Toshiro Takafuta

Mutations in the gene encoding filamin B disrupt vertebral segmentation, joint formation and skeletogenesis

The filamins are cytoplasmic proteins that regulate the structure and activity of the cytoskeleton by cross-linking actin into three-dimensional networks, linking the cell membrane to the cytoskeleton and serving as scaffolds on which intracellular signaling and protein trafficking pathways are organized (reviewed in refs. 1,2). We identified mutations in the gene encoding filamin B in four human skeletal disorders. We found homozygosity or compound heterozygosity with respect to stop-codon mutations in autosomal recessive spondylocarpotarsal syndrome (SCT, OMIM 272460) and missense mutations in individuals with autosomal dominant Larsen syndrome (OMIM 150250) and the perinatal lethal atelosteogenesis I and III phenotypes (AOI, OMIM 108720; AOIII, OMIM 108721). We found that filamin B is expressed in human growth plate chondrocytes and in the developing vertebral bodies in the mouse. These data indicate an unexpected role in vertebral segmentation, joint formation and endochondral ossification for this ubiquitously expressed cytoskeletal protein.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces contraction of coronary artery smooth muscle cells via S1P2

OBJECTIVES Sphingosine 1-phosphate (Sph-1-P), a bioactive lipid derived from activated platelets, may play an important role in coronary artery spasm and hence the pathogenesis of ischemic heart diseases, since we reported that a decrease in coronary blood flow was induced by this lysophospholipid in an in vivo canine heart model [Cardiovasc. Res. 46 (2000) 119]. In this study, metabolism related to and cellular responses elicited by Sph-1-P were examined in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). METHODS AND RESULTS [3H]Sphingosine (Sph), incorporated into CASMCs, was converted to [3H]Sph-1-P intracellularly, but its stimulation-dependent formation and extracellular release were not observed. Furthermore, the cell surface Sph-1-P receptors of S1P family (previously called EDG) were found to be expressed in CASMCs. Accordingly, Sph-1-P seems to act as an extracellular mediator in CASMCs. Consistent with Sph-1-P-elicited coronary vasoconstriction in vivo, Sph-1-P strongly induced CASMC contraction, which was inhibited by JTE-013, a newly-developed specific antagonist of S1P(2) (EDG-5). Furthermore, C3 exoenzyme or Y-27632 inhibited the CASMC contraction induced by Sph-1-P, indicating Rho involvement. Finally, exogenously-added [3H]Sph-1-P underwent a rapid degradation. Since lipid phosphate phosphatases, ectoenzymes capable of dephosphorylating Sph-1-P, were expressed in CASMCs, Sph-1-P may be dephosphorylated by the ectophosphatases. CONCLUSIONS Sph-1-P, derived from platelets and dephosphorylated on the cell surface, may induce the contraction of coronary artery smooth muscle cells through the S1P(2)/Rho signaling.

Different splice variants of filamin-B affect myogenesis, subcellular distribution, and determine binding to integrin β subunits

Integrins connect the extracellular matrix with the cell interior, and transduce signals through interactions of their cytoplasmic tails with cytoskeletal and signaling proteins. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a novel splice variant (filamin-Bvar-1) of the filamentous actin cross-linking protein, filamin-B, that interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of the integrin β1A and β1D subunits. RT-PCR analysis showed weak, but wide, expression of filamin-Bvar-1 and a similar splice variant of filamin-A (filamin-Avar-1) in human tissues. Furthermore, alternative splice variants of filamin-B and filamin-C, from which the flexible hinge-1 region is deleted (ΔH1), were induced during in vitro differentiation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts. We show that both filamin-Avar-1 and filamin-Bvar-1 bind more strongly than their wild-type isoforms to different integrin β subunits. The mere presence of the high-affinity binding site for β1A is not sufficient for targeting the filamin-Bvar-1 construct to focal contacts. Interestingly, the simultaneous deletion of the H1 region is required for the localization of filamin-B at the tips of actin stress fibers. When expressed in C2C12 cells, filamin-Bvar-1(ΔH1) accelerates their differentiation into myotubes. Furthermore, filamin-B variants lacking the H1 region induce the formation of thinner myotubes than those in cells containing variants with this region. These findings suggest that specific combinations of filamin mRNA splicing events modulate the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and the binding affinity for integrins.

A New Member of the LIM Protein Family Binds to Filamin B and Localizes at Stress Fibers

Human filamins are 280-kDa proteins containing an N-terminal actin-binding domain followed by 24 characteristic repeats. They also interact with a number of other cellular proteins. All of those identified to date, with the exception of actin, bind to the C-terminal third of a filamin. In a yeast two-hybrid search of a human placental library, using as bait repeats 10–18 of filamin B, we isolated a cDNA coding for a novel 374 amino acid protein containing a proline-rich domain near its N terminus and two LIM domains at its C terminus. We term this protein filamin-binding LIM protein-1, FBLP-1. Yeast two-hybrid studies with deletion mutants localized the areas of interaction in FBLP-1 to its N-terminal domain and in filamin B to repeats 10–13. FBLP-1 mRNA was detected in a variety of tissues and cells including platelets and endothelial cells. We also have identified two FBLP-1 variants. Both contain three C-terminal LIM domains, but one lacks the N-terminal proline-rich domain. Transfection of FBLP-1 into 293A cells promoted stress fiber formation, and both FBLP-1 and filamin B localized to stress fibers in the transfected cells. The association between filamin B and FBLP-1 may play a hitherto unknown role in cytoskeletal function, cell adhesion, and cell motility.

Filamin B Plays a Key Role in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-induced Endothelial Cell Motility through Its Interaction with Rac-1 and Vav-2

Actin-binding proteins filamin A (FLNA) and B (FLNB) are expressed in endothelial cells and play an essential role during vascular development. In order to investigate their role in adult endothelial cell function, we initially confirmed their expression pattern in different adult mouse tissues and cultured cell lines and found that FLNB expression is concentrated mainly in endothelial cells, whereas FLNA is more ubiquitously expressed. Functionally, small interfering RNA knockdown of endogenous FLNB in human umbilical vein endothelial cells inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced in vitro angiogenesis by decreasing endothelial cell migration capacity, whereas FLNA ablation did not alter these parameters. Moreover, FLNB-depleted cells increased their substrate adhesion with more focal adhesions. The molecular mechanism underlying this effect implicates modulation of small GTP-binding protein Rac-1 localization and activity, with altered activation of its downstream effectors p21 protein Cdc42/Rac-activated kinase (PAK)-4/5/6 and its activating guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav-2. Moreover, our results suggest the existence of a signaling complex, including FLNB, Rac-1, and Vav-2, under basal conditions that would further interact with VEGFR2 and integrin αvβ5 after VEGF stimulation. In conclusion, our results reveal a crucial role for FLNB in endothelial cell migration and in the angiogenic process in adult endothelial cells.

Filamin A-Bound PEBP2β/CBFβ Is Retained in the Cytoplasm and Prevented from Functioning as a Partner of the Runx1 Transcription Factor

ABSTRACT The heterodimeric transcription factor PEBP2/CBF is composed of a DNA-binding subunit, called Runx1, and a non-DNA-binding subunit, called PEBP2β/CBFβ. The Runx1 protein is detected exclusively in the nuclei of most cells and tissues, whereas PEBP2β is located in the cytoplasm. We addressed the mechanism by which PEBP2β localizes to the cytoplasm and found that it is associated with filamin A, an actin-binding protein. Filamin A retains PEBP2β in the cytoplasm, thereby hindering its engagement as a Runx1 partner. The interaction with filamin A is mediated by a region within PEBP2β that includes amino acid residues 68 to 93. The deletion of this region or the repression of filamin A enables PEBP2β to translocate to the nucleus. Based on these observations, we propose that PEBP2β has two distinct domains, a newly defined regulatory domain that interacts with filamin A and the previously identified Runx1-binding domain.

Oligoclonal accumulation of T cells in peripheral blood from patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

To determine whether clonal T cells accumulate in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), we performed single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis to detect T‐cell receptor (TCR) β‐chain usage of peripheral T cells. We detected significantly more oligoclonal T cells (15.5 ± 8.9 bands representative for clonal T‐cell expansions) in peripheral blood from ITP patients than from healthy donors (2.8 ± 2.6 bands). Frequently used Vβ genes in these accumulated T cells in ITP were Vβ 3, 6, 10, 13.1 and 14. To determine whether these bands were derived from clonal T cells, presumably in a preactivated state, we established some T‐cell clones (expressing CD4 and TCR Vβ 6, 13.1, or 14) by nonspecific stimulation from patients’ peripheral mononuclear cells, and examined their clonotypes. Clonal identities for three out of seven clones tested were confirmed using SSCP analyses to compare the migration of their β‐chain complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) cDNAs, expanded by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with those from peripheral blood. Therefore, distinctive T‐cell clones accumulated in the periphery in ITP and they may be related to the autoimmune‐mediated destruction of platelets.

Ceramide 1-Phosphate Formation in Neutrophils

In this study, we examined the metabolism of [³H]N-hexanoylsphingosine [C₆-ceramide (Cer)] in neutrophils, erythrocytes, platelets and mononuclear cells. [³H]C₆-Cer, exogenously added and incorporated into the inside of the cell, was found to be converted to other radioactive sphingolipids in these differentiated blood cells, except erythrocytes, which were unable to metabolize C₆-Cer. Only in neutrophils was a specific radioactive band, comigrating with a standard C₆-Cer 1-phosphate (C₆-Cer-1-P) on thin layer chromatography, observed in a time-dependent manner. This metabolite was confirmed to be C₆-Cer-1-P by its sensitivity to acid treatment and resistance to mild alkaline hydrolysis. Neutrophil [³H]C₆-Cer conversion into [³H]C₆-Cer-1-P, reflecting Cer kinase activity, was not affected by cell stimulation. Furthermore, extracellular release of [³H]C₆-Cer-1-P was not observed either. Exogenous addition of C₈-Cer-1-P failed to induce intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization or affect the response induced by the formyl peptide. Furthermore, neutrophil morphology was not affected by C₈-Cer-1-P. Although specific expression of Cer kinase suggests an important role for Cer-1-P in neutrophils, its functional role(s) remain to be clarified.

Recombinant human interferon α-2b (rh IFNα-2b) therapy for steroid resistant idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

The efficacy of recombinant human interferon α‐2b (rh IFNα‐2b) in the treatment of steroid resistant idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was studied in 50 cases.

Mechanisms of platelet retention in the collagen-coated-bead column.

Although the glass-bead column has been used to measure platelet adhesion, whether platelet interaction with glass beads represents physiologic processes remains unsettled. In an attempt to obtain more physiologic platelet responses, plastic beads coated with type I collagen have been recently developed to replace glass beads. In this study, we analyzed the factors responsible for platelet retention in the collagen-coated-bead column and investigated its possible clinical applications. We pumped citrated whole-blood samples into columns at a fixed speed with an injection pump and calculated platelet-retention rates by measuring platelet counts before and after passage through the columns. The platelet-retention rates, which were highly reproducible with samples from healthy donors, were reduced in a patient with glycoprotein (GP) VI deficiency but not in patients with type III von Willebrand disease. Anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibody and GRGDS peptide markedly inhibited platelet retention, whereas inhibition of the GPIb-von Willebrand factor or GPIa/IIa-collagen interaction had no effect. Data on the effects of various antiplatelet agents (including the antithrombin agent argatroban, prostacyclin, acetylsalicylic acid, and the ADP scavenger creatine phosphate/creatine phosphokinase) support the usefulness of this assay method in clinical application. Our findings suggest that GPVI and GPIIb/IIIa but not the GPIb-von Willebrand factor interaction are mainly involved in platelet retention in this column.