Histochemical detection of ischemia-like alterations induced in kidney tissue in vitro--different sensitivity to oxidant stress of glomerular ENTPD1 versus E5NT.

The expression of ENTPD1 (ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase) along the glomerular microvasculature of the kidney is downregulated in ischemic conditions, in contrast to E5NT (ecto-5'-nucleotidase), which may explain the increased tendency for intraglomerular microthrombus formation in vivo. It has been suggested that in ischemia, reactive oxygen species (ROS) affect glomerular ENTPD1, whereas E5NT seems less sensitive to oxidant stress. To test this hypothesis, a soluble ATP and ADP hydrolyzing enzyme solution (apyrase) [0.4 U/ml] or 5'-nucleotidase solution [0.33 U/ml] as well renal tissue were exposed to ROS, generated by gamma-irradiation in vitro. The enzymes diluted in distilled water or cryostat rat kidney sections were exposed to gamma-irradiation (0.037 Gy/s) for 0, 2, 5, 10, or 15 min, with or without supplementation of the ROS scavenger dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The enzyme activity of the samples was biochemically tested using standard methods, before and after irradiation. The reaction product of irradiated versus nonirradiated kidney sections was semiquantitatively evaluated after histochemical staining for either glomerular ENTPD1 or glomerular E5NT expression. The results show that the enzyme activity in samples of soluble apyrase was significantly decreased after irradiation. This effect was inhibited by DMSO. In contrast, 5'-nucleotidase activity showed only a limited decline of the activity curve after irradiation, which could also be restored following supplementation of DMSO. Glomerular ENTPD1 expression showed significant decrease after irradiation of kidney sections; again, this was inhibitable by DMSO. Glomerular E5NT activity was not altered by irradiation and DMSO supplementation did not affect its activity. It is concluded that soluble apyrase as well as the glomerular ENTPD1 are sensitive to oxidant stress, which may explain their downregulation in the ischemic condition in vivo. However, soluble 5'-nucleotidase and E5NT seem much less sensitive to ROS. This relative insensitivity of E5NT to oxidant injury may counteract ischemic injury by promoting local generation of adenosine in the ischemic micro-environment.

Vlaar AP ，van Son WJ ，Bakker WW 《Nephron Physiology》

Functional analysis of expression of human ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 and/or ecto-5'-nucleotidase in pig endothelial cells.

De Giorgi M ，Pelikant-Malecka I ，Sielicka A ，Slominska EM ，Giovannoni R ，Cinti A ，Cerrito MG ，Lavitrano M ，Smolenski RT ... -  《-》

Simultaneous overexpression of human E5NT and ENTPD1 protects porcine endothelial cells against H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in vitro.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and oxidative stress still limit the survival of cells and organs in xenotransplantation models. Ectonucleotidases play an important role in inflammation and IRI in transplantation settings. We tested the potential protective effects derived by the co-expression of the two main vascular ectonucleotidases, ecto-5'-nucleotidase (E5NT) and ecto nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (ENTPD1), in an in vitro model of H2O2-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. We produced a dicistronic plasmid (named pCX-DI-2A) for the co-expression of human E5NT and ENTPD1 by using the F2A technology. pCX-DI-2A-transfected porcine endothelial cells simultaneously overexpressed hE5NT and hENTPD1, which were correctly processed and localized on the plasma membrane. Furthermore, such co-expression system led to the synergistic enzymatic activity of hE5NT and hENTPD1 as shown by the efficient catabolism of pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic extracellular adenine nucleotides along with the enhanced production of the anti-inflammatory molecule adenosine. Interestingly, we found that the hE5NT/hENTPD1 co-expression system conferred protection to cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. pCX-DI-2A-transfected cells showed reduced activation of caspase 3/7 and cytotoxicity than mock-, hE5NT- and hENTPD1-transfected cells. Furthermore, pCX-DI-2A-transfected cells showed decreased H2O2-induced production of ROS as compared to the other control cell lines. The cytoprotective phenotype observed in pCX-DI-2A-transfected cells was associated with higher detoxifying activity of catalase as well as increased activation of the survival signaling molecules Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Our data add new insights to the protective effects of the combination of hE5NT and hENTPD1 against oxidative stress and constitute a proof of concept for testing this new genetic combination in pig-to-non-human primates xenotransplantation models.

Chisci E ，De Giorgi M ，Zanfrini E ，Testasecca A ，Brambilla E ，Cinti A ，Farina L ，Kutryb-Zajac B ，Bugarin C ，Villa C ，Grassilli E ，Combi R ，Gaipa G ，Cerrito MG ，Rivolta I ，Smolenski RT ，Lavitrano M ，Giovannoni R ... -  《-》

Co-expression of functional human Heme Oxygenase 1, Ecto-5'-Nucleotidase and ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 by "self-cleaving" 2A peptide system.

We developed an F2A-based multicistronic system to evaluate functional effects of co-expression of three proteins important for xenotransplantation: heme oxygenase 1 (HO1), ecto-5'-nucleotidase (E5NT) and ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (ENTPD1). The tricistronic p2A plasmid that we constructed was able to efficiently drive concurrent expression of HO1, E5NT and ENTPD1 in HEK293T cells. All three overexpressed proteins possessed relevant enzymatic activities, while addition of furin site interfered with protein expression and activity. We conclude that our tricistronic p2A construct is effective and optimal to test the combined protective effects of HO1, E5NT and ENTPD1 against xeno-rejection mechanisms.

De Giorgi M ，Cinti A ，Pelikant-Malecka I ，Chisci E ，Lavitrano M ，Giovannoni R ，Smolenski RT ... -  《-》

Immunohistochemical and functional analysis of ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (CD39) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73) in pig aortic valves.

Kaniewska E ，Sielicka A ，Sarathchandra P ，Pelikant-Małecka I ，Olkowicz M ，Słomińska EM ，Chester AH ，Yacoub MH ，Smoleński RT ... -  《-》