Wild-type F1 Research Articles

Contribution of Phe112, Ser114, and Tyr115 to Drug-Binding Selectivity in the A Variant of α1-Acid Glycoprotein.

The plasma protein α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) primarily affects the pharmacokinetics of basic drugs. There are two AGP variants in humans, A and F1*S, exhibiting distinct drug-binding selectivity. Elucidation of the drug-binding selectivity of human AGP variants is essential for drug development and personalized drug therapy. Herein, we aimed to establish the contribution of amino acids 112 and 114 of human AGP to drug-binding selectively. Both amino acids are located in the drug-binding region and differ between the variants. Phe112/Ser114 of the A variant and its equivalent residues in the F1*S variant (Leu112/Phe114) were swapped with each other. Binding experiments were then conducted using the antiarrhythmic drug disopyramide, which selectively binds to the A variant. A significant decrease in the bound fraction was observed in each singly mutated A protein (Phe112Leu or Ser114Phe). Moreover, the bound fraction of the double A mutant (Phe112Leu/Ser114Phe) was decreased to that of wild-type F1*S. Intriguingly, the double F1*S mutant (Leu112Phe/Phe114Ser), in which residues were swapped with those of the A variant, showed only partial restoration in binding. The triple F1*S mutant (Leu112Phe/Phe114Ser/Asp115Tyr), where position 115 is thought to contribute to the difference in pocket size between variants, showed a further recovery in binding to 70% of that of wild-type A. These results were supported by thermodynamic analysis and acridine orange binding, which selectively binds the A variant. Together, these data indicate that, in addition to direct interaction with Phe112 and Ser114, the binding pocket size contributed by Tyr115 is important for the drug-binding selectivity of the A variant.

Warming and pollution interact to alter energy transfer efficiency, performance and fitness across generations in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Energy transfer efficiency across different trophic levels, from food to new biomass, can determine population dynamics and food-web function. Here we show that the energy needed to produce a unit of new biomass increases with warming and exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting compound. These environmental effects are at least partially transmitted across generations via DNA methylation. We raised parental (F0) and their offspring (F1) zebrafish (Danio rerio) of two genotypes (DNA methyltransferase 3a knock-out [DNMT3a−/−] and wild type [DNMT3a+/+]) at different temperatures (24 and 30 °C), with and without BPA (0 and 10 μg l−1) to test whether the effects of BPA are i) temperature specific, ii) mediated by DNA methylation, and iii) transmitted across generations even if offspring are not exposed. All experimental factors interacted to influence growth in length and mass, and metabolic rates with the result that wild-type F0 and F1 fish experienced the greatest energetic cost of growth under warm conditions in the presence of BPA. However, this response was not observed in DNMT3a−/− fish, indicating that DNA methylation is at least partly responsible for mediating these effects. Under the same conditions (warm + BPA) wild-type parents had reduced swimming performance, and reduced fecundity, and offspring embryonic survival was reduced significantly; genotype affected these responses significantly. Our results indicate that the conditions that are becoming increasingly common globally - warming and endocrine disrupting compounds from plastic pollution and production - can have detrimental effects on energy transfer efficiency and thereby potentially on food-web structure. These effects can be transmitted across generations even if offspring are not exposed to the pollutant, and are likely to have ramifications for conservation and fisheries.

Unraveling the molecular determinants of the anti-phagocytic protein cloak of plague bacteria.

The pathogenic bacterium Yersina pestis is protected from macrophage engulfment by a capsule like antigen, F1, formed of long polymers of the monomer protein, Caf1. However, despite the importance of this pathogen, the mechanism of protection was not understood. Here we demonstrate how F1 protects the bacteria from phagocytosis. First, we show that Escherichia coli expressing F1 showed greatly reduced adherence to macrophages. Furthermore, the few cells that did adhere remained on the macrophage surface and were not engulfed. We then inserted, by mutation, an “RGDS” integrin binding motif into Caf1. This did not change the number of cells adhering to macrophages but increased the fraction of adherent cells that were engulfed. Therefore, F1 protects in two separate ways, reducing cell adhesion, possibly by acting as a polymer brush, and hiding innate receptor binding sites needed for engulfment. F1 is very robust and we show that E. coli expressing weakened mutant polymers are engulfed like the RGDS mutant. This suggests that innate attachment sites on the native cell surface are exposed if F1 is weakened. Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) experiments revealed that wild-type F1 displays a very high mechanical stability of 400 pN. However, the mechanical resistance of the destabilised mutants, that were fully engulfed, was only 20% weaker. By only marginally exceeding the mechanical force applied to the Caf1 polymer during phagocytosis it may be that the exceptional tensile strength evolved to resist the forces applied at this stage of engulfment.

The nucleotide binding affinities of two critical conformations of Escherichia coli ATP synthase

ATP synthase is essential in aerobic energy metabolism, and the rotary catalytic mechanism is one of the core concepts to understand the energetic functions of ATP synthase. Disulfide bonds formed by oxidizing a pair of cysteine mutations halted the rotation of the γ subunit in two critical conformations, the ATP-waiting dwell (αE284C/γQ274C) and the catalytic dwell (αE284C/γL276C). Tryptophan fluorescence was used to measure the nucleotide binding affinities for MgATP, MgADP and MgADP-AlF4 (a transition state analog) to wild-type and mutant F1 under reducing and oxidizing conditions. In the reduced state, αE284C/γL276C F1 showed a wild-type-like nucleotide binding pattern; after oxidation to lock the enzyme in the catalytic dwell state, the nucleotide binding parameters remained unchanged. In contrast, αE284C/γQ274C F1 showed significant differences in the affinities of the oxidized versus the reduced state. Locking the enzyme in the ATP-waiting dwell reduced nucleotide binding affinities of all three catalytic sites. Most importantly, the affinity of the low affinity site was reduced to such an extent that it could no longer be detected in the binding assay (Kd > 5 mM). The results of the present study allow to present a model for the catalytic mechanism of ATP synthase under consideration of the nucleotide affinity changes during a 360° cycle of the rotor.

Maternal preconception PFOS exposure of Drosophila melanogaster alters reproductive capacity, development, morphology and nutrient regulation

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) is a persistent synthetic surfactant widely detected in the environment. Developmental PFOS exposures are associated with low birth weight and chronic exposures increase risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. As an obesogen, PFOS poses a major public health exposure risk and much remains to be understood about the critical windows of exposure and mechanisms impacted, especially during preconception. Here, we leverage evolutionarily conserved pathways and processes in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (wild-type Canton-S and megalin-UAS RNAi transgenic fly lines) to investigate the window of maternal preconception exposure to PFOS on reproductive and developmental toxicity, and examine receptor (megalin)-mediated endocytosis of nutrients and PFOS into the oocyte as a potential mechanism.Preconception exposure to 2 ng PFOS/female resulted in an internal concentration of 0.081 ng/fly over two days post exposure, no mortality and reduced megalin transcription. The number of eggs laid 1–3 days post exposure was reduced and contained 0.018 ng PFOS/egg. Following heat shock, PFOS was significantly reduced in eggs from megalin-knockdown transgenic females. Cholesterol and triglycerides were increased in eggs laid immediately following PFOS exposure by non-heat shocked transgenic females whereas decreased cholesterol and increased protein levels were found in eggs laid by heat shocked transgenic females. Preconception exposure likewise increased cholesterol in early emerging wildtype F1 adults and also resulted in progeny with a substantial developmental delay, a reduction in adult weights, and altered transcription of Drosophila insulin-like peptide genes. These findings support an interaction between PFOS and megalin that interferes with normal nutrient transport during oocyte maturation and embryogenesis, which may be associated with later in life developmental delay and reduced weight.

Meiotic crossover reduction by virus-induced gene silencing enables the efficient generation of chromosome substitution lines and reverse breeding in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plant breeding applications exploiting meiotic mutant phenotypes (like the increase or decrease of crossover (CO) recombination) have been proposed over the last years. As recessive meiotic mutations in breeding lines may affect fertility or have other pleiotropic effects, transient silencing techniques may be preferred. Reverse breeding is a breeding technique that would benefit from the transient downregulation of CO formation. The technique is essentially the opposite of plant hybridization: a method to extract parental lines from a hybrid. The method can also be used to efficiently generate chromosome substitution lines (CSLs). For successful reverse breeding, the two homologous chromosome sets of a heterozygous plant must be divided over two haploid complements, which can be achieved by the suppression of meiotic CO recombination and the subsequent production of doubled haploid plants. Here we show the feasibility of transiently reducing CO formation using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) by targeting the meiotic gene MSH5 in a wild-type heterozygote of Arabidopsis thaliana. The application of VIGS (rather than using lengthy stable transformation) generates transgene-free offspring with the desired genetic composition: we obtained parental lines from a wild-type heterozygous F1 in two generations. In addition, we obtained 20 (of the 32 possible) CSLs in one experiment. Our results demonstrate that meiosis can be modulated at will in A.thaliana to generate CSLs and parental lines rapidly for hybrid breeding. Furthermore, we illustrate how the modification of meiosis using VIGS can open routes to develop efficient plant breeding strategies.

Tight Chemomechanical Coupling of the F1 Motor Relies on Structural Stability

The F1 motor is a rotating molecular motor that ensures a tight chemomechanical coupling between ATP hydrolysis/synthesis reactions and rotation steps. However, the mechanism underlying this tight coupling remains to be elucidated. In this study, we used electrorotation in single-molecule experiments using an F1βE190D mutant to demonstrate that the stall torque was significantly smaller than the wild-type F1, indicating a loose coupling of this mutant, despite showing similar stepping torque as the wild-type. Experiments on the ATPase activity after heat treatment and gel filtration of the α3β3-subcomplex revealed the unstable structure of the βE190D mutant. Our results suggest that the tight chemomechanical coupling of the F1 motor relies on the structural stability of F1. We also discuss the difference between the stepping torque and the stall torque.

Dosage imbalance of B- and C-class genes causes petaloid-stamen relating to F1 hybrid variation

BackgroundGreat advances have been achieved in our understanding of flower development and evolution since the establishment of the ABC model. However, it remains a challenge to define the exact context of organ identity in the component interactions of the ABC model.ResultsThrough hybridization, we detected a homeotic mutant in Petrocosmea (Gesneriaceae) uniquely displayed by the ‘petaloid-stamen’ in the third whorl with petal identity. Comparative Real-time PCR analyses demonstrate that both two B-class genes DEF2 and GLO are excessively expressed while the transcripts of the C-class gene PLE are reduced in the third floral whorl in the mutant compared to that in the wild-type F1 hybrids. Further allele-specific expression (ASE) analyses indicate that an allele-specific change in PgPLE might be responsible for up-regulation of both B-class genes and down-regulation of the C-class gene in the petaloid-stamen mutants.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the petaloid-stamen is consequent upon an evident dosage imbalance between B- and C-class products that is probably triggered by a cis-regulatory change. In addition, the genetic pathway for the floral organ identity might be in parallel with that for the floral symmetry. The extreme variation in hybrids further suggests that interspecific hybridization may represent a major factor for evolutionary innovation and diversification in plants.

The influence of inherited plumage colour morph on morphometric traits and breeding investment in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Melanin-based plumage polymorphism occurs in many wild bird populations and has been linked to fitness variation in several species. These fitness differences often arise as a consequence of variation in traits such as behaviour, immune responsiveness, body size and reproductive investment. However, few studies have controlled for genetic differences between colour morphs that could potentially generate artefactual associations between plumage colouration and trait variation. Here, we used zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) as a model system in order to evaluate whether life-history traits such as adult body condition and reproductive investment could be influenced by plumage morph. To maximise any potential differences, we selected wild-type and white plumage morphs, which differ maximally in their extent of melanisation, while using a controlled three-generation breeding design to homogenise the genetic background. We found that F2 adults with white plumage colouration were on average lighter and had poorer body condition than wild-type F2 birds. However, they appeared to compensate for this by reproducing earlier and producing heavier eggs relative to their own body mass. Our study thus reveals differences in morphological and life history traits that could be relevant to fitness variation, although further studies will be required to evaluate fitness effects under natural conditions as well as to characterise any potential fitness costs of compensatory strategies in white zebra finches.

Murine red blood cells from genetically distinct donors cross-regulate when stored together.

Donor variability of red blood cell (RBC) storage has been observed in both humans and animal models. We utilized a strain of mice with RBCs known to store well (B6) and a strain known to store poorly (FVB) to test the hypothesis that RBCs affected the storage of other RBCs. Five strains of mice were used: 1) transgenic B6 mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in their RBCs (GFP.B6), 2) wild-type B6 mice, 3) wild-type FVB mice, 4) F1 crosses between GFP.B6 and FVB mice (GFP.F1), and 5) the analogous wild-type (B6xFVB) F1 cross. GFP.B6 or GFP.F1 RBCs were mixed with wild-type (non-GFP) RBCs from B6 or FVB strains before storage. Twenty-four-hour RBC recoveries were determined for stored RBCs by enumerating circulating GFP+ RBCs by flow cytometry. Twenty-four-hour recoveries of GFP.F1 RBCs was increased by co-storage with B6 RBCs but decreased by co-storage with FVB RBCs. This effect was dose dependent when tested with GFP.B6 RBCs; the more FVB blood added, the worse the 24-hour recoveries became. RBC cross-regulation did not occur when B6 and FVB RBCs were separated by a semipermeable membrane with a 0.4-µm size cutoff. These findings demonstrate that RBCs affect the storage of other RBCs, in both positive and negative directions, indicating not only that RBC storage is intrinsic to the RBC but that RBC-RBC communication occurs. Additional studies will be required to determine the nature of this effect and if these findings translate into human RBC storage.

Parental obesity leads to metabolic changes in the F2 generation in Drosophila

ObjectiveA significant portion of the heritable risk for complex metabolic disorders cannot be attributed to classic Mendelian genetic factors. At least some of this missing heritability is thought to be due to the epigenetic influence of parental and grandparental metabolic state on offspring health. Previous work suggests that this transgenerational phenomenon is evolutionarily conserved in Drosophila. These studies, however, have all depended on dietary paradigms to alter parental metabolic state, which can have inconsistent heritable effects on the metabolism of offspring. MethodsHere we use AKHR null alleles to induce obesity in the parental generation and then score both metabolic parameters and genome-wide transcriptional responses in AKHR heterozygote F1 progeny and genetically wild-type F2 progeny. ResultsUnexpectedly, we observe elevated glycogen levels and changes in gene expression in AKHR heterozygotes due to haploinsufficiency at this locus. We also show that genetic manipulation of parental metabolism using AKHR mutations results in significant physiological changes in F2 wild-type offspring of the grandpaternal/maternal lineage. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that genetic manipulation of parental metabolism in Drosophila can have an effect on the health of F2 progeny, providing a non-dietary paradigm to better understand the mechanisms behind the transgenerational inheritance of metabolic state.

Ovarian effects of prenatal exposure to benzo[a]pyrene: Roles of embryonic and maternal glutathione status

Females deficient in the glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit (Gclm) of the rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione synthesis are more sensitive to ovarian follicle depletion and tumorigenesisby prenatal benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exposure than Gclm+/+ mice. We investigated effects of prenatal exposure to BaP on reproductive development and ovarian mutations in Kras, a commonly mutated gene in epithelial ovarian tumors. Pregnantmice were dosed from gestational day 6.5 through 15.5 with 2mg/kg/day BaP or vehicle. Puberty onset occurred 5 days earlier in F1 daughters of all Gclm genotypes exposed to BaP compared to controls. Gclm+/− F1 daughters of Gclm+/− mothers and wildtype F1 daughters of wildtype mothers had similar depletion of ovarian follicles following prenatal exposure to BaP, suggesting that maternal Gclm genotype does not modify ovarian effects of prenatal BaP. We observed no BaP treatment or Gclm genotype related differences in ovarian Kras codon 12 mutations in F1 offspring.

A spontaneous body color mutation in Drosophila nappae (Diptera, Drosophilidae)

A yellow-bodied male appeared spontaneously in an isofemale line of Drosophila nappae established from a wild-caught female collected at the Forest Reserve of the Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária “Armando de Salles Oliveira”, São Paulo city, state of São Paulo, Brazil. This is the first mutation found in D. nappae, a species belonging to the tripunctata group. The yellow male was isolated and individually crossed to two wild-type (brown-colored) virgin females from the same generation, yielding numerous offspring. All F1 individuals were wild-type, but the phenotypes yielded in the F2 generation were wild-type females, and both wild-type and yellow-bodied males. The latter yellow male mutants backcrossed with virgin wild-type F1 females yielded four phenotypes (brown-colored and yellow-colored flies of both sexes), indicating an inheritance pattern of X-linked recessive. Chi-square goodness of fit tests (α=5%) detected no significant differences among the number of flies per phenotype. The new mutation is hereby named yellow, due to its probable homology to a similar mutation with an identical inheritance pattern found in Drosophila melanogaster.

The SOD1 transgene expressed in erythroid cells alleviates fatal phenotype in congenic NZB/NZW-F1 mice

Oxidative stress due to a superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) deficiency causes anemia and autoimmune responses, which are phenotypically similar to autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in C57BL/6 mice and aggravates AIHA pathogenesis in New Zealand black (NZB) mice. We report herein on an evaluation of the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a model mouse with inherited SLE, that is, F1 mice of the NZB × New Zealand white (NZW) strain. The ROS levels within red blood cells (RBCs) of the F1 mice were similar to the NZW mice but lower compared to the NZB mice throughout adult period. Regarding SLE pathogenesis, we examined the effects of an SOD1 deficiency or the overexpression of human SOD1 in erythroid cells by establishing corresponding congenic F1 mice. A SOD1 deficiency caused an elevation in ROS production, methemoglobin content, and hyperoxidation of peroxiredoxin in RBC of the F1 mice, which were all consistent with elevated oxidative stress. However, while the overexpression of human SOD1 in erythroid cells extended the life span of the congenic F1 mice, the SOD1 deficiency had no effect on life span compared to wild-type F1 mice. It is generally recognized that NZW mice possess a larval defect in the immune system and that NZB mice trigger an autoimmune reaction in the F1 mice. Our results suggest that the oxidative insult originated from the NZB mouse background has a functional role in triggering an aberrant immune reaction, leading to fatal responses in F1 mice.

Production of TGF-β Is Decreased in the Bone Marrow of Double Knockout (DKO) SMAD3-/- Fancd2-/- Mice

Homologous deletion recombinant negative DKO mice, missing action of both Fancd2 and SMAD3 proteins were derived to test the hypothesis that abrogation of TGF-β signaling would reverse Fanconi Anemia (FA) stem cell sensitivity to TGF-β. To determine whether DKO mouse tissues demonstrated detectable differences in production of the ligand for TGF-β receptor, tissues from adult six - eight week old DKO mice were compared to those from Fancd2-/- (C57BL/6J background), SMAD3-/- (129/Sv genetic background), or wild type F1 mice (129/Sv X B6) for levels of TGF-β. Tissues examined included bone marrow, intestine, spleen, liver, muscle, and brain. Tissues were homogenized, and analyzed for bone marrow protein by Luminex analysis using a TGF beta 1 multispecies kit for Luminex Platform (Life Technologies).The results demonstrated decreased but not significant production of TGF-β in the bone marrow of DKO mice (3068 ± 753 pg TGF-β/mg protein) compared to 5211 ± 1662 (p = 0.0761) for wild type F1 mice (129/Sv X B6), and 5192 ± 705 (0.1085) for Fancd2-/- mice. However, TGF-β production in DKO was significantly decreased compared to Smad3-/- (129/Sv) mice (9828 ± 1076, p = 0.0127). The lungs from DKO also had decreased TGF-β production compared to wild type F1 mice (436 ± 125 and 1159 ± 44 pg/mg, respectively, p= 0.0217). Decreased TGF-β production was also seen in the DKO liver compared to F1 wild type liver (13.2 ± 1.7 and 33.5 ± 3.6, respectively, p = 0.0072). Bone marrow stromal cell lines derived from long-term bone marrow cultures of each mouse strain were tested for production of TGF-β. SMAD3-/- bone marrow stromal cells also had an increased production of TGF-β (236 pg/mg) compared to wild type F1, Fancd2-/- and DKO cell lines (117, 136 and 144 pg/ml). Bone marrow CFU-GEMM from each mouse strain was tested for sensitivity to inhibition by increasing concentrations of TGF-β, and both fresh bone marrow from DKO and SMAD3-/- mice demonstrated no TGF-β mediated abrogation of colony formation. In contrast, fresh marrow from wild type and Fancd2-/- mice demonstrated TGF-β concentration dependent inhibition of CFU-GEMM colony formation in vitro. These data indicate that TGF-β production in DKO mice is decreased in bone marrow, lung and liver compared to that in F1 wild type, SMAD3-/- or Fancd2-/- mice, and suggest that the control of TGF-β production by abrogation of TGF-β signaling in the setting of deletion of Fancd2 may be modulated in an organ specific manner.Supported by research grant NIAID/NIH, U19A168021. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Transformed Phenotype of Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Lines Derived from K14E7 Fancd2-/- mice

To determine whether cytokeratin 14 promoter linked expression of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) oncogene detectably influenced biologic parameters of cell phenotypes other than squamous epithelium, continuous bone marrow cultures were derived from K14E7 Fancd2-/- mice (Park, et al., Cancer Research, 70(23): 9959-9968, 2010). Long-term bone marrow cultures derived from K14E7 Fancd2-/-, control Fancd2-/- (129/Sv), K14E7 (FVB/N), and wild type 129/Sv X FVB/N F1 mice were evaluated for longevity of hematopoiesis in long-term cultures and stromal cell lines were derived from each. Similar to Fancd2-/- mouse, long-term marrow cultures, K14E7 Fancd2-/- marrow cultures demonstrated decreased longevity of hematopoiesis with cessation of production of multi-lineage colony forming progenitor cells after 14 weeks. In contrast, wild type F1 and K14E7 long-term marrow cultures continued to produce hematopoietic cells for a significantly longer duration 25 weeks (p=0.0257). Bone marrow stromal and IL-3 dependent hematopoietic cell lines were derived from each genotype marrow culture. K14E7 Fancd2-/- hematopoietic cells showed reversal of the radiation resistance of Fancd2-/- IL-3 dependent cell lines (D0 of 1.34 ± 0.197Gy, ñ 4.0 ± 0.9 compared to D02.213 ± 0.124 Gy (p = 0.0284), ñ 3.3 ± 0.8. Thus, one phenotypic difference associated with K14E7 oncogene expression was reversal of radioresistance of Fancd2-/- hematopoietic cells. In contrast, bone marrow stromal cell lines from K14E7 Fancd2-/- remained radiosensitive similar to those from Fancd2-/- mice. K14E7 and wild type F1 marrow stromal cell lines showed intermediate radioresistance (p= 0.1759). To determine whether the E6/E7 oncogene had a biological effect in tissues other than squamous epithelium, tissue analysis for cytokeratins 13, 14, 6, and 10 was carried out. Cytokeratin 14 was detected only in squamous cells of the esophagus and oral cavity, not in bone marrow. E6/E7 oncogene was detected only in squamous cell lines expressing cytokeratin 14. However, bone marrow stromal cell lines from K14E7 Fancd2-/- marrow cultures demonstrated a unique phenomenon of cellular density, piling up and formation of tumors in vitro. Each of 22 single cell derived clonal sub-lines of K14E7 Fancd2-/- stromal cell lines demonstrated the same transformed phenotype. These data provide support for indirect effects of the E7 oncogene linked to the K14 promoter in Fancd2-/- hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cell tissues.Supported by research grant NIAID/NIH, U19A168021. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

FcµR expression by B cells regulates maximal induction of plasma cell differentiation in vivo and in vitro (VIR5P.1136)

Abstract Secreted (s)IgM functions in immune defense and regulation. It supports B cell development, selection and the size and quality of the humoral response. We aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the reduced IgG responses in sIgM-/- mice after influenza virus infection. To distinguish effects of sIgM on B cell development from those on immune regulation, we generated sIgM-/- x wild-type (wt) F1 mice. All B cells develop normally in these mice but 50% lack the ability to secrete IgM. Wt and sIgM-/- B cells from F1 mice were transferred into sublethally irradiated wt controls, which were infected with influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34. sIgM-/- B cells mounted reduced antiviral serum IgG responses compared to controls, demonstrating a non-redundant function for sIgM in B cell response induction. Studies in mice lacking the FcµR only on B cells suggested that sIgM-mediated regulation is due at least in part to sIgM-FcµR direct interaction. These mice mounted IgG and Hemagglutination Inhibition titers that were reduced by about half, and their sera had strongly decreased passive protective capacity compared to wt mice. ELISPOT and FACS-analysis revealed reduced plasma cell differentiation in draining mediastinal LNs at day 8, and long-lived plasma cells in bone marrows at day 70 after infection, as well as following stimulation of B cells in vitro. The data identify sIgM-FcµR direct interaction as a non-redundant B cell differentiation signal after B cell activation.

A unique mechanism of curcumin inhibition on F1 ATPase

ATP synthase (F-ATPase) function depends upon catalytic and rotation cycles of the F1 sector. Previously, we found that F1 ATPase activity is inhibited by the dietary polyphenols, curcumin, quercetin, and piceatannol, but that the inhibitory kinetics of curcumin differs from that of the other two polyphenols (Sekiya et al., 2012, 2014). In the present study, we analyzed Escherichia coli F1 ATPase rotational catalysis to identify differences in the inhibitory mechanism of curcumin versus quercetin and piceatannol. These compounds did not affect the 120° rotation step for ATP binding and ADP release, though they significantly increased the catalytic dwell duration for ATP hydrolysis. Analysis of wild-type F1 and a mutant lacking part of the piceatannol binding site (γΔ277–286) indicates that curcumin binds to F1 differently from piceatannol and quercetin. The unique inhibitory mechanism of curcumin is also suggested from its effect on F1 mutants with defective β–γ subunit interactions (γMet23 to Lys) or β conformational changes (βSer174 to Phe). These results confirm that smooth interaction between each β subunit and entire γ subunit in F1 is pertinent for rotational catalysis.

Rapid target gene validation in complex cancer mouse models using re‐derived embryonic stem cells

Human cancers modeled in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models (GEMMs) can provide important mechanistic insights into the molecular basis of tumor development and enable testing of new intervention strategies. The inherent complexity of these models, with often multiple modified tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, has hampered their use as preclinical models for validating cancer genes and drug targets. In our newly developed approach for the fast generation of tumor cohorts we have overcome this obstacle, as exemplified for three GEMMs; two lung cancer models and one mesothelioma model. Three elements are central for this system; (i) The efficient derivation of authentic Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) from established GEMMs, (ii) the routine introduction of transgenes of choice in these GEMM-ESCs by Flp recombinase-mediated integration and (iii) the direct use of the chimeric animals in tumor cohorts. By applying stringent quality controls, the GEMM-ESC approach proofs to be a reliable and effective method to speed up cancer gene assessment and target validation. As proof-of-principle, we demonstrate that MycL1 is a key driver gene in Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Role Of Connexin 32 In Hematopoiesis: Maintaining Quiescence Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Their Proliferation

Previously, we reported the findings of our studies on the role of connexin (Cx) 32 during steady-state hematopoiesis and its potential protective role against leukemogenesis. Namely, in wild-type mice, Cx32 expression was solely detected in primitive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSCs/HPCs). Since Cxs are essential molecules for multicellular organisms, Cxs are surmised to be present in the hematopoietic tissue to facilitate cell-cell communication between HSCs/HPCs themselves rather than between HSCs/HPCs and stromal cells. In addition, Cx32-knockout (KO) mice showed the following characteristics: first, a prominent decrease in the number of peripheral mononuclear cells (PMCs) associated with various HPCs; second, a significant increase in the number of HSCs, at least until 20 weeks of age; and third, an apparently delayed regeneration of HPCs after chemical abrasion. Furthermore, the incidence of leukemogenicity induced by methylnitrosourea increased prominently. These possible leukemogenic propensities taken together imply that Cx32 plays an important role in maintaining steady-state hematopoiesis and in suppressing leukemogenesis.In this study, first, we examined the cell kinetics of HPCs [CFU-GM, colony forming unit (CFU) granulomacrophage; CFU-S9/CFU-S13, CFU in spleen on day 9/13] by evaluating the percentage of cycling HPCs with continuous incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) in vivo for up to 3 months, followed by exposure to ultraviolet-A to eliminate cells that incorporated BrdUrd. Using this method with the continuous incorporation of BrdUrd in vivo in mice up to 1.5 years of age, we discovered the existence of a long-term and stable, dormant fraction in the HPCs of wild-type mice. Without Cx32, the percentage of the entire cycling fraction of CFU-S13 apparently increased continuously, which indicates that Cx32 could restore the quiescence of hematopoiesis and thereby maintain HSCs/HPCs. This is consistent with the findings that the number of HPCs increased and the number of HSCs decreased with aging in Cx32-KO mice. Next, we examined the bone-marrow reconstitution capability of HSCs of Cx32-KO mice by serial transplantation. Five hundred cells in the lineage-negative, c-kit-positive, and Sca1-positive (LKS) fraction isolated from wild-type and Cx32-KO mice (Ly5.2) were transplanted into lethally irradiated first recipients (Ly5.1) separately with 2x105 freshly isolated bone marrow cells from wild-type F1(Ly5.1/Ly5.2) mice as rescuing cells, which prevent acute radiation injury. Two months after transplantation, both groups showed reconstituted hematopoiesis without any significant differences in various hematopoietic parameters, although mice reconstituted with cells in the LKS fraction without Cx32 showed a rather higher average percentage of donor-origin PMCs and a lower average percentage of the donor-origin cells in the LKS fraction than those with Cx32 (wild-type group vs. Cx32-KO group, average percentage of Ly5.2 with respect to the total ± standard deviations (s.d.); PMCs, 34.7±14.3% vs. 50.7±9.9 %, p=0.006; cells in the LKS fraction, 20.8±5.2% vs. 14.2±5.3%, p=0.110). Then, donor cells (Ly5.2) in the LKS fraction were isolated from the primary recipients of both groups separately and 400 cells were transferred into each secondary recipient (Ly5.1) with 2x105 rescuing cells from F1(Ly5.1/Ly5.2) mice. Although secondary recipients from both groups showed reconstituted hematopoiesis without any significant differences in various hematopoietic parameters four months after reconstitution, similar to the primary recipients, cells of donor origin in the LKS fraction could be detected only in the wild-type group. Namely, four out of seven recipients in the wild-type group showed over 0.5% donor cells and the average percentage and s.d. for 4 mice was 25.1±27.9%, whereas none of the recipients out of five in the Cx32-KO group showed more than 0.5%. The above-mentioned findings in this study in addition to the previous findings imply that Cx32 plays an essential role in maintaining self-renewal proliferation of primitive hematopoietic stem cells to prevent their exhaustion, and also in suppressing neoplastic changes. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.