High brain densities of the immunophilin FKBP colocalized with calcineurin.

The immunophilins cyclophilin and FK506 binding protein (FKBP) are small, predominantly soluble proteins that bind the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporin A and FK506, respectively, with high affinity, and which seem to mediate their pharmacological actions. The Ca(2+)-dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, binds the cyclophilin-cyclosporin A and FKBP-FK506 complexes, indicating that calcineurin might mediate the actions of these drugs. A physiological role for the immunophilins in the nervous system is implied by a close homology between the structure of NINA A, a protein in the neural retina of Drosophila, and cyclophilin, as well as by the high density of FKBP messenger RNA in brain tissue. Here we report that the levels of FKBP and mRNA in rat brain are extraordinarily high and that their regional localization is virtually identical to that of calcineurin, indicating that there may be a physiological link between calcineurin and the immunophilins. We also show that at low concentrations FK506 and cyclosporin A enhance the phosphorylation of endogenous protein substrates in brain tissue and in intact PC12 cells, indicating that these drugs may inhibit phosphatase activity by interacting with the immunophilin-calcineurin complexes.     

A receptor for the immunosuppressant FK506 is a cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase

The structurally novel macrolide FK506 (refs 1,2) has recently been demonstrated to have potent immunosuppressive activity at concentrations several hundredfold lower than cyclosporin A (CsA). Cyclosporin A, a cyclic peptide, has found widespread clinical use in the prevention of graft rejection following bone marrow and organ transplantation. The mechanisms of immunosuppression mediated by FK506 and CsA appear to be remarkably similar, suggesting that these unrelated structures act on a common receptor or on similar molecular targets, perhaps the CsA receptor, cyclophilin, which has recently been shown by Fischer et al. and Takahashi et al. to have cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity. We have prepared an FK506 affinity matrix and purified a binding protein for FK506 from bovine thymus and from human spleen. This FK506-binding protein (FKBP) has a relative molecular mass (Mr) of approximately 14,000(14K), a pI of 8.8-8.9, and does not cross-react with antisera against cyclophilin. The first 40 N-terminal residues of the bovine and 16 residues of the human FKBP were determined; the 16-residue fragments are identical to each other and unrelated to any known sequences. This protein catalyses the cis-trans isomerization of the proline amide in a tetrapeptide substrate and FK506 inhibits the action of this new isomerase. The FKBP and cyclophilin appear to be members of an emerging class of novel proteins that regulate T cell activation and other metabolic processes, perhaps by the recognition (and possibly the isomerization) of proline-containing epitopes in target proteins.     

FK506对大鼠同种皮肤移植的免疫抑制作用

在大鼠皮肤移植模型上应用ＦＫ５０６并与ＣｓＡ作比较，以探讨其免疫抑制作用机理。实验结果表明：ＦＫ５０６组移植皮肤生长良好，完全存活率为７０．０５％，与ＣｓＡ相当；使用ＦＫ５０６２１ｄ后，ＦＫ５０６组脾细胞Ｉｌ－２及ｓＩｌ－２Ｒ的产生较对照组减少，且血中ｓＩｌ－２Ｒ较对照组低。证明ＦＫ５０６通过抑制Ｉｌ－２和Ｉｌ－２Ｒ及ｓＩｌ－２Ｒ的产生，从而发挥免疫抑制作用。     

FK506和环孢霉素A在兔角膜缘移植术后抑制免疫排斥反应的疗效比较

目的研究FK506和环孢霉素A对同种异体兔角膜缘移植术后免疫排斥反应的抑制效应。方法将30只有角膜缘干细胞缺陷症的新西兰白兔随机分成3组：FK506治疗组、环孢霉素A治疗组和对照组,同种异体角膜缘移植术后分别给予0．5％FK506滴眼液、1％环孢霉素A滴眼液和生理盐水点眼,用药5周。术后持续观察11周,以角膜缘植片水肿、混浊程度、排斥反应发生时间和角膜新生血管作为眼表评估指标。结果观察期内,FK506组在抑制新生血管指数方面低于环孢霉素A组（P〈0．05）,而两组在上皮排斥反应发生时间、移植排斥指数方面无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。结论同种异体角膜缘移植术后早期应用0．5％FK506和1％的环孢霉素A滴眼液均可有效抑制免疫排斥反应,在抑制角膜新生血管发生方面,FK506的作用强于环孢霉素A。     

FK506在同种异体兔角膜缘移植中的应用

目的：研究FK506对同种异体兔角膜缘移植术后免疫排斥反应的抑制效应。方法：建立48只新西兰白兔角膜缘于干细胞缺陷症动物模型，随机分成FK506治疗组、环孢霉素A治疗组和非治疗组，同种异体角膜缘移植术后分别给予质量分类为0．5％FK506滴眼液、1％环孢霉素A滴眼液和生理盐水点眼，用药4周。术后持续观察10周，以角膜缘植片水种、混浊程度、排斥反应发生时间、角膜新生血管和假性胬肉作为眼表评估指标。结果：观察期内，FK506组上皮排斥反应发生率、移植排斥指数均低于环孢霉素A组，差异有显著性（P＜0．05）；而两组成新生血管和假性胬肉指数方面，无显著性差异（P＞0．05）。结论：同种异体角膜缘移植术后早期应用FK506眼液点眼可以抑制排斥反应发生。     

Solution structure of the major binding protein for the immunosuppressant FK506

The major FK506 binding protein (FKBP, relative molecular mass approximately 11,800; Mr 11.8K) and cyclophilin (Mr approximately 17K) belong to a class of proteins termed immunophilins. Although unrelated at the amino-acid sequence level, they both possess peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activities which are inhibited by immunosuppressants that block signal transduction pathways leading to T-lymphocyte activation. FK506 and rapamycin strongly inhibit the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity of FKBP, whereas cyclosporin A inhibits that of cyclophilin. The significance of this enzyme activity and the role of the immunophilins in immunoregulation is unknown. To understand better the function of the immunophilins and their interaction with inhibitors, we are investigating the solution structures of FKBP and FKBP-inhibitor complexes by multidimensional NMR methods. Here we report the solution conformation of FKBP, as generated by NMR, distance geometry and molecular dynamics methods. The regular secondary structure of FKBP is composed mainly of beta sheet (approximately 35%) with little helical structure (less than 10%). The hydrophobic core of the molecule, containing the buried side chains of six of the protein's nine aromatic amino acids, is enclosed by a five-stranded antiparallel beta sheet on one side, a loop and a short helix at residues 51-56 and 57-65, and an aperiodic loop at residues 81-95. Examination of the structure suggests a possible site of interaction with FK506.     

Rapamycin selectively inhibits interleukin-2 activation of p70 S6 kinase.

The macrolide rapamycin induces cell cycle G1 arrest in yeast and in mammalian cells, which suggests that an evolutionarily conserved, rapamycin-sensitive pathway may regulate entry into S phase. In mammals, rapamycin inhibits interleukin-2 receptor-induced S phase entry and subsequent T-cell proliferation, resulting in immunosuppression. Here we show that interleukin-2 selectively stimulates the phosphorylation and activation of p70 S6 kinase but not the erk-encoded MAP kinases and rsk-encoded S6 kinases. Rapamycin completely and rapidly inhibits interleukin-2-induced phosphorylation and activation of p70 S6 kinase at concentrations comparable to those blocking S phase entry of T cells (0.05-0.2 nM). The structurally related macrolide FK506 competitively antagonizes the actions of rapamycin, indicating that these effects are mediated by FKBP, which binds the transition-state mimic structure common to both rapamycin and FK506 (refs 4, 6, 9-11). The selective blockade of the p70 S6 kinase activation cascade by the rapamycin-FKBP complex implicates this signalling pathway in the regulation of T cell entry into S phase.     

雷帕霉素的免疫药理学（综述）

雷帕霉素是一种高效低毒的大环内酯类免疫抑制药,它在细胞外的受体为FK506结合蛋白FKBP－12,胞浆内的激酶mTOR是雷帕霉素已知的主要靶体,它是mRNA翻译的启动调控因子,Kipl是一种周期素依赖性激酶的抑制剂,能降低活化的T细胞内G1期的周期素与其依赖性激酶复合物的水平,mTOR对p70 s6k的活性,真核启努因子4E依赖性蛋白合成及Kip1的下调所需调节信号具有诱变作用,它与FKBP12与雷帕霉素复合物的相互作用干扰了它的功能,雷帕霉素因素阻断了Kipl的下调而将细胞阻滞于G1期。     

Oestrogen protects FKBP12.6 null mice from cardiac hypertrophy

FK506 binding proteins 12 and 12.6 (FKBP12 and FKBP12.6) are intracellular receptors for the immunosuppressant drug FK506 (ref. 1). The skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1) is isolated as a hetero-oligomer with FKBP12 (ref. 2), whereas the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) more selectively associates with FKBP12.6 (refs 3, 4, 5). FKBP12 modulates Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in skeletal muscle and developmental cardiac defects have been reported in FKBP12-deficient mice, but the role of FKBP12.6 in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling remains unclear. Here we show that disruption of the FKBP12.6 gene in mice results in cardiac hypertrophy in male mice, but not in females. Female hearts are normal, despite the fact that male and female knockout mice display similar dysregulation of Ca2+ release, seen as increases in the amplitude and duration of Ca2+ sparks and calcium-induced calcium release gain. Female FKBP12.6-null mice treated with tamoxifen, an oestrogen receptor antagonist, develop cardiac hypertrophy similar to that of male mice. We conclude that FKBP12.6 modulates cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and that oestrogen plays a protective role in the hypertrophic response of the heart to Ca2+ dysregulation.     

A cytosolic binding protein for the immunosuppressant FK506 has peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity but is distinct from cyclophilin

CYCLOSPORIN A and the newly discovered immunosuppressant, FK-506, are potent inhibitors of T cell activation. In addition to their clinical importance in the prevention of allograft rejection, cyclosporin A and FK-506 represent important reagents for the study of the molecular mechanisms of lymphocyte activation. Cyclosporin A, a cyclic undecapeptide and FK-506, a macrolide, although chemically distinct, inhibit similar lymphocyte activation responses. The earliest responses inhibited in the T cell seem to be the expression of early phase T cell-activation genes for interleukins 2, 3 and 4, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and gamma interferon. Although FK-506 and cyclosporin A seem to inhibit similar signal transduction processes, they do so be interacting with distinct cytosolic proteins. We report here the purification to homogeneity of a specific FK-506 binding protein that is distinct from the cyclosporin A-binding protein, cyclophilin. In addition, we show that this FK-506 binding protein, like cyclophilin, has peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity.     

Calcineurin is required to release Xenopus egg extracts from meiotic M phase

Fertilization induces a transient increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration in animal eggs that releases them from cell cycle arrest in the second meiotic metaphase. In frog eggs, Ca2+ activates Ca2+/calmodulin-activated kinase, which inactivates cytostatic factor, allowing the anaphase-promoting factor to turn on and ubiquitinate cyclins and securin, which returns the cell cycle to interphase. Here we show that the calcium-activated protein phosphatase calcineurin is also important in this process. Calcineurin is transiently activated after adding Ca2+ to egg extracts, and inhibitors of calcineurin such as cyclosporin A (ref. 8) delay the destruction of cyclins, the global dephosphorylation of M-phase-specific phosphoproteins and the re-formation of a fully functional nuclear envelope. We found that a second wave of phosphatase activity directed at mitotic phosphoproteins appears after the spike of calcineurin activity. This activity disappeared the next time the extract entered M phase and reappeared at the end of mitosis. We surmise that inhibition of this second phosphatase activity is important in allowing cells to enter mitosis, and, conversely, that its activation is required for a timely return to interphase. Calcineurin is required to break the deep cell cycle arrest imposed by the Mos-MAP (mitogen-activated protein) kinase pathway, and we show that Fizzy/Cdc20, a key regulator of the anaphase-promoting factor, is an excellent substrate for this phosphatase.     

Sensitivity to cyclosporin A is mediated by cyclophilin in Neurospora crassa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cyclosporin A, a cyclic fungal undecapeptide produced by Tolypocladium inflatum, is a potent immunosuppressive drug originally isolated as an antifungal antibiotic. Cyclosporin A (CsA) is widely used in humans to prevent rejection of transplanted organs such as kidney, heart, bone marrow and liver. The biochemical basis of CsA action is not known: its primary cellular target has been suggested to be calmodulin, the prolactin receptor or cyclophilin, a CsA-binding protein originally isolated from the cytosol of bovine thymocytes. Cyclophilin has been shown to be a highly conserved protein present in all eukaryotic cells tested and to be identical to peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, a novel type of enzyme that accelerates the slow refolding phase of certain proteins in vitro. We demonstrate that in the lower eukaryotes N. crassa and S. cerevisiae, cyclo philin mediates the cytotoxic CsA effect. In CsA-resistant mutants of both organisms, the cyclophilin protein is either lost completely or, if present, has lost its ability to bind CsA.     

FK506对人外周血T淋巴细胞CD_(28)分子表达的体外抑制作用

应用淋巴细胞体外活化模型和流式细胞分析技术，观察异体角膜体外对人外周血Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８分子表达的调节和ＦＫ５０６对Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８表达的抑制作用．结果显示：空白对照组Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８表达为２１．３％；受异体角膜或ＰＤＢ刺激后，Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８表达分别为５２．４％和８１．４％，同时加入ＦＫ５０６的实验组，Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８表达分别为２４．５％和４１．９％·结果表明异体角膜体外能够刺激Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８分子表达，ＦＫ５０６体外能够明显抑制Ｔ淋巴细胞ＣＤ２８分子表达和活化．