Focal adhesion kinase regulates insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: On the basis of our previous studies, we investigated the possible role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the development of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, a major organ responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Insulin-resistant C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were transfected with FAK wild-type or FAK mutant plasmids, knocked down using small interfering RNA (siRNA), and their effects on the levels and activities of insulin-signalling molecules and on glucose uptake were determined. RESULTS: A significant decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK in insulin-resistant C2C12 cells was observed. A similar decrease was observed in skeletal muscle obtained from insulin-resistant Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet. Increased levels of FAK in insulin-resistant C2C12 skeletal muscle cells increased insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. These effects were reversed by an increase in the level of kinase activity mutant FAK or suppression of endogenous FAK by siRNA. FAK was also found to interact downstream with insulin receptor substrate-1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase C and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, leading to translocation of glucose transporter 4 and resulting in the regulation of glucose uptake. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The present study provides strong evidence that the modulation of FAK level regulates the insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscle cells. The results demonstrate a direct role of FAK in insulin-resistant skeletal muscle cells for the first time.

The anti-leishmanial drug miltefosine causes insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells in vitro.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Miltefosine, the first oral anti-leishmanial drug, is reported to inhibit phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt activity in carcinoma cell lines. Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway is known to result in insulin resistance. Therefore, we investigated whether miltefosine has any deleterious effect(s) on insulin sensitivity in L6E9 skeletal muscle cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: L6E9 myotubes were treated with miltefosine and its effect was observed on insulin-signalling proteins such as Akt, PI3K, insulin receptor-beta, IRS-1, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 and glycogen synthase kinase beta, as well as on glucose uptake. RESULTS: Miltefosine caused skeletal muscle insulin resistance in vitro by interfering with the insulin-signalling pathway and inhibiting insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Miltefosine may contribute to the risk of type 2 diabetes and needs further clinical exploration.

Altered tubulin dynamics, localization and post-translational modifications in sodium arsenite resistant Leishmania donovani in response to paclitaxel, trifluralin and a combination of both and induction of apoptosis-like cell death.

In this study the anti-leishmanial activity and anti-microtubule effects of paclitaxel, trifluralin and a combination of paclitaxel and trifluralin have been tested in a wild type and sodium arsenite-resistant strain of Leishmania donovani. Both paclitaxel and trifluralin have been shown to be effective in limiting parasite growth. Specific alterations in morphology, tubulin polymerization dynamics, post-translational modifications and cellular distribution of the tubulins have been confirmed to be a part of the intracellular anti-microtubule-events that occur in arsenite-resistant L. donovani in response to these agents, ultimately leading to death of the parasite. DNA analyses of the drug-treated wild type and arsenite-resistant strains revealed an apoptosis-like death in response to paclitaxel and the combination but not to trifluralin. Data provide valuable information for further development of chemotherapeutic strategies based on anti-microtubule agents against drug resistant Leishmania parasites.

RNA-mediated gene silencing: mechanisms and its therapeutic applications.

RNA interference, part of a complicated network of interconnected pathways for cellular defence, RNA surveillance and development, has become a powerful tool for the experimental manipulation of gene expression. It is the process by which double-stranded (dsRNA) silences specific gene expression through homology-dependent degradation of cognate mRNA. The dsRNA is converted into 21nt small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which directs a complex ribonuclease system to substrate mRNA targets. The degradation of the target mRNA is initiated with the cleavage at a position corresponding to the centre of the siRNA. Dissecting individual cellular pathways to reveal the function of numerous proteins is an approach to drug discovery. Interfering RNA (RNAi) serves as a rapid and convenient tool, which works in various organisms. RNAi technology has the potential to facilitate our understanding of biological processes and potentially lead to exciting new drugs. Here we review various experimental approaches adopted with RNAi and possible therapeutic applications.

Transdermal iontophoresis of insulin: III. Influence of electronic parameters.

Transdermal iontophoresis is a physical enhancement strategy primarily for charged molecules and offers a number of advantages for the delivery of peptides and proteins. The singular advantage of iontophoresis lies in the precise control of dose by manipulating the current protocol. The objective of the present investigation was to understand the role of electronic parameters on iontophoretic transport of large peptides using insulin as a model peptide. Ex vivo permeation experiments were conducted using excised rat skin and the influence of varying current strengths, duration, on/off ratios and switching iontophoresis on insulin permeation were studied. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and thin layer chromatography (TLC) were used to assess the electrochemical stability of insulin; while Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to understand the biophysical changes in skin during iontophoresis. The permeation of insulin was found to increase as a function of current strength and duration of current application. Skin barrier integrity and electrochemical stability of insulin was dependent on the charge applied during iontophoresis. FT-IR spectroscopy and TGA studies showed that the skin hydration increased with increase in the charge applied and thus facilitated the transport of insulin. Periodic iontophoresis did not show any significant difference in insulin permeation compared with continuous current application; 1:1 on/off ratio resulted in higher amount of insulin permeation, while flux was highest with mixed duty cycle. Switching iontophoresis was useful in reducing the pH shift and in improving the electrochemical stability of insulin at pH 3.6 and 7.4, respectively. The electroosmotic flow was influenced by the pH of the donor medium, as well as by the electrode polarity during switching and non-switching iontophoresis. Overall, the study demonstrates the issues related to the optimization of electronic parameters for the iontophoretic delivery of a large peptide.

Overexpression and increased DNA topoisomerase II-like enzyme activity in arsenite resistant Leishmania donovani.

Western immunoblot analyses of whole cell lysates probed with a human specific monoclonal anti-topoisomerase IIalpha antibody identified a 190 kDa protein over expressed in the arsenite resistant Leishmania donovani strain. The crude nuclear extract of the resistant strain showed higher topoisomerase II-like enzyme activity. suggesting a possible regulatory role of putative topoisomerase II in arsenite resistant Leishmania.

Microtubules: dynamics, drug interaction and drug resistance in Leishmania.

Microtubules are cytoskeletal polymers essential for the survival of all eukaryotes. These proteins are the proposed cellular targets of many anticancerous, antifungal and antihelminthic drugs. Sufficient differences exist between the microtubules of kinetoplastid parasites like Leishmania and humans to explore the selective targeting of these proteins for therapeutic purposes. This review describes the basic structure of microtubules and its dynamics in general, with specific insights into leishmanial microtubules, the salient features of microtubule-drug interactions including the specificity of certain drugs for parasitic microtubules. Chemotherapy against leishmanial parasites is failing because of the emergence of drug resistant strains. The possible mechanisms of resistance to antimicrotubule agents along with insights into the role of microtubules in mediating drug resistance in Leishmania are discussed.

Resistance to arsenite modulates expression of beta- and gamma-tubulin and sensitivity to paclitaxel during differentiation of Leishmania donovani.

Differentiation of Leishmania donovani promastigotes into infectious amastigotes is accompanied by differential tubulin gene expression. Tubulin is one of the proposed targets of clinically useful antileishmanial agents and its expression is known to alter due to drug resistance. In this study, beta- and gamma-tubulin expression under various stages of differentiation was measured in an in vitro generated arsenite-resistant L. donovani strain. Results showed higher constitutive expression of beta-tubulin in the arsenite-resistant promastigotes and amastigotes compared with the wild-type. beta-Tubulin expression in the resistant promastigotes increased on paclitaxel treatment. Significant differences in gamma-tubulin expression were observed only between the amastigotes, but not between promastigotes, of wild-type and resistant strains. Paclitaxel did not produce any significant change in the expression profile of gamma-tubulin in either of the strains, neither before nor after differentiation. Data suggest that the beta- and gamma-tubulin expression and the response to paclitaxel is affected due to arsenite resistance.

Focal adhesion kinase tyrosine phosphorylation is associated with myogenesis and modulated by insulin.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was heavily phosphorylated as a function of differentiation of C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cells. Insulin caused increases in FAK phosphorylation before stabilization in proliferated cells, while in differentiated cells there was a consistent transient inhibition of FAK phosphorylation before stimulation. The expression level of FAK was unaltered. Specific inhibition of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity abolished the insulin-mediated dephosphorylation of FAK. The data strongly indicate that FAK tyrosine phosphorylation, necessary for skeletal muscle differentiation, is modulated by insulin. Thus, for the first time, we report the differential regulation of FAK tyrosine phosphorylation by insulin during skeletal muscle differentiation.

Cell proliferation and natural killer cell activity by polyherbal formulation, Immu-21 in mice.

Immunomodulatory activity of an Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation, Immu-21 containing extracts of Ocimum sanctum, Withania somnifera, Emblica officinalis and Tinospora cordifolia was studied on proliferative response of splenic leukocytes to T cell mitogens, concanavalin (Con)-A and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and B cell mitogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro by [3H]-thymidine uptake assay in mice. The cytotoxic activity of Immu-21 was tested by measuring the splenic leukocyte natural killer (NK) cell activity against K 562 cells. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment with Immu-21 (30 mg/kg) once a day for 14 and 21 days did not cause change in body weight and spleen weight, where as splenocytes/spleen count was increased. Treatment of Immu-21 (30 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days and 1 mg/kg for 21 days significantly increased LPS induced leukocyte proliferation. NK cell activity was significantly increased when mice were pretreated with Immu-21 (10 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) once a day for 7 days. The results indicate that pretreatment with Immu-21 selectively increased the proliferation of splenic leukocyte to B cell mitogen, LPS and cytotoxic activity against K 562 cells in mice.

Resistance to arsenite modulates levels of alpha-tubulin and sensitivity to paclitaxel in Leishmania donovani.

Tubulin expression is known to alter due to drug resistance. Differentiation of Leishmania promastigotes into infectious amastigotes has been reported to be accompanied by differential tubulin gene expression. In this study, alpha-tubulin expression under various stages of differentiation was measured in an in vitro generated arsenite-resistant L. donovani strain. While levels of expression of alpha-tubulin were similar in wild type and resistant promastigotes, during conversion into axenic amastigotes the changes in the expression levels of alpha-tubulin varied widely between the two strains. Sensitivity of the two strains to paclitaxel (known to promote tubulin assembly) differed, with the resistant strain being two-fold more sensitive than the wild type strain. Paclitaxel was also seen to cause differential effects on alpha-tubulin levels in the two strains.

Tubulin is hyperphosphorylated on serine and tyrosine residues in arsenite-resistant Leishmania donovani promastigotes.

An arsenite-resistant strain of Leishmania donovani was generated in vitro by the sequential exposure of a wild type strain to increasing concentrations of sodium m-arsenite. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of whole cell lysates of the two strains revealed that a protein band at the 55 kDa position showed slower migration in the resistant samples. This band was identified as tubulin by immunoblotting, with both alpha- and beta-tubulin showing retarded migration in the resistant strain. Investigations into the reason for the observed slower migration revealed that phosphorylation of tubulin on both serine and tyrosine residues was enhanced in the resistant strain when compared to the wild type strain.

Arsenite-resistant Leishmania donovani promastigotes express an enhanced membrane P-type adenosine triphosphatase activity that is sensitive to verapamil treatment.

An arsenite-resistant strain of Leishmania donovani was generated in vitro by sequential exposure to higher concentrations of sodium m-arsenite. The resistant strain displayed a low level of cross-resistance to structurally unrelated drugs such as doxorubicin and pentamidine. This cross-resistance was sensitive to the calcium-channel blocker verapamil. The membrane-associated P-type adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity detected in crude membrane fractions of the resistant strain was 3-fold that found in the wild-type parasites. The enhanced ATPase activity was unaffected by the presence of verapamil in the reaction mixture. However, when cells were grown in the presence of verapamil the membrane-associated ATPase activity of the resistant strain showed significant inhibition.

Putative P-glycoprotein expression in arsenite-resistant Leishmania donovani down-regulated by verapamil.

Western immunoblots of whole cell lysate and crude membrane extract of an in vitro selected sodium m-arsenite-resistant L. donovani strain revealed a 230-kDa protein identified by an anti-P-glycoprotein (Pgp) antibody. Immunofluorescence microscopy, using the same antibody, detected putative Pgp on resistant parasites. Overexpression of the putative Pgp was down-regulated by verapamil. These results provided, possibly, the first evidence that (i) overexpression of Pgp-like protein occurs in arsenite-resistant Leishmania that are cross-resistant to structurally and functionally unrelated drugs and (ii) verapamil regulates drug sensitivity possibly by down-regulating Pgp expression in the arsenite-resistant Leishmania.

Monoclonal antibodies in drug targeting.

The objective of drug targeting is to deliver drugs to a specific site of action through a carrier system. In cancer chemotherapy, cytotoxic drugs kill cancerous cells but also damage normal cells. Monoclonal antibodies generated against specific antigens, when conjugated to cytotoxic drugs, can selectively deliver drugs to cancer cells while minimizing damage to normal cells. Of all the carrier systems available, monoclonal antibodies are gaining importance because of their high specificity. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive account of the use of monoclonal antibodies in drug targeting, highlighting their scope and limitations.

A testicular protein important for fertility has glutathione S-transferase activity and is localized extracellularly in the seminiferous tubules.

A 24-kDa protein isolated by preparative gel electrophoresis from rat testes was reported by us as an active immunogen in rats. Anti-24-kDa antibodies inhibited murine sperm-oocyte binding in vitro. Here, we show similarity at the NH2 terminus shared by this protein purified on Sephadex G-75 followed by anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography with glutathione S-transferase (GST)-mu subunits. This protein purified by glutathione affinity chromatography also demonstrated similarity to GST-mu NH2 terminus in a 30-amino-acid overlap. Both proteins showed activity toward the GST substrate 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (Km of 33 microM and 50 microM) which was inhibited by 17 beta-estradiol 3-sulfate. Antisera against both proteins recognized liver GST-mu on Western blots and sperm acrosome of multiple species immunocytochemically. Both antisera significantly inhibited in vitro fertilization of goat oocytes by sperm preincubated with them while anti-liver GST sera did not. GST activity was localized on rat sperm, seminiferous tubular fluid, and Sertoli cells. Seminiferous tubular fluid 24-kDa protein shared similarity to the NH2 terminus of GST-mu subunits in a 20-amino-acid overlap. Time-dependent accumulation of GST was detected in the spent culture medium of seminiferous tubules from rats of different ages suggesting secretion.

Assembly-dependent phosphorylation of myosin and paramyosin of native thick filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Phosphorylation of the thick filament proteins myosin and paramyosin was studied in Caenorhabditis elegans. We have incubated partially purified, native thick filaments with [gamma 32P] ATP in the presence of 50-750 mM NaCl, pH 6.5-8.0. Myosin heavy chain and paramyosin were phosphorylatable only upon solubilization at 450 mM and higher NaCl concentrations. Under conditions preserving native structures, no phosphorylation of these proteins occurred. The phosphorylation required Mg2+ but was unaffected by cAMP, cGMP or Ca2+. The specific inhibitor of cAMP and cGMP kinase catalytic subunits, H8, inhibits the activity. Sedimentation experiments show that the kinase may associate with but is not an intrinsic component of thick filaments. In C. elegans, phosphorylation by the thick filament associated activity of myosin and paramyosin is dependent upon the state of their assembly.

Activation of Ciona sperm motility: phosphorylation of dynein polypeptides and effects of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

A high molecular mass dynein ATPase polypeptide and a 18-20 kDa dynein light chain of Ciona sperm flagella are phosphorylated during in vivo activation of motility or in vitro activation of motility by incubation with cyclic AMP. A similar level of phosphorylation of these proteins is obtained by incubation of washed, demembranated spermatozoa with catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, under conditions where there is no activation of motility until a supernatant component is added. Therefore, phosphorylation of these dynein polypeptides is not sufficient for activation of motility. Activation of motility in vitro by incubation with cyclic AMP can be completely inhibited by a random copolymer of glutamate and tyrosine that inhibits tyrosine kinase activity. Under these conditions, much of the protein phosphorylation associated with activation of motility is also inhibited. These new results suggest that regulation of motility of these spermatozoa may involve a multicomponent kinase cascade rather than a simple phosphorylation of a protein 'switch' by the cyclic AMP-dependent kinase. A 53 kDa axonemal phosphoprotein band, identified as band M1, shows the strongest correlation with activation of motility in these experiments.

Type I and II cAMP-dependent ecto-protein kinases in goat epididymal spermatozoa and their enriched activities in forward-motile spermatozoa.

Several lines of evidence have demonstrated conclusively the presence of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (ecto-RC) activity on the external surface of goat cauda-epididymal intact spermatozoa. The intact-cell ecto-kinase that caused transfer of the terminal phosphate of exogenous ATP to the serine and threonine residues of exogenous histone was specifically activated by cAMP. As well, the ecto-kinase caused phosphorylation of the synthetic peptide Kemptide. The isolated spermatozoa, before or after incubation with reaction mixture for ecto-kinase assays, were approximately 99.5% viable, as shown by the analyses of ethidium bromide fluorescence and the cytosolic marker enzymes lactic dehydrogenase and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase. The ecto-kinase activity was not due to contamination of epididymal plasma and damaged cells or to protein kinase that may have leaked from the cells. There was little uptake of ATP and histone by the cells. The intact-cell kinase activity was strongly (80-90%) inhibited by treatment with membrane nonpenetrating surface probes: p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid (2 microM), diazonium salt of sulfanilic acid (DSS, 0.5 mM), and proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pronase (each 125 micrograms/mL). Disruption of sperm plasma membrane by sonication or Triton X-100 (0.2%) caused about a fivefold increase of the intact sperm kinase activity. Highly purified sperm plasma membrane (PM) possessed ecto-kinase activity that was resolved into type I and II kinases by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, the type I isoenzyme being the major (approximately 70%) enzymic species. Treatment of the intact spermatozoa with DSS prior to isolation of PM caused a marked loss of the activities of both the isoenzymes, indicating thereby the "ecto" nature of the PM-bound type I and II kinases. Preparations of vigorously forward-motile spermatozoa with 100% intactness had approximately fourfold higher specific activity of the ecto-kinase than the "composite" cells from which the former cells were isolated. However, the profiles of the type I and II ecto-kinases of the composite, as well as forward-motile spermatozoa, were nearly identical. The data are consistent with the view that ecto-kinases may have role in the regulation of flagellar motility.