Dose-dependent transcriptional effects of lithium and adverse effect burden in a psychiatric cohort.

Lithium is the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), but there is a large variation in response rate and adverse effects. Although the molecular effects of lithium have been studied extensively, the specific mechanisms of action remain unclear. In particular, the molecular changes underlying lithium adverse effects are little known. Multiple linear regression analyses of lithium serum concentrations and global gene expression levels in whole blood were carried out using a large case-control sample (n = 1450). Self-reported adverse effects of lithium were assessed with the "Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser" (UKU) adverse effect rating scale, and regression analysis was used to identify significant associations between lithium-related genes and six of the most common adverse effects. Serum concentrations of lithium were significantly associated with the expression levels of 52 genes (FDR < 0.01), largely replicating previous results. We found 32 up-regulated genes and 20 down-regulated genes in lithium users compared to non-users. The down-regulated gene set was enriched for several processes related to the translational machinery. Two adverse effects were significantly associated (p < 0.01) with three or more lithium-associated genes: tremor (FAM13A-AS1, FAR2, ITGAX, RWDD1, and STARD10) and xerostomia (ANKRD13A, FAR2, RPS8, and RWDD1). The adverse effect association with the largest effect was between CAMK1D expression and nausea/vomiting. These results suggest putative transcriptional mechanisms that may predict lithium adverse effects, and could thus have a large potential for informing clinical practice.

Oligomerization of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase.

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinases (CaMKKα and ß) are regulatory kinases for multiple downstream kinases, including CaMKI, CaMKIV, PKB/Akt, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through phosphorylation of each activation-loop Thr residue. In this report, we biochemically characterize the oligomeric structure of CaMKK isoforms through a heterologous expression system using COS-7 cells. Oligomerization of CaMKK isoforms was readily observed by treating CaMKK transfected cells with cell membrane permeable crosslinkers. In addition, His-tagged CaMKKα (His-CaMKKα) pulled down with FLAG-tagged CaMKKα (FLAG-CaMKKα) in transfected cells. The oligomerization of CaMKKα was confirmed by the fact that GST-CaMKKα/His-CaMKKα complex from transiently expressed COS-7 cells extracts was purified to near homogeneity by the sequential chromatography using glutathione-sepharose/Ni-sepharose and was observed in a Ca2+/CaM-independent manner by reciprocal pulldown assay, suggesting the direct interaction between monomeric CaMKKα. Furthermore, the His-CaMKKα kinase-dead mutant (D293A) complexed with FLAG-CaMKKα exhibited significant CaMKK activity, indicating the active CaMKKα multimeric complex. Collectively, these results suggest that CaMKKα can self-associate in the cells, constituting a catalytically active oligomer that might be important for the efficient activation of CaMKK-mediated intracellular signaling.

Rapid generation of conditional knockout mice using the CRISPR-Cas9 system and electroporation for neuroscience research.

The Cre/LoxP-based conditional knockout technology is a powerful tool for gene function analysis that allows region- and time-specific gene manipulation. However, inserting a pair of LoxP cassettes to generate conditional knockout can be technically challenging and thus time- and resource-consuming. This study proposes an efficient, low-cost method to generate floxed mice using in vitro fertilization and the CRISPR-Cas9 system over two consecutive generations. This method allowed us to produce floxed mice targeting exons 5 and 6 of CaMK1 in a short period of 125 days, using only 16 mice. In addition, we directly edited the genome of fertilized eggs of mice with our target genetic background, C57BL/6 N, to eliminate additional backcrossing steps. We confirmed that the genome of the generated floxed mice was responsive to the Cre protein. This low-cost, time-saving method for generating conditional knockout will facilitate comprehensive, tissue-specific genome analyses.

CircPRKCI regulates proliferation, migration and cycle of lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting miR-219a-5p-regulated CAMK1D.

OBJECTIVE: Circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs) are considered as the key regulatory factors for human malignancies in recent years, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common malignancy worldwide, but the molecular mechanism of circRNAs in LUAD has not been completely investigated. Therefore, the mechanism by which circRNA protein kinase C iota (circPRKCI) regulates LUAD cell migration proliferation, and cycle was preliminarily explored in this research, so as to provide new ideas for the treatment of LUAD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: First of all, the circPRKCI expression level in LUAD tissues was tested via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay, and the relationship between circPRKCI and the patients' prognosis was analyzed. Then, circPRKCI expression was inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA), and the influence of circPRKCI on t LUAD cells' ability to proliferate was verified via 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. Moreover, the influence of circPRKCI on LUAD cells' ability to migrate was testified by transwell assay, and the regulation of LUAD cell cycle by circPRKCI was confirmed by flow cytometry. The micro RNAs (miRNAs) with binding sites to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of circPRKCI and the genes binding to miRNAs were discovered using bioinformatics websites, and their associative relation was further explored through Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR assay, Pearson correlation analysis and reverse experiment. RESULTS: It was verified via qRT-PCR assay that circPRKCI was expressed at a remarkably higher level in LUAD tissues relative to that in paracancerous normal tissues. The highly expressed circPRKCI led to poor prognosis of patients. Besides, qRT-PCR assessment results indicated that circPRKCI expression level rose notably in LUAD cell lines, while it was lowered markedly in LUAD cells transfected with si-circPRKCI. According to CCK-8 and EdU assay results, the proliferative ability of LUAD cells was weakened clearly after knocking down circPRKCI. It was manifested in the results of transwell assay that the knockdown of circPRKCI significantly repressed the capacity of LUAD cells to migrate. Furthermore, the results of cell cycle test displayed that inhibiting circPRKCI could induce the arrest of LUAD cell cycle in the G1 phase. It was discovered through bioinformatics websites that miR-219a-5p had binding sites to circPRKCI 3'UTR, and the results of Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that circPRKCI was able to bind to miR-219a-5p. It was uncovered by the qRT-PCR assay results that miR-219a-5p was lowly expressed in LUAD tissues, and its relative expression had an inverse relation with that of circPRKCI according to the Pearson correlation analysis. In addition, it was shown in the results of reverse experiment that miR-219a-5p could regulate the influence of circPRKCI on the malignant phenotype of LUAD. It was found by means of bioinformatics websites that calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase ID (CAMK1D) was a downstream target gene of miR-219a-5p and could the two conjugated with each other based on the results of Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay. Moreover, qRT-PCR assay findings illustrated that CAMK1D was evidently highly expressed in LUAD tissues, and the results of Pearson correlation analysis revealed that CAMK1D expression exhibited a negative association with that of miR-219a-5p and a positive correlation with that of circPRKCI. CONCLUSIONS: CircPRKCI is significantly highly expressed in LUAD, and the highly expressed circPRKCI is capable of facilitating LUAD cell migration, proliferation and cycle. CircPRKCI may regulate the malignant phenotype of LUAD via the miR-219a-5p/CAMK1D axis.

Biochemical characterization of four splice variants of mouse Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Iδ.

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase Iδ (CaMKIδ) is a Ser/Thr kinase that plays pivotal roles in Ca2+ signalling. CaMKIδ is activated by Ca2+/CaM-binding and phosphorylation at Thr180 by CaMK kinase (CaMKK). In this study, we characterized four splice variants of mouse CaMKIδ (mCaMKIδs: a, b, c and d) found by in silico analysis. Recombinant mCaMKIδs expressed in Escherichia coli were phosphorylated by CaMKK; however, only mCaMKIδ-a and c showed protein kinase activities towards myelin basic protein in vitro, with mCaMKIδ-b and mCaMKIδ-d being inactive. Although mCaMKIδ-a and mCaMKIδ-c underwent autophosphorylation in vitro, only mCaMKIδ-c underwent autophosphorylation in 293T cells. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the autophosphorylation site is Ser349, which is found in the C-terminal region of only variants c and b (Ser324). Furthermore, phosphorylation of these sites (Ser324 and Ser349) in mCaMKIδ-b and c was more efficiently catalyzed by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro and in cellulo as compared to the autophosphorylation of mCaMKIδ-c. Thus, variants of mCaMKIδ possess distinct properties in terms of kinase activities, autophosphorylation and phosphorylation by another kinase, suggesting that they play physiologically different roles in murine cells.

Exosomal miR-211 contributes to pulmonary hypertension via attenuating CaMK1/PPAR-γaxis.

AIM: Exsomes play a significant role in increasing pathophysiological processes by delivering their content. Recently, a variety of studies have showed exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in pulmonary hypertension (PH) notably. In this study, we found that exosomal miR-211 was overexpressed in hypoxia-induced PH rats but its intrinsic regulation was unclear. Therefore, our aim was to reveal the underlying mechanism which overexpressed exosomal miR-211 targeted in the development of PH. METHODS: 18 male SD rats were randomly divided into normoxia and hypoxia group, housed in normal or hypoxic chamber for 3 weeks respectively. Then, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR), right ventricular hypertrophy index(RV/(LV + S)), the percentage of medial wall area (WA%) and the percentage of medial wall thickness (WT%) were measured. Expression of miR-211 in exosomes was detected by qRT-PCR. Expression of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase1(CaMK1)and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ(PPAR-γ)in lung tissue were detected by Western blot(WB); After miR-211 overexpressed exosomes were injected to rats through caudal vein, mPAP, PVR, RV/(LV + S), WA% and WT% were also measured. Sequentially, hypoxia rats were injected with lentivirus riched in miR-211 inhibitor via tail vein, and PH-related indicators were measured. In vitro, after miR-211 was positively or negatively regulated in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) by plasmid transfection, proliferation of PASMC was detected by CCK8, as well as the expression of CaMK1 and PPAR- γ. Further, the relationship between CaMK1 and miR-211 was verified by Dual-Luciferase assay. And the regulatory relationship of CaMK1/PPAR- γ aixs was demonstrated in PASMC. RESULTS: Evident increases of mPAP, PVR, RVHI, WT% and WA% were observed with hypoxia administration. And the concentration of plasma exosomes in hypoxia rats was increased and positively correlated with the above indexes. miR-211 in exosomes of PH was upregulated while the expression of CaMK1 and PPAR-γ decreased in lung tissues. Further, injection of exosomes overexpressed with miR-211 demonstrated that exosomal miR-211 aggravated PH while inhibition of miR-211 attenuated PH in rats. In vitro, overexpression of miR-211 promoted the proliferation of PASMC and inhibited expression of CaMK1 and PPAR-γ in PASMC. And Dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that CaMK1 was a downstream gene of miR-211. Plasmid transfection experiments indicated that CaMK1 can promote PPAR-γ expression. CONCLUSION: Exosomal miR-211 promoted PH via inhibiting CaMK1/PPAR-γ axis, promoting PASMC proliferation in rats.

Transcriptional response of human articular chondrocytes treated with fibronectin fragments: an in vitro model of the osteoarthritis phenotype.

OBJECTIVE: Fibronectin is a matrix protein that is fragmented during cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis (OA). Treatment of chondrocytes with fibronectin fragments (FN-f) has been used to model OA in vitro, but the system has not been fully characterized. This study sought to define the transcriptional response of chondrocytes to FN-f, and directly compare it to responses traditionally observed in OA. DESIGN: Normal human femoral chondrocytes isolated from tissue donors were treated with either FN-f or PBS (control) for 3, 6, or 18 h. RNA-seq libraries were compared between time-matched FN-f and control samples in order to identify changes in gene expression over time. Differentially expressed genes were compared to a published OA gene set and used for pathway, transcription factor motif, and kinome analysis. RESULTS: FN-f treatment resulted in 3,914 differentially expressed genes over the time course. Genes that are up- or downregulated in OA were significantly up- (P < 0.00001) or downregulated (P < 0.0004) in response to FN-f. Early response genes were involved in proinflammatory pathways, whereas many late response genes were involved in ferroptosis. The promoters of upregulated genes were enriched for NF-κB, AP-1, and IRF motifs. Highly upregulated kinases included CAMK1G, IRAK2, and the uncharacterized kinase DYRK3, while growth factor receptors TGFBR2 and FGFR2 were downregulated. CONCLUSIONS: FN-f treatment of normal human articular chondrocytes recapitulated many key aspects of the OA chondrocyte phenotype. This in vitro model is promising for future OA studies, especially considering its compatibility with genomics and genome-editing techniques.

Oxidative Stress Orchestrates MAPK and Nitric-Oxide Synthase Signal.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are not only harmful to cell survival but also essential to cell signaling through cysteine-based redox switches. In fact, ROS triggers the potential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The 90 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1), one of the downstream mediators of the MAPK pathway, is implicated in various cellular processes through phosphorylating different substrates. As such, RSK1 associates with and phosphorylates neuronal nitric oxide (NO) synthase (nNOS) at Ser847, leading to a decrease in NO generation. In addition, the RSK1 activity is sensitive to inhibition by reversible cysteine-based redox modification of its Cys223 during oxidative stress. Aside from oxidative stress, nitrosative stress also contributes to cysteine-based redox modification. Thus, the protein kinases such as Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI) and II (CaMKII) that phosphorylate nNOS could be potentially regulated by cysteine-based redox modification. In this review, we focus on the role of post-translational modifications in regulating nNOS and nNOS-phosphorylating protein kinases and communication among themselves.

An Epilepsy-Associated GRIN2A Rare Variant Disrupts CaMKIIα Phosphorylation of GluN2A and NMDA Receptor Trafficking.

Rare variants in GRIN genes, which encode NMDAR subunits, are strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Among these, GRIN2A, which encodes the GluN2A subunit of NMDARs, is widely accepted as an epilepsy-causative gene. Here, we functionally characterize the de novo GluN2A-S1459G mutation identified in an epilepsy patient. We show that S1459 is a CaMKIIα phosphorylation site, and that endogenous phosphorylation is regulated during development and in response to synaptic activity in a dark rearing model. GluN2A-S1459 phosphorylation results in preferential binding of NMDARs to SNX27 and a corresponding decrease in PSD-95 binding, which consequently regulates NMDAR trafficking. Furthermore, the epilepsy-associated GluN2A-S1459G variant displays defects in interactions with both SNX27 and PSD-95, resulting in trafficking deficits, reduced spine density, and decreased excitatory synaptic transmission. These data demonstrate a role for CaMKIIα phosphorylation of GluN2A in receptor targeting and implicate NMDAR trafficking defects as a link to epilepsy.

A novel assay to screen siRNA libraries identifies protein kinases required for chromosome transmission.

One of the hallmarks of cancer is chromosome instability (CIN), which leads to aneuploidy, translocations, and other chromosome aberrations. However, in the vast majority of human tumors the molecular basis of CIN remains unknown, partly because not all genes controlling chromosome transmission have yet been identified. To address this question, we developed an experimental high-throughput imaging (HTI) siRNA assay that allows the identification of novel CIN genes. Our method uses a human artificial chromosome (HAC) expressing the GFP transgene. When this assay was applied to screen an siRNA library of protein kinases, we identified PINK1, TRIO, IRAK1, PNCK, and TAOK1 as potential novel genes whose knockdown induces various mitotic abnormalities and results in chromosome loss. The HAC-based assay can be applied for screening different siRNA libraries (cell cycle regulation, DNA damage response, epigenetics, and transcription factors) to identify additional genes involved in CIN. Identification of the complete spectrum of CIN genes will reveal new insights into mechanisms of chromosome segregation and may expedite the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target the CIN phenotype in cancer cells.

Autoactivation of C-terminally truncated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) Iδ via CaMK kinase-independent autophosphorylation.

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I isoforms (CaMKIα, ß, γ, and δ) play important roles in Ca2+ signaling in eukaryotic cells by being activated by CaMK kinase (CaMKK) through phosphorylation at a Thr residue in the activation loop. However, we have recently found that, unlike rat CaMKIα (rCaMKIα), C-terminally truncated fragments of zebrafish and mouse CaMKIδ [zCaMKIδ(1-299) and mCaMKIδ(1-297)] produced by Escherichia coli exhibit almost full activity in the absence of CaMKK. To address the CaMKK-independent activation mechanism of CaMKIδ in E. coli cells, here we performed comparative analyses between recombinant zCaMKIδ(1-299) and rCaMKIα(1-294) in vitro. By using a kinase-dead mutant of zCaMKIδ(1-299) and λ phosphatase coexpression method, we elucidated that zCaMKIδ(1-299) was highly autophosphorylated and activated in E. coli during cell culture, but rCaMKIα(1-294) was not. The major autophosphorylation site leading to activation of the kinase was Ser296, determined using mass spectrometry analysis in conjunction with site-directed mutagenesis. Furthermore, mimicking phosphorylation at Ser296 in full-length zCaMKIδ resulted in additional activation of the kinase compared with CaMKI fully activated by CaMKK. Our results provide the first evidence that CaMKIδ is activated through CaMKK-independent phosphorylation at Ser296, which might be a clue to understand the physiological regulation of CaMKIδ isoform.

The active-site cysteine residue of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I is protected from irreversible modification via generation of polysulfidation.

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) I is activated by the phosphorylation of a crucial activation loop Thr177 by upstream kinases, CaMK kinase (CaMKK), and regulates axonal or dendritic extension and branching. Reactive sulfur species (RSS) modulate protein functions via polysulfidation of the reactive Cys residues. Here, we report that the activity of CaMKI was reversibly inhibited via its polysulfidation at Cys179 by RSS. In vitro incubation of CaMKI with the exogenous RSS donor Na2S3 resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of the phosphorylation at Thr177 by CaMKK and inactivation of the enzymatic activity. Dithiothreitol (DTT), a small molecule reducing reagent, rescued these inhibitions. Conversely, mutated CaMKI (C179V) was resistant to the Na2S3-induced inactivation. In transfected cells expressing CaMKI, ionomycin-induced CaMKI activity was decreased upon treatment with Na2S4, whereas cells expressing mutant CaMKI (C179V) proved resistant to this treatment. A biotin-polyethylene glycol-conjugated maleimide capture assay revealed that CaMKI was a target for polysulfidation in cells. Furthermore, the polysulfidation of CaMKI protected Cys179 from its irreversible modification, known as protein succination. Thus, we propose that CaMKI was reversibly inhibited via polysulfidation of Cys179 by RSS, thereby protecting it from irreversible modification.

An integrated investigation of oocyte developmental competence: expression of key genes in human cumulus cells, morphokinetics of early divisions, blastulation, and euploidy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association of cumulus cell (CC)-related expression of a selected cluster of key genes (PTGS2, CAMK1D, HAS2, STC1, and EFNB2) with embryo development to blastocyst. METHODS: Exploratory study at a private clinic. Eighteen advanced maternal age patients were enrolled (37.3 ± 4.0 years). Seventy-five cumuli were collected, whose oocytes resulted in either developmental arrest (N = 33) or blastocyst formation (N = 42). The noninvasive CC gene expression was combined with time-lapse morphokinetic parameters and, for blastocysts, with qPCR-based aneuploidy testing on trophectoderm biopsies. RESULTS: The detection rate was 100% for all transcripts, but STC1 (96%) and CAMK1D (89%). Among amplified assays, CC mean expression levels of CAMK1D, PTGS2, and HAS2 were higher from oocytes that developed to blastocyst. No difference in CC key gene expression was reported between euploid (N = 21) and aneuploid (N = 21) blastocysts. Some timings of early embryo development were faster in embryos developing to blastocyst (time of pronuclei appearance and fading, division to two- and four-cells, first and second cell cycles). However, the generalized linear models outlined increasing CAMK1D expression levels as the strongest parameter associated with oocytes' developmental potential from both a general (AUC = 0.78 among amplified samples) and an intrapatient perspectives (AUC = 0.9 among patients obtaining ≥ 2 zygotes from the cohort with different developmental outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: CAMK1D level of expression in CCs associated with blastocyst development. If confirmed from larger studies in wider populations of patients, the investigation of CC key gene expression might suit IVF clinics not adopting blastocyst culture. Future investigations should clarify the role of CAMK1D in ovarian physiology and could provide novel insights on how oocytes gain competence during folliculogenesis.

Genetics and Genomic Regions Affecting Response to Newcastle Disease Virus Infection under Heat Stress in Layer Chickens.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a highly contagious avian pathogen that poses a tremendous threat to poultry producers in endemic zones due to its epidemic potential. To investigate host genetic resistance to NDV while under the effects of heat stress, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on Hy-Line Brown layer chickens that were challenged with NDV while under high ambient temperature to identify regions associated with host viral titer, circulating anti-NDV antibody titer, and body weight change. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 1 was associated with viral titer at two days post-infection (dpi), while 30 SNPs spanning a quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 24 were associated with viral titer at 6 dpi. Immune related genes, such as CAMK1d and CCDC3 on chromosome 1, associated with viral titer at 2 dpi, and TIRAP, ETS1, and KIRREL3, associated with viral titer at 6 dpi, were located in two QTL regions for viral titer that were identified in this study. This study identified genomic regions and candidate genes that are associated with response to NDV during heat stress in Hy-Line Brown layer chickens. Regions identified for viral titer on chromosome 1 and 24, at 2 and 6 dpi, respectively, included several genes that have key roles in regulating the immune response.

Stimuli and Relevant Signaling Cascades for NFATc1 in Bone Cell Homeostasis: Friend or Foe?

Bone homeostasis is strictly regulated by balanced activity of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts.Disruption of the balance of activity between osteoblasts and osteoclasts leads to various metabolic bone diseases. Osteoclasts are cells of hematopoietic origin that they are large, multinucleated cells formed by the fusion of precursor cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage, they are unique cells that degrade the bone matrix, activation of transcription factors nuclear factoractivated T cells c1 (NFATc1) is required for sufficient osteoclast differentiation and it plays the role of a master transcription regulator of osteoclast differentiation, meanwhile, NFATc1 could be employed to elicit anabolic effects on bone. In this review, we have summarized the various mechanisms that control NFATc1 regulation during osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation as well as a new strategy for promoting bone regeneration in osteopenic disease.

LncRNA CamK-A Regulates Ca2+-Signaling-Mediated Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling.

Cancer cells entail metabolic adaptation and microenvironmental remodeling to survive and progress. Both calcium (Ca2+) flux and Ca2+-dependent signaling play a crucial role in this process, although the underlying mechanism has yet to be elucidated. Through RNA screening, we identified one long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) named CamK-A (lncRNA for calcium-dependent kinase activation) in tumorigenesis. CamK-A is highly expressed in multiple human cancers and involved in cancer microenvironment remodeling via activation of Ca2+-triggered signaling. Mechanistically, CamK-A activates Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase PNCK, which in turn phosphorylates IκBα and triggers calcium-dependent nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation. This regulation results in the tumor microenvironment remodeling, including macrophage recruitment, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. Notably, our human-patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model studies demonstrate that targeting CamK-A robustly impaired cancer development. Clinically, CamK-A expression coordinates with the activation of CaMK-NF-κB axis, and its high expression indicates poor patient survival rate, suggesting its role as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target.

1800 MHz radiofrequency fields inhibits testosterone production via CaMKI /RORα pathway.

Exposure to radiofrequency fields (RF) has been reported to induce adverse effects on testosterone production and its daily rhythm. However, the mechanisms underneath this effect remain unknown. In this study, male mice were exposed to 1800 MHz radiofrequency fields (RF, 40 µW/cm2 power intensity and 0.0553 W/Kg SAR) 2 h per day for 32 days. The data suggested that RF exposure: (i) significantly reduced testosterone levels, (ii) altered the expression of genes involved in its synthesis (Star, P450scc, P450c17 and 3ß-Hsd) in testicular tissue, (iii) significantly reduced regulatory protein CaMKI/RORα. Similar observations were also made in cultured primary Leydig cells exposed in vitro to RF. However, all of these observations were blocked by CaMK inhibitor, KN-93, and ionomycin reversed the down-regulation effects on intracellular [Ca2+]i and CaMKI/RORα expression induced by RF exposure. Thus, the data provided the evidence that RF-induced inhibition of testosterone synthesis might be mediated through CaMKI/RORα signaling pathway. Capsule: CaMKI/RORα signaling pathway was involved in the inhibition of testosterone synthesis induced by RF exposure.

Genome-wide association analyses identify 143 risk variants and putative regulatory mechanisms for type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a very common disease in humans. Here we conduct a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with ~16 million genetic variants in 62,892 T2D cases and 596,424 controls of European ancestry. We identify 139 common and 4 rare variants associated with T2D, 42 of which (39 common and 3 rare variants) are independent of the known variants. Integration of the gene expression data from blood (n = 14,115 and 2765) with the GWAS results identifies 33 putative functional genes for T2D, 3 of which were targeted by approved drugs. A further integration of DNA methylation (n = 1980) and epigenomic annotation data highlight 3 genes (CAMK1D, TP53INP1, and ATP5G1) with plausible regulatory mechanisms, whereby a genetic variant exerts an effect on T2D through epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Our study uncovers additional loci, proposes putative genetic regulatory mechanisms for T2D, and provides evidence of purifying selection for T2D-associated variants.

Ca2+-dependent demethylation of phosphatase PP2Ac promotes glucose deprivation-induced cell death independently of inhibiting glycolysis.

Cancer cells increase glucose metabolism to support aerobic glycolysis. However, only some cancer cells are acutely sensitive to glucose withdrawal, and the underlying mechanism of this selective sensitivity is unclear. We showed that glucose deprivation initiates a cell death pathway in cancer cells that is dependent on the kinase RIPK1. Glucose withdrawal triggered rapid plasma membrane depolarization and an influx of extracellular calcium into the cell through the L-type calcium channel Cav1.3 (CACNA1D), followed by activation of the kinase CAMK1. CAMK1 and the demethylase PPME1 were required for the subsequent demethylation and inactivation of the catalytic subunit of the phosphatase PP2A (PP2Ac) and the phosphorylation of RIPK1. Plasma membrane depolarization, PP2Ac demethylation, and cell death were prevented by glucose and, unexpectedly, by its nonmetabolizable analog 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG), a glycolytic inhibitor. These findings reveal a previously unknown function of glucose as a signaling molecule that protects cells from death induced by plasma membrane depolarization, independently of its role in glycolysis. Components of this cancer cell death pathway represent potential therapeutic targets against cancer.

Discovery of long-range inhibitory signaling to ensure single axon formation.

A long-standing question in neurodevelopment is how neurons develop a single axon and multiple dendrites from common immature neurites. Long-range inhibitory signaling from the growing axon is hypothesized to prevent outgrowth of other immature neurites and to differentiate them into dendrites, but the existence and nature of this inhibitory signaling remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that axonal growth triggered by neurotrophin-3 remotely inhibits neurite outgrowth through long-range Ca2+ waves, which are delivered from the growing axon to the cell body. These Ca2+ waves increase RhoA activity in the cell body through calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I. Optogenetic control of Rho-kinase combined with computational modeling reveals that active Rho-kinase diffuses to growing other immature neurites and inhibits their outgrowth. Mechanistically, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I phosphorylates a RhoA-specific GEF, GEF-H1, whose phosphorylation enhances its GEF activity. Thus, our results reveal that long-range inhibitory signaling mediated by Ca2+ wave is responsible for neuronal polarization.Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota influences immune function in the brain and may play a role in neurological diseases. Here, the authors offer in vivo evidence from a Drosophila model that supports a role for gut microbiota in modulating the progression of Alzheimer's disease.