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Preeti K, Sood A, Fernandes V, Khan I, Khatri DK, Singh SB. Experimental Type 2 diabetes and lipotoxicity-associated neuroinflammation involve mitochondrial DNA-mediated cGAS/STING axis: implication of Type-1 interferon response in cognitive impairment. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:6217-6244. [PMID: 38285288 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03933-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Type-1 IFN (interferon)-associated innate immune response is increasingly getting attention in neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, its significance in T2DM/lipotoxicity-induced neuroglia changes and cognitive impairment is missing. The present study aims to evaluate the involvement of cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase)-STING (stimulator of interferon gene), IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor-3), TBK (TANK binding kinase)-mediated Type-1 IFN response in the diabetic brain, and lipotoxicity (palmitate-bovine serum albumin conjugate/PA-BSA)-induced changes in cells (neuro2a and BV2). T2DM was induced in C57/BL6 mice by feeding on a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% Kcal) for 16 weeks and injecting a single dose of streptozotocin (100 mg/kg, i.p) in the 12th week. Plasma biochemical parameter analysis, neurobehavioral assessment, protein expression, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction study were carried out to decipher the hypothesis. T2DM-associated metabolic and lipotoxic stress led to mitochondrial impairment causing leakage of mtDNA to the cytoplasm further commencing cGAS activation and its downstream signaling. The diseased hippocampus and cortex showed decreased expression of synaptophysin (p < 0.01) and PSD-95 (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) with increased expression of cGAS (p < 0.001), p-STING (p < 0.001), p-STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) (p < 0.01), and IFN-β (p < 0.001) compared to normal control. The IFN-β/p-STAT1-mediated microglia activation was executed employing a conditioned media approach. C-176, a selective STING inhibitor, alleviated cGAS/p-STING/IFN-β expression and proinflammatory microglia/M1-associated markers (CD16 expression, CXCL10, TNF-α, IL-1β mRNA fold change) in the diabetic brain. The present study suggests Type-1IFN response may result in neuroglia dyshomeostasis affecting normal brain function. Alleviating STING signaling has the potential to protect T2DM-associated central ailment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumari Preeti
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Anika Sood
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Valencia Fernandes
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Islauddin Khan
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Khatri
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India.
- Department of Pharmacology, Shobhaben Pratapbai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Deemed-to-University, Mumbai, 400056, India.
| | - Shashi Bala Singh
- Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience Lab, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India.
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2
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Marien J, Prévost C, Sacquin-Mora S. nP-Collabs: Investigating Counterion-Mediated Bridges in the Multiply Phosphorylated Tau-R2 Repeat. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:6570-6582. [PMID: 39092904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered (IDP) microtubule-associated protein (MAP) that plays a key part in microtubule assembly and organization. The function of tau can be regulated by multiple phosphorylation sites. These post-translational modifications are known to decrease the binding affinity of tau for microtubules, and abnormal tau phosphorylation patterns are involved in Alzheimer's disease. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we compared the conformational landscapes explored by the tau R2 repeat domain (which comprises a strong tubulin binding site) in its native state and with multiple phosphorylations on the S285, S289, and S293 residues, with four different standard force field (FF)/water model combinations. We find that the different parameters used for the phosphate groups (which can be more or less flexible) in these FFs and the specific interactions between bulk cations and water lead to the formation of a specific type of counterion bridge, termed nP-collab (for nphosphate collaboration, with n being an integer), where counterions form stable structures binding with two or three phosphate groups simultaneously. The resulting effect of nP-collabs on the tau-R2 conformational space differs when using sodium or potassium cations and is likely to impact the peptide overall dynamics and how this MAP interacts with tubulins. We also investigated the effect of phosphoresidue spacing and ionic concentration by modeling polyalanine peptides containing two phosphoserines located one-six residues apart. Three new metrics specifically tailored for IDPs (proteic Menger curvature, local curvature, and local flexibility) were introduced, which allow us to fully characterize the impact of nP-collabs on the dynamics of disordered peptides at the residue level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Marien
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chantal Prévost
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sophie Sacquin-Mora
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
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3
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Mohl GA, Dixon G, Marzette E, McKetney J, Samelson AJ, Serras CP, Jin J, Li A, Boggess SC, Swaney DL, Kampmann M. The disease-causing tau V337M mutation induces tau hypophosphorylation and perturbs axon morphology pathways. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597496. [PMID: 38895329 PMCID: PMC11185762 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Tau aggregation is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. There are disease-causing variants of the tau-encoding gene, MAPT, and the presence of tau aggregates is highly correlated with disease progression. However, the molecular mechanisms linking pathological tau to neuronal dysfunction are not well understood due to our incomplete understanding of the normal functions of tau in development and aging and how these processes change in the context of causal disease variants of tau. To address these questions in an unbiased manner, we conducted multi-omic characterization of iPSC-derived neurons harboring the MAPT V337M mutation. RNA-seq and phosphoproteomics revealed that both V337M tau and tau knockdown consistently perturbed levels of transcripts and phosphorylation of proteins related to axonogenesis or axon morphology. Surprisingly, we found that neurons with V337M tau had much lower tau phosphorylation than neurons with WT tau. We conducted functional genomics screens to uncover regulators of tau phosphorylation in neurons and found that factors involved in axonogenesis modified tau phosphorylation in both MAPT WT and MAPT V337M neurons. Intriguingly, the p38 MAPK pathway specifically modified tau phosphorylation in MAPT V337M neurons. We propose that V337M tau might perturb axon morphology pathways and tau hypophosphorylation via a "loss of function" mechanism, which could contribute to previously reported cognitive changes in preclinical MAPT gene carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A Mohl
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gary Dixon
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emily Marzette
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Justin McKetney
- Gladstone Data Science and Biotechnology Institute, The J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Quantitative Bioscience Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Avi J Samelson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carlota Pereda Serras
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Julianne Jin
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Li
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Steven C Boggess
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Danielle L Swaney
- Gladstone Data Science and Biotechnology Institute, The J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Quantitative Bioscience Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Martin Kampmann
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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4
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Ewald CY, Pulous FE, Lok SWY, Pun FW, Aliper A, Ren F, Zhavoronkov A. TNIK's emerging role in cancer, metabolism, and age-related diseases. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:478-489. [PMID: 38777670 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Traf2- and Nck-interacting kinase (TNIK) has emerged as a key regulator of pathological metabolic signaling in several diseases and is a promising drug target. Originally studied for its role in cell migration and proliferation, TNIK possesses several newly identified functions that drive the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. Specifically, we evaluate TNIK's newfound roles in cancer, metabolic disorders, and neuronal function. We emphasize the implications of TNIK signaling in metabolic signaling and evaluate the translational potential of these discoveries. We also highlight how TNIK's role in many biological processes converges upon several hallmarks of aging. We conclude by discussing the therapeutic landscape of TNIK-targeting drugs and the recent success of clinical trials targeting TNIK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin Y Ewald
- Laboratory of Extracellular Matrix Regeneration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Schwerzenbach CH-8603, Switzerland
| | - Fadi E Pulous
- Insilico Medicine US Inc., 345 Park Avenue South, 2nd Floor Suite 006, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Sarah Wing Yan Lok
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Frank W Pun
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Alex Aliper
- Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Level 6, Unit 08, Block A, IRENA HQ Building, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd., Suite 902, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine US Inc., 345 Park Avenue South, 2nd Floor Suite 006, New York, NY 10010, USA; Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Unit 310, 3/F, Building 8W, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Level 6, Unit 08, Block A, IRENA HQ Building, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd., Suite 902, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China; Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA.
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5
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Marien J, Prévost C, Sacquin-Mora S. It Takes Tau to Tango: Investigating the Fuzzy Interaction between the R2-Repeat Domain and Tubulin C-Terminal Tails. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2492-2502. [PMID: 37499261 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau plays a key role in the regulation of microtubule assembly and spatial organization. Tau hyperphosphorylation affects its binding on the tubulin surface and has been shown to be involved in several pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease. As the tau binding site on the microtubule lays close to the disordered and highly flexible tubulin C-terminal tails (CTTs), these are likely to impact the tau-tubulin interaction. Since the disordered tubulin CTTs are missing from the available experimental structures, we used homology modeling to build two complete models of tubulin heterotrimers with different isotypes for the β-tubulin subunit (βI/αI/βI and βIII/αI/βIII). We then performed long timescale classical Molecular Dynamics simulations for the tau-R2/tubulin assembly (in systems with and without CTTs) and analyzed the resulting trajectories to obtain a detailed view of the protein interface in the complex and the impact of the CTTs on the stability of this assembly. Additional analyses of the CTT mobility in the presence, or in the absence, of tau also highlight how tau might modulate the CTT activity as hooks that are involved in the recruitment of several MAPs. In particular, we observe a wrapping phenomenon, where the β-tubulin CTTs form a loop over tau-R2, thus stabilizing its interaction with the tubulin surface and simultaneously reducing the CTT availability for interactions with other MAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Marien
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université de Paris, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rotschild, PSL Research University, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chantal Prévost
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université de Paris, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rotschild, PSL Research University, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sophie Sacquin-Mora
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Université de Paris, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique-Fondation Edmond de Rotschild, PSL Research University, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
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6
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Papageorgiou L, Mangana E, Papakonstantinou E, Diakou I, Pierouli K, Dragoumani K, Bacopoulou F, Chrousos GP, Exarchos TP, Vlamos P, Eliopoulos E, Vlachakis D. An Updated Evolutionary and Structural Study of TBK1 Reveals Highly Conserved Motifs as Potential Pharmacological Targets in Neurodegenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1423:41-57. [PMID: 37525032 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31978-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
TANK-binding kinase 1 protein (TBK1) is a kinase that belongs to the IκB (IKK) family. TBK1, also known as T2K, FTDALS4, NAK, IIAE8, and NF-κB, is responsible for the phosphorylation of the amino acid residues, serine and threonine. This enzyme is involved in various key biological processes, including interferon activation and production, homeostasis, cell growth, autophagy, insulin production, and the regulation of TNF-α, IFN-β, and IL-6. Mutations in the TBK1 gene alter the protein's normal function and may lead to an array of pathological conditions, including disorders of the central nervous system. The present study sought to elucidate the role of the TBK1 protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a human neurodegenerative disorder. A broad evolutionary and phylogenetic analysis of TBK1 was performed across numerous organisms to distinguish conserved regions important for the protein's function. Subsequently, mutations and SNPs were explored, and their potential effect on the enzyme's function was investigated. These analytical steps, in combination with the study of the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of TBK1, enabled the identification of conserved motifs, which can function as novel pharmacological targets and inform therapeutic strategies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Papageorgiou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Mangana
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Papakonstantinou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Io Diakou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Pierouli
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Dragoumani
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Flora Bacopoulou
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Themis P Exarchos
- Bioinformatics & Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Vlamos
- Bioinformatics & Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Elias Eliopoulos
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Vlachakis
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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7
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Vontell RT, de Rivero Vaccari JP, Sun X, Gultekin SH, Bramlett HM, Dietrich WD, Keane RW. Identification of inflammasome signaling proteins in neurons and microglia in early and intermediate stages of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Pathol 2022:e13142. [PMID: 36579934 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys memory and cognitive function. Inflammasome activation has been suggested to play a critical role in the neuroinflammatory response in AD progression, but the cell-type expression of inflammasome proteins in the brain has not been fully characterized. In this study, we used samples from the hippocampus formation, the subiculum, and the entorhinal cortex brain from 17 donors with low-level AD pathology and 17 intermediate AD donors to assess the expression of inflammasome proteins. We performed analysis of hippocampal thickness, β-amyloid plaques, and hyperphosphorylated tau to ascertain the cellular pathological changes that occur between low and intermediate AD pathology. Next, we determined changes in the cells that express the inflammasome sensor proteins NOD-like receptor proteins (NLRP) 1 and 3, and caspase-1. In addition, we stained section with IC100, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the inflammasome adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and a commercially available anti-ASC antibody. Our results indicate that hippocampal cortical thickness did not significantly change between low and intermediate AD pathology, but there was an increase in pTau and β-amyloid clusters in intermediate AD cases. NLRP3 was identified mainly in microglial populations, whereas NLRP1 was seen in neuronal cytoplasmic regions. There was a significant increase of ASC in neurons labeled by IC100, whereas microglia in the hippocampus and subiculum were labeled with the commercial anti-ASC antibody. Caspase-1 was present in the parenchyma in the CA regions where amyloid and pTau were identified. Together, our results indicate increased inflammasome protein expression in the early pathological stages of AD, that IC100 identifies neurons in early stages of AD and that ASC expression correlates with Aβ and pTau in postmortem AD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina T Vontell
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari
- Department of Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Sakir Humayun Gultekin
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Helen M Bramlett
- Department of Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - W Dalton Dietrich
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Robert W Keane
- Department of Neurological Surgery and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
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8
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Kao DS, Du Y, DeMarco AG, Min S, Hall MC, Rochet JC, Tao WA. Identification of Novel Kinases of Tau Using Fluorescence Complementation Mass Spectrometry (FCMS). Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100441. [PMID: 36379402 PMCID: PMC9755369 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein Tau is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Understanding the protein kinases that phosphorylate Tau is critical for the development of new drugs that target Tau phosphorylation. At present, the repertoire of the Tau kinases remains incomplete, and methods to uncover novel upstream protein kinases are still limited. Here, we apply our newly developed proteomic strategy, fluorescence complementation mass spectrometry, to identify novel kinase candidates of Tau. By constructing Tau- and kinase-fluorescent fragment library, we detected 59 Tau-associated kinases, including 23 known kinases of Tau and 36 novel candidate kinases. In the validation phase using in vitro phosphorylation, among 15 candidate kinases we attempted to purify and test, four candidate kinases, OXSR1 (oxidative-stress responsive gene 1), DAPK2 (death-associated protein kinase 2), CSK (C-terminal SRC kinase), and ZAP70 (zeta chain of T-cell receptor-associated protein kinase 70), displayed the ability to phosphorylate Tau in time-course experiments. Furthermore, coexpression of these four kinases along with Tau increased the phosphorylation of Tau in human neuroglioma H4 cells. We demonstrate that fluorescence complementation mass spectrometry is a powerful proteomic strategy to systematically identify potential kinases that can phosphorylate Tau in cells. Our discovery of new candidate kinases of Tau can present new opportunities for developing Alzheimer's disease therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Der-Shyang Kao
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yanyan Du
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrew G DeMarco
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Sehong Min
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Mark C Hall
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - W Andy Tao
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
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9
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Rieder AS, Deniz BF, Netto CA, Wyse ATS. A Review of In Silico Research, SARS-CoV-2, and Neurodegeneration: Focus on Papain-Like Protease. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:1553-1569. [PMID: 35917086 PMCID: PMC9343570 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00542-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Since the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the search for new approaches to treat this disease took place in the scientific community. The in silico approach has gained importance at this moment, once the methodologies used in this kind of study allow for the identification of specific protein-ligand interactions, which may serve as a filter step for molecules that can act as specific inhibitors. In addition, it is a low-cost and high-speed technology. Molecular docking has been widely used to find potential viral protein inhibitors for structural and non-structural proteins of the SARS-CoV-2, aiming to block the infection and the virus multiplication. The papain-like protease (PLpro) participates in the proteolytic processing of SARS-CoV-2 and composes one of the main targets studied for pharmacological intervention by in silico methodologies. Based on that, we performed a systematic review about PLpro inhibitors from the perspective of in silico research, including possible therapeutic molecules in relation to this viral protein. The neurological problems triggered by COVID-19 were also briefly discussed, especially relative to the similarities of neuroinflammation present in Alzheimer's disease. In this context, we focused on two molecules, curcumin and glycyrrhizinic acid, given their PLpro inhibitory actions and neuroprotective properties and potential therapeutic effects on COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra S Rieder
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Bruna F Deniz
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alexandre Netto
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Laboratory of Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases, Wyse's Lab, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil.
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10
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McEntee CM, LaRocca TJ. Commentary: Type I Interferon Response Is Mediated by NLRX1-cGAS-STING Signaling in Brain Injury. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:947542. [PMID: 35832396 PMCID: PMC9271850 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.947542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cali M. McEntee
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Thomas J. LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Thomas J. LaRocca
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11
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Steuer EL, Kemper LJ, Hlynialuk CJW, Leinonen-Wright K, Montonye ML, Lapcinski IP, Forster CL, Ashe KH, Liu P. Blocking Site-Specific Cleavage of Human Tau Delays Progression of Disease-Related Phenotypes in Genetically Matched Tau-Transgenic Mice Modeling Frontotemporal Dementia. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4737-4754. [PMID: 35508385 PMCID: PMC9186797 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0543-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have recently demonstrated that a caspase-2-mediated cleavage of human tau (htau) at asparate-314 (D314) is responsible for cognitive deficits and neurodegeneration in mice modeling frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, these animal studies may be confounded by flaws in their model systems, such as endogenous functional gene disruption and inequivalent transgene expression. To avoid these weaknesses, we examined the pathogenic role of this site-specific htau cleavage in FTD using genetically matched htau targeted-insertion mouse lines: rT2 and rT3. Both male and female mice were included in this study. rT2 mice contain a single copy of the FTD-linked htau proline-to-leucine mutation at amino acid 301 (htau P301L), inserted into a neutral site to avoid dysregulation of host gene expression. The similarly constructed rT3 mice harbor an additional D314-to-glutamate (D314E) mutation that blocks htau cleavage. We demonstrate that htau transgene expression occurs primarily in the forebrain at similar levels in rT2 and rT3 mice. Importantly, expression of the cleavage-resistant D314E mutant delays transgene-induced tau accumulation in the postsynaptic density, brain atrophy, hippocampal neurodegeneration, and spatial memory impairment, without altering age-related progression of pathologic tau conformation and phosphorylation. Our comprehensive investigation of age-dependent disease phenotypes associated with the htau P301L variant in precisely engineered FTD-modeling mice unveils a transiently protective effect of blocking htau cleavage at D314. Findings of this study advance our understanding of the contribution of this tau cleavage to the pathogenesis of FTD, and aid the development of effective dementia-targeting therapies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A site-specific and caspase-2-mediated cleavage of human tau plays a pathologic role in dementia. In this study, we investigate the contribution of this cleavage to the pathogenesis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) using two genetically matched, tau-transgene targeted-insertion mouse lines that differ only by a cleavage-resistant mutation. The use of these mice avoids confounding effects associated with the random integration of tau transgenes to the mouse genome and allows us to comprehensively evaluate the impact of the tau cleavage on FTD phenotypes. Our data reveal that blocking this tau cleavage delays memory impairment and neurodegeneration of FTD-modeling mice. These findings improve our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying FTD and will facilitate the development of effective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Steuer
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- Department of Neurology
| | - Lisa J Kemper
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- Department of Neurology
| | | | | | | | - Ian P Lapcinski
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- Department of Neurology
| | - Colleen L Forster
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- UMN Academic Health Center Biological Materials Procurement Network, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Karen H Ashe
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- Department of Neurology
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417
| | - Peng Liu
- N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care
- Department of Neurology
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12
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Runde AP, Mack R, S J PB, Zhang J. The role of TBK1 in cancer pathogenesis and anticancer immunity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:135. [PMID: 35395857 PMCID: PMC8994244 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02352-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the non-canonical inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) family. TBK1 can be activated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), inflammatory cytokines, and oncogenic kinases, including activated K-RAS/N-RAS mutants. TBK1 primarily mediates IRF3/7 activation and NF-κB signaling to regulate inflammatory cytokine production and the activation of innate immunity. TBK1 is also involved in the regulation of several other cellular activities, including autophagy, mitochondrial metabolism, and cellular proliferation. Although TBK1 mutations have not been reported in human cancers, aberrant TBK1 activation has been implicated in the oncogenesis of several types of cancer, including leukemia and solid tumors with KRAS-activating mutations. As such, TBK1 has been proposed to be a feasible target for pharmacological treatment of these types of cancer. Studies suggest that TBK1 inhibition suppresses cancer development not only by directly suppressing the proliferation and survival of cancer cells but also by activating antitumor T-cell immunity. Several small molecule inhibitors of TBK1 have been identified and interrogated. However, to this point, only momelotinib (MMB)/CYT387 has been evaluated as a cancer therapy in clinical trials, while amlexanox (AMX) has been evaluated clinically for treatment of type II diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and obesity. In this review, we summarize advances in research into TBK1 signaling pathways and regulation, as well as recent studies on TBK1 in cancer pathogenesis. We also discuss the potential molecular mechanisms of targeting TBK1 for cancer treatment. We hope that our effort can help to stimulate the development of novel strategies for targeting TBK1 signaling in future approaches to cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin P Runde
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Ryan Mack
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Peter Breslin S J
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.,Departments of Molecular/Cellular Physiology and Biology, Loyola University Medical Center and Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA
| | - Jiwang Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA. .,Departments of Pathology and Radiation Oncology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.
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13
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Ye H, Han Y, Li P, Su Z, Huang Y. The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Structure and Function of Tau Protein. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1557-1571. [PMID: 35325356 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Involving addition of chemical groups or protein units to specific residues of the target protein, post-translational modifications (PTMs) alter the charge, hydrophobicity, and conformation of a protein, which in tune influences protein function, protein - protein interaction, and protein aggregation. While the occurrence of PTMs is dynamic and subject to regulations, conformational disorder of the target protein facilitates PTMs. The microtubule-associated protein tau is a typical intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes a variety of PTMs including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, methylation, and oxidation. Accumulated evidence shows that these PTMs play a critical role in regulating tau-microtubule interaction, tau localization, tau degradation and aggregation, and reinforces the correlation between tau PTMs and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review tau PTMs with an emphasis on their influence on tau structure. With available biophysical characterization results, we describe how PTMs induce conformational changes in tau monomer and regulate tau aggregation. Compared to functional analysis of tau PTMs, biophysical characterization of tau PTMs is lagging. While it is challenging, characterizing the specific effects of PTMs on tau conformation and interaction is indispensable to unravel the tau PTM code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yue Han
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
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