Biomedical subjects

M J Reginato

Publications and source records attributed to M J Reginato.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

A potent antidiabetic thiazolidinedione with unique peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-activating properties.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) constitute an exciting new class of antidiabetic compounds, which function as activating ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). Until now, there has been an excellent correlation between in vivo hypoglycemic potency and in vitro binding and activation of PPARgamma by TZDs. We have characterized MCC-555, a novel thiazolidinedione ligand for PPARgamma with unique functional properties. The antidiabetic potency of this compound is greater than that of other TZDs, including BRL49653, yet its binding affinity for PPARgamma is less than (1)/(10) that of BRL49653. The effect of MCC-555 binding on PPARgamma transcriptional activity is highly context-specific such that it can function as a full agonist, partial agonist, or antagonist depending on the cell type or DNA binding site. These transcriptional properties are partly explained by unique partial agonism of coactivator recruitment to PPARgamma. The properties of MCC-555 are mechanistically distinct from those of the estrogen receptor partial agonist and antagonist tamoxifen because the N terminus of PPARgamma is not required for activation by MCC-555, and MCC-555 does not stimulate corepressor recruitment to PPARgamma. The context selectivity of MCC-555 may contribute to its enhanced hypoglycemic potency in vivo despite reduced affinity for PPARgamma relative to other TZDs.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1998

Interdomain communication regulating ligand binding by PPAR-gamma.

Binding to receptors in the cell nucleus is crucial for the action of lipophilic hormones and ligands. PPAR-gamma (for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) is a nuclear hormone receptor that mediates adipocyte differentiation and modulates insulin sensitivity, cell proliferation and inflammatory processes. PPAR-gamma ligands have been implicated in the development of atherogenic foam cells and as potential cancer treatments. Transcriptional activity of PPAR-gamma is induced by binding diverse ligands, including natural fatty acid derivatives, antidiabetic thiazolidinediones, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ligand binding by PPAR-gamma, as well as by the entire nuclear-receptor superfamily, is an independent property of the carboxy-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the receptor. Here we show that ligand binding by PPAR-gamma is regulated by intramolecular communication between its amino-terminal A/B domain and its carboxy-terminal LBD. Modification of the A/B domain, for example by physiological phosphorylation by MAP kinase, reduces ligand-binding affinity, thus negatively regulating the transcriptional and biological functions of PPAR-gamma. The ability of the A/B domain to regulate ligand binding has important implications for the evaluation and mechanism of action of potentially therapeutic ligands that bind PPAR-gamma and that are likely to extend to other members of the nuclear-receptor superfamily.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1998

Prostaglandins promote and block adipogenesis through opposing effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.

Fat cell differentiation is a critical aspect of obesity and diabetes. Dietary fatty acids are converted to arachidonic acid, which serves as precursor of prostaglandins (PGs). PGJ2 derivatives function as activating ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), a nuclear hormone receptor that is central to adipogenic determination. We report here that PGF2 alpha blocks adipogenesis through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, resulting in inhibitory phosphorylation of PPAR gamma. Both mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and PPAR gamma phosphorylation are required for the anti-adipogenic effects of PGF2 alpha. Thus, PG signals generated at a cell surface receptor regulate the program of gene expression required for adipogenesis by modulating the activity of a nuclear hormone receptor that is directly activated by other PG signals. The balance between PGF2 alpha and PGJ2 signaling may thus be central to the development of obesity and diabetes.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1997

Transcriptional activation by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma is inhibited by phosphorylation at a consensus mitogen-activated protein kinase site.

The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) regulates transcription in response to prostanoid and thiazolidinedione ligands and promotes adipocyte differentiation. The amino-terminal A/B domain of this receptor contains a consensus mitogen-activated protein kinase site in a region common to PPARgamma1 and -gamma2 isoforms. The A/B domain of human PPARgamma1 was phosphorylated in vivo, and this was abolished either by mutation of serine 84 to alanine (S84A) or coexpression of a phosphoprotein phosphatase. In vitro, this domain was phosphorylated by ERK2 and JNK, and this was markedly reduced in the S84A mutant. A wild type Gal4-PPARgamma(A/B) chimera exhibited weak constitutive transcriptional activity. Remarkably, this was significantly enhanced in the S84A mutant fusion. Ligand-dependent activation by full-length mouse PPARgamma2 was also augmented by mutation of the homologous serine in the A/B domain to alanine. The nonphosphorylatable form of PPARgamma was also more adipogenic. Thus, phosphorylation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase site in the A/B region of PPARgamma inhibits both ligand-independent and ligand-dependent transactivation functions. This observation provides a potential mechanism whereby transcriptional activation by PPARgamma may be modulated by growth factor or cytokine-stimulated signal transduction pathways involved in adipogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The transcriptional integrator CREB-binding protein mediates positive cross talk between nuclear hormone receptors and the hematopoietic bZip protein p45/NF-E2.

Thyroid hormone (T3) and retinoic acid (RA) play important roles in erythropoiesis. We found that the hematopoietic cell-specific bZip protein p45/NF-E2 interacts with T3 receptor (TR) and RA receptor (RAR) but not retinoid X receptor. The interaction is between the DNA-binding domain of the nuclear receptor and the leucine zipper region of p45/NF-E2 but is markedly enhanced by cognate ligand. Remarkably, ligand-dependent transactivation by TR and RAR is markedly potentiated by p45/NF-E2. This effect of p45/NF-E2 is prevented by maf-like protein p18, which functions positively as a heterodimer with p45/NF-E2 on DNA. Potentiation of hormone action by p45/NF-E2 requires its activation domain, which interacts strongly with the multifaceted coactivator cyclic AMP response element protein-binding protein (CBP). The region of CBP which interacts with p45/NF-E2 is the same interaction domain that mediates inhibition of hormone-stimulated transcription by AP1 transcription factors. Overexpression of the bZip interaction domain of CBP specifically abolishes the positive cross talk between TR and p45/NF-E2. Thus, positive cross talk between p45/NF-E2 and nuclear hormone receptors requires direct protein-protein interactions between these factors and with CBP, whose integration of positive signals from two transactivation domains provides a novel mechanism for potentiation of hormone action in hematopoietic cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Retinoic acid blocks adipogenesis by inhibiting C/EBPbeta-mediated transcription.

Adipocyte differentiation is thought to involve sequential induction of the transcription factors C/EBPbeta, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), and C/EBPalpha. C/EBPalpha expression is both necessary and sufficient for adipocyte differentiation. Here we report that ectopic expression of either C/EBPalpha or C/EBPbeta induces PPARgamma expression and adipogenesis and that retinoic acid (RA) completely inhibits adipogenesis by either form of C/EBP. In studies of normal preadipocytes, RA does not prevent C/EBPbeta induction but blocks induction of PPARgamma, C/EBPalpha, and adipogenesis. In transient transfection studies, liganded RA receptor (RAR) specifically blocks transcriptional activation by either C/EBPalpha or C/EBPbeta. These results strongly suggest that C/EBPalpha substitutes for C/EBPbeta to induce adipocyte differentiation and that liganded RAR inhibits adipogenesis by blocking C/EBPbeta-mediated induction of downstream genes.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

DNA-independent and DNA-dependent mechanisms regulate the differential heterodimerization of the isoforms of the thyroid hormone receptor with retinoid X receptor.

Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) require heterodimerization with retinoid X receptor (RXR) for maximum DNA binding affinity. Interaction with RXR occurs via two dimerization interfaces, one in the DNA-binding domain and one in the C-terminal "ninth heptad" of the receptors. We studied the relative importance of these two dimerization domains in naturally occurring C-terminal TR variants. TRalpha1 has a conserved ninth heptad and formed stable heterodimers with RXR in solution. TRalpha1.RXR heterodimers bound similarly to direct repeat 4 (DR4) sites with different 5'-flanking and spacer sequences. In contrast, TRalpha2, which contains a highly divergent ninth heptad, did not interact with RXR in solution and bound as a heterodimer with RXR only to specific DR4 sequences in which the downstream half-site was the preferred octameric binding site of TR (TNAGGTCA). Although the ninth heptad of TRalpha2 was insufficient for interaction with RXR off DNA, this region was required for DNA-dependent heterodimerization with RXR. TRalpha3, another naturally occurring TRalpha isoform whose ninth heptad differs from those of both TRalpha1 and TRalpha2, displayed intermediate behavior in heterodimerization with RXR. Thus, in the absence of a strong ninth heptad interaction an octameric downstream half-site allosterically promotes RXR heterodimerization with TRalpha2. Differential dependence upon DNA-binding for heterodimerization with RXR may influence transcriptional regulation by TRalpha isoforms.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Functional regulation of thyroid hormone receptor variant TR alpha 2 by phosphorylation.

The thyroid hormone (T3) receptor (TR) variant TR alpha 2 is abundant in brain but does not bind T3 because of its unique C terminus. The only known function of TR alpha 2, inhibition of TR-dependent transactivation, involves competition for T3 response elements. Paradoxically, in vitro-translated TR alpha 2 bound poorly to these sites. We report here that dephosphorylation of TR alpha 2 restored its DNA binding. Mutation of C-terminal serine residues to alanine (TR alpha 2-SA) was equally effective. The C terminus of TR alpha 2 was phosphorylated in a human cell line, whereas that of TR alpha 2-SA was not. Conversely, TR alpha 2-SA was a much better inhibitor of T3 action than was wild-type TR alpha 2. The dominant negative activity of TR alpha 2-SA was less than stoichiometric with TR concentration, possibly because it was unable to heterodimerize with retinoid X receptor, which enhances the binding of other TRs. Purified casein kinase II as well as a reticulocyte casein kinase II-like activity phosphorylated TR alpha 2 on serines 474 and 475. Mutation of these two residues to alanine was sufficient to restore DNA binding. Thus, DNA binding by TR alpha 2 is regulated by phosphorylation at a site distant from the DNA-binding domain. The increased dominant negative activity of a nonphosphorylatable form of TR alpha 2 suggests that phosphorylation may provide a rapid, T3-independent mechanism for cell-specific modulation of the expression of T3-responsive genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Hypotension induced by growth-hormone-releasing peptide is mediated by mast cell serotonin release in the rat.

Growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GH-RP-6) is a synthetic hexapeptide that selectively releases growth hormone (GH) when administered to a number of animals species. In the rat, maximal GH release occurs after intravenous administration of 100 micrograms/kg GH-RP-6. Intravenous administration of 5 mg/kg GH-RP-6 produced 100% lethality within 2-5 min of drug administration. Further investigative studies demonstrated that the lethal effect of GH-RP-6 was preceded by an initial hypertensive episode, followed by a rapid, profound hypotension and bradycardia. The rise and fall in blood pressure also were observed in pithed rats treated with GH-RP-6, suggesting that the central nervous system was not responsible for the changes in blood pressure. However, the GH-RP-6-induced bradycardia was not observed in pithed rats, indicating the fall in heart rate was mediated through a central reflex mechanism. No direct effects of GH-RP-6 were seen in the isolated rat aorta or canine saphenous vein. Pretreatment of conscious rats with naloxone (10 mg/kg, iv), an opiate receptor antagonist, did not prevent the hypertensive response to GH-RP-6, but the hypotension and lethality were attenuated. Pretreatment with cyproheptadine (2.5 mg/kg, iv), a dual serotonin/histamine antagonist, or ketanserin (3 mg/kg, iv), a selective serotonin antagonist, prevented the GH-RP-6-induced hypotension and lethality. Cyproheptadine unmasked a 40 mm Hg rise in mean arterial pressure which persisted for over 10 min. In addition, degranulation of mast cells with compound 48/80 inhibited the toxicity of GH-RP-6, suggesting that mast cell degranulation and the subsequent release of autocoids is responsible for the cardiovascular effects of GH-RP-6. In vitro, GH-RP-6 (10(-5) - 10(-3) M) produced a concentration-related release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells. However, the histamine release by GH-RP-6 (10(-4) M) was not inhibited by naloxone (10(-4) M) in isolated mast cells, suggesting either that peritoneal mast cells are not responsible or that the mast cell degranulation in vitro is not opiate mediated. In conclusion, it appears that GH-RP-6 degranulates mast cells releasing serotonin, which produces hypotension, bradycardia, and death. This degranulation of mast cells is apparently inhibited by naloxone in vivo, suggesting that opiate receptors are involved in the hypotension and lethality associated with the administration of GH-RP-6.

Analysis of Variance↗