Biomedical subjects

Arnold Stern

Publications and source records attributed to Arnold Stern.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Direct identification of proteins from T47D cells and murine brain tissue by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization post-source decay/collision-induced dissociation.

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of the direct matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) identification of proteins in fixed T47D breast cancer cells and murine brain tissues. The ability to identify proteins from cells and tissue may lead to biomarkers that effectively predict the onset of defined disease states, and their dynamic behavior could be an important hint for drug target discoveries. Direct tissue application of trypsin allows protein identification in cells and tissues, while maintaining spatial integrity and intracellular organization. Using a chemical printer, matrix was co-registered on trypsinized human T47D breast cancer cells and cryo-preserved sections of murine brain tissue, followed by MALDI post-source decay (PSD) or MALDI collision-induced dissociation (CID), respectively. Mass-to-charge (m/z) data from the cells and brain tissues were processed using Mascot software interrogation of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Histone H2B was identified from cultured T47D human breast cancer cells. Tubulin beta2 was identified from mouse brain cortex following an induced stroke. These results suggest that MALDI PSD/CID, combined with bioinformatics, can be used for the direct identification of proteins from cells and tissues. Refinements in preparation techniques may improve this approach to provide a tool for quantitative proteomics and clinical analysis.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Disabled-2 is a novel alphaIIb-integrin-binding protein that negatively regulates platelet-fibrinogen interactions and platelet aggregation.

Platelet aggregation plays a pivotal role in the haemostatic process and is involved in the pathological counterpart of arterial thrombosis. We have shown that the adapter protein disabled-2 (DAB2) is expressed abundantly in platelets. In this study, DAB2 was found to distribute in the platelet alpha-granules and was released from the granular compartment upon platelet activation. The secreted DAB2 binds to the extracellular region of alphaIIbbeta3 integrin on the platelet surface through the phosphotyrosine-binding domain. The DAB2-platelet interactions result in the inhibition of agonist-induced platelet aggregation with the exception of thrombin, a DAB2 protease that renders DAB2 inactive. Biochemical and mutational analysis revealed that the DAB2 cell-adhesion Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif (amino acid residues 64-66) and the alphaIIb-integrin-fibrinogen-binding region (amino acid residues 171-464) are important for the DAB2-platelet interactions. Such interactions compete for the binding of alphaIIb integrin with fibrinogen and provide a mechanism for DAB2 to inhibit platelet aggregation. Accordingly, the synthetic RGD-motif-containing DAB2 peptide PDARGDKM also elicited anti-platelet aggregation activity. These findings demonstrate for the first time that DAB2 is an alphaIIb-integrin-binding protein that plays a novel role in the control of platelet-fibrinogen interactions and platelet aggregation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2005

Minimally invasive method for murine brain fixation.

Complete brain fixation can be achieved with transthoracic cardiac infusion without thoracotomy. Light and electron microscopy tissue sections reveal preservation of cytoplasmic and nuclear structure at all magnification levels. Punched samples were obtained from the fixed tissue specimens in precisely localized areas for study using electron microscopy. This perfusion fixation technique provides both faster tissue harvesting capability and higher quality tissue preservation, without the artifacts of brain swelling and ventricular dilation observed in direct cardiac perfusion. Acute, discrete change in brain tissue can be studied.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Disabled-2 is a negative regulator of integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3)-mediated fibrinogen adhesion and cell signaling.

Disabled-2 (DAB2) is an adapter protein that is up-reg-ulated during megakaryocytic differentiation of hematopoietic cells and is abundantly expressed in platelets. In this study, the role of DAB2 in integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3)-mediated matrix protein fibrinogen adhesion and cell signaling was investigated. In K562 cells differentiating to the megakaryocytic lineage, down-regulation of DAB2 by DAB2 small interfering RNA augmented integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation and resulted in an increase in cell adhesion to fibrinogen. Ectopic expression of DAB2 reversed the DAB2 small interfering RNA effect or, by itself, decreased fibrinogen adhesion of K562 cells. Mutational analysis revealed that a DAB2 Ser(24) phosphorylation mutant (S24A) abrogated the inhibitory function of DAB2. The spatial and temporal association/interaction of DAB2 and platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) (CD61) in both megakaryocytic cells and platelets led us to examine the effect of Ser(24) phosphorylation on the interaction between DAB2 and integrin beta(3). Through cellular localization and co-immunoprecipitation analysis, we demonstrate for the first time that Ser(24) phosphorylation promotes membrane translocation of DAB2 and its subsequent interaction with integrin beta(3), thereby defining a mechanism for DAB2 in regulating integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation and inside-out signaling. Consistent with the effect on fibrinogen adhesion, Ser(24) phosphorylation of DAB2 was also involved in the negative regulation of alpha(IIb)beta(3)-induced T cell factor transcriptional activity. In contrast, the S24A mutant acted like wild-type DAB2 and inhibited both beta-catenin- and plakoglobin-mediated T cell factor transactivation. Hence, DAB2 elicits distinct regulatory mechanisms in alpha(IIb)beta(3) and beta-catenin/plakoglobin signaling in a Ser(24) phosphorylation-dependent and -independent manner, respectively. These findings indicate Ser(24) phosphorylation as a molecular basis for DAB2 acting as a negative regulator in alpha(IIb)beta(3) inside-out signaling and contribute to our understanding of DAB2 in megakaryocytic differentiation and platelet function.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Nitric oxide and cGMP activate the Ras-MAP kinase pathway-stimulating protein tyrosine phosphorylation in rabbit aortic endothelial cells.

The free radical nitric oxide is a very effective signal transducer, stimulating the enzyme guanylyl cyclase, the oncoprotein p21Ras, and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. In the present study using rabbit aortic endothelial cells (RAEC), it is demonstrated that the nitric-oxide-generating substances sodium nitroprusside and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, and a stable analog of cyclic GMP, 8BrcGMP stimulate p21Ras activity. Tyrosine phosphorylation of cytosolic proteins was stimulated and intracellular production of cGMP was increased, indicating that the NO/cGMP-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling pathway is most likely associated with the activation of p21Ras. NO and cGMP-dependent activation of p21Ras result in binding of the oncoprotein to the Ras-binding domain of Raf-1 kinase. Incubation of RAEC with FPT II, a potent and selective inhibitor of p21Ras, prevented NO-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation. ODQ, a potent inhibitor of the soluble form of guanylyl cyclase, inhibited the signal as well. Conversely, the use of KT5823, a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) blocker, showed no effect on protein tyrosine phosphorylation. To further establish a role for p21Ras on the NO-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation-signaling pathway, RAEC were constitutively transfected with a dominant negative mutant of p21Ras, N17Ras. NO and cGMP-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation were prevented in N17Ras-expressing RAEC exposed to NO donors and 8BrcGMP. The above findings indicate that NO and cGMP stimulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation requires the participation of fully functional p21Ras. ERK1/2 MAP kinases and their subsequent targets, the transcription factors, lie downstream to Ras, Raf-1 kinase, and MEK. Treatment of both RAEC and mock-transfected RAEC with NO resulted in phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2. On the other hand, NO did not stimulate phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in N17Ras-expressing RAEC. In addition, PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, prevented overall tyrosine phosphorylation and phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Upstream to Ras ERK1/2 MAP kinases target the EGF receptor. Incubation of RAEC or mock-transfected RAEC with NO donors resulted in activation of the EGF receptor autophosphorylation. PD98059 effectively blocked this activation. EGF receptor autophosphorylation was insensitive to NO stimulation in N17Ras-expressing RAEC. It is concluded that NO and cGMP stimulate a signaling pathway involving p21Ras-Raf-1 kinase-MEK-ERK1/2. Activation of this signaling pathway is connected to NO-stimulated overall tyrosine phosphorylation that also involves the transactivation of the EGF receptor mediated by ERK1/2.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Disabled-2 small interfering RNA modulates cellular adhesive function and MAPK activity during megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells.

Previous studies have shown that Disabled-2 (DAB2) is up-regulated during megakaryocytic differentiation of human K562 cells. To delineate the consequences of DAB2 induction, a DNA vector-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) was designed to intervene in DAB2 expression. We found that DAB2 siRNA specifically inhibited DAB2 induction, resulting in the modulation of cell-cell adhesion and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. The morphological changes and beta3 integrin expression associated with megakaryocytic differentiation were not affected. Since the MAPK pathway has been shown to involve DAB2 induction [Tseng et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 285 (2001) 129-135], our results suggest a reciprocal regulation between DAB2 and MAPK in the differentiation of K562 cells. In addition, we have demonstrated for the first time that DAB2 siRNA is a valuable tool for unveiling the biological consequences of DAB2 expression.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Palladium and platinum ions interfere with the measurement of erythrocyte vesiculation by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase activity of the released spectrin-depleted microvesicles.

Palladium (Pd(2+)) and platinum (Pt(2+)) ions were found to inhibit erythrocyte membrane-bound acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with Ki values of 6.0 and 6.5 microg/ml, respectively. Lineweaver-Burke plots revealed that the inhibition of erythrocyte AChE by both metal ions was competitive in nature. Binding studies using alkaline phosphatase as a reporting enzyme confirmed that both metal ions indeed did bind to the enzyme molecules. In the process of red cell vesiculation, membrane-bound AChE is shed along with vesicles. The measurement of AChE activities in the medium containing vesiculated RBC could potentially be served as an index of vesiculation. Inhibition of AChE activities by both metal ions can thus constitute a potential source of error in vesiculation measurement. To illustrate these effects, a simulated vesiculation system, using green tea polyphenol in the presence (25 microg/ml) or absence of Pd(2+) ion was simultaneously examined by the electronmicrography and the AChE method. We observed vesiculation under the experimental condition in Pd(2+)-free controls that was associated with a time-dependent increase in AChE activity were barely detected in the Pd(2+)-spiked specimen because of the masking effect exerted by the metal ions themselves.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A murine photochemical stroke model with histologic correlates of apoptotic and nonapoptotic mechanisms.

INTRODUCTION: The neuronal cell death that occurs after ischemia-induced cerebral infarction (stroke) contains elements of apoptosis and necrosis, an intermediary form of the two, and a distinct excitotoxic process. We previously developed a photochemical model of stroke in the rat. We have now adapted this model for use in the mouse. The present manuscript describes the mouse model. METHODS: Minimal beam intensity (0.1 W/cm(2)) cold white light (8 min exposure) was used to evoke discrete infarcts in the parietal lobes of 11 mice sensitized by the administration of fresh Rose Bengal (10 mg/kg by rapid iv infusion). RESULTS: At 2 h, five out of five mice and at 6 h, six out of six mice demonstrated light microscopic histologic features like those in the rat model. These included a superior ischemic zone with shrunken and pyknotic nuclei, a middle transition zone of edematous vacuolated neuropil but normal neurons with open chromatin and retained Nissl granules, and an inferior zone with normal neurons. There was widespread nuclear terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) in the superior infarct zone in 11/11 mice. However, in the edematous vacuolated transition zone, 11/11 mice had TUNEL positive and negative nuclei randomly mixed. Light microscopic analysis of that same transition zone showed no pyknosis or chromatin bodies in the TUNEL positive or negative cells. DISCUSSION: In mice, photoactivation of Rose Bengal evoked similar infarct and transition zone patterns found previously in rats, with TUNEL evidence of apoptotic and nonapoptotic events. Thus, it will be possible to use this model for further quantitative study of apoptotic and excitotoxic events in wild and transgenic mice.

Animals↗