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Ragucci S, Russo V, Clemente A, Campanile MG, Oliva MA, Landi N, Pedone PV, Arcella A, Di Maro A. Hortensins, Type 1 Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins from Seeds of Red Mountain Spinach: Isolation, Characterization, and Their Effect on Glioblastoma Cells. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:135. [PMID: 38535801 PMCID: PMC10975204 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16030135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are specific N-β-glycosylases that are well-characterized in plants. Their enzymatic action is to damage ribosomes, thereby blocking protein translation. Recently, several research groups have been working on the screening for these toxins in edible plants to facilitate the use of RIPs as biotechnological tools and biopesticides and to overcome public prejudice. Here, four novel monomeric (type 1) RIPs have been isolated from the seeds of Atriplex hortensis L. var. rubra, which is commonly known as edible red mountain spinach. These enzymes, named hortensins 1, 2, 4, and 5, are able to release the β-fragment and, like many other RIPs, adenines from salmon sperm DNA, thus, acting as polynucleotide:adenosine glycosidases. Structurally, hortensins have a different molecular weight and are purified with different yields (hortensin 1, ~29.5 kDa, 0.28 mg per 100 g; hortensin 2, ~29 kDa, 0.29 mg per 100 g; hortensin 4, ~28.5 kDa, 0.71 mg per 100 g; and hortensin 5, ~30 kDa, 0.65 mg per 100 g); only hortensins 2 and 4 are glycosylated. Furthermore, the major isoforms (hortensins 4 and 5) are cytotoxic toward human continuous glioblastoma U87MG cell line. In addition, the morphological change in U87MG cells in the presence of these toxins is indicative of cell death triggered by the apoptotic pathway, as revealed by nuclear DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ragucci
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Veronica Russo
- IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo 'NEUROMED', Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Angela Clemente
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Maria Giuseppina Campanile
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Oliva
- IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo 'NEUROMED', Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Nicola Landi
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Paolo Vincenzo Pedone
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Antonietta Arcella
- IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo 'NEUROMED', Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Antimo Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
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Bortolotti M, Biscotti F, Zanello A, Polito L, Bolognesi A. Heterophyllin: A New Adenia Toxic Lectin with Peculiar Biological Properties. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 16:1. [PMID: 38276525 PMCID: PMC10820617 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are plant toxins that were identified for their ability to irreversibly damage ribosomes, thereby causing arrest of protein synthesis and induction of cell death. The RIPs purified from Adenia plants are the most potent ones. Here, we describe a novel toxic lectin from Adenia heterophylla caudex, which has been named heterophyllin. Heterophyllin shows the enzymatic and lectin properties of type 2 RIPs. Interestingly, in immunoreactivity experiments, heterophyllin poorly cross-reacts with sera against all other tested RIPs. The cytotoxic effects and death pathways triggered by heterophyllin were investigated in three human-derived cell lines: NB100, T24, and MCF7, and compared to ricin, the most known and studied type 2 RIP. Heterophyllin was able to completely abolish cell viability at nM concentration. A strong induction of apoptosis, but not necrosis, and the involvement of oxidative stress and necroptosis were observed in all the tested cell lines. Therefore, the enzymatic, immunological, and biological activities of heterophyllin make it an interesting molecule, worthy of further in-depth analysis to verify its possible pharmacological application.
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Ragucci S, Castaldi S, Landi N, Isticato R, Di Maro A. Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from Cyclocybe aegerita Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:578. [PMID: 37756004 PMCID: PMC10535218 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090578] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ageritin from poplar mushrooms is a specific endonuclease that hydrolyzes a single phosphodiester bond located in the sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA, thereby blocking protein synthesis. Considering the possible biotechnological use of this enzyme, here we report its antifungal activity against virulent fungi affecting crops of economic interest. Our results show that ageritin (200 µg/plug; ~13.5 nmole) inhibits the growth of Botrytis cinerea (57%), Colletotrichum truncatum (42%), and Alternaria alternata (57%), when tested on potato dextrose agar plates. At the same time, no effect was observed against Trichoderma harzianum (a fungus promoting beneficial effects in plants). To verify whether the antifungal action of ageritin against B. cinerea and T. harzianum was due to ribosome damage, we tested ageritin in vitro on partially isolated B. cinerea and T. harzianum ribosomes. Interestingly, ageritin was able to release the Endo's fragment from both tested fungal ribosomes. We therefore decided to test the antifungal effect of ageritin on B. cinerea and T. harzianum using a different growth condition (liquid medium). Differently from the result in solid medium, ageritin can inhibit both B. cinerea and T. harzianum fungal growth in liquid medium in a concentration-dependent manner up to 35.7% and 38.7%, respectively, at the highest concentration tested (~200 µg/mL; 12 µM), and the analysis of RNA isolated from ageritin-treated cells revealed the presence of Endo's fragment, highlighting its ability to cross the fungal cell wall and reach the ribosomes. Overall, these data highlight that the efficacy of antifungal treatment to prevent or treat a potential fungal disease may depend not only on the fungal species but also on the conditions of toxin application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ragucci
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (S.R.); (N.L.)
| | - Stefany Castaldi
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Nicola Landi
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (S.R.); (N.L.)
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Rachele Isticato
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Antimo Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (S.R.); (N.L.)
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Kocyigit E, Kocaadam-Bozkurt B, Bozkurt O, Ağagündüz D, Capasso R. Plant Toxic Proteins: Their Biological Activities, Mechanism of Action and Removal Strategies. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:356. [PMID: 37368657 PMCID: PMC10303728 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15060356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants evolve to synthesize various natural metabolites to protect themselves against threats, such as insects, predators, microorganisms, and environmental conditions (such as temperature, pH, humidity, salt, and drought). Plant-derived toxic proteins are often secondary metabolites generated by plants. These proteins, including ribosome-inactivating proteins, lectins, protease inhibitors, α-amylase inhibitors, canatoxin-like proteins and ureases, arcelins, antimicrobial peptides, and pore-forming toxins, are found in different plant parts, such as the roots, tubers, stems, fruits, buds, and foliage. Several investigations have been conducted to explore the potential applications of these plant proteins by analyzing their toxic effects and modes of action. In biomedical applications, such as crop protection, drug development, cancer therapy, and genetic engineering, toxic plant proteins have been utilized as potentially useful instruments due to their biological activities. However, these noxious metabolites can be detrimental to human health and cause problems when consumed in high amounts. This review focuses on different plant toxic proteins, their biological activities, and their mechanisms of action. Furthermore, possible usage and removal strategies for these proteins are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Kocyigit
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Ordu University, Cumhuriyet Yerleşkesi, 52200 Ordu, Turkey;
| | - Betul Kocaadam-Bozkurt
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Erzurum Technical University, Yakutiye, 25100 Erzurum, Turkey; (B.K.-B.); (O.B.)
| | - Osman Bozkurt
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Erzurum Technical University, Yakutiye, 25100 Erzurum, Turkey; (B.K.-B.); (O.B.)
| | - Duygu Ağagündüz
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Emek, 06490 Ankara, Turkey;
| | - Raffaele Capasso
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
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Pervaiz A, Naseem N, Saleem T, Raza SM, Shaukat I, Kanwal K, Sajjad O, Iqbal S, Shams F, Ijaz B, Berger MR. Anticancer genes (NOXA, PAR-4, TRAIL) are de-regulated in breast cancer patients and can be targeted by using a ribosomal inactivating plant protein (riproximin). Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:5209-5221. [PMID: 37127809 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08477-3] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anticancer genes are an endogenous defense against transformed cells as they impose antineoplastic effects upon ectopic expression. Profiling the expression of these genes is fundamental for exploring their prognostic and therapeutic relevance in cancers. Natural compounds can upregulate anticancer genes in malignant cells and thus be useful for therapeutic purposes. In this study, we identified the expression levels of anticancer genes in breast cancer clinical isolates. In addition, the purified and sequenced plant protein (riproximin) was evaluated for its potential to induce anticancer genes in two breast cancer cell lines. METHODOLOGY Expression profiles of three anticancer genes (NOXA, PAR-4, TRAIL) were identified by immunohistochemistry in 45 breast cancer clinical isolates. Breast cancer cells were exposed to riproximin and expression of the anticancer genes was determined by microarray, real-time PCR and western blot methodologies. Lastly, a bioinformatic approach was adopted to highlight the molecular/functional significance of the anticancer genes. RESULTS NOXA expression was evenly de-regulated among the clinical isolates, while PAR-4 was significantly down-regulated in majority of the breast cancer tissues. In contrast, TRAIL expression was increased in most of the clinical samples. Expression levels of the anticancer genes followed a distinct trend in accordance with the disease severity. Riproximin showed a substantial potential of inducing expression of the anticancer genes in breast cancer cells at transcriptomic and protein levels. The bioinformatic approach revealed involvement of anticancer genes in multiple cellular functions and signaling cascades. CONCLUSION Anticancer genes were de-regulated and showed discrete expression patterns in breast cancer patient samples. Riproximin effectively induced the expression of selected anticancer genes in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim Pervaiz
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
- Toxicology and Chemotherapy Unit, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Nadia Naseem
- Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology Department, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Talha Saleem
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Syed Mohsin Raza
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Shaukat
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kinzah Kanwal
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Osheen Sajjad
- Institute of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sana Iqbal
- Human Genetics and Molecular Biology Department, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Faiza Shams
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Bushra Ijaz
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Martin R Berger
- Toxicology and Chemotherapy Unit, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Immundiagnostik Comp, Bensheim, Germany
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Bortolotti M, Biscotti F, Zanello A, Bolognesi A, Polito L. New Insights on Saporin Resistance to Chemical Derivatization with Heterobifunctional Reagents. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041214. [PMID: 37189832 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Saporin is a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein widely used as toxic payload in the construction of targeted toxins, chimeric molecules formed by a toxic portion linked to a carrier moiety. Among the most used carriers, there are large molecules (mainly antibodies) and small molecules (such as neurotransmitters, growth factors and peptides). Some saporin-containing targeted toxins have been used for the experimental treatment of several diseases, giving very promising results. In this context, one of the reasons for the successful use of saporin lies in its resistance to proteolytic enzymes and to conjugation procedures. In this paper, we evaluated the influence of derivatization on saporin using three heterobifunctional reagents, namely 2-iminothiolane (2-IT), N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) and 4-succinimidyloxycarbonyl-α-methyl-α-[2-pyridyldithio]toluene (SMPT). In order to obtain the highest number of inserted -SH groups with the lowest reduction of saporin biological activities, we assessed the residual ability of saporin to inhibit protein synthesis, to depurinate DNA and to induce cytotoxicity after derivatization. Our results demonstrate that saporin maintains an excellent resistance to derivatization processes, especially with SPDP, and permit us to define reaction conditions, in which saporin biological properties may not be altered. Therefore, these findings provide useful information for the construction of saporin-based targeted toxins, especially with small carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Bortolotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-DIMEC, General Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Biscotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-DIMEC, General Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Zanello
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-DIMEC, General Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Bolognesi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-DIMEC, General Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Letizia Polito
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-DIMEC, General Pathology Section, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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