The emerging link between O-GlcNAc and Alzheimer disease

Protein O-GlcNAcylation: emerging mechanisms and functions

O-GlcNAcylation - the attachment of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moieties to cytoplasmic, nuclear and mitochondrial proteins - is a post-translational modification that regulates fundamental cellular processes in metazoans. A single pair of enzymes - O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) - controls the dynamic cycling of this protein modification in a nutrient- and stress-responsive manner. Recent years have seen remarkable advances in our understanding of O-GlcNAcylation at levels that range from structural and molecular biology to cell signalling and gene regulation to physiology and disease. New mechanisms and functions of O-GlcNAcylation that are emerging from these recent developments enable us to begin constructing a unified conceptual framework through which the significance of this modification in cellular and organismal physiology can be understood.

Protein O-GlcNAcylation: emerging mechanisms and functions

O-GlcNAcylation - the attachment of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moieties to cytoplasmic, nuclear and mitochondrial proteins - is a post-translational modification that regulates fundamental cellular processes in metazoans. A single pair of enzymes - O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) - controls the dynamic cycling of this protein modification in a nutrient- and stress-responsive manner. Recent years have seen remarkable advances in our understanding of O-GlcNAcylation at levels that range from structural and molecular biology to cell signalling and gene regulation to physiology and disease. New mechanisms and functions of O-GlcNAcylation that are emerging from these recent developments enable us to begin constructing a unified conceptual framework through which the significance of this modification in cellular and organismal physiology can be understood.

Altered protein glycosylation predicts Alzheimer's disease and modulates its pathology in disease model Drosophila

The pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are pathogenic oligomers and fibrils of misfolded amyloidogenic proteins (e.g., β-amyloid and hyper-phosphorylated tau in AD), which cause progressive loss of neurons in the brain and nervous system. Although deviations from normal protein glycosylation have been documented in AD, their role in disease pathology has been barely explored. Here our analysis of available expression data sets indicates that many glycosylation-related genes are differentially expressed in brains of AD patients compared with healthy controls. The robust differences found enabled us to predict the occurrence of AD with remarkable accuracy in a test cohort and identify a set of key genes whose expression determines this classification. We then studied in vivo the effect of reducing expression of homologs of 6 of these genes in transgenic Drosophila overexpressing human tau, a well-established invertebrate AD model. These experiments have led to the identification of glycosylation genes that may augment or ameliorate tauopathy phenotypes. Our results indicate that OstDelta, l(2)not and beta4GalT7 are tauopathy suppressors, whereas pgnat5 and CG33303 are enhancers, of tauopathy. These results suggest that specific alterations in protein glycosylation may play a causal role in AD etiology.

O-GlcNAcylation of α-Synuclein at Serine 87 Reduces Aggregation without Affecting Membrane Binding

The aggregation of neurodegenerative-disease associated proteins can be affected by many factors, including a variety of post-translational modifications. One such modification, O-GlcNAcylation, has been found on some of these aggregation prone proteins, including α-synuclein, the major protein that plays a causative role in synucleinopathies like Parkinson's disease. We previously used synthetic protein chemistry to prepare α-synuclein bearing a homogeneous O-GlcNAc modification at threonine 72 and showed that this modification inhibits protein aggregation. However, the effects of the other eight O-GlcNAcylation sites that have been identified were unknown. Here, we use a similar synthetic strategy to investigate the consequences of this modification at one of these sites, serine 87. We show that O-GlcNAcylation at this site also inhibits α-synuclein aggregation but to a lesser extent than that for the same modification at threonine 72. However, we also find that this modification does not affect the membrane-binding properties of α-synuclein, which differentiates it from phosphorylation at the same site. These results further support the development of therapies that can elevate O-GlcNAcylation of α-synuclein to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Structures of human O-GlcNAcase and its complexes reveal a new substrate recognition mode

Human O-GlcNAcase (hOGA) is the unique enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of the O-linked β-N-acetyl glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification, an essential protein glycosylation event that modulates the function of numerous cellular proteins in response to nutrients and stress. Here we report crystal structures of a truncated hOGA, which comprises the catalytic and stalk domains, in apo form, in complex with an inhibitor, and in complex with a glycopeptide substrate. We found that hOGA forms an unusual arm-in-arm homodimer in which the catalytic domain of one monomer is covered by the stalk domain of the sister monomer to create a substrate-binding cleft. Notably, the residues on the cleft surface afford extensive interactions with the peptide substrate in a recognition mode that is distinct from that of its bacterial homologs. These structures represent the first model of eukaryotic enzymes in the glycoside hydrolase 84 (GH84) family and provide a crucial starting point for understanding the substrate specificity of hOGA, which regulates a broad range of biological and pathological processes.

Linking deregulation of non-coding RNA to the core pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease: An integrative review

The human genome encodes a vast repertoire of protein non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), some specific to the brain. MicroRNAs, which interfere with the translation of target mRNAs, are of particular interest since their deregulation has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it remains challenging to link the complex body of observations on miRNAs and AD into a coherent framework. Using extensive graphical support, this article discusses how a diverse panoply of miRNAs convergently and divergently impact (and are impacted by) core pathophysiological processes underlying AD: neuroinflammation and oxidative stress; aberrant generation of β-amyloid-42 (Aβ42); anomalies in the production, cleavage and post-translational marking of Tau; impaired clearance of Aβ42 and Tau; perturbation of axonal organisation; disruption of synaptic plasticity; endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response; mitochondrial dysfunction; aberrant induction of cell cycle re-entry; and apoptotic loss of neurons. Intriguingly, some classes of miRNA provoke these cellular anomalies, whereas others act in a counter-regulatory, protective mode. Moreover, changes in levels of certain species of miRNA are a consequence of the above-mentioned anomalies. In addition to miRNAs, circular RNAs, piRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and other types of ncRNA are being increasingly implicated in AD. Overall, a complex mesh of deregulated and multi-tasking ncRNAs reciprocally interacts with core pathophysiological mechanisms underlying AD. Alterations in ncRNAs can be detected in CSF and the circulation as well as the brain and are showing promise as biomarkers, with the ultimate goal clinical exploitation as targets for novel modes of symptomatic and course-altering therapy.

GFAT1 phosphorylation by AMPK promotes VEGF-induced angiogenesis

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in endothelial cells regulates energy homeostasis, stress protection and angiogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Using a label-free phosphoproteomic analysis, we identified glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase 1 (GFAT1) as an AMPK substrate. GFAT1 is the rate-limiting enzyme in the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) and as such controls the modification of proteins by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that AMPK controls O-GlcNAc levels and function of endothelial cells via GFAT1 phosphorylation using biochemical, pharmacological, genetic and in vitro angiogenesis approaches. Activation of AMPK in primary human endothelial cells by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR) or by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) led to GFAT1 phosphorylation at serine 243. This effect was not seen when AMPK was down-regulated by siRNA. Upon AMPK activation, diminished GFAT activity and reduced O-GlcNAc levels were observed in endothelial cells containing wild-type (WT)-GFAT1 but not in cells expressing non-phosphorylatable S243A-GFAT1. Pharmacological inhibition or siRNA-mediated down-regulation of GFAT1 potentiated VEGF-induced sprouting, indicating that GFAT1 acts as a negative regulator of angiogenesis. In cells expressing S243A-GFAT1, VEGF-induced sprouting was reduced, suggesting that VEGF relieves the inhibitory action of GFAT1/HBP on angiogenesis via AMPK-mediated GFAT1 phosphorylation. Activation of GFAT1/HBP by high glucose led to impairment of vascular sprouting, whereas GFAT1 inhibition improved sprouting even if glucose level was high. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the role of HBP in angiogenesis. They suggest that targeting AMPK in endothelium might help to ameliorate hyperglycaemia-induced vascular dysfunction associated with metabolic disorders.

Catalytic Promiscuity of O-GlcNAc Transferase Enables Unexpected Metabolic Engineering of Cytoplasmic Proteins with 2-Azido-2-deoxy-glucose

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) catalyzes the installation of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) O-linked to nucleocytoplasmic proteins (O-GlcNAc) within multicellular eukaryotes. OGT shows surprising tolerance for structural changes in the sugar component of its nucleotide sugar donor substrate, uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). Here, we find that OGT uses UDP-glucose to install O-linked glucose (O-Glc) onto proteins only 25-fold less efficiently than O-GlcNAc. Spurred by this observation, we show that OGT transfers 2-azido-2-deoxy-d-glucose (GlcAz) in vitro from UDP-GlcAz to proteins. Further, feeding cells with per-O-acetyl GlcAz (AcGlcAz), in combination with inhibition or inducible knockout of OGT, shows OGT-dependent modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins with O-GlcAz as detected using microscopy, immunoblot, and proteomics. We find that O-GlcAz is reversible within cells, and an unidentified cellular enzyme exists to cleave O-Glc that can also process O-GlcAz. We anticipate that AcGlcAz will prove to be a useful tool to study the O-GlcNAc modification. We also speculate that, given the high concentration of UDP-Glc within certain mammalian tissues, O-Glc may exist within mammals and serve as a physiologically relevant modification.

Mitochondrial O-GlcNAc Transferase (mOGT) Regulates Mitochondrial Structure, Function, and Survival in HeLa Cells

O-Linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) catalyzes O-GlcNAcylation of target proteins and regulates numerous biological processes. OGT is encoded by a single gene that yields nucleocytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms. To date, the role of the mitochondrial isoform of OGT (mOGT) remains largely unknown. Using high throughput proteomics, we identified 84 candidate mitochondrial glycoproteins, of which 44 are novel. Notably, two of the candidate glycoproteins identified (cytochrome oxidase 2 (COX2) and NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 4 (MT-ND4)) are encoded by mitochondrial DNA. Using siRNA in HeLa cells, we found that reducing endogenous mOGT expression leads to alterations in mitochondrial structure and function, including Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fragmentation, reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential, and a significant loss of mitochondrial content in the absence of mitochondrial ROS. These defects are associated with a compensatory increase in oxidative phosphorylation per mitochondrion. mOGT is also critical for cell survival; siRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous mOGT protected cells against toxicity mediated by rotenone, a complex I inhibitor. Conversely, reduced expression of both nucleocytoplasmic (ncOGT) and mitochondrial (mOGT) OGT isoforms is associated with increased mitochondrial respiration and elevated glycolysis, suggesting that ncOGT is a negative regulator of cellular bioenergetics. Last, we determined that mOGT is probably involved in the glycosylation of a restricted set of mitochondrial targets. We identified four proteins implicated in mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism regulation as candidate substrates of mOGT, including leucine-rich PPR-containing protein and mitochondrial aconitate hydratase. Our findings suggest that mOGT is catalytically active in vivo and supports mitochondrial structure, health, and survival, whereas ncOGT predominantly regulates cellular bioenergetics.

Oxidative stress induces transient O-GlcNAc elevation and tau dephosphorylation in SH-SY5Y cells

O-linked β-N-acetlyglucosamine or O-GlcNAc modification is a dynamic post-translational modification occurring on the Ser/Thr residues of many intracellular proteins. The chronic imbalance between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc on tau protein is considered as one of the main hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. In recent years, many studies also showed that O-GlcNAc levels can elevate upon acute stress and suggested that this might facilitate cell survival. However, many consider chronic stress, including oxidative damage as a major risk factor in the development of the disease. In this study, using the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y we investigated the dynamic nature of O-GlcNAc after treatment with 0.5 mM H2 O2 for 30 min. to induce oxidative stress. We found that overall O-GlcNAc quickly increased and reached peak level at around 2 hrs post-stress, then returned to baseline levels after about 24 hrs. Interestingly, we also found that tau protein phosphorylation at site S262 showed parallel, whereas at S199 and PHF1 sites showed inverse dynamic to O-Glycosylation. In conclusion, our results show that temporary elevation in O-GlcNAc modification after H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress is detectable in cells of neuronal origin. Furthermore, oxidative stress changes the dynamic balance between O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation on tau proteins.

Posttranslational mutagenesis: A chemical strategy for exploring protein side-chain diversity

Posttranslational modification of proteins expands their structural and functional capabilities beyond those directly specified by the genetic code. However, the vast diversity of chemically plausible (including unnatural but functionally relevant) side chains is not readily accessible. We describe C (sp³)-C (sp³) bond-forming reactions on proteins under biocompatible conditions, which exploit unusual carbon free-radical chemistry, and use them to form Cβ-Cγ bonds with altered side chains. We demonstrate how these transformations enable a wide diversity of natural, unnatural, posttranslationally modified (methylated, glycosylated, phosphorylated, hydroxylated), and labeled (fluorinated, isotopically labeled) side chains to be added to a common, readily accessible dehydroalanine precursor in a range of representative protein types and scaffolds. This approach, outside of the rigid constraints of the ribosome and enzymatic processing, may be modified more generally for access to diverse proteins.

Oral Supplementation of Glucosamine Fails to Alleviate Acute Kidney Injury in Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Damage

Acute kidney injury is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in the ageing population. Proteotoxic stress response pathways have been suggested to contribute to the development of acute renal injury. Recent evidence suggests that increased synthesis of N-glycan precursors in the hexosamine pathway as well as feeding of animals with aminosugars produced in the hexosamine pathway may increase stress resistance through reducing proteotoxic stress and alleviate pathology in model organisms. As feeding of the hexosamine pathway metabolite glucosamine to aged mice increased their life expectancy we tested whether supplementation of this aminosugar may also protect mice from acute kidney injury after renal ischemia and reperfusion. Animals were fed for 4 weeks ad libitum with standard chow or standard chow supplemented with 0.5% N-acetylglucosamine. Preconditioning with caloric restriction for four weeks prior to surgery served as a positive control for protective dietary effects. Whereas caloric restriction demonstrated the known protective effect both on renal function as well as survival in the treated animals, glucosamine supplementation failed to promote any protection from ischemia-reperfusion injury. These data show that although hexosamine pathway metabolites have a proven role in enhancing protein quality control and survival in model organisms oral glucosamine supplementation at moderate doses that would be amenable to humans does not promote protection from ischemia-reperfusion injury of the kidney.

Alpha-, Beta-, and Gamma-synuclein Quantification in Cerebrospinal Fluid by Multiple Reaction Monitoring Reveals Increased Concentrations in Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease but No Alteration in Synucleinopathies

α-Synuclein (αSyn) is a major constituent of proteinaceous aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and a potential biomarker candidate for diagnosis and treatment effects. However, studies about αSyn in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in diseases are inconsistent and mainly based on immunological assays. Quantitative information about β-synuclein (βSyn) and γ-synuclein (γSyn) in CSF is not available.Here, we present an alternative method for the simultaneous quantification of αSyn, βSyn and γSyn in CSF by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with a high sequence coverage (70%) of αSyn to validate previous, ELISA-based results and characterize synucleins in CSF in more detail.The MRM has high sensitivity in the low pg/ml range (3-30pg/ml full-length αSyn) using 200 μl CSF. A high portion of CSF αSyn is present in the N-terminally acetylated form and the concentration of unmodified peptides in the nonamyloid component region is about 40% lower than in the N-terminal region. Synuclein concentrations show a high correlation with each other in CSF (r>0.80) and in contrast to αSyn and γSyn, βSyn is not affected by blood contamination. CSF αSyn, βSyn and γSyn concentrations were increased in Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease but not altered in PD, PD dementia (PDD), Lewy body dementia and atypical parkinsonian syndromes. The ratio βSyn/αSyn was increased in PDD (1.49 ± 0.38, p < 0.05) compared with PD (1.11 ± 0.26) and controls (1.15 ± 0.28). βSyn shows a high correlation with CSF tau concentrations (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001, n = 125).In conclusion, we could not confirm previous observations of reduced αSyn in PD and our results indicate that CSF synuclein concentrations are rather general markers of synaptic degeneration than specific for synucleinopathies. βsyn is an attractive biomarker candidate that might be used as an alternative to or in combination with tau in AD and CJD diagnosis and in combination with αSyn it is a biomarker candidate for PDD.

Glycosylation and other PTMs alterations in neurodegenerative diseases: Current status and future role in neurotrauma

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) present a chief public health threat affecting nations worldwide. As numbers of patients afflicted by TBI are expected to rise, the necessity to increase our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism(s) as a result of TBI mounts. TBI is known to augment the risk of developing a number of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Hence, it is rational to assume that a common mechanistic ground links the pathophysiology of NDs to that of TBIs. Through this review, we aim to identify the protein-protein interactions, differential proteins expression, and PTMs, mainly glycosylation, that are involved in the pathogenesis of both ND and TBI. OVID and PubMed have been rigorously searched to identify studies that utilized advanced proteomic platforms (MS based) and systems biology tools to unfold the mechanism(s) behind ND in an attempt to unveil the mysterious biological processes that occur postinjury. Various PTMs have been found to be common between TBI and AD, whereas no similarities have been found between TBI and PD. Phosphorylated tau protein, glycosylated amyloid precursor protein, and many other modifications appear to be common in both TBI and AD. PTMs, differential protein profiles, and altered biological pathways appear to have critical roles in ND processes by interfering with their pathological condition in a manner similar to TBI. Advancement in glycoproteomic studies pertaining to ND and TBI is urgently needed in order to develop better diagnostic tools, therapies, and more favorable prognoses.

Roles of O-GlcNAc in chronic diseases of aging

O-GlcNAcylation, a dynamic nutrient and stress sensitive post-translational modification, occurs on myriad proteins in the cell nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria. O-GlcNAcylation serves as a nutrient sensor to regulate signaling, transcription, translation, cell division, metabolism, and stress sensitivity in all cells. Aberrant protein O-GlcNAcylation plays a critical role both in the development, as well as in the progression of a variety of age related diseases. O-GlcNAcylation underlies the etiology of diabetes, and changes in specific protein O-GlcNAc levels and sites are responsible for insulin expression and sensitivity and glucose toxicity. Abnormal O-GlcNAcylation contributes directly to diabetes related dysfunction of the heart, kidney and eyes and affects progression of cardiomyopathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. O-GlcNAcylation is a critical modification in the brain and plays a role in both plaque and tangle formation, thus making its study important in neurodegenerative disorders. O-GlcNAcylation also affects cellular growth and metabolism during the development and metastasis of cancer. Finally, alterations in O-GlcNAcylation of transcription factors in macrophages and lymphocytes affect inflammation and cytokine production. Thus, O-GlcNAcylation plays key roles in many of the major diseases associated with aging. Elucidation of its specific functions in both normal and diseased tissues is likely to uncover totally novel avenues for therapeutic intervention.

O-Linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) Transferase and O-GlcNAcase Interact with Mi2β Protein at the Aγ-Globin Promoter

One mode of γ-globin gene silencing involves a GATA-1·FOG-1·Mi2β repressor complex that binds to the -566 GATA site relative to the (A)γ-globin gene cap site. However, the mechanism of how this repressor complex is assembled at the -566 GATA site is unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) processing enzymes, O-GlcNAc-transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), interact with the (A)γ-globin promoter at the -566 GATA repressor site; however, mutation of the GATA site to GAGA significantly reduces OGT and OGA promoter interactions in β-globin locus yeast artificial chromosome (β-YAC) bone marrow cells. When WT β-YAC bone marrow cells are treated with the OGA inhibitor Thiamet-G, the occupancy of OGT, OGA, and Mi2β at the (A)γ-globin promoter is increased. In addition, OGT and Mi2β recruitment is increased at the (A)γ-globin promoter when γ-globin becomes repressed in postconception day E18 human β-YAC transgenic mouse fetal liver. Furthermore, we show that Mi2β is modified with O-GlcNAc, and both OGT and OGA interact with Mi2β, GATA-1, and FOG-1. Taken together, our data suggest that O-GlcNAcylation is a novel mechanism of γ-globin gene regulation mediated by modulating the assembly of the GATA-1·FOG-1·Mi2β repressor complex at the -566 GATA motif within the promoter.

O-GlcNAcylation of the human epidermal growth factor receptor

The reversible O-linked attachment of single β-D-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) moieties to serine/threonine residues in target proteins is a frequently occurring post-translational modification affecting the functionality of many cellular systems. In this report we present experimental evidence suggesting that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is subjected to O-GlcNAcylation in human carcinoma epidermoid A431 cells and human lung carcinoma A549 cells. However, no signal was detected in human cervix adenocarcinoma HeLa cells or in mouse EGFR-T17 fibroblasts ectopically expressing the human EGFR. We detected a positive O-GlcNAcylation signal in the immunoprecipitated EGFR by Western blotting using two distinct specific anti-O-GlcNAc antibodies even after N-deglycosylation of the receptor using peptide-N-glycosidase F (PNGase F). Conversely, the presence of EGFR was detected by Western blotting using an anti-EGFR antibody in the immunocomplex of O-GlcNAcylated proteins immunoprecipitated with an anti-O-GlcNAc antibody. These signals were enhanced when the O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (OGA) inhibitor Thiamet G was added to prevent the deglycosylation of the GlcNAc moiety(ies). Moreover, we also detected a positive signal in the immunoprecipitated and N-deglycosylated EGFR using PNGase F, and tunicamycin when the cells were metabolically labeled with azido-GlcNAc (GlcNAz), biotinylated and probed with a streptavidin-labeled peroxidase. Finally, EGFR and O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) co-immunoprecipitate, and incubation of the immunoprecipitated EGFR with the immunoprecipitated OGT in the presence of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) resulted in a significant enhancement of the EGFR O-GlcNAcylation signal as detected by Western blotting using an anti-O-GlcNAc antibody. We conclude that the human EGFR is subjected to O-GlcNAcylation in the A431 and A549 tumor cell lines.

O-GlcNAcylation: A regulator of tau pathology and neurodegeneration

O-GlcNAcylation is the posttranslational modification of intracellular proteins by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). The discovery of O-GlcNAc modification of tau and its impact on tau phosphorylation has attracted recent research interest in O-GlcNAc studies in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) field. Modification of proteins by O-GlcNAc occurs extensively in the brain. The expressions and activities of the enzymes catalyzing O-GlcNAc cycling are several-fold higher in the brain than in the peripheral tissues. The O-GlcNAcylation levels of brain proteins including tau are decreased in AD brain, probably due to decreased brain glucose metabolism. The reduction of brain O-GlcNAcylation appears to mediate the molecular mechanism by which decreased brain glucose metabolism contributes to neurodegeneration. Studies on mouse models of tauopathies suggest a neuroprotective role of pharmacological elevation of brain O-GlcNAc, which could potentially be a promising approach for treating AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death in neurodegenerative diseases through nitroxidative stress

Mitochondria are important for providing cellular energy ATP through the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. They are also critical in regulating many cellular functions including the fatty acid oxidation, the metabolism of glutamate and urea, the anti-oxidant defense, and the apoptosis pathway. Mitochondria are an important source of reactive oxygen species leaked from the electron transport chain while they are susceptible to oxidative damage, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and tissue injury. In fact, impaired mitochondrial function is commonly observed in many types of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, alcoholic dementia, brain ischemia-reperfusion related injury, and others, although many of these neurological disorders have unique etiological factors. Mitochondrial dysfunction under many pathological conditions is likely to be promoted by increased nitroxidative stress, which can stimulate post-translational modifications (PTMs) of mitochondrial proteins and/or oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA and lipids. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that various antioxidants, including naturally occurring flavonoids and polyphenols as well as synthetic compounds, can block the formation of reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species, and thus ultimately prevent the PTMs of many proteins with improved disease conditions. Therefore, the present review is aimed to describe the recent research developments in the molecular mechanisms for mitochondrial dysfunction and tissue injury in neurodegenerative diseases and discuss translational research opportunities.

O-GlcNAcylation Antagonizes Phosphorylation of CDH1 (CDC20 Homologue 1)

The anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) orchestrates various aspects of the eukaryotic cell cycle. One of its co-activators, Cdh1, is subject to myriad post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination. Herein we identify the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification that occurs on Cdh1. Cdh1 is O-GlcNAcylated in cultured cells and mouse brain extracts. Mass spectrometry identifies an O-GlcNAcylated peptide that neighbors a known phosphorylation site. Cell synchronization and mutation studies reveal that O-GlcNAcylation of Cdh1 may antagonize its phosphorylation. Our results thus reveal a pivotal role of O-GlcNAcylation in regulating APC/C activity.

Nucleocytoplasmic human O-GlcNAc transferase is sufficient for O-GlcNAcylation of mitochondrial proteins

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine modification (O-GlcNAcylation) is a nutrient-dependent protein post-translational modification (PTM), dynamically and reversibly driven by two enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) that catalyse the addition and the removal of the O-GlcNAc moieties to/from serine and threonine residues of target proteins respectively. Increasing evidence suggests involvement of O-GlcNAcylation in many biological processes, including transcription, signalling, neuronal development and mitochondrial function. The presence of a mitochondrial O-GlcNAc proteome and a mitochondrial OGT (mOGT) isoform has been reported. We explored the presence of mOGT in human cell lines and mouse tissues. Surprisingly, analysis of genomic sequences indicates that this isoform cannot be expressed in most of the species analysed, except some primates. In addition, we were not able to detect endogenous mOGT in a range of human cell lines. Knockdown experiments and Western blot analysis of all the predicted OGT isoforms suggested the expression of only a single OGT isoform. In agreement with this, we demonstrate that overexpression of the nucleocytoplasmic OGT (ncOGT) isoform leads to increased O-GlcNAcylation of mitochondrial proteins, suggesting that ncOGT is necessary and sufficient for the generation of the O-GlcNAc mitochondrial proteome.

Signaling pathways and posttranslational modifications of tau in Alzheimer's disease: the humanization of yeast cells

In the past decade, yeast have been frequently employed to study the molecular mechanisms of human neurodegenerative diseases, generally by means of heterologous expression of genes encoding the relevant hallmark proteins. However, it has become evident that substantial posttranslational modifications of many of these proteins are required for the development and progression of potentially disease relevant changes. This is exemplified by the neuronal tau proteins, which are critically involved in a class of neuro-degenerative diseases collectively called tauopathies and which includes Alz-heimer's disease (AD) as its most common representative. In the course of the disease, tau changes its phosphorylation state and becomes hyperphosphory-lated, gets truncated by proteolytic cleavage, is subject to O-glycosylation, sumoylation, ubiquitinylation, acetylation and some other modifications. This poses the important question, which of these posttranslational modifications are naturally occurring in the yeast model or can be reconstituted by heterol-ogous gene expression. Here, we present an overview on common modifica-tions as they occur in tau during AD, summarize their potential relevance with respect to disease mechanisms and refer to the native yeast enzyme orthologs capable to perform these modifications. We will also discuss potential approaches to humanize yeast in order to create modification patterns resembling the situation in mammalian cells, which could enhance the value of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces lactis as disease models.

Signaling pathways and posttranslational modifications of tau in Alzheimer's disease: the humanization of yeast cells

In the past decade, yeast have been frequently employed to study the molecular mechanisms of human neurodegenerative diseases, generally by means of heterologous expression of genes encoding the relevant hallmark proteins. However, it has become evident that substantial posttranslational modifications of many of these proteins are required for the development and progression of potentially disease relevant changes. This is exemplified by the neuronal tau proteins, which are critically involved in a class of neuro-degenerative diseases collectively called tauopathies and which includes Alz-heimer's disease (AD) as its most common representative. In the course of the disease, tau changes its phosphorylation state and becomes hyperphosphory-lated, gets truncated by proteolytic cleavage, is subject to O-glycosylation, sumoylation, ubiquitinylation, acetylation and some other modifications. This poses the important question, which of these posttranslational modifications are naturally occurring in the yeast model or can be reconstituted by heterol-ogous gene expression. Here, we present an overview on common modifica-tions as they occur in tau during AD, summarize their potential relevance with respect to disease mechanisms and refer to the native yeast enzyme orthologs capable to perform these modifications. We will also discuss potential approaches to humanize yeast in order to create modification patterns resembling the situation in mammalian cells, which could enhance the value of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces lactis as disease models.

Activity Based High-Throughput Screening for Novel O-GlcNAc Transferase Substrates Using a Dynamic Peptide Microarray

O-GlcNAcylation is a reversible and dynamic protein post-translational modification in mammalian cells. The O-GlcNAc cycle is catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). O-GlcNAcylation plays important role in many vital cellular events including transcription, cell cycle regulation, stress response and protein degradation, and altered O-GlcNAcylation has long been implicated in cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, numerous approaches have been developed to identify OGT substrates and study their function, but there is still a strong demand for highly efficient techniques. Here we demonstrated the utility of the peptide microarray approach to discover novel OGT substrates and study its specificity. Interestingly, the protein RBL-2, which is a key regulator of entry into cell division and may function as a tumor suppressor, was identified as a substrate for three isoforms of OGT. Using peptide Ala scanning, we found Ser 420 is one possible O-GlcNAc site in RBL-2. Moreover, substitution of Ser 420, on its own, inhibited OGT activity, raising the possibility of mechanism-based development for selective OGT inhibitors. This approach will prove useful for both discovery of novel OGT substrates and studying OGT specificity.

Glucose Transporters at the Blood-Brain Barrier: Function, Regulation and Gateways for Drug Delivery

Glucose transporters (GLUTs) at the blood-brain barrier maintain the continuous high glucose and energy demands of the brain. They also act as therapeutic targets and provide routes of entry for drug delivery to the brain and central nervous system for treatment of neurological and neurovascular conditions and brain tumours. This article first describes the distribution, function and regulation of glucose transporters at the blood-brain barrier, the major ones being the sodium-independent facilitative transporters GLUT1 and GLUT3. Other GLUTs and sodium-dependent transporters (SGLTs) have also been identified at lower levels and under various physiological conditions. It then considers the effects on glucose transporter expression and distribution of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia associated with diabetes and oxygen/glucose deprivation associated with cerebral ischemia. A reduction in glucose transporters at the blood-brain barrier that occurs before the onset of the main pathophysiological changes and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is a potential causative effect in the vascular hypothesis of the disease. Mutations in glucose transporters, notably those identified in GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, and some recreational drug compounds also alter the expression and/or activity of glucose transporters at the blood-brain barrier. Approaches for drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier include the pro-drug strategy whereby drug molecules are conjugated to glucose transporter substrates or encapsulated in nano-enabled delivery systems (e.g. liposomes, micelles, nanoparticles) that are functionalised to target glucose transporters. Finally, the continuous development of blood-brain barrier in vitro models is important for studying glucose transporter function, effects of disease conditions and interactions with drugs and xenobiotics.

N-Acetyl glycals are tight-binding and environmentally insensitive inhibitors of hexosaminidases

Mono-, di- and trisaccharide derivatives of 1,2-unsaturated N-acetyl-d-glucal have been synthesized and shown to function as tight-binding inhibitors/slow substrates of representative hexosaminidases.

Disruption of Golgi morphology and altered protein glycosylation in PLA2G6-associated neurodegeneration

BACKGROUND

Mutations in PLA2G6, which encodes the calcium-independent phospholipase A2 group VI, cause neurodegeneration and diffuse cortical Lewy body formation by a yet undefined mechanism. We assessed whether altered protein glycosylation due to abnormal Golgi morphology might be a factor in the pathology of this disease.

METHODS

Three patients presented with PLA2G6-associated neurodegeneration (PLAN); two had infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) and one had adult-onset dystonia-parkinsonism. We analysed protein N-linked and O-linked glycosylation in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, urine, and cultured skin fibroblasts using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization--time of flight/mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS). We also assessed sialylation and Golgi morphology in cultured fibroblasts by immunofluorescence and performed rescue experiments using a lentiviral vector.

RESULTS

The patients with INAD had PLA2G6 mutations NM_003560.2: c.[950G>T];[426-1077dup] and c.[1799G>A];[2221C>T] and the patient with dystonia-parkinsonism had PLA2G6 mutations NM_003560.2: c.[609G>A];[2222G>A]. All three patients had altered Golgi morphology and abnormalities of protein O-linked glycosylation and sialylation in cultured fibroblasts that were rescued by lentiviral overexpression of wild type PLA2G6.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings add altered Golgi morphology, O-linked glycosylation and sialylation defects to the phenotypical spectrum of PLAN; these pathways are essential for correct processing and distribution of proteins. Lewy body and Tau pathology, two neuropathological features of PLAN, could emerge from these defects. Therefore, Golgi morphology, O-linked glycosylation and sialylation may play a role in the pathogenesis of PLAN and perhaps other neurodegenerative disorders.

The roles of lipid and glucose metabolism in modulation of β-amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease

Diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and several genes related to AD have recently been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as being closely linked to lipid metabolism. Lipid metabolism and glucose-energy metabolism are closely related. Here, we review the emerging evidence regarding the roles of lipid and glucose metabolism in the modulation of β-amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration during the pathogenesis of AD. Disruption of homeostasis of lipid and glucose metabolism affects production and clearance of β-amyloid and tau phosphorylation, and induces neurodegeneration. A more integrated understanding of the interactions among lipid, glucose, and protein metabolism is required to elucidate the pathogenesis of AD and to develop next-generation therapeutic options.

O-GlcNAc modification blocks the aggregation and toxicity of the protein α-synuclein associated with Parkinson's disease

Several aggregation-prone proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases can be modified by O-linked N-acetyl-glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) in vivo. One of these proteins, α-synuclein, is a toxic aggregating protein associated with synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease. However, the effect of O-GlcNAcylation on α-synuclein is not clear. Here, we use synthetic protein chemistry to generate both unmodified α-synuclein and α-synuclein bearing a site-specific O-GlcNAc modification at the physiologically relevant threonine residue 72. We show that this single modification has a notable and substoichiometric inhibitory effect on α-synuclein aggregation, while not affecting the membrane binding or bending properties of α-synuclein. O-GlcNAcylation is also shown to affect the phosphorylation of α-synuclein in vitro and block the toxicity of α-synuclein that was exogenously added to cells in culture. These results suggest that increasing O-GlcNAcylation may slow the progression of synucleinopathies and further support a general function for O-GlcNAc in preventing protein aggregation.

A mutant O-GlcNAcase as a probe to reveal global dynamics of protein O-GlcNAcylation during Drosophila embryonic development

O-GlcNAcylation is a reversible type of serine/threonine glycosylation on nucleocytoplasmic proteins in metazoa. Various genetic approaches in several animal models have revealed that O-GlcNAcylation is essential for embryogenesis. However, the dynamic changes in global O-GlcNAcylation and the underlying mechanistic biology linking them to embryonic development is not understood. One of the limiting factors towards characterizing changes in O-GlcNAcylation has been the limited specificity of currently available tools to detect this modification. In the present study, harnessing the unusual properties of an O-GlcNAcase (OGA) mutant that binds O-GlcNAc (O-N-acetylglucosamine) sites with nanomolar affinity, we uncover changes in protein O-GlcNAcylation as a function of Drosophila development.

Current strategies and findings in clinically relevant post-translational modification-specific proteomics

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has considerably extended our knowledge about the occurrence and dynamics of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs). So far, quantitative proteomics has been mainly used to study PTM regulation in cell culture models, providing new insights into the role of aberrant PTM patterns in human disease. However, continuous technological and methodical developments have paved the way for an increasing number of PTM-specific proteomic studies using clinical samples, often limited in sample amount. Thus, quantitative proteomics holds a great potential to discover, validate and accurately quantify biomarkers in body fluids and primary tissues. A major effort will be to improve the complete integration of robust but sensitive proteomics technology to clinical environments. Here, we discuss PTMs that are relevant for clinical research, with a focus on phosphorylation, glycosylation and proteolytic cleavage; furthermore, we give an overview on the current developments and novel findings in mass spectrometry-based PTM research.

Enrichment of O-GlcNAc-modified peptides using novel thiol-alkyne and thiol-disulfide exchange

We have developed a selective method for the enrichment of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc)-modified peptides, which uses a newly synthesized thiol-alkyne and a thiol-disulfide exchange. First, O-GlcNAc-modified peptides were enzymatically labeled with an azide-containing GalNAc analog. Then, the azide moiety was reacted with thiol-alkyne through a copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The thiol-modified peptides were enriched with thiol-reactive resin through a thiol-disulfide exchange. At least 500fmol of O-GlcNAc-modified peptides was selectively isolated from α-crystallin tryptic peptides and detected by mass spectrometry. This novel enrichment strategy could be used for O-GlcNAcome analysis of biological samples.

A critical perspective of the diverse roles of O-GlcNAc transferase in chromatin

O-linked β-N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a posttranslational modification that is catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (Ogt) and found on a plethora of nuclear and cytosolic proteins in animals and plants. Studies in different model organisms revealed that while O-GlcNAc is required for selected processes in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, it has evolved to become required for cell viability in mice, and this has challenged investigations to identify cellular functions that critically require this modification in mammals. Nevertheless, a principal cellular process that engages O-GlcNAcylation in all of these species is the regulation of gene transcription. Here, we revisit several of the primary experimental observations that led to current models of how O-GlcNAcylation affects gene expression. In particular, we discuss the role of the stable association of Ogt with the transcription factors Hcf1 and Tet, the two main Ogt-interacting proteins in nuclei of mammalian cells. We also critically evaluate the evidence that specific residues on core histones, including serine 112 of histone 2B (H2B-S112), are O-GlcNAcylated in vivo and discuss possible physiological effects of these modifications. Finally, we review our understanding of the role of O-GlcNAcylation in Drosophila, where recent studies suggest that the developmental defects in Ogt mutants are all caused by lack of O-GlcNAcylation of a single transcriptional regulator, the Polycomb repressor protein Polyhomeotic (Ph). Collectively, this reexamination of the experimental evidence suggests that a number of recently propagated models about the role of O-GlcNAcylation in transcriptional control should be treated cautiously.

Minireview series on the thirtieth anniversary of research on O-GlcNAcylation of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins: Nutrient regulation of cellular metabolism and physiology by O-GlcNAcylation

The dynamic cycling of N-acetylglucosamine (termed O-GlcNAcylation) on serine or threonine residues of nuclear or cytoplasmic proteins serves as a nutrient sensor, both independently and also via its interplay with other post-translational modifications, to regulate signaling, transcription, and cellular physiology. Emerging evidence suggests that dysregulation of this ubiquitous post-translational modification contributes to the etiology of some the most important human chronic diseases.

O-GlcNAcase: promiscuous hexosaminidase or key regulator of O-GlcNAc signaling?

O-GlcNAc signaling is regulated by an opposing pair of enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase installs and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) removes the modification from proteins. The dynamics and regulation of this process are only beginning to be understood as the physiological functions of both enzymes are being probed using genetic and pharmacological approaches. This minireview charts the discovery and functional and structural analysis of OGA and summarizes the insights gained from recent studies using OGA inhibition, gene knock-out, and overexpression. We identify several areas of “known unknowns” that would benefit from future research, such as the enigmatic C-terminal domain of OGA.