Unglycosylated clusterin variant accumulates in the endoplasmic reticulum and induces cytotoxicity

The Influence of Clusterin Glycosylation Variability on Selected Pathophysiological Processes in the Human Body

The present review gathers together the most important information about variability in clusterin molecular structure, its profile, and the degree of glycosylation occurring in human tissues and body fluids in the context of the utility of these characteristics as potential diagnostic biomarkers of selected pathophysiological conditions. The carbohydrate part of clusterin plays a crucial role in many biological processes such as endocytosis and apoptosis. Many pathologies associated with neurodegeneration, carcinogenesis, metabolic diseases, and civilizational diseases (e.g., cardiovascular incidents and male infertility) have been described as causes of homeostasis disturbance, in which the glycan part of clusterin plays a very important role. The results of the discussed studies suggest that glycoproteomic analysis of clusterin may help differentiate the severity of hippocampal atrophy, detect the causes of infertility with an immune background, and monitor the development of cancer. Understanding the mechanism of clusterin (CLU) action and its binding epitopes may enable to indicate new therapeutic goals. The carbohydrate part of clusterin is considered necessary to maintain its proper molecular conformation, structural stability, and proper systemic and/or local biological activity. Taking into account the wide spectrum of CLU action and its participation in many processes in the human body, further studies on clusterin glycosylation variability are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms of many pathophysiological conditions. They can also provide the opportunity to find new biomarkers and enrich the panel of diagnostic parameters for diseases that still pose a challenge for modern medicine.

Deregulated Clusterin as a Marker of Bone Fragility: New Insights into the Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis

Clusterin (CLU) is a secreted heterodimeric glycoprotein expressed in all organism fluids as well as in the intracellular matrix that plays key roles in several pathological processes. Its recent involvement in muscle degeneration of osteoporotic patients led to investigation of the role of CLU in bone metabolism, given the biochemical and biomechanical crosstalk of the bone–muscle unit. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of CLU expression was performed in both osteoblasts and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from osteoporotic patients (OP) and healthy individuals (CTR). Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis on femoral head tissues and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in plasma samples were performed to investigate CLU expression pattern. Finally, genotyping of CLU rs11136000 polymorphism has also been performed by qRT-PCR assays to explore a possible association with CLU expression levels. Data obtained showed a significantly increased expression level of secreted CLU isoform in PBMCs and osteoblasts from OP patients. Immunohistochemical analysis confirms the increased expression of CLU in OP patients, both in osteocytes and osteoblasts, while plasma analysis reveals a statistically significant decrease of CLU levels. Unfortunately, no functional association between CLU expression levels and the presence of CLU rs11136000 polymorphism in OP patients was found. These data suggest a potential role played by CLU as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of OP progression.

Glycosylation Significantly Inhibits the Aggregation of Human Prion Protein and Decreases Its Cytotoxicity

Prion diseases are primarily caused by the misfolding of prion proteins in humans, cattle, sheep, and cervid species. The effects of glycosylation on prion protein (PrP) structure and function have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. In this study, we attempt to elucidate the effects of glycosylation on the aggregation and toxicity of human PrP. As revealed by immunocytochemical staining, wild-type PrP and its monoglycosylated mutants N181D, N197D, and T199N/N181D/N197D are primarily attached to the plasma membrane. In contrast, PrP F198S, a pathological mutant with an altered residue within the glycosylation site, and an unglycosylated PrP mutant, N181D/N197D, primarily exist in the cytoplasm. In the pathological mutant V180I, there is an equal mix of membranous and cytoplasmic PrP, indicating that N-linked glycosylation deficiency impairs the correct localization of human PrP at the plasma membrane. As shown by immunoblotting and flow cytometry, human PrP located in the cytoplasm displays considerably greater PK resistance and aggregation ability and is associated with considerably higher cellular ROS levels than PrP located on the plasma membrane. Furthermore, glycosylation deficiency enhances human PrP cytotoxicity induced by MG132 or the toxic prion peptide PrP 106-126. Therefore, we propose that glycosylation acts as a necessary cofactor in determining PrP localization on the plasma membrane and that it significantly inhibits the aggregation of human PrP and decreases its cytotoxicity.

Altered levels of blood proteins in Alzheimer's disease longitudinal study: Results from Australian Imaging Biomarkers Lifestyle Study of Ageing cohort

INTRODUCTION

A blood-based biomarker panel to identify individuals with preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) would be an inexpensive and accessible first step for routine testing.

METHODS

We analyzed 14 biomarkers that have previously been linked to AD in the Australian Imaging Biomarkers lifestyle longitudinal study of aging cohort.

RESULTS

Levels of apolipoprotein J (apoJ) were higher in AD individuals compared with healthy controls at baseline and 18 months (P = .0003) and chemokine-309 (I-309) were increased in AD patients compared to mild cognitive impaired individuals over 36 months (P = .0008).

DISCUSSION

These data suggest that apoJ may have potential in the context of use (COU) of AD diagnostics, I-309 may be specifically useful in the COU of identifying individuals at greatest risk for progressing toward AD. This work takes an initial step toward identifying blood biomarkers with potential use in the diagnosis and prognosis of AD and should be validated across other prospective cohorts.

Single octapeptide deletion selectively processes a pathogenic prion protein mutant on the cell surface

The number of octapeptide repeats has been considered to correlate with clinical and pathogenic phenotypes of prion diseases resulting from aberrant metabolism of prion protein (PrP). However, it is still poorly understood how this motif affects PrP metabolism. Here, we discover homozygous single octapeptide repeat deletion mutation in the PRNP gene encoding PrP in HeLa cells. The level of PrP proves to be unaffected by this mutation alone, but selectively reduced by additional pathogenic mutations within internal hydrophobic region of PrP. The pattern and relative amount of newly synthesized A117V mutant is unaffected, whereas the mutant appears to be differentially distributed and processed on the cell surface by single octapeptide deletion. This study provides an insight into a novel mutant-specific metabolism of PrP on the cell surface.

Nucleofection of rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells with human mutated beta-amyloid precursor protein gene (APP-sw) leads to reduced viability, autophagy-like process, and increased expression and secretion of beta amyloid

Pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells are immune to physiological stimuli directed to evoke programmed cell death. Besides, metabolic inhibitors are incapable of sensitizing PC-12 cells to extrinsic or intrinsic apoptosis unless they are used in toxic concentrations. Surprisingly, these cells become receptive to cell deletion after human APP-sw gene expression. We observed reduced cell viability in GFP vector + APP-sw-nucleofected cells (drop by 36%) but not in GFP vector - or GFP vector + APP-wt-nucleofected cells. Lower viability was accompanied by higher expression of Aβ 1-16 and elevated secretion of Aβ 1-40 (in average 53.58 pg/mL). At the ultrastructural level autophagy-like process was demonstrated to occur in APP-sw-nucleofected cells with numerous autophagosomes and multivesicular bodies but without autolysosomes. Human APP-sw gene is harmful to PC-12 cells and cells are additionally driven to incomplete autophagy-like process. When stimulated by TRAIL or nystatin, CLU protein expression accompanies early phase of autophagy.

Calcium homeostasis and ER stress in control of autophagy in cancer cells

Autophagy is a basic catabolic process, serving as an internal engine during responses to various cellular stresses. As regards cancer, autophagy may play a tumor suppressive role by preserving cellular integrity during tumor development and by possible contribution to cell death. However, autophagy may also exert oncogenic effects by promoting tumor cell survival and preventing cell death, for example, upon anticancer treatment. The major factors influencing autophagy are Ca²⁺ homeostasis perturbation and starvation. Several Ca²⁺ channels like voltage-gated T- and L-type channels, IP3 receptors, or CRAC are involved in autophagy regulation. Glucose transporters, mainly from GLUT family, which are often upregulated in cancer, are also prominent targets for autophagy induction. Signals from both Ca²⁺ perturbations and glucose transport blockage might be integrated at UPR and ER stress activation. Molecular pathways such as IRE 1-JNK-Bcl-2, PERK-eIF2α-ATF4, or ATF6-XBP 1-ATG are related to autophagy induced through ER stress. Moreover ER molecular chaperones such as GRP78/BiP and transcription factors like CHOP participate in regulation of ER stress-mediated autophagy. Autophagy modulation might be promising in anticancer therapies; however, it is a context-dependent matter whether inhibition or activation of autophagy leads to tumor cell death.

Distinct promoters, subjected to epigenetic regulation, drive the expression of two clusterin mRNAs in prostate cancer cells

The human clusterin (CLU) gene codes for several mRNAs characterized by different sequences at their 5' end. We investigated the expression of two CLU mRNAs, called CLU 1 and CLU 2, in immortalized (PNT1a) and tumorigenic (PC3 and DU145) prostate epithelial cells, as well as in normal fetal fibroblasts (WI38) following the administration of the epigenetic drugs 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AZDC) and trichostatin A (TSA) given either as single or combined treatment (AZDC-TSA). Our experimental evidences show that: a) CLU 1 is the most abundant transcript variant. b) CLU 2 is expressed at a low level in normal fibroblasts and virtually absent in prostate cancer cells. c) CLU 1, and to a greater extent CLU 2 expression, increased by AZDC-TSA treatment in prostate cancer cells. d) Both CLU 1 and CLU 2 encode for secreted CLU. e) P2, a novel promoter that overlaps the CLU 2 Transcription Start Site (TSS), drives CLU 2 expression. f) A CpG island, methylated in prostate cancer cells and not in normal fibroblasts, is responsible for long-term heritable regulation of CLU 1 expression. g) ChIP assay of histone tail modifications at CLU promoters (P1 and P2) shows that treatment of prostate cancer cells with AZDC-TSA causes enrichment of Histone3(Lys9)acetylated (H3K9ac) and reduction of Histone3(Lys27)trimethylated (H3K27me3), inducing active transcription of both CLU variants. In conclusion, we show for the first time that the expression of CLU 2 mRNA is driven by a novel promoter, P2, whose activity responds to epigenetic drugs treatment through changes in histone modifications.

Autophagy in microglia degrades extracellular β-amyloid fibrils and regulates the NLRP3 inflammasome

Accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and resultant inflammation are critical pathological features of Alzheimer disease (AD). Microglia, a primary immune cell in brain, ingests and degrades extracellular Aβ fibrils via the lysosomal system. Autophagy is a catabolic process that degrades native cellular components, however, the role of autophagy in Aβ degradation by microglia and its effects on AD are unknown. Here we demonstrate a novel role for autophagy in the clearance of extracellular Aβ fibrils by microglia and in the regulation of the Aβ-induced NLRP3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome using microglia specific atg7 knockout mice and cell cultures. We found in microglial cultures that Aβ interacts with MAP1LC3B-II via OPTN/optineurin and is degraded by an autophagic process mediated by the PRKAA1 pathway. We anticipate that enhancing microglial autophagy may be a promising new therapeutic strategy for AD.

Intracellular clusterin interacts with brain isoforms of the bridging integrator 1 and with the microtubule-associated protein Tau in Alzheimer's disease

Sporadic or late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is expected to affect 50% of individuals reaching 85 years of age. The most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset AD is the e4 allele of APOE gene encoding apolipoprotein E, a lipid carrier shown to modulate brain amyloid burden. Recent genome-wide association studies have uncovered additional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to AD susceptibility, including those in the CLU and BIN1 genes encoding for clusterin (CLU) and the bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) proteins, respectively. Because CLU has been implicated in brain amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance in mouse models of amyloid deposition, we sought to investigate whether an AD-linked SNP in the CLU gene altered Aβ42 biomarker levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Instead, we found that the CLU rs11136000 SNP modified CSF levels of the microtubule-associated protein Tau in AD patients. We also found that an intracellular form of CLU (iCLU) was upregulated in the brain of Tau overexpressing Tg4510 mice, but not in Tg2576 amyloid mouse model. By overexpressing iCLU and Tau in cell culture systems we discovered that iCLU was a Tau-interacting protein and that iCLU associated with brain-specific isoforms of BIN1, also recently identified as a Tau-binding protein. Through expression analysis of CLU and BIN1 variants, we found that CLU and BIN1 interacted via their coiled-coil motifs. In co-immunoprecipitation studies using human brain tissue, we showed that iCLU and the major BIN1 isoform expressed in neurons were associated with modified Tau species found in AD. Finally, we showed that expression of certain coding CLU variants linked to AD risk led to increased levels of iCLU. Together, our findings suggest that iCLU and BIN1 interaction might impact Tau function in neurons and uncover potential new mechanisms underlying the etiology of Tau pathology in AD.

Specific inhibition of hamster prion protein translocation by the dodecadepsipeptide valinomycin

Regulating the entry of secretory and membrane proteins into the ER is shown to be an important physiological process, in terms of controlling quantity, localization and therefore function of target proteins. However, few small molecule modulators are available to pharmacologically regulate translocation of a specific protein. Here, we identified a small molecule that specifically inhibits pathogenic PrP biosynthesis using a highly sensitive and reproducible assay based on the fluorogenic substrate reporter PrP. This molecule specifically destabilized the signal peptide of PrP, leading to cotranslational rerouting of a significant amount of nascent PrP to proteasome-dependent degradation pathway in the cytosol. This study suggests that regulating differential translocation efficiency attributable to sequence diversity in signal peptides of disease-causing secretory and membrane proteins using cell-permeable small molecules may be a potential therapeutic approach for diseases associated with impaired protein biogenesis.

Cotransin induces accumulation of a cytotoxic clusterin variant that cotranslationally rerouted to the cytosol

Although clusterin (CLU) was originally identified as a secreted glycoprotein that plays cytoprotective role, several intracellular CLU variants have been recently identified in the diverse pathological conditions. The mechanistic basis of these variants is now believed to be alternative splicing and retrotranslocation. Here, we uncovered, an unglycosylated and signal sequence-unprocessed, CLU variant in the cytosol. This variant proved to be a product that cotranslationally rerouted to the cytosol during translocation. Cytosolic CLU was prone to aggregation at peri-nuclear region of cells and induced cell death. Signal sequence is shown to be an important determinant for cytosolic CLU generation and aggregation. These results provide not only a new mechanistic insight into the cytosolic CLU generation but also an idea for therapeutic mislocalization of CLU as a strategy for cancer treatment.