Amyloid fibrils formed by the programmed cell death regulator Bcl-xL.

The accumulation of amyloid fibers due to protein misfolding is associated with numerous human diseases. For example, the formation of amyloid deposits in neurodegenerative pathologies is correlated with abnormal apoptosis. We report here the in vitro formation of various types of aggregates by Bcl-xL, a protein of the Bcl-2 family involved in the regulation of apoptosis. Bcl-xL forms aggregates in three states, micelles, native-like fibrils, and amyloid fibers, and their biophysical characterization has been performed in detail. Bcl-xL remains in its native state within micelles and native-like fibrils, and our results suggest that native-like fibrils are formed by the association of micelles. Formation of amyloid structures, that is, nonnative intermolecular ß-sheets, is favored by the proximity of proteins within fibrils at the expense of the Bcl-xL native structure. Finally, we provide evidence of a direct relationship between the amyloid character of the fibers and the tertiary-structure stability of the native Bcl-xL. The potential causality between the accumulation of Bcl-xL into amyloid deposits and abnormal apoptosis during neurodegenerative diseases is discussed.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 inhibits adult supraoptic neurons via complementary modulation of mechanoreceptors and glycine receptors.

In the CNS, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is mainly known for its trophic effect both during development and in adulthood. Here, we show than in adult rat supraoptic nucleus (SON), IGF-1 receptor immunoreactivity is present in neurons, whereas IGF-1 immunoreactivity is found principally in astrocytes and more moderately in neurons. In vivo application of IGF-1 within the SON acutely inhibits the activity of both vasopressin and oxytocin neurons, the two populations of SON neuroendocrine cells. Recordings of acutely isolated SON neurons showed that this inhibition occurs through two rapid and reversible mechanisms, both involving the neuronal IGF-1 receptor but different intracellular messengers. IGF-1 inhibits Gd3+-sensitive and osmosensitive mechanoreceptor cation current via phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI3) kinase activation. IGF-1 also potentiates taurine-activated glycine receptor (GlyR) Cl- currents by increasing the agonist sensitivity through a extremely rapid (within a second) PI3 kinase-independent mechanism. Both mechanoreceptor channels and GlyR, which form the excitatory and inhibitory components of SON neuron osmosensitivity, are active at rest, and their respective inhibition and potentiation will both be inhibitory, leading to strong decrease in neuronal activity. It will be of interest to determine whether IGF-1 is released by neurons, thus participating in an inhibitory autocontrol, or astrocytes, then joining the growing family of glia-to-neuron transmitters that modulate neuronal and synaptic activity. Through the opposite and complementary acute regulation of mechanoreceptors and GlyR, IGF-1 appears as a new important neuromodulator in the adult CNS, participating in the complex integration of neural messages that regulates the level of neuronal excitability.

Zinc is both an intracellular and extracellular regulator of KATP channel function.

Extracellular Zn(2+) has been identified as an activator of pancreatic K(ATP) channels. We further examined the action of Zn(2+) on recombinant K(ATP) channels formed with the inward rectifier K(+) channel subunit Kir6.2 associated with either the pancreatic/neuronal sulphonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) subunit or the cardiac SUR2A subunit. Zn(2+), applied at either the extracellular or intracellular side of the membrane appeared as a potent, reversible activator of K(ATP) channels. External Zn(2+), at micromolar concentrations, activated SUR1/Kir6.2 but induced a small inhibition of SUR2A/Kir6.2 channels. Cytosolic Zn(2+) dose-dependently stimulated both SUR1/Kir6.2 and SUR2A/Kir6.2 channels, with half-maximal effects at 1.8 and 60 microm, respectively, but it did not affect the Kir6.2 subunit expressed alone. These observations point to an action of both external and internal Zn(2+) on the SUR subunit. Effects of internal Zn(2+) were not due to Zn(2+) leaking out, since they were unaffected by the presence of a Zn(2+) chelator on the external side. Similarly, internal chelators did not affect activation by external Zn(2+). Therefore, Zn(2+) is an endogenous K(ATP) channel opener being active on both sides of the membrane, with potentially distinct sites of action located on the SUR subunit. These findings uncover a novel regulatory pathway targeting K(ATP) channels, and suggest a new role for Zn(2+) as an intracellular signalling molecule.

Vasopressin-induced taurine efflux from rat pituicytes: a potential negative feedback for hormone secretion.

Previous work on the whole neurohypophysis has shown that hypotonic conditions increase release of taurine from neurohypophysial astrocytes (pituicytes). The present work confirms that taurine is present in cultured pituicytes, and that its specific release increases in response to a hypotonic shock. We next show that vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) also specifically release taurine from pituicytes. With an EC(50) of approximately 2 nm, VP is much more potent than OT, and the effects of both hormones are blocked by SR 49059, a V(1a) receptor antagonist. This pharmacological profile matches the one for VP- and OT-evoked calcium signals in pituicytes, consistent with the fact that VP-induced taurine efflux is blocked by BAPTA-AM. However, BAPTA-AM also blocks the taurine efflux induced by a 270 mosmol l(-1) challenge, which per se does not evoke any calcium signal, suggesting a permissive role for calcium in this case. Nevertheless, the fact that structurally unrelated calcium-mobilizing agents and ionomycin are able to induce taurine efflux suggests that calcium may also play a signalling role in this event. It is widely accepted that in hypotonic conditions taurine exits cells through anionic channels. Antagonism by the chloride channel inhibitors 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) and 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB) suggests the same pathway for VP-induced taurine efflux, which is also blocked in hypertonic conditions (330 mosmol l(-1)). Moreover, it is likely that the osmosensitivity of the taurine channel is up-regulated by calcium. These results, together with our in situ experiments showing stimulation of taurine release by endogenous VP, strengthen the concept of a glial control of neurohormone output.