SummaryDegS (HhoB), a putative serine protease related to DegP/HtrA, regulates the basal and induced activity of the essential Escherichia coli sigma factor s E , which is involved in the cellular response to extracytoplasmic stress. DegS promotes the destabilization of the s E -specific anti-sigma factor RseA, thereby releasing s E to direct gene expression. We demonstrate that degS is an essential E. coli gene and show that the essential function of DegS is to provide the cell with s E activity. We also show that the putative active site of DegS is periplasmic and that DegS requires its N-terminal transmembrane domain for its s E -related function.

No abstract

Polycystic kidney diseases (PKD) are the most common hereditary diseases of the human kidney and account for ten per cent of patients requiring renal transplantation or dialysis. Renal cyst formation has been attributed to enhanced cell proliferation, unbalanced cell death, abnormal targeting of membrane proteins, aberrant kidney development and tubular obstruction, but there is no treatment that blocks the formation and enlargement of renal cysts. We have now developed an in vitro model of spontaneous cyst formation that distinguishes polycystic kidney epithelium from its normal counterpart. Inhibitors of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis did not prevent in vitro cyst formation, but this was reversibly inhibited by ouabain, amiloride and the microtubule-specific agents colchicine, vinblastine and taxol. The cpk mouse is a well-characterized recessive PKD model and we find that cpk/cpk mice develop PKD and die from uraemia by 4-5 weeks of age, but when treated weekly with taxol they survive for more than 200 days with minimal loss of renal function, show limited collecting-dust cyst enlargement, and attain adult size. Our results indicate that the microtubule cytoskeleton has a central role in the pathogenesis of PKD in cpk mice and that taxol may also be useful in treating human PKD.

The mechanisms of pancreatic pain, a cardinal symptom of pancreatitis, are unknown. Proinflammatory agents that activate transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in nociceptive neurons can cause neurogenic inflammation and pain. We report a major role for TRPV4, which detects osmotic pressure and arachidonic acid metabolites, and TRPA1, which responds to 4-hydroxynonenal and cyclopentenone prostaglandins, in pancreatic inflammation and pain in mice. Immunoreactive TRPV4 and TRPA1 were detected in pancreatic nerve fibers and in dorsal root ganglia neurons innervating the pancreas, which were identified by retrograde tracing. Agonists of TRPV4 and TRPA1 increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in these neurons in culture, and neurons also responded to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin and are thus nociceptors. Intraductal injection of TRPV4 and TRPA1 agonists increased c-Fos expression in spinal neurons, indicative of nociceptor activation, and intraductal TRPA1 agonists also caused pancreatic inflammation. The effects of TRPV4 and TRPA1 agonists on [Ca(2+)](i), pain and inflammation were markedly diminished or abolished in trpv4 and trpa1 knockout mice. The secretagogue cerulein induced pancreatitis, c-Fos expression in spinal neurons, and pain behavior in wild-type mice. Deletion of trpv4 or trpa1 suppressed c-Fos expression and pain behavior, and deletion of trpa1 attenuated pancreatitis. Thus TRPV4 and TRPA1 contribute to pancreatic pain, and TRPA1 also mediates pancreatic inflammation. Our results provide new information about the contributions of TRPV4 and TRPA1 to inflammatory pain and suggest that channel antagonists are an effective therapy for pancreatitis, when multiple proinflammatory agents are generated that can activate and sensitize these channels.

The renal responses to a specific dopamine antagonist (cis-flupentixol) and its stereoisomer (trans-flupentixol), a weak dopamine antagonist, were examined during hydropenia and Ringer loading in anesthetized rats. During hydropenia glomerular filtration (GFR), absolute (UNaV), and fractional (FENa) sodium excretion rates were similar as were single-nephron filtration (SNGFR) and proximal tubular flow rate (VTF). After Ringer loading GFR, UNaV, and FENa increased in all groups, but the increments were less in the cis-flupentixol than in the control or trans-flupentixol group. SNGFR and VTF increased similarly in all groups. In another series of experiments Ringer loading was performed prior to drug administration. Perfusion pressure (PP) was decreased in trans-flupentixol rats by aortic constriction to control for cis-flupentixol-induced reduction in PP. UNAV and FENa were lower in the cis-flupentixol- than trans-flupentixol-treated rats at comparable PP and GFR. In conclusion, dopamine blockade attenuated the natriuresis of Ringer loading; the mechanism is uncertain but may be related to a tubular effect at a site beyond the proximal convoluted tubule and/or in deeper nephrons.

In the present micropuncture study, the autoregulation of glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure (PG) in Munich-Wistar rats 24 h after 75% nephrectomy (Nx) or sham operation (Sh) was investigated. The effect of varying renal perfusion pressure (RPP) on paired determinations of directly measured PG was evaluated in glomeruli ofnephrons in which distal fluid delivery was present (unblocked). Autoregulation of PG in Sh glomeruli with unblocked tubules occurred at RPP values between 99.5±1.0 and 132.1±1.0 mmHg. In contrast, in Nx glomeruli with unblocked tubules PG increased by 0.32±0.07 mmHg/ mmHg increase in RPP over this same range of RPP (P < 0.0001). To determine whether enhanced prostaglandins synthesis was responsible for the altered regulation of PG in Nx glomeruli, we repeated the micropuncture measurements in a setting of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. Although prostaglandins synthesis inhibition did not affect the autoregulation ofPG in Sh glomeruli, it did normalize the autoregulatory capacity for PG of Nx glomeruli with unblocked tubules. Thus, acute Nx is associated with a significant loss of the autoregulatory capacity for PG and this impairment appears to be related to a prostaglandin-mediated alteration of the responsiveness of the vascular effector site for autoregulation. (J. Clin. Invest. 1991.

No abstract

We examined 1) the potential modifications in both single nephron filtration rate (SNGFR) and the determinants of glomerular ultrafiltration, and 2) the alterations in peritubular capillary (PTC) "physical factors" that may contribute to changes in proximal tubular reabsorption (APR) after acute renal denervation (DNx). Micropuncture measurements were obtained in euvolemic Munich-Wistar rats with DNx or sham operation (sham). The content of norepinephrine in renal tissue homogenates was markedly reduced in DNx kidneys compared with sham kidneys (P less than 0.001). Mean arterial blood pressure, hematocrit, whole kidney GFR, and urinary flow rate were not different between the sham and DNx groups. Absolute urinary sodium excretion was 3 times greater in the DNx than in the sham group (P less than 0.01). SNGFR and its determinants were not statistically different in the two experimental conditions. APR was significantly reduced by approximately 25% in DNx (P less than 0.02). This reduction in APR was not accompanied by significant directional changes in peritubular capillary and renal interstitial pressures and the passive driving forces acting across the PTC-proximal tubular epithelium. These data demonstrate that elimination of renal innervation does not alter SNGFR or its determinants and suggest that the effect of denervation on APR is a primary epithelial event that occurs independent of changes in renal interstitial pressure and peritubular oncotic and hydrostatic pressures.