Thyroid hormone modulates the interaction between iron regulatory proteins and the ferritin mRNA iron-responsive element

Exploring the evolutionary landscape and structural resonances of ferritin with insights into functional significance in plant

The mineral iron plays a crucial role in facilitating the optimal functioning of numerous biological processes within the cellular environment. These processes involve the transportation of oxygen, energy production, immune system functioning, cognitive abilities, and muscle function. However, it is crucial to note that excessive levels of iron can result in oxidative damage within cells, primarily through Fenton reactions. Iron availability and toxicity present significant challenges that have been addressed through evolution. Ferritin is an essential protein that stores iron and is divided into different subfamilies, including DNA-binding proteins under starvation (Dps), bacterioferritin, and classical ferritin. Ferritin plays a critical role in maintaining cellular balance and protecting against oxidative damage. This study delves into ferritin's evolutionary dynamics across diverse taxa, emphasizing structural features and regulatory mechanisms. Insights into ferritin's evolution and functional diversity are gained through phylogenetic and structural analysis in bacterial Dps, bacterioferritin, and classical ferritin proteins. Additionally, the involvement of ferritin in plant stress responses and development is explored. Analysis of ferritin gene expression across various developmental stages and stress conditions provides insights into its regulatory roles. This comprehensive exploration enhances our understanding of ferritin's significance in plant biology, offering insights into its evolutionary history, structural diversity, and protective mechanisms against oxidative stress.

Neonatal Graves Disease Masquerading as Hemochromatosis

Thyroid autoimmunity is extremely common in the adult population and can affect pregnancy outcomes. Signs in the newborn can range from absent to severe, making the diagnosis easy to miss. We present an interesting case of neonatal Graves disease associated with intrauterine growth restriction, premature delivery, and liver failure with severely high ferritin, thought to be secondary to hemochromatosis. Treatment of the underlying hyperthyroidism caused a rapid resolution of the elevated ferritin and liver failure. This report highlights the importance of considering Graves disease in newborns with liver failure of unknown etiology.

Iron Responsiveness to Lysosomal Disruption: A Novel Pathway to Alzheimer's Disease

Familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD) mutations in the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) enhance brain AβPP C-Terminal Fragment (CTF) levels to inhibit lysosomal v-ATPase. Consequent disrupted acidification of the endolysosomal pathway may trigger brain iron deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction. The iron responsive element (IRE) in the 5'Untranslated-region of AβPP mRNA should be factored into this cycle where reduced bioavailable Fe-II would decrease IRE-dependent AβPP translation and levels of APP-CTFβ in a cycle to adaptively restore iron homeostasis while increases of transferrin-receptors is evident. In healthy younger individuals, Fe-dependent translational modulation of AβPP is part of the neuroprotective function of sAβPPα with its role in iron transport.

Rethinking IRPs/IRE system in neurodegenerative disorders: Looking beyond iron metabolism

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) and iron regulatory element (IRE) systems are well known in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders by regulating iron related proteins. IRPs are also regulated by iron homeostasis. However, an increasing number of studies have suggested a close relationship between the IRPs/IRE system and non-iron-related neurodegenerative disorders. In this paper, we reviewed that the IRPs/IRE system is not only controlled by iron ions, but also regulated by such factors as post-translational modification, oxygen, nitric oxide (NO), heme, interleukin-1 (IL-1), and metal ions. In addition, by regulating the transcription of non-iron related proteins, the IRPs/IRE system functioned in oxidative metabolism, cell cycle regulation, abnormal proteins aggregation, and neuroinflammation. Finally, by emphasizing the multiple regulations of IRPs/IRE system and its potential relationship with non-iron metabolic neurodegenerative disorders, we provided new strategies for disease treatment targeting IRPs/IRE system.

Inflammation drives alternative first exon usage to regulate immune genes including a novel iron-regulated isoform of Aim2

Determining the layers of gene regulation within the innate immune response is critical to our understanding of the cellular responses to infection and dysregulation in disease. We identified a conserved mechanism of gene regulation in human and mouse via changes in alternative first exon (AFE) usage following inflammation, resulting in changes to the isoforms produced. Of these AFE events, we identified 95 unannotated transcription start sites in mice using a de novo transcriptome generated by long-read native RNA-sequencing, one of which is in the cytosolic receptor for dsDNA and known inflammatory inducible gene, Aim2. We show that this unannotated AFE isoform of Aim2 is the predominant isoform expressed during inflammation and contains an iron-responsive element in its 5′UTR enabling mRNA translation to be regulated by iron levels. This work highlights the importance of examining alternative isoform changes and translational regulation in the innate immune response and uncovers novel regulatory mechanisms of Aim2.

Iron-responsive-like elements and neurodegenerative ferroptosis

A set of common-acting iron-responsive 5′untranslated region (5′UTR) motifs can fold into RNA stem loops that appear significant to the biology of cognitive declines of Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), Lewy body dementia (LDD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neurodegenerative diseases exhibit perturbations of iron homeostasis in defined brain subregions over characteristic time intervals of progression. While misfolding of Aβ from the amyloid-precursor-protein (APP), alpha-synuclein, prion protein (PrP) each cause neuropathic protein inclusions in the brain subregions, iron-responsive-like element (IRE-like) RNA stem–loops reside in their transcripts. APP and αsyn have a role in iron transport while gene duplications elevate the expression of their products to cause rare familial cases of AD and PDD. Of note, IRE-like sequences are responsive to excesses of brain iron in a potential feedback loop to accelerate neuronal ferroptosis and cognitive declines as well as amyloidosis. This pathogenic feedback is consistent with the translational control of the iron storage protein ferritin. We discuss how the IRE-like RNA motifs in the 5′UTRs of APP, alpha-synuclein and PrP mRNAs represent uniquely folded drug targets for therapies to prevent perturbed iron homeostasis that accelerates AD, PD, PD dementia (PDD) and Lewy body dementia, thus preventing cognitive deficits. Inhibition of alpha-synuclein translation is an option to block manganese toxicity associated with early childhood cognitive problems and manganism while Pb toxicity is epigenetically associated with attention deficit and later-stage AD. Pathologies of heavy metal toxicity centered on an embargo of iron export may be treated with activators of APP and ferritin and inhibitors of alpha-synuclein translation.

Do free thyroxine levels influence the relationship between maternal serum ferritin and gestational diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy?

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to estimate the combined effect of serum ferritin (SF) concentration and free thyroxine (fT4) levels on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

METHODS

Women presented for antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China were included in this study from December 2012 to March 2014. Women were divided into six groups according to the SF and fT4 level. Multiple logistical regression model was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) among different groups. Relative excess risk of interaction (RERI), the attributable proportion (AP) of the interaction and the synergy index (SI) were applied to evaluate the additive interaction of SF concentration and fT4 level.

RESULTS

A total of 6542 qualifying pregnant women were included in this study. We observed that a high SF concentration in early pregnancy was related to an increased risk of GDM (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.02-1.43); while a low fT4 level was not (OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 0.89-1.58). There is no addictive interaction between SF and fT4 level on the presence of GDM.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that only high serum ferritin concentration is associated with an increased risk of GDM in early pregnancy. The level of fT4 in early pregnancy might have no effect on the association between high SF and risk of GDM.

Differential regulation of estrogen in iron metabolism in astrocytes and neurons

Previous studies have demonstrated an effect of estrogen on iron metabolism in peripheral tissues. The role of estrogen on brain iron metabolism is currently unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of estrogen on iron transport proteins. We demonstrated that the iron exporter ferroportin 1 (FPN1) and iron importer divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) were upregulated and iron content was decreased after estrogen treatment for 12 hr in primary cultured astrocytes. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) was upregulated, but HIF-2α remained unchanged after estrogen treatment for 12 hr in primary cultured astrocytes. In primary cultured neurons, DMT1 was downregulated, FPN1 was upregulated, iron content decreased, iron regulatory protein (IRP1) was downregulated, but HIF-1α and HIF-2α remained unchanged after estrogen treatment for 12 hr. These results suggest that the regulation of iron metabolism by estrogen in astrocytes and neurons is different. Estrogen increases FPN1 and DMT1 expression by inducing HIF-1α in astrocytes, whereas decreased expression of IRP1 may account for the decreased DMT1 and increased FPN1 expression in neurons.

Iron Deficiency May Predict Greater Risk for Hypothyroxinemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Pregnant Women in China

BACKGROUND

Pregnant women are highly vulnerable to iron deficiency (ID) due to the increased iron needs during pregnancy. ID decreases circulating thyroid hormone concentrations likely through impairment of iron-dependent thyroid peroxidase. The present study aimed to explore the association between ID and hypothyroxinemia in a retrospective cohort of pregnant women in China.

METHODS

To investigate the relationship between ID and hypothyroxinemia, 723 pregnant women were retrospectively analyzed, including 675 and 309 women in the second and third trimesters, respectively. Trimester-specific hypothyroxinemia was defined as free thyroxine (fT4) levels below the 2.5th percentile of the reference range with normal serum thyrotropin (TSH) or TSH higher than the 97.5th percentile of the reference range in each trimester of pregnancy. Serum TSH, fT4, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, and urinary iodine concentrations were measured. Serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, and total body iron were used to indicate the nutritional iron status.

RESULTS

Cross-sectional multiple linear regression analysis showed that iron status was positively associated with serum fT4 levels in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, but not in the third trimester. Logistic regression analysis showed that ID was an independent risk factor for hypothyroxinemia (odds ratio = 14.86 [confidence interval 2.31-95.81], p = 0.005 in the first trimester and odds ratio = 3.36 [confidence interval 1.01-11.21], p = 0.048 in the second trimester). The prospective analysis showed that pregnant women with ID during the first trimester of pregnancy had lower serum fT4 levels and a higher rate of hypothyroxinemia in the second or third trimester than those without ID.

CONCLUSIONS

ID appears to be a risk factor to predict hypothyroxinemia in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, but not in the third trimester. Pregnant women with ID in the first and second trimesters should be regarded as a high-risk group for maternal hypothyroxinemia.

Iron metabolism in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism

OBJECTIVES

Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH) interferes with iron metabolism and elevates ferritin. The precise mechanisms remain unclear. The influence of thyroid hormones on the synthesis/regulation of hepcidin, an important regulator of iron metabolism, remains uncharacterized.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

PATIENTS

We included patients (n = 31) with new-onset and untreated GH.

MEASUREMENTS

Laboratory parameters indicative of iron metabolism (ferritin, transferrin, hepcidin), inflammatory markers/cytokines and smoking status were assessed at the diagnosis of GH (T0) and at euthyroidism (T1) in the same patients using multivariable analyses. Hepcidin was measured by mass spectrometry (hepcidin_MS ) and ELISA (hepcidin_EL ). The impact of T3 on hepatic hepcidin expression was studied in a cell culture model using HepG2 cells.

RESULTS

Median ferritin levels were significantly lower and transferrin significantly higher at T1 than at T0. Hepcidin_MS levels were lower in males and females at T1 (statistically significant in males only). No statistically significant difference in hepcidin_EL was detected between T0 and T1. Plasma levels of inflammatory markers (high-sensitive CRP, procalcitonin) and cytokines (interleukin 6, interleukin 1ß, tumour necrosis factor α) were not different between T0 and T1. Smokers tended to have lower fT3 and fT4 at T0 than nonsmoking GH patients. T3 significantly induced hepcidin mRNA expression in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Iron metabolism in patients with GH undergoes dynamic changes in patients with GH that resemble an acute-phase reaction. Inflammatory parameters and cytokines were unaffected by thyroid status. Gender and smoking status had an impact on ferritin, hepcidin and thyroid hormones.

Applying a systems approach to thyroid physiology: Looking at the whole with a mitochondrial perspective instead of judging single TSH values or why we should know more about mitochondria to understand metabolism

Classical thinking in endocrine physiology squeezes our diagnostic handling into a simple negative feedback mechanism with a controller and a controlled variable. In the case of the thyroid this is reduced to TSH and fT3 and fT4, respectively. The setting of this tight notion has no free space for any additions. In this paper we want to challenge this model of limited application by proposing a construct based on a systems approach departing from two basic considerations. In first place since the majority of cases of thyroid disease develop and appear during life it has to be considered as an acquired condition. In the second place, our experience with the reversibility of morphological changes makes the autoimmune theory inconsistent.

While medical complexity can expand into the era of OMICS as well as into one where manipulations with the use of knock-outs and -ins are common in science, we have preferred to maintain a simple and practical approach. We will describe the interactions of iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and coenzyme Q10 with the thyroid axis. The discourse will be then brought into the context of ovarian function, i.e. steroid hormone production. Finally the same elemental players will be presented in relation to the basic mitochondrial machinery that supports the endocrine.

We propose that an intact mitochondrial function can guard the normal endocrine function of both the thyroid as well as of the ovarian axis. The basic elements required for this function appear to be magnesium and iron. In the case of the thyroid, magnesium-ATP acts in iodine uptake and the heme protein peroxidase in thyroid hormone synthesis. A similar biochemical process is found in steroid synthesis with cholesterol uptake being the initial energy-dependent step and later the heme protein ferredoxin 1 which is required for steroid synthesis. Magnesium plays a central role in determining the clinical picture associated with thyroid disease and is also involved in maintaining fertility. With the aid of 3D sonography patients needing selenium and/or coenzyme Q10 can be easily identified. By this we firmly believe that physicians should know more about basic biochemistry and the way it fits into mitochondrial function in order to understand metabolism. Contemplating only TSH is highly reductionistic.

Outline

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Author's profiles and motivation for this analysis

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The philosophical alternatives in science and medicine

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Reductionism vs. systems approach in clinical thyroid disease guidelines

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The entry into complexity: the involvement of the musculoskeletal system

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Integrating East and West: teachings from Chinese Medicine and from evidence based medicine (EBM)

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Can a mathematical model represent complexity in the daily thyroid practice?

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How effective is thyroxine treatment?

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Resolving the situation of residual symptoms in treated patients with thyroid disease

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Importance of iron, zinc and magnesium in relation to thyroid function

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Putting together new concepts related to thyroid function for a systems approach

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Expanding our model into general aspects of medicine

Causal role of oxidative stress in unfolded protein response development in the hyperthyroid state

L-3,3',5-Triiodothyronine (T3)-induced liver oxidative stress underlies significant protein oxidation, which may trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR). Administration of daily doses of 0.1mg T3 for three consecutive days significantly increased the rectal temperature of rats and liver O2 consumption rate, with higher protein carbonyl and 8-isoprostane levels, glutathione depletion, and absence of morphological changes in liver parenchyma. Concomitantly, liver protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase and eukaryotic translation initiator factor 2α were phosphorylated in T3-treated rats compared to controls, with increased protein levels of binding immunoglobulin protein and activating transcription factor 4. In addition, higher mRNA levels of C/EBP homologous protein, growth arrest and DNA damage 34, protein disulfide isomerase, and ER oxidoreductin 1α were observed, changes that were suppressed by N-acetylcysteine (0.5 g/kg) given before each dose of T3. In conclusion, T3-induced liver oxidative stress involving higher protein oxidation status has a causal role in UPR development, a response that is aimed to alleviate ER stress and promote cell survival.

Thyroid hormone in the frontier of cell protection, survival and functional recovery

Thyroid hormone (TH) exerts important actions on cellular energy metabolism, accelerating O2consumption with consequent reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and redox signalling affording cell protection, a response that is contributed by redox-independent mechanisms. These processes underlie genomic and non-genomic pathways, which are integrated and exhibit hierarchical organisation. ROS production led to the activation of the redox-sensitive transcription factors nuclear factor-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, activating protein 1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, promoting cell protection and survival by TH. These features involve enhancement in the homeostatic potential including antioxidant, antiapoptotic, antiinflammatory and cell proliferation responses, besides higher detoxification capabilities and energy supply through AMP-activated protein kinase upregulation. The above aspects constitute the molecular basis for TH-induced preconditioning of the liver that exerts protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, a strategy also observed in extrahepatic organs of experimental animals and with other types of injury, which awaits application in the clinical setting. Noteworthy, re-adjusting TH to normal levels results in several beneficial effects; for example, it lengthens the cold storage time of organs for transplantation from brain-dead donors; allows a superior neurological outcome in infants of <28 weeks of gestation; reduces the cognitive side-effects of lithium and improves electroconvulsive therapy in patients with bipolar disorders.

The association between the levels of serum ferritin and sex hormones in a large scale of Chinese male population

BACKGROUND

The ferritin is an important participant of iron-storage but its regulation and related factors were not well defined. The present objective was to explore the potential association between serum ferritin levels and sex hormones.

METHODS

1999 Chinese men in the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Levels of serum ferritin, total testosterone (free testosterone was calculated from the total one), estradiol and sex hormone-binding protein were detected in venous blood samples. The effects of age, BMI, smoking as well as alcohol consumption were analyzed on ferritin levels, respectively, and then the Pearson's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between ferritin levels and sex hormones adjusting for the above factors.

RESULTS

The age, BMI and alcohol consumption significantly affected serum ferritin levels, but there was no significant difference between smokers and nonsmokers. Ferritin levels were significantly and negatively associated with total testosterone (R = -0.205, P< 0.001), sex hormone-binding protein (R = -0.161, P<0.001) and free testosterone (R = -0.097, P<0.001). After age and alcohol consumption were adjusted, the above associations were still significant (R = -0.200, -0.181 and -0.083, respectively, all P<0.001). However, there was only borderline negative association between ferritin levels and estradiol (adjusted R = -0.039, P = 0.083).

CONCLUSION

The large scale of epidemic results showed the significantly negative associations between serum ferritin levels and sex hormones, which may provide more clues to explore the potential regulation and biological mechanism of ferritin.

β-Amyloid-evoked apoptotic cell death is mediated through MKK6-p66shc pathway

We have previously shown the involvement of p66shc in mediating apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate the novel mechanism of β-Amyloid-induced toxicity in the mammalian cells. β-Amyloid leads to the phosphorylation of p66shc at the serine 36 residue and activates MKK6, by mediating the phosphorylation at serine 207 residue. Treatment of cells with antioxidants blocks β-Amyloid-induced serine phosphorylation of MKK6, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and hence protected cells against β-Amyloid-induced cell death. Our results indicate that serine phosphorylation of p66shc is carried out by active MKK6. MKK6 knock-down resulted in decreased serine 36 phosphorylation of p66shc. Co-immunoprecipitation results demonstrate a direct physical association between p66shc and WT MKK6, but not with its mutants. Increase in β-Amyloid-induced ROS production was observed in the presence of MKK6 and p66shc, when compared to triple mutant of MKK6 (inactive) and S36 mutant of p66shc. ROS scavengers and knock-down against p66shc, and MKK6 significantly decreased the endogenous level of active p66shc, ROS production, and cell death. Finally, we show that the MKK6-p66shc complex mediates β-Amyloid-evoked apoptotic cell death.

Biological significance of a thyroid hormone-regulated secretome

The thyroid hormone, 3,3,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), modulates several physiological processes, including cellular growth, differentiation, metabolism and proliferation, via interactions with thyroid hormone response elements (TREs) in the regulatory regions of target genes. Several intracellular and extracellular protein candidates are regulated by T3. Moreover, T3-regulated secreted proteins participate in physiological processes or cellular transformation. T3 has been employed as a marker in several disorders, such as cardiovascular disorder in chronic kidney disease, as well as diseases of the liver, immune system, endocrine hormone metabolism and coronary artery. Our group subsequently showed that T3 regulates several tumor-related secretory proteins, leading to cancer progression via alterations in extracellular matrix proteases and tumor-associated signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinomas. Therefore, elucidation of T3/thyroid hormone receptor-regulated secretory proteins and their underlying mechanisms in cancers should facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets. This review provides a detailed summary on the known secretory proteins regulated by T3 and their physiological significance. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: An Updated Secretome.

Cloning analysis of ferritin and the cisplatin-subunit for cancer cell apoptosis in Aplysia juliana hepatopancreas

Ferritin, an iron storage protein, plays a key role in iron metabolism in vivo. Here, we have cloned an inducible ferritin cDNA with 519 bp within the open reading frame fragment from the hepatopancreas of Aplysia juliana (AJ). The subunit sequence of the ferritin was predicted to be a polypeptide of 172 amino acids with a molecular mass of 19.8291kDa and an isoelectric point of 5.01. The cDNA sequence of hepatopancreas ferritin in AJ was constructed into a pET-32a system for expressing its relative protein efficiently in E. coli strain BL21, under isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside induction. The recombinant ferritin, which was further purified on a Ni-NTA resin column and digested with enterokinase, was detected as a single subunit of approximately 20 kDa mass using both SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. The secondary structure and phosphorylation sites of the deduced amino acids were predicted using both ExPASy proteomic tools and the NetPhos 2.0 server, and the subunit space structure of the recombinant AJ ferritin (rAjFer) was built using a molecular operating environment software system. The result of in-gel digestion and identification using MALDI-TOF MS/MS showed that the recombinant protein was AjFer. ICP-MS results indicated that the rAjFer subunit could directly bind to cisplatin[cis-Diaminedichloroplatinum(CDDP)], giving approximately 17.6 CDDP/ferritin subunits and forming a novel CDDP-subunit. This suggests that a nanometer CDDP core-ferritin was constructed, which could be developed as a new anti-cancer drug. The flow cytometry results indicated that CDDP-rAjFer could induce Hela cell apoptosis. Results of the real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression of AjFer mRNA was up-regulated in AJ under Cd(2+) stress. The recombinant AjFer protein should prove to be useful for further study of the structure and function of ferritin in Aplysia.

Explorations of catalytic domains in non-ribosomal peptide synthetase enzymology

Many pharmaceuticals on the market today belong to a large class of natural products called nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). Originating from bacteria and fungi, these peptide-based natural products consist not only of the 20 canonical L-amino acids, but also non-proteinogenic amino acids, heterocyclic rings, sugars, and fatty acids, generating tremendous chemical diversity. As a result, these secondary metabolites exhibit a broad array of bioactivity, ranging from antimicrobial to anticancer. The biosynthesis of these complex compounds is carried out by large multimodular megaenzymes called nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). Each module is responsible for incorporation of a monomeric unit into the natural product peptide and is composed of individual domains that perform different catalytic reactions. Biochemical and bioinformatic investigations of these enzymes have uncovered the key principles of NRP synthesis, expanding the pharmaceutical potential of their enzymatic processes. Progress has been made in the manipulation of this biosynthetic machinery to develop new chemoenzymatic approaches for synthesizing novel pharmaceutical agents with increased potency. This review focuses on the recent discoveries and breakthroughs in the structural elucidation, molecular mechanism, and chemical biology underlying the discrete domains within NRPSs.

Recent advances in liver preconditioning: Thyroid hormone, n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and iron

Liver preconditioning (PC), defined as an enhanced tolerance to injuring stimuli induced by previous specific maneuvers triggering beneficial functional and molecular changes, is of crucial importance in human liver transplantation and major hepatic resection. For these reasons, numerous PC strategies have been evaluated in experimental models of ischemia-reperfusion liver injury, which have not been transferred to clinical application due to side effects, toxicity and difficulties in implementation, with the exception of the controversial ischemic PC. In recent years, our group has undertaken the assessment of alternate experimental liver PC protocols that might have application in the clinical setting. These include thyroid hormone (T(3)), n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA), or iron, which suppressed liver damage due to the 1 h ischemia-20 h reperfusion protocol. T(3), n-3 LCPUFA and iron are hormetic agents that trigger biologically beneficial effects in the low-dose range, whose multifactorial mechanisms of action are discussed in the work.

Single subunit type of ferritin from visceral mass of Saccostrea cucullata: cloning, expression and cisplatin-subunit analysis

Ferritin, the iron storage protein, plays a key role in iron metabolism. Here, we have cloned an inducible ferritin cDNA with 516 bp within the open reading frame fragment from the visceral mass of Saccostrea cucullata. The subunit sequence of the ferritin was predicted to be a polypeptide of 171 amino acids with a molecular weight (MW) of 19.9182 kDa and an isoelectric point of 5.24. The cDNA sequence of S. cucullata ferritin was constructed into a pET-32a expression system for expressing its relative protein efficiently in the Escherichia coli BL21 strain under isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction. The recombinant ferritin, which was further purified on a Ni-NTA resin column and digested with enterokinase, was detected as a single subunit of approximately MW 20 kDa using both SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. S. cucullata ferritin (ScFer) showed 98% identity with Crassostrea gigas ferritin at the amino acid level. The secondary structure and phosphorylation sites of deduced amino acids were predicted with ExPASy proteomics tools and the NetPhos 2.0 server, respectively, and the subunit space structure of recombinant S. cucullata ferritin (rScFer) was built using the molecular operating environmental software system. The results of both in-gel digestion and identification using MALDI-TOF MS/MS showed that the recombinant protein was ScFer. ICP-MS indicated that rScFer subunit can directly bind to cisplatin[cis-Diaminedichloroplatinum(CDDP)], giving approximately 22.9 CDDP/ferritin subunit for forming a novel complex of CDDP-subunit, which suggests that it constructs a nanometer CDDP core-ferritin for developing a new drug of anti-cancer. The results of both the real-time PCR and Western blotting showed that the expression of ScFer mRNA was up-regulated in the oyster under the stress of Cd(2+). In addition, the expression increment of ScFer mRNA under bacterial challenge indicated that ferritin participated in the immune response of S. cucullata. The recombinant ScFer should prove to be useful for further study of the structure and function of ferritin in S. cucullata.

Biosynthesis of active pharmaceuticals: β-lactam biosynthesis in filamentous fungi

β-lactam antibiotics (e.g. penicillins, cephalosporins) are of major clinical importance and contribute to over 40% of the total antibiotic market. These compounds are produced as secondary metabolites by certain actinomycetes and filamentous fungi (e.g. Penicillium, Aspergillus and Acremonium species). The industrial producer of penicillin is the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. The enzymes of the penicillin biosynthetic pathway are well characterized and most of them are encoded by genes that are organized in a cluster in the genome. Remarkably, the penicillin biosynthetic pathway is compartmentalized: the initial steps of penicillin biosynthesis are catalyzed by cytosolic enzymes, whereas the two final steps involve peroxisomal enzymes. Here, we describe the biochemical properties of the enzymes of β-lactam biosynthesis in P. chrysogenum and the role of peroxisomes in this process. An overview is given on strain improvement programs via classical mutagenesis and, more recently, genetic engineering, leading to more productive strains. Also, the potential of using heterologous hosts for the development of novel ß-lactam antibiotics and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase-based peptides is discussed.

Iron regulatory proteins: from molecular mechanisms to drug development

Eukaryotic cells require iron for survival but, as an excess of poorly liganded iron can lead to the catalytic production of toxic radicals that can damage cell structures, regulatory mechanisms have been developed to maintain appropriate cell and body iron levels. The interactions of iron responsive elements (IREs) with iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) coordinately regulate the expression of the genes involved in iron uptake, use, storage, and export at the post-transcriptional level, and represent the main regulatory network controlling cell iron homeostasis. IRP1 and IRP2 are similar (but not identical) proteins with partially overlapping and complementary functions, and control cell iron metabolism by binding to IREs (i.e., conserved RNA stem-loops located in the untranslated regions of a dozen mRNAs directly or indirectly related to iron metabolism). The discovery of the presence of IREs in a number of other mRNAs has extended our knowledge of the influence of the IRE/IRP regulatory network to new metabolic pathways, and it has been recently learned that an increasing number of agents and physiopathological conditions impinge on the IRE/IRP system. This review focuses on recent findings concerning the IRP-mediated regulation of iron homeostasis, its alterations in disease, and new research directions to be explored in the near future.

Hormetic responses of thyroid hormone calorigenesis in the liver: Association with oxidative stress

Thyroid hormone (L-3,3',5-triiodothyronine, T(3)) exerts calorigenic effects by accelerating mitochondrial O(2) consumption through transcriptional activation of respiratory genes, with consequent increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In the liver, ROS generation occurs at different sites of hepatocytes and in the respiratory burst of Kupffer cells, triggering the activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor-kappaB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and activating protein 1. Under these conditions, the redox upregulation of Kupffer cell-dependent expression of cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6] is achieved, which upon interaction with specific receptors in hepatocytes trigger the expression of antioxidant enzymes (manganese superoxide dismutase, inducible nitric oxide synthase), antiapoptotic proteins (Bcl-2), and acute-phase proteins (haptoglobin, beta-fibrinogen). These responses and the promotion of hepatocyte and Kupffer cell proliferation observed represent hormetic effects re-establishing redox homeostasis, promoting cell survival, and protecting the liver against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. It is proposed that hormesis underlying T(3) action may constitute a novel preconditioning strategy for IR injury during liver surgery in man or in liver transplantation using reduced-size grafts from living donors, considering that (i) with the exception of the controversial ischemic preconditioning, all other studied strategies have failed to reach the clinical setting and (ii) T(3) is a well-tolerated therapeutic agent that either lacks major adverse effects or has minimal and controlled side effects.

Developmental regulation of the nuclear ferritoid-ferritin complex of avian corneal epithelial cells: roles of systemic factors and thyroxine

Previously we observed that avian corneal epithelial cells protect their DNA from oxidative damage by having the iron-sequestering molecule ferritin - normally cytoplasmic - in a nuclear location. This localization involves a developmentally-regulated ferritin-like protein - ferritoid - that initially serves as the nuclear transporter, and then as a component of a ferritoid-ferritin complex that is half the size of a typical ferritin and binds to DNA. We also observed that developmentally, the synthesis of ferritin and ferritoid are regulated coordinately - with ferritin being predominantly translational and ferritoid transcriptional. In the present study we examined whether the mechanism(s) involved in this regulation reside within the cornea itself, or alternatively involve a systemic factor(s). For this, we explanted embryonic corneas of one age to the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of host embryos of a different age - all prior to the initiation of ferritin synthesis. Consistent with systemic regulation, the explants initiated the synthesis of both ferritin and ferritoid in concert with that of the host. We then examined whether this systemic regulation might involve thyroxine - a hormone with broad developmental effects. Employing corneal organ cultures, we observed that thyroxine initiated the synthesis of both components in a manner similar to that which occurs in vivo (i.e. ferritin was translational and ferritoid transcriptional).

Amyloid precursor protein and alpha synuclein translation, implications for iron and inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases

Recent studies that alleles in the hemochromatosis gene may accelerate the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years have validated interest in the model in which metals (particularly iron) accelerate disease course. Biochemical and biophysical measurements demonstrated the presence of elevated levels of neurotoxic copper zinc and iron in the brains of AD patients. Intracellular levels of APP holoprotein were shown to be modulated by iron by a mechanism that is similar to the translation control of the ferritin L- and H mRNAs by iron-responsive element (IRE) RNA stem loops in their 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs). More recently a putative IRE-like sequence was hypothesized present in the Parkinsons's alpha synuclein (ASYN) transcript (see [A.L. Friedlich, R.E. Tanzi, J.T. Rogers, The 5'-untranslated region of Parkinson's disease alpha-synuclein messenger RNA contains a predicted iron responsive element, Mol. Psychiatry 12 (2007) 222-223. [6]]). Together with the demonstration of metal dependent translation of APP mRNA, the involvement of metals in the plaque of AD patients and of increased iron in striatal neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) of Parkinson's disease patients have stimulated the development of metal attenuating agents and iron chelators as a major new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of these neurodegenerative diseases. In the case of AD, metal based therapeutics may ultimately prove more cost effective than the use of an amyloid vaccine as the preferred anti-amyloid therapeutic strategy to ameliorate the cognitive decline of AD patients.

Ovariectomy and estrogen treatment modulate iron metabolism in rat adipose tissue

Iron is essential for many biological processes and its deficiency or excess is involved in pathological conditions. At cellular level, the maintenance of iron homeostasis is largely accomplished by the transferrin receptor (TfR-1) and by ferritin, whose expression is mainly regulated post-transcriptionally by iron regulatory proteins (IRPs). This study examines the hypothesis that modification of serum estrogen levels by ovariectomy and 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) treatment in rats modulate serum iron-status parameters and iron metabolism in adipose tissue. In particular, we evaluated the RNA binding of IRP1 by electrophoretic mobility-shift assay and IRP1, ferritin, and TfR-1 expression in adipose tissue by Western blot analysis. Ovariectomy, besides a lowered serum iron and transferrin iron binding capacity, remarkably decreased the binding activity of IRP1 in peritoneal and subcutaneous adipose tissues, and these effects were reversed by E(2) treatment. Moreover, ovariectomy determined a decrease of IRP1 expression, which was significant in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Consistent with IRP1 regulation, an increase of ferritin and a decrease of TfR-1 expression were observed in peritoneal adipose tissue from ovariectomized animals, while the treatment with E(2) reconstituted TfR-1 level. A similar expression profile of TfR-1 was observed in subcutaneous adipose tissue, where ferritin level did not change in ovariectomized animals, and was increased after E(2) treatment. Our results indicate that estrogen level changes can regulate the binding activity of the IRP1, and consequently ferritin and TfR-1 expression in adipose tissue, suggesting a relationship among serum and tissue iron parameters, estrogen status and adiposity.

Molecular, physiological and clinical aspects of the iron storage protein ferritin

Oxidative stress is a major factor in inflammatory, malignant and metabolic diseases in domestic and farm animals. Oxidative stress-mediated damage depends on the level of cellular and total body iron status because an excess iron (Fe(2+)) pool produces the most harmful free radicals (hydroxyls) through the Fenton reaction. Ferritin is a ubiquitous and conserved iron storage protein that plays a central role in iron metabolism and has the dual function of storing iron in bioavailable and non-toxic forms. Intracellular ferritin synthesis is controlled at translational and transcriptional levels in both an iron-dependent and an iron-independent manner. Ferritin is also found in extracellular fluids such as serum, synovial fluids and milk. Although serum ferritin is a sensitive indicator of body iron stores, the extracellular ferritins are elevated in inflammatory or malignant disease. Circulating ferritin interacts with ferritin-binding protein to form a complex, which is rapidly cleared from the body. This review describes recent research of physiological and clinical significance of ferritin and its application to future veterinary medicine.

Thyroid hormone preconditioning: protection against ischemia-reperfusion liver injury in the rat

Recently, we reported that oxidative stress due to 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T(3))-induced calorigenesis up-regulates the hepatic expression of mediators promoting cell protection. In this study, T(3) administration in rats (single dose of 0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneally) induced significant depletion of reduced liver glutathione (GSH), with higher protein oxidation, O(2) consumption, and Kupffer cell function (carbon phagocytosis and carbon-induced O(2) uptake). These changes occurred within a period of 36 hours of T(3) treatment in animals showing normal liver histology and lack of alteration in serum AST and ALT levels. Partial hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) (1 h of ischemia via vascular clamping and 20 h reperfusion) led to 11-fold and 42-fold increases in serum AST and ALT levels, respectively, and significant changes in liver histology, with a 36% decrease in liver GSH content and a 133% increase in that of protein carbonyls. T(3) administration in a time window of 48 hours was substantially protective against hepatic IR injury, with a net 60% and 90% reduction in liver GSH depletion and protein oxidation induced by IR, respectively. Liver IR led to decreased DNA binding of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) (54%) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) (53%) (electromobility shift assay), with 50% diminution in the protein expression of haptoglobin (Western blot), changes that were normalized by T(3) preconditioning.

CONCLUSION

T(3) administration involving transient oxidative stress in the liver exerts significant protection against IR injury, a novel preconditioning maneuver that is associated with NF-kappaB and STAT3 activation and acute-phase response.

Chemokine CXCL12 induces binding of ferritin heavy chain to the chemokine receptor CXCR4, alters CXCR4 signaling, and induces phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of ferritin heavy chain

Chemokine receptor-initiated signaling plays critical roles in cell differentiation, proliferation, and migration. However, the regulation of chemokine receptor signaling under physiological and pathological conditions is not fully understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) formed a complex with ferritin heavy chain (FHC) in a ligand-dependent manner. Our in vitro binding assays revealed that purified FHC associated with both the glutathione S-transferase-conjugated N-terminal and C-terminal domains of CXCR4, thereby suggesting the presence of more than one FHC binding site in the protein sequence of CXCR4. Using confocal microscopy, we observed that stimulation with CXCL12, the receptor ligand, induced colocalization of the internalized CXCR4 with FHC into internal vesicles. Furthermore, after CXCL12 treatment, FHC underwent time-dependent nuclear translocation and phosphorylation at serine residues. By contrast, a mutant form of FHC in which serine 178 was replaced by alanine (S178A) failed to undergo phosphorylation, suggesting that serine 178 is the major phosphorylation site. Compared with the wild type FHC, the FHC-S178A mutant exhibited reduced association with CXCR4 and constitutive nuclear translocation. We also found that CXCR4-mediated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation and chemotaxis were inhibited by overexpression of wild type FHC but not FHC-S178A mutant, and were prolonged by FHC knockdown. In addition to CXCR4, other chemokine receptor-initiated signaling appeared to be similarly regulated by FHC, because CXCR2-mediated ERK1/2 activation was also inhibited by FHC overexpression and prolonged by FHC knockdown. Altogether, our data provide strong evidence for an important role of FHC in chemokine receptor signaling and receptor-mediated cell migration.

The acute-phase response of the liver in relation to thyroid hormone-induced redox signaling

Recently, we reported that 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) induces the expression of redox-sensitive genes as a nongenomic mechanism of T3 action. In this study, we show that T3 administration to rats (daily doses of 0.1 mg/kg ip for 3 consecutive days) induced a calorigenic response and liver glutathione depletion as an indication of oxidative stress, with higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6 in serum (ELISA) and hepatic STAT3 DNA binding (EMSA), which were maximal at 48-72 h after treatment. Under these conditions, the protein expression of the acute-phase proteins haptoglobin and beta-fibrinogen is significantly augmented, a change that is suppressed by pretreatment with alpha-tocopherol (100 mg/kg ip) or gadolinium chloride (10 mg/kg iv) before T3. It is concluded that T3 administration induces the acute-phase response in rat liver by a redox mechanism triggered at the Kupffer cell level, in association with IL-6 release and activation of the STAT3 cascade, a response that may contribute to reestablishing homeostasis in the liver and extrahepatic tissues exhibiting oxidative stress.

Metalloproteinase/Presenilin1 processing of ephrinB regulates EphB-induced Src phosphorylation and signaling

Bidirectional signaling triggered by interacting ephrinB receptors (EphB) and ephrinB ligands is crucial for development and function of the vascular and nervous systems. A signaling cascade triggered by this interaction involves activation of Src kinase and phosphorylation of ephrinB. The mechanism, however, by which EphB activates Src in the ephrinB-expressing cells is unknown. Here we show that EphB stimulates a metalloproteinase cleavage of ephrinB2, producing a carboxy-terminal fragment that is further processed by PS1/gamma-secretase to produce intracellular peptide ephrinB2/CTF2. This peptide binds Src and inhibits its association with inhibitory kinase Csk, allowing autophosphorylation of Src at residue tyr418. EphrinB2/CTF2-activated Src phosphorylates ephrinB2 and inhibits its processing by gamma-secretase. These data show that the PS1/gamma-secretase system controls Src activation and ephrinB phosphorylation by regulating production of Src activator ephrinB2/CTF2. Accordingly, gamma-secretase inhibitors prevented the EphB-induced sprouting of endothelial cells and the recruitment of Grb4 to ephrinB. PS1 FAD and gamma-secretase dominant-negative mutants inhibited the EphB-induced cleavage of ephrinB2 and Src autophosphorylation, raising the possibility that FAD mutants interfere with the functions of Src and ephrinB2 in the CNS.

The acute box cis-element in human heavy ferritin mRNA 5'-untranslated region is a unique translation enhancer that binds poly(C)-binding proteins

Intracellular levels of the light (L) and heavy (H) ferritin subunits are regulated by iron at the level of message translation via a modulated interaction between the iron regulatory proteins (IRP1 and IRP2) and a 5'-untranslated region. Iron-responsive element (IRE). Here we show that iron and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) act synergistically to increase H- and L-ferritin expression in hepatoma cells. A GC-rich cis-element, the acute box (AB), located downstream of the IRE in the H-ferritin mRNA 5'-untranslated region, conferred a substantial increase in basal and IL-1beta-stimulated translation over a similar time course to the induction of endogenous ferritin. A scrambled version of the AB was unresponsive to IL-1. Targeted mutation of the AB altered translation; reverse orientation and a deletion of the AB abolished the wild-type stem-loop structure and abrogated translational enhancement, whereas a conservative structural mutant had little effect. Labeled AB transcripts formed specific complexes with hepatoma cell extracts that contained the poly(C)-binding proteins, iso-alphaCP1 and -alphaCP2, which have well defined roles as translation regulators. Iron influx increased the association of alphaCP1 with ferritin mRNA and decreased the alphaCP2-ferritin mRNA interaction, whereas IL-1beta reduced the association of alphaCP1 and alphaCP2 with H-ferritin mRNA. In summary, the H-ferritin mRNA AB is a key cis-acting translation enhancer that augments H-subunit expression in Hep3B and HepG2 hepatoma cells, in concert with the IRE. The regulated association of H-ferritin mRNA with the poly(C)-binding proteins suggests a novel role for these proteins in ferritin translation and iron homeostasis in human liver.

Biosynthesis of nonribosomal peptides1

Bacteria and fungi use large multifunctional enzymes, the so-called nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), to produce peptides of broad structural and biological activity. Biochemical studies have contributed substantially to the understanding of the key principles of these modular enzymes that can draw on a much larger number of catalytic tools for the incorporation of unusual features compared with the ribosomal system. Several crystal structures of NRPS-domains have yielded deep insight into the catalytic mechanisms involved and have led to a better prediction of the products assembled and to the construction of hybrid enzymes. In addition to the structure-function relationship of the core- and tailoring-domains of NRPSs, which is the main focus of this review, different biosynthetic strategies and essential enzymes for posttranslational modification and editing are discussed.

Identification of genes differentially expressed in T cells following stimulation with the chemokines CXCL12 and CXCL10

BACKGROUND

Chemokines are involved in many biological activities ranging from leukocyte differentiation to neuronal morphogenesis. Despite numerous reports describing chemokine function, little is known about the molecular changes induced by cytokines.

METHODS

We have isolated and identified by differential display analysis 182 differentially expressed cDNAs from CXCR3-transfected Jurkat T cells following treatment with CXCL12 or CXCL10. These chemokine-modulated genes were further verified using quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty-six of the cDNAs were successfully cloned, sequenced, and identified by BLAST. Following removal of redundant and non-informative clones, seventeen mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed post treatment with either chemokine ligand with several representing known genes with established functions. Twenty-one genes were upregulated in these transfected Jurkat cells following both CXCL12 and CXCL10, four genes displayed a discordant response and seven genes were downregulated upon treatment with either chemokine. Identified genes include geminin (GEM), thioredoxin (TXN), DEAD/H box polypeptide 1 (DDX1), growth hormone inducible transmembrane protein (GHITM), and transcription elongation regulator 1 (TCERG1). Subsequent analysis of several of these genes using semi-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis confirmed their differential expression post ligand treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, these results provide insight into chemokine-induced gene activation and identify potentially novel functions for known genes in chemokine biology.

The androgen receptor mRNA

Androgens (testosterone), acting via the androgen receptor (AR) a nuclear transcription factor, regulate male sexual development and body composition. In addition, AR expression plays an important role in the proliferation of human prostate cancer and confers a better prognosis in breast cancer. AR mRNA stability is central to the regulation of AR expression in prostate and breast cancer cells, and recent studies have demonstrated binding by members of the ELAV/Hu and poly(C) RNA-binding protein families to a highly conserved UC-rich element in the 3'-untranslated region of AR mRNA, with functional impact on AR protein expression. Remarkably, a CAG trinucleotide repeat in exon 1 of the AR, the length of which has been linked to prostate cancer survival, is also a target for multiple RNA-binding proteins from a variety of human and murine tissues. In this review, we will detail the current knowledge of the mechanisms involved in regulating AR mRNA stability, the nature, potential role and structural biology of several novel AR mRNA-protein interactions, and the implications for novel therapeutics in human prostate cancer.

Mutational analysis of a type II thioesterase associated with nonribosomal peptide synthesis

Recent studies on type II thioesterases (TEIIs) involved in microbial secondary metabolism described a role for these enzymes in the removal of short acyl-S- phosphopantetheine intermediates from misprimed holo-(acyl carrier proteins) and holo-(peptidyl carrier proteins) of polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Because of the absence of structural information on this class of enzymes, we performed a mutational analysis on a prototype TEII essential for efficient production of the lipopeptide antibiotic surfactin (TEII(srf)), which led to identification of catalytic and structural residues. On the basis of sequence alignment of 16 TEIIs, 10 single and one double mutant of highly conserved residues of TEII(srf) were constructed and biochemically investigated. We clearly identified a catalytic triad consisting of Ser86, Asp190 and His216, suggesting that TEII(srf) belongs to the alpha/beta-hydrolase superfamily. Exchange of these residues with residues with aliphatic side chains abolished enzyme activity, whereas replacement of the active-site Ser86 with cysteine produced an enzyme with marginally reduced activity. In contrast, exchange of the second strictly conserved asparagine (Asp163) with Ala resulted in an active but unstable enzyme, excluding a role for this residue in catalysis and suggesting a structural function. The results define three catalytic and at least one structural residue in a nonribosomal peptide synthetase TEII.

Construction of hybrid peptide synthetases for the production of alpha-l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine, a precursor for the high-intensity sweetener aspartame

Microorganisms produce a large number of pharmacologically and biotechnologically important peptides by using nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). Due to their modular arrangement and their domain organization NRPSs are particularly suitable for engineering recombinant proteins for the production of novel peptides with interesting properties. In order to compare different strategies of domain assembling and module fusions we focused on the selective construction of a set of peptide synthetases that catalyze the formation of the dipeptide alpha-l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine (Asp-Phe), the precursor of the high-intensity sweetener alpha-l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame). The de novo design of six different Asp-Phe synthetases was achieved by fusion of Asp and Phe activating modules comprising adenylation, peptidyl carrier protein and condensation domains. Product release was ensured by a C-terminally fused thioesterase domains and quantified by HPLC/MS analysis. Significant differences of enzyme activity caused by the fusion strategies were observed. Two forms of the Asp-Phe dipeptide were detected, the expected alpha-Asp-Phe and the by-product beta-Asp-Phe. Dependent on the turnover rates ranging from 0.01-0.7 min-1, the amount of alpha-Asp-Phe was between 75 and 100% of overall product, indicating a direct correlation between the turnover numbers and the ratios of alpha-Asp-Phe to beta-Asp-Phe. Taken together these results provide useful guidelines for the rational construction of hybrid peptide synthetases.

HADHB, HuR, and CP1 bind to the distal 3'-untranslated region of human renin mRNA and differentially modulate renin expression

Production of renin is critically dependent on modulation of REN mRNA stability. Here we sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved. Transfections of renin-expressing Calu-6 cells with reporter constructs showed that a cis-acting 34-nucleotide AU-rich "renin stability regulatory element" in the REN 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) contributes to basal REN mRNA instability. Yeast three-hybrid screening with the REN 3'-UTR as bait isolated HADHB (hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase/enoyl-CoA hydratase (trifunctional protein) beta-subunit) as a novel REN mRNA-binding protein. Recombinant HADHB bound specifically to the 3'-UTR of REN mRNA, as did the known mRNA stabilizers HuR and CP1 (poly(C)-binding protein-1). This required the renin stability regulatory element. Forskolin, which augments REN mRNA stability in Calu-6 cells, increased binding of several proteins, including HuR and CP1, to the REN 3'-UTR, whereas 4-bromocrotonic acid, a specific thiolase inhibitor, decreased binding and elevated renin protein levels. Upon decreasing HADHB mRNA with RNA interference, renin protein and mRNA stability increased, whereas RNA interference against HuR caused these to decrease. Immunoprecipitation and reverse transcription-PCR of Calu-6 extracts confirmed that HADHB, HuR, and CP1 each associate with REN mRNA in vivo. Intracellular imaging revealed distinct localization of HADHB to mitochondria, HuR to nuclei, and CP1 throughout the cell. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated enrichment of HADHB in renin-producing renal juxtaglomerular cells. In conclusion, HADHB, HuR, and CP1 are novel REN mRNA-binding proteins that target a cis-element in the 3'-UTR of REN mRNA and regulate renin production. cAMP-mediated increased REN mRNA stability may involve stimulation of HuR and CP1, whereas REN mRNA decay may involve thiolase-dependent pathways.

Contact-dependent signaling during the late events of platelet activation

Signaling events downstream from collagen receptors and G protein-coupled receptors are responsible for the initiation and extension of platelet plug formation. This creates the platelet plug and hopefully results in the cessation of bleeding. It is not, however, all that is required for hemostasis, and growing evidence is emerging that the perpetuation of a stable hemostatic plug requires additional intracellular signaling. At least part of this process is made possible by the persistent close contacts between platelets that can only occur after the onset of aggregation. This review discusses several examples of such signaling mechanisms that help to perpetuate the platelet plug in a contact-dependent manner, including outside-in signaling through integrins, signaling though Eph kinases and ephrins, and the role of CD40L.

Evaluation of thyroid hormone effects on liver P450 reductase translation

The expression of NADPH cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (P450R) in rat liver is positively regulated by thyroid hormone (T3), at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Here we investigate the effects of T3-induced hyperthyroidism on the regulation of P450R protein synthesis. T3 treatment of adult male rats led to a strong induction (up to approximately 10-fold) of liver P450R mRNA but little or no change in P450R protein and activity. Investigation of this discrepancy revealed that the association of hepatic P450R mRNA with polysomes was not altered by T3 treatment, suggesting that the discoordinate changes in P450R mRNA and protein levels do not reflect decreased recruitment of T3-induced P450R mRNA into polysomes. Moreover, polysome size distribution analysis of P450R mRNA did not show any T3-dependent changes. When assayed in an in vitro translation system, T3-induced and uninduced P450R mRNAs were translated with similar efficiencies. Moreover, liver cell extract from T3-treated rats did not selectively inhibit in vitro translation of T3-induced P450R mRNA. Thus, neither structural changes in P450R mRNA nor trans-acting binding proteins in liver cytosol were found to control translation of P450R mRNA in response to T3 treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that P450R may in part be regulated at the level of protein stability in hyperthyroid rat liver.

An iron-responsive element type II in the 5'-untranslated region of the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein transcript

Iron-responsive elements (IREs) are the RNA stem loops that control cellular iron homeostasis by regulating ferritin translation and transferrin receptor mRNA stability. We mapped a novel iron-responsive element (IRE-Type II) within the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) of the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein (APP) transcript (+51 to +94 from the 5'-cap site). The APP mRNA IRE is located immediately upstream of an interleukin-1 responsive acute box domain (+101 to +146). APP 5'-UTR conferred translation was selectively down-regulated in response to intracellular iron chelation using three separate reporter assays (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, luciferase, and red fluorescent protein reflecting an inhibition of APP holoprotein translation in response to iron chelation. Iron influx reversed this inhibition. As an internal control to ensure specificity, a viral internal ribosome entry sequence was unresponsive to intracellular iron chelation with desferrioxamine. Using RNA mobility shift assays, the APP 5'-UTRs, encompassing the IRE, bind specifically to recombinant iron-regulatory proteins (IRP) and to IRP from neuroblastoma cell lysates. IRP binding to the APP 5'-UTR is reduced after treatment of cells with desferrioxamine and increased after interleukin-1 stimulation. IRP binding is abrogated when APP cRNA probe is mutated in the core IRE domain (Delta4 bases:Delta83AGAG86). Iron regulation of APP mRNA through the APP 5'-UTR points to a role for iron in the metabolism of APP and confirms that this RNA structure can be a target for the selection of small molecule drugs, such as desferrioxamine (Fe chelator) and clioquinol (Fe, Cu, and Zn chelator), which reduce Abeta peptide burden during Alzheimer's disease.

H and L ferritin subunit mRNA expression differs in brains of control and iron-deficient rats

The mRNA expression of ferritin subunits has not been studied thoroughly in the brain regions of iron-deficient rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 26; 21 d old) were randomly assigned to an iron-deficient (3.5 mg Fe/kg diet) or a control diet (35 mg Fe/kg diet) for 6 wk. Ferritin protein and mRNA contents were quantified and the cellular expression of ferritin subunits in brain was determined. H and L ferritin had the same mRNA locations in nearly all brain regions. Both ferritin subunit mRNAs had heterogeneous distributions and there was a regional effect across brain regions. Iron deficiency did not affect the amount of ferritin mRNA in most brain regions, suggesting the post-transcriptional regulation of messengers by iron status. H ferritin protein was predominant in neurons and oligodendrocytes, whereas L ferritin protein and iron predominated in microglia cells and astrocytes as well as in oligodendrocytes and neurons. Ferritin mRNA was detectable only in neurons. Iron deficiency did not induce new types of cells containing either ferritin protein or mRNA. The fact that ferritin protein was found in four types of cells whereas mRNA was found in only one type of cell suggests that the site of ferritin synthesis is different from protein location in the brain. All of these data suggest that regulation of ferritin subunits is cellular and/or regional specific.

Erythroid 5-aminolevulinate synthase, ferrochelatase and DMT1 expression in erythroid progenitors: differential pathways for erythropoietin and iron-dependent regulation

To determine whether erythropoietin (EPO) affects haem biosynthesis and iron transport, we studied the effects of EPO on the expression of erythroid 5-aminolevulinate synthase (eALAS), ferrochelatase and divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT-1) in human erythroid progenitor cells, and in the murine and human erythroid cell lines MEL and K562. Cytoplasmic e-ALAS mRNA levels were significantly increased after incubation of cells with EPO for at least 24 h, which could be the result of a transcriptional mechanism. In contrast, ferrochelatase or DMT-1 mRNA expression were not affected. Moreover, EPO also increased e-ALAS enzyme activity after only 4 h of stimulation, when mRNA levels were unchanged. The underlying mechanism was an effect of EPO on e-ALAS mRNA translation, which was under the control of iron regulatory proteins (IRP) 1 and 2. Thereby, EPO weakened the binding affinity of IRP-2 to the iron responsive element (IRE) within e-ALAS mRNA which resulted in the increased expression of e-ALAS IRE-controlled reporter gene constructs, following EPO stimulation. Our results show that EPO directly affected haem biosynthesis by stimulating the transcriptional and post-transcriptional expression of the key enzyme e-ALAS. These data provide new insights into the complex biochemical interaction between iron metabolism, haem biosynthesis and EPO biology.

Novel binding of HuR and poly(C)-binding protein to a conserved UC-rich motif within the 3'-untranslated region of the androgen receptor messenger RNA

The androgen receptor (AR) mediates androgen action and plays a central role in the proliferation of specific cancer cells. We demonstrated recently that AR mRNA stability is a major determinant of AR gene expression in prostate and breast cancer cells and that androgens differentially regulate AR mRNA decay dependent on cell type (Yeap, B. B., Kreuger, R. G., Leedman, P. J. (1999) Endocrinology 140, 3282-3291). Here, we have identified a highly conserved UC-rich region in the 3-untranslated region of AR mRNA that contains a 5'-C(U)(n)C motif and a 3'-CCCUCCC poly(C)-binding protein motif. In transfection studies with LNCaP human prostate cancer cells, the AR UC-rich region reduced expression of a luciferase reporter gene. The AR UC-rich region was a target for cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA-binding proteins from human prostate and breast cancer cells as well as human testicular and breast cancer tissue. One of these proteins is HuR, a ubiquitously expressed member of the Elav/Hu family of RNA-binding proteins involved in the stabilization of several mRNAs. Poly(C)-binding protein-1 and -2 (CP1 and CP2), previously implicated in the control of mRNA turnover and translation, also bound avidly to the UC-rich region. Mutational analysis of the UC-rich region identified specific binding motifs for both HuR and the CPs. HuR and CP1 bound simultaneously to the UC-rich RNA and in a cooperative manner. Immunoprecipitation studies confirmed that each of these proteins associated with AR mRNA in prostate cancer cells. In summary, we have identified and characterized a novel complex of AR mRNA-binding proteins that target the highly conserved UC-rich region. The binding of HuR, CP1, and CP2 to AR mRNA suggests a role for each of these proteins in the post-transcriptional regulation of AR expression in cancer cells.

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), a transmembrane protein with growth suppressor activity, contains an extracellular SAM domain modified by N-linked glycosylation

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is a cell surface transmembrane glycoprotein implicated in tumour growth control and stromal-haematopoietic cell interactions. A single sterile alpha motif (SAM) protein-protein interaction domain is modelled within its extracellular region, a subcellular localisation not previously described for other SAM domain-containing proteins. We have defined the transmembrane topology of STIM1 by determining the sites of N-linked glycosylation. We have confirmed that STIM1 is modified by N-linked glycosylation at two sites within the SAM domain itself, deduced as asparagine residues N131 and N171, demonstrating that STIM1 is translocated across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum such that the SAM domain resides within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. Both N-linked oligosaccharides remain endoglycosidase H-sensitive, indicating absence of full processing within the ER and Golgi. This immature modification is nevertheless sufficient and critical for cell surface expression of STIM1. We show that STIM1-STIM1 homotypic interactions are mediated via the cytoplasmic rather than the extracellular region of STIM1, excluding an essential role for the SAM domain in these protein interactions. These studies provide the first evidence for an extracellular localisation of a SAM domain within any protein, and the first example of a SAM domain modified by N-linked glycosylation.