Monique Vacher

Translational Diffusion of Globular Proteins in the Cytoplasm of Cultured Muscle Cells

Modulated fringe pattern photobleaching (MFPP) was used to measure the translational diffusion of microinjected fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled proteins of different sizes in the cytoplasm of cultured muscle cells. This technique, which is an extension of the classical fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique, allows the measurement of the translational diffusion of macromolecules over several microns. Proteins used had molecular masses between 21 and 540 kDa. The results clearly indicated that the diffusivity of the various proteins is a decreasing function of their hydrodynamic radius. This decrease is more rapid with globular proteins than with FITC-labeled dextrans (, Biophys. J. 70:2327-2332), most likely because, unlike globular proteins, dextrans are randomly coiled macromolecules with a flexible structure. These data do not exclude the possibility of a rapid diffusion over a short distance, unobservable with our experimental set-up, which would take place within the first milliseconds after bleaching and would correspond to the diffusion in restricted domains followed by impeded diffusion provoked by the network of microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments. Thus our results may complement rather than contradict those of Verkman and collaborators (, J. Cell Biol. 138:1-12). The biological consequence of the size-dependent restriction of the mobility of proteins in the cell cytoplasm is that the formation of intracellular complexes with other proteins considerably reduces their mobility.

Oxidation Status of Human OGG1-S326C Polymorphic Variant Determines Cellular DNA Repair Capacity

The hOGG1 gene encodes the DNA glycosylase that removes the mutagenic lesion 7,8-dihyro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) from DNA. A frequently found polymorphism resulting in a serine to cysteine substitution at position 326 of the OGG1 protein has been associated in several molecular epidemiologic studies with cancer development. To investigate whether the variant allele encodes a protein with altered OGG1 function, we compared the 8-oxoG repair activity, both in vivo and in cell extracts, of lymphoblastoid cell lines established from individuals carrying either Ser/Ser or Cys/Cys genotypes. We show that cells homozygous for the Cys variant display increased genetic instability and reduced in vivo 8-oxoG repair rates. Consistently, their extracts have an almost 2-fold lower basal 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity when compared with the Ser variant. Treatment with reducing agents of either the Cys variant cells directly or of protein extracts from these cells increases the repair capacity to the level of the Ser variant, whereas it does not affect the activity in cells or extracts from the latter. Furthermore, the DNA glycosylase activity of cells carrying the Cys/Cys alleles is more sensitive to inactivation by oxidizing agents when compared with that of the Ser/Ser cells. Analysis of the redox status of the OGG1 protein in the cells confirms that the lower activity of OGG1-Cys326 is associated with the oxidation of Cys326 to form a disulfide bond. Our findings support the idea that individuals homozygous for the OGG1-Cys variant could more readily accumulate mutations under conditions of oxidative stress.

Redox regulation of human OGG1 activity in response to cellular oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT 8-Oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a common and mutagenic form of oxidized guanine in DNA, is eliminated mainly through base excision repair. In human cells its repair is initiated by human OGG1 (hOGG1), an 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase. We investigated the effects of an acute cadmium exposure of human lymphoblastoid cells on the activity of hOGG1. We show that coinciding with alteration of the redox cellular status, the 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity of hOGG1 was nearly completely inhibited. However, the hOGG1 activity returned to normal levels once the redox cellular status was normalized. In vitro, the activity of purified hOGG1 was abolished by cadmium and could not be recovered by EDTA. In cells, however, the reversible inactivation of OGG1 activity by cadmium was strictly associated with reversible oxidation of the protein. Moreover, the 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity of purified OGG1 and that from crude extracts were modulated by cysteine-modifying agents. Oxidation of OGG1 by the thiol oxidant diamide led to inhibition of the activity and a protein migration pattern similar to that seen in cadmium-treated cells. These results suggest that cadmium inhibits hOGG1 activity mainly by indirect oxidation of critical cysteine residues and that excretion of the metal from the cells leads to normalization of the redox cell status and restoration of an active hOGG1. The results presented here unveil a novel redox-dependent mechanism for the regulation of OGG1 activity.

Proteins in membrane mimetic systems. Insertion of myelin basic protein into microemulsion droplets

The insertion of myelin basic protein into microemulsion droplets of sodium bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) has been studied by quasi-elastic light scattering. Measurements were made at both low and high molar ratios of water to surfactant, as a function of protein occupancy. The hydrodynamic radii of filled and empty droplets were experimentally evaluated. These were compared to values calculated using a water shell model of protein encapsulation, and excellent agreement was obtained. At low molar ratio of water to surfactant (w0 = 5.6), the hydrodynamic radius of filled droplets is significantly larger than the radius of empty ones. Under these conditions, about three empty (water-filled) droplets are required to build up a droplet of sufficient size to accommodate a single protein molecule. At maximum solubilization, which occurs at w0 = 5.6, a small fraction of droplets are found containing protein aggregates. In contrast, results at high values of w0 (22.4) reveal radii for empty and occupied droplets of comparable dimension, and the absence of aggregates. The results are discussed in terms of the model and the mechanism of interaction of this protein with the aqueous interfaces provided by these membrane-mimetic systems.

Inactivation by oxidation and recruitment into stress granules of hOGG1 but not APE1 in human cells exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of cadmium.

The induction of mutations in mammalian cells exposed to cadmium has been associated with the oxidative stress triggered by the metal. There is increasing evidence that the mutagenic potential of Cd is not restricted to the induction of DNA lesions. Cd has been shown to inactivate several DNA repair enzymes. Here we show that exposure of human cells to sub-lethal concentrations of Cd leads to a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in hOGG1 activity, the major DNA glycosylase activity responsible for the initiation of the base excision repair (BER) of 8-oxoguanine, an abundant and mutagenic form of oxidized guanine. Although there is a slight effect on the level of hOGG1 transcripts, we show that the inhibition of the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase activity is mainly associated with an oxidation of the hOGG1 protein and its disappearance from the soluble fraction of total cell extracts. Confocal microscopy analyses show that in cells exposed to Cd hOGG1-GFP is recruited to discrete structures in the cytoplasm. These structures were identified as stress granules. Removal of Cd from the medium allows the recovery of the DNA glycosylase activity and the presence of hOGG1 in a soluble form. In contrast to hOGG1, we show here that exposure to Cd does not affect the activity of the second enzyme of the pathway, the major AP endonuclease APE1.

Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Stimulates Phospholipase C-γ1, Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase, and Arachidonic Acid Release in Rat Myometrial Cells: Contribution to Cyclic 3′,5′-Adenosine Monophosphate Production and Effect on Cell Proliferation

Abstract In the present study, we examined downstream signaling events that followed exposure of cultured rat myometrial cells to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and their effect on cell proliferation. PDGF-BB induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PDGF-β receptors and increased inositol trisphosphate production via the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase (PL)C-γ1. PDGF-BB also increased cAMP synthesis. This increase was potentiated by forskolin and reduced by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, reflecting a Gs protein-mediated process via prostaglandin biosynthesis. The prostaglandin produced by PDGF was characterized as prostacyclin (PGI2). PDGF-BB increased arachidonic acid (AA) release, which, similarly to cAMP accumulation, was abolished in the presence of AACOCF3, a cytosolic PLA2 inhibitor, and in the absence of Ca2+. U-73122, a potent inhibitor of PLC activity, blocked both the production of inositol phosphates and the AA release triggered by PDGF-BB. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2 are expressed in myometrial cells, and PDGF-BB selectively activated ERK2. PD98059, an inhibitor of the ERK-activating kinase, blocked PDGF-BB-mediated ERK2 activation, AA release, and cAMP production. The results demonstrate that PDGF-BB stimulated cAMP formation through both PLC activation and ERK-dependent AA release and PGI2 biosynthesis. PDGF-BB also increased cell proliferation and [3H]thymidine incorporation. This was abolished by PD98059, demonstrating that the ERK cascade is required for the mitogenic effect of PDGF-BB. Forskolin, which potentiated the cAMP response to PDGF-BB, attenuated both DNA synthesis and ERK activation triggered by PDGF-BB, suggesting the presence of a negative feedback regulation.

Interactions between beta-enolase and creatine kinase in the cytosol of skeletal muscle cells.

We studied interactions in vivo between the cytosolic muscle isoform of creatine kinase (M-CK) and the muscle isoform of 2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolyase (beta-enolase) in muscle sarcoplasm by incubating glycerol-skinned fibres with FITC-labelled beta-enolase in the presence or absence of free CK. A small amount of bound beta-enolase was observed in the presence of large concentrations of CK. The mobility of enolase was measured in cultured satellite cells by modulated-fringe-pattern photobleaching. FITC-labelled beta-enolase was totally mobile in both the presence and the absence of CK but its diffusion coefficient was slightly lower in the presence of CK. This suggests a weak interaction in vivo between enolase and CK.

Mobility of creatine phosphokinase and beta-enolase in cultured muscle cells

The diffusion of beta-enolase and creatine phosphokinase in muscle cells has been studied by modulated fringe pattern photobleaching. Beta-enolase is mobile in the sarcoplasm. At 20 degrees C, the diffusion coefficient is 13.5 +/- 2.5 microm2 s(-1) in the cytosol and 56 microm2 s(-1) in aqueous media. As in the case of dextrans of the same hydrodynamic radius, its mobility is hindered by both the crowding of the fluid phase of the cytoplasm and the screening effect due to myofilaments. A fraction of creatine phosphokinase is mobile in the sarcoplasm. Its diffusion coefficient in the cytosol, 4.5 +/- 1 microm2 s(-1), is lower than that of the dextran of equivalent size. The other fraction (20 to 50%) is very slightly mobile, with an apparent diffusion coefficient varying from 0.0035 to 0.043 microm2 s(-1). This low mobility might be attributed to exchange between free and bound creatine phosphokinase. The bound fraction of the endogenous enzyme was localized by immunocytofluorescence on the cultured muscle cells. Our results favor a localization of bound cytosolic creatine phosphokinase on the M-line and a diffuse distribution in all myotubes.

Limited Proteolysis of Myelin Basic Protein in a System Mimetic of the Myelin Interlamellar Aqueous Space

Abstract: We have investigated the early steps of myelin basic protein (MBP) degradation in a membrane mimetic system (reverse micelles), resembling the interlamellar aqueous spaces where the protein is located in the myelin sheath. MBP, unfolded in buffer, refolds on incorporation into the micelles, resulting in reduced accessibility to three proteolytic enzymes, trypsin, cathespin D, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, in comparison with aqueous solution. Eleven cleavage sites seen in buffer are removed from proteolytic attack in micellar solution. These sites delineate a protected protein domain displaying a potential β‐sheet structure capable of interacting with the myelin membrane. An additional site not seen in buffer is attacked in the micelles. Experiments with a structure inducer, 15% 1‐propanol in buffer, reveal that the refolding pattern of MBP in reverse micelles is specific to the membrane biomimetic system and is not produced by organic solvent per se. Micellar digestions of MBP generate long peptides, two of which, isolated after tryptic digestion, have been found to be immunodominant in multiple sclerosis patients. The findings suggest the structure induced in MBP by the micelles resembles that leading to production of the self‐peptides recognized by T cells during proteolytic breakdown of MBP in autoimmune demyelinating diseases.

Myelin Proteins in Reverse Micelles: Tight Lipid Association Required for Insertion of the Folch‐Pi Proteolipid into a Membrane‐Mimetic System

Abstract: The solubility and reactivity of the Folch‐Pi proteolipid from bovine CNS have been studied in reverse micelles of sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate, isooctane, and water. Such a membrane‐mimetic system resembles the aqueous spaces of the native myelin sheath in terms of its physicochemical properties. Although the proteolipid is completely insoluble in water, it can be inserted into the water‐containing micellar system. In contrast, the lipid‐depleted protein failed to be incorporated into these organized assemblies. The lipid requirements for insertion of the proteolipid were studied, therefore, after delipidation by several precipitations with isooctane, a nondenaturing solvent. Novel extraction procedures and quantitative analyses by HPLC of the protein‐bound lipids revealed the persistence of a lipidprotein complex (6 ± 1 mol of lipid/mol of protein) displaying optimal micellar solubilization. Competition experiments carried out with brain lipids provide evidence for a preference of the myelin protein for sulfatide, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylserine, in that order. The resulting proteolipid, although differing in relative composition, showed good solubility in the membrane‐mimetic system. In contrast, reconstitution experiments carried out with the lipid‐depleted protein resulted in weak lipid binding and poor micellar incorporation. These results suggest that the tightly bound acidic lipids may stabilize a protein conformation required for insertion into the micellar system.