calpain and Carotid-Artery-Diseases

Apoptosis is a key feature of advanced atherosclerotic plaques. Attraction signals such as p43 released from apoptotic cells play a crucial role in the timely removal of the apoptotic remnants by recruiting fresh phagocytes. Here, we sought to determine whether p43 may link apoptosis to inflammation and plaque progression.. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that p43 was abundantly expressed in human plaques compared with nonatherosclerotic mammary arteries and colocalized with splicing factor SC-35. Cell culture experiments indicated that p43 expression was associated with enhanced protein translation. On initiation of apoptosis or necrosis, p43 was cleaved by calpains and released as truncated protein p43(apoptosis-released factor [ARF]). Processing of p43 into endothelial monocyte activating polypeptide II was not observed. Full-length p43, but not p43(ARF) or endothelial monocyte activating polypeptide II, activated THP1 monocytes (upregulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 8, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, MIP1 beta, MIP2 alpha) and endothelial cells (enhanced synthesis of E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, tissue factor). The chemotactic activity of p43 or fragments thereof was poor compared with ATP. Treatment of smooth muscle cells with p43 did not induce cell death.. p43 is cleaved during apoptosis by calpains and released as a truncated protein that is harmless for the structure of the plaque.

Topics: Animals; Apolipoproteins E; Apoptosis; Atherosclerosis; Calpain; Carotid Artery Diseases; Case-Control Studies; Cells, Cultured; Coronary Artery Disease; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Endothelial Cells; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Monocytes; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle; Neoplasm Proteins; Nuclear Proteins; Protein Biosynthesis; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Ribonucleoproteins; RNA-Binding Proteins; RNA, Messenger; Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors; Time Factors; Transfection; Up-Regulation

The powerful relation between atherosclerosis and diabetes may have a common genetic basis. However, few genes predisposing to both have been identified. Calpain-10 (CAPN10) was the first gene for type 2 diabetes identified by positional cloning, wherein a combination of haplotypes conferred increased risk of diabetes. We sought to determine whether CAPN10 influences subclinical atherosclerosis. Among nondiabetic subjects from 85 Mexican-American families with a history of coronary artery disease, subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), insulin sensitivity was assessed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, and insulin secretion was estimated by the oral glucose tolerance test. These phenotypes were tested for association with CAPN10 haplotypes. Haplotype 1112 (of single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] 44, 43, 56, and 63) was associated with increased IMT, while haplotype 1221 was associated with decreased IMT. The 112/121 haplotype combination (of SNPs 43, 56, and 63), originally found to confer increased risk for diabetes, was associated with the largest IMT in our study population. CAPN10 was also associated with both insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. Covariate analysis suggested that CAPN10 affects IMT independently of these diabetes-related phenotypes. The fact that the diabetes gene CAPN10 also influences the risk for atherosclerosis shows that inherited factors may underlie the frequent co-occurrence of these two conditions.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arteriosclerosis; Calpain; Carotid Artery Diseases; Coronary Disease; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Haplotypes; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Male; Mexican Americans; Middle Aged; Phenotype; Tunica Intima

A membrane cytoskeletal protein, fodrin, is a substrate for a Ca2+-dependent protease, calpain. It remains unknown whether mu-calpain or m-calpain is involved in the proteolysis of either alpha- or beta-fodrin and in what subcellular localization during ischemia and reperfusion of the brain. To address these issues, we examined the distribution of fodrin and calpain and the activities of calpain and calpastatin (endogenous calpain inhibitor) in the same subcellular fractions. Rat forebrain was subjected to ischemia by a combination of occlusion of both carotid arteries and systemic hypotension, whereas reperfusion was induced by releasing the occlusion. Immunoblotting, activity measurement, and casein zymography did not detect the presence of mu-calpain or a significant change of m-calpain level after ischemia or reperfusion. However, casein zymography revealed a unique Ca2+-dependent protease that was eluted with both 0.18 and 0.40 M NaCl from a DEAE-cellulose column. Alpha- and beta-fodrins and m-calpain were found to be rich in the synaptosomal, nuclear, and cytosolic subfractions by immunoblotting analysis. Reperfusion (60 min) following ischemia (30 min) induced selective proteolysis of alpha-fodrin, which was inhibited by a calpain inhibitor, acetylleucylleucylnorleucinal (400 microM, 1 ml, i.v.). The mu-calpain-specific fragment of beta-fodrin was not generated during ischemia-reperfusion, supporting the possibility of the involvement of m-calpain rather than mu-calpain in the alpha-fodrin proteolysis.

Topics: Animals; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Calpain; Carotid Artery Diseases; Carrier Proteins; Caseins; Cell Nucleus; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Hypotension; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Male; Microfilament Proteins; Prosencephalon; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reperfusion Injury; Subcellular Fractions; Synaptosomes