Reduction in SNAP-23 Alters Microfilament Organization in Myofibrobastic Hepatic Stellate Cells

Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are critical effector cells of liver fibrosis. In the injured liver, HSC differentiate into a myofibrobastic phenotype. A critical feature distinguishing myofibroblastic from quiescent HSC is cytoskeletal reorganization. Soluble NSF attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins are important in trafficking of newly synthesized proteins to the plasma membrane for release into the extracellular environment. The goals of this project were to determine the expression of specific SNARE proteins in myofibroblastic HSC and to test whether their alteration changed the HSC phenotype in vitro and progression of liver fibrosis in vivo. We found that HSC lack the t-SNARE protein, SNAP-25, but express a homologous protein, SNAP-23. Downregulation of SNAP-23 in HSC induced reduction in polymerization and disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton associated with loss of cell movement. In contrast, reduction in SNAP-23 in mice by monogenic deletion delayed but did not prevent progression of liver fibrosis to cirrhosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that SNAP-23 is an important regular of actin dynamics in myofibroblastic HSC, but that the role of SNAP-23 in the progression of liver fibrosis in vivo is unclear.

Wortmannin-induced vacuole fusion enhances amyloplast dynamics in Arabidopsis zigzag1 hypocotyls

Gravitropism in Arabidopsis shoots depends on the sedimentation of amyloplasts in the endodermis, and a complex interplay between the vacuole and F-actin. Gravity response is inhibited in zigzag-1 (zig-1), a mutant allele of VTI11, which encodes a SNARE protein involved in vacuole fusion. zig-1 seedlings have fragmented vacuoles that fuse after treatment with wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and underscore a role of phosphoinositides in vacuole fusion. Using live-cell imaging with a vertical stage microscope, we determined that young endodermal cells below the apical hook that are smaller than 70 μm in length are the graviperceptive cells in dark-grown hypocotyls. This result was confirmed by local wortmannin application to the top of zig-1 hypocotyls, which enhanced shoot gravitropism in zig-1 mutants. Live-cell imaging of zig-1 hypocotyl endodermal cells indicated that amyloplasts are trapped between juxtaposed vacuoles and their movement is severely restricted. Wortmannin-induced fusion of vacuoles in zig-1 seedlings increased the formation of transvacuolar strands, enhanced amyloplast sedimentation and partially suppressed the agravitropic phenotype of zig-1 seedlings. Hypergravity conditions at 10 g were not sufficient to displace amyloplasts in zig-1, suggesting the existence of a physical tether between the vacuole and amyloplasts. Our results overall suggest that vacuole membrane remodeling may be involved in regulating the association of vacuoles and amyloplasts during graviperception.

Effect of dominant negative SNAP-23 expression on platelet function

BACKGROUND

The protein SNAP-23 is part of the secretory pathway in platelets. It is, however, not entirely clear to what extent this protein contributes to the secretory function of platelets. Therefore, we overexpressed a dominant negative mutant with a novel technology that allows the creation of intact transgene-expressing platetets.

RESULTS

Overexpression of a dominant negative SNAP-23 mutant that inhibited the binding of the native protein to the docking site within the secretory machinery resulted in significant suppression of the agonist-dependent surface recruitment of P-selectin and CD40L. Simultaneously, release from dense granules was clearly suppressed in the presence of this construct. Also agonist-dependent surface expression of fibrinogen receptor markers CD41 and CD61 was reduced, and agonist-triggered aggregation was inhibited.

CONCLUSION

The dominant negative inhibition of SNAP-23 resulted in clear effects on platelet functions. The novel method using recombinant culture-derived platelets allowed the rapid clarification of the functional importance of this protein in intact platelets.

Reversible, cooperative reactions of yeast vacuole docking

Homotypic yeast vacuole fusion occurs in three stages: (i) priming reactions, which are independent of vacuole clustering, (ii) docking, in which vacuoles cluster and accumulate fusion proteins and fusion regulatory lipids at a ring-shaped microdomain surrounding the apposed membranes of each docked vacuole, where fusion will occur, and (iii) bilayer fusion/compartment mixing. These stages require vacuolar SNAREs, SNARE-chaperones, GTPases, effector complexes, and chemically minor but functionally important lipids. For each, we have developed specific ligands that block fusion and conditions that reverse each block. Using them, we test whether docking entails a linearly ordered series of catalytic events, marked by sequential acquisition of resistance to inhibitors, or whether docking subreactions are cooperative and/or reversible. We find that each fusion protein and regulatory lipid is needed throughout docking, indicative of a reversible or highly cooperative assembly of the fusion-competent vertex ring. In accord with this cooperativity, vertices enriched in one fusion catalyst are enriched in others. Docked vacuoles finally assemble SNARE complexes, yet still require physiological temperature and lipid rearrangements to complete fusion.

Epithelial sodium channel is regulated by SNAP-23/syntaxin 1A interplay

Sodium-selective amiloride-sensitive epithelial channel (ENaC) located in the apical membrane is involved in the reabsorption of sodium in tight epithelia. The soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive attachment receptors (SNAREs) mediate vesicle trafficking in a variety of cell systems. Syntaxin (a t-SNARE) has been shown to interact with and functionally regulate a number of ion channels including ENaC. In this study, we investigated the role of SNAP-23, another SNARE protein, on ENaC activity in the HT-29 colonic epithelial cell system and Xenopus oocytes. Recording of amiloride-sensitive currents in both systems suggest that SNAP-23 modulates channel function, though a much higher concentration is required to inhibit ENaC in Xenopus oocytes. The introduction of Botulinum toxin A (a neurotoxin which cleaves SNAP-23), but not Botulinum toxin B or heat-inactivated Botulinum toxin A, reversed the inhibitory effect of SNAP-23 on amiloride-sensitive currents. However, syntaxin 1A and SNAP-23 combined portray a complex scenario that suggests that this channel interacts within a quaternary complex. Synaptotagmin expression neither interacts with, nor showed any effect on amiloride-sensitive currents when co-expressed with ENaC. Pull down assays suggest mild interaction between ENaC and SNAP-23, which gets stronger in the presence of syntaxin 1A. Data further suggest that SNAP-23 possibly interacts with the N-terminal alphaENaC. These functional and biochemical approaches provide evidence for a complex relationship between ENaC and the exocytotic machinery. Our data suggest that SNARE protein interplay defines the fine regulation of sodium channel function.