Identifizierung und Charakterisierung eines neuen Bindeproteins für zyklische Nukleotide

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate are important intracellular messengers. Binding of cyclic nucleotides controls the activity of protein kinases, ion channels and guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors in many cells. The SCNBP (soluble cyclic nucleotide-binding protein) is a novel uncharacterized protein predicted to comprise a cyclic nucleotide-binding domain. This protein belongs to neither of the known families of effector proteins for cyclic nucleotides. Within 17 distinct species - from marine invertebrates to humans - genes orthologous to the mouse SCNBP are present. Hence, the SCNBP could belong to a novel class of effector proteins for cyclic nucleotides. Northern blot experiments with mouse tissue indicate that the mRNA of SCNBP is expressed predominantly in the testis and by means of in situ hybridization it was specifically detected in spermatocytes. In the present study, SCNBP expression has been analyzed in mouse testis utilizing specific antibodies. I could provide evidence that two distinct SCNBP variants are present in mouse testis. To approach the physiological function of SCNBP, I identified by immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry proteins in mouse testis that potentially interact with SCNBP. For a comprehensive biochemical study, SCNBP was heterologously expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Following fermentation of these cells in a stirred tank bioreactor I purified SCNBP by affinity chromatography

Cyclic nucleotides in tissues during long-term hypokinesia

Male Wistar rates were kept hypokinetic by placing them in small containers for 22 days. Blood plasma cAMP content was subsequently found increased, and cGMP content decreased, in the experimental animals. Liver and thymus cAMP content was similar in the control and experimental animals. There was a 20 and 38% decrease of cAMP content in the kidneys and spleen, respectively. Hypokinesia's reduction of cyclic nucleotides seems to inhibit RNA and protein synthesis

Role of Platelet-Activating Factor and Hypoxia in Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn — Studies with Perinatal Pulmonary Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) plays an important physiological role of maintaining a high vasomotor tone in fetal pulmonary circulation. At birth, endogenous vasodilators such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin are released and facilitate pulmonary vasodilation via cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP/PKA) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP/PKG) pathways. Interaction between the cyclic nucleotides and PAF receptor (PAFR)-mediated responses in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle is not well understood. To further understand the interactions of PAF-PAFR pathway and the cyclic nucleotides in ovine fetal pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (FPASMC), effects of cAMP and cGMP on PAFR-mediated responses in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC) were studied. Ovine FPASMC were incubated with 10μM cAMP or cGMP in normoxia (5% CO2 in air, pO2~100 Torr) or hypoxia (2% O2, 5% CO2, pO2~30-40 Torr). Proteins were prepared and subjected to Western blotting. Effect of cell permeable cAMP and cGMP on PAFR binding was also studied and effect of cAMP on cell proliferation was also studied by RNAi to PKA-Cα. cAMP and cGMP significantly decreased PAFR binding and protein expression in normoxia and hypoxia, more so in hypoxia, when PAFR expression was usually high. PKA-Cα siRNA demonstrated that inhibition of PAFR-mediated responses by the cyclic nucleotides occurred through PKA. These data suggest that the normally high levels of cyclic nucleotides in the normoxic newborn pulmonary circulation assist in the downregulation of postnatal PAFR-mediated responses and that under hypoxic conditions, increasing the levels of cyclic nucleotides will abrogate PAF-mediated vasoconstriction thereby ameliorating PAF-induced persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn

Induction of dark-adaptive retinomotor movement (cell elongation) in teleost retinal cones by cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate.

In the teleost retina, the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) undergo extensive movements (called retinomotor movements) in response to changes in light conditions and to an endogenous circadian rhythm. Photoreceptor movements serve to reposition the light-receptive outer segments and are effected by changes in inner segment length. Melanin granule movements within the RPE cells provide a movable melanin screen for rod outer segments. In the dark (night), cones elongate, rods contract, and pigment granules aggregate to the base of the RPE cell; in the light (day), these movements are reversed. We report here that treatments that elevate cytoplasmic cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate (cAMP) provoke retinomotor movements characteristic of nighttime dark adaptation, even in bright light at midday. To illustrate this response, we present a quantitative description of the effects of cyclic nucleotides on cone length in the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus. Cone elongation is induced when light-adapted retinas are exposed to exogenous cAMP analogues accompanied by phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (either by intraocular injection or in retinal organ culture). Cone movements is not affected by cyclic GMP analogies. Dose-response studies indicate that the extent, but not the rate, of cone elongation is proportional to the concentration of exogenous cAMP and analogue presented. As has been reported for other species, we find that levels of cAMP are significantly higher in dark- than in light-adapted green sunfish retinas. On the basis of these observations, we suggest that cAMP plays a role in the light and circadian regulation of teleost cone length

Phosphoproteins associated with cyclic nucleotide stimulation of ciliary motility in Paramecium

Permeabilized, MgATP-reactivated cells of Paramecium (models) respond to cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP by increasing forward swimming speed. In association with the motile response, cyclic AMP and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP (8-Br-cyclic GMP) stimulated protein phosphorylation. Cyclic AMP addition to permeabilized cells reproducibly stimulated the phosphorylation of 10 proteins, ranging in molecular weight from 15 to 110K (K = 10^3 M_r). 8-Br-cyclic GMP, which selectively activates the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase of Paramecium, stimulated the phosphorylation of a subset of the proteins phosphorylated by cyclic AMP. Ca^(2+) addition caused backward swimming and stimulated the phosphorylation of four substrates, including a 25K target that may also be phosphorylated in response to cyclic nucleotide addition. Ba^(2+) and Sr^(2+) also induced backward swimming, but did not cause detectable phosphorylation. To identify ciliary targets of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase activity, permeabilized cells were deciliated following reactivation of motility with Mg-[y-^(32)P]ATP in the presence or absence of cyclic nucleotide. Soluble proteins of the deciliation supernatant were enriched in 15 cyclic AMP-stimulated phosphoproteins, ranging in molecular weight from 15 to 95K. Most of the ciliary substrates were axonemal and could be released by high salt solution. A 29K protein that copurified in sucrose gradients with the 22S dynein, and a high molecular weight protein (greater than 300K) in the 19 S region were phosphorylated when cyclic AMP was added to permeabilized, motile cells. These data suggest that regulation of ciliary motility by cyclic AMP may include phosphorylation of dynein-associated proteins

Conformational studies of some small biological molecules and their interactions with metal ions

The solid Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes and complex salts of some thiamine analogues have been prepared. Their electronic spectra, I.R. spectra and Magnetic Moments are presented and discussed in terms of suggested coordination geometries for the complexes. In addition the solution conformations of the Gd(III), Dy(III) and Ho (III) complexes of some 3' , 5' cyclic nucleotides were determined quantitatively using NMR line broadening and line shifting techniques. Reactions of Mn(II) with the cyclic nucleotides were used to find the preferred binding sites on the ligands also using line broadening techniques

Perspectives on: Cyclic Nucleotide Microdomains and Signaling Specificity

The author provides an introduction to a special issue on cyclic nucleotides concerning four areas in cAMP compartmentation

Novel pharmacological actions of Trequinsin Hydrochloride improve human sperm cell motility and function

Background and purposeAsthenozoospermia is a leading cause of male infertility, but the development of pharmaceuticals to improve sperm motility has been hindered by the lack of effective screening platforms and knowledge of suitable molecular targets. We have demonstrated that a high throughput screening (HTS) strategy in conjunction with established in vitro tests can identify and characterise the action of compounds that improve sperm motility. The study aimed to apply HTS to identify new compounds from a novel small molecule library that increase intracellular calcium, [Ca2+]I, promote human sperm cell motility and systemically determine the mechanism of action. Experimental approach A validated HTS fluorometric [Ca2+]i assay was used to screen an in-house library of compounds. Trequinsin hydrochloride (a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor) was selected for detailed molecular (plate reader assays, electrophysiology and cyclic nucleotide measurement) and functional (motility and acrosome reaction) testing in sperm from healthy volunteer donors and, where possible, patients.   Key resultsThe fluorometric analysis identified Trequinsin as an efficacious agonist of [Ca2+]i, although less potent than progesterone (P4). Functionally, Trequinsin significantly increased cell hyperactivation and penetration into viscous medium in all donor sperm samples and cell hyperactivation in 22/25 (88%) patient sperm samples. The Trequinsin-induced [Ca2+]i response was cross-desensitised consistently by prostaglandin E1 but not with P4. Whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology confirmed that Trequinsin activates CatSper and partially inhibits potassium channel activity. Trequinsin also increases intracellular cGMP.   Conclusion and Implications Trequinsin exhibits a novel pharmacological profile in human sperm and may be a suitable lead compound for the development of new pharmaceuticals to improve patient sperm function and fertilisation potential