The 10S self-inhibited monomeric conformation of myosin II has been characterized extensively in vitro. Based upon its structural and functional characteristics, it has been proposed to be an assembly-competent myosin pool in equilibrium with filaments in cells. It is known that myosin filaments can assemble and disassemble in nonmuscle cells, and in some smooth muscle cells, but whether or not the disassembled pool contains functional 10S myosin has not been determined. Here we address this question using human airway smooth muscle cells (hASMCs). Using two antibodies against different epitopes on smooth muscle myosin II (SMM), two distinct pools of SMM, diffuse, and stress-fiber-associated, were visualized by immunocytochemical staining. The two SMM pools were functional in that they could be interconverted in two ways: (i) by exposure to 10S-versus filament-promoting buffer conditions, and (ii) by exposure to a peptide that shifts the filament-10S equilibrium toward filaments in vitro by a known mechanism that requires the presence of the 10S conformation. The effect of the peptide was not due to a trivial increase in SMM phosphorylation, and its specificity was demonstrated by use of a scrambled peptide, which had no effect. Based upon these data, we conclude that hASMCs contain a significant pool of functional SMM in the 10S conformation that can assemble into filaments upon changing cellular conditions. This study provides unique direct evidence for the presence of a significant pool of functional myosin in the 10S conformation in cells.filament assembly | myosin phosphorylation | nuclear myosin II | stress fibers | cytoskeleton

In spite of substantial advances in defining the immunobiology and function of structural cells in lung diseases there is still insufficient knowledge to develop fundamentally new classes of drugs to treat many lung diseases. For example, there is compelling need for new therapeutic approaches to address severe persistent asthma that is insensitive to inhaled corticosteroids. Although the prevalence of steroid-resistant asthma is 5–10%, severe asthmatics require a disproportionate level of health care spending and constitute a majority of fatal asthma episodes. None of the established drug therapies including long-acting beta agonists or inhaled corticosteroids reverse established airway remodeling. Obstructive airways remodeling in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), restrictive remodeling in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and occlusive vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension are similarly unresponsive to current drug therapy. Therefore, drugs are needed to achieve long-acting suppression and reversal of pathological airway and vascular remodeling. Novel drug classes are emerging from advances in epigenetics. Novel mechanisms are emerging by which cells adapt to environmental cues, which include changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications and regulation of transcription and translation by noncoding RNAs. In this review we will summarize current epigenetic approaches being applied to preclinical drug development addressing important therapeutic challenges in lung diseases. These challenges are being addressed by advances in lung delivery of oligonucleotides and small molecules that modify the histone code, DNA methylation patterns and miRNA function.

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) hypertrophy and hyperplasia are characteristics of asthma that lead to thickening of the airway wall and obstruction of airflow. Very little is known about mechanisms underlying ASM remodeling, but in vascular smooth muscle, it is known that progression of atherosclerosis depends on the balance of myocyte proliferation and cell death. Small heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is antiapoptotic in nonmuscle cells, but its role in ASM cell survival is unknown. Our hypothesis was that phosphorylation of Hsp27 may regulate airway remodeling by modifying proliferation, cell survival, or both. To test this hypothesis, adenoviral vectors were used to overexpress human Hsp27 in ASM cells. Cells were infected with empty vector (Ad5) or wild-type Hsp27 (AdHsp27 WT), and proliferation and death were assessed. Overexpressing Hsp27 WT caused a 50% reduction in serum-induced proliferation and increased cell survival after exposure to 100 microM hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) compared with mock-infected controls. Overexpression studies utilizing an S15A, S78A, and S82A non-phosphorylation mutant (AdHsp27 3A) and an S15D, S78D, and S82D pseudo-phosphorylation mutant (AdHsp27 3D) showed phosphorylation of Hsp27 was necessary for regulation of ASM proliferation, but not survival. Hsp27 provided protection against H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity by upregulating cellular glutathione levels and preventing necrotic cell death, but not apoptotic cell death. The results support the notion that ASM cells can be stimulated to undergo proliferation and death and that Hsp27 may regulate these processes, thereby contributing to airway remodeling in asthmatics.

Sixteen ruminally cannulated yearling beef cattle (British x British; average BW = 295 +/- 25 kg; three steers and one heifer per treatment) grazing dormant intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium Host) were allotted to four treatments: 1) no supplement (CON); 2) alfalfa hay (ALF; .52% of BW); 3) cottonseed meal (CSM; .22% of BW); and 4) corn gluten meal-wheat bran feed (CGMWBF; .36% of BW). Supplements were formulated (DM basis) so that intakes were isonitrogenous and were provided once daily (0700). Sampling periods were in February (FEB; .96% N in masticate), March (MAR; 1.06% N in masticate), and April (APR; 1.12% N in masticate) following an initial 21-d adaptation period. Daily grazing time was 1.1 to 1.5 h longer (P < .05) for CON cattle than for supplemented cattle. Forage OM intake (OMI) was not altered (P > .15) by supplemental protein; however, total OMI was greater (P < .04) for supplemented than for unsupplemented cattle. Harvesting efficiency (grams of OM intake-kilogram of BW-1.minute spent grazing-1) was greater (P < .05) for cattle fed CSM than for those fed CGF or CON; cattle fed ALF were intermediate in harvesting efficiency. Ruminal fluid kinetics, in situ rate and extent of NDF digestion, and total VFA concentration were not influenced (P > .10) by type of supplemental protein. Ruminal NH3 N concentration exhibited a treatment x sampling time interaction (P < .05). Type of protein supplement did not seem to affect most digestion measures; however, harvesting efficiency was influenced by supplement type.

The formation of small Aβ42 oligomers has been implicated as a toxic species in Alzheimer disease (AD). In strong support of this hypothesis we found that overexpression of Yap1802, the yeast ortholog of the human AD risk factor, phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein (PICALM), reduced oligomerization of Aβ42 fused to a reporter in yeast. Thus we used the Aβ42-reporter system to identify drugs that could be developed into therapies that prevent or arrest AD. From a screen of 1,200 FDA approved drugs and drug-like small compounds we identified 7 drugs that reduce Aβ42 oligomerization in yeast: 3 antipsychotics (bromperidol, haloperidol and azaperone), 2 anesthetics (pramoxine HCl and dyclonine HCl), tamoxifen citrate, and minocycline HCl. Also, all 7 drugs caused Aβ42 to be less toxic to PC12 cells and to relieve toxicity of another yeast AD model in which Aβ42 aggregates targeted to the secretory pathway are toxic. Our results identify drugs that inhibit Aβ42 oligomers from forming in yeast. It remains to be determined if these drugs inhibit Aβ42 oligomerization in mammals and could be developed as a therapeutic treatment for AD.