Nobuhiro Ban

ABCA3 is a lamellar body membrane protein in human lung alveolar type II cells1

The ABCA3 gene, of the ABCA subclass of ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters, is expressed exclusively in lung. We report here the cloning, molecular characterization, and distribution of human ABCA3 in the lung. Immunoblot analysis using the specific antibody reveals a 150‐kDa protein in the crude membrane fraction of human lung. Immunohistochemical analyses of alveoli show that ABCA3 is expressed only in the type II cells expressing surfactant protein A. At the ultrastructural level, ABCA3 immunoreactivity was detected mostly at the limiting membrane of the lamellar bodies. Since members of the ABCA transporter family are known to be involved in transmembrane transport of endogenous lipids, our findings suggest that ABCA3 plays an important role in the formation of pulmonary surfactant in type II cells.

ABCA3 as a Lipid Transporter in Pulmonary Surfactant Biogenesis

ABCA3 protein is expressed predominantly at the limiting membrane of the lamellar bodies in alveolar type II cells, and mutations in the ABCA3 gene cause lethal respiratory distress in newborn infants. To investigate the function of ABCA3 protein, we generated Abca3-deficient mice by targeting Abca3. Full-term Abca3–/– newborn pups died within an hour after birth because of acute respiratory failure. Ultrastructural analysis revealed abnormally dense lamellar body-like organelles and no normal lamellar bodies in Abca3–/– alveolar type II cells. TLC and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analyses of lipids in the pulmonary interstitium showed that phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol, which contain palmitic acid and are abundant in normal surfactant lipids, were dramatically decreased in Abca3–/– lung. These findings indicate that ABCA3 plays an essential role in pulmonary surfactant lipid metabolism and lamellar body biogenesis, probably by transporting these lipids as substrates.

Intracellular ABC transporter A3 confers multidrug resistance in leukemia cells by lysosomal drug sequestration.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) seriously limits the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with cancer and leukemia. Active transport across membranes is essential for such cellular drug resistance, largely provided by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport proteins. Intracellular drug sequestration contributes to MDR; however, a genuine intracellular ABC transport protein with MDR function has not yet been identified. Analyzing the intrinsic drug efflux capacity of leukemic stem cells, we found the ABC transporter A3 (ABCA3) to be expressed consistently in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples. Greater expression of ABCA3 is associated with unfavorable treatment outcome, and in vitro, elevated expression induces resistance toward a broad spectrum of cytostatic agents. ABCA3 remains localized within the limiting membranes of lysosomes and multivesicular bodies, in which cytostatics are efficiently sequestered. In addition to AML, we also detected ABCA3 in a panel of lymphohematopoietic tissues and transformed cell lines. In conclusion, we identified subcellular drug sequestration mediated by the genuinely intracellular ABCA3 as being a clinically relevant mechanism of intrinsic MDR.

Characterization and classification of ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA3 mutants in fatal surfactant deficiency.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA3 is expressed predominantly at the limiting membrane of the lamellar bodies in lung alveolar type II cells. Recent study has shown that mutation of the ABCA3 gene causes fatal surfactant deficiency in newborns. In this study, we investigated in HEK293 cells the intracellular localization and N-glycosylation of the ABCA3 mutants so far identified in fatal surfactant deficiency patients. Green fluorescent protein-tagged L101P, L982P, L1553P, Q1591P, and Ins1518fs/ter1519 mutant proteins remained localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, and processing of oligosaccharide was impaired, whereas wild-type and N568D, G1221S, and L1580P mutant ABCA3 proteins trafficked to the LAMP3-positive intracellular vesicle, accompanied by processing of oligosaccharide from high mannose type to complex type. Vanadate-induced nucleotide trapping and ATP-binding analyses showed that ATP hydrolysis activity was dramatically decreased in the N568D, G1221S, and L1580P mutants, accompanied by a moderate decrease in ATP binding in N568D and L1580P mutants but not in the G1221S mutant, compared with the wild-type ABCA3 protein. In addition, mutational analyses of the Gly-1221 residue in the 11th transmembrane segment and the Leu-1580 residue in the cytoplasmic tail, and homology modeling of nucleotide binding domain 2 demonstrate the significance of these residues for ATP hydrolysis and suggest a mechanism for impaired ATP hydrolysis in G1221S and L1580P mutants. Thus, surfactant deficiency because of ABCA3 gene mutation may be classified into two categories as follows: abnormal intracellular localization (type I) and normal intracellular localization with decreased ATP binding and/or ATP hydrolysis of the ABCA3 protein (type II). These distinct pathophysiologies may reflect both the severity and effective therapy for surfactant deficiency.

Aberrant catalytic cycle and impaired lipid transport into intracellular vesicles in ABCA3 mutants associated with nonfatal pediatric interstitial lung disease

The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA3 mediates uptake of choline-phospholipids into intracellular vesicles and is essential for surfactant metabolism in lung alveolar type II cells. We have shown previously that ABCA3 mutations in fatal surfactant deficiency impair intracellular localization or ATP hydrolysis of ABCA3 protein. However, the mechanisms underlying the less severe phenotype of patients with ABCA3 mutation are unclear. In this study, we characterized ABCA3 mutant proteins identified in pediatric interstitial lung disease (pILD). E292V (intracellular loop 1), E690K (adjacent to Walker B motif in nucleotide binding domain 1), and T1114M (8th putative transmembrane segment) mutant proteins are localized mainly in intracellular vesicle membranes as wild-type protein. Lipid analysis and sucrose gradient fractionation revealed that the transport function of E292V mutant protein is moderately preserved, whereas those of E690K and T1114M mutant proteins are severely impaired. Vanadate-induced nucleotide trapping and photoaffinity labeling of wild-type and mutant proteins using 8-azido-[(32)P]ATP revealed an aberrant catalytic cycle in these mutant proteins. These results demonstrate the importance of a functional catalytic cycle in lipid transport of ABCA3 and suggest a pathophysiological mechanism of pILD due to ABCA3 mutation.

ABCA3-mediated choline-phospholipids uptake into intracellular vesicles in A549 cells.

ABCA3 is proposed to function as a lung surfactant lipid transporter. Here we report ABCA3‐dependent lipid uptake into intracellular vesicles in lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. A549 cells stably expressing GFP‐tagged wild‐type ABCA3 (A549/ABCA3WT) had larger LAMP3‐positive vesicles than their parental cells as well as A549 cells expressing a Walker A motif mutant (A549/ABCA3N568D). The choline‐phospholipids level in A549/ABCA3WT was increased 1.25‐fold compared to that in A549 and A549/ABCA3N568D cells, while the cholesterol levels were similar. Sucrose gradient fractionation analysis in A549/ABCA3WT cells revealed that choline‐phospholipids were enriched in low‐density and nile red‐positive vesicles. Electronmicroscopic analysis showed multilamellar vesicles in A549/ABCA3WT cells. These results indicate that ABCA3 mediates ATP‐dependent choline‐phospholipids uptake into intracellular vesicles.

ABCA2 Deficiency Results in Abnormal Sphingolipid Metabolism in Mouse Brain

ABCA2, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, is localized mainly to late endosome/lysosomes of oligodendrocytes in brain, but the physiological role and function of ABCA2 are unknown. In this study, we generated mutant mice (ABCA2-null) by targeting the abca2 gene. ABCA2-null mice exhibited a phenotype including lower pregnancy rate and body weight, shorter latency period on the balance beam, and sensitization to environmental stress compared with wild type mice but no abnormality in the cytoarchitectonic and compact myelin structure or oligodendroglial differentiation. Lipid analysis of brain from 11 days to 64 weeks of age revealed significant accumulation of gangliosides along with reduced sphingomyelin (SM) from 4 weeks to 64 weeks of age and accumulation of cerebrosides and sulfatides at 64 weeks of age in ABCA2-null mice compared with wild type mice. In addition, a significant accumulation of the major ganglioside GM1 and reduced SM was detected in the myelin fraction of ABCA2-null brain. Comparison of ABCA2-null and wild type mice revealed weak ABCA2 immunoreactivity in some large pyramidal cells of wild type brain. These results suggest that ABCA2 is involved in the intracellular metabolism of sphingolipids in the brain, particularly SM and gangliosides in oligodendrocytes and certain neurons.

Cloning of ABCA17, a novel rodent sperm-specific ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter that regulates intracellular lipid metabolism.

The A subclass of the ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter superfamily has a structural feature that distinguishes it from other ABC transporters, and is proposed to be involved in the transmembrane transport of endogenous lipids. Here we have cloned mouse and rat full-length cDNAs of ABCA17, a novel ABC transporter belonging to the A subclass. Mouse and rat ABCA17 proteins comprise 1733 and 1773 amino acid residues respectively, having 87.3% amino acid identity; mouse ABCA17 has amino acid identities of 55.3% and 36.7% with mouse ABCA3 and sea urchin ABCA respectively. RNA blot and quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed that ABCA17 mRNA is expressed exclusively in the testis. Examination of testis by in situ hybridization showed that ABCA17 mRNA is expressed in germ cells, mainly spermatocytes, in the seminiferous tubule. Immunoblot analysis using a specific antibody showed that ABCA17 is a protein of 200 kDa, and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the protein is detected in the anterior head of sperm and elongated spermatids. ABCA17 was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum in transiently transfected HEK293 cells. Metabolic labelling analysis showed that intracellular esterified lipids, including cholesteryl esters, fatty acid esters and triacylglycerols, were significantly decreased in HEK293 cells stably expressing ABCA17 compared with untransfected cells. These results suggest that ABCA17 may play a role in regulating lipid composition in sperm.

Inhibition of MEK1 Signaling Pathway in the Liver Ameliorates Insulin Resistance

Although mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) is a key signaling molecule and a negative regulator of insulin action, it is still uncertain whether MEK can be a therapeutic target for amelioration of insulin resistance (IR) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) in vivo. To clarify whether MEK inhibition improves T2D, we examined the effect of continuous MEK inhibition with two structurally different MEK inhibitors, RO5126766 and RO4987655, in mouse models of T2D. RO5126766 and RO4987655 were administered via dietary admixture. Both compounds decreased blood glucose and improved glucose tolerance in doses sufficient to sustain inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation downstream of MEK in insulin-responsive tissues in db/db mice. A hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp test showed increased glucose infusion rate (GIR) in db/db mice treated with these compounds, and about 60% of the increase was attributed to the inhibition of endogenous glucose production, suggesting that the liver is responsible for the improvement of IR. By means of adenovirus-mediated Mek1 shRNA expression, we confirmed that blood glucose levels are reduced by suppression of MEK1 expression in the liver of db/db mice. Taken together, these results suggested that the MEK signaling pathway could be a novel therapeutic target for novel antidiabetic agents.