Manuela Piazzi

Tear proteomics in evaporative dry eye disease

Purpose:To analyze tear protein variations in patients suffering from dry eye symptoms in the presence of tear film instability but without epithelial defects.Methods:Five microlitres of non-stimulated tears from 60 patients, suffering from evaporative dry eye (EDE) with a break-up time (BUT) <10 s, and from 30 healthy subjects as control (no symptoms, BUT >10 s) were collected. Tear proteins were separated by mono and bi-dimensional SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and characterized by immunoblotting and enzymatic digestion. Digested peptides were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry followed by comparative data analysis into Swiss-Prot human protein database using Mascot. Statistical analysis were performed by applying a t-test for independent data and a Mann–Whitney test for unpaired data (P<0.05).Results:In EDE patients vscontrols, a significant decrease in levels of lactoferrin (data in %±SD): 20.15±2.64 vs24.56±3.46 (P=0.001), lipocalin-1: 14.98±2.70 vs17.73±2.96 (P=0.0001), and lipophilin A–C: 2.89±1.06 vs3.63±1.37 (P=0.006) was revealed, while a significant increase was observed for serum albumin: 9.45±1.87 vs3.46±1.87 (P=0.0001). No changes for lysozyme and zinc α-2 glycoprotein (P=0.07 and 0.7, respectively) were shown. Proteomic analysis showed a downregulation of lipophilin A and C and lipocalin-1 in patients, which is suggested to be associated with post-translational modifications.Conclusions:Data show that tear protein changes anticipate the onset of more extensive clinical signs in early stage dry eye disease.

Catalytic activity of nuclear PLC-β1 is required for its signalling function during C2C12 differentiation ☆

Here we report that PLC-beta(1) catalytic activity plays a role in the increase of cyclin D3 levels and induces the differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. PLC-beta(1) mutational analysis revealed the importance of His(331) and His(378) for the catalysis. The expression of PLC-beta(1) and cyclin D3 proteins is highly induced during the process of skeletal myoblast differentiation. We have previously shown that PLC-beta(1) activates cyclin D3 promoter during the differentiation of myoblasts to myotubes, indicating that PLC-beta(1) is a crucial regulator of the mouse cyclin D3 gene. We show that after insulin treatment cyclin D3 mRNA levels are lower in cells overexpressing the PLC-beta(1) catalytically inactive form in comparison to wild type cells. We describe a novel signalling pathway elicited by PLC-beta(1) that modulates AP-1 activity. Gel mobility shift assay and supershift performed with specific antibodies indicate that the c-jun binding site is located in a cyclin D3 promoter region specifically regulated by PLC-beta(1) and that c-Jun binding activity is significantly increased by insulin and PLC-beta(1) overexpression. Mutation of AP-1 site decreased the basal cyclin D3 promoter activity and eliminated its induction by insulin and PLC-beta(1). These results hint at the fact that PLC-beta(1) catalytic activity signals a c-jun/AP-1 target gene, i.e. cyclin D3, during myogenic differentiation.

Prohibitin 2: At a communications crossroads

Prohibitins (PHBs) are a highly conserved class of proteins first discovered as inhibitors of cellular proliferation. Since then PHBs have been found to have a significant role in transcription, nuclear signaling, mitochondrial structural integrity, cell division, and cellular membrane metabolism, placing these proteins among the key regulators of pathologies such as cancer, neuromuscular degeneration, and other metabolic diseases. The human genome encodes two PHB proteins, prohibitin 1 (PHB1) and prohibitin 2 (PHB2), which function not only as a heterodimeric complex, but also independently. While many previous reviews have focused on the better characterized prohibitin, PHB1, this review focuses on PHB2 and new data concerning its cellular functions both in complex with PHB1 and independent of PHB1.

Nuclear PI-PLCβ1: an appraisal on targets and pathology.

Lipid signalling molecules are essential components of the processes that allow one extracellular signal to be transferred inside the nucleus, where specific lipid second messengers elicit reactions capable of regulating gene transcription, DNA replication or repair and DNA cleavage, eventually resulting in cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis or many other cell functions. Nuclear inositides are independently regulated, suggesting that the nucleus constitutes a functionally distinct compartment of inositol lipids metabolism. Indeed, nuclear inositol lipids themselves can modulate nuclear processes, such as transcription and pre-mRNA splicing, growth, proliferation, cell cycle regulation and differentiation. Nuclear PI-PLCβ1 is a key molecule for nuclear inositide signalling, where it plays a role in cell cycle progression, proliferation and differentiation. Here we review the targets and possible involvement of nuclear PI-PLCβ1 in human physiology and pathology.

Epigenetic regulation of nuclear PI-PLCbeta1 signaling pathway in low-risk MDS patients during azacitidine treatment

Phosphoinositide-phospholipase C (PI-PLC) beta1 can be considered a specific target for demethylating therapy in high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients, as azacitidine treatment has been associated with a PI-PLCbeta1-specific promoter demethylation, and induction of PI-PLCbeta1 gene and protein expression. However, little is known about the molecular effect of azacitidine in low-risk MDS or the functional mechanisms linked with azacitidine effect on PI-PLCbeta1 promoter. In the present study, we further investigated the role of epigenetic regulation of PI-PLCbeta1, mainly focusing on the structure of the PI-PLCbeta1 promoter. We first examined the effect of azacitidine on PI-PLCbeta1 promoter methylation and gene expression in low-risk MDS. Moreover, we studied the expression of key molecules associated with the nuclear inositide signaling pathways, such as cyclin D3. By applying a chromatin immunoprecipitation method, we also studied the correlation between the demethylating effect of azacitidine and the degree of recruitment to PI-PLCbeta1 promoter of some transcription factors implicated in hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as of the methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins, which specifically interact with methylated DNA. Taken together, our results hint at a specific involvement of PI-PLCbeta1 in epigenetic mechanisms, and are particularly consistent with the hypothesis of a role for PI-PLCbeta1 in azacitidine-induced myeloid differentiation.

The physiology and pathology of inositide signaling in the nucleus.

Nuclear inositide signaling is nowadays a well‐established issue and a growing field of investigation, even though the very first evidence came out at the end of the 1980s. The understanding of its biological role is supported by the recent acquisitions dealing with pathology and namely hematological malignancies. Here, we review this issue highlighting the main achievements in the last years. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 14–20, 2010.

Nuclear inositide specific phospholipase C signalling - interactions and activity.

Evidence accumulated over the past 20 years has highlighted the presence of an autonomous nuclear inositol lipid metabolism, and suggests that lipid signalling molecules are important components of signalling pathways operating within the nucleus. Nuclear polyphosphoinositide (PI) signalling relies on the synthesis and metabolism of phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate, which can modulate the activity of effector proteins and is a substrate of signalling enzymes. The regulation of the nuclear PI pool is totally independent from the plasma membrane counterpart, suggesting that the nucleus constitutes a functionally distinct compartment of inositol lipids metabolism. Among the nuclear enzymes involved in PI metabolism, inositide specific phospholipase C (PI‐PLC) has been one of the most extensively studied. Several isoforms of PI‐PLCs have been identified in the nucleus, namely PI‐PLC‐β1, γ1, δ1 and ζ; however, the β1 isozyme is the best characterized. In the present review, we focus on the signal transduction‐related metabolism of nuclear PI‐PLC and review the most convincing evidence for PI‐PLC expression and activity being involved in differentiation and proliferation programmes in several cell systems. Moreover, nuclear PI‐PLC is an intermediate effector and interactor for nuclear inositide signalling. The inositide cycle exists and shows a biological role inside the nucleus. It is an autonomous lipid‐dependent signalling system, independently regulated with respect to the one at the plasma membrane counterpart, and is involved in cell cycle progression and differentiation.

Nuclear PLCs affect insulin secretion by targeting PPARγ in pancreatic β cells

Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous disorder caused by concomitant impairment of insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells and of insulin action in peripheral target tissues. Studies with inhibitors and agonists established a role for PLC in the regulation of insulin secretion but did not distinguish between effects due to nuclear or cytoplasmic PLC signaling pathways that act in a distinct fashion. We report that in MIN6 β cells, PLCβ1 localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm, PLCδ4 in the nucleus, and PLCγ1 in the cytoplasm. By silencing each isoform, we observed that they all affected glucose‐induced insulin release both at basal and high glucose concentrations. To elucidate the molecular basis of PLC regulation, we focused on peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPARγ), a nuclear receptor transcription factor that regulates genes critical to β‐cell maintenance and functions. Silencing of PLCβ1 and PLCδ4 resulted in a decrease in the PPARγ mRNA level. By means of a PPARγ‐promoter‐luciferase assay, the decrease could be attributed to a PLC action on the PPARγ‐promoter region. The effect was specifically observed on silencing of the nuclear and not the cytoplasmic PLC. These findings highlight a novel pathway by which nuclear PLCs affect insulin secretion and identify PPARγ as a novel molecular target of nuclear PLCs.—Fiume, R., Ramazzotti, G., Faenza, I., Piazzi, M., Bavelloni, A., Billi, A. M., Cocco, L. Nuclear PLCs affect insulin secretion by targeting PPARγ in pancreatic β cells. FASEB J. 26, 203–210 (2012). www.fasebj.org

eEF1A Phosphorylation in the Nucleus of Insulin-stimulated C2C12 Myoblasts SER53 IS A NOVEL SUBSTRATE FOR PROTEIN KINASE C βI

Recent data indicate that some PKC isoforms are translocated to the nucleus, in response to certain stimuli, where they play an important role in nuclear signaling events. To identify novel interacting proteins of conventional PKC (cPKC) at the nuclear level during myogenesis and to find new PKC isozyme-specific phosphosubstrates, we performed a proteomics analysis of immunoprecipitated nuclear samples from mouse myoblast C2C12 cells following insulin administration. Using a phospho(Ser)-PKC substrate antibody, specific interacting proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS spectrometry. A total of 16 proteins with the exact and complete motif recognized by the phospho-cPKC substrate antibody were identified; among these, particular interest was given to eukaryotic elongation factor 1α (eEF1A). Nuclear eEF1A was focalized in the nucleoli, and its expression was observed to increase following insulin treatment. Of the cPKC isoforms, only PKCβI was demonstrated to be expressed in the nucleus of C2C12 myocytes and to co-immunoprecipitate with eEF1A. In-depth analysis using site-directed mutagenesis revealed that PKCβI could phosphorylate Ser53 of the eEF1A2 isoform and that the association between eEF1A2 and PKCβI was dependent on the phosphorylation status of eEF1A2.

Phosphoinositide-specific Phospholipase C β 1b (PI-PLCβ1b) Interactome: Affinity Purification-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of PI-PLCβ1b with Nuclear Protein

Two isoforms of inositide-dependent phospholipase C β1 (PI-PLCβ1) are generated by alternative splicing (PLCβ1a and PLCβ1b). Both isoforms are present within the nucleus, but in contrast to PLCβ1a, the vast majority of PLCβ1b is nuclear. In mouse erythroid leukemia cells, PI-PLCβ1 is involved in the regulation of cell division and the balance between cell proliferation and differentiation. It has been demonstrated that nuclear localization is crucial for the enzymatic function of PI-PLCβ1, although the mechanism by which this nuclear import occurs has never been fully characterized. The aim of this study was to characterize both the mechanism of nuclear localization and the molecular function of nuclear PI-PLCβ1 by identifying its interactome in Friends erythroleukemia isolated nuclei, utilizing a procedure that coupled immuno-affinity purification with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Using this procedure, 160 proteins were demonstrated to be in association with PI-PLCβ1b, some of which have been previously characterized, such as the splicing factor SRp20 (Srsf3) and Lamin B (Lmnb1). Co-immunoprecipitation analysis of selected proteins confirmed the data obtained via mass spectrometry. Of particular interest was the identification of the nuclear import proteins Kpna2, Kpna4, Kpnb1, Ran, and Rangap1, as well as factors involved in hematological malignancies and several anti-apoptotic proteins. These data give new insight into possible mechanisms of nuclear trafficking and functioning of this critical signaling molecule.