Leptin stimulates fatty-acid oxidation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase.

Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes that plays a pivotal role in regulating food intake, energy expenditure and neuroendocrine function. Leptin stimulates the oxidation of fatty acids and the uptake of glucose, and prevents the accumulation of lipids in nonadipose tissues, which can lead to functional impairments known as "lipotoxicity". The signalling pathways that mediate the metabolic effects of leptin remain undefined. The 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) potently stimulates fatty-acid oxidation in muscle by inhibiting the activity of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC). AMPK is a heterotrimeric enzyme that is conserved from yeast to humans and functions as a 'fuel gauge' to monitor the status of cellular energy. Here we show that leptin selectively stimulates phosphorylation and activation of the alpha2 catalytic subunit of AMPK (alpha2 AMPK) in skeletal muscle, thus establishing a previously unknown signalling pathway for leptin. Early activation of AMPK occurs by leptin acting directly on muscle, whereas later activation depends on leptin functioning through the hypothalamic-sympathetic nervous system axis. In parallel with its activation of AMPK, leptin suppresses the activity of ACC, thereby stimulating the oxidation of fatty acids in muscle. Blocking AMPK activation inhibits the phosphorylation of ACC stimulated by leptin. Our data identify AMPK as a principal mediator of the effects of leptin on fatty-acid metabolism in muscle.     

AMP激活的蛋白激酶的体外测活

AMP激活的蛋白激酶(AMPK)在维持细胞内能量代谢平衡中发挥重要作用.过去20多年,研究者多采用32P标记SAMS多肽的方法体外检测AMPK活性,该方法在操作过程中有辐射危害,会对环境造成放射性污染.该文用化学发光方法代替同位素标记,建立一种新的体外检测AMPK活性的方法,并利用该方法比较小鼠不同组织中AMPK的活性.实验结果表明,建立的体外测活方法能够满足实验需求,小鼠不同组织内源AMPK活性有很大差别.这一方法可为今后研究AMPK的酶学性质和相关作用蛋白提供可靠、有效的帮助.     

Energy-dependent regulation of cell structure by AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK, also known as SNF1A) has been primarily studied as a metabolic regulator that is activated in response to energy deprivation. Although there is relatively ample information on the biochemical characteristics of AMPK, not enough data exist on the in vivo function of the kinase. Here, using the Drosophila model system, we generated the first animal model with no AMPK activity and discovered physiological functions of the kinase. Surprisingly, AMPK-null mutants were lethal with severe abnormalities in cell polarity and mitosis, similar to those of lkb1-null mutants. Constitutive activation of AMPK restored many of the phenotypes of lkb1-null mutants, suggesting that AMPK mediates the polarity- and mitosis-controlling functions of the LKB1 serine/threonine kinase. Interestingly, the regulatory site of non-muscle myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC; also known as MLC2) was directly phosphorylated by AMPK. Moreover, the phosphomimetic mutant of MRLC rescued the AMPK-null defects in cell polarity and mitosis, suggesting MRLC is a critical downstream target of AMPK. Furthermore, the activation of AMPK by energy deprivation was sufficient to cause dramatic changes in cell shape, inducing complete polarization and brush border formation in the human LS174T cell line, through the phosphorylation of MRLC. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMPK has highly conserved roles across metazoan species not only in the control of metabolism, but also in the regulation of cellular structures.     

Structural basis for AMP binding to mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates cellular metabolism in response to the availability of energy and is therefore a target for type II diabetes treatment. It senses changes in the ratio of AMP/ATP by binding both species in a competitive manner. Thus, increases in the concentration of AMP activate AMPK resulting in the phosphorylation and differential regulation of a series of downstream targets that control anabolic and catabolic pathways. We report here the crystal structure of the regulatory fragment of mammalian AMPK in complexes with AMP and ATP. The phosphate groups of AMP/ATP lie in a groove on the surface of the gamma domain, which is lined with basic residues, many of which are associated with disease-causing mutations. Structural and solution studies reveal that two sites on the gamma domain bind either AMP or Mg.ATP, whereas a third site contains a tightly bound AMP that does not exchange. Our binding studies indicate that under physiological conditions AMPK mainly exists in its inactive form in complex with Mg.ATP, which is much more abundant than AMP. Our modelling studies suggest how changes in the concentration of AMP ([AMP]) enhance AMPK activity levels. The structure also suggests a mechanism for propagating AMP/ATP signalling whereby a phosphorylated residue from the alpha and/or beta subunits binds to the gamma subunit in the presence of AMP but not when ATP is bound.     

巨噬细胞移动抑制因子在宫颈癌组织中的表达及临床意义

目的探讨巨噬细胞移动抑制因子（MIF）在宫颈癌组织中的表达,评价其在宫颈癌发生、发展中的作用。方法采用免疫组化SP法检测42例宫颈癌组织及20例正常宫颈组织中MIF的表达。结果MIF在宫颈癌中的阳性表达率明显高于正常宫颈组织（P〈0．05）;MIF表达与宫颈癌的分化程度、临床分期及淋巴结转移密切相关（P〈0．05）,与病理类型及肿瘤直径无关联性（P〉0．05）。结论MIF可能在宫颈癌的发生及进展中起着重要的作用。     

Interleukin-2 stimulates association of protein kinase C with plasma membrane

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a regulatory peptide important for the growth and differentiation of antigen-specific T lymphocytes and large granular lymphocytes. Interaction of IL-2 with its specific receptor results in the promotion of S-phase progression as well as, in certain circumstances, the production and release of gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma). Although the binding of IL-2 with high-affinity specific receptors has been well characterized, the intracellular mechanisms by which this ligand-receptor interaction promotes growth and differentiation are unknown. Here, we present evidence that IL-2/receptor interaction produces a rapid and transient redistribution of protein kinase C (PK-C) from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) also induces PK-C transposition in an analogous manner, except that PMA-induced PK-C transposition to the plasma membrane is apparently protracted. As phorbol esters have been shown to mimic IL-2 in the regulation of cellular proliferation as well as IFN-gamma production, the activation of PK-C by either phorbol esters or IL-2/receptor interaction seems to have a crucial role in signal transduction elicited by these extracellular messengers.     

Dissection of the protein kinase cascade by which nerve growth factor activates MAP kinases.

Mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases (MAPKs) are a family of protein-serine/threonine kinases activated as an early intracellular response to a variety of hormones and growth factors. They are unique in requiring both serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation to become active and are the only examples of protein-serine/threonine kinases activated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes differentiation of phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cells, which respond by conversion within hours from a chromaffin-like to a sympathetic neuron-like phenotype. NGF stimulation of PC12 cells increases the activity of two protein kinases by greater than 20-fold within minutes, both strikingly similar to MAPKs. They are inactivated by either protein-tyrosine phosphatases or the protein-serine/threonine phosphatase termed protein phosphatase 2A (ref. 8), they activate protein S6 kinase-II (refs 9, 10), and they phosphorylate identical threonine residues on myelin basic protein (our unpublished results) to those phosphorylated by other MAPKs. Immunological data indicate that these protein kinases, termed peak-I and peak-II (Fig. 1a) are probably ERK2 and ERK1, respectively, two widely expressed MAPK isoforms. Here we identify the 'MAP kinase kinases' (MAPKKs) in PC12 cells which are activated by NGF and report that MAPKKs are dependent on serine/threonine phosphorylation for activity and promote phosphorylation of serine/threonine and tyrosine residues on MAPKs.     

非妊娠小鼠子宫内膜白血病抑制因子基因表达研究

白血病抑制因子（LIF）能抑制胚胎干细胞的分化和保持其增殖能力,并与胚泡着床及胚胎早期发育有着密切的关系。经实验证实,LIF基因在子宫内膜中的表达具有高度的时间限制性。采用反转录聚合酶链式反应技术（RT－RCR）对小鼠子宫内膜LIF基因表达进行了研究,结果显示：妊娠第4天小鼠的子宫内膜组织的样本在电泳图的538bp处出现清晰的电泳带,表明该组织有LIF基因的强表达;而在所检测的13只非妊娠小鼠子宫内膜的组织样本中均未发现LIF基因表达讨论了小鼠动情周期中各阶段的孕激素水平对子宫内膜LIF基因表达产生的影响,提出了一定的孕激素水平是启动LIF基因表达的必要条件     

Leukaemia inhibitory factor is identical to the myeloid growth factor human interleukin for DA cells

Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine that induces macrophage differentiation of the murine M1 myeloid leukaemia cell line. We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel human haemopoietic growth factor, human interleukin for DA cells (HILDA) that supports the proliferation of the murine interleukin-3-dependent leukaemic cell line, DA-la (refs 3-5). HILDA proved to be identical to LIF. The demonstration that the differentiation factor LIF will also serve as a growth factor for at least one myeloid leukaemic cell line provides further evidence that the distinction between growth-promoting and differentiation-inducing activities are largely determined by the target cell type.     

Neuronal growth inhibitory factor inhibits pheochromocytoma PC12 in vitro

Neuronal growth inhibitory factor (GIF), named Metallothioneins-Ⅲ (MT-Ⅲ), is the first protein validated to be capable of inhibiting the growth of neurons in nervous system. We have detected the effects of recombinant GIF on the growth of neuroblastoma SY5Y and pheochromocytoma PC12 by the MTT (Thiazolyl blue) reduction assay. Recombinant GIF inhibited PC12 in vitro; the inhibitory rate was about 25% when GIF was at 100 mg/L; and the inhibitory rate was about 50% when GIF was at 300 mg/L. It is shown that PC12 could serve as a proper model for detecting neuronal growth inhibitory activity of GIF. Recombinant GIF did not inhibit neuroblastoma SY5Y in vitro, a common model of neuroma; it is also shown that GIF could not inhibit neuromata extensively. The reason for GIF inhibiting PC12 may be that PC12 have some properties of cholinergic neuron. It must play an important role in discovering the mechanism of GIF’s neuronal growth inhibitory activity.     

Neuronal growth inhibitory factor inhibits pheochromo-cytoma PC12 in vitro

Neuronal growth inhibitory factor (GIF),named Metaliothioneins-Ⅲ (MT-Ⅲ), is the first protein validated to be capable of inhibiting the growth of neurons in nervous system. We have detected the effects of recombinant GIF on the growth of neuroblastoma SY5Y and pheochromocytoma PC12 by the MTT (Thiazolyl blue) reduction assay. Recombinant GIF inhibited PC12 in vitro; the inhibitory rate was about 25% when GIF was at 100 mg/L; and the inhibitory rate was about 50% when GIF was at 300 mg/L. It is shown that PC12 could serve as a proper model for detecting neuronal growth inhibitory activity of GIF. Recombinant GIF did not inhibit neuroblastoma SY5Y in vitro, a common model of neuroma; it is also shown that GIF could not inhibit neuromata extensively. The reason for GIF inhibiting PC12 may be that PC12 have some properties of cholinergic neuron. It must play an important role in discovering the mechanism of GIF's neuronal growth inhibitory activity.``     

Tyrosine kinase receptor indistinguishable from the c-met protein

Growth factor receptors with protein tyrosine kinase activity are central to the control of proliferation of both normal and malignant cells. Using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, we have previously identified a transmembrane glycoprotein with abnormally high protein tyrosine kinase activity in a human gastric tumour cell line (GTL-16). Electrophoresis under non-reducing conditions revealed that this kinase (relative molecular mass 145,000 (145 K)) is disulphide-linked to a 50K chain in an alpha beta-complex of 190K (p190). From its novel two-chain structure, we deduced that p190 was the prototype of a new class of tyrosine kinase receptors. We now show that p190 is indistinguishable from the protein encoded by the c-met proto-oncogene and that the alpha beta-subunit structure is conserved in other human cell lines. We also show that the high level of p190 found in the GTL-16 cell line is accompanied by amplification and overexpression of c-met. This provides the first example of a functional alteration of c-met in a human tumour cell line.