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Theillet FX, Luchinat E. In-cell NMR: Why and how? PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 132-133:1-112. [PMID: 36496255 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnmrs.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
NMR spectroscopy has been applied to cells and tissues analysis since its beginnings, as early as 1950. We have attempted to gather here in a didactic fashion the broad diversity of data and ideas that emerged from NMR investigations on living cells. Covering a large proportion of the periodic table, NMR spectroscopy permits scrutiny of a great variety of atomic nuclei in all living organisms non-invasively. It has thus provided quantitative information on cellular atoms and their chemical environment, dynamics, or interactions. We will show that NMR studies have generated valuable knowledge on a vast array of cellular molecules and events, from water, salts, metabolites, cell walls, proteins, nucleic acids, drugs and drug targets, to pH, redox equilibria and chemical reactions. The characterization of such a multitude of objects at the atomic scale has thus shaped our mental representation of cellular life at multiple levels, together with major techniques like mass-spectrometry or microscopies. NMR studies on cells has accompanied the developments of MRI and metabolomics, and various subfields have flourished, coined with appealing names: fluxomics, foodomics, MRI and MRS (i.e. imaging and localized spectroscopy of living tissues, respectively), whole-cell NMR, on-cell ligand-based NMR, systems NMR, cellular structural biology, in-cell NMR… All these have not grown separately, but rather by reinforcing each other like a braided trunk. Hence, we try here to provide an analytical account of a large ensemble of intricately linked approaches, whose integration has been and will be key to their success. We present extensive overviews, firstly on the various types of information provided by NMR in a cellular environment (the "why", oriented towards a broad readership), and secondly on the employed NMR techniques and setups (the "how", where we discuss the past, current and future methods). Each subsection is constructed as a historical anthology, showing how the intrinsic properties of NMR spectroscopy and its developments structured the accessible knowledge on cellular phenomena. Using this systematic approach, we sought i) to make this review accessible to the broadest audience and ii) to highlight some early techniques that may find renewed interest. Finally, we present a brief discussion on what may be potential and desirable developments in the context of integrative studies in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Xavier Theillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Enrico Luchinat
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena, Italy; CERM - Magnetic Resonance Center, and Neurofarba Department, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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High-Resolution Conformational Analysis of RGDechi-Derived Peptides Based on a Combination of NMR Spectroscopy and MD Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911039. [PMID: 36232339 PMCID: PMC9569650 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The crucial role of integrin in pathological processes such as tumor progression and metastasis formation has inspired intense efforts to design novel pharmaceutical agents modulating integrin functions in order to provide new tools for potential therapies. In the past decade, we have investigated the biological proprieties of the chimeric peptide RGDechi, containing a cyclic RGD motif linked to an echistatin C-terminal fragment, able to specifically recognize αvβ3 without cross reacting with αvβ5 and αIIbβ3 integrin. Additionally, we have demonstrated using two RGDechi-derived peptides, called RGDechi1-14 and ψRGDechi, that chemical modifications introduced in the C-terminal part of the peptide alter or abolish the binding to the αvβ3 integrin. Here, to shed light on the structural and dynamical determinants involved in the integrin recognition mechanism, we investigate the effects of the chemical modifications by exploring the conformational space sampled by RGDechi1-14 and ψRGDechi using an integrated natural-abundance NMR/MD approach. Our data demonstrate that the flexibility of the RGD-containing cycle is driven by the echistatin C-terminal region of the RGDechi peptide through a coupling mechanism between the N- and C-terminal regions.
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Abstract
In-cell structural biology aims at extracting structural information about proteins or nucleic acids in their native, cellular environment. This emerging field holds great promise and is already providing new facts and outlooks of interest at both fundamental and applied levels. NMR spectroscopy has important contributions on this stage: It brings information on a broad variety of nuclei at the atomic scale, which ensures its great versatility and uniqueness. Here, we detail the methods, the fundamental knowledge, and the applications in biomedical engineering related to in-cell structural biology by NMR. We finally propose a brief overview of the main other techniques in the field (EPR, smFRET, cryo-ET, etc.) to draw some advisable developments for in-cell NMR. In the era of large-scale screenings and deep learning, both accurate and qualitative experimental evidence are as essential as ever to understand the interior life of cells. In-cell structural biology by NMR spectroscopy can generate such a knowledge, and it does so at the atomic scale. This review is meant to deliver comprehensive but accessible information, with advanced technical details and reflections on the methods, the nature of the results, and the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Xavier Theillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Farina B, Andrea C, Del Gatto A, Comegna D, Di Gaetano S, Capasso D, Paladino A, Acconcia C, Teresa Gentile M, Saviano M, Fattorusso R, Zaccaro L, Russo L. A novel approach for studying receptor-ligand interactions on living cells surface by using NUS/T1ρ-NMR methodologies combined with computational techniques: The RGDechi15D-α vβ 5 integrin complex. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3303-3318. [PMID: 34188779 PMCID: PMC8207173 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural investigations of receptor-ligand interactions on living cells surface by high-resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) are problematic due to their short lifetime, which often prevents the acquisition of experiments longer than few hours. To overcome these limitations, we developed an on-cell NMR-based approach for exploring the molecular determinants driving the receptor-ligand recognition mechanism under native conditions. Our method relies on the combination of high-resolution structural and dynamics NMR data with Molecular Dynamics simulations and Molecular Docking studies. The key point of our strategy is the use of Non Uniform Sampling (NUS) and T1ρ-NMR techniques to collect atomic-resolution structural and dynamics information on the receptor-ligand interactions with living cells, that can be used as conformational constraints in computational studies. In fact, the application of these two NMR methodologies allows to record spectra with high S/N ratio and resolution within the lifetime of cells. In particular, 2D NUS [1H–1H] trNOESY spectra are used to explore the ligand conformational changes induced by receptor binding; whereas T1ρ-based experiments are applied to characterize the ligand binding epitope by defining two parameters: T1ρ Attenuation factor and T1ρ Binding Effect. This approach has been tested to characterize the molecular determinants regulating the recognition mechanism of αvβ5-integrin by a selective cyclic binder peptide named RGDechi15D. Our data demonstrate that the developed strategy represents an alternative in-cell NMR tool for studying, at atomic resolution, receptor-ligand recognition mechanism on living cells surface. Additionally, our application may be extremely useful for screening of the interaction profiling of drugs with their therapeutic targets in their native cellular environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biancamaria Farina
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.,Advanced Accelerator Applications, a Novartis Company, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Corvino Andrea
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Annarita Del Gatto
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Comegna
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Sonia Di Gaetano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Domenica Capasso
- Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.,Center for Life Sciences and Technologies (CESTEV) University of Naples Federico II, Via Tommaso De Amicis 95, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Paladino
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, via Francesco de Sanctis, Benevento 82100, Italy
| | - Clementina Acconcia
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Gentile
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography-CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Fattorusso
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Zaccaro
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania - Luigi Vanvitelli, via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
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Capasso D, Del Gatto A, Comegna D, Russo L, Fattorusso R, Saviano M, Di Gaetano S, Zaccaro L. Selective Targeting of αvβ5 Integrin in HepG2 Cell Line by RGDechi15D Peptide. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25184298. [PMID: 32961684 PMCID: PMC7570809 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the research community has become increasingly concerned with the receptor αvβ5, a member of the well-known integrin family. Different ongoing studies have evidenced that αvβ5 integrin regulates not only physiological processes but also a wide array of pathological events, suggesting the receptor as a valuable biomarker to specifically target for therapeutic/diagnostic purposes. Remarkably, in some tumors the involvement of the receptor in cell proliferation, tumor dissemination and angiogenesis is well-documented. In this scenario, the availability of a selective αvβ5 antagonist without ‘off-target’ protein effects may improve survival rate in patients with highly aggressive tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma. We recently reported a cyclic peptide, RGDechi15D, obtained by structure-activity studies. To our knowledge it represents the first peptide-based molecule reported in the literature able to specifically bind αvβ5 integrin and not cross react with αvβ3. Here we demonstrated the ability of the peptide to diminish both adhesion and invasion of HepG2 cells, an in vitro model system for hepatocellular carcinoma, to reduce the cell proliferation through an apoptotic process, and to interfere with the PI3K pathway. The peptide, also decreases the formation of new vessels in endothelial cells. Taken together these results indicate that the peptide can be considered a promising molecule with properties suited to be assessed in the future for its validation as a selective therapeutic/diagnostic weapon in hepatocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenica Capasso
- CESTEV, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80145 Naples, Italy;
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Annarita Del Gatto
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy;
| | - Daniela Comegna
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy;
| | - Luigi Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Roberto Fattorusso
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Michele Saviano
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Sonia Di Gaetano
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.D.G.); (L.Z.)
| | - Laura Zaccaro
- CIRPeB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (A.D.G.); (R.F.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.D.G.); (L.Z.)
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Farina B, Del Gatto A, Comegna D, Di Gaetano S, Capasso D, Isernia C, Saviano M, Fattorusso R, Zaccaro L, Russo L. Conformational studies of RGDechi peptide by natural-abundance NMR spectroscopy. J Pept Sci 2019; 25:e3166. [PMID: 30884005 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Integrins are heterodimeric cell-surface proteins that play important roles during developmental and pathological processes. Diverse human pathologies involve integrin adhesion including thrombotic diseases, inflammation, tumour progression, fibrosis, and infectious diseases. Although in the past decade, novel integrin-inhibitor drugs have been developed for integrin-based medical applications, the structural determinants modulating integrin-ligands recognition mechanisms are still poorly understood, reducing the number of integrin subtype exclusive antagonists. In this scenario, we have very recently showed, by means of chemical and biological assays, that a chimeric peptide (named RGDechi), containing a cyclic RGD motif linked to an echistatin C-terminal fragment, is able to interact with the components of integrin family with variable affinities, the highest for αv β3. Here, in order to understand the mechanistic details driving the molecular recognition mechanism of αv β3 by RGDechi, we have performed a detailed structural and dynamics characterization of the free peptide by natural abundance nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Our data indicate that RGDechi presents in solution an heterogeneous conformational ensemble characterized by a more constrained and rigid pentacyclic ring and a largely unstructured acyclic region. Moreover, we propose that the molecular recognition of αv β3 integrin by RGDechi occurs by a combination of conformational selection and induced fit mechanisms. Finally, our study indicates that a detailed NMR characterization, by means of natural abundance 15 N and 13 C, of a mostly unstructured bioactive peptide may provide the molecular basis to get essential structural insights into the binding mechanism to the biological partner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Annarita Del Gatto
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Comegna
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Naples, Italy
| | - Sonia Di Gaetano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenica Capasso
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carla Isernia
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Fattorusso
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Laura Zaccaro
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, Naples, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center of Bioactive Peptide, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
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Therapeutic Potential of a Novel α vβ₃ Antagonist to Hamper the Aggressiveness of Mesenchymal Triple Negative Breast Cancer Sub-Type. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11020139. [PMID: 30682838 PMCID: PMC6406933 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mesenchymal sub-type of triple negative breast cancer (MES-TNBC) has a highly aggressive behavior and worse prognosis, due to its invasive and stem-like features, that correlate with metastatic dissemination and resistance to therapies. Furthermore, MES-TNBC is characterized by the expression of molecular markers related to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and cancer stem cells (CSCs). The altered expression of αvβ3 integrin has been well established as a driver of cancer progression, stemness, and metastasis. Here, we showed that the high levels of αvβ3 are associated with MES-TNBC and therefore exploited the possibility to target this integrin to reduce the aggressiveness of this carcinoma. To this aim, MES-TNBC cells were treated with a novel peptide, named ψRGDechi, that we recently developed and characterized for its ability to selectively bind and inhibit αvβ3 integrin. Notably, ψRGDechi was able to hamper adhesion, migration, and invasion of MES-TNBC cells, as well as the capability of these cells to form vascular-like structures and mammospheres. In addition, this peptide reversed EMT program inhibits mesenchymal markers. These findings show that targeting αvβ3 integrin by ψRGDechi, it is possible to inhibit some of the malignant properties of MES-TNBC phenotype.
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