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Gerald Gimpl

Publications and source records attributed to Gerald Gimpl.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs colocalize with 5-HT3 receptors in raft-like domains.

Despite different chemical structure and pharmacodynamic signaling pathways, a variety of antidepressants and antipsychotics inhibit ion fluxes through 5-HT3 receptors in a noncompetitive manner with the exception of the known competitive antagonists mirtazapine and clozapine. To further investigate the mechanisms underlying the noncompetitive inhibition of the serotonin-evoked cation current, we quantified the concentrations of different types of antidepressants and antipsychotics in fractions of sucrose flotation gradients isolated from HEK293 (human embryonic kidney 293) cells stably transfected with the 5-HT3A receptor and of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells in relation to the localization of the 5-HT3 receptor protein within the cell membrane. Western blots revealed a localization of the 5-HT3 receptor protein exclusively in the low buoyant density (LBD) fractions compatible with a localization within raft-like domains. Also, the antidepressants desipramine, fluoxetine, and reboxetine and the antipsychotics fluphenazine, haloperidol, and clozapine were markedly enriched in LBD fractions, whereas no accumulation occurs for mirtazapine, carbamazepine, moclobemide, and risperidone. The concentrations of psychopharmacological drugs within LBD fractions was strongly associated with their inhibitory potency against serotonin-induced cation currents. The noncompetitive antagonism of antidepressants at the 5-HT3 receptor was not conferred by an enhancement of receptor internalization as shown by immunofluorescence studies, assessment of receptor density in clathrin-coated vesicles, and electrophysiological recordings after coexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of dynamin I, which inhibits receptor internalization. In conclusion, enrichment of antidepressants and antipsychotics in raft-like domains within the cell membrane appears to be crucial for their antagonistic effects at ligand-gated ion channels such as 5-HT3 receptors.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed2005

Binding domains of the oxytocin receptor for the selective oxytocin receptor antagonist barusiban in comparison to the agonists oxytocin and carbetocin.

We have analyzed binding domains of the oxytocin receptor for barusiban, a highly selective oxytocin receptor antagonist, in comparison to the combined vasopressin V1A/oxytocin receptor antagonist atosiban and the agonists oxytocin and carbetocin. For this purpose, chimeric 'gain-in function' oxytocin/vasopressin V2 receptors were expressed in COS-7 cells. These recombinant receptors have been produced by transfer of domains from the oxytocin receptor into the related vasopressin V2 receptor and have already been successfully employed for the identification of ligand binding domains at the oxytocin receptor (Postina, R., Kojro, E., Fahrenholz, F., 1996. Separate agonist and peptide antagonist binding sites of the oxytocin receptor defined by their transfer into the V2 vasopressin receptor. J. Biol. Chem. 271, 31593-31601). In displacement studies with 10 chimeric receptor constructs, the binding profile of barusiban was compared with the binding profiles of the ligands oxytocin, [Arg8]vasopressin, carbetocin, and atosiban. The binding profiles for the agonists oxytocin and carbetocin were found to be similar. For both agonists, important binding domains were the extracellular N-terminus (=E1) and the extracellular loops E2 and E3 from the oxytocin receptor. For the vasopressin V1A/oxytocin receptor antagonist atosiban, none of the receptor constructs were able to provide a binding with higher affinity than the starting vasopressin V2 receptor. In contrast, the binding of barusiban was significantly improved when the transmembrane domains 1 and 2 were transferred from the oxytocin receptor to the vasopressin V2 receptor. The binding domain of barusiban differs from the binding domain of the agonists and the nonselective oxytocin receptor antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr-(Me)2,Thr4,Orn8,Tyr9]vasotocin that has been used in previous studies. Overall, the data supported the concept of a central pocket site within the oxytocin receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

CHAPSTEROL. A novel cholesterol-based detergent.

Design, synthesis and characterization of CHAPSTEROL, a novel cholesterol-based detergent developed for functional solubilization of cholesterol-dependent membrane proteins are described. To validate CHAPSTEROL, we employed the oxytocin receptor, a G protein-coupled receptor requiring cholesterol for its high-affinity binding state. Using the photoactivatable cholesterol analogue [3H]6,6-azocholestan-3beta-ol[3alphaH], we demonstrate that solubilization by CHAPSTEROL leads to an enrichment of cholesterol-binding proteins whereas the widely used bile acid derivative CHAPSO leads to a significant depletion of cholesterol-binding proteins. Similar to Triton X-100 and CHAPS, CHAPSTEROL maintains the localization of caveolin as well as cholesterol and sphingomyelin to lipid rafts, i.e. detergent-insoluble microdomains of the plasma membrane. The data suggest that CHAPSTEROL is an appropriate detergent for the solubilization of cholesterol-dependent membrane proteins and isolation of rafts.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2003

Transport of plasma membrane-derived cholesterol and the function of Niemann-Pick C1 Protein.

To visualize the intracellular transport of plasma membrane-derived cholesterol under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, a novel fluorescent cholesterol analog, 6-dansyl cholestanol (DChol), has been synthesized. We present several lines of evidence that DChol mimics cholesterol. The cholesterol probe could be efficiently incorporated into the plasma membrane via cyclodextrin-donor complexes. The itinerary of DChol from the plasma membrane to the cell was studied to determine its dependence on the function of Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC) protein. In all cells, DChol moved from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic reticulum. Its further transport to the Golgi complex was observed but with marked differences among various cell lines. DChol was finally transported to small (approximately 0.5 microm diameter) lipid droplets, a process that required functional acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase. In human NPC fibroblasts, NPC-like cells, or in cells mimicking the NPC phenotype, DChol was found in enlarged (>1 microm diameter) droplets. When the NPC-phenotype was corrected by transfection with NPC1, DChol was again found in small-sized droplets. Our data show that NPC1 has an essential role in the distribution of plasma membrane-derived cholesterol by maintaining the small size of cholesterol-containing lipid droplets in the cell.

Amides↗
PubMed2002

Cholesterol as stabilizer of the oxytocin receptor.

The function of the oxytocin receptor system is strongly dependent on steroids as demonstrated by several physiological studies. One key element of this dependence on steroids may be the interaction of cholesterol and the oxytocin receptor. In this study, we show that cholesterol stabilizes the solubilized human oxytocin receptor against thermal inactivation and proteolytic degradation. In the absence of additional cholesterol, the soluble receptor inactivates within minutes. Maximal stabilization of the oxytocin receptor requires a continuous supply with cholesterol from a cholesterol-rich environment. A structure-activity analysis of various cholesterol analogues and their effect on the thermal stability of the oxytocin receptor showed that the stabilizing function of cholesterol was highly specific. The structural requirements of a potent stabilizing steroid are very similar to those necessary to support the high-affinity state of the receptor. Moreover, in the presence of cholesterol, the oxytocin receptor is significantly more stable against alterations of pH value (pH 4-12). The results show that cholesterol acts as a general stabilizer of the oxytocin receptor.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2002

Cholesterol and steroid hormones: modulators of oxytocin receptor function.

The function and physiological regulation of the oxytocin-receptor system is strongly steroid-dependent. This is, unexpectedly, only partially reflected by the promoter sequences in the oxytocin receptor and favors the idea that posttranscriptional mechanisms may also play a significant role for the physiological regulation of the oxytocin-receptor system. Our data indicate that cholesterol acts as an allosteric modulator of the oxytocin receptor and stabilizes both membrane-associated and solubilized OT receptors in a high-affinity state for agonists and antagonists. Moreover, high-affinity OT receptors are 2-fold enriched in cholesterol-rich plasma membrane domains in HEK293 fibroblasts stably expressing the human OT receptor. Biochemical data suggest a direct and cooperative molecular interaction of cholesterol molecules with OT receptors. To localize the cholesterol interacting domain of the oxytocin receptor the C-terminal part including the last two transmembrane domains have been exchanged by the corresponding sequences of the cholecystokinin type B receptor, which is functionally not dependent on cholesterol. Concerning its ligand-binding behavior this chimeric receptor protein showed the same dependence on cholesterol and its analogues as the wild type oxytocin receptor. From mutagenesis experiments and studies with receptor chimera between the OTR and cholecystokinin type B receptor, we conclude that a major part of the cholesterol interacting domain may be localized in the first part of the oxytocin receptor, possibly in a domain nearby the agonist binding site. Progesterone is considered to be essential to maintain the uterine quiescence. High concentrations of progesterone (> 10 microM) attenuate or block the signaling of several GPCRs, including the OT receptor via a fast, reversible and non-genomic pathway. Progesterone is known to inhibit both cholesterol biosynthesis and the intracellular trafficking of cholesterol. We therefore test the hypothesis that progesterone affects the signal transduction and subdomain localization of receptors via its influence on cholesterol trafficking. Since cholesterol-rich subdomains (rafts) are considered to be organization centers for cellular signal transduction, changes of the level or distribution of cholesterol may have profound effects on receptor-mediated signaling in general. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) measurements with GFP-tagged oxytocin receptors the influence of steroids on the mobility and distribution of the oxytocin receptor in the plasma membrane was analyzed. Progesterone had no effect on the lateral mobility of the oxytocin receptor, but it led to marked inhibition of cellular motility such as vesicle trafficking and movements of filopodia. Non-genomic effects of progesterone and estradiol with respect to receptor signaling as well as the influence of cholesterol on signal transduction will be discussed in more detail.

Allosteric Regulation↗