Chemotaxis of Arbacia punctulata spermatozoa to resact, a peptide from the egg jelly layer

Resact, a peptide of known sequence isolated from the jelly layer of Arbacia punctulata eggs, is a potent chemoattractant for A. punctulata spermatozoa. The chemotactic response is concentration dependent, is abolished by pretreatment of the spermatozoa with resact, and shows an absolute requirement for millimolar external calcium. A. punctulata spermatozoa do not respond to speract, a peptide isolated from the jelly layer of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs. This is the first report of animal sperm chemotaxis in response to a defined egg-derived molecule

CatSper and Two-Pore channels (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

CatSper channels (CatSper1-4, nomenclature as agreed by NC-IUPHAR [13]) are putative 6TM, voltage-gated, alkalinization-activated calcium permeant channels that are presumed to assemble as a tetramer of α-like subunits and mediate the current ICatSper [21]. In mammals, CatSper subunits are structurally most closely related to individual domains of voltage-activated calcium channels (Cav) [36]. CatSper1 [36], CatSper2 [33] and CatSpers 3 and 4 [25, 19, 32], in common with a putative 2TM auxiliary CatSperβ protein [24] and two putative 1TM associated CatSperγ and CatSperδ proteins [42, 11], are restricted to the testis and localised to the principle piece of sperm tail. The novel cross-species CatSper channel inhibitor, RU1968, has been proposed as a useful tool to aid characterisation of native CatSper channels [37].Two-pore channels (TPCs) are structurally related to CatSpers, CaVs and NaVs. TPCs have a 2x6TM structure with twice the number of TMs of CatSpers and half that of CaVs. There are three animal TPCs (TPC1-TPC3). Humans have TPC1 and TPC2, but not TPC3. TPC1 and TPC2 are localized in endosomes and lysosomes [4]. TPC3 is also found on the plasma membrane and forms a voltage-activated, non-inactivating Na+ channel [5]. All the three TPCs are Na+-selective under whole-cell or whole-organelle patch clamp recording [44, 7, 6]. The channels may also conduct Ca2+ [29]

Identification of a potent serum factor that causes desensitization of the receptor for C-Type natriuretic peptide

BACKGROUND: Guanylyl cyclase-B (GC-B; NPR-B), the receptor for C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is rapidly and effectively desensitized by a factor(s) in serum. Given the potential importance of this receptor in remodeling after tissue injury, identification of the serum factor(s) is of significant medical importance. RESULTS: Partial purification of desensitization activity in serum by DEAE-Sepharose and reverse phase C18 chromatography, followed by mass spectroscopy, identified peptide sequences identical to those of apolipoprotein A2 (Apo A2), a known component of high density lipoprotein (HDL). Apo A2, however, could be eliminated as the active desensitization factor. Never the less, substantial desensitization activity was associated with purified preparations of bovine or human HDL. Since HDL is a well-known transporter of various lipids and phospholipids, we extracted either HDL or partially purified serum preparations with butanol and all activity extracted into the solvent. Of various lipophilic signaling molecules known to be associated with HDL, a prominent component is sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). We therefore tested authentic S1P as well as other known components of HDL (sphingosylphosphorylcholine; platelet activating factor) for activity; only S1P caused desensitization of GC-B. S1P was relatively potent, causing one-half maximal desensitization of GC-B at concentrations of 5–10 nM. These effects were seen within a few minutes after addition. Lysophosphatidic acid, another component of serum capable of desensitizing GC-B, was only effective at Micromolar concentrations. The pathway by which serum or S1P desensitizes GC-B seems unique in that pertussis toxin failed to inhibit GC-B desensitization, and yet blocked serum or S1P activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or Akt/protein kinase B (Akt/PKB). CONCLUSION: Since the concentrations of S1P that desensitize GC-B are well within serum physiological ranges, this mitogenic signaling molecule likely functions as a strong adversary of the CNP/GC-B signaling pathway in the regulation of cell proliferation and other growth factor-induced phenotypes. The mechanism by which S1P desensitizes GC-B appears different than the known S1P signaling pathways

CatSper and Two-Pore channels (TPC) in GtoPdb v.2022.1

CatSper channels (CatSper1-4, nomenclature as agreed by NC-IUPHAR [14]) are putative 6TM, voltage-gated, alkalinization-activated calcium permeant channels that are presumed to assemble as a tetramer of α-like subunits and mediate the current ICatSper [23]. In mammals, CatSper subunits are structurally most closely related to individual domains of voltage-activated calcium channels (Cav) [40]. CatSper1 [40], CatSper2 [37] and CatSpers 3 and 4 [27, 21, 36], in common with a putative 2TM auxiliary CatSperβ protein [26] and two putative 1TM associated CatSperγ and CatSperδ proteins [46, 12], are restricted to the testis and localised to the principle piece of sperm tail. The novel cross-species CatSper channel inhibitor, RU1968, has been proposed as a useful tool to aid characterisation of native CatSper channels [41].Two-pore channels (TPCs) are structurally related to CatSpers, CaVs and NaVs. TPCs have a 2x6TM structure with twice the number of TMs of CatSpers and half that of CaVs. There are three animal TPCs (TPC1-TPC3). Humans have TPC1 and TPC2, but not TPC3. TPC1 and TPC2 are localized in endosomes and lysosomes [5]. TPC3 is also found on the plasma membrane and forms a voltage-activated, non-inactivating Na+ channel [6]. All the three TPCs are Na+-selective under whole-cell or whole-organelle patch clamp recording [48, 8, 7]. The channels may also conduct Ca2+ [31]

Natriuretic Peptide Signaling via Guanylyl Cyclase (GC)-A: An Endogenous Protective Mechanism of the Heart

Atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP and BNP, respectively) are cardiac hormones, secretions of which are markedly upregulated during cardiac failure, making their plasma levels clinically useful diagnostic markers. ANP and BNP exert potent diuretic, natriuretic and vasorelaxant effects, which are mediated via their common receptor, guanylyl cyclase (GC)-A (also called natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-A). Mice deficient for GC-A are mildly hypertensive and show marked cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis that is disproportionately severe, given their modestly higher blood pressure. Indeed, the cardiac hypertrophy seen in these mice is enhanced in a blood pressure-independent manner and is suppressed by cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of GC-A. These results suggest that the actions of a local cardiac ANP/BNP-GC-A system are essential for maintenance of normal cardiac architecture. In addition, GC-A was shown to exert its cardioprotective effects by inhibiting angiotensin II-induced hypertrophic signaling, and recent evidence suggests that regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) subtype 4 is involved in the GC-A-mediated inhibition of Gαq-coupled hypertrophic signal transduction. Furthermore, several different groups have reported that functional mutations in the promoter region of the human GC-A gene are associated with essential hypertension and ventricular hypertrophy. These findings suggest that endogenous GC-A protects the heart from pathological hypertrophic stimuli, and that humans who express only low levels of GC-A are genetically predisposed to cardiac remodeling and hypertension

Constraints on the χ_(c1) versus χ_(c2) polarizations in proton-proton collisions at √s = 8 TeV

The polarizations of promptly produced χ_(c1) and χ_(c2) mesons are studied using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, in proton-proton collisions at √s=8  TeV. The χ_c states are reconstructed via their radiative decays χ_c → J/ψγ, with the photons being measured through conversions to e⁺e⁻, which allows the two states to be well resolved. The polarizations are measured in the helicity frame, through the analysis of the χ_(c2) to χ_(c1) yield ratio as a function of the polar or azimuthal angle of the positive muon emitted in the J/ψ → μ⁺μ⁻ decay, in three bins of J/ψ transverse momentum. While no differences are seen between the two states in terms of azimuthal decay angle distributions, they are observed to have significantly different polar anisotropies. The measurement favors a scenario where at least one of the two states is strongly polarized along the helicity quantization axis, in agreement with nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics predictions. This is the first measurement of significantly polarized quarkonia produced at high transverse momentum