Expression changes of microtubule associated protein 1B in the brain of Fmr1 knockout mice

Objective To explore the regulatory effect of fragile X mental retardation protein （FMRP） on the translation of microtubule associated protein 1B （MAP1B）. Methods The expressions of MAP1B protein and MAP1B mRNA in the brains of 1-week and 6-week old fragile X mental retardation-1 （FmrI） knockout （KO） mice were investigated by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and in situ hybridization, with the age-matched wild type mice （WT） as controls. Results The mean optical density （MOD） of MAP1B was significantly decreased in each brain region in KO6W compared with WT6W, whereas in KO1W, this decrease was only found in the hippocampus and cerebellum. MAP1B in 6-week mice was much less than that in 1-week mice of the same genotype. The results of Western blot and in situ hybridization showed that MAP1B protein and MAP1B mRNA were significantly decreased in the hippocampus of both KO1W and KO6W. Conclusion The decreased MAP1B protein and MAP1B mRNA in the Fmrl knockout mice indicate that FMRP may positively regulate the expression of MAP1B.

Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor enhances the neuroprotective effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in ischemic stroke

Although bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)might have therapeutic potency in ischemic stroke,the benefits are limited.The current study investigated the effects of BMSCs engineered to overexpress vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)on behavioral defects in a rat model of transient cerebral ischemia,which was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion.VEGF-BMSCs or control grafts were injected into the left striatum of the infarcted hemisphere 24 hours after stroke.We found that compared with the stroke-only group and the vehicle-and BMSCs-control groups,the VEGF-BMSCs treated animals displayed the largest benefits,as evidenced by attenuated behavioral defects and smaller infarct volume 7 days after stroke.Additionally,VEGF-BMSCs greatly inhibited destruction of the blood-brain barrier,increased the regeneration of blood vessels in the region of ischemic penumbra,and reducedneuronal degeneration surrounding the infarct core.Further mechanistic studies showed that among all transplant groups,VEGF-BMSCs transplantation induced the highest level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.These results suggest that BMSCs transplantation with vascular endothelial growth factor has the potential to treat ischemic stroke with better results than are currently available.

Study on regulating mechanisms of oxocrebanine obtained from Stephania hainanensis H.S.Lo et Y.Tsoong on microtubule sites and tubulin in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells

Objective:To determine the destructive ability of oxocrebanine,an anti-breast cancer active compound obtained from Stephania hainanensis H.S.Lo et Y.Tsoong,on microtubule network,and investigate the effect of oxocrebanine on microtubule network homeostasis at both molecular and cellular levels.Methods:the EBI site competition method and molecular docking method were used to determine the occupation of the microtubule site of oxocrebanine.Western Blot was used to detect the effect of oxocrebanine on microtubule-associated proteins including STAT3,PAK1,CAMK4,and PKA.Results:The results of EBI site competition assay showed that the binding of EBI toβ-Tubulin covalent fusions produced adducts that appeared in regions of lower molecular weight thanβ-tubulin(ctrl 2).Molecular docking results showed that oxocrebanine could occupy the colchicine site of microtubule proteins.As revealed by Western Blot,the expression of STAT3 protein was decreased after MCF-7 cells have been treated with low,medium,and high concentration of oxocrebanine or the positive drug taxol for 48 h(P<0.01).The expression levels of PAK1 and Camk4 proteins aslo showed significant reductions(P<0.05,or P<0.01).Oxocrebanine also decreased the PKA protein in MCF-7 cells compared to the control group(P<0.01).Conclusions:Oxocrebanine,a ligand that binds at the colchicine site of tubulin,perturbs tubulin polymerization and causes mitosis in MCF-7 cells,thus leading to MCF-7 cell death.Oxocrebanine may promote microtubule dynamics through stathmin by inhibiting the expression levels of STAT3,PAK1,Camk4,and PKA proteins in MCF-7 cells.Oxocrebanine interfers with spindle formation,and ultimately causes mitotic catastrophe in MCF-7 cells.

T cells promote the regeneration of neural precursor cells in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease mice

Alzheimer＇s disease is closely associated with disorders of neurogenesis in the brain, and growing evidence supports the involvement of immunological mechanisms in the development of the disease. However, at present, the role of T cells in neuronal regeneration in the brain is unknown. We injected amyloid-beta 1-42 peptide into the hippocampus of six BALB/c wild-type mice and six BALB/c-nude mice with T-cell immunodeficiency to establish an animal model of Alzhei- mer＇s disease. A further six mice of each genotype were injected with same volume of normal saline. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the number of regenerated neural progenitor cells in the hippocampus of BALB/c wild-type mice was significantly higher than that in BALB/c-nude mice. Quantitative fluorescence PCR assay showed that the expression levels of peripheral T cell-associated cytokines （interleukin-2, interferon-y） and hippocampal microglia-related cyto- kines （interleukin-113, tumor necrosis factor-a） correlated with the number of regenerated neural progenitor cells in the hippocampus. These results indicate that T cells promote hippocampal neurogenesis in Alzheimer＇s disease and T-cell immunodeficiency restricts neuronal regeneration in the hippocampus. The mechanism underlying the promotion of neuronal regeneration by T cells is mediated by an increased expression of peripheral T cells and central microglial cytokines in Alzheimer＇s disease mice. Our findings provide an experimental basis for understanding the role of T cells in Alzheimer＇s disease.

Isolation,cultivation and identification of brain glioma stem cells by magnetic bead sorting

This study describes a detailed process for obtaining brain glioma stem cells from freshly dissected human brain glioma samples using an immunomagnetic bead technique combined with serum-free media pressure screening. Furthermore, the proliferation, differentiation and self-renewal biological features of brain glioma stem cells were identified. Results showed that a small number of CD133 positive tumor cells isolated from brain glioma samples survived as a cell suspension in serum-free media and proliferated. Subcultured CD133 positive cells maintained a potent self-renewal and proliferative ability, and expressed the stem cell-specific markers CD133 and nestin. After incubation with fetal bovine serum, the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein and microtubule associated protein 2 positive cells increased significantly, indicating that the cultured brain glioma stem cells can differentiate into astrocytes and neurons. Western blot analysis showed that tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog was highly expressed in tumor spheres compared with the differentiated tumor cells. These experimental findings indicate that the immunomagnetic beads technique is a useful method to obtain brain glioma stem cells from human brain tumors.

Changes in and effective factors of microtubule associated protein 2 in traumatic neurons

Objective To investigate alterations in the microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) of neurons in Wistar rats and the effect of nimodipine (Nim), D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (D-AP-5) and mild hypothermia on neuronal MAP-2 following fluid percussion injury (FPI).Methods Alterations of MAP-2 in Wistar rat neurons following FPI were measured by a confocal laserscanning microscope using MAP-2 immunofluorescence staining as a MAP-2 indicator.Results MAP-2 immunofluorescence staining was limited to the cell bodies and dendritic compartments of neurons and more intense in dendrites than in cell bodies. The loss of MAP-2 was marked at 3 h posttrauma ( P ＜ 0.01 ), and reached a maximum at 48 h post-trauma. Afterwards, fluorescence recovered partly at 72 h post-trauma. The application of Nim markedly reduced the loss of MAP-2 immunoreectivity within 1 h post-trauma ( P ＜ 0.01 ), and the application of D-AP-5 markedly reduced the loss of MAP-2immunoreactivity within 10 h post-injury ( P ＜ 0.01 ). The application of mild hypothermia decreased the loss of MAP-2 immunoreactivity within 1 h post-injury (P＜ 0.05).Conclusions The partial recovery of fluorescence at 72 h post-trauma indicate that the partial structure of the neuronal microtubules can be repaired by itself. Nim, D-AP-5 and mild hypothermia reduce the degradation of MAP-2 by different mechanisms. The treatment of neuronal cytoskeleton degradation following FPI must employ multiple therapeutic approaches.

Cardiac proteomics reveals the potential mechanism of microtubule associated protein 4 phosphorylation-induced mitochondrial dysfunction

Background:Our previous work suggested that microtubule associated protein 4(MAP4)phosphorylation led to mitochondrial dysfunction in MAP4 phosphorylation mutant mice with cardiomyopathy,but the detailed mechanism was still unknown.Thus,the aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanism involved in mitochondrial dysfunction responsible for cardiomyopathy.Methods:The present study was conducted to explore the potential mechanism underlying the mitochondrial dysfunction driven by MAP4 phosphorylation.Strain of mouse that mimicked constant MAP4 phosphorylation(S737 and S760)was generated.The isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation(iTRAQ)analysis was applied to the heart tissue.Gene Ontology(GO),Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),and protein-protein interaction(PPI)were all analyzed on the basis of differential expressed proteins(DEPs).Results:Among the 72 cardiac DEPs detected between the two genotypes of mice,12 were upregulated and 60 were downregulated.GO analysis showed the biological process,molecular function,and cellular component of DEPs,and KEGG enrichment analysis linked DEPs to 96 different biochemical pathways.In addition,the PPI network was also extended on the basis of DEPs as the seed proteins.Three proteins,including mitochondrial ubiquitin ligase activator of NF-κB 1,reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NADH)-ubiquinone oxidoreductase 75 kDa subunit,mitochondrial and growth arrest,and DNA-damage-inducible proteins-interacting protein 1,which play an important role in the regulation of mitochondrial function,may correlate with MAP4 phosphorylationinduced mitochondrial dysfunction.Western blot was used to validate the expression of the three proteins,which was consistent with iTRAQ experiments.Conclusions:These findings revealed that the DEPs caused by MAP4 phosphorylation in heart tissue using iTRAQ technique and may provide clues to uncover the potential mechanism of MAP4 phosphorylation-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.

The Katanin Microtubule Severing Protein in Plants

Katanin is a heterodimeric microtubule （MT） severing protein that uses energy from ATP hydrolysis to generate internal breaks along MTs. Katanin p60, one of the two subunits, possesses ATPase and MT-binding/severing activities, and the p 80 subunit is responsible for targeting of katanin to certain subcellular locations. In animals, katanin plays an important role in the release of MTs from their nucleation sites in the centrosome. It is also involved in severing MTs into smaller fragments which can serve as templates for further polymerization to increase MT number during meiotic and mitotic spindle assembly. Katanin homologs are present in a wide variety of plant species. The Arabidopsis katanin homolog has been shown to possess ATP-dependent MT severing activity in vitro and exhibit a punctate localization pattern at the cell cortex and the perinuclear region. Disruption of katanin functions by genetic mutations causes a delay in the disappearance of the perinuclear MT array and results in an aberrant organization of cortical MTs in elongating cells. Consequently, katanin mutations lead to defects in cell elongation, cellulose microfibril deposition, and hormonal responses. Studies of katanin in plants provide new insights into our understanding of its roles in cellular functions.

Microtubule Associated Proteins in Plants and the Processes They Manage

Microtubule associated proteins （MAPs） are proteins that physically bind to microtubules in eukaryotes. MAPs play important roles in regulating the polymerization and organization of microtubules and in using the ensuing microtubule arrays to carry out a variety of cellular functions. In plants, MAPs manage the construction, repositioning, and dismantling of four distinct microtubule arrays throughout the cell cycle. Three of these arrays, the cortical array, the preprophase band, and the phragmoplast, are prominent to plants and are responsible for facilitating cell wall deposition and modification, transducing signals, demarcating the plane of cell division, and forming the new cell plate during cytokinesis. This review highlights important aspects of how MAPs in plants establish and maintain microtubule arrays as well as regulate cell growth, cell division, and cellular responses to the environment.

Microtubule-associated deacetylase HDAC6 promotes angiogenesis by regulating cell migration in an EB1-dependent manner

Angiogenesis,a process by which the preexisting blood vasculature gives rise to new capillary vessels,is associated with a variety of physiologic and pathologic conditions.However,the molecular mechanism underlying this important process remains poorly understood.Here we show that histone deacetylase 6(HDAC6),a microtubule-associated enzyme critical for cell motility,contributes to angiogenesis by regulating the polarization and migration of vascular endothelial cells.Inhibition of HDAC6 activity impairs the formation of new blood vessels in chick embryos and in angioreactors implanted in mice.The requirement for HDAC6 in angiogenesis is corroborated in vitro by analysis of endothelial tube formation and capillary sprouting.Our data further show that HDAC6 stimulates membrane ruffling at the leading edge to promote cell polarization.In addition,microtubule end binding protein 1(EB1)is important for HDAC6 to exert its activity towards the migration of endothelial cells and generation of capillary-like structures.These results thus identify HDAC6 as a novel player in the angiogenic process and offer novel insights into the molecular mechanism governing endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis.