Damage to the CNS can cause a differential spatio-temporal release of multiple factors, such as nucleotides, ATP and UTP. The latter interact with neuronal and glial nucleotide receptors. The P2Y 2 nucleotide receptor (P2Y 2 R) has gained prominence as a modulator of gliotic responses after CNS injury. Still, the molecular mechanisms underlying these responses in glia are not fully understood. Membrane-raft microdomains, such as caveolae, and their constituent caveolins, modulate receptor signaling in astrocytes; yet, their role in P2Y 2 R signaling has not been adequately explored. Hence, this study evaluated the role of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in modulating P2Y 2 R subcellular distribution and signaling in human 1321N1 astrocytoma cells. Recombinant hP2Y 2 R expressed in 1321N1 cells and Cav-1 were found to co-fractionate in light-density membrane-raft fractions, colocalize via confocal microscopy, and co-immunoprecipitate. Raft localization was dependent on ATP stimulation and Cav-1 expression. This hP2Y 2 R/Cav-1 distribution and interaction was confirmed with various cell model systems differing in the expression of both P2Y 2 R and Cav-1, and shRNA knockdown of Cav-1 expression. Furthermore, shRNA knockdown of Cav-1 expression decreased nucleotide-induced increases in the intracellular Ca 2؉ concentration in 1321N1 and C6 glioma cells without altering TRAP-6 and carbachol Ca 2؉ responses. In addition, Cav-1 shRNA knockdown also decreased AKT phosphorylation and altered the kinetics of ERK1/2 activation in 1321N1 cells. Our findings strongly suggest that P2Y 2 R interaction with Cav-1 in membrane-raft caveolae of 1321N1 cells modulates receptor coupling to its downstream signaling machinery. Thus, P2Y 2 R/Cav-1 interactions represent a novel target for controlling P2Y 2 R function after CNS injury.Neurodegenerative conditions are among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States and have dramatically increased in incidence during the last decade (1, 2). The P2 receptors for extracellular nucleotides have emerged as key modulators of the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration (3-6). G protein-coupled P2Y 2 nucleotide receptors (P2Y 2 Rs) 3 have been identified in both neurons and glia as mediators of pro-inflammatory responses, neurotransmission, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell migration (3-5, 7, 8). In addition, the P2Y 2 Rs have also gained prominence, due to their association with some types of neoplasms, spinal cord injury, and the enhancement of neuronal differentiation (7, 9 -15). Further insight into the spatio-temporal organization of the P2Y 2 R and its signaling cascades in astrocytic cells is required to expand our knowledge of their role in neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, evidence suggests that receptors and associated signaling molecules are not randomly distributed in plasma membranes but are localized in specialized membrane microdomains, namely membrane rafts (MRs), such as caveolae (Cav) (16 -20). MRs are specialized membrane domains enriched in cholesterol and g...

Caveolae-associated protein caveolin-1 (Cav-1) plays key roles in cellular processes such as mechanosensing, receptor coupling to signaling pathways, cell growth, apoptosis, and cancer. In 1321N1 astrocytoma cells Cav-1 interacts with the P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R) to modulate its downstream signaling. P2Y2R and its signaling machinery also mediate pro-survival actions after mechanical injury. This study determines if Cav-1 knockdown (KD) affects P2Y2R signaling and its pro-survival actions in the 1321N1 astrocytoma cells mechanical injury model system. KD of Cav-1 decreased its expression in 1321N1 cells devoid of or expressing hHAP2Y2R by ~88% and ~85%, respectively. Cav-1 KD had no significant impact on P2Y2R expression. Post-injury densitometric analysis of pERK1/2 and Akt activities in Cav-1-positive 1321N1 cells (devoid of or expressing a hHAP2Y2R) revealed a P2Y2R-dependent temporal increase in both kinases. These temporal increases in pERK1/2 and pAkt were significantly decreased in Cav-1 KD 1321N1 (devoid of or expressing a hHAP2Y2R). Cav-1 KD led to an ~2.0-fold and ~2.4-fold decrease in the magnitude of the hHAP2Y2R-mediated pERK1/2 and pAkt kinases’ activity, respectively. These early-onset hHAP2Y2R-mediated signaling responses in Cav-1-expressing and Cav-1 KD 1321N1 correlated with changes in cell viability (via a resazurin-based method) and apoptosis (via caspase-9 expression). In Cav-1-positive 1321N1 cells, expression of hHAP2Y2R led to a significant increase in cell viability and decreased apoptotic (caspase-9) activity after mechanical injury. In contrast, hHAP2Y2R-elicited changes in viability and apoptotic (caspase-9) activity were decreased after mechanical injury in Cav-1 KD 1321N1 cells expressing hHAP2Y2R. These findings support the importance of Cav-1 in modulating P2Y2R signaling during mechanical injury and its protective actions in a human astrocytoma cell line, whilst shedding light on potential new venues for brain injury or trauma interventions.

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Intracellular calcium elevation triggers a wide range of cellular responses. Calcium responses can be affected or modulated by membrane receptors mutations, localization, exposure to agonists/antagonists, among others (Burgos et al., 2007;Martínez et al., 2016). Changes in intracellular calcium concentration can be measured using the calcium sensitive fluorescent ratiometric dye fura-2 AM. This method is a high throughput way to measure agonist mediated calcium responses.

This study evaluated the detection of antibodies, circulating antigens and parasite DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of toxoplasma encephalitis. The detection of antibody classes and IgG avidity were not useful diagnostically. The detection of circulating antigens by the ELISA system described was not sufficiently sensitive. The detection of DNA by PCR was the most useful test especially in untreated patients, with a sensitivity of 62% overall, 8lY0 in untreated patients and only 20% in treated patients. The use of non-isotopic probes makes the use of this technique feasible in routine diagnostic parasitology laboratories.