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Many cases of early-onset inherited Alzheimer's disease (AD) are caused by mutations in the presenilin-1 (PS1) gene. Expression of PS1 mutations in cell culture systems and in primary neurons from transgenic mice increases their vulnerability to cell death. Interestingly, enhanced vulnerability to cell death has also been demonstrated for peripheral lymphocytes from AD patients. We now report that lymphocytes from PS1 mutant transgenic mice show a similar hypersensitivity to cell death as do peripheral cells from AD patients and several cell culture systems expressing PS1 mutations. The cell death-enhancing action of mutant PS1 was associated with increased production of reactive oxygen species and altered calcium regulation, but not with changes of mitochondrial cytochrome c. Our study further emphasizes the pathogenic role of mutant PS1 and may provide the fundamental basis for new efforts to close the gap between studies using neuronal cell lines transfected with mutant PS1, neurons from transgenic animals, and peripheral cells from AD patients. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.
In the first part of this study, we have identified the two steroid hormones progesterone and norgestimate as novel TRPC channel blockers. Both substances blocked TRPC-mediated Ca2+ influx with micromolar activities in fluorometric measurements. TRPC channel inhibition did not seem to be a general steroid effect since another progestin, the norgestimate metabolite levonorgestrel, was not effective. Norgestimate was 4- to 5-fold more active on the TRPC3/6/7 subfamily compared to TRPC4/5, whereas progesterone was similarly potent. This selectivity of norgestimate was confirmed by patch clamp recordings. As norgestimate blocked channels directly gated by DAG with a fast kinetic, we assume the compound acts on the channel protein itself. This view was further substantiated by the lack of effects on IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum, which is activated in parallel with TRPCs by Gq/11-coupled receptor stimulation. Norgestimate did not only block ectopically expressed TRPC channels but also native, TRPC-mediated currents in rat aortic smooth muscle cells with similar activity. The usefulness of norgestimate as a tool compound for the investigation of physiological TRPC functions was tested in isolated vessel rings. Consistent with TRPC6 being an essential component of the alpha-1-adrenoceptor-activated cation channel, we demonstrated a direct vasorelaxant, endothelium-independent effect of norgestimate on rat aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Thus, our results provide further experimental support for a role of TRPC6 in alpha-1-adrenergic vessel constriction. In the second part of this study, we screened a human aorta cDNA-library for novel TRPC4-interacting proteins with a modified yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system in which the TRPC4-C-terminus was expressed as tetrameric bait protein, thereby mimicking the native channel conformation. Of the eleven interacting proteins found SESTD1 was chosen for further analyses since it contains a phospholipid-binding Sec14p-like domain and thus could be involved in regulation of TRPC channels by phospholipids. After the biochemical validation of the found interaction, the first spectrin domain of SESTD1 was then identified to interact with the CIRB domain of TRPC4 in directed Y2H tests. SESTD1 also co-immunoprecipitated with the closely related TRPC5 protein in which the SESTD1-binding domain is highly conserved. Independent of the CIRB site, co-immunoprecipitation with TRPC6 and the distantly related TRPM8 channel was observed indicating the existence of other sites in these channel proteins that mediate interaction with SESTD1. Analysis of SESTD1 gene expression in human tissues showed that its transcripts are ubiquitously expressed and tissues with significant coexpression with TRPC4 and -5 were identified. We have generated two polyclonal antisera directed against SESTD1 that consistently detected SESTD1 protein in brain, aorta, heart, and in smooth muscle and endothelial cells. The functional consequences of the found interaction were investigated by examination of the TRPC5-mediated Ca2+ influx in a clonal HM1 cell line stably expressing the channel. Since SESTD1 overexpression had no detectable effects on TRPC5-mediated Ca2+ influx, most likely due to expression of endogenous SESTD1, we knocked-down the native protein with specific siRNA. This procedure reduced TRPC5-mediated Ca2+ influx following receptor stimulation by 50%. Parallel biotinylation experiments did not reveal any differences in cell surface expressed TRPC5-protein, suggesting that reduction of TRPC5 activity resulted from a loss of a direct SESTD1 effect on the channel. In addition, in immunofluorescence experiments we observed that reduced SESTD1 protein levels resulted in a redistribution of the multifunctional protein ß-catenin from the plasma membrane to the cytosol. This result may point to an involvement of SESTD1 in formation and maintenance of adherens junctions. SESTD1 contains a phospholipid-binding Sec14p-like domain and we were the first to demonstrate its Ca2+-dependent binding to phosphatidic acid and all physiological phosphatidylinositol mono- and bisphosphates in vitro. The physiological function of this binding activity is not known at present, but it could play a role in regulation of associated TRPC channels. TRPC4 and -5 channels are activated by phospholipid hydrolysis and also bind phospholipids directly. The identification of SESTD1 as novel TRPC-interacting protein could thus be an important step forward in the investigation and better comprehension of the complex molecular mechanisms of TRP channel regulation by lipids.
Zukünftige Entwicklung bodenchemischer Parameter auf ehemals emissionsbeeinflussten Waldstandorten
(2009)
Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt Prognosen zur Entwicklung verschiedener bodenchemischer Parameter (pH-Wert, Nährelementvorräte und Schwermetallgehalte) für flugaschebeeinflusste Waldböden der Dübener Heide vor. Untersucht wurden dazu zwölf Waldstandorte mit unterschiedlicher Entfernung vom Hauptemittenten und damit entlang eines Depositionsgradienten basischer, schwermetallhaltiger Flugasche. Aus der Kombination von vorhandenen Altdaten, dem gemessenen Ist-Zustand und den Ergebnissen von Freisetzungsversuchen wurden Modelle für zukünftig zu erwartende pH-Werte und Elementgehalte der Auflagen abgeleitet. Entsprechend dieser Modelle wird der am stärksten beeinflusste Standort Burgkemnitz voraussichtlich noch mindestens 100 Jahre über aufgebaste Auflagen verfügen, die sich durch überdurchschnittlich hohe Calcium- und Magnesiumvorräte auszeichnen, was als positiv für die Pflanzenernährung zu bewerten ist. Die Schwermetallgesamtgehalte von Cadmium, Kupfer, Nickel und Zink in den Auflagen dieses Standortes überschreiten zwar heute schon die Vorsorgewerte der BBodSchV. Aufgrund des hohen pH-Wertes sind zur Zeit die mobilen Gehalte aber noch so gering, dass sich daraus keine Gefährdung für Pflanzen und Mikroorganismen ergibt. Die mobilen Schwermetallgehalte von Nickel und Zink werden zwar aufgrund stetiger Wiederversauerung in den nächsten Jahrzehnten die Prüfwerte von Prüess (1994) überschreiten. Mit einem hohen Schädigungspotenzial ist allerdings nicht zu rechnen. Das durch die Flugasche verbesserte Nährstoffangebot könnte hier also noch langfristig waldbaulich genutzt werden. Schlüsselwörter: Flugasche, Waldboden, Dübener Heide, Freisetzung, Schwermetalle, Calcium, Magnesium