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Bakhshalizadeh S, Afkhami F, Bell KM, Robevska G, van den Bergen J, Cronin S, Jaillard S, Ayers KL, Kumar P, Siebold C, Xiao Z, Tate EW, Danaei S, Farzadi L, Shahbazi S, Sinclair AH, Tucker EJ. Diverse genetic causes of amenorrhea in an ethnically homogeneous cohort and an evolving approach to diagnosis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 587:112212. [PMID: 38521400 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is characterised by amenorrhea associated with elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) under the age of 40 years and affects 1-3.7% women. Genetic factors explain 20-30% of POI cases, but most causes remain unknown despite genomic advancements. DESIGN We used whole exome sequencing (WES) in four Iranian families, validated variants via Sanger sequencing, and conducted the Acyl-cLIP assay to measure HHAT enzyme activity. RESULTS Despite ethnic homogeneity, WES revealed diverse genetic causes, including a novel homozygous nonsense variant in SYCP2L, impacting synaptonemal complex (SC) assembly, in the first family. Interestingly, the second family had two independent causes for amenorrhea - the mother had POI due to a novel homozygous loss-of-function variant in FANCM (required for chromosomal stability) and her daughter had primary amenorrhea due to a novel homozygous GNRHR (required for gonadotropic signalling) frameshift variant. WES analysis also provided cytogenetic insights. WES revealed one individual was in fact 46, XY and had a novel homozygous missense variant of uncertain significance in HHAT, potentially responsible for complete sex reversal although functional assays did not support impaired HHAT activity. In the remaining individual, WES indicated likely mosaic Turners with the majority of X chromosome variants having an allelic balance of ∼85% or ∼15%. Microarray validated the individual had 90% 45,XO. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the diverse causes of amenorrhea in a small, isolated ethnic cohort highlighting how a genetic cause in one individual may not clarify familial cases. We propose that, in time, genomic sequencing may become a single universal test required for the diagnosis of infertility conditions such as POI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Bakhshalizadeh
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Fateme Afkhami
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Katrina M Bell
- Department of Bioinformatics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Sara Cronin
- Cyto-Molecular Diagnostic Research Laboratory, Victorian Clinical Genetics Services and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sylvie Jaillard
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000, Rennes, France; CHU Rennes, Service de Cytogénétique et Biologie Cellulaire, F-35033, Rennes, France
| | - Katie L Ayers
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Pramod Kumar
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Christian Siebold
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Zhangping Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Shahla Danaei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Laya Farzadi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Shirin Shahbazi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Andrew H Sinclair
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elena J Tucker
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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Ritzefeld M, Zhang L, Xiao Z, Andrei SA, Boyd O, Masumoto N, Rodgers UR, Artelsmair M, Sefer L, Hayes A, Gavriil ES, Raynaud FI, Burke R, Blagg J, Rzepa HS, Siebold C, Magee AI, Lanyon-Hogg T, Tate EW. Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Inhibitors of Hedgehog Acyltransferase. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1061-1078. [PMID: 38198226 PMCID: PMC10823475 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Hedgehog signaling is involved in embryonic development and cancer growth. Functional activity of secreted Hedgehog signaling proteins is dependent on N-terminal palmitoylation, making the palmitoyl transferase Hedgehog acyltransferase (HHAT), a potential drug target and a series of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridines have been identified as HHAT inhibitors. Based on structural data, we designed and synthesized 37 new analogues which we profiled alongside 13 previously reported analogues in enzymatic and cellular assays. Our results show that a central amide linkage, a secondary amine, and (R)-configuration at the 4-position of the core are three key factors for inhibitory potency. Several potent analogues with low- or sub-μM IC50 against purified HHAT also inhibit Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) palmitoylation in cells and suppress the SHH signaling pathway. This work identifies IMP-1575 as the most potent cell-active chemical probe for HHAT function, alongside an inactive control enantiomer, providing tool compounds for validation of HHAT as a target in cellular assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Ritzefeld
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Leran Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Zhangping Xiao
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | | | - Olivia Boyd
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Naoko Masumoto
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Ursula R. Rodgers
- National
Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College
London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Markus Artelsmair
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Lea Sefer
- Division
of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Angela Hayes
- Division
of Cancer Therapeutics, Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | | | - Florence I. Raynaud
- Division
of Cancer Therapeutics, Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Rosemary Burke
- Division
of Cancer Therapeutics, Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Julian Blagg
- Division
of Cancer Therapeutics, Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Henry S. Rzepa
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Christian Siebold
- Division
of Structural Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Anthony I. Magee
- National
Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College
London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | - Edward W. Tate
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
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Jing J, Wu Z, Wang J, Luo G, Lin H, Fan Y, Zhou C. Hedgehog signaling in tissue homeostasis, cancers, and targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:315. [PMID: 37596267 PMCID: PMC10439210 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01559-5] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has seen significant advances in our understanding of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway in various biological events. HH signaling pathway exerts its biological effects through a complex signaling cascade involved with primary cilium. HH signaling pathway has important functions in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. It plays a central role in the regulation of the proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells. Importantly, it has become increasingly clear that HH signaling pathway is associated with increased cancer prevalence, malignant progression, poor prognosis and even increased mortality. Understanding the integrative nature of HH signaling pathway has opened up the potential for new therapeutic targets for cancer. A variety of drugs have been developed, including small molecule inhibitors, natural compounds, and long non-coding RNA (LncRNA), some of which are approved for clinical use. This review outlines recent discoveries of HH signaling in tissue homeostasis and cancer and discusses how these advances are paving the way for the development of new biologically based therapies for cancer. Furthermore, we address status quo and limitations of targeted therapies of HH signaling pathway. Insights from this review will help readers understand the function of HH signaling in homeostasis and cancer, as well as opportunities and challenges of therapeutic targets for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhuoxuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jiahe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guowen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hengyi Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yi Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Chenchen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Schonbrun AR, Resh MD. Hedgehog acyltransferase catalyzes a random sequential reaction and utilizes multiple fatty acyl-CoA substrates. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102422. [PMID: 36030053 PMCID: PMC9513256 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102422] [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: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling is a key component of embryonic development and is a driving force in several cancers. Hedgehog acyltransferase (Hhat), a member of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase family of enzymes, catalyzes the attachment of palmitate to the N-terminal cysteine of Shh, a posttranslation modification critical for Shh signaling. The activity of Hhat has been assayed in cells and in vitro, and cryo-EM structures of Hhat have been reported, yet several unanswered questions remain regarding the enzyme’s reaction mechanism, substrate specificity, and the impact of the latter on Shh signaling. Here, we present an in vitro acylation assay with purified Hhat that directly monitors attachment of a fluorescently tagged fatty acyl chain to Shh. Our kinetic analyses revealed that the reaction catalyzed by Hhat proceeds through a random sequential mechanism. We also determined that Hhat can utilize multiple fatty acyl-CoA substrates for fatty acid transfer to Shh, with comparable affinities and turnover rates for myristoyl-CoA, palmitoyl-CoA, palmitoleoyl-CoA, and oleoyl-CoA. Furthermore, we investigated the functional consequence of differential fatty acylation of Shh in a luciferase-based Shh reporter system. We found that the potency of the signaling response in cells was higher for Shh acylated with saturated fatty acids compared to monounsaturated fatty acids. These findings demonstrate that Hhat can attach fatty acids other than palmitate to Shh and suggest that heterogeneous fatty acylation has the potential to impact Shh signaling in the developing embryo and/or cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina R Schonbrun
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School
| | - Marilyn D Resh
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School; Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY.
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