Heribert Talasz

Histone H4 lysine 20 monomethylation is increased in promoter and coding regions of active genes and correlates with hyperacetylation

Methylation and acetylation of position-specific lysine residues in the N-terminal tail of histones H3 and H4 play an important role in regulating chromatin structure and function. In the case of H3-Lys4, H3-Lys9, H3-Lys27, and H4-Lys20, the degree of methyla-tion was variable from the mono- to the di- or trimethylated state, each of which was presumed to be involved in the organization of chromatin and the activation or repression of genes. Here we inves-tigated the interplay between histone H4-Lys20 mono- and trim-ethylation and H4 acetylation at induced (β-major/β-minor glo-bin), repressed (c-myc), and silent (embryonic β-globin) genes during in vitro differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia cells. By using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found that the β-majorand β-minor promoter and the β-globin coding regions as well as the promoter and the transcribed exon 2 regions of the highly expressed c-myc gene were hyperacetylated and monomethylated at H4-Lys20. Although activation of the β-globin gene resulted in an increase in hyperacetylated, monomethylated H4, down-regulation of the c-myc gene did not cause a decrease in hyperacetylated, monomethylated H4-Lys20, thus showing a stable pattern of histone modifications. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies revealed that monomethylated H4-Lys20 mainly overlaps with RNA pol II-stained euchromatic regions, thus indicating an association with transcriptionally engaged chromatin. Our chromatin immunopre-cipitation results demonstrated that in contrast to trimethylated H4-Lys20, which was found to inversely correlate with H4 hyper-acetylation, H4-Lys20 monomethylation is compatible with histone H4 hyperacetylation and correlates with the transcriptionally active or competent chromatin state.

Histone H1 phosphorylation occurs site-specifically during interphase and mitosis: identification of a novel phosphorylation site on histone H1.

H1 histones, isolated from logarithmically growing and mitotically enriched human lymphoblastic T-cells (CCRF-CEM), were fractionated by reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, subjected to enzymatic digestion, and analyzed by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. During interphase the four H1 subtypes present in these cells differ in their maximum phosphorylation levels: histone H1.5 is tri-, H1.4 di-, and H1.3 and H1.2, only monophosphorylated. The phosphorylation is site-specific and occurs exclusively on serine residues of SP(K/A)K motifs. The phosphorylation sites of histone H1.5 from mitotically enriched cells were also examined. In contrast to the situation in interphase, at mitosis there were additional phosphorylations, exclusively at threonine residues. Whereas the tetraphosphorylated H1.5 arises from the triphosphosphorylated form by phosphorylation of one of two TPKK motifs in the C-terminal domain, namely Thr137 and Thr154, the pentaphosphorylated H1.5 was the result of phosphorylation of one of the tetraphosphorylated forms at a novel nonconsensus motif at Thr10 in the N-terminal tail. Despite the fact that histone H1.5 has five (S/T)P(K/A)K motifs, all of these motifs were never found to be phosphorylated simultaneously. Our data suggest that phosphorylation of human H1 variants occurs nonrandomly during both interphase and mitosis and that distinct serine- or threonine-specific kinases are involved in different cell cycle phases. The order of increased phosphorylation and the position of modification might be necessary for regulated chromatin decondensation, thus facilitating processes of replication and transcription as well as of mitotic chromosome condensation.

In Vitro Binding of H1 Histone Subtypes to Nucleosomal Organized Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Long Terminal Repeat Promotor

The binding of all known linker histones, named H1a through H1e, including H10 and H1t, to a model chromatin complex based on a DNA fragment containing the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat promotor was systematically studied. As for the histone subtype H1b, we found a dissociation constant of 8–16 nm to a single mononucleosome (210 base pairs), whereas the binding constant of all other subtypes varied between 2 and 4 nm. Most of the H1 histones, namely H1a, H1c, H1d/e, and H10, completely aggregate polynucleosomes (1.3 kilobase pairs, 6 nucleosomes) at 270–360 nm, corresponding to a molar ratio of six to eight H1 molecules per reconstituted nucleosome. To form aggregates with the histones H1t and H1b, however, greater amounts of protein were required. Furthermore, our results show that specific types of in vivo phosphorylation of the linker histone tails influence both the binding to mononucleosomes and the aggregation of polynucleosomes. S phase-specific phosphorylation with one to three phosphate groups at specific sites in the C terminus influences neither the binding to a mononucleosome nor the aggregation of polynucleosomes. In contrast, highly phosphorylated H1 histones with four to five phosphate groups in the C and N termini reveal a very high binding affinity to a mononucleosome but a low chromatin aggregation capability. These findings suggest that specific S phase or mitotic phosphorylation sites act independently and have distinct functional roles.

Hyperphosphorylation of histone H2A.X and dephosphorylation of histone H1 subtypes in the course of apoptosis.

Chromatin condensation paralleled by DNA fragmentation is one of the most important nuclear events occurring during apoptosis. Histone modifications, and in particular phosphorylation, have been suggested to affect chromatin function and structure during both cell cycle and cell death. We report here that phosphate incorporation into all H1 subtypes decreased rapidly after induction of apoptosis, evidently causing a strong reduction in phosphorylated forms of main H1 histone subtypes. H1 dephosphorylation is accompanied by chromatin condensation preceding the onset of typical chromatin oligonucleosomal fragmentation, whereas H2A.X hyperphosphorylation is strongly correlated to apoptotic chromatin fragmentation. Using various kinase inhibitors we were able to exclude some of the possible kinases which can be involved directly or indirectly in phosphorylation of histone H2A.X. Neither DNA-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase A, protein kinase G, nor the kinases driven by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP) pathway appear to be responsible for H2A.X phosphorylation. The protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), however, markedly reduced the induction of apoptosis in TNFα-treated cells with a simultaneous change in the phosphorylation pattern of histone H2A.X. Hyperphosphorylation of H2A.X in apoptotic cells depends indirectly on activation of caspases and nuclear scaffold proteases as shown in zVAD-(OMe)-fmk- or zAPF-cmk-treated cells, whereas the dephosphorylation of H1 subtypes seems to be influenced solely by caspase inhibitors. Together, these results illustrate that H1 dephosphorylation and H2A.X hyperphosphorylation are necessary steps on the apoptotic pathway.

Separation of phosphorylated histone H1 variants by high-performance capillary electrophoresis

High-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) was used to separate successfully distinct phosphorylated derivatives of individual histone H1 variants. With an untreated capillary (50 cm x 75 microns I.D.) the electrophoresis was performed in about 15 min. Inconvenient interactions of these highly basic proteins with the capillary wall were eliminated by using 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) containing 0.03% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Under these experimental conditions the histone H1 variants H1b and H1c obtained from mitotic enriched NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography were clearly separated in their non-phosphorylated and different phosphorylated forms. This result was confirmed by acid-urea gel electrophoresis, comparison with non-phosphorylated histones H1b and H1c, isolated from quiescent NIH 3T3 cells, and incubation of multi-phosphorylated histone H1b with alkaline phosphatase and subsequent acid-urea and capillary electrophoresis. The results illustrate that the application of HPCE to the analysis of histone modifications provides a new alternative to traditional gel electrophoresis.

Inhibitory effects of the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine on prostatic carcinoma cells

Gemcitabine (2≺,2≺difluoro‐2≺deoxycytidine, dFdC) is a synthetic antimetabolite of the cellular pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism. In a first series of in vitro experiments, the drug showed a strong effect on the proliferation and colony formation of the human androgen‐sensitive tumor cell line LNCaP and the androgen‐insensitive cell lines PC‐3 and DU‐145. Maximal inhibition occurred at a dFdC concentration as low as 30 nM. In contrast to the cell lines which were derived from metastatic lesions of prostate cancer patients, no inhibitory effects were found in normal primary prostatic epithelial cells at concentrations up to 100 nM. The effect of gemcitabine was reversed by co‐administration of 10–100 μM of its natural analogue deoxycytidine. In view of a future clinical application of this anti‐tumor drug in advanced prostatic carcinoma, we have compared the effect of gemcitabine on prostatic tumor cells with that on bone marrow granulopoietic‐macrophagic progenitor cells, because neutropenia is a common side effect of gemcitabine treatment. The time course of action on the two kinds of cells was markedly different. Colony formation of tumor cells was inhibited by two thirds at a gemcitabine concentration of about 3.5 nM. The same effect on granulopoietic‐macrophagic progenitor cells required a concentration of 9 nM. Co‐administration of deoxycytidine to gemcitabine‐treated tumor cell cultures completely antagonized the effect of gemcitabine whereas addition of deoxycytidine after 48 hr of gemcitabine treatment could not prevent gemcitabine action on the tumor cells. In contrast, more than half of the granulopoietic‐macrophagic progenitor cells could still be rescued by deoxycytidine administration after 48 hr. These findings and the marked difference in the susceptibility of neoplastic and normal prostatic cells suggest that gemcitabine is a promising substance which should be further evaluated as to its efficacy in the treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma.

Testis-specific linker histone H1t is multiply phosphorylated during spermatogenesis. Identification of phosphorylation sites.

During normal spermatogenesis, the testis-specific linker histone H1t appears at pachytene stage becomes phosphorylated in early spermatids and disappears in late spermatids. Using reversed-phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, H1t from rat and mouse testes was isolated, subjected to enzymatic digestion, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. We observed different phosphorylated states of H1t (mono-, di-, and triphosphorylated) as well as the unphosphorylated protein. Tandem mass spectrometry and immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography experiments with MS/MS/MS and multistage activation were utilized to identify five phosphorylation sites on H1t from rats. Phosphorylation occurs on both serine and threonine residues, whereas only two of these sites were located on peptides containing the CDK consensus motif (S/T)PXZ. Rat H1t phosphorylation starts first by phosphorylation of the nonconsensus motif SPKS in the COOH-terminal domain, namely at Ser-140 and to a smaller degree at a further nonconsensus motif at Ser-186. This is followed by phosphorylation of Ser-177 and Thr-155, both located in CDK consensus motifs. A single phosphorylation site at Ser-8 in the NH2-terminal tail was also found. Mouse H1t lacks Ser-186 and is phosphorylated at up to four sites. In contrast to somatic linker histones, no strict order of increasing phosphorylation could be detected in H1t. Thus, it appears that not the order of up-phosphorylation but the number of the phosphate groups is necessary for regulated chromatin decondensation, thus facilitating the substitution of H1t by transition proteins and protamines.

Nonenzymatic glycation of histones in vitro and in vivo

Purified histones in solution, purified nuclei, or whole endothelial cells in cell culture were used to study the reactivity of histones with various sugars. The sugar incubation of purified histones produced nonenzymatic glycation and formation of histone cross‐links showing disappearance of individual histone molecules and appearance of dimers and polymers in SDS–PAGE. In solution, core histones react considerably faster with sugars as compared to H1 histones. In sugar‐incubated nuclei where histones are nucleosomally organized, H1 histones, which are located at the periphery of the nucleosome, and H2A‐H2B dimers, which are associated with the central H32‐H42 tetramer, are more reactive as compared to H3 and H4 histones, which are most protected from the glycation reaction. Our in vivo experiments using endothelial cells show that high concentrations of ribose are able to generate protein cross‐links paralleled by apoptotic cell death. High concentrations of glucose or fructose do not increase histone glycation or cell death, even after 60 days of incubation of endothelial cells. In long‐time glucose‐ or fructose‐treated cells, under nondenaturing and nonreducing SDS–PAGE conditions part of the H3 histones shifted away from their normal location. Because it is known that the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases after hyperglycaemia, we hypothesize that ROS could be responsible for the formation of a disulphide bridge between the side chain of the cysteine residues of H3 molecules. J. Cell. Biochem. 85: 24–34, 2002.

Cardiac troponin I to diagnose percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty-related myocardial injury

The purposes of the present study were to evaluate cardiac troponin 1 (cTnl) in the diagnosis of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)-related myocardial injury in comparison with cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and creatine kinase (CK) MB mass concentration, and to investigate the frequency of myocardial injury, as indicated by myocardial protein release, after clinically symptomless side-branch occlusion (SBO) which may occur in the proximity of the attempted stenosis. The final study population comprised 80 patients undergoing elective, single vessel PTCA. Blood samples were drawn before, 6, 24 and 48 h after PTCA. cTnI, cTnT and CKMB mass baseline values were within the reference intervals in all patients (cTnI < 0.1 microgram/l, cTnT < 0.2 microgram/l, CKMB < 5 micrograms/l). Two patients presented with primary failure of PTCA, and visually successful PTCA was performed in all remaining patients. Seven patients (four with SBO) subsequently developed acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Symptomless SBO occurred in 16 patients. In controls (n = 55) there were no significant increases in cTnI, cTnT, or CKMB concentrations compared with baseline values, and all markers stayed within their reference intervals. In half the patients with symptomless SBO (n = 8) all markers were slightly to moderately increased, in two additional patients only CKMB was elevated (cTnI: 0.1-1.0 microgram/l; cTnT: 0.25-0.81 microgram/l and CKMB: 7.9-25.6 micrograms/l). In the majority of patients with primary failure or AMI we found pronounced increases in all tested markers (cTnI: 0.2-12.0 micrograms/l; cTnT: 0.44-12.10 micrograms/l; CKMB: 19.2-423.0 micrograms/l). The results of this study indicate that cTnI is comparably useful to cTnT or CKMB mass for diagnosing myocardial injury in PTCA patients. From our results a preference for one of the tested parameters cannot be clearly derived. Post-procedural cTnI, cTnT, and CKMB mass values are not higher than baseline values in uncomplicated cases, whereas AMI after PTCA leads to pronounced marker increases. SBO, even when symptomless, leads frequently (in about half the patients) to slight marker increases.

Effect of strontium surface-functionalized implants on early and late osseointegration: A histological, spectrometric and tomographic evaluation

Numerous in vivo, in vitro and clinical studies report on beneficial effects of strontium with respect to increased bone growth. Based on this knowledge the aim of this study was to evaluate early and late osseointegration stages of functionalized titanium implants showing sustained release of strontium (Sr) and further investigate its potential systemic effect. Strontium functionalized (Ti-Sr-O) and Grade 4 (Control) titanium implants were inserted in the femoral condyle of New Zealand White rabbits. The Ti-Sr-O coating was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDX) for structure, coating thickness and chemical composition. Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) was used to evaluate released strontium in vitro while Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) was utilized to monitor serum levels of strontium and calcium. Additionally, histological and tomographic analysis of bone-to-implant contact (BIC%) and bone formation (BF%) was performed, following implantation periods of two or twelve weeks, respectively. Median values for BIC% for Ti-Sr-O revealed significant differences within the two- and twelve-week observation periods, while exceeding BF% was discovered especially after twelve weeks when performing the histological evaluation. The results from the micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) showed no significant differences, when comparing the experimental groups. AAS measurements did not indicate a systemic effect by the local strontium release. Within the limitations of the study, it was shown that a Ti-Sr-O coating with sustained release characteristics of strontium, accelerates bone apposition and represents a potential potent surface modification for endosseous medical implant devices. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE This study presents first data with respect to early and late in vivo response on a strontium functionalized titanium surface comprising a nanotopography manufactured by a magnetron sputtering process. We investigated different osseointegration stages of screw-shaped implants with dental implant geometries in a rabbit femur model observing beneficial effects of the functionalized surface on bone-to-implant contact and bone formation caused by tailored release of the bone anabolic strontium. Histomorphometrical data revealed that a functionalized titanium surface with controlled liberation of strontium accelerates osseointegration while spectrometry measurements did not indicate a potential systemic effect of this osteoinductive agent and could thus have impact on modifications of medical implant devices.