The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics
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J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · May 2009
Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta mediates endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced lysosomal apoptosis in leukemia.
Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta may modulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis; however, the mechanism remains unclear. Our data showed that human monocytic leukemia/lymphoma U937 and acute myeloid leukemia HL-60, but not chronic myeloid leukemia K562, cells were susceptible to apoptosis induced by ER stressor tunicamycin, a protein glycosylation inhibitor. Tunicamycin caused early activation of caspase-2, -3, -4, and -8, followed by apoptosis, whereas caspase-9 was slowly activated. ⋯ Unlike U937 and HL-60 cells, K562 cells showed nonresponsive ER stress and failure of activation of GSK-3beta and caspase-2 in response to tunicamycin. Activating GSK-3beta caused K562 cells to be susceptible to tunicamycin-induced apoptosis. Taken together, we show that GSK-3beta exhibits a mechanism of ER stress-induced lysosomal apoptosis in leukemia involving caspase-2-induced LMP and cathepsin B relocation, which result in caspase-8 and -3 activation.
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J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · May 2009
Smoke, choline acetyltransferase, muscarinic receptors, and fibroblast proliferation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Acetylcholine (ACh), synthesized by choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and muscarinic M(1), M(2), and M(3) receptors (MRs) are involved in fibroblast proliferation. We evaluated ChAT, MRs, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and nuclear factor (NF) kappaB activation in lung fibroblasts from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), control smokers, and controls. Human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and cigarette smoke extracts (CSEs) were evaluated for ChAT and MR expression. ⋯ H(2)O), gallamine triethiodide (C(19)H(22)N(4)O(2)S.2HCl. H(2)O), telenzepine [4,9-d-dihydro-3-methyl-4-[(4-methyl-1piperazinyl) acetyl]-10H-thieno [3,4-b][1,5]benzodiazepine-10-one dihydrobromide, C(30)H(60)I(3)N(3)O(3)], 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine, PD098059 [2-(2-amino-3methoxyphenyl)-4H-1benzopyran-4-one, C(16)H(13)NO(3)], and BAY 11-7082 [(E)-3-(4-methylphenylsulfonyl)-2-propenetrile, C(10)H(9)NO(2)C], down-regulated the ACh-induced fibroblast proliferation, promoting the MRs and ERK1/2 and NFkappaB pathways involvement in this phenomenon. These results suggest that cigarette smoke might alter the expression of ChAT and MRs, promoting airway remodeling in COPD and that anticholinergic drugs, including tiotropium, might prevent these events.
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J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · May 2009
Altered responses to propofol, but not ketamine, in mice deficient in the 65-kilodalton isoform of glutamate decarboxylase.
GABA is synthesized by two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), GAD65, and GAD67. However, the relative contributions of GAD65-mediated GABA synthesis to the in vivo actions of anesthetics remain unknown. To address this issue, we used mice deficient in the 65-kDa isoform of GAD and tested the hypothesis that partial reduction of GABA content in GAD65-deficient mice [GAD65(-/-)] would contribute to hypnotic and immobilizing actions of the anesthetics. ⋯ HCl) (0.75 mg/kg i.p.), reinstated diminished actions of propofol in GAD65(-/-) mice. Cortical pyramidal neurons in GAD65(-/-) mice had smaller tonic conductances, and propofol-induced enhancement of tonic inhibition was smaller than in WT mice, suggesting that genotype differences in GAD65-mediated GABAergic inhibitory tone may be, at least in part, a cellular basis underlying behavioral differences. In conclusion, GAD65(-/-) mice show a diminished response to propofol, but not ketamine, indicating that GAD65-mediated GABA synthesis plays an important role in hypnotic and immobilizing actions of propofol.
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J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · May 2009
Camostat attenuates airway epithelial sodium channel function in vivo through the inhibition of a channel-activating protease.
Inhibition of airway epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) function enhances mucociliary clearance (MCC). ENaC is positively regulated by channel-activating proteases (CAPs), and CAP inhibitors are therefore predicted to be beneficial in diseases associated with impaired MCC. The aims of the present study were to 1) identify low-molecular-weight inhibitors of airway CAPs and 2) to establish whether such CAP inhibitors would translate into a negative regulation of ENaC function in vivo, with a consequent enhancement of MCC. ⋯ In vivo, topical airway administration of camostat induced a potent and prolonged attenuation of ENaC activity in the guinea pig trachea (ED(50) = 3 microg/kg). When administered by aerosol inhalation in conscious sheep, camostat enhanced MCC out to at least 5 h after inhaled dosing. In summary, camostat attenuates ENaC function and enhances MCC, providing an opportunity for this approach toward the negative regulation of ENaC function to be tested therapeutically.
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J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. · May 2009
Helium-induced early preconditioning and postconditioning are abolished in obese Zucker rats in vivo.
Preconditioning is abolished in the prediabetic Zucker obese rat. It has been shown that prevention of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening is involved in preconditioning by the noble gas helium. Here, we investigated: 1) whether helium induces pre- and postconditioning in Zucker rats and 2) whether possible regulators of the mPTP [i.e., mitochondrial respiration or the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2, Akt/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta signaling pathway] are influenced. ⋯ Helium had no effect on Erk1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. GSK-3beta phosphorylation during ischemia was reduced after helium application in ZL but not in ZO rats. Helium-induced preconditioning is abolished in obese Zucker rats in vivo, probably caused by a diminished effect of helium on mitochondrial respiration.