Pertussis toxin modulation of sodium channels in the central neurons of cyhalothrin-resistant and cyhalothrinsusceptible cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera

Pertussis toxin （FIX） inhibits the activation of the α-subunit of the inhibitory heterotrimeric G-proteins （Cαi/o） and modulates voltage-gated sodium channels, which may be one of the primary targets of pyrethroids. To investigate the potential mechanisms of agricultural pests resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, we examined the modulations by PTX on sodium channels in the central neurons of the 3rd-4th instar larvae of cyhalothrin-resistant （Cy-R） and cyhaiothrin-susceptible （Cy-S） Helicoverpa armigera by the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The isolated neurons were cultured for 12-16 h in an improved L15 insect culture medium with or without PTX （400 ng/mL）. The results showed that both the Cy-R and Cy-S sodium channels exhibited fast kinetics and tetrodotoxin （TTX） sensitivity. The Cy-R sodium channels exhibited not only altered gating properties, including a 8.88-mV right shift in voltage-dependent activation （V0.5act） and a 6.54-mV right shift in voltage-dependent inactivation （V0.5inact）, but also a reduced peak in sodium channel density （Ⅰdensity） （55.2% of that in Cy-S neurons）. Cy-R sodium channels also showed low excitability, as evidenced by right shift of activation potential （Ⅴacti） by 5-10 mV and peak potential （Ⅴpcak） by 20 mV. FIX exerted significant effects on Cy-S sodium channels, reducing sodium channel density by 70.04%, right shifting V0.5act by 14.41 mV and V0.5inact by 9. 38 mV. It did not cause any significant changes of the parameters mentioned above in the Cy-R sodium channels. The activation time （Tpeak） from latency to peak at peak voltage and the fast inactivation time constant （τinact） in both Cy-S and Cy-R neurons were not affected. The results suggest that cotton bollworm resistant to pyrethroid insecticides involves not only mutations and allosteric alterations of voltage-gated sodium channels, but also might implicate perturbation of PTX-sensitive Gαi/o-COupled signaling Wansduction pathways.

Mechanisms mediating cholinergic antral circular smooth muscle contraction in rats

AIM:To investigate the pathway(s)mediating rat antral circular smooth muscle contractile responses to the cholinomimetic agent,bethanechol and the subtypes of muscarinic receptors mediating the cholinergic contraction. METHODS:Circular smooth muscle strips from the antrum of Sprague-Dawley rats were mounted in muscle baths in Krebs buffer.Isometric tension was recorded.Cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained for(+)-cis- dioxolane(cD),a nonspecific muscarinic agonist,at 10^(-8)- 10^(-4)mol/L,in the presence of tetrodotoxin(TTX,10^(-7)mol/L). Results were normalized to cross sectional area.A repeat concentration-response curve was obtained after incubation of the muscle for 90 min with antagonists for M1(pirenzepine), M2(methoctramine)and M3(darifenadn)muscarinic receptor subtypes.The sensitivity to PTX was tested by the ip injection of 100 mg/kg of PTX 5 d before the experiment.The antral circular smooth muscles were removed from PTX-treated and non-treated rats as strips and dispersed smooth muscle cells to identify whether PTX-linked pathway mediated the contractility to bethanechol. RESULTS:A dose-dependent contractile response observed with bethanechol,was not affected by TTx.The pretreatment of rats with pertussis toxin decreased the contraction induced by bethanechol.Lack of calcium as well as the presence of the L-type calcium channel blocker,nifedipine,also inhibited the cholinergic contraction,with a reduction in response from 2.5±0.4 g/mm^2 to 1.2±0.4 g/mm^2(P<0.05).The dose- response curves were shifted to the right by muscarinic antagonists in the following order of affinity:darifenacin (M_3)>methocramine(M_2)>pirenzepine(M_1). CONCLUSION:The muscarinic receptors-dependent contraction of rat antral circular smooth muscles was linked to the signal transduction pathway(s)involving pertussis-toxin sensitive GTP-binding proteins and to extracellular calcium via L-type voltage gated calcium channels.The presence of the residual contractile response after the treatment with nifedipine,suggests that an additional pathway could mediate the cholinergic contraction.The involvement of more than one muscarinic receptor(functionally predominant type 3 over type 2)also suggests more than one pathway mediating the cholinergic contraction in rat antrum.

Human μ-opioid receptor overexpressed in Sf9 insect cells functionally coupled to endogenous G_(i/o) proteins

Human μ-opioid receptor （HμOR） with a tag of six consecutive histidines at its carboxyl terminus had been expressed in recombinant baculovirus infected Sf9 insect cells.The maximal binding capacity for the [3H] diprenorphine and [3H]ohmefentanyl （Ohm） were 9.1± 0.7 and 6.52±0.23 nmol/g protein, respectively. The [3H] diprenorphine or [3H] Ohm binding to the receptor expressed in Sf9 cells was strongly inhibited by μ-selective agonists [D-Ala2], N-methylPhe4, glyol5]enkephalin （DAGO）, Ohm, and morphine, but neither by δ nor by K selective agonist. Na+ （100 mM） and GTP （50 μM） could reduce HμOR agonists etorphine and Ohm affinity binding to the overexpressed HμOR. μ-selective agonists DAGO and Ohm effectively stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding (EC50 = 2.7nM and 6.9 nM) and inhibited forskolin- stimulated cAMP accumulation (IC50 = 0.9 nM and 0.3 nM). The agonist-dependent effects could be blocked by opioid antagonist naloxone or by pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin （PTX）. These results demonstrated that HμOR overexpressed in Sf9 insect cells functionally coupled to endogenous Gi/o proteins.

High IFN-α expression is associated with the induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in Fischer 344 rat

Th1-response plays a crucial role in determining pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. It is believed that both IL-12 and INF-alpha are initiators to regulate Th1-response. In our experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) model, both Lewis and Fischer 344 rats share the same MHC class II molecules, while Lewis rat is EAU susceptible and Fischer 344 rat is EAU resistant. However, under the same condition of immunization, if pertussis toxin (PTX) was injected intraperitoneally as an additional adjuvant, Fischer 344 rat can develop EAU. In this study we investigate which mechanisms are involved in the induction of EAU in CFA+R16+PTX-treated (CRP-treated) Fischer 344 rats. In vivo and in vitro data demonstrated that Th1-cytokine, IFN-gamma mRNA expression was significantly increased in disease target tissue-eyes and in draining lymph node cells of CRP-treated Fischer 344 rat. When IL-12 and IFN-alpha mRNA expression were compared in the experimental groups, only IFN-alpha mRNA expression was associated with EAU development. To distinguish the sources of IFN-alpha producing cells, it was observed that IFN-alpha expression was mainly produced by macrophages. It was further confirmed that normal macrophage from Fischer 344 rat was able to produce significant IFN-alpha in the presence of PTX. The data strongly suggested that IFN-alpha might be involved in initiating Th1-cell differentiation and in turn contribute to the induction of EAU. High IFN-alpha expression induced by PTX may represent a novel pathway to initiate Th1 response in Fischer 344 rat.

The diverse landscape of AB5-type toxins

AB_(5)-type toxins are a group of secreted protein toxins that are central virulence factors for bacterial pathogens such as Shigella dysenteriae,Vibrio cholerae,Bordetella pertussis,and certain lineages of pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica.AB_(5) toxins are composed of an active(A)subunit that manipulates host cell biology in complex with a pentameric binding/delivery(B)subunit that mediates the toxin’s entry into host cells and its subsequent intracellular trafficking.Broadly speaking,all known AB_(5)-type toxins adopt similar structural architectures and employ similar mechanisms of binding,entering and trafficking within host cells.Despite this,there is a remarkable amount of diversity amongst AB_(5)-type toxins;this includes different toxin families with unrelated activities,as well as variation within families that can have profound functional consequences.In this review,we discuss the diversity that exists amongst characterized AB_(5)-type toxins,with an emphasis on the genetic and functional variability within AB_(5) toxin families,how this may have evolved,and its impact on human disease.

Neuroprotective effects of nimodipine and MK-801 on acute infectious brain edema induced by injection of pertussis bacilli to neocortex of rats

Objective: To explore the mechanism and type of acute infectious brain edema induced by injection of pertussis bacilli (PB) in rat neocortex, to study the neuroprotective effect of non-competitive antagonist of N-methl-D-aspartate ( NMDA ) receptor ( MK-801 ) and antagonist of Ca 2+ channels ( nimodipine )on brain edema, and to investigate the relationship between percentage of water content and cytosolic free calcium concentration ( i) in synaptosomes or content of Evans Blue (EB). Methods: 95 SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, ie, normal control group, sham-operated control group, PB group, nimodipine treatment group and MK-801 pretreatment group. The acute infectious brain edema was induced by injection of PB into the rats. Quantitative measurements of water content and the concentration of EB were performed. i was determined in calcium fluorescent indication Fura-2/AM loaded neuronal synaptosome with a spectrofluorophotometer. To observe the effect of MK-801 and nimodipine, we administered MK-801 48 hours and 24 hours before the injection of PB in MK-801 pretreatment group, and nimodipine after the injection of PB in nimodipine treatment group. The specific binding of NMDA receptor was measured with -MK-801 in the neuronal membrane of cerebral cortex. Results: The levels of water content and EB content of brain tissues, and i in the neuronal synaptosomes increased more significantly in the PB-injected cerebral hemisphere in the PB group than those of normal control group and sham-operated control group (P< 0.05). The water content and i increased with the duration of infectious brain edema. Nimodipine administered after the injection of PB could significantly decrease the water content, EB and i (P< 0.05). MK-801 could significantly decrease the water content, EB and i in 4 h and 24 h groups (P< 0.05). The Kd values were 30.5 nmol/L ±3.0 nmol/L and 42.1 nmol/L ±4.2 nmol/L in PB group and NS group respectively (P< 0.05), and Bmax were 0.606 pmol/mg.pro ±0.087 pmol/mg.pro and 0.623 pmol/mg.pro ±0.082 pmol/mg.pro respectively, without statistical significance (P> 0.05). Conclusions: The changes in the permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB) and Ca 2+-overload may participate in the pathogenesis of infectious brain edema. Treatment with nimodipine can dramatically reduce the damage of brain edema and demonstrate neuroprotective effect on brain edema by inhibiting the excess of Ca 2+ influx and reducing the permeability of BBB. MK-801 pretreatment may inhibit the delayed Ca 2+ influx into the neurons. The infectious brain edema is not only cytotoxic brain edema (intracellular edema) but also vasogenic brain edema (extracellular edema) followed by earlier BBB breakdown, so infectious brain edema is complicated with brain edema.

Changes of neuronal calcium channel following brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli in rats

Objective: To explore changes of neuronal calcium channel following brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli in rats, and to investigate the relationship between cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i) in the synaptosome and Ca 2+ ATPase activities of mitochondria. Methods: The level of [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome and Ca 2+ ATPase activities of mitochondria in the acute brain damage induced by injection of pertussis bacilli (PB) in rat was determined and nimodipine was administrated to show its effects on [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome and on alteration of Ca 2+ ATPase activity in the mitochondria. Seventy three rats were randomly divided into four groups, ie, normal control group (Group A), sham operation control group (Group B), PB group (Group C) and nimodipine treatment group (Group D). Results: The level of [Ca 2+ ] i was significantly increased in the PB injected cerebral hemisphere in the Group C as compared with that in the Group A and the Group B at 30 minutes after injection of PB. The level of [Ca 2+ ] i was kept higher in the 4 hours and 24 hours subgroups after the injection in the Group C (P< 0.05 ). In contrast, the Ca 2+ ATPase activities were decreased remarkably among all of the subgroups in the Group C. Nimodipine, which was administered after injection of PB, could significantly decrease the [Ca 2+ ] i and increase the activity of Ca 2+ ATPase (P< 0.05 ). Conclusions: The neuronal calcium channel is opened after injection of PB. There is a negative correlation between activities of Ca 2+ ATPase and [Ca 2+ ] i. Nimodipine can reduce brain damage through stimulating the activities of Ca 2+ ATPase in the mitochondria, and decrease the level of [Ca 2+ ] i in the synaptosome. Treatment with nimodipine dramatically reduces the effects of brain damage induced by injection of PB.