Ivona Kozieradzki

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is an essential regulator of heart function

Cardiovascular diseases are predicted to be the most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. Here we show that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ace2) maps to a defined quantitative trait locus (QTL) on the X chromosome in three different rat models of hypertension. In all hypertensive rat strains, ACE2 messenger RNA and protein expression were markedly reduced, suggesting that ace2 is a candidate gene for this QTL. Targeted disruption of ACE2 in mice results in a severe cardiac contractility defect, increased angiotensin II levels, and upregulation of hypoxia-induced genes in the heart. Genetic ablation of ACE on an ACE2 mutant background completely rescues the cardiac phenotype. But disruption of ACER, a Drosophila ACE2 homologue, results in a severe defect of heart morphogenesis. These genetic data for ACE2 show that it is an essential regulator of heart function in vivo.

Negative regulation of lymphocyte activation and autoimmunity by the molecular adaptor Cbl-b.

The signalling thresholds of antigen receptors and co-stimulatory receptors determine immunity or tolerance to self molecules. Changes in co-stimulatory pathways can lead to enhanced activation of lymphocytes and autoimmunity, or the induction of clonal anergy. The molecular mechanisms that maintain immunotolerance in vivo and integrate co-stimulatory signals with antigen receptor signals in T and B lymphocytes are poorly understood. Members of the Cbl/Sli family of molecular adaptors function downstream from growth factor and antigen receptors. Here we show that gene-targeted mice lacking the adaptor Cbl-b develop spontaneous autoimmunity characterized by auto-antibody production, infiltration of activated T and B lymphocytes into multiple organs, and parenchymal damage. Resting cbl-b -/- lymphocytes hyperproliferate upon antigen receptor stimulation, and cbl-b-/- T cells display specific hyperproduction of the T-cell growth factor interleukin-2, but not interferon-γ or tumour necrosis factor-α. Mutation of Cbl-b uncouples T-cell proliferation, interleukin-2 production and phosphorylation of the GDP/GTP exchange factor Vav1 from the requirement for CD28 co-stimulation. Cbl-b is thus a key regulator of activation thresholds in mature lymphocytes and immunological tolerance and autoimmunity.

Regulation of cancer cell migration and bone metastasis by RANKL

Bone metastases are a frequent complication of many cancers that result in severe disease burden and pain. Since the late nineteenth century, it has been thought that the microenvironment of the local host tissue actively participates in the propensity of certain cancers to metastasize to specific organs, and that bone provides an especially fertile ‘soil’. In the case of breast cancers, the local chemokine milieu is now emerging as an explanation for why these tumours preferentially metastasize to certain organs. However, as the inhibition of chemokine receptors in vivo only partially blocks metastatic behaviour, other factors must exist that regulate the preferential metastasis of breast cancer cells. Here we show that the cytokine RANKL (receptor activator of NF-κB ligand) triggers migration of human epithelial cancer cells and melanoma cells that express the receptor RANK. RANK is expressed on cancer cell lines and breast cancer cells in patients. In a mouse model of melanoma metastasis, in vivo neutralization of RANKL by osteoprotegerin results in complete protection from paralysis and a marked reduction in tumour burden in bones but not in other organs. Our data show that local differentiation factors such as RANKL have an important role in cell migration and the tissue-specific metastatic behaviour of cancer cells.

Regulation of Myocardial Contractility and Cell Size by Distinct PI3K-PTEN Signaling Pathways

The PTEN/PI3K signaling pathway regulates a vast array of fundamental cellular responses. We show that cardiomyocyte-specific inactivation of tumor suppressor PTEN results in hypertrophy, and unexpectedly, a dramatic decrease in cardiac contractility. Analysis of double-mutant mice revealed that the cardiac hypertrophy and the contractility defects could be genetically uncoupled. PI3Kalpha mediates the alteration in cell size while PI3Kgamma acts as a negative regulator of cardiac contractility. Mechanistically, PI3Kgamma inhibits cAMP production and hypercontractility can be reverted by blocking cAMP function. These data show that PTEN has an important in vivo role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and GPCR signaling and identify a function for the PTEN-PI3Kgamma pathway in the modulation of heart muscle contractility.

Vav is a regulator of cytoskeletal reorganization mediated by the T-cell receptor

BACKGROUND Vav is a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for the Rho-like small GTPases RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, which regulate cytoskeletal reorganization and activation of stress-activated protein kinases (SAPK/JNKs). Vav is expressed in hematopoietic cells and is phosphorylated in T and B cells following activation of various growth factor or antigen receptors. Vav interacts with several signaling molecules in T cells, but the functional relevance of these interactions is established only for Slp76: they cooperate to induce activity of the transcription factor NF-AT and interleukin-2 expression. We have investigated the role of Vav in T cells by generating vav-/- mice. RESULTS Mice deficient for vav were viable and healthy, but had impaired T-cell development. In vav-/- T cells, in response to activation of the T-cell receptor (TCR), cell cycle progression, induction of NF-ATc1 activity, downregulation of the cell-cycle inhibitor p27Kip1, interleukin-2 production, actin polymerization and the clustering of TCRs into patches and caps--a cytoskeletal reorganization process--were defective. TCR-mediated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and SAPK/JNK was unaffected. Ca2+ mobilization was impaired in vav-/- thymocytes and T cells. In wild-type cells, Vav constitutively associated with the cytoskeletal membrane anchors talin and vinculin. In the absence of Vav, phosphorylation of Slp76, Slp76-talin interactions, and recruitment of the actin cytoskeleton to the CD3 zeta chain of the TCR co-receptor were impaired. CONCLUSIONS Vav is a crucial regulator of TCR-mediated Ca2+ flux, cytoskeletal reorganization and TCR clustering, and these are required for T-cell maturation, interleukin-2 production and cell cycle progression.

Cbl-b Is a Negative Regulator of Receptor Clustering and Raft Aggregation in T Cells

Stimulation of T cells via the antigen and costimulatory receptors leads to the organization of a supramolecular activation cluster called the immune synapse. We report that loss of the molecular adaptor Cbl-b in T cells frees antigen receptor-triggered receptor clustering, lipid raft aggregation, and sustained tyrosine phosphorylation from the requirement for CD28 costimulation. Introduction of the cbl-b mutation into a vav1-/- background relieved the functional defects of vav1-/- T cells and caused spontaneous autoimmunity. Wiscott Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASP) was found to be essential for deregulated proliferation and membrane receptor reorganization of cbl-b mutant T cells. Antigen receptor-triggered Ca2+ mobilization, cytokine production, and receptor clustering can be genetically uncoupled in cbl-b mutant T cells. Thus, Cbl-b functions as a negative regulator of receptor clustering and raft aggregation in T cells.

Discovery of a 2,4-diamino-7-aminoalkoxyquinazoline as a potent and selective inhibitor of histone lysine methyltransferase G9a.

SAR exploration of the 2,4-diamino-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline template led to the discovery of 8 (UNC0224) as a potent and selective G9a inhibitor. A high resolution X-ray crystal structure of the G9a-8 complex, the first cocrystal structure of G9a with a small molecule inhibitor, was obtained. The cocrystal structure validated our binding hypothesis and will enable structure-based design of novel inhibitors. 8 is a useful tool for investigating the biology of G9a and its roles in chromatin remodeling.

Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ–Deficient Mice Are Protected From Isoproterenol-Induced Heart Failure

Background—We have recently shown that genetic inactivation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase &ggr; (PI3K&ggr;), the isoform linked to G-protein–coupled receptors, results in increased cardiac contractility with no effect on basal cell size. Signaling via the G-protein–coupled &bgr;-adrenergic receptors has been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, suggesting that PI3K&ggr; might play a role in the pathogenesis of heart disease. Methods and Results—To determine the role for PI3K&ggr; in hypertrophy induced by G-protein–coupled receptors and cardiomyopathy, we infused isoproterenol, a &bgr;-adrenergic receptor agonist, into PI3K&ggr;-deficient mice. Compared with controls, isoproterenol infusion in PI3K&ggr;-deficient mice resulted in an attenuated cardiac hypertrophic response and markedly reduced interstitial fibrosis. Intriguingly, chronic &bgr;-adrenergic receptor stimulation triggered impaired heart functions in wild-type mice, whereas PI3K&ggr;-deficient mice retained their increased heart function and did not develop heart failure. The lack of PI3K&ggr; attenuated the activation of Akt/protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways in cardiac myocytes in response to isoproterenol. &bgr;1- and &bgr;2-adrenergic receptor densities were decreased by similar amounts in PI3K&ggr;-deficient and control mice, suggesting that PI3K&ggr; isoform plays no role in the downregulation of &bgr;-adrenergic receptors after chronic &bgr;-adrenergic stimulation. Conclusions—Our data show that PI3K&ggr; is critical for the induction of hypertrophy, fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction function in response to &bgr;-adrenergic receptor stimulation in vivo. Thus, PI3K&ggr; may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of decreased cardiac function in heart failure.

MKK7 couples stress signalling to G2/M cell-cycle progression and cellular senescence

During the development of multicellular organisms, concerted actions of molecular signalling networks determine whether cells undergo proliferation, differentiation, death or ageing. Here we show that genetic inactivation of the stress signalling kinase, MKK7, a direct activator of JNKs in mice, results in embryonic lethality and impaired proliferation of hepatocytes. Beginning at passage 4–5, mkk7−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) display impaired proliferation, premature senescence and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Similarly, loss of c-Jun or expression of a c-JunAA mutant in which the JNK phosphorylation sites were replaced with alanine results in a G2/M cell-cycle block. The G2/M cell-cycle kinase CDC2 was identified as a target for the MKK7–JNK–c-Jun pathway. These data show that the MKK7–JNK–c-Jun signalling pathway couples developmental and environmental cues to CDC2 expression, G2/M cell cycle progression and cellular senescence in fibroblasts.

The tyrosine kinase p56lck is essential in coxsackievirus B3-mediated heart disease.

Infections are thought to be important in the pathogenesis of many heart diseases. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) has been linked to chronic dilated cardiomyopathy, a common cause of progressive heart disease, heart failure and sudden death. We show here that the sarcoma (Src) family kinase Lck (p56lck) is required for efficient CVB3 replication in T-cell lines and for viral replication and persistence in vivo. Whereas infection of wild-type mice with human pathogenic CVB3 caused acute and very severe myocarditis, meningitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis and dilated cardiomyopathy, mice lacking the p56lck gene were completely protected from CVB3-induced acute pathogenicity and chronic heart disease. These data identify a previously unknown function of Src family kinases and indicate that p56lck is the essential host factor that controls the replication and pathogenicity of CVB3.