Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are important cells which coordinate gastrointestinal motility. ICC express Kit receptor tyrosine kinase, and Kit immunohistochemistry reveals ICC morphology and distribution in the gastrointestinal musculature. ICC show a highly branched morphology and form unique networks. Myenteric ICC (ICC-MY) are located at the layer of the myenteric plexus and serve as electrical pacemakers. Intramuscular ICC (ICC-IM) and ICC in the deep muscular plexus (ICC-DMP) are distributed within the muscular layers, and are densely innervated by excitatory and inhibitory enteric motor neurons and in close contact with nerve terminals. Recent studies combined with morphological and functional techniques directly revealed that ICC-IM and ICC-DMP are mediators of enteric motor neurotransmission. These types of ICC express several receptors for neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and substance P and show responses to excitatory nerve stimulations. ICC also express receptive mechanisms for nitric oxide, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the gastrointestinal tract. They can respond to nitrergic nerve stimulation by cyclic GMP production. Kit mutant mice lack ICC-IM and show attenuated postsynaptic responses after intrinsic nerve stimulation. These findings indicate the importance for ICC in neurotransmission in the gastrointestinal tract.

抄録全体を表示

A GFP-labeled sodium-dependent glucose transporter SGLT1 (SGLT-GFP) was transfected into MDCK cells. SGLT-GFP was localized at the apical membrane in confluent cells. When cellular cholesterol was depleted by methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD) treatment, the localization of SGLT-GFP gradually switched from apical to whole plasma membrane. Time-lapse microscopy revealed that the effect of MβCD appeared within 30 min, and that the transition of SGLT-GFP to the whole plasma membrane was completed within 2 hr after the administration. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the tight junction framework remained steady during this process. The effect of MβCD on SGLT-GFP localization was counterbalanced by the addition of cholesterol into the culture medium. Disruption of microtubules by colcemid also perturbed SGLT-GFP localization. SGLT-GFP localized to the whole plasma membrane by colcemid treatment, and apical localization was restored within 1 hr after removal of colcemid. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide had no effect on the transition of SGLT-GFP induced by the MβCD or colcemid. These results indicated that the apical localization of SGLT-GFP is maintained by cellular cholesterol and microtubules, possibly with an apical recycling machinery.

抄録全体を表示

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a key enzyme that participates in various neuronal functions. PKC has also been identified as a target molecule for general anesthetic actions. Raf, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) have been thought to be target effectors of PKC. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on PKC/MAPK cascade signaling in cultured fetal rat cerebral cortex neurons, prepared from embryonic day 18 fetuses. The effects of sevoflurane on the translocation of 7 PKC isoforms (α, βI, βII, γ, δ, ε and ζ) were observed by immunoblotting using isoform-selective antibodies to PKCs. The treatment of neurons with sevoflurane induced the translocation of PKC α and PKC βII species from the cytosol to the membrane fraction, which indicated the activation of these PKC isoforms. In contrast, there was no clear change in the distribution of other PKC isoforms. We next examined whether the specific activation of PKC α and βII by sevoflurane could stimulate the MAP kinase signaling pathway in cultured neurons. Raf phosphorylation was increased by the administration of 0.25 mM sevoflurane. The phosphorylation of Raf proteins reached a maximum at 5–10 min. Subsequently, the phosphorylation of MEK proteins was increased at 10–15 min after sevoflurane treatments. That of ERK proteins was induced at 15–60 min. Moreover, the phosphorylation of ERK induced by sevoflurane was significantly decreased by the treatment of PKC inhibitor (staurosporine) and MEK inhibitor (PD98059). On the other hand, the contents of total Raf, MEK and ERK proteins were relatively constant at all times examined. To examine the localization of phosphorylated-ERK protein, immunohistochemical staining of sevoflurane-treated cultured neurons was performed. The phosphorylated-ERK proteins were markedly accumulated in both the cytosol of the cell body and the neurites in the neuronal cells with time after 0.25 mM sevoflurane-treatment. These results demonstrated that sevoflurane induced the phosphorylation of the MAP kinase cascade through the activation of the PKC α and PKC βII species.

抄録全体を表示

PICK1 is a protein which was initially identified as a protein kinase Cα (αPKC) binding protein using the yeast two-hybrid system. In addition to αPKC, the PICK1 complex binds to and regulates various transmembrane proteins including receptors and transporters. However, it has not been clarified when and where PICK1 binds to αPKC. We examined the spatiotemporal interaction of PICK1 and PKC using live imaging techniques and showed that the activated αPKC binds to PICK1 and transports it to the plasma membrane. Although the membrane translocation of PICK1 requires the activation of αPKC, PICK1 is retained on the membrane even after PKC moves back to the cytosol. These results suggest that the interaction between αPKC and PICK1 is transient and may not be necessary for the regulation of receptors/transporters by PICK1 or by αPKC on the membrane.

抄録全体を表示

We previously conducted basic research to quantify in situ hybridization (ISH) signals in rat testes. In this experimental model, we selected ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as the hybridizable RNA in paraffin sections, since it allowed us to easily analyze ISH signals expressed with digoxygenin (DIG)-labeled probes quantitatively through “posterization” of the images. We applied this method to analyze the quantification of transcript, PERF 15 mRNA. PERF 15 is expressed specifically in the testes and localized in the rigid cytoskeletal structure of the sperm head, and has been considered to be involved in the apoptotic process of spermatogenic cells. Quantification of the signals may help to clarify the detailed function of PERF 15. We further analyzed the signals concomitant with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The peak of PERF 15 mRNA expression was found in diplotene spermatocytes, and the amount of PERF 15 mRNA was greatest in late pachytene and diplotene spermatocytes and early spermatids, followed by early pachytene spermatocytes, and then late spermatids. PERF 15 may be involved in the events leading to meiotic division, in which apoptosis is also involved. The present study may help to determine the concentration of mRNA in tissue sections.

抄録全体を表示