scholarly journals The ER Stress Inducer l-Azetidine-2-Carboxylic Acid Elevates the Levels of Phospho-eIF2α and of LC3-II in a Ca2+-Dependent Manner

Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Roest ◽  
Evelien Hesemans ◽  
Kirsten Welkenhuyzen ◽  
Tomas Luyten ◽  
Nikolai Engedal ◽  
...  

Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to reduce protein load and restore homeostasis, including via induction of autophagy. We used the proline analogue l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZC) to induce ER stress, and assessed its effect on autophagy and Ca2+ homeostasis. Treatment with 5 mM AZC did not induce poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage while levels of binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) and phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) increased and those of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) decreased, indicating activation of the protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) and the ATF6 arms of the UPR but not of apoptosis. AZC treatment in combination with bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) led to elevated levels of the lipidated form of the autophagy marker microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), pointing to activation of autophagy. Using the specific PERK inhibitor AMG PERK 44, we could deduce that activation of the PERK branch is required for the AZC-induced lipidation of LC3. Moreover, both the levels of phospho-eIF2α and of lipidated LC3 were strongly reduced when cells were co-treated with the intracellular Ca2+ chelator 1,2-bis(O-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraaceticacid tetra(acetoxy-methyl) ester (BAPTA-AM) but not when co-treated with the Na+/K+ ATPase inhibitor ouabain, suggesting an essential role of Ca2+ in AZC-induced activation of the PERK arm of the UPR and LC3 lipidation. Finally, AZC did not trigger Ca2+ release from the ER though appeared to decrease the cytosolic Ca2+ rise induced by thapsigargin while also decreasing the time constant for Ca2+ clearance. The ER Ca2+ store content and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake however remained unaffected.

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (16) ◽  
pp. 2761-2770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae-Seon So ◽  
Sungyun Cho ◽  
Sang-Hyun Min ◽  
Scot R. Kimball ◽  
Ann-Hwee Lee

The unfolded protein response (UPR) regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and protects cells from ER stress. IRE1α is a central regulator of the UPR that activates the transcription factor XBP1s through an unconventional splicing mechanism using its endoribonuclease activity. IRE1α also cleaves certain mRNAs containing XBP1-like secondary structures to promote the degradation of these mRNAs, a process known as regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD). We show here that the mRNA of CReP/Ppp1r15b, a regulatory subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphatase, is a RIDD substrate. eIF2α plays a central role in the integrated stress response by mediating the translational attenuation to decrease the stress level in the cell. CReP expression was markedly suppressed in XBP1-deficient mice livers due to hyperactivated IRE1α. Decreased CReP expression caused the induction of eIF2α phosphorylation and the attenuation of protein synthesis in XBP1-deficient livers. ER stress also suppressed CReP expression in an IRE1α-dependent manner, which increased eIF2α phosphorylation and consequently attenuated protein synthesis. Taken together, the results of our study reveal a novel function of IRE1α in the regulation of eIF2α phosphorylation and the translational control.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh-Ha T. Do ◽  
Sharon J. Santos ◽  
Mark A. Lawson

The neuropeptide GNRH 1 stimulates the secretion of the reproductive hormone LH in pituitary gonadotropes. Other secretory cell types depend on the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway to regulate protein synthesis and protect against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in response to differentiation or secretory stimuli. This study investigated the role of the UPR in GNRH action within the LβT2 gonadotrope model. Cells were treated with GNRH, and the activation of UPR signaling components and general translational status was examined. The ER-resident stress sensors, Atf6, Eif2ak3, and Ern1, are all present, and GNRH stimulation results in the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A kinase 3 and its downstream effector, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A. Additionally, activation of the UPR was confirmed both in LβT2 as well as mouse primary pituitary cells through identifying GNRH-induced splicing of Xbp1 mRNA, a transcription factor activated by splicing by the ER stress sensor, ER to nucleus signaling 1. Ribosome profiling revealed that GNRH stimulation caused a transient attenuation in translation, a hallmark of the UPR, remodeling ribosomes from actively translating polysomes to translationally inefficient ribonucleoprotein complexes and monosomes. The transient attenuation of specific mRNAs was also observed. Overall, the results show that GNRH activates components of the UPR pathway, and this pathway may play an important physiological role in adapting the ER of gonadotropes to the burden of their secretory demand.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Appolinaire A. Olou ◽  
Aniruddha Sarkar ◽  
Aditya Bele ◽  
C. B. Gurumurthy ◽  
Riyaz A. Mir ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Mammalian Ecdysoneless (ECD) is a highly conserved ortholog of the Drosophila Ecd gene product whose mutations impair the synthesis of Ecdysone and produce cell-autonomous survival defects, but the mechanisms by which ECD functions are largely unknown. Here we present evidence that ECD regulates the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. ER stress induction led to a reduced ECD protein level, but this effect was not seen in PKR-like ER kinase knockout (PERK-KO) or phosphodeficient eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs); moreover, ECD mRNA levels were increased, suggesting impaired ECD translation as the mechanism for reduced protein levels. ECD colocalizes and coimmunoprecipitates with PERK and GRP78. ECD depletion increased the levels of both phospho-PERK (p-PERK) and p-eIF2α, and these effects were enhanced upon ER stress induction. Reciprocally, overexpression of ECD led to marked decreases in p-PERK, p-eIF2α, and ATF4 levels but robust increases in GRP78 protein levels. However, GRP78 mRNA levels were unchanged, suggesting a posttranscriptional event. Knockdown of GRP78 reversed the attenuating effect of ECD overexpression on PERK signaling. Significantly, overexpression of ECD provided a survival advantage to cells upon ER stress induction. Taken together, our data demonstrate that ECD promotes survival upon ER stress by increasing GRP78 protein levels to enhance the adaptive folding protein in the ER to attenuate PERK signaling.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxiu Wen ◽  
Vinod Kumar ◽  
Xiqian Lan ◽  
Seyedeh Shadafarin Marashi Shoshtari ◽  
Judith M. Eng ◽  
...  

Two coding sequence variants (G1 and G2) of Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene have been implicated as a higher risk factor for chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in African Americans when compared with European Americans. Previous studies have suggested that the APOL1 G1 and G2 variant proteins are more toxic to kidney cells than the wild-type APOL1 G0, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to podocyte toxicity, we generated human podocytes (HPs) that stably overexpressed APOL1 G0, G1, or G2 (Vec/HPs, G0/HPs, G1/HPs, and G2/HPs). Propidium iodide staining showed that HP overexpressing the APOL1 G1 or G2 variant exhibited a higher rate of necrosis when compared with those overexpressing the wild-type G0 counterpart. Consistently, the expression levels of nephrin and podocin proteins were significantly decreased in the G1- or G2-overexpressing cells despite the maintenance of their mRNA expressions levels. In contrast, the expression of the 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein ((GRP78), also known as the binding Ig protein, BiP) and the phosphorylation of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1 (eIF1) were significantly elevated in the G1/HPs and G2/HPs, suggesting a possible occurrence of ER stress in these cells. Furthermore, ER stress inhibitors not only restored nephrin protein expression, but also provided protection against necrosis in G1/HPs and G2/HPs, suggesting that APOL1 risk variants cause podocyte injury partly through enhancing ER stress.


Reproduction ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 160 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Almada ◽  
Lia Costa ◽  
Bruno Fonseca ◽  
Patrícia Alves ◽  
Jorge Braga ◽  
...  

Proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of trophoblast cells are required for normal placental development. Impairment of those processes may lead to pregnancy-related diseases. Disruption of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis has been associated with several reproductive pathologies including recurrent pregnancy loss and preeclampsia. In the unfolded protein response (UPR), specific ER-stress signalling pathways are activated to restore ER homeostasis, but if the adaptive response fails, apoptosis is triggered. Protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) and Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) are central players in UPR and in ER-stress-induced apoptosis, as well as downstream transcription factors, as C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Our previous studies have shown that the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) modulates trophoblast cell turnover. Nevertheless, the role of ER-stress on 2-AG induced apoptosis and cannabinoid signalling in trophoblast has never been addressed. In this work, we used BeWo cells and human primary cytotrophoblasts isolated from term-placenta. The expression of ER-stress markers was analysed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. ROS generation was assessed by fluorometric methods, while apoptosis was detected by the evaluation of caspase -3/-7 activities and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Our findings indicate that 2-AG is able to induce ER-stress and apoptosis. Moreover, the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α)/CHOP pathway involved in ER-stress-induced apoptosis is triggered through a mechanism dependent on cannabinoid receptor CB2 activation. The results bring novel insights on the importance of ER-stress and cannabinoid signalling on 2-AG mechanisms of action in placenta.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Wu ◽  
Qingjie Chen ◽  
Bing Wen ◽  
Ninghua Wu ◽  
Benhong He ◽  
...  

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is tightly related to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress), which aggravates two dominant pathological manifestations of AD: senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Berberine is widely applied in the clinical treatment of many diseases and is reported to have anti-AD effects. In the present study, berberine was shown to ameliorate ER stress and cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 mice. We found ER stress plays a role as a central hub for signal transduction, which was evidenced by the hyperactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) to phosphorylate tau and the activation of PRKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) subsequently to phosphorylate eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2 α (eIF2α). Also, eIF2α has regulated the expression of beta-site APP cleaving enzyme-1 (BACE1), which cleaves APP into pro-oligomerized amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42), the main component of senile plaques, proven by using siRNA targeting at eIF2α. Mechanically, berberine can reduce GSK3β activity, contributing to the downregulation of tau phosphorylation. Berberine also suppressed Aβ42 production via inhibiting the PERK/eIF2α/BACE1 signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings indicated that berberine had the potential to ameliorate two major pathological manifestations of AD mainly by suppressing ER stress. Our work provided knowledge on the pharmacological intervention of AD and the possible targets for future drug development.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ansul Lokdarshi ◽  
Philip W. Morgan ◽  
Michelle Franks ◽  
Zoe Emert ◽  
Catherine Emanuel ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTRegulation of cytosolic mRNA translation is a key node for rapid adaptation to environmental stress conditions. In yeast and animals, phosphorylation of the α-subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2 is the most thoroughly characterized event in regulating global translation under stress. In plants, the GCN2 kinase (General Control Non-derepressible-2) is the only known kinase for eIF2α. GCN2 is activated under a variety of stresses including reactive oxygen species. Here we provide new evidence that the GCN2 kinase in Arabidopsis is also activated rapidly and in a light dependent manner by cold and salt treatments. These treatments alone did not repress global mRNA ribosome loading in a major way. The activation of GCN2 was attenuated by inhibitors of photosynthesis and antioxidants, suggesting that it is gated by the redox poise or the reactive oxygen status of the chloroplast. In keeping with these results, gcn2 mutant seedlings were more sensitive than wild type to both cold and salt in a root elongation assay. These data suggest that cold and salt stress may both affect the status of the cytosolic translation apparatus via the conserved GCN2-eIF2α module. The potential role of the GCN2 kinase pathway in the global repression of translation under abiotic stress will be discussed.


Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (14) ◽  
pp. 2823-2832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam N. Harris ◽  
Paul M. Macdonald

In Drosophila oocytes, activation of Oskar translation from a transcript localized to the posterior pole is an essential step in the organization of the pole plasm, specialized cytoplasm that contains germline and abdominal body patterning determinants. Oskar is a component of polar granules, large particles associated with the pole plasm and the germline precursor pole cells of the embryo. aubergine mutants fail to translate oskar mRNA efficiently and are thus defective in posterior body patterning and pole cell formation. We have found that Aubergine protein is related to eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2C and suggest how it may activate translation. In addition, we found that Aubergine was recruited to the posterior pole in a vas-dependent manner and is itself a polar granule component. Consistent with its presence in these structures, Aubergine is required for pole cell formation independently of its initial role in oskar translation. Unlike two other known polar granule components, Vasa and Oskar, Aubergine remains cytoplasmic after pole cell formation, suggesting that the roles of these proteins diverge during embryogenesis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (15) ◽  
pp. 6436-6453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Lynch ◽  
Li Chen ◽  
Michael J. Ravitz ◽  
Sapna Mehtani ◽  
Kevin Korenblat ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Translation initiation factor eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays a key role in regulation of cellular proliferation. Its effects on the m7GpppN mRNA cap are critical because overexpression of eIF4E transforms cells, and eIF4E function is rate-limiting for G1 passage. Although we identified eIF4E as a c-Myc target, little else is known about its transcriptional regulation. Previously, we described an element at position −25 (TTACCCCCCCTT) that was critical for eIF4E promoter function. Here we report that this sequence (named 4EBE, for eIF4E basal element) functions as a basal promoter element that binds hnRNP K. The 4EBE is sufficient to replace TATA sequences in a heterologous reporter construct. Interactions between 4EBE and upstream activator sites are position, distance, and sequence dependent. Using DNA affinity chromatography, we identified hnRNP K as a 4EBE-binding protein. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, siRNA interference, and hnRNP K overexpression demonstrate that hnRNP K can regulate eIF4E mRNA. Moreover, hnRNP K increased translation initiation, increased cell division, and promoted neoplastic transformation in an eIF4E-dependent manner. hnRNP K binds the TATA-binding protein, explaining how the 4EBE might replace TATA in the eIF4E promoter. hnRNP K is an unusually diverse regulator of multiple steps in growth regulation because it also directly regulates c-myc transcription, mRNA export, splicing, and translation initiation.


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