Identification of the vitamin K-dependent carboxylase active site: Cys-99 and Cys-450 are required for both epoxidation and carboxylation

The vitamin K-dependent carboxylase modifies and renders active vitamin K-dependent proteins involved in hemostasis, cell growth control, and calcium homeostasis. Using a novel mechanism, the carboxylase transduces the free energy of vitamin K hydroquinone (KH2) oxygenation to convert glutamate into a carbanion intermediate, which subsequently attacks CO2, generating the γ-carboxylated glutamate product. How the carboxylase effects this conversion is poorly understood because the active site has not been identified. Dowd and colleagues [Dowd, P., Hershline, R., Ham, S. W. & Naganathan, S. (1995) Science 269, 1684–1691] have proposed that a weak base (cysteine) produces a strong base (oxygenated KH2) capable of generating the carbanion. To define the active site and test this model, we identified the amino acids that participate in these reactions. N-ethyl maleimide inhibited epoxidation and carboxylation, and both activities were equally protected by KH2 preincubation. Amino acid analysis of 14C- N-ethyl maleimide-modified human carboxylase revealed 1.8–2.3 reactive residues and a specific activity of 7 × 108 cpm/hr per mg. Tryptic digestion and liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry identified Cys-99 and Cys-450 as active site residues. Mutation to serine reduced both epoxidation and carboxylation, to 0.2% (Cys-99) or 1% (Cys-450), and increased the Kms for a glutamyl substrate 6- to 8-fold. Retention of some activity indicates a mechanism for enhancing cysteine/serine nucleophilicity, a property shared by many active site thiol enzymes. These studies, which represent a breakthrough in defining the carboxylase active site, suggest a revised model in which the glutamyl substrate indirectly coordinates at least one thiol, forming a catalytic complex that ionizes a thiol to initiate KH2 oxygenation.

Is the maximum velocity of carboxylation (Vcmax) well adjusted for deciduous shrubs in DGVMs: a case study for the Caatinga Biome in Brazil.

Vcmax is the rate of maximum velocity of carboxylation of plants and is considered one of the most critical parameters for changes in vegetation in face of global changes and it has a direct impact on gross primary productivity. Physiological processes are considered the main sources of uncertainties in dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs). The Caatinga biome, in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil, is extremely important due to its biodiversity and endemism. In a field work realized in an area of preserved Caatinga forest, measurements of carbon assimilation (in response to light and CO2) were performed on 11 individuals of a native species. These results of Vcmax measurements in Caatinga were compared with parameterization of models, revealing that Vcmax is not well adjusted in several DGVMs. Also, the values obtained in the Caatinga field experiments were very close to empirical values obtained in the Northern hemisphere (Austria). These ecophysiological measurements can contribute in understanding of this biome

Calibration of the maximum carboxylation velocity (Vcmax) using data mining techniques and ecophysiological data from the Brazilian Semiarid region, for use in Dynamic Global Vegetation Models.

The semiarid region of northeastern Brazil, the Caatinga, is extremely important due to its biodiversity and endemism. Measurements of plant physiology are crucial to the calibration of Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) that are currently used to simulate the responses of vegetation in face of global changes. In a field work realized in an area of preserved Caatinga forest located in Petrolina, Pernambuco, measurements of carbon assimilation (in response to light and CO2) were performed on 11 individuals of Poincianella microphylla, a native species that is abundant in this region. These data were used to calibrate the maximum carboxylation velocity (Vcmax) used in the INLAND model. The calibration techniques used were Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and data mining techniques as the Classification And Regression Tree (CART) and K-MEANS. The results were compared to the UNCALIBRATED model. It was found that simulated Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) reached 72% of observed GPP when using the calibrated Vcmax values, whereas the UNCALIBRATED approach accounted for 42% of observed GPP. Thus, this work shows the benefits of calibrating DGVMs using field ecophysiological measurements, especially in areas where field data is scarce or non-existent, such as in the Caatinga

Efficient catalysts of zeolite nanocrystals grown with a preferred orientation on nanofibers

An innovative structure — nanozeolites (as shell) grown with preferred orientation on ceramic nanofibers (as core) was proposed. The Y-zeolite nanocrystals on TiO2 nanofibers exhibited superior ability to catalyze acetalization and carboxylation reaction, achieving high conversions to desired products with selectivity of 100% under moderate conditions.

青杨(Populus cathayana Rehd.)雌雄植株对干旱胁迫的生理生态响应差异

随着全球气候变暖和温室效应加剧，干旱和荒漠化成为威胁人类生存和发展的主要 灾害，许多被子植物对干旱胁迫的生理、生态和生化响应已逐步得以报道，但很少有开 展干旱胁迫对雌雄异株植物的影响方面的研究。由于这类植物在长期进化过程中已经在 生长、性比、生殖格局、空间分布、资源配置和生物量分配等方面形成了明显的性别差 异，因此，干旱胁迫必将对其雌雄植株产生不同的生理生态影响。本研究以青杨为模式 植物，采用植物生态、生理及生物化学等研究方法，系统研究青杨雌雄植株在常温、增 温以及喷施外源脱落酸的条件下对干旱胁迫的响应，揭示其在生长形态、生物量分配、 光合作用、用水效率和生理生化等方面的性别间差异。主要研究结果如下： 1. 青杨雌雄植株对干旱胁迫的综合响应。 与较好水分条件相比，干旱胁迫显著降低了青杨雌雄植株的光合作用和生长发育， 影响了许多生理生化过程，并导致雌雄植株在生长发育、气体交换、用水效率、膜脂抗 氧化和抗氧化系统酶活性方面表现出显著的性别间差异。在较好水分条件下，雌雄植株 之间在株高、基径、生物量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率、用水效率以及丙二醛、脱落酸和 游离脯氨酸等生化物质含量方面均无显著差异。但在干旱胁迫下，雄株在生长发育、气 体交换、水分利用效率、膜脂过氧化保护和抗氧化系统酶活性方面均显著高于雌株，表 现出比雌株更高的株高、基径、叶面积、总叶片数、总生物量、总色素含量、类胡萝卜 素含量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率、羧化效率、光系统II最大光化学效率、内在水分利用 效率、碳同位素组分、过氧化氢酶和过氧化物酶活性等，而在CO2补偿点、比叶面积、 叶绿素a/b、丙二醛、脱落酸和超氧化物歧化酶活性等指标上显著低于雌株。与雌株相比， 雄株表现出更高的干旱胁迫适应能力，而雌株的生长发育和生理生化过程更易遭受干旱 胁迫的影响。 2. 干旱胁迫下的青杨雌雄植株对增温处理的综合响应 与环境温度相比，增温在干旱胁迫前后均显著促进了雌雄植株的生长发育、气体交 换，降低水分利用效率，影响生化物质含量，并促使青杨雌雄植株之间在干旱胁迫下表 现出显著的差异。在较好水分条件下，增温导致雌株的株高、基径、叶面积、总叶片数、 总生物量和超氧化物歧化酶活性显著高于雄株，而用水效率、丙二醛、脱落酸和游离脯 氨酸、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶和过氧化物酶活性低于雄株。在干旱胁迫下，增温将导致雄 株的株高、基径、叶面积、总生物量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、总色素含量、 相对含水量、过氧化氢酶和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶活性等显著高于雌株，而光系统II 最大 光化学效率、内在水分利用效率、碳同位素组分、丙二醛、脱落酸、游离脯氨酸和超氧 化物歧化酶活性显著低于雌株。与雄株相比，水分较好条件下的增温有利于促进雌株的 生长发育，并在生理生态特征上优于雄株。而干旱胁迫下的增温则加剧了水分胁迫强度， 致使雌株的生长发育遭受比雄株更多的负面影响。 3. 干旱胁迫下的青杨雌雄植株对喷施外源脱落酸处理的综合响应 与对照相比，在干旱胁迫下喷施外源脱落酸可显著增加青杨雌雄植株的生长发育、 气体交换、降低水分利用效率，影响了生化物质含量，并导致青杨雌雄植株之间在干旱 胁迫下表现出显著的生理生态差异。在干旱胁迫下，喷施外源脱落酸致使雌株的株高、 叶面积、叶干重、细根干重、总生物量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、光系统II 最大光化学效率、非光化学淬灭系数、相对含水量、总光合色素、类胡萝卜素、脱落酸、 超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶活性的增加量显著高于雄株，而根重比、根冠比、细根/ 总根、比叶面积、内在水分利用效率、碳同位素组分、丙二醛、脯氨酸、过氧化氢酶和 抗坏血酸过氧化物酶活性等指标的减少量上显著低于雄株。与对照相比，干旱胁迫下的 喷施外源脱落酸则一定程度能减缓植株遭受胁迫的压力，促进植株生长和气体交换，减 少了植株体内的过剩自由基数量，并促使雌株的生长发育和光合能力显著提高，增强其 抗干旱胁迫能力。 With development of global warming and greenhouse effect, drought and desertification have been became main natural disasteres in resent years. Studies on ecophysiological responses of most angiosperm species to environmental stress have been reported, but little is known about dioecious plant responses to drought stress. Since significant differences on growth, survival, reproductive patterns, spatial distribution, as well as resource allocation between males and females of dioecious plant have been formed during evolutionary process, sexual different ecophysiological responses should be caused by drought stress. In this experiment, Populus cathayana Rehd. was used as model plant to study the sex-related responses to drought by using the ecological, physiological and biochemical methods under normal atmospheric temperature, elevated temperatures and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application treatment respectively, and to expose the sexual differences in growth, biomass allocation, photosynthesis, water use efficiency and some biochemical material contents in the males and females of dioecious plant. The results are follows: 1. A large set of parallel responses of males and females of P. cathayana to drought stress Compared with well-watered treatment, drought significantly decreased growth and photosynthesis of P. cathayana individuals, affected some physiological and biochemical processes, and induced males and females to exhibit obvious sexual differences in growth, gas exchange, water use efficiency, lipid peroxidation protection and antioxidant defenses enzyme system. Under well-watered treatment, there were no significant sexual differences in height growth (HG), basal diameter (BD), dry matter accumulation (DMA), net photosynthesis rate (A), transpiration (E), water use efficiency (WUE), and malondialdehyde (MDA), abscisic acid (ABA) and praline (Pro). However, under drought stress, males were found to exhibit higher HG, BD, leaf area (LA), total leaf number (TLA), DMA, total chlorophyll contents (TC), carotenoids content (Caro), A, E, carboxylation efficiency (CE), the maximum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE ), carbon isotope composition (δ13C), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and lower CO2 compensation point (Γ), specific leaf area (SLA), chlorophyll a/b ratio (Chla/Chlb), MDA, ABA and superoxide dismutase (SOD) than females. The results suggest that males possess greater drought resistance than do females and females suffer more negative effect on growth and development, physiological and biochemical processes than males under drought stress. 2. A large set of parallel responses of drought-stressed males and females of P. cathayana to elevated temperatures Compared with environmental temperature, elevated temperature treatment significant increased growth and gas exchange, decreased water use efficiency, changed some biochemical material contents of P. cathayana individuals, and induced males and females to exhibit obvious differences under drought stress. Under good water condition, elevated temperature treatment caused females to show significant higher HG, BD, LA, TLN, DMA, SOD activity, and great lower WUE, MDA, ABA, Pro, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and POD than do males. On contrary, under drought condition, elevated temperature treatment induced males to exhibit higher HG, BD, LA, DMA, A, E, stomatal conductance (gs), relative water content (RWC), CAT, APX activity but lower Fv/Fm, WUE, δ13C, MDA, ABA, Pro, SOD activity than do females. The results suggest that females will benefit from elevating temperature under good water condition by possessing better ecophysiological processes than that of males, but will suffer from greater negative effects than do males when grown under drought stress with elevated temperature treatment. 3. A large set of parallel responses of drought-stressed males and females of P. cathayana to exogenous ABA application Compared with controls, exogenous ABA application under drought greatly increased growth and gas exchange, decreased water use efficiency, changed some biochemical material contents in P. cathayana individuals, and induced males and females to exhibit obvious sexual differences under drought. Under drought stress, exogenous ABA application induced females to exhibit more increases in HG, LA, leaf weight (LW), fine root weight (FRW), DMA, A, E, g, Fv/Fm, non-photochemical quenching coefficient (qN), RWC, TC, Caro, ABA, SOD, POD s activity than males, but to show lower decreases in root/weight ratio (RWR), root mass/foliage area ratio (RF), fine root/total root ratio (FT), SLA, WUE, δ13C, MDA, Pro, CAT, APX than males. The results suggest that exogenous ABA application under drought stress will eliminate negative damages caused by drought stress at a certain extent，promote the growth and gas exchange of plant and decrease the number of superfluous 1O2 in plant cells of males and females of P. cathayana. Furthermore, exogenous ABA application promoted more drought resistance in females than in males by increasing more growth and photosynthetic capacity in females under drought stress.

青杨(Populus cathayana Rehd)雌雄植株对锈病和干旱胁迫的生理响应及差异蛋白质组比较

雌雄异株植物对环境的不同响应一直是一个有趣而新颖的研究领域，由于雌雄个体不同的繁殖成本及不同的生存策略，使得雌雄植株在生长、存活、生殖格局、空间分布、资源配置等方面已经表现出明显的不同，在生理和分子水平上也表现出明显的性别间差异。干旱是制约农林业发展的环境因子之一，叶锈病是对杨树危害最严重的病害之一，由于长期进化的结果，不同性别的植物必然对生物和非生物胁迫有着不同的响应。本文以雌雄异株的青杨为模式植物，研究雌雄间在生理、生化、亚细胞结构和蛋白质水平上对生物和非生物胁迫的差异响应。主要研究结果如下： （1） 青杨雌雄植株对锈病胁迫的生理生化差异响应 在正常的对照组中，雄株叶片比雌株叶片有着较高的活性氧自由基产生速率、较高的SOD、POD、PPO 和较低的CAT 活性；在锈病感染的早期阶段， SOD、POD、CAT 活性、活性氧自由基产生速率、H2O2 含量、膜脂过氧化程度和细胞膜的电渗率在雌雄株中都增加，而PPO 仅在雄株中增加明显，APX 仅在雌株中增加明显，并且雌株比雄株有着更严重的锈病感染程度、细胞膜的伤害程度和光合系统II 的破坏程度，雌株有更多的净光合速率、气孔导度和叶绿素a 含量的降低，在同工酶变化上，雌雄间对锈病也显示出不同的表达模式。结果显示，雄株比雌株对锈病有着更好的抗性和更有效的ROS 清除系统。 （2） 青杨雌雄植株对干旱胁迫的生理生化及亚细胞结构的差异响应 与较好水分条件相比，干旱下雄株比雌株有着更高的A-Ci 响应参数，如Rubisco 最大羧化速率、光呼吸速率、暗呼吸速率和最大电子传递速率等。干旱显著地增加了膜脂过氧化程度和游离脯氨酸含量，并且雄株比雌株表现出较低的膜脂过氧化程度，较高的总蛋白和游离脯氨酸含量。无论是中度干旱还是极度干旱，除了CAT 外，雄株比雌株表现为较强的抗氧化酶活性，在同工酶谱带上，雌雄间表现出不同的变化模式，并且有些条带是干旱影响应的，而有些条带是性别特异性的，这些性别特异性条带能够作为鉴定性别快速而准确的标记。干旱显著地影响了线粒体、叶绿体和细胞壁的结构，尤其在中度干旱胁迫下，雄株线粒体和叶绿体比雌株呈现出较好的完整性，并且雄株细胞壁要比雌株更厚。因此， 雄株比雌株表现出更强的干旱忍耐性和更高效的抗氧化酶系统。 （3） 青杨雌雄植株对干旱胁迫的蛋白质组差异响应 用双相电泳检测到雌雄间近1000 个蛋白点，通过对比发现对照组雌雄间有54 个差异蛋白点，干旱下雌雄间有108 个差异点，其中102 个被质谱成功鉴定。对照组雌雄间的差异蛋白主要集中在与光合作用相关蛋白、抗氧化酶、胁迫防御蛋白和一些调节基因表达的蛋白；干旱胁迫下雌雄间差异蛋白明显增多，主要有参与信号转导、调节基因表达、蛋白质加工、转录产物的转录翻译后修饰的调节性蛋白蛋白和参与氧化还原平衡、抗胁迫、细胞壁合成、光合作用、能量代谢、氨基酸代谢和脂肪酸代谢等的功能性蛋白。干旱下这些蛋白的表达量在雌雄中有的表现出相同的表达模式，如干旱下雌雄株中Rubisco 激活酶、小热激蛋白等表达都增加，而有的表现出相反的表达模式，如Rubisco 大亚基的降解片段、羰酸酯酶等在雄株中表达量上调而在雌株中却是下调。因此，雌雄间在蛋白质水平上对干旱胁迫响应的差异是显著的，也是复杂的。 It is an interesting and novel topic that dioecious plants possess different responses to environmental stress. As for the different productive cost and different survive strategy, different sexual plants have shown obviously morphological, physiological and molecular differences. Drought is one of the most worldwidely important environmental stress factors that limit plant growth and ecosystem productivity. Rust disease is one of the economically important diseases in many trees. As a result of the long evolutionary process, male and female plants should show different responses to abiotic and biotic stress. In this paper, using a dioeious tree of Populus cathayana Rehd as a model, we study the sexual differences to drought and rust disease stress in physiological, biochemical, sub-cellular and proteomics levels. The main results are follows: (1) The sexual differences in physiology and biochemistry of poplar to rust disease In controls, males showed higher production of superoxide radicals, higher activities of SOD, POD, PPO and lower CAT activity. Under rust disease, the activities of antioxidant, the content of ROS and the degree of cellular member destroyed were increased in both sexes, except for PPO in diseased males and APX in diseased females. However, females showed more seriously disease severity and cellular member and PS II destroyed degrees. Net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate and chlorophyll a content were decreased more in diseased females than in males. There were also some different changes inantioxidant isozymes under rust disease. The results suggested that male poplar possessed a more effectively antioxidant system and were more resistant to rut disease than females. (2) The sexual differences in physiology and biochemistry of poplar to drought stress Under drought stress, there were higher rates of RuBP-saturated CO2 assimilation, dark respiration, photorespiratory release of oxygen, the max electron transportrate in CO2-saturated and carboxylation efficiency in males than in females. And males showed lower TBARS and higher proline content. Except for CAT, the activities of other antioxidants were higher in males than in females. Meanwhile, there were obviously differences in isozyme changes between teo sexes. Drought stress obviously destroyed the integralities of chloroplasts and mitochondria and the sexual differences in sub-cellular level were obviously under the moderate water stress. Male cell walls were more sensitive to drought stress than did female. The results suggested males were more resistant to drought stress. (3) The sexual differences in proteomics of poplar to drought stress By 2-D and MS analysis, we identified 102 different protein spots between males and females. Under control conditions, the different proteins were mainly in photosynthesis related proteins, antioxidants, stress response proteins and some gene expression related proteins. Under drought stress, the different proteins were focused on (i) regulated proteins such as signaling conduction, kinase, HSP, gene expressional regulation and protein modification, (ii) functional proteins such as photosynthesis, energy metabolism, antioxidant, redox, stress response, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Some protein showed the same expressional pattern, while some showed contrary expressional pattern. Thus, the results suggested that sexual differences in proteomics were significant and complex.

低温下光照对黄瓜叶片光合特性的影响

为揭示低温下光照对黄瓜光合作用的影响，在叶片水平对５℃ １００μｍｏｌｍ·－’·ｓ－１和５℃黑暗处理４ｈ后黄瓜叶片光合－光响应和光合－ＣＯ２响应进行了对比研究、结果表明，５℃黑暗处理４ｈ使黄瓜叶片光饱和光合速率、表观光量子效率、ＣＯ２饱和光合速率以及梭化效率分别降低 ２２．５％、２８．０％、３１．３％和 ３７．２％，５℃ １００μｍｏｌ·ｍ－２·ｓ－１使上述指标分别降低 ５６．１％、６１．０％、５４．０％和 ５４．３％，说明 １００μｍｏｌ·ｍ－２·ｓ－１光照明显加剧５℃低温对黄瓜叶片光合功能的伤害。进一步研究结果显示低温光照处理使黄瓜叶片 ＰＳⅡ光合中心受到较严重的光抑制，类囊体跨膜质子梯度显著降低。对低温下光照对黄瓜叶片光合作用具有不良作用的原因进行了讨论。

Regulacja karboksylazy/oksygenazy rybulozo-1,5-bisfosforanu (Rubisco) u Arabidopsis thaliana w odpowiedzi na zmianę natężenia światła z umiarkowanego na niskie

Wydział Biologii

1,3-dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate: the unexpected synthesis of an ionic liquid precursor and carbene-CO2 adduct

1,3-Dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate is formed in good yield, rather than the anticipated organic salt, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methyl carbonate, as the reaction product resulting from both N-alkylation and C-carboxylation of 1-methylimidazole with dimethyl carbonate; the crystal structure of the zwitterion exhibits pi-stacked rings and two-dimensional sheets constructed by hydrogen-bonds from imidazolium-ring hydrogens to the carboxylate group.

Evolution of matrix and bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid proteins in vertebrates

The evolution of calcified tissues is a defining feature in vertebrate evolution. Investigating the evolution of proteins involved in tissue calcification should help elucidate how calcified tissues have evolved. The purpose of this study was to collect and compare sequences of matrix and bone γ-carboxyglutamic acid proteins (MGP and BGP, respectively) to identify common features and determine the evolutionary relationship between MGP and BGP. Thirteen cDNAs and genes were cloned using standard methods or reconstructed through the use of comparative genomics and data mining. These sequences were compared with available annotated sequences (a total of 48 complete or nearly complete sequences, 28 BGPs and 20 MGPs) have been identified across 32 different species (representing most classes of vertebrates), and evolutionarily conserved features in both MGP and BGP were analyzed using bioinformatic tools and the Tree-Puzzle software. We propose that: 1) MGP and BGP genes originated from two genome duplications that occurred around 500 and 400 million years ago before jawless and jawed fish evolved, respectively; 2) MGP appeared first concomitantly with the emergence of cartilaginous structures, and BGP appeared thereafter along with bony structures; and 3) BGP derives from MGP. We also propose a highly specific pattern definition for the Gla domain of BGP and MGP. Previous Section Next Section BGP1 (bone Gla protein or osteocalcin) and MGP (matrix Gla protein) belong to the growing family of vitamin K-dependent (VKD) proteins, the members of which are involved in a broad range of biological functions such as skeletogenesis and bone maintenance (BGP and MGP), hemostasis (prothrombin, clotting factors VII, IX, and X, and proteins C, S, and Z), growth control (gas6), and potentially signal transduction (proline-rich Gla proteins 1 and 2). VKD proteins are characterized by the presence of several Gla residues resulting from the post-translational vitamin K-dependent γ-carboxylation of specific glutamates, through which they can bind to calcium-containing mineral such as hydroxyapatite. To date, VKD proteins have only been clearly identified in vertebrates (1) although the presence of a γ-glutamyl carboxylase has been reported in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (2) and in marine snails belonging to the genus Conus (3). Gla residues have also been found in neuropeptides from Conus venoms (4), suggesting a wider prevalence of γ-carboxylation.

Effects of vitamin K deficiency and its mechanisms in vertebrate's early development: zebrafish as a model

Disertação de mestrado, Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Compartmentalized Cerebral Metabolism of [1,6-(13)C]Glucose Determined by in vivo (13)C NMR Spectroscopy at 14.1 T.

Cerebral metabolism is compartmentalized between neurons and glia. Although glial glycolysis is thought to largely sustain the energetic requirements of neurotransmission while oxidative metabolism takes place mainly in neurons, this hypothesis is matter of debate. The compartmentalization of cerebral metabolic fluxes can be determined by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy upon infusion of (13)C-enriched compounds, especially glucose. Rats under light α-chloralose anesthesia were infused with [1,6-(13)C]glucose and (13)C enrichment in the brain metabolites was measured by (13)C NMR spectroscopy with high sensitivity and spectral resolution at 14.1 T. This allowed determining (13)C enrichment curves of amino acid carbons with high reproducibility and to reliably estimate cerebral metabolic fluxes (mean error of 8%). We further found that TCA cycle intermediates are not required for flux determination in mathematical models of brain metabolism. Neuronal tricarboxylic acid cycle rate (V(TCA)) and neurotransmission rate (V(NT)) were 0.45 ± 0.01 and 0.11 ± 0.01 μmol/g/min, respectively. Glial V(TCA) was found to be 38 ± 3% of total cerebral oxidative metabolism, accounting for more than half of neuronal oxidative metabolism. Furthermore, glial anaplerotic pyruvate carboxylation rate (V(PC)) was 0.069 ± 0.004 μmol/g/min, i.e., 25 ± 1% of the glial TCA cycle rate. These results support a role of glial cells as active partners of neurons during synaptic transmission beyond glycolytic metabolism.

L'accélération de la rigidité vasculaire associée au diabète de type 1 : implication de la protéine Gla de la matrice

L'hypertension systolique isolée (HSI), amenée par une augmentation de la rigidité vasculaire, est la forme d'hypertension la plus fréquente chez les personnes âgées de plus de 60 ans. L'augmentation de la rigidité vasculaire, causée en partie par la calcification aortique médiale, est accélérée de 15 ans chez les diabétiques. Il est suggéré que la calcification aortique serait responsable de la résistance aux agents antihypertenseurs chez les patients souffrant d'HSI, d'où la nécessité de développer de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques ciblant la calcification artérielle. La protéine Gla de la matrice (MGP) est une protéine anti-calcifiante dépendante de la vitamine K, qui doit être γ-carboxylée pour être active. Deux enzymes sont responsables de la γ-carboxylation, soit la γ-glutamyl-carboxylase et la vitamine K époxyde réductase (VKOR). Plusieurs études récentes ont indiqué que la calcification vasculaire semblait être associée à une réduction de la γ-carboxylation de la MGP, et à un déficit en vitamine K. La modulation de l'expression et/ou de l'activité de la γ-carboxylase et de la VKOR et l'impact de cette modulation sur la γ-carboxylation de la MGP en présence de diabète n'est pas connue. L'objectif principal de cette thèse était de déterminer les mécanismes impliqués dans l'accélération de la rigidité artérielle causée par la calcification des gros troncs artériels dans le diabète. Nous avons ainsi confirmé, dans un modèle animal de rigidité artérielle en présence de diabète de type 1, que la γ-carboxylation de la MGP était bel et bien altérée au niveau aortique. En fait, nous avons démontré que la quantité de MGP active (i.e. MGP γ-carboxylée, cMGP) au sein de la paroi vasculaire est diminuée significativement. Parallèlement, l'expression de la γ-carboxylase était diminuée de façon importante, alors que ni l'expression ni l'activité de la VKOR n'étaient modifiées. La diminution de l'expression de la γ-carboxylase a pu être reproduite dans un modèle ex vivo d'hyperglycémie. À l'aide de ce modèle, nous avons démontré que la supplémentation en vitamine K dans le milieu de culture prévenait la diminution de l'expression de la γ-carboxylase, alors que les animaux diabétiques de notre modèle in vivo avaient des concentrations plasmatiques de vitamine K pratiquement triplées. D'autre part, l'étude des voies de signalisation impliquées a révélé que la voie PKCβ pourrait être responsable de l'altération de la γ-carboxylase. Ces résultats génèrent de nouvelles pistes de réflexion et de nouvelles idées de recherche. Par exemple, il serait important de vérifier l'effet de la supplémentation en vitamine K dans le modèle animal de rigidité artérielle en présence de diabète pour évaluer l'effet sur la γ-carboxylation de la MGP et par le fait même, sur la calcification vasculaire. De plus, l'évaluation de l'effet de l'administration de molécules ciblant la voie PKC chez ce même modèle animal permettrait de déterminer leur impact sur le développement de la calcification vasculaire et d'évaluer leur potentiel thérapeutique. Selon les résultats de ces études, de nouvelles options pourraient alors être à notre disposition pour prévenir ou traiter la calcification artérielle médiale associée au diabète, ce qui aurait pour effet de ralentir le développement de la rigidité artérielle et d'ainsi diminuer le risque cardiovasculaire associé à l'HSI.