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J Codina

Publications and source records attributed to J Codina.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Abnormal Gs function in mitral valve prolapse dysautonomia is not associated with abnormal alpha S cDNA sequence.

We have previously shown that a subset of patients with mitral valve prolapse and hyperadrenergic symptoms has enhanced isoprenaline-stimulated beta-adrenergic receptor high-affinity state formation (supercoupling) and increased adenylyl cyclase activity due to abnormal signal transduction by the stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gs). In this study we looked for an alteration of the nucleotide coding sequence of the gene for alpha s, the subunit of Gs that is directly responsible for formation of the high affinity state and adenylyl cyclase activation, by cloning and sequencing the alpha s cDNA from neutrophils of 4 symptomatic patients and 1 control. No difference was observed between patients and control in the alpha s cDNA sequence. The splice variant concentrations in the fully expressed protein were also grossly unchanged in five patients and four controls. These data show that a primary alteration of the alpha s gene coding sequence is not responsible for defective Gs-associated signal transduction in dysautonomic MVP patients, and suggest that the molecular lesion could be an abnormal posttranslational modification of alpha s, a defect in the beta or gamma subunits of Gs, or an unusual interaction between the subunits in the Gs of these patients.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Molecular diversity and function of G proteins and calcium channels.

General features of signal transduction by G proteins and structural properties of G-protein-modulated calcium channels are described. Recent results on roles of beta gamma dimers in signal transduction, on the kinetic properties of Gi alpha subunits and structural diversity of Go alpha subunits are discussed, as are the background and current state of our knowledge of the modulation of calcium channels by G proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A potential role for guanine nucleotide-binding protein in the regulation of endosomal proton transport.

The effects of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) and GTP-gamma-S, known activators of GTP binding proteins, on proton transport were investigated in endosome-enriched vesicles (endosomes). Endosomes were prepared from rabbit renal cortex following the intravenous injection of FITC-dextran. The rate of intravesicular acidification was determined by measuring changes in fluorescence of FITC-dextran. Both GTP and GTP-gamma-S stimulated significantly the initial rate of proton transport. In contrast, GDP-beta-S, which does not activate GTP binding proteins, inhibited proton transport. The rank order of stimulation was GTP-gamma-S greater than GTP greater than control greater than GDP-beta-S. GTP-gamma-S stimulation of proton transport was also observed under conditions in which chloride entry was eliminated, i.e., 0 mM external chloride concentration in the presence of potassium/valinomycin voltage clamping. GTP-gamma-S did not affect proton leak in endosomes as determined by collapse of H+ ATPase-generated pH gradients. ADP ribosylation by treatment of endosomal membranes with pertussis toxin revealed two substrates corresponding to the 39-41 kD region and comigrating with alpha i subunits. Pretreatment of the membranes with pertussis toxin had no effect on proton transport in the absence of GTP or GTP-gamma-S. However, pretreatment with pertussis toxin blocked the stimulation of proton transport by GTP. In contrast, as reported in other membranes by others previously, pertussis toxin did not prevent the stimulation of proton transport by GTP-gamma-S. These findings, taken together, indicate that GTP binding proteins are present in endosomal membranes derived from renal cortex and that activation of G protein by GTP and GTP-gamma-S stimulates proton transport in a rank order identical to that reported for other transport pathways modulated by Gi proteins. Therefore, these studies suggest that G proteins are capable of stimulating the vacuolar H ATPase of endosomes directly.

Animals↗

Abnormal guanine nucleotide regulatory protein in MVP dysautonomia: evidence from reconstitution of Gs.

We and others have used the term MVP dysautonomia for a particular subset of hyperadrenergic dysautonomia patients. The role of the stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gs) in this dysautonomia was studied by cholate extraction of Gs from erythrocytes from 11 normal subjects and 14 symptomatic dysautonomic patients and reconstitution into cyc-S49 lymphoma membranes, which have normal receptor and adenylyl cyclase but lack Gs. Isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in the dysautonomia group was increased compared to that in controls [3.66 +/- 0.20 (mean +/- SE; n = 14) vs. 2.87 +/- 0.14 (n = 11) U cyc- reconstituted activity/mg erythrocyte protein; P less than 0.05]. beta-Adrenergic receptor high affinity state formation was greatest in the severely symptomatic group [KL/KH: severe symptoms, 130 +/- 48 (n = 6); mild symptoms, 33 +/- 7 (n = 7); control, 27 +/- 6 (n = 11); severe dysautonomia distinct, P less than 0.017]. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels of cholera toxin-dependent ADP-ribosylated G-proteins yielded no gross distinction between severely symptomatic and control groups. This subset of hyperadrenergic dysautonomia patients, thus, has supercoupled beta 2-adrenergic receptors (increase in both agonist binding and cyclase activation) conferred by an abnormal Gs, whose effects on agonist binding reflect the severity of illness.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

Urea gradient/SDS-PAGE; a useful tool in the investigation of signal transducing G proteins.

We describe an updated and improved protocol to perform urea gradient/SDS-PAGE in which proteins are electrophoresed through 9% polyacrylamide gel slabs in the presence of a linear 4 M to 8 M gradient of urea using Laemmli's separation buffers. We provide examples of this technique to separate PTX labeled G protein alpha subunits, as well as unlabeled alpha and beta subunits of G proteins. Applications of the technique are exemplified in which (1) the chromatographic separations of G proteins in DEAE-Toyopearl and MonoQ columns are compared, (2) the complexity of PTX substrates expressed in human erythrocytes, bovine brain, dog ventricle, FRTL-5 cells, HIT cells, GH4C1 cells and RIN cells are compared, and (3) the polypeptide composition of G protein beta gamma subunits, as expressed in several tissues and found in three distinct G proteins from a single cell population, are analyzed.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

[A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm ruptured into the right atrium secondary to aortic endocarditis. The usefulness of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography].

We present a case of a sinus of Valsalva aneurysm ruptured into right atrium secondary to aortic endocarditis. Early surgical procedure was indicated bases on transthoracic echocardiography. This technique demonstrated a abscess image enlarged into the right atrium and color Doppler showed a turbulent flow from aortic valve to right atrium. Cardiac surgery was performed with transesophageal echocardiography monitoring. This technique allowed anatomical and functional aortic valve evaluation and the abscess location and extension. This case shows the value of transthoracic and transesophageal color Doppler echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of patients with complications secondary to infective endocarditis.

Adult↗

G alpha i-3 regulates epithelial Na+ channels by activation of phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase pathways.

Polarized renal epithelial cells have pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi proteins at their apical membrane capable of modulating Na+ channel activity (Cantiello, H.F., Patenaude, C.R., and Ausiello, D.A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 20867-20870). In this study, the patch clamp technique was used to assess if this Gi-mediated regulation of Na+ channels is a component of a phospholipid signal transduction pathway. In excised inside-out patches of apical membranes of A6 cells, guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S)-stimulated Na+ channel activity (percent open time and channel number) was inhibited by the phospholipase inhibitor mepacrine (50 microM), which had no effect on single channel conductance. In contrast, Na+ channel activity increased in a Ca2(+)-dependent manner following the addition of 100 nM mellitin to untreated or pertussis toxin-treated patches. Addition of 10 microM arachidonic acid in the presence of mepacrine increased Na+ channel activity. Both percent open time and Na+ channel number induced by GTP gamma S, the exogenous alpha i-3 subunit, or arachidonic acid were inhibited by the addition of the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid. Na+ channel activity was restored with the addition of leukotriene D4 (100 nM) or the parental leukotriene substrate 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (10 microM). Thus, Gi activation of apical membrane epithelial Na+ channels is mediated through the regulation of phospholipase and lipoxygenase activities. This apically located signal transduction pathway may be sensitive to, or independent of, classical second messengers generated at the basolateral membrane and known to be responsible for modulation of Na+ channel activity in epithelia.

Animals↗

At least three alternatively spliced mRNAs encoding two alpha subunits of the Go GTP-binding protein can be expressed in a single tissue.

Hybridization blot (Northern) analysis of mRNA coding for alpha subunits of the Go signal-transducing protein detects three bands at 5.7, 4.2, and 3.2 kilobases (kb). We showed previously that the largest is a splice variant coding for the type 2 form of the polypeptide (alpha o2) and the two smaller RNAs react with a probe specific for the seventh of the eight exons that code for the type 1 form (alpha o1). In the present work we demonstrate that the 3.2- and 4.2-kb mRNAs also result from alternative splicing, the splice site being located 31 nucleotides downstream from the termination codon of the open reading frame, and that therefore the alpha o mRNA is made up of at least nine exons. All three alpha o mRNAs are expressed in both heart and brain, more in the latter than the former, as well as in the hamster insulin-secreting tumor (HIT) cell from which the cDNAs encoding the splice variants had been cloned. In contrast, in lung and testis we found only the 5.7-kb alpha o2 mRNA. The same analysis was unable to detect alpha o-specific sequences in either kidney, pancreas (whole), spleen, or liver, while at the same time detecting strong bands for alpha s mRNA. A comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions of the hamster cDNAs cloned here indicated that previously cloned alpha o cDNAs all belong to the same alpha o1A slice subclass derived from 3.2-kb mRNA. The comparison also revealed that the sequences of the untranslated regions are highly conserved among three species (rat, hamster, and brain). Their 3' tails are 99.1% (HIT versus bovine, 200 known bases) and 99.7% (HIT versus rat, 229 bases) identical, and their 5' leader sequences are 92.7% (HIT versus bovine, 165 known bases) and 90.7% (HIT versus rat, 670 bases) identical. This indicates that untranslated regions of mRNAs need not exhibit high degrees of species variation.

Animals↗

Heart rate regulation by G proteins acting on the cardiac pacemaker channel.

Heart rate is determined by pacemaker currents, of which the most important is the hyperpolarization-activated current I(f). Heart rate and I(f) are increased by beta-adrenergic agonists and decreased by muscarinic agonists released from cardiac sympathetic and vagal nerves, respectively. The hypothesis that the receptors for each agonist are directly coupled to I(f) channels by G proteins was tested. Under substrate-free conditions, preactivated G protein Gs stimulated and preactivated G protein G(o) inhibited I(f) channels of sinoatrial node pacemaker cells. These effects were mimicked by the corresponding preactivated alpha subunits of the G proteins. Unexpectedly, the two G proteins acted simultaneously, with G(o) being the more potent. This result may explain in molecular terms the classical observation in cardiac physiology, that vagal inhibition of heart rate is much greater on a background of sympathetic stimulation.

Animals↗

Beta gamma dimers of G proteins inhibit atrial muscarinic K+ channels.

It has been proposed that beta gamma dimers of signal-transducing G proteins mediate muscarinic activation of atrial K+ channels. We examined this hypothesis by testing the effects of beta gamma dimers from four sources (human erythrocytes, human placenta, bovine brain, and bovine retina) on single channel muscarinic K+ (K+[acetylcholine (ACh)]) currents in inside-out membrane patches of adult guinea pig atria. None of the four beta gamma dimer preparations stimulated K+[ACh] currents; on the contrary, each inhibited the currents whether the currents were activated with GTP alone (agonist-independent activity) or with GTP plus a muscarinic agonist (agonist-dependent activity). Detergents at concentrations used to suspend erythrocyte, brain, and placental beta gamma dimers had no effect by themselves, and detergents were not used with the retinal beta gamma dimers. We conclude that beta gamma dimers do not mediate stimulatory effects of the endogenous G protein that regulates the K+ channels. In fact beta gamma dimers appear to inhibit activation by the endogenous G alpha subunits. Further insight into the role of beta gamma dimers came from the observation that agonist-independent GTP-activated K+[ACh] currents were inhibited by beta gamma dimers at about one-tenth the concentration required to inhibit agonist-dependent activation. One possibility is that dimeric beta gamma may have a higher affinity for free alpha subunits than for alpha subunits associated with agonist-occupied receptors. Thus, in addition to the known requirement of beta gamma dimers for the interaction of alpha subunits with receptors, beta gamma dimers may also improve the signal-to-noise ratio for agonists by reducing agonist-independent background activities.

Acetylcholine↗

Molecular cloning and sequence determination of four different cDNA species coding for alpha-subunits of G proteins from Xenopus laevis oocytes.

A cDNA library prepared from Xenopus laevis oocytes in lambda gt10 was screened with a mixture of three oligonucleotide probes designed to detect sequences found in different mammalian genes coding for alpha-subunits of G-proteins. In addition to a clone coding for a G alpha o-type subunit previously reported [(1989) FEBS Lett. 244, 188-192] four additional clones have been found coding for different G alpha protein subunits. By comparison with mammalian alpha-subunits, these oocyte cDNAs correspond to two closely related G alpha s-1a, to a G alpha i-1 and to a G alpha i-3 species. The derived amino acid sequences showed that both G alpha s species contain 379 residues, corresponding to the short species without the serine residue and with a calculated Mr of 42720. The G alpha i-1 gene encodes a 354 amino acid protein with an Mr of 39,000 and the G alpha i-3 encodes an incomplete open reading frame of 345 residues, lacking the first 9 amino acid residues at the NH2 terminus. All these G alpha-subunits showed high identity with their respective mammalian counterparts (75-80%), indicating a great degree of conservation through the evolution and the important cellular regulatory function that they play.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning of a novel splice variant of the alpha subunit of the mammalian Go protein.

We screened a HIT (hamster insulin-secreting tumor) cell cDNA library constructed in lambda gt11 with a Go-specific oligonucleotide probe and isolated six recombinant phages. The inserts of these phages encoded two forms of alpha o, called here alpha o1 and alpha o2. The deduced amino acid sequence of alpha o1 is identical in all of its 354 amino acids to that reported previously for rat and bovine alpha o; that of alpha o2, also of 354 amino acids, is identical to alpha o1 up to and including amino acid 248 and differs thereafter in 26 amino acids. At the nucleotide level, alpha o1 and alpha o2 are identical up to and including the second base of the codon that specifies amino acid 243 and differs thereafter in 88 nucleotides of the remaining open reading frame and has no similarity to alpha o1 in its 3'-untranslated region. We propose that alpha o1 and alpha o2 result as a consequence of alternative splicing of a single alpha o transcript. Northern analysis with specifically designed oligonucleotides indicates that both forms of alpha o are expressed in normal tissues, e.g. brain. After in vitro transcription and translation, the peptides encoded in the alpha o1 and alpha o2 cDNAs could be ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin in the presence of added beta gamma dimers. The count of distinct G proteins keeps increasing.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

beta-Arrestin: a protein that regulates beta-adrenergic receptor function.

Homologous or agonist-specific desensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors is thought to be mediated by a specific kinase, the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK). However, recent data suggest that a cofactor is required for this kinase to inhibit receptor function. The complementary DNA for such a cofactor was cloned and found to encode a 418-amino acid protein homologous to the retinal protein arrestin. The protein, termed beta-arrestin, was expressed and partially purified. It inhibited the signaling function of beta ARK-phosphorylated beta-adrenergic receptors by more than 75 percent, but not that of rhodopsin. It is proposed that beta-arrestin in concert with beta ARK effects homologous desensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Distinct guanine nucleotide binding and release properties of the three Gi proteins.

The native pertussis toxin sensitive GTP-binding proteins (Gi proteins) were individually resolved, and their guanine nucleotide binding and release properties were studied. Gi2 and Gi3, the two major GTP-binding proteins of human erythrocytes, were purified to apparent homogeneity by fast protein liquid chromatography. Gi1 was purified from bovine brain. The three proteins bound 0.6-0.85 mol of guanosine 5'-O-(thio-triphosphate (GTP gamma S)/mol of protein with similar affinities (KD(app) = 50-100 nM). The rate of [35S]GTP gamma S binding to Gi2 was 5-8-fold faster than to Gi1 or Gi3 at 2 mm Mg2+. There were no observable differences in the binding characteristics between bovine brain Gi1 and human erythrocyte Gi3. At 50 mM Mg2+, all three Gi proteins exhibited fast binding, although Gi1 and Gi3 were marginally slower than Gi2. All three Gi proteins exhibited different rates of [32P]GDP release at 2 mM Mg2+. GDP release from Gi2 was severalfold faster than that from Gi1 or Gi3. GDP release rates from Gi1 and Gi3 were similar, although Gi3 was somewhat (60-80%) faster than Gi1. These data indicate that rates of GDP release and GTP binding may be independently regulated for these three proteins and that the relative proportions of Gi2/Gi1 or Gi2/Gi3 will be a crucial factor in determining the kinetics of signal transduction through Gi-coupled effectors.

Animals↗

G protein coupling of receptors to ionic channels and other effector systems.

1. Four questions raised by previous studies that had shown activation of K+ channels by alpha subunits of the type 3 Gi protein are addressed in the present communication: a) are K+ channels specific for one Gi? b) are there more ionic channels under direct G protein control? c) can we confirm using recombinant G alpha s the results obtained with biochemically resolved G alpha s and continue ascribing the regulatory effector to this part of the alpha beta gamma holo-G protein? and d) can we confirm that a single G alpha, Gs alpha in this case, is able to affect more than one type of effector function? 2. We found Gi alpha s are isoforms, that there exist also Gi-insensitive, Go-responsive K+ channels and that G alpha s can be multifunctional. Thus, a single receptor will elicit cellular responses that will depend on the endogenous G protein as well as the type of effector function expressed in it. 3. In another set of experiments we found that G beta gamma s, be they derived from human erythrocytes, human placenta, bovine brain or bovine retina, all inhibit Gk-gated K+ channel activity as seen in inside out membrane patches with GTP as the driving nucleotide. In addition we noted that inhibition was much more effective under basal (no agonist in the pipette) than agonist stimulated conditions, as reported in earlier experiments in which beta-adrenoceptors, Gs and catalytic unit of adenylyl cyclase had been incorporated into phospholipid vesicles. 4. We propose that one of the roles of G beta gamma s in membranes is to quench ligand independent G protein activation by unoccupied receptors. Other roles of G beta gamma s are: a) by re-associating with GDP-G alpha s, to promote interaction with receptors, and b) by dissociating from activated R.G alpha *GTP.beta gamma, to allow for receptor dissociation from GTP-activated G alpha s, which is required to satisfy the catalytic mode of receptor action.

GTP-Binding Proteins↗

Membrane-delimited stimulation of heart cell calcium current by beta-adrenergic signal-transducing Gs protein.

A severalfold increase in calcium current (ICa) is a signal feature of the maximal beta-adrenergic response of the heart. It is generally ascribed to enhanced adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent phosphorylation of calcium (Ca) channels after beta-receptor activation of the guanosine nucleotide-binding (G) protein Gs, and Gs activation of the adenylyl cyclase cascade. We blocked phosphorylation pathways in guinea pig cardiomyocytes to unmask other possible ICa-stimulatory modes. In blocked cells, ICa increased by approximately 50% during 1) beta-receptor activation of Gs, 2) intracellular activation of Gs, and 3) intracellular application of preactivated Gs, We conclude that fast, membrane-delimited Gs modulation participates in the physiological regulation of cardiac ICa.

Animals↗