Youichi Aizawa

Structural and biological properties of erythropoietin in Xenopus laevis

OBJECTIVE Erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor (EPOR) are key regulators of red blood cell production in mammals and fish. We aimed to investigate the structural and functional conservation of the EPO-EPOR system in amphibian erythropoiesis, using Xenopus laevis as a model. MATERIALS AND METHODS X. laevis epo (xlepo) complementary DNA was identified by referring to the Xenopus tropicalis genome database. Biological activity of recombinant xlEPO expressed in COS-1 cells was evaluated using xlEPOR-expressing murine FDC/P2 cells and human EPO-dependent UT-7/EPO cells. Expression of xlepo messenger RNA in adult X. laevis tissues in the normal state and under the condition of phenylhydrazine-induced anemia was evaluated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In the encoded protein, the positions of four cysteine residues were conserved; however, xlEPO had only 38% identity with human EPO. N-glycosylation sites were absent. Recombinant xlEPO induced proliferation of cell lines expressing xlEPOR and UT-7/EPO, confirming biological activity and cross-species reactivity. Despite little primary amino acid sequence similarity, the evolutionary highly conserved sequence NFLRGK was identified in the EPOR-binding site 1 region as in the human EPO protein. Strong expression of xlepo messenger RNA was detected in the lung and liver, especially in fractionated hepatocytes. No marked increase in xlepo expression was seen in the lung and liver of phenylhydrazine-induced anemic X. laevis. CONCLUSION We confirmed that xlEPO is the ligand to the previously reported xlEPOR in X. laevis. xlEPO shares structural and functional similarities and differences with mammalian counterparts, and regulation of xlepo expression and its influence on the erythropoietic system appears to be unique.

Identification of erythroid progenitors induced by erythropoietic activity in Xenopus laevis

Oxygen is essential for the survival of animals. Red blood cells in the circulation, i.e. peripheral erythrocytes, are responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues. The regulation of erythropoiesis in vertebrates other than mammals is yet to be elucidated. Recently we identified erythropoietin, a primary regulator of erythropoiesis, in Xenopus laevis, which should enable us to identify target cells, including erythroid progenitors, and to investigate the production and development of erythroid cells in amphibians. Here, we established a semi-solid colony-forming assay in Xenopus laevis to clarify the existence of colony-forming unit-erythroid cells, the functional erythroid progenitors identified in vitro. Using this assay, we showed that recombinant xlEPO induces erythroid colony formation in vitro and detected an increased level of erythropoietin activity in blood serum during acute anemic stress. In addition, our study demonstrated the possible presence of multiple, non-xlEPO, factors in anemic serum supportive of erythroid colony formation. These results indicate that erythropoiesis mediated by erythropoietin is present in amphibian species and, furthermore, that the regulatory mechanisms controlling peripheral erythrocyte number may vary among vertebrates.

Hepatic confinement of newly produced erythrocytes caused by low-temperature exposure in Xenopus laevis

SUMMARY Diminished erythrocyte count and erythropoiesis have been reported during hypothermia in some ectothermic animals. In this study, the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, was used to investigate the cause of hypothermia-induced anemia. We developed a new model of hypothermia at 5°C and monitored blood cell count and erythropoiesis on several days. Erythrocyte count declined by 30% on the first day following cold exposure (5°C) and mRNA expression of hemeoxygenase-1 was enhanced 10-fold; accumulation of iron as a result of heme degradation was observed in the liver. One day after low-temperature exposure, erythropoietin mRNA expression was elevated in the liver and lung compared with that at normal temperature (22°C) by qRT-PCR analysis. Examination of liver sections (i.e. the erythropoietic organ) showed an increase in o-dianisidine-positive erythrocytes in the hepatic sinusoid 5 days after the onset of low-temperature exposure compared with normal liver. Peripheral erythrocyte count remained low, indicating that newly produced erythrocytes did not migrate from the liver to the circulation during hypothermia. In conclusion, this study reveals hypothermic anemia as being associated with hepatic erythrocyte destruction; prolonged anemia during low-temperature exposure is concomitant with newly produced erythrocytes being confined to the liver and may lead to new insights into vertebrate hematopoiesis.

Fluorescence labeling of a cytokine with desthiobiotin-tagged fluorescent puromycin

Fluorescence labeling of a cytokine at a specific site is required for observing cytokine-receptor interactions in living cells at the single-molecule level. Here, we demonstrated the C-terminus-specific fluorescence labeling of histidine-tagged thrombopoietin (TPO), a ligand for Mpl, with desthiobiotin-tagged fluorescent puromycin. Fluorescent TPO, purified by tandem affinity purification, stimulated the proliferation of Mpl-expressing cells. Within 10 min of its addition, fluorescent TPO was found to be diffusely distributed on the cell membranes of Mpl-expressing cells, and gradually accumulated to form fluorescent spots. This method is applicable for studying the spatial and temporal distributions of cytokines in individual living cells.