Protein kinase CK2 inhibition suppresses neointima formation via a proline-rich homeodomain-dependent mechanism

Neointimal hyperplasia is a product of VSMC replication and consequent accumulation within the blood vessel wall. In this study, we determined whether inhibition of protein kinase CK2 and the resultant stabilisation of proline-rich homeodomain (PRH) could suppress VSMC proliferation. Both silencing and pharmacological inhibition of CK2 with K66 antagonised replication of isolated VSMCs. SiRNA-induced knockdown as well as ectopic overexpression of proline-rich homeodomain indicated that PRH disrupts cell cycle progression. Mutation of CK2 phosphorylation sites Ser163 and Ser177 within the PRH homeodomain enabled prolonged cell cycle arrest by PRH. Concomitant knockdown of PRH and inhibition of CK2 with K66 indicated that the anti-proliferative action of K66 required the presence of PRH. Both K66 and adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of S163C:S177C PRH impaired neointima formation in human saphenous vein organ cultures. Importantly, neither intervention had notable effects on cell cycle progression, cell survival or migration in cultured endothelial cells

Cigarette smoke extract profoundly suppresses TNFα-mediated proinflammatory gene expression through upregulation of ATF3 in human coronary artery endothelial cells

Endothelial dysfunction caused by the combined action of disturbed flow, inflammatory mediators and oxidants derived from cigarette smoke is known to promote coronary atherosclerosis and increase the likelihood of myocardial infarctions and strokes. Conversely, laminar flow protects against endothelial dysfunction, at least in the initial phases of atherogenesis. We studied the effects of TNFα and cigarette smoke extract on human coronary artery endothelial cells under oscillatory, normal laminar and elevated laminar shear stress for a period of 72 hours. We found, firstly, that laminar flow fails to overcome the inflammatory effects of TNFα under these conditions but that cigarette smoke induces an anti-oxidant response that appears to reduce endothelial inflammation. Elevated laminar flow, TNFα and cigarette smoke extract synergise to induce expression of the transcriptional regulator activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), which we show by adenovirus driven overexpression, decreases inflammatory gene expression independently of activation of nuclear factor-κB. Our results illustrate the importance of studying endothelial dysfunction in vitro over prolonged periods. They also identify ATF3 as an important protective factor against endothelial dysfunction. Modulation of ATF3 expression may represent a novel approach to modulate proinflammatory gene expression and open new therapeutic avenues to treat proinflammatory diseases

Features of adenosine metabolism of mouse heart

Adenosine metabolism and transport were evaluated in the isolated perfused mouse heart and compared with the well-established model of isolated perfused guinea pig heart. Coronary venous release of adenosine under well-oxygenated conditions in the mouse exceeds that in the guinea pig threefold when related to tissue mass. Total myocardial adenosine production rate under this condition was approximately 2 nmol/min per gramme and similar in both species. Coronary resistance vessels of mice are highly sensitive to exogenous adenosine, and the threshold for adenosine-induced vasodilation is approximately 30 nmol/l. Adenosine membrane transport was largely insensitive to nitrobenzyl-thioinosine (NBTI) in mouse heart, which is in contrast to guinea pig and several other species. This indicates the dominance of NBTI-insensitive transporters in mouse heart. For future studies, the assessment of cytosolic and extracellular adenosine metabolism and its relationship with coronary flow will require the use of more effective membrane transport blockers

Neurotrophin p75 receptor (p75NTR) promotes endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibits angiogenesis:implications for diabetes-induced impaired neovascularization in ischemic limb muscles

Diabetes impairs endothelial function and reparative neovascularization. The p75 receptor of neurotrophins (p75<sup>NTR</sup>), which is scarcely present in healthy endothelial cells (ECs), becomes strongly expressed by capillary ECs after induction of peripheral ischemia in type-1 diabetic mice. Here, we show that gene transfer-induced p75<sup>NTR</sup> expression impairs the survival, proliferation, migration, and adhesion capacities of cultured ECs and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and inhibits angiogenesis in vitro. Moreover, intramuscular p75<sup>NTR</sup> gene delivery impairs neovascularization and blood flow recovery in a mouse model of limb ischemia. These disturbed functions are associated with suppression of signaling mechanisms implicated in EC survival and angiogenesis. In fact, p75<sup>NTR</sup> depresses the VEGF-A/Akt/eNOS/NO pathway and additionally reduces the mRNA levels ofITGB1 [beta (1) integrin], BIRC5 (survivin), PTTG1 (securin) and VEZF1. Diabetic mice, which typically show impaired postischemic muscular neovascularization and blood perfusion recovery, have these defects corrected by intramuscular gene transfer of a dominant negative mutant form of p75<sup>NTR</sup>. Collectively, our data newly demonstrate the antiangiogenic action of p75<sup>NTR</sup> and open new avenues for the therapeutic use of p75<sup>NTR</sup> inhibition to combat diabetes-induced microvascular liabilities

Firefly Luciferase and Rluc8 Exhibit Differential Sensitivity to Oxidative Stress in Apoptotic Cells

Over the past decade, firefly Luciferase (fLuc) has been used in a wide range of biological assays, providing insight into gene regulation, protein-protein interactions, cell proliferation, and cell migration. However, it has also been well established that fLuc activity can be highly sensitive to its surrounding environment. In this study, we found that when various cancer cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7, and 293T) stably expressing fLuc were treated with staurosporine (STS), there was a rapid loss in bioluminescence. In contrast, a stable variant of Renilla luciferase (RLuc), RLuc8, exhibited significantly prolonged functionality under the same conditions. To identify the specific underlying mechanism(s) responsible for the disparate sensitivity of RLuc8 and fLuc to cellular stress, we conducted a series of inhibition studies that targeted known intracellular protein degradation/modification pathways associated with cell death. Interestingly, these studies suggested that reactive oxygen species, particularly hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), was responsible for the diminution of fLuc activity. Consistent with these findings, the direct application of H2O2 to HeLa cells also led to a reduction in fLuc bioluminescence, while H2O2 scavengers stabilized fLuc activity. Comparatively, RLuc8 was far less sensitive to ROS. These observations suggest that fLuc activity can be substantially altered in studies where ROS levels become elevated and can potentially lead to ambiguous or misleading findings

Transcriptional Mutagenesis Induced by 8-Oxoguanine in Mammalian Cells

Most of the somatic cells of adult metazoans, including mammals, do not undergo continuous cycles of replication. Instead, they are quiescent and devote most of their metabolic activity to gene expression. The mutagenic consequences of exposure to DNA–damaging agents are well documented, but less is known about the impact of DNA lesions on transcription. To investigate this impact, we developed a luciferase-based expression system. This system consists of two types of construct composed of a DNA template containing an 8-oxoguanine, paired either with a thymine or a cytosine, placed at defined positions along the transcribed strand of the reporter gene. Analyses of luciferase gene expression from the two types of construct showed that efficient but error-prone transcriptional bypass of 8-oxoguanine occurred in vivo, and that this lesion was not repaired by the transcription-coupled repair machinery in mammalian cells. The analysis of luciferase activity expressed from 8OG:T-containing constructs indicated that the magnitude of erroneous transcription events involving 8-oxoguanine depended on the sequence contexts surrounding the lesion. Additionally, sequencing of the transcript population expressed from these constructs showed that RNA polymerase II mostly inserted an adenine opposite to 8-oxoguanine. Analysis of luciferase expression from 8OG:C-containing constructs showed that the generated aberrant mRNAs led to the production of mutant proteins with the potential to induce a long-term phenotypical change. These findings reveal that erroneous transcription over DNA lesions may induce phenotypical changes with the potential to alter the fate of non-replicating cells

Purinergic signalling and immune cells

This review article provides a historical perspective on the role of purinergic signalling in the regulation of various subsets of immune cells from early discoveries to current understanding. It is now recognised that adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and other nucleotides are released from cells following stress or injury. They can act on virtually all subsets of immune cells through a spectrum of P2X ligand-gated ion channels and G protein-coupled P2Y receptors. Furthermore, ATP is rapidly degraded into adenosine by ectonucleotidases such as CD39 and CD73, and adenosine exerts additional regulatory effects through its own receptors. The resulting effect ranges from stimulation to tolerance depending on the amount and time courses of nucleotides released, and the balance between ATP and adenosine. This review identifies the various receptors involved in the different subsets of immune cells and their effects on the function of these cells

Stepwise removal of the C-terminal 12 amino acids of firefly luciferase results in graded loss of activity

The C-terminus of the firefly luciferase (550 amino acids) was engineered using PCR followed by in vitro transcription-translation in order to investigate the role of the last 12 amino acids in the bioluminescence. Coding sequences were removed stepwise and the decapeptide MRSAMSGLHL, a putative AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation site, was used to replace the last 8-12 amino acids in order to test for amino acid specificity at the C-terminus. Removal of up to seven of the C-terminal amino acids resulted in no detectable loss of bioluminescent activity. However, the luciferase activity decreased stepwise from 50 to 0.1% when 8-12 amino acids were removed. Replacement of amino acids 539-550 and 543-550 by MRSAMSGLHL generated luciferases that retained 22 and 35% of catalytic activity respectively. These results have important implications for the further development of engineered luciferases as intracellular indicators and the understanding of the active centre of beetle luciferases