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PEGylation-based strategy to identify pathways involved in the activation of apoptotic BAX protein. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1864:129541. [PMID: 31987956 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BAX activation is a crucial step for commitment to apoptosis. Several activators, such as BimBH3-based therapeutic peptides and cleaved Bid (cBid) protein, can trigger BAX-mediated apoptosis, but it is unclear whether they proceed through the same pathway. METHODS Here we utilize PEGylation-based approach, which is shown to efficiently shield individual binding grooves in BAX from activators, to investigate and reveal that the activators take different routes to induce BAX-mediated apoptosis. Various spectroscopic/biochemical tools, including electron spin resonance, circular dichroism, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, and label-transfer assay, were employed to reveal details in the processes. RESULTS We observe a key mutant BAX 164-PEG that acts differently in response to cBid and BimBH3 stimuli. While BimBH3 directly interacts with the trigger groove (TG) to induce the conformational changes in BAX that includes the release of α9 from the canonical groove (CG) and oligomerization, cBid engages with CG and works with mitochondrial lipids to fully activate BAX. CONCLUSION PEGylation-based approach is proven useful to shield individual binding grooves of BAX from apoptotic stimuli. Groove engagement in CG of BAX is required for a full cBid-induced BAX activation. This study has identified differences in the pathways involved during the initiation of BAX activation by full-length cBid protein versus synthetic BimBH3-based peptides. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our finding is potentially valuable for therapeutic application as the pore-forming activity of 164-PEG is independent from the cBid-mediated apoptotic pathways, but can be administrated by the synthetic short peptides.
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Wang H, Zhang F, Wen H, Shi W, Huang Q, Huang Y, Xie J, Li P, Chen J, Qin L, Zhou Y. Tumor- and mitochondria-targeted nanoparticles eradicate drug resistant lung cancer through mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. J Nanobiotechnology 2020; 18:8. [PMID: 31918714 PMCID: PMC6950814 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-019-0562-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapeutic drugs frequently encounter multidrug resistance. ATP from mitochondria helps overexpression of drug efflux pumps to induce multidrug resistance, so mitochondrial delivery as a means of "repurposing'' chemotherapeutic drugs currently used in the clinic appears to be a worthwhile strategy to pursue for the development of new anti-drug-resistant cancer agents. TPP-Pluronic F127-hyaluronic acid (HA) (TPH), with a mitochondria-targeting triphenylphosphine (TPP) head group, was first synthesized through ester bond formation. Paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded TPH (TPH/PTX) nanomicelles exhibited excellent physical properties and significantly inhibited A549/ADR cells. After TPH/PTX nanomicelles entered acidic lysosomes through macropinocytosis, the positively charged TP/PTX nanomicelles that resulted from degradation of HA by hyaluronidase (HAase) in acidic lysosomes were exposed and completed lysosomal escape at 12 h, finally localizing to mitochondria over a period of 24 h in A549/ADR cells. Subsequently, TPH/PTX caused mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) by inhibiting antiapoptotic Bcl-2, leading to cytochrome C release and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. In an A549/ADR xenograft tumor model and a drug-resistant breast cancer-bearing mouse model with lung metastasis, TPH/PTX nanomicelles exhibited obvious tumor targeting and significant antitumor efficacy. This work presents the potential of a single, nontoxic nanoparticle (NP) platform for mitochondria-targeted delivery of therapeutics for diverse drug-resistant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China.,Center of Cancer Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, Guangdong, China
| | - Fangke Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Huaying Wen
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenwen Shi
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiudi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Yugang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiacui Xie
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiyin Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianhai Chen
- Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Linghao Qin
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Clinical Pharmacology & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, Guangdong, China.
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Kim J, Gupta R, Blanco LP, Yang S, Shteinfer-Kuzmine A, Wang K, Zhu J, Yoon HE, Wang X, Kerkhofs M, Kang H, Brown AL, Park SJ, Xu X, Zandee van Rilland E, Kim MK, Cohen JI, Kaplan MJ, Shoshan-Barmatz V, Chung JH. VDAC oligomers form mitochondrial pores to release mtDNA fragments and promote lupus-like disease. Science 2019; 366:1531-1536. [PMID: 31857488 DOI: 10.1126/science.aav4011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 357] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial stress releases mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytosol, thereby triggering the type Ι interferon (IFN) response. Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, which is required for mtDNA release, has been extensively studied in apoptotic cells, but little is known about its role in live cells. We found that oxidatively stressed mitochondria release short mtDNA fragments via pores formed by the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) oligomers in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Furthermore, the positively charged residues in the N-terminal domain of VDAC1 interact with mtDNA, promoting VDAC1 oligomerization. The VDAC oligomerization inhibitor VBIT-4 decreases mtDNA release, IFN signaling, neutrophil extracellular traps, and disease severity in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Thus, inhibiting VDAC oligomerization is a potential therapeutic approach for diseases associated with mtDNA release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeonghan Kim
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rajeev Gupta
- Department of Life Sciences and National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Luz P Blanco
- Systemic Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20982, USA
| | - Shutong Yang
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anna Shteinfer-Kuzmine
- Department of Life Sciences and National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Kening Wang
- Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jun Zhu
- Systems Biology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Leuven Kanker Instituut, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hee Eun Yoon
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xinghao Wang
- Systemic Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20982, USA
| | | | - Hyeog Kang
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alexandra L Brown
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sung-Jun Park
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xihui Xu
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eddy Zandee van Rilland
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Myung K Kim
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jeffrey I Cohen
- Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mariana J Kaplan
- Systemic Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20982, USA
| | - Varda Shoshan-Barmatz
- Department of Life Sciences and National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Jay H Chung
- Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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54
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Ammoury C, Younes M, El Khoury M, Hodroj MH, Haykal T, Nasr P, Sily M, Taleb RI, Sarkis R, Khalife R, Rizk S. The pro-apoptotic effect of a Terpene-rich Annona cherimola leaf extract on leukemic cell lines. BMC COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 19:365. [PMID: 31830975 PMCID: PMC6909458 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2768-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The edible fruit Annona cherimola has previously shown many nutritional and medicinal properties. The current study evaluates the anti-cancer and anti-proliferative properties of Annona cherimola ethanolic leaf extract (AELE) on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cell lines cultured in vitro (Monomac-1 and KG-1). METHODS The anti-proliferative effect of A. cherimola ethanolic leaf extract was evaluated via cell viability assay. Its pro-apoptotic effect was assessed through Cell Death ELISA and dual Annexin V/PI staining. To further investigate the molecular mechanism by which the extract promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of the AML cells used, apoptotic protein expression was determined through western blots. Extract composition was elucidated by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS Our results showed that the treatment with A. cherimola ethanolic leaf extract exhibited an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of both cancer cell lines used in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with no toxic effects on normal mononuclear cells (MNCs) isolated from human bone marrow. This effect was mediated by DNA fragmentation and apoptosis, as revealed by Cell Death ELISA and dual Annexin V/PI staining. Western blot analysis revealed a Bax/Bcl2 dependent mechanism of apoptosis, as well as PARP cleavage, confirming the apoptotic results observed previously. These effects may be attributed to the presence of terpenes which constitute a large component of the leafy extract, as revealed via GC-MS. CONCLUSION All the data presented in our study show that the terpene-rich A. cherimola ethanolic leaf extract exhibits an anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect on the AML cell lines used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Ammoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Maria Younes
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Marianne El Khoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Mohammad H. Hodroj
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Tony Haykal
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Peter Nasr
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Marilyne Sily
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Robin I. Taleb
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Rita Sarkis
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
- Laboratory of Regenerative Hematopoiesis, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC) & Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rana Khalife
- Biochemical Engineering Department, UCL, London, UK
| | - Sandra Rizk
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
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Robinson EJ, Aguiar S, Smidt MP, van der Heide LP. MCL1 as a Therapeutic Target in Parkinson's Disease? Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:1056-1065. [PMID: 31706839 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta are selectively lost during the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent work performed on the role of the Bcl2 family (highly specialized proteins which control cellular survival and death) in midbrain dopamine neurons has led to the identification of the Bcl2 factor Mcl1 as a weak link in the survival of these neurons. We hypothesize that the regulation of BCL2 proteins may explain this selective vulnerability, and may even provide a novel therapeutic opportunity - strengthening weak links such as MCL1 could result in a delay or complete abrogation of cell death during PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward J Robinson
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Aguiar
- Ageing and Cellular Senescence Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Marten P Smidt
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lars P van der Heide
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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56
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Morris DL, Kastner DW, Johnson S, Strub MP, He Y, Bleck CKE, Lee DY, Tjandra N. Humanin induces conformational changes in the apoptosis regulator BAX and sequesters it into fibers, preventing mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:19055-19065. [PMID: 31690630 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial, or intrinsic, apoptosis pathway is regulated mainly by members of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) protein family. BCL-2-associated X apoptosis regulator (BAX) plays a pivotal role in the initiation of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis as one of the factors causing mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Of current interest are endogenous BAX ligands that inhibit its MOMP activity. Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs) are a recently identified class of mitochondrial retrograde signaling molecules and are reported to be potent apoptosis inhibitors. Among them, humanin (HN) has been shown to suppress apoptosis by inhibiting BAX translocation to the mitochondrial outer membrane, but the molecular mechanism of this interaction is unknown. Here, using recombinant protein expression, along with light-scattering, CD, and fluorescence spectroscopy, we report that HN and BAX can form fibers together in vitro Results from negative stain EM experiments suggest that BAX undergoes secondary and tertiary structural rearrangements and incorporates into the fibers, and that its membrane-associating C-terminal helix is important for the fibrillation process. Additionally, HN mutations known to alter its anti-apoptotic activity affect fiber morphology. Our findings reveal for the first time a potential mechanism by which BAX can be sequestered by fibril formation, which can prevent it from initiating MOMP and committing the cell to apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Morris
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - David W Kastner
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - Sabrina Johnson
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - Marie-Paule Strub
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.,Protein Expression Facility, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - Yi He
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.,Protein Expression Facility, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - Christopher K E Bleck
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Duck-Yeon Lee
- Biochemistry Core Facility, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
| | - Nico Tjandra
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
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57
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Del Re DP, Amgalan D, Linkermann A, Liu Q, Kitsis RN. Fundamental Mechanisms of Regulated Cell Death and Implications for Heart Disease. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1765-1817. [PMID: 31364924 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00022.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 527] [Impact Index Per Article: 105.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Twelve regulated cell death programs have been described. We review in detail the basic biology of nine including death receptor-mediated apoptosis, death receptor-mediated necrosis (necroptosis), mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, mitochondrial-mediated necrosis, autophagy-dependent cell death, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, and immunogenic cell death. This is followed by a dissection of the roles of these cell death programs in the major cardiac syndromes: myocardial infarction and heart failure. The most important conclusion relevant to heart disease is that regulated forms of cardiomyocyte death play important roles in both myocardial infarction with reperfusion (ischemia/reperfusion) and heart failure. While a role for apoptosis in ischemia/reperfusion cannot be excluded, regulated forms of necrosis, through both death receptor and mitochondrial pathways, are critical. Ferroptosis and parthanatos are also likely important in ischemia/reperfusion, although it is unclear if these entities are functioning as independent death programs or as amplification mechanisms for necrotic cell death. Pyroptosis may also contribute to ischemia/reperfusion injury, but potentially through effects in non-cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte loss through apoptosis and necrosis is also an important component in the pathogenesis of heart failure and is mediated by both death receptor and mitochondrial signaling. Roles for immunogenic cell death in cardiac disease remain to be defined but merit study in this era of immune checkpoint cancer therapy. Biology-based approaches to inhibit cell death in the various cardiac syndromes are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic P Del Re
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Dulguun Amgalan
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Andreas Linkermann
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Qinghang Liu
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Richard N Kitsis
- Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey; Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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A small molecule interacts with VDAC2 to block mouse BAK-driven apoptosis. Nat Chem Biol 2019; 15:1057-1066. [PMID: 31591564 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-019-0365-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Activating the intrinsic apoptosis pathway with small molecules is now a clinically validated approach to cancer therapy. In contrast, blocking apoptosis to prevent the death of healthy cells in disease settings has not been achieved. Caspases have been favored, but they act too late in apoptosis to provide long-term protection. The critical step in committing a cell to death is activation of BAK or BAX, pro-death BCL-2 proteins mediating mitochondrial damage. Apoptosis cannot proceed in their absence. Here we show that WEHI-9625, a novel tricyclic sulfone small molecule, binds to VDAC2 and promotes its ability to inhibit apoptosis driven by mouse BAK. In contrast to caspase inhibitors, WEHI-9625 blocks apoptosis before mitochondrial damage, preserving cellular function and long-term clonogenic potential. Our findings expand on the key role of VDAC2 in regulating apoptosis and demonstrate that blocking apoptosis at an early stage is both advantageous and pharmacologically tractable.
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Teucher M, Zhang H, Bader V, Winklhofer KF, García-Sáez AJ, Rajca A, Bleicken S, Bordignon E. A new perspective on membrane-embedded Bax oligomers using DEER and bioresistant orthogonal spin labels. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13013. [PMID: 31506457 PMCID: PMC6737250 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49370-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bax is a Bcl-2 protein crucial for apoptosis initiation and execution, whose active conformation is only partially understood. Dipolar EPR spectroscopy has proven to be a valuable tool to determine coarse-grained models of membrane-embedded Bcl-2 proteins. Here we show how the combination of spectroscopically distinguishable nitroxide and gadolinium spin labels and Double Electron-Electron Resonance can help to gain new insights into the quaternary structure of active, membrane-embedded Bax oligomers. We show that attaching labels bulkier than the conventional MTSL may affect Bax fold and activity, depending on the protein/label combination. However, we identified a suitable pair of spectroscopically distinguishable labels, which allows to study complex distance networks in the oligomers that could not be disentangled before. Additionally, we compared the stability of the different spin-labeled protein variants in E. coli and HeLa cell extracts. We found that the gem-diethyl nitroxide-labeled Bax variants were reasonably stable in HeLa cell extracts. However, when transferred into human cells, Bax was found to be mislocalized, thus preventing its characterization in a physiological environment. The successful use of spectroscopically distinguishable labels on membrane-embedded Bax-oligomers opens an exciting new path towards structure determination of membrane-embedded homo- or hetero-oligomeric Bcl-2 proteins via EPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Teucher
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Verian Bader
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Konstanze F Winklhofer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ana J García-Sáez
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrzej Rajca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Stephanie Bleicken
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
- ZEMOS, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Enrica Bordignon
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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健愉 冯, 玉山 朱, 陈 权, 凌 林, Jianyu F, Yushan Z, Quan C, Jialing L. [Physiological Function and Structural Basis of Bcl-2 Family Proteins]. ZHONGGUO XI BAO SHENG WU XUE XUE BAO 2019; 41:1477-1489. [PMID: 34249113 PMCID: PMC8265309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Apoptosis is an important biological process that plays a key role in the regulation of cell fate and homeostasis. The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family proteins are important regulators of the apoptotic pathway, and their dysfunction is associated with a variety of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. In the past decade, a large number of research work on the physiological functions and atomic structures of Bcl-2 family proteins have been reported, which has deepened our understanding of the molecular mechanism and pathological significance of Bcl-2 family proteins. Recently, new drugs targeting different Bcl-2 proteins have been developed and used in clinics or tested in clinical trials. However, the complexity and diversity in functions and structures of Bcl-2 family have left many unsolved problems. This article summarizes current knowledge of the structure and function of Bcl-2 family proteins and discusses the pharmacological significance of Bcl-2 proteins as effective therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - 林家 凌
- 俄克拉荷马大学健康科学中心生物化学与分子生物学系, 俄克拉何马城 73126-0901
| | - Feng Jianyu
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300074, China
| | - Zhu Yushan
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300074, China
| | - Chen Quan
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300074, China
| | - Lin Jialing
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma 73126, USA
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61
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Walensky LD. Targeting BAX to drug death directly. Nat Chem Biol 2019; 15:657-665. [PMID: 31209350 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-019-0306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BCL-2 family protein interactions regulate apoptosis, a critical process that maintains tissue homeostasis but can cause a host of human diseases when deregulated. Venetoclax is the first FDA-approved drug to reactivate apoptosis in cancer by selectively targeting an anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member. The drug's activity relies on an 'inhibit the inhibitor' mechanism, whereby blockade of a key surface groove on BCL-2 disables its capacity to neutralize pro-apoptotic effectors, such as BAX, a chief executioner protein of the apoptotic pathway. A series of physiologic and pharmacologic regulatory sites that mediate the activation or inhibition of BAX have recently been identified, providing blueprints for the development of alternative apoptosis modulators to block pathologic cell survival or avert unwanted cell death by drugging BAX directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren D Walensky
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA. .,Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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Tightening a deadly pore former. Nat Chem Biol 2019; 15:316-317. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-019-0235-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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