Soybean nodulin 26 is expressed and targeted to the symbiosome membrane of nitrogen-fixing nodules, where it forms an aquaporin channel with a modest water transport rate. In this study, we show that the phosphorylation of nodulin 26 on Ser-262, which is catalyzed by a symbiosome membrane-associated calcium-dependent protein kinase, stimulates its intrinsic water transport rate. Furthermore, using a phosphospecific antibody, we have elucidated the developmental appearance and regulation of nodulin 26 phosphorylation in vivo. Although nodulin 26 protein is detected first in differentiating infected cells (16 days), phosphorylated nodulin 26 does not become pronounced until infected cell maturation (25 days). Phosphorylation is sustained at steady state levels until entry into senescence. Nodulin 26 phosphorylation is enhanced further by osmotic stresses (water deprivation and salinity). Thus, the phosphorylation of nodulin 26 coincides with the establishment of mature nitrogen-fixing symbiosomes, is regulated by osmotic stresses that induce calcium-signaling pathways, and appears to be part of the adaptive responses of infected cells to osmotic challenge.

By using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, two cDNAs were isolated that encode major intrinsic membrane proteins (MIPs) that are expressed in nitrogen-fixing root nodules of Lotus japonicus. Lotus intrinsic membrane protein 1 (LIMP 1) is expressed at high levels in both nodule and root tissues and shows highest sequence similarity to members of the tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) subfamily of plant MIPs. Functional analysis of LIMP 1 by expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes show that it is a water-specific aquaporin. In contrast, LIMP 2 shows the highest sequence similarity to soybean nodulin 26 (67.8% amino acid sequence identity). LIMP 2 is also a nodulin, showing expression only in mature nitrogen fixing nodules of L. japonicus. LIMP 2 is a multifunctional aquaglyceroporin, and displays the ability to flux both water as well as glycerol upon expression in Xenopus oocytes. Additionally, the carboxyl terminal region of LIMP 2 has a conserved phosphorylation motif that is phosphorylated by a calmodulin-like domain protein kinase. Overall, the data show that L. japonicus nodules contain two structurally and functionally distinct MIP proteins: one (LIMP 2) which appears to be the nodulin 26 ortholog of L. japonicus and another (LIMP 1) which appears to be a member of the TIP subfamily.

Composition of extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial to the establishment and maintenance of epithelial apical-basolateral polarity. Increased ECM rigidity caused by deposition of fibrillar collagen, for example, collagen type I (Col-1), promotes loss of epithelial polarity and tumor progression. microRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and fundamental cellular processes. The current study explored a link between microRNAs and Col-1 using organotypic three-dimensional culture in which epithelial cells are embedded within Matrigel, a mimic of basement membrane matrix (Matrigel 3-D). Matrigel 3-D culture of A549, MCF-7, and mK-ras-LE cells (lung and mammary epithelial cell lines) gave rise to acinus, an in vitro equivalent of apical-basolateral polarity that consists of a polarized monolayer of epithelial cells facing a central lumen. Supplementation of Col-1 disrupted acinus. Moreover, Col-1 up-regulated the expression of miR-21, a well-documented oncogenic microRNA, via a post-transcriptional mechanism. Similar post-transcriptional up-regulation of miR-21 correlated with deposition of Col-1 in a murine model of lung fibrogenesis. In summary, our findings link altered ECM composition/rigidity and the expression of oncogenic microRNAs. The current study also suggests a novel post-transcriptional mechanism for regulation of miR-21 expression at maturation from pre-miR-21 to mature miR-21.

The nodulin-like intrinsic protein (NIP) subfamily of water and solute channels in plants is named for nodulin 26 of legume nodules. Two NIPs, soybean nodulin 26 and Lotus japonicus LIMP2, show a distinct functional pro¢le with a low intrinsic osmotic water permeability (P f ) and the ability to £ux uncharged polyols such as glycerol. NIPs have a conserved signature sequence within the 'aromatic/arginine' region that forms the selectivity ¢lter for major intrinsic proteins. This sequence is a hybrid of glyceroporin and aquaporin residues as well as exhibiting substitutions unique to the NIP subfamily. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved tryptophan in helix 2 of LIMP2 shows that this is a major determinant of glycerol selectivity. ß 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Recent findings demonstrate that inhaled cigarette smoke, the predominant lung carcinogen, elicits a T helper 17 (Th17) inflammatory phenotype. Interleukin-17A (IL-17), the hallmark cytokine of Th17 inflammation, displays pro-and antitumorigenic properties in a manner that varies according to tumor type and assay system. To investigate the role of IL-17 in lung tumor growth, we used an autochthonous tumor model (K-Ras LA1 mice) with lung delivery of a recombinant adenovirus that expresses IL-17A. Virus-mediated expression of IL-17A in K-Ras LA1 mice at 8 -10 wk of age doubled lung tumor growth in 3 wk relative to littermates that received a green fluorescent protein-expressing control adenovirus. IL-17 induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in vivo and in vitro. In accord with this finding, selective and specific inhibitors of MMP-9 repressed the increased motility and invasiveness of IL-17-treated lung tumor cells in culture. Knockdown or mutation of p53 promoted the motility of murine lung tumor cells and abrogated the promigratory role of IL-17. Coexpression of siRNAresistant wild-type, but not mutant, human p53 rescued both IL-17-mediated migration and MMP-9 mRNA induction in p53 knockdown lung tumor cells. IL-17 increased MMP-9 mRNA stability by reducing interaction with the mRNA destabilizing serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1). Taken together, our results indicate that IL-17 stimulates lung tumor growth and regulates MMP-9 mRNA levels in a p53-and SRSF1-dependent manner.