intracellular pH modulation in rat mast cells.

In a series of experiments aimed to understand the signaling pathways that regulate intracellular pH (pHi) in rat mast cells, the effect of different intracellular mechanisms on the activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger was studied. After promoting an artificial acidification with sodium propionate we determined the variations on pHi rate recovery. pHi was measured with the dye 2, 7-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester. We studied the effect that the inhibition of some cellular exchangers with different drugs induced on pHi. When the Na+/H+ exchanger was inhibited in the presence of amiloride, the recovery rate constant was twofold smaller than the control value. After the recovery, the final pH was lower than the initial value when the cells were treated either with amiloride or with 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (an anionic antiport inhibitor). No effect was observed when the Na+/K+-ATPase or the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger were inhibited. The suppression of intracellular and extracellular calcium did not induced any change in pHi. The addition of thapsigargin, an activator of capacitative calcium influx, or the phorbol esther 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, increased the activity of the antiporter. Both effects were abrogated by inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase with ouabain. The increase in cAMP levels did not affect the effect of PMA on pHi recovery, but it blocked the effect of thapsigargin. Our results indicate that rat mast cells regulate pHi by the combination of some anionic exchanger and the Na+/H+ antiporter. And also that the modulation of this exchanger is the consequence of the connection between different intracellular mechanisms, Na+/K+-ATPase-PKC-calcium, among which cAMP seems not to have a direct role.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗