Structure-function relationships in UCP1, UCP2 and chimeras: EPR analysis and retinoic acid activation of UCP2.

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are composed of three repeated domains of approximately 100 amino acids each. We have used chimeras of UCP1 and UCP2, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), to investigate domain specific properties of these UCPs. Questions include: are the effects of nucleotide binding on proton transport solely mediated by amino acids in the third C-terminal domain, and are the amino acids in the first two domains involved in retinoic or fatty acid activation? We first confirmed that our reconstitution system produced UCP1 that exhibited known properties, such as activation by fatty acids and inhibition of proton transport by purine nucleotides. Our results confirm the observations reported for recombinant yeast that retinoic acid, but not fatty acids known to activate UCP1, activates proton transport by UCP2 and that this activation is insensitive to nucleotide inhibition. We constructed chimeras in which the last domains of UCP1 or UCP2 were switched and tested for activation by fatty acids or retinoic acid and inhibition by nucleotides. U1U2 is composed of mUCP1 (amino acids 1-198) and hUCP2 (amino acids 211-309). Fatty acids activated proton transport of U1U2 and GTP mediated inhibition. In the other chimeric construct U2U1, hUCP2 (amino acids 1-210) and mUCP1 (amino acids 199-307), retinoic acid still acted as an activator, but no inhibition was observed with GTP. Using EPR, a method well suited to the analysis of the structure of membrane proteins such as UCPs, we confirmed that UCP2 binds nucleotides. The EPR data show large structural changes in UCP1 and UCP2 on exposure to ATP, implying that a putative nucleotide-binding site is present on UCP2. EPR analysis also demonstrated changes in conformation of UCP1/UCP2 chimeras following exposure to purine nucleotides. These data demonstrate that a nucleotide-binding site is present in the C-terminal domain of UCP2. This domain was able to inhibit proton transport only when fused to the N-terminal part of UCP1 (chimera U1U2). Thus, residues involved in nucleotide inhibition of proton transport are located in the two first carrier motifs of UCP1. While these results are consistent with previously reported effects of the C-terminal domain on nucleotide binding, they also demonstrate that interactions with the N-terminal domains are necessary to inhibit proton transport. Finally, the results suggest that proteins such as UCP2 may transport protons even though they are not responsible for basal or cold-induced thermogenesis.

BMCP1, a novel mitochondrial carrier with high expression in the central nervous system of humans and rodents, and respiration uncoupling activity in recombinant yeast.

We report here the cloning and functional analysis of a novel homologue of the mitochondrial carriers predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and referred to as BMCP1 (brain mitochondrial carrier protein-1). The predicted amino acid sequence of this novel mitochondrial carrier indicates a level of identity of 39, 31, or 30%, toward the mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier, phosphate carrier, or adenine nucleotide translocator, respectively, and a level of identity of 34, 38, or 39% with the mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP1, UCP2, or UCP3, respectively. Northern analysis of mouse, rat, or human tissues demonstrated that mRNA of this novel gene is mainly expressed in brain, although it is 10-30-fold less expressed in other tissues. In situ hybridization analysis of brain showed it is particularly abundant in cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Chromosomal mapping indicates that BMCP1 is located on chromosome X of mice and at Xq24 in man. Expression of the protein in yeast strongly impaired growth rate. Analysis of respiration of total recombinant yeast or yeast spheroplasts and in particular of the relationship between respiratory rate and membrane potential of yeast spheroplasts revealed a marked uncoupling activity of respiration, suggesting that although BMCP1 sequence is more distant from the uncoupling proteins (UCPs), this protein could be a fourth member of the UCP family.

Cloning and developmental regulation of a novel member of the insulin-like gene family in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Aging, metabolism and fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) are influenced by mutations in DAF-2, a putative insulin-like receptor. Ten putative insulin-like genes have been recently identified from the C. elegans genome database. However, it is unclear if these genes are orthologues of human insulin since they lack the C-peptide dibasic amino acid proteolysis sites. We have identified and measured mRNA expression during development of two novel members of the C. elegans insulin-like gene family. We also report the sequence characterization and gene structure for one of these, the insulin-like protein-1 (ILP1). We focused on ILP1 characterization because it has structural features consistent with its being a candidate insulin ligand for the DAF-2 insulin-like receptor. For example, ILP1 has a putative C-peptide flanked by dibasic amino acids, exhibits conserved cysteine residues that could provide disulfide bonds between the A and B chains, and has two introns. Northern blot analysis revealed that ILP1 mRNA is expressed at very high levels in embryos and is downregulated very early during postnatal development, suggesting that it may influence embryonic development, but not Dauer formation. We also identified a novel insulin-like growth factor-1-like protein (T28B8/IGF-I) that exhibits a very different developmental expression profile than ILP1. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that members of the unusually large and complex C. elegans insulin-like protein family exhibit complex and perhaps redundant roles.

Five frequent polymorphisms of the PAI-1 gene: lack of association between genotypes, PAI activity, and triglyceride levels in a healthy population.

The main function of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) is to decrease fibrinolysis, which leads to fibrin accumulation. An elevated plasma PAI-1 concentration has been identified as a risk factor for the development of myocardial infarction, and an association between 1 polymorphism of the PAI-1 promoter and plasma PAI-1 levels has been described. Our aim was to identify new polymorphisms in the PAI-1 gene and to further examine the relationship between PAI-1 genotypes and circulating PAI-1 levels. We report the presence of 4 new polymorphisms that were identified by non-isotopic single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis followed by sequencing. These polymorphisms were investigated in relation to PAI-1 levels in a sample of 256 healthy men, aged 50-59 years, from France and Northern Ireland. Two G/A substitutions were detected at positions -844 and +9785. The former is in strong positive linkage disequilibrium with the previously described 4G/5G polymorphism at position -675. Two polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region were identified. One corresponds to a T/G substitution at position +11,053 and is in negative linkage disequilibrium with the G/A substitution (+9785). The other is a 9-nucleotide insertion/deletion located between nucleotides +11,320 and +11,345 in a threefold-repeated sequence. This polymorphism is in strong positive linkage disequilibrium with the G/A substitution (+9785). The overall heterozygosity provided by the 5 PAI-1 polymorphisms (including the 4 new variants and the 4G/5G polymorphism) was .77. No significant association was found between PAI activity and genotypes; furthermore, the well known associations between PAI activity and body mass index, serum triglycerides, or insulin were homogeneous according to PAI-1 genotypes.

Up-regulated expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in Hep G2 cells: interrelationship between insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1.

Insulin resistance represents a situation with a high risk of atherothrombosis and is accompanied by increased plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels. Fasting insulin level is highly correlated with PAI-1 levels in plasma. It has been shown that insulin increases PAI-1 synthesis by the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2. Moreover when Hep G2 cells expressing a down-regulation of insulin receptors by incubation with 10(-7) M insulin, were stimulated by 10(-9) M insulin, an overexpression of PAI-1 synthesis was observed despite a reduced number of insulin receptors. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) shares many properties with insulin. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of IGF-1 on PAI-1 synthesis by Hep G2 cells down-regulated either by insulin or IGF-1. Incubation of Hep G2 cells with increasing doses from 10(-9) to 10(-7) M IGF-1 induced a dose-dependent stimulation of PAI-1 synthesis up to 4.5-fold the control level. When cells were first pre-incubated with 10(-7) M IGF-1 for 18 h, acid washed, and then stimulated with 10(-9) M IGF-1, the expression of IGF-1 receptors was greatly reduced (up to 70%). In contrast PAI-1 secretion was increased 3.4-fold the level of control cells and by 1.9-fold the level of cells first stimulated with 10(-9) M IGF-1. Both transcripts of PAI-1 mRNA were also increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Detection of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) mRNA in human megakaryocytes by in situ hybridization.

Platelets have been described to contain a large proportion of the circulating plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) which is released on platelet activation. This protein could be taken up by platelets from the plasma or synthesized by megakaryocytes (MKs). Recently, PAI-1 mRNA has been detected in a human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line (MEG-01) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, a direct-demonstration of its presence in normal human MKs is lacking. In order to prove directly the megakaryocytic origin of platelet PAI-1, the MEG-01 cell line, human bone marrow enriched in MKs, and bone marrow smears from allogeneic bone marrow transplantation donors were investigated for the presence of PAI-1 mRNA using in situ hybridization (ISH). Specimens of bone marrow were first stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG) for cell identification according to their morphology. Subsequently, the same slides were used for ISH. PAI-1 mRNA was clearly demonstrated in the MEG-01 cell line and in MKs, and its presence correlated with the detection of PAI-1 antigen by immunocytochemistry. PAI-1 mRNA was also detected in morphologically characterized mature granulocytes of marrow samples.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression in human liver and healthy or atherosclerotic vessel walls.

Individuals with elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 are at risk of developing atherosclerosis. The mechanisms leading to increased plasma PAI-1 concentrations are not well understood. The link observed between increased PAI-1 levels and insulin resistance has lead workers to investigate the effects of insulin or triglyceride rich lipoproteins on PAI-1 production by cultured hepatocytes or endothelial cells. However, little is known about the contribution of these cells to PAI-1 production in vivo. We have studied the expression of PAI-1 in human liver sections as well as in vessel walls from different territories, by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. We have observed that normal liver endothelial cells expressed PAI-1 while parenchymal cells did not. However, this fact does not refute the role of parenchymal liver cells in pathological states. In healthy vessels, PAI-1 mRNA and protein were detected primarily at the endothelium from the lumen as well as from the vasa vasorum. In normal arteries, smooth muscle cells were able to produce PAI-1 depending on the territory tested. In deeply altered vessels, PAI-1 expression was observed in neovessels scattering the lesions, in some intimal cells and in smooth muscle cells. Local increase PAI-1 mRNA described in atherosclerotic lesions could be due to the abundant neovascularization present in the lesion as well as a raised expression in smooth muscle cells. The increased PAI-1 in atherosclerosis could lead to fibrin deposit during plaque rupture contributing further to the development and progression of the lesion.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 synthesis in the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2. Metformin inhibits the stimulating effect of insulin.

High plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity is associated with insulin resistance and is correlated with hyperinsulinemia. The cellular origin of plasma PAI-1 in insulin resistance is not known. The hepatoma cell line Hep G2 has been shown to synthesize PAI-1 in response to insulin. The aim of this study was to analyze the insulin-mediated response of PAI-1 and lipid synthesis in Hep G2 cells after producing an insulin-resistant state by decreasing insulin receptor numbers. The effect of metformin, a dimethyl-substituted biguanide, known to lower plasma insulin and PAI-1 levels in vivo was concomitantly evaluated. Preincubation by an 18-h exposure of Hep G2 cells to 10(-7) M insulin aimed at reducing the number of insulin receptors, was followed by a subsequent 24-h stimulation with 10(-9) M insulin. The decrease in insulin receptors was accompanied as expected, by a reduction in [14C]acetate incorporation, an index of lipid synthesis, whereas PAI-1 secretion and PAI-1 mRNA expression were enhanced. The addition of metformin did not modify the effect of insulin on insulin receptors or [14C]acetate incorporation. In contrast, the drug (10(-4) M) inhibited insulin-mediated PAI-1 synthesis. The results indicate that PAI-1 synthesis in presence of insulin is markedly increased in down-regulated cells, and that metformin inhibits this effect by acting at the cellular level. These in vitro data are relevant with those found in vivo in insulin-resistant patients. Hep G2 cells may be a suitable model to study PAI-1 regulation in response to hyperinsulinemia.

Effects of taurolithocholate, a Ca2(+)-mobilizing agent, on cell Ca2(+) in rat hepatocytes, human platelets and neuroblastoma NG108-15 cell line.

The monohydroxy bile acid taurolithocholate permeabilizes the endoplasmic reticulum to Ca2+ in rat liver cells. To assess whether this action on the endoplasmic reticulum was restricted to this tissue, the effects of bile acid were investigated in two cell types quite unrelated to rat hepatocyte, namely human platelets and neuronal NG108-15 cell line. The results showed that taurolithocholate (3-100 microM) had no effect on free cytosolic [Ca2+] in human platelets and NG108-15 cells. whereas it increased it from 180 to 520 nM in rat hepatocytes. In contrast, in cells permeabilized by saponin, taurolithocholate initiated a profound release of the stored Ca2+ from the internal Ca2+ pools in the three cell types. The bile acid released 90% of the Ca2+ pools, with rate constants of about 5 min-1 and half-maximal effects at 15-30 microM. The results also showed that, in contrast with liver cells, which displayed an influx of [14C]taurolithocholate of 2 nmol/min per mg, human platelets and the neuronal cell line appeared to be resistant to [14C]taurolithocholate uptake. The influx measured in these latter cells was about 100-fold lower than in rat liver cells. Taken together, these data suggest that human platelets and NG108-15 cells do not possess the transport system for concentrating monohydroxy bile acids into cells. However, they show that human platelets and neuronal NG108-15 possess, in common with liver cells, the intracellular system responsible for taurolithocholate-mediated Ca2+ release from internal stores.