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Gössweiner-Mohr N, Siligan C, Pluhackova K, Umlandt L, Koefler S, Trajkovska N, Horner A. The Hidden Intricacies of Aquaporins: Remarkable Details in a Common Structural Scaffold. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2202056. [PMID: 35802902 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution turned aquaporins (AQPs) into the most efficient facilitators of passive water flow through cell membranes at no expense of solute discrimination. In spite of a plethora of solved AQP structures, many structural details remain hidden. Here, by combining extensive sequence- and structural-based analysis of a unique set of 20 non-redundant high-resolution structures and molecular dynamics simulations of four representatives, key aspects of AQP stability, gating, selectivity, pore geometry, and oligomerization, with a potential impact on channel functionality, are identified. The general view of AQPs possessing a continuous open water pore is challenged and it is depicted that AQPs' selectivity is not exclusively shaped by pore-lining residues but also by the relative arrangement of transmembrane helices. Moreover, this analysis reveals that hydrophobic interactions constitute the main determinant of protein thermal stability. Finally, a numbering scheme of the conserved AQP scaffold is established, facilitating direct comparison of, for example, disease-causing mutations and prediction of potential structural consequences. Additionally, the results pave the way for the design of optimized AQP water channels to be utilized in biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Siligan
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Kristyna Pluhackova
- Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, Cluster of Excellence EXC 2075, Universitätsstr. 32, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Linnea Umlandt
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Sabina Koefler
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Natasha Trajkovska
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
| | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Gruberstr. 40, Linz, 4020, Austria
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Azad AK, Raihan T, Ahmed J, Hakim A, Emon TH, Chowdhury PA. Human Aquaporins: Functional Diversity and Potential Roles in Infectious and Non-infectious Diseases. Front Genet 2021; 12:654865. [PMID: 33796134 PMCID: PMC8007926 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.654865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins and found in all living organisms from bacteria to human. AQPs mainly involved in the transmembrane diffusion of water as well as various small solutes in a bidirectional manner are widely distributed in various human tissues. Human contains 13 AQPs (AQP0-AQP12) which are divided into three sub-classes namely orthodox aquaporin (AQP0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8), aquaglyceroporin (AQP3, 7, 9, and 10) and super or unorthodox aquaporin (AQP11 and 12) based on their pore selectivity. Human AQPs are functionally diverse, which are involved in wide variety of non-infectious diseases including cancer, renal dysfunction, neurological disorder, epilepsy, skin disease, metabolic syndrome, and even cardiac diseases. However, the association of AQPs with infectious diseases has not been fully evaluated. Several studies have unveiled that AQPs can be regulated by microbial and parasitic infections that suggest their involvement in microbial pathogenesis, inflammation-associated responses and AQP-mediated cell water homeostasis. This review mainly aims to shed light on the involvement of AQPs in infectious and non-infectious diseases and potential AQPs-target modulators. Furthermore, AQP structures, tissue-specific distributions and their physiological relevance, functional diversity and regulations have been discussed. Altogether, this review would be useful for further investigation of AQPs as a potential therapeutic target for treatment of infectious as well as non-infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abul Kalam Azad
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Topu Raihan
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Jahed Ahmed
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Al Hakim
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Tanvir Hossain Emon
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
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Calamita G, Perret J, Delporte C. Aquaglyceroporins: Drug Targets for Metabolic Diseases? Front Physiol 2018; 9:851. [PMID: 30042691 PMCID: PMC6048697 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of transmembrane channel proteins facilitating the transport of water, small solutes, and gasses across biological membranes. AQPs are expressed in all tissues and ensure multiple roles under normal and pathophysiological conditions. Aquaglyceroporins are a subfamily of AQPs permeable to glycerol in addition to water and participate thereby to energy metabolism. This review focalizes on the present knowledge of the expression, regulation and physiological roles of AQPs in adipose tissue, liver and endocrine pancreas, that are involved in energy metabolism. In addition, the review aims at summarizing the involvement of AQPs in metabolic disorders, such as obesity, diabetes and liver diseases. Finally, challenges and recent advances related to pharmacological modulation of AQPs expression and function to control and treat metabolic diseases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Calamita
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Jason Perret
- Laboratory of Pathophysiological and Nutritional Biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Delporte
- Laboratory of Pathophysiological and Nutritional Biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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Meier A, Erler H, Beitz E. Targeting Channels and Transporters in Protozoan Parasite Infections. Front Chem 2018; 6:88. [PMID: 29637069 PMCID: PMC5881087 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic protozoa are among the most significant causes of death in humans. Therapeutic options are scarce and massively challenged by the emergence of resistant parasite strains. Many of the current anti-parasite drugs target soluble enzymes, generate unspecific oxidative stress, or act by an unresolved mechanism within the parasite. In recent years, collections of drug-like compounds derived from large-scale phenotypic screenings, such as the malaria or pathogen box, have been made available to researchers free of charge boosting the identification of novel promising targets. Remarkably, several of the compound hits have been found to inhibit membrane proteins at the periphery of the parasites, i.e., channels and transporters for ions and metabolites. In this review, we will focus on the progress made on targeting channels and transporters at different levels and the potential for use against infections with apicomplexan parasites mainly Plasmodium spp. (malaria) and Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis), with kinetoplastids Trypanosoma brucei (sleeping sickness), Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease), and Leishmania ssp. (leishmaniasis), and the amoeba Entamoeba histolytica (amoebiasis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Meier
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Holger Erler
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eric Beitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Song J, Baker N, Rothert M, Henke B, Jeacock L, Horn D, Beitz E. Pentamidine Is Not a Permeant but a Nanomolar Inhibitor of the Trypanosoma brucei Aquaglyceroporin-2. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005436. [PMID: 26828608 PMCID: PMC4734766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemotherapeutic arsenal against human African trypanosomiasis, sleeping sickness, is limited and can cause severe, often fatal, side effects. One of the classic and most widely used drugs is pentamidine, an aromatic diamidine compound introduced in the 1940s. Recently, a genome-wide loss-of-function screen and a subsequently generated trypanosome knockout strain revealed a specific aquaglyceroporin, TbAQP2, to be required for high-affinity uptake of pentamidine. Yet, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, we show that TbAQP2 is not a direct transporter for the di-basic, positively charged pentamidine. Even though one of the two common cation filters of aquaglyceroporins, i.e. the aromatic/arginine selectivity filter, is unconventional in TbAQP2, positively charged compounds are still excluded from passing the channel. We found, instead, that the unique selectivity filter layout renders pentamidine a nanomolar inhibitor of TbAQP2 glycerol permeability. Full, non-covalent inhibition of an aqua(glycero)porin in the nanomolar range has not been achieved before. The remarkable affinity derives from an electrostatic interaction with Asp265 and shielding from water as shown by structure-function evaluation and point mutation of Asp265. Exchange of the preceding Leu264 to arginine abolished pentamidine-binding and parasites expressing this mutant were pentamidine-resistant. Our results indicate that TbAQP2 is a high-affinity receptor for pentamidine. Taken together with localization of TbAQP2 in the flagellar pocket of bloodstream trypanosomes, we propose that pentamidine uptake is by endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Song
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Nicola Baker
- Division of Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Monja Rothert
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Björn Henke
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Laura Jeacock
- Division of Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - David Horn
- Division of Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Beitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Bi-functionality of Opisthorchis viverrini aquaporins. Biochimie 2014; 108:149-59. [PMID: 25461277 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQP) are essential mediators of water regulation in all living organisms and members of the major intrinsic protein (MIP) superfamily of integral membrane proteins. They are potential vehicles or targets for chemotherapy, e.g. in Trypanosoma brucei melarsoprol and pentamidine uptake is facilitated by TbAQP-2. Transcriptome data suggests that there are at least three active aquaporins in the human liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, OvAQP-1, 2 and 3, and crude RNA silencing of OvAQP-1 and 2 has recently been shown to affect parasite swelling in destilled water. In the present work we demonstrate that OvAQP-3 is a major water-conducting channel of the parasite, that it can be detected from the newly excysted juvenile to the adult stage and that it is present in major tissues of the parasite. Furthermore, a comparative functional characterization of the three parasite AQPs was performed by using Xenopus oocyte swelling and yeast phenotypic assays. OvAQP-1, OvAQP-2, and OvAQP-3 were found to conduct water and glycerol while only the latter two were also able to conduct urea. In addition, all OvAQPs were found to transport ammonia and methylamine. Our findings demonstrate that the sequence-based classification into orthodox aquaporins and glycerol-conducting aquaglyceroporins is not functionally conserved in the parasite and implicate a broder range of functions for these channels.
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Parasite aquaporins: Current developments in drug facilitation and resistance. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2014; 1840:1566-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Revised: 10/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Rubinos DA, Calvo V, Iglesias L, Barral MT. Acute toxicity of arsenic to Aliivibrio fischeri (Microtox bioassay) as influenced by potential competitive-protective agents. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:8631-8644. [PMID: 24705848 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2715-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effect of some potential alleviative compounds against the acute toxicity of arsenic (As(V), As(III) and DMA(V)) on Aliivibrio fischeri (formerly Vibrio fischeri), a bioluminescent model bacterium, through the Microtox bioassay. The compounds studied differed in their mechanism of action, and they included the following: phosphate and glycerol, as chemical analogues (and potential competitors) of As(V) or As(III), respectively; citrate, a weak natural organic ligand; and the antioxidant ascorbic acid. Special attention was paid to phosphate effects, a widespread pollutant in natural environments. As(V) was found to be more acutely toxic than As(III) to A. fischeri, in accordance with its higher interaction with the bacteria. Both As(V) and As(III) were found to be much more acutely toxic than DMA(V), which was essentially non-acutely toxic even at very high concentrations. Phosphate presence (at equimolar P/As ratios or higher) resulted in the almost total suppression of bioluminescence inhibition, suggesting it exerts an alleviative effect against As(V) acute toxicity on A. fischeri. Interestingly, the uptake and the percentage of extracellular As(V) were not affected by the addition of phosphate, suggesting that such protective effect does not result from the competition for their common transporters. In contrast, the acute toxicity of As(III) was essentially unaffected by phosphate. Glycerol did not decrease the acute toxicity or the uptake of As(III) by A. fischeri, denoting the likely occurrence of an additional mechanism for As(III) uptake in such bacteria. Similarly, citrate and ascorbic acid essentially did not caused alleviation of As(V) or As(III) acute toxicity. As for environmental and operational implications, P could beneficially protect aquatic microorganisms against acute detrimental effects of As(V), whilst its presence could mask the toxicity due to As(V) when assessed using the Microtox bioassay, thus leading to seriously underestimate the actual ecological and health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Rubinos
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain,
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Mukhopadhyay R, Bhattacharjee H, Rosen BP. Aquaglyceroporins: generalized metalloid channels. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2013; 1840:1583-91. [PMID: 24291688 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aquaporins (AQPs), members of a superfamily of transmembrane channel proteins, are ubiquitous in all domains of life. They fall into a number of branches that can be functionally categorized into two major sub-groups: i) orthodox aquaporins, which are water-specific channels, and ii) aquaglyceroporins, which allow the transport of water, non-polar solutes, such as urea or glycerol, the reactive oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, and gases such as ammonia, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide and, as described in this review, metalloids. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review summarizes the key findings that AQP channels conduct bidirectional movement of metalloids into and out of cells. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS As(OH)3 and Sb(OH)3 behave as inorganic molecular mimics of glycerol, a property that allows their passage through AQP channels. Plant AQPs also allow the passage of boron and silicon as their hydroxyacids, boric acid (B(OH)3) and orthosilicic acid (Si(OH)4), respectively. Genetic analysis suggests that germanic acid (GeO2) is also a substrate. While As(III), Sb(III) and Ge(IV) are toxic metalloids, borate (B(III)) and silicate (Si(IV)) are essential elements in higher plants. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The uptake of environmental metalloids by aquaporins provides an understanding of (i) how toxic elements such as arsenic enter the food chain; (ii) the delivery of arsenic and antimony containing drugs in the treatment of certain forms of leukemia and chemotherapy of diseases caused by pathogenic protozoa; and (iii) the possibility that food plants such as rice could be made safer by genetically modifying them to exclude arsenic while still accumulating boron and silicon. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Aquaporins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Hiranmoy Bhattacharjee
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Barry P Rosen
- Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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Aquaporins in drug discovery and pharmacotherapy. Mol Aspects Med 2012; 33:691-703. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2012.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2011] [Revised: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Increasing the activity of copper(II) complexes against Leishmania through lipophilicity and pro-oxidant ability. J Biol Inorg Chem 2011; 17:107-12. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-011-0834-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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