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- Actin cytoskeleton disruption is an early event upon exposure of cerebellar granule neurons to SIN-1-induced oxidative stressPublication . Tiago, Teresa; Silva, D.; Samhan-Arias, A. K.; Aureliano, Manuel; Gutierrez-Merino, CarlosIn this work we have studied the alterations of the actin cytoskeleton in cultured cerebellar granule neurons during exposure to the peroxynitritereleasing agent SIN-1 for less than 2 hours. Actin polymerization state was assessed by fluorescence microscopy ratio images using double labelling for actin filaments (phallacidin) and monomers (DNase-I). In addition, agonists and antagonists of L-type Ca2+ channels and NMDA receptors were used in order to find out whether these compounds were able to attenuate or potentiate the effects of oxidative stress on the perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton. The results reveal that a flux of peroxynitrite as low as 0.5 ;M/min during 1h is sufficient to promote alterations of actin dynamics leading to partial actin cytoskeleton disruption and suggest that this is an early event linked to cytosolic calcium concentration changes.
- Decavanadate interactions with actin: inhibition of G-actin polymerization and stabilization of decameric vanadatePublication . Ramos, Susana; Manuel, Miguel; Tiago, Teresa; Duarte, Rui O.; Martins, Jorge; Gutiérrez-Merino, Carlos; Moura, José J. G.; Aureliano, M.Decameric vanadate species (V10) inhibit the rate and the extent of G-actin polymerization with an IC50 of 68 ± 22 lM and 17 ± 2 lM, respectively, whilst they induce F-actin depolymerization at a lower extent. On contrary, no effect on actin polymerization and depolymerization was detected for 2 mM concentration of ‘‘metavanadate’’ solution that contains ortho and metavanadate species, as observed by combining kinetic with 51V NMR spectroscopy studies. Although at 25 C, decameric vanadate (10 lM) is unstable in the assay medium, and decomposes following a first-order kinetic, in the presence of G-actin (up to 8 lM), the half-life increases 5-fold (from 5 to 27 h). However, the addition of ATP (0.2 mM) in the medium not only prevents the inhibition of G-actin polymerization by V10 but it also decreases the half-life of decomposition of decameric vanadate species from 27 to 10 h. Decameric vanadate is also stabilized by the sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, which raise the half-life time from 5 to 18 h whereas no effects were observed in the presence of phosphatidylcholine liposomes, myosin or G-actin alone. It is proposed that the ‘‘decavanadate’’ interaction with G-actin, favored by the G-actin polymerization, stabilizes decameric vanadate species and induces inhibition of G-actin polymerization. Decameric vanadate stabilization by cytoskeletal and transmembrane proteins can account, at least in part, for decavanadate toxicity reported in the evaluation of vanadium (V) effects in biological systems.
- Peroxynitrite induces F-actin depolymerization and blockade of myosin ATPase stimulationPublication . Tiago, Teresa; Ramos, Susana; Aureliano, M.; Gutiérrez-Merino, CarlosTreatment of F-actin with the peroxynitrite-releasing agent 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) produced a dose-dependent F-actin depolymerization. This is due to released peroxynitrite because it is not produced by ‘decomposed SIN-1’, and it is prevented by superoxide dismutase concentrations efficiently preventing peroxynitrite formation. F-actin depolymerization has been found to be very sensitive to peroxynitrite, as exposure to fluxes as low as 50–100 nM peroxynitrite leads to nearly 50% depolymerization in about 1 h. G-actin polymerization is also impaired by peroxynitrite although with nearly 2-fold lower sensitivity. Exposure of F-actin to submicromolar fluxes of peroxynitrite produced cysteine oxidation and also a blockade of the ability of actin to stimulate myosin ATPase activity. Our results suggest that an imbalance of the F-actin/G-actin equilibrium can account for the observed structural and functional impairment of myofibrils under the peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative stress reported for some pathophysiological conditions.