Ectopic expression of the human adenine nucleotide translocase, isoform 3 (ANT-3). Characterization of ligand binding properties

MicroRNA-2861 regulates programmed necrosis in cardiomyocyte by impairing adenine nucleotide translocase 1 expression

Necrosis is programmed and is one of the main forms of cell death in the pathological process in cardiac diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key gene regulators in many diseases. However, how miRNAs contribute to programmed necrosis is poorly defined. Here we report that miR-2861 and adenine nucleotide translocase 1 (ANT1) constitute an axis that regulates necrotic cell death in the heart. Our results show that ANT1 inhibits H2O2-induced cardiomyocytes necrosis. ANT1 also antagonizes myocardial necrosis in a mouse ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model. We further demonstrate that miR-2861 directly binds to the coding sequence of ANT1 and suppresses the expression of ANT1 mRNA and protein. MiR-2861 induces necrotic cell death. In contrast, knockdown of miR-2861 attenuates H2O2-induced necrosis in cardiomyocytes. Also, miR-2861 knockdown protects heart from I/R injury and necrotic cell death in vivo. MiR-2861 regulates necrosis and myocardial infarction through targeting ANT1. Collectively, these data identify miR-2861 and ANT1 as two novel regulators of cardiomyocyte necrosis and myocardial infarction, and suggest potential therapeutic targets in treatment of cardiac diseases.

Cell biology. Metabolic control of cell death

Beyond their contribution to basic metabolism, the major cellular organelles, in particular mitochondria, can determine whether cells respond to stress in an adaptive or suicidal manner. Thus, mitochondria can continuously adapt their shape to changing bioenergetic demands as they are subjected to quality control by autophagy, or they can undergo a lethal permeabilization process that initiates apoptosis. Along similar lines, multiple proteins involved in metabolic circuitries, including oxidative phosphorylation and transport of metabolites across membranes, may participate in the regulated or catastrophic dismantling of organelles. Many factors that were initially characterized as cell death regulators are now known to physically or functionally interact with metabolic enzymes. Thus, several metabolic cues regulate the propensity of cells to activate self-destructive programs, in part by acting on nutrient sensors. This suggests the existence of "metabolic checkpoints" that dictate cell fate in response to metabolic fluctuations. Here, we discuss recent insights into the intersection between metabolism and cell death regulation that have major implications for the comprehension and manipulation of unwarranted cell loss.

Application of the principles of systems biology and Wiener's cybernetics for analysis of regulation of energy fluxes in muscle cells in vivo

The mechanisms of regulation of respiration and energy fluxes in the cells are analyzed based on the concepts of systems biology, non-equilibrium steady state kinetics and applications of Wiener’s cybernetic principles of feedback regulation. Under physiological conditions cardiac function is governed by the Frank-Starling law and the main metabolic characteristic of cardiac muscle cells is metabolic homeostasis, when both workload and respiration rate can be changed manifold at constant intracellular level of phosphocreatine and ATP in the cells. This is not observed in skeletal muscles. Controversies in theoretical explanations of these observations are analyzed. Experimental studies of permeabilized fibers from human skeletal muscle vastus lateralis and adult rat cardiomyocytes showed that the respiration rate is always an apparent hyperbolic but not a sigmoid function of ADP concentration. It is our conclusion that realistic explanations of regulation of energy fluxes in muscle cells require systemic approaches including application of the feedback theory of Wiener’s cybernetics in combination with detailed experimental research. Such an analysis reveals the importance of limited permeability of mitochondrial outer membrane for ADP due to interactions of mitochondria with cytoskeleton resulting in quasi-linear dependence of respiration rate on amplitude of cyclic changes in cytoplasmic ADP concentrations. The system of compartmentalized creatine kinase (CK) isoenzymes functionally coupled to ANT and ATPases, and mitochondrial-cytoskeletal interactions separate energy fluxes (mass and energy transfer) from signalling (information transfer) within dissipative metabolic structures – intracellular energetic units (ICEU). Due to the non-equilibrium state of CK reactions, intracellular ATP utilization and mitochondrial ATP regeneration are interconnected by the PCr flux from mitochondria. The feedback regulation of respiration occurring via cyclic fluctuations of cytosolic ADP, Pi and Cr/PCr ensures metabolic stability necessary for normal function of cardiac cells.

A microarray approach identifies ANT, OS-D and takeout-like genes as differentially regulated in alate and apterous morphs of the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

Aphids exhibit a complex life cycle in which their phenotypes vary in response to environmental changes. Wing polyphenism is one of the phenotypes that have not been adequately studied. We developed a cDNA microarray from the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and compared mRNA samples derived from alate and apterous adults. The microarray experiment resulted in 108 significantly changing clones that represented 31 unique ESTs. Among the highest and significantly expressed clones in alate adults, seven clones showed portions of a new adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) gene from M. persicae and four clones contained sequences of the OS-D gene. Another clone showed significant homology with the takeout (TO) and TO-like proteins described from other insects. A full-length cDNA clone of M. persicae ANT (Mp ANT) was isolated and characterized. An reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed significant differences in Mp ANT, OS-D and Mp takeout-like genes (Mp TOL) expression in alate compared to apterous adults. A polyclonal antibody against the beef heart mitochondrial ANT reacted with a recombinant Mp ANT expressed in Escherichia coli, as it did with aphid extracts, showing higher amounts of the expected 33kDa band in alate adults. Spatial expression analysis showed higher Mp ANT expression in the thorax compared to head, abdomen, leg and antennae. OS-D and Mp TOL showed ubiquitous expression across the body, with OS-D being significantly higher in legs and antennae while Mp TOL being significantly higher in the head and abdomen. The possible causes for higher expression of ANT, OS-D and TOL in alates and the physiological effects on the aphid flight and dispersal are discussed.