A cytoplasmic Slo3 isoform is expressed in somatic tissues

Slo3 is a pH-sensitive and weakly voltage-sensitive potassium channel that is essential for male fertility in mouse and whose expression is regarded as sperm-specific. These properties have proposed Slo3 as a candidate target for male contraceptive drugs. Nonetheless, the tissue distribution of Slo3 expression has not been rigorously studied yet. Applying computational and RT-PCR approaches, we identified expression of two short Slo3 isoforms in somatic mouse tissues such as brain, kidney and eye. These isoforms, which seem to result of transcription starting sites between exons 20 and 21, have an identical open reading frame, both encoding the terminal 381 amino acids of the cytosolic Slo3 domain. We corroborated the expression of these isoforms in mouse brain and testis by Western-blot. The complete isoform encoding the Slo3 ion channel was uniquely detected in testis, both at transcript and protein level. Although the functional role of the cytosolic Slo3 isoforms remains to be established, we propose that they may have a functional effect by modulating Slo channels trafficking and/or activity. This study confirms that expression of full-length Slo3 is sperm-specific but warns against developing contraceptive drugs targeting the C-terminal tail of Slo3 channels

Tissue stiffening coordinates morphogenesis by triggering collective cell migration in vivo.

Collective cell migration is essential for morphogenesis, tissue remodelling and cancer invasion. In vivo, groups of cells move in an orchestrated way through tissues. This movement involves mechanical as well as molecular interactions between cells and their environment. While the role of molecular signals in collective cell migration is comparatively well understood, how tissue mechanics influence collective cell migration in vivo remains unknown. Here we investigated the importance of mechanical cues in the collective migration of the Xenopus laevis neural crest cells, an embryonic cell population whose migratory behaviour has been likened to cancer invasion. We found that, during morphogenesis, the head mesoderm underlying the cephalic neural crest stiffens. This stiffening initiates an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in neural crest cells and triggers their collective migration. To detect changes in their mechanical environment, neural crest cells use mechanosensation mediated by the integrin-vinculin-talin complex. By performing mechanical and molecular manipulations, we show that mesoderm stiffening is necessary and sufficient to trigger neural crest migration. Finally, we demonstrate that convergent extension of the mesoderm, which starts during gastrulation, leads to increased mesoderm stiffness by increasing the cell density underneath the neural crest. These results show that convergent extension of the mesoderm has a role as a mechanical coordinator of morphogenesis, and reveal a link between two apparently unconnected processes-gastrulation and neural crest migration-via changes in tissue mechanics. Overall, we demonstrate that changes in substrate stiffness can trigger collective cell migration by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in vivo. More broadly, our results raise the idea that tissue mechanics combines with molecular effectors to coordinate morphogenesis

Mechanism of inhibition of mouse Slo3 (KCa5.1) potassium channels by quinine, quinidine, and barium.

Background and Purpose: Slo3 is a major component of the membrane potassium conductance, KSper, of mammalian spermatozoa and inhibition by quinine and barium alters their motility. The aim of this investigation was to determine the mechanism by which these drugs inhibit Slo3. Experimental approach: We studied block of mouse Slo3 (mSlo3) potassium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes by quinine, quinidine, and barium. Gain-of-function mSlo3 mutations were generated in order to explore state-dependence of inhibition. The interaction between quinidine and mSlo3 channels was modelled by in silico docking. Key results: We found that inhibition by several drugs known to block KSper also affected Slo3 with similar levels of inhibition. Inhibition by extracellular barium was prevented by increasing the extracellular potassium concentration. R196Q and F304Y mutations in the mSlo3 voltage-sensor and pore, respectively, both increased channel activity. The F304Y mutation did not alter the effects of barium, but increased the potency of inhibition by both quinine and quinidine approximately tenfold. This effect, however, was not observed with the R196Q mutation. Conclusions and Implications: Block of mSlo3 by quinine, quinidine, and barium is not state dependent. External barium inhibits mSlo3 by interacting with the selectivity filter, whilst quinine and quinidine block via the intracellular side by binding in a hydrophobic pocket formed by the S6 segment of each subunit. Furthermore, we propose that the Slo3 channel activation gate lies deep within the pore between F304 in the S6 segment and the selectivity filter

Arsenic Trioxide Induces a Beclin-1-Independent Autophagic Pathway Via Modulation of SnoN/SkiL Expression in Ovarian Carcinoma Cells

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), used to treat promyelocytic leukemia, triggers cell death via unknown mechanisms. To further our understanding of As2O3-induced death, we investigated its effects on transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling mediators in ovarian cells. Dysregulated TGFβ signaling is a characteristic of ovarian cancers. As2O3 reduced the protein expression of EVI1, TAK1, SMAD2/3, and TGFβRII while increasing SnoN/SkiL. EVI1 protein was modulated by treatment with the proteosome inhibitors, MG132 and PS-341/Velcade, suggesting that degradation occurs via the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway. The sensitivity of ovarian cells to As2O3–induced apoptosis correlated with expression of multidrug resistance protein 1. Interestingly, expression of SnoN was similar to LC3-II (autophagy marker) which increased with induction of cytoplasmic vacuolation preceding apoptosis. These vesicles were identified as autophagosomes based on transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining with EGFP-LC3. The addition of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (ROS scavenger) to As2O3-treated cells reversed changes in SnoN protein and the autophagic/apoptotic response. In contrast to Beclin-1 knockdown, siRNA targeting ATG5, ATG7, and hVps34 markedly reduced autophagy in As2O3-treated ovarian carcinoma cells. Further, treatment with SnoN siRNA markedly decreased LC3-II levels and increased PARP degradation (an apoptosis marker). Collectively, these findings suggest that As2O3 induces a Beclin-1 independent autophagic pathway in ovarian carcinoma cells and implicates SnoN in promoting As2O3-mediated autophagic cell survival