Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B is a mediator of cyclic ADP ribose-induced Ca²⁺ signaling in ventricular myocytes

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) releases Ca²⁺ from ryanodine receptor (RyR)-sensitive calcium pools in various cell types. In cardiac myocytes, the physiological levels of cADPR transiently increase the amplitude and frequency of Ca²⁺ (that is, a rapid increase and decrease of calcium within one second) during the cardiac action potential. In this study, we demonstrated that cADPR levels higher than physiological levels induce a slow and gradual increase in the resting intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺](i)) level over 10 min by inhibiting the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase (SERCA). Higher cADPR levels mediate the tyrosine-dephosphorylation of α-actin by protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) present in the endoplasmic reticulum. The tyrosine dephosphorylation of α-actin dissociates phospholamban, the key regulator of SERCA, from α-actin and results in SERCA inhibition. The disruption of the integrity of α-actin by cytochalasin B and the inhibition of α-actin tyrosine dephosphorylation by a PTP1B inhibitor block cADPR-mediated Ca²⁺ increase. Our results suggest that levels of cADPR that are relatively higher than normal physiological levels modify calcium homeostasis through the dephosphorylation of α-actin by PTB1B and the subsequent inhibition of SERCA in cardiac myocytes.

Low-density lipoprotein protects Vibrio vulnificus-induced lethality through blocking lipopolysaccharide action

Lipoprotein plays a role in the host defense against bacterial infection, and its serum level has been demonstrated to be an important prognosis factor of survival. We have previously demonstrated that LDL directly inactivates the hemolytic activity of Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin (VVC) in vitro. The object of this study was therefore to examine whether the LDL-mediated inactivation of VVC leads to protection against lethal infection of V. vulnificus in vivo, using wild and VVC-deficient V. vulnificus strains. Unexpectedly, we found that LDL protects mouse lethality induced by VVC-deficient as well as wild V. vulnificus strain. We also demonstrated that LDL blocks V. vulnificus LPS-induced lethality in mice. These results suggest that LDL preferentially act on endotoxin rather than exotoxin in the protection against V. vulnificus-induced mice lethality.

Discovery of a small-molecule inhibitor for kidney ADP-ribosyl cyclase: Implication for intracellular calcium signal mediated by cyclic ADP-ribose

ADP-ribosyl cyclase (ADPR-cyclase) produces a Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger, cyclic ADP- ribose (cADPR), from beta-NAD+. A prototype of mammalian ADPR-cyclases is a lymphocyte antigen CD38. Accumulating evidence indicates that ADPR-cyclases other than CD38 are expressed in various cells and organs. In this study, we discovered a small molecule inhibitor of kidney ADPR-cyclase. This compound inhibited kidney ADPR-cyclase activity but not CD38, spleen, heart or brain ADPR-cyclase activity in vitro. Characterization of the compound in a cell-based system revealed that an extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR)- mediated cADPR production and a later long-lasting increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in mouse mesangial cells were inhibited by the pre-treatment with this compound. In contrast, the compound did not block CD3/TCR-induced cADPR production and the increase of [Ca2+]i in Jurkat T cells, which express CD38 exclusively. The long-lasting Ca2+ signal generated by both receptors was inhibited by pre-treatment with an antagonistic cADPR derivative, 8-Br-cADPR, indicating that the Ca2+ signal is mediated by the ADPR-cyclse metabolite, cADPR. Moreover, among structurally similar compounds tested, the compound inhibited most potently the cADPR production and Ca2+ signal induced by CaSR. These findings provide evidence for existence of a distinct ADPR-cyclase in the kidney and basis for the development of tissue specific inhibitors.

Doxorubicin-induced reactive oxygen species generation and intracellular Ca2+increase are reciprocally modulated in rat cardiomyocytes

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most potent anticancer drugs and induces acute cardiac arrhythmias and chronic cumulative cardiomyopathy. Though DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is known to be caused mainly by ROS generation, a disturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis is also implicated one of the cardiotoxic mechanisms. In this study, a molecular basis of DOX-induced modulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was investigated. Treatment of adult rat cardiomyocytes with DOX increased [Ca2+]i irrespectively of extracellular Ca2+, indicating DOX-mediated Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores. The DOX-induced Ca2+ increase was slowly processed and sustained. The Ca2+ increase was inhibited by pretreatment with a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ channel blocker, ryanodine or dantrolene, and an antioxidant, alpha-lipoic acid or alpha-tocopherol. DOX-induced ROS generation was observed immediately after DOX treatment and increased in a time-dependent manner. The ROS production was significantly reduced by the pretreatment of the SR Ca2+ channel blockers and the antioxidants. Moreover, DOX-mediated activation of caspase-3 was significantly inhibited by the Ca2+ channel blockers and a-lipoic acid but not a-tocopherol. In addition, cotreatment of ryanodine with alpha-lipoic acid resulted in further inhibition of the casapse-3 activity. These results demonstrate that DOX-mediated ROS opens ryanodine receptor, resulting in an increase in [Ca2+]i and that the increased [Ca2+]i induces ROS production. These observations also suggest that DOX/ROS-induced increase of [Ca2+]i plays a critical role in damage of cardiomyocytes.