1
|
Bailly C. Covalent binding of withanolides to cysteines of protein targets. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116405. [PMID: 38969301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Withanolides represent an important category of natural products with a steroidal lactone core. Many of them contain an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety with a high reactivity toward sulfhydryl groups, including protein cysteine thiols. Different withanolides endowed with marked antitumor and anti-inflammatory have been shown to form stable covalent complexes with exposed cysteines present in the active site of oncogenic kinases (BTK, IKKβ, Zap70), metabolism enzymes (Prdx-1/6, Pin1, PHGDH), transcription factors (Nrf2, NFκB, C/EBPβ) and other structural and signaling molecules (GFAP, β-tubulin, p97, Hsp90, vimentin, Mpro, IPO5, NEMO, …). The present review analyzed the covalent complexes formed through Michael addition alkylation reactions between six major withanolides (withaferin A, physalin A, withangulatin A, 4β-hydroxywithanolide E, withanone and tubocapsanolide A) and key cysteine residues of about 20 proteins and the resulting biological effects. The covalent conjugation of the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl system of withanolides with reactive protein thiols can occur with a large set of soluble and membrane proteins. It points to a general mechanism, well described with the leading natural product withaferin A, but likely valid for most withanolides harboring a reactive (electrophilic) enone moiety susceptible to react covalently with cysteinyl residues of proteins. The multiplicity of reactive proteins should be taken into account when studying the mechanism of action of new withanolides. Proteomic and network analyses shall be implemented to capture and compare the cysteine covalent-binding map for the major withanolides, so as to identify the protein targets at the origin of their activity and/or unwanted effects. Screening of the cysteinome will help understanding the mechanism of action and designing cysteine-reactive electrophilic drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Bailly
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR9020-U1277-CANTHER-Cancer Heterogeneity Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, OncoLille Institute, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France; Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Albert Lespagnol (ICPAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lille, F-59006 Lille, France; OncoWitan, Scientific Consulting Office, F-59290 Lille, France.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mei X, Huang T, Chen A, Liu W, Jiang L, Zhong S, Shen D, Qiao P, Zhao Q. BmC/EBPZ gene is essential for the larval growth and development of silkworm, Bombyx mori. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1298869. [PMID: 38523808 PMCID: PMC10959570 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1298869] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic male sterile line (GMS) of the silkworm Bombyx mori is a recessive mutant that is naturally mutated from the wild-type 898WB strain. One of the major characteristics of the GMS mutant is its small larvae. Through positional cloning, candidate genes for the GMS mutant were located in a region approximately 800.5 kb long on the 24th linkage group of the silkworm. One of the genes was Bombyx mori CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein zeta (BmC/EBPZ), which is a member of the basic region-leucine zipper transcription factor family. Compared with the wild-type 898WB strain, the GMS mutant features a 9 bp insertion in the 3'end of open reading frame sequence of BmC/EBPZ gene. Moreover, the high expression level of the BmC/EBPZ gene in the testis suggests that the gene is involved in the regulation of reproduction-related genes. Using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout system, we found that the BmC/EBPZ knockout strains had the same phenotypes as the GMS mutant, that is, the larvae were small. However, the larvae of BmC/EBPZ knockout strains died during the development of the third instar. Therefore, the BmC/EBPZ gene was identified as the major gene responsible for GMS mutation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinglin Mei
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianchen Huang
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Anli Chen
- Key Sericultural Laboratory of Shaanxi, Ankang University, Ankang, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weibin Liu
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Jiang
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shanshan Zhong
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dongxu Shen
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peitong Qiao
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiaoling Zhao
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zou H, Chen M, Wang X, Yu J, Li X, Xie Y, Liu J, Liu M, Xu L, Zhang Q, Tian X, Zhang F, Guo B. C/EBPβ isoform-specific regulation of podocyte pyroptosis in lupus nephritis-induced renal injury. J Pathol 2023; 261:269-285. [PMID: 37602503 DOI: 10.1002/path.6174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
As an essential factor in the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis (LN) can accelerate the rate at which patients with SLE can transition to chronic kidney disease or even end-stage renal disease. Podocytes now appear to be a possible direct target in LN in addition to being prone to collateral damage from glomerular capillary lesions induces by immune complexes and inflammatory processes. The NLRP3 inflammasome is regulated by CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), which is involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. However, the role and mechanism of C/EBPβ in LN remain unclear. In this investigation, glomerular podocytes treated with LN serum and MRL/lpr mice were employed as in vivo and in vitro models of LN, respectively. In vivo, the expression of C/EBPβ isoforms was detected in kidney specimens of humans and mice with LN. Then we assessed the effect of C/EBPβ inhibition on renal structure and function by injecting RNAi adeno-associated virus of C/EBPβ shRNA into MRL/lpr mice. In vitro, glomerular podocytes were treated with LN serum and C/EBPβ siRNA to explore the role of C/EBPβ in the activation of the AIM2 inflammasome and podocyte injury. C/EBPβ-LAP and C/EBPβ-LIP were significantly overexpressed in kidney tissue samples from LN patients and mice, and C/EBPβ inhibition significantly alleviated renal function damage and ameliorated renal structural deficiencies. Inflammatory pathways downstream from the AIM2 inflammasome could be suppressed by C/EBPβ knockdown. Furthermore, the upregulation of C/EBPβ-LAP could activate the AIM2 inflammasome and podocyte pyroptosis by binding to the promoters of AIM2 and CASPASE1 to enhance their expression, and the knockdown of AIM2 or (and) caspase-1 reversed the effects of C/EBPβ-LAP overexpression. Interestingly, C/EBPβ-LIP overexpression could transcriptionally inhibit IRAG and promote Ca2+ release-mediated activation of the AIM2 inflammasome. This finding suggests that C/EBPβ is not only involved in the regulation of the expression of key proteins of the AIM2 inflammasome but also affects the polymerization of key proteins of the AIM2 inflammasome through the regulation of Ca2+ release. In conclusion, this study provides a new idea for studying the regulatory mechanism of C/EBPβ and provides a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and treatment of LN in the future. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huimei Zou
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- School of Nursing, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Xiuhong Wang
- School of Nursing, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Xiaoying Li
- Department of Nephrology, The First People's Hospital of Guiyang, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Ying Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Rheumatology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Miao Liu
- Department of Urinary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Lifen Xu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- School of Nursing, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Xiaoxue Tian
- School of Nursing, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Bing Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Drug Research on Common Chronic Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Targeting Transcription Factors ATF5, CEBPB and CEBPD with Cell-Penetrating Peptides to Treat Brain and Other Cancers. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040581. [PMID: 36831248 PMCID: PMC9954556 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040581] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing novel therapeutics often follows three steps: target identification, design of strategies to suppress target activity and drug development to implement the strategies. In this review, we recount the evidence identifying the basic leucine zipper transcription factors ATF5, CEBPB, and CEBPD as targets for brain and other malignancies. We describe strategies that exploit the structures of the three factors to create inhibitory dominant-negative (DN) mutant forms that selectively suppress growth and survival of cancer cells. We then discuss and compare four peptides (CP-DN-ATF5, Dpep, Bpep and ST101) in which DN sequences are joined with cell-penetrating domains to create drugs that pass through tissue barriers and into cells. The peptide drugs show both efficacy and safety in suppressing growth and in the survival of brain and other cancers in vivo, and ST101 is currently in clinical trials for solid tumors, including GBM. We further consider known mechanisms by which the peptides act and how these have been exploited in rationally designed combination therapies. We additionally discuss lacunae in our knowledge about the peptides that merit further research. Finally, we suggest both short- and long-term directions for creating new generations of drugs targeting ATF5, CEBPB, CEBPD, and other transcription factors for treating brain and other malignancies.
Collapse
|
5
|
Matherne MG, Phillips ES, Embrey SJ, Burke CM, Machado HL. Emerging functions of C/EBPβ in breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1111522. [PMID: 36761942 PMCID: PMC9905667 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1111522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast tumorigenesis relies on complex interactions between tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment, orchestrated by tightly regulated transcriptional networks. C/EBPβ is a key transcription factor that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of multiple cell types and modulates a variety of biological processes such as tissue homeostasis and the immune response. In addition, C/EBPβ has well-established roles in mammary gland development, is overexpressed in breast cancer, and has tumor-promoting functions. In this review, we discuss context-specific roles of C/EBPβ during breast tumorigenesis, isoform-specific gene regulation, and regulation of the tumor immune response. We present challenges in C/EBPβ biology and discuss the importance of C/EBPβ isoform-specific gene regulation in devising new therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan G. Matherne
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Emily S. Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Samuel J. Embrey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Caitlin M. Burke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Heather L. Machado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States,Tulane Cancer Center, Louisiana Cancer Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, United States,*Correspondence: Heather L. Machado,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Schmidt TJ, Klempnauer KH. Natural Products with Antitumor Potential Targeting the MYB-C/EBPβ-p300 Transcription Module. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27072077. [PMID: 35408476 PMCID: PMC9000602 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor MYB is expressed predominantly in hematopoietic progenitor cells, where it plays an essential role in the development of most lineages of the hematopoietic system. In the myeloid lineage, MYB is known to cooperate with members of the CCAAT box/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family of transcription factors. MYB and C/EBPs interact with the co-activator p300 or its paralog CREB-binding protein (CBP), to form a transcriptional module involved in myeloid-specific gene expression. Recent work has demonstrated that MYB is involved in the development of human leukemia, especially in acute T-cell leukemia (T-ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chemical entities that inhibit the transcriptional activity of the MYB-C/EBPβ-p300 transcription module may therefore be of use as potential anti-tumour drugs. In searching for small molecule inhibitors, studies from our group over the last 10 years have identified natural products belonging to different structural classes, including various sesquiterpene lactones, a steroid lactone, quinone methide triterpenes and naphthoquinones that interfere with the activity of this transcriptional module in different ways. This review gives a comprehensive overview on the various classes of inhibitors and the inhibitory mechanisms by which they affect the MYB-C/EBPβ-p300 transcriptional module as a potential anti-tumor target. We also focus on the current knowledge on structure-activity relationships underlying these biological effects and on the potential of these compounds for further development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Schmidt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry (IPBP), University of Münster, PharmaCampus-Corrensstraße 48, D-48149 Munster, Germany
- Correspondence: (T.J.S.); (K.-H.K.)
| | - Karl-Heinz Klempnauer
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 36, D-48149 Munster, Germany
- Correspondence: (T.J.S.); (K.-H.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
The Role of DNA Methylation and DNA Methyltransferases in Cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1389:317-348. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11454-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|