ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3106-5080
Current Organisation
Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
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Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 06-11-2013
DOI: 10.1242/BIO.20136700
Abstract: Lipotoxicity is an overload of lipids in non-adipose tissues that affects function and induces cell death. Lipotoxicity has been demonstrated in bone cells in vitro using osteoblasts and adipocytes in coculture. In this condition, lipotoxicity was induced by high levels of saturated fatty acids (mostly palmitate) secreted by cultured adipocytes acting in a paracrine manner. In the present study, we aimed to identify the underlying mechanisms of lipotoxicity in human osteoblasts. Palmitate induced autophagy in cultured osteoblasts, which was preceded by the activation of autophagosomes that surround palmitate droplets. Palmitate also induced apoptosis though the activation of the Fas/Jun kinase (JNK) apoptotic pathway. In addition, osteoblasts could be protected from lipotoxicity by inhibiting autophagy with the phosphoinositide kinase inhibitor 3-methyladenine or by inhibiting apoptosis with the JNK inhibitor SP600125. In summary, we have identified two major molecular mechanisms of lipotoxicity in osteoblasts and in doing so we have identified a new potential therapeutic approach to prevent osteoblast dysfunction and death, which are common features of age-related bone loss and osteoporosis.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-02-2023
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-023-36579-W
Abstract: Multivalent ligands of ion channels have proven to be both very rare and highly valuable in yielding unique insights into channel structure and pharmacology. Here, we describe a bivalent peptide from the venom of Xibalbanus tulumensis , a troglobitic arthropod from the enigmatic class Remipedia, that causes persistent calcium release by activation of ion channels involved in muscle contraction. The high-resolution solution structure of φ-Xibalbin3-Xt3a reveals a tandem repeat arrangement of inhibitor-cysteine knot (ICK) domains previously only found in spider venoms. The in idual repeats of Xt3a share sequence similarity with a family of scorpion toxins that target ryanodine receptors (RyR). Single-channel electrophysiology and quantification of released Ca 2+ stores within skinned muscle fibers confirm Xt3a as a bivalent RyR modulator. Our results reveal convergent evolution of RyR targeting toxins in remipede and scorpion venoms, while the tandem-ICK repeat architecture is an evolutionary innovation that is convergent with toxins from spider venoms.
Publisher: American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)
Date: 15-09-2017
Abstract: The chemotherapeutic anthracycline metabolite doxorubicinol (doxOL) has been shown to interact with and disrupt the function of the cardiac ryanodine receptor Ca
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 15-11-2016
DOI: 10.1242/JCS.198705
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1242/JCS.160689
Abstract: Junctin, a non-catalytic splice variant of the aspartate-β-hydroxylase gene, is inserted into the membrane of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store where it modifies Ca2+ signalling in the heart and skeletal muscle through its regulation of ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channels. Junctin is required for normal muscle function as its knockout leads to abnormal Ca2+ signalling, muscle dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmia. However, junctin's binding interactions with RyRs are largely unknown and have been assumed to occur only in the SR lumen. We find robust binding of RyRs to full junctin, its luminal and unexpectedly its cytoplasmic domain, each with distinct effects on RyR1 and RyR2 activity. Full junctin in the luminal solution increases channel activity by ∼3-fold. The C-terminal luminal interaction inhibits RyR channel activity by ∼50%. The N-terminal cytoplasmic binding produces a ∼5-fold increase in RyR activity. The cytoplasmic interaction is required for luminal binding to replicate the influence of full junctin on RyR1 and RyR2 activity. The C-terminal domain of junctin binds to residues including S1–S2 linker of RyR1 and N-terminal junctin binds between RyR1 residues 1078-2156.
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1242/JCS.156760
Abstract: We report the impact of redox potential on isolated cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) channel activity and its response to physiological changes in luminal [Ca2+]. Basal leak from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is required for normal Ca2+ handling, but excess diastolic Ca2+ leak attributed to oxidative stress is thought to lower RyR2 threshold for spontaneous SR Ca2+ release to induce arrhythmia in pathological situations. Therefore we examined RyR2 response to luminal [Ca2+] under reducing or oxidising cytoplasmic redox conditions. Unexpectedly as luminal [Ca2+] increased from 0.1–1.5 mM RyR2 activity declined when pretreated with cytoplasmic 1 mM DTT, or GSH∶GSSG buffered to a “healthy” reduced cytoplasmic redox potential (−220 mV). Conversely, with 20 µM cytoplasmic 4,4′-DTDP, or redox buffered to an oxidising −180 mV, RyR2 activity increased with increasing luminal [Ca2+]. The luminal redox potential was constant at −180 mV in each case. These responses to luminal Ca2+ were maintained with 2 mM Na2ATP or 5 mM MgATP (1 mM free Mg2+). Overall the results suggest that the redox potential in the RyR2 junctional microdomain is normally more oxidised than the bulk cytoplasm.
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 05-2023
Abstract: Cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyR2) release the Ca 2+ from intracellular stores that is essential for cardiac myocyte contraction. The ion channel opening is tightly regulated by intracellular factors, including the FK506 binding proteins, FKBP12 and FKBP12.6. The impact of these proteins on RyR2 activity and cardiac contraction is debated, with often apparently contradictory experimental results, particularly for FKBP12. The isoform that regulates RyR2 has generally been considered to be FKBP12.6, despite the fact that FKBP12 is the major isoform associated with RyR2 in some species and is bound in similar proportions to FKBP12.6 in others, including sheep and humans. Here, we show time- and concentration-dependent effects of adding FKBP12 to RyR2 channels that were partly depleted of FKBP12/12.6 during isolation. The added FKBP12 displaced most remaining endogenous FKBP12/12.6. The results suggest that FKBP12 activates RyR2 with high affinity and inhibits RyR2 with lower affinity, consistent with a model of negative cooperativity in FKBP12 binding to each of the four subunits in the RyR tetramer. The easy dissociation of some FKBP12/12.6 could dynamically alter RyR2 activity in response to changes in in vivo regulatory factors, indicating a significant role for FKBP12/12.6 in Ca 2+ signalling and cardiac function in healthy and diseased hearts. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The heartbeat: its molecular basis and physiological mechanisms’.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-01-2019
DOI: 10.1111/BPH.14562
No related grants have been discovered for Chris Thekkedam.