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Jung D, Bachmann HS. Regulation of protein prenylation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114915. [PMID: 37236024 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenyltransferases (PTases) are known to play a role in embryonic development, normal tissue homeostasis and cancer by posttranslationally modifying proteins involved in these processes. They are being discussed as potential drug targets in an increasing number of diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's disease to malaria. Protein prenylation and the development of specific PTase inhibitors (PTIs) have been subject to intense research in recent decades. Recently, the FDA approved lonafarnib, a specific farnesyltransferase inhibitor that acts directly on protein prenylation; and bempedoic acid, an ATP citrate lyase inhibitor that might alter intracellular isoprenoid composition, the relative concentrations of which can exert a decisive influence on protein prenylation. Both drugs represent the first approved agent in their respective substance class. Furthermore, an overwhelming number of processes and proteins that regulate protein prenylation have been identified over the years, many of which have been proposed as molecular targets for pharmacotherapy in their own right. However, certain aspects of protein prenylation, such as the regulation of PTase gene expression or the modulation of PTase activity by phosphorylation, have attracted less attention, despite their reported influence on tumor cell proliferation. Here, we want to summarize the advances regarding our understanding of the regulation of protein prenylation and the potential implications for drug development. Additionally, we want to suggest new lines of investigation that encompass the search for regulatory elements for PTases, especially at the genetic and epigenetic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Jung
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Hagen S Bachmann
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany.
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Pekel H, Guzel M, Sensoy O. Mechanistic insight into impact of phosphorylation on the enzymatic steps of farnesyltransferase. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4414. [PMID: 36173156 PMCID: PMC9601885 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Farnesyltransferase (FTase) is a heterodimeric enzyme, which catalyzes covalent attachment of the farnesyl group to target proteins, thus coordinating their trafficking in the cell. FTase has been demonstrated to be highly expressed in cancer and neurological diseases; hence considered as a hot target for therapeutic purposes. However, due to the nonspecific inhibition, there has been only one inhibitor that could be translated into the clinic. Importantly, it has been shown that phosphorylation of the α-subunit of FTase increases the activity of the enzyme in certain diseases. As such, understanding the impact of phosphorylation on dynamics of FTase provides a basis for targeting a specific state of the enzyme that emerges under pathological conditions. To this end, we performed 18 μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using complexes of (non)-phosphorylated FTase that are representatives of the farnesylation reaction. We demonstrated that phosphorylation modulated the catalytic site by rearranging interactions between farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP)/peptide substrate, catalytic Zn2+ ion/coordinating residues and hot-spot residues at the interface of the subunits, all of which led to the stabilization of the substrate and facilitation of the release of the product, thus collectively expediting the reaction rate. Importantly, we also identified a likely allosteric pocket on the phosphorylated FTase, which might be used for specific targeting of the enzyme. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that systematically examines the impact of phosphorylation on the enzymatic reaction steps, hence opens up new avenues for drug discovery studies that focus on targeting phosphorylated FTase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanife Pekel
- Department of Pharmacy ServicesVocational School of Health Services, Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER)Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Mustafa Guzel
- Department of Medical Pharmacology/International School of MedicineIstanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Center of Drug Discovery and DevelopmentResearch Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Ozge Sensoy
- Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER)Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Department of Computer Engineering/School of Engineering and Natural SciencesIstanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
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Impact of a conserved N-terminal proline-rich region of the α-subunit of CAAX-prenyltransferases on their enzyme properties. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:118. [PMID: 35941619 PMCID: PMC9358863 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-00929-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The CAAX-prenyltransferases farnesyltransferase (FTase) and geranylgeranyltransferase I (GGTase I) are heterodimers with a common α- (FTα) and unique β-subunits. Recently, α-subunits of species (e.g., human) that harbour an N-terminal proline-rich region (PRR) showed different dimerization behaviours than α-subunits without PRR (e.g., yeast). However, the specific function of the PRR has not been elucidated so far. METHODS To determine whether the PRR is a conserved motif throughout eukaryotes, we performed phylogenetics. Elucidating the impact of the PRR on enzyme properties, we cloned human as well as rat PRR deficient FTα, expressed them heterologously and compared protein-protein interaction by pull-down as well as crosslinking experiments. Substrate binding, enzyme activity and sensitivity towards common FTase inhibitors of full length and PRR-deletion α-subunits and their physiological partners was determined by continuous fluorescence assays. RESULTS The PRR is highly conserved in mammals, with an exception for marsupials harbouring a poly-alanine region instead. The PRR shows similarities to canonical SH3-binding domains and to profilin-binding domains. Independent of the PRR, the α-subunits were able to dimerize with the different physiological β-subunits in in vitro as well as in yeast two-hybrid experiments. FTase and GGTase I with truncated FTα were active. The KM values for both substrates are in the single-digit µM range and show no significant differences between enzymes with full length and PRR deficient α-subunits within the species. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that an N-terminal PRR of FTα is highly conserved in mammals. We could show that the activity and inhibitability is not influenced by the truncation of the N-terminal region. Nevertheless, this region shows common binding motifs for other proteins involved in cell-signalling, trafficking and phosphorylation, suggesting that this PRR might have other or additional functions in mammals. Our results provide new starting points due to the relevant but only partly understood role of FTα in eukaryotic FTase and GGTase I. Video Abstract.
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Molecular and Pharmacological Characterization of the Interaction between Human Geranylgeranyltransferase Type I and Ras-Related Protein Rap1B. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052501. [PMID: 33801503 PMCID: PMC7958859 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Geranylgeranyltransferase type-I (GGTase-I) represents an important drug target since it contributes to the function of many proteins that are involved in tumor development and metastasis. This led to the development of GGTase-I inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs blocking the protein function and membrane association of e.g., Rap subfamilies that are involved in cell differentiation and cell growth. In the present study, we developed a new NanoBiT assay to monitor the interaction of human GGTase-I and its substrate Rap1B. Different Rap1B prenylation-deficient mutants (C181G, C181S, and ΔCQLL) were designed and investigated for their interaction with GGTase-I. While the Rap1B mutants C181G and C181S still exhibited interaction with human GGTase-I, mutant ΔCQLL, lacking the entire CAAX motif (defined by a cysteine residue, two aliphatic residues, and the C-terminal residue), showed reduced interaction. Moreover, a specific, peptidomimetic and competitive CAAX inhibitor was able to block the interaction of Rap1B with GGTase-I. Furthermore, activation of both Gαs-coupled human adenosine receptors, A2A (A2AAR) and A2B (A2BAR), increased the interaction between GGTase-I and Rap1B, probably representing a way to modulate prenylation and function of Rap1B. Thus, A2AAR and A2BAR antagonists might be promising candidates for therapeutic intervention for different types of cancer that overexpress Rap1B. Finally, the NanoBiT assay provides a tool to investigate the pharmacology of GGTase-I inhibitors.
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Su P, Gao L, Liu S, Guan H, Wang J, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Hu T, Tu L, Zhou J, Ma B, Liu X, Huang L, Gao W. Probing the function of protein farnesyltransferase in Tripterygium wilfordii. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2019; 38:211-220. [PMID: 30506368 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-018-2363-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We found two subunits FTase/GGTaseI-α and FTase-β formed a heterodimer to transfer a farnesyl group from FPP to protein N-dansyl-GCVLS, confirming they are responsible for protein farnesylation in planta. Tripterygium wilfordii is a medicinal plant with a broad spectrum of anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and anti-cancer activities. Recently, a number of studies have focused on investigating the biosynthetic pathways of its bioactive compounds, whereas little attention has been paid to the enzymes which play important roles in regulating diverse developmental processes of T. wilfordii. In this study, we report for the first time the identification and characterization of two subunits of farnesyltransferase (FTase), farnesyltransferase/geranylgeranyltransferase I-α (TwFTase/GGTase I-α) and farnesyltransferase-β (TwFTase-β), in this important medicinal plant. Cell-free in vivo assays, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and pull-down assays showed that the two subunits interact with each other to form a heterodimer to perform the role of specifically transferring a farnesyl group from FPP to the CAAX-box protein N-dansyl-GCVLS. Furthermore, we discovered that the two subunits had the same cytoplasmic localization pattern and displayed the same tissue expression pattern. These results indicated that we identified a functional TwFTase enzyme which contains two functionally complementary subunits TwFTase/GGTase I-α and TwFTase-β, which provides us promising genetic targets to construct transgenic plants or screen for more adaptable T. wilfordii mutants, which are able to survive in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Su
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Linhui Gao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hongyu Guan
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yujun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Tianyuan Hu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
| | - Lichan Tu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
| | - Jiawei Zhou
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
| | - Baowei Ma
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
| | - Xihong Liu
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China
| | - Luqi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Wei Gao
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 10069, China.
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