B Jang1, M J Kim1,2, Y J Lee1, A Ishigami3, Y S Kim1,4, E K Choi1,2. 1. Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. 2. Department of Biomedical Gerontology, Graduate School of Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea. 3. Molecular Regulation of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
AIMS: Vimentin citrullination, the calcium (Ca2+ )-dependent peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD)-mediated conversion of an arginine residue of vimentin to a citrulline residue, has emerged as a pathophysiological outcome of autoimmune diseases and neurodegeneration. However, the roles, functions, and expression of citrullinated vimentin have not yet been elucidated because available antibodies are limited. METHODS: We developed mouse monoclonal IgG1 and IgM specific for vimentin citrullinated at position R440 or R450 and applied Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescent staining to investigate the pathogenesis of prion diseases in animal models, in patients with prion diseases, and in vitro. RESULTS: Vimentin was found to be highly citrullinated at R440 and R450, and these citrullinated forms were mainly expressed in reactive astrocytes in the brain tissues of scrapie-infected mice. Full-length and cleaved forms of citrullinated vimentin were found in the cerebral cortices of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) patients. The distribution of citrullinated vimentin was mainly confirmed in vimentin-, GFAP-, and YKL-40-positive reactive astrocytes. Biochemically, citrullination promoted resistance to the caspase-3- and caspase-9-mediated fragmentation of vimentin. Additionally, citrullination led to increased cytoplasmic and integral membrane/organelle vimentin enrichment, which indicated changes in the intrinsic solubility and distribution of vimentin. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that citrullinated vimentin acts as a specific indicator for the reactive state of astrocytes under abnormal neurological conditions. In addition, these novel antibodies will be helpful for studying the role of citrullinated vimentin in the pathogenesis of human disorders.
AIMS: Vimentin citrullination, the calcium (Ca2+ )-dependent peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD)-mediated conversion of an arginine residue of vimentin to a citrulline residue, has emerged as a pathophysiological outcome of autoimmune diseases and neurodegeneration. However, the roles, functions, and expression of citrullinated vimentin have not yet been elucidated because available antibodies are limited. METHODS: We developed mouse monoclonal IgG1 and IgM specific for vimentin citrullinated at position R440 or R450 and applied Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescent staining to investigate the pathogenesis of prion diseases in animal models, in patients with prion diseases, and in vitro. RESULTS:Vimentin was found to be highly citrullinated at R440 and R450, and these citrullinated forms were mainly expressed in reactive astrocytes in the brain tissues of scrapie-infectedmice. Full-length and cleaved forms of citrullinated vimentin were found in the cerebral cortices of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) patients. The distribution of citrullinated vimentin was mainly confirmed in vimentin-, GFAP-, and YKL-40-positive reactive astrocytes. Biochemically, citrullination promoted resistance to the caspase-3- and caspase-9-mediated fragmentation of vimentin. Additionally, citrullination led to increased cytoplasmic and integral membrane/organelle vimentin enrichment, which indicated changes in the intrinsic solubility and distribution of vimentin. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that citrullinated vimentin acts as a specific indicator for the reactive state of astrocytes under abnormal neurological conditions. In addition, these novel antibodies will be helpful for studying the role of citrullinated vimentin in the pathogenesis of human disorders.