Yoshikazu Morishita

Enzymatic Characterization of Human α1,3-Fucosyltransferase Fuc-TVII Synthesized in a B Cell Lymphoma Cell Line

The human α1,3-fucosyltransferase, Fuc-TVII, a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of selectin ligands, was expressed as a soluble protein-A chimeric form in a human B cell lymphoma cell line, Namalwa KJM-1, and purified using IgG-Sepharose. The enzymatic properties of recombinant soluble Fuc-TVII were then examined. Its enzyme activity was highest at pH 7.5, and the presence of 25 mm Mn2+ was required for full activity. Fuc-TVII exhibits an acceptor specificity restricted to α2,3-sialylated type 2 oligosaccharides, and the apparentK m values for α2,3-sialyl lacto-N-neotetraose and GDP-fucose were 3.08 mmand 16.4 μm, respectively. The inhibitory effects of various nucleotides on the activity of Fuc-TVII reflected its donor specificity for the nucleotide portion of GDP. Fuc-TVII was demonstrated to be useful for the synthesis of a sialyl Lewis x hexasaccharide from lacto-N-neotetraose in combination with an α2,3-sialyltransferase, ST3Gal IV. Polyethylene glycols enhanced the thermal stability of Fuc-TVII, leading to increased formation of the reaction product.

Roles of CREB in the regulation of FMRP by group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in cingulate cortex

BackgroundFragile X syndrome is caused by lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) due to silencing of the FMR1 gene. The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the central nervous system contribute to higher brain functions including learning/memory, mental disorders and persistent pain. The transcription factor cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) is involved in important neuronal functions, such as synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. Our recent study has shown that stimulation of Group I mGluRs upregulated FMRP and activated CREB in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a key region for brain cognitive and executive functions, suggesting that activation of Group I mGluRs may upregulate FMRP through CREB signaling pathway.ResultsIn this study, we demonstrate that CREB contributes to the regulation of FMRP by Group I mGluRs. In ACC neurons of adult mice overexpressing dominant active CREB mutant, the upregulation of FMRP by stimulating Group I mGluR is enhanced compared to wild-type mice. However, the regulation of FMRP by Group I mGluRs is not altered by overexpression of Ca2+-insensitive mutant form of downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM), a transcriptional repressor involved in synaptic transmission and plasticity.ConclusionOur study has provided further evidence for CREB involvement in regulation of FMRP by Group I mGluRs in ACC neurons, and may help to elucidate the pathogenesis of fragile X syndrome.

HS-142-1, a Novel Non-peptide Antagonist for Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Receptor, Selectively Inhibits Particulate Guanylyl Cyclase and Lowers Cyclic GMP in LLC-PK1 Cells

HS-142-1, a novel atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) antagonist isolated from the culture broth of Aureobasidium sp., selectively inhibits ANP-induced cyclic GMP accumulation in porcine kidney epithelial LLC-PK1 cells. At concentrations from 0.1 to 100 μg/ml (= 2.5 × 10(-8) - 2.5 × 10(-5) M, given the mean molecular weight is 4, 000), HS-142-1 prevents intracellular cyclic GMP accumulation initiated by 10(-8) M rat ANP in a dose-dependent manner, but not cyclic GMP accumulation produced by 10(-5) M sodium nitroprusside. HS-142-1 alone has no effects on the basal level of cyclic GMP seen in the absence of ANP. No change of intracellular cyclic AMP was observed upon the treatment of the cells with HS-142-1. Further, the selectivity of HS-142-1 for the guanylyl cyclase-linked receptor was confirmed by affinity labeling studies with bovine adrenocortical membranes. HS-142-1 specifically abolished the labeling of the guanylyl cyclase-linked 135-kDa band in a dose-dependent manner, but not the labeling of the 60-kDa band not coupled to the guanylyl cyclase. These results show that HS-142-1 selectively inhibits ANP-mediated accumulation of cyclic GMP in LLC-PK1 cells through interacting with guanylyl cyclase-linked receptors.

PI3K regulates BMAL1/CLOCK-mediated circadian transcription from the Dbp promoter

The circadian rhythm generated by circadian clock underlies a molecular mechanism of rhythmic transcriptional regulation by transcription factor BMAL1/CLOCK. Importantly, the circadian clock is coordinated by exogenous cues to accommodate to changes in the external environment. However, the molecular mechanisms by which intracellular-signaling pathways mediate the adjustments of the circadian transcriptional rhythms remain unclear. In this study, we found that pharmacological inhibition or shRNA-mediated knockdown of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) blocked upregulation of Dbp mRNA induced by serum shock in NIH 3T3 cells. Moreover, the inhibition of PI3K significantly reduced the promoter activity of the Dbp gene, as well as decreased the recruitment of BMAL1/CLOCK to the E-box in the Dbp promoter. Interestingly, the inhibition of PI3K blocked heterodimerization of BMAL1 and CLOCK. Our findings suggest that PI3K signaling plays a modulatory role in the regulation of the transcriptional rhythm of the Dbp gene by targeting BMAL1 and CLOCK. Graphical abstract Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K decreased expression levels of Dbp mRNA after the serum shock.