Regulation of protein breakdown by epidermal growth factor in A431 cells

Toward therapeutic targets for SCA3: Insight into the role of Machado-Joseph disease protein ataxin-3 in misfolded proteins clearance

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD, also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, SCA3), an autosomal dominant neurological disorder, is caused by an abnormal expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat in the ataxin-3 protein. The length of the expanded polyQ stretch correlates positively with the severity of the disease and inversely with the age at onset. To date, we cannot fully explain the mechanism underlying neurobiological abnormalities of this disease. Yet, accumulating reports have demonstrated the functions of ataxin-3 protein in the chaperone system, ubiquitin-proteasome system, and aggregation-autophagy, all of which suggest a role of ataxin-3 in the clearance of misfolded proteins. Notably, the SCA3 pathogenic form of ataxin-3 (ataxin-3(exp)) impairs the misfolded protein clearance via mechanisms that are either dependent or independent of its deubiquitinase (DUB) activity, resulting in the accumulation of misfolded proteins and the progressive loss of neurons in SCA3. Some drugs, which have been used as activators/inducers in the chaperone system, ubiquitin-proteasome system, and aggregation-autophagy, have been demonstrated to be efficacious in the relief of neurodegeneration diseases like Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's (PD), Alzheimer's (AD) as well as SCA3 in animal models and clinical trials, putting misfolded protein clearance on the list of potential therapeutic targets. Here, we undertake a comprehensive review of the progress in understanding the physiological functions of ataxin-3 in misfolded protein clearance and how the polyQ expansion impairs misfolded protein clearance. We then detail the preclinical studies targeting the elimination of misfolded proteins for SCA3 treatment. We close with future considerations for translating these pre-clinical results into therapies for SCA3 patients.

Amino acids interfere with the ERK1/2-dependent control of macroautophagy by controlling the activation of Raf-1 in human colon cancer HT-29 cells

Activation of ERK1/2 stimulates macroautophagy in the human colon cancer cell line HT-29 by favoring the phosphorylation of the Galpha-interacting protein (GAIP) in an amino acid-dependent manner (Ogier-Denis, E., Pattingre, S., El Benna, J., and Codogno, P. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 39090-39095). Here we show that ERK1/2 activation by aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) treatment induces the phosphorylation of GAIP in an amino acid-dependent manner. Accordingly, ATA challenge increased the rate of macroautophagy, whereas epidermal growth factor did not significantly affect macroautophagy and GAIP phosphorylation status. In fact, ATA activated the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, whereas epidermal growth factor stimulated both the ERK1/2 pathway and the class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway, known to decrease the rate of macroautophagy. Amino acids interfered with the ATA-induced macroautophagy by inhibiting the activation of the kinase Raf-1. The role of the Ras/Raf-1/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in the GAIP- and amino acid-dependent control of macroautophagy was confirmed in HT-29 cells expressing the Ras(G12V,T35S) mutant. Similar to the protein phosphatase 2A inhibitor okadaic acid, amino acids sustained the phosphorylation of Ser(259), which is involved in the negative regulation of Raf-1. In conclusion, these results add a novel target to the amino acid signaling-dependent control of macroautophagy in intestinal cells.

A cleavable adapter to reduce nonspecific cytotoxicity of recombinant immunotoxins

One of the problems associated with the administration of immunotoxins is hypersensitivity reaction such as vascular leak syndrome. This may be prevented by decreasing the plasma half-life. To improve immunotoxins with respect to reduced side effects, we have previously described the development of a cleavable adapter. This adapter links the toxic moiety and ligand that are usually directly coupled. In our study, the cytotoxicity of saporin linked either directly or via the adapter to epidermal growth factor (EGF) was evaluated in vitro. The immunotoxins exhibited similar cytotoxic activity towards A-431 and HER14 cells (IC(50) < 10 nM). The supernatant from 6 hr cultures of HER14 cells incubated in the presence of the adapter-containing immunotoxin exhibited a significantly reduced cytotoxicity as compared to the directly coupled immunotoxin. Western blotting revealed that the adapter was cleaved, thus supporting our proposal that cleavable adapters may reduce nonspecific effects. A similar reduced half-life was detected in platelet-poor plasma. In contrast MCF-7 cells remain unaffected by the immunotoxins. This was shown to be due to the absence of detectable EGF-receptor in comparison to A-431 and HER14 cells as determined by Western blotting. Furthermore, we could show that the adapter does not exert an effect on the N-glycosidase activity of saporin. These results suggest that the use of cleavable adapters may be a useful tool in immunotoxins for reducing the killing of surrounding noncancerous cells due to nonspecific binding.

Deregulation of protein synthesis as a mechanism of neoplastic transformation

Early research on the cell cycle revealed correlations between protein accumulation and cell proliferation. In this review, I describe the data showing that abnormality of cell growth and tumor development are dependent upon oncogene-induced increases in the levels and activity of factors that determine the rate of protein synthesis. It is proposed that the establishment of a vicious circle, namely oncoproteins-->increase in translation-->oncoproteins, is a major biological mechanism that fuels neoplastic growth. The constitutively high rates of protein synthesis and accumulation of proteins, including those necessary for DNA replication and mitosis, would drive cells to excessive proliferation.

Toxin-induced cell lysis: protection by 3-methyladenine and cycloheximide

The protein toxins ricin, abrin, Shiga toxin, and diphtheria toxin were found to induce lysis of several cell lines in a manner characteristic for programmed cell death or apoptosis. The toxins induced DNA degradation, and light and electron microscopical studies revealed that lysis was preceded by reorganization of intracellular vacuoles, cell blebbing, and chromatin condensation both in Vero and in MDCK cells. Cell lysis was efficiently inhibited by cycloheximide and 3-methyladenine (3MA), a specific inhibitor of autophagy. Cycloheximide, which like 3MA inhibits autophagy, protected even when added at a time when the protein synthesis had been blocked by ricin, suggesting that the effect of cycloheximide on cell lysis is independent of its ability to inhibit protein synthesis. Also theophylline and dibutyryl-cGMP had some protective effect, whereas a number of compounds reported to protect against apoptosis in other systems were without protective effects. The data suggest that autophagy is important for the toxin-induced cell lysis.

Both endocytic and endogenous protein degradation in fibroblasts is stimulated by serum/amino acid deprivation and inhibited by 3-methyladenine

Incubation of BHK-21 hamster fibroblasts in a serum- and amino acid-deficient medium caused a 3-fold increase in the degradation of endogenous protein, a doubling of the degradation of endocytosed epidermal growth factor, and an eightfold increase in the degradation of endocytosed alpha 2-macroglobulin. 3-Methyladenine (3MA) inhibited the deprivation-induced lysosomal degradation of both endogenous and endocytosed protein, but had no effect on basal (non-induced) degradation. 3MA also inhibited deprivation-induced protein degradation in human IMR-90 fibroblasts. Some inhibition of protein synthesis and of endocytic uptake of alpha 2-macroglobulin was observed in 3MA-treated BHK-21 cells, whereas cellular ATP levels were unaffected. These results are different from those obtained with isolated hepatocytes, and suggest that in some cells both endogenous and endocytic protein degradation may be accelerated as part of a general deprivation response.

Epidermal growth factor stimulates DNA synthesis while inhibiting cell multiplication of A-431 carcinoma cells

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to inhibit the multiplication of the human epidermoid carcinoma cell line A-431. In the present report it is shown that, despite growth inhibition, EGF caused a marked synthesis of DNA and nonhistone proteins, without progression into mitosis. This event was associated with a retraction of the monolayer into colonies of cells. This suggests that the cell cycle of A-431 cells is controlled by two surface membrane signals: one generated by EGF stimulating the synthetic events of the G1 and S phases; a second signal, leading to progression into mitosis appears either not to be generated or to be inhibited by EGF.

Effects of vinblastine, leucine, and histidine, and 3-methyladenine on autophagy in Ehrlich ascites cells

The microtubule inhibitor vinblastine causes accumulation of autophagic vacuoles in many cell types. In hepatocytes, many of the accumulated vacuoles are nascent, which has been interpreted to suggest that vinblastine acts by inhibiting the fusion of hydrolase-containing lysosomes with early autophagic vacuoles. However, our previous results suggested that, in Ehrlich ascites cells, vinblastine causes accumulation mainly of older autophagic vacuoles (AVs). This study was undertaken to further characterize the mode of action of vinblastine in these cells. The vinblastine-accumulated AVs were quantified by electron-microscopic morphometry. In addition, the effects of inhibitors of autophagic segregation (leucine, histidine, and 3-methyladenine) on the vinblastine-induced accumulation of autophagic vacuoles were studied. Protein degradation was measured using [14C]valine. Vinblastine caused accumulation of advanced autophagic vacuoles but did not increase the rate of protein degradation. The volume density of early vacuoles remained at the control level. The amino acids retarded but did not prevent the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, whereas 3-methyladenine almost completely prevented the accumulation. The results suggest that in Ehrlich ascites cells vinblastine acts by inhibiting the maturation of advanced autophagic vacuoles into residual bodies and by stimulating the formation of new autophagic vacuoles. However, 3-methyladenine almost completely prevents the formation of new autophagic vacuoles in the presence of vinblastine. In conclusion, in Ehrlich ascites cells, vinblastine does not prevent the entry of hydrolases into autophagic vacuoles. This calls into question the importance of microtubules in the transport of lysosomal enzymes into autophagic vacuoles.

Effects of epidermal growth factor on protein degradation the translocation of non-histone proteins to the nucleus and DNA synthesis

Stimulation of resting Chang liver or monkey kidney cells, prelabeled with [3H]leucine, by epidermal growth factor (EGF), caused inhibition of cellular protein degradation and a parallel increase nuclear translocation of 3H-labeled non-histone proteins and DNA synthesis. Nuclear translocation of these proteins was independent of protein synthesis. Fractionation of the nuclear 3H-labeled non-histone proteins in a pH gradient of 2.5-6.5 showed that the protein fractions with a high degree of proteolysis in resting cells corresponded to the protein fractions with a high extent of translocation in stimulated cells, suggesting that degradation and translocation of these proteins may be related. EGF inhibited cellular uptake of [3H]chloroquine, suggesting that EGF inhibits non-histone protein degradation via the lysosomal pathway. These observations support the hypothesis that EGF induces non-histone protein translocation to the nucleus by inhibiting lysosomal degradation of these proteins.

Stimulation of autophagic protein degradation by nutrient deprivation in a differentiated murine teratocarcinoma (F9 12-1a) cell line

We have evaluated the participation of the lysosomal degradation pathway in the increased protein degradation induced by nutrient deprivation in transformed cells. To this end we used a clone, 12-1a, derived from a murine teratocarcinoma cell line (F9 12-1) induced to differentiate by culture in retinoic acid. Culture of 12-1a cells, prelabeled with L-[U-14C]valine, in nutrient-deprived medium (Hanks' balanced salt solution plus Ca++) stimulated the protein degradation rate from 0.9% hr to 1.4% hr. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that during nutrient deprivation, the volume density of lysosomes increased 3-fold; the numerical density of lysosomes increased 2-fold; the mean area of lysosomal profiles increased 1.7-fold (1.40 microns2 vs 0.81 microns2). The volume density and numerical density of the dense bodies tended to decrease by approximately 60% without any change in the mean volume of the dense bodies. These data indicate that nutrient deprivation increases protein degradation in transformed cells by increasing the sequestration of cytoplasm into the lysosomes. The decrease in the number of dense bodies indicates that these structures (also termed residual bodies) are functional in transformed cells and merge with the lysosomes to provide more degradative enzymes to enhance proteolysis. This study provides direct evidence that serum factors and nutrients play a crucial role in modulation of lysosomal protein degradation in transformed cells.

Comparative studies on protein turnover regulations in tumor cells and host tissues: development and analysis of an experimental model

The protein mass of cells and tissues is determined by the relative rates of protein synthesis (PS) and degradation (PD). A convergent modulation of both PS and PD is operated by many cell types to regulate protein accumulation and thus growth. Transformed and neoplastic cells may show markedly defective PD regulations. Yet even highly-deviated cells such as those of the transplantable Yoshida ascites hepatoma AH-130 cease growth when attaining a conspicuous population size, by operating a combined reduction of PS and acceleration of PD. As in normal cells, PD acceleration is effected through an activation of the acidic-vacuolar (lysosomal) mechanism. AH-130 tumor-bearing rats develop a markedly negative nitrogen balance early after transplantation. Tumor growth involves pronounced perturbations in host body and tissue protein metabolism. Apparently, these changes occur mostly at the level of PD rather than PS, at least in liver and skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius). These observations indicate that either tumor and host cells sense different signals for PD regulations or their thresholds for the same signals are poised differently. This model seems most suitable for further studies to elucidate which signals and mechanisms are involved in these protein metabolic perturbations and possibly, to develop the rationale for adequate corrective strategies.