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Biomedical subjects

Oscar Lorenzo

Publications and source records attributed to Oscar Lorenzo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Overexpression of a protein phosphatase 2C from beech seeds in Arabidopsis shows phenotypes related to abscisic acid responses and gibberellin biosynthesis.

A functional abscisic acid (ABA)-induced protein phosphatase type 2C (PP2C) was previously isolated from beech (Fagus sylvatica) seeds (FsPP2C2). Because transgenic work is not possible in beech, in this study we overexpressed this gene in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to provide genetic evidence on FsPP2C2 function in seed dormancy and other plant responses. In contrast with other PP2Cs described so far, constitutive expression of FsPP2C2 in Arabidopsis, under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, produced enhanced sensitivity to ABA and abiotic stress in seeds and vegetative tissues, dwarf phenotype, and delayed flowering, and all these effects were reversed by gibberellic acid application. The levels of active gibberellins (GAs) were reduced in 35S:FsPP2C2 plants, although transcript levels of AtGA20ox1 and AtGA3ox1 increased, probably as a result of negative feedback regulation, whereas the expression of GASA1 was induced by GAs. Additionally, FsPP2C2-overexpressing plants showed a strong induction of the Responsive to ABA 18 (RAB18) gene. Interestingly, FsPP2C2 contains two nuclear targeting sequences, and transient expression assays revealed that ABA directed this protein to the nucleus. Whereas other plant PP2Cs have been shown to act as negative regulators, our results support the hypothesis that FsPP2C2 is a positive regulator of ABA. Moreover, our results indicate the existence of potential cross-talk between ABA signaling and GA biosynthesis.

Abscisic Acid↗

Systematic analysis of myotubularins: heteromeric interactions, subcellular localisation and endosome related functions.

The myotubularins are a large family of lipid phosphatases with specificity towards PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,5)P(2). Each of the 14 family members bears a signature phosphatase domain, which is inactive in six cases due to amino acid changes at the catalytic site. Fragmentary data have indicated heteromeric interactions between myotubularins, which have hitherto paired an active family member with an inactive one. In this study we have conducted a largescale analysis of potential associations within the human myotubularin family, through directed two-hybrid screening and immunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged proteins. We have confirmed all previously reported combinations and identified novel heteromeric interactions: MTMR8 with MTMR9, and MTMR3 with MTMR4, the first such combination of enzymatically active MTMs. We also report the capacity of several family members to self-associate, including MTMR3 and MTMR4. Subcellular localisation studies reveal a unique distribution of MTMR4 to endosomal structures, the major site of substrate lipid accumulation. All active MTMs we have tested (MTM1, MTMR2-MTMR4) reduce endosomal PtdIns3P levels upon overexpression. Despite this, only MTMR4 exerts any effect on EGF receptor trafficking and degradation, which is more pronounced with a phosphatase inactive form of MTMR4 and requires an intact FYVE domain.

Endosomes↗

Immunolocalization of FsPK1 correlates this abscisic acid-induced protein kinase with germination arrest in Fagus sylvatica L. seeds.

An enzymatically active recombinant protein kinase, previously isolated and characterized in Fagus sylvatica L. dormant seeds (FsPK1), was used to obtain a specific polyclonal antibody against this protein. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analysis of FsPK1 protein in beech seeds showed a strong immunostaining in the nucleus of the cells located in the vascular tissue of the embryonic axis corresponding to the future apical meristem of the root. This protein kinase was found to accumulate in the seeds only when embryo growth was arrested by application of ABA, while the protein amount decreased during stratification, previously proved to alleviate dormancy, and no protein was detected at all when seed germination was induced by addition of GA(3). These results indicate that FsPK1 may be involved in the control of the embryo growth mediated by ABA and GAs during the transition from dormancy to germination in Fagus sylvatica seeds.

Abscisic Acid↗

Activation of the endosome-associated ubiquitin isopeptidase AMSH by STAM, a component of the multivesicular body-sorting machinery.

AMSH is an endosomal ubiquitin isopeptidase that can limit EGF receptor downregulation . It directly binds to the SH3 domain of STAM, which is constitutively associated with Hrs, a component of clathrin-coated structures on endosomes. This clathrin coat has been implicated in the recruitment of ubiquitinated growth factor receptors prior to their incorporation into internal vesicles of the multivesicular body (MVB) , through the concerted action of ESCRT complexes I, II, and III . We now show that AMSH is embedded within a network of interactions with components of the MVB-sorting machinery. AMSH and STAM, like Hrs , both bind directly to clathrin. AMSH also interacts with mVps24/CHMP3, a component of ESCRT III complex, and this interaction is reinforced through simultaneous STAM binding. We have explored the effect of interacting components on the in vitro enzymatic activity of AMSH. The enzyme shows specificity for K63- over K48-linked polyubiquitin chains in vitro and is markedly stimulated by coincubation with STAM, indicating that activation of AMSH is coupled to its association with the MVB-sorting machinery. Other interacting factors do not directly stimulate AMSH but may serve to orient the enzyme with respect to substrates on the endosomal membrane.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Characterization of a protein kinase (FsPK4) with an acidic domain, regulated by abscisic acid and specifically located in Fagus sylvatica L. seeds.

An abscisic acid (ABA)-induced cDNA fragment encoding a putative serine/threonine protein kinase (PK) was obtained by means of differential reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The full-length clone (FsPK4) was isolated from a cDNA library constructed using mRNA from ABA-treated Fagus sylvatica L. seeds. This clone contained the 11 catalytic domains present in all PKs and a highly acidic domain in the C-terminus. By expressing FsPK4 in Escherichia coli as a His tag fusion protein, we obtained direct biochemical evidence supporting Ca2+-dependent kinase activity of this protein. The expression of FsPK4 increased after ABA treatment or warm pre-treatment, when seeds are maintained dormant, but decreased and tended to disappear when dormancy was released by stratification or under gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment, and when seeds were artificially dried. Further, FsPK4 transcript expression is tissue specific, and was found to accumulate in ABA-treated seeds rather than in other ABA-treated vegetative tissues examined. These results suggest that the expression of the corresponding protein could be more closely related with the maintenance of seed dormancy than with responses to drought stress mediated by ABA.

Abscisic Acid↗

Analysis of phosphoinositide binding domain properties within the myotubularin-related protein MTMR3.

The myotubularins are a large family of phosphoinositide-specific phosphatases with substrate specificity for PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,5)P(2). In addition to an N-terminal PH-GRAM (PH-G) domain and a signature catalytic domain shared with other family members, MTMR3 contains a C-terminal FYVE domain. We show that the FYVE domain of MTMR3 is atypical in that it neither confers endosomal localisation nor binds to the lipid PtdIns3P. Furthermore the FYVE domain is not required for in vitro enzyme activity of MTMR3. In contrast, the PH-GRAM domain is able to bind to phosphoinositide lipids, of which the allosteric regulator PtdIns5P is the preferred partner. Consequently, generation of PtdIns5P at the plasma membrane by ectopic expression of the bacterial phosphatase IpgD leads to a translocation of MTMR3 that requires the PH-G domain. Deletion of the PH-G domain leads to loss of activity of MTMR3 in vitro, and surprisingly, when combined with an active site mutation, accumulates the protein on the Golgi complex.

Allosteric Site↗

Angiotensin IV activates the nuclear transcription factor-kappaB and related proinflammatory genes in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Inflammation is a key event in the development of atherosclerosis. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is important in the inflammatory response regulation. The effector peptide of the renin angiotensin system Angiotensin II (Ang II) activates NF-kappaB and upregulates some related proinflammatory genes. Our aim was to investigate whether other angiotensin-related peptides, as the N-terminal degradation peptide Ang IV, could regulate proinflammatory factors (activation of NF-kappaB and related genes) in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In these cells, Ang IV increased NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, caused nuclear translocation of p50/p65 subunits, cytosolic IkappaB degradation and induced NF-kappaB-dependent gene transcription. Ang II activates NF-kappaB via AT1 and AT2 receptors, but AT1 or AT2 antagonists did not inhibit NF-kappaB activation caused by Ang IV. In VSMC from AT1a receptor knockout mice, Ang IV also activated NF-kappaB pathway. In those cells, the AT4 antagonist divalinal diminished dose-dependently Ang IV-induced NF-kappaB activation and prevented IkappaB degradation, but had no effect on the Ang II response, indicating that Ang IV activates the NF-kappaB pathway via AT4 receptors. Ang IV also increased the expression of proinflammatory factors under NF-kappaB control, such as MCP-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, ICAM-1, and PAI-1, which were blocked by the AT4 antagonist. Our results reveal that Ang IV, via AT4 receptors, activates NF-kappaB pathway and increases proinflammatory genes. These data indicate that Ang IV possesses proinflammatory properties, suggesting that this Ang degradation peptide could participate in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.

Angiotensin II↗

Molecular players regulating the jasmonate signalling network.

Many plant developmental and stress responses require the coordinated interaction of the jasmonate and other signalling pathways, such as those for ethylene, salicylic acid and abscisic acid. Recent research in Arabidopsis has uncovered several key players that regulate crosstalk between these signalling pathways and that shed light on the molecular mechanisms modulating this coordinated interaction. Genes that are involved in the regulation of protein stability through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (COI1, AXR1 and SGT1b), signalling proteins (MPK4) and transcription factors (AtMYC2, ERF1, NPR1 and WRKY70) form a regulatory network that allows the plant to fine-tune specific responses to different stimuli.

Abscisic Acid↗

The myotubularin family of lipid phosphatases.

The myotubularins (MTMs) constitute a large family of phosphoinositide lipid 3-phosphatases with specificity for PtdIns3P and PtdIns (3,5)P2. Mutations in MTM proteins are associated with inherited conditions such as myotubular myopathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. The substrate lipids are known to be regulators of the endosomal pathway through recruitment of specific effector proteins. Hydrolysis of PtdIns (3,5)P2 provides a biosynthetic pathway to the production of PtdIns5P, which itself can allosterically activate MTMs. We review the properties of this intriguing family of proteins and discuss potential physiological functions that include regulation of the endocytic pathway.

Animals↗

JASMONATE-INSENSITIVE1 encodes a MYC transcription factor essential to discriminate between different jasmonate-regulated defense responses in Arabidopsis.

In spite of the importance of jasmonates (JAs) as plant growth and stress regulators, the molecular components of their signaling pathway remain largely unknown. By means of a genetic screen that exploits the cross talk between ethylene (ET) and JAs, we describe the identification of several new loci involved in JA signaling and the characterization and positional cloning of one of them, JASMONATE-INSENSITIVE1 (JAI1/JIN1). JIN1 encodes AtMYC2, a nuclear-localized basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper transcription factor, whose expression is rapidly upregulated by JA, in a CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1-dependent manner. Gain-of-function experiments confirmed the relevance of AtMYC2 in the activation of JA signaling. AtMYC2 differentially regulates the expression of two groups of JA-induced genes. The first group includes genes involved in defense responses against pathogens and is repressed by AtMYC2. Consistently, jin1 mutants show increased resistance to necrotrophic pathogens. The second group, integrated by genes involved in JA-mediated systemic responses to wounding, is activated by AtMYC2. Conversely, Ethylene-Response-Factor1 (ERF1) positively regulates the expression of the first group of genes and represses the second. These results highlight the existence of two branches in the JA signaling pathway, antagonistically regulated by AtMYC2 and ERF1, that are coincident with the alternative responses activated by JA and ET to two different sets of stresses, namely pathogen attack and wounding.

Arabidopsis↗

Gain-of-function and loss-of-function phenotypes of the protein phosphatase 2C HAB1 reveal its role as a negative regulator of abscisic acid signalling.

HAB1 was originally cloned on the basis of sequence homology to ABI1 and ABI2, and indeed, a multiple sequence alignment of 32 Arabidopsis protein phosphatases type-2C (PP2Cs) reveals a cluster composed by the four closely related proteins, ABI1, ABI2, HAB1 and At1g17550 (here named HAB2). Characterisation of transgenic plants harbouring a transcriptional fusion ProHAB1: green fluorescent protein (GFP) indicates that HAB1 is broadly expressed within the plant, including key target sites of abscisic acid (ABA) action as guard cells or seeds. The expression of the HAB1 mRNA in vegetative tissues is strongly upregulated in response to exogenous ABA. In this work, we show that constitutive expression of HAB1 in Arabidopsis under a cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter led to reduced ABA sensitivity both in seeds and vegetative tissues, compared to wild-type plants. Thus, in the field of ABA signalling, this work represents an example of a stable phenotype in planta after sustained overexpression of a PP2C genes. Additionally, a recessive T-DNA insertion mutant of HAB1 was analysed in this work, whereas previous studies of recessive alleles of PP2C genes were carried out with intragenic revertants of the abi1-1 and abi2-1 mutants that carry missense mutations in conserved regions of the PP2C domain. In the presence of exogenous ABA, hab1-1 mutant shows ABA-hypersensitive inhibition of seed germination; however, its transpiration rate was similar to that of wild-type plants. The ABA-hypersensitive phenotype of hab1-1 seeds together with the reduced ABA sensitivity of 35S:HAB1 plants are consistent with a role of HAB1 as a negative regulator of ABA signalling. Finally, these results provide new genetic evidence on the function of a PP2C in ABA signalling.

Abscisic Acid↗

Angiotensin II, via AT1 and AT2 receptors and NF-kappaB pathway, regulates the inflammatory response in unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Inflammatory cell infiltration plays a key role in the onset and progression of renal injury. The NF-kappaB participates in the inflammatory response, regulating many proinflammatory genes. Angiotensin II (Ang II), via AT(1) and AT(2) receptors, activates NF-kappaB. Although the contribution of Ang II to kidney damage progression is already established, the receptor subtype involved in the inflammatory cell recruitment is not clear. For investigating this issue, the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model was used in mice, blocking Ang II production/receptors and NF-kappaB pathway. Two days after UUO, obstructed kidneys of wild-type mice presented a marked interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration and increased NF-kappaB activity. Treatment with AT(1) or AT(2) antagonists partially decreased NF-kappaB activation, whereas only the AT(2) blockade diminished monocyte infiltration. Obstructed kidneys of AT(1)-knockout mice showed interstitial monocyte infiltration and NF-kappaB activation; both processes were abolished by an AT(2) antagonist, suggesting AT(2)/NF-kappaB involvement in monocyte recruitment. In wild-type mice, only angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition or combined therapy with AT(1) plus AT(2) antagonists blocked monocyte infiltration, NF-kappaB activation, and upregulation of NF-kappaB-related proinflammatory genes. Therefore, AT(1) and AT(2) blockade is necessary to arrest completely the inflammatory process. Treatment with two different NF-kappaB inhibitors, pirrolidin-dithiocarbamate and parthenolide, diminished monocyte infiltration and gene overexpression. These data show that Ang II, via AT(1) and AT(2) receptors and NF-kappaB pathway, participates in the regulation of renal monocyte recruitment and may provide a rationale to investigate further the role of AT(2) in human kidney diseases.

Angiotensin II↗

Connective tissue growth factor is a mediator of angiotensin II-induced fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II (Ang II) participates in the development of fibrosis during vascular damage. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a novel fibrotic mediator. However, the potential link between CTGF and Ang II has not been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: In vivo Ang II effects were studied by systemic infusion into normal rats to evaluate CTGF and extracellular matrix protein (ECM) expression by immunohistochemistry. In aorta of Ang II-infused rats, CTGF staining was markedly increased and ECM overexpression was observed. An AT1 antagonist diminished CTGF and ECM. In growth-arrested vascular smooth muscle cells, Ang II induced CTGF mRNA expression after 1 hour, remained elevated up to 24 hours, and increased CTGF protein production, which was increased up to 72 hours. The AT1 antagonist blocked Ang II-induced CTGF gene and protein expression. Early CTGF upregulation is independent of new protein synthesis. Several intracellular signals elicited by Ang II are involved in CTGF synthesis, including protein kinase C activation, reactive oxygen species, and transforming growth factor-beta endogenous production. Incubation with a CTGF antisense oligonucleotide decreased CTGF and fibronectin upregulation caused by Ang II. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that Ang II, via AT1, increases CTGF in vascular cells both in vivo and in vitro. This novel finding suggests that CTGF may be a mediator of the profibrogenic effects of Ang II in vascular diseases.

Angiotensin II↗

Phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate activation and conserved substrate specificity of the myotubularin phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphatases.

Phosphoinositides control many different processes required for normal cellular function. Myotubularins are a family of Phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns3P) phosphatases identified by the positional cloning of the MTM1 gene in patients suffering from X-linked myotubular myopathy and the MTMR2 gene in patients suffering from the demyelinating neuropathy Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4B. MTM1 is a phosphatidylinositol phosphatase with reported specificity toward PtdIns3P, while the related proteins MTMR2 and MTMR3 hydrolyze both PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,5)P2. We have investigated MTM1 and MTMR6 and find that they use PtdIns(3,5)P2 in addition to PtdIns3P as a substrate in vitro. The product of PtdIns(3,5)P2 hydrolysis, PtdIns5P, causes MTM1 to form a heptameric ring that is 12.5 nm in diameter, and it is a specific allosteric activator of MTM1, MTMR3, and MTMR6. A disease-causing mutation at arginine 69 of MTM1 falling within a putative pleckstrin homology domain reduces the ability of the enzyme to respond to PtdIns5P. We propose that the myotubularin family of enzymes utilize both PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,5)P2 as substrates, and that PtdIns5P functions in a positive feedback loop controlling their activity. These findings highlight the importance of regulated phosphatase activity for the control of phosphoinositide metabolism.

Enzyme Activation↗

Angiotensin II increases connective tissue growth factor in the kidney.

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been described as a novel fibrotic mediator. CTGF is overexpressed in several kidney diseases and is induced by different factors involved in renal injury. Angiotensin II (AngII) participates in the pathogenesis of kidney damage, contributing to fibrosis; however, whether AngII regulates CTGF in the kidney has not been explored. Systemic infusion of AngII into normal rats for 3 days increased renal CTGF mRNA and protein levels. At day 7, AngII-infused rats presented overexpression of CTGF in glomeruli, tubuli, and renal arteries, as well as tubular injury and elevated fibronectin deposition. Only treatment with an AT(1) receptor antagonist, but not an AT(2), diminished CTGF and fibronectin overexpression and ameliorated tubular damage. In rats with immune complex nephritis, renal overexpression of CTGF was diminished by the ACE inhibitor quinapril, correlated with a diminution in fibrosis. In cultured renal cells (mesangial and tubular epithelial cells) AngII, via AT(1), increased CTGF mRNA and protein production, and a CTGF antisense oligonucleotide decreased AngII-induced fibronectin synthesis. Our data show that AngII regulates CTGF in the kidney and cultured in mesangial and tubular cells. This novel finding suggests that CTGF could be a mediator of the profibrogenic effects of AngII in the kidney.

Angiotensin II↗

Inflammation and angiotensin II.

Angiotensin II (AngII), the major effector peptide of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is now recognized as a growth factor that regulates cell growth and fibrosis, besides being a physiological mediator restoring circulatory integrity. In the last few years, a large number of experimental studies has further demonstrated that AngII is involved in key events of the inflammatory process. Here, we summarize the wide variety of AngII functions and discuss them in relation with the inflammatory cascade. AngII increases vascular permeability (via the release of prostaglandins and vascular endothelial cell growth factor or rearrangement of cytoskeletal proteins) that initiates the inflammatory process. AngII could contribute to the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the tissue through the regulation of adhesion molecules and chemokines by resident cells. Moreover, AngII could directly activate infiltrating immunocompetent cells, including chemotaxis, differentiation and proliferation. Recent data also suggest that RAS activation could play a certain role even in immunologically-induced inflammation. Transcriptional regulation, predominantly via nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and AP-1 activation, and second mediator systems, such as endothelin-1, the small G protein (Rho) and redox-pathways are shown to be involved in the molecular mechanism by which AngII exerts those functions. Finally, AngII participates in tissue repair and remodeling, through the regulation of cell growth and matrix synthesis. In summary, recent data support the hypothesis that RAS is key mediator of inflammation. Further understanding of the role of the RAS in this process may provide important opportunities for clinical research and treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Angiotensin II↗

Negative regulation of abscisic acid signaling by the Fagus sylvatica FsPP2C1 plays a role in seed dormancy regulation and promotion of seed germination.

FsPP2C1 was previously isolated from beech (Fagus sylvatica) seeds as a functional protein phosphatase type-2C (PP2C) with all the conserved features of these enzymes and high homology to ABI1, ABI2, and PP2CA, PP2Cs identified as negative regulators of ABA signaling. The expression of FsPP2C1 was induced upon abscisic acid (ABA) treatment and was also up-regulated during early weeks of stratification. Furthermore, this gene was specifically expressed in ABA-treated seeds and was hardly detectable in vegetative tissues. In this report, to provide genetic evidence on FsPP2C1 function in seed dormancy and germination, we used an overexpression approach in Arabidopsis because transgenic work is not feasible in beech. Constitutive expression of FsPP2C1 under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter confers ABA insensitivity in Arabidopsis seeds and, consequently, a reduced degree of seed dormancy. Additionally, transgenic 35S:FsPP2C1 plants are able to germinate under unfavorable conditions, as inhibitory concentrations of mannitol, NaCl, or paclobutrazol. In vegetative tissues, Arabidopsis FsPP2C1 transgenic plants show ABA-resistant early root growth and diminished induction of the ABA-response genes RAB18 and KIN2, but no effect on stomatal closure regulation. Seed and vegetative phenotypes of Arabidopsis 35S:FsPP2C1 plants suggest that FsPP2C1 negatively regulates ABA signaling. The ABA inducibility of FsPP2C1 expression, together with the transcript accumulation mainly in seeds, suggest that it could play an important role modulating ABA signaling in beechnuts through a negative feedback loop. Finally, we suggest that negative regulation of ABA signaling by FsPP2C1 is a factor contributing to promote the transition from seed dormancy to germination during early weeks of stratification.

Abscisic Acid↗

ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 integrates signals from ethylene and jasmonate pathways in plant defense.

Cross-talk between ethylene and jasmonate signaling pathways determines the activation of a set of defense responses against pathogens and herbivores. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie this cross-talk are poorly understood. Here, we show that ethylene and jasmonate pathways converge in the transcriptional activation of ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 (ERF1), which encodes a transcription factor that regulates the expression of pathogen response genes that prevent disease progression. The expression of ERF1 can be activated rapidly by ethylene or jasmonate and can be activated synergistically by both hormones. In addition, both signaling pathways are required simultaneously to activate ERF1, because mutations that block any of them prevent ERF1 induction by any of these hormones either alone or in combination. Furthermore, 35S:ERF1 expression can rescue the defense response defects of coi1 (coronative insensitive1) and ein2 (ethylene insensitive2); therefore, it is a likely downstream component of both ethylene and jasmonate signaling pathways. Transcriptome analysis in Col;35S:ERF1 transgenic plants and ethylene/jasmonate-treated wild-type plants further supports the notion that ERF1 regulates in vivo the expression of a large number of genes responsive to both ethylene and jasmonate. These results suggest that ERF1 acts downstream of the intersection between ethylene and jasmonate pathways and suggest that this transcription factor is a key element in the integration of both signals for the regulation of defense response genes.

Arabidopsis↗