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Expression of hemoglobin-? and ? subunits in human vaginal epithelial cells and their functional significance.

ABSTRACT: Hemoglobin (Hb) is a major protein involved in transport of oxygen (O2). It consists of Hb-? and Hb-? subunits, which are normally expressed by cells of erythroid lineage. However, till recently, it was not known whether non-erythroid cells like vaginal cells synthesize Hb and whether it has any functional significance. Therefore, we designed the following objectives: (1) to establish in-vitro culture system of human primary vaginal epithelial cells (hPVECs), (2) to determine whether Hb-? and Hb-? proteins are truly synthesized by hPVECs, (3) to evaluate the effect of LPS (lipopolysaccharide) on the expression of Hb-? and Hb-? proteins (4) to decipher the significance of the Hb-? and Hb-? expression in hPVECs and (5) to determine the molecular mechanism regulating the expression of Hb-? in hPVECs. To accomplish these studies, we applied a battery of assays such as RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, Flow cytometry, western blot, and immunofluorescence, Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The results revealed the expression of Hb-? and Hb-? at both mRNA and protein level in hPVECs. The expression was significantly upregulated following LPS treatment (10?g/ml for 6 hrs) and these results are comparable with the expression induced by LPS in human vaginal epithelial cell line (VK2/E6E7). These cells constitutively produced low levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines. Also, the response of phosphorylated (p65)-NF-?B to LPS was upregulated with increased expression of IL-6, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and human beta defensin-1 (hBD-1) in hPVECs and VK2/E6E7 cells. However, Bay 11-7082 treatment (5?M for 24 hrs) could neutralize the effect of LPS-induced p65-NF-?B activity and represses the production`of Hb-? and Hb-?. The results of EMSA revealed the presence of putative binding sites of NF-?B in the human Hb-? promoter region (nt-115 to -106). ChIP analysis confirmed the binding of NF-?B to Hb-? promoter. In conclusion, the present findings revealed for the first time that hPVECs synthesized Hb-? and Hb-? and the expression is comparable with the expression of VK2/E6E7 cells. The identification of NF-?B regulatory sequences in Hb-? promoter, whose activation is associated with immune response of hPVECs, indicating Hb-? and Hb-? may act as an endogenous antimicrobial defense protein against vaginal inflammation/infections.

SUBMITTER: Saha D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5298339 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Expression of hemoglobin-α and β subunits in human vaginal epithelial cells and their functional significance.

Saha Debarchana D Koli Swanand S Patgaonkar Mandar M Reddy Kudumula Venkata Rami KV

PloS one 20170208 2

Hemoglobin (Hb) is a major protein involved in transport of oxygen (O2). It consists of Hb-α and Hb-β subunits, which are normally expressed by cells of erythroid lineage. However, till recently, it was not known whether non-erythroid cells like vaginal cells synthesize Hb and whether it has any functional significance. Therefore, we designed the following objectives: (1) to establish in-vitro culture system of human primary vaginal epithelial cells (hPVECs), (2) to determine whether Hb-α and Hb ...[more]

PMID: 28178273

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Project description:Picosecond to millisecond laser time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy was used to study molecular oxygen (O2) rebinding and conformational relaxation following O2 photodissociation in the α and β subunits within human hemoglobin in the quaternary R-like structure. Oxy-cyanomet valency hybrids, α2(Fe2+-O2)β2(Fe3+-CN) and α2(Fe3+-CN)β2(Fe2+-O2), were used as models for oxygenated R-state hemoglobin. An extended kinetic model for geminate O2 rebinding in the ferrous hemoglobin subunits, ligand migration between the primary and secondary docking site(s), and nonexponential tertiary relaxation within the R quaternary structure, was introduced and discussed. Significant functional non-equivalence of the α and β subunits in both the geminate O2 rebinding and concomitant structural relaxation was revealed. For the β subunits, the rate constant for the geminate O2 rebinding to the unrelaxed tertiary structure and the tertiary transition rate were found to be greater than the corresponding values for the α subunits. The conformational relaxation following the O2 photodissociation in the α and β subunits was found to decrease the rate constant for the geminate O2 rebinding, this effect being more than one order of magnitude greater for the β subunits than for the α subunits. Evidence was provided for the modulation of the O2 rebinding to the individual α and β subunits within human hemoglobin in the R-state structure by the intrinsic heme reactivity through a change in proximal constraints upon the relaxation of the tertiary structure on a picosecond to microsecond time scale. Our results demonstrate that, for native R-state oxyhemoglobin, O2 rebinding properties and spectral changes following the O2 photodissociation can be adequately described as the sum of those for the α and β subunits within the valency hybrids. The isolated β chains (hemoglobin H) show similar behavior to the β subunits within the valency hybrids and can be used as a model for the β subunits within the R-state oxyhemoglobin. At the same time, the isolated α chains behave differently to the α subunits within the valency hybrids.

Project description:BackgroundRetinoic acid (RA) plays important role in the maintenance and differentiation of the Müllerian ducts during the embryonic stage via RA receptors (RARs). However, the function and mechanism of RA-RAR signaling in the vaginal opening are unknown.MethodWe used the Rarα knockout mouse model and the wild-type ovariectomized mouse models with subcutaneous injection of RA (2.5 mg/kg) or E2 (0.1 µg/kg) to study the role and mechanism of RA-RAR signaling on the vaginal opening. The effects of Rarα deletion on Ctnnb1 mRNA levels and cell apoptosis in the vaginas were analyzed by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively. The effects of RA on the expression of β-catenin and apoptosis in the vaginas were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting. The effects of E2 on RA signaling molecules were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting.ResultsRA signaling molecules were expressed in vaginal epithelial cells, and the mRNA and/or protein levels of RALDH2, RALDH3, RARα and RARγ reached a peak at the time of vaginal opening. The deletion of Rarα resulted in 25.0% of females infertility due to vaginal closure, in which the mRNA (Ctnnb1, Bak and Bax) and protein (Cleaved Caspase-3) levels were significantly decreased, and Bcl2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in the vaginas. The percentage of vaginal epithelium with TUNEL- and Cleaved Caspase-3-positive signals were also significantly decreased in Rarα-/- females with vaginal closure. Furthermore, RA supplementation of ovariectomized wild-type (WT) females significantly increased the expression of β-catenin, active β-catenin, BAK and BAX, and significantly decreased BCL2 expression in the vaginas. Thus, the deletion of Rarα prevents vaginal opening by reducing the vaginal β-catenin expression and epithelial cell apoptosis. The deletion of Rarα also resulted in significant decreases in serum estradiol (E2) and vagina Raldh2/3 mRNA levels. E2 supplementation of ovariectomized WT females significantly increased the expression of RA signaling molecules in the vaginas, suggesting that the up-regulation of RA signaling molecules in the vaginas is dependent on E2 stimulation.ConclusionTaken together, we propose that RA-RAR signaling in the vaginas promotes vaginal opening through increasing β-catenin expression and vaginal epithelial cell apoptosis.

Dataset Information

Expression of hemoglobin-? and ? subunits in human vaginal epithelial cells and their functional significance.

Publications

Expression of hemoglobin-α and β subunits in human vaginal epithelial cells and their functional significance.

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