Signaling Entities Research Articles

Abstract 4177: Simultaneous activation of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and cannabinoid receptor 2 results in decreased angiogenesis

Abstract Tumor angiogenesis is a complex process modulated by numerous signaling molecules and pathways that influence cell migration, invasion, survival and tube formation. The expression of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4) has been correlated with the increased angiogenic potential of cancer cells. The ligand-specific binding of CXCL12 to CXCR4 increases tumor angiogenesis by upregulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at both mRNA and protein levels. Thus, modulating the CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling axis provides an attractive target for the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis and cancer progression. Recent studies have suggested that in addition to its palliative properties, cannabis may have anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects by acting through the GPCR, cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R). GPCR heterodimerization has emerged as a means by which new signaling entities can be created with respect to agonist binding. Preliminary co-immunoprecipitation data from our lab indicates that agonist-bound CXCR4 and agonist-bound CB2R interact at the cell membrane and that receptor interaction mitigates the effects of CXCL12-mediated CXCR4 signaling. Here we show that co-stimulation of prostate cancer cells with CXCR4 and CB2R-specific agonists results in decreased VEGF expression in vitro. Furthermore, treatment of human endothelial cells with conditioned medium collected from co-stimulated prostate cancer cells decreased endothelial cell migration in wound healing and invasion assays, and decreased endothelial cell tubulogenesis. Taken together, these results demonstrate that desensitization of CXCR4 signaling through association with CB2R is a novel anti-angiogenic strategy and reinforces the clinical relevance of cannabinoids in cancer treatment. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Kisha A. Scarlett, Brittney Sandifer, Christopher J. Coke, Cimona V. Hinton. Simultaneous activation of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and cannabinoid receptor 2 results in decreased angiogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4177. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4177

A Cocktail of Specific Inhibitors of HER-2, PI3K, and mTOR Radiosensitises Human Breast Cancer Cells

Intrinsic tumour radioresistance limits the benefit of radiotherapy. Targeted treatment modalities that are singly effective for triple-negative breast cancer are lacking, partly due to paucity of relevant targets as they are devoidof the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), progesterone receptor (PR), and oestrogen receptor (ER); or to resistance to single-target therapies as a consequence of cellular heterogeneity. Concomitant targeting of cell signaling entities other than HER-2, PR and ER may sensitise triple-negative tumours to radiotherapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of an HER-2 inhibitor (TAK-165) and a dual inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target for rapamycin (mTOR) (NVP-BEZ235) in three human breast cancer cell lines. The potential of simultaneous inhibition of HER-2, PI3K and mTOR with a cocktail of the specific inhibitors TAK-165 and NVP-BEZ235, to radiosensitise human breast cancer cells in vitro was examined using the colony forming assay. Combined inhibition of HER-2, PI3K, and mTOR resulted in significant radiosensitisation in all cell lines, independent of HER-2, ER, or PR status. Radiosensitisation was more prominent in ER- and PR-negative cells expressing higher levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These data suggest that a cocktail of TAK-165 and NVP-BEZ235 could potentially be effective in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

Dynamic Mitochondrial Localisation of STAT3 in the Cellular Adipogenesis Model 3T3-L1.

A mechanistic relationship exists between protein localisation, activity and cellular differentiation. Understanding the contribution of these molecular mechanisms is required for elucidation of conditions that drive development. Literature suggests non-canonical translocation of the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) to the mitochondria contributes to the regulation of the electron transport chain, cellular respiration and reactive oxygen species production. Based on this we investigated the role of mitochondrial STAT3, specifically the serine 727 phosphorylated form, in cellular differentiation using the well-defined mouse adipogenic model 3T3-L1. Relative levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the levels and dynamic localization of pSTAT3S727 were investigated during the initiation of adipogenesis. As a signalling entity, ROS is known to regulate the activation of C/EBPβ to stimulate a critical cascade of events prior to differentiation of 3T3-L1. Results indicate that upon induction of the differentiation programme, relative levels of mitochondrial pSTAT3S727 dramatically decrease in the mitochondria; in contrast the total cellular pSTAT3S727 levels increase. A positive correlation between increasing levels of ROS and dynamic changes in C/EBPβ indicate that mitochondrial STAT3 plays a potential critical role as an initiator of the process. Based on these findings we propose a model for mitochondrial STAT3 as a regulator of ROS in adipogenesis.

Lipid kinases are essential for apicoplast homeostasis in Toxoplasma gondii.

Phosphoinositides regulate numerous cellular processes by recruiting cytosolic effector proteins and acting as membrane signalling entities. The cellular metabolism and localization of phosphoinositides are tightly regulated by distinct lipid kinases and phosphatases. Here, we identify and characterize a unique phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) in Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa. Conditional depletion of this enzyme and subsequently of its product, PI(3)P, drastically alters the morphology and inheritance of the apicoplast, an endosymbiotic organelle of algal origin that is a unique feature of many Apicomplexa. We searched the T. gondii genome for PI(3)P-binding proteins and identified in total six PX and FYVE domain-containing proteins including a PIKfyve lipid kinase, which phosphorylates PI(3)P into PI(3,5)P2 . Although depletion of putative PI(3)P-binding proteins shows that they are not essential for parasite growth and apicoplast biology, conditional disruption of PIKfyve induces enlarged apicoplasts, as observed upon loss of PI(3)P. A similar defect of apicoplast homeostasis was also observed by knocking down the PIKfyve regulatory protein ArPIKfyve, suggesting that in T. gondii, PI(3)P-related function for the apicoplast might mainly be to serve as a precursor for the synthesis of PI(3,5)P2 . Accordingly, PI3K is conserved in all apicomplexan parasites whereas PIKfyve and ArPIKfyve are absent in Cryptosporidium species that lack an apicoplast, supporting a direct role of PI(3,5)P2 in apicoplast homeostasis. This study enriches the already diverse functions attributed to PI(3,5)P2 in eukaryotic cells and highlights these parasite lipid kinases as potential drug targets.

Crystal structure of the mouse interleukin-3 β-receptor: insights into interleukin-3 binding and receptor activation.

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a cytokine secreted by mast cells and activated T-cells known to be an important regulator of differentiation, survival, proliferation and activation of a range of haemopoietic lineages. The effects of IL-3 on target cells are mediated by a transmembrane receptor system composed of a cytokine-specific α-subunit and a β-subunit, the principal signalling entity. In the mouse, two β-subunits have co-evolved: a common β-subunit (βc) shared between IL-3 and the related cytokines IL-5 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF); and an IL-3-specific β-subunit (βIL-3). βIL-3 differs from βc in its specificity for IL-3 and its capacity to bind IL-3 directly in the absence of an α-subunit, and, in the absence of structural information, the basis for these properties has remained enigmatic. In the present study, we have solved the crystal structure of the βIL-3 ectodomain at 3.45Å (1 Å=0.1nm) resolution. This structure provides the first evidence that βIL-3 adopts an arch-shaped intertwined homodimer with similar topology to the paralogous βc structure. In contrast with apo-βc, however, the ligand-binding interface of βIL-3 appears to pre-exist in a conformation receptive to IL-3 engagement. Molecular modelling of the IL-3-βIL-3 interface, in conjunction with previous mutational studies, suggests that divergent evolution of both βIL-3 and IL-3 underlies their unique capacity for direct interaction and specificity.

The role of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 in inflammation.

Many, if not all, environmental pollutants/chemicals and infectious agents increase intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the site of exposure. ROS not only function as intracellular signaling entities, but also induce damage to cellular molecules including DNA. Among the several dozen ROS-induced DNA base lesions generated in the genome, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) is one of the most abundant because of guanine’s lowest redox potential among DNA bases. In mammalian cells, 8-oxoG is repaired by the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1)-initiated DNA base excision repair pathway (OGG1–BER). Accumulation of 8-oxoG in DNA has traditionally been associated with mutagenesis, as well as various human diseases and aging processes, while the free 8-oxoG base in body fluids is one of the best biomarkers of ongoing pathophysiological processes. In this review, we discuss the biological significance of the 8-oxoG base and particularly the role of OGG1–BER in the activation of small GTPases and changes in gene expression, including those that regulate pro-inflammatory chemokines/cytokines and cause inflammation.

Regulation of intracellular signaling and function by caveolin.

Caveolae, flask-like invaginations of the plasma membrane, were discovered nearly 60 years ago. Originally regarded as fixation artifacts of electron microscopy, the functional role for these structures has taken decades to unravel. The discovery of the caveolin protein in 1992 (by the late Richard G.W. Anderson) accelerated progress in defining the contribution of caveolae to cellular physiology and pathophysiology. The three isoforms of caveolin (caveolin-1, -2, and -3) are caveolae-resident structural and scaffolding proteins that are critical for the formation of caveolae and their localization of signaling entities. A PubMed search for "caveolae" reveals ∼280 publications from their discovery in the 1950s to the early 1990s, whereas a search for "caveolae or caveolin" after 1990, identifies ∼7000 entries. Most work on the regulation of biological responses by caveolae and caveolin since 1990 has focused on caveolae as plasma membrane microdomains and the function of caveolin proteins at the plasma membrane. By contrast, our recent work and that of others has explored the localization of caveolins in multiple cellular membrane compartments and in the regulation of intracellular signaling. Cellular organelles that contain caveolin include mitochondria, nuclei and the endoplasmic reticulum. Such intracellular localization allows for a complexity of responses to extracellular stimuli by caveolin and the possibility of novel organelle-targeted therapeutics. This review focuses on the impact of intracellular localization of caveolin on signal transduction and cell regulation.

Signaling with Homeoprotein Transcription Factors in Development and Throughout Adulthood

The concept of homeoprotein transduction as a novel signaling pathway has dramatically evolved since it was first proposed in 1991. It is now well established in several biological systems from plants to mammals. In this review, the different steps that have led to this unexpected observation are recalled and the developmental and physiological models that have allowed us (and a few others) to consolidate the original hypothesis are described. Because homeoprotein signaling is active in plants and animals it is proposed that it has predated the separation between animals and plants and is thus very ancient. This may explain why the basic phenomenon of homeoprotein transduction is so minimalist, requiring no specific receptors or transduction pathways beside those offered by mitochondria, organelles present in all eukaryotic cells. Indeed complexity has been added in the course of evolution and the conservation of homeoprotein transduction is discussed in the context of its synergy with bona fide signaling mechanism that may have added robustness to this primitive cell communication device. The same synergy possibly explains why homeoprotein signaling is important both in embryonic development and in adult functions fulfilled by signaling entities (e.g. growth factors) themselves active throughout development and in the adult. The cell biological mechanism of homeoprotein transfer is also discussed. Although it is clear that many questions are still in want of precise answers, it appears that the sequences responsible both for secretion and internalization are in the DNA-binding domain and very highly conserved among most homeoproteins. On this basis, it is proposed that this signaling pathway is likely to imply as many as 200 proteins that participate in a myriad of developmental and physiological pathways.

Phosphoinositides: tiny lipids with giant impact on cell regulation.

Phosphoinositides (PIs) make up only a small fraction of cellular phospholipids, yet they control almost all aspects of a cell's life and death. These lipids gained tremendous research interest as plasma membrane signaling molecules when discovered in the 1970s and 1980s. Research in the last 15 years has added a wide range of biological processes regulated by PIs, turning these lipids into one of the most universal signaling entities in eukaryotic cells. PIs control organelle biology by regulating vesicular trafficking, but they also modulate lipid distribution and metabolism via their close relationship with lipid transfer proteins. PIs regulate ion channels, pumps, and transporters and control both endocytic and exocytic processes. The nuclear phosphoinositides have grown from being an epiphenomenon to a research area of its own. As expected from such pleiotropic regulators, derangements of phosphoinositide metabolism are responsible for a number of human diseases ranging from rare genetic disorders to the most common ones such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Moreover, it is increasingly evident that a number of infectious agents hijack the PI regulatory systems of host cells for their intracellular movements, replication, and assembly. As a result, PI converting enzymes began to be noticed by pharmaceutical companies as potential therapeutic targets. This review is an attempt to give an overview of this enormous research field focusing on major developments in diverse areas of basic science linked to cellular physiology and disease.

Functional Polymorphisms of FAS and FASL Gene and Risk of Breast Cancer – Pilot Study of 134 Cases

Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system is one of the key apoptotic signaling entities in the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. De-regulation of this pathway, i.e. by mutations may prevent the immune system from the removal of newly-formed tumor cells, and thus lead to tumor formation. The present study investigated the association between −1377 G/A (rs2234767) and −670 A/G (rs1800682) polymorphisms in Fas as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms INV2nt −124 A/G (rs5030772) and −844 C/T (rs763110) in FasL in a sample of Iranian patients with breast cancer. This case-control study was done on 134 breast cancer patients and 152 normal women. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood samples. The polymorphisms were determined by using tetra-ARMS-PCR method. There was no significant difference in the genotype distribution of FAS rs2234767 polymorphism between cases and controls. FAS rs1800682, FASL rs5030772, and FASL rs763110 genotypes showed significant associations with an increasing risk of breast cancer (odds ratio OR = 3.18, P = 0.019; OR = 5.08, P = 0.012; OR = 2.40, P = 0.024, respectively). In conclusion, FAS rs2234767 was not associated with breast cancer risk. Though, FAS rs1800682, FASL rs5030772, and FASL rs763110 polymorphisms were associated with the risk of breast cancer in the examined population.

Topology Abstraction Service for IP-VPNs

VPN service providers (VSP) and IP-VPN customers have traditionally maintained service demarcation boundaries between their routing and signaling entities. This has resulted in the VPNs viewing the VSP network as an opaque entity and therefore limiting any meaningful interaction between the VSP and the VPNs. The purpose of this research is to address this issue by enabling a VSP to share its core topology information with the VPNs through a novel topology abstraction (TA) service which is both practical and scalable in the context of managed IP-VPNs. TA service provides tunable visibility of state of the VSP's network leading to better VPN performance. A key challenge of the TA service is to generate TA with relevant network resource information for each VPN in an accurate and fair manner. We develop three decentralized schemes for generating TAs with different performance characteristics. These decentralized schemes achieve improved call performance, fair resource sharing for VPNs, and higher network utilization for the VSP. We validate the idea of the VPN TA service and study the performance of the proposed techniques using various simulation scenarios over several topologies.

Strontium is a biased agonist of the calcium-sensing receptor in rat medullary thyroid carcinoma 6-23 cells.

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR)-specific allosteric modulator cinacalcet has revolutionized the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, its application is limited to patients with end-stage renal disease because of hypocalcemic side effects presumably caused by CaSR-mediated calcitonin secretion from thyroid parafollicular C-cells. These hypocalcemic side effects might be dampened by compounds that bias the signaling of CaSR, causing similar therapeutic effects as cinacalcet without stimulating calcitonin secretion. Because biased signaling of CaSR is poorly understood, the objective of the present study was to investigate biased signaling of CaSR by using rat medullary thyroid carcinoma 6-23 cells as a model of thyroid parafollicular C-cells. By doing concentration-response experiments we focused on the ability of two well known CaSR agonists, calcium and strontium, to activate six different signaling entities: G(q/11) signaling, G(i/o) signaling, G(s) signaling, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) signaling, intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) mobilization, and calcitonin secretion. The experiments showed that strontium biases CaSR signaling toward ERK1/2 signaling and possibly another pathway independent of G(q/11) signaling and [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization. It is noteworthy that the potency of strontium-stimulated calcitonin secretion was elevated compared with calcium. Combining these results with experiments investigating signaling pathway components involved in calcitonin secretion, we found that the enhanced potency of strontium-mediated calcitonin secretion was caused by a different signaling pattern than that produced by calcium. Together, our results suggest that calcitonin secretion can be affected by CaSR-stimulated signaling bias, which may be used to develop novel drugs for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Insight into the Role of Sugars in Bud Burst Under Light in the Rose

Bud burst is a decisive process in plant architecture that requires light in Rosa sp. This light effect was correlated with stimulation of sugar transport and metabolism in favor of bud outgrowth. We investigated whether sugars could act as signaling entities in the light-mediated regulation of vacuolar invertases and bud burst. Full-length cDNAs encoding two vacuolar invertases (RhVI1 and RhVI2) were isolated from buds. Unlike RhVI2, RhVI1 was preferentially expressed in bursting buds, and was up-regulated in buds of beheaded plants exposed to light. To assess the importance of sugars in this process, the expression of RhVI1 and RhVI2 and the total vacuolar invertase activity were further characterized in buds cultured in vitro on 100 mM sucrose or mannitol under light or in darkness for 48 h. Unlike mannitol, sucrose promoted the stimulatory effect of light on both RhVI1 expression and vacuolar invertase activity. This up-regulation of RhVI1 was rapid (after 6 h incubation) and was induced by as little as 10 mM sucrose or fructose. No effect of glucose was found. Interestingly, both 30 mM palatinose (a non-metabolizable sucrose analog) and 5 mM psicose (a non-metabolizable fructose analog) promoted the light-induced expression of RhVI1 and total vacuolar invertase activity. Sucrose, fructose, palatinose and psicose all promoted bursting of in vitro cultured buds under light. These findings indicate that soluble sugars contribute to the light effect on bud burst and vacuolar invertases, and can function as signaling entities.

Occludin: One Protein, Many Forms

Intercellular tight junctions (TJs) exhibit a complex molecular architecture involving the regulated cointeraction of cytoplasmic adaptor proteins (e.g., zonula occludens) and integral membrane linker proteins (e.g., occludin and claudins). They provide structural integrity to epithelial and endothelial tissues and create highly polarized barriers essential to homeostatic maintenance within vertebrate physiological systems, while their dysregulation is an established pathophysiological hallmark of many diseases (e.g., cancer, stroke, and inflammatory lung disease). The junctional complex itself is a highly dynamic signaling entity wherein participant proteins constantly undergo a blend of regulatory modifications in response to diverse physiological and pathological cues, ultimately diversifying the overall adhesive properties of the TJ. Occludin, a 65-kDa tetraspan integral membrane protein, contributes to TJ stabilization and optimal barrier function. This paper reviews our current knowledge of how tissue occludin is specifically modified at the posttranscriptional and posttranslational levels in diverse circumstances, with associated consequences for TJ dynamics and epithelial/endothelial homeostasis. Mechanistic concepts such as splice variance and alternate promoter usage, proteolysis, phosphorylation, dimerization, and ubiquitination are comprehensively examined, and possible avenues for future investigation highlighted.

Competitive Interactions of Cancer Cells and Normal Cells via Secretory MicroRNAs

Normal epithelial cells regulate the secretion of autocrine and paracrine factors that prevent aberrant growth of neighboring cells, leading to healthy development and normal metabolism. One reason for tumor initiation is considered to be a failure of this homeostatic cell competitive system. Here we identify tumor-suppressive microRNAs (miRNAs) secreted by normal cells as anti-proliferative signal entities. Culture supernatant of normal epithelial prostate PNT-2 cells attenuated proliferation of PC-3M-luc cells, prostate cancer cells. Global analysis of miRNA expression signature revealed that a variety of tumor-suppressive miRNAs are released from PNT-2 cells. Of these miRNAs, secretory miR-143 could induce growth inhibition exclusively in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that secretory tumor-suppressive miRNAs can act as a death signal in a cell competitive process. This study provides a novel insight into a tumor initiation mechanism.

Monoacylglycerol lipase: stopping surplus at the synapse

Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are a family of molecules derived from membrane phospholipids which exert biological effects through specific receptors. In the brain, eCBs are perhaps the most ubiquitous and potent neurotransmitters known to act in a retrograde manner. Within the field of endocannabinoid research, great effort has been directed towards dissecting metabolic pathways that regulate the production and degradation of eCBs. While much of this has been driven by the desire to produce better and more specific therapeutic targets, a happy by-product is, for basic neuroscientists, a better understanding of how eCBs function as signalling entities at discrete synapses in the brain. Zhong and colleagues, in a recent issue of The Journal of Physiology, provide such evidence using a recently created mouse harbouring genetic deletion of monacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), thought to be the primary degradation enzyme for the neurally abundant endogenous cannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) (Zhong et al. 2011). Postsynaptic activity (firing or depolarization) or G-protein-coupled receptor activation results in the production and liberation of 2-AG which targets CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) on pre-synaptic terminals to inhibit the release of neurotransmitter (Fig. 1). This results in a number of temporally distinct forms of synaptic plasticity induced and expressed in a variety of ways. Additionally, eCB signalling is also remarkably plastic following experience, at both a synaptic and whole organism level. This fantastic variety of signalling outcomes suggests that many factors may regulate the how's and why's of endocannabinoid signalling at specific synapses. Figure 1 Overview of 2-arachidonoyl glycerol modulation of cerebellar glutamatergic synapses and changes induced by genetic deletion of monoacylglycerol lipase In 2007, Blankman and colleagues showed that 2-AG is degraded by a number of serine hydrolases in the brain; a lion's share of this, 85%, is attributed to MAGL (Blankman et al. 2007). Zhong et al., using a recently developed MAGL−/− mouse Schlosburg et al. 2010 provide direct evidence that 2-AG degradation is required for normal eCB signalling at glutamate synapses in the cerebellum. This is consistent with earlier work using pharmacological inhibitors and MAGL−/− mice to show a dominant role for MAGL in vitro and in vivo (Chanda et al. 2010; Hashimotodani et al. 2007; Pan et al. 2009; Straiker et al. 2009). Here, Zhong et al. use depolarisation-induced suppression of excitation (DSE), a broadly applied electrophysiological protocol, to assay the nature and integrity of eCB signalling at glutamate synapses. They show that two key features of DSE at climbing fibre and parallel fibre synapses onto Purkinje cells in the cerebellum are altered in MAGL−/− mice. First, DSE lasts nearly three times longer in slices from MAGL−/−. Second, the maximal magnitude of DSE is blunted in older, but not younger mice. The acute addition of MAGL inhibitor JZL184 to slices prolonged DSE in MAGL+/+ mice, but this effect was occluded in MAGL−/− mice (Fig. 1). Interestingly, an inhibitor of ABDH6, another serine hydrolase, was ineffective. The authors also report prolongation of two forms of metabotropic glutamate receptor-driven 2-AG production at parallel fibre synapses. They then address two scenarios which may exist under conditions of 2-AG excess: increased tonic activation and/or desensitization of CB1Rs. Consistent with tonic CB1R activation, Zhong et al. report that basal synaptic properties are altered in MAGL−/− mice. Specifically, MAGL−/− parallel fibre synapses are less likely to release glutamate as shown by an increase in paired-pulse facilitation and a reduction in the input−output relationship. The reduced glutamate release probability at MAGL−/− synapses is reversed by addition of a CB1R antagonist, suggesting tonic activation of the receptor. In parallel, the response of MAGL−/− synapses to saturating doses of a CB1R agonist is reduced, consistent with partial desensitization of CB1Rs. This evidence indicates that deficient clearance of 2-AG from the synapse results in persistent activation of CB1Rs and subsequent desensitization. These results validate earlier studies examining the effects of acute and chronic MAGL deficiency. Clearly, 2-AG degradation by MAGL controls the duration of stimulus-driven eCB signalling without major acute influence on the magnitude of signalling at these synapses. They also indicate that MAGL is a dominant enzymatic determinant of 2-AG degradation, and that the pharmacological inhibitor JZL184 reliably exerts its effects through MAGL. This will be useful in testing the dynamics of eCB signalling at other synapses of the brain which exhibit lower CB1R densities, and may rely on alternate enzymatic strategies. Finally, the long-term absence of 2-AG degradation in MAGL−/− mice results in a synaptic ‘phenotype’ similar to chronic pharmacological MAGL inhibition or chronic cannabinoid exposure. Eloquently termed ‘endocannabinoid overload’, this results in a situation where tonically engaged CB1Rs exhibit desensitisation (Lichtman et al. 2010). These observations open the door to investigations into a topic about which little is currently known – the endogenous regulation of MAGL expression and activity and the consequences for synapses and behaviour.

Signaling through EAAT-1/GLAST in cultured Bergmann glia cells

Glutamate, the major excitatory amino acid, activates a wide variety of signal transduction cascades. Synaptic plasticity relies on activity-dependent differential protein expression. Ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors have been critically involved in long-term synaptic changes, although recent findings suggest that the electrogenic Na +-dependent glutamate transporters, responsible of its removal from the synaptic cleft, participate in glutamate-induced signaling. Transporter proteins are expressed in neurons and glia cells albeit most of the glutamate uptake occurs in the glial compartment. Within the cerebellum, Bergmann glial cells are close to glutamatergic synapses and participate actively in the recycling of glutamate through the glutamate/glutamine shuttle. In this context, we decided to investigate a plausible role of Bergmann glia glutamate transporters as signaling entities. To this end, primary cultures of chick cerebellar Bergmann glial cells were exposed to d-aspartate ( d-Asp) and other transporter ligands and the serine 2448 phosphorylation pattern of the master regulator of protein synthesis, namely the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), determined. An increase in mTOR phosphorylation and activity was detected. The signaling cascade included Ca 2+ influx, activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase B. Furthermore, transporter signaling resulted also in an increase in activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding to DNA and the up-regulation of the transcription of an AP-1 driven gene construct. These results add a novel mediator of the glutamate effects at the translational and transcriptional levels and further strengthen the notion of the critical involvement of glia cells in synaptic function.

Dependence on different Rab GTPases for the trafficking of CXCR4 and CCR5 homo or heterodimers between the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane in Jurkat cells

Much is known about G protein coupled receptor trafficking and internalization following agonist stimulation. However, much less is known about outward trafficking of receptors from synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane, or the role that trafficking might play in the assembly of receptor signaling complexes, important for targeting, specificity, and rapidity of subsequent signaling events. Up to now, very little is understood about receptor hetero-oligomers other than the fact that their assembly is done rapidly after biosynthesis. In our study we use bimolecular fluorescence complementation to selectively follow receptor dimers when expressed in Jurkat cells in order to clarify the trafficking itinerary those receptors follow to reach the plasma membrane and the resulting effect on signal transduction. CXCR4 and CCR5, previously shown to form both homo and hetero-oligomers, were used as our model to understand the specificities of trafficking along the anterograde pathway. The CXCR4 homodimer relies on Rabs2, 6 and 8 for anterograde transport regardless of the presence of endogenous CD4. The CCR5 homodimer relies on Rabs1 and 11 when CD4 is absent, but Rabs1 and 8 when CD4 was present. Interestingly, similar to the CCR5 homodimer, the CXCR4–CCR5 heterodimer relied on Rabs1 and 11 but also required Rab2 when CD4 was absent, and only Rab 1 when CD4 was present. Our results demonstrate that, although the receptors composing the heterodimeric complex are the same as in the homodimeric ones, the heterodimer traffics and signals differently than each homodimer. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering the receptor heterodimers as distinct signaling entities that should be carefully and individually characterized.

Image Analysis by Conformal Embedding

This work presents new ideas in isotropic multi-dimensional phase based signal theory. The novel approach, called the conformal monogenic signal, is a rotational invariant quadrature filter for extracting local features of any curved signal without the use of any heuristics or steering techniques. The conformal monogenic signal contains the recently introduced monogenic signal as a special case and combines Poisson scale space, local amplitude, direction, phase and curvature in one unified algebraic framework. The conformal monogenic signal will be theoretically illustrated and motivated in detail by the relation between the Radon transform and the generalized Hilbert transform. The main idea of the conformal monogenic signal is to lift up n-dimensional signals by inverse stereographic projections to a n-dimensional sphere in ? n+1 where the local signal features can be analyzed with more degrees of freedom compared to the flat n-dimensional space of the original signal domain. As result, it delivers a novel way of computing the isophote curvature of signals without partial derivatives. The philosophy of the conformal monogenic signal is based on the idea to use the direct relation between the original signal and geometric entities such as lines, circles, hyperplanes and hyperspheres. Furthermore, the 2D conformal monogenic signal can be extended to signals of any dimension. The main advantages of the conformal monogenic signal in practical applications are its compatibility with intrinsically one dimensional and special intrinsically two dimensional signals, the rotational invariance, the low computational time complexity, the easy implementation into existing software packages and the numerical robustness of calculating exact local curvature of signals without the need of any derivatives.

Trk retrograde signaling requires persistent, Pincher-directed endosomes

Target-derived neurotrophins use retrogradely transported Trk-signaling endosomes to promote survival and neuronal phenotype at the soma. Despite their critical role in neurotrophin signaling, the nature and molecular composition of these endosomes remain largely unknown, the result of an inability to specifically identify the retrograde signaling entity. Using EGF-bound nanoparticles and chimeric, EGF-binding TrkB receptors, we elucidate Trk-endosomal events involving their formation, processing, retrograde transport, and somal signaling in sympathetic neurons. By comparing retrograde endosomal signaling by Trk to the related but poorly neuromodulatory EGF-receptor, we find that Trk and EGF-receptor endosomes are formed and processed by distinct mechanisms. Surprisingly, Trk and EGF-receptors are both retrogradely transported to the soma in multivesicular bodies. However, only the Trk-multivesicular bodies rely on Pincher-dependent macroendocytosis and processing. Retrograde signaling through Pincher-generated Trk-multivesicular bodies is distinctively refractory to signal termination by lysosomal processing, resulting in sustained somal signaling and neuronal gene expression.