Project description:Elevated inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) levels have been previously reported in skeletal muscle myotubes derived from patients with ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) mutation related core myopathies. However, the functional relevance and the relationship of IP3R mediated Ca2+ signalling with the pathophysiology of the disease is unclear. It has also been suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction underlies the development of central and diffuse multi-mini-cores, devoid of mitochondrial activity, a key pathological consequence of RyR1 mutations. Here we used muscle biopsies of central core and multi-minicore disease patients with RyR1 mutations, as well as cellular and in vivo mouse models of the disease to characterise whole genome and mitochondrial gene expression to assess if remodeling of skeletal muscle following loss of functional RyR1 mediates bioenergetic adaptation.
Project description:Elevated inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) levels have been previously reported in skeletal muscle myotubes derived from patients with ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) mutation related core myopathies. However, the functional relevance and the relationship of IP3R mediated Ca2+ signalling with the pathophysiology of the disease is unclear. It has also been suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction underlies the development of central and diffuse multi-mini-cores, devoid of mitochondrial activity, a key pathological consequence of RyR1 mutations. Here we used muscle biopsies of central core and multi-minicore disease patients with RyR1 mutations, as well as cellular and in vivo mouse models of the disease to characterise whole genome and mitochondrial gene expression to assess if remodeling of skeletal muscle following loss of functional RyR1 mediates bioenergetic adaptation.
Project description:Activated Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells differentiate into effector Treg (eTreg) cells to maintain peripheral immune homeostasis and tolerance. T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated induction and regulation of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is essential for eTreg cell differentiation and function. However, SOCE regulation in Treg cells remains unclear. Here we show that inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK), which generates inositol tetrakisphosphate and inositol pentakisphosphate, is a pivotal regulator of Treg cell differentiation downstream of TCR signaling. IPMK is highly expressed in TCR-stimulated Treg cells and promotes a TCR-induced Treg cell program. IPMK-deficient Treg cells display aberrant T cell activation and impaired differentiation into RORγt+ Treg cells, and tissue-resident Treg cells. Mechanistically, IPMK controls the generation of higher-order inositol phosphates, thereby promoting Ca2+ mobilization and Treg cell effector functions. Our findings identify IPMK as a critical regulator of TCR-mediated Ca2+ influx and highlight the importance of IPMK in Treg cell-mediated immune homeostasis.
Project description:The polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin (Htt) protein is a cause of Huntington’s disease (HD). Htt is an essential gene as deletion of the mouse Htt gene homolog (Hdh) is embryonic lethal in mice. Therefore, in addition to elucidating the mechanisms responsible for polyQ-mediated pathology, it is also important to understand the normal function of Htt protein for both basic biology and for HD. To systematically search for a mouse Htt function, we took advantage of the Hdh +/- and Hdh-floxed mice and generated four mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells lines which contain a single copy of the Hdh gene (Hdh-HET) and four MEF lines in which the Hdh gene was deleted (Hdh-KO). The function of Htt in calcium (Ca2+) signaling was analyzed in Ca2+ imaging experiments with generated cell lines. We found that the cytoplasmic Ca2+ spikes resulting from the activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) and the ensuing mitochondrial Ca2+ signals were suppressed in the Hdh-KO cells when compared to Hdh-HET cells. Furthermore, in experiments with permeabilized cells we found that the InsP3-sensitivity of Ca2+ mobilization from endoplasmic reticulum was reduced in Hdh-KO cells. These results indicated that Htt plays an important role in modulating InsP3R-mediated Ca2+ signaling. To further evaluate function of Htt, we performed genome-wide transcription profiling of generated Hdh-HET and Hdh-KO cells by microarray. Our results revealed that 106 unique transcripts were downregulated by more than two-fold with p < 0.05 and 173 unique transcripts were upregulated at least two-fold with p < 0.05 in Hdh-KO cells when compared to Hdh-HET cells. The microarray results were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR for a number of affected transcripts. Several signaling pathways affected by Hdh gene deletion were identified from annotation of the microarray results. The unbiased approach used in our study provides novel and unique information about the normal function of Htt in cells, which may contribute to our understanding and treatment of HD. Keywords: cell type comparison we generate four Hdh-HET MEF cell lines and four Hdh-KO MEF cell lines, and performed genome-wide transcription profiling of generated Hdh-HET and Hdh-KO cells by microarray.
Project description:The Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an ER-Ca2+ sensor and an essential component of ER-Ca2+ store operated Ca2+entry (SOCE). Loss of STIM1 affects metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 (mGluR1) mediated synaptic transmission, neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis and intrinsic plasticity in Purkinje Neurons (PNs). Long-term changes of intracellular Ca2+ signaling in PNs lead to neurodegenerative conditions, as evident in individuals with mutations of the ER-Ca2+ channel, the Inositol, 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R). Moreover, Changes in gene expression upon reduced SOCE in non-excitable immune cells, the developing mouse brain, Drosophila pupal neurons and human neural precursor cells have been reported. Gene expression profiles of mature differentiated neurons with loss of STIM1/nSOC have not been published to date. The study evaluated the differential gene expression in STIM1 knockout purkinje neurons compared to wild type purkinje neurons from 1 year old mice. Analysis of gene expression profiles demonstrated that STIM1 dependent Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling helps to maintain the expression of multiple key components of synaptic architecture and function in ageing animals. Our findings are significant in the context of finding new therapeutic means of alleviating the neurodegenerative changes associated with human SCAs.
Project description:In differentiated skeletal muscle, intracellular Ca2+ concentrations rise dramatically upon membrane depolarization, constituting the link between excitation and contraction (EC). Transient rises in [Ca2+]i mainly emerge from Ca2+ released by the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RYR1) and, in non-adult muscle, by the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R) of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the dominant Ca2+ store in skeletal muscle. While the IP3R-mediated, slow Ca2+ transients, have been implicated in cell signaling and development, RYR1’s non-contractile role(s) remain obscure. We used a homozygous mouse RyR1 knockout model (dyspedic) to investigate the effects of the absence of a functional RYR1 and, consequently, the lack of RyR1-mediated Ca2+ signaling during embryogenesis. While heterozygous mice of the model are undistinguishable from WT littermates, homozygous dyspedic mice die at birth from asphyxia, since their skeletal muscle does not support EC coupling. Furthermore, they display abnormal spine curvature, subcutaneous hematomas, small limbs, and enlarged neck. Skeletal muscles from front and hind limbs of dyspedic embryos (day E18.5) were subjected to microarray analyses, revealing 318 genes, significantly regulated by at least 50 % compared to control heterozygous littermates.
Project description:The polyglutamine expansion in huntingtin (Htt) protein is a cause of Huntington’s disease (HD). Htt is an essential gene as deletion of the mouse Htt gene homolog (Hdh) is embryonic lethal in mice. Therefore, in addition to elucidating the mechanisms responsible for polyQ-mediated pathology, it is also important to understand the normal function of Htt protein for both basic biology and for HD. To systematically search for a mouse Htt function, we took advantage of the Hdh +/- and Hdh-floxed mice and generated four mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells lines which contain a single copy of the Hdh gene (Hdh-HET) and four MEF lines in which the Hdh gene was deleted (Hdh-KO). The function of Htt in calcium (Ca2+) signaling was analyzed in Ca2+ imaging experiments with generated cell lines. We found that the cytoplasmic Ca2+ spikes resulting from the activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) and the ensuing mitochondrial Ca2+ signals were suppressed in the Hdh-KO cells when compared to Hdh-HET cells. Furthermore, in experiments with permeabilized cells we found that the InsP3-sensitivity of Ca2+ mobilization from endoplasmic reticulum was reduced in Hdh-KO cells. These results indicated that Htt plays an important role in modulating InsP3R-mediated Ca2+ signaling. To further evaluate function of Htt, we performed genome-wide transcription profiling of generated Hdh-HET and Hdh-KO cells by microarray. Our results revealed that 106 unique transcripts were downregulated by more than two-fold with p < 0.05 and 173 unique transcripts were upregulated at least two-fold with p < 0.05 in Hdh-KO cells when compared to Hdh-HET cells. The microarray results were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR for a number of affected transcripts. Several signaling pathways affected by Hdh gene deletion were identified from annotation of the microarray results. The unbiased approach used in our study provides novel and unique information about the normal function of Htt in cells, which may contribute to our understanding and treatment of HD. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) at the plasma membrane promote plant immunity through the detection of conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). In plants, the PRR for bacterial flagellin (flg22) is encoded by the receptor kinase FLS2. One of the earliest MAMP responses is the rapid and transient increase of cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) ions, which is required for many of the well-described downstream responses, e.g. generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the transcriptional activation of defence-associated genes. Despite its relevance, the molecular components regulating the Ca2+ burst remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the plasma membrane P2B-type Ca2+ ATPase ACA8 forms a dynamic complex with the PRR FLS2. ACA8 and its closest homologue ACA10 are required for immunity against virulent bacteria. Mutant aca8 aca10 plants are reduced in the flg22-induced Ca2+ burst, show reduced ROS production and exhibit altered transcriptional reprogramming. In particular, flg22-induced gene expression is elevated downstream of signalling mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, but reduced downstream of the calcium-dependent protein (CDP) kinase cascade. These results demonstrate that the fine regulation of Ca2+ fluxes in the cytosol is critical for the coordination of the downstream MAMP responses and provide for the first time a link between the FLS2 receptor complex and signalling kinases via the secondary messenger Ca2+. ACA8 also interacted with the BRI1 and CLV1 receptor kinases, which correlated with the developmental phenotypes of aca8 aca10 mutants suggesting a broader role for Ca2+ ATPases in receptor-mediated signalling. We used Affymetrix Arabidopsis Tiling 1.0R Array to compare global transcript levels in 7 days-old sterile grown seedlings. Steady-state mRNA levels in total RNA samples of 7 days old sterile seedlings