Kazumichi Furuyama

Tohoku University, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken, Japan

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Publications (33)105.94 Total impact

  • Article: Expression of (pro)renin receptor in human erythroid cell lines and its increased protein accumulation by interferon-γ.
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    ABSTRACT: The renin-angiotensin system is known to enhance erythropoiesis. (Pro)renin receptor ((P)RR), a specific receptor for renin and prorenin, has recently been identified. However, expression of (P)RR in erythroid cells has not been studied. The aim of the present study is to clarify expression of (P)RR in erythroid cells, and the effects of erythropoietin, angiotensin II, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on its expression. Western blot analysis showed that (P)RR protein was expressed in human cultured erythroid cell lines, YN-1 and YN-1-0-A (a clonal variant cell line of YN-1). Erythropoietin (1IU/ml) increased (P)RR mRNA expression levels in YN-1-0-A cells (1.7-fold increase compared with control), but angiotensin II did not. Treatment of YN-1-0-A cells with IFN-γ (10ng/ml) for 48h increased the expression levels of (P)RR protein significantly (1.4-fold increase compared with control), whereas it had no significant effects on expression levels of (P)RR mRNA. Treatment of YN-1-0-A cells with TGF-β1 or IL-1β for 24 or 48h had no significant effects on expression levels of (P)RR. The present study has shown for the first time expression of (P)RR in erythroid cells, raising the possibility that (P)RR may have a role in erythropoiesis and the pathophysiology of certain types of anemia.
    Peptides 07/2012; 37(2):285-9. · 2.43 Impact Factor
  • Article: The carboxyl-terminal region of erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase acts as an intrinsic modifier for its catalytic activity and protein stability.
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    ABSTRACT: Erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS2) is essential for hemoglobin production, and a loss-of-function mutation of ALAS2 gene causes X-linked sideroblastic anemia. Human ALAS2 protein consists of 587 amino acids and its carboxyl(C)-terminal region of 33 amino acids is conserved in higher eukaryotes, but is not present in prokaryotic ALAS. We explored the role of this C-terminal region in the pathogenesis of X-linked sideroblastic anemia. In vitro enzymatic activity was measured using bacterially expressed recombinant proteins. In vivo catalytic activity was evaluated by comparing the accumulation of porphyrins in eukaryotic cells stably expressing each mutant ALAS2 tagged with FLAG, and the half-life of each FLAG-tagged ALAS2 protein was determined by Western blot analysis. Two novel mutations (Val562Ala and Met567Ile) were identified in patients with X-linked sideroblastic anemia. Val562Ala showed the higher catalytic activity in vitro, but a shorter half-life in vivo compared to those of wild-type ALAS2 (WT). In contrast, the in vitro activity of Met567Ile mutant was about 25% of WT, while its half-life was longer than that of WT. However, in vivo catalytic activity of each mutant was lower than that of WT. In addition, the deletion of 33 amino acids at C-terminal end resulted in higher catalytic activity both in vitro and in vivo with the longer half-life compared to WT. In conclusion, the C-terminal region of ALAS2 protein may function as an intrinsic modifier that suppresses catalytic activity and increases the degradation of its protein, each function of which is enhanced by the Met567Ile mutation and the Val562Ala mutation, respectively.
    Experimental hematology 01/2012; 40(6):477-86.e1. · 3.11 Impact Factor
  • Article: Coordinated expression of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 and heme oxygenase 2: evidence for a regulatory link between glycolysis and heme catabolism.
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    ABSTRACT: Heme is an essential requirement for cell survival. Heme oxygenase (HO) is the rate-limiting enzyme in heme catabolism and consists of two isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2. To identify the protein that regulates the expression or function of HO-1 or HO-2, we searched for proteins that interact with both isozymes, using protein microarrays. We thus identified 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4) that synthesizes or degrades fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, a key activator of glycolysis, depending on cellular microenvironments. Importantly, HO-2 and PFKFB4 are predominantly expressed in haploid spermatids. Here, we show a drastic reduction in expression levels of PFKFB4 mRNA and protein and HO-2 mRNA in HepG2 human hepatoma cells in responses to glucose deprivation (≤ 2.5 mM), which occurred concurrently with remarkable induction of HO-1 mRNA and protein. Knockdown of HO-2 expression in HepG2 cells, using small interfering RNA, caused PFKFB4 mRNA levels to decrease with a concurrent increase in HO-1 expression. Thus, in HepG2 cells, HO-1 expression was increased, when expression levels of HO-2 and PFKFB4 mRNAs were decreased. Conversely, overexpression of HO-2 in HepG2 cells caused the level of co-expressed PFKFB4 protein to increase. These results suggest a potential regulatory role for HO-2 in ensuring PFKFB4 expression. Moreover, in D407 human retinal pigment epithelial cells, glucose deprivation decreased the expression levels of PFKFB4, HO-1, and HO-2 mRNAs. Thus, glucose deprivation consistently down-regulated the expression of PFKFB4 and HO-2 mRNAs in both HepG2 cells and RPE cells. We therefore postulate that PFKFB4 and HO-2 are expressed in a coordinated manner to maintain glucose homeostasis.
    The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 01/2012; 228(1):27-41. · 1.24 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hereditary sideroblastic anemia: pathophysiology and gene mutations.
    Hideo Harigae, Kazumichi Furuyama
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    ABSTRACT: Sideroblastic anemia is characterized by anemia with the emergence of ring sideroblasts in the bone marrow. Ring sideroblasts are erythroblasts characterized by iron accumulation in perinuclear mitochondria due to impaired iron utilization. There are two forms of sideroblastic anemia, i.e., inherited and acquired sideroblastic anemia. Inherited sideroblastic anemia is a rare and heterogeneous disease caused by mutations of genes involved in heme biosynthesis, iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis, or Fe-S cluster transport, and mitochondrial metabolism. The most common inherited sideroblastic anemia is X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA) caused by mutations of the erythroid-specific δ-aminolevulinate synthase gene (ALAS2), which is the first enzyme of heme biosynthesis in erythroid cells. Sideroblastic anemia due to SLC25A38 gene mutations, which is a mitochondrial transporter, is the next most common inherited sideroblastic anemia. Other forms of inherited sideroblastic anemia are very rare, and accompanied by impaired function of organs other than hematopoietic tissue, such as the nervous system, muscle, or exocrine glands due to impaired mitochondrial metabolism. Moreover, there are still significant numbers of cases with genetically undefined inherited sideroblastic anemia. Molecular analysis of these cases will contribute not only to the development of effective treatment, but also to the understanding of mitochondrial iron metabolism.
    International journal of hematology 10/2010; 92(3):425-31. · 1.17 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxemia induces expression of heme oxygenase-1 and heme oxygenase-2 proteins in the mouse myocardium.
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    ABSTRACT: Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes oxidative breakdown of heme, and constitutes two isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2. Here, we explored the tissue-specific regulation of expression of HO-1 and HO-2 under hypoxemia. There was no significant change in the overall expression levels of HO-1 and HO-2 mRNAs and proteins in the lung during adaptation of C57BL/6 mice to normobaric hypoxia (10% O(2)). However, immunohistochemical analysis revealed the increased expression of HO-1 and HO-2 proteins after 28 days of normobaric hypoxia in the pulmonary venous myocardium that is the extension of the left atrial myocardium into pulmonary venous walls. Moreover, the expression of HO-2 protein was increased in the sub-endocardial myocardium of ventricles under hypoxia, while HO-1 protein level was increased in the full-thickness walls. Thus, hypoxemia induces expression of both HO-1 and HO-2 proteins in the myocardium. Using C57BL/6 mice lacking HO-2 (HO-2(-/-)), which manifest chronic hypoxemia, we also showed that the HO-1 protein level in the lung was similar between HO-2(-/-) mice and wild-type mice. Unexpectedly, HO-1 protein level was lower by 35% in the HO-2(-/-) mouse liver than the wild-type liver. These results indicate that the expression of HO-1 protein is regulated in a tissue-specific manner under hypoxemia.
    Journal of biochemistry 10/2009; 147(1):143-51. · 1.95 Impact Factor
  • Article: Induction of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in mouse heart under hypoxemia.
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    ABSTRACT: Hypoxemia is a common manifestation of various disorders and generates pressure overload to the heart. Here we analyzed the expression of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) in the heart of C57BL/6 mice kept under normobaric hypoxia (10% O2) that generates hemodynamic stress. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed that the expression levels of L-PGDS mRNA and protein were significantly increased (> twofold) after 14 days of hypoxia, compared to the mice kept under normoxia. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that L-PGDS was increased in the myocardium of auricles and ventricles and the pulmonary venous myocardium at 28 days of hypoxia. Moreover, using C57BL/6 mice lacking heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2(-/-)), a model of chronic hypoxemia, we showed that the expression level of L-PGDS protein was twofold higher in the heart than that of wild-type mouse. L-PGDS expression is induced in the myocardium under hypoxemia, which may reflect the adaptation to the hemodynamic stress.
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 07/2009; 385(3):449-53. · 2.48 Impact Factor
  • Article: Functional expression of heme oxygenase-1 in human differentiated epidermis and its regulation by cytokines.
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    ABSTRACT: Although heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is induced in keratinocytes after UV radiation, HO-1 expression during normal epidermal differentiation has not yet been reported. We showed by real-time PCR, western blotting, and ELISA that HO-1 mRNA and protein expression by cultured normal human keratinocytes was upregulated during epidermal differentiation induced by a high-calcium medium. Immunohistochemical staining and in situ hybridization showed the graduated expression of HO-1 in the upper epidermis, which was accompanied by suprabasal HO-1 mRNA expression, and the accumulation of bilirubin (BR) in the stratum corneum. We examined the activation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is a pivotal transcription factor for HO-1 expression, by western blotting and by examining the mRNA expression of Nrf2 target genes, and excluded its role in HO-1 expression in epidermal differentiation. Next, we examined the regulation of HO-1 expression by inflammatory cytokines. IL-4 and IL-22 significantly reduced HO-1 mRNA and protein expression, whereas IL-1beta, IL-17A, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) increased it. Finally, immunohistochemical studies on psoriatic lesional skin showed that HO-1 expression was downregulated in the parakeratotic epidermis, whereas it was retained in the orthokeratotic epidermis. These studies demonstrate that HO-1 is functionally expressed by keratinocytes in parallel with epidermal differentiation and that its expression is independently affected by several cytokines.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology 07/2009; 129(11):2594-603. · 6.31 Impact Factor
  • Article: Structure and regulation of vertebrate δ‐aminolevulinate synthases
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    ABSTRACT: Two distinct patterns of regulating heme biosynthesis have been observed in animals: while heme negatively regulates the synthesis of δ-aminolevulinate (ALA) synthase in non-erythroid cells, the expression of the enzyme is regulated developmentally in red blood cells. This observation eventually led to the cloning of both a tissue-specific ALA synthase isozyme (ALAS-E) that is expressed in erythroid-lineage cells and is distinct from the housekeeping isozyme (ALAS-N). We originally isolated cDNA clones encoding chicken ALAS-E by the combined use of an anti-chicken ALAS-N antibody, which was partially cross-reactive to chicken ALAS-E, and a λgt11 expression library. ALAS-E was also purified to homogeneity from rat reticulocyte lysate using a papain digestion method. The papain-resistant core catalytic domain overlaps with the evolutionarily conserved segment that had been described by sequence alignment of ALA synthases from a variety of species, suggesting that the papain-resistant domain represents the ancestral core of the enzyme. Blot hybridization analysis of RNA isolated from various developmental stage rat livers and from chicken and mouse erythroleukemia cells demonstrated that ALAS-E is the key enzyme which supplies large quantities of heme for hemoglobin synthesis. We are currently investigating the mechanisms which confer erythroid-specific transcriptional activation of the ALAS-E gene through transient transfection assays in erythroid cells using human and chicken ALAS-E genes. These experiments have identified promoter elements which are required for high level, erythroid-specific transcription of the genes.
    Stem Cells 06/2009; 12(S1):11 - 25. · 7.78 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxia induces erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase expression in human erythroid cells through transforming growth factor-beta signaling.
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    ABSTRACT: Hypoxia induces expansion of erythroid precursor cells through erythropoietin production. However, it has also been suggested that hypoxia could enhance hemoglobin production in erythroid cells directly. To identify the molecules that are involved in hemoglobin production under hypoxia, we examined the expression profile of mRNAs in YN-1 human erythroleukemia cells under hypoxia. DNA array analysis revealed that the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and mitoferrin, which is a mitochondrial iron transporter, was induced after 6 h under hypoxia in YN-1 cells, whereas the increased expression of erythroid-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS2) and gamma-globin mRNAs was observed after 48 h. Further analysis revealed that hypoxia enhanced the accumulation of TGF-beta1 in the culture medium of cells of the YN-1-0-A line, which was a clonal variant of YN-1 and could be maintained in serum-free medium. Moreover, exogenous TGF-beta1 induced hemoglobinization and the expression of ALAS2 mRNA in YN-1-0-A cells, but not of gamma-globin and mitoferrin mRNAs. Importantly, a specific inhibitor of intracellular TGF-beta signaling markedly reduced the degree of the hypoxia-mediated increase in the expression of ALAS2 mRNA in YN-1-0-A cells. On the other hand, nonhypoxic inducer of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 increased the expression of mitoferrin mRNA but not of TGF-beta1 mRNA in YN-1 cells under normoxia, suggesting that mitoferrin mRNA expression may be regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1. Thus, our data suggest that hypoxia induces the expression of TGF-beta1 and mitoferrin mRNAs through separate mechanisms in erythroid cells. TGF-beta1 subsequently induces ALAS2 expression, which may contribute to terminal differentiation of erythroid cells.
    FEBS Journal 02/2009; 276(5):1370-82. · 3.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxia decreases the expression of the two enzymes responsible for producing linear and cyclic tetrapyrroles in the heme biosynthetic pathway.
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    ABSTRACT: Heme is synthesized in all cell types in aerobic organisms. Hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) and uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS) catalyze two consecutive reactions in the heme biosynthetic pathway, generating the first linear and the first cyclic tetrapyrroles, respectively. Each of the HMBS and UROS genes contains the two separate promoters that generate ubiquitous and erythroid-specific mRNAs. Despite the functional significance of HMBS and UROS, regulation of their gene expression remains to be investigated. Here, we showed that hypoxia (1% O(2)) decreased the expression of ubiquitous mRNAs for HMBS and UROS by three- and twofold, respectively, in human hepatic cells (HepG2 and Hep3B), whereas the expression of ubiquitous and erythroid HMBS and UROS mRNAs remained unchanged in erythroid cells (YN-1 and K562). Unexpectedly, hypoxia did not decrease the half-life of HMBS mRNA (8.4 h under normoxia versus 9.1 h under hypoxia) or UROS mRNA (9.0 versus 10.4 h) in hepatic cells. It is therefore unlikely that a change in mRNA stability is responsible for the hypoxia-mediated decrease in the expression levels of these mRNAs. Furthermore, expression levels of HMBS and UROS mRNAs were decreased under normoxia by treatment with deferoxamine or cobalt chloride in hepatic cells, while hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha was accumulated. Thus, the decrease in the expression of ubiquitous HMBS and UROS mRNAs is associated with accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha protein. In conclusion, the expression of HMBS and UROS mRNAs may be coordinately regulated, which represents a newly identified mechanism that is important for heme homeostasis.
    FEBS Journal 01/2009; 275(23):5947-59. · 3.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Leishmania spp.: delta-aminolevulinate-inducible neogenesis of porphyria by genetic complementation of incomplete heme biosynthesis pathway.
    Sujoy Dutta, Kazumichi Furuyama, Shigeru Sassa, Kwang-Poo Chang
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    ABSTRACT: To further develop the Leishmania model for porphyria based on their deficiencies in heme biosynthesis, three Old World species were doubly transfected as before for Leishmania amazonensis with cDNAs, encoding the 2nd and 3rd enzymes in the pathway. Expression of the transgenes was verified immunologically at the protein level and functionally by uroporphyrin neogenesis that occurs only after exposure of the double-transfectants to delta-aminolevulinate. All species examined were equally deficient in heme biosynthesis, as indicated by the accumulation of uroporphyrin as the sole porphyrin and the production of coproporphyrin upon further transfection of one representative species with the downstream gene. The results obtained thus demonstrate that at least the first five enzymes for heme biosynthesis are absent in all species examined, rendering their transfectants inducible with aminolevulinate to accumulate porphyrins and thus useful as cellular models for human porphyrias.
    Experimental Parasitology 05/2008; 118(4):629-36. · 2.12 Impact Factor
  • Article: Heme as a magnificent molecule with multiple missions: heme determines its own fate and governs cellular homeostasis.
    Kazumichi Furuyama, Kiriko Kaneko, Patrick D Vargas
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    ABSTRACT: Heme is a prosthetic group of various types of proteins, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochrome c, cytochrome p450, catalase and peroxidase. In addition, heme is involved in a variety of biological events by modulating the function or the state of hemoproteins. For example, protein synthesis is inhibited in erythroid cells under heme deficiency, as the consequence of the activation of heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI). Iron concentration in the cell is sensed and regulated by the heme-mediated oxidization and subsequent degradation of iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2). Heme also binds to certain types of potassium channels, thereby inhibiting transmembrane K(+) currents. Importantly, heme determines its own fate; namely, heme regulates its synthesis and degradation through the feedback mechanisms, by which intracellular heme level is precisely maintained. Heme reduces heme synthesis by suppressing the expression of non-specific 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS1) and stimulates heme breakdown by inducing heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression. ALAS1 and HO-1 are the rate limiting enzymes in heme biosynthesis and catabolism, respectively. Accordingly, under the heme-rich condition, heme binds to cysteine-proline (CP) motifs of ALAS1 and those of transcriptional repressor Bach1, thereby leading to repression of mitochondrial transport of ALAS1 and induction of HO-1 transcription, respectively. Moreover, chemosensing functions of HO-2 containing CP motifs, another isozyme of HO, have been unveiled recently. In this review article, we summarize and update the pleiotropic effects of heme on various biological events and the regulatory network of heme biosynthesis and catabolism.
    The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 10/2007; 213(1):1-16. · 1.24 Impact Factor
  • Article: Down-regulation of heme oxygenase-2 is associated with the increased expression of heme oxygenase-1 in human cell lines.
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    ABSTRACT: Intracellular heme concentrations are maintained in part by heme degradation, which is catalyzed by heme oxygenase. Heme oxygenase consists of two structurally related isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2. Recent studies have identified HO-2 as a potential oxygen sensor. To gain further insights into the regulatory role of HO-2 in heme homeostasis, we analyzed the expression profiles of HO-2 and the biochemical consequences of HO-2 knockdown with specific short interfering RNA (siRNA) in human cells. Both HO-2 mRNA and protein are expressed in the eight human cancer cell lines examined, and HO-1 expression is detectable in five of the cell lines, including HeLa cervical cancer and HepG2 hepatoma. Down-regulation of HO-2 expression with siRNA against HO-2 (siHO-2) caused induction of HO-1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in HeLa and HepG2 cells. In contrast, knockdown of HO-1 expression did not noticeably influence HO-2 expression. HO-2 knockdown prolonged the half-life of HO-1 mRNA twofold in HeLa cells. Transient transfection assays in HeLa cells revealed that the 4.5-kb human HO-1 gene promoter was activated with selective knockdown of HO-2 in a sequence-dependent manner. Moreover, HO-2 knockdown caused heme accumulation in HeLa and HepG2 cells only when exposed to exogenous hemin. HO-2 knockdown may mimic a certain physiological change that is important in the maintenance of cellular heme homeostasis. These results suggest that HO-2 may down-regulate the expression of HO-1, thereby directing the co-ordinated expression of HO-1 and HO-2.
    FEBS Journal 01/2007; 273(23):5333-46. · 3.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxia reduces the expression of heme oxygenase-2 in various types of human cell lines. A possible strategy for the maintenance of intracellular heme level.
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    ABSTRACT: Heme oxygenase consists of two structurally related isozymes, heme oxygenase-1 and and heme oxygenase-2, each of which cleaves heme to form biliverdin, iron and carbon monoxide. Expression of heme oxygenase-1 is increased or decreased depending on cellular microenvironments, whereas little is known about the regulation of heme oxygenase-2 expression. Here we show that hypoxia (1% oxygen) reduces the expression levels of heme oxygenase-2 mRNA and protein after 48 h of incubation in human cell lines, including Jurkat T-lymphocytes, YN-1 and K562 erythroleukemia, HeLa cervical cancer, and HepG2 hepatoma, as judged by northern blot and western blot analyses. In contrast, the expression level of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA varies under hypoxia, depending on the cell line; it was increased in YN-1 cells, decreased in HeLa and HepG2 cells, and remained undetectable in Jurkat and K562 cells. Moreover, heme oxygenase-1 protein was decreased in YN-1 cells under the conditions used, despite the induction of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA under hypoxia. The heme oxygenase activity was significantly decreased in YN-1, K562 and HepG2 cells after 48 h of hypoxia. To explore the mechanism for the hypoxia-mediated reduction of heme oxygenase-2 expression, we showed that hypoxia shortened the half-life of heme oxygenase-2 mRNA (from 12 h to 6 h) in YN-1 cells, without affecting the half-life of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA (9.5 h). Importantly, the heme contents were increased in YN-1, HepG2 and HeLa cells after 48 h of incubation under hypoxia. Thus, the reduced expression of heme oxygenase-2 may represent an important adaptation to hypoxia in certain cell types, which may contribute to the maintenance of the intracellular heme level.
    FEBS Journal 08/2006; 273(14):3136-47. · 3.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Identification of adipocyte differentiation-related regulatory element for adrenomedullin gene repression (ADRE-AR) in 3T3-L1 cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Adrenomedullin (AM), a potent vasodilator peptide, has been suggested to act against cardiovascular complications and insulin resistance in the metabolic syndrome. We have already reported the AM gene repression in the early phase of adipocyte differentiation of NIH 3T3-L1 cells. Here we show adipocyte differentiation-related regulatory element for AM gene repression (ADRE-AR) in 36-bp region (-2135/-2100) of the AM gene. 3T3-L1 cells were induced to differentiate to adipocytes by insulin, dexamethasone and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. On the third day of differentiation, the promoter function was analyzed using the reporter plasmids, which contain the promoter region of AM gene (-4616/+108) in pGL3-basic luciferase reporter vector. The promoter activity decreased to about 20% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes when compared with 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and a 36-bp region (-2135 to -2100) upstream from the transcription initiation site of the AM gene was necessary for higher AM gene expression in preadipocytes. This 36-bp ADRE-AR contains three copies of G/AAAA sequence (5'-GAAATGAAAGTAAAA-3') (-2124/-2110), which are conserved between mouse and human, and the introduction of mutations in each copy of G/AAAA sequence decreased the promoter activity in preadipocytes and adipocytes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that the full-length ADRE-AR was specifically bound by a certain nuclear protein(s). The present study has raised the possibility that ADRE-AR may play important roles in the AM gene expression in preadipocytes, and that the AM gene may be repressed through the ADRE-AR in adipocytes.
    Peptides 07/2006; 27(6):1405-14. · 2.43 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxia reduces the expression of heme oxygenase‐2 in various types of human cell lines
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    ABSTRACT: Heme oxygenase consists of two structurally related isozymes, heme oxygenase-1 and and heme oxygenase-2, each of which cleaves heme to form biliverdin, iron and carbon monoxide. Expression of heme oxygenase-1 is increased or decreased depending on cellular microenvironments, whereas little is known about the regulation of heme oxygenase-2 expression. Here we show that hypoxia (1% oxygen) reduces the expression levels of heme oxygenase-2 mRNA and protein after 48 h of incubation in human cell lines, including Jurkat T-lymphocytes, YN-1 and K562 erythroleukemia, HeLa cervical cancer, and HepG2 hepatoma, as judged by northern blot and western blot analyses. In contrast, the expression level of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA varies under hypoxia, depending on the cell line; it was increased in YN-1 cells, decreased in HeLa and HepG2 cells, and remained undetectable in Jurkat and K562 cells. Moreover, heme oxygenase-1 protein was decreased in YN-1 cells under the conditions used, despite the induction of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA under hypoxia. The heme oxygenase activity was significantly decreased in YN-1, K562 and HepG2 cells after 48 h of hypoxia. To explore the mechanism for the hypoxia-mediated reduction of heme oxygenase-2 expression, we showed that hypoxia shortened the half-life of heme oxygenase-2 mRNA (from 12 h to 6 h) in YN-1 cells, without affecting the half-life of heme oxygenase-1 mRNA (9.5 h). Importantly, the heme contents were increased in YN-1, HepG2 and HeLa cells after 48 h of incubation under hypoxia. Thus, the reduced expression of heme oxygenase-2 may represent an important adaptation to hypoxia in certain cell types, which may contribute to the maintenance of the intracellular heme level.
    FEBS Journal 06/2006; 273(14):3136 - 3147. · 3.79 Impact Factor
  • Chapter: Hypoxemia and Attenuated Hypoxic Ventilatory Responses in Mice Lacking Heme Oxygenase-2
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    ABSTRACT: All nucleated cells depend on heme for their survival, as heme senses or uses oxygen. In fact, heme is a prosthetic moiety of various hemoproteins such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochromes. Accordingly, heme must be synthesized and degraded within an individual cell, because heme cannot be recycled among different cells, except for senescent erythrocytes, which are phagocytosed by macrophages in the reticuloendothelial system (for review, Shibahara, 2003). Heme, derived from hemoproteins, is broken down by heme oxygenase, which catalyzes the oxidative breakdown of heme, generating biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and iron (Fig. 1). These heme degradation products are important bioactive molecules (For review, Shibahara, 2003 and references therein). Bilirubin functions as a chain-breaking antioxidant. CO represents a direct marker for heme catabolism, and binds to hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin, which is transported to the lungs and is excreted in exhaled air. CO has received much attention because of its physiological functions similar to those of NO. Iron is transported to the entire tissues, especially bone marrow, and is reutilized for erythropoiesis and heme biosynthesis.
    04/2006: pages 161-166;
  • Article: Differential gene expression profiling between wild-type and ALAS2-null erythroblasts: identification of novel heme-regulated genes.
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    ABSTRACT: To identify erythroid-specific heme-regulated genes, we performed differential expression analysis between wild-type and heme-deficient erythroblasts, which had been prepared from wild-type and erythroid-specific delta-aminolevulinate synthase-null mouse ES cells, respectively. Among 8737 clones on cDNA array, 40 cDNA clones, including 34 unknown ESTs, were first selected by their high expression profiles in wild-type erythroblasts, and evaluated further for their erythroid-lineage specificity, expression in hematopoietic tissues in vivo, and heme-dependent expression, which yielded 11, 4, and 4 genes, respectively. Because of the selection strategy employed, the final 4 were considered as the newly identified erythroid-specific heme-regulated genes. These 4 genes were uncoupling protein 2, nucleolar spindle-associated protein, cellular nucleic acid-binding protein, and a novel acetyltransferase-like protein. These findings thus suggest that heme may regulate a wide variety of hitherto unrecognized genes, and further analysis of these genes may clarify their role in erythroid cell differentiation.
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 03/2006; 340(1):105-10. · 2.48 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypoxemia and attenuated hypoxic ventilatory responses in mice lacking heme oxygenase-2: evidence for a novel role of heme oxygenase-2 as an oxygen sensor.
    Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2006; 580:161-6; discussion 351-9. · 1.09 Impact Factor
  • Article: Arg452 substitution of the erythroid-specific 5-aminolaevulinate synthase, a hot spot mutation in X-linked sideroblastic anaemia, does not itself affect enzyme activity.
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    ABSTRACT: Mutations of the erythroid-specific 5-aminolaevulinate synthase (ALAS2) gene are known to be responsible for X-linked sideroblastic anaemia (XLSA). An amino acid (AA) substitution for arginine at the 452 AA position of the ALAS2 protein is the most frequent mutation, which has been found in approximately one-quarter of patients with XLSA. Despite its high frequency, there has been no report on the enzymatic activity of Arg452 mutant proteins. In this study, we examined enzymatic activity in vitro of two Arg452 mutants, Arg452Cys and Arg452His, which were found in two new pedigrees of XLSA. While these mutations must be responsible for the clinical phenotype of XLSA in patients, the enzymatic activity and stability of these mutant proteins studied in vitro are indistinguishable from those of the wild type protein. These findings suggest that the Arg452 mutation of the ALAS2 gene by itself does not decrease the enzymatic activity or the stability in vitro, and that there may be an additional factor(s) in the bone marrow, which ensures the full ALAS2 activity in vivo.
    European Journal Of Haematology 02/2006; 76(1):33-41. · 2.61 Impact Factor