An ELISA for SGP28/CRISP-3, a cysteine-rich secretory protein in human neutrophils, plasma, and exocrine secretions

Construction and analysis of a conjunctive diagnostic model of HNSCC with random forest and artificial neural network

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a heterogeneous tumor that is highly aggressive and ranks fifth among the most common cancers worldwide. Although, the researches that attempted to construct a diagnostic model were deficient in HNSCC. Currently, the gold standard for diagnosing head and neck tumors is pathology, but this requires a traumatic biopsy. There is still a lack of a noninvasive test for such a high-incidence tumor. In order to screen genetic markers and construct diagnostic model, the methods of random forest (RF) and artificial neural network (ANN) were utilized. The data of HNSCC gene expression was accessed from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database; we selected three datasets totally, and we combined 2 datasets (GSE6631 and GSE55547) for screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and chose another dataset (GSE13399) for validation. Firstly, the 6 DEGs (CRISP3, SPINK5, KRT4, MMP1, MAL, SPP1) were screened by RF. Subsequently, ANN was applied to calculate the weights of 6 genes. Besides, we created a diagnostic model and nominated it as neuralHNSCC, and the performance of neuralHNSCC by area under curve (AUC) was verified using another dataset. Our model achieved an AUC of 0.998 in the training cohort, and 0.734 in the validation cohort. Furthermore, we used the Cell-type Identification using Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm to investigate the difference in immune cell infiltration between HNSCC and normal tissues initially. The selected 6 DEGs and the constructed novel diagnostic model of HNSCC would make contributions to the diagnosis.

Protein-bound sialic acid in saliva contributes directly to salivary anti-influenza virus activity

The oral cavity is an entrance for respiratory viruses, such as influenza. Recently, saliva has been shown to exert both antimicrobial and antiviral activities. Thus, saliva may be a biological factor that contributes to the prevention of influenza infection. However, the actual salivary anti-influenza A virus (IAV) activity in individuals and its determinant factors are unknown. By assessing individual variations in salivary anti-IAV activity in 92 people using an established new high-throughput system in this study, we found that the anti-IAV activity varied widely between individuals and showed a significant positive correlation with protein-bound sialic acid (BSA) level (ρ = 0.473; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the anti-IAV activity of saliva with enzymatically reduced BSA content was significantly lower. These results indicate that BSA is a direct regulator of salivary anti-IAV activity and is a determinant of individual differences. Additionally, after comparing the anti-IAV activity across the groups by age, anti-IAV activity in young people (aged 5–19 years) were lower than in adults aged 20–59 years and elderly people aged 60–79 years. Our study suggests that BSA levels in saliva may be important in preventing influenza infection.

Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (CRISP) are Key Players in Mammalian Fertilization and Fertility

Mammalian fertilization is a complex process involving a series of successive sperm-egg interaction steps mediated by different molecules and mechanisms. Studies carried out during the past 30 years, using a group of proteins named CRISP (Cysteine-RIch Secretory Proteins), have significantly contributed to elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian gamete interaction. The CRISP family is composed of four members (i.e., CRISP1-4) in mammals, mainly expressed in the male tract, present in spermatozoa and exhibiting Ca2+ channel regulatory abilities. Biochemical, molecular and genetic approaches show that each CRISP protein participates in more than one stage of gamete interaction (i.e., cumulus penetration, sperm-ZP binding, ZP penetration, gamete fusion) by either ligand-receptor interactions or the regulation of several capacitation-associated events (i.e., protein tyrosine phosphorylation, acrosome reaction, hyperactivation, etc.) likely through their ability to regulate different sperm ion channels. Moreover, deletion of different numbers and combination of Crisp genes leading to the generation of single, double, triple and quadruple knockout mice showed that CRISP proteins are essential for male fertility and are involved not only in gamete interaction but also in previous and subsequent steps such as sperm transport within the female tract and early embryo development. Collectively, these observations reveal that CRISP have evolved to perform redundant as well as specialized functions and are organized in functional modules within the family that work through independent pathways and contribute distinctly to fertility success. Redundancy and compensation mechanisms within protein families are particularly important for spermatozoa which are transcriptionally and translationally inactive cells carrying numerous protein families, emphasizing the importance of generating multiple knockout models to unmask the true functional relevance of family proteins. Considering the high sequence and functional homology between rodent and human CRISP proteins, these observations will contribute to a better understanding and diagnosis of human infertility as well as the development of new contraceptive options.

The functions of CAP superfamily proteins in mammalian fertility and disease

BACKGROUND

Members of the cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPS), antigen 5 (Ag5) and pathogenesis-related 1 (Pr-1) (CAP) superfamily of proteins are found across the bacterial, fungal, plant and animal kingdoms. Although many CAP superfamily proteins remain poorly characterized, over the past decade evidence has accumulated, which provides insights into the functional roles of these proteins in various processes, including fertilization, immune defence and subversion, pathogen virulence, venom toxicology and cancer biology.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

The aim of this article is to summarize the current state of knowledge on CAP superfamily proteins in mammalian fertility, organismal homeostasis and disease pathogenesis.

SEARCH METHODS

The scientific literature search was undertaken via PubMed database on all articles published prior to November 2019. Search terms were based on following keywords: 'CAP superfamily', 'CRISP', 'Cysteine-rich secretory proteins', 'Antigen 5', 'Pathogenesis-related 1', 'male fertility', 'CAP and CTL domain containing', 'CRISPLD1', 'CRISPLD2', 'bacterial SCP', 'ion channel regulator', 'CatSper', 'PI15', 'PI16', 'CLEC', 'PRY proteins', 'ASP proteins', 'spermatogenesis', 'epididymal maturation', 'capacitation' and 'snake CRISP'. In addition to that, reference lists of primary and review article were reviewed for additional relevant publications.

OUTCOMES

In this review, we discuss the breadth of knowledge on CAP superfamily proteins with regards to their protein structure, biological functions and emerging significance in reproduction, health and disease. We discuss the evolution of CAP superfamily proteins from their otherwise unembellished prokaryotic predecessors into the multi-domain and neofunctionalized members found in eukaryotic organisms today. At least in part because of the rapid evolution of these proteins, many inconsistencies in nomenclature exist within the literature. As such, and in part through the use of a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of the vertebrate CRISP subfamily, we have attempted to clarify this confusion, thus allowing for a comparison of orthologous protein function between species. This framework also allows the prediction of functional relevance between species based on sequence and structural conservation.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

This review generates a picture of critical roles for CAP proteins in ion channel regulation, sterol and lipid binding and protease inhibition, and as ligands involved in the induction of multiple cellular processes.

Functional Specialization of Human Salivary Glands and Origins of Proteins Intrinsic to Human Saliva

Salivary proteins are essential for maintaining health in the oral cavity and proximal digestive tract, and they serve as potential diagnostic markers for monitoring human health and disease. However, their precise organ origins remain unclear. Through transcriptomic analysis of major adult and fetal salivary glands and integration with the saliva proteome, the blood plasma proteome, and transcriptomes of 28+ organs, we link human saliva proteins to their source, identify salivary-gland-specific genes, and uncover fetal- and adult-specific gene repertoires. Our results also provide insights into the degree of gene retention during gland maturation and suggest that functional diversity among adult gland types is driven by specific dosage combinations of hundreds of transcriptional regulators rather than by a few gland-specific factors. Finally, we demonstrate the heterogeneity of the human acinar cell lineage. Our results pave the way for future investigations into glandular biology and pathology, as well as saliva's use as a diagnostic fluid.

Functional redundancy and compensation: Deletion of multiple murine Crisp genes reveals their essential role for male fertility

Mammalian Cysteine-RIch Secretory Protein (CRISP) family includes four members present in sperm and reported to regulate Ca²⁺ channels and fertilization. Based on our previous observations using single knockouts models and suggesting the existence of functional compensation among CRISP proteins, we investigated their relevance for male fertility by generating multiple Crisp gene mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Whereas targeting of Crisp1 and Crisp3 yielded subfertile males with early embryo developmental defects, the same deletion in zygotes from fertile Crisp2^-/- .Crisp4^-/- mice led to the generation of both triple and quadruple knockout mice exhibiting a complete or severe disruption of male fertility due to a combination of sperm transport, fertilization, and embryo developmental defects linked to intracellular Ca²⁺ dysregulation. These observations reveal that CRISP proteins are essential for male fertility and organize in functional modules that contribute distinctly to fertility success, bringing insights into the mechanisms underlying functional redundancy/compensation in protein families and emphasizing the importance of generating multiple and not just single knockout which might be masking the true functional relevance of family genes.

Identification of a Profile of Neutrophil-Derived Granule Proteins in the Surface of Gold Nanoparticles after Their Interaction with Human Breast Cancer Sera

It is well known that the interaction of a nanomaterial with a biological fluid leads to the formation of a protein corona (PC) surrounding the nanomaterial. Using standard blood analyses, alterations in protein patterns are difficult to detect. PC acts as a “nano-concentrator” of serum proteins with affinity for nanoparticles’ surface. Consequently, characterization of PC could allow detection of otherwise undetectable changes in protein concentration at an early stage of a disease, such as breast cancer (BC). Here, we employed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs_diameter: 10.02 ± 0.91 nm) as an enrichment platform to analyze the human serum proteome of BC patients (n = 42) and healthy controls (n = 42). Importantly, the analysis of the PC formed around AuNPs after their interaction with serum samples of BC patients showed a profile of proteins that could differentiate breast cancer patients from healthy controls. These proteins developed a significant role in the immune and/or innate immune system, some of them being neutrophil-derived granule proteins. The analysis of the PC also revealed serum proteome alterations at the subtype level.

Modahl C, Maenaka K, Aoki-Shioi N. Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (CRISPs) From Venomous Snakes: An Overview of the Functional Diversity in A Large and Underappreciated Superfamily

The CAP protein superfamily (Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), Antigen 5 (Ag5), and Pathogenesis-related 1 (PR-1) proteins) is widely distributed, but for toxinologists, snake venom CRISPs are the most familiar members. Although CRISPs are found in the majority of venoms, very few of these proteins have been functionally characterized, but those that have been exhibit diverse activities. Snake venom CRISPs (svCRISPs) inhibit ion channels and the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). They also increase vascular permeability and promote inflammatory responses (leukocyte and neutrophil infiltration). Interestingly, CRISPs in lamprey buccal gland secretions also manifest some of these activities, suggesting an evolutionarily conserved function. As we strive to better understand the functions that CRISPs serve in venoms, it is worth considering the broad range of CRISP physiological activities throughout the animal kingdom. In this review, we summarize those activities, known crystal structures and sequence alignments, and we discuss predicted functional sites. CRISPs may not be lethal or major components of venoms, but given their almost ubiquitous occurrence in venoms and the accelerated evolution of svCRISP genes, these venom proteins are likely to have functions worth investigating.

Investigation of serum proteome homeostasis during radiation therapy by a quantitative proteomics approach

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the serum proteome of patients receiving Radiation Therapy (RT) at different stages of their treatment to discovery candidate biomarkers of the radiation-induced skin lesions and the molecular pathways underlying the radiation signatures. Six stages of RT treatment were monitored from patients treated because of brain cancer: before starting the treatment, during the treatment (four time points), and at 4 weeks from the last RT dose. Serum samples were analyzed by a proteomics approach based on the Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry (MS). RT induced clear changes in the expression levels of 36 serum proteins. Among these, 25 proteins were down- or up-regulated significantly before the emergence of skin lesions. Some of these were still deregulated after the completion of the treatment. Few days before the appearance of the skin lesions, the levels of some proteins involved in the wound healing processes were down-regulated. The pathway analysis indicated that after partial body irradiation, the expression levels of proteins functionally involved in the acute inflammatory and immune response, lipoprotein process and blood coagulation, were deregulated.

The isolation and characterization of a new snake venom cysteine-rich secretory protein (svCRiSP) from the venom of the Southern Pacific rattlesnake and its effect on vascular permeability

A novel snake venom cysteine-rich secretory protein (svCRiSP), Hellerin, was purified from C. o. helleri venom using sequential reverse phase and cation-exchange chromatography. Gel electrophoresis, N-terminal sequencing, and LC-MS/MS sequencing identified a single protein with a molecular mass of approximately 24.8 kDa and confirmed its identity as a svCRiSP. Hellerin had cytotoxic effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a dose-dependent manner but not in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs) and human dermal blood endothelial cells (HDBECs). Hellerin produced a dramatic increase in both blood vascular permeability in vivo, and in the trans-epithelial permeability of cultured HDLEC and HDBEC cells. This is the first study that describes the effect of a svCRiSP on vascular, blood and lymphatic permeability.

Maturation-associated gene expression profiles during normal human bone marrow erythropoiesis

Erythropoiesis has been extensively studied using in vitro and in vivo animal models. Despite this, there is still limited data about the gene expression profiles (GEP) of primary (ex vivo) normal human bone marrow (BM) erythroid maturation. We investigated the GEP of nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) precursors during normal human BM erythropoiesis. Three maturation-associated populations of NRBC were identified and purified from (fresh) normal human BM by flow cytometry and the GEP of each purified cell population directly analyzed using DNA-oligonucleotide microarrays. Overall, 6569 genes (19% of the genes investigated) were expressed in ≥1 stage of BM erythropoiesis at stable (e.g., genes involved in DNA process, cell signaling, protein organization and hemoglobin production) or variable amounts (e.g., genes related to cell differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism), the latter showing a tendency to either decrease from stage 1 to 3 (genes associated with regulation of erythroid differentiation and survival, e.g., SPI1, STAT5A) or increase from stage 2 to stage 3 (genes associated with autophagy, erythroid functions such as heme production, e.g., ALAS1, ALAS2), iron metabolism (e.g., ISCA1, SLC11A2), protection from oxidative stress (e.g., UCP2, PARK7), and NRBC enucleation (e.g., ID2, RB1). Interestingly, genes involved in apoptosis (e.g., CASP8, P2RX1) and immune response (e.g., FOXO3, TRAF6) were also upregulated in the last stage (stage 3) of maturation of NRBC precursors. Our results confirm and extend on previous observations and providing a frame of reference for better understanding the critical steps of human erythroid maturation and its potential alteration in patients with different clonal and non-clonal erythropoietic disorders.

In silico analysis identifies CRISP3 as a potential peripheral blood biomarker for multiple myeloma: From data modeling to validation with RT-PCR

Octamer-binding protein 2 (Oct2) binds to the ATGCAAAT octamer on the IgH enhancer and stimulates IgH expression in human multiple myeloma (MM). Cysteine-rich secreted protein 3 (CRISP3) possesses the ATGCAAAT sequence and thus is activated by Oct2 in mouse B cells, suggesting that CRISP3 may be activated in and be a potential biomarker for MM. The present study involved a meta-analysis of the gene expression profiling data of human MM peripheral blood. Significantly expressed genes were analyzed on merged super array microarray data and selected sample data with significantly expressed genes were additionally analyzed by principal component analysis and Bayesian probit regression. CRISP3, Oct2, Apha-1B-glycoprotein (A1GB) and Cyclin D2 (CCND2) were validated in clinical MM peripheral blood samples using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In the gene expression profiling data, CRISP3 was significantly upregulated and had certain proportions on the discriminated principal component of significantly expressed gene sample data. RT-qPCR analysis revealed CRISP3 was significantly upregulated in MM. Therefore, CRISP3 is a potential peripheral blood biomarker for MM.

Association of the cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3) and some of its polymorphisms with the quality of cryopreserved stallion semen

Contribution of seminal plasma proteins to semen freezability has been reported in several species, suggesting these proteins as genetic markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3) and some of its single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with post-thawing semen quality in stallions. DNA was obtained from 100 stallions, regions of interest were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. Evaluated SNPs within the equine CRISP-3 gene were CRISP3c.+199A > G (SNP1), CRISP3c.+566C > A (SNP2), CRISP3c.+622G > A (SNP3) and CRISP3c.+716A > G (SNP4). CRISP-3 protein content in seminal plasma was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Semen from 30 stallions was cryopreserved and post-thaw motility, kinetics, abnormal morphology (AM), sperm vitality (SV) and membrane integrity (MI) were evaluated. Generalized linear models were fitted and means were compared using Tukey’s test. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. For SNP1 and SNP3, the AA genotype had the highest results for motility and MI; for SNP2, the best results for motility and AM were obtained with the CC genotype. For SNP4, the GG genotype had the lowest results, except for MI. A high level of CRISP-3 protein in seminal plasma had the best results for motility, kinetics, SV and AM. In conclusion, there was a relationship between CRISP-3 genotype and seminal plasma protein and post-thawing semen quality in stallions.

A novel bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecalis 478 exhibits a potent activity against vancomycin-resistant enterococci

The emergence of multidrug-resistant enterococci (MDRE) and particularly vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is considered a serious health problem worldwide, causing the need for new antimicrobials. The aim of this study was to discover and characterize bacteriocin against clinical isolates of MDRE and VRE. Over 10,000 bacterial isolates from water, environment and clinical samples were screened. E. faecalis strain 478 isolated from human feces produced the highest antibacterial activity against several MDRE and VRE strains. The optimum condition for bacteriocin production was cultivation in MRS broth at 37°C, pH 5-6 for 16 hours. The bacteriocin-like substance produced from E. faecalis strain EF478 was stable at 60°C for at least 1 hour and retained its antimicrobial activity after storage at -20°C for 1 year, at 4°C for 6 months, and at 25°C for 2 months. A nano-HPLC electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis showed that the amino acid sequences of the bacteriocin-like substance was similar to serine protease of E. faecalis, gi|488296663 (NCBI database), which has never been reported as a bacteriocin. This study reported a novel bacteriocin with high antibacterial activity against VRE and MDRE.

Purification and characterization of CRISP-3 from human seminal plasma and its real-time binding kinetics with PSP94

Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) have been postulated to have a role in male reproduction and prostate pathophysiology. Of the mammalian CRISPs, CRISP-3 levels in particular have been shown to be upregulated in prostate cancer. Efforts have been made to obtain highly pure CRISP-3 for gaining structure-function information of this protein. However, well characterized and highly pure protein is not available yet. CRISPs from snake venom have been purified using prostate secretory protein of 94 amino acids (PSP94) has been reported earlier. In the present study, CRISP-3 was purified to homogeneity from human seminal plasma using human PSP94-immnobilized affinity column. The molecular mass of the purified protein was determined by SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting and found to be ∼26kDa and ∼28kDa. The purity was further verified using MALDI-TOF MS analysis, where two peaks at m/z 25509 and 27715 were obtained. The lower molecular weight peak corresponds to the calculated molecular mass of CRISP-3 (∼26kDa); whereas the higher molecular weight peak was confirmed to be the glycosylated form (∼28kDa) from the deglycosylation experiment. Binding of PSP94 in increasing concentrations to purified CRISP-3 immobilized chip was further validated using surface plasmon resonance. The kinetics data suggested that purified CRISP-3 binds specifically and with high affinity to PSP94. In conclusion, a homogeneous preparation of highly pure CRISP-3 protein is obtained from human seminal plasma.

The effect of select seminal plasma proteins on endometrial mRNA cytokine expression in mares susceptible to persistent mating-induced endometritis

In the horse, breeding induces a transient endometrial inflammation. A subset of mares are unable to resolve this inflammation, and they are considered susceptible to persistent mating-induced endometritis PMIE Select seminal plasma proteins cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3) and lactoferrin have been shown to affect the innate immune response to sperm in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of CRISP-3 and lactoferrin at the time of insemination had an effect on the mRNA expression of endometrial cytokines in susceptible mares after breeding. Six mares classified as susceptible to PMIE were inseminated during four consecutive oestrous cycles with treatments in randomized order of: 1 mg/ml CRISP-3, 150 μg/ml lactoferrin, seminal plasma (positive control) or lactated Ringer's solution (LRS; negative control) to a total volume of 10 ml combined with 1 × 10⁹ spermatozoa pooled from two stallions. Six hours after treatment, an endometrial biopsy was obtained for qPCR analysis of selected genes associated with inflammation (pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (INF)-γ, anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1RN and IL-10, and inflammatory-modulating cytokine IL-6). Seminal plasma treatment increased the mRNA expression of IL-1β (p = .019) and IL-8 (p = .0068), while suppressing the mRNA expression of TNF (p = .0013). Lactoferrin also suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF (p = .0013). In conclusion, exogenous lactoferrin may be considered as one modulator of the complex series of events resulting in the poorly regulated pro-inflammatory response seen in susceptible mares.

Prognostic value of ERG, PTEN, CRISP3 and SPINK1 in predicting biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer

The established prognostic factors associated with prostatic adenocarcinoma are the Gleason score, pathological T staging and serum prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) level. However, these prognostic factors alone are not sufficient for predicting prognostic characteristics, including early stage or advanced prostate cancer, presence of metastasis or disease-related mortality. The purpose of the present study was to simultaneously evaluate the prognostic value and associations of four biomarkers, namely, transcriptional regulator ERG (ERG), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP3) and serine protease inhibitor Kazal type I (SPINK1), and to conduct risk stratification of prostate cancer for use in patient management. A total of 68 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, prostate cancer samples from radical prostatectomies were obtained in the Kyung Hee University Hospital (Seoul, Korea) and were studied immunohistochemically for ERG, PTEN, CRISP3 and SPINK1 to determine the proportion and intensity of staining. SPINK1 expression was mutually exclusive of ERG expression (P=0.001). The loss of PTEN and high CRISP3 expression are unfavorable indicators for prostate cancer, as PTEN loss was associated with shorter biochemical recurrence (BCR) (P=0.039), and high CRISP3 expression was associated with increased BCR (P<0.001) and cancer-related mortalities (P=0.011). Using the combination of low PTEN and high CRISP3 expression enables attention to be focused on patients who exhibit a poor prognosis. Subgrouping of patients, into high-risk and low-risk categories, was correlated with BCR-free survival in prostate cancer upon multivariate analysis (P=0.030). Overall, low PTEN and high CRISP3 expression significantly characterize the subgroups of prostate cancer that have a poor prognosis for BCR.

Improving Blood Plasma Glycoproteome Coverage by Coupling Ultracentrifugation Fractionation to Electrostatic Repulsion-Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Enrichment

Blood plasma is considered to be an excellent source of disease biomarkers because it contains proteins, lipids, metabolites, cell, and cell-derived extracellular vesicles from different cellular origins including diseased tissues. Most secretory and membranous proteins that can be found in plasma are glycoproteins; therefore, the plasma glycoproteome is one of the major subproteomes that is highly enriched with disease biomarkers. As a result, the glycoproteome has attracted much attention in clinical proteomic research. The modification of proteins with glycans regulates a wide range of functions in biology, but profiling plasma glycoproteins on a global scale has been hampered by the presence of low stoichiometry of glycoproteins in a complex high abundance plasma proteome background and lack of effective analytical technique. This study aims to improve plasma glycoproteome coverage using pig plasma as a model sample with a two-step strategy. The first step involves fractionation of the plasma proteins using ultracentrifugation into supernatant and pellet that is believed to contain low abundant glycoproteins. In the second step, further enrichment of glycopeptides was achieved in both fractions by adopting electrostatic repulsion hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ERLIC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The coverage of enriched glycoproteins in supernatant, pellet, and whole plasma sample as control was compared. Using this simple sample fractionation approach by ultracentrifugation and further ERLIC enrichment technique, sample complexity was reduced and glycoproteome coverage was significantly enhanced in supernatant and pellet fractions (by >50%) compared with whole plasma sample. This study showed that when ultracentrifugation is coupled to ERLIC glycopeptides enrichment and glycoproteome identification are significantly improved. This study demonstrates the combination of ultracentrifugation and ERLIC as a useful method for discovering plasma glycoprotein disease biomarkers.

Simultaneous Enrichment of Plasma Soluble and Extracellular Vesicular Glycoproteins Using Prolonged Ultracentrifugation-Electrostatic Repulsion-hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (PUC-ERLIC) Approach

Plasma glycoproteins and extracellular vesicles represent excellent sources of disease biomarkers, but laboratory detection of these circulating structures are limited by their relatively low abundance in complex biological fluids. Although intensive research has led to the development of effective methods for the enrichment and isolation of either plasma glycoproteins or extracellular vesicles from clinical materials, at present it is not possible to enrich both structures simultaneously from individual patient sample, a method that affords the identification of biomarker combinations from both entities for the prediction of clinical outcomes will be clinically useful. We have therefore developed an enrichment method for use in mass spectrometry-based proteomic profiling that couples prolonged ultracentrifugation with electrostatic repulsion-hydrophilic interaction chromatography, to facilitate the recovery of both glycoproteins and extracellular vesicles from nondepleted human plasma. Following prolonged ultracentrifugation, plasma glycoproteins and extracellular vesicles were concentrated as a yellow suspension, and simultaneous analyses of low abundant secretory and vesicular glycoproteins was achieved in a single LC-MS/MS run. Using this systematic prolonged ultracentrifugation-electrostatic repulsion-hydrophilic interaction chromatography approach, we identified a total of 127 plasma glycoproteins at a high level of confidence (FDR ≤ 1%), including 48 glycoproteins with concentrations ranging from pg to ng/ml. The novel enrichment method we report should facilitate future human plasma-based proteome and glycoproteome that will identify novel biomarkers, or combinations of secreted and vesicle-derived biomarkers, that can be used to predict clinical outcomes in human patients.

Endometrial CRISP3 is regulated throughout the mouse estrous and human menstrual cycle and facilitates adhesion and proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells

The endometrium (the mucosal lining of the uterus) is a dynamic tissue that undergoes extensive remodeling, secretory transformation in preparation for implantation of an embryo, inflammatory and proteolytic activity during menstruation, and rapid postmenstrual repair. A plethora of local factors influence these processes. Recently, a cysteine-rich protein, CRISP3, a clade of the CRISP, antigen 5, pathogenesis-related (CAP) protein superfamily, has been implicated in uterine function. The localization, regulation, and potential function of CRISP3 in both the human and mouse endometrium is described. CRISP3 localizes to the luminal and glandular epithelium of the endometrium within both species, with increased immunoreactivity during the proliferative phase of the human cycle. CRISP3 also localizes to neutrophils, particularly within the premenstrual human endometrium and during the postbreakdown repair phase of a mouse model of endometrial breakdown and repair. Endometrial CRISP3 is produced by primary human endometrial epithelial cells and secreted in vivo to accumulate in the uterine cavity. Secreted CRISP3 is more abundant in uterine lavage fluid during the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Human endometrial epithelial CRISP3 is present in both a glycosylated and a nonglycosylated form in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of endometrial epithelial cells in vitro with recombinant CRISP3 enhances both adhesion and proliferation. These data suggest roles for epithelial and neutrophil-derived CRISP3 in postmenstrual endometrial repair and regeneration.

Ranking candidate genes of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas based on differentially expressed genes and the topological properties of the co-expression network

Background

The aim of this study was to identify the candidate genes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

Gene expression profiling of 17 ESCC samples and 17 adjacent normal samples, GSE20347, was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The raw data were preprocessed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ESCC and normal samples were identified by using SAM software (false discovery rate <0.001). Then, the co-expression network of DEGs was constructed based on Pearson’s correlation test (r-value ≥0.8). Furthermore, the topological properties of the co-expression network were analyzed through NetworkAnalyzer (default settings) of Cytoscape. The expression fold changes of DEGs and topological properties were utilized to identify the candidate genes of ESCC (Cri_n score >4), which were further analyzed based on DAVID functional enrichment analysis (P-value <0.05).

Results

A total of 1,063 DEGs were identified, including 490 up-regulated and 573 down-regulated DEGs. Then, the co-expression network of DEGs was constructed, containing 999 nodes and 46,323 edges. Based on the expression fold changes of DEGs and the topological properties of the co-expression network, DEGs were ranked, and the top 24 genes were candidate genes of ESCC, such as CRISP3, EREG, CXCR2, and CRNN. Furthermore, the 24 genes were significantly enriched in bio-functions regarding cell differentiation, glucan biosynthetic process and immune response.

Conclusion

The present study suggested that CRISP3, EREG, CXCR2, and CRNN might be causative genes of ESCC, and play vital roles in the development of ESCC. However, further experimental studies are needed to confirm our results.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40001-014-0052-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Role of β-microseminoprotein from prostate cancer initiation to recurrence: A mini-review

Medline/Pubmed articles relevant to this topic were considered using the search terms β-microseminoprotein, MSMB, prostate secretory protein of 94 amino acids and PSP94. Full articles were retrieved when the abstract was considered relevant. In addition, other data related to this topic including our own are discussed. Summary of findings-β-microseminoprotein (MSMB) is increasingly being considered as a marker for prostate cancer, as reduced levels have been associated with the disease. Here we review various aspects of this protein including its biological and physiological variants, binding proteins and immune modulation; its importance as a marker for biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer; prostate cancer related splice variants and its therapeutic utility. Two of the most important properties of MSMB are related to anticancer functions and immune modulation. Predominant expression of two (short and full-length) splice variants of MSMB has been observed from normal prostate and several other tissues. In benign prostate hyperplasia the short isoform is dominant, constituting 98% of this isoform, whereas in prostate cancer 96% constitute the full-length isoform. The MSMB promoter single nucleotide polymorphism rs10993994 with the C allele functions as an activated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein binding site. This C variant of rs10993994 could be responsible for the production of splice variants under variable conditions. MSMB has binding motifs to a few known proteins including immunoglobulin G and several Cysteine-rich secretory proteins family proteins. MSMB bound to these proteins is considered as immune modulating. Use of MSMB as a urinary marker for detecting aggressive prostate cancers that could resist radiation and surgical treatments, seems possible, but needs further investigation. The ratio of MSMB splice variants could also be a possible approach in understanding prostate cancers, with higher ratios indicating severe disease.

Cysteine- rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP3), ERG and PTEN define a molecular subtype of prostate cancer with implication to patients' prognosis

Cysteine- rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP3) prognostic significance in prostate cancer (PCA) has generated mixed result. Herein, we investigated and independently validated CRISP3 expression in relation to ERG and PTEN genomic aberrations and clinical outcome. CRISP3 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry using a cohort of patients with localized PCA (n = 215) and castration resistant PCA (CRPC) (n = 46). The Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSKCC) and Swedish cohorts were used for prognostic validation. Results showed, CRISP3 protein intensity to be significantly associated with neoplastic epithelium, being highest in CRPC vs. benign prostate tissue (p < 0.0001), but was not related to Gleason score (GS). CRISP3 mRNA was significantly associated with higher GS (p = 0.022 in MSKCC, p = 1.1e-4 in Swedish). Significant association between CRISP3 expression and clinical outcome was documented at the mRNA but not the protein expression levels. CRISP3 mRNA expression was related to biochemical recurrence in the MSKCC (p = 0.038) and lethal disease in the Swedish cohort (p = 0.0086) and retained its prognostic value in the subgroup of patients with GS 6 & 7. Furthermore, CRISP3 protein and mRNA expression was significantly associated with positive ERG status and with PTEN deletions. Functional biology analysis documented phenylalanine metabolism as the most significant pathway governing high CRISP3 and ERG expression in this subtype of PCA. In conclusion, the combined status of CRISP3, ERG and PTEN define a molecular subtype of PCA with poorest and lethal outcome. Assessing their combined value may be of added value in stratifying patients into different prognostic groups and identify those with poorest clinical outcome.

Eukaryotic expression, purification and structure/function analysis of native, recombinant CRISP3 from human and mouse

While the Cysteine-Rich Secretory Proteins (CRISPs) have been broadly proposed as regulators of reproduction and immunity, physiological roles have yet to be established for individual members of this family. Past efforts to investigate their functions have been limited by the difficulty of purifying correctly folded CRISPs from bacterial expression systems, which yield low quantities of correctly folded protein containing the eight disulfide bonds that define the CRISP family. Here we report the expression and purification of native, glycosylated CRISP3 from human and mouse, expressed in HEK 293 cells and isolated using ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. Functional authenticity was verified by substrate-affinity, native glycosylation characteristics and quaternary structure (monomer in solution). Validated protein was used in comparative structure/function studies to characterise sites and patterns of N-glycosylation in CRISP3, revealing interesting inter-species differences.

Molecular diagnosis of prostate cancer: are we up to age?

Prostate cancer (PCa), a highly heterogeneous disease, is the one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed countries. Historically used biomarkers such as prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and its precursor have not stood the challenge of sensitivity and specificity. At present, there is need to re-evaluate the approach to diagnose and monitor PCa. To this end, molecular markers that can accurately identify men with PCa at an early stage, and those who would benefit from early therapeutic intervention, are the need of the hour. There has been unprecedented progress in the development of new PCa biomarkers through advancements in proteomics, tissue DNA and protein/RNA microarray, identification of microRNA, isolation of circulating tumor cells, and tumor immunohistochemistry. This review will examine the current status of prostate cancer biomarkers with emphasis on emerging biomarkers by evaluating their diagnostic and prognostic potentials.

Expression microarray analysis identifies novel epithelial-derived protein markers in eosinophilic esophagitis

Gene expression studies in eosinophilic esophagitis support an immune-mediated etiology associated with differential regulation of inflammatory and epithelial-derived genes. We aimed to further characterize epithelial gene expression alterations in eosinophilic esophagitis and to explore the use of immunohistochemistry to identify these alterations. Esophageal biopsies from pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis before and after therapy with topical steroids (N=7) were screened by gene expression microarray and results were validated by RT-PCR. A larger group of eosinophilic esophagitis patients (N=42) was then used to evaluate protein expression by immunohistochemistry compared with reflux patients (N=15) and normal controls (N=17). Microarray and RT-PCR studies identified overexpression of ALOX15 and tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced factor 6 (TNFAIP6) and underexpression of filaggrin (FLG), SLURP1 and cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP3) in eosinophilic esophagitis. Immunohistochemistry for ALOX15 was positive in 95% of eosinophilic esophagitis and negative in all controls, all eosinophilic esophagitis after therapy and all reflux biopsies (P<0.001). TNFAIP6 was positive in 88% of eosinophilic esophagitis samples versus 47% of controls, 29% of eosinophilic esophagitis after therapy and 40% of reflux samples (P=0.002). Overexpression of both ALOX15 and TNFAIP6 directly correlated with the degree of eosinophilic infiltration. FLG was positive in 88% of controls and 100% of reflux biopsies, but negative in all eosinophilic esophagitis samples, and its expression was regained in 86% of eosinophilic esophagitis after therapy patients (P<0.001). SLURP1 expression was positive in all controls and reflux samples, but only positive in 5% of eosinophilic esophagitis and was re-expressed to 100% positivity in eosinophilic esophagitis after therapy patients (P<0.001). The majority of controls (89%) and reflux biopsies (100%) were positive for CRISP3 while eosinophilic esophagitis before therapy were positive in 14% of samples (P<0.001) with partial recovery after treatment (43%, P=0.105). This study identified five epithelial-derived markers differentially expressed in eosinophilic esophagitis easily detectable by immunohistochemistry with potential diagnostic utility.

Allurin, an amphibian sperm chemoattractant having implications for mammalian sperm physiology

Eggs of many species are surrounded by extracellular coats that emit ligands to which conspecific sperm respond by undergoing chemotaxis and changes in metabolism, motility, and acrosomal status in preparation for fertilization. Here we review methods used to measure sperm chemotaxis and focus on recent studies of allurin, a 21-kDa protein belonging to the Cysteine-RIch Secretory Protein (CRISP) family that has chemoattraction activity for both amphibian and mammalian sperm. Allurin is unique in being the first extensively characterized Crisp protein found in the female reproductive tract and is the product of a newly discovered amphibian gene within a gene cluster that has been largely conserved in mammals. Study of its expression, function, and tertiary structure could lead to new insights in the role of Crisp proteins in sperm physiology.

Copy number changes of CRISP3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using whole-genome analysis of microarray technology and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). We applied whole-genome analysis of TSGs in the specimens from 3 patients of OSCC by microarray technology. A total of 11 genes, CRISP3, SCGB3A1, AGR2, PIP, C20orf114, TFF1, STATH, AZGP1, MUC7, DMBT1 and LOC389429, were found to be down-regulated, and 2, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 1 and MMP3, were found to be up-regulated in the 3 OSCC patients using microarray technology. In this study, we selected the CRISP3 gene. CRISP3 belongs to the cystein-rich secretary protein gene family in chromosome 6p12.3. CRISP3 has been found in the salivary gland, spleen and prostate gland and is a prominent biomarker in the gene expression of prostate cancer. Down-regulation of this gene was previously observed in OSCC. No studies examining the DNA copy number of CRISP3 in detail exist. We analyzed the DNA copy number of CRISP3 in 5 OSCC-derived cell lines (SAS, Ca9-22, KON, HSC2 and HSC4) and 60 OSCC tissues by real-time QPCR. The DNA copy number loss of CRISP3 was observed in 2 of the 5 OSCC-derived cell lines (SAS, HSC2) and in 24 of 60 patients (40.0%) using real-time QPCR. A significant statistical correlation between the copy number loss and gender and T classification was observed. These results indicate that the inactivation of CRISP3 is an early event in OSCC, since the T1/T2 classification is correlated with DNA copy number loss of CRISP3, whereas T3/T4 classification is not. We conclude that CRISP3 may be involved in the carcinogenesis of OSCC.

Cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP3) is strongly up-regulated in prostate carcinomas with the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene

A large percentage of prostate cancers harbor TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusions, leading to aberrant overexpression of the transcription factor ERG. The target genes deregulated by this rearrangement, however, remain mostly unknown. To address this subject we performed genome-wide mRNA expression analysis on 6 non-malignant prostate samples and 24 prostate carcinomas with (n = 16) and without (n = 8) TMPRSS2-ERG fusion as determined by FISH. The top-most differentially expressed genes and their associations with ERG over-expression were technically validated by quantitative real-time PCR and biologically validated in an independent series of 200 prostate carcinomas. Several genes encoding metabolic enzymes or extracellular/transmembrane proteins involved in cell adhesion, matrix remodeling and signal transduction pathways were found to be co-expressed with ERG. Within those significantly over-expressed in fusion-positive carcinomas, CRISP3 showed more than a 50-fold increase when compared to fusion-negative carcinomas, whose expression levels were in turn similar to that of non-malignant samples. In the independent validation series, ERG and CRISP3 mRNA levels were strongly correlated (r_s = 0.65, p<0.001) and both were associated with pT3 disease staging. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry results showed CRISP3 protein overexpression in 63% of the carcinomas and chromatin immunoprecipitation with an anti-ERG antibody showed that CRISP3 is a direct target of the transcription factor ERG. We conclude that ERG rearrangement is associated with significant expression alterations in genes involved in critical cellular pathways that define a subset of locally advanced PCa. In particular, we show that CRISP3 is a direct target of ERG that is strongly overexpressed in PCa with the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene.

Body malodours and their topical treatment agents

Body malodour, including foot odour, suppresses social interaction by diminishing self-confidence and accelerating damage to the wearer's clothes and shoes. Most treatment agents, including aluminium anti-perspirant salts, inhibit the growth of malodourous bacteria. These metallic salts also reduce sweat by blocking the excretory ducts of sweat glands, minimizing the water source that supports bacterial growth. However, there are some drawback effects that limit the use of aluminium anti-perspirant salts. In addition, over-the-counter anti-perspirant and deodourant products may not be sufficiently effective for heavy sweaters, and strong malodour producers. Body odour treatment agents are rarely mentioned in the literature compared with other cosmetic ingredients. This review briefly summarizes the relationship among sweat, skin bacteria, and body odour; describes how odourous acids, thiols, and steroids are formed; and discusses the active ingredients, including metallic salts and herbs, that are used to treat body odour. A new class of ingredients that function by regulating the release of malodourants will also be described. These ingredients do not alter the balance of the skin flora.

Utilizing spectral counting to quantitatively characterize tandem removal of abundant proteins (TRAP) in human plasma

Biomarker discovery efforts in serum and plasma are greatly hindered by the presence of high abundance proteins that prevent the detection and quantification of less abundant, yet biologically significant, proteins. The most common method for addressing this problem is to specifically remove the few abundant proteins through immunoaffinity depletion/subtraction. Herein, we improved upon this method by utilizing multiple depletion columns in series, so as to increase the efficiency of the abundant protein removal and augment the detection/identification of less abundant plasma proteins. Spectral counting was utilized to make quantitative comparisons between undepleted plasma, plasma depleted with a single depletion column, and plasma depleted using two or three depletion columns in tandem. In the undepleted plasma only 29 lower abundance protein groups were identified with the top-scoring protein from each group having a median spectral count of 3, while in the plasma processed using a single HSA depletion column 61 such protein groups were identified with a median spectral count of 8. In comparison, 76 lesser abundant protein groups were identified with a median spectral count of 11.5 in the two column setup (i.e., HSA followed by MARS Hu14). However, in the ultimate depleted plasma sample, which was created using three depletion columns in tandem, the number of less abundant protein groups identified increase to 81 and the median spectral count for the top-scoring proteins from each group increased to 15 counts per protein. Moreover, exogenous B-type natriuretic peptide-32, which was added to the plasma as a detection benchmark at 12 μg/mL, was only detected in the plasma sample depleted using three depletion columns in tandem. Collectively, these data demonstrate that this method, tandem removal of abundant proteins or TRAP, provides superior removal efficiency compared to traditional applications and improves the depth of proteome coverage in plasma.

Cobra CRISP functions as an inflammatory modulator via a novel Zn2+- and heparan sulfate-dependent transcriptional regulation of endothelial cell adhesion molecules

Cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs) have been identified as a toxin family in most animal venoms with biological functions mainly associated with the ion channel activity of cysteine-rich domain (CRD). CRISPs also bind to Zn(2+) at their N-terminal pathogenesis-related (PR-1) domain, but their function remains unknown. Interestingly, similar the Zn(2+)-binding site exists in all CRISP family, including those identified in a wide range of organisms. Here, we report that the CRISP from Naja atra (natrin) could induce expression of vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecules, i.e. intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin, to promote monocytic cell adhesion in a heparan sulfate (HS)- and Zn(2+)-dependent manner. Using specific inhibitors and small interfering RNAs, the activation mechanisms are shown to involve both mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-κB. Biophysical characterization of natrin by using fluorescence, circular dichroism, and x-ray crystallographic methods further reveals the presence of two Zn(2+)-binding sites for natrin. The strong binding site is located near the putative Ser-His-Glu catalytic triad of the N-terminal domain. The weak binding site remains to be characterized, but it may modulate HS binding by enhancing its interaction with long chain HS. Our results strongly suggest that natrin may serve as an inflammatory modulator that could perturb the wound-healing process of the bitten victim by regulating adhesion molecule expression in endothelial cells. Our finding uncovers a new aspect of the biological role of CRISP family in immune response and is expected to facilitate future development of new therapeutic strategy for the envenomed victims.

A short history of sweat gland biology

The axilla, especially its microflora and axillary sweat glands as well as their secretions, is the main target of cosmetic compositions such as deodorants or antiperspirants. There are three types of sweat glands present in the axillary skin, namely apocrine, eccrine and apoeccrine sweat glands. Here, we provide an overview of the morphological, structural and functional characteristics of the different gland types and present techniques that allow their clear distinction. Moreover, we describe different forms of perspiration as physical reactions to external and internal stimuli.

Human CRISP-3 binds serum alpha(1)B-glycoprotein across species

BACKGROUND

CRISP-3 was previously shown to be bound to alpha(1)B-glycoprotein (A1BG) in human serum/plasma. All mammalian sera are supposed to contain A1BG, although its presence in rodent sera is not well-documented. Since animal sera are often used to supplement buffers in experiments, in particular such that involve cell cultures, binding proteins present in sera might interfere in the experiments.

METHODS

We examined sera from five different animal species for CRISP-3 binding proteins using gel filtration and ligand blotting. We developed a rapid method for isolation of proteins that bind to human CRISP-3 and identified the isolated proteins by mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequencing.

RESULTS

We identified A1BG as a CRISP-3 binding protein in sera from cow, horse and rabbit. CRISP-3 bound kininogen 1 in mouse serum, whereas rat serum showed no CRISP-3 binding activity. In equine serum, we furthermore detected a possible CRISP, already bound to A1BG.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

It seems to be a common mechanism that A1BGs bind CRISPs, also across species. Apart from the possible physiological implications hereof, complex binding of CRISPs by A1BG (and other proteins) may interfere with the detection and function of CRISPs, when these are studied in the presence of animal sera.

Endometrial cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 is inhibited by human chorionic gonadotrophin, and is increased in the decidua of tubal ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy (EP) remains a considerable cause of morbidity and occasional mortality. Currently, there is no reliable test to differentiate ectopic from intrauterine gestation. We have previously used array technology to demonstrate that differences in gene expression in decidualized endometrium from women with ectopic and intrauterine gestations could be used to identify candidate diagnostic biomarkers for EP. The aim of this study was to further investigate the decidual gene with the highest fold increase in EP, cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3). Decidualized endometrium from gestation-matched women undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy (n = 8), evacuation of uterus for miscarriage (n = 6) and surgery for EP (n = 11) was subjected to quantitative RT-PCR, morphological assessment, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Sera were analysed for progesterone and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels. Immortalized endometrial epithelial cells were cultured with physiological concentrations of hCG. CRISP-3 mRNA and protein expression were greater in endometrium from ectopic when compared with intrauterine pregnancies (P < 0.05). CRISP-3 protein was localized to epithelium and granulocytes of endometrium. CRISP-3 serum concentrations were not different in women with ectopic compared with intrauterine pregnancies. CRISP-3 expression in endometrium was not related to the degree of decidualization or to serum progesterone levels. Endometrial CRISP-3 expression was inversely proportional to serum hCG concentrations (P < 0.001). Stimulation of endometrial epithelial cells with hCG in vitro caused a reduction in CRISP-3 expression (P < 0.01). The measurement of CRISP-3 in endometrium could provide an additional tool in the diagnosis of failing early pregnancy of unknown location. The absence of a local reduction in expression of CRISP-3 in decidualized endometrium of women with EP may be due to reduced exposure to hCG due to the ectopic location of the trophoblast.

The CAP superfamily: cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5, and pathogenesis-related 1 proteins--roles in reproduction, cancer, and immune defense

The cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5, and pathogenesis-related 1 proteins (CAP) superfamily members are found in a remarkable range of organisms spanning each of the animal kingdoms. Within humans and mice, there are 31 and 33 individual family members, respectively, and although many are poorly characterized, the majority show a notable expression bias to the reproductive tract and immune tissues or are deregulated in cancers. CAP superfamily proteins are most often secreted and have an extracellular endocrine or paracrine function and are involved in processes including the regulation of extracellular matrix and branching morphogenesis, potentially as either proteases or protease inhibitors; in ion channel regulation in fertility; as tumor suppressor or prooncogenic genes in tissues including the prostate; and in cell-cell adhesion during fertilization. This review describes mammalian CAP superfamily gene expression profiles, phylogenetic relationships, protein structural properties, and biological functions, and it draws into focus their potential role in health and disease. The nine subfamilies of the mammalian CAP superfamily include: the human glioma pathogenesis-related 1 (GLIPR1), Golgi associated pathogenesis related-1 (GAPR1) proteins, peptidase inhibitor 15 (PI15), peptidase inhibitor 16 (PI16), cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), CRISP LCCL domain containing 1 (CRISPLD1), CRISP LCCL domain containing 2 (CRISPLD2), mannose receptor like and the R3H domain containing like proteins. We conclude that overall protein structural conservation within the CAP superfamily results in fundamentally similar functions for the CAP domain in all members, yet the diversity outside of this core region dramatically alters target specificity and, therefore, the biological consequences.

A model of the complex between human beta-microseminoprotein and CRISP-3 based on NMR data

beta-Microseminoprotein (MSP), a 10kDa seminal plasma protein, forms a tight complex with cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP-3) from granulocytes. The 3D structure of human MSP has been determined but there is as yet no 3D structure for CRISP-3. We have now studied the complex between human MSP and CRISP-3 with multidimensional NMR. (15)N-HSQC spectra show substantial differences between free and complexed hMSP. Using several 3D-NMR spectra of triply labeled hMSP in complex with a recombinant N-terminal domain of CRISP-3, most of the backbone of hMSP could be assigned. The data show that only one side of hMSP, comprising beta-strands 1, 4, 5, and 8 are affected by the complex formation, indicating that beta-strands 1 and 8 form the main binding surface. Based on this we present a tentative structure for the hMSP-CRISP-3 complex using the known crystal structure of triflin as a model of CRISP-3.

Sensitization to wasp venom does not induce autoantibodies leading to infertility

Antigenic cross-reactivity has been described between the venom allergen (antigen 5) and mammalian testis proteins. Based on an allergen database we have previously shown that allergens can be represented by allergen motifs. A motif group was found containing venom antigen 5 sequences from different vespids. Using an optimized amino acid profile based on antigen 5 sequences for searching cross-reactive proteins, three human semen proteins belonging to the family of cysteine-rich secretory proteins (hCRISP) were found in the Swiss Protein database. To analyze antigenic cross-reactivity between antigen 5 and hCRISPs, antigen 5 from yellow jacket venom (Ves v 5) and two hCRISPs (CRISP-2 and -3) were chosen and produced as recombinant proteins in E. coli. A correlation was found between antibodies reacting with rVes v 5 and rhCRISP-2, -3 in a small human sera population indicating the presence of cross-reactive antibodies in human serum. Using intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a therapeutic multidonor IgG preparation, cross-reactive antibodies were isolated that recognize rVes v 5, hCRISP-2 and -3 suggesting the presence of common epitopes between Ves v 5 and hCRISPs. However this cross-reactivity seems not to be linked to allergy to wasp venom as we could show no correlation between increasing CAP-class IgE level to wasp venom and IgG to sperm extract and hCRISPs. These data suggest that higher sensitization to wasp venom does not induce more antibodies against autoantigens and might not represent a higher risk to develop autoantibodies leading to infertility.

Cloning and isolation of a Conus cysteine-rich protein homologous to Tex31 but without proteolytic activity

We cloned and isolated a cysteine-rich protein, designated Mr30, from Conus marmoreus. Mr30 belongs to the cysteine-rich secretory protein family that is highly homologous to Tex31 previously obtained from Conus textile and reported as a protease responsible for processing of pro-conotoxins. Mr30, purified by a procedure similar to that of Tex31, indeed showed low proteolytic activity. However, further investigations revealed that the detected protease activity actually resulted from a trace amount of protease(s) contamination rather than from Mr30 itself. This finding led us to rethink the role of conus cysteine-rich secretory proteins: they were probably not responsible for the processing of pro-conotoxins as previously deduced, but their real biological functions remained to be clarified.

Low salivary dehydroepiandrosterone and androgen-regulated cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 levels in Sjögren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Sjögren's syndrome (SS), an autoimmune disease of exocrine glands, typically starts at the time of adrenopause. We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that SS is characterized by an insufficient androgen effect at the target tissue level.

METHODS

We searched for androgen response elements (AREs) in the cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (crisp-3) gene. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) responsiveness was experimentally studied using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining of human submandibular gland-derived acinar cells and labial salivary gland explants with or without DHEA. Finally, glandular and salivary CRISP-3 in healthy controls and SS patients was analyzed using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) and salivary DHEA levels were measured using a radioimmunometric method.

RESULTS

Literature analysis and a search for AREs in gene banks suggested androgen dependency of human CRISP-3, and this was verified by studies of human submandibular gland acinar cells cultured with or without DHEA, in which DHEA increased CRISP-3 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels (P = 0.018). This finding was confirmed by the results of DHEA stimulation of labial salivary gland explants. Glandular CRISP-3 mRNA and protein labeling was weak and diffuse, coupled with low secretion in saliva (mean +/- SEM 21.1 +/- 2.7 mug CRISP-3/15 minutes in SS patients versus 97.6 +/- 12.0 mug CRISP-3/15 minutes in healthy controls; P < 0.0001). Compared with healthy controls, SS patients had low serum levels of DHEAS (P = 0.008) and also low salivary levels of DHEA (mean +/- SEM 224 +/- 33 pmoles versus 419 +/- 98 pmoles; P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

CRISP-3 pathology was seen in acini remote from lymphocyte foci and is apparently not secondary to local inflammation, but may represent some systemic effect in SS. Indeed, androgen deprivation in the salivary glands of SS patients is evidenced both by low salivary levels of DHEA and by low levels of DHEA-regulated CRISP-3. This may explain some of the characteristic features of SS.

Proteomic Analysis of Peritoneal Fluid in Women with Endometriosis

This study aims to evaluate differences in the expression of proteins present in the peritoneal fluid (PF) of women with and without endometriosis. PF samples were subjected to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; protein spots of interest were identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Several molecules had aberrant expression in PF of women with endometriosis; they may be useful for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease.