Pleiotropic effects of sphingolipids in skeletal muscle

Studies of the last two decades have demonstrated that sphingolipids are important signalling molecules exerting key roles in the control of fundamental biological processes including proliferation, differentiation, motility and survival. Here we review the role of bioactive sphingolipids such as ceramide, sphingosine, sphingosine 1-phosphate, ganglioside GM3, in the regulation of skeletal muscle biology. The emerging picture is in favour of a complex role of these molecules, which appear implicated in the activation of muscle resident stem cells, their proliferation and differentiation, finalized at skeletal muscle regeneration. Moreover, they are involved in the regulation of contractile properties, tissue responsiveness to insulin and muscle fiber trophism. Hopefully, this article will provide a framework for future investigation into the field, aimed at establishing whether altered sphingolipid metabolism is implicated in the onset of skeletal muscle diseases and identifying new pharmacological targets for the therapy of multiple illnesses, including muscular dystrophies and diabetes. Received 30 April 2008; received after revision 19 June 2008; accepted 14 July 2008     

Post-transcriptional gene silencing of ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 restores insulin action in leucine-treated skeletal muscle

Excessive nutrients, especially amino acids, impair insulin action on glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. We tested the hypothesis that the branched-chain amino acid leucine reduces acute insulin action in primary myotubes via a negative feedback mechanism involving ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1). The effect of S6K1 on glucose metabolism was determined by applying RNA interference (siRNA). Leucine (5 mM) reduced glucose uptake and incorporation to glycogen by 13% and 22%, respectively, compared to the scramble siRNA-transfected control at the basal level. Leucine also reduced insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, glucose uptake and glucose incorporation to glycogen (39%, 39% and 37%, respectively), and this reduction was restored after S6K1 silencing. Depletion of S6K1 enhanced basal glucose utilization and protected against the development of impaired insulin action, in response to excessive leucine. In conclusion, S6K1 plays an important role in the regulation of insulin action on glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. Received 22 December 2008; received after revision 19 February 2009; accepted 23 February 2009     

Bile Acids: Chemistry, Pathochemistry, Biology, Pathobiology, and Therapeutics

Bile acids and bile alcohols in the form of their conjugates are amphipathic end products of cholesterol metabolism with multiple physiological functions. The great variety of bile acids and bile alcohols that are present in vertebrates are tabulated. Bile salts have an enterohepatic circulation resulting from efficient vectorial transport of bile salts through the hepatocyte and the ileal enterocyte; such transport leads to the accumulation of a pool of bile salts that cycles between the liver and intestine. Bile salt anions promote lipid absorption, enhance tryptic cleavage of dietary proteins, and have antimicrobial effects. Bile salts are signaling molecules, activating nuclear receptors in the hepatocyte and ileal enterocyte, as well as an increasing number of G-protein coupled receptors. Bile acids are used therapeutically to correct deficiency states, to decrease the cholesterol saturation of bile, or to decrease the cytotoxicity of retained bile acids in cholestatic liver disease.     

hShroom1 links a membrane bound protein to the actin cytoskeleton

hShroom1 (hShrm1) is a member of the Apx/Shroom (Shrm) protein family and was identified from a yeast two-hybrid screen as a protein that interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM). The characteristic signature of the Shrm family is the presence of a unique domain, ASD2 (Apx/Shroom domain 2). mRNA analysis suggests that hShrm1 is expressed in brain, heart, skeletal muscle, colon, small intestine, kidney, placenta and lung tissue, as well a variety of melanoma and other cell lines. Co-immunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) experiments indicate that hShrm1 and MCAM interact in vivo and by immunofluorescence microscopy some co-localization of these proteins is observed. hShrm1 partly co-localises with β-actin and is found in the Triton X-100 insoluble fraction of melanoma cell extracts. We propose that hShrm1 is involved in linking MCAM to the cytoskeleton. D. E. Dye, S. Karlen: These authors contributed equally to this work. Received 09 October 2008; received after revision 23 November 2008; accepted 09 December 2008     

Myosin I: From yeast to human

Myosin I is a non-filamentous, single-headed, actin-binding motor protein and is present in a wide range of species from yeast to man. The role of these class I myosins have been studied extensively in simple eukaryotes, showing their role in diverse processes such as actin cytoskeleton organization, cell motility, and endocytosis. Recently, studies in metazoans have begun to reveal more specialized functions of myosin I. It will be a major challenge in the future to examine the physiological functions of each class I myosin in different cell types of metazoans.     

A complex of Shc and Ran-GTPase localises to the cell nucleus

The three isoforms of the adaptor protein Shc play diverse roles in cell signalling. For example, the observation of p46 Shc in the nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells suggests a function quite distinct from the better characterised cytoplasmic role. Ligands responsible for the transport of various Shc isoforms into organelles such as the nucleus have yet to be reported. To identify such ligands a far western approach was used to determine the p52 Shc interactome. The Ran-GTPase nuclear transport protein was identified and found to bind to p52 Shc in vitro with low micromolar affinity. Co-immunoprecipitation, pull down and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy experiments in stable cells confirmed cellular interaction and nuclear localisation. The nuclear transport factor protein NTF2, which functions in cohort with Ran, was shown to form a complex with both RAN and Shc, suggesting a mechanism for Shc entry into the nucleus as part of a tertiary complex. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Received 20 October 2008; received after revision 04 December 2008; accepted 15 December 2008     

A sperm GPI-anchored protein elicits sperm-cumulus cross-talk leading to the acrosome reaction

The acrosome reaction has long been thought to be induced by the zona pellucida. Here we report the identification and function of a novel human sperm glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane protein, NYD-SP8. The release of the protein during sperm-egg interaction and its binding to the cumulus, the first layer of egg investment, elicits cross-talk between the gametes and produces calcium dependant release of progesterone, which lead to the acrosome reaction. An in vivo mouse model of NYD-SP8 immunization is also established showing a reduced fertility rate. Thus, contrary to accepted dogma, our study demonstrates for the first time that, prior to reaching the zona pellucida, sperm may release a surface protein that acts on the cumulus cells leading to the acrosome reaction, which may be important for determining the outcome of fertilization. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Received 11 August 2008; received after revision 18 December 2008; accepted 22 December 2008     

The Role of the Agouti-Related Protein in Energy Balance Regulation

The Agouti-Related Protein (AgRP) is a powerful orexigenic peptide that increases food intake when ubiquitously overexpressed or when administered centrally. AgRP-deficiency, on the other hand, leads to increased metabolic rate and a longer lifespan when mice consume a high fat diet. In humans, AgRP polymorphisms have been consistently associated with resistance to fatness in Blacks and Whites and resistance to the development of type-2 diabetes in African Blacks. Systemically administered AgRP accumulates in the liver, the adrenal gland and fat tissue while recent findings suggest that AgRP may also have inverse agonist effects, both centrally and peripherally. AgRP could thus modulate energy balance via different actions. Its absence or reduced functionality may offer a benefit both in terms of bringing about negative energy balance in obesigenic environments, as well as leading to an increased lifespan.     

Regulation of muscle creatine kinase by phosphorylation in normal and diabetic hearts

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important signaling molecule in the heart, but its targets remain unclear. Using a PKC substrate antibody, we detected a 40-kDa phosphorylated cardiac protein that was subsequently identified by tandem mass spectroscopy as muscle creatine kinase (M-CK) with phosphorylation at serine 128. The forward reaction using ATP to generate phosphocreatine was reduced, while the reverse reaction using phosphocreatine to generate ATP was increased following dephosphorylation of immunoprecipitated M-CK with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) or PP2C. Despite higher PKC levels in diabetic hearts, decreased phosphorylation of M-CK was more prominent than the reduction in its expression. Changes in CK activity in diabetic hearts were similar to those found following dephosphorylation of M-CK from control hearts. The decrease in phosphorylation may act as a compensatory mechanism to maintain CK activity at an appropriate level for cytosolic ATP regeneration in the diabetic heart. Received 15 September 2008; received after revision 30 September 2008; accepted 13 October 2008     

A novel member of the Rhomboid family, RHBDD1, regulates BIK-mediated apoptosis

Rhomboid family members are widely conserved and found in all three kingdoms of life. They are serine proteases and serve important regulatory functions. In the present study, a novel gene highly expressed in the testis, RHBDD1, is shown to be a new member of the Rhomboid family, participating in the cleavage of BIK, a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family. The RHBDD1-involved proteolytic modification is upstream of the BIK protein degradation pathway. Mutagenesis studies show that the amino acid residues glycine142 and serine144 of RHBDD1 are crucial for its activity in cleaving BIK at a site located in the transmembrane region. Overexpression or knock-down of RHBDD1 in HEK 293T cells can reduce or enhance BIK-mediated apoptosis, respectively. The present findings suggest that, by acting as a serine protease, RHBDD1 modulates BIK-mediated apoptotic activity. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Received 31 July 2008; received after revision 16 September 2008; accepted 19 September 2008     

From immune response to cancer: a spot on the low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase

Reversible tyrosine phosphorylation is a key posttranslational regulatory modification of proteins in all eukaryotic cells in normal and pathological processes. Recently a pivotal janus-faced biological role of the low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMWPTP) has become clear. On the one hand this enzyme is important in facilitating appropriate immune responses towards infectious agents, on the other hand it mediates exaggerated inflammatory responses toward innocuous stimuli. The evidence that LMWPTP plays a role in oncological processes has added a promising novel angle. In this review we shall focus on the regulation of LMWPTP enzymatic activity of signaling pathways of different immunological cells, the relation between genetic polymorphism of LMWPTP and predisposition to some type of inflammatory disorders and the contribution of this enzyme to cancer cell onset, growth and migration. Therefore, the LMWPTP is an interesting target for pharmacological intervention, thus modifying both inappropriate cellular immune responses and cancer cell aggressiveness. Received 15 August 2008; received after revision 06 October 2008; accepted 14 October 2008     

Collapsin response mediator protein-2 is a calmodulin-binding protein

Collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2) plays a crucial role in axonal guidance and neurite outgrowth during neural development and regeneration. We have studied the interaction between calmodulin (CaM) and CRMP-2 and how Ca²⁺/CaM binding modulates the biological functions of CRMP-2. We have shown that CRMP-2 binds to CaM directly in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. The CaM binding site of CRMP-2 is proposed to reside in the last helix of the folded domain, and in line with this, a synthesized peptide representing this helix bound to CaM. In addition, CaM binding inhibits a homotetrameric assembly of CRMP-2 and attenuates calpainmediated CRMP-2 proteolysis. Furthermore, a CaM antagonist reduces the number and length of process induced by CRMP-2 overexpression in HEK293 cells. Take together, our data suggest that CRMP-2 is a novel CaM-binding protein and that CaM binding may play an important role in regulating CRMP-2 functions. Received 26 June 2008; received after revision 18 November 2008; accepted 24 November 2008     

The Dim protein family: from structure to splicing

The spliceosome is a dynamic macromolecular machine that catalyzes pre-mRNA splicing through a mechanism controlled by several accessory proteins, including the Dim proteins. The Dim protein family is composed of two classes, Dim1 and Dim2, which share a common thioredoxin-like fold. They were originally identified for their role in cell cycle progression and have been found to interact with Prp6, an essential component of the spliceosome, which forms the bridge of U4/U6.U5-tri-snRNP. In spite of their biological and structural similarities, Dim1 and Dim2 proteins differ in many aspects. Dim1 bears distinctive structural motifs responsible for its interaction with other spliceosome components. Dim2 forms homodimers and contains specific domains required for its interactions with partners. This originality suggests that although both proteins are involved in pre-mRNA splicing, they are likely to be involved in different biological pathways. In the present article we review the structure and function of the Dim proteins.     

The antioxidant function of Bcl-2 preserves cytoskeletal stability of cells with defective respiratory complex I

Human thyroid carcinoma XTC.UC1 cells harbor a homoplasmic frameshift mutation in the MT-ND1 subunit of respiratory complex I. When forced to use exclusively oxidative phosphorylation for energy production by inhibiting glycolysis, these cells triggered a caspase-independent cell death pathway, which was associated to a significant imbalance in glutathione homeostasis and a cleavage of the actin cytoskeleton. Overexpression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein significantly increased the level of endogenous reduced glutathione, thus preventing its oxidation after the metabolic stress. Furthermore, Bcl-2 completely inhibited actin cleavage and increased cell adhesion, but was unable to improve cellular viability. Similar effects were obtained when XTC.UC1 cells were incubated with exogenous glutathione. We hence propose that Bcl-2 can safeguard cytoskeletal stability through an antioxidant function. Received 28 May 2008; received after revision 8 July 2008; accepted 29 July 2008     

The utility F-box for protein destruction

A signature feature of all living organisms is their utilization of proteins to construct molecular machineries that undertake the complex network of cellular activities. The abundance of a protein element is temporally and spatially regulated in two opposing aspects: de novo synthesis to manufacture the required amount of the protein, and destruction of the protein when it is in excess or no longer needed. One major route of protein destruction is coordinated by a set of conserved molecules, the F-box proteins, which promote ubiquitination in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Here we discuss the functions of F-box proteins in several cellular scenarios including cell cycle progression, synapse formation, plant hormone responses, and the circadian clock. We particularly emphasize the mechanisms whereby F-box proteins recruit specific substrates and regulate their abundance in the context of SCF E3 ligases. For some exceptions, we also review how F-box proteins function through non-SCF mechanisms.