Mechanism and Kinetics of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Auto-<i>S</i>-nitrosation and Inactivation

Nitric oxide (NO), the product of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) reaction, was previously shown to result in <i>S</i>-nitrosation of the NOS Zn²⁺-tetrathiolate and inactivation of the enzyme. To probe the potential physiological significance of NOS <i>S</i>-nitrosation, we determined the inactivation time scale of the inducible NOS isoform (iNOS) and found it directly correlates with an increase in the level of iNOS <i>S</i>-nitrosation. A kinetic model of NOS inactivation in which arginine is treated as a suicide substrate was developed. In this model, NO synthesized at the heme cofactor is partitioned between release into solution (NO release pathway) and NOS <i>S-</i>nitrosation followed by NOS inactivation (inactivation pathway). Experimentally determined progress curves of NO formation were fit to the model. The NO release pathway was perturbed through addition of the NO traps oxymyoglobin (MbO₂) and β2 H-NOX, which yielded partition ratios between NO release and inactivation of ∼100 at 4 μM MbO₂ and ∼22000 at saturating trap concentrations. The results suggest that a portion of the NO synthesized at the heme cofactor reacts with the Zn²⁺-tetrathiolate without being released into solution. Perturbation of the inactivation pathway through addition of the reducing agent GSH or TCEP resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in the level of iNOS <i>S</i>-nitrosation that directly correlated with protection from iNOS inactivation. iNOS inactivation was most responsive to physiological concentrations of GSH with an apparent <i>K</i>_m value of 13 mM. NOS turnover that leads to NOS <i>S</i>-nitrosation might be a mechanism for controlling NOS activity, and NOS <i>S-</i>nitrosation could play a role in the physiological generation of nitrosothiols

Upregulation of CD11A on hematopoietic stem cells denotes the loss of long-term reconstitution potential.

Small numbers of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) generate large numbers of mature effector cells through the successive amplification of transiently proliferating progenitor cells. HSCs and their downstream progenitors have been extensively characterized based on their cell-surface phenotype and functional activities during transplantation assays. These cells dynamically lose and acquire specific sets of surface markers during differentiation, leading to the identification of markers that allow for more refined separation of HSCs from early hematopoietic progenitors. Here, we describe a marker, CD11A, which allows for the enhanced purification of mouse HSCs. We show through in vivo transplantations that upregulation of CD11A on HSCs denotes the loss of their long-term reconstitution potential. Surprisingly, nearly half of phenotypic HSCs (defined as Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34-) are CD11A(+) and lack long-term self-renewal potential. We propose that CD11A(+)Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34- cells are multipotent progenitors and CD11A-Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34- cells are true HSCs

Upregulation of CD11A on Hematopoietic Stem Cells Denotes the Loss of Long-Term Reconstitution Potential

Small numbers of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) generate large numbers of mature effector cells through the successive amplification of transiently proliferating progenitor cells. HSCs and their downstream progenitors have been extensively characterized based on their cell-surface phenotype and functional activities during transplantation assays. These cells dynamically lose and acquire specific sets of surface markers during differentiation, leading to the identification of markers that allow for more refined separation of HSCs from early hematopoietic progenitors. Here, we describe a marker, CD11A, which allows for the enhanced purification of mouse HSCs. We show through in vivo transplantations that upregulation of CD11A on HSCs denotes the loss of their long-term reconstitution potential. Surprisingly, nearly half of phenotypic HSCs (defined as Lin−KIT+SCA-1+CD150+CD34−) are CD11A+ and lack long-term self-renewal potential. We propose that CD11A+Lin−KIT+SCA-1+CD150+CD34− cells are multipotent progenitors and CD11A−Lin−KIT+SCA-1+CD150+CD34− cells are true HSCs

Upregulation of CD11A on hematopoietic stem cells denotes the loss of long-term reconstitution potential.

Small numbers of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) generate large numbers of mature effector cells through the successive amplification of transiently proliferating progenitor cells. HSCs and their downstream progenitors have been extensively characterized based on their cell-surface phenotype and functional activities during transplantation assays. These cells dynamically lose and acquire specific sets of surface markers during differentiation, leading to the identification of markers that allow for more refined separation of HSCs from early hematopoietic progenitors. Here, we describe a marker, CD11A, which allows for the enhanced purification of mouse HSCs. We show through in vivo transplantations that upregulation of CD11A on HSCs denotes the loss of their long-term reconstitution potential. Surprisingly, nearly half of phenotypic HSCs (defined as Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34-) are CD11A(+) and lack long-term self-renewal potential. We propose that CD11A(+)Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34- cells are multipotent progenitors and CD11A-Lin-KIT(+)SCA-1(+)CD150(+)CD34- cells are true HSCs

New tools for studying microglia in the mouse and human CNS

The specific function of microglia, the tissue resident macrophages of the brain and spinal cord, has been difficult to ascertain because of a lack of tools to distinguish microglia from other immune cells, thereby limiting specific immunostaining, purification, and manipulation. Because of their unique developmental origins and predicted functions, the distinction of microglia from other myeloid cells is critically important for understanding brain development and disease; better tools would greatly facilitate studies of microglia function in the developing, adult, and injured CNS. Here, we identify transmembrane protein 119 (Tmem119), a cell-surface protein of unknown function, as a highly expressed microglia-specific marker in both mouse and human. We developed monoclonal antibodies to its intracellular and extracellular domains that enable the immunostaining of microglia in histological sections in healthy and diseased brains, as well as isolation of pure nonactivated microglia by FACS. Using our antibodies, we provide, to our knowledge, the first RNAseq profiles of highly pure mouse microglia during development and after an immune challenge. We used these to demonstrate that mouse microglia mature by the second postnatal week and to predict novel microglial functions. Together, we anticipate these resources will be valuable for the future study and understanding of microglia in health and disease