Nakao K. Chronically elevated plasma C-type natriuretic peptide level stimulates skeletal growth in transgenic mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 297: E1339 -E1348, 2009. First published October 6, 2009 doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00272.2009.-Ctype natriuretic peptide (CNP) plays a critical role in endochondral ossification through guanylyl cyclase-B (GC-B), a natriuretic peptide receptor subtype. Cartilage-specific overexpression of CNP enhances skeletal growth and rescues the dwarfism in a transgenic achondroplasia model with constitutive active mutation of fibroblast growth factor receptor-3. For future clinical application, the efficacy of CNP administration on skeletal growth must be evaluated. Due to the high clearance of CNP, maintaining a high concentration is technically difficult. However, to model high blood CNP concentration, we established a liver-targeted CNP-overexpressing transgenic mouse (SAP-CNP tgm). SAP-CNP tgm exhibited skeletal overgrowth in proportion to the blood CNP concentration and revealed phenotypes of systemic stimulation of cartilage bones, including limbs, paws, costal bones, spine, and skull. Furthermore, in SAP-CNP tgm, the size of the foramen magnum, the insufficient formation of which results in cervico-medullary compression in achondroplasia, also showed significant increase. CNP primarily activates GC-B, but under high concentrations it cross-reacts with guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A), a natriuretic peptide receptor subtype of atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptides (BNP). Although activation of GC-A could alter cardiovascular homeostasis, leading to hypotension and heart weight reduction, the skeletal overgrowth phenotype in the line of SAP-CNP tgm with mild overexpression of CNP did not accompany decrease of systolic blood pressure or heart weight. These results suggest that CNP administration stimulates skeletal growth without adverse cardiovascular effect, and thus CNP could be a promising remedy targeting achondroplasia. blood level elevation THE SKELETON OF A VERTEBRATE is formed by two different processes of ossification, membranous and endochondral. Most of the craniofacial bones are developed through membranous ossification (desmocranium). On the other hand, endochondral ossification leads to the development of vertebrae, long bones, and base of skull (chondrocranium) by the sequential formation and degradation of cartilaginous structure growth plates. It has been reported that many factors are implicated in the regulation of endochondral ossification, and mutations of these factors often cause skeletal dysplasias (10,18,35).

An inorganic phosphate (Pi)-restricted diet is important for patients with chronic kidney disease and patients on hemodialysis. Phosphate binders are essential for preventing hyperphosphatemia and ectopic calcification. The sodium-dependent Pi (Na/Pi) transport system is involved in intestinal Pi absorption and is regulated by several factors. The type II sodium-dependent Pi transporter Npt2b is expressed in the brush-border membrane in intestinal epithelial cells and transports Pi. In the present study, we analyzed the phenotype of Npt2b−/− and hetero+/− mice. Npt2b−/− mice died in utero soon after implantation, indicating that Npt2b is essential for early embryonic development. At 4 wk of age, Npt2b+/− mice showed hypophosphatemia and low urinary Pi excretion. Plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 levels were significantly decreased and 1,25(OH)2D3 levels were significantly increased in Npt2b+/− mice compared with Npt2b+/+ mice. Npt2b mRNA levels were reduced to 50% that in Npt2b+/+ mice. In contrast, renal Npt2a and Npt2c transporter protein levels were significantly increased in Npt2b+/− mice. At 20 wk of age, Npt2b+/− mice showed hypophosphaturia and reduced Na/Pi cotransport activity in the distal intestine. Npt2b+/+ mice with adenine-induced renal failure had hyperphosphatemia and high plasma creatinine levels. Npt2b+/− mice treated with adenine had significantly reduced plasma Pi levels compared with Npt2b+/+ mice. Intestinal Npt2b protein and Na+/Pi transport activity levels were significantly lower in Npt2b+/− mice than in the Npt2b+/+ mice. The findings of the present studies suggest that Npt2b is an important target for the prevention of hyperphosphatemia.

Cryopreservation of mouse spermatozoa is widely used, although considerable strain differences in fertilization rates using frozen-thawed mouse spermatozoa have been described. The C57BL/6 mouse strain is a very widely used for establishment of transgenic mice, but the fertilization rate associated with the use of cryopreserved C57BL/6 spermatozoa is very low compared with rates for other inbred strains. We have recently solved this difficulty by in vitro fertilization (IVF) in combination with partial zona pellucida dissection (PZD). However, this technique requires culture of fertilized eggs with PZD in vitro up to morula or blastocyst stage before transfer into the uterus because blastomeres are lost after transfer into the oviduct because of the relatively large artificial slit in the zona pellucida. To overcome this problem, we performed a partial zona pellucida incision by using a piezo-micromanipulator (ZIP) for IVF with frozen-thawed mouse spermatozoa. The blunt end of the micropipette touched the surface of the zona pellucida of the oocytes, and piezo pulses were used to incise the zona pellucida while the pipette was moved along by the surface of zona pellucida. The length of the incision was pir/6 microm. When cumulus-free ZIP and PZD oocytes were inseminated with frozen-thawed genetically modified C57BL/6J spermatozoa, the fertilization rates of ZIP and PZD oocytes were 52% and 48%, respectively. After embryo transfer at the 2-cell stage, 18% and 2% of the transferred embryos with ZIP and PZD developed to term, respectively. This difference was significant (P < 0.05). When ZIP and PZD zygotes were cultured to blastocyst stage and subsequently transferred to uterine horns of recipient animals, the difference between ZIP and PZD zygotes for development rate to full term was not significant. Our results indicate that ZIP is an effective alternative technique for IVF using cryopreserved mouse spermatozoa and subsequent embryo transfer.

Volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying (VSOR) Cl^- channels are activated during osmotic swelling and involved in the subsequent volume regulation in most animal cells. To test the hypothesis that the ClC-3 protein is the molecular entity corresponding to the VSOR Cl^- channel in cardiomyocytes, the properties of VSOR Cl^- currents in single ventricular myocytes isolated from ClC-3-deficient (Clcn3^-/-) mice were compared with those of the same currents in ClC-3-expressing wild-type (Clcn3^+/+) and heterozygous (Clcn3^+/-) mice. Basal whole-cell currents recorded under isotonic conditions in ClC-3-deficient and -expressing cells were indistinguishable. The biophysical and pharmacological properties of whole-cell VSOR Cl^- currents in ClC-3-deficient cells were identical in ClC-3-expressing cells. The VSOR Cl^- current density, which is an indicator of the plasmalemmal expression of functional channels, was essentially the same in cells isolated from these 3 types of mice and C57BL/6 mice. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by a phorbol ester was found to upregulate VSOR Cl^- currents in ClC-3-deficient and -expressing cardiomyocytes. This effect is opposite to the reported downregulatory effect of PKC activators on ClC-3-associated Cl^- currents. We thus conclude that functional expression of VSOR Cl^- channels in the plasma membrane of mouse cardiomyocytes is independent of the molecular expression of ClC-3.

No abstract