Akiko Miwa

Continual remodeling of postsynaptic density and its regulation by synaptic activity.

A postsynaptic density (PSD) protein, PSD-95, was tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP-PSD-95) and expressed in cultured hippocampal neurons using recombinant adenoviruses. GFP-PSD-95 was selectively localized to excitatory postsynaptic sites. Time-lapse fluorescence imaging of hippocampal neurons revealed that >20% of GFP-PSD-95 clusters turned over within 24 hours. The appearance rate of clusters was higher than the disappearance rate, and this difference accounted for the gradual increase of the cluster density observed in culture. Dynamics of PSD-95 clusters were also inhibited by blockers of excitatory synaptic transmission. Continual PSD turnover and its regulation by synaptic activity may be important in activity-dependent remodeling of neuronal connections.

Blockage of Ca 2+ -permeable AMPA receptors suppresses migration and induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most undifferentiated type of brain tumor, and its prognosis is extremely poor. Glioblastoma cells exhibit highly migratory and invasive behavior, which makes surgical intervention unsuccessful. Here, we showed that glioblastoma cells express Ca2+-permeable α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors assembled from the GluR1 and/or GluR4 subunits, and that their conversion to Ca2+-impermeable receptors by adenovirus-mediated transfer of the GluR2 cDNA inhibited cell locomotion and induced apoptosis. In contrast, overexpression of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors facilitated migration and proliferation of the tumor cells. These findings indicate that Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors have crucial roles in growth of glioblastoma. Blockage of these Ca2+-permeable receptors may be a useful therapeutic strategy for the prevention of glioblastoma invasion.

Anoplin, a novel antimicrobial peptide from the venom of the solitary wasp Anoplius samariensis

A novel antimicrobial peptide, anoplin, was purified from the venom of the solitary wasp Anoplius samariensis. The sequence was mostly analyzed by mass spectrometry, which was corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. Anoplin, composed of 10 amino acid residues, Gly-Leu-Leu-Lys-Arg-Ile-Lys-Thr-Leu-Leu-NH2, has a high homology to crabrolin and mastoparan-X, the mast cell degranulating peptides from social wasp venoms, and, therefore, can be predicted to adopt an amphipathic alpha-helix secondary structure. In fact, the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of anoplin in the presence of trifluoroethanol or sodium dodecyl sulfate showed a high content, up to 55%, of the alpha-helical conformation. A modeling study of anoplin based on its homology to mastoparan-X supported the CD results. Biological evaluation using the synthetic peptide revealed that this peptide exhibited potent activity in stimulating degranulation from rat peritoneal mast cells and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, this is the first antimicrobial component to be found in the solitary wasp venom and it may play a key role in preventing potential infection by microorganisms during prey consumption by their larvae. Moreover, this peptide is the smallest among the linear alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides hitherto found in nature, which is advantageous for chemical manipulation and medical application.

Ca2+-Permeable AMPA Receptors Regulate Growth of Human Glioblastoma via Akt Activation

Evidence has been accumulated that glioblastoma cells release and exploit glutamate for proliferation and migration by autocrine or paracrine loops through Ca2+-permeable AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Here, we show that Ca2+ signaling mediated by AMPA receptor regulates the growth and motility of glioblastoma cells via activation of Akt. Ca2+ supplied through Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptor phosphorylated Akt at Ser-473, thereby facilitating proliferation and mobility. A dominant-negative form of Akt inhibited cell proliferation and migration accelerated by overexpression of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptor. In contrast, introduction of a constitutively active form of Akt rescued tumor cells from apoptosis induced by the conversion of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptor to Ca2+-impermeable receptors by the delivery of GluR2 cDNA. Therefore, Akt functions as downstream effectors for Ca2+-signaling mediated by AMPA receptor in glioblastoma cells. The activation of the glutamate-AMPA receptor-Akt pathway may contribute to the high degree of anaplasia and invasive growth of human glioblastoma. This novel pathway might give an alternative therapeutic target.

Sequential exocytosis of insulin granules is associated with redistribution of SNAP25

We have investigated sequential exocytosis in β cells of intact pancreatic islets with the use of two-photon excitation imaging of a polar fluorescent tracer, sulforhodamine B, and a fusion protein comprising enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP) and the SNARE protein SNAP25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kD) transfected with an adenoviral vector. Sequential exocytosis was found to account for <10% of exocytic events in β cells stimulated either with glucose under various conditions or by photolysis of a caged-Ca2+ compound. Multigranular exocytosis, in which granule-to-granule fusion occurs before exocytosis, was rarely found. We detected redistribution of ECFP-SNAP25 from the plasma membrane into the membrane of the fused granule occurred in a large proportion (54%) of sequential exocytic events but in only a small fraction (5%) of solitary fusion events. Removal of cholesterol in the plasma membrane by methyl-β-cyclodextrin facilitated both redistribution of ECFP-SNAP25 and sequential exocytosis by threefold. These observations support the hypothesis that SNAP25 is a plasma membrane factor that is responsible for sequential exocytosis.

Disturbance of Membrane Function Preceding Ischemic Delayed Neuronal Death in the Gerbil Hippocampus

Slice preparations were made from the hippocampus of gerbils after 5 min of ischemia by carotid artery occlusion and the membrane properties of pyramidal neurons were examined. A majority of CA1 neurons lost the capacity for long-term potentiation following tetanic stimulation of the input fibers. CA3 pyramidal neurons, in contrast, preserved responses similar to those in the normal gerbil. Following ischemia, CA1 pyramidal neurons showed increased spontaneous firing that was highly voltage dependent and was blocked by intracellular injection of the Ca2+ chelator, EGTA. Thirty-five percent of CA1 neurons showed an abnormal slow oscillation of the membrane potential after 24 h following ischemia. Intracellular injection of GTPγS or IP3 produced facilitation of the oscillations followed by irreversible depolarization. Our results indicate that ischemia-damaged CA1 neurons suffer from abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis, involving IP3-induced liberation of Ca2+ from internal stores.

Spider toxin (JSTX) blocks glutamate synapse in hippocampal pyramidal neurons

Effects of spider toxin (JSTX)--a specific blocker of glutamate receptors--on single pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus were studied using tissue slices in vitro. JSTX blocked the synaptic response in CA1 pyramidal cells evoked by Schaffer collateral stimulation without affecting the antidromic spike potential. The toxin suppressed glutamate-induced cell firings whereas it had little effect on aspartate-induced responses. The results suggest that glutamate is a neurotransmitter of the Schaffer collateral input to CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Structure and biological activities of eumenine mastoparan-AF (EMP-AF), a new mast cell degranulating peptide in the venom of the solitary wasp (Anterhynchium flavomarginatum micado).

A new mast cell degranulating peptide, eumenine mastoparan-AF (EMP-AF), was isolated from the venom of the solitary wasp Anterhynchium flavomarginatum micado, the most common eumenine wasp found in Japan. The structure was analyzed by FAB-MS/MS together with Edman degradation, which was corroborated by solid-phase synthesis. The sequence of EMP-AF, Ile-Asn-Leu-Leu-Lys-Ile-Ala-Lys-Gly-Ile-Ile-Lys-Ser-Leu-NH(2), was similar to that of mastoparan, a mast cell degranulating peptide from a hornet venom; tetradecapeptide with C-terminus amidated and rich in hydrophobic and basic amino acids. In fact, EMP-AF exhibited similar activity to mastoparan in stimulating degranulation from rat peritoneal mast cells and RBL-2H3 cells. It also showed significant hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. Therefore, this is the first example that a mast cell degranulating peptide is found in the solitary wasp venom. Besides the degranulation and hemolytic activity, EMP-AF also affects on neuromuscular transmission in the lobster walking leg preparation. Three analogs EMP-AF-1 approximately 3 were snythesized and biologically tested together with EMP-AF, resulting in the importance of the C-terminal amide structure for biological activities.

A new class of neurotoxin from wasp venom slows inactivation of sodium current

The effects of α‐pompilidotoxin (α‐PMTX), a new neurotoxin isolated from the venom of a solitary wasp, were studied on the neuromuscular synapses in lobster walking leg and the rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. Paired intracellular recordings from the presynaptic axon terminals and the innervating lobster leg muscles revealed that α‐PMTX induced long bursts of action potentials in the presynaptic axon, which resulted in facilitated excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. The action of α‐PMTX was distinct from that of other known facilitatory presynaptic toxins, including sea anemone toxins and α‐scorpion toxins, which modify the fast inactivation of Na+ current. We further characterized the action of α‐PMTX on Na+ channels by whole‐cell recordings from rat trigeminal neurons. We found that α‐PMTX slowed the Na+ channels inactivation process without changing the peak current–voltage relationship or the activation time course of tetrodotoxin (TTX)‐sensitive Na+ currents, and that α‐PMTX had voltage‐dependent effects on the rate of recovery from Na+ current inactivation and deactivating tail currents. The results suggest that α‐PMTX slows or blocks conformational changes required for fast inactivation of the Na+ channels on the extracellular surface. The simple structure of α‐PMTX, consisting of 13 amino acids, would be advantageous for understanding the functional architecture of Na+ channel protein.

RP58 Regulates the Multipolar-Bipolar Transition of Newborn Neurons in the Developing Cerebral Cortex

Accumulating evidence suggests that many brain diseases are associated with defects in neuronal migration, suggesting that this step of neurogenesis is critical for brain organization. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal migration remain largely unknown. Here, we identified the zinc-finger transcriptional repressor RP58 as a key regulator of neuronal migration via multipolar-to-bipolar transition. RP58(-/-) neurons exhibited severe defects in the formation of leading processes and never shifted to the locomotion mode. Cre-mediated deletion of RP58 using in utero electroporation in RP58(flox/flox) mice revealed that RP58 functions in cell-autonomous multipolar-to-bipolar transition, independent of cell-cycle exit. Finally, we found that RP58 represses Ngn2 transcription to regulate the Ngn2-Rnd2 pathway; Ngn2 knockdown rescued migration defects of the RP58(-/-) neurons. Our findings highlight the critical role of RP58 in multipolar-to-bipolar transition via suppression of the Ngn2-Rnd2 pathway in the developing cerebral cortex.