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Biomedical subjects

J Aguilera

Publications and source records attributed to J Aguilera.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

HC fragment (C-terminal portion of the heavy chain) of tetanus toxin activates protein kinase C isoforms and phosphoproteins involved in signal transduction.

A recent report [Gil, Chaib-Oukadour, Pelliccioni and Aguilera (2000) FEBS Lett. 481, 177-182] describes activation of signal transduction pathways by tetanus toxin (TeTx), a Zn(2+)-dependent endopeptidase synthesized by the Clostridium tetani bacillus, which is responsible for tetanus disease. In the present work, specific activation of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms and of intracellular signal-transduction pathways, which include nerve-growth-factor (NGF) receptor trkA, phospholipase C(PLC)gamma-1 and extracellular regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2, by the recombinant C-terminal portion of the TeTx heavy chain (H(C)-TeTx) is reported. The activation of PKC isoforms was assessed through their translocation from the soluble (cytosolic) compartment to the membranous compartment, showing that clear translocation of PKC-alpha, -beta, -gamma and -delta isoforms exists, whereas PKC-epsilon showed a slight decrease in its soluble fraction immunoreactivity. The PKC-zeta isoform showed no consistent response. Using immunoprecipitation assays against phosphotyrosine residues, time- and dose-dependent increases in tyrosine phosphorylation were observed in the trkA receptor, PLCgamma-1 and ERK-1/2. The effects shown by the H(C)-TeTx fragment on tyrosine phosphorylation were compared with the effects produced by NGF. The trkA and ERK-1/2 activation were corroborated using phospho-specific antibodies against trkA phosphorylated on Tyr(490), and antibodies against Thr/Tyr phosphorylated ERK-1/2. Moreover, PLCgamma-1 phosphorylation was supported by its H(C)-TeTx-induced translocation to the membranous compartment, an event related to PLCgamma-1 activation. Since H(C)-TeTx is the domain responsible for membrane binding and lacks catalytic activity, the activations described here must be exclusively triggered by the interaction of TeTx with a membrane component.

Animals↗

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae aldose reductase is implied in the metabolism of methylglyoxal in response to stress conditions.

The enzyme aldose reductase plays an important role in the osmo-protection mechanism of diverse organisms. Here, we show that yeast aldose reductase is encoded by the GRE3 gene. Expression of GRE3 is carbon-source independent and up-regulated by different stress conditions, such as NaCl, H2O2, 39 degrees C and carbon starvation. Measurements of enzyme activity and intracellular sorbitol in wild-type cells also indicate that yeast aldose reductase is stress-regulated. Overexpression of GRE3 increases methylglyoxal tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, high expression of GRE3 complements the deficiency of the glyoxalase system of a glo1delta mutant strain. Consistent with this, in vitro and in vivo assays of yeast aldose reductase activity indicate that methylglyoxal is an endogenous substrate of aldose reductase. Furthermore, addition of NaCl or H2O2 to exponential-phase cells triggers an initial transient increase in the intracellular level of methylglyoxal, which is dependent on the Gre3p and Glo1p function. These observations indicate that the metabolism of methylglyoxal is stimulated under stress conditions; and they support a methylglyoxal degradative pathway, in which this compound is metabolised by the action of aldose reductase.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Increased adhesiveness and internalization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and changes in the expression of epithelial gonococcal receptors in the Fallopian tube of copper T and Norplant users.

Interaction of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with the oviductal epithelium in vitro was examined in 2 cm length segments obtained after surgical sterilization from users of copper T intrauterine device (IUD) or Norplant and control women. Segments perfused with N.gonorrhoeae suspensions were incubated from 30 min up to 4 h, fixed, frozen and cut in 6--10 microm sections. Bacteria were detected immunohistochemically with rabbit anti-gonococcal serum followed by light and confocal microscopy. Adhesion and internalization of gonococci by epithelial cells were observed at all incubation times, and both were higher in explants from users of copper T IUD or Norplant implants than controls. The epithelium of controls expressed CD66 and syndecan-1; but CD46 was found in only one out of six cases. The epithelium of copper T IUD users expressed CD66 but not syndecan-1 or CD46. Users of Norplant exhibited expression of CD46, CD66 and syndecan-1. Label was always found along the luminal border of the epithelium. There were more intraepithelial lymphocytes in users of contraceptive methods than in controls. Results indicate that (i) N.gonorrhoeae invade the oviductal epithelium from the first minutes of exposure, (ii) the epithelium is constitutively endowed with two known receptors for the gonococcus, CD66 and syndecan-1, (iii) copper T IUD and Norplant users exhibit higher rates of attachment and internalization of the gonococcus into the oviductal epithelium associated with changes in expression of gonococcal receptors.

Adult↗

PAF receptor and PAF acetylhydrolase expression in the endosalpinx of the human Fallopian tube: possible role of embryo-derived PAF in the control of embryo transport to the uterus.

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin-E(2) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are embryonic-derived signals that time embryo passage into the uterus in the mare and hamster respectively. PAF-like activity is detectable in the spent media of preimplantation human embryos and it has been suggested that PAF may be the embryonic signal that controls embryo transport to the uterus in our species. The actions of PAF are regulated at the level of its synthesis and degradation as well as the expression of a specific cell surface receptor (PAFr). The enzyme PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) degrades PAF. This study was undertaken to examine whether or not PAFr and PAF-AH are expressed in the human Fallopian tube and to identify the cell types in which they are expressed. METHODS: The presence of PAFr mRNA in tissue extracts was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We amplified the predicted amplicon for PAFr mRNA from RNA samples extracted from Fallopian tubes. The expression of PAF-AH was detected by Western blot and the localization of PAFr and PAF-AH proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Utilizing antibodies against PAFr and PAF-AH, co-localization of the two proteins in the epithelium and stromal cells were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: These observations show that the human Fallopian tube expresses PAFr and PAF-AH at a location compatible with the proposed paracrine role of early embryo-derived PAF.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase↗

Tetanus toxin modulates serotonin transport in rat-brain neuronal cultures.

As has been previously described, tetanus toxin (TeTx) and its H(C) fragment inhibit the sodium-dependent 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake in rat-brain synaptosomes, probably through a kinase mechanism affecting the 5-HT transporter. Now, the inhibition of 5-HT uptake in neurons in primary culture by TeTx in a dose-dependent manner is described in this work. This effect is also produced by the nontoxic C-terminal fragment of the TeTx heavy chain (H(C)-fragment), indicating that 5-HT uptake inhibition is a consequence of the toxin binding to the plasmatic membrane and not to its catalytic activity. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the 5-HT accumulation was not inhibited by the light chain of TeTx or the toxoid, and was even potentiated by botulinum neurotoxin A. These results correlate with the activation of phosphoinositide-phospholipase C activity in the cultures used in this study, this activity only being enhanced by TeTx and by its Hc-fragment. On the other hand, the use of tyrosine phosphorylation modulators indicates that both Na3VO4 and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) produce an enhancement of 5-HT uptake in this system, which is also sensitive to TeTx inhibition. On the other hand, genistein alone is able to reduce the 5-HT transport in cultured neurons, and this effect did not appear to be additive to that elicited by TeTx. This result suggests that TeTx and genistein may share some events in their respective mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the incubation at different concentrations of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) confirms the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in 5-HT transport modulation in rat-brain neuronal primary cultures. In summary, we shall demonstrate in this work that TeTx induces, through its Hc fragment, an inhibition of both basal and stimulated serotonin uptakes in primary neuronal cultures, in parallel to the activation of phosphoinositide-phospholipase C activity and PKC activation.

Animals↗

Serotonin transporter phosphorylation modulated by tetanus toxin.

Tetanus toxin (TeTx) modifies Na(+)-dependent, high-affinity 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) uptake in a synaptosomal-enriched P(2) fraction from rat brain. The effect corresponds to a rapid and non-competitive uptake inhibition, and it is preceded by induction of phospholipase C (PLC) activity and translocation and down-regulation of the classical protein kinase C (PKC-alpha, -beta and -gamma) isoforms. The effects on serotonin transport and on cPKC activation were similar to the effects exhibited by phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Moreover, after treatment with TeTx, an increase in Ser- and Tyr-specific phosphorylation was found. Activation of PKC by both TeTx and TPA results in a loss of transport capacity and serotonin transporter (SERT) phosphorylation, which are abolished by coapplication of the specific PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide-1. Since a specific PLCgamma1 phosphorylation prior to TeTx's inducing SERT phosphorylation was found, the studies suggest that part of the action of TeTx consists of modifying the signal cascade initiated in tyrosine kinase receptors on nerve tissue previous to its cellular internalization, resulting in transporter phosphorylation.

Animals↗

Activation of signal transduction pathways involving trkA, PLCgamma-1, PKC isoforms and ERK-1/2 by tetanus toxin.

Previous reports have demonstrated that tetanus toxin (TeTx) induces activation and down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC). In the present work the differential activation of PKC isoforms and of signal transduction pathways, including nerve growth factor receptor trkA, phospholipase Cgamma-1 (PLCgamma-1), and extracellular regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK-1/2) by TeTx in a synaptosome-enriched P(2) fraction from rat brain is reported. TeTx induces clear translocation from the soluble (cytosolic) compartment to the particulate (membranous) compartment of PKC-beta, -gamma and -delta isoforms, whereas PKC-epsilon showed a slight decrease of its soluble fraction immunoreactivity. On the contrary, the PKC-zeta isoform shows no consistent response, whereas down-regulation of total PKC-alpha immunoreactivity is shown. Immunoprecipitation assays against phosphotyrosine show an increase of trkA and PLCgamma-1 phosphorylation. Moreover, trkA activation is corroborated using phospho-specific antibodies against phosphorylated trkA. On the other hand, TeTx-induced stimulation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity is observed, this event also being detected by Western analysis using phospho-specific antibodies against ERK-1/2.

Animals↗

Inhibition by tetanus toxin of sodium-dependent, high-affinity [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine uptake in rat synaptosomes.

Tetanus toxin (TeTx) is a powerful clostridial neurotoxin that inhibits Ca2+-dependent neurotransmitter secretion as do the botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs). We found that TeTx (but not BoNT/A) produced a specific time- and dose-dependent inhibition of Na+-dependent [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) uptake in rat CNS synaptosomes. This effect was found in all CNS tryptaminergic areas, being maximal in the hippocampus and occipital cortex. TeTx produced the maximum reduction in [3H]5-HT uptake after 30 min of preincubation, being significant also at lower doses (10(-12) M) or shorter incubation times (10 min). Serotonin transport inhibitors such as fenfluramine (IC50, 11.0 +/- 0.9 microM), paroxetine (IC50, 33.5 +/- 0.1 microM), and imipramine (IC50, 89.9 +/- 5.7 microM) were 3 or 4 orders of magnitude less potent than TeTx (IC50, 8.7 +/- 1.0 nM). Of the two fragments of TeTx, (the C-terminal portion of the neurotoxin heavy chain, which is responsible for the binding to the nerve tissue) was consistently more effective than the L-H(N) fragment (the light neurotoxin chain disulfide linked to the N-terminal portion of the heavy chain, which is responsible for the toxic metalloprotease action) as inhibitor of [3H]5-HT uptake in synaptosomal preparations (56 +/- 5% and 95 +/- 3% with respect to control, respectively). Antagonism of the toxin-induced [3H]5-HT uptake blockade could not be reversed by zinc chelators but did have the ability to antagonize the TeTx inhibition of basal and K+-evoked [3H]5-HT release in rat synaptosomes. The reduction in serotonin accumulation induced by TeTx could be responsible for some tetanic symptoms that have been related to the serotonergic system.

Animals↗

Differential action of nerve growth factor and phorbol ester TPA on rat synaptosomal PKC isoenzymes.

The subcellular redistribution of protein kinase C family members (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta isoforms) was examined in response to treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13 acetate (TPA) or nerve growth factor (NGF) in a synaptosomal-enriched P2 fraction from rat brain. Treatment with TPA affected members of the classical-PKC family (alpha, beta and gamma), resulting in a final loss of total protein of each isoenzyme. The kinetics of changes of members of the novel-PKC family are different, the delta isoform being translocated, but not down-regulated, while the epsilon isoform showing only a slight diminishing of immunoreactivity in the soluble and particulate fractions. The atypical-PKC zeta isoform was not translocated in response to TPA. Incubation with NGF induced a loss of immunoreactivity of the cytosolic alpha, beta and epsilon isoforms, but the membrane fractions of these isoforms were not appreciably affected. In contrast, a marked translocation from cytosol to membrane was observed in the case of the gamma and delta isoforms. The zeta isoform presented a slight translocation from the particulate fraction to the soluble fraction. Thus, the results show that the effects of TPA and NGF on PKC isoforms are not coincident in synaptosomes, the 6 isoform being activated and not down-regulated by both treatments, whereas the gamma isoform is only down-regulated in the case of TPA, but presents sustained translocation with NGF, indicating that PKC isoform-specific degradation pathways exist in synaptic terminals. The effects of NGF on PKC isoforms coexist with an increase in NGF-induced polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis, suggesting the participation of phospholipases.

Animals↗

Echocardiographic evaluation in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

Cardiovascular abnormalities have been considered important extrarenal manifestations of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). However, little is known about their prevalence in patients with ADPKD undergoing hemodialysis (HD). To investigate whether cardiac abnormalities are more prevalent in these patients, clinical and echocardiographic manifestations of cardiovascular disease were evaluated in a group of 32 patients with ADPKD and a matched control group of 32 patients without diabetes treated by chronic HD for more than 6 months. Predialysis systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), prevalence of hypertension, and number of patients requiring antihypertensive medications were lower in the ADPKD group than controls. There was no difference in the prevalence of cardiac events, including cardiac failure, ischemic heart disease, and arrhythmia. Systolic dysfunction, diastolic patterns, and left ventricular hypertrophy were similar in the two groups. In patients with ADPKD, simple regression analysis showed left ventricular mass (LVM) index was correlated with hemoglobin level and predialytic systolic and diastolic BPs. In multiple regression analysis, predialysis systolic BP was the only independent variable linked to LVM index. The prevalence of aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve disease did not differ between groups. In conclusion, the occurrence of cardiovascular complications in patients with ADPKD is similar to that of HD patients with other primary renal diseases, although hypertension is less prevalent.

Aged↗

Clostridium neurotoxins influence serotonin uptake and release differently in rat brain synaptosomes.

Clostridium neurotoxins produce inhibition of both basal and K(+)-evoked serotonin release in rat brain synaptosomes. To produce these effects, tetanus toxin (TeTx), as well as botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A), added to brain synaptosomes, must be incubated at 37 degrees C over a long interval (hours). This serotonin exocytosis inhibition was abolished with previous treatment with specific Zn2(+)-metalloprotease inhibitors. Nevertheless, a short incubation time produces different behavior of the indicated neurotoxins: TeTx significantly blocks the sodium-dependent, high-affinity serotonin uptake, whereas a small increase of this uptake was found with BoNT/A. Both Zn2(+)-metalloprotease active fragments, light chains of TeTx and BoNT/A, are unable to reproduce the block of the serotonin uptake, whereas the C-terminal portion of the TeTx heavy chain (Hc-TeTx), which binds specifically to the target tissue, inhibited the serotonin uptake in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 of Hc-TeTx ranges from 0.62 to 2.08 nM. Binding of [3H]imipramine and [3H]serotonin did not change after toxin treatments, which indicates that these clostridium neurotoxins do not act on the serotonin high-affinity site at the serotonin transporter or at other serotonin high-affinity sites. These results could indicate that TeTx and Hc-TeTx bind to different targets than BoNT/A in the plasma membrane.

Animals↗

Association of protein kinase CK2 with eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-2 and with grp94/endoplasmin.

Protein kinase CK2 forms complexes with some protein substrates what may be relevant for the physiological control of this protein kinase. In previous studies in rat liver cytosol we had detected that the trimeric form of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) co-eluted with protein kinase CK2. We have now observed that the ratio between eIF-2 and cytosolic CK2 contents in testis, liver and brain is quite similar, being eIF-2 levels about 5-fold higher than those of CK2. Furthermore eIF-2 was present in liver samples immunoprecipitated with anti-CK2alpha/alpha' antibodies, confirming the existence of complexes containing both proteins. Nonetheless, these complexes would represent only a fraction of total cytosolic CK2 and eIF-2. We had also observed that rat liver membrane glycoproteins obtained through chromatography on wheat-germ lectin-Sepharose contain CK2 activity which copurifies with grp94/endoplasmin. We have now confirmed that this activity was due to the presence of protein kinase CK2 as evidenced by immunodetection with antibodies against CK2alpha/alpha'. The fractions enriched in grp94/endoplasmin and CK2 also contained another 55-kDa polypeptide (p55) phosphorylated by CK2 which has been identified as calreticulin by N-terminal sequencing. Calreticulin and grp94/endoplasmin could be partially resolved from CK2 by chromatography on heparin-agarose and almost completely on ConA-Sepharose. However, phosphorylation of immunoprecipitated grp94/endoplasmin was enhanced by its preincubation with purified CK2 prior to immunoprecipitation, what confirms the easy reassociation between these proteins. The association of protein kinase CK2 with eIF-2 and with grp94/endoplasmin may serve to locate the enzyme in the cellular machinery involved in protein synthesis and folding, and reinforces the possible involvement of CK2 in these processes.

Animals↗

Tetanus toxin enhances protein kinase C activity translocation and increases polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in rat cerebral cortex preparations.

Tetanus toxin (TeTx) has been recently demonstrated to be a Zn2+-dependent endopeptidase that cleaves synaptobrevin, a protein in part responsible for neurotransmitter release. Nevertheless, certain aspects of TeTx action, for example, the causal relationship between TeTx and protein kinase C (PKC; EC 2.7.1.37) activity cannot be explained by this cleavage alone. In the present study, primary neurons from fetal rat brain, synaptosomes, and whole slices have been used to examine this issue. Low doses of TeTx (< or = 10(-8) M) caused PKC activity translocation in a manner similar to that produced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). TPA (< or = 10(-7) M) caused sustained PKC activity translocation, whereas TeTx produced translocation followed by relocation, depending on the dose and time of exposure. Immunoidentification with a monoclonal antibody recognizing both alpha and beta isoforms revealed that TeTx induced moderate losses of PKC in the cytosolic fraction, without a comparable increase in the particulate fraction. Although moderate losses of activity were also noticed in the cytosolic fraction, the inconsistency with respect to activity translocation may be explained by translocation of additional PKC isoforms that are not identified by the antibody. Comparable levels of water-soluble inositol phosphate-labeled intermediates were obtained after treatment of cerebral cells and/or cortical brain slices with TeTx. Significant increases of 19 and 114% in the water-soluble myo-[2-(3)H]inositol-labeled inositol phosphate metabolites were found in cerebral cell culture and brain slices, respectively, after treatment with 10(-8) M TeTx. TeTx (10(-8) M) increased to the same degree the water-soluble inositol phosphate levels as did serotonin (10(-5) M) or carbachol (10(-6) M). It is suggested that part of the signaling cascade of TeTx consists of a component involving inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, which is associated with PKC activity translocation.

Animals↗

GT1b ganglioside prevents tetanus toxin-induced protein kinase C activation and down-regulation in the neonatal brain in vivo.

A single dose of 0.25 ng of tetanus toxin (TeTx), equivalent to approximately 5 minimal lethal doses, injected intracerebrally to 1-day-old rats, caused translocation, i.e., activation, of Ca(2+)-phosphatidylserine-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) from the cytosolic to the membrane compartment within 1 h. Six hours after treatment with the toxin, a 40-50% reduction in the total brain PKC (cytosolic plus membrane) activity was noticed. GT1b (2 micrograms per brain) ganglioside, a putative receptor for TeTx, completely prevented enzyme translocation when injected intracerebrally 30 min before toxin administration and abolished down-regulation after 6 h from the time of toxin injection. GM1 (2 micrograms per brain), a ganglioside of lesser affinity for TeTx, produced by itself a 20-30% reduction of the total PKC activity and did not reverse TeTx-induced PKC down-regulation after 6 h. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) phorbol ester, administered at a concentration of 5 x 10(-5) M, caused activation and down-regulation of the enzyme, although with several orders of magnitude lesser potency. GT1b prevented the TPA-induced down-regulation.

Animals↗

Epidemiologic observations on porcine cysticercosis in a rural community of Michoacan State, Mexico.

The prevalence of and risk factors for Taenia solium infection (cysticercosis) in pigs were studied in a rural community in Michoacan State, Mexico. Visual inspection of the tongues of 216 pigs revealed cysticerci in 14 (6.5%). The prevalence was slightly higher in male (10/105) than female pigs (4/110) (P = 0.06) and increased with age (P less than 0.05). The most important risk factors for infection in pigs were access to human feces at a public washing area (P = 0.004), the presence of an indoor latrine (P = 0.05) and indiscriminate disposal of human feces around the pig owner's household (P less than 0.1). Effective and long-lasting control of the transmission of T. solium from humans to pigs must include measures to deny pigs access to human feces, a change which is likely to be resisted because of the traditional and functional aspects of established pig-rearing practices.

Age Factors↗

Stereotaxic injection of tetanus toxin in rat central nervous system causes alteration in normal levels of monoamines.

A single intraventricular injection of tetanus toxin produced a time-dependent elevation of serotonin levels in brain and spinal cord of adult rats. This tetanus toxin-induced increase was produced in areas of high density of serotonergic innervation, such as the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and spinal cord. Little or no effect was found in the thalamus, cerebellum, and frontal cortex, areas that are poorly innervated by serotonergic terminals. The responses of catecholamines (no change in dopamine level and generalized decrease in norepinephrine) pointed to a specific action of tetanus toxin on the serotonergic system. Stereotaxic injections of tetanus toxin in dorsal or magnus raphe nuclei did not have an evident effect on biogenic amine levels in the brain and spinal cord, respectively. Because direct stereotaxic injections of the toxin in the hypothalamus or hippocampus produced significant serotonin increases in both areas, it is proposed that tetanus toxin interacts with presynaptic targets to produce serotonin accumulation; this is probably due in part to an activation of tryptophan 5-hydroxylase.

Animals↗

An examination of the repair saturation hypothesis for describing shouldered survival curves.

The hypothesis that after irradiation a competition exists between fixation of radiation damage and its repair and that this competition determines cell survival was to be tested. Postirradiation temperature of holding was employed as a means of modulating rate of damage repair, and the postirradiation rates of repair of DNA strand breaks (both single and double) were monitored using elution assays. At temperatures below 37 degrees C following irradiation the rates of rejoining were decreased markedly, although rejoining of single-strand breaks was seen even at 10 degrees C and rejoining of double-strand breaks still occurred at 16 degrees C. However, 3 h incubation of cells at these lowered temperatures had no observable effect on cell survival parameters. It is concluded that either damage fixation and damage repair have the same dependence on temperature, or simple measurements of rejoining of breaks are insufficient to detect the details of the competition between repair and fixation (some measure of fidelity of repair is needed).

Animals↗