scholarly journals Glutamate receptor functions in sensory relay in the thalamus

2002 ◽  
Vol 357 (1428) ◽  
pp. 1759-1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. E. Salt
Keyword(s):  
Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Kainate Receptor ◽  
Ionotropic Receptors ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Cortical Afferents ◽  
Sensory Transmission ◽  
Thalamic Relay ◽  
Excitatory Transmitter

It is known that glutamate is a major excitatory transmitter of sensory and cortical afferents to the thalamus. These actions are mediated via several distinct receptors with postsynaptic excitatory effects predominantly mediated by ionotropic receptors of the α–amino–3–hydroxy–5–methyl–4–isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) and N –methyl–D–aspartate varieties (NMDA). However, there are also other kinds of glutamate receptor present in the thalamus, notably the metabotropic and kainate types, and these may have more complex or subtle roles in sensory transmission. This paper describes recent electrophysiological experiments done in vitro and in vivo which aim to determine how the metabotropic and kainate receptor types can influence transmission through the sensory thalamic relay. A particular focus will be how such mechanisms might operate under physiological conditions.

Selective recruitment of arrestin-3 to clathrin coated pits upon stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors

2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (13) ◽  
pp. 2463-2470 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Santini ◽  
R.B. Penn ◽  
A.W. Gagnon ◽  
J.L. Benovic ◽  
J.H. Keen
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Coated Pits ◽  
Over Expression ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
A Cell ◽  
G Protein Coupled ◽  
Comparable Magnitude

Non-visual arrestins (arrestin-2 and arrestin-3) play critical roles in the desensitization and internalization of many G protein-coupled receptors. In vitro experiments have shown that both non-visual arrestins bind with high and approximately comparable affinities to activated, phosphorylated forms of receptors. They also exhibit high affinity binding, again of comparable magnitude, to clathrin. Further, agonist-promoted internalization of many receptors has been found to be stimulated by exogenous over-expression of either arrestin2 or arrestin3. The existence of multiple arrestins raises the question whether stimulated receptors are selective for a specific endogenous arrestin under more physiological conditions. Here we address this question in RBL-2H3 cells, a cell line that expresses comparable levels of endogenous arrestin-2 and arrestin-3. When (beta)(2)-adrenergic receptors are stably expressed in these cells the receptors internalize efficiently following agonist stimulation. However, by immunofluorescence microscopy we determine that only arrestin-3, but not arrestin-2, is rapidly recruited to clathrin coated pits upon receptor stimulation. Similarly, in RBL-2H3 cells that stably express physiological levels of m1AChR, the addition of carbachol selectively induces the localization of arrestin-3, but not arrestin-2, to coated pits. Thus, this work demonstrates coupling of G protein-coupled receptors to a specific non-visual arrestin in an in vivo setting.

scholarly journals Abnormal nitration and S-sulfhydration of Sp1-CSE-H2S pathway contribute to the progress of hyperhomocysteinemia: a vicious circle

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenghua Luo ◽  
Dengyu Ji ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Yan Cao ◽  
Shangyue Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Vicious Circle ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Specificity Protein 1 ◽  
S Deficiency ◽  
Specificity Protein ◽  
Lower Expression

ABSTRACTSp1 (Specificity protein 1)-CSE (cystathionine-γ-lyase)-H2S (hydrogen sulfide) pathway plays an important role in homocysteine-metabolism, whose disorder can result in hyperhomocysteinemia. The deficiency of plasma H2S in patients and animal models with hyperhomocysteinemia has been reported but it is unclear whether this deficiency plays a role in the progress of hyperhomocysteinemia. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether the post-translational modification of Sp1 or CSE mediated by hyperhomocysteinemia itself can in turn affect the development of hyperhomocysteinemia. By both in vivo and in vitro studies, we conducted immunoprecipitation and maleimide assays to detect the post-translational modification of Sp1-CSE-H2S pathway and revealed four major findings: (1) the accumulation of homocysteine augmented the nitration of CSE, thus blunted its bio-activity and caused H2S deficiency. (2) H2S deficiency lowered the S-sulfhydration of Sp1 and inhibited its transcriptional activity, resulted in lower expression of CSE. CSE deficiency decreased the H2S level further, which in turn lowered the S-sulfhydration level of CSE. (3) CSE was S-sulfhydrated at Cys84, Cys109, Cys172, Cys229, Cys252, Cys307 and Cys310 under physiological conditions, mutation of Cys84, Cys109, Cys229, Cys252 and Cys307 decreased its S-sulfhydration level and bio-activity. (4) H2S deficiency could trap hyperhomocysteinemia into a progressive vicious circle and trigger a rapid increase of homocysteine, while blocking nitration or restoring S-sulfhydration could break this circle. In conclusion, this study reveals a novel mechanism involved in the disorder of homocysteine-metabolism, which may provide a candidate therapeutic strategy for hyperhomocysteinemia.

scholarly journals WNK4 Kinase: from structure to physiology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Rafael Murillo-de-Ozores ◽  
Alejandro Rodriguez-Gama ◽  
Hector Carbajal-Contreras ◽  
Gerardo Gamba ◽  
Maria Castaneda-Bueno
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Threonine Kinase ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension

With No Lysine (K) kinase 4 (WNK4) belongs to a serine-threonine kinase family characterized by the atypical positioning of its catalytic lysine. Despite the fact that WNK4 has been found in many tissues, the majority of its study has revolved around its function in the kidney, specifically as a positive regulator of the thiazide-sensitive NaCl cotransporter (NCC) in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) of the nephron. This is explained by the description of gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding WNK4 that cause Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension (FHHt). This disease is mainly driven by increased downstream activation of the Ste20-related Proline Alanine Rich Kinase (SPAK)/Oxidative Stress Responsive Kinase 1 (OSR1)-NCC pathway, which increases salt reabsorption in the DCT and indirectly impairs renal K+ secretion. Here, we review the large volume of information that has accumulated about different aspects of WNK4 function. We first review the knowledge on WNK4 structure and enumerate the functional domains and motifs that have been characterized. Then, we discuss WNK4 physiological functions based on the information obtained from in vitro studies and from a diverse set of genetically modified mouse models with altered WNK4 function. We then review in vitro and in vivo evidence on the different levels of regulation of WNK4. Finally, we go through the evidence that has suggested how different physiological conditions act through WNK4 to modulate NCC activity.

Evidence against the formation of 2-amino-6-(2-formyl-5-hydroxymethyl-pyrrol-l-yl)-hexanoic acid ('pyrraline') as an early-stage product or advanced glycation end product in non-enzymic protein glycation

1993 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia R. Smith ◽  
Hanif H. Somani ◽  
Paul J. Thornalley ◽  
Jonathan Benn ◽  
Peter H. Sonksen
Keyword(s):  
Maillard Reaction ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Hexanoic Acid ◽  
Protein Glycation ◽  
Advanced Glycation ◽  
Keyhole Limpet Haemocyanin ◽  
Advanced Glycation End Product ◽  
Physiological Conditions

1. It has been suggested that 2-amino-6-(2-formyl-5-hydroxymethyl-pyrrol-l-yl)-hexanoic acid ('pyrraline') is formed as an advanced glycation end product in the Maillard reaction under physiological conditions. Antibodies were raised to caproyl-pyrraline linked to keyhole-limpet haemocyanin and were used to develop an e.l.i.s.a. and Western blotting system for the specific detection of pyrraline in samples in vivo and in vitro. 2. Human serum albumin was isolated from the serum samples of diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Pyrraline was not detected (<1.2 pmol) in any of the samples, indicating that it was not a major advanced glycation end product in vivo. 3. BSA was incubated separately with D-glucose and a model fructosamine, N-(l-deoxy-D-fructos-l-yl)-hippuryl-lysine, under physiological conditions for 30 days. Aliquots removed from the incubations at 5 day intervals contained no detectable pyrraline, indicating that pyrraline was not an early-stage product of the Maillard reaction in vitro. 4. The model fructosamine, N>-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-l-yl)-hippuryl-lysine, was incubated at pH 7.4 and 37°C for 25 days during which it degraded to hippuryl-lysine and N>-carboxymethyl-hippuryl-lysine. Aliquots were removed at 5 day intervals and assayed for pyrraline. None was detected (<23 pmol/ml) in the course of the degradation of the fructosamine (400 nmol/ml degraded), indicating that pyrraline was not a major product of the degradation of fructosamine under physiological conditions in vitro. 5. We conclude that pyrraline is not a major intermediate or advanced glycation end product in the Maillard reaction under physiological conditions in vitro and in vivo. A previous report of immunoassay of pyrraline may have given positive results because of non-specific antibodies raised to impure hapten.

ERK (MAPK) does not phosphorylate tau under physiological conditions in vivo or in vitro

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 901-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Noël ◽  
Isabelle Poitras ◽  
Jacinthe Julien ◽  
Franck R. Petry ◽  
Françoise Morin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Erk Mapk

An active immunization approach to generate protective catalytic antibodies

2001 ◽  
Vol 360 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun WANG ◽  
Yunqing HAN ◽  
Miles F. WILKINSON
Keyword(s):  
Active Immunization ◽  
Catalytic Antibodies ◽  
Toxic Substances ◽  
Mouse Blood ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Catalytic Function ◽  
Carbamate Insecticide ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

We report that mice immunized with a phosphate immunogen produced polyclonal catalytic antibodies (PCAbs) that catalysed the hydrolysis of carbaryl, a widely used broad-spectrum carbamate insecticide that exerts toxic effects in animals and humans. The reaction catalysed by the PCAbs (IgGs) obeyed Michaelis–Menten kinetics in vitro with the following values at pH8.0 and 25°C: Km≈ 8.0μM, kcat = 4.8×10−3–5.8×10−1, kcat/knon-cat = 5.6×101–6.8×103 (where knon-cat is the rate constant of the reaction in the absence of added catalyst). The PCAbs were also active in whole sera under physiological conditions in vitro. The PCAbs induced in vivo were also active in vivo, as immunization with the phosphate immunogen decreased the mouse blood concentration of carbaryl. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that active immunization generates antibodies possessing therapeutic catalytic function in vivo. We propose that active immunization schemes that induce enzymically active antibodies may provide a highly specific therapeutic approach for degrading toxic substances.

scholarly journals Enzyme-mediated cytosine deamination by the bacterial methyltransferase M.MspI

1998 ◽  
Vol 332 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marc ZINGG ◽  
Jiang-Cheng SHEN ◽  
Peter A. JONES
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methyltransferases ◽  
Amino Group ◽  
Cytosine Deamination ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
Solvent Water ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Haemophilus Parainfluenzae ◽  
Hydrolytic Deamination

Most prokaryotic (cytosine-5)-DNA methyltransferases increase the frequency of deamination at the cytosine targeted for methylation in vitro in the absence of the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) or the reaction product S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy). We show here that, under the same in vitro conditions, the prokaryotic methyltransferase, M.MspI (from Moraxella sp.), causes very few cytosine deaminations, suggesting a mechanism in which M.MspI may avoid enzyme-mediated cytosine deamination. Two analogues of AdoMet, sinefungin and 5´-amino-5´-deoxyadenosine, greatly increased the frequency of cytosine deamination mediated by M.MspI presumably by introducing a proton-donating amino group into the catalytic centre, thus facilitating the formation of an unstable enzyme–dihydrocytosine intermediate and hydrolytic deamination. Interestingly, two naturally occurring analogues, adenosine and 5´-methylthio-5´-deoxyadenosine, which do not contain a proton-donating amino group, also weakly increased the deamination frequency by M.MspI, even in the presence of AdoMet or AdoHcy. These analogues may trigger a conformational change in the enzyme without completely inhibiting the access of solvent water to the catalytic centre, thus allowing hydrolytic deamination of the enzyme–dihydrocytosine intermediate. Under normal physiological conditions the enzymes M.HpaII (from Haemophilus parainfluenzae), M.HhaI (from Haemophilus hemolytica) and M.MspI all increased the in vivo deamination frequency at the target cytosines with comparable efficiency.

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