Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activates a protein kinase cascade in SK-N-MC cells that regulates gene expression at a cyclic-AMP response element (CRE) by stimulating the transcriptional activity of CREB. The activation of CREB is prevented by a dominant negative mutant of Ras and triggered via the same site (Ser133) that becomes phosphorylated in response to cyclic AMP and Ca2+. However, the effect of FGF is not mediated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, TPA-sensitive isoforms of protein kinase-C, p70S6K or p90rsk (all of which phosphorylate CREB at Ser133 in vitro). Instead, we identify the FGF-stimulated CREB kinase as MAP kinase-activated protein (MAPKAP) kinase-2, an enzyme that lies immediately downstream of p38 MAP kinase, in a pathway that is also stimulated by cellular stresses. We show that MAPKAP kinase-2 phosphorylates CREB at Ser133 in vitro, that the FGF- or stress-induced activation of MAPKAP kinase-2 and phosphorylation of CREB and ATF-1 are prevented by similar concentrations of the specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB 203580, and that MAPKAP kinase-2 is the only detectable SB 203580-sensitive CREB kinase in SK-N-MC cell extracts. We also show that transfection of RK/p38 MAP kinase in SK-N-MC cells, but not transfection of p44 MAP kinase, activates Gal4-CREB-dependent transcription via Ser133. These findings identify a new growth factor and stress-activated signaling pathway that regulates gene expression at the CRE.

Prostaglandin E(2) is a potent lipid mediator of inflammation that effects changes in cell functions through ligation of four distinct G protein-coupled receptors (E-prostanoid (EP)1, EP2, EP3, and EP4). During pneumonia, PGE(2) production is enhanced. In the present study, we sought to assess the effect of endogenously produced and exogenously added PGE(2) on FcRgamma-mediated phagocytosis of bacterial pathogens by alveolar macrophages (AMs), which are critical participants in lung innate immunity. We also sought to characterize the EP receptor signaling pathways responsible for these effects. PGE(2) (1-1000 nM) dose-dependently suppressed the phagocytosis by rat AMs of IgG-opsonized erythrocytes, immune serum-opsonized Klebsiella pneumoniae, and IgG-opsonized Escherichia coli. Conversely, phagocytosis was stimulated by pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. PGE(2) suppression of phagocytosis was associated with enhanced intracellular cAMP production. Experiments using both forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator) and rolipram (phosphodiesterase IV inhibitor) confirmed the inhibitory effect of cAMP stimulation. Immunoblot analysis of rat AMs identified expression of only EP2 and EP3 receptors. The selective EP2 agonist butaprost, but neither the EP1/EP3 agonist sulprostone nor the EP4-selective agonist ONO-AE1-329, mimicked the effects of PGE(2) on phagocytosis and cAMP stimulation. Additionally, the EP2 antagonist AH-6809 abrogated the inhibitory effects of both PGE(2) and butaprost. We confirmed the specificity of our results by showing that AMs from EP2-deficient mice were resistant to the inhibitory effects of PGE(2). Our data support a negative regulatory role for PGE(2) on the antimicrobial activity of AMs, which has important implications for future efforts to prevent and treat bacterial pneumonia.

Research suggests that individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) show an attention bias for threat-relevant information. However, few studies have examined the causal role of attention bias in the maintenance of anxiety and whether modification of such biases may reduce pathological anxiety symptoms. In the present article, the authors tested the hypothesis that an 8-session attention modification program would (a) decrease attention bias to threat and (b) reduce symptoms of GAD. Participants completed a probe detection task by identifying letters (E or F) replacing one member of a pair of words. The authors trained attention by including a contingency between the location of the probe and the nonthreat word in one group (Attention Modification Program; AMP) and not in the other (attention control condition; ACC). Participants in the AMP showed change in attention bias and a decrease in anxiety, as indicated by both self-report and interviewer measures. These effects were not present in the ACC group. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that attention plays a causal role in the maintenance of GAD and suggest that altering attention mechanisms may effectively reduce anxiety.

The avian sarcoma virus (ASV) protein responsible for cellular transformation in vitro and sarcomagenesis in animals was studied structurally with special reference to the sites of phosphorylation on the polypeptide. The product of the ASV src gene, pp60src, is a phosphoprotein of 60,000 daltons. We found that pp60src contained two major sites of phosphorylation, one involving phosphoserine and the other involving phosphothreonine and possible addtional minor sites of phosphorylation. By using N-formyl[35S]methionyl-tRNAf as a radiolabeled precursor in the cell-free synthesis of the src protein in conjunction with partial proteolysis mapping, we determined that the major phosphoserine residue was located on the amino-terminal two-thirds of the molecule and that the phosphothreonine was located on the carboxy-terminal third. We further determined that the phosphorylation of pp60src in cell extracts involved at least two protein kinases, the one that phosphorylated the major serine site being cyclic AMP dependent and the other, acting on the threonine residue, being a cyclic nucleotide-independnet phosphotransferase. Finally, analysis of the pp60src isolated from cells infected with a temperature-sensitive src gene mutant of ASV revealed that phosphorylation of the major threonine residue was severely reduced when infected cells were grown at the nonpermissive temperature, whereas a phosphorylation pattern characteristic of the wild-type pp60src was observed at the permissive temperature. As pp60src has an associated protein kinase activity, the possible involvement of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation reactions in the functional regulation of ASV transforming protein enzymatic activity is discussed.

The second messenger signaling molecule bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) regulates many processes in bacteria, including motility, pathogenesis and biofilm formation. c-di-GMP-binding riboswitches are important downstream targets in this signaling pathway. Here we report the crystal structure, at 2.7 A resolution, of a c-di-GMP riboswitch aptamer from Vibrio cholerae bound to c-di-GMP, showing that the ligand binds within a three-helix junction that involves base-pairing and extensive base-stacking. The symmetric c-di-GMP is recognized asymmetrically with respect to both the bases and the backbone. A mutant aptamer was engineered that preferentially binds the candidate signaling molecule c-di-AMP over c-di-GMP. Kinetic and structural data suggest that genetic regulation by the c-di-GMP riboswitch is kinetically controlled and that gene expression is modulated through the stabilization of a previously unidentified P1 helix, illustrating a direct mechanism for c-di-GMP signaling.

Reticulocytes, like other cells, selectively degrade certain abnormal proteins by an energy-dependent process. When isolated rabbit reticulocytes incorporate the valine analog 2-amino-3chlorobutyric acid (ClAbu) in place of valine, they produce an abnormal globin that is degraded with a half-life of 15 min. Normal hemoglobin, in contrast, undergoes little or no breakdown within these cells. Cell-free extracts from reticulocytes have been shown to rapidly hydrolyze these abnormal proteins. The degradative system is located in the 100,000 X g supernatant, has a pH optimum of 7.8, and does not appear to be of lysosomal origin. This breakdown of analog-containing protein was stimulated severalfold by ATP, and slightly by ADP. AMP and adenosine-3':5'-cyclic monophosphate had no significant effect on proteolysis. Experiments with ATP analogs suggest that the terminal high energy phosphate is important in the degradative process. Proteolysis in the cell-free system and in intact reticulocytes was inhibited by the same agents (L-l-tosylamido-2-phenyl-ethylchloromethyl ketone, N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetamide, and o-phenanthroline). In addition, the relative rates of degradation of several polypeptides in the cell-free extracts paralleled degradatives rates within cells. Thus, a soluble nonlysosomal proteolytic system appears responsible for the energy-dependent degradation of abnormal proteins in reticulocytes.

BACKGROUND

Genetic studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have shown that Snf1p and Snf4p, which together form the SNF1 complex, are essential for gene derepression on removal of glucose from the medium. However the metabolic signal(s) involved, and the exact role of SNF1, have remained enigmatic. Recently, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was shown to be the mammalian homologue of SNF1. AMPK is activated by the elevation of the cellular AMP:ATP ratio, which occurs during cellular stress in mammalian cells. The mechanism of activation involves phosphorylation of AMPK by an upstream protein kinase (AMPKK). We have investigated whether a similar mechanism might explain the role of SNF1 in yeast in the response to the stress of glucose starvation.

RESULTS

The protein kinase activity of SNF1 was dramatically and rapidly activated by phosphorylation on removal of glucose from the medium. SNF1 was not activated directly by AMP, but could be inactivated by protein phosphatases and reactivated by mammalian AMPKK. We also demonstrated that an endogenous SNF1-reactivating factor, most likely an upstream protein kinase, is present in yeast extracts. Under a variety of different growth conditions, there was a correlation between cellular adenine nucleotide levels and the activation state of SNF1.

CONCLUSIONS

Apart from the lack of direct allosteric activation of SNF1 by AMP, the regulation of the mammalian AMPK and yeast SNF1 protein kinase cascades is highly conserved. Adenine nucleotides are now good candidates for metabolic signals which indicate the lack of glucose in the medium, triggering activation of SNF1 and derepression of glucose-repressed genes.

BACKGROUND

Arterial calcifications are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but the genetic basis of this association is unclear.

METHODS

We performed clinical, radiographic, and genetic studies in three families with symptomatic arterial calcifications. Single-nucleotide-polymorphism analysis, targeted gene sequencing, quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction assays, Western blotting, enzyme measurements, transduction rescue experiments, and in vitro calcification assays were performed.

RESULTS

We identified nine persons with calcifications of the lower-extremity arteries and hand and foot joint capsules: all five siblings in one family, three siblings in another, and one patient in a third family. Serum calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D levels were normal. Affected members of Family 1 shared a single 22.4-Mb region of homozygosity on chromosome 6 and had a homozygous nonsense mutation (c.662C→A, p.S221X) in NT5E, encoding CD73, which converts AMP to adenosine. Affected members of Family 2 had a homozygous missense mutation (c.1073G→A, p.C358Y) in NT5E. The proband of Family 3 was a compound heterozygote for c.662C→A and c.1609dupA (p.V537fsX7). All mutations found in the three families result in nonfunctional CD73. Cultured fibroblasts from affected members of Family 1 showed markedly reduced expression of NT5E messenger RNA, CD73 protein, and enzyme activity, as well as increased alkaline phosphatase levels and accumulated calcium phosphate crystals. Genetic rescue experiments normalized the CD73 and alkaline phosphatase activity in patients' cells, and adenosine treatment reduced the levels of alkaline phosphatase and calcification.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified mutations in NT5E in members of three families with symptomatic arterial and joint calcifications. This gene encodes CD73, which converts AMP to adenosine, supporting a role for this metabolic pathway in inhibiting ectopic tissue calcification. (Funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.).

1. The effect of central set on automatic postural responses was studied in humans exposed to horizontal support-surface perturbations causing forward sway. Central set was varied by providing subjects with prior experience of postural stimulus velocities or amplitudes under 1) serial and random conditions, 2) expected and unexpected conditions, and 3) practiced and unpracticed conditions. In particular, the influence of central-set conditions was examined on the pattern and magnitude of six leg and trunk electromyograph (EMG) activations and associated ankle torque responses to postural perturbations with identical stimulus parameters. 2. The scaling of initial agonist integrated EMG (IEMG) and torque responses to postural perturbation amplitude disappeared when perturbation amplitudes were randomized. This finding suggests that the initial magnitude of postural responses were centrally set to anticipated postural perturbation amplitudes based on sequential experience with the stimulus. 3. Expectation of postural stimulus amplitude had a significant effect on initial torque responses; subjects overresponded when a larger perturbation was expected and underresponded when a smaller perturbation was expected. Expectation of postural stimulus velocity had a smaller effect on initial torque responses, and subjects consistently overresponded when the velocity of the perturbation was unexpected. This difference in amplitude and velocity expectation may be because of the capacity to encode stimulus velocity, but not amplitude information, into the earliest postural responses of the current trial. The relative strength of amplitude and velocity central-set effects varied widely with individual subjects. 4. Central-set conditions did not affect initial EMG response latencies (100 +/- 20 ms, mean +/- SD) or the relative onset of proximal and distal agonists and antagonists. Unexpected or unpracticed stimulus amplitudes, however, were associated with significant late activation of ankle antagonist, tibialis. Thus errors in initial response magnitude because of central-set effects appear to be partially corrected by reciprocal antagonist activity. Agonist IEMG, however, did not always reflect significant changes in torque responses with central-set conditions. 5. Expectation of postural stimulus amplitude and velocity had two different types of effects on the magnitudes of postural responses: 1) a directionally specific, central-set effect consisting of either increased or decreased responses, depending on expectation of stimulus amplitude; and 2) a nonspecific enhanced response to novel stimulus velocities with a gradual reduction when a velocity was presented repeatedly. Two different neural mechanisms are proposed for these two adaptive effects. 6. Reduction of postural response magnitude and antagonist activity during practice may be partially explained by adaptive mechanisms based on expectation because of prior experience with stimulus velocity and amp

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an α-arrestin family protein that is induced in response to glucose elevation. It has been shown to provide a negative feedback loop to regulate glucose uptake into cells, though the biochemical mechanism of action has been obscure. Here, we report that TXNIP suppresses glucose uptake directly, by binding to the glucose transporter GLUT1 and inducing GLUT1 internalization through clathrin-coated pits, as well as indirectly, by reducing the level of GLUT1 messenger RNA (mRNA). In addition, we show that energy stress results in the phosphorylation of TXNIP by AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), leading to its rapid degradation. This suppression of TXNIP results in an acute increase in GLUT1 function and an increase in GLUT1 mRNA (hence the total protein levels) for long-term adaptation. The glucose influx through GLUT1 restores ATP-to-ADP ratios in the short run and ultimately induces TXNIP protein production to suppress glucose uptake once energy homeostasis is reestablished.

Cellular senescence both protects multicellular organisms from cancer and contributes to their ageing. The pre-eminent tumour suppressor p53 has an important role in the induction and maintenance of senescence, but how it carries out this function remains poorly understood. In addition, although increasing evidence supports the idea that metabolic changes underlie many cell-fate decisions and p53-mediated tumour suppression, few connections between metabolic enzymes and senescence have been established. Here we describe a new mechanism by which p53 links these functions. We show that p53 represses the expression of the tricarboxylic-acid-cycle-associated malic enzymes ME1 and ME2 in human and mouse cells. Both malic enzymes are important for NADPH production, lipogenesis and glutamine metabolism, but ME2 has a more profound effect. Through the inhibition of malic enzymes, p53 regulates cell metabolism and proliferation. Downregulation of ME1 and ME2 reciprocally activates p53 through distinct MDM2- and AMP-activated protein kinase-mediated mechanisms in a feed-forward manner, bolstering this pathway and enhancing p53 activation. Downregulation of ME1 and ME2 also modulates the outcome of p53 activation, leading to strong induction of senescence, but not apoptosis, whereas enforced expression of either malic enzyme suppresses senescence. Our findings define physiological functions of malic enzymes, demonstrate a positive-feedback mechanism that sustains p53 activation, and reveal a connection between metabolism and senescence mediated by p53.

The product of the SNF1 gene is a protein kinase whose activity is essential for transcriptional activation of glucose repressed genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have cloned a mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is 46% identical to the deduced amino acid sequence of SNF1 (Carling, D., Aguan, K., Woods, A., Verhoeven, A.J.M., Beri, R., Brennan, C.H., Sidebottom, C., Davison, M.D., and Scott, J. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 11442-11448). Mammalian AMPK plays a major role in the control of lipid metabolism and phosphorylating, thereby inactivating both acetyl-CoA carboxylase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, key regulatory enzymes in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, respectively. We present evidence indicating that, in common with its mammalian homologue, SNF1 forms part of a protein kinase cascade. SNF1 is inactivated in vitro by treatment with protein phosphatase 2A and can be reactivated using a partially purified preparation of mammalian AMPK kinase. SNF1 undergoes a time-dependent increase in activity during growth in glucose-derepressing conditions, providing the first evidence that SNF1 activity is regulated by the level of available glucose. In wild-type yeast, but not in a snf1 deletion mutant, acetyl-CoA carboxylase shows a reciprocal change in activity compared with SNF1 under glucose derepressing conditions, indicating that SNF1 regulates acetyl-CoA carboxylase in vivo. These results suggest that, in addition to their structural similarity, the role of SNF1 and AMPK in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis has been highly conserved throughout evolution.

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) is an activator of AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) and a regulator of de novo purine synthesis. There are several earlier reports indicating that AICAR treatment suppresses cell growth via regulation of AMPK or de novo purine synthesis. We found cell growth to be suppressed by AICAR treatment in HepG2 because of p53 accumulation, which was associated with p53-Ser15 phosphorylation. Moreover, a motif very similar to the consensus motif of AMPK phosphorylation was found around p53-Ser15, and Ser15 phosphorylation was detected in AICAR treated HepG2 as was in vitro phosphorylation by AMPK. Our results suggest that AICAR may regulate cell growth via p53 phosphorylation, and also indicate the possibility of p53 phosphorylation.

OBJECTIVE

Clinical studies have reported that metformin reduces cardiovascular end points of type 2 diabetic subjects by actions that cannot solely be attributed to glucose-lowering effects. The therapeutic effects of metformin have been reported to be mediated by its activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a metabolite sensing protein kinase whose activation following myocardial ischemia has been suggested to be an endogenous protective signaling mechanism. We investigated the potential cardioprotective effects of a single, low-dose metformin treatment (i.e., 286-fold less than the maximum antihyperglycemic dose) in a murine model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury.

METHODS

Nondiabetic and diabetic (db/db) mice were subjected to transient myocardial ischemia for a period of 30 min followed by reperfusion. Metformin (125 microg/kg) or vehicle (saline) was administered either before ischemia or at the time of reperfusion.

RESULTS

Administration of metformin before ischemia or at reperfusion decreased myocardial injury in both nondiabetic and diabetic mice. Importantly, metformin did not alter blood glucose levels. During early reperfusion, treatment with metformin augmented I/R-induced AMPK activation and significantly increased endothelial nitric oxide (eNOS) phosphorylation at residue serine 1177.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide important information that myocardial AMPK activation by metformin following I/R sets into motion events, including eNOS activation, which ultimately lead to cardioprotection.

Adrenergic modulation of calcium channels profoundly influences cardiac function, and has served as a prime example of neurohormonal regulation of voltage-gated ion channels. Channel modulation and increased Ca influx are mediated by elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP and protein phosphorylation. The molecular mechanism of the augmented membrane Ca conductance has attracted considerable interest. An increase in the density of functional channels has often been proposed, but there has previously been no direct evidence. Single-channel recordings show that isoprenaline or 8-bromocyclic AMP increase the proportion of time individual channels spend open by prolonging openings and shortening the closed periods between openings. To look for an additional contribution of changes in the number of functional channels, we applied ensemble fluctuation analysis to whole-cell recordings of cardiac Ca channel activity. Here we present evidence that in frog ventricular heart cells beta-adrenergic stimulation increases NF, the average number of functional Ca channels per cell. We also find that isoprenaline slows the time course of both activation and inactivation, and that the enhancement of peak current decreases gradually with greater membrane depolarization.

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) plays a role in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in inflammation and cell survival. In this report we demonstrate that NF-kappaB recruits a coactivator complex that has striking similarities to that recruited by nuclear receptors. Inactivation of either cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP), members of the p160 family of coactivators, or the CBP-associated factor (p/CAF) by nuclear antibody microinjection prevents NF-kappaB-dependent transactivation. Like nuclear receptor-dependent gene expression, NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression requires specific LXXLL motifs in one of the p160 family members, and enhancement of NF-kappaB activity requires the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of p/CAF but not that of CBP. This coactivator complex is differentially recruited by members of the Rel family. The p50 homodimer fails to recruit coactivators, although the p50-p65 heterodimeric form of the transcription factor assembles the integrator complex. These findings provide new mechanistic insights into how this family of dimeric transcription factors has a differential effect on gene expression.

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind faced since the 2nd World War. In December 2019, a new infectious respiratory disease emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province, China and was named by the World Health Organization as COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). A new class of corona virus, known as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has been found to be responsible for occurrence of this disease. As far as the history of human civilization is concerned there are instances of severe outbreaks of diseases caused by a number of viruses. According to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO as of April 18 2020), the current outbreak of COVID-19, has affected over 2164111 people and killed more than 146,198 people in more than 200 countries throughout the world. Till now there is no report of any clinically approved antiviral drugs or vaccines that are effective against COVID-19. It has rapidly spread around the world, posing enormous health, economic, environmental and social challenges to the entire human population. The coronavirus outbreak is severely disrupting the global economy. Almost all the nations are struggling to slow down the transmission of the disease by testing & treating patients, quarantining suspected persons through contact tracing, restricting large gatherings, maintaining complete or partial lock down etc. This paper describes the impact of COVID-19 on society and global environment, and the possible ways in which the disease can be controlled has also been discussed therein.

The functional and therapeutic importance of the Warburg effect is increasingly recognized, and glycolysis has become a target of anticancer strategies. We recently reported the identification of a group of novel small compounds that inhibit basal glucose transport and reduce cancer cell growth by a glucose deprivation-like mechanism. We hypothesized that the compounds target Glut1 and are efficacious in vivo as anticancer agents. Here, we report that a novel representative compound WZB117 not only inhibited cell growth in cancer cell lines but also inhibited cancer growth in a nude mouse model. Daily intraperitoneal injection of WZB117 at 10 mg/kg resulted in a more than 70% reduction in the size of human lung cancer of A549 cell origin. Mechanism studies showed that WZB117 inhibited glucose transport in human red blood cells (RBC), which express Glut1 as their sole glucose transporter. Cancer cell treatment with WZB117 led to decreases in levels of Glut1 protein, intracellular ATP, and glycolytic enzymes. All these changes were followed by increase in ATP-sensing enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and declines in cyclin E2 as well as phosphorylated retinoblastoma, resulting in cell-cycle arrest, senescence, and necrosis. Addition of extracellular ATP rescued compound-treated cancer cells, suggesting that the reduction of intracellular ATP plays an important role in the anticancer mechanism of the molecule. Senescence induction and the essential role of ATP were reported for the first time in Glut1 inhibitor-treated cancer cells. Thus, WZB117 is a prototype for further development of anticancer therapeutics targeting Glut1-mediated glucose transport and glucose metabolism.

By screening a lambda gt11 library with the multimerized sequence of the cAMP response element (CRE), we isolated human clones encoding the CRE binding protein, CRE-BP1, from a human brain cDNA library. CRE-BP1 expressed in Escherichia coli bound not only to the CRE element of the somatostatin and fibronectin genes, but also to the CRE element of the adenovirus E4 gene, suggesting that the protein was not distinguishable from the adenovirus transcription factor, ATF. The human CRE-BP1 clone encoded a 54.5 kd protein similar at its carboxy terminus to the leucine zipper motifs found in other enhancer binding proteins such as C/EBP and c-jun/AP-1. CRE-BP1 mRNA was expressed in all of the cells examined and was abundant in brain. The structure of CRE-BP1 and its recognition elements suggest that cellular response to extracellular stimuli is controlled by a family of transcription factors that bind to related cis-active elements and that contain several highly conserved domains.

Oxygen deprivation leads to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), causing ER stress. Under conditions of ER stress, inhibition of protein synthesis and up-regulation of ER chaperone expression reduce the misfolded proteins in the ER. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulatory enzyme involved in energy homeostasis during hypoxia. It has been shown that AMPK activation is associated with inhibition of protein synthesis via phosphorylation of elongation factor 2 (eEF2) in cardiomyocytes. We therefore examined whether AMPK attenuates hypoxia-induced ER stress in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. We found that hypoxia induced ER stress, as assessed by the expression of CHOP and BiP and cleavage of caspase 12. Knockdown of CHOP or caspase 12 through small interfering RNA (siRNA) resulted in decreased expression of cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase following exposure to hypoxia. We also found that hypoxia-induced CHOP expression and cleavage of caspase 12 were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxyamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a pharmacological activator of AMPK. In parallel, adenovirus expressing dominant-negative AMPK significantly attenuated the cardioprotective effects of AICAR. Knockdown of eEF2 phosphorylation using eEF2 kinase siRNA abolished these cardioprotective effects of AICAR. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that activation of AMPK contributes to protection of the heart against hypoxic injury through attenuation of ER stress and that attenuation of protein synthesis via eEF2 inactivation may be the mechanism of cardioprotection by AMPK.

We have seen that there is no simple answer to the question 'what controls respiration?' The answer varies with (a) the size of the system examined (mitochondria, cell or organ), (b) the conditions (rate of ATP use, level of hormonal stimulation), and (c) the particular organ examined. Of the various theories of control of respiration outlined in the introduction the ideas of Chance & Williams (1955, 1956) give the basic mechanism of how respiration is regulated. Increased ATP usage can cause increased respiration and ATP synthesis by mass action in all the main tissues. Superimposed on this basic mechanism is calcium control of matrix dehydrogenases (at least in heart and liver), and possibly also of the respiratory chain (at least in liver) and ATP synthase (at least in heart). In many tissues calcium also stimulates ATP usage directly; thus calcium may stimulate energy metabolism at (at least) four possible sites, the importance of each regulation varying with tissue. Regulation of multiple sites may occur (from a teleological point of view) because: (a) energy metabolism is branched and thus proportionate regulation of branches is required in order to maintain constant fluxes to branches (e.g. to proton leak or different ATP uses); and/or (b) control over fluxes is shared by a number of reactions, so that large increases in flux requires stimulation at multiple sites because each site has relatively little control. Control may be distributed throughout energy metabolism, possibly due to the necessity of minimizing cell protein levels (see Brown, 1991). The idea that energy metabolism is regulated by energy charge (as proposed by Atkinson, 1968, 1977) is misleading in mammals. Neither mitochondrial ATP synthesis nor cellular ATP usage is a unique function of energy charge as AMP is not a significant regulator (see for example Erecinska et al., 1977). The near-equilibrium hypothesis of Klingenberg (1961) and Erecinska & Wilson (1982) is partially correct in that oxidative phosphorylation is often close to equilibrium (apart from cytochrome oxidase) and as a consequence respiration and ATP synthesis are mainly regulated by (a) the phosphorylation potential, and (b) the NADH/NAD+ ratio. However, oxidative phosphorylation is not always close to equilibrium, at least in isolated mitochondria, and relative proximity to equilibrium does not prevent the respiratory chain, the proton leak, the ATP synthase and ANC having significant control over the fluxes. Thus in some conditions respiration rate correlates better with [ADP] than with phosphorylation potential, and may be relatively insensitive to mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Berberine (BBR) has been shown to improve several metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia, by stimulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). However, the effects of BBR on proinflammatory responses in macrophages are poorly understood. Here we show that BBR represses proinflammatory responses through AMPK activation in macrophages. In adipose tissue of obese db/db mice, BBR treatment significantly downregulated the expression of proinflammatory genes such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Consistently, BBR inhibited LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory genes including IL-1beta, IL-6, iNOS, MCP-1, COX-2, and matrix metalloprotease-9 in peritoneal macrophages and RAW 264.7 cells. Upon various proinflammatory signals including LPS, free fatty acids, and hydrogen peroxide, BBR suppressed the phosphorylation of MAPKs, such as p38, ERK, and JNK, and the level of reactive oxygen species in macrophages. Moreover, these inhibitory effects of BBR on proinflammatory responses were abolished by AMPK inhibition via either compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, or dominant-negative AMPK, implying that BBR would downregulate proinflammatory responses in macrophages via AMPK stimulation.