Mamoru Yamaguchi

Fine structure of wide and narrow vertebrate muscle Z-lines. A proposed model and computer simulation of Z-line architecture.

A model of the structure of vertebrate Z-lines and Z-line analogs is introduced and supported by evidence from electron microscope studies of wide Z-lines (rat and feline soleus, and feline and canine cardiac muscles), narrow Z-lines (guppy, newt and frog skeletal muscles), and Z-rods (from a patient with nemaline myopathy and from cardiac muscles of aged dog). The model is based on a pair of Z-filaments (termed a Z-unit), which are linked near their centers at a 90 degrees angle and form bridges between neighboring antipolar thin (actin) filaments. A square lattice of four Z-filament pairs (the basic structure of the Z-line, termed a Z-line unit) defines the geometrical position of the I-square unit. In this native state of the Z-line, small square and large square net forms appear in cross-section. Other cross-sectional patterns of Z-lines, including basket-weave and diagonal-square net patterns, can be explained by detachment of the Z-filament from the Z-filament binding region within each Z-filament pair due to chemical or physical stress. Dissection of Z-lines and Z-line analogs with calcium-activated neutral protease provides evidence that the width of all wide Z-line structures is determined by the amount of overlap of antipolar thin filaments from adjacent sarcomeres. Longitudinal patterns of narrow and wide Z-lines are shown and described in relation to the model. To test the proposed model, the dynamics of the Z-line unit structure were computer-simulated. An attempt was made to correlate longitudinal (z direction) and cross-sectional (x and y directions) patterns and to determine the amount of movement of thin or Z-filaments that is required to explain the diversity observed in cross-sectional patterns of Z-lines. The computer simulations demonstrated that the structural transitions among the small square, and therefore large square net, as well as basket-weave and diagonal-square net forms seen in cross-sections could be caused by movements of thin filaments less than 10 nm in any direction (x, y or z).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Subversion of cellular autophagy by Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, is an obligatory intracellular pathogen. After entry into host cells, the bacterium is diverted from the endosomal pathway and replicates in a membrane‐bound compartment devoid of endosomal or lysosomal markers. Here, we show that several hallmarks of early autophagosomes can be identified in A. phagocytophilum replicative inclusions, including a double‐lipid bilayer membrane and colocalization with GFP‐tagged LC3 and Beclin 1, the human homologues of Saccharomyces cerevisiae autophagy‐related proteins Atg8 and Atg6 respectively. While the membrane‐associated form of LC3, LC3‐II, increased during A. phagocytophilum infection, A. phagocytophilum‐containing inclusions enveloped with punctate GFP‐LC3 did not colocalize with a lysosomal marker. Stimulation of autophagy by rapamycin favoured A. phagocytophilum infection. Inhibition of the autophagosomal pathway by 3‐methyladenine did not inhibit A. phagocytophilum internalization, but reversibly arrested its growth. Although autophagy is considered part of the innate immune system that clears a variety of intracellular pathogens, our study implies that A. phagocytophilum subverts this system to establish itself in an early autophagosome‐like compartment segregated from lysosomes to facilitate its proliferation.

Nanoparticles as image enhancing agents for ultrasonography

Nanoparticles have drawn great attention as targeted imaging and/or therapeutic agents. The small size of the nanoparticles allows them to target cells that are beyond capillary vasculature, such as cancer cells. We investigated the effect of solid nanoparticles for enhancing ultrasonic grey scale images in tissue phantoms and mouse livers in vivo. Silica nanospheres (100 nm) were dispersed in agarose at 1-2.5% mass concentration and imaged by a high-resolution ultrasound imaging system (transducer centre frequency: 30 MHz). Polystyrene particles of different sizes (500-3000 nm) and concentrations (0.13-0.75% mass) were similarly dispersed in agarose and imaged. Mice were injected intravenously with nanoparticle suspensions in saline. B-mode images of the livers were acquired at different time points after particle injection. An automated computer program was used to quantify the grey scale changes. Ultrasonic reflections were observed from nanoparticle suspensions in agarose gels. The image brightness, i.e., mean grey scale level, increased with particle size and concentration. The mean grey scale of mouse livers also increased following particle administration. These results indicated that it is feasible to use solid nanoparticles as contrast enhancing agents for ultrasonic imaging.

Transgenic mice with cardiac-specific expression of activating transcription factor 3, a stress-inducible gene, have conduction abnormalities and contractile dysfunction.

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is a member of the CREB/ATF family of transcription factors. Previously, we demonstrated that the expression of the ATF3 gene is induced by many stress signals. In this report, we demonstrate that expression of ATF3 is induced by cardiac ischemia coupled with reperfusion (ischemia-reperfusion) in both cultured cells and an animal model. Transgenic mice expressing ATF3 under the control of the alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter have atrial enlargement, and atrial and ventricular hypertrophy. Microscopic examination showed myocyte degeneration and fibrosis. Functionally, the transgenic heart has reduced contractility and aberrant conduction. Interestingly, expression of sorcin, a gene whose product inhibits the release of calcium from sarcoplasmic reticulum, is increased in these transgenic hearts. Taken together, our results indicate that expression of ATF3, a stress-inducible gene, in the heart leads to altered gene expression and impaired cardiac function.

Nemaline myopathy rod bodies

Ca2+-activated protease (CAF) digestion of glycerinated nemaline myopathy muscle removed the electron-dense material covering rods and Z-lines and exposed longitudinal backbone filaments, 6-7 nm wide, which span the lengths of the original rods. Decoration of the exposed filaments (which are responsible for the periodicity parallel to the long axis of intact nemaline rods) with heavy meromyosin (HMM) proved they are actin filaments. After CAF treatment, cross-striated periodical patterns in longitudinal sections and Z-filament-like proteins connecting actin filaments seen in cross-section disappeared. This suggests that alpha-actinin may be involved in formation of this pattern because of the specificity of CAF toward alpha-actinin. Gel electrophoresis of CAF-treated nemaline muscle showed that most alpha-actinin is released into the supernatant, whereas the residue is mainly actin and myosin. Electron microscope examination of longitudinal sections of intact rods shows an oblique filament pattern, thin (7 nm) lines, thick (11 nm) lines, and an amorphous-appearance previously observed in normal Z-lines, patterns observed depend on sectioning angle and section thickness. In cross-section, rods show small square net (SS) and basket-weave (BW) forms. The SS form predominates and coexistence of the 2 forms, which also occur in normal Z-lines, is observed. Results support the idea that rods are lateral polymers of Z-line units. We think that the length of rods, as well as the width of Z-lines, is determined by the amount of overlap of actin filaments of opposite polarity. Initiation of rod formation may be due to deregulation of actin filament length.

Differential expression of VirB9 and VirB6 during the life cycle of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in human leucocytes is associated with differential binding and avoidance of lysosome pathway

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is the aetiologic agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). A. phagocytophilum virB/D operons encoding type IV secretion system are expressed in cell culture and in the blood of HGA patients. In the present study, their expression across the A. phagocytophilum intracellular developmental cycle was investigated. We found that mRNA levels of both virB9 and virB6 were upregulated during infection of human neutrophils in vitro. The antibody against the recombinant VirB9 protein was prepared and immunogold and immunofluorescence labelling were used to determine the VirB9 protein expression by individual organisms. Majority of A. phagocytophilum spontaneously released from the infected host cells poorly expressed VirB9. At 1 h post infection, VirB9 was not detectable on most bacteria associated with neutrophils. However, VirB9 was strongly expressed by A. phagocytophilum during proliferation in neutrophils. In contrast, with HL‐60 cells, approximately 80% of A. phagocytophilum organisms associated at 1 h post infection expressed VirB9 protein and were colocalized with lysosome‐associated membrane protein‐1 (LAMP‐1), whereas, VirB9‐undetectable bacteria were not colocalized with LAMP‐1. These results indicate developmental regulation of expression of components of type IV secretion system during A. phagocytophilum intracellular life cycle and suggest that bacterial developmental stages influence the nature of binding to the hosts and early avoidance of late endosome‐lysosome pathway.

Four VirB6 Paralogs and VirB9 Are Expressed and Interact in Ehrlichia chaffeensis-Containing Vacuoles

The type IV secretion system is an important virulence factor in several host cell-associated pathogens, as it delivers various bacterial macromolecules to target eukaryotic cells. Genes homologous to several virB genes and virD4 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens are found in an intravacuolar pathogen Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the tick-borne causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis. In particular, despite its small genome size, E. chaffeensis has four tandem virB6 paralogs (virB6-1, -2, -3, and -4) that are 3- to 10-fold larger than A. tumefaciens virB6. The present study for the first time illustrates the relevance of the larger quadruple VirB6 paralogs by demonstrating the protein expression and interaction in E. chaffeensis. All four virB6 paralogs were cotranscribed in THP-1 human leukemia and ISE6 tick cell cultures. The four VirB6 proteins and VirB9 were expressed by E. chaffeensis in THP-1 cells, and amounts of these five proteins were similar in isolated E. chaffeensis-containing vacuoles and vacuole-free E. chaffeensis. In addition, an 80-kDa fragment of VirB6-2 was detected, which was strikingly more prevalent in E. chaffeensis-containing vacuoles than in vacuole-free E. chaffeensis. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed VirB9 interaction with VirB6-1 and VirB6-2; VirB6-4 interaction with VirB6-1, VirB6-2, and VirB6-3; and VirB6-2 80-kDa fragment interaction with VirB6-3 and VirB6-4. The interaction of VirB9 and VirB6-2 was confirmed by far-Western blotting. The results suggest that E. chaffeensis VirB9, the quadruple VirB6 proteins, and the VirB6-2 80-kDa fragment form a unique molecular subassembly to cooperate in type IV secretion.

Systemic atherosclerosis in dogs: histopathological and immunohistochemical studies of atherosclerotic lesions

Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies were carried out on five cases of canine systemic atherosclerosis. The five animals were male, and showed hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia on biochemical analysis of plasma. Histopathologically, atherosclerotic lesions were seen in the aorta and muscular arteries in many organs, including the heart, spleen, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, alimentary tract, urogenital organs, eyes, prostate and urinary bladder. The lesions were characterized by the deposition of lipids and infiltration of lipid-laden foamy cells in the tunica intima and tunica media, sometimes forming fibrofatty plaques, containing abundant sudanophilic material, cholesterol clefts and mineralized material. The lesions started in the tunica intima and extended to the tunica media and tunica adventitia. Immunohistochemical examination with canine apolipoprotein B-100 (CApoB-100) antibody identified the lipids containing low density lipoprotein. Immunoreactivity to CApoB-100 antibody was recognized in the tunica intima, lipid-laden foamy cell cytoplasm and smooth muscle cells in the tunica media, and fibrofatty plaque. These histopathological and immunohistochemical features were similar to those of human atherosclerotic lesions.

Sulfhydryls associated with H2O2-induced channel activation are on luminal side of ryanodine receptors.

The mechanism underlying H2O2-induced activation of frog skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors was studied using skinned fibers and by measuring single Ca2+-release channel current. Exposure of skinned fibers to 3-10 mM H2O2 elicited spontaneous contractures. H2O2 at 1 mM potentiated caffeine contracture. When the Ca2+-release channels were incorporated into lipid bilayers, open probability ( P o) and open time constants were increased on intraluminal addition of H2O2 in the presence of cis catalase, but unitary conductance and reversal potential were not affected. Exposure to cis H2O2 at 1.5 mM failed to activate the channel in the presence of trans catalase. Application of 1.5 mM H2O2 to the transside of a channel that had been oxidized by cis p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid (pCMPS; 50 μM) still led to an increase in P o, comparable to that elicited by trans 1.5 mM H2O2 without pCMPS. Addition of cis pCMPS to channels that had been treated with or without trans H2O2 rapidly resulted in high P o followed by closure of the channel. These results suggest that oxidation of luminal sulfhydryls in the Ca2+-release channel may contribute to H2O2-induced channel activation and muscle contracture.

Ehrlichia chaffeensis uses its surface protein EtpE to bind GPI-anchored protein DNase X and trigger entry into mammalian cells.

Ehrlichia chaffeensis, an obligatory intracellular rickettsial pathogen, enters and replicates in monocytes/macrophages and several non-phagocytic cells. E. chaffeensis entry into mammalian cells is essential not only for causing the emerging zoonosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, but also for its survival. It remains unclear if E. chaffeensis has evolved a specific surface protein that functions as an ‘invasin’ to mediate its entry. We report a novel entry triggering protein of Ehrlichia, EtpE that functions as an invasin. EtpE is an outer membrane protein and an antibody against EtpE (the C-terminal fragment, EtpE-C) greatly inhibited E. chaffeensis binding, entry and infection of both phagocytes and non-phagocytes. EtpE-C-immunization of mice significantly inhibited E. chaffeensis infection. EtpE-C-coated latex beads, used to investigate whether EtpE-C can mediate cell invasion, entered both phagocytes and non-phagocytes and the entry was blocked by compounds that block E. chaffeensis entry. None of these compounds blocked uptake of non-coated beads by phagocytes. Yeast two-hybrid screening revealed that DNase X, a glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored mammalian cell-surface protein binds EtpE-C. This was confirmed by far-Western blotting, affinity pull-down, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence labeling, and live-cell image analysis. EtpE-C-coated beads entered bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from wild-type mice, whereas they neither bound nor entered BMDMs from DNase X-/- mice. Antibody against DNase X or DNase X knock-down by small interfering RNA impaired E. chaffeensis binding, entry, and infection. E. chaffeensis entry and infection rates of BMDMs from DNase X-/- mice and bacterial load in the peripheral blood in experimentally infected DNase X-/- mice, were significantly lower than those from wild-type mice. Thus this obligatory intracellular pathogen evolved a unique protein EtpE that binds DNase X to enter and infect eukaryotic cells. This study is the first to demonstrate the invasin and its mammalian receptor, and their in vivo relevance in any ehrlichial species.