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F Umenishi

Publications and source records attributed to F Umenishi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Expression of water channel mRNA following cerebral ischemia.

Water channel is a protein which regulates transcellular water permeability. Among mRNA expression of six principal mammalian water channels, AQ4 mRNA expression was highest in the brain. Water channels are supposed to regulate cerebral edema but the detailed physiological and pathological function is unknown. Brain edema has been analyzed as an aspect of ion channel injury or membrane injury. However the transportation of water molecule itself following cerebral ischemia is unknown. As water channels transport only water molecules, the functional changes of water channels following cerebral ischemia are of great interest. To evaluate the role of water channels in cerebral edema following cerebral ischemia, the changes of water channel mRNA expression were evaluated. Cerebral edema was induced by suture method. The extraction of water channel mRNA was performed according to Chomczynsli and Sacchi. RT-PCR was applied to extracted mRNA. Water channel mRNA electrophoresis was performed. For semi-quantified evaluation of water channel, mRNA intensities of the infarct hemisphere and normal hemisphere were compared. The expression of water channel mRNA was decreased following cerebral ischemia. This damage leads to loose physiological control of water permeability of the cell membrane in the neuron, glia and endothelial cells which leads to brain edema.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

cAMP regulated membrane diffusion of a green fluorescent protein-aquaporin 2 chimera.

To study the membrane mobility of aquaporin water channels, clones of stably transfected LLC-PK1 cells were isolated with plasma membrane expression of GFP-AQP1 and GFP-AQP2, in which the green fluorescent protein (GFP) was fused upstream and in-frame to each aquaporin (AQP). The GFP fusion did not affect AQP tetrameric association or water transport function. GFP-AQP lateral mobility was measured by irreversibly bleaching a spot (diameter 0.8 microm) on the membrane with an Argon laser beam (488 nm) and following the fluorescence recovery into the bleached area resulting from GFP translational diffusion. In cells expressing GFP-AQP1, fluorescence recovered to >96% of its initial level with t(1/2) of 38 +/- 2 s (23 degrees C) and 21 +/- 1 s (37 degrees C), giving diffusion coefficients (D) of 5.3 and 9.3 x 10(-11) cm(2)/s. GFP-AQP1 diffusion was abolished by paraformaldehyde fixation, slowed >50-fold by the cholesterol-binding agent filipin, but not affected by cAMP agonists. In cells expressing GFP-AQP2, fluorescence recovered to >98% with D of 5.7 and 9.0 x 10(-11) cm(2)/s at 23 degrees C and 37 degrees C. In contrast to results for GFP-AQP1, the cAMP agonist forskolin slowed GFP-AQP2 mobility by up to tenfold. The cAMP slowing was blocked by actin filament disruption with cytochalasin D, by K(+)-depletion in combination with hypotonic shock, and by mutation of the protein kinase A phosphorylation consensus site (S256A) at the AQP2 C-terminus. These results indicate unregulated diffusion of AQP1 in membranes, but regulated AQP2 diffusion that was dependent on phosphorylation at serine 256, and an intact actin cytoskeleton and clathrin coated pit. The cAMP-induced immobilization of phosphorylated AQP2 provides evidence for AQP2-protein interactions that may be important for retention of AQP2 in specialized membrane domains for efficient membrane recycling.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Isolation and functional analysis of alternative promoters in the human aquaporin-4 water channel gene.

The aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene encodes proteins of approximately 31 and 34 kDa with distinct N-terminal sequences. Both protein isoforms are expressed in brain, whereas mainly the smaller isoform is found in other tissues. We isolated the promoter sequences upstream of exon 0 (encoding the longer isoform) and exon 1 (encoding the shorter isoform). The exon 0 promoter region contained multiple TATA and CCAAT boxes and Sp1, AP1, and E-box elements; the exon 1 promoter lacked a CCAAT box but contained a TATA box and AP1, AP2, and E-box elements. Utilizing the CAT reporter assay, promoter activities were 7- to 9-fold greater for fragments from exon 1 vs exon 0 in human glioblastoma cells (SF-126, U-87 MG) and 11- to 13-fold greater in kidney cells (MDCK and LLC-PK1). Promoter deletion analysis indicated a strong suppressor element located just upstream of nucleotide -428 in the exon 0 promoter. RT-PCR analysis of human brain and kidney cDNAs confirmed much higher relative expression of transcript containing exon 0 vs exon 1 in brain. These results indicate differential transcriptional regulation of two AQP4 isoforms and suggest that tissue-specific factors regulate their relative expression.

Aquaporin 4↗
PubMed1998

Isolation of the human aquaporin-1 promoter and functional characterization in human erythroleukemia cell lines.

Water channel aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is expressed in erythrocytes and various epithelia and endothelia. To study AQP1 gene regulation, human cell lines were screened for inducible AQP1 expression. Human erythroleukemia HEL cells showed AQP1 transcript expression on RNase protection assay. After butyrate-induced erythroid differentiation, AQP1 transcript expression increased strongly, producing water-permeable cells with plasma membrane localization of immunoreactive AQP1. In addition, a clonal subline of K562 cells [K562(S)] showed strong butyrate-induced expression of functional AQP1. A 1.8-kb DNA fragment of the 5' flanking region of the human AQP1 gene was isolated, sequenced, and analyzed functionally by the CAT reporter assay. The AQP1 promoter contained TATA and CCAAT boxes; Sp1, AP1, AP2, and E-box elements; and erythrocyte-specific CACCC and Kruppel-like (CCCCACCCA) elements. AQP1 promoter activity was more than 24-fold higher in HEL and K562(S) cells than in nonerythroid (HeLa) cells, indicating the presence of erythroid-specific factors. In K562(S) cells, CAT activities for promoter fragments to bp +23 [relative to beta-gal and normalized to 100% for the plasmid CP-282 (bp -282 to +23)] were 22 (-1779), 73 (-1402), 61 (-1129), 31 (-789), 87 (-487), 100 (-282), 73 (-229), 52 (-152), and 60% (-79). After butyrate-induced differentiation, CAT activities were stimulated approximately 10-fold for constructs -229/+23 and longer, compared to approximately 5-fold for -152/+23 and -79/+23; glucocorticoids did not affect CAT activities. These results suggest a basis for erythroid-specific AQP1 expression and the presence of a butyrate-response sequence involved in inducible AQP1 regulation in erythroleukemia cells.

Aquaporin 1↗
PubMed1997

Developmental changes in water permeability across the alveolar barrier in perinatal rabbit lung.

Lung fluid is reabsorbed rapidly at birth to permit alveolar respiration. We reported previously that expression of aquaporins (AQP) 1, 4, and 5 in rat lung increased just after birth. The hypothesis was tested that the increased AQP expression is associated with increased osmotic water permeability (Pf) between the airspace and capillary compartments. Pf was measured in isolated perfused fetal and newborn rabbit lungs using a pleural surface fluorescence method (Carter, E.P., M.A. Matthay, J. Farinas, and A.S. Verkman. 1996. J. Gen. Physiol. 108:133-142). In response to perfusate osmolality increase from 300 to 600 mosM, initial rates of osmotic equilibration were 1.13+/-0.13 mosM/s at 0-12 h after birth, increasing to 1.52+/-0.19 mosM/s at 12-24 h, and 1.83+/-0.10 mosM/s at 24-84 h. Corresponding Pf values (in cm/s x 10(-2)), computed from d[mosM]/dt and alveolar surface-to-volume ratios, were 1.03+/-0.11 (0-12 h), 1.51+/-0.16 (12-24 h), and 1.88+/-0.09 (24-84 h). Pf was relatively low in prenatal (1.22-1.27, fetal days 29 and 31) and adolescent (1.25+/-0.08, 21-d) rabbit lungs. To test for involvement of molecular water channels, measurements were made of Arrhenius activation energy (Ea), mercurial inhibition, diffusional water permeability (Pd), and AQP expression. Temperature-dependence measurements showed a 25% decrease in Ea for Pf in lungs < 1 d vs. 4 d. Pf was decreased 30% by 0.5 mM HgCl2 in < 1-d lungs and 44% in 4-d lungs. Pd was 1.0 x 10(-)5 cm/s and did not change when Pf was increased by 75%. RNase protection assay showed increased transcript expression in the first 24 h after birth for rabbit isoforms of AQP1 and AQP4. These results provide the first functional data on water permeability in perinatal lung. The increased water permeability after birth may facilitate the maintenance of dry alveoli.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Closely spaced tandem arrangement of AQP2, AQP5, and AQP6 genes in a 27-kilobase segment at chromosome locus 12q13.

The aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of water-transporting proteins that facilitate osmotically driven water movement across cell plasma membranes. Among the seven human aquaporins cloned to date (AQPs 0-6), genes encoding the four most closely related aquaporins (AQP0, AQP2, AQP5, and AQP6) have been mapped to chromosome band 12q13, suggesting an aquaporin family gene cluster at this locus. To construct a physical map and identify novel aquaporin gene members on this cluster, a human CEPH B yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library was screened by PCR using primers derived from exon 4 of AQP2 and AQP0 genes. A YAC clone with 200 kb of human DNA was isolated and analyzed. Primary pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of AQP2, AQP5, and AQP6 genes, but not AQP0. Restriction mapping and PCR analysis yielded a precise physical map in which the three aquaporin genes span only approximately 27 kb in the order, transcriptional orientation, and spacer length 5'-AQP2-5 kb spacer-AQP5-7 kb spacer-AQP6-3'.

Aquaporin 5↗
PubMed1996

Quantitative analysis of aquaporin mRNA expression in rat tissues by RNase protection assay.

The RNase protection assay was applied to quantify mRNA expression of five principal mammalian water channels in 18 different rat tissues, and to determine the influence of dehydration on renal water channel expression. Probes consisted of labeled cRNAs transcribed from cDNA fragments of rat CHIP28 (AQP-1, bp 238-575 of coding sequence), AQP-CD (AQP2, bp 53-606), MIWC (AQP4, bp 235-572), GLIP (AQP3, bp 219-604), and AQP5 (bp 56-612). Results were normalized to expression of rat beta-actin by quantitative densitometry of autoradiograms. CHIP28 mRNA was expressed strongly in heart, kidney > placenta, skeletal muscle, and urinary bladder and detected weakly in eye, lung, trachea, spleen, liver, colon, prostate, and skin. AQP-CD was detected only in kidney. MIWC mRNA expression was highest in brain, followed by eye, trachea, lung, stomach, kidney, and skeletal muscle. GLIP was found in eye, trachea, kidney, urinary bladder, skin, prostate, placenta, and skeletal muscle. AQP5 was detected in salivary gland, eye, lung, and trachea. An alternatively spliced form of MIWC (sMIWC) was also identified in lung and kidney by RNase protection assay, corresponding to deletion of exon 2 of MIWC. In response to dehydration (3 days, -15 % body weight), renal expression of CHIP28 and MIWC were unchanged, whereas expression of AQP-CD and GLIP were increased significantly by 2.18 +/- 0.04 and 1.36 +/- 0.11 fold (SE, n = 5), respectively. These results establish quantitative values for aquaporin transcript expression in multiple mammalian tissues. The sensitive RNase protection assay revealed the expression of water channels in several tissues not studied previously or in which mRNA levels were too low to detect by Northern blot analysis. The observation of GLIP up-regulation in kidney by dehydration suggests a role in the urinary concentrating mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Sharp increase in rat lung water channel expression in the perinatal period.

Three members of the water channel (aquaporin) family are expressed in adult rat lung: CHIP28 (AQP-1), MIWC (AQP-4), and AQP-5. Because water channels may be important in the clearance of fluid from the newborn lung, the expression of water channels just before and after birth was investigated using the ribonuclease (RNAse) protection assay. RNA was isolated from lungs, brain, and heart of prenatal rats (fetal days F19, F20, and F21) and postnatal rats (days +1, +2, +5, +7, +21, and adult). Transcript expression was measured relative to a beta-actin control by quantitative densitometry. Whereas beta-actin mRNA expression was nearly constant over time, distinct expression patterns were observed for the three water channels. CHIP28 mRNA expression rose slowly from days F19 to +1, then strongly at day +2, and remained elevated over the first week. MIWC mRNA was weakly expressed prenatally, but strongly increased just after birth. AQP-5 mRNA increased slowly and monotonically between days F20 and +7. These patterns contrasted sharply with the developmental expression of CHIP28 in heart, which decreased over time, and MIWC in brain. Immunocytochemistry showed CHIP28 protein expression in capillary endothelia and MIWC in airway epithelia by day +1; quantitative immunoblot analysis showed increased CHIP28 protein expression over time. These findings are consistent with a role of lung water channels in perinatal fluid clearance; however, proof of physiologic significance will require functional measurements of air space-capillary water permeability.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Intricate combinatorial patterns of exon splicing generate multiple Rh-related isoforms in human erythroid cells.

The Rhesus (Rh) blood group system shows complex polymorphisms in the human. Some of the heterogeneity may be generated by alternative RNA splicing. For a systematic analysis of Rh-related mRNA isoforms expressed in reticulocytes, we isolated mRNA, which was then reverse transcribed and amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to give Rh-related cDNAs of two segments of 704 bp and 975 bp. The PCR amplification of the 5'-region yielded a single PCR product, whereas a complex electrophoretic pattern of PCR bands was derived from the 3'-region. A highly reproducible ladder of multiple additional bands migrated below the PCR products corresponding to the full-size cDNAs for RhPI and RhPII and encoding two different Rh polypeptides. Eleven and five truncated isoforms of the RhPI and RhPII cDNAs, respectively, were identified in the PCR products. These isoforms appear to be generated by combinatorial splicing of six RhPI and three RhPII exons. Our results suggest that the Rh-related polypeptides consist of a mixture of RhPI and RhPII polypeptide isoforms differing at the C terminus. Multiple RNA splicing pathways are thus operative in the two Rh-related genes even within a single cell lineage of human erythroid cells.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1995

Localization of MIWC and GLIP water channel homologs in neuromuscular, epithelial and glandular tissues.

It was shown recently that water channel homologs MIWC (mercurial insensitive water channel) and GLIP (glycerol intrinsic protein) colocalized in basolateral membranes of kidney collecting duct, tracheal and colonic epithelia, and in brain pia mater. We report here an extensive immunolocalization study of MIWC and GLIP in non-epithelial and glandular epithelial tissues in rat. Immunogold electron microscopy confirmed colocalization of MIWC and GLIP in basolateral membrane of principal cells in kidney collecting duct. However, in other epithelia, MIWC but not GLIP was expressed in basolateral membrane of parietal cells in stomach, and in excretory tubules of salivary and lacrimal glands; GLIP but not MIWC was expressed in transitional epithelium of urinary bladder and skin epidermis. In the central nervous system, MIWC was strongly expressed in the ependymal layer lining the aqueductal system, and in astrocytes throughout the spinal cord and in selected regions of brain. MIWC was also expressed in a plasma membrane pattern in skeletal, but not smooth or cardiac muscle. Neither protein was expressed in small intestine, testis, liver, spleen and nerve. The tissue-specific expression of MIWC suggests a role in fluid transport and/or cell volume regulation in stomach and glandular epithelia. The functional role of MIWC expression in the neuromuscular system and of GLIP expression in skin and urinary bladder is uncertain. The specific cellular sites of MIWC expression (astrocytes, trachea, sarcolemma, gastric parietal cells and kidney principal cells) correspond exactly to sites where orthogonal arrays of particles (OAPs) have been visualized by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, suggesting that MIWC may be the OAP protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Expression of Rh blood group gene transcripts in human leukocytes.

The Rh blood group system was recognized as one of the most complex polymorphisms in human. Whether or not the Rh antigens are present on human leukocytes is still an unresolved question. The expression of the Rh gene at the mRNA was analyzed in purified populations of human leukocytes by using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Southern blot analysis. The PCR products of the 5'-terminal region showed a single band as expected in the CD19+TCR-1 and CD14+ cells but doubtfully in the CD13+CD71- and CD190-TCR-1+ cells. On the other hand, in all these cells, the PCR products of the 3' region exhibited multiple additional bands migrating ahead of the band as expected, which showed distinctly different sets of bands in each cell. The additional bands appeared to consist of RhPI- and RhPII-cDNA splicing isoforms. These results indicated that the expression of the Rh gene is not restricted to human erythroid lineage. Additionally, it was suggested that different transcription initiation sites might be utilized preferentially for Rh gene expression.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1994

A new genomic polymorphism of Rh-polypeptide genes.

To determine which Rh-polypeptide genes are related to which Rh (rhesus) antigens, genomic DNAs prepared from donors of ten kinds of different Rh phenotypes were analysed by Southern hybridization method using two probes for the 5' moiety and 3' moiety of an Rh-polypeptide cDNA. A polymorphism for the Rh blood-group system was observed with BamHI, HindIII, PstI and EcoRI restriction endonucleases between genomic DNAs from the RhD-positive and RhD-negative individuals as has previously been reported. Further study showed an additional genomic polymorphism. The new polymorphism was detected between the RhC/c phenotypes unrelated to the RhD/d phenotypes with RsaI restriction endonuclease using the probe for the 5' moiety of Rh polypeptide cDNA. A 1.9 kb RasI restriction fragment was missing in the genomes from individuals with the RhC phenotypes. However, this fragment was present in the genomes of Rhc phenotypes and in its half dose in the genomes of RhCc phenotypes. These results clearly demonstrate a new polymorphism between the RhC/c phenotypes regardless of the RhD-positive and RhD-negative phenotypes, and it is predicted that the Rh polypeptide genes encoding RhD, RhC/c and RhE/e antigens are different.

DNA, Complementary↗
PubMed1994

Molecular analysis of Rh polypeptides in a family with RhD-positive and RhD-negative phenotypes.

To investigate the genetic basis of the Rh polypeptide gene, we attempted the isolation of cDNA clones for Rh polypeptide from a family with the RhD-positive and RhD-negative phenotypes using the reverse transcription (RT)-PCR method for each reticulocyte RNAs followed by subcloning. The isolated cDNAs showed the existence of another Rh-related clone (RhPII-1 cDNA, tentative designation) besides the RhPI and RhPII cDNA clones reported previously by us. The RhPII-1 cDNA had a single nucleotide substitution with one amino acid substitution compared with the RhPII cDNA:substitution C-->T in nucleotide 380, changing codon 127 from GCG to GTG (Ala-->Val). The RhPI, RhPII, and RhPII-1 cDNA clones were detected in all individuals by the PCR experiment. This suggests that the Rh polypeptide genes have been inherited from parents and might be highly polymorphic. The PCR amplification of an RhPII-specific region from reticulocyte RNA and genomic DNA in all the family proved that the RhPII gene exists in both RhD-positive and RhD-negative individuals. By Southern-blot analysis of the DNAs from the family, two independent polymorphisms concerning the RhC/c and RhD/d phenotypes were observed. These results demonstrate that the RhPI and RhPII genes are also present in the RhD-negative donors, and the RhPII-related cDNAs encode not the RhD, but the RhC/c and/or E/e, polypeptides.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Identification of two Rh mRNA isoforms expressed in immature erythroblasts.

Two isoforms of RhPI cDNA encoding an Rh polypeptide, RhPI-alpha and RhPI-beta, were isolated from mRNAs of immature erythroblasts cultured in a selective two-phase liquid culture system for human erythroid progenitors in peripheral blood. The RhPI-alpha and RhPI-beta cDNA clones encoded the hydrophobic membrane polypeptides of 242 and 244 amino acids which were missing in amino acid residues 227 to 383 and 212 to 384 of RhPI polypeptide, respectively. These peptide deletions produce unexpected structural properties resulting in the generation of a new open reading frame with a new stop codon caused by frameshift translations in RhPI-alpha cDNA and in the reverse orientation of topology in RhPI-beta cDNA. Both isoforms are abundantly present in immature erythroblasts, but not in mature erythroblasts. These results indicate that the two Rh-related mRNAs identified are expressed at the immature erythroblast stage on the development of erythroid series.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Isolation of a new cDNA clone encoding an Rh polypeptide associated with the Rh blood group system.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify Rh-related cDNAs from erythroid cells cultured by the selective two-phase liquid culture system for human erythroid progenitors in peripheral blood. Direct sequencing based on PCR presents heterozygous bands. Two Rh polypeptide cDNAs have been isolated from the PCR products and tentatively designated RhPI cDNA and RhPII cDNA. Both cDNA clones have an open reading frame composed of 1251 nucleotides. The RhPI cDNA clone shows a single nucleotide substitution with no amino acid substitution compared with the published sequence. The RhPII cDNA clone, on the other hand, differs from the above by 41 nucleotide substitutions with the open reading frame, resulting in 31 amino acid substitutions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism in Jindo dogs.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism was studied in 21 Jindo dogs inhabiting Jin Island off the Korean peninsula. The polymorphism was analyzed with 10 restriction endonucleases that recognize six base pairs. The sizes of the mtDNA fragments produced by digestion using each endonucleases were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, and the polymorphisms were detected with Japanese mongrel dog mtDNA as a probe. The mtDNA polymorphism in Jindo dogs was observed with four restriction endonucleases, Apa I, EcoR V, Hinc II, and Sty I. However, no polymorphism was detected with BamH I, Bgl II, EcoR I, Hind III, Pst I, or Xba I. The observed restriction endonuclease morphs were classified into 4 types of distinct cleavage patterns. The average number of nucleotide substitutions per nucleotide site in Jindodogs was estimated to be 0.0086. By UPG phylogenetic analysis, the 4 mtDNA types showed only one cluster. This suggests that Jindo dogs have not diverged from the other cluster up to the present and the species is considerably pure.

Animals↗