Triterpenoid CDDO-EA inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle cells through suppression of NF-κB.

Chronic inflammation is a major contributor to the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance, which then can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Skeletal muscle plays a pivotal role in insulin-stimulated whole-body glucose disposal. Therefore, dysregulation of glucose metabolism by inflammation in skeletal muscle can adversely affect skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and contribute to the pathogenesis of T2D. The mechanism underlying insulin resistance is not well known; however, macrophages are important initiators in the development of the chronic inflammatory state leading to insulin resistance. Skeletal muscle consists of resident macrophages which can be activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These activated macrophages affect myocytes via a paracrine action of pro-inflammatory mediators resulting in secretion of myokines that contribute to inflammation and ultimately skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Therefore, knowing that synthetic triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acids (CDDOs) can attenuate macrophage pro-inflammatory responses in chronic disorders, such as cancer and obesity, and that macrophage pro-inflammatory responses can modulate skeletal muscle inflammation, we first examined whether CDDO-ethyl amide (CDDO-EA) inhibited chemokine and cytokine production in macrophages since this had not been reported for CDDO-EA. CDDO-EA blocked LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukine-1beta (IL-1ß), and interleukine-6 (IL-6) production in RAW 264.7 mouse and THP-1 human macrophages. Although many studies show that CDDOs have anti-inflammatory properties in several tissues and cells, little is known about the anti-inflammatory effects of CDDOs on skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that CDDO-EA protects skeletal muscle from LPS-induced inflammation by blocking nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. Our studies demonstrate that CDDO-EA prevented LPS-induced TNF-α and MCP-1 gene expression by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway in L6-GLUT4myc rat myotubes. Our findings suggest that CDDO-EA suppresses LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages and myocytes and that CDDO-EA is a promising compound as a therapeutic agent for protecting skeletal muscle from inflammation.

Commentary on Metabolic Health Disparities Affecting the Rio Grande Valley Mexican American Population: Seeking Answers Using Animal Models.

Mexican Americans living in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The US-Mexico border frontier has a unique blended culture of American lifestyle and Mexican traditions. Some examples of the cultural traditions are the food and the use of herbal medicine, but these traditions are in danger of disappearing after a very short number of generations living in the United States. This article describes the use of animal models under experimental conditions to solve practical questions (etiology or treatment). We performed studies with murine (ie, mouse and rat) models to elucidate the characteristics of medicinal plants that modulate glucose metabolism and inflammation and protect from bone loss, complications related to T2D. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley researchers also have collaborated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio researchers in performing studies in nonhuman primates (NHP) (ie, baboon) to understand the effect of T2D and diets on organs and tissues. With the new knowledge gained from the use of animal models (murine and NHP), new therapies are discovered for the prevention and treatment of T2D and its related complications, such as bone loss and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, all of which the Mexican American and other human populations are at high risk of developing.

ELK-1 ubiquitination status and transcriptional activity are modulated independently of F-Box protein FBXO25.

The mitogen-responsive, ETS-domain transcription factor ELK-1 stimulates the expression of immediate early genes at the onset of the cell cycle and participates in early developmental programming. ELK-1 is subject to multiple levels of posttranslational control, including phosphorylation, SUMOylation, and ubiquitination. Recently, removal of monoubiquitin from the ELK-1 ETS domain by the Ubiquitin Specific Protease USP17 was shown to augment ELK-1 transcriptional activity and promote cell proliferation. Here we have used coimmunoprecipitation experiments, protein turnover and ubiquitination assays, RNA-interference and gene expression analyses to examine the possibility that USP17 acts antagonistically with the F-box protein FBXO25, an E3 ubiquitin ligase previously shown to promote ELK-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Our data confirm that FBXO25 and ELK-1 interact in HEK293T cells and that FBXO25 is active toward Hand1 and HAX1, two of its other candidate substrates. However, our data indicate that FBXO25 neither promotes ubiquitination of ELK-1 nor impacts on its transcriptional activity and suggest that an E3 ubiquitin ligase other than FBXO25 regulates ELK-1 ubiquitination and function.

KRas4B-PDE6δ complex stabilization by small molecules obtained by virtual screening affects Ras signaling in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The GTPase KRas4B has been utilized as a principal target in the development of anticancer drugs. PDE6δ transports KRas4B to the plasma membrane, where it is released to activate various signaling pathways required for the initiation and maintenance of cancer. Therefore, identifying new small molecules that prevent activation of this GTPase by stabilizing the KRas4B-PDE6δ molecular complex is a practical strategy to fight against cancer. METHODS: The crystal structure of the KRas4B-PDE6δ heterodimer was employed to locate possible specific binding sites at the protein-protein interface region. Virtual screening of Enamine-database compounds was performed on the located potential binding sites to identify ligands able to simultaneously bind to the KRas4B-PDE6δ heterodimer. A molecular dynamics approach was used to estimate the binding free-energy of the complex. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. G-LISA was used to measure Ras inactivation. Western blot was used to measure AKT and ERK activation. MIA PaCa-2 cells implanted subcutaneously into nude mice were treated with D14 or C22 and tumor volumes were recorded. RESULTS: According to the binding affinity estimation, D14 and C22 stabilized the protein-protein interaction in the KRas4B-PDE6δ complex based on in vitro evaluation of the 38 compounds showing antineoplastic activity against pancreatic MIA PaCa-2 cancer cells. In this work, we further investigated the antineoplastic cellular properties of two of them, termed D14 and C22, which reduced the viability in the human pancreatic cancer cells lines MIA PaCa-2, PanC-1 and BxPC-3, but not in the normal pancreatic cell line hTERT-HPNE. Compounds D14 and C22 induced cellular death via apoptosis. D14 and C22 significantly decreased Ras-GTP activity by 33% in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Moreover, D14 decreased AKT phosphorylation by 70% and ERK phosphorylation by 51%, while compound C22 reduced AKT phosphorylation by 60% and ERK phosphorylation by 36%. In addition, compounds C22 and D14 significantly reduced tumor growth by 88.6 and 65.9%, respectively, in a mouse xenograft model. CONCLUSIONS: We identified two promising compounds, D14 and C22, that might be useful as therapeutic drugs for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treatment.

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Induces Proliferation, Survival, and Migration in A549 Lung Cancer Cells by Activating the ERK Signaling Pathway through a Transcription-Independent Mechanism.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been used as an antineoplastic because of its ability to promote proliferation, inhibition, and differentiation, primarily in leukemia; however, in other types of cancer, such as lung cancer, treatment with ATRA is restricted because not all the patients experience the same results. The ERK signaling pathway is dysregulated in cancer cells, including lung cancer, and this dysregulation promotes proliferation and cell invasion. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment with ATRA can activate the ERK signaling pathway by a transcription-independent mechanism through a signaling cascade that involves RARα and PI3K, promoting growth, survival, and migration in lung cancer cells. Until now, this mechanism was unknown in lung cancer cells. The inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway restores the beneficial effects of ATRA, reduces proliferation, increases apoptosis, and blocks the cell migration process in lung cancer cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that the combination of ATRA with ERK inhibitor in clinical trials for lung cancer is warranted.

Genetic disruption of SOD1 gene causes glucose intolerance and impairs ß-cell function.

Oxidative stress has been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, it is not clear whether oxidative damage is a cause or a consequence of the metabolic abnormalities present in diabetic subjects. The goal of this study was to determine whether inducing oxidative damage through genetic ablation of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) leads to abnormalities in glucose homeostasis. We studied SOD1-null mice and wild-type (WT) littermates. Glucose tolerance was evaluated with intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Peripheral and hepatic insulin sensitivity was quantitated with the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. ß-Cell function was determined with the hyperglycemic clamp and morphometric analysis of pancreatic islets. Genetic ablation of SOD1 caused glucose intolerance, which was associated with reduced in vivo ß-cell insulin secretion and decreased ß-cell volume. Peripheral and hepatic insulin sensitivity were not significantly altered in SOD1-null mice. High-fat diet caused glucose intolerance in WT mice but did not further worsen the glucose intolerance observed in standard chow-fed SOD1-null mice. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress per se does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and demonstrate that oxidative stress caused by SOD1 ablation leads to glucose intolerance secondary to ß-cell dysfunction.

Short-term exercise training improves insulin sensitivity but does not inhibit inflammatory pathways in immune cells from insulin-resistant subjects.

Background. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect against, and immune cells play critical roles in the development, of insulin resistance and atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVD). Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether exercise improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects by downregulating proinflammatory signaling in immune cells. Methods. Seventeen lean, 8 obese nondiabetic, and 11 obese type 2 diabetic individuals underwent an aerobic exercise program for 15 days and an insulin clamp before and after exercise. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) were obtained for determination of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 protein content and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Results. Compared with that in lean individuals, TLR4 protein content was increased by 4.2-fold in diabetic subjects. This increase in TLR4 content was accompanied by a 3.0-fold increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. Exercise improved insulin sensitivity in the lean, obese, and type 2 diabetes groups. However, exercise did not affect TLR content or ERK phosphorylation. Conclusions. TLR4 content and ERK phosphorylation are increased in PMNC of type 2 diabetic individuals. While exercise improves insulin sensitivity, this effect is not related to changes in TLR2/TLR4 content or ERK phosphorylation in PMNC of type 2 diabetic individuals.

Inhibition of neddylation represses lipopolysaccharide-induced proinflammatory cytokine production in macrophage cells.

Cullin-RING E3 ligases (CRLs) are a class of ubiquitin ligases that control the proteasomal degradation of numerous target proteins, including IκB, and the activity of these CRLs are positively regulated by conjugation of a Nedd8 polypeptide onto Cullin proteins in a process called neddylation. CRL-mediated degradation of IκB, which normally interacts with and retains NF-κB in the cytoplasm, permits nuclear translocation and transactivation of the NF-κB transcription factor. Neddylation occurs through a multistep enzymatic process involving Nedd8 activating enzymes, and recent studies have shown that the pharmacological agent, MLN4924, can potently inhibit Nedd8 activating enzymes, thereby preventing neddylation of Cullin proteins and preventing the degradation of CRL target proteins. In macrophages, regulation of NF-κB signaling functions as a primary pathway by which infectious agents such as lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) cause the up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Here we have analyzed the effects of MLN4924, and compared the effects of MLN4924 with a known anti-inflammatory agent (dexamethasone), on certain proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and the NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated macrophages. We also used siRNA to block neddylation to assess the role of this molecular process during LPS-induced cytokine responsiveness. Our results demonstrate that blocking neddylation, either pharmacologically or using siRNA, abrogates the increase in certain proinflammatory cytokines secreted from macrophages in response to LPS. In addition, we have shown that MLN4924 and dexamethasone inhibit LPS-induced cytokine up-regulation at the transcriptional level, albeit through different molecular mechanisms. Thus, neddylation represents a novel molecular process in macrophages that can be targeted to prevent and/or treat the LPS-induced up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines and the disease processes associated with their up-regulation.

Beyond AICA riboside: in search of new specific AMP-activated protein kinase activators.

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICA riboside) has been extensively used in vitro and in vivo to activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a metabolic sensor involved in both cellular and whole body energy homeostasis. However, it has been recently highlighted that AICA riboside also exerts AMPK-independent effects, mainly on AMP-regulated enzymes and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), leading to the conclusion that new compounds with reduced off target effects are needed to specifically activate AMPK. Here, we review recent findings on newly discovered AMPK activators, notably on A-769662, a nonnucleoside compound from the thienopyridone family. We also report that A-769662 is able to activate AMPK and stimulate glucose uptake in both L6 cells and primary myotubes derived from human satellite cells. In addition, A-769662 increases AMPK activity and phosphorylation of its main downstream targets in primary cultured rat hepatocytes but, by contrast with AICA riboside, does neither affect mitochondrial OXPHOS nor change cellular AMP:ATP ratio. We conclude that A-769662 could be one of the new promising chemical agents to activate AMPK with limited AMPK-independent side effects.

Elevated toll-like receptor 4 expression and signaling in muscle from insulin-resistant subjects.

OBJECTIVE- Tall-like receptor (TLR)4 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of free fatty acid (FFA)-induced insulin resistance by activating inflammatory pathways, including inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB)/nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB). However, it is not known whether insulin-resistant subjects have abnormal TLR4 signaling. We examined whether insulin-resistant subjects have abnormal TLR4 expression and TLR4-driven (IkappaB/NFkappaB) signaling in skeletal muscle. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- TLR4 gene expression and protein content were measured in muscle biopsies in 7 lean, 8 obese, and 14 type 2 diabetic subjects. A primary human myotube culture system was used to examine whether FFAs stimulate IkappaB/NFkappaB via TLR4 and whether FFAs increase TLR4 expression/content in muscle. RESULTS- Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects had significantly elevated TLR4 gene expression and protein content in muscle. TLR4 muscle protein content correlated with the severity of insulin resistance. Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects also had lower IkappaBalpha content, an indication of elevated IkappaB/NFkappaB signaling. The increase in TLR4 and NFkappaB signaling was accompanied by elevated expression of the NFkappaB-regulated genes interleukin (IL)-6 and superoxide dismutase (SOD)2. In primary human myotubes, acute palmitate treatment stimulated IkappaB/NFkappaB, and blockade of TLR4 prevented the ability of palmitate to stimulate the IkappaB/NFkappaB pathway. Increased TLR4 content and gene expression observed in muscle from insulin-resistant subjects were reproduced by treating myotubes from lean, normal-glucose-tolerant subjects with palmitate. Palmitate also increased IL-6 and SOD2 gene expression, and this effect was prevented by inhibiting NFkappaB. CONCLUSIONS- Abnormal TLR4 expression and signaling, possibly caused by elevated plasma FFA levels, may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in humans.

Peripheral disruption of the Grb10 gene enhances insulin signaling and sensitivity in vivo.

Grb10 is a pleckstrin homology and Src homology 2 domain-containing protein that interacts with a number of phosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinases, including the insulin receptor. In mice, Grb10 gene expression is imprinted with maternal expression in all tissues except the brain. While the interaction between Grb10 and the insulin receptor has been extensively investigated in cultured cells, whether this adaptor protein plays a positive or negative role in insulin signaling and action remains controversial. In order to investigate the in vivo role of Grb10 in insulin signaling and action in the periphery, we generated Grb10 knockout mice by the gene trap technique and analyzed mice with maternal inheritance of the knockout allele. Disruption of Grb10 gene expression in peripheral tissues had no significant effect on fasting glucose and insulin levels. On the other hand, peripheral-tissue-specific knockout of Grb10 led to significant overgrowth of the mice, consistent with a role for endogenous Grb10 as a growth suppressor. Loss of Grb10 expression in insulin target tissues, such as skeletal muscle and fat, resulted in enhanced insulin-stimulated Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies revealed that disruption of Grb10 gene expression in peripheral tissues led to increased insulin sensitivity. Taken together, our results provide strong evidence that Grb10 is a negative regulator of insulin signaling and action in vivo.

Delayed angiogenesis and VEGF production in CCR2-/- mice during impaired skeletal muscle regeneration.

The regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and angiogenic events during skeletal muscle regeneration remains largely unknown. This study examined angiogenesis, VEGF levels, and muscle regeneration after cardiotoxin (CT)-induced injury in mice lacking the CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). Muscle regeneration was significantly decreased in CCR2-/- mice as was the early accumulation of macrophages after injury. In both mouse strains, tissue VEGF was similar at baseline (no injections) and significantly decreased at day 3 post-CT. Tissue VEGF in wild-type (WT) mice was restored within 7 days postinjury but remained significantly reduced in CCR2-/- mice until day 21. Capillary density (capillaries/mm(2)) within regenerating muscle was maximal in WT mice at day 7 and double that of baseline muscle. In comparison, maximal capillary density in CCR2-/- mice occurred at 21 days postinjury. Maximal capillary density developed concurrent with the restoration of tissue VEGF in both strains. A highly significant, inverse relationship existed between the size of regenerated muscle fibers and capillaries per square millimeter. Although this relationship was comparable in WT and CCR2-/- animals, there was a significant decrease in the magnitude of this response in the absence of CCR2, reflecting the observation that regenerated muscle fiber size in CCR2-/- mice was only 50% of baseline at 42 days postinjury, whereas WT mice had attained baseline fiber size by day 21. Thus CCR2-dependent events in injured skeletal muscle, including impaired macrophage recruitment, contribute to restoration of tissue VEGF levels and the dynamic processes of capillary formation and muscle regeneration.

Effect of acute exercise on AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle of subjects with type 2 diabetes: a time-course and dose-response study.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by exercise induces several cellular processes in muscle. Exercise activation of AMPK is unaffected in lean (BMI approximately 25 kg/m(2)) subjects with type 2 diabetes. However, most type 2 diabetic subjects are obese (BMI >30 kg/m(2)), and exercise stimulation of AMPK is blunted in obese rodents. We examined whether obese type 2 diabetic subjects have impaired exercise stimulation of AMPK, at different signaling levels, spanning from the upstream kinase, LKB1, to the putative AMPK targets, AS160 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator (PGC)-1alpha, involved in glucose transport regulation and mitochondrial biogenesis, respectively. Twelve type 2 diabetic, eight obese, and eight lean subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer for 40 min. Muscle biopsies were done before, during, and after exercise. Subjects underwent this protocol on two occasions, at low (50% Vo(2max)) and moderate (70% Vo(2max)) intensities, with a 4-6 week interval. Exercise had no effect on LKB1 activity. Exercise had a time- and intensity-dependent effect to increase AMPK activity and AS160 phosphorylation. Obese and type 2 diabetic subjects had attenuated exercise-stimulated AMPK activity and AS160 phosphorylation. Type 2 diabetic subjects had reduced basal PGC-1 gene expression but normal exercise-induced increases in PGC-1 expression. Our findings suggest that obese type 2 diabetic subjects may need to exercise at higher intensity to stimulate the AMPK-AS160 axis to the same level as lean subjects.

Fat accumulation with altered inflammation and regeneration in skeletal muscle of CCR2-/- mice following ischemic injury.

Chemokines recruit inflammatory cells to sites of injury, but the role of the CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) during regenerative processes following ischemia is poorly understood. We studied injury, inflammation, perfusion, capillary formation, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels, muscle regeneration, fat accumulation, and transcription factor activation in hindlimb muscles of CCR2-/- and wild-type (WT) mice following femoral artery excision (FAE). In both groups, muscle injury and restoration of vascular perfusion were similar. Nevertheless, edema and neutrophil accumulation were significantly elevated in CCR2-/- compared with WT mice at day 1 post-FAE and fewer macrophages were present at day 3. MCP-1 levels in post-ischemic calf muscle of CCR2-/- animals were significantly elevated over baseline through 14 days post-FAE and were higher than WT mice at days 1, 7, and 14. In addition, CCR2-/- mice exhibited impaired muscle regeneration, decreased muscle fiber size, and increased intermuscular adipocytes with similar capillaries/mm(2) postinjury. Finally, the transcription factors, MyoD and signal transducers of and activators of transcription-3 (STAT3), were significantly increased above baseline but did not differ significantly between groups at any time point post-FAE. These findings suggest that increases in MCP-1, and possibly, MyoD and STAT3, may modulate molecular signaling in CCR2-/- mice during inflammatory and regenerative events. Furthermore, alterations in neutrophil and macrophage recruitment in CCR2-/- mice may critically alter the normal progression of downstream regenerative events in injured skeletal muscle and may direct myogenic precursor cells in the regenerating milieu toward an adipogenic phenotype.

Quantification of phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

Serine/threonine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) regulates the function and subsequent insulin signaling of this protein. Human IRS-1 has 1242 amino acid residues, including 182 serines and 60 threonines. The size, complexity, and relatively low abundance of this protein in biological samples make it difficult to map and quantify phosphorylation sites by conventional means. A mass spectrometry peak area based quantification approach has been developed and applied to assess the relative abundance of IRS-1 phosphorylation in the absence or presence of stimuli. In this method, the peak area for a phosphopeptide of interest is normalized against the average of peak areas for six selected representative IRS-1 peptides that serve as endogenous internal standards. Relative quantification of each phosphopeptide is then obtained by comparing the normalized peak area ratios for untreated and treated samples. Two non-IRS-1 peptides were added to each digest for use as HPLC retention time markers and additional standards as well as references to the relative quantity of IRS-1 in different samples. This approach does not require isotopic or chemical labeling and can be applied to various cell lines and tissues. Using this method, we assessed the relative changes in the quantities of two tryptic phosphopeptides isolated from human IRS-1 expressed in L6 cells incubated in the absence or presence of insulin or tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Substantial increases of phosphorylation were observed for Thr(446) upon stimulation. In contrast, no obvious change in the level of phosphorylation was observed for Ser(1078). This mass spectrometry based strategy provides a powerful means to quantify changes in the relative phosphorylation of peptides in response to various stimuli in a complex, low-abundance protein.

MCP-1 parallels inflammatory and regenerative responses in ischemic muscle.

BACKGROUND: Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is important in macrophage recruitment and activation. However, the magnitude and temporal sequence of MCP-1 expression in relation to tissue injury and regeneration following ischemic injury remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hind limb ischemia was induced by femoral artery excision (FAE) in C57Bl/6J mice; a sham surgery was performed on the contralateral leg. Muscle lysates were used to measure MCP-1 and activities of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and myeloperoxidase. Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to localize inflammation and MCP-1. RESULTS: FAE resulted in a prolonged period of ischemia and the administration of MCP-1 did not alter the restoration of perfusion. One day after femoral artery excision, extensive muscle necrosis and neutrophils were prevalent throughout the musculature of the lower leg. By 3 days, a mononuclear cell infiltrate predominated in association with robust muscle regeneration as indicated by myoD expression. Concomitantly, myeloperoxidase was maximally increased. Muscle enzymes (creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase) were maximally decreased within 3 days and returned to baseline levels by day 14, a time course consistent with injury and regeneration observed by histology. In parallel with these inflammatory and regenerative events, MCP-1 in muscle was maximally increased at day 3. By immunohistochemistry, MCP-1 was within vascular endothelial cells and infiltrating macrophages in areas of ischemic injury. CONCLUSIONS: The transient increases and selective tissue distribution of MCP-1 during early inflammation and muscle regeneration support the hypothesis that this cytokine participates in the early reparative events preceding the restoration of vascular perfusion following ischemic injury.

Identification of insulin receptor substrate 1 serine/threonine phosphorylation sites using mass spectrometry analysis: regulatory role of serine 1223.

Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), an intracellular substrate of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, also is heavily phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues, and several serine phosphorylation sites alter the function of IRS-1. Because of the large number of serine/threonine residues, position-by-position analysis of these potential phosphorylation sites by mutagenesis is difficult. To circumvent this, we have employed matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight and HPLC-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry techniques to scan for serine and threonine residues that are phosphorylated in full-length human IRS-1 ectopically expressed in cells using an adenoviral vector. This approach revealed 12 phosphorylation sites on serine or threonine residues, 10 of which were novel sites. Seven of these sites were in proline-directed motifs, whereas five were in arginine-directed sites. Sequence inspection suggested that phosphorylation of Ser1223 might alter the interaction of IRS-1 with the protein tyrosine phosphatase Src homology domain 2 (SH2)-containing phosphatase-2 (SHP-2). Mutation of Ser1223 to alanine to prevent phosphorylation resulted in increased association of SHP-2 with IRS-1, decreased insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 in CHO/IR cells, and decreased insulin-stimulated association of the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase with IRS-1. This mutation had no effect on association of IRS-1 with the insulin receptor. Sequence analysis showed the Ser1223 region to be widely conserved evolutionarily. These data suggest that phosphorylation of Ser1223 dampens association of IRS-1 with SHP-2, thereby increasing net insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation.

Muscle responds to an antibody reactive with the acetylcholine receptor by up-regulating monocyte chemoattractant protein 1: a chemokine with the potential to influence the severity and course of experimental myasthenia gravis.

Autoantibodies with reactivity against the postjunctional muscle receptor for acetylcholine receptor are able to interfere with contractile function of skeletal muscles and cause the symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG) in humans, as well as in experimental animal models of MG. In the study described below using a rat model of MG, it was observed that exposure to acetylcholine receptor-reactive Abs also induced increased levels of chemokine (i.e., monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) production by skeletal muscle cells. This was true of both cultured rat myocytes exposed in vitro and rat muscle exposed in vivo following passive Ab transfer. Increased monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 production may explain the increased trafficking of leukocytes through muscle following Ab transfer described in this and other reports. These observations may also be relevant to the induction of disease symptoms in experimental animal models of MG, since numerous reports from this and other laboratories indicate that the cytokine environment provided by leukocytes trafficking through muscle may play a pivotal role in disease progression.