Darkhan I. Utepbergenov

Protein Kinase C Regulates the Phosphorylation and Cellular Localization of Occludin

Occludin is an integral membrane phosphoprotein specifically associated with tight junctions, contributing to the structure and function of this intercellular seal. Occludin function is thought to be regulated by phosphorylation, but no information is available on the molecular pathways involved. In the present study, the involvement of the protein kinase C pathway in the regulation of the phosphorylation and cellular distribution of occludin has been investigated. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol induced the rapid phosphorylation of occludin in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells cultured in low extracellular calcium medium with a concomitant translocation of occludin to the regions of cell-cell contact. The extent of occludin phosphorylation as well as its incorporation into tight junctions induced by protein kinase C activators or calcium switch were markedly decreased by the protein kinase C inhibitor GF-109203X. In addition, in vitroexperiments showed that the recombinant COOH-terminal domain of murine occludin could be phosphorylated by purified protein kinase C. Ser338 of occludin was identified as an in vitro protein kinase C phosphorylation site using peptide mass fingerprint analysis and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectroscopy. These findings indicate that protein kinase C is involved in the regulation of occludin function at tight junctions.

Nitric oxide protects blood-brain barrier in vitro from hypoxia/reoxygenation-mediated injury.

A cell culture model of blood‐brain barrier (BBB, coculture of rat brain endothelial cells with rat astrocytes) was used to investigate the effect of nitric oxide (⋅NO) on the damage of the BBB induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Permeability coefficient of fluorescein across the endothelium was used as a marker of BBB tightness. The permeability coefficient increased 5.2 times after H/R indicating strong disruption of the BBB. The presence of the ⋅NO donor S‐nitroso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine (SNAP, 30 μM), authentic ⋅NO (6 μM) or superoxide dismutase (50 units/ml) during H/R attenuated H/R‐induced increase in permeability. 30 μM SNAP or 6 μM ⋅NO did not influence the function of BBB during normoxia, however, severe disruption was observed using 150 μM of SNAP and more than 24 μM of ⋅NO. After H/R of endothelial cells, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased 2.3 times indicating radical‐induced peroxidation of membrane lipids. 30 μM SNAP or 6 μM authentic ⋅NO completely prevented MDA formation. The results show that ⋅NO may effectively scavenge reactive oxygen species formed during H/R of brain capillary endothelial cells, affording protection of BBB at the molecular and functional level.

Dimerization of the scaffolding protein ZO-1 through the second PDZ domain.

The tight junction protein ZO-1 is known to link the transmembrane proteins occludin, claudins, and JAMs to many cytoplasmic proteins and the actin cytoskeleton. Although specific roles for ZO-1 at the tight junction are unknown, it is widely assumed that ZO-1, together with its homologs ZO-2 and ZO-3, serves as a platform to scaffold various transmembrane and cytoplasmic tight junction proteins. Thus the manner in which the zonula occludens (ZO) proteins multimerize has implications for the protein networks they can coordinate. The purpose of our study was to determine whether ZO-1 forms homodimers and to determine the protein interaction region. Using laser light scattering and analytical centrifugation, we show that protein sequences corresponding to the NH2-terminal half of ZO-1 form stable homodimers with a submicromolar equilibrium dissociation constant. Analysis of the molecular weight of different truncated forms of ZO-1 revealed that the second PDZ domain is both necessary and sufficient for dimerization. This interaction does not use the β-finger motif described for other PDZ dimers. Furthermore, ZO-1 does not dimerize via an Src homology 3 to Guk domain interaction as was demonstrated previously for MAGUKs, like PSD-95. Results from immunoprecipitation experiments with polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells stably transfected with full-length GFP-ZO-1 indicate that a substantial portion of ZO-1 forms homodimers in vivo. As described previously, ZO-1 also forms heterodimers with ZO-2 and ZO-3. We conclude that the dimerization of ZO proteins is unlike that of other MAGUKs and that the previously unrecognized ZO-1 homodimers may allow formation of protein networks distinct from those of heterodimers with ZO-2 and ZO-3.

p63RhoGEF Couples Gαq/11-Mediated Signaling to Ca2+ Sensitization of Vascular Smooth Muscle Contractility

Rationale: In normal and diseased vascular smooth muscle (SM), the RhoA pathway, which is activated by multiple agonists through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), plays a central role in regulating basal tone and peripheral resistance. This occurs through inhibition of myosin light chain phosphatase, leading to increased phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain. Although it is thought that specific agonists and GPCRs may couple to distinct RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), thus raising the possibility of selective targeting of specific GEFs for therapeutic use, this notion is largely unexplored for SM contraction. Objective: We examine whether p63RhoGEF, known to couple specifically to G&agr;q/11 in vitro, is functional in blood vessels as a mediator of RhoA activation and if it is selectively activated by G&agr;q/11 coupled agonists. Methods and Results: We find that p63RhoGEF is present across SM tissues and demonstrate that silencing of the endogenous p63RhoGEF in mouse portal vein inhibits contractile force induced by endothelin-1 to a greater extent than the predominantly G&agr;12/13-mediated thromboxane analog U46619. This is because endothelin-1 acts on G&agr;q/11 as well as G&agr;12/13. Introduction of the exogenous isolated pleckstrin-homology (PH) domain of p63RhoGEF (residues 331–580) into permeabilized rabbit portal vein inhibited Ca2+ sensitized force and activation of RhoA, when phenylephrine was used as an agonist. This reinforces the results based on endothelin-1, because phenylephrine is thought to act exclusively through G&agr;q/11. Conclusion: We demonstrate that p63RhoGEF selectively couples G&agr;q/11 but not G&agr;12/13, to RhoA activation in blood vessels and cultured cells and thus mediates the physiologically important Ca2+ sensitization of force induced with G&agr;q/11-coupled agonists. Our results suggest that signaling through p63RhoGEF provides a novel mechanism for selective regulation of blood pressure.

Occludin binds to the SH3-hinge-GuK unit of zonula occludens protein 1: potential mechanism of tight junction regulation.

The interaction between tight junction proteins occludin and zona occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) was clarified. The sequence cc1 within the hinge region of ZO-1, connecting its SH3 and GuK domains, was identified as a new association site for the occludin C-terminus, core binding area GLRSSKRNLRKSR (mouse ZO-1606-618). Occludin also bound to the sequence H2 within GuK, core area HKLRKNNH (ZO-1759-766). In occludin, the binding core was ELSRLDKELDDYREESEEY (mouse occludin455-473). Helicity of the sequences was suggested by circular dichroism. Because basic residues in ZO-1, acidic residues in occludin (underlined), coiled-coil helix-forming leucine heptad motifs (bold) in occludin and, probably, in cc1 were essential, we conclude that interactions were both helical and ionic. Moreover, the GuK domain bound other GuK molecules, suggesting oligomerization of ZO-1. Generally, the assumption is supported that the SH3-hinge-GuK region represents a functional and regulatory unit in ZO-1 forming a multiprotein tight junction complex with occludin.

Insights into the Inhibition of the p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinase (RSK) by the Flavonol Glycoside SL0101 from the 1.5 A Crystal Structure of the N-Terminal Domain of RSK2 with Bound Inhibitor.

The p90 ribosomal S6 family of kinases (RSK) are potential drug targets, due to their involvement in cancer and other pathologies. There are currently only two known selective inhibitors of RSK, but the basis for selectivity is not known. One of these inhibitors is a naturally occurring kaempferol-α-L-diacetylrhamnoside, SL0101. Here, we report the crystal structure of the complex of the N-terminal kinase domain of the RSK2 isoform with SL0101 at 1.5 Å resolution. The refined atomic model reveals unprecedented structural reorganization of the protein moiety, as compared to the nucleotide-bound form. The entire N-lobe, the hinge region, and the αD-helix undergo dramatic conformational changes resulting in a rearrangement of the nucleotide binding site with concomitant formation of a highly hydrophobic pocket spatially suited to accommodate SL0101. These unexpected results will be invaluable in further optimization of the SL0101 scaffold as a promising lead for a novel class of kinase inhibitors.

Structural features and chaperone activity of the NudC protein family.

The NudC family consists of four conserved proteins with representatives in all eukaryotes. The archetypal nudC gene from Aspergillus nidulans is a member of the nud gene family that is involved in the maintenance of nuclear migration. This family also includes nudF, whose human orthologue, Lis1, codes for a protein essential for brain cortex development. Three paralogues of NudC are known in vertebrates: NudC, NudC-like (NudCL), and NudC-like 2 (NudCL2). The fourth distantly related member of the family, CML66, contains a NudC-like domain. The three principal NudC proteins have no catalytic activity but appear to play as yet poorly defined roles in proliferating and dividing cells. We present crystallographic and NMR studies of the human NudC protein and discuss the results in the context of structures recently deposited by structural genomics centers (i.e., NudCL and mouse NudCL2). All proteins share the same core CS domain characteristic of proteins acting either as cochaperones of Hsp90 or as independent small heat shock proteins. However, while NudC and NudCL dimerize via an N-terminally located coiled coil, the smaller NudCL2 lacks this motif and instead dimerizes as a result of unique domain swapping. We show that NudC and NudCL, but not NudCL2, inhibit the aggregation of several target proteins, consistent with an Hsp90-independent heat shock protein function. Importantly, and in contrast to several previous reports, none of the three proteins is able to form binary complexes with Lis1. The availability of structural information will be of help in further studies on the cellular functions of the NudC family.

Synthesis and spin trapping applications of 2,2-dimethyl-d6-4-methyl-2H-imidazole-1-oxide-1-15N.

A new spin trap, 2,2-dimethyl-d6-4-methyl-2H-imidazole-1-oxide-1-15N (lTMIO), was synthesized and characterized. Hyperfine splitting (HFS) constants of spin adduct ESR spectra of this compound with oxygen-centered, carbon-centered, thiyl and sulfite-derived radicals were determined and compared with the data of the unsubstituted compound. The increase in ESR spectral intensity and the accompanying decrease of the spectral linewidth result in resolution of the HFS due to interaction with alpha-protons of alkyl radicals trapped by lTMIO. Trapping of the formate radical in deoxygenated aqueous solution revealed a very low spectral linewidth (delta Bpp = 0.028 mT) of the corresponding adduct. A strong dependence of the ESR spectra on pH was observed when the autoxidation product of sulfite, SO3-, was trapped. The pKa was found to be 5.8 +/- 0.3. In comparison to other nitrones, application of this spin trap provides more detailed information on the structure of the species trapped, especially for carbon-centered radicals.

Molecular architecture of the nucleoprotein C-terminal domain from the Ebola and Marburg viruses.

The Filoviridae family of negative-sense, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses is comprised of two species of Marburgvirus (MARV and RAVV) and five species of Ebolavirus, i.e. Zaire (EBOV), Reston (RESTV), Sudan (SUDV), Taï Forest (TAFV) and Bundibugyo (BDBV). In each of these viruses the ssRNA encodes seven distinct proteins. One of them, the nucleoprotein (NP), is the most abundant viral protein in the infected cell and within the viral nucleocapsid. It is tightly associated with the viral RNA in the nucleocapsid, and during the lifecycle of the virus is essential for transcription, RNA replication, genome packaging and nucleocapsid assembly prior to membrane encapsulation. The structure of the unique C-terminal globular domain of the NP from EBOV has recently been determined and shown to be structurally unrelated to any other known protein [Dziubańska et al. (2014), Acta Cryst. D70, 2420-2429]. In this paper, a study of the C-terminal domains from the NP from the remaining four species of Ebolavirus, as well as from the MARV strain of Marburgvirus, is reported. As expected, the crystal structures of the BDBV and TAFV proteins show high structural similarity to that from EBOV, while the MARV protein behaves like a molten globule with a core residual structure that is significantly different from that of the EBOV protein.

The p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinase (RSK) Is a Mediator of Smooth Muscle Contractility

In the canonical model of smooth muscle (SM) contraction, the contractile force is generated by phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain (RLC20) by the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). Moreover, phosphorylation of the myosin targeting subunit (MYPT1) of the RLC20 phosphatase (MLCP) by the RhoA-dependent ROCK kinase, inhibits the phosphatase activity and consequently inhibits dephosphorylation of RLC20 with concomitant increase in contractile force, at constant intracellular [Ca2+]. This pathway is referred to as Ca2+-sensitization. There is, however, emerging evidence suggesting that additional Ser/Thr kinases may contribute to the regulatory pathways in SM. Here, we report data implicating the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) in SM contractility. During both Ca2+- and agonist (U46619) induced SM contraction, RSK inhibition by the highly selective compound BI-D1870 (which has no effect on MLCK or ROCK) resulted in significant suppression of contractile force. Furthermore, phosphorylation levels of RLC20 and MYPT1 were both significantly decreased. Experiments involving the irreversible MLCP inhibitor microcystin-LR, in the absence of Ca2+, revealed that the decrease in phosphorylation levels of RLC20 upon RSK inhibition are not due solely to the increase in the phosphatase activity, but reflect direct or indirect phosphorylation of RLC20 by RSK. Finally, we show that agonist (U46619) stimulation of SM leads to activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/2 and PDK1, consistent with a canonical activation cascade for RSK. Thus, we demonstrate a novel and important physiological function of the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase, which to date has been typically associated with the regulation of gene expression.