Tyrosine phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain under oxidative stress

Cigarette smoke increases susceptibility to infection in lung epithelial cells by upregulating caveolin-dependent endocytosis

Cigarette smoke exposure is a risk factor for many pulmonary diseases, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Cigarette smokers are more prone to respiratory infections with more severe symptoms. In those with COPD, viral infections can lead to acute exacerbations resulting in lung function decline and death. Epithelial cells in the lung are the first line of defense against inhaled insults such as tobacco smoke and are the target for many respiratory pathogens. Endocytosis is an essential cell function involved in nutrient uptake, cell signaling, and sensing of the extracellular environment, yet, the effect of cigarette smoke on epithelial cell endocytosis is not known. Here, we report for the first time that cigarette smoke alters the function of several important endocytic pathways in primary human small airway epithelial cells. Cigarette smoke exposure impairs clathrin-mediated endocytosis and fluid phase macropinocytosis while increasing caveolin mediated endocytosis. We also show that influenza virus uptake is enhanced by cigarette smoke exposure. These results support the concept that cigarette smoke-induced dysregulation of endocytosis contributes to lung infection in smokers. Targeting endocytosis pathways to restore normal epithelial cell function may be a new therapeutic approach to reduce respiratory infections in current and former smokers.

Oxidation inhibits PTH receptor signaling and trafficking

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) increase during aging, potentially affecting many tissues including brain, heart, and bone. ROS alter signaling pathways and constitute potential therapeutic targets to limit oxidative damaging effects in aging-associated diseases. Parathyroid hormone receptors (PTHR) are widely expressed and PTH is the only anabolic therapy for osteoporosis. The effects of oxidative stress on PTHR signaling and trafficking have not been elucidated. Here, we used Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)-based cAMP, ERK, and calcium fluorescent biosensors to analyze the effects of ROS on PTHR signaling and trafficking by live-cell imaging. PTHR internalization and recycling were measured in HEK-293 cells stably transfected with HA-PTHR. PTH increased cAMP production, ERK phosphorylation, and elevated intracellular calcium. Pre-incubation with H₂O₂ reduced all PTH-dependent signaling pathways. These inhibitory effects were not a result of PTH oxidation since PTH incubated with H₂O₂ triggered similar responses. PTH promoted internalization and recycling of the PTHR. Both events were significantly reduced by H₂O₂ pre-incubation. These findings highlight the role of oxidation on PTHR signaling and trafficking, and suggest the relevance of ROS as a putative target in diseases associated with oxidative stress such as age-related osteoporosis.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A affects insulin resistance by protecting insulin receptor function

Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the development of insulin resistance; however, the cellular targets of oxidation that cause insulin resistance have yet to be fully elucidated. Methionine sulfoxide reductases reduce oxidized methionine residues, thereby repairing and protecting proteins from oxidation. Recently, several genome-wide analyses have found human obesity to be strongly correlated with polymorphisms near the methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) locus. In this study, we tested whether modulation of MsrA expression significantly alters the development of obesity and/or insulin resistance in mice. We show that mice lacking MsrA (MsrA(-/-)) are prone to the development of high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance and a reduced physiological insulin response compared to high-fat-fed wild-type mice. We also show that oxidative stress in C2C12 cell cultures reduces both insulin-stimulated phosphorylation and autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor. Tissues from high-fat-fed mice show similar reduction in insulin receptor function and increase in insulin receptor oxidation, which are further exacerbated by the lack of MsrA. Together, these data demonstrate for the first time that MsrA and protein oxidation play a role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. In addition, these data support a novel hypothesis that obesity-induced insulin resistance is caused in part by reduced function of insulin signaling proteins arising from protein oxidation.

A novel mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of Graves ophthalmopathy (GO): clathrin is a possible targeting molecule for inhibiting local immune response in the orbit

INTRODUCTION

Excessive orbital fibroblast (OF) proliferation and extracellular matrix production, as well as inflammation resulting in the expansion and remodeling of orbital tissue, are characteristic of Graves ophthalmopathy (GO). Our aim was to analyze and inhibit signaling pathways in resident OF that are involved in GO. METHODS/MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary human OF were obtained from 12 patients with active, severe GO and from 12 healthy control subjects. The cells were characterized by immunofluorescence assay and flow cytometry. Tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins was determined by Western blot techniques, immunoprecipitation, and protein identity with mass spectrometry. Cell proliferation was determined by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation, hyaluronan (HA) production was assessed by a HA-binding protein based assay, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined by the dichlorofluorescein assay. Clathrin heavy-chain (CHC) expression was inhibited with small interfering RNA technology.

RESULTS

Tyrosine phosphorylation of CHC is constitutively increased in vitro in GO-derived OF, independent of serum or other stimulating factors. The proliferative and biosynthetic capabilities (production of HA, ROS) of GO-derived OF are significantly higher than those of OF from healthy control subjects. Down-regulation of CHC expression leads to a normalization of pathologically increased proliferation and production of HA and ROS in GO-derived OFs in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings strongly suggest that clathrin and clathrin-mediated signaling pathways are involved in the inflammatory signal transduction of OF in GO. With the identification of clathrin, we report a new potential targeting molecule for specific pharmacological inhibition of the local inflammatory response characteristic of GO.

Characterization of clathrin and Syk interaction upon Shiga toxin binding

Shiga toxin (Stx) is a bacterial toxin that binds to its receptor Gb3 at the plasma membrane. It is taken up by endocytosis and transported retrogradely via the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum. The toxin is then translocated to the cytosol where it exerts its toxic effect. We have previously shown that phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain (CHC) is an early event following Stx binding to HeLa cells, and that this requires the activity of the tyrosine kinase Syk. Here, we have investigated this event in more detail in the B lymphoid cell line Ramos, which expresses high endogenous levels of both Syk and Gb3. We report that efficient endocytosis of Stx in Ramos cells requires Syk activity and that Syk is recruited to the uptake site of Stx. Furthermore, in response to Stx treatment, CHC and Syk were rapidly phosphorylated in a Src family kinase dependent manner at Y1477 and Y352, respectively. We show that these phosphorylated residues act as binding sites for the direct interaction between Syk and CHC. Interestingly, Syk-CHC complex formation could be induced by both Stx and B cell receptor stimulation.

EHDS are serine phosphoproteins: EHD1 phosphorylation is enhanced by serum stimulation

Endocytic processes are mediated by multiple protein-protein interacting modules and regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. The Eps15 homology domain containing protein 1 (EHD1) has been implicated in regulating recycling of proteins, internalized both in clathrin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytic pathways, from the recycling compartment to the plasma membrane. EHD1 was found in a complex with clathrin, adaptor protein complex-2 (AP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), and was shown to interact with Rabenosyn-5, SNAP29, EHBP1 (EH domain binding protein 1) and syndapin I and II. In this study, we show that EHD1, like the other human EHDs, undergoes serine-phosphorylation. Our results also indicate that EHD1 is a serum-inducible serine-phosphoprotein and that PKC (protein kinase C) is one of its kinases. In addition, we show that inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis decrease EHD1 phosphorylation, while inhibitors of caveolinmediated endocytosis do not affect EHD1 phosphorylation. The results of experiments in which inhibitors of endocytosis were employed strongly suggest that EHD1 phosphorylation occurs between early endosomes and the endocytic recycling compartment.

Mechanisms of Activation and Regulation of the Heat Shock-Sensitive Signaling Pathways

Heat shock (HS), like many other stresses, induces specific and highly regulated signaling cascades that promote cellular homeostasis. The three major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) are the most notable of these HS-stimulated pathways. Their activation occurs rapidly and sooner than the transcriptional upregulation of heat shock proteins (Hsp), which generate a transient state of extreme resistance against subsequent thermal stress. The direct connection of these signaling pathways to cellular death or survival mechanisms suggests that they contribute importantly to the HS response. Some of them may counteract early noxious effects of heat, while others may bolster key apoptosis events. The triggering events responsible for activating these pathways are unclear. Protein denaturation, specific and nonspecific receptor activation, membrane alteration and chromatin structure perturbation are potential initiating factors.

Membrane regulation of the stress response from prokaryotic models to mammalian cells

"Membrane regulation" of stress responses in various systems is widely studied. In poikilotherms, membrane rigidification could be the first reaction to cold perception: reducing membrane fluidity of membranes at physiological temperatures is coupled with enhanced cold inducibility of a number of genes, including desaturases (see J.L. Harwood's article in this Proceedings volume). A similar role of changes in membrane physical state in heat (oxidative stress, etc.) sensing- and signaling gained support recently from prokaryotes to mammalian cells. Stress-induced remodeling of membrane lipids could influence generation, transduction, and deactivation of stress signals, either through global effects on the fluidity of the membrane matrix, or by specific interactions of boundary (or raft) lipids with receptor proteins, lipases, ion channels, etc. Our data point to membranes not only as targets of stress, but also as sensors in activating a stress response.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis involves tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin

Efficient internalization of cell surface receptors requires actin polymerization mediated by Arp2/3 complex and cortactin, a prominent substrate of the protein-tyrosine kinase Src. However, the significance of cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation in endocytosis is unknown. We found that overexpression of a cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation decreased transferrin uptake. Suppression of cortactin expression by RNA interference also reduced transferrin internalization. Such inhibition was effectively rescued by overexpressing wild-type cortactin but not a cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation or a mutant with deletion of the Src homology 3 domain. Likewise, purified phosphorylation-null cortactin failed to restore the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles in a cortactin-depleted cell extract. In vitro analysis revealed that Src-mediated phosphorylation enhanced the association of cortactin with dynamin-2 in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that Src enhances the affinity of cortactin for dynamin-2 by more than 3-fold. On the other hand, Src-treated dynamin-2 had no effect on its interaction with cortactin. These data indicate that Src kinase is implicated in clathrin-mediated endocytosis by phosphorylation of cortactin.

Clathrin and adaptin accumulation in drusen, Bruch's membrane and choroid in AMD and non-AMD donor eyes

Clathrin was identified in a recent proteomic analysis of Bruch's membrane from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) donor eyes. The present study was conducted to determine the localization of clathrin in AMD tissues and to compare this distribution and relative content with that in non-AMD control tissues. The distribution of adaptin, which is functionally linked to clathrin, was also evaluated. Human eyes were from donors between 66 and 94 years of age; 13 eyes were from donors with AMD and 13 from non-AMD donors. Bruch's membrane and choroid from the macula of each donor eye were prepared for immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Differences in immunoreactivity were quantitated. Drusen, Bruch's membrane and choroid from AMD tissues showed greater immunoreactivity for clathrin and adaptin than did non-AMD tissues. Western blots also showed more intense clathrin and adaptin immunoreactivity in AMD tissues than were present in non-AMD samples. This study suggests that accumulation of clathrin and adaptin in drusen, Bruch's membrane and choroid may reflect a higher rate of clathrin mediated endocytosis in AMD tissues. Alternatively, the accumulation of these proteins in these extracellular compartments may reflect a higher susceptibility to oxidative damage.

Shiga toxin regulates its entry in a Syk-dependent manner

Shiga toxin (Stx) is composed of an A-moiety that inhibits protein synthesis after translocation into the cytosol, and a B-moiety that binds to Gb3 at the cell surface and mediates endocytosis of the toxin. After endocytosis, Stx is transported retrogradely to the endoplasmic reticulum, and then the A-fragment enters the cytosol. In this study, we have investigated whether toxin-induced signaling is involved in its entry. Stx was found to activate Syk and induce rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins, one protein being clathrin heavy chain. Toxin-induced clathrin phosphorylation required Syk activity, and in cells overexpressing Syk, a complex containing clathrin and Syk could be demonstrated. Depletion of Syk by small interfering RNA, expression of a dominant negative Syk mutant (Syk KD), or treatment with the Syk inhibitor piceatannol inhibited not only Stx-induced clathrin phosphorylation but also endocytosis of the toxin. Also, Golgi transport of Stx was inhibited under all these conditions. In conclusion, our data suggest that Stx regulates its entry into target cells.

Identification of nitrated proteins in the normal rat brain using a proteomics approach

BACKGROUND

The nitration of tyrosine has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

In the present study, we identified four targets of protein nitration, T-complex polypeptide 1 alpha subunit (TCP-1), neurofilament L (NFL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and clathrin heavy chain (CHC), in the normal rat cortex using a proteomics approach.

CONCLUSIONS

There have been no reports on these proteins being identified by proteomics as nitrated forms in the brain. For further study, we have to investigate alterations in these nitrated proteins during aging and in neurodegenerative disorders.

Increased expression of protein C-mannosylation in the aortic vessels of diabetic Zucker rats

C-Mannosylation is a novel type of glycosylation in proteins. There are several examples of proteins in which the specific motif Trp-X-X-Trp is mannosylated at the first Trp to produce C-mannosylated Trp (CMW). Although C-mannosylation modifies Trp-X-X-Trp, predicted to be a functional motif of various integral proteins such as cytokine receptors, the physiological or pathological relevance of C-mannosylation in the cell is still not known. In this study, to characterize C-mannosylation in biological samples, we generated specific polyclonal antibodies against CMW by using a chemically synthesized CMW as an antigen. Using the antibody, we investigated the effect of hyperglycemic conditions on protein C-mannosylation in cultured cells and diabetic Zucker fatty rats. We found that protein C-mannosylation was increased in macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells under hyperglycemic conditions compared to low-glucose conditions. Furthermore, C-mannosylation was increased in the aortic vessel wall of Zucker fatty rats. Thrombospondin-1 was identified as a protein modified with C-mannosylation, and its expression was also increased in the aortic tissues of Zucker fatty rats. These results indicate that C-mannosylation is increased in specific tissues or cell types under hyperglycemic conditions, suggesting a pathological role for the increased C-mannosylation in the development of diabetic complications.

IL-7 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain

IL-7 induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation was examined in an IL-7-dependent thymocyte cell line, D1, which was generated from a p53-/- mouse. Anti-phosphotyrosine antibody was used both to immunoprecipitate and Western blot, and showed that IL-7 induced tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein with a molecular weight of approximately 200 kDa. The P200 band was purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Amino acid sequencing by mass spectrometry revealed three peptides identical to rat clathrin heavy chain (CHC) 1 (192 kDa), and this was confirmed by blotting with an anti-clathrin antibody. Stimulation of normal pro-T cells by IL-7 showed an increased tyrosine phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain. Tyrosine phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain was strongly induced by IL-7 and to a lesser extent by IL-4, while no effect could be observed with the cytokines IL-2, IL-9 and IL-15, whose receptors share the gammac chain. Phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain was found to be sensitive to Jak3 inhibitors but not to Src inhibitors. Clathrin is involved in internalization of many receptors, and its phosphorylation by IL-7 stimulation may affect the internalization of the IL-7 receptor.

Human targets of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyocyanin

Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces copious amounts of the redoxactive tricyclic compound pyocyanin that kills competing microbes and mammalian cells, especially during cystic fibrosis lung infection. Cross-phylum susceptibility to pyocyanin suggests the existence of evolutionarily conserved physiological targets. We screened a Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion library to identify presumptive pyocyanin targets with the expectation that similar targets would be conserved in humans. Fifty S. cerevisiae targets were provisionally identified, of which 60% have orthologous human counterparts. These targets encompassed major cellular pathways involved in the cell cycle, electron transport and respiration, epidermal cell growth, protein sorting, vesicle transport, and the vacuolar ATPase. Using cultured human lung epithelial cells, we showed that pyocyanin-mediated reactive oxygen intermediates inactivate human vacuolar ATPase, supporting the validity of the yeast screen. We discuss how the inactivation of V-ATPase may negatively impact the lung function of cystic fibrosis patients.

Expression of kinase-inactive c-Src delays oxidative stress-induced disassembly and accelerates calcium-mediated reassembly of tight junctions in the Caco-2 cell monolayer

The activity of Src kinases appears to play a role in both assembly and disassembly of tight junction. However, the role of a specific isoform of Src kinase in regulation of tight junction is not known. In the present study the role of c-Src in regulation of epithelial tight junction was investigated in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Oxidative stress (xanthine oxidase + xanthine) induced an activation and membrane translocation of c-Src. The oxidative stress-induced decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance, increase in inulin permeability, and redistribution of occludin and ZO-1 from the intercellular junctions were prevented by PP2. The rates of oxidative stress-induced activation of c-Src, tyrosine phosphorylation of ZO-1 and beta-catenin, decrease in resistance, increase in permeability to inulin, and redistribution of occludin and ZO-1 were significantly greater in cells transfected with wild type c-Src, whereas it was low in cells transfected with kinase-inactive c-SrcK297R mutant, when compared with those in empty vector-transfected cells. The rates of recovery of resistance, increase in barrier to inulin, and reorganization of occludin and ZO-1 into the intercellular junctions during the calcium-induced reassembly of tight junction were much greater in Caco-2 cells transfected with c-SrcK297R as compared with those in cells transfected with empty vector or wild type c-Src. These results show that the dominant-negative expression of kinase-inactive c-Src delays the oxidative stress-induced disruption of tight junction and accelerates calcium-induced assembly of tight junction in Caco-2 cells and demonstrate that oxidative stress-induced disruption of tight junction is mediated by the activation of c-Src.