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I Bartsch

Publications and source records attributed to I Bartsch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Human endothelial cell septins: SEPT11 is an interaction partner of SEPT5.

The septin SEPT11 is a novel member of the highly conserved septin family. Septins are cytoskeletal GTPases, which form heteropolymeric complexes. They are involved in cytokinesis and other cellular processes, such as vesicle trafficking and exocytosis. SEPT11 has strong homology to SEPT8. Previously, we identified the interaction of SEPT5 and SEPT8. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we now demonstrate that SEPT11 partners with SEPT5. The molecular interaction of SEPT11 with SEPT5 was verified by coprecipitation of SEPT5 and SEPT11 from lysates of the human T-cell leukaemia cell line JURKAT and by fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The interaction between SEPT5 and SEPT11 requires the GTP-binding domain and the C-terminal extension. Western analysis in various mouse and human tissues revealed that expression of SEPT11 is restricted to the same tissues as those expressing SEPT5, suggesting that SEPT11 and SEPT5 are components of a cell-specific septin complex. SEPT5, which is expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), has been reported to play an important role in exocytosis. We now report that HUVECs also express SEPT11. Given the interactivity between SEPT5 and SEPT11 as shown above and their coexpression in HUVECs, it may be that a complex formed by these two proteins is involved in the exocytosis mechanism in HUVECs.

Animals↗

[Cytokine profile of a human bone marrow cell culture under the influence of UHMW-PE wear particles].

There is considerable evidence that orthopaedic wear debris plays a crucial role in the pathology of aseptic loosening of joint prostheses. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) on the cytokine response in a modified in vitro model. UHMW-PE particles (psi < 7.5 microm) were suspended in soluble collagen type I and subsequently solidified in different concentrations (105,106 and 107 particles per well) on the bottom of the wells. Human bone marrow cells in a concentration of 3 x 106 cells per well were seeded on the collagen-particle substrata and maintained for up to 12 days. The cytokine response (IL-1_, IL-6 and TNF-_) of the cells to the particles were examined by ELISA compared to cells on control collagen surfaces without any particles. Assays for viability using LDH activity were done immediately. Light and scanning microscopic evaluation revealed that the UHMWPE particles, which have built large conglomerates (psi7.5_m), were mainly surrounded by the cells and less phagocytosed. The results of the cytokine release revealed significant differences in interleukin (IL)6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- _ and IL-1beta. The cell viability was not affected by the UHMW-PE particles. The results demonstrate that the particle induced cytokine response by UHMW-PE is mainly by the release of Interleukin 6 and TNF- _. Moreover the results confirm that the present method is useful to evaluate the in vitro effects of UHMW-PE wear particles with direct particle cell contact.

Bone Marrow Cells↗

Activation of propane 2-nitronate to a genotoxicant in V79-derived cell lines engineered for the expression of rat hepatic sulfotransferases.

2-Nitropropane (2-NP) is a genotoxic hepatocarcinogen in rats. The genotoxicity of the compound has been attributed to a sulfotransferase-mediated formation of DNA-reactive species from the anionic form of 2-NP, propane 2-nitronate (P2N). Several observations have suggested that sulfotransferases (SULTs) 1A1 and/or 1C1 may be important in the activation of P2N to a genotoxicant in rat liver, but a definite proof is lacking. In order to identify the sulfotransferase(s) of rat liver that are capable of activating P2N, we have investigated the genotoxicity of P2N in various V79-derived cell lines engineered for expression of individual forms of rat hepatic sulfotransferases. Genotoxicity was assessed by measuring the induction of DNA repair synthesis. 1-Hydroxymethylpyrene (HMP), which is metabolically activated by most sulfotransferases, served as a positive control. Neither P2N nor HMP induced DNA repair in the parental V79-MZ cells, which do not show any sulfotransferase activity. P2N was also inactive in V79-rHSTa and V79-rHST20 cells, which express specific hydroxysteroid sulfotransferases. By contrast, a clear and concentration-dependent induction of repair synthesis by P2N was observed in V79-rPST-IV and V79-rST1C1 cells, which express rat SULT1A1 and SULT1C1, respectively. HMP was genotoxic in all sulfotransferase-expressing cell lines. Acetone oxime (AO), the tautomeric form of the first reduction product of 2-NP, 2-nitrosopropane, was inactive in all cell lines. The results corroborate the essential role of sulfotransferases in the metabolic activation of P2N to genotoxic products and identify two rat sulfotransferases which are capable of catalyzing the activation step.

Animals↗

Sulfotransferase-mediated activation of mutagens studied using heterologous expression systems.

Sulfation is a common final step in the biotransformation of xenobiotics and is traditionally associated with inactivation. However, the sulfate group is electron-withdrawing and may be cleaved off heterolytically in some molecules leading to electrophilic cations which may form adducts with DNA and other important cellular structures. Since endogenous sulfotransferases do not appear to be expressed in indicator cells of standard mutagenicity tests, rat and human sulfotransferases have been stably expressed in his- Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1538 and Chinese hamster V79 cells. Using these recombinant indicator cells, sulfotransferase-dependent genotoxic activities were detected with N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-acetylaminofluorene (in the presence of co-expressed rat cytochrome P450 1A2), hycanthone, 1'-hydroxysafrole, alpha-hydroxytamoxifen and various benzylic alcohols derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In several cases, it was critical that the reactive sulfuric acid conjugates were formed directly within the indicator cells, owing to the inefficient penetration of cell membranes. In other cases, spontaneous benzylic substitution reactions with medium components, such as halogenide ions or amino acids, led to secondary, membrane-penetrating reactive species. Different sulfotransferases, including related forms from rat and human, substantially differed in their substrate specificity towards the investigated promutagens. It is known that some sulfotransferases are expressed with high tissue and cell type specificities. This site-dependent expression together with the limitations in the distribution of reactive sulfuric acid conjugates may explain organotropic effects of compounds activated by this metabolic pathway.

Animals↗

Expression of human estrogen sulfotransferase in Salmonella typhimurium: differences between hHST and hEST in the enantioselective activation of 1-hydroxyethylpyrene to a mutagen.

Various human sulfotransferases (hP-PST, hM-PST, hHST) and rat sulfotransferases (rPST-IV, rHSTa) have already been expressed in Ames' Salmonella strains (in particular in TA1538). Now a further strain, TA1538-hEST, which expresses the human estrogen sulfotransferase (hEST), has been constructed. This strain activated the primary benzylic alcohol 1-hydroxymethylpyrene (1-HMP) and the secondary benzylic alcohol 1-hydroxyethylpyrene (1-HEP) to mutagens. Human sulfotransferases hEST and hHST both activated 1-HEP, but they differed substantially in their enantioselectivity for this compound.

Animals↗

Characterization of thyroid hormone sulfotransferases.

Sulfation is an intriguing pathway of thyroid hormone metabolism since it facilitates the degradation of the hormone by the type I deiodinase (D1). This study reports the preliminary characterization of iodothyronine sulfotransferase activities of rat and human liver cytosol and recombinant rSULT1C1 and hSULT1A1 isoenzymes. All these enzyme preparations catalyzed the sulfation of--in decreasing order of efficiency--3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) > 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) approximately 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) > thyroxine (T4). 3,3'-T2 sulfotransferase activity was found to be higher in male than in female rat liver, which has also been shown by others for the expression of rSULT1A1 and rSULT1C1. No sulfation of iodothyronines was observed with rSULT1A1. Different phenol derivatives were found to be potent inhibitors of the sulfation of 3,3'-T2 by native and recombinant sulfotransferases, with pentachlorophenol and 2,4,6-tribromophenol being the most potent. The inhibitions exerted by the different phenols on 3,3'-T2 sulfation by rSULT1C1 correlated better with the effects observed in male than with those in female liver. A strong correlation was also observed between the inhibition profiles of human liver cytosol and hSUL1T1A1. These results suggest that: (1) rSULT1C1 is an important isoenzyme for the sulfation of thyroid hormone in male rat liver; (2) another isoenzyme with similar properties, perhaps rSULT1B1, is responsible for thyroid hormone sulfation in female rat liver and may also contribute to this process in male rat liver; and (3) hSULT1A1 is an important isoenzyme for thyroid hormone sulfation in human liver.

Animals↗

Salmonella strains and mammalian cells genetically engineered for expression of sulfotransferases.

Rat and human sulfotransferases (STs) were expressed in his- S. typhimurium strains. These new bacterial strains detected various mutagens which are difficult to recognize in traditional test systems, including benzylic alcohols derived from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, hycanthone and 1'-hydroxysafrole. STs were also stably expressed in V79 Chinese hamster cells, which do not express endogenous ST and are suitable for the detection of genotoxic effects. Positive responses in these test systems were observed with various benzylic alcohols, including benzo[a]pyrene-7,8,9,10-tetrols. We demonstrate that a few reactive sulfuric acid conjugates are efficiently detected as genotoxicants only when generated directly within the indicator cell.

Animals↗

Stable heterologous expression of hydroxysteroid sulphotransferase in Chinese hamster V79 cells and their use for toxicological investigations.

Various benzylic alcohols are metabolically activated to electrophilic, potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic sulphuric acid esters. The involved sulphotransferases are not expressed in the cell lines in culture which are commonly used for mutagenicity testing. The liver of adult female rats is very efficient in the bioactivation of 1-hydroxymethylpyrene. The major enzyme involved was purified and identified as hydroxysteroid sulphotransferase a. Its cDNA was stably expressed in Chinese hamster V79 cells, which are particularly suited for the quantitative detection of various types of mutations and other genotoxic and cytotoxic effects. The mRNA, protein and enzyme activity levels in the constructed cell lines (V79rSTa-1 and V79rSTa-2) were measured, and the cells were also used in mutagenicity and cytotoxicity investigations with benzylic alcohols. 1-Hydroxymethylpyrene, 9-hydroxymethylanthracene and 6-hydroxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene showed enhanced cytotoxicity in V79rSTa-1 and V79rSTa-2 cells, as compared with sulphotransferase-deficient control cells. In addition, 1-hydroxymethylpyrene induced sister chromatid exchanges, and 6-hydroxymethylbenzo[a]pyrene induced gene mutations in V79rSTa-1 cells. We intend carrying out more investigations with other chemicals on these cell lines. Their advantages, as compared with systems with external metabolising systems, include the formation of the active metabolites within the target cell, as in ST-proficient cells in vivo, eliminating the problems which may result from restricted intercellular transport of reactive and ionized sulphuric acid conjugates. Furthermore, cells expressing other sulphotransferases, including human enzymes, may be constructed and used for comparative investigations.

Animals↗

An undecamer DNA sequence directs termination of human ribosomal gene transcription.

Previously we have shown that a repetitive 18 bp sequence motif, the Sal box (AGGTCGACCAGA/TT/ANTCCG), present in the 3' terminal spacer of mouse rDNA constitutes a termination signal for RNA polymerase I (pol I). Similar sequence elements which are functionally analogous to the murine terminator are present in the spacer of human rDNA. However, the human termination signal is shorter encompassing only 11 bp (GGGTCGACCAG) which correspond to the proximal part of the mouse sequence. Two out of the five human Sal box elements are functionally inactive due to natural point mutations which damage factor binding. A similar sequence motif with a 10 of 11 base identity with the downstream terminators is located upstream of the human transcription initiation site. The upstream element interacts with the same factor(s) as the downstream terminators and is also capable to stop elongating human RNA polymerase I. Despite the human and mouse factors exert different electrophoretic mobilities in gel retardation assays, UV-crosslinking and proteolytic clipping experiments indicate that both the sizes and the tertiary structure of the Sal box binding proteins of both species are very similar. When bound to DNA, both the human and the mouse factor terminate transcription of pol I from the heterologous species. The results implicate that changes in signal sequences necessary for termination have been accompanied by compensatory changes in the DNA binding domain of the protein(s) interacting with the termination signal. In contrast, the protein-protein interactions between the termination factor and the transcribing RNA polymerase I appear to have been conserved during evolution.

Animals↗

Specific interaction of the murine transcription termination factor TTF I with class-I RNA polymerases.

The 18-base-pair sequence element AGGTCGACCAGTACTCCG (the Sal box) signals termination of mouse ribosomal gene transcription. This sequence is recognized by a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, TTF I, which mediates the termination of transcription by RNA polymerase I (pol I). Subsequently, the ends of the primary transcripts are trimmed by 10 nucleotides in a sequence-dependent 3'-terminal processing reaction. We have now investigated whether TTF I bound to its target sequence will block elongation by any RNA polymerase by steric hindrance, or whether it is specific for elongation by pol I. The results demonstrate that TTF I directs transcription termination with RNA polymerase I from species as divergent as mouse and yeast, but fails to affect elongation by heterologous polymerases (eukaryotic RNA polymerases II and III, Escherichia coli or bacteriophage T3 RNA polymerase). By contrast, purified lac repressor bound to its operator sequence stops elongation by both RNA polymerase I and II.

Animals↗

The mouse ribosomal gene terminator consists of three functionally separable sequence elements.

The structural requirements for 3' end formation of mouse pre-rRNA have been studied. Three sequence elements are shown to be required for accurate and efficient transcription termination by RNA polymerase I (pol I) assayed both in a cell-free transcription system and in vivo after transfection of rDNA minigene constructs into 3T6 cells. The essential termination signal is the previously identified 18-bp conserved element (AGGTCGACCAGATTANTCCG) that contains a SalI restriction site. This sequence motif (the 'Sal box') interacts with a specific nuclear protein that directs transcription termination. Here we demonstrate that the 'Sal box' sequence motif is sufficient for termination of pol I transcripts and the release of the nascent RNA chains from the template. However, in addition to this termination signal, pyrimidine-rich sequences flanking the box at the 5' and 3' side play a role in the efficient and correct formation of authentic pre-rRNA termini. Downstream sequences contribute to the efficiency of the termination reaction, whereas the position of 3' end formation (i.e. 21 bp upstream of the 'Sal box') is affected by 5' flanking regions. These flanking regions are recognized by at least two different nuclear factors which specifically bind to DNA sequences located upstream and downstream of the 'Sal box'.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of TTFI, a factor that mediates termination of mouse ribosomal DNA transcription.

Termination of rRNA gene transcription is dependent on an 18-base-pair sequence motif, AGGTCGAC CAG AT TA NTCCG (the Sal box), which is present several times in the spacer region downstream of the 3' end of the pre-rRNA coding region. We report here the purification to molecular homogeneity of a nuclear factor which specifically interacts with the Sal box element. Addition of the isolated protein to S-100 extracts which contain low levels of the Sal box-binding protein and are therefore termination incompetent restores terminating activity, indicating that this protein is a polymerase I-specific transcription termination factor. The purified protein (termed TTFI) has a molecular weight of approximately 105,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Mild proteolysis generates a relatively protease-resistant core which still specifically recognizes its target sequence. However, the termination activity has been lost, suggesting that the interaction with the DNA and the interaction with the transcription apparatus reside in different protein domains.

Animals↗

Evolutionary changes of sequences and factors that direct transcription termination of human and mouse ribsomal genes.

We have analyzed the sequences required for termination of human rDNA transcription. The human ribosomal transcription unit is shown to extend about 350 nucleotides into the 3'-terminal spacer and ends immediately upstream of a region with a distinct sequence heterogeneity. This heterogeneous region contains a cluster of conserved 10-base pair sequence elements which exert a striking homology to the proximal part of the 18-base pair murine rDNA transcription termination signal sequence, termed SalI box. Exonuclease III protection assays and in vitro transcription experiments with both homologous and heterologous human-mouse minigene constructs, and extracts from HeLa or Ehrlich ascites cells, reveal a functional analogy of the human sequence to the mouse SalI box. It mediates binding of a nuclear protein which functions as a transcription termination factor. The murine signal sequence is recognized by the human factor but not vice versa. The different sequence specificities and electrophoretic properties of the functionally equivalent protein factors suggest that a molecular coevolution has taken place between the termination signal sequences and the genes coding for the termination factors.

Animals↗

A transcription terminator located upstream of the mouse rDNA initiation site affects rRNA synthesis.

Mouse ribosomal genes have a short sequence upstream of the transcription initiation site that is related in structure and function to the terminator boxes previously identified at the 3' end of the transcription unit. This upstream terminator recognizes the same protein factor as the 3'-terminal sites and is able to terminate RNA polymerase I transcription in vitro. S1 mapping and nucleolar run-on experiments reveal the presence of 5'-terminal spacer transcripts that are terminated at this site. These transcripts probably derive from spacer promoters, one of which has been identified approximately 2 kb upstream of the pre-rRNA start site. The interaction of a specific nuclear factor with the upstream terminator increases the efficiency of initiation, suggesting that transcription termination and initiation at the adjacent promoter work in an interrelated fashion.

Animals↗