Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: A novel sodium signaling complex regulates uterine activity

doi: 10.1101/2020.07.31.229138

Figure Lengend Snippet: During the quiescent state, progesterone binding to the progesterone receptor (PR A/B ) increases NALCN expression and activity . Sodium current through NALCN activates SLO2.1 channels, increasing K + efflux to maintain the cell in a hyperpolarized state. As a result, voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels (VDCCs) are closed, and uterine contractions do not occur. In the contractile state, estrogen acting on ERα inhibits NALCN expression , leading to decreased SLO2.1 activity. The reduced K + efflux depolarizes the membrane, leading to VDCC activation, an increase in intracellular Ca 2+ , and uterine contractility. At labor, Oxytocin (OXT) binds to the oxytocin receptor (OTR), leading to activation of phospholipase C (PLC), production of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2 ), and production of inositol triphosphate (IP 3 ). IP 3 activates the release of Ca 2+ from intracellular stores, and PIP 2 activates protein kinase C (PKC), which inhibits SLO2.1 . This SLO2.1 inhibition further depolarizes the membrane, thus opening more VDCCs, increasing intracellular Ca 2+ , and further activating myosin to cause muscle contraction.

Article Snippet: Duolink in situ proximity ligation assay (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) labeling was performed with the following antibodies: NALCN (mouse monoclonal, 1:100, StressMarq) and SLO2.1 (rabbit polyclonal, 1:200, Alomone).

Techniques: Binding Assay, Expressing, Activity Assay, Activation Assay, Inhibition

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: Disease-linked TDP-43 hyperphosphorylation suppresses TDP-43 condensation and aggregation

doi: 10.1101/2021.04.30.442163

Figure Lengend Snippet: A Immunostainings showing nuclear localization of TDP-43 Wt, 12D and 12A in HeLa cells. Endogenous TDP-43 expression was silenced by siRNAs, followed by transient transfection of the indicated siRNA-resistant myc-TDP-43 constructs. After 24 h, localization of TDP-43 Wt, 12D and 12A variants was visualized by TDP-43 immunostaining (mouse anti-TDP-43 antibody, Proteintech). G3BP1 (rabbit anti-G3BP1 antibody, Proteintech) and DAPI signal is shown to visualize the cytoplasm and nuclei, respectively. In the merge (right column), DAPI is show in turquoise, TDP-43 in green, and G3BP1 in magenta. Bar, 30 μm. B Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) of TDP-43-MBP-His 6 variants (Wt, 12D and 12A) in a complex with (UG) 12 RNA. C SDS-PAGE followed by TDP-43 Western blot (upper blot) showing efficient siRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous TDP-43 (running at ~43 kDa) in comparison to control siRNA and re-expression of myc-tagged TDP-43 Wt, 12D and 12A in Hela cells. Equal loading is demonstrated by α-Tubulin Western blot (bottom). TDP-43 was detected using rabbit anti-TDP-43 C-term antibody (Proteintech), α-Tubulin using mouse anti-alpha Tubulin antibody (Proteintech) and Myc-tag using mouse-anti Myc antibody (9E10, Helmholtz Center Munich).

Article Snippet: Knockdown was analyzed 48 h post transfection by immunohistochemistry using mouse anti TDP-43 antibody (Proteintech, Cat.No: 60019-2-Ig) and immunoblotting using rabbit anti TDP-43 C-Term antibody (Proteintech, Cat.No: 12892-1-AP) to detect TDP-43 and mouse anti alpha-Tubulin antibody (Proteintech, Cat.No: 66031-1-Ig) for detection of α-Tubulin as a control.

Techniques: Expressing, Transfection, Construct, Immunostaining, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay, SDS Page, Western Blot

Journal: Nature Neuroscience

Article Title: Neuronal activity rapidly reprograms dendritic translation via eIF4G2:uORF binding

doi: 10.1038/s41593-024-01615-5

Figure Lengend Snippet: a , Immunofluorescence (IF) images of primary cortical neurons immunostained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) simultaneously with PSD95 to show that the cultures are devoid of glial cells or oligodendrocytes, respectively. DAPI for nuclei; PSD95 for excitatory neurons. Magnification, ×40. Scale bars, 50 μm. b , TurboID-PSD95 was cloned without (top row) and with (bottom row) its 5′ and 3′ UTRs and lentivirally expressed in primary cortical neurons. White dashed boxes are zoomed in areas in black&white images. DAPI for nuclei; MAP2 for dendrites; Flag for each TurboID. % dendritically localized TurboID-PSD95 is quantified by co-localization with MAP2 signal in ImageJ. 3 different areas of images per replicate ( n = 3). Magnification, ×20. Scale bars, 50 μm. Significance was derived from biological replicates, showing the center line at mean. c , IF images of TurboID-PSD95-transduced neurons immunostained for DAPI (blue, for nuclei), PSD95 (red, for endogenous PSD95) and TurboID-PSD95 (cyan, detected by Flag). Magnification, ×60. Scale bar, 50 μm. d , IF images show the expression of a presynaptic marker, Synaptophysin (cyan), and TurboID-PSD95 (red, detected by Flag antibody) in primary cortical neurons transduced with TurboID-PSD95. DAPI (blue) marker for nuclei. Three zoomed in regions are marked by the white boxes. Magnification, ×60. Scale bar, 10 μm. e , IF images show TurboID expression and biotinylation in primary cortical neurons transduced with TurboID-PSD95 or Pan-TurboID after 30 minutes of biotin incubation. DAPI (blue, nuclei); MAP2 (green, dendrites); Flag (red, TurboID); and Streptavidin (cyan, biotinylated proteins). Magnification, ×20. Scale bars, 50 μm. f , Western blots stained for Flag and β-Actin from Pan-TurboID and TurboID-PSD95-transduced neurons in the absence (−) or presence (+) of exogenous biotin shown to indicate the relative expression levels of TurboID proteins. Quantifications of TurboID protein levels normalized to β-Actin are shown on the right ( n = 3); relative levels are not significant by two-tailed, paired Student’s t -test. g , Western blots stained for streptavidin signal in inputs (‘in’) and streptavidin pulldowns (‘pd’) from Pan-TurboID or TurboID-PSD95-transduced neurons in the absence (−) or presence (+) of exogenous biotin. h , Streptavidin pulldowns shown for dendritic (SHANK3, GKAP, NLGN1 and HOMER1) and negative control (GAPDH) proteins from TurboID-PSD95-transduced neurons in the absence (−) or presence (+) of exogenous biotin. Flag signal indicates self-biotinylation of each construct. Loaded on the gel are 10% (by volume) of input and 50% (by volume) of pulldowns. Percent isolated by TurboID-PSD95 in each condition is calculated by dividing the signal in the pulldown lane by that of the input lane, after each is adjusted to total, and quantifications are shown as bar graphs ( n = 3). P values: Flag = 0.58, SHANK3 = 0.0061, GKAP = 0.018, NLGN1 = 0.00052, HOMER1 = 0.021, GAPDH = 0.42. i , Streptavidin pulldowns shown for dendritic (BAIAP2 and DLGAP3) and nuclear (TBR1, H4 and H2AX) proteins from Pan-TurboID and TurboID-PSD95-transduced neurons in the presence (+) of exogenous biotin. Loaded on the gel are 10% (by volume) of input and 50% (by volume) of pulldowns. Percent isolated by each TurboID is calculated as in (h) ( n = 3). P values: BAIAP2 = 0.0052, DLGAP3 = 0.0035, TBR1 = 0.0063, H4 = 0.018, H2AX = 0.0037. j , Phosphorylation of EEF2, eIF2α, ERK1/2 and IRE1 and total levels of ATF4 and CHOP are shown in resting (rest), activated (DHPG, Dep) and stressed (Sodium arsenite (NaAsO 2 )) cells by using phospho-specific and total antibodies. The amount of phosphorylated or total protein is shown in the bar graphs, calculated by dividing the phosphorylated signal to total and β-Actin for the phosphorylated proteins and by dividing the total to β-Actin for ATF4 and CHOP ( n = 3). Significance was calculated with respect to rest. P values: P-EEF2 (DHPG = 0.0088, Dep = 0.0023, NaAsO 2 = 0.039), P-eIF2α (DHPG = 0.018, Dep = 0.0034, NaAsO 2 = 0.028), P-ERK1/2 (DHPG = 0.015, Dep = 0.0067, NaAsO 2 = 0.00084), P-IRE1 (DHPG = 0.06, Dep = 0.37, NaAsO 2 = 0.0027), ATF4 (DHPG = 0.038, Dep = 0.42, NaAsO 2 = 0.016), CHOP (DHPG = 0.044, Dep = 0.18, NaAsO 2 = 0.024). k , Quantitative PCR (qPCR) results shown for immediate early genes, Arc , Fos and Jun . The fold changes for each gene are calculated by first normalizing to the house-keeping gene β-Actin in each condition, then dividing the value of each condition by that of the resting state ( n = 3). l , Dendritic spine size in resting and KCl-depolarized neurons are measured using the Keyence microscope. Red squares are examples of spines that are counted ( n = 3, 12 spines from each biological replicate are counted as technical replicates). Significance was derived from the biological replicates using the two-tailed, unpaired Student’s t -test. Box plots show the min and max, with the center line at median. Magnification, ×100. Scale bars, 5 μm. m , Fluo-4-AM staining in resting, KCl-depolarized and DHPG-depolarized cells. Fluo4-AM was loaded in resting cells and measurements were taken at indicated time points after Fluo4-AM removal. In depolarized cells, the dye was loaded during silencing. After silencing, fluorescence was measured during stimulus at 10, 30 and 60-minute time points for the KCl treatment and at 10-minute for the DHPG-induced activation. Fluorescence was also measured 60 minutes after the stimulus removal (60′post KCl and 60′post DHPG). Circles represent data from 2 biological and 3 technical replicates. Below: Examples of Fluo4-AM fluorescence are shown in resting, 10-minute KCl-treated and 10-minute DHPG-treated neurons. Fluo4-AM loading (45 minutes) was performed during the last 45 minutes of the silencing step prior to stimulus addition for the KCl and DHPG treatment and simultaneously for the resting neurons. Imaging was performed 10 minutes after the stimulus was added. Scale bars, 50 μm. (b,f,h-k,m) Data are mean ± s.d. Significance was calculated using the two-tailed, paired Student’s t -test. P values: ns (not significant) >0.05; * <0.05; ** <0.01; *** <0.001; **** <0.0001. n indicates the number of biologically independent samples.

Article Snippet: Puromycin (1:3,000, mouse, Kerafast, EQ0001, RRID: AB_2620162), Flag (1:3,000, mouse, Sigma-Aldrich, F1804, RRID: AB_262044), β-Actin antibody (1:2,500, mouse, Sigma-Aldrich, A1978, RRID: AB_476692), RPL10A (1:1,000, rabbit, Abcam, ab174318), MAP2 (1:2,500, guinea pig, Synaptic Systems, 188004, RRID: AB_2138181), GFAP (1:500, rabbit, Abcam, ab7260, RRID: AB_305808), OLIG2 (1:500, rabbit, Proteintech, 13999-1-AP, RRID: AB_2157541), PSD95 (1:500, mouse, Millipore, MABN68, RRID: AB_10807979), Synaptophysin (1:300, mouse, Abcam, ab8049, RRID: AB_2198854), SHANK3 (1:500, mouse, Novus, NBP1-47610, RRID: AB_10010567), GKAP (1:500, rabbit, Novus, NBP1-76911, RRID: AB_11017331), NLGN1 (1:200, mouse, Novus, NBP2-42192), HOMER1 (1:1,000, rabbit, Proteintech, 12433-1-AP, RRID: AB_2295573), GAPDH (1:5,000, mouse, Thermo Fisher Scientific, AM4300, RRID: AB_2536381), BAIAP2 (1:500, rabbit, Proteintech, 11087-2-AP, RRID: AB_2063075), DLGAP3 (1:500, rabbit, Proteintech, 55056-1-AP, RRID: AB_10858793), TBR1 (1:500, rabbit, Proteintech, 20932-1-AP, RRID: AB_10695502), H4 (1:1,000, mouse, Abcam, ab31830, RRID: AB_1209246), H2A.X (1:1,000, rabbit, Proteintech, 10856-1-AP, RRID: AB_2114985), EEF2 (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 2332, RRID:AB_10693546), P-EEF2 (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 2331, RRID: AB_10015204), eIF2α (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 9722, RRID: AB_2230924), P-eIF2α (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 3398, RRID: AB_2096481), p42/44 MAPK (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 4695, RRID: AB_390779), P-p42/44 MAPK (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 9101, RRID: AB_331646), P-IRE1 (1:500, rabbit, Novus, NB100-2323SS, RRID: AB_10145203), IRE1 (1:500, rabbit, Novus, NB100-2324SS, RRID: AB_10000972), CHOP (1:1,000, mouse, Cell Signaling, 2895T, RRID: AB_2089254), ATF4 (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, 11815S, RRID: AB_2616025), MPHOSPH (1:300, rabbit, Biorbyt, orb100446), KCNJ9 (1:300, rabbit, LSBio, LS-C352416), KCNJ9 (1:300, mouse, Antibodies Incorporated, 75-445, RRID: AB_2686912), eIF4G2 (1:1,000, rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, RRID: AB_10622189 and rabbit, Cell Signaling Technology, RRID: AB_2261993), NSUN3 (1:250, rabbit, LSBio, LS-C163024), MTF1 (1:300, rabbit, Novus, NBP1-86380, RRID: AB_11011361), ZFP64 (1:300, rabbit, Proteintech, 17187-1-AP, RRID: AB_2218826) and KATNBL1 (1:250, rabbit, Proteintech, 24795-1-AP, RRID: AB_2879730).

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Clone Assay, Derivative Assay, Expressing, Marker, Transduction, Incubation, Western Blot, Staining, Two Tailed Test, Negative Control, Construct, Isolation, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Activation Assay, Imaging