Project description:Analysis of BRMS1 KD-induced EMT in non-samll cell lung cancer at gene expression level. The hypothesis tested in the present study was that BRMS1 KD induces EMT through differential regulation of EMT genes and Twist1 KD restores the epithelial phenotype in cells with BRMS1 KD. Results provide important information of biological functions in lung cancer which BRMS1 KD involves in, such as EMT, signaling, biological adhesion, immune system process, response to stimulus, and so on.
Project description:The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel conducts rapid delayed rectifier potassium currents (IKr) and contributes to phase III cardiac action potential repolarization. Drugs inhibit hERG channels by binding to aromatic residues in hERG helixes. Berberine (BBR) has multiple actions, and its hydrogenated derivative dihydroberberine (DHB) is a potential candidate for developing new drugs. Previous studies have demonstrated that BBR blocks hERG channels and prolongs action potential duration (APD). Our present study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanism of DHB on hERG channels. Protein expression and the hERG current were analyzed using western blotting and patch-clamp, respectively. DHB inhibited the hERG current concentration-dependently after instantaneous perfusion, accelerated channel inactivation by directly binding tyrosine (Tyr652) and phenylalanine (Phe656), and decreased mature (155-kDa) and simultaneously increased immature (135-kDa) hERG expression, respectively. This suggests disruption of forward trafficking of hERG channels. Besides, DHB remarkably reduced heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) expression and its interaction with hERG, indicating that DHB disrupted hERG trafficking by impairing channel folding. Meanwhie, DHB enhanced the expression of cleaved activating transcription factor-6 (ATF-6), a biomarker of unfolded protein response (UPR). Expression of calnexin and calreticulin, chaperones activated by ATF-6 to facilitate channel folding, were also increased, which indicating UPR activation. Additionally, the degradation rate of mature 155-kDa hERG increased following DHB exposure. In conclusion, we demonstrated that DHB acutely blocked hERG channels by binding the aromatic Tyr652 and Phe656. DHB may decrease hERG plasma membrane expression through two pathways involving disruption of forward trafficking of immature hERG channels and enhanced degradation of mature hERG channels. Furthermore, forward trafficking was disrupted by impaired channel folding associated with altered interactions between hERG proteins and chaperones. Finally, trafficking inhibition activated UPR, and mature hERG channel degradation was increased by DHB.
Project description:L-type calcium currents (I(Ca)) are influenced by changes in extracellular chloride, but sites of anion effects have not been identified. Our experiments showed that CaV1.2 currents expressed in HEK293 cells are strongly inhibited by replacing extracellular chloride with gluconate or perchlorate. Variance-mean analysis of I(Ca) and cell-attached patch single channel recordings indicate that gluconate-induced inhibition is due to intracellular anion effects on Ca(2+) channel open probability, not conductance. Inhibition of CaV1.2 currents produced by replacing chloride with gluconate was reduced from approximately 75%-80% to approximately 50% by omitting beta subunits but unaffected by omitting alpha(2)delta subunits. Similarly, gluconate inhibition was reduced to approximately 50% by deleting an alpha1 subunit N-terminal region of 15 residues critical for beta subunit interactions regulating open probability. Omitting beta subunits with this mutant alpha1 subunit did not further diminish inhibition. Gluconate inhibition was unchanged with expression of different beta subunits. Truncating the C terminus at AA1665 reduced gluconate inhibition from approximately 75%-80% to approximately 50% whereas truncating it at AA1700 had no effect. Neutralizing arginines at AA1696 and 1697 by replacement with glutamines reduced gluconate inhibition to approximately 60% indicating these residues are particularly important for anion effects. Expressing CaV1.2 channels that lacked both N and C termini reduced gluconate inhibition to approximately 25% consistent with additive interactions between the two tail regions. Our results suggest that modest changes in intracellular anion concentration can produce significant effects on CaV1.2 currents mediated by changes in channel open probability involving beta subunit interactions with the N terminus and a short C terminal region.