ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-BI: hormonal regulation in primary rat hepatocytes and human cell lines.

PubMed

Sporstøl, Marita; Mousavi, Seyed Ali; Eskild, Winnie; Roos, Norbert; Berg, Trond

2007-01-22

Scavenger receptor type B class I (SR-BI), ABC transporter A1 (ABCA1) -and G1 (ABCG1) all play important roles in the reverse cholesterol transport. Reverse cholesterol transport is a mechanism whereby the body can eliminate excess cholesterol. Here, the regulation of SR-BI, ABCA1, and ABCG1 by dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) and insulin were studied in order to gain more insight into the role of these two hormones in the cholesterol metabolism. By use of real time RT-PCR and Western blotting we examined the expression of our target genes. The results show that SR-BI, ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA expression increased in response to dexamethasone while insulin treatment reduced the expression in primary rat hepatocytes. The stimulatory effect of dexamethasone was reduced by the addition of the anti-glucocorticoid mifepristone. In HepG2 cells and THP-1 macrophages, however, the effect of dexamethasone was absent or inhibitory with no significant change in the presence of mifepristone. The latter observation may be a result of the low protein expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in these cell lines. Our results illustrates that insulin and glucocorticoids, two hormones crucial in the carbohydrate metabolism, also play an important role in the regulation of genes central in reverse cholesterol transport. We found a marked difference in mRNA expression between the primary cells and the two established cell lines when studying the effect of dexamethasone which may result from the varying expression levels of GR.

Cellular cholesterol regulates ubiquitination and degradation of the cholesterol export proteins ABCA1 and ABCG1.

PubMed

Hsieh, Victar; Kim, Mi-Jurng; Gelissen, Ingrid C; Brown, Andrew J; Sandoval, Cecilia; Hallab, Jeannette C; Kockx, Maaike; Traini, Mathew; Jessup, Wendy; Kritharides, Leonard

2014-03-14

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of cholesterol in post-translational control of ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein expression. Using CHO cell lines stably expressing human ABCA1 or ABCG1, we observed that the abundance of these proteins is increased by cell cholesterol loading. The response to increased cholesterol is rapid, is independent of transcription, and appears to be specific for these membrane proteins. The effect is mediated through cholesterol-dependent inhibition of transporter protein degradation. Cell cholesterol loading similarly regulates degradation of endogenously expressed ABCA1 and ABCG1 in human THP-1 macrophages. Turnover of ABCA1 and ABCG1 is strongly inhibited by proteasomal inhibitors and is unresponsive to inhibitors of lysosomal proteolysis. Furthermore, cell cholesterol loading inhibits ubiquitination of ABCA1 and ABCG1. Our findings provide evidence for a rapid, cholesterol-dependent, post-translational control of ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein levels, mediated through a specific and sterol-sensitive mechanism for suppression of transporter protein ubiquitination, which in turn decreases proteasomal degradation. This provides a mechanism for acute fine-tuning of cholesterol transporter activity in response to fluctuations in cell cholesterol levels, in addition to the longer term cholesterol-dependent transcriptional regulation of these genes.

Cellular Cholesterol Regulates Ubiquitination and Degradation of the Cholesterol Export Proteins ABCA1 and ABCG1*

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Victar; Kim, Mi-Jurng; Gelissen, Ingrid C.; Brown, Andrew J.; Sandoval, Cecilia; Hallab, Jeannette C.; Kockx, Maaike; Traini, Mathew; Jessup, Wendy; Kritharides, Leonard

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the influence of cholesterol in post-translational control of ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein expression. Using CHO cell lines stably expressing human ABCA1 or ABCG1, we observed that the abundance of these proteins is increased by cell cholesterol loading. The response to increased cholesterol is rapid, is independent of transcription, and appears to be specific for these membrane proteins. The effect is mediated through cholesterol-dependent inhibition of transporter protein degradation. Cell cholesterol loading similarly regulates degradation of endogenously expressed ABCA1 and ABCG1 in human THP-1 macrophages. Turnover of ABCA1 and ABCG1 is strongly inhibited by proteasomal inhibitors and is unresponsive to inhibitors of lysosomal proteolysis. Furthermore, cell cholesterol loading inhibits ubiquitination of ABCA1 and ABCG1. Our findings provide evidence for a rapid, cholesterol-dependent, post-translational control of ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein levels, mediated through a specific and sterol-sensitive mechanism for suppression of transporter protein ubiquitination, which in turn decreases proteasomal degradation. This provides a mechanism for acute fine-tuning of cholesterol transporter activity in response to fluctuations in cell cholesterol levels, in addition to the longer term cholesterol-dependent transcriptional regulation of these genes. PMID:24500716

Cellular Cholesterol Accumulation Facilitates Ubiquitination and Lysosomal Degradation of Cell Surface-Resident ABCA1.

PubMed

Mizuno, Tadahaya; Hayashi, Hisamitsu; Kusuhara, Hiroyuki

2015-06-01

By excreting cellular cholesterol to apolipoprotein A-I, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates the biogenesis of high-density lipoprotein in hepatocytes and prevents foam cell formation from macrophages. We recently showed that cell surface-resident ABCA1 (csABCA1) undergoes ubiquitination and later lysosomal degradation through the endosomal sorting complex required for transport system. Herein, we investigated the relevance of this degradation pathway to the turnover of csABCA1 in hypercholesterolemia. Immunoprecipitation and cell surface-biotinylation studies with HepG2 cells and mouse peritoneal macrophages showed that the ubiquitination level and degradation of csABCA1 were facilitated by treatment with a liver X receptor (LXR) agonist and acetylated low-density lipoprotein. The effects of an LXR agonist and acetylated low-density lipoprotein on the degradation of csABCA1 were repressed completely by treatment with bafilomycin, an inhibitor of lysosomal degradation, and by depletion of tumor susceptibility gene 101, a major component of endosomal sorting complex required for transport-I. RNAi analysis indicated that LXRβ inhibited the accelerated lysosomal degradation of csABCA1 by the LXR agonist, regardless of its transcriptional activity. Cell surface coimmunoprecipitation with COS1 cells expressing extracellularly hemagglutinin-tagged ABCA1 showed that LXRβ interacted with csABCA1 and inhibited the ubiquitination of csABCA1. Immunoprecipitates with anti-ABCA1 antibodies from the liver plasma membranes showed less LXRβ and a higher ubiquitination level of ABCA1 in high-fat diet-fed mice than in normal chow-fed mice. Under conditions of high cellular cholesterol content, csABCA1 became susceptible to ubiquitination by dissociation of LXRβ from csABCA1, which facilitated the lysosomal degradation of csABCA1 through the endosomal sorting complex required for transport system. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

A survey of ABCA1 sequence variation confirms association with dementia

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Chandra A.; Hong, Mun-Gwan; Eriksson, Ulrika K.; Blennow, Kaj; Bennet, Anna M.; Johansson, Boo; Malmberg, Bo; Berg, Stig; Wiklund, Fredrik; Gatz, Margaret; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Prince, Jonathan A.

2009-01-01

We and others have conducted targeted genetic association analyses of ABCA1 in relation to Alzheimer disease risk with a resultant mixture of both support and refutation, but all previous studies have been based upon only a few markers. Here, a detailed survey of genetic variation in the ABCA1 region has been performed in a total of 1567 Swedish dementia cases (including 1275 with Alzheimer disease) and 2203 controls, providing evidence of association with maximum significance at marker rs2230805 (OR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.23–1.57, P = 7.7 × 10−8). Haplotype-based tests confirmed association of this genomic region after excluding rs2230805, and imputation did not reveal additional markers with greater support. Significantly associating markers reside in two distinct linkage disequilibrium blocks with maxima near the promoter and in the terminal exon of a truncated ABCA1 splice-form. The putative risk allele of rs2230805 was also found to be associated with reduced cerebrospinal fluid levels of β-amyloid. The strongest evidence of association was obtained when all forms of dementia were considered together, but effect sizes were similar when only confirmed Alzheimer disease cases were assessed. Results further implicate ABCA1 in dementia, reinforcing the putative involvement of lipid transport in neurodegenerative disease. PMID:19606474

Deficiency in the Lipid Exporter ABCA1 Impairs Retrograde Sterol Movement and Disrupts Sterol Sensing at the Endoplasmic Reticulum*♦

PubMed Central

Yamauchi, Yoshio; Iwamoto, Noriyuki; Rogers, Maximillian A.; Abe-Dohmae, Sumiko; Fujimoto, Toyoshi; Chang, Catherine C. Y.; Ishigami, Masato; Kishimoto, Takuma; Kobayashi, Toshihide; Ueda, Kazumitsu; Furukawa, Koichi; Chang, Ta-Yuan; Yokoyama, Shinji

2015-01-01

Cellular cholesterol homeostasis involves sterol sensing at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and sterol export from the plasma membrane (PM). Sterol sensing at the ER requires efficient sterol delivery from the PM; however, the macromolecules that facilitate retrograde sterol transport at the PM have not been identified. ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates cholesterol and phospholipid export to apolipoprotein A-I for the assembly of high density lipoprotein (HDL). Mutations in ABCA1 cause Tangier disease, a familial HDL deficiency. Several lines of clinical and experimental evidence suggest a second function of ABCA1 in cellular cholesterol homeostasis in addition to mediating cholesterol efflux. Here, we report the unexpected finding that ABCA1 also plays a key role in facilitating retrograde sterol transport from the PM to the ER for sterol sensing. Deficiency in ABCA1 delays sterol esterification at the ER and activates the SREBP-2 cleavage pathway. The intrinsic ATPase activity in ABCA1 is required to facilitate retrograde sterol transport. ABCA1 deficiency causes alternation of PM composition and hampers a clathrin-independent endocytic activity that is required for ER sterol sensing. Our finding identifies ABCA1 as a key macromolecule facilitating bidirectional sterol movement at the PM and shows that ABCA1 controls retrograde sterol transport by modulating a certain clathrin-independent endocytic process. PMID:26198636

Pim-1L Protects Cell Surface-Resident ABCA1 From Lysosomal Degradation in Hepatocytes and Thereby Regulates Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein Level.

PubMed

Katsube, Akira; Hayashi, Hisamitsu; Kusuhara, Hiroyuki

2016-12-01

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) exerts an atheroprotective action through the biogenesis of high-density lipoprotein in hepatocytes and prevents the formation of foam cells from macrophages. Controlling ABCA1 is a rational approach to improving atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Although much is known about the regulatory mechanism of ABCA1 synthesis, the molecular mechanism underpinning its degradation remains to be clearly described. ABCA1 possesses potential sites of phosphorylation by serine/threonine-protein kinase Pim-1 (Pim-1). Pim-1 depletion decreased the expression of cell surface-resident ABCA1 (csABCA1) and apolipoprotein A-I-mediated [ 3 H]cholesterol efflux in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2, but not in peritoneal macrophages from mice. In vitro kinase assay, immunoprecipitation, and immunocytochemistry suggested phosphorylation of csABCA1 by the long form of Pim-1 (Pim-1L). Cell surface biotinylation indicated that Pim-1L inhibited lysosomal degradation of csABCA1 involving the liver X receptor β, which interacts with csABCA1 and thereby protects it from ubiquitination and subsequent lysosomal degradation. Cell surface coimmunoprecipitation with COS-1 cells expressing extracellularly hemagglutinin-tagged ABCA1 showed that Pim-1L-mediated phosphorylation of csABCA1 facilitated the interaction between csABCA1 and liver X receptor β and thereby stabilized the csABCA1-Pim-1L complex. Mice deficient in Pim-1 kinase activity showed lower expression of ABCA1 in liver plasma membranes and lower plasma high-density lipoprotein levels than control mice. Pim-1L protects hepatic csABCA1 from lysosomal degradation by facilitating the physical interaction between csABCA1 and liver X receptor β and subsequent stabilization of the csABCA1-Pim-1L complex and thereby regulates the circulating level of high-density lipoprotein. Our findings may aid the development of high-density lipoprotein-targeted therapy. © 2016 American Heart Association

Piperine inhibits ABCA1 degradation and promotes cholesterol efflux from THP‐1‐derived macrophages

PubMed Central

Wang, Limei; Palme, Veronika; Rotter, Susanne; Schilcher, Nicole; Cukaj, Malsor; Wang, Dongdong; Ladurner, Angela; Heiss, Elke H.; Stangl, Herbert; Dirsch, Verena M.

2016-01-01

1 Scope Increased macrophage cholesterol efflux (ChE) is considered to have anti‐atherosclerotic effect counteracting cardiovascular disease. The principle pungent ingredient of the fruits of Piper nigrum, piperine, is identified in this study as a ChE inducer in THP‐1‐derived macrophages, and mechanisms underlying this effect are explored. 2 Methods and results Without affecting cell viability, piperine concentration‐dependently enhances ChE in THP‐1‐derived macrophages from 25 to 100 μM. The expression level of the key cholesterol transporter protein ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is significantly upregulated by piperine, as revealed by western blot analyses. However, two other ChE‐mediating transporter proteins, ATP‐binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) and scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SR‐B1), remain unaffected. Piperine exerts no influence on ABCA1 mRNA levels, but significantly inhibits the degradation of ABCA1, as evident by an increased half‐life of the protein in the presence of cycloheximide. Furthermore, it is found that piperine likely interferes with the calpain‐mediated ABCA1 degradation pathway and exhibits significant inhibition of calpain activity. 3 Conclusion Our findings suggest that piperine promotes ChE in THP‐1‐derived macrophages by upregulation of ABCA1, which might be mediated by inhibition of calpain activity. This novel bioactivity makes the dietary constituent piperine a good candidate to be further explored for therapeutic or preventive applications in the context of atherosclerosis. PMID:27862930

Gender-specific association of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) polymorphisms with the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Sundar, Purnima Desai; Feingold, Eleanor; Minster, Ryan L; DeKosky, Steven T; Kamboh, M Ilyas

2007-06-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Increasing evidence highlights a potential role for cholesterol in the pathophysiology of AD. The ABCA1 gene, located in close vicinity to the 9q linkage peaks identified by genome-wide AD linkage studies, plays an important role in cellular cholesterol efflux, and is likely a good candidate gene. However, results from published genetic association studies between ABCA1 and AD are ambiguous. In the present study, we examined the role of two ABCA1 polymorphisms, R219K (rs2230806) and G-17C (rs2740483) in modifying the risk of late-onset AD (LOAD) in a large American white cohort of 992 AD cases and 699 controls. We observed significant gender x R219K interaction (p=0.00008). Female carriers of the 219K allele showed a 1.75-fold increased risk of developing AD compared to non-219K carrier females (95% CI 1.34-2.29; p=0.00004). The overall two-site haplotype distribution was also significant between female AD cases and controls (p=0.017). The risk associated with the R219K polymorphism was independent of the recently reported significant association in the ubiquilin (UBQLN1) gene in this region on chromosome 9q. Our data suggest a gender-specific and APOE and UBQLN1 independent association between the ABCA1/R219K polymorphism and LOAD.

Puerarin promotes ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux and decreases cellular lipid accumulation in THP-1 macrophages.

PubMed

Li, Cong-Hui; Gong, Duo; Chen, Ling-Yan; Zhang, Min; Xia, Xiao-Dan; Cheng, Hai-Peng; Huang, Chong; Zhao, Zhen-Wang; Zheng, Xi-Long; Tang, Xiao-Er; Tang, Chao-Ke

2017-09-15

It was reported that puerarin decreases the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG) and increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. This study was designed to determine whether puerarin decreased lipid accumulation via up-regulation of ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Our results showed that puerarin significantly promoted the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mRNA and protein via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ)-liver X receptor-alpha (LXR-α) pathway and decreased cellular lipid accumulation in human THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. The miR-7 directly targeted 3' untranslated region of STK11 (Serine/Threonine Kinase 11), which activated the AMPK pathway. Transfection with miR-7 mimic significantly reduced STK11 expression in puerarin-treated macrophages, decreased the phosphorylation of AMPK, down-regulated the expression of the PPARγ-LXR-α-ABCA1 expression. Additionally, treatment with miR-7 decreased cholesterol efflux and increased cholesterol levels in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Our study demonstrates that puerarin promotes ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux and decreases intracellular cholesterol levels through the pathway involving miR-7, STK11, and the AMPK-PPARγ-LXR-α-ABCA1 cascade. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase, HECTD1, is involved in ABCA1-mediated cholesterol export from macrophages.

PubMed

Aleidi, Shereen M; Yang, Alryel; Sharpe, Laura J; Rao, Geetha; Cochran, Blake J; Rye, Kerry-Anne; Kockx, Maaike; Brown, Andrew J; Gelissen, Ingrid C

2018-04-01

The ABC lipid transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, are essential for maintaining lipid homeostasis in cells such as macrophages by exporting excess cholesterol to extracellular acceptors. These transporters are highly regulated at the post-translational level, including protein ubiquitination. Our aim was to investigate the role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HECTD1, recently identified as associated with ABCG1, on ABCG1 and ABCA1 protein levels and cholesterol export function. Here, we show that HECTD1 protein is widely expressed in a range of human and murine primary cells and cell lines, including macrophages, neuronal cells and insulin secreting β-cells. siRNA knockdown of HECTD1 unexpectedly decreased overexpressed ABCG1 protein levels and cell growth, but increased native ABCA1 protein in CHO-K1 cells. Knockdown of HECTD1 in unloaded THP-1 macrophages did not affect ABCG1 but significantly increased ABCA1 protein levels, in wild-type as well as THP-1 cells that do not express ABCG1. Cholesterol export from macrophages to apoA-I over time was increased after knockdown of HECTD1, however these effects were not sustained in cholesterol-loaded cells. In conclusion, we have identified a new candidate, the E3 ubiquitin ligase HECTD1, that may be involved in the regulation of ABCA1-mediated cholesterol export from unloaded macrophages to apoA-I. The exact mechanism by which this ligase affects this pathway remains to be elucidated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ABCA1 gene variants regulate postprandial lipid metabolism in healthy men

PubMed Central

Delgado-Lista, Javier; Perez-Martinez, Pablo; Perez-Jimenez, Francisco; Garcia-Rios, Antonio; Fuentes, Francisco; Marin, Carmen; Gómez-Luna, Purificación; Camargo, Antonio; Parnell, Laurence D; Ordovas, Jose Maria; Lopez-Miranda, Jose

2010-01-01

Objective Genetic variants of ABCA1, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, have been linked to altered atherosclerosis progression and fasting lipid concentration, mainly high density lipoproteins (HDL) and Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1), but results from different studies have been inconsistent. Methods and results In order to further characterize the effects of ABCA1 variants in human postprandial lipid metabolism, we studied the influence of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) [i27943 (rs2575875); i48168 (rs4149272); R219K (rs2230806)] in the postprandial lipemia of 88 normolipidemic young men, who were given a fatty meal. For i27943 and i48168 SNPs, fasting and postprandial values of APOA1 were higher, and postprandial lipemia was much lower in homozygotes for the major alleles, for total triglycerides in plasma, and large-triglyceride rich lipoproteins (TRL) triglycerides. These persons also showed higher APOA1/APOB ratio. Major allele homozygotes for i48168 and i27943 showed additionally higher HDL and lower postprandial Apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Conclusions Our work shows that major allele homozygotes for ABCA1 SNPs i27943 and i48168 have a lower postprandial response as compared to minor allele carriers. This finding may further characterize the role of ABCA1 in lipid metabolism. PMID:20185793

Hsp27 promotes ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux through the PI3K/PKCζ/Sp1 pathway in THP-1 macrophages.

PubMed

Kuang, Hai-Jun; Zhao, Guo-Jun; Chen, Wu-Jun; Zhang, Min; Zeng, Gao-Feng; Zheng, Xi-Long; Tang, Chao-Ke

2017-09-05

Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is a putative biomarker and therapeutic target in atherosclerosis. This study was to explore the potential mechanisms underlying Hsp27 effects on ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and cellular cholesterol efflux. THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells were infected with adenovirus to express wild-type Hsp27, hyper-phosphorylated Hsp27 mimic (3D Hsp27), antisense Hsp27 or hypo-phosphorylated Hsp27 mimic (3A Hsp27). Wild-type and 3D Hsp27 were found to up-regulate ABCA1 mRNA and protein expression and increase cholesterol efflux from cells. Expression of antisense or 3A Hsp27 suppressed the expression of ABCA1 and cholesterol efflux. Furthermore, over-expression of wild-type and 3D Hsp27 significantly increased the levels of phosphorylated specificity protein 1 (Sp1), protein kinase C ζ (PKCζ) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). In addition, the up-regulation of ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux induced by 3D Hsp27 was suppressed by inhibition of Sp1, PKCζ and PI3K with specific kinase inhibitors. Taken together, our results revealed that Hsp27 may up-regulate the expression of ABCA1 and promotes cholesterol efflux through activation of the PI3K/PKCζ/Sp1 signal pathway in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Our findings may partly explain the mechanisms underlying the anti-atherogenic effect of Hsp27. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of miR-33a-5P on ABCA1/G1-Mediated Cholesterol Efflux under Inflammatory Stress in THP-1 Macrophages

PubMed Central

Mao, Min; Lei, Han; Liu, Qing; Chen, Yaxi; Zhao, Lei; Li, Qing; Luo, Suxin; Zuo, Zhong; He, Quan; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Nan; Zhou, Chao; Ruan, Xiong Z.

2014-01-01

The present study is to investigate whether inflammatory cytokines inhibit ABCA1/ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux by regulating miR-33a-5P in THP-1 macrophages. We used interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the presence or absence of native low density lipoprotein (LDL) to stimulate THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 macrophages were infected by either control lentivirus vectors or lentivirus encoding miR-33a-5P or antisense miR-33a-5P. The effects of inflammatory cytokines, miR-33a-5P and antisense miR-33a-5P on intracellular lipids accumulation and intracellular cholesterol contents were assessed by oil red O staining and quantitative intracellular cholesterol assay. ApoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux was examined using the fluorescent sterol (BODIPY-cholesterol). The gene and protein expressions of the molecules involved in cholesterol trafficking were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Inflammatory cytokines or miR-33a-5P increased intracellular lipid accumulation and decreased apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux via decreasing the expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the absence or presence of LDL in THP-1 macrophages. However, antisense miR-33a-5P reversed the effects of inflammatory cytokines on intracellular lipid accumulation, cholesterol efflux, and the expression of miR-33a-5P, ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the absence or presence of LDL in THP-1 macrophages. This study indicated that inflammatory cytokines inhibited ABCA1/ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux by up-regulating miR-33a-5P in THP-1 macrophages. PMID:25329888

Effects of miR-33a-5P on ABCA1/G1-mediated cholesterol efflux under inflammatory stress in THP-1 macrophages.

PubMed

Mao, Min; Lei, Han; Liu, Qing; Chen, Yaxi; Zhao, Lei; Li, Qing; Luo, Suxin; Zuo, Zhong; He, Quan; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Nan; Zhou, Chao; Ruan, Xiong Z

2014-01-01

The present study is to investigate whether inflammatory cytokines inhibit ABCA1/ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux by regulating miR-33a-5P in THP-1 macrophages. We used interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the presence or absence of native low density lipoprotein (LDL) to stimulate THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 macrophages were infected by either control lentivirus vectors or lentivirus encoding miR-33a-5P or antisense miR-33a-5P. The effects of inflammatory cytokines, miR-33a-5P and antisense miR-33a-5P on intracellular lipids accumulation and intracellular cholesterol contents were assessed by oil red O staining and quantitative intracellular cholesterol assay. ApoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux was examined using the fluorescent sterol (BODIPY-cholesterol). The gene and protein expressions of the molecules involved in cholesterol trafficking were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Inflammatory cytokines or miR-33a-5P increased intracellular lipid accumulation and decreased apoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux via decreasing the expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the absence or presence of LDL in THP-1 macrophages. However, antisense miR-33a-5P reversed the effects of inflammatory cytokines on intracellular lipid accumulation, cholesterol efflux, and the expression of miR-33a-5P, ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the absence or presence of LDL in THP-1 macrophages. This study indicated that inflammatory cytokines inhibited ABCA1/ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux by up-regulating miR-33a-5P in THP-1 macrophages.

Activation of Liver X Receptor Decreases Atherosclerosis in Ldlr−/− mice in the Absence of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in Myeloid Cells

PubMed Central

Kappus, Mojdeh S.; Murphy, Andrew J.; Abramowicz, Sandra; Ntonga, Vusisizwe; Welch, Carrie L.; Tall, Alan R.; Westerterp, Marit

2014-01-01

Objective Liver X Receptor (LXR) activators decrease atherosclerosis in mice. LXR activators (1) directly up-regulate genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) and (2) exert anti-inflammatory effects mediated by transrepression of NFκB target genes. We investigated whether myeloid cell deficiency of ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1/G1), principal targets of LXR that promote macrophage cholesterol efflux and initiate RCT, would abolish the beneficial effects of LXR activation on atherosclerosis. Approach and Results LXR activator T0901317 (T0) substantially reduced inflammatory gene expression in macrophages lacking ABCA1/G1. Ldlr−/− mice were transplanted with Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− or wild-type bone marrow (BM) and fed a Western-type diet (WTD) for 6 weeks with or without T0 supplementation. Abca1/g1 BM deficiency increased atherosclerotic lesion complexity and inflammatory cell infiltration into the adventitia and myocardium. T0 markedly decreased lesion area, complexity and inflammatory cell infiltration in the Abca1−/−Abcg1−/− BM transplanted mice. To investigate whether this was due to macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency, Ldlr−/− mice were transplanted with LysmCreAbca1fl/flAbcg1fl/fl or Abca1fl/flAbcg1fl/fl BM and fed WTD with or without the more specific LXR agonist GW3965 for 12 weeks. GW3965 decreased lesion size in both groups and the decrease was more prominent in the LysmCreAbca1fl/flAbcg1fl/fl group. Conclusions The results suggest that anti-inflammatory effects of LXR activators are of key importance to their anti-atherosclerotic effects in vivo independent of cholesterol efflux pathways mediated by macrophage ABCA1/G1. This has implications for the development of LXR activators that lack adverse effects on lipogenic genes while maintaining the ability to trans-repress inflammatory genes. PMID:24311381

Large-scale deletions of the ABCA1 gene in patients with hypoalphalipoproteinemia.

PubMed

Dron, Jacqueline S; Wang, Jian; Berberich, Amanda J; Iacocca, Michael A; Cao, Henian; Yang, Ping; Knoll, Joan; Tremblay, Karine; Brisson, Diane; Netzer, Christian; Gouni-Berthold, Ioanna; Gaudet, Daniel; Hegele, Robert A

2018-06-04

Copy-number variations (CNVs) have been studied in the context of familial hypercholesterolemia but have not yet been evaluated in patients with extremes of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. We evaluated targeted next-generation sequencing data from patients with very low HDL cholesterol (i.e. hypoalphalipoproteinemia) using the VarSeq-CNV caller algorithm to screen for CNVs disrupting the ABCA1, LCAT or APOA1 genes. In four individuals, we found three unique deletions in ABCA1: a heterozygous deletion of exon 4, a heterozygous deletion spanning exons 8 to 31, and a heterozygous deletion of the entire ABCA1 gene. Breakpoints were identified using Sanger sequencing, and the full-gene deletion was also confirmed using exome sequencing and the Affymetrix CytoScanTM HD Array. Before now, large-scale deletions in candidate HDL genes have not been associated with hypoalphalipoproteinemia; our findings indicate that CNVs in ABCA1 may be a previously unappreciated genetic determinant of low HDL cholesterol levels. By coupling bioinformatic analyses with next-generation sequencing data, we can successfully assess the spectrum of genetic determinants of many dyslipidemias, now including hypoalphalipoproteinemia. Published under license by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A novel compound inhibits rHDL assembly and blocks nascent HDL biogenesis downstream of apoAI binding to ABCA1 expressing cells

PubMed Central

Lyssenko, Nicholas N.; Brubaker, Gregory; Smith, Bradley D.; Smith, Jonathan D.

2011-01-01

Objective Nascent high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles form from cellular lipids and extracellular lipid-free apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) in a process mediated by ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). We have sought out compounds that inhibit nascent HDL biogenesis without affecting ABCA1 activity. Methods and Results Reconstituted HDL (rHDL) formation and cellular cholesterol efflux assays were used to show that two compounds that bond via hydrogen with phospholipids inhibit rHDL and nascent HDL production. In rHDL formation assays, the inhibitory effect of compound 1 (methyl 3α-acetoxy-7α,12α-di[(phenylaminocarbonyl)amino]-5β-cholan-24-oate), the more active of the two, depended on its ability to associate with phospholipids. In cell assays, compound 1 suppressed ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux to apoAI, the 18A peptide, and taurocholate with high specificity, without affecting ABCA1-independent cellular cholesterol efflux to HDL and endocytosis of acetylated low-density lipoprotein (AcLDL) and transferrin. Furthermore, compound 1 did not affect ABCA1 activity adversely, as ABCA1-mediated shedding of microparticles proceeded unabated and apoAI binding to ABCA1-expressing cells increased in its presence. Conclusions The inhibitory effects of compound 1 support a three-step model of nascent HDL biogenesis: plasma membrane remodeling by ABCA1, apoAI binding to ABCA1, and lipoprotein particle assembly. The compound inhibits the final step, causing accumulation of apoAI in ABCA1-expressing cells. PMID:21836073

Neopterin negatively regulates expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 by the LXRα signaling pathway in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.

PubMed

Yan, Jin-quan; Tan, Chun-zhi; Wu, Jin-hua; Zhang, Dong-cui; Chen, Ji-ling; Zeng, Bin-yuan; Jiang, Yu-ping; Nie, Jin; Liu, Wei; Liu, Qin; Dai, Hao

2013-07-01

To investigate the effects of neopterin on ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux in human THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells, and to explore the role of the liver X receptor alpha (LXRα) involved. In the present study, THP-1 cells were pre-incubated with ox-LDL to become foam cells. The protein and mRNA expression were examined by Western blot assays and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Liquid scintillation counting and high performance liquid chromatography assays were used to test cellular cholesterol efflux and cholesterol content. Neopterin decreased ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells, and the LXRα siRNA can reverse the inhibitory effects induced by neopterin. Neoterin has a negative regulation on ABCA1 expression via the LXRα signaling pathway, which suggests the aggravated effects of neopterin on atherosclerosis.

Differences in ABCA1 R219K Polymorphisms and Serum Indexes in Alzheimer and Parkinson Diseases in Northern China

PubMed Central

Ya, Lagai; Lu, Zuneng

2017-01-01

Background ABCA1 R219K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was related to Alzheimer disease (AD) but not Parkinson disease (PD). Here, we analyzed the associations among ABCA1 R219K distribution, serum biomarkers, AD, and PD in a population in northern China. Material/Methods We used the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H-Y) to evaluate AD and PD progression, separately. ABCA1 R219K was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight time mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Serum indexes were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results ABCA1 R219K RR+RK genotype frequency in AD and PD patients was lower than that in normal controls (NC), while ABCA1 R219K KK genotype frequency was significantly higher. ABCA1 R219K RR genotype frequency in AD patients and NC was lower than that in PD patients, while ABCA1 R219K RK+KK genotype frequency was significantly higher. ABCA1 R219K RR genotype was positively correlated to MMSE value in AD patients, while ABCA1 R219K KK genotype was negatively correlated to H-Y value in PD patients. Serum factors were significantly different among AD and PD patients and NC. Serum ABCA1, ApoA1, ApoA2, ApoB, HDL, TC, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly different between AD and PD patients. Conclusions ABCA1 R219K R allele was the risk factor inducing abnormal serum levels of ApoA2, LDL, and TG in AD patients, and abnormal levels of serum ABCA1, HDL, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in PD patients, while ABCA1 R219K K allele was the risk factor inducing lower ABCA1 in AD patients. IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were negatively correlated to MMSE in AD patients but positively correlated to H-Y in PD patients, while HDL was positively related to H-Y in PD patients. PMID:28943632

Differences in ABCA1 R219K Polymorphisms and Serum Indexes in Alzheimer and Parkinson Diseases in Northern China.

PubMed

Ya, Lagai; Lu, Zuneng

2017-09-25

BACKGROUND ABCA1 R219K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was related to Alzheimer disease (AD) but not Parkinson disease (PD). Here, we analyzed the associations among ABCA1 R219K distribution, serum biomarkers, AD, and PD in a population in northern China. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H-Y) to evaluate AD and PD progression, separately. ABCA1 R219K was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight time mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Serum indexes were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS ABCA1 R219K RR+RK genotype frequency in AD and PD patients was lower than that in normal controls (NC), while ABCA1 R219K KK genotype frequency was significantly higher. ABCA1 R219K RR genotype frequency in AD patients and NC was lower than that in PD patients, while ABCA1 R219K RK+KK genotype frequency was significantly higher. ABCA1 R219K RR genotype was positively correlated to MMSE value in AD patients, while ABCA1 R219K KK genotype was negatively correlated to H-Y value in PD patients. Serum factors were significantly different among AD and PD patients and NC. Serum ABCA1, ApoA1, ApoA2, ApoB, HDL, TC, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly different between AD and PD patients. CONCLUSIONS ABCA1 R219K R allele was the risk factor inducing abnormal serum levels of ApoA2, LDL, and TG in AD patients, and abnormal levels of serum ABCA1, HDL, IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF-α in PD patients, while ABCA1 R219K K allele was the risk factor inducing lower ABCA1 in AD patients. IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were negatively correlated to MMSE in AD patients but positively correlated to H-Y in PD patients, while HDL was positively related to H-Y in PD patients.

The cholesterol transporter ABCA1 is expressed in stallion spermatozoa and reproductive tract tissues.

PubMed

Merkl, M; Ertl, R; Handschuh, S; Aurich, C; Schäfer-Somi, S

2016-04-01

In the present study, we assessed the presence of the ATP-binding-cassette (ABC) transporter molecules ABCA1 in spermatozoa of adult stallions and in testicular and epididymal tissue of prepubertal and adult stallions. For this purpose, semen samples from six fertile Shetland pony stallions aged 4 to 19 years were collected. Semen was collected from each stallion on three consecutive days. Ejaculates were analyzed immediately after collection, and only ejaculates meeting minimal requirements for fertile stallions were further evaluated. ABCA1 immunosignal was localized after staining of semen smears with different antibodies and counterstaining with Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-peanut agglutinin (PNA) and 4',6-Diamidin-2-phenylindol (DAPI). In a total of three samples, capacitation and acrosome reaction were induced by means of capacitation medium and progesterone substitution, respectively. Testicular and epididymal tissues were obtained from five prepubertal stallions aged 8 to 12 months and five adult stallions aged 4 to 9 years. For quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR), testicular and epididymal tissue of another seven adult (aged 1.5-14.5 years) and five prepupertal stallions (6-8 months) was used. For immunohistochemistry, sections from the caput, corpus, and cauda of the testes and epididymes were stained with the same specific antibodies as for immunocytochemistry. In stallion spermatozoa, strong immunosignal for ABCA1 was detected in the acrosomal area, the equatorial zone, and the principle piece of the flagellum but not in the caudal part of the head and the midpiece. In damaged or acrosome-reacted spermatozoa the FITC-PNA signal vanished together with the ABCA1 signal in most spermatozoa. In testicular tissue, strong immunostaining for ABCA1 was mainly visible in the heads and flagella of round spermatids and weaker signals in late spermatids and released spermatozoa. No staining was assessed in the Sertoli cells and spermatogonia of adult stallions, whereas

Amphipathic Polyproline Peptides Stimulate Cholesterol Efflux by the ABCA1 Transporter

PubMed Central

Sviridov, D.O.; Drake, S.K.; Freeman, L.A.; Remaley, A.T.

2016-01-01

ApoA-I mimetics are short synthetic peptides that contain an amphipathic αα-helix and stimulate cholesterol efflux by the ABCA1 transporter in a detergent-like extraction mechanism. We investigated the use of amphipathic peptides with a polypro helix for stimulating cholesterol efflux by ABCA1. Polypro peptides were synthesized with modified prolines, containing either a hydrophobic phenol group (Prop) or a polar N-acetylgalactosamine (Prog) attached to the pyrrolidine ring and were designated as either PP-2, 3, 4, or 5, depending on the number of 3 amino acid repeat units (Prop - Prog - Prop). Based on molecular modeling, these peptides were predicted to be relatively rigid and to bind to a phospholipid bilayer. By CD spectroscopy, PP peptides formed a Type-II polypro helix in an aqueous solution. PP-2 was inactive in promoting cholesterol efflux, but peptides with more than 2 repeat units were active. PP-4 showed a similar Vmax as a much longer amphipathic α-αhelical peptide, containing 37 amino acids, but had a Km that was approximately 20-fold lower. PP peptides were specific in that they did not stimulate cholesterol efflux from cells not expressing ABCA1 and were also non-cytotoxic. Addition of PP-3, 4 and 5 to serum promoted the formation of smaller size HDL species (7 nM) and increased its capacity for ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux by approximately 20-35% (p<0.05). Because of their relatively small size and increased potency, amphipathic peptides with a polypro helix may represent an alternative structural motif for the development of apoA-I mimetic peptides. PMID:26879139

Allicin induces the upregulation of ABCA1 expression via PPARγ/LXRα signaling in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells

PubMed Central

Lin, Xiao-Long; Hu, Hui-Jun; Liu, Yuan-Bo; Hu, Xue-Mei; Fan, Xiao-Juan; Zou, Wei-Wen; Pan, Yong-Quan; Zhou, Wen-Quan; Peng, Min-Wen; Gu, Cai-Hong

2017-01-01

Allicin is considered anti-atherosclerotic due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which makes it an important drug for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. However, the effects of allicin on foam cells are unclear. Thus, in this study, we examined the effects of allicin on lipid accumulation via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)/liver X receptor α (LXRα) in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. THP-1 cells were exposed to 100 nM phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) for 24 h, and then to oxydized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL; 50 mg/ml) to induce foam cell formation. The results of Oil Red O staining and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed showed that pre-treatment of the foam cells with allicin decreased total cholesterol, free cholesterol (FC) and cholesterol ester levels in cells, and also decreased lipid accumulation. Moreover, allicin upregulated ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and promoted cholesterol efflux. However, these effects were significantly abolished by transfection with siRNA targeting ABCA1. Furthermore, PPARγ/LXRα signaling was activated by allicin treatment. The allicin-induced upregulation of ABCA1 expression was also abolished by PPARγ inhibitor (GW9662) and siRNA or LXRα siRNA co-treatment. Overall, our data demonstrate that the allicin-induced upregulation of ABCA1 promotes cholesterol efflux and reduces lipid accumulation via PPARγ/LXRα signaling in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. PMID:28440421

Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide induces ABCA1 expression by LXRα activation in murine macrophages

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ohara, Kazuaki, E-mail: Kazuaki_Ohara@kirin.co.jp; Wakabayashi, Hideyuki; Taniguchi, Yoshimasa

Highlights: •The major circulating quercetin metabolite (Q3GA) activated LXRα. •Q3GA induced ABCA1 via LXRα activation in macrophages. •Nelumbo nucifera leaf extracts contained quercetin glycosides. •N. nucifera leaf extract feeding elevated HDLC in mice. -- Abstract: Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) removes excess cholesterol from macrophages to prevent atherosclerosis. ATP-binding cassette, subfamily A, member 1 (ABCA1) is a crucial cholesterol transporter involved in RCT to produce high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC), and is transcriptionally regulated by liver X receptor alpha (LXRα), a nuclear receptor. Quercetin is a widely distributed flavonoid in edible plants which prevented atherosclerosis in an animal model. We found thatmore » quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (Q3GA), a major quercetin metabolite after absorption from the digestive tract, enhanced ABCA1 expression, in vitro, via LXRα in macrophages. In addition, leaf extracts of a traditional Asian edible plant, Nelumbo nucifera (NNE), which contained abundant amounts of quercetin glycosides, significantly elevated plasma HDLC in mice. We are the first to present experimental evidence that Q3GA induced ABCA1 in macrophages, and to provide an alternative explanation to previous studies on arteriosclerosis prevention by quercetin.« less

Glucagon-like peptide-1 contributes to increases ABCA1 expression by downregulating miR-758 to regulate cholesterol homeostasis.

PubMed

Yao, Yue; Li, Qiang; Gao, Ping; Wang, Wei; Chen, Lili; Zhang, Jinchao; Xu, Yi

2018-03-04

Abnormal regulation of lipid metabolism is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). GLP-1 as a new treatment for T2DM, has unique effects in modulating cholesterol homeostasis. However, the mechanism of this effect is largely missing. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of GLP-1 on cholesterol-induced lipotoxicity in hepatocytes and examine the underlying mechanisms. The cell viability was determined, and caspase-3 was used to detect the effects of GLP-1 on cholesterol-induced apoptosis. The alterations of miR-758 and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) resulting from cholesterol incubation or GLP-1 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot assays. Overexpression of miR-758 abrogated the GLP-1-mediated ABCA1 expression, and conversely, down-regulation of miR-758 aggravated GLP-1's action and revealed significant promotion effects. BODIPY-Cholesterol efflux assay revealed that treatment with miR-758 inhibitor significantly enhanced ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux, resulting in reduced total cholesterol. Furthermore, Oil red O staining and cholesterol measurement were used to detect lipid accumulation. As a result, cholesterol significantly attenuated cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, and facilitated lipid accumulation, and these effects were reversed by GLP-1. This study provides evidence that, in HepG2 cells, GLP-1 may affect cholesterol homeostasis by regulating the expression of miR-758 and ABCA1. These data can inform the development of biomarkers for miR-758, and potentially other drugs, on the key pathways of lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Association Between Common Genetic Variants Near the ABCA1 Gene and Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma in a Han Chinese Population.

PubMed

Luo, Huaichao; Chen, Yuhong; Ye, Zimeng; Sun, Xinghuai; Shi, Yi; Luo, Qian; Gong, Bo; Shuai, Ping; Yang, Jiyun; Zhou, Yu; Liu, Xiaoqi; Zhang, Kaijiong; Tan, Chang; Li, Yuanfeng; Lin, Ying; Yang, Zhenglin

2015-10-01

Recently, three large genome-wide association studies have identified multiple variants associated with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) near the ABCA1 gene. Considering that POAG and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) share many similar clinical manifestations, the present study was conducted to investigate whether these genetic variants were also associated with PACG in a Han Chinese population. A case-control association study of 1122 cases (PACG/PAC) and 1311 normal, matched controls was undertaken. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the ABCA1 gene, including rs2422493, rs2487042, rs2472496, rs2472493, rs2487032, rs2472459, and rs2472519, were genotyped. Genotype and allele frequencies were assessed using χ² tests. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure was analyzed by computer software. Among the SNPs genotyped, no association was observed between these SNPs and PACG. However, we discovered that two haplotypes, CATTTAC (corrected P = 0.048) and CGCCCGC (corrected P = 0.048), remained significantly associated with PACG/PAC after Bonferroni correction. Subjects with the CATTTAC haplotype have a 1.71-fold increased possibility of having PACG/PAC, whereas subjects with the CGCCCGC haplotype have 0.47-fold decreased possibility of developing PACG. Our findings suggest that the genetic backgrounds of PACG and POAG might be different. However, whether or not ABCA1 plays a role in the development of PACG is still not made certain by this study. Thus, further research is needed to find the role of ABCA1 in the progress of PACG.

Deficiency of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in Macrophages Increases Inflammation and Accelerates Atherosclerosis in Mice

PubMed Central

Westerterp, Marit; Murphy, Andrew J.; Wang, Mi; Pagler, Tamara A.; Vengrenyuk, Yuliya; Kappus, Mojdeh S.; Gorman, Darren J.; Nagareddy, Prabhakara R.; Zhu, Xuewei; Abramowicz, Sandra; Parks, John S.; Welch, Carrie; Fisher, Edward A.; Wang, Nan; Yvan-Charvet, Laurent; Tall, Alan R.

2013-01-01

Rationale Plasma HDL levels are inversely correlated with atherosclerosis. Although it is widely assumed that this is due to the ability of HDL to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells, direct experimental support for this hypothesis is lacking. Objective To assess the role of macrophage cholesterol efflux pathways in atherogenesis. Methods and Results We developed MAC-ABCDKO mice with efficient deletion of the ATP Binding Cassette Transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) in macrophages but not in hematopoietic stem or progenitor populations. MAC-ABCDKO bone marrow (BM) was transplanted into Ldlr-/- recipients. On the chow diet, these mice had similar plasma cholesterol and blood monocyte levels but increased atherosclerosis compared to controls. On the Western type diet (WTD), MAC-ABCDKO BM transplanted Ldlr-/- mice had disproportionate atherosclerosis, considering they also had lower VLDL/LDL cholesterol levels than controls. ABCA1/G1 deficient macrophages in lesions showed increased inflammatory gene expression. Unexpectedly, WTD-fed MAC-ABCDKO BM transplanted Ldlr-/- mice displayed monocytosis and neutrophilia in the absence of HSPC proliferation. Mechanistic studies revealed increased expression of M-CSF and G-CSF in splenic macrophage foam cells, driving BM monocyte and neutrophil production. Conclusion These studies 1) show that macrophage deficiency of ABCA1/G1 is pro-atherogenic likely by promoting plaque inflammation and 2) uncover a novel positive feedback loop in which cholesterol-laden splenic macrophages signal BM progenitors to produce monocytes, with suppression by macrophage cholesterol efflux pathways. PMID:23572498

ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 are distributed to distinct membrane meso-domains and disturb detergent-resistant domains on the plasma membrane.

PubMed

Sano, Osamu; Ito, Shiho; Kato, Reiko; Shimizu, Yuji; Kobayashi, Aya; Kimura, Yasuhisa; Kioka, Noriyuki; Hanada, Kentaro; Ueda, Kazumitsu; Matsuo, Michinori

2014-01-01

ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1), ABCG1, and ABCG4 are lipid transporters that mediate the efflux of cholesterol from cells. To analyze the characteristics of these lipid transporters, we examined and compared their distributions and lipid efflux activity on the plasma membrane. The efflux of cholesterol mediated by ABCA1 and ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was affected by a reduction of cellular sphingomyelin levels. Detergent solubility and gradient density ultracentrifugation assays indicated that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 were distributed to domains that were solubilized by Triton X-100 and Brij 96, resistant to Triton X-100 and Brij 96, and solubilized by Triton X-100 but resistant to Brij 96, respectively. Furthermore, ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was colocalized with flotillin-1 on the plasma membrane. The amounts of cholesterol extracted by methyl-β-cyclodextrin were increased by ABCA1, ABCG1, or ABCG4, suggesting that cholesterol in non-raft domains was increased. Furthermore, ABCG1 and ABCG4 disturbed the localization of caveolin-1 to the detergent-resistant domains and the binding of cholera toxin subunit B to the plasma membrane. These results suggest that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 are localized to distinct membrane meso-domains and disturb the meso-domain structures by reorganizing lipids on the plasma membrane; collectively, these observations may explain the different substrate profiles and lipid efflux roles of these transporters.

ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 Are Distributed to Distinct Membrane Meso-Domains and Disturb Detergent-Resistant Domains on the Plasma Membrane

PubMed Central

Sano, Osamu; Ito, Shiho; Kato, Reiko; Shimizu, Yuji; Kobayashi, Aya; Kimura, Yasuhisa; Kioka, Noriyuki; Hanada, Kentaro; Ueda, Kazumitsu; Matsuo, Michinori

2014-01-01

ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1), ABCG1, and ABCG4 are lipid transporters that mediate the efflux of cholesterol from cells. To analyze the characteristics of these lipid transporters, we examined and compared their distributions and lipid efflux activity on the plasma membrane. The efflux of cholesterol mediated by ABCA1 and ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was affected by a reduction of cellular sphingomyelin levels. Detergent solubility and gradient density ultracentrifugation assays indicated that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 were distributed to domains that were solubilized by Triton X-100 and Brij 96, resistant to Triton X-100 and Brij 96, and solubilized by Triton X-100 but resistant to Brij 96, respectively. Furthermore, ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was colocalized with flotillin-1 on the plasma membrane. The amounts of cholesterol extracted by methyl-β-cyclodextrin were increased by ABCA1, ABCG1, or ABCG4, suggesting that cholesterol in non-raft domains was increased. Furthermore, ABCG1 and ABCG4 disturbed the localization of caveolin-1 to the detergent-resistant domains and the binding of cholera toxin subunit B to the plasma membrane. These results suggest that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 are localized to distinct membrane meso-domains and disturb the meso-domain structures by reorganizing lipids on the plasma membrane; collectively, these observations may explain the different substrate profiles and lipid efflux roles of these transporters. PMID:25302608

Proteomic Analysis of ABCA1-Null Macrophages Reveals a Role for Stomatin-Like Protein-2 in Raft Composition and Toll-Like Receptor Signaling.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Saiful M; Zhu, Xuewei; Aloor, Jim J; Azzam, Kathleen M; Gabor, Kristin A; Ge, William; Addo, Kezia A; Tomer, Kenneth B; Parks, John S; Fessler, Michael B

2015-07-01

Lipid raft membrane microdomains organize signaling by many prototypical receptors, including the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system. Raft-localization of proteins is widely thought to be regulated by raft cholesterol levels, but this is largely on the basis of studies that have manipulated cell cholesterol using crude and poorly specific chemical tools, such as β-cyclodextrins. To date, there has been no proteome-scale investigation of whether endogenous regulators of intracellular cholesterol trafficking, such as the ATP binding cassette (ABC)A1 lipid efflux transporter, regulate targeting of proteins to rafts. Abca1(-/-) macrophages have cholesterol-laden rafts that have been reported to contain increased levels of select proteins, including TLR4, the lipopolysaccharide receptor. Here, using quantitative proteomic profiling, we identified 383 proteins in raft isolates from Abca1(+/+) and Abca1(-/-) macrophages. ABCA1 deletion induced wide-ranging changes to the raft proteome. Remarkably, many of these changes were similar to those seen in Abca1(+/+) macrophages after lipopolysaccharide exposure. Stomatin-like protein (SLP)-2, a member of the stomatin-prohibitin-flotillin-HflK/C family of membrane scaffolding proteins, was robustly and specifically increased in Abca1(-/-) rafts. Pursuing SLP-2 function, we found that rafts of SLP-2-silenced macrophages had markedly abnormal composition. SLP-2 silencing did not compromise ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux but reduced macrophage responsiveness to multiple TLR ligands. This was associated with reduced raft levels of the TLR co-receptor, CD14, and defective lipopolysaccharide-induced recruitment of the common TLR adaptor, MyD88, to rafts. Taken together, we show that the lipid transporter ABCA1 regulates the protein repertoire of rafts and identify SLP-2 as an ABCA1-dependent regulator of raft composition and of the innate immune response. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and

Proteomic Analysis of ABCA1-Null Macrophages Reveals a Role for Stomatin-Like Protein-2 in Raft Composition and Toll-Like Receptor Signaling*

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Saiful M.; Zhu, Xuewei; Aloor, Jim J.; Azzam, Kathleen M.; Gabor, Kristin A.; Ge, William; Addo, Kezia A.; Tomer, Kenneth B.; Parks, John S.; Fessler, Michael B.

2015-01-01

Lipid raft membrane microdomains organize signaling by many prototypical receptors, including the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system. Raft-localization of proteins is widely thought to be regulated by raft cholesterol levels, but this is largely on the basis of studies that have manipulated cell cholesterol using crude and poorly specific chemical tools, such as β-cyclodextrins. To date, there has been no proteome-scale investigation of whether endogenous regulators of intracellular cholesterol trafficking, such as the ATP binding cassette (ABC)A1 lipid efflux transporter, regulate targeting of proteins to rafts. Abca1−/− macrophages have cholesterol-laden rafts that have been reported to contain increased levels of select proteins, including TLR4, the lipopolysaccharide receptor. Here, using quantitative proteomic profiling, we identified 383 proteins in raft isolates from Abca1+/+ and Abca1−/− macrophages. ABCA1 deletion induced wide-ranging changes to the raft proteome. Remarkably, many of these changes were similar to those seen in Abca1+/+ macrophages after lipopolysaccharide exposure. Stomatin-like protein (SLP)-2, a member of the stomatin-prohibitin-flotillin-HflK/C family of membrane scaffolding proteins, was robustly and specifically increased in Abca1−/− rafts. Pursuing SLP-2 function, we found that rafts of SLP-2-silenced macrophages had markedly abnormal composition. SLP-2 silencing did not compromise ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux but reduced macrophage responsiveness to multiple TLR ligands. This was associated with reduced raft levels of the TLR co-receptor, CD14, and defective lipopolysaccharide-induced recruitment of the common TLR adaptor, MyD88, to rafts. Taken together, we show that the lipid transporter ABCA1 regulates the protein repertoire of rafts and identify SLP-2 as an ABCA1-dependent regulator of raft composition and of the innate immune response. PMID:25910759

Common variants near ABCA1, AFAP1 and GMDS confer risk of primary open-angle glaucoma

PubMed Central

Fogarty, Rhys; Sharma, Shiwani; Hewitt, Alex W.; Martin, Sarah; Law, Matthew H.; Cremin, Katie; Bailey, Jessica N. Cooke; Loomis, Stephanie J.; Pasquale, Louis R.; Haines, Jonathan L.; Hauser, Michael A.; Viswanathan, Ananth C.; McGuffin, Peter; Topouzis, Fotis; Foster, Paul J.; Graham, Stuart L; Casson, Robert J; Chehade, Mark; White, Andrew J; Zhou, Tiger; Souzeau, Emmanuelle; Landers, John; Fitzgerald, Jude T; Klebe, Sonja; Ruddle, Jonathan B; Goldberg, Ivan; Healey, Paul R; Mills, Richard A.; Wang, Jie Jin; Montgomery, Grant W.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Radford-Smith, Graham; Whiteman, David C.; Brown, Matthew A.; Wiggs, Janey L.; Mackey, David A; Mitchell, Paul; MacGregor, Stuart; Craig, Jamie E.

2014-01-01

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. We performed a genome-wide association study in an Australian discovery cohort comprising 1,155 advanced POAG cases and 1,992 controls. Association of the top SNPs from the discovery stage was investigated in two Australian replication cohorts (total 932 cases, 6,862 controls) and two US replication cohorts (total 2,616 cases, 2,634 controls). Meta-analysis of all cohorts revealed three novel loci associated with development of POAG. These loci are located upstream of ABCA1 (rs2472493 [G] OR=1.31, P= 2.1 × 10−19), within AFAP1 (rs4619890 [G] OR=1.20, P= 7.0 × 10−10) and within GMDS (rs11969985 [G] OR=1.31, and P= 7.7 × 10−10). Using RT-PCR and immunolabelling, we also showed that these genes are expressed within human retina, optic nerve and trabecular meshwork and that ABCA1 and AFAP1 are also expressed in retinal ganglion cells. PMID:25173105

Modulation of ABCA1 by an LXR Agonist Reduces Beta-Amyloid Levels and Improves Outcome after Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Loane, David J.; Washington, Patricia M.; Vardanian, Lilit; Pocivavsek, Ana; Hoe, Hyang-Sook; Duff, Karen E.; Cernak, Ibolja; Rebeck, G. William; Faden, Alan I.

2011-01-01

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases brain beta-amyloid (Aβ) in humans and animals. Although the role of Aβ in the injury cascade is unknown, multiple preclinical studies have demonstrated a correlation between reduced Aβ and improved outcome. Therefore, therapeutic strategies that enhance Aβ clearance may be beneficial after TBI. Increased levels of ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) transporters can enhance Aβ clearance through an apolipoprotein E (apoE)-mediated pathway. By measuring Aβ and ABCA1 after experimental TBI in C57BL/6J mice, we found that Aβ peaked early after injury (1–3 days), whereas ABCA1 had a delayed response (beginning at 3 days). As ABCA1 levels increased, Aβ levels returned to baseline levels—consistent with the known role of ABCA1 in Aβ clearance. To test if enhancing ABCA1 levels could block TBI-induced Aβ, we treated TBI mice with the liver X-receptor (LXR) agonist T0901317. Pre- and post-injury treatment increased ABCA1 levels at 24 h post-injury, and reduced the TBI-induced increase in Aβ. This reduction in Aβ was not due to decreased amyloid precursor protein processing, or a shift in the solubility of Aβ, indicating enhanced clearance. T0901317 also limited motor coordination deficits in injured mice and reduced brain lesion volume. These data indicate that activation of LXR can reduce Aβ accumulation after TBI, and is accompanied by improved functional recovery. PMID:21175399

On the mechanism for PPAR agonists to enhance ABCA1 gene expression

PubMed Central

Ogata, Masaki; Tsujita, Maki; Hossain, Mohammad Anwar; Akita, Nobukatsu; Gonzalez, Frank J.; Staels, Bart; Suzuki, Shogo; Fukutomi, Tatsuya; Kimura, Genjiro; Yokoyama, Shinji

2009-01-01

Expression of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a major regulator of high density lipoprotein (HDL) biogenesis, is known to be up-regulated by the transcription factor liver X receptor (LXR) α, and expression is further enhanced by activation of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs). We investigated this complex regulatory network using specific PPAR agonists: four fibrates (fenofibrate, bezafibrate, gemfibrozil and LY518674), a PPAR δ agonist (GW501516) and a PPAR γ agonist (pioglitazone). All of these compounds increased the expression of LXRs, PPARs and ABCA1 mRNAs, and associated apoA-I-mediated lipid release in THP-1 macrophage, WI38 fibroblast and mouse fibroblast. When mouse fibroblasts lacking expression of PPAR α were examined, the effects of fenofibrate and LY518674 were markedly diminished while induction by other ligands were retained. The PPAR α promoter was activated by all of these compounds in an LXR α-dependent manner, and partially in a PPAR α-dependent manner, in mouse fibroblast. The LXR responsive element (LXRE)-luciferase activity was enhanced by all the compounds in an LXR α-dependent manner in mouse fibroblast. This activation was exclusively PPAR α-dependent by fenofibrate and LY518674, but nonexclusively by the others. We conclude that PPARs and LXRs are involved in the regulation of ABCA1 expression and HDL biogenesis in a cooperative signal transduction pathway. PMID:19201410

ABCA1-dependent sterol release: sterol molecule specificity and potential membrane domain for HDL biogenesis

PubMed Central

Yamauchi, Yoshio; Yokoyama, Shinji; Chang, Ta-Yuan

2016-01-01

Mammalian cells synthesize various sterol molecules, including the C30 sterol, lanosterol, as cholesterol precursors in the endoplasmic reticulum. The build-up of precursor sterols, including lanosterol, displays cellular toxicity. Precursor sterols are found in plasma HDL. How these structurally different sterols are released from cells is poorly understood. Here, we show that newly synthesized precursor sterols arriving at the plasma membrane (PM) are removed by extracellular apoA-I in a manner dependent on ABCA1, a key macromolecule for HDL biogenesis. Analysis of sterol molecules by GC-MS and tracing the fate of radiolabeled acetate-derived sterols in normal and mutant Niemann-Pick type C cells reveal that ABCA1 prefers newly synthesized sterols, especially lanosterol, as the substrates before they are internalized from the PM. We also show that ABCA1 resides in a cholesterol-rich membrane domain resistant to the mild detergent, Brij 98. Blocking ACAT activity increases the cholesterol contents of this domain. Newly synthesized C29/C30 sterols are transiently enriched within this domain, but rapidly disappear from this domain with a half-life of less than 1 h. Our work shows that substantial amounts of precursor sterols are transported to a certain PM domain and are removed by the ABCA1-dependent pathway. PMID:26497474

Tangshen Formula Attenuates Diabetic Nephropathy by Promoting ABCA1-Mediated Renal Cholesterol Efflux in db/db Mice.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Peng, Liang; Zhang, Haojun; Tang, Patrick Ming-Kuen; Zhao, Tingting; Yan, Meihua; Zhao, Hailing; Huang, Xiaoru; Lan, Huiyao; Li, Ping

2018-01-01

The commonly prescribed Tangshen Formula (TSF) is a traditional Chinese formulation that has been shown to reduce plasma lipid metabolism and proteinuria and improve the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with diabetic kidney disease. This study investigated the underlying mechanism whereby TSF regulates renal lipid accumulation and ameliorates diabetic renal injuries in spontaneous diabetic db/db mice and in vitro in sodium palmitate (PA)-stimulated and Abca1-SiRNA-transfected mouse tubular epithelial cells (mTECs). The results revealed that TSF treatment significantly ameliorated the renal injuries by lowering urinary albumin excretion and improving renal tissue injuries in diabetic (db/db) mice. Interestingly, the treatment with TSF also resulted in decreased cholesterol levels in the renal tissues of db/db mice, which was associated with increased expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), the Liver X receptors (LXR), and ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1), suggesting that TSF might attenuate diabetic kidney injury via a mechanism associated with improving cholesterol efflux in the diabetic kidney. This was investigated in vitro in mTECs, and the results showed that TSF reduced the PA-stimulated cholesterol accumulation in mTECs. Mechanistically, the addition of TSF was capable of reversing PA-induced downregulation of PGC-1α, LXR, and ABCA1 expression and cholesterol accumulation in mTECs, suggesting that TSF might act the protection via the PGC-1α-LXR-ABCA1 pathway to improve the cholesterol efflux in the renal tissues of db/db mice. This was further confirmed by silencing ABCA1 to block the promotive effect of TSF on cholesterol efflux in vitro . In conclusion, TSF might ameliorate diabetic kidney injuries by promoting ABCA1-mediated renal cholesterol efflux.

ABCA transporter gene expression and poor outcome in epithelial ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Hedditch, Ellen L; Gao, Bo; Russell, Amanda J; Lu, Yi; Emmanuel, Catherine; Beesley, Jonathan; Johnatty, Sharon E; Chen, Xiaoqing; Harnett, Paul; George, Joshy; Williams, Rebekka T; Flemming, Claudia; Lambrechts, Diether; Despierre, Evelyn; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Vergote, Ignace; Karlan, Beth; Lester, Jenny; Orsulic, Sandra; Walsh, Christine; Fasching, Peter; Beckmann, Matthias W; Ekici, Arif B; Hein, Alexander; Matsuo, Keitaro; Hosono, Satoyo; Nakanishi, Toru; Yatabe, Yasushi; Pejovic, Tanja; Bean, Yukie; Heitz, Florian; Harter, Philipp; du Bois, Andreas; Schwaab, Ira; Hogdall, Estrid; Kjaer, Susan K; Jensen, Allan; Hogdall, Claus; Lundvall, Lene; Engelholm, Svend Aage; Brown, Bob; Flanagan, James; Metcalf, Michelle D; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sellers, Thomas; Fridley, Brooke; Cunningham, Julie; Schildkraut, Joellen; Iversen, Ed; Weber, Rachel P; Berchuck, Andrew; Goode, Ellen; Bowtell, David D; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; deFazio, Anna; Norris, Murray D; MacGregor, Stuart; Haber, Michelle; Henderson, Michelle J

2014-07-01

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play various roles in cancer biology and drug resistance, but their association with outcomes in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is unknown. The relationship between clinical outcomes and ABC transporter gene expression in two independent cohorts of high-grade serous EOC tumors was assessed with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, analysis of expression microarray data, and immunohistochemistry. Associations between clinical outcomes and ABCA transporter gene single nucleotide polymorphisms were tested in a genome-wide association study. Impact of short interfering RNA-mediated gene suppression was determined by colony forming and migration assays. Association with survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests. All statistical tests were two-sided. Associations with outcome were observed with ABC transporters of the "A" subfamily, but not with multidrug transporters. High-level expression of ABCA1, ABCA6, ABCA8, and ABCA9 in primary tumors was statistically significantly associated with reduced survival in serous ovarian cancer patients. Low levels of ABCA5 and the C-allele of rs536009 were associated with shorter overall survival (hazard ratio for death = 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.26 to 1.79; P = 6.5e-6). The combined expression pattern of ABCA1, ABCA5, and either ABCA8 or ABCA9 was associated with particularly poor outcome (mean overall survival in group with adverse ABCA1, ABCA5 and ABCA9 gene expression = 33.2 months, 95% CI = 26.4 to 40.1; vs 55.3 months in the group with favorable ABCA gene expression, 95% CI = 49.8 to 60.8; P = .001), independently of tumor stage or surgical debulking status. Suppression of cholesterol transporter ABCA1 inhibited ovarian cancer cell growth and migration in vitro, and statin treatment reduced ovarian cancer cell migration. Expression of ABCA transporters was associated with poor outcome in serous ovarian cancer, implicating lipid

ABCA Transporter Gene Expression and Poor Outcome in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Hedditch, Ellen L.; Gao, Bo; Russell, Amanda J.; Lu, Yi; Emmanuel, Catherine; Beesley, Jonathan; Johnatty, Sharon E.; Chen, Xiaoqing; Harnett, Paul; George, Joshy; Williams, Rebekka T.; Flemming, Claudia; Lambrechts, Diether; Despierre, Evelyn; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Vergote, Ignace; Karlan, Beth; Lester, Jenny; Orsulic, Sandra; Walsh, Christine; Fasching, Peter; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Ekici, Arif B.; Hein, Alexander; Matsuo, Keitaro; Hosono, Satoyo; Nakanishi, Toru; Yatabe, Yasushi; Pejovic, Tanja; Bean, Yukie; Heitz, Florian; Harter, Philipp; du Bois, Andreas; Schwaab, Ira; Hogdall, Estrid; Kjaer, Susan K.; Jensen, Allan; Hogdall, Claus; Lundvall, Lene; Engelholm, Svend Aage; Brown, Bob; Flanagan, James; Metcalf, Michelle D; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sellers, Thomas; Fridley, Brooke; Cunningham, Julie; Schildkraut, Joellen; Iversen, Ed; Weber, Rachel P.; Berchuck, Andrew; Goode, Ellen; Bowtell, David D.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; deFazio, Anna; Norris, Murray D.; MacGregor, Stuart; Haber, Michelle; Henderson, Michelle J.

2014-01-01

Background ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play various roles in cancer biology and drug resistance, but their association with outcomes in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is unknown. Methods The relationship between clinical outcomes and ABC transporter gene expression in two independent cohorts of high-grade serous EOC tumors was assessed with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, analysis of expression microarray data, and immunohistochemistry. Associations between clinical outcomes and ABCA transporter gene single nucleotide polymorphisms were tested in a genome-wide association study. Impact of short interfering RNA–mediated gene suppression was determined by colony forming and migration assays. Association with survival was assessed with Kaplan–Meier analysis and log-rank tests. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Associations with outcome were observed with ABC transporters of the “A” subfamily, but not with multidrug transporters. High-level expression of ABCA1, ABCA6, ABCA8, and ABCA9 in primary tumors was statistically significantly associated with reduced survival in serous ovarian cancer patients. Low levels of ABCA5 and the C-allele of rs536009 were associated with shorter overall survival (hazard ratio for death = 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.26 to 1.79; P = 6.5e−6). The combined expression pattern of ABCA1, ABCA5, and either ABCA8 or ABCA9 was associated with particularly poor outcome (mean overall survival in group with adverse ABCA1, ABCA5 and ABCA9 gene expression = 33.2 months, 95% CI = 26.4 to 40.1; vs 55.3 months in the group with favorable ABCA gene expression, 95% CI = 49.8 to 60.8; P = .001), independently of tumor stage or surgical debulking status. Suppression of cholesterol transporter ABCA1 inhibited ovarian cancer cell growth and migration in vitro, and statin treatment reduced ovarian cancer cell migration. Conclusions Expression of ABCA transporters was associated with poor

Myeloid-specific genetic ablation of ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA1 is protective against cancer

PubMed Central

Zamanian-Daryoush, Maryam; Lindner, Daniel J.; DiDonato, Joseph A.; Wagner, Matthew; Buffa, Jennifer; Rayman, Patricia; Parks, John S.; Westerterp, Marit; Tall, Alan R.; Hazen, Stanley L.

2017-01-01

Increased circulating levels of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), by genetic manipulation or infusion, protects against melanoma growth and metastasis. Herein, we explored potential roles in melanoma tumorigenesis for host scavenger receptor class B, type 1 (SR-B1), and ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 (ABCA1) and G1 (ABCG1), all mediators of apoA-I and HDL sterol and lipid transport function. In a syngeneic murine melanoma tumor model, B16F10, mice with global deletion of SR-B1 expression exhibited increased plasma HDL cholesterol (HDLc) levels and decreased tumor volume, indicating host SR-B1 does not directly contribute to HDL-associated anti-tumor activity. In mice with myeloid-specific loss of ABCA1 (Abca1−M/−M; A1−M/−M), tumor growth was inhibited by ∼4.8-fold relative to wild type (WT) animals. Abcg1−M/−M (G1−M/−M) animals were also protected by 2.5-fold relative to WT, with no further inhibition of tumor growth in Abca1/Abcg1 myeloid-specific double knockout animals (DKO). Analyses of tumor-infiltrating immune cells revealed a correlation between tumor protection and decreased presence of the immune suppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) subsets, Ly-6G+Ly-6CLo and Ly-6GnegLy-6CHi cells. The growth of the syngeneic MB49 murine bladder cancer cells was also inhibited in A1−M/−M mice. Collectively, our studies provide further evidence for an immune modulatory role for cholesterol homeostasis pathways in cancer. PMID:29069761

Novel Apo E-Derived ABCA1 Agonist Peptide (CS-6253) Promotes Reverse Cholesterol Transport and Induces Formation of preβ-1 HDL In Vitro

PubMed Central

Hafiane, Anouar; Bielicki, John K.; Johansson, Jan O.; Genest, Jacques

2015-01-01

Apolipoprotein (apo) mimetic peptides replicate some aspects of HDL function. We have previously reported the effects of compound ATI-5261 on its ability to replicate many functions of native apo A-I in the process of HDL biogenesis. ATI-5261 induced muscle toxicity in wild type C57Bl/6 mice, increased CPK, ALT and AST and increase in triglyceride (Tg) levels. Aromatic phenylalanine residues on the non-polar face of ATI-5261, together with positively charged arginine residues at the lipid-water interface were responsible for these effects. This information was used to create a novel analog (CS-6253) that was non-toxic. We evaluated this peptide designed from the carboxyl terminus of apo E, in its ability to mimic apo A-I functionality. Our data shows that the lipidated particles generated by incubating cells overexpressing ABCA1 with lipid free CS-6253 enhances the rate of ABCA1 lipid efflux with high affinity interactions with native ABCA1 oligomeric forms and plasma membrane micro-domains. Interaction between ABCA1 and lipid free CS-6253 resulted in formation of nascent HDL-CS-6253 particles that are actively remodeled in plasma. Mature HDL-CS-6253 particles deliver cholesterol to liver cells via SR-BI in-vitro. CS-6253 significantly increases cholesterol efflux in murine macrophages and in human THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells expressing ABCA1. Addition of CS-6253 to plasma dose-dependently displaced apo A-I from α-HDL particles and led to de novo formation of preβ-1 HDL that stimulates ABCA1 dependent cholesterol efflux efficiently. When incubated with human plasma CS-6253 was also found to bind with HDL and LDL and promoted the transfer of cholesterol from HDL to LDL predominantly. Our data shows that CS-6253 mimics apo A-I in its ability to promote ABCA1-mediated formation of nascent HDL particles, and enhances formation of preβ-1 HDL with increase in the cycling of apo A-I between the preβ and α-HDL particles in-vitro. These mechanisms are

Novel apo E-derived ABCA1 agonist peptide (CS-6253) promotes reverse cholesterol transport and induces formation of preβ-1 HDL in vitro

DOE PAGES

Hafiane, Anouar; Bielicki, John K.; Johansson, Jan O.; ...

2015-07-24

Apolipoprotein (apo) mimetic peptides replicate some aspects of HDL function. We have previously reported the effects of compound ATI-5261 on its ability to replicate many functions of native apo A-I in the process of HDL biogenesis. ATI-5261 induced muscle toxicity in wild type C57Bl/6 mice, increased CPK, ALT and AST and increase in triglyceride (Tg) levels. Aromatic phenylalanine residues on the non-polar face of ATI-5261, together with positively charged arginine residues at the lipid-water interface were responsible for these effects. This information was used to create a novel analog (CS-6253) that was non-toxic. We evaluated this peptide designed from themore » carboxyl terminus of apo E, in its ability to mimic apo A-I functionality. Our data shows that the lipidated particles generated by incubating cells overexpressing ABCA1 with lipid free CS-6253 enhances the rate of ABCA1 lipid efflux with high affinity interactions with native ABCA1 oligomeric forms and plasma membrane micro-domains. Interaction between ABCA1 and lipid free CS-6253 resulted in formation of nascent HDL-CS-6253 particles that are actively remodeled in plasma. Mature HDL-CS-6253 particles deliver cholesterol to liver cells via SR-BI in-vitro. CS-6253 significantly increases cholesterol efflux in murine macrophages and in human THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells expressing ABCA1. Addition of CS-6253 to plasma dose-dependently displaced apo A-I from α-HDL particles and led to de novo formation of preβ-1 HDL that stimulates ABCA1 dependent cholesterol efflux efficiently. When incubated with human plasma CS-6253 was also found to bind with HDL and LDL and promoted the transfer of cholesterol from HDL to LDL predominantly. Our data shows that CS-6253 mimics apo A-I in its ability to promote ABCA1-mediated formation of nascent HDL particles, and enhances formation of preβ-1 HDL with increase in the cycling of apo A-I between the preβ and α-HDL particles in-vitro. These mechanisms are

ABCA1-dependent sterol release: sterol molecule specificity and potential membrane domain for HDL biogenesis.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Yoshio; Yokoyama, Shinji; Chang, Ta-Yuan

2016-01-01

Mammalian cells synthesize various sterol molecules, including the C30 sterol, lanosterol, as cholesterol precursors in the endoplasmic reticulum. The build-up of precursor sterols, including lanosterol, displays cellular toxicity. Precursor sterols are found in plasma HDL. How these structurally different sterols are released from cells is poorly understood. Here, we show that newly synthesized precursor sterols arriving at the plasma membrane (PM) are removed by extracellular apoA-I in a manner dependent on ABCA1, a key macromolecule for HDL biogenesis. Analysis of sterol molecules by GC-MS and tracing the fate of radiolabeled acetate-derived sterols in normal and mutant Niemann-Pick type C cells reveal that ABCA1 prefers newly synthesized sterols, especially lanosterol, as the substrates before they are internalized from the PM. We also show that ABCA1 resides in a cholesterol-rich membrane domain resistant to the mild detergent, Brij 98. Blocking ACAT activity increases the cholesterol contents of this domain. Newly synthesized C29/C30 sterols are transiently enriched within this domain, but rapidly disappear from this domain with a half-life of less than 1 h. Our work shows that substantial amounts of precursor sterols are transported to a certain PM domain and are removed by the ABCA1-dependent pathway. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Macrophage ABCA1 reduces MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor trafficking to lipid rafts by reduction of lipid raft cholesterol[S

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xuewei; Owen, John S.; Wilson, Martha D.; Li, Haitao; Griffiths, Gary L.; Thomas, Michael J.; Hiltbold, Elizabeth M.; Fessler, Michael B.; Parks, John S.

2010-01-01

We previously showed that macrophages from macrophage-specific ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) knockout (Abca1-M/-M) mice had an enhanced proinflammatory response to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 agonist, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), compared with wild-type (WT) mice. In the present study, we demonstrate a direct association between free cholesterol (FC), lipid raft content, and hyper-responsiveness of macrophages to LPS in WT mice. Abca1-M/-M macrophages were also hyper-responsive to specific agonists to TLR2, TLR7, and TLR9, but not TLR3, compared with WT macrophages. We hypothesized that ABCA1 regulates macrophage responsiveness to TLR agonists by modulation of lipid raft cholesterol and TLR mobilization to lipid rafts. We demonstrated that Abca1-M/-M vs. WT macrophages contained 23% more FC in isolated lipid rafts. Further, mass spectrometric analysis suggested raft phospholipid composition was unchanged. Although cell surface expression of TLR4 was similar between Abca1-M/-M and WT macrophages, significantly more TLR4 was distributed in membrane lipid rafts in Abca1-M/-M macrophages. Abca1-M/-M macrophages also exhibited increased trafficking of the predominantly intracellular TLR9 into lipid rafts in response to TLR9-specific agonist (CpG). Collectively, our data suggest that macrophage ABCA1 dampens inflammation by reducing MyD88-dependent TLRs trafficking to lipid rafts by selective reduction of FC content in lipid rafts. PMID:20650929

Eicosapentaenoic acid membrane incorporation impairs ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux via a protein kinase A signaling pathway in primary human macrophages.

PubMed

Fournier, Natalie; Tardivel, Sylviane; Benoist, Jean-François; Vedie, Benoît; Rousseau-Ralliard, Delphine; Nowak, Maxime; Allaoui, Fatima; Paul, Jean-Louis

2016-04-01

A diet rich in n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is cardioprotective. Dietary PUFAs affect the cellular phospholipids composition, which may influence the function of membrane proteins. We investigated the impact of the membrane incorporation of several PUFAs on ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux, a key antiatherogenic pathway. Arachidonic acid (AA) (C20:4 n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (C22:6 n-3) decreased or increased cholesterol efflux from J774 mouse macrophages, respectively, whereas they had no effect on efflux from human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM). Importantly, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (C20:5 n-3) induced a dose-dependent reduction of ABCA1 functionality in both cellular models (-28% for 70μM of EPA in HMDM), without any alterations in ABCA1 expression. These results show that PUFA membrane incorporation does not have the same consequences on cholesterol efflux from mouse and human macrophages. The EPA-treated HMDM exhibited strong phospholipid composition changes, with high levels of both EPA and its elongation product docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (C22:5 n-3), which is associated with a decreased level of AA. In HMDM, EPA reduced the ATPase activity of the membrane transporter. Moreover, the activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin and the inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase by isobutylmethylxanthine restored ABCA1 cholesterol efflux in EPA-treated human macrophages. In conclusion, EPA membrane incorporation reduces ABCA1 functionality in mouse macrophages as well as in primary human macrophages and this effect seems to be PKA-dependent in human macrophages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Retinoid Binding Properties of Nucleotide Binding Domain 1 of the Stargardt Disease-associated ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter, ABCA4*

PubMed Central

Biswas-Fiss, Esther E.; Affet, Stephanie; Ha, Malissa; Biswas, Subhasis B.

2012-01-01

The retina-specific ATP binding cassette transporter, ABCA4 protein, is associated with a broad range of inherited macular degenerations, including Stargardt disease, autosomal recessive cone rod dystrophy, and fundus flavimaculatus. In order to understand its role in retinal transport in rod out segment discs, we have investigated the interactions of the soluble domains of ABCA4 with both 11-cis- and all-trans-retinal. Using fluorescence anisotropy-based binding analysis and recombinant polypeptides derived from the amino acid sequences of the four soluble domains of ABCA4, we demonstrated that the nucleotide binding domain 1 (NBD1) specifically bound 11-cis-retinal. Its affinity for all-trans-retinal was markedly reduced. Stargardt disease-associated mutations in this domain resulted in attenuation of 11-cis-retinal binding. Significant differences in 11-cis-retinal binding affinities were observed between NBD1 and other cytoplasmic and lumenal domains of ABCA4. The results suggest a possible role of ABCA4 and, in particular, the NBD1 domain in 11-cis-retinal binding. These results also correlate well with a recent report on the in vivo role of ABCA4 in 11-cis-retinal transport. PMID:23144455

Gene-Gene Combination Effect and Interactions among ABCA1, APOA1, SR-B1, and CETP Polymorphisms for Serum High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol in the Japanese Population

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Akihiko; Niimura, Hideshi; Kuwabara, Kazuyo; Takezaki, Toshiro; Morita, Emi; Wakai, Kenji; Hamajima, Nobuyuki; Nishida, Yuichiro; Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury; Suzuki, Sadao; Ohnaka, Keizo; Uemura, Hirokazu; Ozaki, Etsuko; Hosono, Satoyo; Mikami, Haruo; Kubo, Michiaki; Tanaka, Hideo

2013-01-01

Background/Objective Gene-gene interactions in the reverse cholesterol transport system for high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) are poorly understood. The present study observed gene-gene combination effect and interactions between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ABCA1, APOA1, SR-B1, and CETP in serum HDL-C from a cross-sectional study in the Japanese population. Methods The study population comprised 1,535 men and 1,515 women aged 35–69 years who were enrolled in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study. We selected 13 SNPs in the ABCA1, APOA1, CETP, and SR-B1 genes in the reverse cholesterol transport system. The effects of genetic and environmental factors were assessed using general linear and logistic regression models after adjusting for age, sex, and region. Principal Findings Alcohol consumption and daily activity were positively associated with HDL-C levels, whereas smoking had a negative relationship. The T allele of CETP, rs3764261, was correlated with higher HDL-C levels and had the highest coefficient (2.93 mg/dL/allele) among the 13 SNPs, which was statistically significant after applying the Bonferroni correction (p<0.001). Gene-gene combination analysis revealed that CETP rs3764261 was associated with high HDL-C levels with any combination of SNPs from ABCA1, APOA1, and SR-B1, although no gene-gene interaction was apparent. An increasing trend for serum HDL-C was also observed with an increasing number of alleles (p<0.001). Conclusions The present study identified a multiplier effect from a polymorphism in CETP with ABCA1, APOA1, and SR-B1, as well as a dose-dependence according to the number of alleles present. PMID:24376512

Multi-Layer Identification of Highly-Potent ABCA1 Up-Regulators Targeting LXRβ Using Multiple QSAR Modeling, Structural Similarity Analysis, and Molecular Docking.

PubMed

Chen, Meimei; Yang, Fafu; Kang, Jie; Yang, Xuemei; Lai, Xinmei; Gao, Yuxing

2016-11-29

In this study, in silico approaches, including multiple QSAR modeling, structural similarity analysis, and molecular docking, were applied to develop QSAR classification models as a fast screening tool for identifying highly-potent ABCA1 up-regulators targeting LXRβ based on a series of new flavonoids. Initially, four modeling approaches, including linear discriminant analysis, support vector machine, radial basis function neural network, and classification and regression trees, were applied to construct different QSAR classification models. The statistics results indicated that these four kinds of QSAR models were powerful tools for screening highly potent ABCA1 up-regulators. Then, a consensus QSAR model was developed by combining the predictions from these four models. To discover new ABCA1 up-regulators at maximum accuracy, the compounds in the ZINC database that fulfilled the requirement of structural similarity of 0.7 compared to known potent ABCA1 up-regulator were subjected to the consensus QSAR model, which led to the discovery of 50 compounds. Finally, they were docked into the LXRβ binding site to understand their role in up-regulating ABCA1 expression. The excellent binding modes and docking scores of 10 hit compounds suggested they were highly-potent ABCA1 up-regulators targeting LXRβ. Overall, this study provided an effective strategy to discover highly potent ABCA1 up-regulators.

Effect Of G2706A and G1051A polymorphisms of the ABCA1 gene on the lipid, oxidative stress and homocystein levels in Turkish patients with polycystıc ovary syndrome

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Obesity, insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, crucial parameters of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) play significant pathophysiological roles in lipidemic aberrations associated within the syndrome. Parts of the metabolic syndrome (low HDL and insulin resistance) appeared to facilitate the association between PCOS and coronary artery disease, independently of obesity. ABCA1 gene polymorphism may be altered this components in PCOS patients. In this study, we studied 98 PCOS patients and 93 healthy controls. All subjects underwent venous blood drawing for complete hormonal assays, lipid profile, glucose, insulin, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, disulfide levels and ABCA genetic study. Results In PCOS group fasting glucose, DHEAS, 17-OHP, free testosterone, total-cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen were significantly different compare to controls. The genotype ABCA G2706A distribution differed between the control group (GG 60.7%, GA 32.1%, AA 7.1%) and the PCOS patients (GG 8.7%, GA 8.7%, AA 76.8%). The frequency of the A allele (ABCAG2706A) was higher in PCOS patients than control group with 13,0% and 23,2%, respectively. In this study, the homocystein and insulin levels were significantly higher in PCOS patients with ABCA G1051A mutant genotype than those with heterozygote and wild genotypes. Conclusions We found higher percentage of AA genotype and A allele of ABCA G2706A in PCOS patients compare to controls. The fasting insulin and homocystein levels were significantly higher in PCOS patients with ABCA G1051A mutant genotype than those with heterozygote and wild genotypes. PMID:22035022

Recurrent amplification of RTEL1 and ABCA13 and its synergistic effect associated with clinicopathological data of gastric adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Araújo, T M; Seabra, A D; Lima, E M; Assumpção, P P; Montenegro, R C; Demachki, S; Burbano, R M; Khayat, A S

2016-01-01

Despite progression in treatment of gastric cancer, prognosis of patients remains poor, in part due to the low rate of diagnosis during its early stages. This paradigm implies the necessity to identify molecular biomarkers for early gastric cancer diagnosis, as well as for disease monitoring, thus contributing to the development of new therapeutic approaches. In a previous study, performed by array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization, we described for the first time in literature recurrent amplification of RTEL1 and ABCA13 genes in gastric cancer. Thus, the aim of the present study was to validate recurrent amplification of RTEL1 and ABCA13 genes and associate CNV status with clinicopathological data. Results showed RTEL1 and ABCA13 amplification in 38 % of samples. Statistical analysis demonstrated that RTEL amplification is more common in older patients and more associated with intestinal type and ABCA13 amplification increases the risk of lymph node metastasis and is more common in men. Co-amplification of these genes showed a significant association with advanced staging. aCGH is a very useful tool for investigating novel genes associated with carcinogenesis and RTEL1 amplification may be important for the development of gastric cancer in older patients, besides being a probable event contributing for chromosomal instability in intestinal gastric carcinogenesis. ABCA13 amplification may have age-specific function and could be considered a useful marker for predicting lymph node metastasis in resected gastric cancer patients in early stage. Lastly, RTEL1 and ABCA13 synergistic effect may be considered as a putative marker for advanced staging in gastric cancer patients.

Interaction between FTO rs9939609 and the Native American-origin ABCA1 rs9282541 affects BMI in the admixed Mexican population.

PubMed

Villalobos-Comparán, Marisela; Antuna-Puente, Bárbara; Villarreal-Molina, María Teresa; Canizales-Quinteros, Samuel; Velázquez-Cruz, Rafael; León-Mimila, Paola; Villamil-Ramírez, Hugo; González-Barrios, Juan Antonio; Merino-García, José Luis; Thompson-Bonilla, María Rocío; Jarquin, Diego; Sánchez-Hernández, Osvaldo Erik; Rodríguez-Arellano, Martha Eunice; Posadas-Romero, Carlos; Vargas-Alarcón, Gilberto; Campos-Pérez, Francisco; Quiterio, Manuel; Salmerón-Castro, Jorge; Carnevale, Alessandra; Romero-Hidalgo, Sandra

2017-05-02

The aim of this study was to explore whether interactions between FTO rs9939609 and ABCA1 rs9282541 affect BMI and waist circumference (WC), and could explain previously reported population differences in FTO-obesity and FTO-BMI associations in the Mexican and European populations. A total of 3938 adults and 636 school-aged children from Central Mexico were genotyped for both polymorphisms. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue biopsies from 22 class III obesity patients were analyzed for FTO and ABCA1 mRNA expression. Generalized linear models were used to test for associations and gene-gene interactions affecting BMI, WC and FTO expression. FTO and ABCA1 risk alleles were not individually associated with higher BMI or WC. However, in the absence of the ABCA1 risk allele, the FTO risk variant was significantly associated with higher BMI (P = 0.043) and marginally associated with higher WC (P = 0.067), as reported in Europeans. The gene-gene interaction affecting BMI and WC was statistically significant only in adults. FTO mRNA expression in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue according to ABCA1 genotype was consistent with these findings. This is the first report showing evidence of FTO and ABCA1 gene variant interactions affecting BMI, which may explain previously reported population differences. Further studies are needed to confirm this interaction.

Seminal Plasma Characteristics and Expression of ATP-binding Cassette Transporter A1 (ABCA1) in Canine Spermatozoa from Ejaculates with Good and Bad Freezability.

PubMed

Schäfer-Somi, S; Palme, N

2016-04-01

The composition of seminal plasma and the localization of the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in spermatozoa from good and bad freezers were compared to frozen-thawed spermatozoa from the same dog. Ejaculates were obtained from 31 stud dogs, and the sperm-rich fraction (SRF) was kept for analysis. One aliquot was used for the analysis of concentration, progressive motility (P; CASA), viability (V; CASA) and leucocyte count, and the analysis was performed by flow cytometry (FITC-PNA/PI), SCSA and HOST. In seminal plasma, concentration of albumin, cholesterol, calcium, inorganic phosphate, sodium, potassium, zinc and copper was measured. Semen smears were prepared and evaluated for the expression of ABCA1. The remainder of each ejaculate was frozen. After thawing, the quality assessment was repeated and further smears were prepared. According to post-thaw semen quality, dogs were assigned to good freezers (n = 20) or bad freezers (n = 11), the latter were defined as < 50% progressive motility and/or > 40% morphologically abnormal sperm and/or < 50% viability. Bad freezers were older than good freezers (5.3 vs 3.4 years, p < 0.05). In bad freezers, the percentage of sperm with ABCA1 signal in the acrosome was lower (26.3% vs 35.7%, p < 0.01) and the percentage of sperm with complete loss of ABCA1 signal higher (46.7% vs 30%, p < 0.01); the percentage of dead spermatozoa was higher (36.1% vs 25.5%, p < 0.05), and the concentration of cholesterol and sodium in seminal plasma was lower than in good freezers (p < 0.05). We conclude that in thawed bad freezer sperm, an increase in acrosome damages coincided with an increased loss of cholesterol transporters and cell death, and a lower cholesterol concentration in seminal plasma. Follow-up studies revealed whether a relation exists between these findings. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Reduced Plasma HDL Cholesterol in Hyperthyroid Mice Coincides with Decreased Hepatic ABCA1 Expression

PubMed Central

TANCEVSKI, IVAN; WEHINGER, ANDREAS; DEMETZ, EGON; ELLER, PHILIPP; DUWENSEE, KRISTINA; HUBER, JULIA; HOCHEGGER, KATHRIN; SCHGOER, WILFRIED; FIEVET, CATHERINE; STELLAARD, FRANS; RUDLING, MATS; PATSCH, JOSEF R.; RITSCH, ANDREAS

2010-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of severe hyperthyroidism on plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Recently, it was shown in mice that increasing doses of triiodothyronine (T3) upregulate hepatic expression of scavenger receptor-BI (SR-BI), resulting in increased clearance of plasma HDL-C. Here we show that severe hyperthyroidism in mice did not affect hepatic expression of SR-BI, but reduced hepatic expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1), accompanied by a 40%-reduction of HDL-C. Sterol content of bile, liver and feces was markedly increased, accompanied by upregulation of hepatic CYP7A1, and ATP-binding cassette half-transporter ABCG5, which is known to promote biliary sterol secretion upon dimerization with ABCG8. Both control and hyperthyroid mice exerted identical plasma clearance of intravenously injected [3H] HDL-C, supporting the view that severe hyperthyroidism does not affect HDL-C clearance, but rather its formation via hepatic ABCA1. PMID:18388200

Genetic variants of ABCA1 modify Alzheimer disease risk and quantitative traits related to beta-amyloid metabolism.

PubMed

Katzov, Hagit; Chalmers, Katy; Palmgren, Juni; Andreasen, Niels; Johansson, Boo; Cairns, Nigel J; Gatz, Margaret; Wilcock, Gordon K; Love, Seth; Pedersen, Nancy L; Brookes, Anthony J; Blennow, Kaj; Kehoe, Patrick G; Prince, Jonathan A

2004-04-01

Linkage studies have provided evidence that one or more loci on chromosome 9q influence Alzheimer disease (AD). The gene encoding the ATP-binding cassette A1 transporter (ABCA1) resides within proximity of previously identified linkage peaks and represents a plausible biological candidate for AD due to its central role in cellular lipid homeostasis. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning ABCA1 have been genotyped and haplotype-based association analyses performed in four independent case-control samples, consisting of over 1,750 individuals from three European populations representing both early and late-onset AD. Prominent effects were observed for a common (H2) and rarer haplotype (H5) that were enriched in AD cases across studied populations (odds ratio [OR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36-1.82; P<0.00001 and OR 2.90; 95% CI 2.54-3.27; P<0.00001, respectively). Two other common haplotypes in the studied region (H1 and H3) were significantly under-represented in AD cases, suggesting that they may harbor alleles that decrease disease risk (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.94; P=0.0065 and OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.46-0.93; P=0.011, respectively). While findings were significant in both early and late-onset samples, haplotype effects were more distinct in early-onset materials. For late-onset samples, ancillary evidence was obtained that both single marker alleles and haplotypes of ABCA1 contribute to variable cerebrospinal fluid tau and beta amyloid (Abeta42) protein levels, and brain Abeta load. Results indicate that variants of ABCA1 may affect the risk of AD, providing further support for a genetic link between AD and cholesterol metabolism. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

7-ketocholesteryl-9-carboxynonanoate enhances ATP binding cassette transporter A1 expression mediated by PPARγ in THP-1 macrophages.

PubMed

Chi, Yan; Wang, Le; Liu, Yuanyuan; Ma, Yanhua; Wang, Renjun; Han, Xiaofei; Qiao, Hui; Lin, Jiabin; Matsuura, Eiji; Liu, Shuqian; Liu, Qingping

2014-06-01

ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family. It plays an essential role in mediating the efflux of excess cholesterol. It is known that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) promoted ABCA1 expression. We previously found 7-ketocholesteryl-9-carboxynonanoate (oxLig-1) upregulated ABCA1 partially through CD36 mediated signals. In the present study, we intended to test if PPARγ signally is involved in the upregulation mediated by oxLig-1. First, we docked oxLig-1 and the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of PPARγ by using AutoDock 3.05 and subsequently confirmed the binding by ELISA assay. Western blotting analyses showed that oxLig-1 induces liver X receptor alpha (LXRα), PPARγ and consequently ABCA1 expression. Furthermore, oxLig-1 significantly enhanced ApoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux. Pretreatment with an inhibitor for PPARγ (GW9662) or/and LXRα (GGPP) attenuated oxLig-1-induced ABCA1 expression. Under PPARγ knockdown by using PPARγ-shRNA, oxLig-1-induced ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophages was blocked by 62% and 25% respectively. These observations suggest that oxLig-1 is a novel PPARγ agonist, promoting ApoA-I-mediated cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages by increasing ABCA1 expression via induction of PPARγ. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ligand, receptor, and cell type-dependent regulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1 mRNA in prostate cancer epithelial cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent evidence suggests that the liver X receptor (LXR) is a potential anti-cancer target in prostate carcinoma. There is little characterization, however, of how the two major isoforms LXRa or LXRß regulate the LXR-responsive genes ATP-binding cassette sub-family A 1 (ABCA1) and sub-family member ...

13-hydroxy linoleic acid increases expression of the cholesterol transporters ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-BI and stimulates apoA-I-dependent cholesterol efflux in RAW264.7 macrophages

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Synthetic activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) stimulate cholesterol removal from macrophages through PPAR-dependent up-regulation of liver × receptor α (LXRα) and subsequent induction of cholesterol exporters such as ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-BI). The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that the hydroxylated derivative of linoleic acid (LA), 13-HODE, which is a natural PPAR agonist, has similar effects in RAW264.7 macrophages. Methods RAW264.7 macrophages were treated without (control) or with LA or 13-HODE in the presence and absence of PPARα or PPARγ antagonists and determined protein levels of LXRα, ABCA1, ABCG1, SR-BI, PPARα and PPARγ and apolipoprotein A-I mediated lipid efflux. Results Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with 13-HODE increased PPAR-transactivation activity and protein concentrations of LXRα, ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-BI when compared to control treatment (P < 0.05). In addition, 13-HODE enhanced cholesterol concentration in the medium but decreased cellular cholesterol concentration during incubation of cells with the extracellular lipid acceptor apolipoprotein A-I (P < 0.05). Pre-treatment of cells with a selective PPARα or PPARγ antagonist completely abolished the effects of 13-HODE on cholesterol efflux and protein levels of genes investigated. In contrast to 13-HODE, LA had no effect on either of these parameters compared to control cells. Conclusion 13-HODE induces cholesterol efflux from macrophages via the PPAR-LXRα-ABCA1/SR-BI-pathway. PMID:22129452

Genetic and Epigenetic Factors at COL2A1 and ABCA4 Influence Clinical Outcome in Congenital Toxoplasmosis

PubMed Central

Jamieson, Sarra E.; de Roubaix, Lee-Anne; Cortina-Borja, Mario; Tan, Hooi Kuan; Mui, Ernest J.; Cordell, Heather J.; Kirisits, Michael J.; Miller, E. Nancy; Peacock, Christopher S.; Hargrave, Aubrey C.; Coyne, Jessica J.; Boyer, Kenneth; Bessieres, Marie-Hélène; Buffolano, Wilma; Ferret, Nicole; Franck, Jacqueline; Kieffer, François; Meier, Paul; Nowakowska, Dorota E.; Paul, Malgorzata; Peyron, François; Stray-Pedersen, Babill; Prusa, Andrea-Romana; Thulliez, Philippe; Wallon, Martine; Petersen, Eskild; McLeod, Rima; Gilbert, Ruth E.; Blackwell, Jenefer M.

2008-01-01

Background Primary Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy can be transmitted to the fetus. At birth, infected infants may have intracranial calcification, hydrocephalus, and retinochoroiditis, and new ocular lesions can occur at any age after birth. Not all children who acquire infection in utero develop these clinical signs of disease. Whilst severity of disease is influenced by trimester in which infection is acquired by the mother, other factors including genetic predisposition may contribute. Methods and Findings In 457 mother-child pairs from Europe, and 149 child/parent trios from North America, we show that ocular and brain disease in congenital toxoplasmosis associate with polymorphisms in ABCA4 encoding ATP-binding cassette transporter, subfamily A, member 4. Polymorphisms at COL2A1 encoding type II collagen associate only with ocular disease. Both loci showed unusual inheritance patterns for the disease allele when comparing outcomes in heterozygous affected children with outcomes in affected children of heterozygous mothers. Modeling suggested either an effect of mother's genotype, or parent-of-origin effects. Experimental studies showed that both ABCA4 and COL2A1 show isoform-specific epigenetic modifications consistent with imprinting. Conclusions These associations between clinical outcomes of congenital toxoplasmosis and polymorphisms at ABCA4 and COL2A1 provide novel insight into the molecular pathways that can be affected by congenital infection with this parasite. PMID:18523590

MicroRNA-20a/b regulates cholesterol efflux through post-transcriptional repression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1.

PubMed

Liang, Bin; Wang, Xin; Song, Xiaosu; Bai, Rui; Yang, Huiyu; Yang, Zhiming; Xiao, Chuanshi; Bian, Yunfei

2017-09-01

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a crucial role in reverse cholesterol transport and exhibits anti-atherosclerosis effects. Some microRNAs (miRs) regulate ABCA1 expression, and recent studies have shown that miR-20a/b might play a critical role in atherosclerotic diseases. Here, we attempted to clarify the potential contribution of miR-20a/b in post-transcriptional regulation of ABCA1, cholesterol efflux, and atherosclerosis. We performed bioinformatics analysis and found that miR-20a/b was highly conserved and directly bound to ABCA1 mRNA with low binding free energy. Luciferase-reporter assay also confirmed that miR-20a/b significantly reduced luciferase activity associated with the ABCA1 3' untranslated region reporter construct. Additionally, miR-20a/b decreased ABCA1 expression, which, in turn, decreased cholesterol efflux and increased cholesterol content in THP-1 and RAW 264.7 macrophage-derived foam cells. In contrast, miR-20a/b inhibitors increased ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux, decreased cholesterol content, and inhibited foam-cell formation. Consistent with our in vitro results, miR-20a/b-treated ApoE -/- mice showed decreased ABCA1expression in the liver and reductions of reverse cholesterol transport in vivo. Furthermore, miR-20a/b regulated the formation of nascent high-density lipoprotein and promoted atherosclerotic development, whereas miR-20a/b knockdown attenuated atherosclerotic formation. miR-20 is a new miRNA capable of targeting ABCA1 and regulating ABCA1 expression. Therefore, miR-20 inhibition constitutes a new strategy for ABCA1-based treatment of atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of APOA5, APOB, APOC3 and ABCA1 gene polymorphisms on ischemic stroke: Evidence from a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Au, Anthony; Griffiths, Lyn R; Irene, Looi; Kooi, Cheah Wee; Wei, Loo Keat

2017-10-01

Genetic studies have been reported on the association between APOA5, APOB, APOC3 and ABCA1 gene polymorphisms and ischemic stroke, but results remain controversial. Hence, this meta-analysis aimed to infer the causal relationships of APOA5 (rs662799, rs3135506), APOB (rs693, rs1042031, rs1801701), APOC3 (rs4520, rs5128, rs2854116, rs2854117) and ABCA1 rs2230806 with ischemic stroke risk. A systematic review was performed for all the articles retrieved from multiple databases, up until March 2017. Data were extracted from all eligible studies, and meta-analysis was carried out using RevMan 5.3 and R package 3.2.1. The strength of association between each studied polymorphism and ischemic stroke risk was measured as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), under fixed- and random-effect models. A total of 79 studies reporting on the association between the studied polymorphisms and ischemic stroke risk were identified. The pooled data indicated that all genetic models of APOA5 rs662799 (ORs = 1.23-1.43), allelic and over-dominant models of APOA5 rs3135506 (ORs = 1.77-1.97), APOB rs1801701 (ORs = 1.72-2.13) and APOB rs1042031 (ORs = 1.66-1.88) as well as dominant model of ABCA1 rs2230806 (OR = 1.31) were significantly associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke. However, no significant associations were observed between ischemic stroke and the other five polymorphisms, namely ApoB (rs693) and APOC3 (rs4520, rs5128, rs2854116 and rs2854117), under any genetic model. The present meta-analysis confirmed a significant association of APOA5 rs662799 CC, APOA5 rs3135506 CG, APOB rs1801701 GA, APOB rs1042031 GA and ABCA1 rs2230806 GG with increased risk of ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 Inhibits Atherogenesis via Induction of 24 (S), 25-Epoxycholesterol-Mediated ABCA1 and ABCG1 Production and Cholesterol Efflux in Macrophages

PubMed Central

Kim, Hye Sun; Park, Woo Jung; Kim, Joo-Yun; Chung, Dae Kyun

2016-01-01

Lactobacillus acidophilus species are well-known probiotics with the beneficial activity of regulating cholesterol levels. In this study, we showed that L. acidophilus K301 reduced the level of cholesterol through reverse transport in macrophages. L. acidophilus K301 upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of genes such as ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) and ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) under the control of liver X receptor (LXR), resulting in increased apoA-I-dependent cholesterol efflux in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-differentiated THP-1 cells. L. acidophilus K301 induced both ABCA1 and ABCG1 through the endogenous LXR agonist 24(S), 25-epoxcycholesterol, which is synthesized by intracellular cholesterol synthetic pathways. In vivo studies using L. acidophilus K301-treated ApoE-/- mice showed reduced accumulation of lipoproteins in the arterial lumen. The inhibitory effects of L. acidophilus K301 on accumulation of lipoprotein in atherosclerotic plaques were mediated by the induction of squalene reductase (SQLE) and oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and resulted in ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Taken together, our findings revealed that Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 regulates the expression of genes related to cholesterol reverse transport via the induction of endogenous LXR agonist, suggesting the therapeutic potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 as an anti-atherosclerotic agent. PMID:27120199

Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 Inhibits Atherogenesis via Induction of 24 (S), 25-Epoxycholesterol-Mediated ABCA1 and ABCG1 Production and Cholesterol Efflux in Macrophages.

PubMed

Hong, Yi-Fan; Kim, Hangeun; Kim, Hye Sun; Park, Woo Jung; Kim, Joo-Yun; Chung, Dae Kyun

2016-01-01

Lactobacillus acidophilus species are well-known probiotics with the beneficial activity of regulating cholesterol levels. In this study, we showed that L. acidophilus K301 reduced the level of cholesterol through reverse transport in macrophages. L. acidophilus K301 upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of genes such as ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) and ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) under the control of liver X receptor (LXR), resulting in increased apoA-I-dependent cholesterol efflux in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-differentiated THP-1 cells. L. acidophilus K301 induced both ABCA1 and ABCG1 through the endogenous LXR agonist 24(S), 25-epoxcycholesterol, which is synthesized by intracellular cholesterol synthetic pathways. In vivo studies using L. acidophilus K301-treated ApoE-/- mice showed reduced accumulation of lipoproteins in the arterial lumen. The inhibitory effects of L. acidophilus K301 on accumulation of lipoprotein in atherosclerotic plaques were mediated by the induction of squalene reductase (SQLE) and oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) and resulted in ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Taken together, our findings revealed that Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 regulates the expression of genes related to cholesterol reverse transport via the induction of endogenous LXR agonist, suggesting the therapeutic potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus K301 as an anti-atherosclerotic agent.

Proteomic analysis of HDL from inbred mouse strains implicates APOE associated with HDL in reduced cholesterol efflux capacity via the ABCA1 pathway[S

PubMed Central

Pamir, Nathalie; Hutchins, Patrick; Ronsein, Graziella; Vaisar, Tomas; Reardon, Catherine A.; Getz, Godfrey S.; Lusis, Aldons J.; Heinecke, Jay W.

2016-01-01

Cholesterol efflux capacity associates strongly and negatively with the incidence and prevalence of human CVD. We investigated the relationships of HDL’s size and protein cargo with its cholesterol efflux capacity using APOB-depleted serum and HDLs isolated from five inbred mouse strains with different susceptibilities to atherosclerosis. Like humans, mouse HDL carried >70 proteins linked to lipid metabolism, the acute-phase response, proteinase inhibition, and the immune system. HDL’s content of specific proteins strongly correlated with its size and cholesterol efflux capacity, suggesting that its protein cargo regulates its function. Cholesterol efflux capacity with macrophages strongly and positively correlated with retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and PLTP, but not APOA1. In contrast, ABCA1-specific cholesterol efflux correlated strongly with HDL’s content of APOA1, APOC3, and APOD, but not RBP4 and PLTP. Unexpectedly, APOE had a strong negative correlation with ABCA1-specific cholesterol efflux capacity. Moreover, the ABCA1-specific cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL isolated from APOE-deficient mice was significantly greater than that of HDL from wild-type mice. Our observations demonstrate that the HDL-associated APOE regulates HDL’s ABCA1-specific cholesterol efflux capacity. These findings may be clinically relevant because HDL’s APOE content associates with CVD risk and ABCA1 deficiency promotes unregulated cholesterol accumulation in human macrophages. PMID:26673204

HDL and CER-001 Inverse-Dose Dependent Inhibition of Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation in apoE-/- Mice: Evidence of ABCA1 Down-Regulation

PubMed Central

Tardy, Claudine; Goffinet, Marine; Boubekeur, Nadia; Cholez, Guy; Ackermann, Rose; Sy, Gavin; Keyserling, Constance; Lalwani, Narendra; Paolini, John F.; Dasseux, Jean-Louis; Barbaras, Ronald; Baron, Rudi

2015-01-01

Objective CER-001 is a novel engineered HDL-mimetic comprised of recombinant human apoA-I and charged phospholipids that was designed to mimic the beneficial properties of nascent pre-ß HDL. In this study, we have evaluated the dose-dependent regulation of ABCA1 expression in vitro and in vivo in the presence of CER-001 and native HDL (HDL3). Methods and Results CER-001 induced cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner similar to natural HDL. A strong down-regulation of the ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) transporter mRNA (- 50%) as well as the ABCA1 membrane protein expression (- 50%) was observed at higher doses of CER-001 and HDL3 compared to non-lipidated apoA-I. In vivo, in an apoE-/- mouse “flow cessation model,” in which the left carotid artery was ligatured to induce local inflammation, the inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque burden progression in response to a dose-range of every-other-day CER-001 or HDL in the presence of a high-fat diet for two weeks was assessed. We observed a U-shaped dose-response curve: inhibition of the plaque total cholesterol content increased with increasing doses of CER-001 or HDL3 up to a maximum inhibition (- 51%) at 5 mg/kg; however, as the dose was increased above this threshold, a progressively less pronounced inhibition of progression was observed, reaching a complete absence of inhibition of progression at doses of 20 mg/kg and over. ABCA1 protein expression in the same atherosclerotic plaque was decreased by-45% and-68% at 50 mg/kg for CER-001 and HDL respectively. Conversely, a-12% and 0% decrease in ABCA1 protein expression was observed at the 5 mg/kg dose for CER-001 and HDL respectively. Conclusions These data demonstrate that high doses of HDL and CER-001 are less effective at slowing progression of atherosclerotic plaque in apoE-/- mice compared to lower doses, following a U-shaped dose-response curve. A potential mechanism for this phenomenon is supported by the observation that

HDL and CER-001 Inverse-Dose Dependent Inhibition of Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation in apoE-/- Mice: Evidence of ABCA1 Down-Regulation.

PubMed

Tardy, Claudine; Goffinet, Marine; Boubekeur, Nadia; Cholez, Guy; Ackermann, Rose; Sy, Gavin; Keyserling, Constance; Lalwani, Narendra; Paolini, John F; Dasseux, Jean-Louis; Barbaras, Ronald; Baron, Rudi

2015-01-01

CER-001 is a novel engineered HDL-mimetic comprised of recombinant human apoA-I and charged phospholipids that was designed to mimic the beneficial properties of nascent pre-ß HDL. In this study, we have evaluated the dose-dependent regulation of ABCA1 expression in vitro and in vivo in the presence of CER-001 and native HDL (HDL3). CER-001 induced cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner similar to natural HDL. A strong down-regulation of the ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) transporter mRNA (- 50%) as well as the ABCA1 membrane protein expression (- 50%) was observed at higher doses of CER-001 and HDL3 compared to non-lipidated apoA-I. In vivo, in an apoE-/- mouse "flow cessation model," in which the left carotid artery was ligatured to induce local inflammation, the inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque burden progression in response to a dose-range of every-other-day CER-001 or HDL in the presence of a high-fat diet for two weeks was assessed. We observed a U-shaped dose-response curve: inhibition of the plaque total cholesterol content increased with increasing doses of CER-001 or HDL3 up to a maximum inhibition (- 51%) at 5 mg/kg; however, as the dose was increased above this threshold, a progressively less pronounced inhibition of progression was observed, reaching a complete absence of inhibition of progression at doses of 20 mg/kg and over. ABCA1 protein expression in the same atherosclerotic plaque was decreased by-45% and-68% at 50 mg/kg for CER-001 and HDL respectively. Conversely, a-12% and 0% decrease in ABCA1 protein expression was observed at the 5 mg/kg dose for CER-001 and HDL respectively. These data demonstrate that high doses of HDL and CER-001 are less effective at slowing progression of atherosclerotic plaque in apoE-/- mice compared to lower doses, following a U-shaped dose-response curve. A potential mechanism for this phenomenon is supported by the observation that high doses of HDL and CER-001 induce a rapid and

Apo AI/ABCA1-dependent and HDL3-mediated lipid efflux from compositionally distinct cholesterol-based microdomains.

PubMed

Drobnik, Wolfgang; Borsukova, Hana; Böttcher, Alfred; Pfeiffer, Alexandra; Liebisch, Gerhard; Schütz, Gerhard J; Schindler, Hansgeorg; Schmitz, Gerd

2002-04-01

We have investigated whether a raft heterogeneity exists in human monocyte-derived macrophages and fibroblasts and whether these microdomains are modulated by lipid efflux. Triton X-100 (Triton) or Lubrol WX (Lubrol) detergent-resistant membranes from cholesterol-loaded monocytes were associated with the following findings: (i) Lubrol-DRM contained most of the cellular cholesterol and at least 75% of Triton-detergent-resistant membranes. (ii) 'Lubrol rafts', defined by their solubility in Triton but insolubility in Lubrol, were enriched in unsaturated phosphatidylcholine and showed a lower cholesterol to choline-phospholipid ratio compared to Triton rafts. (iii) CD14 and CD55 were recovered in Triton- and Lubrol-detergent-resistant membranes, whereas CD11b was found exclusively in Triton DRM. ABCA1 implicated in apo AI-mediated lipid efflux and CDC42 were partially localized in Lubrol- but not in Triton-detergent-resistant membranes. (iv) Apo AI preferentially depleted cholesterol and choline-phospholipids from Lubrol rafts, whereas HDL3 additionally decreased the cholesterol content of Triton rafts. In fibroblasts, neither ABCA1 nor CDC42 was found in Lubrol rafts, and both apo AI and HDL3 reduced the lipid content in Lubrol- as well as in Triton-detergent-resistant membranes. In summary, we provide evidence for the existence of compositionally distinct membrane microdomains in human cells and their modulation by apo AI/ABCA1-dependent and HDL3-mediated lipid efflux.

A Mouse Model of Harlequin Ichthyosis Delineates a Key Role for Abca12 in Lipid Homeostasis

PubMed Central

Smyth, Ian; Mukhamedova, Nigora; Meikle, Peter J.; Ellis, Sarah; Slattery, Keith; Collinge, Janelle E.; de Graaf, Carolyn A.; Bahlo, Melanie; Sviridov, Dmitri

2008-01-01

Harlequin Ichthyosis (HI) is a severe and often lethal hyperkeratotic skin disease caused by mutations in the ABCA12 transport protein. In keratinocytes, ABCA12 is thought to regulate the transfer of lipids into small intracellular trafficking vesicles known as lamellar bodies. However, the nature and scope of this regulation remains unclear. As part of an original recessive mouse ENU mutagenesis screen, we have identified and characterised an animal model of HI and showed that it displays many of the hallmarks of the disease including hyperkeratosis, loss of barrier function, and defects in lipid homeostasis. We have used this model to follow disease progression in utero and present evidence that loss of Abca12 function leads to premature differentiation of basal keratinocytes. A comprehensive analysis of lipid levels in mutant epidermis demonstrated profound defects in lipid homeostasis, illustrating for the first time the extent to which Abca12 plays a pivotal role in maintaining lipid balance in the skin. To further investigate the scope of Abca12's activity, we have utilised cells from the mutant mouse to ascribe direct transport functions to the protein and, in doing so, we demonstrate activities independent of its role in lamellar body function. These cells have severely impaired lipid efflux leading to intracellular accumulation of neutral lipids. Furthermore, we identify Abca12 as a mediator of Abca1-regulated cellular cholesterol efflux, a finding that may have significant implications for other diseases of lipid metabolism and homeostasis, including atherosclerosis. PMID:18802465

Hydrogen Sulfide Up-Regulates the Expression of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 via Promoting Nuclear Translocation of PPARα.

PubMed

Li, Dong; Xiong, Qinghui; Peng, Jin; Hu, Bin; Li, Wanzhen; Zhu, Yizhun; Shen, Xiaoyan

2016-04-29

ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a key role in atherogenesis. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), a gasotransmitter, has been reported to play an anti-atherosclerotic role. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study we examined whether and how H₂S regulates ABCA1 expression. The effect of H₂S on ABCA1 expression and lipid metabolism were assessed in vitro by cultured human hepatoma cell line HepG2, and in vivo by ApoE(-/-) mice with a high-cholesterol diet. NaHS (an exogenous H₂S donor) treatment significantly increased the expression of ABCA1, ApoA1, and ApoA2 and ameliorated intracellular lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Depletion of the endogenous H₂S generator cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) by small RNA interference (siRNA) significantly decreased the expression of ABCA1 and resulted in the accumulation of lipids in HepG2 cells. In vivo NaHS treatment significantly reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), diminished atherosclerotic plaque size, and increased hepatic ABCA1 expression in fat-fed ApoE(-/-) mice. Further study revealed that NaHS upregulated ABCA1 expression by promoting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) nuclear translocation. H₂S up-regulates the expression of ABCA1 by promoting the nuclear translocation of PPARα, providing a fundamental mechanism for the anti-atherogenic activity of H₂S. H₂S may be a promising potential drug candidate for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

High glucose upregulates BACE1-mediated Aβ production through ROS-dependent HIF-1α and LXRα/ABCA1-regulated lipid raft reorganization in SK-N-MC cells

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyun Jik; Ryu, Jung Min; Jung, Young Hyun; Lee, Sei-Jung; Kim, Jeong Yeon; Lee, Sang Hun; Hwang, In Koo; Seong, Je Kyung; Han, Ho Jae

2016-01-01

There is an accumulation of evidence indicating that the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is associated with diabetes mellitus, an indicator of high glucose concentrations in blood plasma. This study investigated the effect of high glucose on BACE1 expression and amyloidogenesis in vivo, and we present details of the mechanism associated with those effects. Our results, using ZLC and ZDF rat models, showed that ZDF rats have high levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ), phosphorylated tau, BACE1, and APP-C99. In vitro result with mouse hippocampal neuron and SK-N-MC, high glucose stimulated Aβ secretion and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, high glucose increased BACE1 and APP-C99 expressions, which were reversed by a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. Indeed, high glucose increased intracellular ROS levels and HIF-1α expression, associated with regulation of BACE1 and Liver X Receptor α (LXRα). In addition, high glucose induced ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) down-regulation, was associated with LXR-induced lipid raft reorganization and BACE1 localization on the lipid raft. Furthermore, silencing of BACE1 expression was shown to regulate Aβ secretion and apoptosis of SK-N-MC. In conclusion, high glucose upregulates BACE1 expression and activity through HIF-1α and LXRα/ABCA1-regulated lipid raft reorganization, leading to Aβ production and apoptosis of SK-N-MC. PMID:27829662

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Regulates the Expression of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 in Pancreatic Beta Cells.

PubMed

Lyu, J; Imachi, H; Iwama, H; Zhang, H; Murao, K

2016-05-01

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in pancreatic beta cells influences insulin secretion and cholesterol homeostasis. The present study investigates whether insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which mediates stimulation of ABCA1 gene expression, could also interfere with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) cascade.ABCA1 expression was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blot analysis, and a reporter gene assay in rat insulin-secreting INS-1 cells incubated with IGF-1. The binding of forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) protein to the ABCA1 promoter was assessed by a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. ABCA1 protein levels increased in response to rising concentrations of IGF-1. Real-time PCR analysis showed a significant increase in ABCA1 mRNA expression. However, both effects were suppressed after silencing the IGF-1 receptor. In parallel with its effect on endogenous ABCA1 mRNA levels, IGF-1 induced the activity of a reporter construct containing the ABCA1 promoter, while it was abrogated by LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3-K. Constitutively active Akt stimulated activity of the ABCA1 promoter, and a dominant-negative mutant of Akt or mutagenesis of the FoxO1 response element in the ABCA1 promoter abolished the ability of IGF-1 to stimulate promoter activity. A ChIP assay showed that FoxO1 mediated its transcriptional activity by directly binding to the ABCA1 promoter region. The knockdown of FoxO1 disrupted the effect of IGF-1 on ABCA1 expression. Furthermore, IGF-1 promoted cholesterol efflux and reduced the pancreatic lipotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the PI3-K/Akt/FoxO1 pathway contributes to the regulation of ABCA1 expression in response to IGF-1 stimulation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Hydrogen Sulfide Up-Regulates the Expression of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 via Promoting Nuclear Translocation of PPARα

PubMed Central

Li, Dong; Xiong, Qinghui; Peng, Jin; Hu, Bin; Li, Wanzhen; Zhu, Yizhun; Shen, Xiaoyan

2016-01-01

ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a key role in atherogenesis. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gasotransmitter, has been reported to play an anti-atherosclerotic role. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study we examined whether and how H2S regulates ABCA1 expression. The effect of H2S on ABCA1 expression and lipid metabolism were assessed in vitro by cultured human hepatoma cell line HepG2, and in vivo by ApoE−/− mice with a high-cholesterol diet. NaHS (an exogenous H2S donor) treatment significantly increased the expression of ABCA1, ApoA1, and ApoA2 and ameliorated intracellular lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Depletion of the endogenous H2S generator cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) by small RNA interference (siRNA) significantly decreased the expression of ABCA1 and resulted in the accumulation of lipids in HepG2 cells. In vivo NaHS treatment significantly reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), diminished atherosclerotic plaque size, and increased hepatic ABCA1 expression in fat-fed ApoE−/− mice. Further study revealed that NaHS upregulated ABCA1 expression by promoting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) nuclear translocation. H2S up-regulates the expression of ABCA1 by promoting the nuclear translocation of PPARα, providing a fundamental mechanism for the anti-atherogenic activity of H2S. H2S may be a promising potential drug candidate for the treatment of atherosclerosis. PMID:27136542

Increase in HDL-C concentration by a dietary portfolio with soy protein and soluble fiber is associated with the presence of the ABCA1R230C variant in hyperlipidemic Mexican subjects.

PubMed

Guevara-Cruz, Martha; Tovar, Armando R; Larrieta, Elena; Canizales-Quinteros, Samuel; Torres, Nimbe

2010-01-01

A dietary portfolio has been used to reduce blood lipids in hyperlipidemic subjects. To increase the effectiveness of these dietary treatments in specific populations, it is important to study the genetic variability associated with the development of certain types of hyperlipidemias. Low plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are the most common dyslipidemia in Mexican adults and are coupled with the presence of the ABCA1 R230C genotype. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the response of HDL-C concentration to a dietary portfolio in a group of Mexican hyperlipidemic subjects with ABCA1R230C (rs9282541) and R219K (rs2230806) polymorphisms. Forty-three hyperlipidemic subjects (20 men and 23 women) were given a low saturated fat (LSF) diet for one month, followed by a LSF diet that included 25g of soy protein and 15g of soluble fiber daily for 2months. We analyzed two ABCA1 polymorphisms and studied their association with serum lipids before and after treatment. Hyperlipidemic subjects with the ABCA1 R230C genotype showed lower HDL-C concentrations at the beginning of the study and were better responders to the dietary treatment than subjects with the ABCA1 R230R genotype (+4.6% vs. +14.6%) (p=.05). According to gender and the presence of the R230C genotype, women responded more significantly to the dietary treatment, reflected by an increase of 21.9% in HDL concentration (p=.022), than women with R230R genotype who only experienced an increase of 2.7% in HDL-C concentration. There was no association between the presence of the ABCA1 R219K variant (p=.544) and HDL concentration. Hyperlipidemic Mexican subjects with the ABCA1 R230C genotype showed lower HDL-concentrations and were better responders to dietary portfolio treatments for increasing HDL-C concentrations than subjects with the R230R genotype. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mutations in GPR143/OA1 and ABCA4 Inform Interpretations of Short-Wavelength and Near-Infrared Fundus Autofluorescence

PubMed Central

Paavo, Maarjaliis; Zhao, Jin; Kim, Hye Jin; Lee, Winston; Zernant, Jana; Cai, Carolyn; Allikmets, Rando; Tsang, Stephen H.; Sparrow, Janet R.

2018-01-01

Purpose We sought to advance interpretations and quantification of short-wavelength fundus autofluorescence (SW-AF) emitted from bisretinoid lipofuscin and near-infrared autofluoresence (NIR-AF) originating from melanin. Methods Carriers of mutations in X-linked GPR143/OA1, a common form of ocular albinism; patients with confirmed mutations in ABCA4 conferring increased SW-AF; and subjects with healthy eyes were studied. SW-AF (488 nm excitation, 500–680 nm emission) and NIR-AF (excitation 787 nm, emission >830 nm) images were acquired with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope. SW-AF images were analyzed for quantitative autofluoresence (qAF). Analogous methods of image acquisition and analysis were performed in albino and pigmented Abca4−/− mice and wild-type mice. Results Quantitation of SW-AF (qAF), construction of qAF color-coded maps, and examination of NIR-AF images from GPR143/OA1 carriers revealed mosaics in which patches of fundus exhibiting NIR-AF signal had qAF levels within normal limits whereas the hypopigmented areas in the NIR-AF image corresponded to foci of elevated qAF. qAF also was increased in albino versus pigmented mice. Although melanin contributes to fundus infrared reflectance, the latter appeared to be uniform in en face reflectance images of GPR143/OA1-carriers. In patients diagnosed with ABCA4-associated disease, NIR-AF increased in tandem with increased qAF originating in bisretinoid lipofuscin. Similarly in Abca4−/− mice having increased SW-AF, NIR-AF was more pronounced than in wild-type mice. Conclusions These studies corroborate RPE melanin as the major source of NIR-AF but also indicate that bisretinoid lipofuscin, when present at sufficient concentrations, contributes to the NIR-AF signal. Ocular melanin attenuates the SW-AF signal.

miR-27b inhibits LDLR and ABCA1 expression but does not influence plasma and hepatic lipid levels in mice

PubMed Central

Goedeke, Leigh; Rotllan, Noemi; Ramírez, Cristina M.; Aranda, Juan F.; Canfrán-Duque, Alberto; Araldi, Elisa; Fernández-Hernando, Ana; Langhi, Cedric; de Cabo, Rafael; Baldán, Ángel; Suárez, Yajaira; Fernández-Hernando, Carlos

2015-01-01

Rationale Recently, there has been significant interest in the therapeutic administration of miRNA mimics and inhibitors to treat cardiovascular disease. In particular, miR-27b has emerged as a regulatory hub in cholesterol and lipid metabolism and potential therapeutic target for treating atherosclerosis. Despite this, the impact of miR-27b on lipid levels in vivo remains to be determined. As such, here we set out to further characterize the role of miR-27b in regulating cholesterol metabolism in vitro and to determine the effect of miR-27b overexpression and inhibition on circulating and hepatic lipids in mice. Methods and Results Our results identify miR-27b as an important regulator of LDLR activity in human and mouse hepatic cells through direct targeting of LDLR and LDLRAP1. In addition, we report that modulation of miR-27b expression affects ABCA1 protein levels and cellular cholesterol efflux to ApoA1 in human hepatic Huh7 cells. Overexpression of pre-miR-27b in the livers of wild-type mice using AAV8 vectors increased pre-miR-27b levels 50–fold and reduced hepatic ABCA1 and LDLR expression by 50% and 20%, respectively, without changing circulating and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides. To determine the effect of endogenous miR-27b on circulating lipids, wild-type mice were fed a Western diet for one month and injected with 5 mg/kg of LNA control or LNA anti-miR-27b oligonucleotides. Following two weeks of treatment, the expression of ABCA1 and LDLR were increased by 10–20% in the liver, demonstrating effective inhibition of miR-27b function. Intriguingly, no differences in circulating and hepatic lipids were observed between treatment groups. Conclusions The results presented here provide evidence that short-term modulation of miR-27b expression in wild-type mice regulates hepatic LDLR and ABCA1 expression but does not influence plasma and hepatic lipid levels. PMID:26520906

Association studies of several cholesterol-related genes (ABCA1, CETP and LIPC) with serum lipids and risk of Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objectives Accumulating evidence suggested that dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis might be a major etiologic factor in initiating and promoting neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), hepatic lipase (HL, coding genes named LIPC) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) are important components of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) implicated in atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we will investigate the possible association of several common polymorphisms (ABCA1R219K, CETPTaqIB and LIPC-250 G/A) with susceptibility to AD and plasma lipid levels. Methods Case–control study of 208 Han Chinese (104 AD patients and 104 non-demented controls) from Changsha area in Hunan Province was performed using the PCR-RFLP analysis. Cognitive decline was assessed using Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) as a standardized method. Additionally, fasting lipid profile and the cognitive testing scores including Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were recorded. Results and conclusions We found significant differences among the genotype distributions of these three genes in AD patients when compared with controls. But after adjusting other factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed only ABCA1R219K (B = −0.903, P = 0.005, OR = 0.405, 95%CI:0.217-0.758) and LIPC-250 G/A variants(B = −0.905, P = 0.018, OR = 0.405, 95%CI:0.191-0.858) were associated with decreased AD risk. There were significantly higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoproteinA-I in the carriers of KK genotype and K allele (P < 0.05), and B2B2 genotype of CETP Taq1B showed significant association with higher HDL-C levels than other genotypes (F = 5.598, P = 0.004), while -250 G/A polymorphisms had no significant effect on HDL-C. In total population, subjects

Association of Brain DNA methylation in SORL1, ABCA7, HLA-DRB5, SLC24A4, and BIN1 with pathological diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Chibnik, Lori B; Srivastava, Gyan P; Pochet, Nathalie; Yang, Jingyun; Xu, Jishu; Kozubek, James; Obholzer, Nikolaus; Leurgans, Sue E; Schneider, Julie A; Meissner, Alexander; De Jager, Philip L; Bennett, David A

2015-01-01

Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies have discovered several genetic variants associated with Alzheimer disease (AD); however, the extent to which DNA methylation in these AD loci contributes to the disease susceptibility remains unknown. To examine the association of brain DNA methylation in 28 reported AD loci with AD pathologies. Ongoing community-based clinical pathological cohort studies of aging and dementia (the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project) among 740 autopsied participants 66.0 to 108.3 years old. DNA methylation levels at individual CpG sites generated from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissue using a bead assay. Pathological diagnosis of AD by National Institute on Aging-Reagan criteria following a standard postmortem examination. Overall, 447 participants (60.4%) met the criteria for pathological diagnosis of AD. Brain DNA methylation in SORL1, ABCA7, HLA-DRB5, SLC24A4, and BIN1 was associated with pathological AD. The association was robustly retained after replacing the binary trait of pathological AD with 2 quantitative and molecular specific hallmarks of AD, namely, Aβ load and paired helical filament tau tangle density. Furthermore, RNA expression of transcripts of SORL1 and ABCA7 was associated with paired helical filament tau tangle density, and the expression of BIN1 was associated with Aβ load. Brain DNA methylation in multiple AD loci is associated with AD pathologies. The results provide further evidence that disruption of DNA methylation is involved in the pathological process of AD.

Advanced glycation end products affect cholesterol homeostasis by impairing ABCA1 expression on macrophages.

PubMed

Kamtchueng Simo, Olivier; Ikhlef, Souade; Berrougui, Hicham; Khalil, Abdelouahed

2017-08-01

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), which is intimately linked to high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), plays a key role in cholesterol homeostasis and the prevention of atherosclerosis. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of aging and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on RCT as well as on other factors that may affect the antiatherogenic property of HDLs. The transfer of macrophage-derived cholesterol to the plasma and liver and then to the feces for elimination was significantly lower in aged mice than in young mice. Chronic injection of d -galactose (D-gal) or AGEs also significantly reduced RCT (65.3% reduction in [ 3 H]cholesterol levels in the plasma of D-gal-treated mice after 48 h compared with control mice, P < 0.01). The injection of both D-gal and aminoguanidine hydrochloride increased [ 3 H]cholesterol levels in the plasma, although the levels were lower than those of control mice. The in vitro incubation of HDLs with dicarbonyl compounds increased the carbonyl and conjugated diene content of HDLs and significantly reduced PON1 paraoxonase activity (87.4% lower than control HDLs, P < 0.0001). Treating J774A.1 macrophages with glycated fetal bovine serum increased carbonyl formation (39.5% increase, P < 0.003) and reduced ABCA1 protein expression and the capacity of macrophages to liberate cholesterol (69.1% decrease, P < 0.0001). Our results showed, for the first time, that RCT is altered with aging and that AGEs contribute significantly to this alteration.

Differential regulation of ATP binding cassette protein A1 expression and ApoA-I lipidation by Niemann-Pick type C1 in murine hepatocytes and macrophages.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-Dong; Franklin, Vivian; Sundaram, Meenakshi; Kiss, Robert S; Ho, Kenneth; Gallant, Michel; Marcel, Yves L

2007-08-03

Niemann-Pick type C1 (Npc1) protein inactivation results in lipid accumulation in late endosomes and lysosomes, leading to a defect of ATP binding cassette protein A1 (Abca1)-mediated lipid efflux to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in macrophages and fibroblasts. However, the role of Npc1 in Abca1-mediated lipid efflux to apoA-I in hepatocytes, the major cells contributing to HDL formation, is still unknown. Here we show that, whereas lipid efflux to apoA-I in Npc1-null macrophages is impaired, the lipidation of endogenously synthesized apoA-I by low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol or de novo synthesized cholesterol or phospholipids in Npc1-null hepatocytes is significantly increased by about 1-, 3-, and 8-fold, respectively. The increased cholesterol efflux reflects a major increase of Abca1 protein in Npc1-null hepatocytes, which contrasts with the decrease observed in Npc1-null macrophages. The increased Abca1 expression is largely post-transcriptional, because Abca1 mRNA is only slightly increased and Lxr alpha mRNA is not changed, and Lxr alpha target genes are reduced. This differs from the regulation of Abcg1 expression, which is up-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels in Npc1-null cells. Abca1 protein translation rate is higher in Npc1-null hepatocytes, compared with wild type hepatocytes as measured by [(35)S]methionine incorporation, whereas there is no difference for the degradation of newly synthesized Abca1 in these two types of hepatocytes. Cathepsin D, which we recently identified as a positive modulator of Abca1, is markedly increased at both mRNA and protein levels by Npc1 inactivation in hepatocytes but not in macrophages. Consistent with this, inhibition of cathepsin D with pepstatin A reduced the Abca1 protein level in both Npc1-inactivated and WT hepatocytes. Therefore, Abca1 expression is specifically regulated in hepatocytes, where Npc1 activity modulates cathepsin D expression and Abca1 protein translation rate.

Novel mutations in CRB1 and ABCA4 genes cause Leber congenital amaurosis and Stargardt disease in a Swedish family

PubMed Central

Jonsson, Frida; Burstedt, Marie S; Sandgren, Ola; Norberg, Anna; Golovleva, Irina

2013-01-01

This study aimed to identify genetic mechanisms underlying severe retinal degeneration in one large family from northern Sweden, members of which presented with early-onset autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and juvenile macular dystrophy. The clinical records of affected family members were analysed retrospectively and ophthalmological and electrophysiological examinations were performed in selected cases. Mutation screening was initially performed with microarrays, interrogating known mutations in the genes associated with recessive retinitis pigmentosa, Leber congenital amaurosis and Stargardt disease. Searching for homozygous regions with putative causative disease genes was done by high-density SNP-array genotyping, followed by segregation analysis of the family members. Two distinct phenotypes of retinal dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis and Stargardt disease were present in the family. In the family, four patients with Leber congenital amaurosis were homozygous for a novel c.2557C>T (p.Q853X) mutation in the CRB1 gene, while of two cases with Stargardt disease, one was homozygous for c.5461-10T>C in the ABCA4 gene and another was carrier of the same mutation and a novel ABCA4 mutation c.4773+3A>G. Sequence analysis of the entire ABCA4 gene in patients with Stargardt disease revealed complex alleles with additional sequence variants, which were evaluated by bioinformatics tools. In conclusion, presence of different genetic mechanisms resulting in variable phenotype within the family is not rare and can challenge molecular geneticists, ophthalmologists and genetic counsellors. PMID:23443024

Gene therapy for Stargardt disease associated with ABCA4 gene.

PubMed

Han, Zongchao; Conley, Shannon M; Naash, Muna I

2014-01-01

Mutations in the photoreceptor-specific flippase ABCA4 lead to accumulation of the toxic bisretinoid A2E, resulting in atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and death of the photoreceptor cells. Many blinding diseases are associated with these mutations including Stargardt's disease (STGD1), cone-rod dystrophy, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and increased susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration. There are no curative treatments for any of these dsystrophies. While the monogenic nature of many of these conditions makes them amenable to treatment with gene therapy, the ABCA4 cDNA is 6.8 kb and is thus too large for the AAV vectors which have been most successful for other ocular genes. Here we review approaches to ABCA4 gene therapy including treatment with novel AAV vectors, lentiviral vectors, and non-viral compacted DNA nanoparticles. Lentiviral and compacted DNA nanoparticles in particular have a large capacity and have been successful in improving disease phenotypes in the Abca4 (-/-) murine model. Excitingly, two Phase I/IIa clinical trials are underway to treat patients with ABCA4-associated Startgardt's disease (STGD1). As a result of the development of these novel technologies, effective therapies for ABCA4-associated diseases may finally be within reach.

Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase Erk1/2 promotes protein degradation of ATP binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 in CHO and HuH7 cells.

PubMed

Mulay, Vishwaroop; Wood, Peta; Manetsch, Melanie; Darabi, Masoud; Cairns, Rose; Hoque, Monira; Chan, Karen Cecilia; Reverter, Meritxell; Alvarez-Guaita, Anna; Rye, Kerry-Anne; Rentero, Carles; Heeren, Joerg; Enrich, Carlos; Grewal, Thomas

2013-01-01

pathways in a cell-specific manner to regulate the expression levels of ABCA1 and ABCG1 transporters.

Evidence That Chromium Modulates Cellular Cholesterol Homeostasis and ABCA1 Functionality Impaired By Hyperinsulinemia

PubMed Central

Sealls, Whitney; Penque, Brent A.; Elmendorf, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

Objective Trivalent chromium (Cr3+) is an essential micronutrient. Findings since the 1950s suggest that Cr3+ might benefit cholesterol homeostasis. Here we present mechanistic evidence in support of this role of Cr3+. Method and Results High-density lipoprotein cholesterol generation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, rendered ineffective by hyperinsulinemia, known to accompany disorders of lipid metabolism was corrected by Cr3+. Mechanistically, Cr3+ reversed hyperinsulinemia-induced cellular cholesterol accrual and associated defects in cholesterol transporter ABCA1 trafficking and apolipoprotein A1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Moreover, direct activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), known to be activated by Cr3+, and/or inhibition of hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) activity, known to be elevated by hyperinsulinemia, mimics Cr3+ action. Conclusion These findings suggest a mechanism of Cr3+ action that fits with long-standing claims of its role in cholesterol homeostasis. Furthermore, these data implicate a mechanistic basis for the coexistence of dyslipidemia with hyperinsulinemia. PMID:21311039

Activation of liver X receptor decreases atherosclerosis in Ldlr⁻/⁻ mice in the absence of ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 in myeloid cells.

PubMed

Kappus, Mojdeh S; Murphy, Andrew J; Abramowicz, Sandra; Ntonga, Vusisizwe; Welch, Carrie L; Tall, Alan R; Westerterp, Marit

2014-02-01

Liver X receptor (LXR) activators decrease atherosclerosis in mice. LXR activators (1) directly upregulate genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport and (2) exert anti-inflammatory effects mediated by transrepression of nuclear factor-κB target genes. We investigated whether myeloid cell deficiency of ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1/G1), principal targets of LXR that promote macrophage cholesterol efflux and initiate reverse cholesterol transport, would abolish the beneficial effects of LXR activation on atherosclerosis. LXR activator T0901317 substantially reduced inflammatory gene expression in macrophages lacking ABCA1/G1. Ldlr(-/-) mice were transplanted with Abca1(-/-)Abcg1(-/-) or wild-type bone marrow (BM) and fed a Western-type diet for 6 weeks with or without T0901317 supplementation. Abca1/g1 BM deficiency increased atherosclerotic lesion complexity and inflammatory cell infiltration into the adventitia and myocardium. T0901317 markedly decreased lesion area, complexity, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the Abca1(-/-)Abcg1(-/-) BM-transplanted mice. To investigate whether this was because of macrophage Abca1/g1 deficiency, Ldlr(-/-) mice were transplanted with LysmCreAbca1(fl/fl)Abcg1(fl/fl) or Abca1(fl/fl)Abcg1(fl/fl) BM and fed Western-type diet with or without the more specific LXR agonist GW3965 for 12 weeks. GW3965 decreased lesion size in both groups, and the decrease was more prominent in the LysmCreAbca1(fl/fl)Abcg1(fl/fl) group. The results suggest that anti-inflammatory effects of LXR activators are of key importance to their antiatherosclerotic effects in vivo independent of cholesterol efflux pathways mediated by macrophage ABCA1/G1. This has implications for the development of LXR activators that lack adverse effects on lipogenic genes while maintaining the ability to transrepress inflammatory genes.

Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Up-Regulates the Cholesterol Transporters ATP-Binding Cassette A1 and G1 and Reduces Cholesterol Levels in the Developing Rat Brain.

PubMed

Zhou, Chunyan; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Xiaolu; Costa, Lucio G; Guizzetti, Marina

2014-11-01

Cholesterol plays a pivotal role in many aspects of brain development; reduced cholesterol levels during brain development, as a consequence of genetic defects in cholesterol biosynthesis, leads to severe brain damage, including microcephaly and mental retardation, both of which are also hallmarks of the fetal alcohol syndrome. We had previously shown that ethanol up-regulates the levels of two cholesterol transporters, ABCA1 (ATP binding cassette-A1) and ABCG1, leading to increased cholesterol efflux and decreased cholesterol content in astrocytes in vitro. In the present study we investigated whether similar effects could be seen in vivo. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed liquid diets containing 36% of the calories from ethanol from gestational day (GD) 6 to GD 21. A pair-fed control groups and an ad libitum control group were included in the study. ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein expression and cholesterol and phospholipid levels were measured in the neocortex of female and male fetuses at GD 21. Body weights were decreased in female fetuses as a consequence of ethanol treatments. ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein levels were increased, and cholesterol levels were decreased, in the neocortex of ethanol-exposed female, but not male, fetuses. Levels of phospholipids were unchanged. Control female fetuses fed ad libitum displayed an up-regulation of ABCA1 and a decrease in cholesterol content compared with pair-fed controls, suggesting that a compensatory up-regulation of cholesterol levels may occur during food restriction. Maternal ethanol consumption may affect fetal brain development by increasing cholesterol transporters' expression and reducing brain cholesterol levels. © The Author 2014. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Regulation of Expression of abcA and Its Response to Environmental Conditions

PubMed Central

Villet, Regis A.; Truong-Bolduc, Que Chi; Wang, Yin; Estabrooks, Zoe; Medeiros, Heidi

2014-01-01

The ATP-dependent transporter gene abcA in Staphylococcus aureus confers resistance to hydrophobic β-lactams. In strain ISP794, abcA is regulated by the transcriptional regulators MgrA and NorG and shares a 420-nucleotide intercistronic region with the divergently transcribed pbp4 gene, which encodes the transpeptidase Pbp4. Exposure of exponentially growing cells to iron-limited media, oxidative stress, and acidic pH (5.5) for 0.5 to 2 h had no effect on abcA expression. In contrast, nutrient limitation produced a significant increase in abcA transcripts. We identified three additional regulators (SarA, SarZ, and Rot) that bind to the overlapping promoter region of abcA and pbp4 in strain MW2 and investigated their role in the regulation of abcA expression. Expression of abcA is decreased by 10.0-fold in vivo in a subcutaneous abscess model. In vitro, abcA expression depends on rot and sarZ regulators. Moenomycin A exposure of strain MW2 produced an increase in abcA transcripts. Relative to MW2, the MIC of moenomycin was decreased 8-fold for MW2ΔabcA and increased 10-fold for the MW2 abcA overexpresser, suggesting that moenomycin is a substrate of AbcA. PMID:24509312

Extremely hypomorphic and severe deep intronic variants in the ABCA4 locus result in varying Stargardt disease phenotypes.

PubMed

Zernant, Jana; Lee, Winston; Nagasaki, Takayuki; Collison, Frederick T; Fishman, Gerald A; Bertelsen, Mette; Rosenberg, Thomas; Gouras, Peter; Tsang, Stephen H; Allikmets, Rando

2018-05-30

Autosomal recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1, MIM 248200) is caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene. Complete sequencing of the ABCA4 locus in STGD1 patients identifies two expected disease-causing alleles in ~75% of patients and only one mutation in ~15% of patients. Recently, many possibly pathogenic variants in deep intronic sequences of ABCA4 have been identified in the latter group. We extended our analyses of deep intronic ABCA4 variants and determined that one of these, c.4253+43G>A (rs61754045), is present in 29/1155 (2.6%) of STGD1 patients. The variant is found at statistically significantly higher frequency in patients with only one pathogenic ABCA4 allele, 23/160 (14.38%), MAF=0.072, compared to MAF=0.013 in all STGD1 cases and MAF=0.006 in the matching general population (P<1x10-7). The variant, which is not predicted to have any effect on splicing, is the first reported intronic "extremely hypomorphic allele" in the ABCA4 locus; i.e., it is pathogenic only when in trans with a loss-of-function ABCA4 allele. It results in a distinct clinical phenotype characterized by late-onset of symptoms and foveal sparing. In ~70% of cases the variant was allelic with the c.6006-609T>A (rs575968112) variant, which was deemed non-pathogenic. Another rare deep intronic variant, c.5196+1056A>G (rs886044749), found in 5/834 (0.6%) of STGD1 cases is, conversely, a severe allele. This study determines pathogenicity for three non-coding variants in STGD1 patients of European descent accounting for ~3% of the disease. Defining disease-associated alleles in the non-coding sequences of the ABCA4 locus can be accomplished by integrated clinical and genetic analyses. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 participates in LDL oxidation by artery wall cells.

PubMed

Reddy, Srinivasa T; Hama, Susan; Ng, Carey; Grijalva, Victor; Navab, Mohamad; Fogelman, Alan M

2002-11-01

We have previously reported that products of the lipoxygenase pathway, hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid and hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid, as well as cholesterol linoleate hydroperoxides, collectively termed seeding molecules, are removed by apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) from the artery wall cells and render low density lipoprotein (LDL) resistant to oxidation by human artery wall cells. The mechanisms by which oxidized lipids are transported and/or transferred to lipoproteins and the pathways by which apoA-I facilitates their removal remain unclear. ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) is known to facilitate the release of cellular phospholipids and cholesterol from the plasma membrane to apoA-I and high density lipoprotein. Therefore, we evaluated whether ABCA1 participates in LDL oxidation. In this report, we show that (1) chemical inhibitors of ABCA1 function, glyburide and DIDS, block artery wall cell-mediated oxidative modification of LDL, (2) inhibition of ABCA1 with the use of antisense (but not sense) oligonucleotides prevents LDL-induced lipid hydroperoxide formation and LDL-induced monocyte chemotactic activity by the artery wall cells, and (3) oxysterols that induce ABCA1 expression, such as 22(R)hydroxycholesterol, enhance cell-mediated LDL oxidation. Furthermore, we also show that 22(R)hydroxycholesterol induces the production of reactive oxygen species in the artery wall cells, which can be removed by incubating the artery wall cells with apoA-I. Our data suggest that ABCA1 plays an important role in artery wall cell-mediated modification/oxidation of LDL by modulating the release of reactive oxygen species from artery wall cells that are necessary for LDL oxidation.

Hepatic Overexpression of Endothelial Lipase Lowers HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) but Maintains Reverse Cholesterol Transport in Mice: Role of SR-BI (Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I)/ABCA1 (ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1)-Dependent Pathways.

PubMed

Takiguchi, Shunichi; Ayaori, Makoto; Yakushiji, Emi; Nishida, Takafumi; Nakaya, Kazuhiro; Sasaki, Makoto; Iizuka, Maki; Uto-Kondo, Harumi; Terao, Yoshio; Yogo, Makiko; Komatsu, Tomohiro; Ogura, Masatsune; Ikewaki, Katsunori

2018-05-10

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a major mechanism by which HDL (high-density lipoprotein) protects against atherosclerosis. Endothelial lipase (EL) reportedly reduces HDL levels, which, in theory, would increase atherosclerosis. However, it remains unclear whether EL affects RCT in vivo. Adenoviral vectors expressing EL or luciferase were intravenously injected into mice, and a macrophage RCT assay was performed. As expected, hepatic EL overexpression markedly reduced HDL levels. In parallel, plasma 3 H-cholesterol counts from the EL-expressing mice decreased by 85% compared with control. Surprisingly, there was no difference in fecal 3 H-cholesterol excretion between the groups. Kinetic studies revealed increased catabolism/hepatic uptake of 3 HDL-cholesteryl ether, resulting in no change in fecal HDL-cholesteryl ester excretion in the mice. To explore underlying mechanisms for the preservation of RCT despite low HDL levels in the EL-expressing mice, we investigated the effects of hepatic SR-BI (scavenger receptor class B type I) knockdown. RCT assay revealed that knockdown of SR-BI alone reduced fecal excretion of macrophage-derived 3 H-cholesterol. Interestingly, hepatic EL overexpression under SR-BI inhibition further attenuated fecal tracer counts as compared with control. Finally, we observed that EL overexpression enhanced in vivo RCT under pharmacological inhibition of hepatic ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) by probucol. Hepatic EL expression compensates for reduced macrophage-derived cholesterol efflux to plasma because of low HDL levels by promoting cholesterol excretion to bile/feces via an SR-BI pathway, maintaining overall RCT in vivo. In contrast, EL-modified HDL might negatively regulate RCT via hepatic ABCA1. Despite extreme hypoalphalipoproteinemia, RCT is maintained in EL-expressing mice via SR-BI/ABCA1-dependent pathways. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in CETP, SLC46A1, SLC19A1, CD36, BCMO1, APOA5, and ABCA1 are significant predictors of plasma HDL in healthy adults

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In a marker-trait association study we estimated the statistical significance of 65 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 23 candidate genes on HDL levels of two independent Caucasian populations. Each population consisted of men and women and their HDL levels were adjusted for gender and body weight. We used a linear regression model. Selected genes corresponded to folate metabolism, vitamins B-12, A, and E, and cholesterol pathways or lipid metabolism. Methods Extracted DNA from both the Sacramento and Beltsville populations was analyzed using an allele discrimination assay with a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry platform. The adjusted phenotype, y, was HDL levels adjusted for gender and body weight only statistical analyses were performed using the genotype association and regression modules from the SNP Variation Suite v7. Results Statistically significant SNP (where P values were adjusted for false discovery rate) included: CETP (rs7499892 and rs5882); SLC46A1 (rs37514694; rs739439); SLC19A1 (rs3788199); CD36 (rs3211956); BCMO1 (rs6564851), APOA5 (rs662799), and ABCA1 (rs4149267). Many prior association trends of the SNP with HDL were replicated in our cross-validation study. Significantly, the association of SNP in folate transporters (SLC46A1 rs37514694 and rs739439; SLC19A1 rs3788199) with HDL was identified in our study. Conclusions Given recent literature on the role of niacin in the biogenesis of HDL, focus on status and metabolism of B-vitamins and metabolites of eccentric cleavage of β-carotene with lipid metabolism is exciting for future study. PMID:23656756

Mutations in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene are the major cause of autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy.

PubMed

Maugeri, A; Klevering, B J; Rohrschneider, K; Blankenagel, A; Brunner, H G; Deutman, A F; Hoyng, C B; Cremers, F P

2000-10-01

The photoreceptor cell-specific ATP-binding cassette transporter gene (ABCA4; previously denoted "ABCR") is mutated, in most patients, with autosomal recessive (AR) Stargardt disease (STGD1) or fundus flavimaculatus (FFM). In addition, a few cases with AR retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and AR cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) have been found to have ABCA4 mutations. To evaluate the importance of the ABCA4 gene as a cause of AR CRD, we selected 5 patients with AR CRD and 15 patients from Germany and The Netherlands with isolated CRD. Single-strand conformation-polymorphism analysis and sequencing revealed 19 ABCA4 mutations in 13 (65%) of 20 patients. In six patients, mutations were identified in both ABCA4 alleles; in seven patients, mutations were detected in one allele. One complex ABCA4 allele (L541P;A1038V) was found exclusively in German patients with CRD; one patient carried this complex allele homozygously, and five others were compound heterozygous. These findings suggest that mutations in the ABCA4 gene are the major cause of AR CRD. A primary role of the ABCA4 gene in STGD1/FFM and AR CRD, together with the gene's involvement in an as-yet-unknown proportion of cases with AR RP, strengthens the idea that mutations in the ABCA4 gene could be the most frequent cause of inherited retinal dystrophy in humans.

The R230C variant of the ATP binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1) gene is associated with a decreased response to glyburide therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Muñoz-Hernandez, Linda Liliana; Cobos-Bonilla, Monica; Ramírez-Márquez, Marcos Rafael; Ordoñez-Sanchez, Maria Luisa; Mehta, Roopa; Medina-Santillan, Roberto; Tusie-Luna, Maria Teresa

2013-05-01

To test the hypothesis that persons with the R230C allele of ABCA1 show a decreased glycemic response to glyburide. This polymorphism is exclusively found in Ameri-indian populations and is associated with type 2 diabetes. This is a single blind controlled study including participants with type 2 diabetes (fasting glucose levels 126-250 mg/dl and HbA1c 7%-10%) managed with metformin and a lifestyle program. Each person with the risk allele (R230C) was matched by age, gender and BMI to three others with the wild type variant (R230R). Following a four week stabilization period, only participants with a greater than 70% adherence to metformin and a stable body weight were prescribed glyburide therapy for a further 16 weeks. The main outcome variable was the glyburide dose required to achieve treatment goals. No significant difference was observed in the glucose lowering effect of glyburide between subjects with the R230C and R230R alleles. However, the dose of sulfonylurea was significantly higher in the R230C participants compared with the R230R subjects (3.3±2.1 vs 6.3±5 mg/day, p<0.001). A higher percentage of R230C participants required at least 5mg of glyburide per day to achieve treatment goals. The glyburide dose was determined by the presence of the risk allele, among other factors. Patients with type 2 diabetes who have the R230C allele of ABCA1 needed a higher dose of glyburide in order to achieve the same glucose lowering effect as that in persons with the wild type variant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ABCA7 frameshift deletion associated with Alzheimer disease in African Americans

PubMed Central

Cukier, Holly N.; Kunkle, Brian W.; Vardarajan, Badri N.; Rolati, Sophie; Hamilton-Nelson, Kara L.; Kohli, Martin A.; Whitehead, Patrice L.; Dombroski, Beth A.; Van Booven, Derek; Lang, Rosalyn; Dykxhoorn, Derek M.; Farrer, Lindsay A.; Cuccaro, Michael L.; Vance, Jeffery M.; Gilbert, John R.; Beecham, Gary W.; Martin, Eden R.; Carney, Regina M.; Mayeux, Richard; Schellenberg, Gerard D.; Byrd, Goldie S.; Haines, Jonathan L.

2016-01-01

Objective: To identify a causative variant(s) that may contribute to Alzheimer disease (AD) in African Americans (AA) in the ATP-binding cassette, subfamily A (ABC1), member 7 (ABCA7) gene, a known risk factor for late-onset AD. Methods: Custom capture sequencing was performed on ∼150 kb encompassing ABCA7 in 40 AA cases and 37 AA controls carrying the AA risk allele (rs115550680). Association testing was performed for an ABCA7 deletion identified in large AA data sets (discovery n = 1,068; replication n = 1,749) and whole exome sequencing of Caribbean Hispanic (CH) AD families. Results: A 44-base pair deletion (rs142076058) was identified in all 77 risk genotype carriers, which shows that the deletion is in high linkage disequilibrium with the risk allele. The deletion was assessed in a large data set (531 cases and 527 controls) and, after adjustments for age, sex, and APOE status, was significantly associated with disease (p = 0.0002, odds ratio [OR] = 2.13 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.42–3.20]). An independent data set replicated the association (447 cases and 880 controls, p = 0.0117, OR = 1.65 [95% CI: 1.12–2.44]), and joint analysis increased the significance (p = 1.414 × 10−5, OR = 1.81 [95% CI: 1.38–2.37]). The deletion is common in AA cases (15.2%) and AA controls (9.74%), but in only 0.12% of our non-Hispanic white cohort. Whole exome sequencing of multiplex, CH families identified the deletion cosegregating with disease in a large sibship. The deleted allele produces a stable, detectable RNA strand and is predicted to result in a frameshift mutation (p.Arg578Alafs) that could interfere with protein function. Conclusions: This common ABCA7 deletion could represent an ethnic-specific pathogenic alteration in AD. PMID:27231719

IL-17A, MCP-1, CCR-2, and ABCA1 polymorphisms in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

PubMed

Akbulut, Ulas Emre; Emeksiz, Hamdi Cihan; Citli, Senol; Cebi, Alper Han; Korkmaz, Hatice Ayca Ata; Baki, Gaye

2018-05-05

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children has risen significantly, owing to the worldwide childhood obesity epidemic in the last two decades. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is closely linked to sedentary lifestyle, increased body mass index, and visceral adiposity. In addition, individual genetic variations also have a role in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the gene polymorphisms of MCP-1 (-2518 A/G) (rs1024611), CCR-2 (190 G/A) (rs1799864), ABCA1 (883 G/A) (rs4149313), and IL-17A (-197 G/A) (rs2275913) in obese Turkish children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The study recruited 186 obese children aged 10-17 years, including 101 children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and 85 children without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Anthropometric measurements, insulin resistance, a liver panel, a lipid profile, liver ultrasound examination, and genotyping of the four variants were performed. No difference was found between the groups in respect to age and gender, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, or body fat ratio. In addition to the elevated ALT levels, AST and GGT levels were found significantly higher in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group compared to the non non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group (p<0.05). The A-allele of IL-17A (-197 G/A) (rs2275913) was associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (odds ratio 2.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-3.77, p=0.02). The findings of this study suggest that there may be an association between IL-17A (-197 G/A) (rs2275913) polymorphism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease development in obese Turkish children. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A functional ABCA1 gene variant is associated with low HDL-cholesterol levels and shows evidence of positive selection in Native Americans

PubMed Central

Acuña-Alonzo, Víctor; Flores-Dorantes, Teresa; Kruit, Janine K.; Villarreal-Molina, Teresa; Arellano-Campos, Olimpia; Hünemeier, Tábita; Moreno-Estrada, Andrés; Ortiz-López, Ma Guadalupe; Villamil-Ramírez, Hugo; León-Mimila, Paola; Villalobos-Comparan, Marisela; Jacobo-Albavera, Leonor; Ramírez-Jiménez, Salvador; Sikora, Martin; Zhang, Lin-Hua; Pape, Terry D.; de Ángeles Granados-Silvestre, Ma; Montufar-Robles, Isela; Tito-Alvarez, Ana M.; Zurita-Salinas, Camilo; Bustos-Arriaga, José; Cedillo-Barrón, Leticia; Gómez-Trejo, Celta; Barquera-Lozano, Rodrigo; Vieira-Filho, Joao P.; Granados, Julio; Romero-Hidalgo, Sandra; Huertas-Vázquez, Adriana; González-Martín, Antonio; Gorostiza, Amaya; Bonatto, Sandro L.; Rodríguez-Cruz, Maricela; Wang, Li; Tusié-Luna, Teresa; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A.; Lisker, Ruben; Moises, Regina S.; Menjivar, Marta; Salzano, Francisco M.; Knowler, William C.; Bortolini, M. Cátira; Hayden, Michael R.; Baier, Leslie J.; Canizales-Quinteros, Samuel

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that the higher susceptibility of Hispanics to metabolic disease is related to their Native American heritage. A frequent cholesterol transporter ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1) gene variant (R230C, rs9282541) apparently exclusive to Native American individuals was associated with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, obesity and type 2 diabetes in Mexican Mestizos. We performed a more extensive analysis of this variant in 4405 Native Americans and 863 individuals from other ethnic groups to investigate genetic evidence of positive selection, to assess its functional effect in vitro and to explore associations with HDL-C levels and other metabolic traits. The C230 allele was found in 29 of 36 Native American groups, but not in European, Asian or African individuals. C230 was observed on a single haplotype, and C230-bearing chromosomes showed longer relative haplotype extension compared with other haplotypes in the Americas. Additionally, single-nucleotide polymorphism data from the Human Genome Diversity Panel Native American populations were enriched in significant integrated haplotype score values in the region upstream of the ABCA1 gene. Cells expressing the C230 allele showed a 27% cholesterol efflux reduction (P< 0.001), confirming this variant has a functional effect in vitro. Moreover, the C230 allele was associated with lower HDL-C levels (P = 1.77 × 10−11) and with higher body mass index (P = 0.0001) in the combined analysis of Native American populations. This is the first report of a common functional variant exclusive to Native American and descent populations, which is a major determinant of HDL-C levels and may have contributed to the adaptive evolution of Native American populations. PMID:20418488

Mutations in the ABCA4 (ABCR) Gene Are the Major Cause of Autosomal Recessive Cone-Rod Dystrophy

PubMed Central

Maugeri, Alessandra; Klevering, B. Jeroen; Rohrschneider, Klaus; Blankenagel, Anita; Brunner, Han G.; Deutman, August F.; Hoyng, Carel B.; Cremers, Frans P. M.

2000-01-01

The photoreceptor cell–specific ATP-binding cassette transporter gene (ABCA4; previously denoted “ABCR”) is mutated in most patients with autosomal recessive (AR) Stargardt disease (STGD1) or fundus flavimaculatus (FFM). In addition, a few cases with AR retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and AR cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) have been found to have ABCA4 mutations. To evaluate the importance of the ABCA4 gene as a cause of AR CRD, we selected 5 patients with AR CRD and 15 patients with isolated CRD, all from Germany and The Netherlands . Single-strand conformation–polymorphism analysis and sequencing revealed 19 ABCA4 mutations in 13 (65%) of 20 patients. In six patients, mutations were identified in both ABCA4 alleles; in seven patients, mutations were detected in one allele. One complex ABCA4 allele (L541P;A1038V) was found exclusively in German patients with CRD; one patient carried this complex allele homozygously, and five others were compound heterozygous. These findings suggest that mutations in the ABCA4 gene are the major cause of AR CRD. A primary role of the ABCA4 gene in STGD1/FFM and AR CRD, together with the gene's involvement in an as-yet-unknown proportion of cases with AR RP, strengthens the idea that mutations in the ABCA4 gene could be the most frequent cause of inherited retinal dystrophy in humans. PMID:10958761

Retinal-specific ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABCR/ABCA4) is expressed at the choroid plexus in rat brain.

PubMed

Bhongsatiern, Jiraganya; Ohtsuki, Sumio; Tachikawa, Masanori; Hori, Satoko; Terasaki, Tetsuya

2005-03-01

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter A4 is a member of the ABC transporter subfamily A which has been reported to be exclusively expressed in the retina. In contrast, a previous report has suggested a possible relationship between ABCA4 and CNS function. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the localization of ABCA4 mRNA and protein in rat brain. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that ABCA4 mRNA was localized in the lateral ventricles. RT-PCR analysis detected ABCA4 mRNA in isolated rat choroid plexus and conditionally immortalized rat choroid plexus epithelial cells (TR-CSFB). Furthermore, ABCA4 protein was also detected in the isolated rat choroid plexus at about 250 kDa by western blot analysis, and its apparent molecular size was reduced by N-glycosidase F treatment. These results suggest that glycosylated ABCA4 protein is expressed in rat choroid plexus epithelial cells. ABCA4 may play a role in the function of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and affect CSF conditions.

Presenting Papers at ABCA Conferences: Opinions and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mier, Denise; Myers, Robert

1981-01-01

Offers guidelines for preparing and presenting papers at American Business Communication Association (ABCA) conferences. Topics covered include: (1) types of delivery, (2) extemporaneous speaking, and (3) manuscript speaking. (FL)

MicroRNA-19b promotes macrophage cholesterol accumulation and aortic atherosclerosis by targeting ATP-binding cassette transporter A1.

PubMed

Lv, Yun-Cheng; Tang, Yan-Yan; Peng, Juan; Zhao, Guo-Jun; Yang, Jing; Yao, Feng; Ouyang, Xin-Ping; He, Ping-Ping; Xie, Wei; Tan, Yu-Lin; Zhang, Min; Liu, Dan; Tang, Deng-Pei; Cayabyab, Francisco S; Zheng, Xi-Long; Zhang, Da-Wei; Tian, Guo-Ping; Tang, Chao-Ke

2014-09-01

Macrophage accumulation of cholesterol leads to foam cell formation which is a major pathological event of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have shown that microRNA (miR)-19b might play an important role in cholesterol metabolism and atherosclerotic diseases. Here, we have identified miR-19b binding to the 3'UTR of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) transporters, and further determined the potential roles of this novel interaction in atherogenesis. To investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in a miR-19b promotion of macrophage cholesterol accumulation and the development of aortic atherosclerosis. We performed bioinformatics analysis using online websites, and found that miR-19b was highly conserved during evolution and directly bound to ABCA1 mRNA with very low binding free energy. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-19b bound to 3110-3116 sites within ABCA1 3'UTR. MiR-19b directly regulated the expression levels of endogenous ABCA1 in foam cells derived from human THP-1 macrophages and mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) as determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. Cholesterol transport assays revealed that miR-19b dramatically suppressed apolipoprotein AI-mediated ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux, resulting in the increased levels of total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and cholesterol ester (CE) as revealed by HPLC. The excretion of (3)H-cholesterol originating from cholesterol-laden MPMs into feces was decreased in mice overexpressing miR-19b. Finally, we evaluated the proatherosclerotic role of miR-19b in apolipoprotein E deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice. Treatment with miR-19b precursor reduced plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, but increased plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Consistently, miR-19b precursor treatment increased aortic plaque size and lipid content, but reduced collagen content and ABCA1 expression. In contrast, treatment with the inhibitory miR-19b antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) prevented or

Deleterious ABCA7 mutations and transcript rescue mechanisms in early onset Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

De Roeck, Arne; Van den Bossche, Tobi; van der Zee, Julie; Verheijen, Jan; De Coster, Wouter; Van Dongen, Jasper; Dillen, Lubina; Baradaran-Heravi, Yalda; Heeman, Bavo; Sanchez-Valle, Raquel; Lladó, Albert; Nacmias, Benedetta; Sorbi, Sandro; Gelpi, Ellen; Grau-Rivera, Oriol; Gómez-Tortosa, Estrella; Pastor, Pau; Ortega-Cubero, Sara; Pastor, Maria A; Graff, Caroline; Thonberg, Håkan; Benussi, Luisa; Ghidoni, Roberta; Binetti, Giuliano; de Mendonça, Alexandre; Martins, Madalena; Borroni, Barbara; Padovani, Alessandro; Almeida, Maria Rosário; Santana, Isabel; Diehl-Schmid, Janine; Alexopoulos, Panagiotis; Clarimon, Jordi; Lleó, Alberto; Fortea, Juan; Tsolaki, Magda; Koutroumani, Maria; Matěj, Radoslav; Rohan, Zdenek; De Deyn, Peter; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan; Cras, Patrick; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; Sleegers, Kristel

2017-09-01

Premature termination codon (PTC) mutations in the ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family A, Member 7 gene (ABCA7) have recently been identified as intermediate-to-high penetrant risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). High variability, however, is observed in downstream ABCA7 mRNA and protein expression, disease penetrance, and onset age, indicative of unknown modifying factors. Here, we investigated the prevalence and disease penetrance of ABCA7 PTC mutations in a large early onset AD (EOAD)-control cohort, and examined the effect on transcript level with comprehensive third-generation long-read sequencing. We characterized the ABCA7 coding sequence with next-generation sequencing in 928 EOAD patients and 980 matched control individuals. With MetaSKAT rare variant association analysis, we observed a fivefold enrichment (p = 0.0004) of PTC mutations in EOAD patients (3%) versus controls (0.6%). Ten novel PTC mutations were only observed in patients, and PTC mutation carriers in general had an increased familial AD load. In addition, we observed nominal risk reducing trends for three common coding variants. Seven PTC mutations were further analyzed using targeted long-read cDNA sequencing on an Oxford Nanopore MinION platform. PTC-containing transcripts for each investigated PTC mutation were observed at varying proportion (5-41% of the total read count), implying incomplete nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Furthermore, we distinguished and phased several previously unknown alternative splicing events (up to 30% of transcripts). In conjunction with PTC mutations, several of these novel ABCA7 isoforms have the potential to rescue deleterious PTC effects. In conclusion, ABCA7 PTC mutations play a substantial role in EOAD, warranting genetic screening of ABCA7 in genetically unexplained patients. Long-read cDNA sequencing revealed both varying degrees of NMD and transcript-modifying events, which may influence ABCA7 dosage, disease severity, and may

Lipid Absorption Defects in Intestine-specific Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein and ATP-binding Cassette Transporter A1-deficient Mice*

PubMed Central

Iqbal, Jahangir; Parks, John S.; Hussain, M. Mahmood

2013-01-01

We have previously described apolipoprotein B (apoB)-dependent and -independent cholesterol absorption pathways and the role of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in these pathways. To assess the contribution of these pathways to cholesterol absorption and to determine whether there are other pathways, we generated mice that lack MTP and ABCA1, individually and in combination, in the intestine. Intestinal deletions of Mttp and Abca1 decreased plasma cholesterol concentrations by 45 and 24%, respectively, whereas their combined deletion reduced it by 59%. Acute cholesterol absorption was reduced by 28% in the absence of ABCA1, and it was reduced by 92–95% when MTP was deleted in the intestine alone or together with ABCA1. MTP deficiency significantly reduced triglyceride absorption, although ABCA1 deficiency had no effect. ABCA1 deficiency did not affect cellular lipids, but Mttp deficiency significantly increased intestinal levels of triglycerides and free fatty acids. Accumulation of intestinal free fatty acids, but not triglycerides, in Mttp-deficient intestines was prevented when mice were also deficient in intestinal ABCA1. Combined deficiency of these genes increased intestinal fatty acid oxidation as a consequence of increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α (CPT1α). These studies show that intestinal MTP and ABCA1 are critical for lipid absorption and are the main determinants of plasma and intestinal lipid levels. Reducing their activities might lower plasma lipid concentrations. PMID:24019513

Mutations in the Cholesterol Transporter Gene ABCA5 Are Associated with Excessive Hair Overgrowth

PubMed Central

DeStefano, Gina M.; Kurban, Mazen; Anyane-Yeboa, Kwame; Dall'Armi, Claudia; Di Paolo, Gilbert; Feenstra, Heather; Silverberg, Nanette; Rohena, Luis; López-Cepeda, Larissa D.; Jobanputra, Vaidehi; Fantauzzo, Katherine A.; Kiuru, Maija; Tadin-Strapps, Marija; Sobrino, Antonio; Vitebsky, Anna; Warburton, Dorothy; Levy, Brynn; Salas-Alanis, Julio C.; Christiano, Angela M.

2014-01-01

Inherited hypertrichoses are rare syndromes characterized by excessive hair growth that does not result from androgen stimulation, and are often associated with additional congenital abnormalities. In this study, we investigated the genetic defect in a case of autosomal recessive congenital generalized hypertrichosis terminalis (CGHT) (OMIM135400) using whole-exome sequencing. We identified a single base pair substitution in the 5′ donor splice site of intron 32 in the ABC lipid transporter gene ABCA5 that leads to aberrant splicing of the transcript and a decrease in protein levels throughout patient hair follicles. The homozygous recessive disruption of ABCA5 leads to reduced lysosome function, which results in an accumulation of autophagosomes, autophagosomal cargos as well as increased endolysosomal cholesterol in CGHT keratinocytes. In an unrelated sporadic case of CGHT, we identified a 1.3 Mb cryptic deletion of chr17q24.2-q24.3 encompassing ABCA5 and found that ABCA5 levels are dramatically reduced throughout patient hair follicles. Collectively, our findings support ABCA5 as a gene underlying the CGHT phenotype and suggest a novel, previously unrecognized role for this gene in regulating hair growth. PMID:24831815

Mutations in ABCA12 Underlie the Severe Congenital Skin Disease Harlequin Ichthyosis

PubMed Central

Kelsell, David P.; Norgett, Elizabeth E.; Unsworth, Harriet; Teh, Muy-Teck; Cullup, Thomas; Mein, Charles A.; Dopping-Hepenstal, Patricia J.; Dale, Beverly A.; Tadini, Gianluca; Fleckman, Philip; Stephens, Karen G.; Sybert, Virginia P.; Mallory, Susan B.; North, Bernard V.; Witt, David R.; Sprecher, Eli; E. M. Taylor, Aileen; Ilchyshyn, Andrew; Kennedy, Cameron T.; Goodyear, Helen; Moss, Celia; Paige, David; Harper, John I.; Young, Bryan D.; Leigh, Irene M.; Eady, Robin A. J.; O’Toole, Edel A.

2005-01-01

Harlequin ichthyosis (HI) is the most severe and frequently lethal form of recessive congenital ichthyosis. Although defects in lipid transport, protein phosphatase activity, and differentiation have been described, the genetic basis underlying the clinical and cellular phenotypes of HI has yet to be determined. By use of single-nucleotide–polymorphism chip technology and homozygosity mapping, a common region of homozygosity was observed in five patients with HI in the chromosomal region 2q35. Sequencing of the ABCA12 gene, which maps within the minimal region defined by homozygosity mapping, revealed disease-associated mutations, including large intragenic deletions and frameshift deletions in 11 of the 12 screened individuals with HI. Since HI epidermis displays abnormal lamellar granule formation, ABCA12 may play a critical role in the formation of lamellar granules and the discharge of lipids into the intercellular spaces, which would explain the epidermal barrier defect seen in this disorder. This finding paves the way for early prenatal diagnosis. In addition, functional studies of ABCA12 will lead to a better understanding of epidermal differentiation and barrier formation. PMID:15756637

Functional Validation of ABCA3 as a Miltefosine Transporter in Human Macrophages: IMPACT ON INTRACELLULAR SURVIVAL OF LEISHMANIA (VIANNIA) PANAMENSIS.

PubMed

Dohmen, Luuk C T; Navas, Adriana; Vargas, Deninson Alejandro; Gregory, David J; Kip, Anke; Dorlo, Thomas P C; Gomez, Maria Adelaida

2016-04-29

Within its mammalian host, Leishmania resides and replicates as an intracellular parasite. The direct activity of antileishmanials must therefore depend on intracellular drug transport, metabolism, and accumulation within the host cell. In this study, we explored the role of human macrophage transporters in the intracellular accumulation and antileishmanial activity of miltefosine (MLF), the only oral drug available for the treatment of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Membrane transporter gene expression in primary human macrophages infected in vitro with Leishmania Viannia panamensis and exposed to MLF showed modulation of ABC and solute liquid carrier transporters gene transcripts. Among these, ABCA3, a lipid transporter, was significantly induced after exposure to MLF, and this induction was confirmed in primary macrophages from CL patients. Functional validation of MLF as a substrate for ABCA3 was performed by shRNA gene knockdown (KD) in THP-1 monocytes. Intracellular accumulation of radiolabeled MLF was significantly higher in ABCA3(KD) macrophages. ABCA3(KD) resulted in increased cytotoxicity induced by MLF exposure. ABCA3 gene expression inversely correlated with intracellular MLF content in primary macrophages from CL patients. ABCA3(KD) reduced parasite survival during macrophage infection with an L. V. panamensis strain exhibiting low in vitro susceptibility to MLF. Confocal microscopy showed ABCA3 to be located in the cell membrane of resting macrophages and in intracellular compartments in L. V. panamensis-infected cells. These results provide evidence of ABCA3 as an MLF efflux transporter in human macrophages and support its role in the direct antileishmanial effect of this alkylphosphocholine drug. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Allelic and Phenotypic Heterogeneity in ABCA4 mutations

PubMed Central

Burke, Tomas R; Tsang, Stephen H

2011-01-01

Since the discovery of the ABCA4 gene as the cause of autosomal recessive Stargardt disease/fundus flavimaculatus much has been written of the phenotypic variability in ABCA4 retinopathy. In this review the authors discuss the findings seen on examination and the disease features detected using various clinical tests. Important differential diagnoses are presented and unusual presentations of ABCA4 disease highlighted. PMID:21510770

Heart ABCA1 and PPAR- α Genes Expression Responses in Male rats: Effects of High Intensity Treadmill Running Training and Aqueous Extraction of Black Crataegus-Pentaegyna.

PubMed

Ghanbari-Niaki, Abbass; Ghanbari-Abarghooi, Safieyh; Rahbarizadeh, Fatemeh; Zare-Kookandeh, Navabeh; Gholizadeh, Monireh; Roudbari, Fatemeh; Zare-Kookandeh, Asghar

2013-11-01

Heart as a high metabolic and aerobic tissue is consuming lipid as a fuel for its energy provision at rest during light and moderate exercise, except when lactate level is higher in blood circulation. It has been shown that any type of regular exercise and crataegus species would improve cardiovascular function and minimizes several risk factors via stimulating lipid metabolism by acting on enzymes and genes expression such as ABCA1 and PPAR α which are involving in this process. Twenty Wistar male rats (4-6 weeks old, 140-173 g weight) were used. Animals were randomly classified into training (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups and then divided into saline-control (SC), saline-training (ST), Crataegus-Pentaegyna -control (CPC), and Crataegus-Pentaegyna -training (CPT) groups. Training groups have performed a high-intensity running program (at 34 m/min (0% grade), 60 min/day, 5 days/week) on a motor-driven treadmill for eight weeks. Animals were orally fed with Crataegus-Pentaegyna extraction (500mg/kg) and saline solution for six weeks. Seventy- two hours after the last training session, rats were sacrificed, hearts were excised, cleaned and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 °C until RNA extraction. Plasma also was collected for plasma variable measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using a two way analysis of variance, and significance was accepted at P < 0.05. A non-significant (P < 0.4, P < 0.79, respectively) increase in ABCA1 and PPAR α genes expression was accompanied by a significant (P < 0.01, P < 0.04, P < 0.04, respectively) reduction in TC, TG, and VLDL-C levels in Crataegus-Pentaegyna groups. Our findings show that a high intensity treadmill running was able to express ABCA1 and PPAR α in rat heart. Data also possibly indicate that the Crataeguse-Pentaegyna supplementation solely could mimic training effect on the mentioned genes and lipid profiles via different mechanism(s).

Heart ABCA1 and PPAR- α Genes Expression Responses in Male rats: Effects of High Intensity Treadmill Running Training and Aqueous Extraction of Black Crataegus-Pentaegyna

PubMed Central

Ghanbari-Niaki, Abbass; Ghanbari-Abarghooi, Safieyh; Rahbarizadeh, Fatemeh; Zare-Kookandeh, Navabeh; Gholizadeh, Monireh; Roudbari, Fatemeh; Zare-Kookandeh, Asghar

2013-01-01

Introduction: Heart as a high metabolic and aerobic tissue is consuming lipid as a fuel for its energy provision at rest during light and moderate exercise, except when lactate level is higher in blood circulation. It has been shown that any type of regular exercise and crataegus species would improve cardiovascular function and minimizes several risk factors via stimulating lipid metabolism by acting on enzymes and genes expression such as ABCA1 and PPAR α which are involving in this process. Materials and Methods: Twenty Wistar male rats (4-6 weeks old, 140-173 g weight) were used. Animals were randomly classified into training (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups and then divided into saline-control (SC), saline-training (ST), Crataegus-Pentaegyna -control (CPC), and Crataegus-Pentaegyna -training (CPT) groups. Training groups have performed a high-intensity running program (at 34 m/min (0% grade), 60 min/day, 5 days/week) on a motor-driven treadmill for eight weeks. Animals were orally fed with Crataegus-Pentaegyna extraction (500mg/kg) and saline solution for six weeks. Seventy- two hours after the last training session, rats were sacrificed, hearts were excised, cleaned and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 °C until RNA extraction. Plasma also was collected for plasma variable measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using a two way analysis of variance, and significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Results: A non-significant (P < 0.4, P < 0.79, respectively) increase in ABCA1 and PPAR α genes expression was accompanied by a significant (P < 0.01, P < 0.04, P < 0.04, respectively) reduction in TC, TG, and VLDL-C levels in Crataegus-Pentaegyna groups. Conclusions: Our findings show that a high intensity treadmill running was able to express ABCA1 and PPAR α in rat heart. Data also possibly indicate that the Crataeguse-Pentaegyna supplementation solely could mimic training effect on the mentioned genes and lipid profiles via

The detection of autoantibodies to ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Zeng, Ting; Li, Shu-Jie; Ao, Wen; Zheng, Hui; Wu, Feng-Xia; Chen, Yi; Yang, Cheng-De

2012-11-01

To investigate the prevalence of autoantibodies against ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in SLE patients, and evaluate the association between anti-ABCA1 autoantibodies and atherosclerosis in SLE. The sera of 75 SLE patients and 75 healthy controls were tested by immunoblotting. Then, we examined the effect of anti-ABCA1 autoantibodies on cholesterol efflux in vitro. The prevalence of anti-ABCA1 antibodies in SLE patients was significantly higher than the controls (p<0.05). The prevalence in the SLE-plaque group was higher than that in the SLE-non-plaque group (p<0.05). The IgG purified from anti-ABCA1-antibody positive sera can inhibit cellular cholesterol efflux from THP-1 cells in vitro with a significantly higher inhibition ratio than that of the healthy controls. Our observations suggest that anti-ABCA1 autoantibodies are involved in the pathogenesis of lupus atherosclerosis and that autoantibodies against ABCA1 may act as biomarkers for atherosclerosis in SLE. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Double hyperautofluorescent ring on fundus autofluorescence in ABCA4.

PubMed

Abalem, Maria Fernanda; Qian, Cynthia X; Branham, Kari; Schlegel, Dana; Fahim, Abigail T; Khan, Naheed W; Heckenlively, John R; Jayasundera, K Thiran

2018-01-01

We report an unusual phenotype in a child with a clinical diagnosis of recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1) and two pathogenic variants in the ABCA4 gene. Typically, the diagnosis of early-onset STGD1 is challenging because children may present with a variety of fundus changes and a variable rate of progression. At the time of his initial visit, the 6-year-old boy presented with 20/200 OD (right eye) and 20/150 OS (left eye), symmetrical mild foveal atrophy without flecks on fundus exam, and foveal hypoautofluorescence surrounded by a homogeneous hyperautofluorescent background on wide-field fundus autofluorescence. Over 4 years of follow-up, the retinal atrophy continued to progress, resulting in two well-defined and concentric hyperautofluorescent rings: one ring located at the posterior pole and the other located around the peripapillary region. Visual acuity also deteriorated to counting fingers at 4ft OD and 20/500 OS. To the best of our knowledge, this phenotype has not been previously described with the ABCA4 gene.

Inhibition of cholesterol absorption associated with a PPAR alpha-dependent increase in ABC binding cassette transporter A1 in mice.

PubMed

Knight, Brian L; Patel, Dilip D; Humphreys, Sandy M; Wiggins, David; Gibbons, Geoffrey F

2003-11-01

Dietary supplementation with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) ligand WY 14,643 gave rise to a 4- to 5-fold increase in the expression of mRNA for the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in the intestine of normal mice. There was no effect in the intestine of PPAR alpha-null mice. Consumption of a high-cholesterol diet also increased intestinal ABCA1 expression. The effects of WY 14,643 and the high-cholesterol diet were not additive. WY 14,643 feeding reduced intestinal absorption of cholesterol in the normal mice, irrespective of the dietary cholesterol concentration, and this resulted in lower diet-derived cholesterol and cholesteryl ester concentrations in plasma and liver. At each concentration of dietary cholesterol, there was a similar significant inverse correlation between intestinal ABCA1 mRNA content and the amount of cholesterol absorbed. The fibrate-induced changes in the intestines of the normal mice were accompanied by an increased concentration of the mRNA encoding the sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1c gene (SREBP-1c), a known target gene for the oxysterol receptor liver X receptor alpha (LXR alpha). There was a correlation between intestinal ABCA1 mRNA and SREBP-1c mRNA contents, but not between SREBP-1c mRNA content and cholesterol absorption. These results suggest that PPAR alpha influences cholesterol absorption through modulating ABCA1 activity in the intestine by a mechanism involving LXR alpha.

Mutation Spectrum of the ABCA4 Gene in a Greek Cohort with Stargardt Disease: Identification of Novel Mutations and Evidence of Three Prevalent Mutated Alleles

PubMed Central

Vassiliki, Kokkinou; George, Koutsodontis; Polixeni, Stamatiou; Christoforos, Giatzakis; Minas, Aslanides Ioannis; Stavrenia, Koukoula; Ioannis, Datseris

2018-01-01

Aim To evaluate the frequency and pattern of disease-associated mutations of ABCA4 gene among Greek patients with presumed Stargardt disease (STGD1). Materials and Methods A total of 59 patients were analyzed for ABCA4 mutations using the ABCR400 microarray and PCR-based sequencing of all coding exons and flanking intronic regions. MLPA analysis as well as sequencing of two regions in introns 30 and 36 reported earlier to harbor deep intronic disease-associated variants was used in 4 selected cases. Results An overall detection rate of at least one mutant allele was achieved in 52 of the 59 patients (88.1%). Direct sequencing improved significantly the complete characterization rate, that is, identification of two mutations compared to the microarray analysis (93.1% versus 50%). In total, 40 distinct potentially disease-causing variants of the ABCA4 gene were detected, including six previously unreported potentially pathogenic variants. Among the disease-causing variants, in this cohort, the most frequent was c.5714+5G>A representing 16.1%, while p.Gly1961Glu and p.Leu541Pro represented 15.2% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusions By using a combination of methods, we completely molecularly diagnosed 48 of the 59 patients studied. In addition, we identified six previously unreported, potentially pathogenic ABCA4 mutations. PMID:29854428

Microarray-based mutation analysis of the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene in autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy and retinitis pigmentosa.

PubMed

Klevering, B Jeroen; Yzer, Suzanne; Rohrschneider, Klaus; Zonneveld, Marijke; Allikmets, Rando; van den Born, L Ingeborgh; Maugeri, Alessandra; Hoyng, Carel B; Cremers, Frans P M

2004-12-01

Mutations in the ABCA4 gene have been associated with autosomal recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We employed a recently developed genotyping microarray, the ABCR400-chip, to search for known ABCA4 mutations in patients with isolated or autosomal recessive CRD (54 cases) or RP (90 cases). We performed detailed ophthalmologic examinations and identified at least one ABCA4 mutation in 18 patients (33%) with CRD and in five patients (5.6%) with RP. Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and subsequent DNA sequencing revealed four novel missense mutations (R24C, E161K, P597S, G618E) and a novel 1-bp deletion (5888delG). Ophthalmoscopic abnormalities in CRD patients ranged from minor granular pigmentary changes in the posterior pole to widespread atrophy. In 12 patients with recordable electroretinogram (ERG) tracings, a cone-rod pattern was detected. Three patients demonstrated progression from a retinal dystrophy resembling STGD1 to a more widespread degeneration, and were subsequently diagnosed as CRD. In addition to a variable degree of atrophy, all RP patients displayed ophthalmologic characteristics of classic RP. When detectable, ERG recordings in these patients demonstrated rod-cone patterns of photoreceptor degeneration. In conclusion, in this study, we show that the ABCA4 mutation chip is an efficient first screening tool for arCRD.

Possible protective role of the ABCA4 gene c.1268A>G missense variant in Stargardt disease and syndromic retinitis pigmentosa in a Sicilian family: Preliminary data.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Rosalia; Donato, Luigi; Venza, Isabella; Scimone, Concetta; Aragona, Pasquale; Sidoti, Antonina

2017-04-01

In the wide horizon of ophthalmologically rare diseases among retinitis pigmentosa forms, Stargardt disease has gradually assumed a significant role due to its heterogeneity. In the present study, we aimed to support one of two opposite hypotheses concerning the causative or protective role of heterozygous c.1268A>G missense variant of the ABCA4 gene in Stargardt disease and in syndromic retinitis pigmentosa. This study was based on a family consisting of three members: proband, age 54, with high myopia, myopic chorioretinitis and retinal dystrophy; wife, age 65, with mild symptoms; daughter, age 29, asymptomatic. After genetic counseling, ABCA4 and RP1 gene analysis was performed. The results highlighted an important genetic picture. The proband was found to carry two variant RP1 SNPs, rs2293869 (c.2953A>T) and rs61739567 (c.6098G>A), and, a wild-type condition for four RP1 polymorphisms, rs444772 (c.2623G>A) and three SNPs in the 'hot-spot' region, exon 4. The proband's wife, instead, showed an opposite condition compared to her husband: a homozygous mutated condition for the first four SNPs analyzed, while the last two were wild-type. Regarding the ABCA4 gene, the proband evidenced a wild-type condition. Furthermore, the wife showed a heterozygous condition of ABCA4 rs3112831 (c.1268A>G). As expected, the daughter presented heterozygosity for all variants of both genes. In conclusion, even though the c.1268A>G missense variant of the ABCA4 gene has often been reported as causative of disease, and in other cases protective of disease, in our family case, the variant appears to reduce or delay the risk of onset of Stargardt disease.

Local TNF causes NFATc1-dependent cholesterol-mediated podocyte injury

PubMed Central

Pedigo, Christopher E.; Ducasa, Gloria Michelle; Leclercq, Farah; Sloan, Alexis; Hashmi, Tahreem; Molina-David, Judith; Ge, Mengyuan; Lassenius, Mariann I.; Groop, Per-Henrik; Kretzler, Matthias; Martini, Sebastian; Reich, Heather; Wahl, Patricia; Ghiggeri, GianMarco; Burke, George W.; Kretz, Oliver; Huber, Tobias B.; Mendez, Armando J.; Merscher, Sandra

2016-01-01

High levels of circulating TNF and its receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2, predict the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but their contribution to organ damage in DKD remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the function of local and systemic TNF in podocyte injury. We cultured human podocytes with sera collected from DKD patients, who displayed elevated TNF levels, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) patients, whose TNF levels resembled those of healthy patients. Exogenous TNF administration or local TNF expression was equally sufficient to cause free cholesterol–dependent apoptosis in podocytes by acting through a dual mechanism that required a reduction in ATP-binding cassette transporter A1–mediated (ABCA1-mediated) cholesterol efflux and reduced cholesterol esterification by sterol-O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1). TNF-induced albuminuria was aggravated in mice with podocyte-specific ABCA1 deficiency and was partially prevented by cholesterol depletion with cyclodextrin. TNF-stimulated free cholesterol–dependent apoptosis in podocytes was mediated by nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1). ABCA1 overexpression or cholesterol depletion was sufficient to reduce albuminuria in mice with podocyte-specific NFATc1 activation. Our data implicate an NFATc1/ABCA1-dependent mechanism in which local TNF is sufficient to cause free cholesterol–dependent podocyte injury irrespective of TNF, TNFR1, or TNFR2 serum levels. PMID:27482889

[A novel compound heterozygous mutation in ABCA3 gene in a child with diffuse parenchymal lung disease].

PubMed

Bao, Y M; Liu, X L; Liu, X L; Chen, J H; Zheng, Y J

2017-11-02

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics of the diffuse parenchymal lung diseases in a child caused by a novel compound heterozygous ABCA3 mutation and explore the association between the phenotype and ABCA3 mutation. Method: The clinical material of a patient diagnosed with diffuse parenchymal lung disease with ABCA3 mutation in December 2016 in Shenzhen Children's Hospital was analyzed. The information about ABCA3 gene mutation updated before April, 2017 was searched and collected from the gene databases (including 1000Genomes, HGMD, EXAC) and the literatures (including Wanfang Chinese database and Pubmed). Result: The girl was one year and nine months old. She presented with chronic cough, tachypnea, cyanosis and failure to thrive since she was one year and three months old. Her condition gradually deteriorated after she was empirically treated. Physical examination showed malnutrition, tachypnea and clubbed-fingers. Her high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) revealed diffused ground-glass opacities, thickened interlobular septum, and multiple subpleural small air-filled lung cysts. The second generation sequencing study identified a novel compound heterozygous mutation (c.1755delC+c.2890G>A) in her ABCA3 gene, which derived respectively from her parents and has not been reported in the database and the literatures mentioned above. Conclusion: c.1755delC+c.2890G>A is a new kind of compound heterozygous mutation in ABCA3, which can cause children's diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Its phenotype is related to its genotype.

Deficiency of ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 in macrophages increases inflammation and accelerates atherosclerosis in mice.

PubMed

Westerterp, Marit; Murphy, Andrew J; Wang, Mi; Pagler, Tamara A; Vengrenyuk, Yuliya; Kappus, Mojdeh S; Gorman, Darren J; Nagareddy, Prabhakara R; Zhu, Xuewei; Abramowicz, Sandra; Parks, John S; Welch, Carrie; Fisher, Edward A; Wang, Nan; Yvan-Charvet, Laurent; Tall, Alan R

2013-05-24

Plasma high-density lipoprotein levels are inversely correlated with atherosclerosis. Although it is widely assumed that this is attributable to the ability of high-density lipoprotein to promote cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells, direct experimental support for this hypothesis is lacking. To assess the role of macrophage cholesterol efflux pathways in atherogenesis. We developed mice with efficient deletion of the ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) in macrophages (MAC-ABC(DKO) mice) but not in hematopoietic stem or progenitor populations. MAC-ABC(DKO) bone marrow (BM) was transplanted into Ldlr(-/-) recipients. On the chow diet, these mice had similar plasma cholesterol and blood monocyte levels but increased atherosclerosis compared with controls. On the Western-type diet, MAC-ABC(DKO) BM-transplanted Ldlr(-/-) mice had disproportionate atherosclerosis, considering they also had lower very low-density lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than controls. ABCA1/G1-deficient macrophages in lesions showed increased inflammatory gene expression. Unexpectedly, Western-type diet-fed MAC-ABC(DKO) BM-transplanted Ldlr(-/-) mice displayed monocytosis and neutrophilia in the absence of hematopoietic stem and multipotential progenitor cells proliferation. Mechanistic studies revealed increased expressions of machrophage colony stimulating factor and granulocyte colony stimulating factor in splenic macrophage foam cells, driving BM monocyte and neutrophil production. These studies show that macrophage deficiency of ABCA1/G1 is proatherogenic likely by promoting plaque inflammation and uncover a novel positive feedback loop in which cholesterol-laden splenic macrophages signal BM progenitors to produce monocytes, with suppression by macrophage cholesterol efflux pathways.

Novel association of the R230C variant of the ABCA1 gene with high triglyceride levels and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in Mexican school-age children with high prevalence of obesity.

PubMed

Gamboa-Meléndez, Marco Alberto; Galindo-Gómez, Carlos; Juárez-Martínez, Liliana; Gómez, F Enrique; Diaz-Diaz, Eulises; Ávila-Arcos, Marco Antonio; Ávila-Curiel, Abelardo

2015-08-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder that includes a cluster of several risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The R230C variant of the ABCA1 gene has been associated with low HDL-cholesterol in several studies, but its association with MetS in children remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of the R230C variant with MetS and other metabolic traits in school-aged Mexican children. The study was performed in seven urban primary schools in the State of Mexico. Four hundred thirty-two Mexican school-age children 6-13 years old were recruited. MetS was identified using the International Diabetes Federation definition. The R230C variant of the ABCA1 gene was genotyped to seek associations with MetS and other metabolic traits. The prevalence of MetS was 29% in children aged 10-13 years. The R230C variant was not associated with MetS (OR = 1.65; p = 0.139). Furthermore, in the whole population, the R230C variant was associated with low HDL-cholesterol levels (β coefficient = -3.28, p <0.001). Interestingly, in the total population we found a novel association of this variant with high triglyceride levels (β coefficient = 14.34; p = 0.027). We found a new association of the R230C variant of the ABCA1 gene with high triglyceride levels. Our findings also replicate the association of this variant with low HDL-cholesterol levels in Mexican school-age children. Copyright © 2015 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Computational Approach From Gene to Structure Analysis of the Human ABCA4 Transporter Involved in Genetic Retinal Diseases.

PubMed

Trezza, Alfonso; Bernini, Andrea; Langella, Andrea; Ascher, David B; Pires, Douglas E V; Sodi, Andrea; Passerini, Ilaria; Pelo, Elisabetta; Rizzo, Stanislao; Niccolai, Neri; Spiga, Ottavia

2017-10-01

The aim of this article is to report the investigation of the structural features of ABCA4, a protein associated with a genetic retinal disease. A new database collecting knowledge of ABCA4 structure may facilitate predictions about the possible functional consequences of gene mutations observed in clinical practice. In order to correlate structural and functional effects of the observed mutations, the structure of mouse P-glycoprotein was used as a template for homology modeling. The obtained structural information and genetic data are the basis of our relational database (ABCA4Database). Sequence variability among all ABCA4-deposited entries was calculated and reported as Shannon entropy score at the residue level. The three-dimensional model of ABCA4 structure was used to locate the spatial distribution of the observed variable regions. Our predictions from structural in silico tools were able to accurately link the functional effects of mutations to phenotype. The development of the ABCA4Database gathers all the available genetic and structural information, yielding a global view of the molecular basis of some retinal diseases. ABCA4 modeled structure provides a molecular basis on which to analyze protein sequence mutations related to genetic retinal disease in order to predict the risk of retinal disease across all possible ABCA4 mutations. Additionally, our ABCA4 predicted structure is a good starting point for the creation of a new data analysis model, appropriate for precision medicine, in order to develop a deeper knowledge network of the disease and to improve the management of patients.

Single residue AAV capsid mutation improves transduction of photoreceptors in the Abca4-/- mouse and bipolar cells in the rd1 mouse and human retina ex vivo.

PubMed

De Silva, Samantha R; Charbel Issa, Peter; Singh, Mandeep S; Lipinski, Daniel M; Barnea-Cramer, Alona O; Walker, Nathan J; Barnard, Alun R; Hankins, Mark W; MacLaren, Robert E

2016-11-01

Gene therapy using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for the treatment of retinal degenerations has shown safety and efficacy in clinical trials. However, very high levels of vector expression may be necessary for the treatment of conditions such as Stargardt disease where a dual vector approach is potentially needed, or in optogenetic strategies for end-stage degeneration in order to achieve maximal light sensitivity. In this study, we assessed two vectors with single capsid mutations, rAAV2/2(Y444F) and rAAV2/8(Y733F) in their ability to transduce retina in the Abca4 -/- and rd1 mouse models of retinal degeneration. We noted significantly increased photoreceptor transduction using rAAV2/8(Y733F) in the Abca4 -/- mouse, in contrast to previous work where vectors tested in this model have shown low levels of photoreceptor transduction. Bipolar cell transduction was achieved following subretinal delivery of both vectors in the rd1 mouse, and via intravitreal delivery of rAAV2/2(Y444F). The successful use of rAAV2/8(Y733F) to target bipolar cells was further validated on human tissue using an ex vivo culture system of retinal explants. Capsid mutant AAV vectors transduce human retinal cells and may be particularly suited to treat retinal degenerations in which high levels of transgene expression are required.

Retinoic Acid Isomers Up-Regulate ATP Binding Cassette A1 and G1 and Cholesterol Efflux in Rat Astrocytes: Implications for Their Therapeutic and Teratogenic Effects

PubMed Central

Chen, Jing; Costa, Lucio G.

2011-01-01

Recent studies suggest that retinoids may be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, although exposure to an excess of retinoids during gestation causes teratogenesis. Cholesterol is essential for brain development, but high levels of cholesterol have been associated with Alzheimer's disease. We hypothesized that retinoic acid may affect cholesterol homeostasis in rat astrocytes, which regulate cholesterol distribution in the brain, through the up-regulation of cholesterol transporters ATP binding cassette (Abc)a1 and Abcg1. Tretinoin, 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cis-RA), 9-cis-RA, and the selective retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist methoprene significantly increased cholesterol efflux induced by cholesterol acceptors and protein levels of Abca1 by 2.3- (±0.25), 3.6- (±0.42), 4.1- (±0.5), and 1.75- (±0.43) fold, respectively, and Abcg1 by 2.1- (±0.26), 2.2- (±0.33), 2.5- (±0.23), and 2.2- (±0.21) fold, respectively. 13-cis-RA and 9-cis-RA also significantly increased mRNA levels of Abca1 (maximal induction 7.3 ± 0.42 and 2.7 ± 0.17, respectively) and Abcg1 (maximal induction 2.0 ± 0.18 and 1.8 ± 0.09, respectively), and the levels of membrane-bound Abca1 (2.5 ± 0.3 and 2.5 ± 0.40-fold increase, respectively), whereas they significantly decreased intracellular cholesterol content without affecting cholesterol synthesis. The effect of 9-cis-RA on cholesterol homeostasis in astrocytes can be ascribed to the activation of RXR, whereas the effects of 13-cis-RA and tretinoin were independent of either RXRs or retinoic acid receptors. These findings suggest that retinoids affect cholesterol homeostasis in astrocytes and that this effect may be involved in both their therapeutic and teratogenic actions. PMID:21628419

Analysis of ABCA4 in mixed Spanish families segregating different retinal dystrophies.

PubMed

Paloma, Eva; Coco, Rosa; Martínez-Mir, Amalia; Vilageliu, Lluïsa; Balcells, Susana; Gonzàlez-Duarte, Roser

2002-12-01

Genotype-phenotype correlations highlighted the function of ABCA4 in retinitis pigmentosa (RP),cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) and Stargardt/Fundus Flavimaculatus disease (STGD/FFM). Initial screening of ABCA4 variants showed a correlation between the type of mutation and the severity of the disease. In the present study we have undertaken mutational and haplotype analysis of ABCA4 in three mixed pedigrees segregating different retinal dystrophies. In family I, we have shown cosegregation of different ABCA4 alleles with CRD (homozygosity for L1940P) and three subtypes of STGD/FFM. The first, a mild form, consisting on fundus flavimaculatus-like distribution of flecks, but good visual acuity and absence of dark choroid, was found to cosegregate with alleles R1097C and F553L; the second, a conventional Stargardt phenotype was associated to alleles L1940P/R1097C and the third, displaying severely reduced visual acuity and dark choroid (named FFM), was associated to L1940P/F553L. In family II, segregating STGD and RP phenotypes, while the involvement of ABCA4 in STGD seems clear this is not the case for RP. Finally, in family III, also segregating STGD and RP, ABCA4 fails to explain either phenotype. Our data highlight the wide allelic heterogeneity involving this gene and support the genetic variability (beyond ABCA4) of mixed STGD/RP pedigrees. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Role of the Photoreceptor ABC Transporter ABCA4 in Lipid Transport and Stargardt Macular Degeneration

PubMed Central

Molday, Robert S.; Zhong, Ming; Quazi, Faraz

2009-01-01

ABCA4 is a member of the ABCA subfamily of ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters that is expressed in rod and cone photoreceptors of the vertebrate retina. ABCA4, also known as the Rim protein and ABCR, is a large 2273 amino acid glycoprotein organized as two tandem halves, each containing a single membrane spanning segment followed sequentially by a large exocytoplasmic domain, a multispanning membrane domain and a nucleotide binding domain. Over 500 mutations in the gene encoding ABCA4 are associated with a spectrum of related autosomal recessive retinal degenerative diseases including Stargardt macular degeneration, cone-rod dystrophy and a subset of retinitis pigmentosa. Biochemical studies on the purified ABCA4 together with analysis of abca4 knockout mice and patients with Stargardt disease have implicated ABCA4 as a retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine transporter that facilitates the removal of potentially reactive retinal derivatives from photoreceptors following photoexcitation. Knowledge of the genetic and molecular basis for ABCA4 related retinal degenerative diseases is being used to develop rationale therapeutic treatments for this set of disorders. PMID:19230850

N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine is the preferred retinoid substrate for the photoreceptor-specific ABC transporter ABCA4 (ABCR).

PubMed

Beharry, Seelochan; Zhong, Ming; Molday, Robert S

2004-12-24

ABCA4, a member of the family of ATP binding cassette (ABC) proteins found in rod and cone photoreceptors, has been implicated in the transport of retinoid compounds across the outer segment disk membrane following the photoactivation of rhodopsin. Mutations in the ABCA4 gene are responsible for Stargardt macular dystrophy and related retinal degenerative diseases that cause a loss in vision. To identify the retinoid substrate that interacts with ABCA4, we have isolated ABCA4 from rod outer segment disk membranes on an immunoaffinity matrix and analyzed retinoid compounds that bind to ABCA4 using high performance liquid chromatography and radiolabeling methods. When all-trans-retinal was added to ABCA4 in the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine, approximately 0.9 mol of N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine and 0.3 mol of all-trans-retinal were bound per mol of ABCA4 with an apparent K(d) of 2-5 microm. ATP and GTP released these retinoids from ABCA4, whereas ADP, GDP, and nonhydrolyzable derivatives, adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate and guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate, were ineffective. One mole of N-retinyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, the reduced form of N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine, bound per mol of ABCA4, whereas 0.3 mol of all-trans-retinal were bound in the absence of phosphatidylethanolamine. No binding of all-trans-retinol to ABCA4 was observed. Our results indicate that ABCA4 preferentially binds N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine with high affinity in the absence of ATP. Our studies further suggest that ATP binding and hydrolysis induces a protein conformational change that causes N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine to dissociate from ABCA4.

Clinical and genetic analyses reveal novel pathogenic ABCA4 mutations in Stargardt disease families

PubMed Central

Lin, Bing; Cai, Xue-Bi; Zheng, Zhi-Li; Huang, Xiu-Feng; Liu, Xiao-Ling; Qu, Jia; Jin, Zi-Bing

2016-01-01

Stargardt disease (STGD1) is a juvenile macular degeneration predominantly inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, characterized by decreased central vision in the first 2 decades of life. The condition has a genetic basis due to mutation in the ABCA4 gene, and arises from the deposition of lipofuscin-like substance in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) with secondary photoreceptor cell death. In this study, we describe the clinical and genetic features of Stargardt patients from four unrelated Chinese cohorts. The targeted exome sequencing (TES) was carried out in four clinically confirmed patients and their family members using a gene panel comprising 164 known causative inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD) genes. Genetic analysis revealed eight ABCA4 mutations in all of the four pedigrees, including six mutations in coding exons and two mutations in adjacent intronic areas. All the affected individuals showed typical manifestations consistent with the disease phenotype. We disclose two novel ABCA4 mutations in Chinese patients with STGD disease, which will expand the existing spectrum of disease-causing variants and will further aid in the future mutation screening and genetic counseling, as well as in the understanding of phenotypic and genotypic correlations. PMID:27739528

Synonymous ABCA3 Variants Do Not Increase Risk for Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

PubMed Central

Wambach, Jennifer A.; Wegner, Daniel J.; Heins, Hillary B.; Druley, Todd E.; Mitra, Robi D.; Hamvas, Aaron; Cole, F. Sessions

2014-01-01

Objective To determine whether synonymous variants in the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette A3 transporter (ABCA3) gene increase the risk for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in term and late preterm infants of European and African descent. Study design Using next-generation pooled sequencing of race-stratified DNA samples from infants of European and African descent at $34 weeks gestation with and without RDS (n = 503), we scanned all exons of ABCA3, validated each synonymous variant with an independent genotyping platform, and evaluated race-stratified disease risk associated with common synonymous variants and collapsed frequencies of rare synonymous variants. Results The synonymous ABCA3 variant frequency spectrum differs between infants of European descent and those of African descent. Using in silico prediction programs and statistical strategies, we found no potentially disruptive synonymous ABCA3 variants or evidence of selection pressure. Individual common synonymous variants and collapsed frequencies of rare synonymous variants did not increase disease risk in term and late-preterm infants of European or African descent. Conclusion In contrast to rare, nonsynonymous ABCA3 mutations, synonymous ABCA3 variants do not increase the risk for neonatal RDS among term and late-preterm infants of European or African descent. PMID:24657120

Lipocalin 2 Plays an Important Role in Regulating Inflammation in Retinal Degeneration.

PubMed

Parmar, Tanu; Parmar, Vipul M; Perusek, Lindsay; Georges, Anouk; Takahashi, Masayo; Crabb, John W; Maeda, Akiko

2018-05-01

It has become increasingly important to understand how retinal inflammation is regulated because inflammation plays a role in retinal degenerative diseases. Lipocalin 2 (LCN2), an acute stress response protein with multiple innate immune functions, is increased in ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 4 ( Abca4 ) -/- retinol dehydrogenase 8 ( Rdh8 ) -/- double-knockout mice, an animal model for Stargardt disease and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). To examine roles of LCN2 in retinal inflammation and degeneration, Lcn2 -/- Abca4 -/- Rdh8 -/- triple-knockout mice were generated. Exacerbated inflammation following light exposure was observed in Lcn2 -/- Abca4 -/- Rdh8 -/- mice as compared with Abca4 -/- Rdh8 -/- mice, with upregulation of proinflammatory genes and microglial activation. RNA array analyses revealed an increase in immune response molecules such as Ccl8 , Ccl2 , and Cxcl10 To further probe a possible regulatory role for LCN2 in retinal inflammation, we examined the in vitro effects of LCN2 on NF-κB signaling in human retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells derived from healthy donors. We found that LCN2 induced expression of antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase 1 and superoxide dismutase 2 in these RPE cells and could inhibit the cytotoxic effects of H 2 O 2 and LPS. ELISA revealed increased LCN2 levels in plasma of patients with Stargardt disease, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related macular degeneration as compared with healthy controls. Finally, overexpression of LCN2 in RPE cells displayed protection from cell death. Overall these results suggest that LCN2 is involved in prosurvival responses during cell stress and plays an important role in regulating inflammation during retinal degeneration. Copyright © 2018 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

microRNA-212 promotes lipid accumulation and attenuates cholesterol efflux in THP-1 human macrophages by targeting SIRT1.

PubMed

Miao, Haiwei; Zeng, Honghui; Gong, Hui

2018-02-15

Macrophage foam cell formation is a key initiating event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. This work was conducted to determine the role of microRNA (miR)-212 in the transformation of foam cells from macrophages. We examined the expression of miR-212 in atherosclerotic lesions in an apoE-deficient (apoE -/- ) mouse model. The effects of miR-212 overexpression and knockdown on lipid accumulation and cholesterol homeostasis in THP-1 macrophages after exposure to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The mechanism underlying the activity of miR-212 was explored. It was found that miR-212 was downregulated in atherosclerotic lesions and macrophages from apoE -/- mice fed high-fat diet, compared to the equivalents from apoE -/- mice fed standard diet. Overexpression of miR-212 promoted lipid accumulation in oxLDL-treated THP-1 macrophages, whereas miR-212 depletion exerted an opposite effect. Macrophage cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-I was significantly reduced by miR-212, which was accompanied by reduced ABCA1 expression. Mechanistically, miR-212 targeted sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) to repress the expression of ABCA1 in THP-1 macrophages. Rescue experiments confirmed that co-expression of SIRT1 attenuated lipid accumulation and restored cholesterol efflux in miR-212-overexpressing THP-1 macrophages. Collectively, miR-212 facilitates macrophage foam cell formation and suppresses ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux through downregulation of SIRT1. Targeting miR-212 may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Overlap between Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease in ABCA7 functional variants

PubMed Central

Nuytemans, Karen; Maldonado, Lizmarie; Ali, Aleena; John-Williams, Krista; Beecham, Gary W.; Martin, Eden; Scott, William K.

2016-01-01

Objective: Given their reported function in phagocytosis and clearance of protein aggregates in Alzheimer disease (AD), we hypothesized that variants in ATP-binding cassette transporter A7 (ABCA7) might be involved in Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: ABCA7 variants were identified using whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 396 unrelated patients with PD and 222 healthy controls. In addition, we used the publicly available WES data from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (444 patients and 153 healthy controls) as a second, independent data set. Results: We observed a higher frequency of loss-of-function (LOF) variants and rare putative highly functional variants (Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion [CADD] >20) in clinically diagnosed patients with PD than in healthy controls in both data sets. Overall, we identified LOF variants in 11 patients and 1 healthy control (odds ratio [OR] 4.94, Fisher exact p = 0.07). Four of these variants have been previously implicated in AD risk (p.E709AfsX86, p.W1214X, p.L1403RfsX7, and rs113809142). In addition, rare variants with CADD >20 were observed in 19 patients vs 3 healthy controls (OR 2.85, Fisher exact p = 0.06). Conclusion: The presence of ABCA7 LOF variants in clinically defined PD suggests that they might be risk factors for neurodegeneration in general, especially those variants hallmarked by protein aggregation. More studies will be needed to evaluate the overall impact of this transporter in neurodegenerative disease. PMID:27066581

Targeted inactivation of the murine Abca3 gene leads to respiratory failure in newborns with defective lamellar bodies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hammel, Markus; Michel, Geert; Hoefer, Christina

2007-08-10

Mutations in the human ABCA3 gene, encoding an ABC-transporter, are associated with respiratory failure in newborns and pediatric interstitial lung disease. In order to study disease mechanisms, a transgenic mouse model with a disrupted Abca3 gene was generated by targeting embryonic stem cells. While heterozygous animals developed normally and were fertile, individuals homozygous for the altered allele (Abca3-/-) died within one hour after birth from respiratory failure, ABCA3 protein being undetectable. Abca3-/- newborns showed atelectasis of the lung in comparison to a normal gas content in unaffected or heterozygous littermates. Electron microscopy demonstrated the absence of normal lamellar bodies inmore » type II pneumocytes. Instead, condensed structures with apparent absence of lipid content were found. We conclude that ABCA3 is required for the formation of lamellar bodies and lung surfactant function. The phenotype of respiratory failure immediately after birth corresponds to the clinical course of severe ABCA3 mutations in human newborns.« less

Non-exomic and synonymous variants in ABCA4 are an important cause of Stargardt disease

PubMed Central

Braun, Terry A.; Mullins, Robert F.; Wagner, Alex H.; Andorf, Jeaneen L.; Johnston, Rebecca M.; Bakall, Benjamin B.; Deluca, Adam P.; Fishman, Gerald A.; Lam, Byron L.; Weleber, Richard G.; Cideciyan, Artur V.; Jacobson, Samuel G.; Sheffield, Val C.; Tucker, Budd A.; Stone, Edwin M.

2013-01-01

Mutations in ABCA4 cause Stargardt disease and other blinding autosomal recessive retinal disorders. However, sequencing of the complete coding sequence in patients with clinical features of Stargardt disease sometimes fails to detect one or both mutations. For example, among 208 individuals with clear clinical evidence of ABCA4 disease ascertained at a single institution, 28 had only one disease-causing allele identified in the exons and splice junctions of the primary retinal transcript of the gene. Haplotype analysis of these 28 probands revealed 3 haplotypes shared among ten families, suggesting that 18 of the 28 missing alleles were rare enough to be present only once in the cohort. We hypothesized that mutations near rare alternate splice junctions in ABCA4 might cause disease by increasing the probability of mis-splicing at these sites. Next-generation sequencing of RNA extracted from human donor eyes revealed more than a dozen alternate exons that are occasionally incorporated into the ABCA4 transcript in normal human retina. We sequenced the genomic DNA containing 15 of these minor exons in the 28 one-allele subjects and observed five instances of two different variations in the splice signals of exon 36.1 that were not present in normal individuals (P < 10−6). Analysis of RNA obtained from the keratinocytes of patients with these mutations revealed the predicted alternate transcript. This study illustrates the utility of RNA sequence analysis of human donor tissue and patient-derived cell lines to identify mutations that would be undetectable by exome sequencing. PMID:23918662

Increased Risk of Interstitial Lung Disease in Children with a Single R288K Variant of ABCA3

PubMed Central

Wittmann, Thomas; Frixel, Sabrina; Höppner, Stefanie; Schindlbeck, Ulrike; Schams, Andrea; Kappler, Matthias; Hegermann, Jan; Wrede, Christoph; Liebisch, Gerhard; Vierzig, Anne; Zacharasiewicz, Angela; Kopp, Matthias Volkmar; Poets, Christian F; Baden, Winfried; Hartl, Dominik; van Kaam, Anton H; Lohse, Peter; Aslanidis, Charalampos; Zarbock, Ralf; Griese, Matthias

2016-01-01

The ABCA3 gene encodes a lipid transporter in type II pneumocytes critical for survival and normal respiratory function. The frequent ABCA3 variant R288K increases the risk for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome among term and late preterm neonates, but its role in children’s interstitial lung disease has not been studied in detail. In a retrospective cohort study of 228 children with interstitial lung disease related to the alveolar surfactant system, the frequency of R288K was assessed and the phenotype of patients carrying a single R288K variant further characterized by clinical course, lung histology, computed tomography and bronchoalveolar lavage phosphatidylcholine PC 32:0. Cell lines stably transfected with ABCA3-R288K were analyzed for intracellular transcription, processing and targeting of the protein. ABCA3 function was assessed by detoxification assay of doxorubicin, and the induction and volume of lamellar bodies. We found nine children with interstitial lung disease carrying a heterozygous R288K variant, a frequency significantly higher than in the general Caucasian population. All identified patients had neonatal respiratory insufficiency, recovered and developed chronic interstitial lung disease with intermittent exacerbations during early childhood. In vitro analysis showed normal transcription, processing, and targeting of ABCA3-R288K, but impaired detoxification function and smaller lamellar bodies. We propose that the R288K variant can underlie interstitial lung disease in childhood due to reduced function of ABCA3, demonstrated by decelerated detoxification of doxorubicin, reduced PC 32:0 content and decreased lamellar body volume. PMID:26928390

Phenotype/genotype correlation in a case series of Stargardt's patients identifies novel mutations in the ABCA4 gene.

PubMed

Gemenetzi, M; Lotery, A J

2013-11-01

To investigate phenotypic variability in terms of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with Stargardt disease (STGD) and confirmed ABCA4 mutations. Entire coding region analysis of the ABCA4 gene by direct sequencing of seven patients with clinical findings of STGD seen in the Retina Clinics of Southampton Eye Unit between 2002 and 2011.Phenotypic variables recorded were BCVA, fluorescein angiographic appearance, electrophysiology, and visual fields. All patients had heterozygous amino acid-changing variants (missense mutations) in the ABCA4 gene. A splice sequence change was found in a 30-year-old patient with severly affected vision. Two novel sequence changes were identified: a missense mutation in a mildly affected 44-year-old patient and a frameshift mutation in a severly affected 34-year-old patient. The identified ABCA4 mutations were compatible with the resulting phenotypes in terms of BCVA. Higher BCVAs were recorded in patients with missense mutations. Sequence changes, predicted to have more deleterious effect on protein function, resulted in a more severe phenotype. This case series of STGD patients demonstrates novel genotype/phenotype correlations, which may be useful to counselling of patients. This information may prove useful in selection of candidates for clinical trials in ABCA4 disease.

Molecular and cellular characteristics of ABCA3 mutations associated with diffuse parenchymal lung diseases in children

PubMed Central

Flamein, Florence; Riffault, Laure; Muselet-Charlier, Céline; Pernelle, Julie; Feldmann, Delphine; Jonard, Laurence; Durand-Schneider, Anne-Marie; Coulomb, Aurore; Maurice, Michèle; Nogee, Lawrence M.; Inagaki, Nobuya; Amselem, Serge; Dubus, Jean Christophe; Rigourd, Virginie; Brémont, François; Marguet, Christophe; Brouard, Jacques; de Blic, Jacques; Clement, Annick; Epaud, Ralph; Guillot, Loïc

2012-01-01

ABCA3 (ATP-binding cassette subfamily A, member 3) is expressed in the lamellar bodies of alveolar type II cells and is crucial to pulmonary surfactant storage and homeostasis. ABCA3 gene mutations have been associated with neonatal respiratory distress (NRD) and pediatric interstitial lung disease (ILD). The objective of this study was to look for ABCA3 gene mutations in patients with severe NRD and/or ILD. The 30 ABCA3 coding exons were screened in 47 patients with severe NRD and/or ILD. ABCA3 mutations were identified in 10 out of 47 patients, including 2 homozygous, 5 compound heterozygous and 3 heterozygous patients. SP-B and SP-C expression patterns varied across patients. Among patients with ABCA3 mutations, five died shortly after birth and five developed ILD (including one without NRD). Functional studies of p.D253H and p.T1173R mutations revealed that p.D253H and p.T1173R induced abnormal lamellar bodies. Additionally, p.T1173R increased IL-8 secretion in vitro. In conclusion, we identified new ABCA3 mutations in patients with life-threatening NRD and/or ILD. Two mutations associated with ILD acted via different pathophysiological mechanisms despite similar clinical phenotypes. PMID:22068586

Macular Pigment and Lutein Supplementation in ABCA4-associated Retinal Degenerations

PubMed Central

Aleman, Tomas S.; Cideciyan, Artur V.; Windsor, Elizabeth A. M.; Schwartz, Sharon B.; Swider, Malgorzata; Chico, John D.; Sumaroka, Alexander; Pantelyat, Alexander Y.; Duncan, Keith G.; Gardner, Leigh M.; Emmons, Jessica M.; Steinberg, Janet D.; Stone, Edwin M.; Jacobson, Samuel G.

2008-01-01

PURPOSE To determine macular pigment (MP) optical density (OD) in patients with ABCA4-associated retinal degenerations (ABCA4-RD) and the response of MP and vision to supplementation with lutein. METHODS Stargardt disease or cone-rod dystrophy patients with foveal fixation and with known or suspected disease-causing mutations in the ABCA4 gene were included. MPOD profiles were measured with heterochromatic flicker photometry. Serum carotenoids, visual acuity, foveal sensitivity and retinal thickness were quantified. Changes in MPOD and central vision were determined in a subset of patients receiving oral supplementation with lutein for 6 months. RESULTS MPOD in patients ranged from normal to markedly abnormal. As a group, ABCA4-RD patients had reduced foveal MPOD and there was strong correlation with retinal thickness. Average foveal tissue concentration of MP, estimated by dividing MPOD by retinal thickness, was normal in patients whereas serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin was significantly lower than normal. After oral lutein supplementation for 6 months, 91% of the patients showed significant increases in serum lutein and 63% of the patient eyes showed a significant augmentation in MPOD. The retinal responders tended to be female, and have lower serum lutein and zeaxanthin, lower MPOD and greater retinal thickness at baseline. Responding eyes had significantly lower baseline MP concentration compared to non-responding eyes. Central vision was unchanged after the period of supplementation. CONCLUSIONS MP is strongly affected by the stage of ABCA4 disease leading to abnormal foveal architecture. MP could be augmented by supplemental lutein in some patients. There was no change in central vision after 6 months of lutein supplementation. Long-term influences on the natural history of this supplement on macular degenerations require further study. PMID:17325179

Bilirubin Decreases Macrophage Cholesterol Efflux and ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 Protein Expression.

PubMed

Wang, Dongdong; Tosevska, Anela; Heiß, Elke H; Ladurner, Angela; Mölzer, Christine; Wallner, Marlies; Bulmer, Andrew; Wagner, Karl-Heinz; Dirsch, Verena M; Atanasov, Atanas G

2017-04-28

Mild but chronically elevated circulating unconjugated bilirubin is associated with reduced total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, which is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. We aimed to investigate whether unconjugated bilirubin influences macrophage cholesterol efflux, as a potential mechanism for the altered circulating lipoprotein concentrations observed in hyperbilirubinemic individuals. Cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages was assessed using plasma obtained from normo- and hyperbilirubinemic (Gilbert syndrome) humans (n=60 per group) or (heterozygote/homozygote Gunn) rats (n=20 per group) as an acceptor. Hyperbilirubinemic plasma from patients with Gilbert syndrome and Gunn rats induced significantly reduced cholesterol efflux compared with normobilirubinemic plasma. Unconjugated bilirubin (3-17.1 μmol/L) exogenously added to plasma- or apolipoprotein A1-supplemented media also decreased macrophage cholesterol efflux in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. We also showed reduced protein expression of the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a transmembrane cholesterol transporter involved in apolipoprotein A1-mediated cholesterol efflux, in THP-1 macrophages treated with unconjugated bilirubin and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from hyperbilirubinemic individuals. Furthermore, we demonstrated that bilirubin accelerates the degradation rate of the ABCA1 protein in THP-1 macrophages. Cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages is decreased in the presence of plasma obtained from humans and rats with mild hyperbilirubinemia. A direct effect of unconjugated bilirubin on cholesterol efflux was demonstrated and is associated with decreased ABCA1 protein expression. These data improve our knowledge concerning bilirubin's impact on cholesterol transport and represent an important advancement in our understanding of bilirubin's role in cardiovascular disease. © 2017 The Authors. Published on

Melanocortin 1 Receptor Signaling Regulates Cholesterol Transport in Macrophages.

PubMed

Rinne, Petteri; Rami, Martina; Nuutinen, Salla; Santovito, Donato; van der Vorst, Emiel P C; Guillamat-Prats, Raquel; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Raitoharju, Emma; Oksala, Niku; Ring, Larisa; Cai, Minying; Hruby, Victor J; Lehtimäki, Terho; Weber, Christian; Steffens, Sabine

2017-07-04

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1-R) is expressed by monocytes and macrophages, where it exerts anti-inflammatory actions on stimulation with its natural ligand α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The present study was designed to investigate the specific role of MC1-R in the context of atherosclerosis and possible regulatory pathways of MC1-R beyond anti-inflammation. Human and mouse atherosclerotic samples and primary mouse macrophages were used to study the regulatory functions of MC1-R. The impact of pharmacological MC1-R activation on atherosclerosis was assessed in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Characterization of human and mouse atherosclerotic plaques revealed that MC1-R expression localizes in lesional macrophages and is significantly associated with the ATP-binding cassette transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1, which are responsible for initiating reverse cholesterol transport. Using bone marrow-derived macrophages, we observed that α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and selective MC1-R agonists similarly promoted cholesterol efflux, which is a counterregulatory mechanism against foam cell formation. Mechanistically, MC1-R activation upregulated the levels of ABCA1 and ABCG1. These effects were accompanied by a reduction in cell surface CD36 expression and in cholesterol uptake, further protecting macrophages from excessive lipid accumulation. Conversely, macrophages deficient in functional MC1-R displayed a phenotype with impaired efflux and enhanced uptake of cholesterol. Pharmacological targeting of MC1-R in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice reduced plasma cholesterol levels and aortic CD36 expression and increased plaque ABCG1 expression and signs of plaque stability. Our findings identify a novel role for MC1-R in macrophage cholesterol transport. Activation of MC1-R confers protection against macrophage foam cell formation through a dual mechanism: It prevents cholesterol uptake while concomitantly promoting ABCA1- and ABCG1-mediated reverse

Stargardt macular dystrophy: common ABCA4 mutations in South Africa—establishment of a rapid genetic test and relating risk to patients

PubMed Central

Nossek, Christel A.; Greenberg, L. Jacquie; Ramesar, Rajkumar S.

2012-01-01

Purpose Based on the previous indications of founder ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 4 gene (ABCA4) mutations in a South African subpopulation, the purpose was to devise a mechanism for identifying common disease-causing mutations in subjects with ABCA4-associated retinopathies (AARs). Facilitating patient access to this data and determining the frequencies of the mutations in the South African population would enhance the current molecular diagnostic service offered. Methods The majority of subjects in this study were of Caucasian ancestry and affected with Stargardt macular dystrophy. The initial cohort consisted of DNA samples from 181 patients, and was screened using the ABCR400 chip. An assay was then designed to screen a secondary cohort of 72 patients for seven of the most commonly occurring ABCA4 mutations in this population. A total of 269 control individuals were also screened for the seven ABCA4 mutations. Results Microarray screening results from a cohort of 181 patients affected with AARs revealed that seven ABCA4 mutations (p.Arg152*, c.768G>T, p.Arg602Trp, p.Gly863Ala, p.Cys1490Tyr, c.5461–10T>C, and p.Leu2027Phe) occurred at a relatively high frequency. The newly designed genetic assay identified two of the seven disease-associated mutations in 28/72 patients in a secondary patient cohort. In the control cohort, 12/269 individuals were found to be heterozygotes, resulting in an estimated background frequency of these mutations in this particular population of 4.46 per 100 individuals. Conclusions The relatively high detection rate of seven ABCA4 mutations in the primary patient cohort led to the design and subsequent utility of a multiplex assay. This assay can be used as a viable screening tool and to reduce costs and laboratory time. The estimated background frequency of the seven ABCA4 mutations, together with the improved diagnostic service, could be used by counselors to facilitate clinical and genetic management of South African

The ABCA4 2588G>C Stargardt mutation: single origin and increasing frequency from South-West to North-East Europe.

PubMed

Maugeri, Alessandra; Flothmann, Kris; Hemmrich, Nadine; Ingvast, Sofie; Jorge, Paula; Paloma, Eva; Patel, Reshma; Rozet, Jean-Michel; Tammur, Jaana; Testa, Francesco; Balcells, Susana; Bird, Alan C; Brunner, Han G; Hoyng, Carel B; Metspalu, Andres; Simonelli, Francesca; Allikmets, Rando; Bhattacharya, Shomi S; D'Urso, Michele; Gonzàlez-Duarte, Roser; Kaplan, Josseline; te Meerman, Gerard J; Santos, Rosário; Schwartz, Marianne; Van Camp, Guy; Wadelius, Claes; Weber, Bernhard H F; Cremers, Frans P M

2002-03-01

Inherited retinal dystrophies represent the most important cause of vision impairment in adolescence, affecting approximately 1 out of 3000 individuals. Mutations of the photoreceptor-specific gene ABCA4 (ABCR) are a common cause of retinal dystrophy. A number of mutations have been repeatedly reported for this gene, notably the 2588G>C mutation which is frequent in both patients and controls. Here we ascertained the frequency of the 2588G>C mutation in a total of 2343 unrelated random control individuals from 11 European countries and 241 control individuals from the US, as well as in 614 patients with STGD both from Europe and the US. We found an overall carrier frequency of 1 out of 54 in Europe, compared with 1 out of 121 in the US, confirming that the 2588G>C ABCA4 mutation is one of the most frequent autosomal recessive mutations in the European population. Carrier frequencies show an increasing gradient in Europe from South-West to North-East. The lowest carrier frequency, 0 out of 199 (0%), was found in Portugal; the highest, 11 out of 197 (5.5%), was found in Sweden. Haplotype analysis in 16 families segregating the 2588G>C mutation showed four intragenic polymorphisms invariably present in all 16 disease chromosomes and sharing of the same allele for several markers flanking the ABCA4 locus in most of the disease chromosomes. These results indicate a single origin of the 2588G>C mutation which, to our best estimate, occurred between 2400 and 3000 years ago.

Arctigenin promotes cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages through PPAR-γ/LXR-α signaling pathway.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaolin; Li, Qian; Pang, Liewen; Huang, Guoqian; Huang, Jiechun; Shi, Meng; Sun, Xiaotian; Wang, Yiqing

2013-11-15

Cholesterol efflux from macrophages is a critical mechanism to prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Here, we sought to investigate the effects of arctigenin, a bioactive component of Arctium lappa, on the cholesterol efflux in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-loaded THP-1 macrophages. Our data showed that arctigenin significantly accelerated apolipoprotein A-I- and high-density lipoprotein-induced cholesterol efflux in both dose- and time-dependent manners. Moreover, arctigenin treatment enhanced the expression of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), ABCG1, and apoE, all of which are key molecules in the initial step of cholesterol efflux, at both mRNA and protein levels. Arctigenin also caused a concentration-dependent elevation in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) and liver X receptor-alpha (LXR-α). The arctigenin-mediated induction of ABCA1, ABCG1, and apoE was abolished by specific inhibition of PPAR-γ or LXR-α using small interfering RNA technology. Our results collectively indicate that arctigenin promotes cholesterol efflux in oxLDL-loaded THP-1 macrophages through upregulation of ABCA1, ABCG1 and apoE, which is dependent on the enhanced expression of PPAR-γ and LXR-α. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of a homozygous nonsense mutation in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene with cone-rod dystrophy phenotype in an Italian family.

PubMed

Simonelli, Francesca; Testa, Francesco; Zernant, Jana; Nesti, Anna; Rossi, Settimio; Rinaldi, Ernesto; Allikmets, Rando

2004-01-01

Genetic variation in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene has been associated with several distinct retinal phenotypes, including Stargardt disease/fundus flavimaculatus (STGD/FFM), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration. The current model of genotype/phenotype association suggests that patients harboring deleterious mutations in both ABCR alleles would develop RP-like retinal pathology. Here we describe ABCA4-associated phenotypes, including a proband with a homozygous nonsense mutation in a family from Southern Italy. The proband had been originally diagnosed with STGD. Ophthalmologic examination included kinetic perimetry, electrophysiological studies and fluorescein angiography. DNA of the affected individual and family members was analyzed for variants in all 50 exons of the ABCA4 gene by screening on the ABCR400 microarray. A homozygous nonsense mutation 2971G>T (G991X) was detected in a patient initially diagnosed with STGD based on funduscopic evidence, including bull's eye depigmentation of the fovea and flecks at the posterior pole extending to the mid-peripheral retina. Since this novel nucleotide substitution results in a truncated, nonfunctional, ABCA4 protein, the patient was examined in-depth for the severity of the disease phenotype. Indeed, subsequent electrophysiological studies determined severely reduced cone amplitude as compared to the rod amplitude, suggesting the diagnosis of CRD. ABCR400 microarray is an efficient tool for determining causal genetic variation, including new mutations. A homozygous protein-truncating mutation in ABCA4 can cause a phenotype ranging from STGD to CRD as diagnosed at an early stage of the disease. Only a combination of comprehensive genotype/phenotype correlation studies will determine the proper diagnosis and prognosis of ABCA4-associated pathology. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs) play a critical role in osteoclast formation and function

PubMed Central

Kara, Firas M.; Chitu, Violeta; Sloane, Jennifer; Axelrod, Matthew; Fredholm, Bertil B.; Stanley, E. Richard; Cronstein, Bruce N.

2010-01-01

Adenosine regulates a wide variety of physiological processes via interaction with one or more G-protein-coupled receptors (A1R, A2AR, A2BR, and A3R). Because A1R occupancy promotes fusion of human monocytes to form giant cells in vitro, we determined whether A1R occupancy similarly promotes osteoclast function and formation. Bone marrow cells (BMCs) were harvested from C57Bl/6 female mice or A1R-knockout mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates and differentiated into osteoclasts in the presence of colony stimulating factor-1 and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand in the presence or absence of the A1R antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentyl xanthine (DPCPX). Osteoclast morphology was analyzed in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase or F-actin-stained samples, and bone resorption was evaluated by toluidine blue staining of dentin. BMCs from A1R-knockout mice form fewer osteoclasts than BMCs from WT mice, and the A1R antagonist DPCPX inhibits osteoclast formation (IC50=1 nM), with altered morphology and reduced ability to resorb bone. A1R blockade increased ubiquitination and degradation of TRAF6 in RAW264.7 cells induced to differentiate into osteoclasts. These studies suggest a critical role for adenosine in bone homeostasis via interaction with adenosine A1R and further suggest that A1R may be a novel pharmacologic target to prevent the bone loss associated with inflammatory diseases and menopause.—Kara, F. M., Chitu, V., Sloane, J., Axelrod, M., Fredholm, B. B., Stanley, R., Cronstein, B. N. Adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs) play a critical role in osteoclast formation and function. PMID:20181934

Outcome of ABCA4 disease-associated alleles in autosomal recessive retinal dystrophies: retrospective analysis in 420 Spanish families.

PubMed

Riveiro-Alvarez, Rosa; Lopez-Martinez, Miguel-Angel; Zernant, Jana; Aguirre-Lamban, Jana; Cantalapiedra, Diego; Avila-Fernandez, Almudena; Gimenez, Ascension; Lopez-Molina, Maria-Isabel; Garcia-Sandoval, Blanca; Blanco-Kelly, Fiona; Corton, Marta; Tatu, Sorina; Fernandez-San Jose, Patricia; Trujillo-Tiebas, Maria-Jose; Ramos, Carmen; Allikmets, Rando; Ayuso, Carmen

2013-11-01

To provide a comprehensive overview of all detected mutations in the ABCA4 gene in Spanish families with autosomal recessive retinal disorders, including Stargardt's disease (arSTGD), cone-rod dystrophy (arCRD), and retinitis pigmentosa (arRP), and to assess genotype-phenotype correlation and disease progression in 10 years by considering the type of variants and age at onset. Case series. A total of 420 unrelated Spanish families: 259 arSTGD, 86 arCRD, and 75 arRP. Spanish families were analyzed through a combination of ABCR400 genotyping microarray, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and high-resolution melting scanning. Direct sequencing was used as a confirmation technique for the identified variants. Screening by multiple ligation probe analysis was used to detect possible large deletions or insertions in the ABCA4 gene. Selected families were analyzed further by next generation sequencing. DNA sequence variants, mutation detection rates, haplotypes, age at onset, central or peripheral vision loss, and night blindness. Overall, we detected 70.5% and 36.6% of all expected ABCA4 mutations in arSTGD and arCRD patient cohorts, respectively. In the fraction of the cohort where the ABCA4 gene was sequenced completely, the detection rates reached 73.6% for arSTGD and 66.7% for arCRD. However, the frequency of possibly pathogenic ABCA4 alleles in arRP families was only slightly higher than that in the general population. Moreover, in some families, mutations in other known arRP genes segregated with the disease phenotype. An increasing understanding of causal ABCA4 alleles in arSTGD and arCRD facilitates disease diagnosis and prognosis and also is paramount in selecting patients for emerging clinical trials of therapeutic interventions. Because ABCA4-associated diseases are evolving retinal dystrophies, assessment of age at onset, accurate clinical diagnosis, and genetic testing are crucial. We suggest that ABCA4 mutations may be associated with a

Diosgenin inhibits atherosclerosis via suppressing the MiR-19b-induced downregulation of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1.

PubMed

Lv, Yun-cheng; Yang, Jing; Yao, Feng; Xie, Wei; Tang, Yan-yan; Ouyang, Xin-ping; He, Ping-ping; Tan, Yu-lin; Li, Liang; Zhang, Min; Liu, Dan; Cayabyab, Francisco S; Zheng, Xi-Long; Tang, Chao-ke

2015-05-01

Diosgenin (Dgn), a structural analogue of cholesterol, has been reported to have the hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic properties, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Given the key roles of macrophages in cholesterol metabolism and atherogenesis, it is critical to investigate macrophage cholesterol efflux and development of atherosclerotic lesion after Dgn treatment. This study was designed to evaluate the potential effects of Dgn on macrophage cholesterol metabolism and the development of aortic atherosclerosis, and to explore its underlying mechanisms. Dgn significantly up-regulated the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) protein, but didn't affect liver X receptor α levels in foam cells derived from human THP-1 macrophages and mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) as determined by western blotting. The miR-19b levels were markedly down-regulated in Dgn-treated THP-1 macrophages/MPM-derived foam cells. Cholesterol transport assays revealed that treatment with Dgn alone or together with miR-19b inhibitor notably enhanced ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux, resulting in the reduced levels of total cholesterol, free cholesterol and cholesterol ester as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The fecal 3H-sterol originating from cholesterol-laden MPMs was increased in apolipoprotein E knockout mice treated with Dgn or both Dgn and antagomiR-19b. Treatment with Dgn alone or together with antagomiR-19b elevated plasma high-density lipoprotein levels, but reduced plasma low-density lipoprotein levels. Accordingly, aortic lipid deposition and plaque area were reduced, and collagen content and ABCA1 expression were increased in mice treated with Dgn alone or together with antagomiR-19b. However, miR-19b overexpression abrogated the lipid-lowering and atheroprotective effects induced by Dgn. The present study demonstrates that Dgn enhances ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux and inhibits aortic atherosclerosis

Novel Mutation in the ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A3 (ABCA3) Encoding Gene Causes Respiratory Distress Syndrome in A Term Newborn in Southwest Iran

PubMed Central

Rezaei, Farideh; Shafiei, Mohammad; Shariati, Gholamreza; Dehdashtian, Ali; Mohebbi, Maryam; Galehdari, Hamid

2016-01-01

Introduction ABCA3 glycoprotein belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of transporters, which utilize the energy derived from hydrolysis of ATP for the translocation of a wide variety of substrates across the plasma membrane. Mutations in the ABCA3 gene are knowingly causative for fatal surfactant deficiency, particularly respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in term babies. Case Presentation In this study, Sanger sequencing of the whole ABCA3 gene (NCBI NM_001089) was performed in a neonatal boy with severe RDS. A homozygous mutation has been identified in the patient. Parents were heterozygous for the same missense mutation GGA > AGA at position 202 in exon 6 of the ABCA3 gene (c.604G > A; p.G202R). Furthermore, 70 normal individuals have been analyzed for the mentioned change with negative results. Conclusions Regarding Human Genome Mutation Database (HGMD) and other literature recherche, the detected change is a novel mutation and has not been reported before. Bioinformatics mutation predicting tools prefer it as pathogenic. PMID:27437095

Deducing the pathogenic contribution of recessive ABCA4 alleles in an outbred population.

PubMed

Schindler, Emily I; Nylen, Erik L; Ko, Audrey C; Affatigato, Louisa M; Heggen, Andrew C; Wang, Kai; Sheffield, Val C; Stone, Edwin M

2010-10-01

Accurate prediction of the pathogenic effects of specific genotypes is important for the design and execution of clinical trials as well as for meaningful counseling of individual patients. However, for many autosomal recessive diseases, it can be difficult to deduce the relative pathogenic contribution of individual alleles because relatively few affected individuals share the same two disease-causing variations. In this study, we used multiple regression analysis to estimate the pathogenicity of specific alleles of ABCA4 in patients with retinal phenotypes ranging from Stargardt disease to retinitis pigmentosa. This analysis revealed quantitative allelic effects on two aspects of the visual phenotype, visual acuity (P < 10(-3)) and visual field (P < 10(-7)). Discordance between visual acuity and visual field in individual patients suggests the existence of at least two non-ABCA4 modifying factors. The findings of this study will facilitate the discovery of factors that modify ABCA4 disease and will also aid in the optimal selection of subjects for clinical trials of new therapies.

Celecoxib sensitizes imatinib-resistant K562 cells to imatinib by inhibiting MRP1-5, ABCA2 and ABCG2 transporters via Wnt and Ras signaling pathways.

PubMed

Dharmapuri, Gangappa; Doneti, Ravinder; Philip, Gundala Harold; Kalle, Arunasree M

2015-07-01

Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is very effective in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, development of resistance to imatinib therapy is also a very common mechanism observed with long-term administration of the drug. Our previous studies have highlighted the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in regulating the expression of multidrug resistant protein-1 (MDR1), P-gp, in imatinib-resistant K562 cells (IR-K562) via PGE2-cAMP-PKC-NF-κB pathway and inhibition of COX-2 by celecoxib, a COX-2 specific inhibitor, inhibits this pathway and reverses the drug resistance. Studies have identified that not only MDR1 but other ATP-binding cassette transport proteins (ABC transporters) are involved in the development of imatinib resistance. Here, we tried to study the role of COX-2 in the regulation of other ABC transporters such as MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, ABCA2 and ABCG2 that have been already implicated in imatinib resistance development. The results of the study clearly indicated that overexpression of COX-2 lead to upregulation of MRP family proteins in IR-K562 cells and celecoxib down-regulated the ABC transporters through Wnt and MEK signaling pathways. The study signifies that celecoxib in combination with the imatinib can be a good alternate treatment strategy for the reversal of imatinib resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preventive effects of heregulin-beta1 on macrophage foam cell formation and atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Xu, Gang; Watanabe, Takuya; Iso, Yoshitaka; Koba, Shinji; Sakai, Tetsuo; Nagashima, Masaharu; Arita, Shigeko; Hongo, Shigeki; Ota, Hidekazu; Kobayashi, Youichi; Miyazaki, Akira; Hirano, Tsutomu

2009-08-28

Human heregulins, neuregulin-1 type I polypeptides that activate proliferation, differentiation, and survival of glial cells, neurons, and myocytes, are expressed in macrophage foam cells within human coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Macrophage foam cell formation, characterized by cholesterol ester accumulation, is modulated by scavenger receptor class A (SR-A), acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT)1, and ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC)A1. The present study clarified the roles of heregulins in macrophage foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Plasma heregulin-beta(1) levels were significantly decreased in 31 patients with acute coronary syndrome and 33 patients with effort angina pectoris compared with 34 patients with mild hypertension and 40 healthy volunteers (1.3+/-0.3, 2.0+/-0.4 versus 7.6+/-1.4, 8.2+/-1.2 ng/mL; P<0.01). Among all patients with acute coronary syndrome and effort angina pectoris, plasma heregulin-beta(1) levels were further decreased in accordance with the severity of coronary artery lesions. Expression of heregulin-beta(1) was observed at trace levels in intracoronary atherothrombosis obtained by aspiration thrombectomy from acute coronary syndrome patients. Heregulin-beta(1), but not heregulin-alpha, significantly reduced acetylated low-density lipoprotein-induced cholesterol ester accumulation in primary cultured human monocyte-derived macrophages by reducing SR-A and ACAT1 expression and by increasing ABCA1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Heregulin-beta(1) significantly decreased endocytic uptake of [(125)I]acetylated low-density lipoprotein and ACAT activity, and increased cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein (Apo)A-I from human macrophages. Chronic infusion of heregulin-beta(1) into ApoE(-/-) mice significantly suppressed the development of atherosclerotic lesions. This study provided the first evidence that heregulin-beta(1) inhibits atherogenesis and suppresses macrophage foam cell formation via SR-A

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yan; Wu, Jian-Feng; Tang, Yan-Yan

Highlights: • U II reduces cholesterol efflux in THP-1 macrophages. • U II decreases the expression of ABCA1. • Inhibition of the ERK/NF-κB pathway reduces U II effects on ABCA1 expression and cholesterol efflux. - Abstract: Objective: Foam cell formation in the arterial wall plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies showed that Urotensin II (U II) is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Here we examined the effects of human U II on ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and the underlying mechanism in THP-1 macrophages. Methods and results: Cultured THP-1 macrophages were treated withmore » U II, followed by measuring the intracellular lipid contents, cholesterol efflux and ABCA1 levels. The results showed that U II dramatically decreased ABCA1 levels and impaired cholesterol efflux. However, the effects of U II on ABCA1 protein expression and cellular cholesterol efflux were partially reversed by inhibition of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity, suggesting the potential roles of ERK1/2 and NF-κB in ABCA1 expression, respectively. Conclusion: Our current data indicate that U II may have promoting effects on the progression of atherosclerosis, likely through suppressing ABCA1 expression via activation of the ERK/NF-κB pathway and reducing cholesterol efflux to promote macrophage foam cell formation.« less

Fundus Autofluorescence in the Abca4−/− Mouse Model of Stargardt Disease—Correlation With Accumulation of A2E, Retinal Function, and Histology

PubMed Central

Charbel Issa, Peter; Barnard, Alun R.; Singh, Mandeep S.; Carter, Emma; Jiang, Zhichun; Radu, Roxana A.; Schraermeyer, Ulrich; MacLaren, Robert E.

2013-01-01

Purpose. To investigate fundus autofluorescence (AF) characteristics in the Abca4−/− mouse, an animal model for AMD and Stargardt disease, and to correlate findings with functional, structural, and biochemical assessments. Methods. Blue (488 nm) and near-infrared (790 nm) fundus AF images were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed in pigmented Abca4−/− mice and wild type (WT) controls in vivo. Functional, structural, and biochemical assessments included electroretinography (ERG), light and electron microscopic analysis, and A2E quantification. All assessments were performed across age groups. Results. In Abca4−/− mice, lipofuscin-related 488 nm AF increased early in life with a ceiling effect after 6 months. This increase was first paralleled by an accumulation of typical lipofuscin granules in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Later, lipofuscin and melanin granules decreased in number, whereas melanolipofuscin granules increased. This increase in melanolipofuscin granules paralleled an increase in melanin-related 790 nm AF. Old Abca4−/− mice revealed a flecked fundus AF pattern at both excitation wavelengths. The amount of A2E, a major lipofuscin component, increased 10- to 12-fold in 6- to 9-month-old Abca4−/− mice compared with controls, while 488 nm AF intensity only increased 2-fold. Despite pronounced lipofuscin accumulation in the RPE of Abca4−/− mice, ERG and histology showed a slow age-related thinning of the photoreceptor layer similar to WT controls up to 12 months. Conclusions. Fundus AF can be used to monitor lipofuscin accumulation and melanin-related changes in vivo in mouse models of retinal disease. High RPE lipofuscin may not adversely affect retinal structure or function over prolonged time intervals, and melanin-related changes (melanolipofuscin formation) may occur before the decline in retinal function. PMID:23761084

Phenotypic spectrum of autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophies caused by mutations in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene.

PubMed

Klevering, B Jeroen; Blankenagel, Anita; Maugeri, Alessandra; Cremers, Frans P M; Hoyng, Carel B; Rohrschneider, Klaus

2002-06-01

To describe the phenotype of 12 patients with autosomal recessive or isolated cone-rod types of progressive retinal degeneration (CRD) caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene. The charts of patients who had originally received a diagnosis of isolated or autosomal recessive CRD were reviewed after molecular analysis revealed mutations in the ABCA4 gene. In two of the patients both the photopic and scotopic electroretinogram were nonrecordable. In the remainder, the photopic cone b-wave amplitudes appeared to be more seriously affected than the scotopic rod b-wave amplitudes. Although the clinical presentation was heterogeneous, all patients experienced visual loss early in life, impaired color vision, and a central scotoma. Fundoscopy revealed evidence of early-onset maculopathy, sometimes accompanied by involvement of the retinal periphery in the later stages of the disease. Mutations in the ABCA4 gene are the pathologic cause of the CRD-like dystrophy in these patients, and the resultant clinical pictures are complex and heterogeneous. Given this wide clinical spectrum of CRD-like phenotypes associated with ABCA4 mutations, detailed clinical subclassifications are difficult and may not be very useful.

Histone methyltransferase Dot1L plays a role in postembryonic development in Xenopus tropicalis

PubMed Central

Wen, Luan; Fu, Liezhen; Guo, Xiaogang; Chen, Yonglong; Shi, Yun-Bo

2015-01-01

Histone methylations have been implicated to play important roles in diverse cellular processes. Of particular interest is the methylation of histone H3K79, which is catalyzed by an evolutionarily conserved methyltransferase, disruptor of telomeric silencing (Dot1)-like (Dot1L). To investigate the role of Dot1L during vertebrate development, we have generated a Dot1L-specific transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) nuclease to knockdown endogenous Dot1L in Xenopus tropicalis, a diploid species highly related to the well-known developmental model Xenopus laevis, a pseudotetraploid amphibian. We show that the TALEN was extremely efficient in mutating Dot1L when expressed in fertilized eggs, creating essentially Dot1L knockout embryos with little H3K79 methylation. Importantly, we observed that Dot1L knockdown had no apparent effect on embryogenesis because normally feeding tadpoles were formed, consistent with the lack of maternal Dot1L expression. On the other hand, Dot1L knockdown severely retarded the growth of the tadpoles and led to tadpole lethality prior to metamorphosis. These findings suggest that Dot1L and H3K79 methylation play an important role for tadpole growth and development prior to metamorphosis into a frog. Our findings further reveal interesting similarities and differences between Xenopus and mouse development and suggest the existence of 2 separate phases of vertebrate development with distinct requirements for epigenetic modifications.—Wen, L., Fu, L., Guo, X., Chen, Y., Shi, Y.-B. Histone methyltransferase Dot1L plays a role in postembryonic development in Xenopus tropicalis. PMID:25366346

Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome attenuates foam cell formation of THP-1 macrophages by suppressing ox-LDL uptake and promoting cholesterol efflux.

PubMed

Chen, Liang; Yao, Qiying; Xu, Siwei; Wang, Hongyan; Qu, Peng

2018-01-01

The NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. The activated NLRP3 inflammasome has been reported to promote macrophage foam cell formation, but not all studies have obtained the same result, and how NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the formation of foam cells remains elusive. We used selective NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors and NLRP3-deficient THP-1 cells to assess the effect of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition on macrophage foam cell formation, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) uptake, esterification, and cholesterol efflux, as well as the expression of associated proteins. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome attenuated foam cell formation, diminished ox-LDL uptake, and promoted cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages. Moreover, it downregulated CD36, acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase-1 and neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase expression; upregulated ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) expression; but had no effect on the expression of scavenger receptor class A and ATP-binding cassette transporter G1. Collectively, our findings show that inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome decreases foam cell formation of THP-1 macrophages via suppression of ox-LDL uptake and enhancement of cholesterol efflux, which may be due to downregulation of CD36 expression and upregulation of ABCA1 and SR-BI expression, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HDL-cholesterol concentration in pregnant Chinese Han women of late second trimester associated with genetic variants in CETP, ABCA1, APOC3, and GALNT2.

PubMed

Cui, Mingxuan; Li, Wei; Ma, Liangkun; Ping, Fan; Liu, Juntao; Wu, Xueyan; Mao, Jiangfeng; Wang, Xi; Nie, Min

2017-08-22

To investigate whether HDL-C level in pregnant Chinese Han women of late second trimester correlated with loci in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C)-related genes found in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3764261 in CETP , rs1532085 in LIPC , rs7241918 in LIPG , rs1883025 in ABCA1 , rs4225 in APOC3 , rs1059611 in LPL , and rs16851339 in GALNT2 ) were genotyped using the Sequenom MassArray system for 1,884 pregnant women. The following polymorphisms were statistically associated with HDL-C level after adjusting for age, gestational week, pre-pregnancy BMI and state of GDM or HOMAIR: (i) rs3764261 (b = -0.055 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.101 to -0.008, p = 0.021), (ii) rs1883025 (b = -0.054 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.097 to -0.012, p = 0.013), (iii) rs4225 (b = -0.071 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.116 to -0.027, p = 1.79E-3) and (iv) rs16851339 (b = -0.064 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.120 to -0.008, p = 0.025). The more risk alleles the pregnant women have, the lower the plasma HDL-C levels of the subjects are. Several risk alleles found to be related to HDL-C in GWAS are also associated with HDL-C levels in pregnant Chinese Han women and these risk loci contribute additively to low HDL-C levels.

HDL-cholesterol concentration in pregnant Chinese Han women of late second trimester associated with genetic variants in CETP, ABCA1, APOC3, and GALNT2

PubMed Central

Cui, Mingxuan; Li, Wei; Ma, Liangkun; Ping, Fan; Liu, Juntao; Wu, Xueyan; Mao, Jiangfeng; Wang, Xi; Nie, Min

2017-01-01

Objective To investigate whether HDL-C level in pregnant Chinese Han women of late second trimester correlated with loci in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C)-related genes found in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Methods Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3764261 in CETP, rs1532085 in LIPC, rs7241918 in LIPG, rs1883025 in ABCA1, rs4225 in APOC3, rs1059611 in LPL, and rs16851339 in GALNT2) were genotyped using the Sequenom MassArray system for 1,884 pregnant women. Results The following polymorphisms were statistically associated with HDL-C level after adjusting for age, gestational week, pre-pregnancy BMI and state of GDM or HOMAIR: (i) rs3764261 (b = -0.055 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.101 to -0.008, p = 0.021), (ii) rs1883025 (b = -0.054 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.097 to -0.012, p = 0.013), (iii) rs4225 (b = -0.071 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.116 to -0.027, p = 1.79E-3) and (iv) rs16851339 (b = -0.064 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.120 to -0.008, p = 0.025). The more risk alleles the pregnant women have, the lower the plasma HDL-C levels of the subjects are. Conclusions Several risk alleles found to be related to HDL-C in GWAS are also associated with HDL-C levels in pregnant Chinese Han women and these risk loci contribute additively to low HDL-C levels. PMID:28915626

Does IGF-1 play a role in the biology of endometrial cancer?

PubMed

Majchrzak-Baczmańska, Dominika; Malinowski, Andrzej

2016-01-01

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a mitogen which plays a key role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. It belongs to the family of proteins also composed of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2), two types of membrane receptors (IGF-1R and IGF-2R), 6 binding proteins (IGFBP 1-6), hydrolyzing proteases, and reactive molecules binding proteins, which regulate the activity of growth factors. Disturbances in the functioning of IGFBP/IGF/1GF1R can lead to induction of carcinogenesis, which has been demonstrated in breast, prostate or colon cancers. Findings evaluating the role of IGF-1 in endometrial cancer biology are ambiguous and contradictory. Therefore, in the present study, we analyzed the role of IGF-1 in the process of carcinogenesis of endometrial cancer, based on the available literature.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 regulates phosphoantigen release and Vγ9Vδ2 T cell activation by dendritic cells

PubMed Central

Castella, Barbara; Kopecka, Joanna; Sciancalepore, Patrizia; Mandili, Giorgia; Foglietta, Myriam; Mitro, Nico; Caruso, Donatella; Novelli, Francesco; Riganti, Chiara; Massaia, Massimo

2017-01-01

Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are activated by phosphoantigens, such as isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), which is generated in the mevalonate pathway of antigen-presenting cells. IPP is released in the extracellular microenvironment via unknown mechanisms. Here we show that the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mediates extracellular IPP release from dendritic cells (DC) in cooperation with apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and butyrophilin-3A1. IPP concentrations in the supernatants are sufficient to induce Vγ9Vδ2 T cell proliferation after DC mevalonate pathway inhibition with zoledronic acid (ZA). ZA treatment increases ABCA1 and apoA-I expression via IPP-dependent LXRα nuclear translocation and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibition. These results close the mechanistic gap in our understanding of extracellular IPP release from DC and provide a framework to fine-tune Vγ9Vδ2 T cell activation via mevalonate and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway modulation. PMID:28580927

Phenotypic characteristics of Alzheimer patients carrying an ABCA7 mutation.

PubMed

Van den Bossche, Tobi; Sleegers, Kristel; Cuyvers, Elise; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan; Sieben, Anne; De Roeck, Arne; Van Cauwenberghe, Caroline; Vermeulen, Steven; Van den Broeck, Marleen; Laureys, Annelies; Peeters, Karin; Mattheijssens, Maria; Vandenbulcke, Mathieu; Vandenberghe, Rik; Martin, Jean-Jacques; De Deyn, Peter P; Cras, Patrick; Van Broeckhoven, Christine

2016-06-07

To generate a clinical and pathologic phenotype of patients carrying rare loss-of-function mutations in ABCA7, identified in a Belgian Alzheimer patient cohort and in an autosomal dominant family. We performed a retrospective review of available data records, medical records, results of CSF analyses and neuroimaging studies, and neuropathology data. The mean onset age of the mutation carriers (n = 22) was 73.4 ± 8.4 years with a wide age range of 36 (54-90) years, which was independent of APOE genotype and cerebrovascular disease. The mean disease duration was 5.7 ± 3.0 years (range 2-12 years). A positive family history was recorded for 10 carriers (45.5%). All patient carriers except one presented with memory complaints. The 4 autopsied brains showed typical immunohistochemical changes of late-onset Alzheimer disease. All patients carrying a loss-of-function mutation in ABCA7 exhibited a classical Alzheimer disease phenotype, though with a striking wide onset age range, suggesting the influence of unknown modifying factors. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

Phenotypic characteristics of Alzheimer patients carrying an ABCA7 mutation

PubMed Central

Van den Bossche, Tobi; Sleegers, Kristel; Cuyvers, Elise; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan; Sieben, Anne; De Roeck, Arne; Van Cauwenberghe, Caroline; Vermeulen, Steven; Van den Broeck, Marleen; Laureys, Annelies; Peeters, Karin; Mattheijssens, Maria; Vandenbulcke, Mathieu; Vandenberghe, Rik; Martin, Jean-Jacques; De Deyn, Peter P.; Cras, Patrick

2016-01-01

Objective: To generate a clinical and pathologic phenotype of patients carrying rare loss-of-function mutations in ABCA7, identified in a Belgian Alzheimer patient cohort and in an autosomal dominant family. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of available data records, medical records, results of CSF analyses and neuroimaging studies, and neuropathology data. Results: The mean onset age of the mutation carriers (n = 22) was 73.4 ± 8.4 years with a wide age range of 36 (54–90) years, which was independent of APOE genotype and cerebrovascular disease. The mean disease duration was 5.7 ± 3.0 years (range 2–12 years). A positive family history was recorded for 10 carriers (45.5%). All patient carriers except one presented with memory complaints. The 4 autopsied brains showed typical immunohistochemical changes of late-onset Alzheimer disease. Conclusions: All patients carrying a loss-of-function mutation in ABCA7 exhibited a classical Alzheimer disease phenotype, though with a striking wide onset age range, suggesting the influence of unknown modifying factors. PMID:27037232

Altered surfactant homeostasis and recurrent respiratory failure secondary to TTF-1 nuclear targeting defect.

PubMed

Peca, Donatella; Petrini, Stefania; Tzialla, Chryssoula; Boldrini, Renata; Morini, Francesco; Stronati, Mauro; Carnielli, Virgilio P; Cogo, Paola E; Danhaive, Olivier

2011-08-25

Mutations of genes affecting surfactant homeostasis, such as SFTPB, SFTPC and ABCA3, lead to diffuse lung disease in neonates and children. Haploinsufficiency of NKX2.1, the gene encoding the thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1)--critical for lung, thyroid and central nervous system morphogenesis and function--causes a rare form of progressive respiratory failure designated brain-lung-thyroid syndrome. Molecular mechanisms involved in this syndrome are heterogeneous and poorly explored. We report a novel TTF-1 molecular defect causing recurrent respiratory failure episodes in an infant. The subject was an infant with severe neonatal respiratory distress syndrome followed by recurrent respiratory failure episodes, hypopituitarism and neurological abnormalities. Lung histology and ultrastructure were assessed by surgical biopsy. Surfactant-related genes were studied by direct genomic DNA sequencing and array chromatine genomic hybridization (aCGH). Surfactant protein expression in lung tissue was analyzed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. For kinetics studies, surfactant protein B and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) were isolated from serial tracheal aspirates after intravenous administration of stable isotope-labeled (2)H(2)O and (13)C-leucine; fractional synthetic rate was derived from gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (2)H and (13)C enrichment curves. Six intubated infants with no primary lung disease were used as controls. Lung biopsy showed desquamative interstitial pneumonitis and lamellar body abnormalities suggestive of genetic surfactant deficiency. Genetic studies identified a heterozygous ABCA3 mutation, L941P, previously unreported. No SFTPB, SFTPC or NKX2.1 mutations or deletions were found. However, immunofluorescence studies showed TTF-1 prevalently expressed in type II cell cytoplasm instead of nucleus, indicating defective nuclear targeting. This pattern has not been reported in human and was not found in two healthy controls and

Altered surfactant homeostasis and recurrent respiratory failure secondary to TTF-1 nuclear targeting defect

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Mutations of genes affecting surfactant homeostasis, such as SFTPB, SFTPC and ABCA3, lead to diffuse lung disease in neonates and children. Haploinsufficiency of NKX2.1, the gene encoding the thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) - critical for lung, thyroid and central nervous system morphogenesis and function - causes a rare form of progressive respiratory failure designated brain-lung-thyroid syndrome. Molecular mechanisms involved in this syndrome are heterogeneous and poorly explored. We report a novel TTF-1 molecular defect causing recurrent respiratory failure episodes in an infant. Methods The subject was an infant with severe neonatal respiratory distress syndrome followed by recurrent respiratory failure episodes, hypopituitarism and neurological abnormalities. Lung histology and ultrastructure were assessed by surgical biopsy. Surfactant-related genes were studied by direct genomic DNA sequencing and array chromatine genomic hybridization (aCGH). Surfactant protein expression in lung tissue was analyzed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. For kinetics studies, surfactant protein B and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) were isolated from serial tracheal aspirates after intravenous administration of stable isotope-labeled 2H2O and 13C-leucine; fractional synthetic rate was derived from gas chromatography/mass spectrometry 2H and 13C enrichment curves. Six intubated infants with no primary lung disease were used as controls. Results Lung biopsy showed desquamative interstitial pneumonitis and lamellar body abnormalities suggestive of genetic surfactant deficiency. Genetic studies identified a heterozygous ABCA3 mutation, L941P, previously unreported. No SFTPB, SFTPC or NKX2.1 mutations or deletions were found. However, immunofluorescence studies showed TTF-1 prevalently expressed in type II cell cytoplasm instead of nucleus, indicating defective nuclear targeting. This pattern has not been reported in human and was not found in two

TGF-β1 (Transforming Growth Factor-β1) Plays a Pivotal Role in Cardiac Myofibroblast Arrhythmogenicity.

PubMed

Salvarani, Nicolò; Maguy, Ange; De Simone, Stefano A; Miragoli, Michele; Jousset, Florian; Rohr, Stephan

2017-05-01

-cardiomyocyte crosstalk in vitro, which suggests that TGF-β 1 may play a potentially important role in arrhythmogenesis of the fibrotic heart. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

ATP binding cassette G1-dependent cholesterol efflux during inflammation.

PubMed

de Beer, Maria C; Ji, Ailing; Jahangiri, Anisa; Vaughan, Ashley M; de Beer, Frederick C; van der Westhuyzen, Deneys R; Webb, Nancy R

2011-02-01

ATP binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) mediates the transport of cellular cholesterol to HDL, and it plays a key role in maintaining macrophage cholesterol homeostasis. During inflammation, HDL undergoes substantial remodeling, acquiring lipid changes and serum amyloid A (SAA) as a major apolipoprotein. In the current study, we investigated whether remodeling of HDL that occurs during acute inflammation impacts ABCG1-dependent efflux. Our data indicate that lipid free SAA acts similarly to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in mediating sequential efflux from ABCA1 and ABCG1. Compared with normal mouse HDL, acute phase (AP) mouse HDL containing SAA exhibited a modest but significant 17% increase in ABCG1-dependent efflux. Interestingly, AP HDL isolated from mice lacking SAA (SAAKO mice) was even more effective in promoting ABCG1 efflux. Hydrolysis with Group IIA secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)-IIA) significantly reduced the ability of AP HDL from SAAKO mice to serve as a substrate for ABCG1-mediated cholesterol transfer, indicating that phospholipid (PL) enrichment, and not the presence of SAA, is responsible for alterations in efflux. AP human HDL, which is not PL-enriched, was somewhat less effective in mediating ABCG1-dependent efflux compared with normal human HDL. Our data indicate that inflammatory remodeling of HDL impacts ABCG1-dependent efflux independent of SAA.

A Cytogenetic Abnormality and Rare Coding Variants Identify ABCA13 as a Candidate Gene in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Depression

PubMed Central

Knight, Helen M.; Pickard, Benjamin S.; Maclean, Alan; Malloy, Mary P.; Soares, Dinesh C.; McRae, Allan F.; Condie, Alison; White, Angela; Hawkins, William; McGhee, Kevin; van Beck, Margaret; MacIntyre, Donald J.; Starr, John M.; Deary, Ian J.; Visscher, Peter M.; Porteous, David J.; Cannon, Ronald E.; St Clair, David; Muir, Walter J.; Blackwood, Douglas H.R.

2009-01-01

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are leading causes of morbidity across all populations, with heritability estimates of ∼80% indicating a substantial genetic component. Population genetics and genome-wide association studies suggest an overlap of genetic risk factors between these illnesses but it is unclear how this genetic component is divided between common gene polymorphisms, rare genomic copy number variants, and rare gene sequence mutations. We report evidence that the lipid transporter gene ABCA13 is a susceptibility factor for both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. After the initial discovery of its disruption by a chromosome abnormality in a person with schizophrenia, we resequenced ABCA13 exons in 100 cases with schizophrenia and 100 controls. Multiple rare coding variants were identified including one nonsense and nine missense mutations and compound heterozygosity/homozygosity in six cases. Variants were genotyped in additional schizophrenia, bipolar, depression (n > 1600), and control (n > 950) cohorts and the frequency of all rare variants combined was greater than controls in schizophrenia (OR = 1.93, p = 0.0057) and bipolar disorder (OR = 2.71, p = 0.00007). The population attributable risk of these mutations was 2.2% for schizophrenia and 4.0% for bipolar disorder. In a study of 21 families of mutation carriers, we genotyped affected and unaffected relatives and found significant linkage (LOD = 4.3) of rare variants with a phenotype including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. These data identify a candidate gene, highlight the genetic overlap between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, and suggest that rare coding variants may contribute significantly to risk of these disorders. PMID:19944402

Interaction between EphrinB1 and CNK1 Found to Play Role in Tumor Progression | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer The family of proteins known as ephrins plays a critical role in a variety of biological processes. In a recent article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Hee Jun Cho, Ph.D., and colleagues report on the interaction between proteins CNK1 and ephrinB1 that promotes cell movement. Their findings may have an important implication in developing

Tanshindiol C inhibits oxidized low-density lipoprotein induced macrophage foam cell formation via a peroxiredoxin 1 dependent pathway.

PubMed

Yang, Yuyu; Li, Xueyan; Peng, Liying; An, Lin; Sun, Ningyuan; Hu, Xuewen; Zhou, Ping; Xu, Yong; Li, Ping; Chen, Jun

2018-03-01

NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) has been shown to be protective in atherosclerosis. The loss of Nrf2 in macrophages enhances foam cell formation and promotes early atherogenesis. Tanshindiol C (Tan C) is isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for the treatment of several cardiovascular diseases for many years. This study was aimed to test the potential role of Tan C against macrophage foam cell formation and to explore the underlying mechanism. Firstly, we observed that Tan C markedly suppressed oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) induced macrophage foam cell formation. Then, we found that Tan C was an activator of both Nrf2 and Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) in macrophages. Nrf2 and Sirt1 synergistically activated the transcription of anti-oxidant peroxiredoxin 1 (Prdx1) after Tan C treatment. More important, we demonstrated that silencing of Prdx1 promoted oxLDL-induced macrophage foam cell formation. Prdx1 upregulated adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and decreased intracellular lipid accumulation. Furthermore, Tan C ameliorated oxLDL induced macrophage foam cell formation in a Prdx1-dependent manner. These observations suggest that Tan C protects macrophages from oxLDL induced foam cell formation via activation of Prdx1/ABCA1 signaling and that Prdx1 may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention of atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does IGF-1 play a role in the biology of ovarian cancer?

PubMed

Majchrzak-Baczmańska, Dominika; Malinowski, Andrzej; Głowacka, Ewa; Wilczyński, Miłosz

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate serum concentrations of the insulin-like growth factor-1 in women with ovarian cancer and healthy controls, and to compare free IGF-1 levels with selected clinical and pathological param-eters. Correlation analysis was used to measure the following: IGF-1 concentration and Ca125; IGF-1 level and the height of the OC patients. The study included 70 patients with OC and 50 healthy controls. Serum concentrations of free IGF-1 were measured in all subjects. Routine diagnostic tests (CBC and USG and Ca125) were performed. Significantly higher serum concentrations of free IGF-1 were found in the study group as compared to controls. No statistically significant relationships between IGF-1 serum concentrations and tumor differentiation, histological type, and disease stage were detected. No statistically significant correlations between IGF-1 and Ca125 level or between IGF-1 and growth of OC patients were found. Serum IGF-1 participates in the etiopathogenesis of ovarian cancer in menstruating women, while local synthesis of this factor and other components of the autocrine loop of the IGF-1 system play a greater role in their post-menopausal peers.

Learning, Play, and Your 1- to 3-Month-Old

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Learning, Play, and Your 1- to 3-Month-Old ... Baby to Learn Print What Your Baby Is Learning After learning to recognize your voice, your face, ...

Interaction between EphrinB1 and CNK1 Found to Play Role in Tumor Progression | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer The family of proteins known as ephrins plays a critical role in a variety of biological processes. In a recent article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Hee Jun Cho, Ph.D., and colleagues report on the interaction between proteins CNK1 and ephrinB1 that promotes cell movement. Their findings may have an important implication in developing new therapeutics for reducing metastases in certain cancers. “Eph and ephrin signaling has become an area of intense interest due to the influence these molecules exert on the control of cell adhesion and cell movement,” Cho said. “This signaling affects the formation of tissues during development and has been shown to play an instructive role in angiogenesis, as well as tumor cell invasion.”

Smurf1 plays a role in EGF inhibition of BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Hye-Lim; Park, Hyun-Jung; Kwon, Arang

2014-05-01

It has been demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a role in supporting the proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells in bone but inhibits their osteogenic differentiation. However, the mechanism underlying EGF inhibition of osteoblast differentiation remains unclear. Smurf1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets Smad1/5 and Runx2, which are critical transcription factors for bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-induced osteoblast differentiation. In this study, we investigated the effect of EGF on the expression of Smurf1, and the role of Smurf1 in EGF inhibition of osteogenic differentiation using C2C12 cells, a murine myoblast cell line. EGF increased Smurf1 expression,more » which was blocked by inhibiting the activity of either JNK or ERK. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and Smurf1 promoter assays demonstrated that c-Jun and Runx2 play roles in the EGF induction of Smurf1 transcription. EGF suppressed BMP2-induced expression of osteogenic marker genes, which were rescued by Smurf1 knockdown. EGF downregulated the protein levels of Runx2 and Smad1 in a proteasome-dependent manner. EGF decreased the transcriptional activity of Runx2 and Smurf1, which was partially rescued by Smurf1 silencing. Taken together, these results suggest that EGF increases Smurf1 expression via the activation of JNK and ERK and the subsequent binding of c-Jun and Runx2 to the Smurf1 promoter and that Smurf1 mediates the inhibitory effect of EGF on BMP2-induced osteoblast differentiation. - Highlights: • EGF increases the expression level of Smurf1 in mesenchymal precursor cells. • EGF reduces the protein levels and transcriptional activity of Runx2 and Smad1. • EGF suppresses BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation, which is rescued by Smurf1 knockdown.« less

TOPBP1Dpb11 plays a conserved role in homologous recombination DNA repair through the coordinated recruitment of 53BP1Rad9

PubMed Central

Sims, Jennie Rae; Freire, Raimundo

2017-01-01

Genome maintenance and cancer suppression require homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair. In yeast and mammals, the scaffold protein TOPBP1Dpb11 has been implicated in HR, although its precise function and mechanism of action remain elusive. In this study, we show that yeast Dpb11 plays an antagonistic role in recombination control through regulated protein interactions. Dpb11 mediates opposing roles in DNA end resection by coordinating both the stabilization and exclusion of Rad9 from DNA lesions. The Mec1 kinase promotes the pro-resection function of Dpb11 by mediating its interaction with the Slx4 scaffold. Human TOPBP1Dpb11 engages in interactions with the anti-resection factor 53BP1 and the pro-resection factor BRCA1, suggesting that TOPBP1 also mediates opposing functions in HR control. Hyperstabilization of the 53BP1–TOPBP1 interaction enhances the recruitment of 53BP1 to nuclear foci in the S phase, resulting in impaired HR and the accumulation of chromosomal aberrations. Our results support a model in which TOPBP1Dpb11 plays a conserved role in mediating a phosphoregulated circuitry for the control of recombinational DNA repair. PMID:28228534

A method for recording verbal behavior in free-play settings1

PubMed Central

Nordquist, Vey M.

1971-01-01

The present study attempted to test the reliability of a new method of recording verbal behavior in a free-play preschool setting. Six children, three normal and three speech impaired, served as subjects. Videotaped records of verbal behavior were scored by two experimentally naive observers. The results suggest that the system provides a means of obtaining reliable records of both normal and impaired speech, even when the subjects exhibit nonverbal behaviors (such as hyperactivity) that interfere with direct observation techniques. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2 PMID:16795310

Reduced-illuminance autofluorescence imaging in ABCA4-associated retinal degenerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cideciyan, Artur V.; Swider, Malgorzata; Aleman, Tomas S.; Roman, Marisa I.; Sumaroka, Alexander; Schwartz, Sharon B.; Stone, Edwin M.; Jacobson, Samuel G.

2007-05-01

The health of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) can be estimated with autofluorescence (AF) imaging of lipofuscin, which accumulates as a byproduct of retinal exposure to light. Lipofuscin may be toxic to the RPE, and its toxicity may be enhanced by short-wavelength (SW) illumination. The high-intensity and SW excitation light used in conventional AF imaging could, at least in principle, increase the rate of lipofuscin accumulation and/or increase its toxicity. We considered two reduced-illuminance AF imaging (RAFI) methods as alternatives to conventional AF imaging. RAFI methods use either near-infrared (NIR) light or reduced-radiance SW illumination for excitation of fluorophores. We quantified the distribution of RAFI signals in relation to retinal structure and function in patients with the prototypical lipofuscin accumulation disease caused by mutations in ABCA4. There was evidence for two subclinical stages of macular ABCA4 disease involving hyperautofluorescence of both SW- and NIR-RAFI with and without associated loss of visual function. Use of RAFI methods and microperimetry in future clinical trials involving lipofuscinopathies should allow quantification of subclinical disease expression and progression without subjecting the diseased retina/RPE to undue light exposure.

ABCA4 midigenes reveal the full splice spectrum of all reported noncanonical splice site variants in Stargardt disease.

PubMed

Sangermano, Riccardo; Khan, Mubeen; Cornelis, Stéphanie S; Richelle, Valerie; Albert, Silvia; Garanto, Alejandro; Elmelik, Duaa; Qamar, Raheel; Lugtenberg, Dorien; van den Born, L Ingeborgh; Collin, Rob W J; Cremers, Frans P M

2018-01-01

Stargardt disease is caused by variants in the ABCA4 gene, a significant part of which are noncanonical splice site (NCSS) variants. In case a gene of interest is not expressed in available somatic cells, small genomic fragments carrying potential disease-associated variants are tested for splice abnormalities using in vitro splice assays. We recently discovered that when using small minigenes lacking the proper genomic context, in vitro results do not correlate with splice defects observed in patient cells. We therefore devised a novel strategy in which a bacterial artificial chromosome was employed to generate midigenes, splice vectors of varying lengths (up to 11.7 kb) covering almost the entire ABCA4 gene. These midigenes were used to analyze the effect of all 44 reported and three novel NCSS variants on ABCA4 pre-mRNA splicing. Intriguingly, multi-exon skipping events were observed, as well as exon elongation and intron retention. The analysis of all reported NCSS variants in ABCA4 allowed us to reveal the nature of aberrant splicing events and to classify the severity of these mutations based on the residual fraction of wild-type mRNA. Our strategy to generate large overlapping splice vectors carrying multiple exons, creating a toolbox for robust and high-throughput analysis of splice variants, can be applied to all human genes. © 2018 Sangermano et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Increased maternal and fetal cholesterol efflux capacity and placental CYP27A1 expression in preeclampsia.

PubMed

Mistry, Hiten D; Kurlak, Lesia O; Mansour, Yosef T; Zurkinden, Line; Mohaupt, Markus G; Escher, Geneviève

2017-06-01

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific condition that leads to increased cardiovascular risk in later life. A decrease in cholesterol efflux capacity is linked to CVD. We hypothesized that in preeclampsia there would be a disruption of maternal/fetal plasma to efflux cholesterol, as well as differences in the concentrations of both placental sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) and apoA1 binding protein (AIBP). Total, HDL-, and ABCA1-mediated cholesterol effluxes were performed with maternal and fetal plasma from women with preeclampsia and normotensive controls (both n = 17). apoA1 and apoE were quantified by chemiluminescence, and 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) by GC-MS. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine placental expression/localization of CYP27A1, AIBP, apoA1, apoE, and SRB1. Maternal and fetal total and HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacities were increased in preeclampsia (by 10-20%), but ABCA1-mediated efflux was decreased (by 20-35%; P < 0.05). Maternal and fetal apoE concentrations were higher in preeclampsia. Fetal plasma 27-OHC levels were decreased in preeclamptic samples ( P < 0.05). Placental protein expression of both CYP27A1 and AIBP were localized around fetal vessels and significantly increased in preeclampsia ( P = 0.04). Placental 27-OHC concentrations were also raised in preeclampsia ( P < 0.05). Increased HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity and placental CYP27A1/27-OHC could be a rescue mechanism in preeclampsia, to remove cholesterol from cells to limit lipid peroxidation and increase placental angiogenesis. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

An aromatic amino acid in the coiled-coil 1 domain plays a crucial role in the auto-inhibitory mechanism of STIM1.

PubMed

Yu, Junwei; Zhang, Haining; Zhang, Mingshu; Deng, Yongqiang; Wang, Huiyu; Lu, Jingze; Xu, Tao; Xu, Pingyong

2013-09-15

STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule 1) is one of the key elements that mediate store-operated Ca²⁺ entry via CRAC (Ca²⁺- release-activated Ca²⁺) channels in immune and non-excitable cells. Under physiological conditions, the intramolecular auto-inhibitions in STIM1 C- and STIM1 N-termini play essential roles in keeping STIM1 in an inactive state. However, the auto-inhibitory mechanism of the STIM1 C-terminus is still unclear. In the present study, we first predicted a short inhibitory domain (residues 310-317) in human STIM1 that might determine the different localizations of human STIM1 from Caenorhabditis elegans STIM1 in resting cells. Next, we confirmed the prediction and further identified an aromatic amino acid residue, Tyr³¹⁶, that played a crucial role in maintaining STIM1 in a closed conformation in quiescent cells. Full-length STIM1-Y316A formed constitutive clusters near the plasma membrane and activated the CRAC channel in the resting state when co-expressed with Orai1. The introduction of a Y316A mutation caused the higher-order oligomerization of the in vitro purified STIM1 fragment containing both the auto-inhibitory domain and CAD(CRAC-activating domain).We propose that the Tyr³¹⁶ residue may be involved in the auto-inhibitory mechanism of the STIM1 C-terminus in the quiescent state. This inhibition could be achieved either by interacting with the CAD using hydrogen and/or hydrophobic bonds, or by an intermolecular interaction using repulsive forces, which maintained a dimeric STIM1.

Snake River Plain Play Fairway Analysis - Phase 1 Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shervais, John W.; Glen, Jonathan M.; Liberty, Lee M.

2015-09-02

The Snake River volcanic province (SRP) overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle; it represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America. Our goals for this Phase 1 study are to: (1) adapt the methodology of Play Fairway Analysis for geothermal exploration to create a formal basis for its application to geothermal systems, (2) assemble relevant data for the SRP from publicly available and private sources, and (3) build a geothermal play fairway model for the SRP and identify the most promising plays, using software tools that are standard in the petroleum industry. Themore » success of play fairway analysis in geothermal exploration depends critically on defining a systematic methodology that is grounded in theory (as developed within the petroleum industry over the last two decades) and within the geologic and hydrologic framework of real geothermal systems. Our preliminary assessment of the data suggests that important undiscovered geothermal resources may be located in several areas of the SRP, including the western SRP (associated with buried lineaments defined by gravity or magnetic anomalies, and capped by extensive deposits of lacustrine sediment), at lineament intersections in the central SRP (along the Banbury-Hagerman trend NW of Twin Falls, and along the northern margin of the Mt Bennett Hills-Camas Prairie area), and along the margins of the eastern SRP. Additional high temperature resources are likely associated with rhyolite domes and crypto-domes in the eastern SRP, but are masked by shallow groundwater flow leading to low upper crustal heat flow values. These blind resources may be exploitable with existing deep drilling technology. Groundwater modeling planned for later phases of the PFA project will address whether temperatures at viable producing depths are sufficient to support electricity production.« less

Vitamin E Secretion by Caco-2 Monolayers to APOA1, but Not to HDL, Is Vitamer Selective12

PubMed Central

Nicod, Nathalie; Parker, Robert S.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the pathways of basolateral secretion of common dietary tocopherols from polarized Caco-2 monolayers, a model of intestinal absorption. Given differences in structure and physical properties, we hypothesized that secretion may differ between different forms of vitamin E, thus potentially contribute to the selectivity seen in vivo. Monolayers were incubated apically and simultaneously with 10 μmol/L α-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol (1:1:1) in lipid micelles. Treatment with the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor BMS201038 revealed that the triglyceride-rich particle secretory pathway (apolipoprotein B–dependent pathway) accounted for ∼80% of total tocopherol secretion, without selectivity among the three forms of vitamin E. Apolipoprotein B–independent secretion of tocopherols (and cholesterol) was greatly enhanced by the liver X receptor agonist T0901317. T0901317 induced ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) protein expression and basolateral secretion of tocopherols to apolipoprotein A1. ABCA1-dependent secretion demonstrated vitamer selectivity such that efficiency of secretion of α- and γ-tocopherols exceeded that of δ-tocopherol. Basal addition of HDL stimulated vitamin E secretion but without selectivity among the three forms, whereas LDL had no effect. Basal addition of scavenger receptor class B member I (SR-BI) blocking antibody, which inhibits the interaction between SR-BI and HDL, increased basal accumulation of all tocopherols, demonstrating a role for SR-BI in cellular re-uptake of secreted vitamin E. These findings demonstrated that vitamin E and cholesterol utilize common pathways of secretion and that secretion via the ABCA1 pathway favors certain forms of vitamin E. PMID:23946344

Identification of a Novel Mutation in the ABCA4 Gene in a Chinese Family with Retinitis Pigmentosa Using Exome Sequencing.

PubMed

Huang, Xiangjun; Yuan, Lamei; Xu, Hongbo; Zheng, Wen; Cao, Yanna; Yi, Junhui; Guo, Yi; Yang, Zhijian; Li, Yu; Deng, Hao

2018-02-05

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of hereditary, degenerative retinal disorders characterized by progressive retinal dysfunction, outer retina cell loss, and retinal tissue atrophy. It eventually leads to tunnel vision and legal, or total blindness. Here we aimed to reveal the causal gene and mutation contributing to the development of autosomal recessive RP (arRP) in a consanguineous family. A novel homozygous mutation, c.4845delT (p.K1616Rfs*46), in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 4gene ( ABCA4 ) was identified. It may reduce ABCA4 protein activity, leading to progressive degeneration of both rod and cone photoreceptors. The study extends the arRP genotypic spectrum and confirms a genotype-phenotype relationship. This study may also disclose some new clues for RP genetic causes and pathogenesis, as well as clinical and genetic diagnosis. The research findings may contribute to improvement in clinical care, therapy, genetic screening, and counseling. ©2018 The Author(s).

SIRT1 may play a crucial role in overload‐induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle

PubMed Central

Koltai, Erika; Bori, Zoltán; Chabert, Clovis; Dubouchaud, Hervé; Naito, Hisashi; Machida, Shuichi; Davies, Kelvin JA; Murlasits, Zsolt; Fry, Andrew C; Boldogh, Istvan

2017-01-01

��regulated pathways and overload‐induced hypertrophy. These findings, along with the well‐known regulatory roles that SIRT1 plays in modulating both anabolic and catabolic pathways, allow us to propose the hypothesis that SIRT1 may actually play a crucial causal role in overload‐induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. This hypothesis will now require rigorous direct and functional testing. PMID:28251652

Melanocortin 1 Receptor Deficiency Promotes Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-/- Mice.

PubMed

Rinne, Petteri; Kadiri, James J; Velasco-Delgado, Mauricio; Nuutinen, Salla; Viitala, Miro; Hollmén, Maija; Rami, Martina; Savontaus, Eriika; Steffens, Sabine

2018-02-01

The MC1-R (melanocortin 1 receptor) is expressed by monocytes and macrophages where it mediates anti-inflammatory actions. MC1-R also protects against macrophage foam cell formation primarily by promoting cholesterol efflux through the ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily A member 1) and ABCG1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily G member 1). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether global deficiency in MC1-R signaling affects the development of atherosclerosis. Apoe -/- (apolipoprotein E deficient) mice were crossed with recessive yellow (Mc1r e/e ) mice carrying dysfunctional MC1-R and fed a high-fat diet to induce atherosclerosis. Apoe -/- Mc1r e/e mice developed significantly larger atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic sinus and in the whole aorta compared with Apoe -/- controls. In terms of plaque composition, MC1-R deficiency was associated with less collagen and smooth muscle cells and increased necrotic core, indicative of more vulnerable lesions. These changes were accompanied by reduced Abca1 and Abcg1 expression in the aorta. Furthermore, Apoe -/- Mc1r e/e mice showed a defect in bile acid metabolism that aggravated high-fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and hepatic lipid accumulation. Flow cytometric analysis of leukocyte profile revealed that dysfunctional MC1-R enhanced arterial accumulation of classical Ly6C high monocytes and macrophages, effects that were evident in mice fed a normal chow diet but not under high-fat diet conditions. In support of enhanced arterial recruitment of Ly6C high monocytes, these cells had increased expression of L-selectin and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1. The present study highlights the importance of MC1-R in the development of atherosclerosis. Deficiency in MC1-R signaling exacerbates atherosclerosis by disturbing cholesterol handling and by increasing arterial monocyte accumulation. © 2017 The Authors.

ABCG1-mediated generation of extracellular cholesterol microdomains[S

PubMed Central

Freeman, Sebastian R.; Jin, Xueting; Anzinger, Joshua J.; Xu, Qing; Purushothaman, Sonya; Fessler, Michael B.; Addadi, Lia; Kruth, Howard S.

2014-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that the ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC)A1 and ABCG1 function in many aspects of cholesterol efflux from macrophages. In this current study, we continued our investigation of extracellular cholesterol microdomains that form during enrichment of macrophages with cholesterol. Human monocyte-derived macrophages and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, differentiated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulation factor (GM-CSF), were incubated with acetylated LDL (AcLDL) to allow for cholesterol enrichment and processing. We utilized an anti-cholesterol microdomain monoclonal antibody to reveal pools of unesterified cholesterol, which were found both in the extracellular matrix and associated with the cell surface, that we show function in reverse cholesterol transport. Coincubation of AcLDL with 50 μg/ml apoA-I eliminated all extracellular and cell surface-associated cholesterol microdomains, while coincubation with the same concentration of HDL only removed extracellular matrix-associated cholesterol microdomains. Only at an HDL concentration of 200 µg/ml did HDL eliminate the cholesterol microdomains that were cell-surface associated. The deposition of cholesterol microdomains was inhibited by probucol, but it was increased by the liver X receptor (LXR) agonist TO901317, which upregulates ABCA1 and ABCG1. Extracellular cholesterol microdomains did not develop when ABCG1-deficient mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages were enriched with cholesterol. Our findings show that generation of extracellular cholesterol microdomains is mediated by ABCG1 and that reverse cholesterol transport occurs not only at the cell surface but also within the extracellular space. PMID:24212237

Atheroprotective effects of methotrexate on reverse cholesterol transport proteins and foam cell transformation in human THP-1 monocyte/macrophages.

PubMed

Reiss, Allison B; Carsons, Steven E; Anwar, Kamran; Rao, Soumya; Edelman, Sari D; Zhang, Hongwei; Fernandez, Patricia; Cronstein, Bruce N; Chan, Edwin S L

2008-12-01

To determine whether methotrexate (MTX) can overcome the atherogenic effects of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), both of which suppress cholesterol efflux protein and promote foam cell transformation in human THP-1 monocyte/macrophages. Message and protein levels of the reverse cholesterol transport proteins cholesterol 27-hydroxylase and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in THP-1 cells were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot, respectively. Expression was evaluated in cells incubated in the presence or absence of the COX-2 inhibitor NS398 or IFNgamma, with and without MTX. Foam cell transformation of lipid-laden THP-1 macrophages was detected with oil red O staining and light microscopy. MTX increased 27-hydroxylase message and completely blocked NS398-induced down-regulation of 27-hydroxylase (mean +/- SEM 112.8 +/- 13.1% for NS398 plus MTX versus 71.1 +/- 4.3% for NS398 alone; P < 0.01). MTX also negated COX-2 inhibitor-mediated down-regulation of ABCA1. The ability of MTX to reverse inhibitory effects on 27-hydroxylase and ABCA1 was blocked by the adenosine A2A receptor-specific antagonist ZM241385. MTX also prevented NS398 and IFNgamma from increasing transformation of lipid-laden THP-1 macrophages into foam cells. This study provides evidence supporting the notion of an atheroprotective effect of MTX. Through adenosine A2A receptor activation, MTX promotes reverse cholesterol transport and limits foam cell formation in THP-1 macrophages. This is the first reported evidence that any commonly used medication can increase expression of antiatherogenic reverse cholesterol transport proteins and can counteract the effects of COX-2 inhibition. Our results suggest that one mechanism by which MTX protects against cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients is through facilitation of cholesterol outflow from cells of the artery wall.

Atheroprotective Effects of Methotrexate on Reverse Cholesterol Transport Proteins and Foam Cell Transformation in THP-1 Human Monocytes/Macrophages

PubMed Central

Reiss, Allison B.; Carsons, Steven E.; Anwar, Kamran; Rao, Soumya; Edelman, Sari D.; Zhang, Hongwei; Fernandez, Patricia; Cronstein, Bruce N.; Chan, Edwin S.L.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether MTX can overcome the atherogenic effect of COX-2 inhibitors and IFN-γ, both of which suppress cholesterol efflux protein levels and promote foam cell transformation in THP-1 human monocytes/macrophages. METHODS: Message and protein level of the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) proteins cholesterol 27-hydroxylase and ABCA1 in THP-1 cells were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot, respectively. Expression was evaluated in cells incubated in the presence or absence of the COX-2 inhibitor NS398 or IFN-γ with/without MTX. Foam cell transformation of lipid-loaded THP-1 macrophages was detected with oil red O staining and light microscopy. RESULTS: MTX increased 27-hydroxylase message and completely blocked NS398-induced downregulation of 27-hydroxylase (112.8±13.1% for NS398+MTX versus 71.1±4.3% for NS398 alone, with untreated as 100%, n=3, p<0.01). MTX also negated COX-2 inhibitor-mediated downregulation of ABCA1. Reversal of inhibitory effects on 27-hydroxylase and ABCA1 in the presence of MTX were blocked by the adenosine A2A receptor-specific antagonist ZM-241385. MTX also prevented NS398 and IFN-γ from increasing transformation of lipid-loaded THP-1 macrophages into foam cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence supporting the atheroprotective effect of MTX. Through adenosine A2A receptor activation, MTX promotes RCT and limits foam cell formation in THP-1 macrophages. This is the first evidence that any commonly used medication can increase expression of anti-atherogenic RCT proteins and can counteract the effects of COX-2 inhibition. Our results suggest that one mechanism by which MTX protects against cardiovascular mortality in RA patients is through facilitation of cholesterol outflow from cells of the artery wall. PMID:19035488

SIRT1 may play a crucial role in overload-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Koltai, Erika; Bori, Zoltán; Chabert, Clovis; Dubouchaud, Hervé; Naito, Hisashi; Machida, Shuichi; Davies, Kelvin Ja; Murlasits, Zsolt; Fry, Andrew C; Boldogh, Istvan; Radak, Zsolt

2017-06-01

overload-induced hypertrophy. These findings, along with the well-known regulatory roles that SIRT1 plays in modulating both anabolic and catabolic pathways, allow us to propose the hypothesis that SIRT1 may actually play a crucial causal role in overload-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. This hypothesis will now require rigorous direct and functional testing. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

SATB1 plays an oncogenic role in esophageal cancer by up-regulation of FN1 and PDGFRB.

PubMed

Song, Guiqin; Liu, Kang; Yang, Xiaolin; Mu, Bo; Yang, Junbao; He, Lang; Hu, Xin; Li, Qiujiang; Zhao, Yunxia; Cai, Xiaoming; Feng, Gang

2017-03-14

Esophageal cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with very poor overall prognosis. Given the strong clinical relevance of SATB1 in esophagus cancer and other cancers suggested by previous studies, the exact function of SATB1 in esophagus cancer development is still unknown. Here we showed that the knockdown of SATB1 in esophageal cancer cell lines diminished the cell proliferation, survival and invasion. Whole genome transcriptome analysis of SATB1 knockdown cells revealed the different gene expression profiles between TE-1 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells. Network analysis and functional experiments further identified FN1 and PDGFRB to be key downstream genes regulated by SATB1 in esophageal cancer cells. Importantly, FN1 and PDGFRB were found to be highly expressed in human esophageal cancer. In summary, we provided the first molecular evidence that SATB1 played an oncogenic role in esophageal cancer by up-regulation of FN1 and PDGFRB.

A Comprehensive Survey of Sequence Variation in the ABCA4 (ABCR) Gene in Stargardt Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PubMed Central

Rivera, Andrea; White, Karen; Stöhr, Heidi; Steiner, Klaus; Hemmrich, Nadine; Grimm, Timo; Jurklies, Bernhard; Lorenz, Birgit; Scholl, Hendrik P. N.; Apfelstedt-Sylla, Eckhart; Weber, Bernhard H. F.

2000-01-01

Stargardt disease (STGD) is a common autosomal recessive maculopathy of early and young-adult onset and is caused by alterations in the gene encoding the photoreceptor-specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter (ABCA4). We have studied 144 patients with STGD and 220 unaffected individuals ascertained from the German population, to complete a comprehensive, population-specific survey of the sequence variation in the ABCA4 gene. In addition, we have assessed the proposed role for ABCA4 in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of late-onset blindness, by studying 200 affected individuals with late-stage disease. Using a screening strategy based primarily on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, we have identified in the three study groups a total of 127 unique alterations, of which 90 have not been previously reported, and have classified 72 as probable pathogenic mutations. Of the 288 STGD chromosomes studied, mutations were identified in 166, resulting in a detection rate of ∼58%. Eight different alleles account for 61% of the identified disease alleles, and at least one of these, the L541P-A1038V complex allele, appears to be a founder mutation in the German population. When the group with AMD and the control group were analyzed with the same methodology, 18 patients with AMD and 12 controls were found to harbor possible disease-associated alterations. This represents no significant difference between the two groups; however, for detection of modest effects of rare alleles in complex diseases, the analysis of larger cohorts of patients may be required. PMID:10958763

A comprehensive survey of sequence variation in the ABCA4 (ABCR) gene in Stargardt disease and age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Rivera, A; White, K; Stöhr, H; Steiner, K; Hemmrich, N; Grimm, T; Jurklies, B; Lorenz, B; Scholl, H P; Apfelstedt-Sylla, E; Weber, B H

2000-10-01

Stargardt disease (STGD) is a common autosomal recessive maculopathy of early and young-adult onset and is caused by alterations in the gene encoding the photoreceptor-specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter (ABCA4). We have studied 144 patients with STGD and 220 unaffected individuals ascertained from the German population, to complete a comprehensive, population-specific survey of the sequence variation in the ABCA4 gene. In addition, we have assessed the proposed role for ABCA4 in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of late-onset blindness, by studying 200 affected individuals with late-stage disease. Using a screening strategy based primarily on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, we have identified in the three study groups a total of 127 unique alterations, of which 90 have not been previously reported, and have classified 72 as probable pathogenic mutations. Of the 288 STGD chromosomes studied, mutations were identified in 166, resulting in a detection rate of approximately 58%. Eight different alleles account for 61% of the identified disease alleles, and at least one of these, the L541P-A1038V complex allele, appears to be a founder mutation in the German population. When the group with AMD and the control group were analyzed with the same methodology, 18 patients with AMD and 12 controls were found to harbor possible disease-associated alterations. This represents no significant difference between the two groups; however, for detection of modest effects of rare alleles in complex diseases, the analysis of larger cohorts of patients may be required.

Variants in the ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter (ABCA7), Apolipoprotein E ε4, and the Risk of Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease in African Americans

PubMed Central

Reitz, Christiane; Jun, Gyungah; Naj, Adam; Rajbhandary, Ruchita; Vardarajan, Badri Narayan; Wang, Li-San; Valladares, Otto; Lin, Chiao-Feng; Larson, Eric B.; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; Evans, Denis; De Jager, Philip L.; Crane, Paul K.; Buxbaum, Joseph D.; Murrell, Jill R.; Raj, Towfique; Ertekin-Taner, Nilufer; Logue, Mark; Baldwin, Clinton T.; Green, Robert C.; Barnes, Lisa L.; Cantwell, Laura B.; Fallin, M. Daniele; Go, Rodney C. P.; Griffith, Patrick; Obisesan, Thomas O.; Manly, Jennifer J.; Lunetta, Kathryn L.; Kamboh, M. Ilyas; Lopez, Oscar L.; Bennett, David A.; Hendrie, Hugh; Hall, Kathleen S.; Goate, Alison M.; Byrd, Goldie S.; Kukull, Walter A.; Foroud, Tatiana M.; Haines, Jonathan L.; Farrer, Lindsay A.; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A.; Schellenberg, Gerard D.; Mayeux, Richard

2013-01-01

Importance Genetic variants associated with susceptibility to late-onset Alzheimer disease are known for individuals of European ancestry, but whether the same or different variants account for the genetic risk of Alzheimer disease in African American individuals is unknown. Identification of disease-associated variants helps identify targets for genetic testing, prevention, and treatment. Objective To identify genetic loci associated with late-onset Alzheimer disease in African Americans. Design, Setting, and Participants The Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) assembled multiple data sets representing a total of 5896 African Americans (1968 case participants, 3928 control participants) 60 years or older that were collected between 1989 and 2011 at multiple sites. The association of Alzheimer disease with genotyped and imputed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was assessed in case-control and in family-based data sets. Results from individual data sets were combined to perform an inverse variance–weighted meta-analysis, first with genome-wide analyses and subsequently with gene-based tests for previously reported loci. Main Outcomes and Measures Presence of Alzheimer disease according to standardized criteria. Results Genome-wide significance in fully adjusted models (sex, age, APOE genotype, population stratification) was observed for a SNP in ABCA7 (rs115550680, allele = G; frequency, 0.09 cases and 0.06 controls; odds ratio [OR], 1.79 [95% CI, 1.47-2.12]; P = 2.2 × 10–9), which is in linkage disequilibrium with SNPs previously associated with Alzheimer disease in Europeans (0.8ABCA7 was comparable with that of the APOE ε4–determining SNP rs429358 (allele = C; frequency, 0.30 cases and 0.18 controls; OR, 2.31 [95% CI, 2.19-2.42]; P = 5.5 × 10–47). Several loci previously associated with Alzheimer disease but not reaching significance in genome-wide analyses were replicated in gene-based analyses

Variants in the ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABCA7), apolipoprotein E ϵ4,and the risk of late-onset Alzheimer disease in African Americans.

PubMed

Reitz, Christiane; Jun, Gyungah; Naj, Adam; Rajbhandary, Ruchita; Vardarajan, Badri Narayan; Wang, Li-San; Valladares, Otto; Lin, Chiao-Feng; Larson, Eric B; Graff-Radford, Neill R; Evans, Denis; De Jager, Philip L; Crane, Paul K; Buxbaum, Joseph D; Murrell, Jill R; Raj, Towfique; Ertekin-Taner, Nilufer; Logue, Mark; Baldwin, Clinton T; Green, Robert C; Barnes, Lisa L; Cantwell, Laura B; Fallin, M Daniele; Go, Rodney C P; Griffith, Patrick; Obisesan, Thomas O; Manly, Jennifer J; Lunetta, Kathryn L; Kamboh, M Ilyas; Lopez, Oscar L; Bennett, David A; Hendrie, Hugh; Hall, Kathleen S; Goate, Alison M; Byrd, Goldie S; Kukull, Walter A; Foroud, Tatiana M; Haines, Jonathan L; Farrer, Lindsay A; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A; Schellenberg, Gerard D; Mayeux, Richard

2013-04-10

Genetic variants associated with susceptibility to late-onset Alzheimer disease are known for individuals of European ancestry, but whether the same or different variants account for the genetic risk of Alzheimer disease in African American individuals is unknown. Identification of disease-associated variants helps identify targets for genetic testing, prevention, and treatment. To identify genetic loci associated with late-onset Alzheimer disease in African Americans. The Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) assembled multiple data sets representing a total of 5896 African Americans (1968 case participants, 3928 control participants) 60 years or older that were collected between 1989 and 2011 at multiple sites. The association of Alzheimer disease with genotyped and imputed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was assessed in case-control and in family-based data sets. Results from individual data sets were combined to perform an inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis, first with genome-wide analyses and subsequently with gene-based tests for previously reported loci. Presence of Alzheimer disease according to standardized criteria. Genome-wide significance in fully adjusted models (sex, age, APOE genotype, population stratification) was observed for a SNP in ABCA7 (rs115550680, allele = G; frequency, 0.09 cases and 0.06 controls; odds ratio [OR], 1.79 [95% CI, 1.47-2.12]; P = 2.2 × 10(-9)), which is in linkage disequilibrium with SNPs previously associated with Alzheimer disease in Europeans (0.8 < D' < 0.9). The effect size for the SNP in ABCA7 was comparable with that of the APOE ϵ4-determining SNP rs429358 (allele = C; frequency, 0.30 cases and 0.18 controls; OR, 2.31 [95% CI, 2.19-2.42]; P = 5.5 × 10(-47)). Several loci previously associated with Alzheimer disease but not reaching significance in genome-wide analyses were replicated in gene-based analyses accounting for linkage disequilibrium between markers and correcting for number of tests

Tomato HsfA1a plays a critical role in plant drought tolerance by activating ATG genes and inducing autophagy

PubMed Central

Wang, Yu; Cai, Shuyu; Yin, Lingling; Shi, Kai; Xia, Xiaojian; Zhou, Yanhong; Yu, Jingquan; Zhou, Jie

2015-01-01

Autophagy plays critical roles in plant responses to stress. In contrast to the wealth of information concerning the core process of plant autophagosome assembly, our understanding of the regulation of autophagy is limited. In this study, we demonstrated that transcription factor HsfA1a played a critical role in tomato tolerance to drought stress, in part through its positive role in induction of autophagy under drought stress. HsfA1a expression was induced by drought stress. Virus-induced HsfA1a gene silencing reduced while its overexpression increased plant drought tolerance based on both symptoms and membrane integrity. HsfA1a-silenced plants were more sensitive to endogenous ABA-mediated stomatal closure, while its overexpression lines were resistant under drought stress, indicating that phytohormone ABA did not play a major role in HsfA1a-induced drought tolerance. On the other hand, HsfA1a-silenced plants increased while its overexpression decreased the levels of insoluble proteins which were highly ubiquitinated under drought stress. Furthermore, drought stress induced numerous ATGs expression and autophagosome formation in wild-type plants. The expression of ATG10 and ATG18f, and the formation of autophagosomes were compromised in HsfA1a-silenced plants but were enhanced in HsfA1a-overexpressing plants. Both electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with qPCR analysis revealed that HsfA1a bound to ATG10 and ATG18f gene promoters. Silencing of ATG10 and ATG18f reduced HsfA1a-induced drought tolerance and autophagosome formation in plants overexpressing HsfA1a. These results demonstrate that HsfA1a induces drought tolerance by activating ATG genes and inducing autophagy, which may promote plant survival by degrading ubiquitinated protein aggregates under drought stress. PMID:26649940

PLC-γ1 Signaling Plays a Subtype-Specific Role in Postbinding Cell Entry of Influenza A Virus

PubMed Central

Zhu, Liqian; Ly, Hinh

2014-01-01

Host signaling pathways and cellular proteins play important roles in the influenza viral life cycle and can serve as antiviral targets. In this study, we report the engagement of host phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase γ1 (PLC-γ1) in mediating cell entry of influenza virus H1N1 but not H3N2 subtype. Both PLC-γ1-specific inhibitor and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) strongly suppress the replication of H1N1 but not H3N2 viruses in cell culture, suggesting that PLC-γ1 plays an important subtype-specific role in the influenza viral life cycle. Further analyses demonstrate that PLC-γ1 activation is required for viral postbinding cell entry. In addition, H1N1, but not H3N2, infection leads to the phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 at Ser 1248 immediately after infection and independent of viral replication. We have further shown that H1N1-induced PLC-γ1 activation is downstream of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Interestingly, both H1N1 and H3N2 infections activate EGFR, but only H1N1 infection leads to PLC-γ1 activation. Taking our findings together, we have identified for the first time the subtype-specific interplay of host PLC-γ1 signaling and H1N1 virus that is critical for viral uptake early in the infection. Our study provides novel insights into how virus interacts with the cellular signaling network by demonstrating that viral determinants can regulate how the host signaling pathways function in virally infected cells. PMID:24155396

MicroRNA 302a is a novel modulator of cholesterol homeostasis and atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Meiler, Svenja; Baumer, Yvonne; Toulmin, Emma; Seng, Kosal; Boisvert, William A.

2014-01-01

Objective Macrophage foam cell formation is a key feature of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have shown that specific microRNAs (miRs) are regulated in modified low-density lipoprotein (LDL)- treated macrophages, which can affect the cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Undertaking a genome-wide screen of microRNAs regulated in primary macrophages by modified LDL, miR-302a emerged as a potential candidate that may play a key role in macrophage cholesterol homeostasis. Approach and Results The objective of this study was to assess the involvement of miR-302a in macrophage lipid homeostasis and if it can influence circulating lipid levels and atherosclerotic development when it is inhibited in a murine atherosclerosis model. We found that transfection of primary macrophages with either miR-302a or anti-miR-302a regulated the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCA1 mRNA and protein. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-302a repressed the 3′UTR activity of mouse Abca1 by 48% and human ABCA1 by 45%. Additionally, transfection of murine macrophages with miR-302a attenuated cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1) by 38%. Long-term in vivo administration of anti-miR-302a to mice with LDL receptor deficiency (Ldlr−/−) fed an atherogenic diet led to an increase in ABCA1 in the liver and aorta as well as an increase in circulating plasma HDL levels by 35% compared with that of control mice. The anti-miR-302a-treated mice also displayed reduced atherosclerotic plaque size by approximately 25% as well as a more stable plaque morphology with reduced signs of inflammation. Conclusions These studies identify miR-302a as a novel modulator of cholesterol efflux and a potential therapeutic target for suppressing atherosclerosis. PMID:25524771

MicroRNA 302a is a novel modulator of cholesterol homeostasis and atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Meiler, Svenja; Baumer, Yvonne; Toulmin, Emma; Seng, Kosal; Boisvert, William A

2015-02-01

Macrophage foam cell formation is a key feature of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have shown that specific microRNAs (miRs) are regulated in modified low-density lipoprotein-treated macrophages, which can affect the cellular cholesterol homeostasis. Undertaking a genome-wide screen of miRs regulated in primary macrophages by modified low-density lipoprotein, miR-302a emerged as a potential candidate that may play a key role in macrophage cholesterol homeostasis. The objective of this study was to assess the involvement of miR-302a in macrophage lipid homeostasis and if it can influence circulating lipid levels and atherosclerotic development when it is inhibited in a murine atherosclerosis model. We found that transfection of primary macrophages with either miR-302a or anti-miR-302a regulated the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCA1 mRNA and protein. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-302a repressed the 3' untranslated regions (UTR) activity of mouse Abca1 by 48% and human ABCA1 by 45%. In addition, transfection of murine macrophages with miR-302a attenuated cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1) by 38%. Long-term in vivo administration of anti-miR-302a to mice with low-density lipoprotein receptor deficiency (Ldlr(-/-)) fed an atherogenic diet led to an increase in ABCA1 in the liver and aorta as well as an increase in circulating plasma high-density lipoprotein levels by 35% compared with that of control mice. The anti-miR-302a-treated mice also displayed reduced atherosclerotic plaque size by ≈25% and a more stable plaque morphology with reduced signs of inflammation. These studies identify miR-302a as a novel modulator of cholesterol efflux and a potential therapeutic target for suppressing atherosclerosis. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Static pressure accelerates ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation via SREBP-1-mediated caveolin-1 downregulation in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luo, Di-xian, E-mail: luodixian_2@163.com; Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, College of Science and Technology, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan; First People's Hospital of Chenzhou City, Chenzhou 423000, Hunan

Research highlights: {yields} Vertical static pressure accelerates ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. {yields} Static pressure induces SREBP-1 activation. {yields} Static pressure downregulates the expressions of caveolin-1 by activating SREBP-1. {yields} Static pressure also downregulates the transcription of ABCA1 by activating SREBP-1. {yields} Static pressure increases ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation by SREBP-1-mediated caveolin-1 downregulation in vascular smooth muscle cells cultured in vitro. -- Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effect of static pressure on cholesterol accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and its mechanism. Methods: Rat-derived VSMC cell line A10 treated with 50 mg/L ox-LDL and different staticmore » pressures (0, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 mm Hg) in a custom-made pressure incubator for 48 h. Intracellular lipid droplets and lipid levels were assayed by oil red O staining and HPLC; The mRNA levels of caveolin-1 and ABCA1, the protein levels of caveolin-1 SREBP-1 and mature SREBP-1 were respectively detected by RT-PCR or western blot. ALLN, an inhibitor of SREBP metabolism, was used to elevate SREBP-1 protein level in VSMCs treated with static pressure. Results: Static pressures significantly not only increase intracellular lipid droplets in VSMCs, but also elevate cellular lipid content in a pressure-dependent manner. Intracellular free cholesterol (FC), cholesterol ester (CE), total cholesterol (TC) were respectively increased from 60.5 {+-} 2.8 mg/g, 31.8 {+-} 0.7 mg/g, 92.3 {+-} 2.1 mg/g at atmosphere pressure (ATM, 0 mm Hg) to 150.8 {+-} 9.4 mg/g, 235.9 {+-} 3.0 mg/g, 386.7 {+-} 6.4 mg/g at 180 mm Hg. At the same time, static pressures decrease the mRNA and protein levels of caveolin-1, and induce the activation and nuclear translocation of SREBP-1. ALLN increases the protein level of mature SREBP-1 and decreases caveolin-1 expression, so that cellular lipid levels

Plectin regulates the signaling and trafficking of the HIV-1 co-receptor CXCR4 and plays a role in HIV-1 infection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding Yun; Department of Neurobiology and Neurotoxicology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208; Zhang Li

2008-02-01

The CXC chemokine CXCL12 and its cognate receptor CXCR4 play an important role in inflammation, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and cancer metastasis. The signal transduction and intracellular trafficking of CXCR4 are involved in these functions, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we demonstrated that the CXCR4 formed a complex with the cytolinker protein plectin in a ligand-dependent manner in HEK293 cells stably expressing CXCR4. The glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-CXCR4 C-terminal fusion proteins co-precipitated with the full-length and the N-terminal fragments of plectin isoform 1 but not with the N-terminal deletion mutants of plectin isoform 1, therebymore » suggesting an interaction between the N-terminus of plectin and the C-terminus of CXCR4. This interaction was confirmed by confocal microscopic reconstructions showing co-distribution of these two proteins in the internal vesicles after ligand-induced internalization of CXCR4 in HEK293 cells stably expressing CXCR4. Knockdown of plectin with RNA interference (RNAi) significantly inhibited ligand-dependent CXCR4 internalization and attenuated CXCR4-mediated intracellular calcium mobilization and activation of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). CXCL12-induced chemotaxis of HEK293 cells stably expressing CXCR4 and of Jurkat T cells was inhibited by the plectin RNAi. Moreover, CXCR4 tropic HIV-1 infection in MAGI (HeLa-CD4-LTR-Gal) cells was inhibited by the RNAi of plectin. Thus, plectin appears to interact with CXCR4 and plays an important role in CXCR4 signaling and trafficking and HIV-1 infection.« less

Kimchi methanol extract and the kimchi active compound, 3'-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid, downregulate CD36 in THP-1 macrophages stimulated by oxLDL.

PubMed

Yun, Ye-Rang; Kim, Hyun-Ju; Song, Yeong-Ok

2014-08-01

Macrophage foam cell formation by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is a key step in the progression of atherosclerosis, which is involved in cholesterol influx and efflux in macrophages mediated by related proteins such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CD36, PPARα, liver-X receptor α (LXRα), and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of kimchi methanol extract (KME) and a kimchi active compound, 3-(4'-hydroxyl-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HDMPPA) on cholesterol flux in THP-1-derived macrophages treated with oxLDL. The effects of KME and HDMPPA on cell viability and lipid peroxidation were determined. Furthermore, the protein expression of PPARγ, CD36, PPARα, LXRα, and ABCA1 was examined. OxLDL strongly induced cell death and lipid peroxidation in THP-1-derived macrophages. However, KME and HDMPPA significantly improved cell viability and inhibited lipid peroxidation induced by oxLDL in THP-1-derived macrophages (P<.05). Moreover, KME and HDMPPA suppressed CD36 and PPARγ expressions, both of which participate in cholesterol influx. In contrast, KME and HDMPPA augmented LXRα, PPARα, and ABCA1 expression, which are associated with cholesterol efflux. Consequently, KME and HDMPPA suppressed lipid accumulation. These results indicate that KME and HDMPPA may inhibit lipid accumulation, in part, by regulating cholesterol influx- and efflux-related proteins. These findings will thus be useful for future prevention strategies against atherosclerosis.

The Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase AHA1 Plays a Major Role in Stomatal Opening in Response to Blue Light1

PubMed Central

Yamauchi, Shota; Takemiya, Atsushi; Sakamoto, Tomoaki; Kurata, Tetsuya; Tsutsumi, Toshifumi

2016-01-01

Stomata open in response to a beam of weak blue light under strong red light illumination. A blue light signal is perceived by phototropins and transmitted to the plasma membrane H+-ATPase that drives stomatal opening. To identify the components in this pathway, we screened for mutants impaired in blue light-dependent stomatal opening. We analyzed one such mutant, provisionally named blus2 (blue light signaling2), and found that stomatal opening in leaves was impaired by 65%, although the magnitude of red light-induced opening was not affected. Blue light-dependent stomatal opening in the epidermis and H+ pumping in guard cell protoplasts were inhibited by 70% in blus2. Whole-genome resequencing identified a mutation in the AHA1 gene of the mutant at Gly-602. T-DNA insertion mutants of AHA1 exhibited a similar phenotype to blus2; this phenotype was complemented by the AHA1 gene. We renamed blus2 as aha1-10. T-DNA insertion mutants of AHA2 and AHA5 did not show any impairment in stomatal response, although the transcript levels of AHA2 and AHA5 were higher than those of AHA1 in wild-type guard cells. Stomata in ost2, a constitutively active AHA1 mutant, did not respond to blue light. A decreased amount of H+-ATPase in aha1-10 accounted for the reduced stomatal blue light responses and the decrease was likely caused by proteolysis of misfolded AHA1. From these results, we conclude that AHA1 plays a major role in blue light-dependent stomatal opening in Arabidopsis and that the mutation made the AHA1 protein unstable in guard cells. PMID:27261063

Genome of the Netherlands population-specific imputations identify an ABCA6 variant associated with cholesterol levels

PubMed Central

van Leeuwen, Elisabeth M.; Karssen, Lennart C.; Deelen, Joris; Isaacs, Aaron; Medina-Gomez, Carolina; Mbarek, Hamdi; Kanterakis, Alexandros; Trompet, Stella; Postmus, Iris; Verweij, Niek; van Enckevort, David J.; Huffman, Jennifer E.; White, Charles C.; Feitosa, Mary F.; Bartz, Traci M.; Manichaikul, Ani; Joshi, Peter K.; Peloso, Gina M.; Deelen, Patrick; van Dijk, Freerk; Willemsen, Gonneke; de Geus, Eco J.; Milaneschi, Yuri; Penninx, Brenda W.J.H.; Francioli, Laurent C.; Menelaou, Androniki; Pulit, Sara L.; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hofman, Albert; Oostra, Ben A.; Franco, Oscar H.; Leach, Irene Mateo; Beekman, Marian; de Craen, Anton J.M.; Uh, Hae-Won; Trochet, Holly; Hocking, Lynne J.; Porteous, David J.; Sattar, Naveed; Packard, Chris J.; Buckley, Brendan M.; Brody, Jennifer A.; Bis, Joshua C.; Rotter, Jerome I.; Mychaleckyj, Josyf C.; Campbell, Harry; Duan, Qing; Lange, Leslie A.; Wilson, James F.; Hayward, Caroline; Polasek, Ozren; Vitart, Veronique; Rudan, Igor; Wright, Alan F.; Rich, Stephen S.; Psaty, Bruce M.; Borecki, Ingrid B.; Kearney, Patricia M.; Stott, David J.; Adrienne Cupples, L.; Neerincx, Pieter B.T.; Elbers, Clara C.; Francesco Palamara, Pier; Pe'er, Itsik; Abdellaoui, Abdel; Kloosterman, Wigard P.; van Oven, Mannis; Vermaat, Martijn; Li, Mingkun; Laros, Jeroen F.J.; Stoneking, Mark; de Knijff, Peter; Kayser, Manfred; Veldink, Jan H.; van den Berg, Leonard H.; Byelas, Heorhiy; den Dunnen, Johan T.; Dijkstra, Martijn; Amin, Najaf; Joeri van der Velde, K.; van Setten, Jessica; Kattenberg, Mathijs; van Schaik, Barbera D.C.; Bot, Jan; Nijman, Isaäc J.; Mei, Hailiang; Koval, Vyacheslav; Ye, Kai; Lameijer, Eric-Wubbo; Moed, Matthijs H.; Hehir-Kwa, Jayne Y.; Handsaker, Robert E.; Sunyaev, Shamil R.; Sohail, Mashaal; Hormozdiari, Fereydoun; Marschall, Tobias; Schönhuth, Alexander; Guryev, Victor; Suchiman, H. Eka D.; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H.; Platteel, Mathieu; Pitts, Steven J.; Potluri, Shobha; Cox, David R.; Li, Qibin; Li, Yingrui; Du, Yuanping; Chen, Ruoyan; Cao, Hongzhi; Li, Ning; Cao, Sujie; Wang, Jun; Bovenberg, Jasper A.; Jukema, J. Wouter; van der Harst, Pim; Sijbrands, Eric J.; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Swertz, Morris A.; van Ommen, Gert-Jan B.; de Bakker, Paul I.W.; Eline Slagboom, P.; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Wijmenga, Cisca; van Duijn, Cornelia M.

2015-01-01

Variants associated with blood lipid levels may be population-specific. To identify low-frequency variants associated with this phenotype, population-specific reference panels may be used. Here we impute nine large Dutch biobanks (~35,000 samples) with the population-specific reference panel created by the Genome of the Netherlands Project and perform association testing with blood lipid levels. We report the discovery of five novel associations at four loci (P value <6.61 × 10−4), including a rare missense variant in ABCA6 (rs77542162, p.Cys1359Arg, frequency 0.034), which is predicted to be deleterious. The frequency of this ABCA6 variant is 3.65-fold increased in the Dutch and its effect (βLDL-C=0.135, βTC=0.140) is estimated to be very similar to those observed for single variants in well-known lipid genes, such as LDLR. PMID:25751400

The “Beta-Clasp” model of apolipoprotein A-I - a lipid-free solution structure determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Lagerstedt, Jens O.; Budamagunta, Madhu S.; Liu, Grace S.; DeValle, Nicole C.; Voss, John C.; Oda, Michael N.

2012-01-01

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) is the major protein component of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and plays a central role in cholesterol metabolism. The lipid-free / lipid-poor form of apoA-I is the preferred substrate for the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). The interaction of apoA-I with ABCA1 leads to the formation of cholesterol laden high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, a key step in reverse cholesterol transport and the maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis. Knowledge of the structure of lipid-free apoA-I is essential to understanding its critical interaction with ABCA1 and the molecular mechanisms underlying HDL biogenesis. We therefore examined the structure of lipid-free apoA-I by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). Through site directed spin label EPR, we mapped the secondary structure of apoA-I and identified sites of spin coupling as residues 26, 44, 64, 167, 217 and 226. We capitalize on the fact that lipid-free apoA-I self-associates in an anti-parallel manner in solution. We employed these sites of spin coupling to define the central plane in the dimeric apoA-I complex. Applying both the constraints of dipolar coupling with the EPR-derived pattern of solvent accessibility, we assembled the secondary structure into a tertiary context, providing a solution structure for lipid-free apoA-I. PMID:22245143

Regression of atherosclerosis with apple procyanidins by activating the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 in a rabbit model.

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Fumoto, Toshio; Masumoto, Saeko; Shoji, Toshihiko; Miura, Tomisato; Naraoka, Masato; Matsuda, Naoya; Imaizumi, Tadaatsu; Ohkuma, Hiroki

2017-03-01

Apple polyphenol contains abundant procyanidins, which have been associated with an anti-atherosclerosis and cholesterol-lowering effect. The aim of this study was to investigate whether apple procyanidins (APCs) feature therapeutic efficacy in terms of regressing atherosclerosis and whether this efficacy is due to mechanisms other than a cholesterol-lowering effect. After eight weeks on an atherogenic diet, rabbits were given a normal diet for another eight weeks to normalize the increased serum lipids level. The rabbits in the baseline group were sacrificed at this stage. The control group was subsequently fed a normal diet for eight weeks, while the APCs group was administrated 50 mg/kg/day of APCs in addition to the normal diet. Serum lipids and aortic intimal-medial thickness (IMT) were serially examined, and the resected aorta was examined histologically and through molecular biology. Aortic IMT on ultrasonography and the lipid accumulation area examined using Sudan IV staining were significantly reduced in the APCs group as compared to the control group. Serum lipid profiles were not different between the groups. Immunohistochemistry showed significantly decreased staining of an oxidative stress marker and significantly increased staining of ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) in the APCs group. Western blotting and RT-PCR also showed increased expression of ABCA1 mRNA and its protein in the APCs group. This study revealed that APCs administration causes a regression of atherosclerosis. APCs might hold promise as an anti-atherosclerotic agent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predicting Progression of ABCA4-Associated Retinal Degenerations Based on Longitudinal Measurements of the Leading Disease Front

PubMed Central

Cideciyan, Artur V.; Swider, Malgorzata; Schwartz, Sharon B.; Stone, Edwin M.; Jacobson, Samuel G.

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the progression of the earliest stage of disease in ABCA4-associated retinal degenerations (RDs). Methods Near-infrared excited reduced-illuminance autofluorescence imaging was acquired across the retina up to 80 degrees eccentricity in 44 patients with two ABCA4 alleles. The eccentricity of the leading disease front (LDF) corresponding to the earliest stage of disease was measured along the four meridians. A mathematical model describing the expansion of the LDF was developed based on 6 years of longitudinal follow-up. Results The extent of LDF along the superior, inferior, and temporal meridians showed a wide spectrum from 3.5 to 70 degrees. In patients with longitudinal data, the average centrifugal expansion rate was 2 degrees per year. The nasal extent of LDF between the fovea and ONH ranged from 4.3 to 16.5 degrees and expanded at 0.35 degrees per year. The extent of LDF beyond ONH ranged from 19 to 75 degrees and expanded on average at 2 degrees per year. A mathematical model fit well to the longitudinal data describing the expansion of the LDF. Conclusions The eccentricity of the LDF in ABCA4-RD shows a continuum from parafovea to far periphery along all four meridians consistent with a wide spectrum of severity observed clinically. The model of progression may provide a quantitative prediction of the LDF expansion based on the age and eccentricity of the LDF at a baseline visit, and thus contribute significantly to the enrollment of candidates appropriate for clinical trials planning specific interventions, efficacy outcomes, and durations. PMID:26377081

Functional interaction between the two halves of the photoreceptor-specific ATP binding cassette protein ABCR (ABCA4). Evidence for a non-exchangeable ADP in the first nucleotide binding domain.

PubMed

Ahn, Jinhi; Beharry, Seelochan; Molday, Laurie L; Molday, Robert S

2003-10-10

ABCR, also known as ABCA4, is a member of the superfamily of ATP binding cassette transporters that is believed to transport retinal or retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine across photoreceptor disk membranes. Mutations in the ABCR gene are responsible for Stargardt macular dystrophy and related retinal dystrophies that cause severe loss in vision. ABCR consists of two tandemly arranged halves each containing a membrane spanning segment followed by a large extracellular/lumen domain, a multi-spanning membrane domain, and a nucleotide binding domain (NBD). To define the role of each NBD, we examined the nucleotide binding and ATPase activities of the N and C halves of ABCR individually and co-expressed in COS-1 cells and derived from trypsin-cleaved ABCR in disk membranes. When disk membranes or membranes from co-transfected cells were photoaffinity labeled with 8-azido-ATP and 8-azido-ADP, only the NBD2 in the C-half bound and trapped the nucleotide. Co-expressed half-molecules displayed basal and retinal-stimulated ATPase activity similar to full-length ABCR. The individually expressed N-half displayed weak 8-azido-ATP labeling and low basal ATPase activity that was not stimulated by retinal, whereas the C-half did not bind ATP and exhibited little if any ATPase activity. Purified ABCR contained one tightly bound ADP, presumably in NBD1. Our results indicate that only NBD2 of ABCR binds and hydrolyzes ATP in the presence or absence of retinal. NBD1, containing a bound ADP, associates with NBD2 to play a crucial, non-catalytic role in ABCR function.

Retinal phenotypic characterization of patients with ABCA4 retinopathydue to the homozygous p.Ala1773Val mutation

PubMed Central

López-Rubio, Salvador; Chacon-Camacho, Oscar F.; Matsui, Rodrigo; Guadarrama-Vallejo, Dalia; Astiazarán, Mirena C.

2018-01-01

Purpose To describe the retinal clinical features of a group of Mexican patients with Stargardt disease carrying the uncommon p.Ala1773Val founder mutation in ABCA4. Methods Ten patients carrying the p.Ala1773Val mutation, nine of them homozygously, were included. Visual function studies included best-corrected visual acuity, electroretinography, Goldmann kinetic visual fields, and full-field electroretinography (ERG). In addition, imaging studies, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), short-wave autofluorescence imaging, and quantitative analyses of hypofluorescence, were performed in each patient. Results Best-corrected visual acuities ranged from 20/200 to 4/200. The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 23.3 years. The majority of the patients had photophobia and nyctalopia, and were classified as Fishman stage 4 (widespread choriocapillaris atrophy, resorption of flecks, and greatly reduced ERG amplitudes). An atypical retinal pigmentation pattern was observed in the patients, and the majority showed cone-rod dystrophy on full-field ERG. In vivo retinal microstructure assessment with OCT demonstrated central retinal thinning, variable loss of photoreceptors, and three different patterns of structural retinal degeneration. Two dissimilar patterns of abnormal autofluorescence were observed. No apparent age-related differences in the pattern of retinal degeneration were observed. Conclusions The results indicate that this particular mutation in ABCA4 is associated with a severe retinal phenotype and thus, could be classified as null. Careful phenotyping of patients carrying specific mutations in ABCA4 is essential to enhance our understanding of disease expression linked to particular mutations and the resulting genotype–phenotype correlations. PMID:29422768

Forkhead box O3 plays a role in skeletal muscle atrophy through expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 in Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Kang, Seol-Hee; Lee, Hae-Ahm; Kim, Mina; Lee, Eunjo; Sohn, Uy Dong; Kim, Inkyeom

2017-06-01

Cushing's syndrome is caused by overproduction of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal grand to make cortisol. Skeletal muscle wasting occurs in pathophysiological response to Cushing's syndrome. The forkhead box (FOX) protein family has been implicated as a key regulator of muscle loss under conditions such as diabetes and sepsis. However, the mechanistic role of the FOXO family in ACTH-induced muscle atrophy is not understood. We hypothesized that FOXO3a plays a role in muscle atrophy through expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligases, muscle RING finger protein-1 (MuRF-1), and atrogin-1 in Cushing's syndrome. For establishment of a Cushing's syndrome animal model, Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with osmotic minipumps containing ACTH (40 ng·kg -1 ·day -1 ). ACTH infusion significantly reduced muscle weight. In ACTH-infused rats, MuRF-1, atrogin-1, and FOXO3a were upregulated and the FOXO3a promoter was targeted by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Transcriptional activity and expression of FOXO3a were significantly decreased by the GR antagonist RU486. Treatment with RU486 reduced MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 expression in accordance with reduced enrichment of FOXO3a and Pol II on the promoters. Knockdown of FOXO3a prevented dexamethasone-induced MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 expression. These results indicate that FOXO3a plays a role in muscle atrophy through expression of MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 in Cushing's syndrome. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

The tomato DWD motif-containing protein DDI1 interacts with the CUL4–DDB1-based ubiquitin ligase and plays a pivotal role in abiotic stress responses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miao, Min; School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009; Department of Plant, Soil and Entomological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-2339

2014-08-08

Highlights: • We identify DDI1 as a DAMAGED DNA BINDING PROTEIN1 (DDB1)-interacting protein. • DDI1 interacts with the CUL4–DDB1-based ubiquitin ligase in the nucleus. • DDI1 plays a positive role in regulating abiotic stress response in tomato. - Abstract: CULLIN4(CUL4)–DAMAGED DNA BINDING PROTEIN1 (DDB1)-based ubiquitin ligase plays significant roles in multiple physiological processes via ubiquitination-mediated degradation of relevant target proteins. The DDB1–CUL4-associated factor (DCAF) acts as substrate receptor in the CUL4–DDB1 ubiquitin ligase complex and determines substrate specificity. In this study, we identified a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) DDB1-interacting (DDI1) protein as a DCAF protein involved in response to abiotic stresses,more » including UV radiation, high salinity and osmotic stress. Co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay indicated that DDI1 associates with CUL4–DDB1 in the nucleus. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated the DDI1 gene is induced by salt, mannitol and UV-C treatment. Moreover, transgenic tomato plants with overexpression or knockdown of the DDI1 gene exhibited enhanced or attenuated tolerance to salt/mannitol/UV-C, respectively. Thus, our data suggest that DDI1 functions as a substrate receptor of the CUL4–DDB1 ubiquitin ligase, positively regulating abiotic stress response in tomato.« less

Read, Play, and Learn! Storybook Activities for Young Children. The Transdisciplinary Play-Based Curriculum. Collection 1: Modules 1-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Toni W.

Read, Play, and Learn is a play-based curriculum designed to promote growth across all of the areas of development important to a young child. With a school-year's worth of ready-to-use lessons or modules, the curriculum provides story-related activities centered around themes such as enjoying seasonal festivities, sharing emotions, making…

PGK1, a glucose metabolism enzyme, may play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Yan, Xinfeng; Li, Xia; Zheng, Yabing; Li, Shufeng; Chang, Xiaotian

2016-10-01

Some studies have indicated that glucose metabolism plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to find the novel genes affecting glucose metabolism in RA. Synovial tissues of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were analyzed with Rat Glucose Metabolism RT(2) Profiler™ PCR Array to screen those genes with special expressions in glucose metabolism. Real-time PCR, western blotting, and ELISA were used to confirm the result in synovial tissues and blood of human RA. Culture synovial fibroblast cells (RASF) was treated with siRNA to suppress expressions of the target genes. CCK-8 cell proliferation assay and two-compartment transwell system were performed to examine cell proliferation and cell migration of the treated RASF. Both PCR array and real-time PCR detected the up-regulation of ENO1, HK2, and PGK1 and the down-regulation of PCK1 and PDK4 in synovial tissues of CIA rats. Real-time PCR and western blotting detected the increased expression of ENO1 and PGK1 in RA synovial tissues. ELISA detected a high level of PGK1 in the blood of RA patients. Decreased cell proliferation and cell migration capabilities were significantly detected in RASF following treatment of anti-PGK1 siRNA. IL-1β and IFN-γ rather than TNF-α and IL-1α levels were significantly declined in supernatants of the treated RASF. PGK1, a glycolytic enzyme catalyzing the conversion of 3-phosphoglycerate into 2-phosphoglycerate, has increased expression in synovial tissues and blood of RA, which may be involved in pro-inflammation and synovial hyperplasia of the disease.

CRM1 plays a nuclear role in transporting snoRNPs to nucleoli in higher eukaryotes.

PubMed

Verheggen, Celine; Bertrand, Edouard

2012-03-01

Here, we review the sn- and sno-RNA transport pathways in S. cerevisiae and humans, aiming at understanding how they evolved and how common factors can have distinct functions depending on the RNA they bind. We give a particular emphasis on Tgs1, the cap hypermethylase that is conserved from yeast to humans and appears to play a central role in both sn- and sno-RNA biogenesis. In yeast, Tgs1 hypermethylates sn- and sno-RNAs in the nucleolus. In humans, Tgs1 occurs in two forms: a long isoform (Tgs1 LF), which locates in the cytoplasm and Cajal bodies, which is predominantly associated with snRNAs and a short isoform (Tgs1 SF), which is nuclear and mainly associates with snoRNAs. We show that Tgs1 LF is exported by CRM1 and that interaction with CRM1 competes for binding with the C-terminal domain of the core protein Nop58, which contains the Nucleolar localization signal of Box C/D snoRNPs (NoLS). Our data suggest a model where CRM1 removes Tgs1 LF from snoRNPs, thereby promoting nucleolar targeting via activation of their NoLS. In this review, we argue that CRM1, while first described as an export receptor, can also control the composition of nucleoplasmic complexes. Thus, it could coordinate the fate of these complexes with the general nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking.

Localization and role of NPC1L1 in cholesterol absorption in human intestine.

PubMed

Sané, Alain Théophile; Sinnett, Daniel; Delvin, Edgard; Bendayan, Moise; Marcil, Valérie; Ménard, Daniel; Beaulieu, Jean-François; Levy, Emile

2006-10-01

Recent studies have documented the presence of Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) in the small intestine and its capacity to transport cholesterol in mice and rats. The current investigation was undertaken to explore the localization and function of NPC1L1 in human enterocytes. Cell fractionation experiments revealed an NPC1L1 association with apical membrane of the enterocyte in human jejunum. Signal was also detected in lysosomes, endosomes, and mitochondria. Confirmation of cellular NPC1L1 distribution was obtained by immunocytochemistry. Knockdown of NPC1L1 caused a decline in the ability of Caco-2 cells to capture micellar [(14)C]free cholesterol. Furthermore, this NPC1L1 suppression resulted in increased and decreased mRNA levels and activity of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis, and of ACAT, the key enzyme in cholesterol esterification, respectively. An increase was also noted in the transcriptional factor sterol-regulatory element binding protein that modulates cholesterol homeostasis. Efforts were devoted to define the impact of NPC1L1 knockdown on other mediators of cholesterol uptake. RT-PCR evidence is presented to show the significant decrease in the levels of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) with no changes in ABCA1, ABCG5, and cluster determinant 36 in NPC1L1-deficient Caco-2 cells. Together, our data suggest that NPC1L1 contributes to intestinal cholesterol homeostasis and possibly cooperates with SR-BI to mediate cholesterol absorption in humans.

Interaction of Extracellular Domain 2 of the Human Retina-specific ATP-binding Cassette Transporter (ABCA4) with All-trans-retinal*

PubMed Central

Biswas-Fiss, Esther E.; Kurpad, Deepa S.; Joshi, Kinjalben; Biswas, Subhasis B.

2010-01-01

The retina-specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, ABCA4, is essential for transport of all-trans-retinal from the rod outer segment discs in the retina and is associated with a broad range of inherited retinal diseases, including Stargardt disease, autosomal recessive cone rod dystrophy, and fundus flavimaculatus. A unique feature of the ABCA subfamily of ABC transporters is the presence of highly conserved, long extracellular loops or domains (ECDs) with unknown function. The high degree of sequence conservation and mapped disease-associated mutations in these domains suggests an important physiological significance. Conformational analysis using CD spectroscopy of purified, recombinant ECD2 protein demonstrated that it has an ordered and stable structure composed of 27 ± 3% α-helix, 20 ± 3% β-pleated sheet, and 53 ± 3% coil. Significant conformational changes were observed in disease-associated mutant proteins. Using intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission spectrum of ECD2 polypeptide and fluorescence anisotropy, we have demonstrated that this domain specifically interacts with all-trans-retinal. Furthermore, the retinal interaction appeared preferential for the all-trans-isomer and was directly measurable through fluorescence anisotropy analysis. Our results demonstrate that the three macular degeneration-associated mutations lead to significant changes in the secondary structure of the ECD2 domain of ABCA4, as well as in its interaction with all-trans-retinal. PMID:20404325

Andrographolide Inhibits Oxidized LDL-Induced Cholesterol Accumulation and Foam Cell Formation in Macrophages.

PubMed

Lin, Hung-Chih; Lii, Chong-Kuei; Chen, Hui-Chun; Lin, Ai-Hsuan; Yang, Ya-Chen; Chen, Haw-Wen

2018-01-01

oxLDL is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic lesions through cholesterol accumulation in macrophage foam cells. Andrographolide, the bioactive component of Andrographis paniculata, possesses several biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anticancer functions. Scavenger receptors (SRs), including class A SR (SR-A) and CD36, are responsible for the internalization of oxLDL. In contrast, receptors for reverse cholesterol transport, including ABCA1 and ABCG1, mediate the efflux of cholesterol from macrophage foam cells. Transcription factor liver X receptor [Formula: see text] (LXR[Formula: see text] plays a key role in lipid metabolism and inflammation as well as in the regulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression. Because of the contribution of inflammation to macrophage foam cell formation and the potent anti-inflammatory activity of andrographolide, we hypothesized that andrographolide might inhibit oxLDL-induced macrophage foam cell formation. The results showed that andrographolide reduced oxLDL-induced lipid accumulation in macrophage foam cells. Andrographolide decreased the mRNA and protein expression of CD36 by inducing the degradation of CD36 mRNA; however, andrographolide had no effect on SR-A expression. In contrast, andrographolide increased the mRNA and protein expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1, which were dependent on LXR[Formula: see text]. Andrographolide enhanced LXR[Formula: see text] nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity. Treatment with the LXR[Formula: see text] antagonist GGPP and transfection with LXR[Formula: see text] siRNA reversed the ability of andrographolide to stimulate ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein expression. In conclusion, inhibition of CD36-mediated oxLDL uptake and induction of ABCA1- and ABCG1-dependent cholesterol efflux are two working mechanisms by which andrographolide inhibits macrophage foam cell formation, which suggests that andrographolide could be a potential candidate to prevent

Rod outer segment retinol formation is independent of Abca4, arrestin, rhodopsin kinase, and rhodopsin palmitylation.

PubMed

Blakeley, Lorie R; Chen, Chunhe; Chen, Ching-Kang; Chen, Jeannie; Crouch, Rosalie K; Travis, Gabriel H; Koutalos, Yiannis

2011-06-01

The reactive aldehyde all-trans retinal is released in rod photoreceptor outer segments by photoactivated rhodopsin and is eliminated through reduction to all-trans retinol. This study was undertaken to determine whether all-trans retinol formation depends on Abca4, arrestin, rhodopsin kinase, and the palmitylation of rhodopsin, all of which are factors that affect the release and sequestration of all-trans retinal. Experiments were performed in isolated retinas and single living rods derived from 129/sv wild-type mice and Abca4-, arrestin-, and rhodopsin kinase-deficient mice and in genetically modified mice containing unpalmitylated rhodopsin. Formation of all-trans retinol was measured by imaging its fluorescence and by HPLC of retina extracts. The release of all-trans retinal from photoactivated rhodopsin was measured in purified rod outer segment membranes according to the increase in tryptophan fluorescence. All experiments were performed at 37°C. The kinetics of all-trans retinol formation in the different types of genetically modified mice are in reasonable agreement with those in wild-type animals. The kinetics of all-trans retinol formation in 129/sv mice are similar to those in C57BL/6, although the latter are known to regenerate rhodopsin much more slowly. The release of all-trans retinal from rhodopsin in purified membranes is significantly faster than the formation of all-trans retinol in intact cells and is independent of the presence of the palmitate groups. The regeneration of rhodopsin and the recycling of its chromophore are not strongly coupled. Neither the activities of Abca4, rhodopsin kinase, and arrestin, nor the palmitylation of rhodopsin affects the formation of all-trans retinol.

Play & Play Grounds. A Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Jeannette Galambos

Using camera and tape recorder, a photographer and an early childhood specialist explored as a team the universe of children's outdoor play, seeking worthy and innovative ideas and stressing urban playground problems and solutions. The resulting photographs and text focus on (1) the characteristics of play, (2) the nature of playgrounds, and (3)…

Dectin-1 plays an important role in host defense against systemic Candida glabrata infection.

PubMed

Chen, Si Min; Shen, Hui; Zhang, Teng; Huang, Xin; Liu, Xiao Qi; Guo, Shi Yu; Zhao, Jing Jun; Wang, Chun Fang; Yan, Lan; Xu, Guo Tong; Jiang, Yuan Ying; An, Mao Mao

2017-11-17

Candida glabrata is the second most common pathogen of severe candidiasis in immunocompromised hosts, following C. albicans. Although C. glabrata and C. albicans belong to the same genus, they are phylogenetically distinct. C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), acting as pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), play critical roles in host defense against C. albicans infections. However, our understanding of the specific roles of CLRs in host defense against C. glabrata is limited. Here, we explored the potential roles of the C-type lectins Dectin-1 and Dectin-2 in host defense against C. glabrata. We found that both Dectin-1-deficient mice (Dectin-1 -/- ) and Dectin-2-deficient mice (Dectin-2 -/- ) are more susceptible to C. glabrata infection. Dectin-1confers host higher sensitivity for sensing C. glabrata infections, while the effect of Dectin-2 in the host defense against C. glabrata is infection dose dependent. Dectin-1 is required for host myeloid cells recognition, killing of C. glabrata, and development of subsequent Th1 and Th17 cell-mediated adaptive immune response. Significantly impaired inflammatory responses such as inflammatory cells recruitment and cytokines release that were induced by C. glabrata were manifested in Dectin-1-deficient mice. Together, our study demonstrates that Dectin-1 plays an important role in host defense against systemic Candida glabrata infections, indicating a previous unknown control mechanism for this particular type of infection in host. Our study, therefore, provides new insights into the host defense against C. glabrata.

Impact of videogame playing on glucose metabolism in children with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Phan-Hug, Franziska; Thurneysen, Esther; Theintz, Gerald; Ruffieux, Christiane; Grouzmann, Eric

2011-12-01

Time spent playing videogames (VG) occupies a continually increasing part of children's leisure time. They can generate an important state of excitation, representing a form of mental and physical stress. This pilot study aimed to assess whether VG influences glycemic balance in children with type 1 diabetes. Twelve children with type 1 diabetes were subjected to two distinct tests at a few weeks interval: (i) a 60-min VG session followed by a 60-min rest period and (ii) a 60-min reading session followed by a 60-min rest period. Heart rate, blood pressure, glycemia, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), cortisol (F), and growth hormone (GH) were measured at 30 min intervals from -60 to +120 min. Non-parametric Wilcoxon tests for paired data were performed on Δ-values computed from baseline (0 min). Rise in heart rate (p = 0.05) and NE increase (p = 0.03) were shown to be significantly higher during the VG session when compared to the reading session and a significant difference of Δ-glycemic values was measured between the respective rest periods. This pilot study suggests that VG playing could induce a state of excitation sufficient to activate the sympathetic system and alter the course of glycemia. Dietary and insulin dose recommendations may be needed to better control glycemic excursion in children playing VG. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Epididymal protein CRISP1 plays different roles during the fertilization process.

PubMed

Cohen, Débora J; Maldera, Julieta A; Vasen, Gustavo; Ernesto, Juan I; Muñoz, Mariana Weigel; Battistone, María A; Cuasnicú, Patricia S

2011-01-01

Rat epididymal CRISP1, the first described member of the evolutionarily conserved Cysteine-RIch Secretory Protein (CRISP) family, is expressed in the proximal regions of the epididymis and associates with the sperm during epididymal transit. Evidence indicates the existence of 2 populations of CRISP1 in spermatozoa: a major one, loosely bound, which is released during capacitation and, therefore, proposed as a decapacitating factor; and a minor one, strongly associated with spermatozoa that remains on the cells after capacitation and is proposed to participate in gamete interaction. Originally localized to the dorsal region of capacitated sperm, CRISP1 migrates to the equatorial segment with capacitation and acrosome reaction. Consistent with these localizations, in vitro fertilization experiments support the involvement of CRISP1 in the first step of sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) interaction and subsequent gamete fusion through its interaction with egg-complementary sites. The potential roles of CRISP1 in capacitation and fertilization have been further supported by the finding that capacitated spermatozoa from CRISP1 "knockout" animals exhibit low levels of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and have an impaired ability to fertilize zona-intact and zona-free eggs in vitro. Moreover, recent evidence from mutant spermatozoa reveals that CRISP1 mediates the stage of sperm binding to the ZP. Altogether, these observations support the view that CRISP1 is a multifunctional protein playing different roles during fertilization through its different associations with and localizations on spermatozoa. We believe these results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in both the fertilization process and the acquisition of sperm-fertilizing ability that occurs during epididymal maturation.

Focal Adhesion Kinase Regulates Fibroblast Migration via Integrin beta-1 and Plays a Central Role in Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Zhao, Xue-Ke; Cheng, Yiju; Liang Cheng, Ming; Yu, Lei; Mu, Mao; Li, Hong; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Baofang; Yao, Yumei; Guo, Hui; Wang, Rong; Zhang, Quan

2016-01-01

Lung fibrosis is a major medical problem for the aging population worldwide. Fibroblast migration plays an important role in fibrosis. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) senses the extracellular stimuli and initiates signaling cascades that promote cell migration. This study first examined the dose and time responses of FAK activation in human lung fibroblasts treated with platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). The data indicate that FAK is directly recruited by integrin β1 and the subsequent FAK activation is required for fibroblast migration on fibronectin. In addition, the study has identified that α5β1 and α4β1 are the major integrins for FAK-mediated fibroblast migration on fibronect. In contrast, integrins αvβ3, αvβ6, and αvβ8 play a minor but distinct role in fibroblast migration on fibronectin. FAK inhibitor significantly reduces PDGF-BB stimulated fibroblast migration. Importantly, FAK inhibitor protects bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. FAK inhibitor blocks FAK activation and significantly reduces signaling cascade of fibroblast migration in bleomycin-challenged mice. Furthermore, FAK inhibitor decreases lung fibrotic score, collagen accumulation, fibronectin production, and myofibroblast differentiation in in bleomycin-challenged mice. These data demonstrate that FAK mediates fibroblast migration mainly via integrin β1. Furthermore, the findings suggest that targeting FAK signaling is an effective therapeutic strategy against fibrosis. PMID:26763945

Bmi-1 plays a critical role in the protection from acute tubular necrosis by mobilizing renal stem/progenitor cells.

PubMed

Lv, Xianhui; Yu, Zhenzhen; Xie, Chunfeng; Dai, Xiuliang; Li, Qing; Miao, Dengshun; Jin, Jianliang

2017-01-22

The regeneration of injured tubular cell occurs primarily from intrinsic renal stem/progenitor cells (RSCs) labeled with CD24 and CD133 after acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Bmi-1 plays a crucial role in regulating self-renewal, differentiation and aging of multiple adult stem cells and progenitor cells. Bmi-1 was rapidly elevated in the induction of adult kidney regeneration by renal injury. To determine whether Bmi-1 maintained mobilization of RSCs in the protection from ATN, glycerol-rhabdomyolysis-induced ATN were performed in wild type (WT) and Bmi-1-deficient (Bmi-1 -/- ) mice. Their ATN phenotypes were analyzed; CD24 and CD133 double positive (CD24 + CD133 + ) cells were measured; and the levels of serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) were detected. We found that CD24 + CD133 + RSCs were mobilized in WT ATN mice with the increased expression of Bmi-1; Bmi-1 deficiency led to increased tubular cast formation and necrosis, elevated levels of SUN and SCr, decreased tubular proliferation, and immobilized ratio of RSCs in ATN. These findings indicated that Bmi-1 played a critical role in the protection from ATN by maintaining mobilization of RSCs and would be a novel therapeutic target for preventing the progression of ATN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bmi-1 plays a critical role in the protection from acute tubular necrosis by mobilizing renal stem/progenitor cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lv, Xianhui; Yu, Zhenzhen; Xie, Chunfeng

The regeneration of injured tubular cell occurs primarily from intrinsic renal stem/progenitor cells (RSCs) labeled with CD24 and CD133 after acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Bmi-1 plays a crucial role in regulating self-renewal, differentiation and aging of multiple adult stem cells and progenitor cells. Bmi-1 was rapidly elevated in the induction of adult kidney regeneration by renal injury. To determine whether Bmi-1 maintained mobilization of RSCs in the protection from ATN, glycerol-rhabdomyolysis-induced ATN were performed in wild type (WT) and Bmi-1-deficient (Bmi-1{sup −/−}) mice. Their ATN phenotypes were analyzed; CD24 and CD133 double positive (CD24{sup +}CD133{sup +}) cells were measured; andmore » the levels of serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) were detected. We found that CD24{sup +}CD133{sup +} RSCs were mobilized in WT ATN mice with the increased expression of Bmi-1; Bmi-1 deficiency led to increased tubular cast formation and necrosis, elevated levels of SUN and SCr, decreased tubular proliferation, and immobilized ratio of RSCs in ATN. These findings indicated that Bmi-1 played a critical role in the protection from ATN by maintaining mobilization of RSCs and would be a novel therapeutic target for preventing the progression of ATN.« less

ATP-binding cassette subfamily A, member 4 intronic variants c.4773+3A>G and c.5461-10T>C cause Stargardt disease due to defective splicing.

PubMed

Jonsson, Frida; Westin, Ida Maria; Österman, Lennart; Sandgren, Ola; Burstedt, Marie; Holmberg, Monica; Golovleva, Irina

2018-02-20

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) represent a group of progressive conditions affecting the retina. There is a great genetic heterogeneity causing IRDs, and to date, more than 260 genes are associated with IRDs. Stargardt disease, type 1 (STGD1) or macular degeneration with flecks, STGD1 represents a disease with early onset, central visual impairment, frequent appearance of yellowish flecks and mutations in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily A, member 4 (ABCA4) gene. A large number of intronic sequence variants in ABCA4 have been considered pathogenic although their functional effect was seldom demonstrated. In this study, we aimed to reveal how intronic variants present in patients with Stargardt from the same Swedish family affect splicing. The splicing of the ABCA4 gene was studied in human embryonic kidney cells, HEK293T, and in human retinal pigment epithelium cells, ARPE-19, using a minigene system containing variants c.4773+3A>G and c.5461-10T>C. We showed that both ABCA4 variants, c.4773+3A>G and c.5461-10T>C, cause aberrant splicing of the ABCA4 minigene resulting in exon skipping. We also demonstrated that splicing of ABCA4 has different outcomes depending on transfected cell type. Two intronic variants c.4773+3A>G and c.5461-10T>C, both predicted to affect splicing, are indeed disease-causing mutations due to skipping of exons 33, 34, 39 and 40 of ABCA4 gene. The experimental proof that ABCA4 mutations in STGD patients affect protein function is crucial for their inclusion to future clinical trials; therefore, functional testing of all ABCA4 intronic variants associated with Stargardt disease by minigene technology is desirable. © 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sugar homeostasis mediated by cell wall invertase GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING 1 (GIF1) plays a role in pre-existing and induced defence in rice.

PubMed

Sun, Li; Yang, Dong-lei; Kong, Yu; Chen, Ying; Li, Xiao-Zun; Zeng, Long-Jun; Li, Qun; Wang, Er-Tao; He, Zu-Hua

2014-02-01

Sugar metabolism and sugar signalling are not only critical for plant growth and development, but are also important for stress responses. However, how sugar homeostasis is involved in plant defence against pathogen attack in the model crop rice remains largely unknown. In this study, we observed that the grains of gif1, a loss-of-function mutant of the cell wall invertase gene GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING 1 (GIF1), were hypersusceptible to postharvest fungal pathogens, with decreased levels of sugars and a thinner glume cell wall in comparison with the wild-type. Interestingly, constitutive expression of GIF1 enhanced resistance to both the rice bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The GIF1-overexpressing (GIF1-OE) plants accumulated higher levels of glucose, fructose and sucrose compared with the wild-type plants. More importantly, higher levels of callose were deposited in GIF1-OE plants during pathogen infection. Moreover, the cell wall was much thicker in the infection sites of the GIF1-OE plants when compared with the wild-type plants. We also found that defence-related genes were constitutively activated in the GIF1-OE plants. Taken together, our study reveals that sugar homeostasis mediated by GIF1 plays an important role in constitutive and induced physical and chemical defence. © 2013 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

TgTKL1 Is a Unique Plant-Like Nuclear Kinase That Plays an Essential Role in Acute Toxoplasmosis

PubMed Central

Varberg, Joseph M.; Coppens, Isabelle; Arrizabalaga, Gustavo

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT In the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, protein kinases have been shown to play key roles in regulating parasite motility, invasion, replication, egress, and survival within the host. The tyrosine kinase-like (TKL) family of proteins are an unexplored set of kinases in Toxoplasma. Of the eight annotated TKLs in the Toxoplasma genome, a recent genome-wide loss-of-function screen showed that six are important for tachyzoite fitness. By utilizing an endogenous tagging approach, we showed that these six T. gondii TKLs (TgTKLs) localize to various subcellular compartments, including the nucleus, the cytosol, the inner membrane complex, and the Golgi apparatus. To gain insight into the function of TKLs in Toxoplasma, we first characterized TgTKL1, which contains the plant-like enhanced disease resistance 1 (EDR1) domain and localizes to the nucleus. TgTKL1 knockout parasites displayed significant defects in progression through the lytic cycle; we show that the defects were due to specific impairment of host cell attachment. Transcriptomics analysis identified over 200 genes of diverse functions that were differentially expressed in TgTKL1 knockout parasites. Importantly, numerous genes implicated in host cell attachment and invasion were among those most significantly downregulated, resulting in defects in microneme secretion and processing. Significantly, all of the mice inoculated intraperitoneally with TgTKL1 knockout parasites survived the infection, suggesting that TgTKL1 plays an essential role in acute toxoplasmosis. Together, these findings suggest that TgTKL1 mediates a signaling pathway that regulates the expression of multiple factors required for parasite virulence, underscoring the potential of this kinase as a novel therapeutic target. PMID:29559568

The polymorphism of the ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 gene modulates Alzheimer disease risk in Chinese Han ethnic population.

PubMed

Sun, Yi-Min; Li, Hong-Lei; Guo, Qi-Hao; Wu, Ping; Hong, Zhen; Lu, Chuan-Zhen; Wu, Zhi-Ying

2012-07-01

Recent studies highlight a potential role of cholesterol metabolic disturbance in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD). The adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) gene resides within proximity of linkage peaks on chromosome 9q influence AD and plays a key role in cellular cholesterol efflux in the brain. We studied the role of R219K and V825I polymorphisms of ABCA1 in modulating the risk of AD in 321 AD patients and 349 comparisons of Chinese Han. Genotyping of R219K and V825I were performed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The genotype distribution of R219K was different with more RK in total AD group (χ(2) = 8.705, df = 2, p = 0.013), late-onset AD (LOAD) group (χ(2) = 10.636, df = 2, p = 0.005), APOE non-ε4ε4 group (χ(2) = 9.900, df = 2, p = 0.007), and female AD group (χ(2) = 8.369, df = 2, p = 0.015). Logistic regression manifested the risk of AD increased in RK carriers in total AD group (Wald = 6.102, df = 1, p = 0.014, odds ratio [OR]: 1.546, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.094-2.185), LOAD group (Wald = 7.746, df = 1, p = 0.005, OR: 1.921, 95% CI: 1.213-3.041), and APOE non-ε4ε4 group (Wald = 6.399, df = 1, p = 0.011, OR: 1.586, 95% CI: 1.109-2.266). K allele (RK + KK) also increased the risk of AD compared with RR allele in LOAD group (Wald = 4.750, df = 1, p = 0.029, OR: 1.619, 95% CI: 1.050-2.497). However, no discrepancy was found in V825I. In R219K, age at onset (AAO) was significantly lower by 4.9 years on average in patients of KK genotype than those of RK in APOE ε4 carrying group and higher by 5.5 years in patients of KK genotype than those of RR in APOE ε4 noncarrying group. In V825I, AAO was diseased by 4.3 years in II genotype compared with VV genotype in APOE ε4 noncarrying group and 3.4 years in APOE ε4ε4 noncarrying group. The results indicated that the RK genotype or K allele (RK + KK) of R219K may relate to the development of AD in the east of China.

LRP1 integrates murine macrophage cholesterol homeostasis and inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Li; Plattner, Florian; Liu, Mingxia; Parks, John S; Hammer, Robert E; Boucher, Philippe; Tsai, Shirling

2017-01-01

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is a multifunctional cell surface receptor with diverse physiological roles, ranging from cellular uptake of lipoproteins and other cargo by endocytosis to sensor of the extracellular environment and integrator of a wide range of signaling mechanisms. As a chylomicron remnant receptor, LRP1 controls systemic lipid metabolism in concert with the LDL receptor in the liver, whereas in smooth muscle cells (SMC) LRP1 functions as a co-receptor for TGFβ and PDGFRβ in reverse cholesterol transport and the maintenance of vascular wall integrity. Here we used a knockin mouse model to uncover a novel atheroprotective role for LRP1 in macrophages where tyrosine phosphorylation of an NPxY motif in its intracellular domain initiates a signaling cascade along an LRP1/SHC1/PI3K/AKT/PPARγ/LXR axis to regulate and integrate cellular cholesterol homeostasis through the expression of the major cholesterol exporter ABCA1 with apoptotic cell removal and inflammatory responses. PMID:29144234

Bmi-1 plays a critical role in protection from renal tubulointerstitial injury by maintaining redox balance

PubMed Central

Jin, Jianliang; Lv, Xianhui; Chen, Lulu; Zhang, Wei; Li, Jinbo; Wang, Qian; Wang, Rong; Lu, Xiang; Miao, Dengshun

2014-01-01

To determine whether Bmi-1 deficiency could lead to renal tubulointerstitial injury by mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress in the kidney, 3-week-old Bmi-1-/- mice were treated with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 1 mg mL−1) in their drinking water, or pyrro-quinoline quinone (PQQ, 4 mg kg−1 diet) in their diet for 2 weeks, and their renal phenotypes were compared with vehicle-treated Bmi1-/- and wild-type mice. Bmi-1 was knocked down in human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK2) cells which were treated with 1 mm NAC for 72 or 96 h, and their phenotypes were compared with control cells. Five-week-old vehicle-treated Bmi-1-/- mice displayed renal interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and severe renal function impairment with decreased renal cell proliferation, increased renal cell apoptosis and senescence, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Impaired mitochondrial structure, decreased mitochondrial numbers, and increased oxidative stress occurred in Bmi-1-/- mice; subsequently, this caused DNA damage, the activation of TGF-β1/Smad signaling, and the imbalance between extracellular matrix synthesis and degradation. Oxidative stress-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells was enhanced in Bmi-1 knocked down HK2 cells. All phenotypic alterations caused by Bmi-1 deficiency were ameliorated by antioxidant treatment. These findings indicate that Bmi-1 plays a critical role in protection from renal tubulointerstitial injury by maintaining redox balance and will be a novel therapeutic target for preventing renal tubulointerstitial injury. PMID:24915841

Year 4 Term 1: Plays. National Literacy Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department for Education and Skills, London (England).

In this unit of work, the children will continue to learn about the features of playscripts, through reading and analyzing a play and writing a play based on a narrative. In the course of learning how to interpret and write stage directions, the children will apply their knowledge of adverbs. In the discrete work on vocabulary and spelling, the…

The polygalacturonase FaPG1 gene plays a key role in strawberry fruit softening

PubMed Central

García-Gago, Juan A; Posé, Sara; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Quesada, Miguel A

2009-01-01

The loss of firm texture is one of the most characteristic physiological processes that occur during the ripening of fleshy fruits. It is generally accepted that the disassembly of primary cell wall and middle lamella is the main factor involved in fruit softening. In this process, polygalacturonase (PG) has been implicated in the degradation of the polyuronide network in several fruits. However, the minor effect of PG downregulation on tomato softening, reported during the nineties, minimized the role of this enzyme in softening. Further works in other fruits are challenging this general assumption, as is occurring in strawberry. The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit undergoes an extensive and fast softening that limit its shelf life and postharvest. Traditionally, it has also been considered that PG plays a minor role on this process, due to the low PG activity found in ripened strawberry fruits. Transgenic strawberry plants expressing an antisense sequence of the ripening-specific PG gene FaPG1 have been generated to get an insight into the role of this gene in softening. Half of the transgenic lines analyzed yielded fruits significantly firmer than control, without being affected other fruit parameters such as weight, color or soluble solids. The increase on firmness was maintained after several days of posharvest. In these firmer lines, FaPG1 was silenced to 95%, but total PG activity was only minor reduced. At the cell wall level, transgenic fruits contained a higher amount of covalently bound pectins whereas the soluble fraction was diminished. A microarray analysis of genes expressed in ripened receptacle did not show any significant change between control and transgenic fruits. Thus, contrary to the most accepted view, it is concluded that PG plays a key role on pectin metabolism and softening of strawberry fruit. PMID:19820312

The polygalacturonase FaPG1 gene plays a key role in strawberry fruit softening.

PubMed

García-Gago, Juan A; Posé, Sara; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Quesada, Miguel A; Mercado, José A

2009-08-01

The loss of firm texture is one of the most characteristic physiological processes that occur during the ripening of fleshy fruits. It is generally accepted that the disassembly of primary cell wall and middle lamella is the main factor involved in fruit softening. In this process, polygalacturonase (PG) has been implicated in the degradation of the polyuronide network in several fruits. However, the minor effect of PG downregulation on tomato softening, reported during the nineties, minimized the role of this enzyme in softening. Further works in other fruits are challenging this general assumption, as is occurring in strawberry. The strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) fruit undergoes an extensive and fast softening that limit its shelf life and postharvest. Traditionally, it has also been considered that PG plays a minor role on this process, due to the low PG activity found in ripened strawberry fruits. Transgenic strawberry plants expressing an antisense sequence of the ripening-specific PG gene FaPG1 have been generated to get an insight into the role of this gene in softening. Half of the transgenic lines analyzed yielded fruits significantly firmer than control, without being affected other fruit parameters such as weight, color or soluble solids. The increase on firmness was maintained after several days of posharvest. In these firmer lines, FaPG1 was silenced to 95%, but total PG activity was only minor reduced. At the cell wall level, transgenic fruits contained a higher amount of covalently bound pectins whereas the soluble fraction was diminished. A microarray analysis of genes expressed in ripened receptacle did not show any significant change between control and transgenic fruits. Thus, contrary to the most accepted view, it is concluded that PG plays a key role on pectin metabolism and softening of strawberry fruit.

Genetic variant of V825I in the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 gene and serum lipid levels in the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao and Han populations

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Several genetic variants in the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) gene have associated with modifications of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and the susceptibility for coronary heart disease, but the findings are still controversial in diverse racial/ethnic groups. Bai Ku Yao is an isolated subgroup of the Yao minority in southern China. The present study was undertaken to detect the possible association of V825I (rs2066715) polymorphism in the ABCA1 gene and several environmental factors with serum lipid levels in the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao and Han populations. Methods A total of 677 subjects of Bai Ku Yao and 646 participants of Han Chinese were randomly selected from our previous stratified randomized cluster samples. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism assay combined with gel electrophoresis were performed for the genotyping of V825I variant, and then confirmed by direct sequencing. Results The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, apolipoprotein (Apo) AI and ApoB were lower in Bai Ku Yao than in Han (P < 0.01 for all). The frequency of G and A alleles was 57.4% and 42.6% in Bai Ku Yao, and 57.7% and 42.3% in Han (P > 0.05); respectively. The frequency of GG, GA and AA genotypes was 33.7%, 47.4% and 18.9% in Bai Ku Yao, and 33.4%, 48.6% and 18.0% in Han (P > 0.05); respectively. There was no difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies between males and females in the both ethnic groups. The subjects with AA genotype in Bai Ku Yao had higher serum TC levels than the subjects with GG and GA genotypes (P < 0.05). The participants with AA genotype in Han had lower serum HDL-C and ApoAI levels than the participants with GG and GA genotypes (P < 0.05 for each), but these results were found in males but not in females. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the levels of TC in Bai Ku Yao and HDL-C and ApoAI in male Han were correlated with genotypes (P < 0

Rescuing effects of RXR agonist bexarotene on aging-related synapse loss depend on neuronal LRP1.

PubMed

Tachibana, Masaya; Shinohara, Mitsuru; Yamazaki, Yu; Liu, Chia-Chen; Rogers, Justin; Bu, Guojun; Kanekiyo, Takahisa

2016-03-01

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays a critical role in maintaining synaptic integrity by transporting cholesterol to neurons through the low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein-1 (LRP1). Bexarotene, a retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist, has been reported to have potential beneficial effects on cognition by increasing brain apoE levels and lipidation. To investigate the effects of bexarotene on aging-related synapse loss and the contribution of neuronal LRP1 to the pathway, forebrain neuron-specific LRP1 knockout (nLrp1(-/-)) and littermate control mice were administered with bexarotene-formulated diet (100mg/kg/day) or control diet at the age of 20-24 months for 8 weeks. Upon bexarotene treatment, levels of brain apoE and ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 1 (ABCA1) were significantly increased in both mice. While levels of PSD95, glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1), and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR1 subunit (NR1), which are key postsynaptic proteins that regulate synaptic plasticity, were decreased with aging, they were restored by bexarotene treatment in the brains of control but not nLrp1(-/-) mice. These results indicate that the beneficial effects of bexarotene on synaptic integrity depend on the presence of neuronal LRP1. However, we also found that bexarotene treatment led to the activation of glial cells, weight loss and hepatomegaly, which are likely due to hepatic failure. Taken together, our results demonstrate that apoE-targeted treatment through the RXR pathway has a potential beneficial effect on synapses during aging; however, the therapeutic application of bexarotene requires extreme caution due to its toxic side effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Case Study 1: Playful Team Reflection Using LEGO® Serious Play®

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seidl, Tobias

2017-01-01

Teamwork and cooperation are important 21st century skills and therefore important parts of the higher education curriculum. Following Kolb's "experiential learning cycle" model a combination of project work and moderated reflection can help students to acquire these skills. This article elaborates how LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) can be…

Grade 1 Students' Out-of-School Play and Its Relationship to School-Based Academic, Behavior, and Creativity Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehrer, Joanne S.; Petrakos, Hariclia H.; Venkatesh, Vivek

2014-01-01

Research Findings: This study explored the relationship between play and child development at the Grade 1 level. As previous research has noted a sudden curtailment of classroom play during this period, the relationship between play at home and children's school grades, behavior, and creativity scores was examined using correlational and…

Protective role of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) against benzo[a]pyrene-induced toxicity in mouse aorta.

PubMed

Uno, Shigeyuki; Sakurai, Kenichi; Nebert, Daniel W; Makishima, Makoto

2014-02-28

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is an environmental pollutant produced by combustive processes, such as cigarette smoke and coke ovens, and is implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) plays a role in both metabolic activation and detoxication of BaP in a context-dependent manner. The role of CYP1A1 in BaP-induced toxicity in aorta remains unknown. First, we fed Apoe⁻/⁻ mice an atherogenic diet plus BaP and found that oral BaP-enhanced atherosclerosis is associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory markers, such as plasma tumor necrosis factor levels and aortic mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (Vegfa). We next examined the effect of an atherogenic diet plus BaP on ROS and inflammatory markers in Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice. Although this treatment was not sufficient to induce atherosclerotic lesions in Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice, plasma antioxidant levels were decreased in Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice even in the absence of BaP treatment. The atherogenic diet plus BaP effectively elevated plasma ROS levels and expression of atherosclerosis-related genes, specifically Vegfa, in Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice compared with wild-type mice. BaP treatment increased Vegfa mRNA levels in mouse embryonic fibroblasts from Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice but not from wild-type mice. BaP-induced DNA adduct formation was increased in the aorta of Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice, but not wild-type or Apoe⁻/⁻ mice, and the atherogenic diet decreased BaP-induced DNA adducts in Cyp1a1⁻/⁻ mice compared with mice on a control diet. These data suggest that ROS production contributes to BaP-exacerbated atherosclerosis and that CYP1A1 plays a protective role against oral BaP toxicity in aorta. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy play a protective role in cisplatin induced renal tubular epithelial cells injury.

PubMed

Zhao, Chuanyan; Chen, Zhuyun; Xu, Xueqiang; An, Xiaofei; Duan, Suyan; Huang, Zhimin; Zhang, Chengning; Wu, Lin; Zhang, Bo; Zhang, Aihua; Xing, Changying; Yuan, Yanggang

2017-01-15

Cisplatin often causes acute kidney injury (AKI) in the treatment of a wide variety of malignancies. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main reasons for cisplatin nephrotoxicity. Previous study showed that Pink1 and Parkin play central roles in regulating the mitophagy, which is a key protective mechanism by specifically eliminating dysfunctional or damaged mitochondria. However, the mechanisms that modulate mitophagy in cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity remain to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Pink1/Parkin pathway in mitophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction and renal proximal tubular cells injury during cisplatin treatment. In cultured human renal proximal tubular cells, we found that knockdown of Pink1/Parkin induced the aggravation of mitochondrial function, leading to the increase of cell injury through inhibition of mitophagy. Additionally, the overexpression of Pink1/Parkin protected against cisplatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell injury by promoting mitophagy. Our results provide clear evidence that Pink1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy has identified potential targets for the treatment of cisplatin-induced AKI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Technology Connection: 1-to-1 Laptop Initiative--Leveling the Playing Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stidham, Sue

2008-01-01

Imagine a school where every student has global wireless access and a visa to high tech, personalized instruction. Enter Baxter Springs, Kansas, where all the teachers and their students have individual laptops in a 24/7 environment. Such 1-to-1 initiatives actually meet the expectations of the digital generation and these students aren't forced…

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high density lipoprotein–binding protein 1 plays a critical role in the lipolytic processing of chylomicrons

PubMed Central

Beigneux, Anne P.; Davies, Brandon S. J.; Gin, Peter; Weinstein, Michael M.; Farber, Emily; Qiao, Xin; Peale, Franklin; Bunting, Stuart; Walzem, Rosemary L.; Wong, Jinny S.; Blaner, William S.; Ding, Zhi-Ming; Melford, Kristan; Wongsiriroj, Nuttaporn; Shu, Xiao; de Sauvage, Fred; Ryan, Robert O.; Fong, Loren G.; Bensadoun, André; Young, Stephen G.

2007-01-01

Summary The triglycerides in chylomicrons are hydrolyzed by lipoprotein lipase (LpL) along the luminal surface of the capillaries. However, the endothelial cell molecule that facilitates chylomicron processing by LpL has not yet been defined. Here, we show that glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high density lipoprotein–binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1) plays a critical role in the lipolytic processing of chylomicrons. Gpihbp1-deficient mice exhibit a striking accumulation of chylomicrons in the plasma, even on a low-fat diet, resulting in milky plasma and plasma triglyceride levels as high as 5,000 mg/dl. Normally, Gpihbp1 is expressed highly in heart and adipose tissue, the same tissues that express high levels of LpL. In these tissues, GPIHBP1 is located on the luminal face of the capillary endothelium. Expression of GPIHBP1 in cultured cells confers the ability to bind both LpL and chylomicrons. These studies strongly suggest that GPIHBP1 is an important platform for the LpL-mediated processing of chylomicrons in capillaries. PMID:17403372

Targeted Deep Resequencing Identifies Coding Variants in the PEAR1 Gene That Play a Role in Platelet Aggregation

PubMed Central

Kim, Yoonhee; Suktitipat, Bhoom; Yanek, Lisa R.; Faraday, Nauder; Wilson, Alexander F.; Becker, Diane M.; Becker, Lewis C.; Mathias, Rasika A.

2013-01-01

Platelet aggregation is heritable, and genome-wide association studies have detected strong associations with a common intronic variant of the platelet endothelial aggregation receptor1 (PEAR1) gene both in African American and European American individuals. In this study, we used a sequencing approach to identify additional exonic variants in PEAR1 that may also determine variability in platelet aggregation in the GeneSTAR Study. A 0.3 Mb targeted region on chromosome 1q23.1 including the entire PEAR1 gene was Sanger sequenced in 104 subjects (45% male, 49% African American, age = 52±13) selected on the basis of hyper- and hypo- aggregation across three different agonists (collagen, epinephrine, and adenosine diphosphate). Single-variant and multi-variant burden tests for association were performed. Of the 235 variants identified through sequencing, 61 were novel, and three of these were missense variants. More rare variants (MAF<5%) were noted in African Americans compared to European Americans (108 vs. 45). The common intronic GWAS-identified variant (rs12041331) demonstrated the most significant association signal in African Americans (p = 4.020×10−4); no association was seen for additional exonic variants in this group. In contrast, multi-variant burden tests indicated that exonic variants play a more significant role in European Americans (p = 0.0099 for the collective coding variants compared to p = 0.0565 for intronic variant rs12041331). Imputation of the individual exonic variants in the rest of the GeneSTAR European American cohort (N = 1,965) supports the results noted in the sequenced discovery sample: p = 3.56×10−4, 2.27×10−7, 5.20×10−5 for coding synonymous variant rs56260937 and collagen, epinephrine and adenosine diphosphate induced platelet aggregation, respectively. Sequencing approaches confirm that a common intronic variant has the strongest association with platelet aggregation in African Americans, and

NADPH Oxidase-1 Plays a Key Role in Keratinocyte Responses to UV Radiation and UVB-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Raad, Houssam; Serrano-Sanchez, Martin; Harfouche, Ghida; Mahfouf, Walid; Bortolotto, Doriane; Bergeron, Vanessa; Kasraian, Zeinab; Dousset, Lea; Hosseini, Mohsen; Taieb, Alain; Rezvani, Hamid Reza

2017-06-01

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) family enzymes are involved in several physiological functions. However, their roles in keratinocyte responses to UV radiation have not been clearly elucidated. This study shows that, among other NOX family members, UVB irradiation results in a biphasic activation of NOX1 that plays a critical role in defining keratinocyte fate through the modulation of the DNA damage response network. Indeed, suppression of both bursts of UVB-induced NOX1 activation by using a specific peptide inhibitor of NOX1 (InhNOX1) is associated with increased nucleotide excision repair efficiency and reduction of apoptosis, which is finally translated into decreased photocarcinogenesis. On the contrary, when only the second peak of UVB-induced NOX1 activation is blocked, both nucleotide excision repair efficiency and apoptosis are decreased. Our results show that inhibition of NOX1 activation could be a promising target for the prevention and treatment of UVB-induced skin cancer in nucleotide excision repair-proficient and -deficient patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dmc1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe plays a role in meiotic recombination.

PubMed

Fukushima, K; Tanaka, Y; Nabeshima, K; Yoneki, T; Tougan, T; Tanaka, S; Nojima, H

2000-07-15

We report here a Schizosaccharomyces pombe gene (dmc1(+)) that resembles budding yeast DMC1 in the region immediately upstream of the rad24(+) gene. We showed by northern and Southern blot analysis that dmc1(+) and rad24(+) are co-transcribed as a bicistronic mRNA of 2.8 kb with meiotic specificity, whereas rad24(+) itself is constitutively transcribed as a 1.0-kb mRNA species during meiosis. Induction of the bicistronic transcript is under the control of a meiosis-specific transcription factor, Ste11. Disruption of both dmc1(+) and rad24(+) had no effect on mitosis or spore formation, and dmc1Delta cells displayed no change in sensitivity to UV or gamma irradiation relative to the wild type. Tetrad analysis indicated that Dmc1 is involved in meiotic recombination. Analysis of gene conversion frequencies using single and double mutants of dmc1 and rhp51 indicated that both Dmc1 and Rhp51 function in meiotic gene conversion. These observations, together with a high level of sequence identity, indicate that the dmc1(+) gene of S. POMBE: is a structural homolog of budding yeast DMC1, sharing both similar and distinct functions in meiosis.

Endothelin-1 receptors play a minor role in the protection against acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice.

PubMed

Roffê, E; Souza, A L S; Machado, P P; Barcelos, L S; Romanha, A J; Mariano, F S; Silva, J S; Machado, C R; Tanowitz, H B; Teixeira, M M

2007-03-01

Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major cause of cardiovascular disability in countries where it is endemic. Damage to the heart microvasculature has been proposed to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of heart dysfunction. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor and exerts its effects via specific ET A and ET B receptors. A few studies have suggested a role for ET-1 and its receptors in the pathogenesis of Chagas' disease. We investigated the effects of treatment with bosentan, an ET A/ET B receptor antagonist, on the course of T. cruzi infection (Y strain) in C57Bl/6 mice. Treatment with bosentan (100 mg kg-1 day-1) was given per os starting day 0 after infection until sacrifice. Bosentan significantly increased myocardial inflammation, with no effects on parasitemia. Although the total number of nests was similar, a lower number of intact amastigote nests was found in the heart of bosentan-treated animals. Bosentan failed to affect the infection-associated increase in the cardiac levels of the cytokines IFN-g and TNF-a and the chemokines CCL2/MCP-1, CCL3/MIP-1a and CCL5/RANTES. In vitro, pre-incubation with ET-1 (0.1 microM) 4 h before infection enhanced the uptake of the parasites by peritoneal macrophages, and this effect was abrogated when macrophages were pre-treated with bosentan (1 microM) 15 min before incubation with ET-1. However, ET-1 did not alter killing of intracellular parasites after 48 h of in vitro infection. Our data suggest that bosentan-treated mice have a delay in controlling parasitism which is compensated for exacerbated inflammation. Infection is eventually controlled in these animals and lethality is unchanged, demonstrating that ET-1 plays a minor role in the protection against acute murine T. cruzi infection.

Assembly of high-density lipoprotein.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Shinji

2006-01-01

Mammalian somatic cells do not catabolize cholesterol and need to export it for its homeostasis at the levels of cells and whole bodies. This reaction may reduce intracellularly accumulated cholesterol in excess and would contribute to prevention or regression of the initial stage of atherosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is thought to play a main role in this reaction, and 2 independent mechanisms are proposed for this reaction. First, cholesterol is exchanged in a nonspecific physicochemical manner between cell surface and extracellular lipoproteins, and cholesterol esterification on HDL provides a driving force for net removal of cell cholesterol. Second, apolipoproteins directly interact with cells and generate HDL by removing cellular phospholipid and cholesterol. This reaction is a major source of plasma HDL and is mediated by a membrane protein, ABCA1. Lipid-free or lipid-poor helical apolipoproteins primarily recruit cellular phospholipid to assemble HDL particles, and cholesterol enrichment in these particles is regulated independently. ABCA1 is a rate-limiting factor of the HDL assembly and is regulated by transcriptional factors and posttranscriptional factors. Posttranscriptional regulation of ABCA1 includes modulation of its calpain-mediated degradation.

ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA4 and chemical isomerization protect photoreceptor cells from the toxic accumulation of excess 11-cis-retinal.

PubMed

Quazi, Faraz; Molday, Robert S

2014-04-01

The visual cycle is a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions which converts all-trans-retinal to 11-cis-retinal for the regeneration of visual pigments in rod and cone photoreceptor cells. Although essential for vision, 11-cis-retinal like all-trans-retinal is highly toxic due to its highly reactive aldehyde group and has to be detoxified by either reduction to retinol or sequestration within retinal-binding proteins. Previous studies have focused on the role of the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA4 associated with Stargardt macular degeneration and retinol dehydrogenases (RDH) in the clearance of all-trans-retinal from photoreceptors following photoexcitation. How rod and cone cells prevent the accumulation of 11-cis-retinal in photoreceptor disk membranes in excess of what is required for visual pigment regeneration is not known. Here we show that ABCA4 can transport N-11-cis-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), the Schiff-base conjugate of 11-cis-retinal and PE, from the lumen to the cytoplasmic leaflet of disk membranes. This transport function together with chemical isomerization to its all-trans isomer and reduction to all-trans-retinol by RDH can prevent the accumulation of excess 11-cis-retinal and its Schiff-base conjugate and the formation of toxic bisretinoid compounds as found in ABCA4-deficient mice and individuals with Stargardt macular degeneration. This segment of the visual cycle in which excess 11-cis-retinal is converted to all-trans-retinol provides a rationale for the unusually high content of PE and its long-chain unsaturated docosahexaenoyl group in photoreceptor membranes and adds insight into the molecular mechanisms responsible for Stargardt macular degeneration.

Intrarenal Mas and AT1 receptors play a role in mediating the excretory actions of renal interstitial angiotensin-(1-7) infusion in anaesthetized rats.

PubMed

O'Neill, Julie; Healy, Vincent; Johns, Edward J

2017-12-01

fractional sodium excretion were absent in both dietary groups during intrarenal AT 1 or Mas receptor inhibition after either losartan or A-779, respectively. Thus, AT 1 receptor activation, as well as Mas receptor activation, plays an essential role in mediating Ang-(1-7)-induced natriuresis and diuresis. Whether this is because Ang-(1-7) partly antagonizes AT 1 receptors or whether Ang-(1-7)-induced natriuresis is mediated through AT 1 -Mas receptor dimerization remains unclear. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

Affine Kac-Moody symmetric spaces related with A1^{(1)}, A2^{(1)},} A2^{(2)}

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Saudamini; Pati, K. C.

2014-08-01

Symmetric spaces associated with Lie algebras and Lie groups which are Riemannian manifolds have recently got a lot of attention in various branches of Physics for their role in classical/quantum integrable systems, transport phenomena, etc. Their infinite dimensional counter parts have recently been discovered which are affine Kac-Moody symmetric spaces. In this paper we have (algebraically) explicitly computed the affine Kac-Moody symmetric spaces associated with affine Kac-Moody algebras A1^{(1)}, A2^{(1)}, A2^{(2)}. We hope these types of spaces will play similar roles as that of symmetric spaces in many physical systems.

The capsule plays an important role in Escherichia coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba.

PubMed

Jung, Suk-Yul; Matin, Abdul; Kim, Kwang Sik; Khan, Naveed Ahmed

2007-03-01

Escherichia coli K1 is shown to bind to, associate with, invade and survive inside Acanthamoeba, but the precise mechanisms associated with these events are unclear. We have previously shown that outer membrane protein A and lipopolysaccharide are critical bacterial determinants involved in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba. Using an isogenic K1 capsule-deletion mutant (lacking the neuDB genes cluster that is necessary for the production of cytoplasmic precursors to the exopolysaccharide capsule), we observed that the capsule modulates and enhances E. coli K1 association and survival inside Acanthamoeba. The capsule-deletion mutant exhibited significantly reduced association compared with the wild type strain, E44. Similarly, the K1 capsule-deletion mutant exhibited limited ability for invasion/uptake by and survival inside Acanthamoeba. Next, we determined whether E. coli K1 survive inside Acanthamoeba during the encystment process and that viable bacteria can be isolated from the mature cysts. Using encystment assays, our findings revealed that E. coli K1, but not its capsule-deletion mutant, exhibit survival inside Acanthamoeba cysts. We believe this is the first demonstration that the K1 capsule plays an important role in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba.

NBS1 plays a synergistic role with telomerase in the maintenance of telomeres in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Najdekrova, Lucie; Siroky, Jiri

2012-09-17

Telomeres, as elaborate nucleo-protein complexes, ensure chromosomal stability. When impaired, the ends of linear chromosomes can be recognised by cellular repair mechanisms as double-strand DNA breaks and can be healed by non-homologous-end-joining activities to produce dicentric chromosomes. During cell divisions, particularly during anaphase, dicentrics can break, thus producing naked chromosome tips susceptible to additional unwanted chromosome fusion. Many telomere-building protein complexes are associated with telomeres to ensure their proper capping function. It has been found however, that a number of repair complexes also contribute to telomere stability. We used Arabidopsis thaliana to study the possible functions of the DNA repair subunit, NBS1, in telomere homeostasis using knockout nbs1 mutants. The results showed that although NBS1-deficient plants were viable, lacked any sign of developmental aberration and produced fertile seeds through many generations upon self-fertilisation, plants also missing the functional telomerase (double mutants), rapidly, within three generations, displayed severe developmental defects. Cytogenetic inspection of cycling somatic cells revealed a very early onset of massive genome instability. Molecular methods used for examining the length of telomeres in double homozygous mutants detected much faster telomere shortening than in plants deficient in telomerase gene alone. Our findings suggest that NBS1 acts in concert with telomerase and plays a profound role in plant telomere renewal.

Do immunotherapy and beta cell replacement play a synergistic role in the treatment of type 1 diabetes?

PubMed

Li, Dong-Sheng; Warnock, Garth L; Tu, Han-Jun; Ao, Ziliang; He, Zehua; Lu, Hong; Dai, Long-Jun

2009-10-07

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the result of the autoimmune response against pancreatic insulin-producing ss-cells. Its ultimate consequence is beta-cell insufficiency-mediated dysregulation of blood glucose control. In terms of T1D treatment, immunotherapy addresses the cause of T1D, mainly through re-setting the balance between autoimmunity and regulatory mechanisms. Regulatory T cells play an important role in this immune intervention. An alternative T1D treatment is beta-cell replacement, which can reverse the consequence of the disease by replacing destroyed beta-cells in the diabetic pancreas. The applicable insulin-producing cells can be directly obtained from islet transplantation or generated from other cell sources such as autologous adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. In this review, we summarize the recent research progress and analyze the possible advantages and disadvantages of these two therapeutic options especially focusing on the potential synergistic effect on T1D treatment. Exploring the optimal combination of immunotherapy and beta-cell replacement will pave the way to the most effective cure for this devastating disease.

Autophagy plays an important role in protecting Pacific oysters from OsHV-1 and Vibrio aestuarianus infections

PubMed Central

Moreau, Pierrick; Moreau, Kevin; Segarra, Amélie; Tourbiez, Delphine; Travers, Marie-Agnès; Rubinsztein, David C; Renault, Tristan

2015-01-01

Recent mass mortality outbreaks around the world in Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, have seriously affected the aquaculture economy. Although the causes for these mortality outbreaks appear complex, infectious agents are involved. Two pathogens are associated with mass mortality outbreaks, the virus ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) and the bacterium Vibrio aestuarianus. Here we describe the interactions between these 2 pathogens and autophagy, a conserved intracellular pathway playing a key role in innate immunity. We show for the first time that autophagy pathway is present and functional in Pacific oysters and plays an important role to protect animals from infections. This study contributes to better understand the innate immune system of Pacific oysters. PMID:25714877

Autophagy plays an important role in protecting Pacific oysters from OsHV-1 and Vibrio aestuarianus infections.

PubMed

Moreau, Pierrick; Moreau, Kevin; Segarra, Amélie; Tourbiez, Delphine; Travers, Marie-Agnès; Rubinsztein, David C; Renault, Tristan

2015-01-01

Recent mass mortality outbreaks around the world in Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, have seriously affected the aquaculture economy. Although the causes for these mortality outbreaks appear complex, infectious agents are involved. Two pathogens are associated with mass mortality outbreaks, the virus ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) and the bacterium Vibrio aestuarianus. Here we describe the interactions between these 2 pathogens and autophagy, a conserved intracellular pathway playing a key role in innate immunity. We show for the first time that autophagy pathway is present and functional in Pacific oysters and plays an important role to protect animals from infections. This study contributes to better understand the innate immune system of Pacific oysters.

Improved dual AAV vectors with reduced expression of truncated proteins are safe and effective in the retina of a mouse model of Stargardt disease

PubMed Central

Trapani, Ivana; Toriello, Elisabetta; de Simone, Sonia; Colella, Pasqualina; Iodice, Carolina; Polishchuk, Elena V.; Sommella, Andrea; Colecchi, Linda; Rossi, Settimio; Simonelli, Francesca; Giunti, Massimo; Bacci, Maria L.; Polishchuk, Roman S.; Auricchio, Alberto

2015-01-01

Stargardt disease (STGD1) due to mutations in the large ABCA4 gene is the most common inherited macular degeneration in humans. We have shown that dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors effectively transfer ABCA4 to the retina of Abca4−/− mice. However, they express both lower levels of transgene compared with a single AAV and truncated proteins. To increase productive dual AAV concatemerization, which would overcome these limitations, we have explored the use of either various regions of homology or heterologous inverted terminal repeats (ITR). In addition, we tested the ability of various degradation signals to decrease the expression of truncated proteins. We found the highest levels of transgene expression using regions of homology based on either alkaline phosphatase or the F1 phage (AK). The use of heterologous ITR does not decrease the levels of truncated proteins relative to full-length ABCA4 and impairs AAV vector production. Conversely, the inclusion of the CL1 degradation signal results in the selective degradation of truncated proteins from the 5′-half without affecting full-length protein production. Therefore, we developed dual AAV hybrid ABCA4 vectors including homologous ITR2, the photoreceptor-specific G protein-coupled receptor kinase 1 promoter, the AK region of homology and the CL1 degradation signal. We show that upon subretinal administration these vectors are both safe in pigs and effective in Abca4−/− mice. Our data support the use of improved dual AAV vectors for gene therapy of STGD1. PMID:26420842

Improved dual AAV vectors with reduced expression of truncated proteins are safe and effective in the retina of a mouse model of Stargardt disease.

PubMed

Trapani, Ivana; Toriello, Elisabetta; de Simone, Sonia; Colella, Pasqualina; Iodice, Carolina; Polishchuk, Elena V; Sommella, Andrea; Colecchi, Linda; Rossi, Settimio; Simonelli, Francesca; Giunti, Massimo; Bacci, Maria L; Polishchuk, Roman S; Auricchio, Alberto

2015-12-01

Stargardt disease (STGD1) due to mutations in the large ABCA4 gene is the most common inherited macular degeneration in humans. We have shown that dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors effectively transfer ABCA4 to the retina of Abca4-/- mice. However, they express both lower levels of transgene compared with a single AAV and truncated proteins. To increase productive dual AAV concatemerization, which would overcome these limitations, we have explored the use of either various regions of homology or heterologous inverted terminal repeats (ITR). In addition, we tested the ability of various degradation signals to decrease the expression of truncated proteins. We found the highest levels of transgene expression using regions of homology based on either alkaline phosphatase or the F1 phage (AK). The use of heterologous ITR does not decrease the levels of truncated proteins relative to full-length ABCA4 and impairs AAV vector production. Conversely, the inclusion of the CL1 degradation signal results in the selective degradation of truncated proteins from the 5'-half without affecting full-length protein production. Therefore, we developed dual AAV hybrid ABCA4 vectors including homologous ITR2, the photoreceptor-specific G protein-coupled receptor kinase 1 promoter, the AK region of homology and the CL1 degradation signal. We show that upon subretinal administration these vectors are both safe in pigs and effective in Abca4-/- mice. Our data support the use of improved dual AAV vectors for gene therapy of STGD1. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Abcb1a but not Abcg2 played a predominant role in limiting the brain distribution of Huperzine A in mice.