Reduced serotonin and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid levels in serum of cystatin B-deficient mice, a model system for progressive myoclonus epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the levels of tryptophan and its metabolites along serotonin (5-HT) and kynurenine (KYN) pathways in serum of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (EPM1) patients and cystatin B (CSTB)-deficient mice, a model system for EPM1. METHODS: Tryptophan and its metabolites along serotonin (5-HT) and KYN pathways were determined in serum of EPM1 patients and CSTB-deficient mice by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. RESULTS: Reduced levels of 5-HT and KYN intermediate metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid were found in serum of CSTB-deficient mice. A similar trend was found in EPM1 patients. Although tryptophan concentration was reduced in serum of EPM1 patients, no such decrease was observed in CSTB-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that tryptophan metabolism along 5-HT and KYN pathways are disrupted in EPM1. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of KYN pathway in pathogenesis of EPM1.

Selective regulation of class I and class II histone deacetylases expression by inhibitors of histone deacetylases in cultured mouse neural cells.

The expression of 10 histone deacetylases (HDAC1-10) mRNAs in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro-2a and microglia N9 cell cultures after treatment by inhibitors of HDACs, sodium butyrate and trichostatin A was studied to elucidate whether HDAC inhibitors affect the gene expression of HDACs themselves. Northern blot analysis demonstrated two- to four-fold elevated levels of mRNAs for HDAC1, -3, -5, and -6 after drug treatment in comparison with untreated cells, while mRNA levels for HDAC2 and -7 did not change significantly. In both Neuro-2a and N9 cells the highest increase was observed for HDAC5 and -6 mRNA, whereas, HDAC4 had a prominent increase in mRNA levels after drug treatment only in N9 microglia cell line but not in Neuro-2a. Immunocytochemical examination confirmed that changes in protein levels of HDACs were similar to changes in their mRNA levels. There exists an auto-regulatory feedback loop to the expression levels of several HDACs after inhibition of their biochemical activity, adding several HDAC genes to the list of genes regulated by HDAC inhibitors.

Upregulation of class II histone deacetylases mRNA during neural differentiation of cultured rat hippocampal progenitor cells.

We studied the expression of histone deacetylases (HDACs 1-10) mRNAs during early differentiation of cultured rat hippocampal progenitor cells using Northern blot analysis. Embryonic rat hippocampal progenitors were kept proliferating and undifferentiated (neurospheres) in the presence of mitogens and induced to stop proliferation and to differentiate into neurons and astrocytes by mitogen removal. We found two- to four-fold elevated levels of mRNAs for HDAC 5, 6, 7 and 9 in early differentiation times in comparison with proliferating neurospheres while mRNA levels for HDAC 1, 2 and 3 did not change significantly. Interestingly, the upregulated HDACs all belong to class II of histone deacetylases. mRNAs for HDAC 4, 8 and 10 were not detectable by Northern analysis. We suggest that the changes in HDAC mRNA expression levels might be connected with chromatin rearrangement during neural differentiation.

Novel ATPase of SNF2-like protein family interacts with androgen receptor and modulates androgen-dependent transcription.

Nuclear receptors, including the androgen receptor (AR), regulate target cell transcription through interaction with auxiliary proteins to modify chromatin structure. We describe herein a novel AR-interacting protein, termed ARIP4, that has structural features typical of the SNF2-like protein family. With regard to the Snf2 domain, the closest homolog of ARIP4 is the ATRX protein. ARIP4 is a nuclear protein and comprises 1466 amino acids. It interacts with AR in vitro and in cultured yeast and mammalian cells. ARIP4 can be labeled with 8-azido-[gamma-32P]ATP and exhibits DNA-dependent ATPase activity. Like several ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling proteins, ARIP4 generates superhelical torsion within linear DNA fragments in an ATP-dependent manner. With a stably integrated target promoter, ARIP4 elicits a modest enhancement of AR-dependent transactivation. In transient cotransfection assays, ARIP4 modulates AR function in a promoter-dependent manner; it enhances receptor activity on minimal promoters, but does not activate more complex promoters. ARIP4 mutants devoid of ATPase activity fail to alter DNA topology and behave as trans-dominant negative regulators of AR function in transient assays.