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Guven O, Sever B, Başoğlu-Ünal F, Ece A, Tateishi H, Koga R, Radwan MO, Demir N, Can M, Dilsiz Aytemir M, Inoue JI, Otsuka M, Fujita M, Ciftci H, DeMirci H. Structural Characterization of TRAF6 N-Terminal for Therapeutic Uses and Computational Studies on New Derivatives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1608. [PMID: 38004473 PMCID: PMC10674494 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are a protein family with a wide variety of roles and binding partners. Among them, TRAF6, a ubiquitin ligase, possesses unique receptor binding specificity and shows diverse functions in immune system regulation, cellular signaling, central nervous system, and tumor formation. TRAF6 consists of an N-terminal Really Interesting New Gene (RING) domain, multiple zinc fingers, and a C-terminal TRAF domain. TRAF6 is an important therapeutic target for various disorders and structural studies of this protein are crucial for the development of next-generation therapeutics. Here, we presented a TRAF6 N-terminal structure determined at the Turkish light source "Turkish DeLight" to be 3.2 Å resolution at cryogenic temperature (PDB ID: 8HZ2). This structure offers insight into the domain organization and zinc-binding, which are critical for protein function. Since the RING domain and the zinc fingers are key targets for TRAF6 therapeutics, structural insights are crucial for future research. Separately, we rationally designed numerous new compounds and performed molecular docking studies using this template (PDB ID:8HZ2). According to the results, 10 new compounds formed key interactions with essential residues and zinc ion in the N-terminal region of TRAF6. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed for 300 ns to evaluate the stability of three docked complexes (compounds 256, 322, and 489). Compounds 256 and 489 was found to possess favorable bindings with TRAF6. These new compounds also showed moderate to good pharmacokinetic profiles, making them potential future drug candidates as TRAF6 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omur Guven
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey;
| | - Belgin Sever
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, Turkey
| | - Faika Başoğlu-Ünal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, European University of Lefke, Northern Cyprus, TR-10, Mersin 99770, Turkey;
| | - Abdulilah Ece
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Biruni University, Istanbul 34015, Turkey;
| | - Hiroshi Tateishi
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
| | - Ryoko Koga
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
| | - Mohamed O. Radwan
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
| | - Nefise Demir
- Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir 35620, Turkey;
| | - Mustafa Can
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Engineering Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir 35620, Turkey;
| | - Mutlu Dilsiz Aytemir
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Izmir 35620, Turkey;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 6100, Turkey
| | - Jun-ichiro Inoue
- Research Platform Office, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan;
| | - Masami Otsuka
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
| | - Mikako Fujita
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
| | - Halilibrahim Ciftci
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey;
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan; (B.S.); (H.T.); (R.K.); (M.O.); (M.F.)
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
| | - Hasan DeMirci
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey;
- Koc University Isbank Center for Infectious Diseases (KUISCID), Koc University, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
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Santarelli S, Londero C, Soldano A, Candelaresi C, Todeschini L, Vernizzi L, Bellosta P. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases induced by proteinopathies. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1082047. [PMID: 37274187 PMCID: PMC10232775 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1082047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteinopathies are a large group of neurodegenerative diseases caused by both genetic and sporadic mutations in particular genes which can lead to alterations of the protein structure and to the formation of aggregates, especially toxic for neurons. Autophagy is a key mechanism for clearing those aggregates and its function has been strongly associated with the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), hence mutations in both pathways have been associated with the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those induced by protein misfolding and accumulation of aggregates. Many crucial discoveries regarding the molecular and cellular events underlying the role of autophagy in these diseases have come from studies using Drosophila models. Indeed, despite the physiological and morphological differences between the fly and the human brain, most of the biochemical and molecular aspects regulating protein homeostasis, including autophagy, are conserved between the two species.In this review, we will provide an overview of the most common neurodegenerative proteinopathies, which include PolyQ diseases (Huntington's disease, Spinocerebellar ataxia 1, 2, and 3), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (C9orf72, SOD1, TDP-43, FUS), Alzheimer's disease (APP, Tau) Parkinson's disease (a-syn, parkin and PINK1, LRRK2) and prion diseases, highlighting the studies using Drosophila that have contributed to understanding the conserved mechanisms and elucidating the role of autophagy in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Santarelli
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara Londero
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessia Soldano
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlotta Candelaresi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Leonardo Todeschini
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luisa Vernizzi
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paola Bellosta
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CiBiO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Department of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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Thellung S, Corsaro A, Dellacasagrande I, Nizzari M, Zambito M, Florio T. Proteostasis unbalance in prion diseases: Mechanisms of neurodegeneration and therapeutic targets. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:966019. [PMID: 36148145 PMCID: PMC9485628 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.966019] [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: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are progressive neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system that affect humans and animals as sporadic, inherited, and infectious forms. Similarly to Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, any attempt to reduce TSEs' lethality or increase the life expectancy of affected individuals has been unsuccessful. Typically, the onset of symptoms anticipates the fatal outcome of less than 1 year, although it is believed to be the consequence of a decades-long process of neuronal death. The duration of the symptoms-free period represents by itself a major obstacle to carry out effective neuroprotective therapies. Prions, the infectious entities of TSEs, are composed of a protease-resistant protein named prion protein scrapie (PrPSc) from the prototypical TSE form that afflicts ovines. PrPSc misfolding from its physiological counterpart, cellular prion protein (PrPC), is the unifying pathogenic trait of all TSEs. PrPSc is resistant to intracellular turnover and undergoes amyloid-like fibrillation passing through the formation of soluble dimers and oligomers, which are likely the effective neurotoxic entities. The failure of PrPSc removal is a key pathogenic event that defines TSEs as proteopathies, likewise other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease, characterized by alteration of proteostasis. Under physiological conditions, protein quality control, led by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and macroautophagy clears cytoplasm from improperly folded, redundant, or aggregation-prone proteins. There is evidence that both of these crucial homeostatic pathways are impaired during the development of TSEs, although it is still unclear whether proteostasis alteration facilitates prion protein misfolding or, rather, PrPSc protease resistance hampers cytoplasmic protein quality control. This review is aimed to critically analyze the most recent advancements in the cause-effect correlation between PrPC misfolding and proteostasis alterations and to discuss the possibility that pharmacological restoring of ubiquitin-proteasomal competence and stimulation of autophagy could reduce the intracellular burden of PrPSc and ameliorate the severity of prion-associated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Thellung
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Irene Dellacasagrande
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Mario Nizzari
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Martina Zambito
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine (DiMI), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Tullio Florio
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