Syntaphilin Ubiquitination Regulates Mitochondrial Dynamics and Tumor Cell Movements

Syntaphilin (SNPH) inhibits the movement of mitochondria in tumor cells, preventing their accumulation at the cortical cytoskeleton and limiting the bioenergetics of cell motility and invasion. Although this may suppress metastasis, the regulation of the SNPH pathway is not well understood. Using a global proteomics screen, we show that SNPH associates with multiple regulators of ubiquitin-dependent responses and is ubiquitinated by the E3 ligase CHIP (or STUB1) on Lys111 and Lys153 in the microtubule-binding domain. SNPH ubiquitination did not result in protein degradation, but instead anchored SNPH on tubulin to inhibit mitochondrial motility and cycles of organelle fusion and fission, that is dynamics. Expression of ubiquitination-defective SNPH mutant Lys111→Arg or Lys153→Arg increased the speed and distance traveled by mitochondria, repositioned mitochondria to the cortical cytoskeleton, and supported heightened tumor chemotaxis, invasion, and metastasis in vivo Interference with SNPH ubiquitination activated mitochondrial dynamics, resulting in increased recruitment of the fission regulator dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1) to mitochondria and Drp1-dependent tumor cell motility. These data uncover nondegradative ubiquitination of SNPH as a key regulator of mitochondrial trafficking and tumor cell motility and invasion. In this way, SNPH may function as a unique, ubiquitination-regulated suppressor of metastasis.Significance: These findings reveal a new mechanism of metastasis suppression by establishing the role of SNPH ubiquitination in inhibiting mitochondrial dynamics, chemotaxis, and metastasis. Cancer Res; 78(15); 4215-28. ©2018 AACR.

Exosomal αvβ6 integrin is required for monocyte M2 polarization in prostate cancer

Therapeutic approaches aimed at curing prostate cancer are only partially successful given the occurrence of highly metastatic resistant phenotypes that frequently develop in response to therapies. Recently, we have described αvβ6, a surface receptor of the integrin family as a novel therapeutic target for prostate cancer; this epithelial-specific molecule is an ideal target since, unlike other integrins, it is found in different types of cancer but not in normal tissues. We describe a novel αvβ6-mediated signaling pathway that has profound effects on the microenvironment. We show that αvβ6 is transferred from cancer cells to monocytes, including β6-null monocytes, by exosomes and that monocytes from prostate cancer patients, but not from healthy volunteers, express αvβ6. Cancer cell exosomes, purified via density gradients, promote M2 polarization, whereas αvβ6 down-regulation in exosomes inhibits M2 polarization in recipient monocytes. Also, as evaluated by our proteomic analysis, αvβ6 down-regulation causes a significant increase in donor cancer cells, and their exosomes, of two molecules that have a tumor suppressive role, STAT1 and MX1/2. Finally, using the Pten^pc-/- prostate cancer mouse model, which carries a prostate epithelial-specific Pten deletion, we demonstrate that αvβ6 inhibition in vivo causes up-regulation of STAT1 in cancer cells. Our results provide evidence of a novel mechanism that regulates M2 polarization and prostate cancer progression through transfer of αvβ6 from cancer cells to monocytes through exosomes.

Protein Detection in Gels Using Fixation

The most commonly used types of gels for separating proteins are SDS gels, either in a 1-D format or as the second dimension of various 2-D separations, and the most common methods of visualizing proteins in these gels use protein binding dyes after fixing the proteins in the gel matrix. In recent years, there has been a continuing trend away from preparing staining solutions in the laboratory to using commercially available kits, which are convenient, save time, have defined shelf lives, and may provide greater reproducibility than stains formulated in research laboratories. In general, when using commercial kits, satisfactory results can be readily obtained by following the manufacturer's protocols. This unit reviews commonly used fixation-based stains and provides a number of manual formulations with staining protocols for those who prefer such staining methods. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

CARM1-expressing ovarian cancer depends on the histone methyltransferase EZH2 activity

CARM1 is an arginine methyltransferase that asymmetrically dimethylates protein substrates on arginine residues. CARM1 is often overexpressed in human cancers. However, clinically applicable cancer therapeutic strategies based on CARM1 expression remain to be explored. Here, we report that EZH2 inhibition is effective in CARM1-expressing epithelial ovarian cancer. Inhibition of EZH2 activity using a clinically applicable small molecule inhibitor significantly suppresses the growth of CARM1-expressing, but not CARM1-deficient, ovarian tumors in two xenograft models and improves the survival of mice bearing CARM1-expressing ovarian tumors. The observed selectivity correlates with reactivation of EZH2 target tumor suppressor genes in a CARM1-dependent manner. Mechanistically, CARM1 promotes EZH2-mediated silencing of EZH2/BAF155 target tumor suppressor genes by methylating BAF155, which leads to the displacement of BAF155 by EZH2. Together, these results indicate that pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 represents a novel therapeutic strategy for CARM1-expressing cancers.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Neutralize the Anti-tumor Effect of CSF1 Receptor Blockade by Inducing PMN-MDSC Infiltration of Tumors

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) contribute to all aspects of tumor progression. Use of CSF1R inhibitors to target TAM is therapeutically appealing, but has had very limited anti-tumor effects. Here, we have identified the mechanism that limited the effect of CSF1R targeted therapy. We demonstrated that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are major sources of chemokines that recruit granulocytes to tumors. CSF1 produced by tumor cells caused HDAC2-mediated downregulation of granulocyte-specific chemokine expression in CAF, which limited migration of these cells to tumors. Treatment with CSF1R inhibitors disrupted this crosstalk and triggered a profound increase in granulocyte recruitment to tumors. Combining CSF1R inhibitor with a CXCR2 antagonist blocked granulocyte infiltration of tumors and showed strong anti-tumor effects.

A Unified Approach to Targeting the Lysosome's Degradative and Growth Signaling Roles

Lysosomes serve dual roles in cancer metabolism, executing catabolic programs (i.e., autophagy and macropinocytosis) while promoting mTORC1-dependent anabolism. Antimalarial compounds such as chloroquine or quinacrine have been used as lysosomal inhibitors, but fail to inhibit mTOR signaling. Further, the molecular target of these agents has not been identified. We report a screen of novel dimeric antimalarials that identifies dimeric quinacrines (DQ) as potent anticancer compounds, which concurrently inhibit mTOR and autophagy. Central nitrogen methylation of the DQ linker enhances lysosomal localization and potency. An in situ photoaffinity pulldown identified palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) as the molecular target of DQ661. PPT1 inhibition concurrently impairs mTOR and lysosomal catabolism through the rapid accumulation of palmitoylated proteins. DQ661 inhibits the in vivo tumor growth of melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer mouse models and can be safely combined with chemotherapy. Thus, lysosome-directed PPT1 inhibitors represent a new approach to concurrently targeting mTORC1 and lysosomal catabolism in cancer.Significance: This study identifies chemical features of dimeric compounds that increase their lysosomal specificity, and a new molecular target for these compounds, reclassifying these compounds as targeted therapies. Targeting PPT1 blocks mTOR signaling in a manner distinct from catalytic inhibitors, while concurrently inhibiting autophagy, thereby providing a new strategy for cancer therapy. Cancer Discov; 7(11); 1266-83. ©2017 AACR.See related commentary by Towers and Thorburn, p. 1218This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1201.

Stromal cyclin D1 promotes heterotypic immune signaling and breast cancer growth

The cyclin D1 gene encodes the regulatory subunit of a holoenzyme that drives cell autonomous cell cycle progression and proliferation. Herein we show cyclin D1 abundance is increased >30-fold in the stromal fibroblasts of patients with invasive breast cancer, associated with poor outcome. Cyclin D1 transformed hTERT human fibroblast to a cancer-associated fibroblast phenotype. Stromal fibroblast expression of cyclin D1 (cyclin D1^Stroma) in vivo, enhanced breast epithelial cancer tumor growth, restrained apoptosis, and increased autophagy. Cyclin D1^Stroma had profound effects on the breast tumor microenvironment increasing the recruitment of F4/80⁺ and CD11b⁺ macrophages and increasing angiogenesis. Cyclin D1^Stroma induced secretion of factors that promoted expansion of stem cells (breast stem-like cells, embryonic stem cells and bone marrow derived stem cells). Cyclin D1^Stroma resulted in increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (CCL2, CCL7, CCL11, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL9, CXCL12), CSF (CSF1, GM-CSF1) and osteopontin (OPN) (30-fold). OPN was induced by cyclin D1 in fibroblasts, breast epithelial cells and in the murine transgenic mammary gland and OPN was sufficient to induce stem cell expansion. These results demonstrate that cyclin D1^Stroma drives tumor microenvironment heterocellular signaling, promoting several key hallmarks of cancer.

In-Depth, Reproducible Analysis of Human Plasma Using IgY 14 and SuperMix Immunodepletion

Identification of cancer and other disease biomarkers in human plasma has been exceptionally challenging due to the complex nature of plasma and the presence of a moderate number of high- and medium-abundance proteins which mask low-abundance proteins of interest. As a result, immunoaffinity depletion formats combining multiple antibodies to target the most abundant plasma proteins have become the first stage in most plasma proteome discovery schemes. This protocol describes the use of tandem IgY 14 and SuperMix immunoaffinity depletion to reproducibly remove >99% of total plasma protein. This greatly increases the depth of analysis of human plasma proteomes. Depleted plasma samples can then be analyzed in a single high-resolution LC-MS/MS run on a Q Exactive Plus mass spectrometer, followed by label-free quantitation. If greater depth of analysis is desired, the depleted plasma can be further fractionated by separating the sample for a short distance on a 1D SDS gel and cutting the gel into uniform slices prior to trypsin digestion. Alternatively, the depleted plasma can be reduced, alkylated, and digested with trypsin followed by high-pH reversed-phase HPLC separation.

Detection of the Ubiquitinome in Cells Undergoing Oncogene-Induced Senescence

Senescent cells exhibit dramatic changes in protein post-translational modifications. Here, we describe a method, stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) coupled to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to identify changes in the ubiquitinome in cells that have undergone oncogene-induced senescence.

Efficient Quantitative Comparisons of Plasma Proteomes Using Label-Free Analysis with MaxQuant

Mass spectrometry (MS)-based quantitation of plasma proteomes is challenging due to the extremely wide dynamic range and molecular heterogeneity of plasma samples. However, recent advances in technology, MS instrumentation, and bioinformatics have enabled in-depth quantitative analyses of very complex proteomes, including plasma. Specifically, recent improvements in both label-based and label-free quantitation strategies have allowed highly accurate quantitative comparisons of expansive proteome datasets. Here we present a method for in-depth label-free analysis of human plasma samples using MaxQuant.

Full-Length Anion Exchanger 1 Structure and Interactions with Ankyrin-1 Determined by Zero Length Crosslinking of Erythrocyte Membranes

Anion exchanger 1 (AE1) is a critical transporter and the primary structural scaffold for large macromolecular complexes responsible for erythrocyte membrane flexibility and integrity. We used zero-length crosslinking and mass spectrometry to probe AE1 structures and interactions in intact erythrocyte membranes. An experimentally verified full-length model of AE1 dimers was developed by combining crosslink-defined distance constraints with homology modeling. Previously unresolved cytoplasmic loops in the AE1 C-terminal domain are packed at the domain-domain interface on the cytoplasmic face of the membrane where they anchor the N-terminal domain's location and prevent it from occluding the ion channel. Crosslinks between AE1 dimers and ankyrin-1 indicate the likely topology for AE1 tetramers and suggest that ankyrin-1 wraps around AE1 tetramers, which may stabilize this oligomer state. This interaction and interactions of AE1 with other major erythrocyte membrane proteins show that protein-protein contacts are often substantially more extensive than previously reported.

Detection of Proteins on Blot Membranes

Staining of blot membranes enables the visualization of bound proteins. Proteins are usually transferred to blot membranes by electroblotting, by direct spotting of protein solutions, or by contact blots. Staining allows the efficiency of transfer to the membrane to be monitored. This unit describes protocols for staining proteins after electroblotting from polyacrylamide gels to blot membranes such as polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), nitrocellulose, or nylon membranes. The same methods can be used if proteins are directly spotted, either manually or using robotics. Protocols are included for seven general protein stains (amido black, Coomassie blue, Ponceau S, colloidal gold, colloidal silver, India ink, and MemCode) and three fluorescent protein stains (fluorescamine, IAEDANS, and SYPRO Ruby). Also included is an in-depth discussion of the different blot membrane types and the compatibility of different protein stains with downstream applications, such as immunoblotting or N-terminal Edman sequencing. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Primary Effect on the Proteome of ARID1A-mutated Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma is Downregulation of the Mevalonate Pathway at the Post-transcriptional Level

Inactivating mutations in ARID1A, which encodes a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, are found in over half of ovarian clear cell carcinoma cases and more broadly across most types of cancers. To identify ARID1A-dependent changes in intracellular signaling pathways, we performed proteome analyses of isogenic ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell lines with or without ARID1A expression. Knockout of ARID1A in an ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line with wild-type ARID1A, OVCA429, primarily resulted in downregulation of the mevalonate pathway, an important metabolic pathway involved in isoprenoid synthesis, cholesterol synthesis, and other downstream pathways. In a complementary experiment, expression of wild-type ARID1A in an ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line containing mutated ARID1A, OVISE, affected the mevalonate pathway in a reciprocal manner. A striking aspect of these analyses was that, although only 5% of the detected proteome showed significant abundance changes, most proteins in the mevalonate pathway were coordinately affected by ARID1A status. There were generally corresponding changes when comparing the proteomics data to our previously published microarray data for ectopic expression of ARID1A in the OVISE cell line. However, ARID1A-dependent changes were not detected for genes within the mevalonate pathway. This discrepancy suggests that the mevalonate pathway is not regulated directly by ARID1A-mediated transcription and may be regulated post-transcriptionally. We conclude that ARID1A status indirectly influences the mevalonate pathway and probably influences other processes including glycogen metabolism and 14-3-3-mediated signaling. Further, our findings demonstrate that changes in mRNA levels are sometimes poor indicators of signaling pathways affected by gene manipulations in cancer cells.

Baseline Immunoglobulin E Levels as a Marker of Doxorubicin- and Trastuzumab-Associated Cardiac Dysfunction

RATIONALE

There is a critical need to develop robust, mechanistic strategies to identify patients at increased risk of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to discover new biomarkers associated with doxorubicin- and trastuzumab-induced CTRCD using high-throughput proteomic profiling.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Plasma, echocardiograms, and clinical outcomes were collected at standardized intervals in breast cancer patients undergoing doxorubicin and trastuzumab cancer therapy. Thirty-one longitudinal plasma samples from 3 cases with CTRCD and 4 age- and cancer-matched controls without CTRCD were processed and analyzed using label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. From these analyses, 862 proteins were identified from case/control pairs 1 and 2 and 1360 proteins from case/control pair 3. Proteins with a >1.5-fold change in cases compared with controls with a P<0.05 either at the time of CTRCD diagnosis or across all time points were considered candidate diagnostic or predictive biomarkers, respectively. The protein that demonstrated the largest differences between cases and controls was immunoglobulin E, with higher levels detected at baseline and across all time points in controls without CTRCD as compared with matched CTRCD cases (P<0.05). Similarly, in a validation study of 35 participants treated with doxorubicin and trastuzumab, high baseline immunoglobulin E levels were associated with a significantly lower risk of CTRCD (P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients receiving doxorubicin and trastuzumab, high baseline immunoglobulin E levels are associated with a lower risk of CTRCD. These novel findings suggest a new paradigm in cardio-oncology, implicating the immune system as a potential mediator of doxorubicin- and trastuzumab-induced cardiac dysfunction.

Mitochondrial Akt Regulation of Hypoxic Tumor Reprogramming

Hypoxia is a universal driver of aggressive tumor behavior, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. Using a phosphoproteomics screen, we now show that active Akt accumulates in the mitochondria during hypoxia and phosphorylates pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) on Thr346 to inactivate the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. In turn, this pathway switches tumor metabolism toward glycolysis, antagonizes apoptosis and autophagy, dampens oxidative stress, and maintains tumor cell proliferation in the face of severe hypoxia. Mitochondrial Akt-PDK1 signaling correlates with unfavorable prognostic markers and shorter survival in glioma patients and may provide an "actionable" therapeutic target in cancer.

The Mitochondrial Unfoldase-Peptidase Complex ClpXP Controls Bioenergetics Stress and Metastasis

Mitochondria must buffer the risk of proteotoxic stress to preserve bioenergetics, but the role of these mechanisms in disease is poorly understood. Using a proteomics screen, we now show that the mitochondrial unfoldase-peptidase complex ClpXP associates with the oncoprotein survivin and the respiratory chain Complex II subunit succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) in mitochondria of tumor cells. Knockdown of ClpXP subunits ClpP or ClpX induces the accumulation of misfolded SDHB, impairing oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production while activating "stress" signals of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and autophagy. Deregulated mitochondrial respiration induced by ClpXP targeting causes oxidative stress, which in turn reduces tumor cell proliferation, suppresses cell motility, and abolishes metastatic dissemination in vivo. ClpP is universally overexpressed in primary and metastatic human cancer, correlating with shortened patient survival. Therefore, tumors exploit ClpXP-directed proteostasis to maintain mitochondrial bioenergetics, buffer oxidative stress, and enable metastatic competence. This pathway may provide a "drugable" therapeutic target in cancer.

Peroxiredoxin 6 homodimerization and heterodimerization with glutathione S-transferase pi are required for its peroxidase but not phospholipase A2 activity

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is a unique 1-Cys member of the peroxiredoxin family with both GSH peroxidase and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activities. It is highly expressed in the lung where it plays an important role in antioxidant defense and lung surfactant metabolism. Glutathionylation of Prdx6 mediated by its heterodimerization with GSH S-transferase π (πGST) is required for its peroxidatic catalytic cycle. Recombinant human Prdx6 crystallizes as a homodimer and sedimentation equilibrium analysis confirmed that this protein exists as a high affinity dimer in solution. Based on measurement of molecular mass, dimeric Prdx6 that was oxidized to the sulfenic acid formed a sulfenylamide during storage. After examination of the dimer interface in the crystal structure, we postulated that the hydrophobic amino acids L145 and L148 play an important role in homodimerization of Prdx6 as well as in its heterodimerization with πGST. Oxidation of Prdx6 also was required for its heterodimerization. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis and the Duolink proximity ligation assay following mutation of the L145 and L148 residues of Prdx6 to Glu indicated greatly decreased dimerization propensity reflecting the loss of hydrophobic interactions between the protein monomers. Peroxidase activity was markedly reduced by mutation at either of the Leu sites and was essentially abolished by the double mutation, while PLA2 activity was unaffected. Decreased peroxidase activity following mutation of the interfacial leucines presumably is mediated via impaired heterodimerization of Prdx6 with πGST that is required for reduction and re-activation of the oxidized enzyme.

Comprehensive analysis of the ubiquitinome during oncogene-induced senescence in human fibroblasts

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is an important tumor suppression mechanism preventing uncontrolled proliferation in response to aberrant oncogenic signaling. The profound functional and morphological remodelling of the senescent cell involves extensive changes. In particular, alterations in protein ubiquitination during senescence have not been systematically analyzed previously. Here, we report the first global ubiquitination profile of primary human cells undergoing senescence. We employed a well-characterized in vitro model of OIS, primary human fibroblasts expressing oncogenic RAS. To compare the ubiquitinome of RAS-induced OIS and controls, ubiquitinated peptides were enriched by immune affinity purification and subjected to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We identified 4,472 ubiquitination sites, with 397 sites significantly changed (>3 standard deviations) in senescent cells. In addition, we performed mass spectrometry analysis of total proteins in OIS and control cells to account for parallel changes in both protein abundance and ubiquitin levels that did not affect the percentage of ubiquitination of a given protein. Pathway analysis revealed that the OIS-induced ubiquitinome alterations mainly affected 3 signaling networks: eIF2 signaling, eIF4/p70S6K signaling, and mTOR signaling. Interestingly, the majority of the changed ubiquitinated proteins in these pathways belong to the translation machinery. This includes several translation initiation factors (eIF2C2, eIF2B4, eIF3I, eIF3L, eIF4A1) and elongation factors (eEF1G, eEF1A) as well as 40S (RPS4X, RPS7, RPS11 and RPS20) and 60S ribosomal subunits (RPL10, RPL11, RPL18 and RPL35a). In addition, we observed enriched ubiquitination of aminoacyl-tRNA ligases (isoleucyl-, glutamine-, and tyrosine-tRNA ligase), which provide the amino acid-loaded tRNAs for protein synthesis. These results suggest that ubiquitination affects key components of the translation machinery to regulate protein synthesis during OIS. Our results thus point toward ubiquitination as a hitherto unappreciated regulatory mechanism during OIS.

Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) Accelerates Collagen Degradation and Clearance from Lungs in Mice

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease characterized by progressive, unrelenting lung scarring, with death from respiratory failure within 2-4 years unless lung transplantation is performed. New effective therapies are clearly needed. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a cell surface-associated serine protease up-regulated in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as well as in wound healing and cancer. We postulate that FAP is not only a marker of disease but influences the development of pulmonary fibrosis after lung injury. In two different models of pulmonary fibrosis, intratracheal bleomycin instillation and thoracic irradiation, we find increased mortality and increased lung fibrosis in FAP-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. Lung extracellular matrix analysis reveals accumulation of intermediate-sized collagen fragments in FAP-deficient mouse lungs, consistent within vitrostudies showing that FAP mediates ordered proteolytic processing of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-derived collagen cleavage products. FAP-mediated collagen processing leads to increased collagen internalization without altering expression of the endocytic collagen receptor, Endo180. Pharmacologic FAP inhibition decreases collagen internalization as expected. Conversely, restoration of FAP expression in the lungs of FAP-deficient mice decreases lung hydroxyproline content after intratracheal bleomycin to levels comparable with that of wild-type controls. Our findings indicate that FAP participates directly, in concert with MMPs, in collagen catabolism and clearance and is an important factor in resolving scar after injury and restoring lung homeostasis. Our study identifies FAP as a novel endogenous regulator of fibrosis and is the first to show FAP's protective effects in the lung.

Electroblotting from Polyacrylamide Gels

Transferring proteins from polyacrylamide gels onto retentive membranes is now primarily used for immunoblotting. A second application that was quite common up to about a decade ago was electroblotting of proteins for N-terminal and internal sequencing using Edman chemistry. This unit contains procedures for electroblotting proteins from polyacrylamide gels onto a variety of membranes, including polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and nitrocellulose. In addition to the commonly used tank or wet transfer system, protocols are provided for electroblotting using semidry and dry systems. This unit also describes procedures for eluting proteins from membranes using detergents or acidic extraction with organic solvents for specialized applications.

Probing structures of large protein complexes using zero-length cross-linking

Structural mass spectrometry (MS) is a field with growing applicability for addressing complex biophysical questions regarding proteins and protein complexes. One of the major structural MS approaches involves the use of chemical cross-linking coupled with MS analysis (CX-MS) to identify proximal sites within macromolecules. Identified cross-linked sites can be used to probe novel protein-protein interactions or the derived distance constraints can be used to verify and refine molecular models. This review focuses on recent advances of "zero-length" cross-linking. Zero-length cross-linking reagents do not add any atoms to the cross-linked species due to the lack of a spacer arm. This provides a major advantage in the form of providing more precise distance constraints as the cross-linkable groups must be within salt bridge distances in order to react. However, identification of cross-linked peptides using these reagents presents unique challenges. We discuss recent efforts by our group to minimize these challenges by using multiple cycles of LC-MS/MS analysis and software specifically developed and optimized for identification of zero-length cross-linked peptides. Representative data utilizing our current protocol are presented and discussed.

Nonenzymatic Protein Acetylation Detected by NAPPA Protein Arrays

Acetylation is a post-translational modification that occurs on thousands of proteins located in many cellular organelles. This process mediates many protein functions and modulates diverse biological processes. In mammalian cells, where acetyl-CoA is the primary acetyl donor, acetylation in the mitochondria is thought to occur by chemical means due to the relatively high concentration of acetyl-CoA located in this organelle. In contrast, acetylation outside of the mitochondria is thought to be mediated predominantly by acetyltransferase enzymes. Here, we address the possibility that nonenzymatic chemical acetylation outside of the mitochondria may be more common than previously appreciated. We employed the Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Array platform to perform an unbiased screen for human proteins that undergo chemical acetylation, which resulted in the identification of a multitude of proteins with diverse functions and cellular localization. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that basic residues typically precede the acetylated lysine in the -7 to -3 position, and we show by mutagenesis that these basic residues contribute to chemical acetylation capacity. We propose that these basic residues lower the pKa of the substrate lysine for efficient chemical acetylation. Many of the identified proteins reside outside of the mitochondria and have been previously demonstrated to be acetylated in vivo. As such, our studies demonstrate that chemical acetylation occurs more broadly throughout the eukaryotic cell than previously appreciated and suggests that this post-translational protein modification may have more diverse roles in protein function and pathway regulation.

Proteome analysis of the triton-insoluble erythrocyte membrane skeleton

Erythrocyte shape and membrane integrity is imparted by the membrane skeleton, which can be isolated as a Triton X-100 insoluble structure that retains the biconcave shape of intact erythrocytes, indicating isolation of essentially intact membrane skeletons. These erythrocyte "Triton Skeletons" have been studied morphologically and biochemically, but unbiased proteome analysis of this substructure of the membrane has not been reported. In this study, different extraction buffers and in-depth proteome analyses were used to more fully define the protein composition of this functionally critical macromolecular complex. As expected, the major, well-characterized membrane skeleton proteins and their associated membrane anchors were recovered in good yield. But surprisingly, a substantial number of additional proteins that are not considered in erythrocyte membrane skeleton models were recovered in high yields, including myosin-9, lipid raft proteins (stomatin, flotillin1 and 2), multiple chaperone proteins (HSPs, protein disulfide isomerase and calnexin), and several other proteins. These results show that the membrane skeleton is substantially more complex than previous biochemical studies indicated, and it apparently has localized regions with unique protein compositions and functions. This comprehensive catalog of the membrane skeleton should lead to new insights into erythrocyte membrane biology and pathogenic mutations that perturb membrane stability. Biological significance Current models of erythrocyte membranes describe fairly simple homogenous structures that are incomplete. Proteome analysis of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton shows that it is quite complex and includes a substantial number of proteins whose roles and locations in the membrane are not well defined. Further elucidation of interactions involving these proteins and definition of microdomains in the membrane that contain these proteins should yield novel insights into how the membrane skeleton produces the normal biconcave erythrocyte shape and how it is perturbed in pathological conditions that destabilize the membrane.

Abstract 2901: The role of basal and BRAF inhibitor-induced autophagy-driven secretion in remodeling the melanoma tumor secretome

Autophagy is a homeostatic process of cellular self-digestion and is an adaptive therapy resistance mechanism in cancer. Emerging studies indicate that autophagy is involved in secretion through non-classical mechanisms. It is not well understood, however, how this secretory function modifies the molecular composition of the tumor secretome, which plays an important role in tumor growth and tumor immune responses. In this work, we focused on the role of both basal and BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi)-induced autophagy in melanoma cells harboring BRAF V600E, a missense mutation observed in ∼60% of melanoma tumors. Using quantitative proteomics we previously showed that a small number of proteins were differentially secreted by low and high autophagy melanoma cells grown in three-dimensional culture. Secreted proteins associated with high autophagy included IL-1β, IL-8, LIF, FAM3C, and DKK3, which have known roles in tumorigenesis. Further, serum collected from untreated metastatic melanoma patients with high tumor autophagy levels exhibited higher levels of these proteins than serum from low autophagy patients. In the current study, melanoma cells with high autophagy and the BRAF V600E mutation (1205Lu) were treated with the BRAF inhibitor PLX4720, the autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), PLX4720+HCQ, and the autophagy inducer rapamycin. The increase in autophagic flux upon the addition of PLX4720 or rapamycin was confirmed by western blotting and tandem fluorescently tagged LC3 (mCherry-eGFP-LC3). Secretomes were compared using quantitative proteomics, which resulted in identification of 1154 proteins with a false discovery rate of less than 1%. Hierarchical clustering and principal components analysis showed that secretomes from cells treated with the autophagy inducers rapamycin or PLX4720 correlated more closely with each other than those treated with HCQ either alone or in combination. A panel of proteins involved in extracellular matrix modification, cell-cell adhesion, and inflammation (including FAM3C and LIF) significantly increased in the supernatants of cells treated with PLX4720 or rapamycin and decreased in supernatants from cells treated with HCQ or HCQ+PLX4720. These results demonstrate that autophagy plays an active role in modifying the molecular composition of the tumor secretome. Proteins specifically shed in response to BRAF inhibitors and/or autophagy inhibition may have utility in the clinic for diagnostic and pharmacodynamic applications.

Citation Format: Adam Kraya, David W. Speicher, Ravi Amaravadi. The role of basal and BRAF inhibitor-induced autophagy-driven secretion in remodeling the melanoma tumor secretome. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2901. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2901