scholarly journals Impaired ureagenesis due to arginine-insensitive N-acetylglutamate synthase

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parthasarathy Sonaimuthu ◽  
Emilee Senkevitch ◽  
Nantaporn Haskins ◽  
Prech Uapinyoying ◽  
Markey McNutt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urea Cycle ◽  
Ammonia Concentration ◽  
Ammonia Toxicity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase ◽  
And Control ◽  
Carbamylphosphate Synthetase

AbstractThe urea cycle protects the central nervous system from ammonia toxicity by converting ammonia to non-toxic urea. N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of N-acetylglutamate (NAG), an allosteric activator of carbamylphosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), the rate limiting enzyme of the urea cycle. Enzymatic activity of mammalian NAGS doubles in the presence of L-arginine but the physiological significance of NAGS activation by L-arginine is unknown. Previously, we have described the creation of a NAGS knockout (Nags−/−) mouse, which develops hyperammonemia without N-carbamylglutamate and L-citrulline supplementation (NCG+Cit). In order to investigate the effect of L-arginine on ureagenesis in vivo, we used adeno associated virus (AAV) mediated gene transfer to deliver either wild-type or E354A mutant mouse NAGS (mNAGS), which is not activated by L-arginine, to Nags−/− mice. The ability of the E354A mNAGS mutant protein to rescue Nags−/− mice was determined by measuring their activity on the voluntary wheel following NCG+Cit withdrawal. The Nags−/− mice that received E354A mNAGS remained apparently healthy and active but had elevated plasma ammonia concentration despite similar expression levels of the E354A mNAGS and control wild-type NAGS proteins. The corresponding mutation in human NAGS (NP 694551.1:p.E360D) that abolishes binding and activation by L-arginine was also identified in a patient with hyperammonemia due to NAGS deficiency. Taken together, our results suggest that L-arginine binding to the NAGS enzyme is essential for normal ureagenesis.

scholarly journals Gene delivery corrects N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency and enables insights in the physiological impact of L-arginine activation of N-acetylglutamate synthase

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Sonaimuthu ◽  
E. Senkevitch ◽  
N. Haskins ◽  
P. Uapinyoying ◽  
M. McNutt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ammonia Concentration ◽  
Ammonia Toxicity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase ◽  
Physiological Impact ◽  
Carbamylphosphate Synthetase ◽  
Allosteric Activator

AbstractThe urea cycle protects the central nervous system from ammonia toxicity by converting ammonia to urea. N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS) catalyzes formation of N-acetylglutamate, an essential allosteric activator of carbamylphosphate synthetase 1. Enzymatic activity of mammalian NAGS doubles in the presence of L-arginine, but the physiological significance of NAGS activation by L-arginine has been unknown. The NAGS knockout (Nags−/−) mouse is an animal model of inducible hyperammonemia, which develops hyperammonemia without N-carbamylglutamate and L-citrulline supplementation (NCG + Cit). We used adeno associated virus (AAV) based gene transfer to correct NAGS deficiency in the Nags−/− mice, established the dose of the vector needed to rescue Nags−/− mice from hyperammonemia and measured expression levels of Nags mRNA and NAGS protein in the livers of rescued animals. This methodology was used to investigate the effect of L-arginine on ureagenesis in vivo by treating Nags−/− mice with AAV vectors encoding either wild-type or E354A mutant mouse NAGS (mNAGS), which is not activated by L-arginine. The Nags−/− mice expressing E354A mNAGS were viable but had elevated plasma ammonia concentration despite similar levels of the E354A and wild-type mNAGS proteins. The corresponding mutation in human NAGS (NP_694551.1:p.E360D) that abolishes binding and activation by L-arginine was identified in a patient with NAGS deficiency. Our results show that NAGS deficiency can be rescued by gene therapy, and suggest that L-arginine binding to the NAGS enzyme is essential for normal ureagenesis.

Induction of an Antitumoral Immune Response by Wild-Type Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 in an In Vivo Model of Pancreatic Carcinoma

Pancreas ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Eisold ◽  
Jan Schmidt ◽  
Eduard Ryschich ◽  
Michael Gock ◽  
Ernst Klar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Pancreatic Carcinoma ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus

Glucagon receptor signaling is not required for N-carbamoyl glutamate- and l-citrulline-induced ureagenesis in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (5) ◽  
pp. G912-G927
Author(s):  
Katrine D. Galsgaard ◽  
Jens Pedersen ◽  
Sasha A. S. Kjeldsen ◽  
Marie Winther-Sørensen ◽  
Elena Stojanovska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Metabolism ◽  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Urea Cycle ◽  
Receptor Signaling ◽  
Glucagon Receptor ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase

Hepatic ureagenesis is essential in amino acid metabolism and is importantly regulated by glucagon, but the exact mechanism is unclear. With the aim to identify the steps whereby glucagon both acutely and chronically regulates ureagenesis, we here show, contrary to our hypothesis, that glucagon receptor-mediated activation of ureagenesis is not required when N-acetylglutamate synthase activity and/or N-acetylglutamate levels are sufficient to activate the first step of the urea cycle in vivo.

scholarly journals Abnormal fluid homeostasis in apelin receptor knockout mice

2009 ◽  
Vol 202 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma M Roberts ◽  
Michael J F Newson ◽  
George R Pope ◽  
Rainer Landgraf ◽  
Stephen J Lolait ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Intake ◽  
Urine Volume ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Circumventricular Organs ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Drinking Behaviour ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fluid Homeostasis ◽  
The Central Nervous System

The apelinergic system, comprised of apelin and its G protein-coupled receptor (APJ; APLNR as given in MGI Database), is expressed within key regions of the central nervous system associated with arginine vasopressin (AVP) synthesis and release as well as in structures involved in the control of drinking behaviour, including the magnocellular neurones of the hypothalamus, circumventricular organs, and the pituitary gland. This localisation is indicative of a possible functional role in fluid homeostasis. We investigated a role for APJ in the regulation of fluid balance using mice deficient for the receptor. Male APJ wild-type and knockout (APJ−/−) mice were housed in metabolic cages to allow determination of water intake and urine volume and osmolality. When provided with free access to water, APJ−/− mice drank significantly less than wild-types, while their urine volume and osmolality did not differ. Water deprivation for 24 h significantly reduced urine volume and increased osmolality in wild-type but not in APJ−/− mice. Baseline plasma AVP concentration increased comparably in both wild-type and APJ−/− mice following dehydration; however, APJ−/− mice were unable to concentrate their urine to the same extent as wild-type mice in response to the V2 agonist desmopressin. Analysis of c-fos (Fos as given in MGI Database) mRNA expression in response to dehydration showed attenuation of expression within the subfornical organ, accentuated expression in the paraventricular nucleus, but no differences in expression in the supraoptic nucleus nor median pre-optic nucleus in APJ−/− mice compared with wild-type. These findings demonstrate a physiological role for APJ in mechanisms of water intake and fluid retention and suggest an anti-diuretic effect of apelin in vivo.

scholarly journals Consequences of DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunit Deficiency on Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Genome Circularization and Heterodimerization in Muscle Tissue

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 4751-4759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongsheng Duan ◽  
Yongping Yue ◽  
John F. Engelhardt
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Muscle Tissue ◽  
Southern Blotting ◽  
Catalytic Subunit ◽  
Inverted Terminal Repeat ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dependent Protein Kinase ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
Dependent Protein

ABSTRACT Circular concatemerization of the recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) genome has been suggested as the predominant process facilitating long-term rAAV transduction in muscle. A recent study (S. Song, P. J. Laipis, K. I. Berns, and T. R. Flotte, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:4084-4088, 2001) with SCID mice, which are defective in the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), has suggested that DNA-PKcs regulates the removal of free rAAV vector ends in muscle tissue. In the present study, we have sought to evaluate whether a lack of DNA-PKcs activity reduces circularization of rAAV genomes in SCID muscle and whether such a reduction alters the directivity of heterodimerization. Consistent with the previous report, linear rAAV genomes and free vector ends were detected only in DNA-PKcs-deficient muscle by Southern blotting. Appreciable amounts of circular rAAV genomes were detected in both DNA-PKcs-deficient and wild-type muscle samples by Southern blotting and bacterial trapping experiments. The existence of double-D inverted terminal repeat circular intermediates in SCID and wild-type muscles was also supported by their sensitivity to T7 endonuclease I digestion. However, DNA-PKcs-deficient muscle did demonstrate a ∼50% reduction in the abundance of rescued circular genomes, despite equivalent levels of single rAAV transduction seen in wild-type animals. Dual trans-splicing lacZ vectors were used to functionally evaluate directional head-to-tail intermolecular viral genome concatamerization in vivo. Although AAV genomes are processed differently in SCID and wild-type muscles, a comparable level of trans-splicing-mediated β-galactosidase expression was observed in both strains, suggesting that both circular and linear AAV concatemers may have contributed to the trans-splicing-mediated transgene expression. In summary, we have shown that SCID skeletal muscle retains a fairly high capacity to form circular genomes, despite a significant increase in linear vector genomes. Furthermore, the alteration in equilibrium between circular and linear concatemer genomes caused by the lack of DNA-PKcs activity does not appear to significantly affect the efficiency of dual-vector gene expression from head-to-tail linear and/or circular heterodimers.

scholarly journals Mitochondrial Enzymes of the Urea Cycle Cluster at the Inner Mitochondrial Membrane

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nantaporn Haskins ◽  
Shivaprasad Bhuvanendran ◽  
Claudio Anselmi ◽  
Anna Gams ◽  
Tomas Kanholm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Urea Cycle ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Liver Mitochondria ◽  
Ammonia Toxicity ◽  
Mitochondrial Enzymes ◽  
Inner Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Atp Production ◽  
Acetylglutamate Synthase ◽  
Urea Cycle Enzymes

Mitochondrial enzymes involved in energy transformation are organized into multiprotein complexes that channel the reaction intermediates for efficient ATP production. Three of the mammalian urea cycle enzymes: N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS), carbamylphosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) reside in the mitochondria. Urea cycle is required to convert ammonia into urea and protect the brain from ammonia toxicity. Urea cycle intermediates are tightly channeled in and out of mitochondria, indicating that efficient activity of these enzymes relies upon their coordinated interaction with each other, perhaps in a cluster. This view is supported by mutations in surface residues of the urea cycle proteins that impair ureagenesis in the patients, but do not affect protein stability or catalytic activity. We find the NAGS, CPS1, and OTC proteins in liver mitochondria can associate with the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) and can be co-immunoprecipitated. Our in-silico analysis of vertebrate NAGS proteins, the least abundant of the urea cycle enzymes, identified a protein-protein interaction region present only in the mammalian NAGS protein—“variable segment,” which mediates the interaction of NAGS with CPS1. Use of super resolution microscopy showed that NAGS, CPS1 and OTC are organized into clusters in the hepatocyte mitochondria. These results indicate that mitochondrial urea cycle proteins cluster, instead of functioning either independently or in a rigid multienzyme complex.

scholarly journals Immune Response in the Absence of Neurovirulence in Mice Infected with M Protein Mutant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (18) ◽  
pp. 9273-9277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Ahmed ◽  
Tracie R. Marino ◽  
Shelby Puckett ◽  
Nancy D. Kock ◽  
Douglas S. Lyles
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus ◽  
M Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Protein Mutants ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis

ABSTRACT Matrix (M) protein mutants of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), such as rM51R-M virus, are less virulent than wild-type (wt) VSV strains due to their inability to suppress innate immunity. Studies presented here show that when inoculated intranasally into mice, rM51R-M virus was cleared from nasal mucosa by day 2 postinfection and was attenuated for spread to the central nervous system, in contrast to wt VSV, thus accounting for its reduced virulence. However, it stimulated an antibody response similar to that in mice infected with the wt virus, indicating that it has the ability to induce adaptive immunity in vivo without causing disease. These results support the use of M protein mutants of VSV as vaccine vectors.

scholarly journals Coordinated Regulation and Widespread Cellular Expression of Interferon-Stimulated Genes (ISG) ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 in the Central Nervous System after Infection with Distinct Viruses

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 860-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Wacher ◽  
Marcus Müller ◽  
Markus J. Hofer ◽  
Daniel R. Getts ◽  
Regina Zabaras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cellular Expression ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Lcmv Infection

ABSTRACT The interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 are highly responsive to viral infection, yet the regulation and function of these genes in vivo are unknown. We examined the simultaneous regulation of these ISGs in the brains of mice during infection with either lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or West Nile virus (WNV). Expression of the ISG-49 and ISG-56 genes increased significantly during LCMV infection, being widespread and localized predominantly to common as well as distinct neuronal populations. Expression of the ISG-54 gene also increased but to lower levels and with a more restricted distribution. Although expression of the ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 genes was increased in the brains of LCMV-infected STAT1 and STAT2 knockout (KO) mice, this was blunted, delayed, and restricted to the choroid plexus, meninges, and endothelium. ISG-56 protein was regulated in parallel with the corresponding RNA transcript in the brain during LCMV infection in wild-type and STAT KO mice. Similar changes in ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 RNA levels and ISG-56 protein levels were observed in the brains of wild-type mice following infection with WNV. Thus, the ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 genes are coordinately upregulated in the brain during LCMV and WNV infection; this upregulation, in the case of LCMV, was totally (neurons) or partially (non-neurons) dependent on the IFN-signaling molecules STAT1 and STAT2. These findings suggest a dominant role for the ISG-49, ISG-54, and ISG-56 genes in the host response to different viruses in the central nervous system, where, particularly in neurons, these genes may have nonredundant functions.

scholarly journals Immunological Aspects of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Delivery to the Mammalian Brain

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (16) ◽  
pp. 8446-8454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihail Y. Mastakov ◽  
Kristin Baer ◽  
C. Wymond Symes ◽  
Claudia B. Leichtlein ◽  
Robert M. Kotin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rational Design ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Repeated Administration ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Genetic Sequences ◽  
Virus Delivery

ABSTRACT Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) are highly efficient vectors for gene delivery into the central nervous system (CNS). However, host inflammatory and immune responses may play a critical role in limiting the use of rAAV vectors for gene therapy and functional genomic studies in vivo. Here, we evaluated the effect of repeated injections of five rAAV vectors expressing different genetic sequences (coding or noncoding) in a range of combinations into the rat brain. Specifically, we wished to determine whether a specific immune or inflammatory response appeared in response to the vector and/or the transgene protein after repeated injections under conditions of mannitol coinjection. We show that readministration of the same rAAV to the CNS is possible if the interval between the first and second injection is more than 4 weeks. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that rAAV vectors carrying different genetic sequences can be administered at intervals of 2 weeks. Our data therefore suggest that the AAV capsid structure is altered by the vector genetic sequence, such that secondary structures of the single-stranded genome have an impact on the antigenicity of the virus. This study provides guidelines for more rational design of gene transfer studies in the rodent brain and, in addition, suggests the use of repeated administration of rAAV as a viable form of therapy for the treatment of chronic diseases.

scholarly journals Cryptococcal Phospholipase B1 Is Required for Intracellular Proliferation and Control of Titan Cell Morphology during Macrophage Infection

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 1296-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Evans ◽  
Zhongming Li ◽  
William S. Hughes ◽  
Julianne T. Djordjevic ◽  
Kirsten Nielsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Macrophage Infection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen ◽  
And Control

Cryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic fungal pathogen and a leading cause of fungal-infection-related fatalities, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Several virulence factors are known to play a major role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal infections, including the enzyme phospholipase B1 (Plb1). Compared to other well-studiedCryptococcus neoformansvirulence factors such as the polysaccharide capsule and melanin production, very little is known about the contribution of Plb1 to cryptococcal virulence. Phospholipase B1 is a phospholipid-modifying enzyme that has been implicated in multiple stages of cryptococcal pathogenesis, including initiation and persistence of pulmonary infection and dissemination to the central nervous system, but the underlying reason for these phenotypes remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that a Δplb1knockout strain ofC. neoformanshas a profound defect in intracellular growth within host macrophages. This defect is due to a combination of a 50% decrease in proliferation and a 2-fold increase in cryptococcal killing within the phagosome. In addition, we show for the first time that the Δplb1strain undergoes a morphological change duringin vitroandin vivointracellular infection, resulting in a subpopulation of very large titan cells, which may arise as a result of the attenuated mutant's inability to cope within the macrophage.

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