👤 Tianzhu Jia

WW domains harbor substrates containing proline-rich motifs, but the substrate specificity and binding mechanism remain elusive for those WW domains less amenable for structural studies, such as human WWP2 (hWWP2). Herein we have employed multiple techniques to investigate the second WW domain (WW2) in hWWP2. Our results show that hWWP2 is a specialized E3 for PPxY motif-containing substrates only and does not recognize other amino acids and phospho-residues. The strongest binding affinity of WW2, and the incompatibility between each WW domain, imply a novel relationship, and our SPR experiment reveals a dynamic binding mode in Class-I WW domains for the first time. The results from alanine-scanning mutagenesis and modeling further point to functionally conserved residues in WW2. Show less

WWP2 (WW domain-containing protein 2) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase belonging to the NEDD4-like protein family involved in various cell regulations, such as carcinogenesis, transcription control and cellular transport. Compared with homologues, WWP2 is difficult to express and no practical protocols have been developed for WWP2 preparation in large scale. Recently, domain structures of homologues of WWP2 have been determined by crystallography and NMR, but none for WWP2 has been attained. In this work, through a combination of extensive screening of ∼100 constructs, expression strategies and host systems, we have found a soluble HECT domain truncation (WHP2) of WWP2 which is amendable for preparation scale expression in Escherichia coli. We have also established a relatively simple purification process to achieve highly pure WHP2 protein by employing immobilized metal-affinity chromatography followed by salting out, ion exchange chromatography and finally, size exclusion chromatography. We are able to obtain about 60mg/L of the soluble WHP2. The identity and structure of the expressed WHP2 have been analyzed by mass spectrometry and circular dichroism. The native ability of WHP2 to bind different partners has been revealed by pull-down assay. Show less

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a genetically heterogeneous disease, and information about BBS in Chinese populations is very limited. The purpose of the present study was to determine the genetic cause of BBS in a Chinese Han family. Clinical data were recorded for the 4-year-old female proband and the available family members. The proband was screened for mutation by Sanger sequencing for a total of 142 exons of the 12 BBS-causing genes (BBS1-BBS12). The variants detected in the proband were further confirmed in the other family members. We identified a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (c.70A>T, p.K24X) in the BBS4 gene exon 2 in the proband. Such mutant allele was predicted to cause a premature truncation in the N-terminal of the BBS4 protein, and probably induced the nonsense-mediated decay of BBS4 messenger RNAs. The proband's parents and brother were heterozygous for the nonsense mutant allele. It was absent in 50 Chinese control subjects. An additional rare heterozygous missense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) named rs200718870 in BBS10 gene was also detected in the proband, her father and her brother. Some manifestations of the proband including atypical retinitis pigmentosa, choroidal sclerosis, high myopia, and early onset of obesity might be associated with this mutation in BBS4 gene. The proband's father also reported surgical removal of an extra finger during childhood. The present study described a novel nonsense mutation in BBS4 gene in a Chinese family. This homozygous mutation was predicted to completely abolish the synthesis of the BBS4 protein. We also detected a rare heterozygous missense SNP in BBS10 gene in the family, but did not find sufficient evidence to support the triallelic inheritance. Show less

Known genetic loci explain only a small proportion of the familial relative risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted a genome-wide association study of CRC in East Asians with 14,963 cases and 31,945 controls and identified 6 new loci associated with CRC risk (P = 3.42 × 10(-8) to 9.22 × 10(-21)) at 10q22.3, 10q25.2, 11q12.2, 12p13.31, 17p13.3 and 19q13.2. Two of these loci map to genes (TCF7L2 and TGFB1) with established roles in colorectal tumorigenesis. Four other loci are located in or near genes involved in transcriptional regulation (ZMIZ1), genome maintenance (FEN1), fatty acid metabolism (FADS1 and FADS2), cancer cell motility and metastasis (CD9), and cell growth and differentiation (NXN). We also found suggestive evidence for three additional loci associated with CRC risk near genome-wide significance at 8q24.11, 10q21.1 and 10q24.2. Furthermore, we replicated 22 previously reported CRC-associated loci. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of CRC and suggests the involvement of new biological pathways. Show less

Inflammation marks all stages of atherogenesis. DNA hypermethylation in the whole genome or specific genes is associated with inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we aimed to study whether inhibiting DNA methylation by DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) ameliorates atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (Ldlr(-/-)) mice. Ldlr(-/-) mice were fed an atherogenic diet and adminisered saline or 5-aza-dC (0.25 mg/kg) for up to 30 weeks. 5-aza-dC treatment markedly decreased atherosclerosis development in Ldlr(-/-) mice without changes in body weight, plasma lipid profile, macrophage cholesterol levels and plaque lipid content. Instead, this effect was associated with decreased macrophage inflammation. Macrophages with 5-aza-dC treatment had downregulated expression of genes involved in inflammation (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and inducible nitric oxidase) and chemotaxis (CD62/L-selectin, chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 2/MCP-1 [CCL2/MCP-1], CCL5, CCL9, and CCL2 receptor CCR2). This resulted in attenuated macrophage migration and adhesion to endothelial cells and reduced macrophage infiltration into atherosclerotic plaques. 5-aza-dC also suppressed macrophage endoplasmic reticulum stress, a key upstream signal that activates macrophage inflammation and apoptotic pathways. Finally, 5-aza-dC demethylated liver X receptor α (LXRα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ1 (PPARγ1) promoters, which are both enriched with CpG sites. This led to overexpression of LXRα and PPARγ, which may be responsible for 5-aza-dC's anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective effect. Our findings provide strong evidence that DNA methylation may play a significant role in cardiovascular diseases and serve as a therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Show less

Obesity is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Genome-wide association studies have identified a number of genetic loci associated with obesity. The aim of this study is to examine the contribution of obesity-related genomic loci to type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population. We successfully genotyped 18 obesity-related single nucleotide polymorphisms among 5338 type 2 diabetic patients and 4663 controls. Both individual and joint effects of these single nucleotide polymorphisms on type 2 diabetes and quantitative glycemic traits (assessing β-cell function and insulin resistance) were analyzed using logistic and linear regression models, respectively. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms near MC4R and GNPDA2 genes were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes before adjusting for body mass index and waist circumference (OR (95% CI) = 1.14 (1.06, 1.22) for the A allele of rs12970134, P = 4.75×10(-4); OR (95% CI) = 1.10 (1.03, 1.17) for the G allele of rs10938397, P = 4.54×10(-3)). When body mass index and waist circumference were further adjusted, the association of MC4R with type 2 diabetes remained significant (P = 1.81×10(-2)) and that of GNPDA2 was attenuated (P = 1.26×10(-1)), suggesting the effect of the locus including GNPDA2 on type 2 diabetes may be mediated through obesity. Single nucleotide polymorphism rs2260000 within BAT2 was significantly associated with type 2 diabetes after adjusting for body mass index and waist circumference (P = 1.04×10(-2)). In addition, four single nucleotide polymorphisms (near or within SEC16B, BDNF, MAF and PRL genes) showed significant associations with quantitative glycemic traits in controls even after adjusting for body mass index and waist circumference (all P values<0.05). This study indicates that obesity-related genomic loci were associated with type 2 diabetes and glycemic traits in the Han Chinese population. Show less

Type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications have become a worldwide epidemic nowadays. However, its molecular mechanism is still unknown. We have previously identified a novel variant rs12742393 of NOS1AP for type 2 diabetes susceptibility in the Chinese population. In this study, we analyzed the total serum profiling among three genotypes of rs12742393 to discover potential crosstalk under the variant and the disease through proteomic analyses for the first time. We used OFFGEL peptide fractionation, LC-MS/MS analysis, and label-free quantification to profile the fasting human serum samples of the genotypes in rs12742393 (n = 4, for CC, AC, and AA, resp.). Four proteins were identified, including apoA4, alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10, with blood levels changed significantly between CC and AA homozygotes of rs12742393. Compared with AA group, the levels of apoA4 increased (P = 0.000265), whereas the concentration of alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10 decreased in CC group (P = 0.011116, 0.021175, and 0.015661, resp.). Then we selected additional fasting serum samples for ELISA and western blot validation. However, no significant differences were identified by neither ELISA nor western blot (P > 0.05). The protein profiling changes between the genotypes of rs12742393 indicated that this SNP might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Show less

α-Thalassemia is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder. It is one of the most common monogenic abnormalities known in the world and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. α-Thalassemia is more frequently caused by deletional type than non-deletional type. Recently, we identified a novel large deletional type of α-thalassemia named --(FZ)/αα from a family in South China. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was used for diagnosing the carrier and prenatal diagnosing for a fetus. Real-time PCR was employed for characterizing the deletion breakpoints and the deletional segment was determined as 300 kb in length extending from the telomere to AXIN1 gene on the short arm of chromosome 16. The carriers in the family members were detected by real-time PCR using designed primers. Show less

Genotype-phenotype correlation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been challenging because of the genetic and clinical heterogeneity. To determine the mutation profile of Chinese patients with HCM and to correlate genotypes with phenotypes, we performed a systematic mutation screening of the eight most commonly mutated genes encoding sarcomere proteins in 200 unrelated Chinese adult patients using direct DNA sequencing. A total of 98 mutations were identified in 102 mutation carriers. The frequency of mutations in MYH7, MYBPC3, TNNT2 and TNNI3 was 26.0, 18.0, 4.0 and 3.5 % respectively. Among the 200 genotyped HCM patients, 83 harbored a single mutation, and 19 (9.5 %) harbored multiple mutations. The number of mutations was positively correlated with the maximum wall thickness. We found that neither particular gene nor specific mutation was correlated to clinical phenotype. In summary, the frequency of multiple mutations was greater in Chinese HCM patients than in the Caucasian population. Multiple mutations in sarcomere protein may be a risk factor for left ventricular wall thickness. Show less

Cyanidin, a natural flavonoid abundant in fruits and vegetables, is known to regulate cellular lipid metabolism; however, its underlying mechanism of action and protein targets remain unknown. Here, the ligand binding activity of cyanidin on liver X receptors (LXRs) was investigated utilizing surface plasmon resonance and time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET) analyses. LXRs are nuclear receptors which function as critical transcription factors in the regulation of cellular lipid and glucose metabolism. This includes the stimulation of high-density-lipoprotein synthesis and activation of reverse cholesterol transport. The present findings show that cyanidin induces the transactivation of LXRs and binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of both LXRα and LXRβ with dissociation constants of 2.2 and 73.2μM, respectively. Cell-free FRET analysis demonstrated that cyanidin induces the recruitment of co-activator peptide for LXRα and LXRβ with EC50 of 3.5μM and 125.2μM, respectively. In addition, intracellular cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were reduced in macrophages following cyanidin stimulation. In cultured hepatocytes, cyanidin mildly induced SREBP1c gene expression but marginally affected cellular TG concentrations as well as reduced cellular cholesterol accumulations which activated the expression of genes for reverse cholesterol transport. Two cyanidin metabolites, procatechic acid and phloroglucinaldehyde, did not directly bind or activate LXRs. These results demonstrate that cyanidin is a direct ligand for both LXRα and LXRβ, suggesting that cyanidin may operate, at least in part, through modulation of cellular LXR activity. Show less

The present study was to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering effect of two novel plant stanol derivatives and its potential molecular mechanism in hyper-cholesterol mice induced by a high-cholesterol diet. Results showed that oral administration of plant stanyl hemisuccinate (2×, 5×) and plant stanyl sorbitol succinate (2×, 5×) effectively attenuated the serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, while had no effect on the serum triacylglycerol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol. And plant stanol derivatives decreased liver cholesterol concentration and increased faecal cholesterol output. Meanwhile, both plant stanyl hemisuccinate and plant stanyl sorbitol succinate could remarkably promote liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) expression, and increased cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) expression and faecal total bile acid output to varying degrees. These results suggested two novel plant stanol derivatives possessed hypocholesterolemic effect, and the cholesterol-lowering action of plant stanol derivatives may be through activating the potential LXRα-CYP7A1-bile acid excretion pathway. Show less

We investigated the effect of cineole on the expression of genes related to reverse cholesterol transport and hepatic fatty acid metabolism. Cineole, a small aroma compound in teas and herbs, significantly stimulated the transactivation of liver X receptor modulator (LXR)-α and LXR-β. The mRNA and protein expression of LXRs and their target genes, including ABCA1 and ABCG1, was significantly increased in macrophages stimulated with cineole. This led to the subsequent removal of cholesterol from the cells. Interestingly, cineole showed tissue-selective LXR induction: hepatocytes stimulated with cineole showed significantly reduced expression of LXR-α and LXR-α-responsive genes, including FAS and SCD-1 (P <0.05). Accordingly, hepatocytes treated with cineole displayed reduced cellular lipid accumulation compared with control cells, as assessed by Oil Red O lipid staining and cholesterol quantification. These results suggest that cineole is a selective LXR modulator that regulates the expression of key genes in reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages without inducing lipogenesis in hepatocytes. This selective LXR modulator may have practical implications for the development of hypocholesterolemic or anti-atherosclerotic agents and also suggests. Show less

Fucosterol, a sterol that is abundant in marine algae, has hypocholesterolemic activity, but the mechanism underlying its effect is not clearly understood. Because data suggest that fucosterol can increase plasma high-density lipoprotein concentrations, we investigated whether it could activate liver X receptors (LXRs), critical transcription factors in reverse cholesterol transport. Fucosterol dose-dependently stimulated the transcriptional activity of both LXR-α and -β in a reporter gene assay, responses that were attenuated by the LXR antagonist As(2)O(3). Fucosterol also activated co-activator recruitment in cell-free time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis. In THP-1-derived macrophages, it induced the transcriptional activation of ABCA1, ABCG1, and ApoE, key genes in reverse cholesterol transport, and thereby significantly increased the efflux of cholesterol. Fucosterol also regulated intestinal NPC1L1 and ABCA1 in Caco-2 cells. Notably, fucosterol did not induce cellular triglyceride accumulation in HepG2 cells, primarily because of its upregulation of Insig-2a, which delays nuclear translocation of SREBP-1c, a key hepatic lipogenic transcription factor. These results suggest that fucosterol is a dual-LXR agonist that regulates the expression of key genes in cholesterol homeostasis in multiple cell lines without inducing hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Show less

Taurine, which is abundant in seafood, has antiatherogenic activities in both animals and humans; however, its molecular target has been elusive. We examined whether taurine could activate liver X receptor-α (LXR-α), a critical transcription factor in the regulation of reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages. Taurine bound directly to LXR-α in a reporter gene assay, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis, and limited protease digestion experiment. Macrophage cells incubated with taurine showed reduced cellular cholesterol and induced medium cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner with the induction of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and G gene and protein expression. In hepatocytes, taurine significantly induced Insig-2a levels and delayed nuclear translocation of the sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) protein, resulting in a dose-dependent reduction in the cellular lipid levels without inducing the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes. Taurine is a direct LXR-α ligand, represses cholesterol accumulation, and modulates the expression of genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages, without inducing hepatic lipogenesis. The induction of Insig-2a suppressed the nuclear translocation of SREBP-1c. Show less

Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen has been used as a health product and natural remedy in traditional medicine for cardiovascular diseases for more than 1000 years in Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are the major effective ingredients extracted from Panax notoginseng. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) attenuated atherosclerosis by inducing liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) expression and to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the effects. The AS rats were treated once daily with PNS (100 mg/kg, i.p.), and pathological changes in the aorta were observed using Sudan IV staining. The expression of LXRα in the aortic wall was measured by Western blot analysis. THP-1 macrophages were cultured with PNS in the presence or absence of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate ammonium salt (GGPP), an LXRα antagonist. The expression of LXRα and its target genes ATP-binding cassette A1 and G1 (ABCA1, ABCG1) were determined by qRT-PCR. The transcriptional activation of the LXRα gene promoter was analyzed by a reporter assay. The NF-κB DNA binding activity and the expression of interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) was evaluated respectively by Trans-AM NF-κB ELISA and ELISA in THP-1 macrophages that were stimulated with LPS after treatment with PNS and GGPP. PNS treatment alleviated the typical pathological changes associated with atherosclerosis in rats. The expression of LXRα was increased in rat aortas after treatment with PNS. In vitro, PNS increased LXRα mRNA levels in THP-1 macrophages. The reporter assays showed that PNS enhanced transcriptional activation of the LXRα gene promoter and led to the upregulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression. This upregulation could be reversed by treatment with GGPP. Additionally, PNS inhibited NF-κB DNA binding activity and reduced secretion of IL-6 and MCP-1 in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. These effects could be reversed by GGPP. The results indicated that the PNS-mediated attenuation of AS may, at least partly, due to LXRα uprergulation. The mechanisms of action included enhancement transcriptional activation of the LXRα gene promoter by PNS and subsequent upregulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1 and inhibition of NF-κB DNA binding activity. Show less

The present study reports a novel liver X receptor (LXR) activator, ethyl 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoate (ETB), isolated from Celtis biondii. Using a reporter gene assay, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, we showed that ETB directly bound to and stimulated the transcriptional activity of LXR-α and LXR-β. In macrophages, hepatocytes, and intestinal cells, ETB suppressed cellular cholesterol accumulation in a dose-dependent manner and induced the transcriptional activation of LXR-α/-β-responsive genes. Notably, ETB did not induce lipogenic gene expression or cellular triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes. These results suggest that ETB is a dual-LXR modulator that regulates the expression of key genes in cholesterol homeostasis in multiple cells without inducing lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Show less

The present study demonstrates a key role for the oxysterol receptor liver X receptor β (LXRβ) in the etiology of diabetes insipidus (DI). Given free access to water, LXRβ(-/-) but not LXRα(-/-) mice exhibited polyuria (abnormal daily excretion of highly diluted urine) and polydipsia (increased water intake), both features of diabetes insipidus. LXRβ(-/-) mice responded to 24-h dehydration with a decreased urine volume and increased urine osmolality. To determine whether the DI was of central or nephrogenic origin, we examined the responsiveness of the kidney to arginine vasopressin (AVP). An i.p. injection of AVP to LXRβ(-/-) mice revealed a partial kidney response: There was no effect on urine volume, but there was a significant increase of urine osmolality, suggesting that DI may be caused by a defect in central production of AVP. In the brain of WT mice LXRβ was expressed in the nuclei of magnocellular neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. In LXRβ(-/-) mice the expression of AVP was markedly decreased in the magnocellular neurons as well as in urine collected over a 24-h period. The persistent high urine volume after AVP administration was traced to a reduction in aquaporin-1 expression in the kidney of LXRβ(-/-) mice. The LXR agonist (GW3965) in WT mice elicited an increase in urine osmolality, suggesting that LXRβ is a key receptor in controlling water balance with targets in both the brain and kidney, and it could be a therapeutic target in disorders of water balance. Show less

Leptin, a key hormone in regulating energy homeostasis, is mainly produced by adipocytes. Cogent evidence indicates a unique role of leptin in the promotion of liver fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a pivotal step in the process of liver fibrosis. Sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1c, a critical transcription factor for lipid synthesis and adipocyte differentiation, functions as a key transcription factor in inhibition of HSC activation. SREBP-1c is highly expressed in quiescent HSCs and downregulated upon HSC activation. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of leptin on SREBP-1c gene expression in HSCs in vitro and in vivo and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The results of the present study demonstrated that leptin strongly inhibited SREBP-1c expression in HSCs in vivo and in vitro. p38 MAPK was involved in leptin regulation of SREBP-1c expression in cultured HSCs. Leptin-induced activation of p38 MAPK led to the decreases in liver X receptor (LXR)-α protein level, activity and its binding to the SREBP-1c promoter, which caused the downregulation of SREBP-1c expression. Moreover, leptin inhibition of SREBP-1c expression via p38 MAPK increased the expression of alpha1(I) collagen in HSCs. Our results might provide new insights into the mechanisms of the unique role of leptin in the development of liver fibrosis and might have potential implications for clarifying the molecular mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis in diseases in which circulating leptin levels are elevated such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, type 2 diabetes mellitus and alcoholic cirrhosis. Show less

Hepatic assembly of triacylglycerol (TAG)-rich very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) is achieved through recruitment of bulk TAG (presumably in the form of lipid droplets within the microsomal lumen) into VLDL precursor containing apolipoprotein (apo) B-100. We determined protein/lipid components of lumenal lipid droplets (LLD) in cells expressing recombinant human apoC-III (C3wt) or a mutant form (K58E, C3KE) initially identified in humans that displayed hypotriglyceridemia. Although expression of C3wt markedly stimulated secretion of TAG and apoB-100 as VLDL(1), the K58E mutation (located at the C-terminal lipid binding domain) abolished the effect in transfected McA-RH7777 cells and in apoc3-null mice. Metabolic labeling studies revealed that accumulation of TAG in LLD was decreased (by 50%) in cells expressing C3KE. A Fat Western lipid protein overlay assay showed drastically reduced lipid binding of the mutant protein. Substituting Lys(58) with Arg demonstrated that the positive charge at position 58 is crucial for apoC-III binding to lipid and for promoting TAG secretion. On the other hand, substituting both Lys(58) and Lys(60) with Glu resulted in almost entire elimination of lipid binding and loss of function in promoting TAG secretion. Thus, the lipid binding domain of apoC-III plays a key role in the formation of LLD for hepatic VLDL assembly and secretion. Show less

Recent meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in European descent samples identified novel loci influencing glucose and insulin related traits. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the association between these loci and traits related to glucose metabolism in the Chinese. We genotyped seventeen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from fifteen loci including GIPR, ADCY5, TCF7L2, VPS13C, DGKB, MADD, ADRA2A, FADS1, CRY2, SLC2A2, GLIS3, PROX1, C2CD4B, SLC30A8 and IGF1 in 6,822 Shanghai Chinese Hans comprising 3,410 type 2 diabetic patients and 3,412 normal glucose regulation subjects. MADD rs7944584 showed strong association to type 2 diabetes (p = 3.5×10(-6), empirical p = 0.0002) which was not observed in the European descent populations. SNPs from GIPR, TCF7L2, CRY2, GLIS3 and SLC30A8 were also associated with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.0487∼2.0×10(-8)). Further adjusting age, gender and BMI as confounders found PROX1 rs340874 was associated with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.0391). SNPs from DGKB, MADD and SLC30A8 were associated with fasting glucose while PROX1 rs340874 was significantly associated with OGTT 2-h glucose (p = 0.0392∼0.0014, adjusted for age, gender and BMI), the glucose-raising allele also showed association to lower insulin secretion. IGF1 rs35767 showed significant association to both fasting and 2-h insulin levels as well as insulin secretion and sensitivity indices (p = 0.0160∼0.0035, adjusted for age, gender and BMI). Our results indicated that SNPs from GIPR, TCF7L2, DGKB, MADD, CRY2, GLIS3, PROX1, SLC30A8 and IGF1 were associated with traits related to glucose metabolism in the Chinese population. Show less

Cell polarity proteins regulate tight junction formation and directional migration in epithelial cells. To date, the mechanism by which these polarity proteins assemble at the leading edge of migrating epithelial cells remains unclear. We report that occludin, a transmembrane protein, is localized at the leading edge of migrating cells and regulates directional cell migration. During migration, occludin knockdown disrupted accumulation of aPKC-Par3 and PATJ at the leading edge, and led to a disorganized microtubule network and defective reorientation of the microtubule organization center (MTOC). Phosphorylation of occludin at tyrosine 473 residue allowed recruitment of p85 alpha to the leading edge via association with its C-terminal SH2 domain. Loss of occludin attenuated activation of PI3K, leading to disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and reduced cell protrusions. Our data indicate that occludin is required for the leading-edge localization of polarity proteins aPKC-Par3 and PATJ and promotes cell protrusion by regulating membrane-localized activation of PI3K. Show less

Reduced retrograde transport of neurotrophins (NT) and their receptors has been hypothesized to contribute directly to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss in glaucoma. However, strategies of supplementing NT and NT receptors have failed to avert ultimate RGC death in experimental glaucoma. This study examines the response of major components of the NT system and their interacting proteins in a rat glaucoma model. Unilateral chronic intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation was produced by episcleral vein injection of hypertonic saline (N = 99). Retinas were collected and grouped by extent of optic nerve injury. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to determine mRNA and protein levels and protein localization. Out of three RGC-specific Brn3 proteins (Brn3a, b, and c), only Brn3a was significantly downregulated at the message level to 35 +/- 4% of fellow values with the severest nerve injury. With IOP elevation, no significant alterations were found in retinal mRNA levels for BDNF, NGF, NT-4/5 or NT-3. The abundance of mature retinal BDNF protein was not significantly affected by elevated IOP, while proBDNF protein decreased linearly with increasing injury grade (r(2) = 0.50). In retinas with the severest nerve injury, TrkB and TrkC receptor mRNA levels significantly declined to 67 +/- 9% and 44 +/- 5% of fellow values, respectively. However, the levels of TRKB protein and its phosphorylated form were unchanged. Message level for p75(NTR) was linearly upregulated up to 219 +/- 26% with increasing injury (r(2) = 0.46), but no alteration was detected at protein level. The mRNA expression of p75(NTR) apoptosis adaptor proteins NADE, NRIF, and Lingo1 were significantly downregulated in retinas with the greatest nerve injury. A positive correlation was found between injury extent and message levels for Jun (r(2) = 0.23) as well as Junb (r(2) = 0.27), and RGC labeling of activated JUN protein increased. Atf3 mRNA levels demonstrated a positive linear correlation to the extent of injury (r(2) = 0.53), resulting in a nearly five-fold increase (482 +/- 76%) in eyes with the greatest nerve damage. Among downstream pro-survival signaling components, Erk5 mRNA expression was linearly upregulated (r(2) = 0.32) up to 157 +/- 15% of fellow values in retinas with the severest nerve injury (p < 0.01). A slight positive correlation was found between NF-kappaB message levels and injury extent (r(2) = 0.12). Bcl-xl mRNA levels in the most severely injured retinas were significantly reduced to 83 +/- 7% by elevated IOP exposure. Message levels for Erk1/2, Akt1-3 or Bcl2 appeared unaffected. Elevated IOP did not alter mRNA levels of pro-apoptotic Bim, Bax, or p53. This study demonstrates that elevated IOP exposure does not result in a dramatic decrease in retinal levels of either BDNF or its receptor, TrkB. It shows that the responses of NT pathways to elevated IOP are complex, particularly with regard to the role of p75(NTR) and Atf3. A better understanding of the roles of these proteins in IOP-induced injury is likely to suggest informed strategies for neuroprotection in glaucoma. Show less

We have previously mapped a major susceptibility locus influencing familial lung cancer risk to chromosome 6q23-25. However, the causal gene at this locus remains undetermined. In this study, we further refined this locus to identify a single candidate gene, by fine mapping using microsatellite markers and association studies using high-density single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Six multigenerational families with five or more affected members were chosen for fine-mapping the 6q linkage region using microsatellite markers. For association mapping, we genotyped 24 6q-linked cases and 72 unrelated noncancer controls from the Genetic Epidemiology of Lung Cancer Consortium resources using the Affymetrix 500K chipset. Significant associations were validated in two independent familial lung cancer populations: 226 familial lung cases and 313 controls from the Genetic Epidemiology of Lung Cancer Consortium, and 154 familial cases and 325 controls from Mayo Clinic. Each familial case was chosen from one high-risk lung cancer family that has three or more affected members. A region-wide scan across 6q23-25 found significant association between lung cancer susceptibility and three single nucleotide polymorphisms in the first intron of the RGS17 gene. This association was further confirmed in two independent familial lung cancer populations. By quantitative real-time PCR analysis of matched tumor and normal human tissues, we found that RGS17 transcript accumulation is highly and consistently increased in sporadic lung cancers. Human lung tumor cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in nude mice are inhibited upon knockdown of RGS17 levels. RGS17 is a major candidate for the familial lung cancer susceptibility locus on chromosome 6q23-25. Show less

Hepatocyte paraffin 1 (Hep Par 1), a murine monoclonal antibody, is widely used in surgical pathology practice to determine the hepatocellular origin of neoplasms. However, identity of the antigen for Hep Par 1 is unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize the Hep Par 1 antigen. To identify the antigen, immunoprecipitation was used to isolate the protein from human liver tissue, and a distinct protein band was detected at approximately 165 kDa. The protein band was also present in small intestinal tissue, but was not present in several other non-liver tissues nor in three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, Huh-7, HepG2, and LH86. The protein was purified and analyzed by mass spectrometry. It was identified as carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1). CPS1 is a rate-limiting enzyme in urea cycle and is located in mitochondria. We demonstrated that hepatoid tumors (gastric and yolk sac) were immunoreactive with both Hep Par 1 antibody and anti-CPS1 antibody, further confirming the results of mass spectrometric analysis. We found that the three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines do not express either CPS1 RNA or protein. We confirmed that the gene was present in these cell lines, suggesting that suppression of CPS1 expression occurs at the transcriptional level. This finding may have relevance to liver carcinogenesis, since poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas exhibit poor to absent immunoreactivity to Hep Par 1. In conclusion, we have identified the antigen for Hep Par 1 antibody as a urea cycle enzyme CPS1. Our results should encourage further investigation of potential role that CPS1 expression plays in liver pathobiology and carcinogenesis. Show less

Embryonic organs attain their final dimensions through the generation of proper cell number and size, but the control mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we establish Gridlock (Grl), a Hairy-related basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, as a negative regulator of cardiomyocyte proliferative growth in zebrafish embryos. Mutations in grl cause an increase in expression of a group of immediate-early growth genes, myocardial genes, and development of hyperplastic hearts. Conversely, cardiomyocytes with augmented Grl activity have diminished cell volume and fail to divide, resulting in a marked reduction in heart size. Both bHLH domain and carboxyl region are required for Grl negative control of myocardial proliferative growth. These Grl-induced cardiac effects are counterbalanced by the transcriptional activator Gata5 but not Gata4, which promotes cardiomyocyte expansion in the embryo. Biochemical analyses show that Grl forms a complex with Gata5 through the carboxyl region and can repress Gata5-mediated transcription via the bHLH domain. Hence, our studies suggest that Grl regulates embryonic heart growth via opposing Gata5, at least in part through their protein interactions in modulating gene expression. Show less

The size of an organ must be tightly controlled so that it fits within an organism. The mammalian lens is a relatively simple organ composed of terminally differentiated, amitotic lens fiber cells capped on the anterior surface by a layer of immature, mitotic epithelial cells. The proliferation of lens epithelial cells fuels the growth of the lens, thus controling the size of the lens. We report that the Notch signaling pathway defines the boundary between proliferation and differentiation in the developing lens. The loss of Notch signaling results in the loss of epithelial cells to differentiation and a much smaller lens. We found that the Notch effector Herp2 is expressed in lens epithelium and directly suppresses p57Kip2 expression, providing a molecular link between Notch signaling and the cell cycle control machinery during lens development. Show less

Mutations in Notch2, Jagged1 or homologs of the Hairy-related transcriptional repressor Hey2 cause congenital malformations involving the non-chamber atrioventricular canal (AVC) and inner curvature (IC) regions of the heart, but the underlying mechanisms have not been investigated. By manipulating signaling directly within the developing chick heart, we demonstrated that Notch2, Hey1 and Hey2 initiate a signaling cascade that delimits the non-chamber AVC and IC regions. Specifically, misactivation of Notch2 signaling, or misexpression of either Hey1 or Hey2, repressed Bmp2. Because Jagged (also known as Serrate in non-mammalian species) ligands were found to be present in prospective chamber myocardium, these data support the model that Notch2 and Hey proteins cause the progressive restriction of Bmp2 expression to within the developing AVC and IC, where it is essential for differentiation. Misactivation or inhibition of Notch2 specifically induced or inhibited Hey1, respectively, but these manipulations did not affect Hey2, implicating Hey1 as the direct mediator of Notch2. Bmp2 within the developing AVC and IC has been shown to induce Tbx2, and we found that Tbx2 misexpression inhibited the expression of both Hey1 and Hey2. Tbx2, therefore, is envisaged to constitute a feedback loop that sharpens the border with the developing AVC and IC by delimiting Hey gene expression to within prospective chamber regions. Analysis of the loss-of-function phenotype in mouse embryos homozygous for targeted disruption of Hey2 revealed an expanded AVC domain of Bmp2. Similarly, zebrafish gridlock (Hey2 homolog) mutant embryos showed ectopic expression of Bmp4, which normally marks AVC myocardium in this species. Thus, Hey pathway regulation of cardiac Bmp appears to be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to delimit AVC and IC fate, and provides a potential mechanistic explanation for cardiac malformations caused by mutations in Serrate/Jagged1 and Notch signaling components. Show less

The role of second messenger pathways, cyclic AMP, calcium, and protein kinase C (PKC) in the transcriptional regulation of c-fos protooncogene expression in rat Sertoli cells was investigated. c-fos expression was monitored by Northern blot analysis. Although the action of FSH on Sertoli cells is considered to be mediated by cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), a potent membrane permeable analog of cAMP, induced much less c-fos mRNA expression than FSH ( < 50%) suggesting that additional cAMP-independent mechanisms may mediate the effect of FSH on c-fos. Specific intracellular inhibitors of PKC decreased c-fos induction in response to FSH by more than 50%. Ionomycin, which increases intracellular free calcium concentration, induced c-fos expression significantly. These data demonstrate that Sertoli cell c-fos mRNA expression is under multifactorial regulation by cAMP, calcium, and PKC. Show less

The c-kit protooncogene is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor expressed during gametogenesis. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we have identified the c-kit receptor mRNA transcripts in the rat testis and studied their expression during postnatal development of the testis. Five different transcripts were identified using sets of primers encoding within the extracellular domain. Two transcripts were obtained from primer sets encoding regions within the cytoplasmic domain and the primer set encoding the entire length of the c-kit receptor. We have compared the levels of expression of these transcripts on different days during postnatal development. The level of expression of a particular transcript varied depending upon the developmental stage of the testis. In summary, our results suggest that multiple forms of mRNAs exist for the c-kit receptor in the rat testis, and they are regulated differentially during postnatal development. Show less

The objective of this study was to examine the expression and activation of the c-kit receptor, a specific receptor for kit ligand (stem cell factor, steel factor), in rat type A spermatogonia. Testes were obtained from 9-day-old rats, decapsulated, and then subjected to sequential enzymatic digestion. The mixture of testicular cell types was then separated by sedimentation velocity at unit gravity. The isolated type A spermatogonia were characterized by light and electron microscopy. They exhibited spherical nuclei containing several nucleoli and associated chromatin clumps and organelles generally in a perinuclear location similar to that found in the in vivo 9-day-old testis. The synthesis of the c-kit receptor by the spermatogonia was established by hybridization of total RNA with a specific cDNA for mouse c-kit receptor. Two mRNA transcripts migrating at 4.8 kb and 12 kb were observed. Localization of the c-kit receptor in the isolated cells was determined by immunocytochemistry using an antibody to c-kit protein. Specific staining for c-kit receptor was observed in the cytoplasm of the isolated type A spermatogonia. Furthermore, the presence of the c-kit receptor protein in the spermatogonia was confirmed by Western blot analysis using the same antibody. The antibody recognized the c-kit receptor at approximately 160 kDa. In an attempt to determine whether this receptor has a functional significance, we examined the effect of kit ligand on the phosphorylation of the c-kit receptor. The c-kit receptor appeared to be constitutively autophosphorylated on tyrosine at low basal levels, and upon stimulation with kit ligand, the amount of phosphorylated protein increased significantly. These observations indicate that kit ligand induces autophosphorylation of the c-kit receptor, which may lead to the activation of other cellular target proteins responsible for spermatogonial proliferation and/or differentiation. Show less