Endosulfatases SULF1 and SULF2 limit Chlamydia muridarum infection

The first step in attachment of Chlamydia to host cells is thought to involve reversible binding to host heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), polymers of variably sulfated repeating disaccharide units coupled to diverse protein backbones. However, the key determinants of HSPG structure that are involved in Chlamydia binding are incompletely defined. A previous genome-wide Drosophila RNAi screen suggested that the level of HSPG 6-O sulfation rather than the identity of the proteoglycan backbone maybe a critical determinant for binding. Here, we tested in mammalian cells whether SULF1 or SULF2, human endosulfatases, which remove 6-O sulfates from HSPGs, modulate Chlamydia infection. Ectopic expression of SULF1 or SULF2 in HeLa cells, which decreases cell surface HSPG sulfation, diminished C. muridarum binding and decreased vacuole formation. ShRNA depletion of endogenous SULF2 in a cell line that primarily expresses SULF2 augmented binding and increased vacuole formation. C. muridarum infection of diverse cell lines resulted indownregulation of SULF2 mRNA. In a murine model of acute pneumonia, mice genetically deficient in both endosulfatases or in SULF2 alone demonstrated increased susceptibility to C. muridarum lung infection. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that the level of HSPG 6-O sulfation is a critical determinant of C. muridarum infection in vivo and that 6-O endosulfatases are previously unappreciated modulators of microbial pathogenesis.

Resting-state EEG in schizophrenia: auditory verbal hallucinations are related to shortening of specific microstates

OBJECTIVE

Abnormal perceptions and cognitions in schizophrenia might be related to abnormal resting states of the brain. Previous research found that a specific class (class D) of sub-second electroencephalography (EEG) microstates was shortened in schizophrenia. This shortening correlated with positive symptoms. We questioned if this reflected positive psychotic traits or present psychopathology.

METHODS

Resting-state EEGs of frequently hallucinating patients, indicating on- and offset of hallucinations by button press, were analyzed. Microstate class D duration was related to spontaneous within-subject fluctuations of auditory hallucinations.

RESULTS

Microstate D was significantly shorter in periods with hallucinations.

CONCLUSIONS

Microstates of class D resemble topographies associated with error monitoring. Its premature termination may facilitate the misattribution of self-generated inner speech to external sources during hallucinations.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results suggest that microstate D represents a biological state marker for hallucinatory experiences.

BOLD correlates of EEG alpha phase-locking and the fMRI default mode network

Phase locking or synchronization of brain areas is a key concept of information processing in the brain. Synchronous oscillations have been observed and investigated extensively in EEG during the past decades. EEG oscillations occur over a wide frequency range. In EEG, a prominent type of oscillations is alpha-band activity, present typically when a subject is awake, but at rest with closed eyes. The spectral power of alpha rhythms has recently been investigated in simultaneous EEG/fMRI recordings, establishing a wide-range cortico-thalamic network. However, spectral power and synchronization are different measures and little is known about the correlations between BOLD effects and EEG synchronization. Interestingly, the fMRI BOLD signal also displays synchronous oscillations across different brain regions. These oscillations delineate so-called resting state networks (RSNs) that resemble the correlation patterns of simultaneous EEG/fMRI recordings. However, the nature of these BOLD oscillations and their relations to EEG activity is still poorly understood. One hypothesis is that the subunits constituting a specific RSN may be coordinated by different EEG rhythms. In this study we report on evidence for this hypothesis. The BOLD correlates of global EEG synchronization (GFS) in the alpha frequency band are located in brain areas involved in specific RSNs, e.g. the 'default mode network'. Furthermore, our results confirm the hypothesis that specific RSNs are organized by long-range synchronization at least in the alpha frequency band. Finally, we could localize specific areas where the GFS BOLD correlates and the associated RSN overlap. Thus, we claim that not only the spectral dynamics of EEG are important, but also their spatio-temporal organization.

Hallucinations, thought disorders, and the language domain in schizophrenia

Auditory hallucinations and formal thought disorders are major diagnostic features of schizophrenia. From a neurobiological point of view, they are of particular interest since both can be attributed to the language domain of human communication. In the last decade, brain imaging studies have contributed to the understanding of the functional dynamics underlying these phenomena. In particular, auditory hallucinations were found to involve the regions generating inner speech as well as the primary acoustical cortex and the intrahemispheric fiber bundles connecting the left frontal with the temporal lobe. In patients with formal thought disorders, on the other hand, the left temporal language area showed structural deficits and functional abnormalities, i.e., reduced reactivity to stimulation and increased activity at rest; left frontal language regions were also hyperactive at rest but showed no structural deficits. The available evidence indicates a dynamic imbalance of the language system, triggered by subtle structural changes, as the possible common neurobiological basis of hallucinations and formal thought disorders.

Time course of blood oxygenation level-dependent signal response after theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation of the frontal eye field

The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of theta burst repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activation during repeated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements. Theta burst rTMS was applied over the right frontal eye field in seven healthy subjects. Subsequently, repeated fMRI measurements were performed during a saccade-fixation task (block design) 5, 20, 35, and 60 min after stimulation. We found that theta burst rTMS induced a strong and long-lasting decrease of the BOLD signal response of the stimulated frontal eye field at 20 and 35 min. Furthermore, less pronounced alterations of the BOLD signal response with different dynamics were found for remote oculomotor areas such as the left frontal eye field, the pre-supplementary eye field, the supplementary eye field, and both parietal eye fields. Recovery of the BOLD signal changes in the anterior remote areas started earlier than in the posterior remote areas. These results show that a) the major inhibitory impact of theta burst rTMS occurs directly in the stimulated area itself, and that b) a lower effect on remote, oculomotor areas can be induced.

Application of high-throughput technologies to a structural proteomics-type analysis ofBacillus anthracis

A collaborative project between two Structural Proteomics In Europe (SPINE) partner laboratories, York and Oxford, aimed at high-throughput (HTP) structure determination of proteins from Bacillus anthracis, the aetiological agent of anthrax and a biomedically important target, is described. Based upon a target-selection strategy combining ;low-hanging fruit' and more challenging targets, this work has contributed to the body of knowledge of B. anthracis, established and developed HTP cloning and expression technologies and tested HTP pipelines. Both centres developed ligation-independent cloning (LIC) and expression systems, employing custom LIC-PCR, Gateway and In-Fusion technologies, used in combination with parallel protein purification and robotic nanolitre crystallization screening. Overall, 42 structures have been solved by X-ray crystallography, plus two by NMR through collaboration between York and the SPINE partner in Utrecht. Three biologically important protein structures, BA4899, BA1655 and BA3998, involved in tRNA modification, sporulation control and carbohydrate metabolism, respectively, are highlighted. Target analysis by biophysical clustering based on pI and hydropathy has provided useful information for future target-selection strategies. The technological developments and lessons learned from this project are discussed. The success rate of protein expression and structure solution is at least in keeping with that achieved in structural genomics programs.

Plasticity in the adult language system: a longitudinal electrophysiological study on second language learning

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to trace changes in brain activity related to progress in second language learning. Twelve English-speaking exchange students learning German in Switzerland were recruited. ERPs to visually presented single words from the subjects' native language (English), second language (German) and an unknown language (Romansh) were measured before (day 1) and after (day 2) 5 months of intense German language learning. When comparing ERPs to German words from day 1 and day 2, we found topographic differences between 396 and 540 ms. These differences could be interpreted as a latency shift indicating faster processing of German words on day 2. Source analysis indicated that the topographic differences were accounted for by shorter activation of left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on day 2. In ERPs to English words, we found Global Field Power differences between 472 and 644 ms. This may due to memory traces related to English words being less easily activated on day 2. Alternatively, it might reflect the fact that--with German words becoming familiar on day 2--English words loose their oddball character and thus produce a weaker P300-like effect on day 2. In ERPs to Romansh words, no differences were observed. Our results reflect plasticity in the neuronal networks underlying second language acquisition. They indicate that with a higher level of second language proficiency, second language word processing is faster and requires shorter frontal activation. Thus, our results suggest that the reduced IFG activation found in previous fMRI studies might not reflect a generally lower activation but rather a shorter duration of activity.

Decreased EEG synchronization in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment

The hypothesis of a functional disconnection of neuro-cognitive networks in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer Dementia was investigated using baseline resting EEG data. EEG databases from New York (264 subjects) and Stockholm (155 subjects), including healthy controls and patients with varying degrees of cognitive decline or Alzheimer Dementia were analyzed using Global Field Synchronization (GFS), a novel measure of global EEG synchronization. GFS reflects the global amount of phase-locked activity at a given frequency by a single number; it is independent of the recording reference and of implicit source models. Patients showed decreased GFS values in Alpha, Beta, and Gamma frequency bands, and increased GFS values in the Delta band, confirming the hypothesized disconnection syndrome. The results are discussed within the framework of current knowledge about the functional significance of the affected frequency bands.

Functional imbalance of visual pathways indicates alternative face processing strategies in autism

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether autistic subjects show a different pattern of neural activity than healthy individuals during processing of faces and complex patterns.

METHODS

Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes accompanying visual processing of faces and complex patterns were analyzed in an autistic group (n = 7; 25.3 [6.9] years) and a control group (n = 7; 27.7 [7.8] years).

RESULTS

Compared with unaffected subjects, autistic subjects demonstrated lower BOLD signals in the fusiform gyrus, most prominently during face processing, and higher signals in the more object-related medial occipital gyrus. Further signal increases in autistic subjects vs controls were found in regions highly important for visual search: the superior parietal lobule and the medial frontal gyrus, where the frontal eye fields are located.

CONCLUSIONS

The cortical activation pattern during face processing indicates deficits in the face-specific regions, with higher activations in regions involved in visual search. These findings reflect different strategies for visual processing, supporting models that propose a predisposition to local rather than global modes of information processing in autism.

Functional imaging of visuospatial processing in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is known to cause a variety of disturbances of higher visual functions that are closely related to the neuropathological changes. Visual association areas are more affected than primary visual cortex. Additionally, there is evidence from neuropsychological and imaging studies during rest or passive visual stimulation that the occipitotemporal pathway is less affected than the parietal pathway. Our goal was to investigate functional activation patterns during active visuospatial processing in AD patients and the impact of local cerebral atrophy on the strength of functional activation. Fourteen AD patients and fourteen age-matched controls were measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they performed an angle discrimination task. Both groups revealed overlapping networks engaged in angle discrimination including the superior parietal lobule (SPL), frontal and occipitotemporal (OTC) cortical regions, primary visual cortex, basal ganglia, and thalamus. The most pronounced differences between the two groups were found in the SPL (more activity in controls) and OTC (more activity in patients). The differences in functional activation between the AD patients and controls were partly explained by the differences in individual SPL atrophy. These results indicate that parietal dysfunction in mild to moderate AD is compensated by recruitment of the ventral visual pathway. We furthermore suggest that local cerebral atrophy should be considered as a covariate in functional imaging studies of neurodegenerative disorders.

The experimental combination of rTMS and fMRI reveals the functional relevance of parietal cortex for visuospatial functions

We combined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the functional relevance of parietal cortex activation during the performance of visuospatial tasks. fMRI provides information about local transient changes in neuronal activation during behavioural or cognitive tasks. Information on the functional relevance of this activation was obtained by using rTMS to induce temporary regional deactivations. We thereby turned the physiological parameter of brain activity into an independent variable controlled and manipulated by the experimenter and investigated its effect on the performance of the cognitive tasks within a controlled experimental design. We investigated cognitive tasks that were performed on the same visual material but differed in the demand on visuospatial functions. For the visuospatial tasks we found a selective enhancement of fMRI signal in the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and a selective impairment of performance after rTMS to this region in comparison to a control group. We could thus show that the parietal cortex is functionally important for the execution of spatial judgements on visually presented material and that TMS as an experimental tool has the potential to interfere with higher cognitive functions such as visuospatial information processing.

Cerebral hemodynamic response induced by the Tower of Hanoi puzzle and the Wisconsin Card Sorting test

Transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) was applied in normal subjects to investigate the effect of prefrontal functions like the Tower of Hanoi (TOH) task and the Wisconsin Card Sorting test (WCST) on cerebral hemodynamics. In 20 healthy volunteers, left and right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery (ACA) were insonated. The TOH task and the WCST were administered while cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) was registered. Each test was repeated once per artery pair. There was a visuomotor test to control the motor and visual stimulations. Three phases of CBFV time course were detected: an initial peak within 5 s, a following decrease within 25 s and a steady state beginning at 40 s. The TOH task, WCST and visuomotor tests had different mean CBFV during the initial peak (MCA: P<0.05; ACA: P<0.05) as well as for the decrease (ACA: P<0.01) and the steady state (MCA: P<0.01; ACA: P<0.01). The TOH showed an increased mean CBFV as compared with the WCST during the steady state (MCA: P<0.01; ACA: P<0.05). However, temporal modulation of mean CBFV during category shift of the WCST resulted in significantly increased values after category shift (MCA: P<0.001; ACA: P<0.01) as compared with CBFV before the category shift. These findings showed a different CBFV pattern during the TOH task and WCST than during the visuomotor test. In conclusion, TCD was able to assess CBFV in prefrontal functions, using a high resolution in time.

Characterization of posttranslational formylglycine formation by luminal components of the endoplasmic reticulum

C(alpha)-formylglycine is the key catalytic residue in the active site of sulfatases. In eukaryotes formylglycine is generated during or immediately after sulfatase translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum by oxidation of a specific cysteine residue. We established an in vitro assay that allowed us to measure formylglycine modification independent of protein translocation. The modifying enzyme was recovered in a microsomal detergent extract. As a substrate we used ribosome-associated nascent chain complexes comprising in vitro synthesized sulfatase fragments that were released from the ribosomes by puromycin. Formylglycine modification was highly efficient and did not require a signal sequence in the substrate polypeptide. Ribosome association helped to maintain the modification competence of nascent chains but only after their release efficient modification occurred. The modifying machinery consists of soluble components of the endoplasmic reticulum lumen, as shown by differential extraction of microsomes. The in vitro assay can be performed under kinetically controlled conditions. The activation energy for formylglycine formation is 61 kJ/mol, and the pH optimum is approximately 10. The activity is sensitive to the SH/SS equilibrium and is stimulated by Ca(2+). Formylglycine formation is efficiently inhibited by a synthetic sulfatase peptide representing the sequence directing formylglycine modification. The established assay system should make possible the biochemical identification of the modifying enzyme.

Multilead quantitative electroencephalogram profile and cognitive evoked potentials (P300) in healthy subjects after a single dose of olanzapine

RATIONALE

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug with a more favourable safety profile than typical antipsychotics with a hitherto unknown topographic quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) profile.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated electrical brain activity (QEEG and cognitive event related potentials, ERPs) in healthy subjects who received olanzapine.

METHODS

Vigilance-controlled, 19-channel EEG and ERP in an auditory odd-ball paradigm were recorded before and 3 h, 6 h and 9 h after administration of either a single dose of placebo or olanzapine (2.5 mg and 5 mg) in ten healthy subjects. QEEG was analysed by spectral analysis and evaluated in nine frequency bands. For the P300 component in the odd-ball ERP, the amplitude and latency was analysed. Statistical effects were tested using a repeated-measurement analysis of variance.

RESULTS

For the interaction between time and treatment, significant effects were observed for theta, alpha-2, beta-2 and beta-4 frequency bands. The amplitude of the activity in the theta band increased most significantly 6 h after the 5-mg administration of olanzapine. A pronounced decrease of the alpha-2 activity especially 9 h after 5 mg olanzapine administration could be observed. In most beta frequency bands, and most significantly in the beta-4 band, a dose-dependent decrease of the activity beginning 6 h after drug administration was demonstrated. Topographic effects could be observed for the beta-2 band (occipital decrease) and a tendency for the alpha-2 band (frontal increase and occipital decrease), both indicating a frontal shift of brain electrical activity. There were no significant changes in P300 amplitude or latency after drug administration.

CONCLUSION

QEEG alterations after olanzapine administration were similar to EEG effects gained by other atypical antipsychotic drugs, such as clozapine. The increase of theta activity is comparable to the frequency distribution observed for thymoleptics or antipsychotics for which treatment-emergent somnolence is commonly observed, whereas the decrease of beta activity observed after olanzapine administration is not characteristic for these drugs. There were no clear signs for an increased cerebral excitability after a single-dose administration of 2.5 mg and 5 mg olanzapine in healthy controls.

1.3 A structure of arylsulfatase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa establishes the catalytic mechanism of sulfate ester cleavage in the sulfatase family

BACKGROUND

Sulfatases constitute a family of enzymes with a highly conserved active site region including a Calpha-formylglycine that is posttranslationally generated by the oxidation of a conserved cysteine or serine residue. The crystal structures of two human arylsulfatases, ASA and ASB, along with ASA mutants and their complexes led to different proposals for the catalytic mechanism in the hydrolysis of sulfate esters.

RESULTS

The crystal structure of a bacterial sulfatase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAS) has been determined at 1.3 A. Fold and active site region are strikingly similar to those of the known human sulfatases. The structure allows a precise determination of the active site region, unequivocally showing the presence of a Calpha-formylglycine hydrate as the key catalytic residue. Furthermore, the cation located in the active site is unambiguously characterized as calcium by both its B value and the geometry of its coordination sphere. The active site contains a noncovalently bonded sulfate that occupies the same position as the one in para-nitrocatecholsulfate in previously studied ASA complexes.

CONCLUSIONS

The structure of PAS shows that the resting state of the key catalytic residue in sulfatases is a formylglycine hydrate. These structural data establish a mechanism for sulfate ester cleavage involving an aldehyde hydrate as the functional group that initiates the reaction through a nucleophilic attack on the sulfur atom in the substrate. The alcohol is eliminated from a reaction intermediate containing pentacoordinated sulfur. Subsequent elimination of the sulfate regenerates the aldehyde, which is again hydrated. The metal cation involved in stabilizing the charge and anchoring the substrate during catalysis is established as calcium.

Brain electrical activity mapping of EEG for the diagnosis of (sub)clinical hepatic encephalopathy in chronic liver disease

We studied the role of brain electrical activity mapping (BEAM) in the assessment of neuropsychiatric disturbances in 48 cirrhotic patients without clinical evidence of hepatic encephalopathy (no HE, n = 19), with subclinical HE (grade 0, denoting pathological psychometric tests, n = 13) and mild-to-moderate HE (grade I, n = 6; grade II, n = 10). Results were compared with 23 healthy controls. BEAM variables quantified were: (i) the peak frequency (PF); (ii) the amplitude of PF; and (iii) the topographic localization of the maximum peak amplitude digitized for quantification by using a coordinate system. Mean amplitudes and their topographic localization in the following frequency-bands were analysed: delta (1.0-3.5 Hz), theta (4.0-7.5 Hz), alpha 1 (8.0-9.5 Hz), alpha 2 (10.0-11.5 Hz), beta 1 (12.0-15.5 Hz), beta 2 (16.0-19.5 Hz), and beta 3 (20.0-23.5 Hz). The PF was significantly slower in all HE patients than in healthy controls (8.5 +/- 2.0 Hz v. 10.1 +/- 1.0 Hz, P< 0.001). Even in no HE, the PF was significantly slower than in controls (8.6 +/- 1.5 Hz v. 10.1 +/- 1.0 Hz, P< 0.01). No relevant topographic differences of PF were observed. The mean amplitudes of the following bands differed significantly between controls and patients: theta (increased in HE, P< 0.05), alpha 2 (decreased in HE, P< 0.05), and beta 2 and beta 3 (increased in HE, (P < 0.05). In HE patients, the topographic localization of all beta bands showed a significant shift from parieto-occipital areas to central areas of the cortex. We conclude that BEAM is a sensitive tool for detecting neuropsychiatric disturbances in cirrhotics with no HE and with subclinical HE. The combination of PF in the theta band, increased mean amplitude in the beta 2 band, and the localization of the latter band in the frontocentral area of the cortex is an objective and sensitive tool for identifying neuropsychiatric disturbances in 85% of cirrhotic patients with no HE. Further studies are required to determine the clinical implications of these abnormal findings in the absence of overt clinical symptoms.

Crystal structure of an enzyme-substrate complex provides insight into the interaction between human arylsulfatase A and its substrates during catalysis

Arylsulfatase A (ASA) belongs to the sulfatase family whose members carry a C(alpha)-formylglycine that is post-translationally generated by oxidation of a conserved cysteine or serine residue. The crystal structures of two arylsulfatases, ASA and ASB, and kinetic studies on ASA mutants led to different proposals for the catalytic mechanism in the hydrolysis of sulfate esters. The structures of two ASA mutants that lack the functional C(alpha)-formylglycine residue 69, in complex with a synthetic substrate, have been determined in order to unravel the reaction mechanism. The crystal structure of the inactive mutant C69A-ASA in complex with p-nitrocatechol sulfate (pNCS) mimics a reaction intermediate during sulfate ester hydrolysis by the active enzyme, without the covalent bond to the key side-chain FGly69. The structure shows that the side-chains of lysine 123, lysine 302, serine 150, histidine 229, the main-chain of the key residue 69 and the divalent cation in the active center are involved in sulfate binding. It is proposed that histidine 229 protonates the leaving alcoholate after hydrolysis.C69S-ASA is able to bind covalently to the substrate and hydrolyze it, but is unable to release the resulting sulfate. Nevertheless, the resulting sulfation is low. The structure of C69S-ASA shows the serine side-chain in a single conformation, turned away from the position a substrate occupies in the complex. This suggests that the double conformation observed in the structure of wild-type ASA is more likely to correspond to a formylglycine hydrate than to a twofold disordered aldehyde oxo group, and accounts for the relative inertness of the C69S-ASA mutant. In the C69S-ASA-pNCS complex, the substrate occupies the same position as in the C69A-ASA-pNCS complex, which corresponds to the non-covalently bonded substrate. Based on the structural data, a detailed mechanism for sulfate ester cleavage is proposed, involving an aldehyde hydrate as the functional group.

Discrimination of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment by equivalent EEG sources: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES

The spatial aspects of brain electrical activity can be assessed by equivalent EEG frequency band generators. We aimed to describe alterations of these EEG generators in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy aging and whether they could serve as predictive markers of AD in subjects at risk.

METHODS

The amplitude and 3-dimensional localization of equivalent EEG sources were evaluated using FFT dipole approximation in 38 mild AD patients, 31 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 24 healthy control subjects.

RESULTS

AD patients showed an increase of delta and theta global field power (GFP), which corresponds to the generalized EEG amplitude, as well as a reduction of alpha GFP when compared to the controls. A decrease of alpha and beta GFP was found in AD patients, as compared to the MCI subjects. With respect to topography in the antero-posterior direction, sources of alpha and beta activity shifted more anteriorly in AD patients compared to both the controls and MCI subjects. No significant difference was found between MCI and controls. Combined alpha and theta GFP were the best discriminating variables between AD patients and controls (84% correct classification) and AD and MCI subjects (78% correctly classified). MCI subjects were followed longitudinally (25 months on average) in order to compare differences in baseline EEG variables between MCI subjects who progressed to AD (PMCI) and those who remained stable (SMCI). Compared to SMCI, PMCI had decreased alpha GFP and a more anterior localization of sources of theta, alpha and beta frequency. In a linear discriminant analysis applied on baseline values of the two MCI subgroups, the best predictor of future development of AD was found to be antero-posterior localization of alpha frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

FFT dipole approximation and frequency analysis performed by conventional FFT showed comparable classification accuracy between the studied groups. We conclude that localization and amplitude of equivalent EEG sources could be promising markers of early AD.

Spatial pattern of cerebral glucose metabolism (PET) correlates with localization of intracerebral EEG-generators in Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Since the measurement of human cerebral glucose metabolism (GluM) by positron emission tomography (PET) and that of human cerebral electrical activity by EEG reflect synaptic activity, both methods should be related in their cerebral spatial distribution. Healthy subjects do indeed demonstrate similar metabolic and neuroelectric spatial patterns.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to show that this similarity of GluM and EEG spatial patterns holds true in a population with a high variability of glucose metabolism.

METHODS

We investigated healthy control subjects and patients with varying degrees of cognitive dysfunction and varying GluM patterns by applying [18F]FDG PET and EEG.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that the localization of intracerebral generators of EEG correlates with spatial indices of GluM.

CONCLUSION

These results indicates that EEG provides similar spatial information about brain function as GluM-PET. Since EEG is a non-invasive technique, which is more widely available and can be repeated more often than PET, this may have important implications both for neuropsychiatric research and for clinical diagnosis. However, further studies are required to determine whether equivalent EEG dipole generators can yield a diagnostic specificity and sensitivity similar to that of GluM-PET.

The functional neuroanatomy of target detection: an fMRI study of visual and auditory oddball tasks

The neuronal response patterns that are required for an adequate behavioural reaction to subjectively relevant changes in the environment are commonly studied by means of oddball paradigms, in which occasional 'target' stimuli have to be detected in a train of frequent 'non-target' stimuli. The detection of such task-relevant stimuli is accompanied by a parietocentral positive component of the event-related potential, the P300. We performed EEG recordings of visual and auditory event-related potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) when healthy subjects performed an oddball task. Significant increases in fMRI signal for target versus non-target conditions were observed in the supramarginal gyrus, frontal operculum and insular cortex bilaterally, and in further circumscribed parietal and frontal regions. These effects were consistent over various stimulation and response modalities and can be regarded as specific for target detection in both the auditory and the visual modality. These results therefore contribute to the understanding of the target detection network in human cerebral cortex and impose constraints on attempts at localizing the neuronal P300 generator. This is of importance both from a neurobiological perspective and because of the widespread application of the physiological correlates of target detection in clinical P300 studies.

Intensity dependence of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) as biological marker for cerebral serotonin levels: effects of tryptophan depletion in healthy subjects

RATIONALE

The intensity dependence of the auditory evoked potentials (AEP) has been suggested to be a specific biological marker of central serotonergic activity.

OBJECTIVE

While previous studies used circumstantial evidence to support this hypothesis, we manipulated (decreased) cerebral levels of serotonin directly by using tryptophan depletion.

METHODS

Twelve healthy young subjects were investigated using placebo and two different amino acid mixtures in a double blind cross over design on three different occasions. AEPs recorded during tryptophan depletion were analyzed by dipole analysis and regional sources using methods published in the literature.

RESULTS

For none of the mixtures a significant effect of tryptophan depletion was found. There was a trend towards reduced intensity dependency after tryptophan depletion, especially in the right hemisphere. This reduction correlated with the amount of reduced tryptophan in plasma.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate, in contrast to earlier indirect studies, that the intensity dependence of AEPs is not a specific marker of central serotonergic activity.

The iron sulfur protein AtsB is required for posttranslational formation of formylglycine in the Klebsiella sulfatase

The catalytic residue of eukaryotic and prokaryotic sulfatases is a alpha-formylglycine. In the sulfatase of Klebsiella pneumoniae the formylglycine is generated by posttranslational oxidation of serine 72. We cloned the atsBA operon of K. pneumoniae and found that the sulfatase was expressed in inactive form in Escherichia coli transformed with the structural gene (atsA). Coexpression of the atsB gene, however, led to production of high sulfatase activity, indicating that the atsB gene product plays a posttranslational role that is essential for the sulfatase to gain its catalytic activity. This was verified after purification of the sulfatase from the periplasm of the cells. Peptide analysis of the protein expressed in the presence of AtsB revealed that half of the polypeptides carried the formylglycine at position 72, while the remaining polypeptides carried the encoded serine. The inactive sulfatase expressed in the absence of AtsB carried exclusively serine 72, demonstrating that the atsB gene is required for formylglycine modification. This gene encodes a 395-amino acid residue iron sulfur protein that has a cytosolic localization and is supposed to directly or indirectly catalyze the oxidation of the serine to formylglycine.

Amino acid residues forming the active site of arylsulfatase A. Role in catalytic activity and substrate binding

Arylsulfatase A belongs to the sulfatase family whose members carry a Calpha-formylglycine that is post-translationally generated by oxidation of a conserved cysteine or serine residue. The formylglycine acts as an aldehyde hydrate with two geminal hydroxyls being involved in catalysis of sulfate ester cleavage. In arylsulfatase A and N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase this formylglycine was found to form the active site together with a divalent cation and a number of polar residues, tightly interconnected by a net of hydrogen bonds. Most of these putative active site residues are highly conserved among the eukaryotic and prokaryotic members of the sulfatase family. To analyze their function in binding and cleaving sulfate esters, we substituted a total of nine putative active site residues of human ASA by alanine (Asp29, Asp30, Asp281, Asn282, His125, His229, Lys123, Lys302, and Ser150). In addition the Mg2+-complexing residues (Asp29, Asp30, Asp281, and Asn282) were substituted conservatively by either asparagine or aspartate. In all mutants Vmax was decreased to 1-26% of wild type activity. The Km was more than 10-fold increased in K123A and K302A and up to 5-fold in the other mutants. In all mutants the pH optimum was increased from 4.5 by 0.2-0.8 units. These results indicate that each of the nine residues examined is critical for catalytic activity, Lys123 and Lys302 by binding the substrate and the others by direct (His125 and Asp281) or indirect participation in catalysis. The shift in the pH optimum is explained by two deprotonation steps that have been proposed for sulfate ester cleavage.

Sequence determinants directing conversion of cysteine to formylglycine in eukaryotic sulfatases

Sulfatases carry at their catalytic site a unique post-translational modification, an alpha-formylglycine residue that is essential for enzyme activity. Formylglycine is generated by oxidation of a conserved cysteine or, in some prokaryotic sulfatases, serine residue. In eukaryotes, this oxidation occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum during or shortly after import of the nascent sulfatase polypeptide. The modification of arylsulfatase A was studied in vitro and was found to be directed by a short linear sequence, CTPSR, starting with the cysteine to be modified. Mutational analyses showed that the cysteine, proline and arginine are the key residues within this motif, whereas formylglycine formation tolerated the individual, but not the simultaneous substitution of the threonine or serine. The CTPSR motif was transferred to a heterologous protein leading to low-efficient formylglycine formation. The efficiency reached control values when seven additional residues (AALLTGR) directly following the CTPSR motif in arylsulfatase A were present. Mutating up to four residues simultaneously within this heptamer sequence inhibited the modification only moderately. AALLTGR may, therefore, have an auxiliary function in presenting the core motif to the modifying enzyme. Within the two motifs, the key residues are fully, and other residues are highly conserved among all known members of the sulfatase family.

Generators of brain electrical activity in patients with Wilson's disease

Electroencephalographic (EEG) generators were investigated in 13 patients suffering from hepatolenticular degeneration with and without neurological symptoms and in 13 healthy subjects for comparison by the use of FFT approximation. Quantitative assessment of motor deficits and psychiatric disturbances was correlated with EEG features. We found mainly an increase in delta activity, a decrease in alpha activity combined with a more posterior localisation of the EEG generators in the delta band and a more anterior one in the alpha band in patients compared with healthy controls. The localisation of the EEG generators in the patients with clinical apparent neurological symptoms were in all frequency bands more superficial compared with controls and patients without neurological symptoms. With longer duration of the disease, the lower the premorbid intelligence the more posterior was the delta EEG generator localised. Although the alpha EEG generator was more anteriorly localised with longer duration of the disease and more severe cognitive deficits, it was more superficial with more pronounced psychiatric symptoms, more severe cognitive deficits, lower premorbid intelligence and more pronounced motor disabilities. With more pronounced psychiatric symptoms and cognitive deficits, the beta EEG generator was more anteriorly localised. The present study demonstrated that a significant deviant EEG pattern exists between patients with and without clinical neurological symptoms and that stage-dependent alterations in psychiatric symptoms and cognitive ability are reflected on the EEG.

Activation of Heschl's gyrus during auditory hallucinations

Apart from being a common feature of mental illness, auditory hallucinations provide an intriguing model for the study of internally generated sensory perceptions that are attributed to external sources. Until now, the knowledge about the cortical network that supports such hallucinations has been restricted by methodological limitations. Here, we describe an experiment with paranoid schizophrenic patients whose on- and offset of auditory hallucinations could be monitored within one functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session. We demonstrate an increase of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in Heschl's gyrus during the patients' hallucinations. Our results provide direct evidence of the involvement of primary auditory areas in auditory verbal hallucinations and establish novel constraints for psychopathological models.

Multimodal imaging of residual function and compensatory resource allocation in cortical atrophy: a case study of parietal lobe function in a patient with Huntington's disease

In a case of Huntington's disease (HD) with dementia and pronounced parieto-frontal atrophy, the functional state of the affected regions was investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). It was observed that although parietal areas showed extensive atrophy and reduced resting glucose metabolism, the patient performed with similar accuracy but with longer response time in a visuospatial task compared with healthy control subjects. At the same time, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal in these areas, which are involved in visuospatial processing, showed a similar task-dependent modulation as in control subjects. The signal amplitude (signal percent change) of the task-dependent activation was even higher for the HD patient than in the control group. This residual functionality of parietal areas involved in visuospatial processing could account for the patient's performance in the task concerned, which contrasted with his poor performance in other cognitive tasks. The increased percent-signal change suggests that a higher neuronal effort was necessary to reach a similar degree of accuracy as in control subjects, fitting well with the longer reaction time. We propose that fMRI should be considered as a tool for the assessment of functionality of morphologically abnormal cortex and for the investigation of compensatory resource allocation in neurodegenerative disorders.

Multimodal imaging of residual function and compensatory resource allocation in cortical atrophy: a case study of parietal lobe function in a patient with Huntington's disease

In a case of Huntington's disease (HD) with dementia and pronounced parieto-frontal atrophy, the functional state of the affected regions was investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). It was observed that although parietal areas showed extensive atrophy and reduced resting glucose metabolism, the patient performed with similar accuracy but with longer response time in a visuospatial task compared with healthy control subjects. At the same time, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal in these areas, which are involved in visuospatial processing, showed a similar task-dependent modulation as in control subjects. The signal amplitude (signal percent change) of the task-dependent activation was even higher for the HD patient than in the control group. This residual functionality of parietal areas involved in visuospatial processing could account for the patient's performance in the task concerned, which contrasted with his poor performance in other cognitive tasks. The increased percent-signal change suggests that a higher neuronal effort was necessary to reach a similar degree of accuracy as in control subjects, fitting well with the longer reaction time. We propose that fMRI should be considered as a tool for the assessment of functionality of morphologically abnormal cortex and for the investigation of compensatory resource allocation in neurodegenerative disorders.

Residues critical for formylglycine formation and/or catalytic activity of arylsulfatase A

Sulfatases contain a unique posttranslational modification in their active site, a formylglycine residue generated from a cysteine or a serine residue. The formylglycine residue is part of a sequence that is highly conserved among sulfatases, suggesting that it might direct the generation of this unique amino acid derivative. In the present study residues 68-86 flanking formylglycine 69 in arylsulfatase A were subjected to an alanine/glycine scanning mutagenesis. The mutants were analyzed for the conversion of cysteine 69 to formylglycine and their kinetic properties. Only cysteine 69 turned out to be essential for formation of the formylglycine residue, while substitution of leucine 68, proline 71, and alanine 74 within the heptapeptide LCTPSRA reduced the formylglycine formation to about 30-50%. Several residues that are part of or directly adjacent to an alpha-helix presenting the formylglycine 69 at the bottom of the active site pocket were found to be critical for catalysis. A surprising outcome of this study was that a number of residues fully or highly conserved between all known eukaryotic and prokaryotic sulfatases turned out to be essential neither for generation of formylglycine nor for catalysis.

Posttranslational formation of formylglycine in prokaryotic sulfatases by modification of either cysteine or serine

Eukaryotic sulfatases carry an alpha-formylglycine residue that is essential for activity and is located within the catalytic site. This formylglycine is generated by posttranslational modification of a conserved cysteine residue. The arylsulfatase gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa also encodes a cysteine at the critical position. This protein could be expressed in active form in a sulfatase-deficient strain of P. aeruginosa, thereby restoring growth on aromatic sulfates as sole sulfur source, and in Escherichia coli. Analysis of the mature protein expressed in E. coli revealed the presence of formylglycine at the expected position, showing that the cysteine is also converted to formylglycine in a prokaryotic sulfatase. Substituting the relevant cysteine by a serine codon in the P. aeruginosa gene led to expression of inactive sulfatase protein, lacking the formylglycine. The machinery catalyzing the modification of the Pseudomonas sulfatase in E. coli therefore resembles the eukaryotic machinery, accepting cysteine but not serine as a modification substrate. By contrast, in the arylsulfatase of Klebsiella pneumoniae a formylglycine is found generated by modification of a serine residue. The expression of both the Klebsiella and the Pseudomonas sulfatases as active enzymes in E. coli suggests that two modification systems are present, or that a common modification system is modulated by a cofactor.

Longitudinal changes in quantitative EEG during long-term tacrine treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease

Quantitative EEG is a potentially useful tool in demonstrating the effects of treatments with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors on the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to define the profile of EEG changes during tacrine long-term treatment, for 12 months we followed 15 AD patients receiving an optimal individually tolerable dose. After 3 months theta global field power (GFP) was significantly reduced, and after 6 months both theta and delta GFP decreased. Theta GFP was still reduced after 12 months of treatment when compared to the baseline. Significant decreases in fast activities of beta 1 and beta 2 GFP were also observed. The untreated reference group (n = 10) did not show any significant changes in GFP after 12 months follow-up, although generators of theta activity had a significant shift towards posterior regions. These findings suggest that slowing in fast EEG frequencies during chronic treatment with AChE inhibitors may provide an early indicator of declining treatment efficiency.

Mutations in a polycistronic nuclear gene associated with molybdenum cofactor deficiency

All molybdoenzymes other than nitrogenase require molybdopterin as a metal-binding cofactor. Several genes necessary for the synthesis of the molybdenum cofactor (MoCo) have been characterized in bacteria and plants. The proteins encoded by the Escherichia coli genes moaA and moaC catalyse the first steps in MoCo synthesis. The human homologues of these genes are therefore candidate genes for molybdenum cofactor deficiency, a rare and fatal disease. Using oligonucleotides complementary to a conserved region in the moaA gene, we have isolated a human cDNA derived from liver mRNA. This transcript contains an open reading frame (ORF) encoding the human moaA homologue and a second ORF encoding a human moaC homologue. Mutations can be found in the majority of MoCo-deficient patients that confirm the functional role of both ORFs in the corresponding gene MOCS1 (for 'molybdenum cofactor synthesis-step 1'). Northern-blot analysis detected only full-length transcripts containing both consecutive ORFs in various human tissues. The mRNA structure suggests a translation reinitiation mechanism for the second ORF. These data indicate the existence of a eukaryotic mRNA, which as a single and uniform transcript guides the synthesis of two different enzymatic polypeptides with disease-causing potential.