Pig plasma alpha-protease inhibitors PI2, PI3 and PI4 are members of the antichymotrypsin family

Expression of SERPINA3s in cattle: focus on bovSERPINA3-7 reveals specific involvement in skeletal muscle

α₁-Antichymotrypsin is encoded by the unique SERPINA3 gene in humans, while it is encoded by a cluster of eight closely related genes in cattle. BovSERPINA3 proteins present a high degree of similarity and significant divergences in the reactive centre loop (RCL) domains which are responsible for the antiprotease activity. In this study, we analysed their expression patterns in a range of cattle tissues. Even if their expression is ubiquitous, we showed that the expression levels of each serpin vary in different tissues of 15-month-old Charolais bulls. Our results led us to focus on bovSERPINA3-7, one of the two most divergent members of the bovSERPINA3 family. Expression analyses showed that bovSERPINA3-7 protein presents different tissue-specific patterns with diverse degrees of N-glycosylation. Using a specific antibody raised against bovSERPINA3-7, Western blot analysis revealed a specific 96 kDa band in skeletal muscle. BovSERPINA3-7 immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry revealed that this 96 kDa band corresponds to a complex of bovSERPINA3-7 and creatine kinase M-type. Finally, we reported that the bovSERPINA3-7 protein is present in slow-twitch skeletal myofibres. Precisely, bovSERPINA3-7 specifically colocalized with myomesin at the M-band region of sarcomeres where it could interact with other components such as creatine kinase M-type. This study opens new prospects on the bovSERPINA3-7 function in skeletal muscle and promotes opportunities for further understanding of the physiological role(s) of serpins.

An original SERPINA3 gene cluster: elucidation of genomic organization and gene expression in the Bos taurus 21q24 region

Background

The superfamily of serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) is involved in numerous fundamental biological processes as inflammation, blood coagulation and apoptosis. Our interest is focused on the SERPINA3 sub-family. The major human plasma protease inhibitor, α1-antichymotrypsin, encoded by the SERPINA3 gene, is homologous to genes organized in clusters in several mammalian species. However, although there is a similar genic organization with a high degree of sequence conservation, the reactive-centre-loop domains, which are responsible for the protease specificity, show significant divergences.

Results

We provide additional information by analyzing the situation of SERPINA3 in the bovine genome. A cluster of eight genes and one pseudogene sharing a high degree of identity and the same structural organization was characterized. Bovine SERPINA3 genes were localized by radiation hybrid mapping on 21q24 and only spanned over 235 Kilobases. For all these genes, we propose a new nomenclature from SERPINA3-1 to SERPINA3-8. They share approximately 70% of identity with the human SERPINA3 homologue. In the cluster, we described an original sub-group of six members with an unexpected high degree of conservation for the reactive-centre-loop domain, suggesting a similar peptidase inhibitory pattern. Preliminary expression analyses of these bovSERPINA3s showed different tissue-specific patterns and diverse states of glycosylation and phosphorylation. Finally, in the context of phylogenetic analyses, we improved our knowledge on mammalian SERPINAs evolution.

Conclusion

Our experimental results update data of the bovine genome sequencing, substantially increase the bovSERPINA3 sub-family and enrich the phylogenetic tree of serpins. We provide new opportunities for future investigations to approach the biological functions of this unusual subset of serine proteinase inhibitors.

Expression patterns of murine antichymotrypsin-like genes reflect evolutionary divergence at the Serpina3 locus

Members of the serpin (serine protease inhibitor) superfamily of genes are well represented in both human and murine genomes. In many cases it is possible to identify a definite ortholog on the basis of sequence similarity and by examining the surrounding genes at syntenic loci. We have recently examined the murine serpin locus at 12F1 and observed that the single human alpha1-antichymotrypsin gene is represented by 14 paralogs. It is also known that the single human alpha1-antitrypsin gene has five paralogs in the mouse. The forces driving this gene multiplication are unknown and there are no data describing the function of the various serpin gene products at the alpha1-antichymotrypsin multigene locus. Examination of the predicted amino acid sequences shows that the serpins are likely to be functional protease inhibitors but with differing target protease specificities. In order to begin to address the question of the problem presented by the murine alpha1-antichymotrypsins, we have used RT-PCR to examine the expression pattern of these serpin genes. Our data show that the divergent reactive center loop sequence, and predictably variable target protease specificity, is reflected in tissue-specific expression for many of the family members. These observations add weight to the hypothesis that the antichymotrypsin-like serpins have an evolutionary importance which has led to their expansion and diversification in multiple species.

A novel porcine gene, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin 2 (SERPINA3-2): sequence, genomic organization, polymorphism and mapping

A novel porcine gene, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin 2 (SERPINA3-2), a member of the serpin superfamily, was isolated from a porcine genomic library and sequenced. The genomic organization of the approximately 9.0 kb gene was determined on the basis of the porcine liver cDNA of SERPINA3-1 and SERPINA3-2, and comprises five exons and four introns. The coding sequence of SERPINA3-2 shares 86% identity with the paralogue, SERPINA3-1. Porcine SERPINA3-2 was found to be an orthologue of human SERPINA3 (71% identity of the coding sequences) and both genes have a similar genomic organization. Polymorphisms were found in intron 4 of the porcine gene using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The gene was mapped by linkage analysis and radiation hybrid mapping to the distal end of chromosome 7q, to the gene cluster of the protease inhibitors including PI1 (SERPINA1), PI2, PI3, PI4 (apparently paralogues of SERPINA3), and PO1A and PO1B. SERPINA3-2 is the first porcine serpin gene whose genomic organization has been determined.

The role of protegrins and other elastase-activated polypeptides in the bactericidal properties of porcine inflammatory fluids

The mammalian host response to infection includes the production and secretion of antimicrobial peptides from phagocytes and epithelial cells. Protegrins, a group of broadly microbicidal peptides isolated originally from porcine neutrophil lysates, were found to be stored as inactive proforms in porcine neutrophil granules but could be activated extracellularly by neutrophil elastase. We assessed the biological role of protegrins and other elastase-activated polypeptides in the microbicidal activity of neutrophil secretions and inflammatory fluids. When stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), neutrophils generated stable microbicidal activity against both Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes under normal-salt conditions and in the presence of 0 to 10% serum. The generation of these antimicrobial substances was dependent on neutrophil elastase, since it was inhibited by 1 mM N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val chloromethyl ketone when it was present during activation, but not when this inhibitor was added afterwards. However, elastase-dependent activation of proprotegrins to protegrins in PMA-stimulated neutrophils was not inhibited by the presence of 1 to 2% serum. Porcine neutrophils also released antibacterial activity during phagocytosis of latex beads, and this too was dependent in large part on elastase-activated polypeptides, including protegrins. Moreover, protegrins were found at bactericidal concentrations in cell-free abscess fluid from naturally infected pigs. Taken together, these studies show that protegrins and other elastase-activated polypeptides are important stable antibacterial factors in porcine neutrophil secretions. The potential host defense role of elastase as an activating enzyme for the precursors of microbicidal peptides must be taken into account when therapeutic inhibitors of neutrophil elastase are evaluated for clinical use as anti-inflammatory agents.

Porcine alpha-1-antitrypsin (PI): cDNA sequence, polymorphism and assignment to chromosome 7q2.4- > q2.6

A cDNA clone encoding the complete coding sequence for porcine alpha-1-antitrypsin (or alpha 1-protease inhibitor, PI) was isolated and its DNA sequence determined. The cDNA is assumed to encode alpha-1-antitrypsin on the basis of its sequence similarity to the corresponding cDNAs for human, baboon, rat, mouse, sheep and cow. The porcine cDNA clone was used in conjunction with BamHI, KpnI, MspI, SacI, TaqI and XbaI to develop restriction fragment length polymorphism-based genetic markers for linkage mapping in pigs. The cDNA has also been used to map the porcine PI locus to chromosome 7q2.4- > q2.6 by radioactive in situ hybridization. Thus, the PI locus has been added to the developing physical and genetic maps of the porcine genome.