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Kumar P, Banik SP, Ohia SE, Moriyama H, Chakraborty S, Wang CK, Song YS, Goel A, Bagchi M, Bagchi D. Current Insights on the Photoprotective Mechanism of the Macular Carotenoids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Safety, Efficacy and Bio-Delivery. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN NUTRITION ASSOCIATION 2024; 43:505-518. [PMID: 38393321 DOI: 10.1080/27697061.2024.2319090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Ocular health has emerged as one of the major issues of global health concern with a decline in quality of life in an aging population, in particular and rise in the number of associated morbidities and mortalities. One of the chief reasons for vision impairment is oxidative damage inflicted to photoreceptors in rods and cone cells by blue light as well as UV radiation. The scenario has been aggravated by unprecedented rise in screen-time during the COVID and post-COVID era. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are oxygenated carotenoids with proven roles in augmentation of ocular health largely by virtue of their antioxidant properties and protective effects against photobleaching of retinal pigments, age-linked macular degeneration, cataract, and retinitis pigmentosa. These molecules are characterized by their characteristic yellow-orange colored pigmentation and are found in significant amounts in vegetables such as corn, spinach, broccoli, carrots as well as fish and eggs. Unique structural signatures including tetraterpenoid skeleton with extensive conjugation and the presence of hydroxyl groups at the end rings have made these molecules evolutionarily adapted to localize in the membrane of the photoreceptor cells and prevent their free radical induced peroxidation. Apart from the benefits imparted to ocular health, lutein and zeaxanthin are also known to improve cognitive function, cardiovascular physiology, and arrest the development of malignancy. Although abundant in many natural sources, bioavailability of these compounds is low owing to their long aliphatic backbones. Under the circumstances, there has been a concerted effort to develop vegetable oil-based carriers such as lipid nano-emulsions for therapeutic administration of carotenoids. This review presents a comprehensive update of the therapeutic potential of the carotenoids along with the challenges in achieving an optimized delivery tool for maximizing their effectiveness inside the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawan Kumar
- R&D Department, Chemical Resources (CHERESO), Panchkula, India
| | - Samudra P Banik
- Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata, India
| | - Sunny E Ohia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hiroyoshi Moriyama
- Department of Scientific Affairs, The Japanese Institute for Health Food Standards, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sanjoy Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, New York City College of Technology/CUNY, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Chin-Kun Wang
- Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yong Sang Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Apurva Goel
- Regulation Department, Chemical Resources (CHERESO), Panchkula, India
| | | | - Debasis Bagchi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, and Department of Psychology, Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
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Sun J, Matsubara T, Koide T, Lampi KJ, David LL, Takata T. Characterization of different-sized human αA-crystallin homomers and implications to Asp151 isomerization. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306856. [PMID: 38991013 PMCID: PMC11238991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Site-specific modifications of aspartate residues spontaneously occur in crystallin, the major protein in the lens. One of the primary modification sites is Asp151 in αA-crystallin. Isomerization and racemization alter the crystallin backbone structure, reducing its stability by inducing abnormal crystallin-crystallin interactions and ultimately leading to the insolubilization of crystallin complexes. These changes are considered significant factors in the formation of senile cataracts. However, the mechanisms driving spontaneous isomerization and racemization have not been experimentally demonstrated. In this study, we generated αA-crystallins with different homo-oligomeric sizes and/or containing an asparagine residue at position 151, which is more prone to isomerization and racemization. We characterized their structure, hydrophobicity, chaperone-like function, and heat stability, and examined their propensity for isomerization and racemization. The results show that the two differently sized αA-crystallin variants possessed similar secondary structures but exhibited different chaperone-like functions depending on their oligomeric sizes. The rate of isomerization and racemization of Asp151, as assessed by the deamidation of Asn151, was also found to depend on the oligomeric sizes of αA-crystallin. The predominant isomerization product via deamidation of Asn151 in the different-sized αA-crystallin variants was L-β-Asp in vitro, while various modifications occurred around Asp151 in vivo. The disparity between the findings of this in vitro study and in vivo studies suggests that the isomerization of Asp151 in vivo may be more complex than what occurs in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Tamaki Koide
- Rexxam Corporation, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kirsten J. Lampi
- Oregon Health and Science University, Integrative Biosciences, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Larry L. David
- Oregon Health and Science University, Integrative Biosciences, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Takumi Takata
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka, Japan
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Sun J, Morishima K, Inoue R, Sugiyama M, Takata T. Characterization of βB2-crystallin tryptophan mutants reveals two different folding states in solution. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5092. [PMID: 38924206 PMCID: PMC11201810 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Conserved tryptophan residues are critical for the structure and the stability of β/γ-crystallin in the lenses of vertebrates. During aging, in which the lenses are continuously exposed to ultraviolet irradiation and other environmental stresses, oxidation of tryptophan residues in β/γ-crystallin is triggered and impacts the lens proteins to varying degrees. Kynurenine derivatives, formed by oxidation of tryptophan, accumulate, resulting in destabilization and insolubilization of β/γ-crystallin, which correlates with age-related cataract formation. To understand the contribution of tryptophan modification on the structure and stability of human βB2-crystallin, five tryptophan residues were mutated to phenylalanine considering its similarity in structure and hydrophilicity to kynurenine. Among all mutants, W59F and W151F altered the stability and homo-oligomerization of βB2-crystallin-W59F promoted tetramerization whereas W151F blocked oligomerization. Most W59F dimers transformed into tetramer in a month, and the separated dimer and tetramer of W59F demonstrated different structures and hydrophobicity, implying that the biochemical properties of βB2-crystallin vary over time. By using SAXS, we found that the dimer of βB2-crystallin in solution resembled the lattice βB1-crystallin dimer (face-en-face), whereas the tetramer of βB2-crystallin in solution resembled its lattice tetramer (domain-swapped). Our results suggest that homo-oligomerization of βB2-crystallin includes potential inter-subunit reactions, such as dissociation, unfolding, and re-formation of the dimers into a tetramer in solution. The W>F mutants are useful in studying different folding states of βB2-crystallin in lens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Ken Morishima
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Rintaro Inoue
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Masaaki Sugiyama
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversityOsakaJapan
| | - Takumi Takata
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversityOsakaJapan
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Su Y, Sun D, Cao C, Wang Y. Lanosterol regulates abnormal amyloid accumulation in LECs through the mediation of cholesterol pathway metabolism. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 38:101679. [PMID: 38501050 PMCID: PMC10945048 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2024.101679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related cataract (ARC) is the predominant cause of global blindness, linked to the progressive aging of the lens, oxidative stress, perturbed calcium homeostasis, hydration irregularities, and modifications in crystallin proteins. Currently, surgical intervention remains the sole efficacious remedy, albeit carrying inherent risks of complications that may culminate in irreversible blindness. It is urgent to explore alternative, cost-effective, and uncomplicated treatment modalities for cataracts. Lanosterol has been widely reported to reverse cataracts, but the mechanism of action is not yet clear. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism through which lanosterol operates in the context of cataract reversal. Through the targeted suppression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) followed by lanosterol treatment, we observed the restoration of lipid metabolism disorders induced by SREBP2 knockdown in lens epithelial cells (LECs). Notably, lanosterol exhibited the ability to effectively counteract amyloid accumulation and cellular apoptosis triggered by lipid metabolism disorders. In summary, our findings suggest that lanosterol, a pivotal intermediate in lipid metabolism, may exert its therapeutic effects on cataracts by influencing lipid metabolism. This study shed light on the treatment and pharmaceutical development targeting Age-related Cataracts (ARC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxue Su
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Ophthalmic Drug Creation and Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Danyuan Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chen Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Ophthalmic Drug Creation and Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yandong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Ophthalmic Drug Creation and Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
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Wang X, Feng Y, Wang F, Lin Z, Huang J, Li Q, Luo H, Liu X, Zhai X, Gao Q, Li L, Zhang Y, Wen J, Zhang L, Niu T, Zheng Y. Single-cell sequencing reveals the correlation of aggrephagy signaling and multiple myeloma immune microenvironment composition. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3712. [PMID: 38949072 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggrephagy, a type of autophagy, degrades the aggregation of misfolded protein in cells. However, the role of aggrephagy in multiple myeloma (MM) has not been fully demonstrated. In this study, we first investigated the correlation between aggrephagy signaling, MM immune microenvironment composition and disease prognosis. Single-cell RNA-seq data, including the expression profiles of 12,187 single cells from seven MM bone marrow (BM) and seven healthy BM samples, were analyzed by non-negative matrix factorization for 44 aggrephagy-related genes. Bulk RNA-seq cohorts from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were used to evaluate the prognostic value of aggrephagy-related immune cell subtypes and predict immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapeutic response in MM. Compared with healthy BM, MM BM exhibited different patterns of aggrephagy-related gene expression. In MM BM, macrophages, CD8+ T cells, B cells and natural killer cells could be grouped into four to nine aggrephagy-related subclusters. The signature of aggrephagy signaling molecule expression in the immune cells correlates with the patient's prognosis. Our investigation provides a novel view of aggrephagy signaling in MM tumor microenvironment cells, which might be a prognostic indicator and potential target for MM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhimei Lin
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingcao Huang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongmei Luo
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Zhai
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianwen Gao
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- School of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingjing Wen
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Hematology, Mianyang Central Hospital, Mianyang, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Niu
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhuan Zheng
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Chen Y, Li K, Huang R, Xiong L, Li R, Jiang L, Xun Y, Wan W, Hu K. Proteomics identifies hypothermia induced adiponectin protects corneal endothelial cells via AMPK mediated autophagy in phacoemulsification. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2024:10.1007/s00417-024-06542-6. [PMID: 38850333 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-024-06542-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM To explore the molecular mechanism underlying the protective effect of hypothermic perfusion on the corneal endothelium during phacoemulsification. METHODS Phacoemulsification was performed on New Zealand white rabbits. Perfusate at different temperatures was used during the operation, and the aqueous humor was collected for proteomic sequencing after the operation. Corneal endothelial cell injury was simulated by a corneal endothelial cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model in vitro. Flow cytometry and evaluation of fluorescent LC3B puncta were used to detect apoptosis and autophagy, and western blotting was used to detect protein expression. RESULTS A total of 381 differentially expressed proteins were identified between the two groups. In vitro, 4 ℃ hypothermia significantly reduced apoptosis and promoted autophagy. Apoptosis increased after autophagy was inhibited by 3-Methyladenine (3-MA). Furthermore, adiponectin (ADIPOQ) knockdown inhibited phospho-AMPK and blocked the protective effect of hypothermia on corneal endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS We investigated the differential expression of proteins between the hypothermia group and normothermia group by proteomics. Moreover, hypothermia-induced ADIPOQ can reduce apoptosis by promoting AMPK-mediated autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyi Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Kewei Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Rongxi Huang
- Department of Endocrinology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Liang Xiong
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruonan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Xun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjuan Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
| | - Ke Hu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
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Ghosh D, Biswas A, Radhakrishna M. Advanced computational approaches to understand protein aggregation. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021302. [PMID: 38681860 PMCID: PMC11045254 DOI: 10.1063/5.0180691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a widespread phenomenon implicated in debilitating diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and cataracts, presenting complex hurdles for the field of molecular biology. In this review, we explore the evolving realm of computational methods and bioinformatics tools that have revolutionized our comprehension of protein aggregation. Beginning with a discussion of the multifaceted challenges associated with understanding this process and emphasizing the critical need for precise predictive tools, we highlight how computational techniques have become indispensable for understanding protein aggregation. We focus on molecular simulations, notably molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, spanning from atomistic to coarse-grained levels, which have emerged as pivotal tools in unraveling the complex dynamics governing protein aggregation in diseases such as cataracts, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. MD simulations provide microscopic insights into protein interactions and the subtleties of aggregation pathways, with advanced techniques like replica exchange molecular dynamics, Metadynamics (MetaD), and umbrella sampling enhancing our understanding by probing intricate energy landscapes and transition states. We delve into specific applications of MD simulations, elucidating the chaperone mechanism underlying cataract formation using Markov state modeling and the intricate pathways and interactions driving the toxic aggregate formation in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Transitioning we highlight how computational techniques, including bioinformatics, sequence analysis, structural data, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence have become indispensable for predicting protein aggregation propensity and locating aggregation-prone regions within protein sequences. Throughout our exploration, we underscore the symbiotic relationship between computational approaches and empirical data, which has paved the way for potential therapeutic strategies against protein aggregation-related diseases. In conclusion, this review offers a comprehensive overview of advanced computational methodologies and bioinformatics tools that have catalyzed breakthroughs in unraveling the molecular basis of protein aggregation, with significant implications for clinical interventions, standing at the intersection of computational biology and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepshikha Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Anushka Biswas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
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Tsekrekou M, Giannakou M, Papanikolopoulou K, Skretas G. Protein aggregation and therapeutic strategies in SOD1- and TDP-43- linked ALS. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1383453. [PMID: 38855322 PMCID: PMC11157337 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1383453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with severe socio-economic impact. A hallmark of ALS pathology is the presence of aberrant cytoplasmic inclusions composed of misfolded and aggregated proteins, including both wild-type and mutant forms. This review highlights the critical role of misfolded protein species in ALS pathogenesis, particularly focusing on Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and emphasizes the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies targeting these misfolded proteins directly. Despite significant advancements in understanding ALS mechanisms, the disease remains incurable, with current treatments offering limited clinical benefits. Through a comprehensive analysis, the review focuses on the direct modulation of the misfolded proteins and presents recent discoveries in small molecules and peptides that inhibit SOD1 and TDP-43 aggregation, underscoring their potential as effective treatments to modify disease progression and improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tsekrekou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Giannakou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Papanikolopoulou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre “Alexander Fleming”, Vari, Greece
- ResQ Biotech, Patras Science Park, Rio, Greece
| | - Georgios Skretas
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
- ResQ Biotech, Patras Science Park, Rio, Greece
- Institute for Bio-innovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre “Alexander Fleming”, Vari, Greece
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Zhang Y, Cheng Y, Liang Y, Shao M, Chen A. Based on the relationship between anxiety of existential meaninglessness, hope level, and fear of progression, explored the effect of preoperative nursing with Orem theory in the senile cataract population. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1358229. [PMID: 38800682 PMCID: PMC11117140 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1358229] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cataracts, characterized by a decrease in vision due to the clouding of the lens, can progress to blindness in advanced stages. The rising incidence of cataract cases has led to a significant number of patients experiencing negative emotions associated with vision loss, thereby diminishing their quality of life. In clinical practice, it is imperative for healthcare professionals to consider the psychological well-being of cataract patients. Currently, there is a scarcity of research focusing on psychological evaluations, such as assessing feelings of meaninglessness among individuals with cataracts. Objective This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the anxiety of existential meaninglessness and to explore the relationships among existential anxiety, Herth hope index levels and fear of progression in the elderly cataract-affected population. Additionally, it evaluates the effectiveness of Orem's nursing care strategies. Methods Utilizing a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Existential Meaninglessness Anxiety Scale (EM-A), Herth Hope Index Level Scale, and the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), this research employed convenience sampling for a cross-sectional and intervention study. The retrospective study sample comprised 1,029 individuals, while the intervention study included 317. The intervention design assessed psychological changes in existential meaninglessness following Orem's preoperative nursing interventions. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to ascertain the determinants of EM-A within the population of elderly patients with senile cataracts. Pearson correlation analysis elucidated the relationship between EM-A, levels of hope, and the FoP-Q-SF among this demographic. Subsequent investigations, utilizing a t-test, evaluated the effects by comparing the data before and after the implementation of the interventions. Results The correlation between EM-A, hope levels, and FoP-Q-SF was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Factors such as age, education level, alcohol consumption habits, hope levels, and FoP-Q-SF scores significantly affected EM-A scores (p < 0.05). Orem's nursing framework significantly reduced existential anxiety (p < 0.05). Conclusion Among elderly patients with cataracts, existential anxiety was generally moderate. Hope levels and fear of progression were closely associated with the EM-A. The novel Orem preoperative care model effectively addresses clinical issues. In clinical practice, it is crucial to address psychological problems and enhance patients' quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Aiai Chen
- Ningbo Eye Institute, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China
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10
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Chen Y, Ye Z, Chen H, Li Z. Breaking Barriers: Nanomedicine-Based Drug Delivery for Cataract Treatment. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:4021-4040. [PMID: 38736657 PMCID: PMC11086653 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s463679] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cataract is a leading cause of blindness globally, and its surgical treatment poses a significant burden on global healthcare. Pharmacologic therapies, including antioxidants and protein aggregation reversal agents, have attracted great attention in the treatment of cataracts in recent years. Due to the anatomical and physiological barriers of the eye, the effectiveness of traditional eye drops for delivering drugs topically to the lens is hindered. The advancements in nanomedicine present novel and promising strategies for addressing challenges in drug delivery to the lens, including the development of nanoparticle formulations that can improve drug penetration into the anterior segment and enable sustained release of medications. This review introduces various cutting-edge drug delivery systems for cataract treatment, highlighting their physicochemical properties and surface engineering for optimal design, thus providing impetus for further innovative research and potential clinical applications of anti-cataract drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Chen
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Senior Department of Ophthalmology, The Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zi Ye
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Senior Department of Ophthalmology, The Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haixu Chen
- Institute of Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics Diseases, The Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhaohui Li
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China
- Senior Department of Ophthalmology, The Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Juković M, Ratkaj I, Kalafatovic D, Bradshaw NJ. Amyloids, amorphous aggregates and assemblies of peptides - Assessing aggregation. Biophys Chem 2024; 308:107202. [PMID: 38382283 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2024.107202] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid and amorphous aggregates represent the two major categories of aggregates associated with diseases, and although exhibiting distinct features, researchers often treat them as equivalent, which demonstrates the need for more thorough characterization. Here, we compare amyloid and amorphous aggregates based on their biochemical properties, kinetics, and morphological features. To further decipher this issue, we propose the use of peptide self-assemblies as minimalistic models for understanding the aggregation process. Peptide building blocks are significantly smaller than proteins that participate in aggregation, however, they make a plausible means to bridge the gap in discerning the aggregation process at the more complex, protein level. Additionally, we explore the potential use of peptide-inspired models to research the liquid-liquid phase separation as a feasible mechanism preceding amyloid formation. Connecting these concepts can help clarify our understanding of aggregation-related disorders and potentially provide novel drug targets to impede and reverse these serious illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Juković
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Drug Development, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Ivana Ratkaj
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Drug Development, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Daniela Kalafatovic
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Drug Development, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
| | - Nicholas J Bradshaw
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Drug Development, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
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Carrothers E, Appleby M, Lai V, Kozbenko T, Alomar D, Smith BJ, Hamada N, Hinton P, Ainsbury EA, Hocking R, Yauk C, Wilkins RC, Chauhan V. AOP report: Development of an adverse outcome pathway for deposition of energy leading to cataracts. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2024. [PMID: 38644659 DOI: 10.1002/em.22594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness, with an estimated 95 million people affected worldwide. A hallmark of cataract development is lens opacification, typically associated not only with aging but also radiation exposure as encountered by interventional radiologists and astronauts during the long-term space mission. To better understand radiation-induced cataracts, the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework was used to structure and evaluate knowledge across biological levels of organization (e.g., macromolecular, cell, tissue, organ, organism and population). AOPs identify a sequence of key events (KEs) causally connected by key event relationships (KERs) beginning with a molecular initiating event to an adverse outcome (AO) of relevance to regulatory decision-making. To construct the cataract AO and retrieve evidence to support it, a scoping review methodology was used to filter, screen, and review studies based on the modified Bradford Hill criteria. Eight KEs were identified that were moderately supported by empirical evidence (e.g., dose-, time-, incidence-concordance) across the adjacent (directly linked) relationships using well-established endpoints. Over half of the evidence to justify the KER linkages was derived from the evidence stream of biological plausibility. Early KEs of oxidative stress and protein modifications had strong linkages to downstream KEs and could be the focus of countermeasure development. Several identified knowledge gaps and inconsistencies related to the quantitative understanding of KERs which could be the basis of future research, most notably directed to experiments in the range of low or moderate doses and dose-rates, relevant to radiation workers and other occupational exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Carrothers
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meghan Appleby
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vita Lai
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tatiana Kozbenko
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dalya Alomar
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin J Smith
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nobuyuki Hamada
- Biology and Environmental Chemistry Division, Sustainable System Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Chiba, Japan
| | - Patricia Hinton
- Defense Research & Development Canada, Canadian Forces Environmental Medicine Establishment, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A Ainsbury
- Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Division, UK Health Security Agency, Birmingham, UK
- Environmental Research Group within the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK
| | - Robyn Hocking
- Learning and Knowledge and Library Services, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Carole Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth C Wilkins
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vinita Chauhan
- Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection Bureau, Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Chowdhury P, Ojha AK, Bhowmik S, Halder K, Sabnam K, Santra S, Chaudhury K, Dasgupta S. Cell Penetrability of a γ-Crystallin Peptide Fragment from the Discarded Cataractous Eye Emulsion. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:14840-14848. [PMID: 38585046 PMCID: PMC10993246 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The efficiency of the intracellular transport of medication and target specificity is frequently hampered by biological obstacles. The potential for therapeutic use of peptide fragments from naturally occurring proteins is promising, as peptides exhibit high selectivity due to several possibilities of interaction with their target. Certain peptide sequences, often referred to as cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), are those that can penetrate cell membranes. Our goal is to find these sequences in the discarded postcataractery surgery emulsion known as the cataractous eye protein isolate (CEPI). One peptide fragment from this discarded protein has been identified to be a potential CPP based on the similarities with other well-known CPPs. Cell membrane penetrability and cytotoxicity of the peptide have been investigated. Fibroblast cells were incubated with the fluorescently labeled peptide and were observed under fluorescence as well as under confocal microscopy. It was found that the peptide possesses a cell-penetrating ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasun Chowdhury
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Atul Kumar Ojha
- School
of Medical Science and Technology, Indian
Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Shishir Bhowmik
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Krishna Halder
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Kabira Sabnam
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Sujan Santra
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Koel Chaudhury
- School
of Medical Science and Technology, Indian
Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Swagata Dasgupta
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
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14
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Lu A, Liu Z, Su G, Yang P. Global Research Status Regarding Uveitis in the Last Decade. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2024; 32:326-335. [PMID: 36698094 DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2023.2170251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To provide an overview on global uveitis research in the last decade in terms of countries/regions, organizations, scholars, journals, trending topics, and fundings. METHODS This cross-sectional bibliometric analysis yielded 10656 uveitis publications in English for subsequent bibliometric analysis. RESULTS In terms of the number of publications, the leading country/region was the USA (3007). The most productive organization was the University College London (420). The most productive research team was Professor Yang's group (146). A higher h-index was noted in University College London (48). Professor Rosenbaum was the first h-index holder (32). Keywords of interest included topics such as biologics, COVID and OCT. Publications by Ocular Immunology and Inflammation (968) ranked the first position. CONCLUSIONS The USA is the leading force in uveitis study. Asian countries/regions, such as China (mainland) and India, are exerting a substantial role worldwide. Trendy topics cover COVID-19, OCTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangluxi Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guannan Su
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peizeng Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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15
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Rusciano D, Russo C. The Therapeutic Trip of Melatonin Eye Drops: From the Ocular Surface to the Retina. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:441. [PMID: 38675402 PMCID: PMC11054783 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040441] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule found in living organisms, ranging from bacteria to plants and mammals. It possesses various properties, partly due to its robust antioxidant nature and partly owed to its specific interaction with melatonin receptors present in almost all tissues. Melatonin regulates different physiological functions and contributes to the homeostasis of the entire organism. In the human eye, a small amount of melatonin is also present, produced by cells in the anterior segment and the posterior pole, including the retina. In the eye, melatonin may provide antioxidant protection along with regulating physiological functions of ocular tissues, including intraocular pressure (IOP). Therefore, it is conceivable that the exogenous topical administration of sufficiently high amounts of melatonin to the eye could be beneficial in several instances: for the treatment of eye pathologies like glaucoma, due to the IOP-lowering and neuroprotection effects of melatonin; for the prevention of other dysfunctions, such as dry eye and refractive defects (cataract and myopia) mainly due to its antioxidant properties; for diabetic retinopathy due to its metabolic influence and neuroprotective effects; for macular degeneration due to the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties; and for uveitis, mostly owing to anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. This paper reviews the scientific evidence supporting the use of melatonin in different ocular districts. Moreover, it provides data suggesting that the topical administration of melatonin as eye drops is a real possibility, utilizing nanotechnological formulations that could improve its solubility and permeation through the eye. This way, its distribution and concentration in different ocular tissues may support its pleiotropic therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Rusciano
- Fidia Research Centre, c/o University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Russo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy;
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16
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Guo M, Higashita R, Lin C, Hu L, Chen W, Li F, Lai GWK, Nguyen A, Sakata R, Okamoto K, Tang B, Xu Y, Fu H, Gao F, Aihara M, Zhang X, Yuan J, Lin S, Leung CKS, Liu J. Crystalline lens nuclear age prediction as a new biomarker of nucleus degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol 2024; 108:513-521. [PMID: 37495263 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2023-323176] [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: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The crystalline lens is a transparent structure of the eye to focus light on the retina. It becomes muddy, hard and dense with increasing age, which makes the crystalline lens gradually lose its function. We aim to develop a nuclear age predictor to reflect the degeneration of the crystalline lens nucleus. METHODS First we trained and internally validated the nuclear age predictor with a deep-learning algorithm, using 12 904 anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images from four diverse Asian and American cohorts: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center with Machine0 (ZOM0), Tomey Corporation (TOMEY), University of California San Francisco and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. External testing was done on three independent datasets: Tokyo University (TU), ZOM1 and Shenzhen People's Hospital (SPH). We also demonstrate the possibility of detecting nuclear cataracts (NCs) from the nuclear age gap. FINDINGS In the internal validation dataset, the nuclear age could be predicted with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.570 years (95% CI 1.886 to 2.863). Across the three external testing datasets, the algorithm achieved MAEs of 4.261 years (95% CI 3.391 to 5.094) in TU, 3.920 years (95% CI 3.332 to 4.637) in ZOM1-NonCata and 4.380 years (95% CI 3.730 to 5.061) in SPH-NonCata. The MAEs for NC eyes were 8.490 years (95% CI 7.219 to 9.766) in ZOM1-NC and 9.998 years (95% CI 5.673 to 14.642) in SPH-NC. The nuclear age gap outperformed both ophthalmologists in detecting NCs, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.853 years (95% CI 0.787 to 0.917) in ZOM1 and 0.909 years (95% CI 0.828 to 0.978) in SPH. INTERPRETATION The nuclear age predictor shows good performance, validating the feasibility of using AS-OCT images as an effective screening tool for nucleus degeneration. Our work also demonstrates the potential use of the nuclear age gap to detect NCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Guo
- Research Institute of Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Risa Higashita
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Tomey Corporation, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Chen Lin
- Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Lingxi Hu
- Research Institute of Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wan Chen
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fei Li
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Gilda Wing Ki Lai
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Anwell Nguyen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rei Sakata
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Bo Tang
- Research Institute of Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanwu Xu
- Intelligent Healthcare Unit, Baidu Inc, Beijing, China
| | - Huazhu Fu
- Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Fei Gao
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Makoto Aihara
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xiulan Zhang
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Yuan
- Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shan Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Glaucoma Center of San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christopher Kai-Shun Leung
- Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jiang Liu
- Research Institute of Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cixi, Zhejiang, China
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17
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Timsina R, Hazen P, Trossi-Torres G, Khadka NK, Kalkat N, Mainali L. Cholesterol Content Regulates the Interaction of αA-, αB-, and α-Crystallin with the Model of Human Lens-Lipid Membranes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1923. [PMID: 38339200 PMCID: PMC10855794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
α-Crystallin (αABc) is a major protein comprised of αA-crystallin (αAc) and αB-crystallin (αBc) that is found in the human eye lens and works as a molecular chaperone by preventing the aggregation of proteins and providing tolerance to stress. However, with age and cataract formation, the concentration of αABc in the eye lens cytoplasm decreases, with a corresponding increase in the membrane-bound αABc. This study uses the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin-labeling method to investigate the role of cholesterol (Chol) and Chol bilayer domains (CBDs) in the binding of αAc, αBc, and αABc to the Chol/model of human lens-lipid (Chol/MHLL) membranes. The maximum percentage of membrane surface occupied (MMSO) by αAc, αBc, and αABc to Chol/MHLL membranes at a mixing ratio of 0 followed the trends: MMSO (αAc) > MMSO (αBc) ≈ MMSO (αABc), indicating that a higher amount of αAc binds to these membranes compared to αBc and αABc. However, with an increase in the Chol concentration in the Chol/MHLL membranes, the MMSO by αAc, αBc, and αABc decreases until it is completely diminished at a mixing ratio of 1.5. The Ka of αAc, αBc, and αABc to Chol/MHLL membranes at a mixing ratio of 0 followed the trend: Ka (αBc) ≈ Ka (αABc) > Ka (αAc), but it was close to zero with the diminished binding at a Chol/MHLL mixing ratio of 1.5. The mobility near the membrane headgroup regions decreased with αAc, αBc, and αABc binding, and the Chol antagonized the capacity of the αAc, αBc, and αABc to decrease mobility near the headgroup regions. No significant change in membrane order near the headgroup regions was observed, with an increase in αAc, αBc, and αABc concentrations. Our results show that αAc, αBc, and αABc bind differently with Chol/MHLL membranes at mixing ratios of 0 and 0.5, decreasing the mobility and increasing hydrophobicity near the membrane headgroup region, likely forming the hydrophobic barrier for the passage of polar and ionic molecules, including antioxidants (glutathione), creating an oxidative environment inside the lens, leading to the development of cataracts. However, all binding was completely diminished at a mixing ratio of 1.5, indicating that high Chol and CBDs inhibit the binding of αAc, αBc, and αABc to membranes, preventing the formation of hydrophobic barriers and likely protecting against cataract formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Timsina
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (R.T.); (N.K.K.)
| | - Preston Hazen
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (P.H.); (G.T.-T.); (N.K.)
| | - Geraline Trossi-Torres
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (P.H.); (G.T.-T.); (N.K.)
| | - Nawal K. Khadka
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (R.T.); (N.K.K.)
| | - Navdeep Kalkat
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (P.H.); (G.T.-T.); (N.K.)
| | - Laxman Mainali
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (R.T.); (N.K.K.)
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (P.H.); (G.T.-T.); (N.K.)
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18
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Warerkar OD, Mudliar NH, Momin MM, Singh PK. Targeting Amyloids with Coated Nanoparticles: A Review on Potential Combinations of Nanoparticles and Bio-Compatible Coatings. Crit Rev Ther Drug Carrier Syst 2024; 41:85-119. [PMID: 37938191 DOI: 10.1615/critrevtherdrugcarriersyst.2023046209] [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: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Amyloidosis is the major cause of many neurodegenerative diseases, such as, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's where the misfolding and deposition of a previously functional protein make it inept for carrying out its function. The genesis of amyloid fibril formation and the strategies to inhibit it have been studied extensively, although some parts of this puzzle still remain unfathomable to date. Many classes of molecules have been explored as potential drugs in vitro, but their inability to work in vivo by crossing the blood-brain-barrier has made them an inadequate treatment option. In this regard, nanoparticles (NPs) have turned out to be an exciting alternative because they could overcome many drawbacks of previously studied molecules and provide advantages, such as, greater bioavailability of molecules and target-specific delivery of drugs. In this paper, we present an overview on several coated NPs which have shown promising efficiency in inhibiting fibril formation. A hundred and thirty papers published in the past two decades have been comprehensively reviewed, which majorly encompass NPs comprising different materials like gold, silver, iron-oxide, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polymeric NP, etc., which are coated with various molecules of predominantly natural origin, such as different types of amino acids, peptides, curcumin, drugs, catechin, etc. We hope that this review will shed light on the advancement of symbiotic amalgamation of NPs with molecules from natural sources and will inspire further research on the tremendous therapeutic potential of these combinations for many amyloid-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oshin D Warerkar
- SVKM's Shri C.B. Patel Research Centre, Vile Parle, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056, India
| | - Niyati H Mudliar
- SVKM's Shri C.B. Patel Research Centre, Vile Parle, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056, India
| | - Munira M Momin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; SVKM's Shri C.B. Patel Research Centre for Chemistry and Biological Sciences, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400056, India
| | - Prabhat K Singh
- Radiation & Photochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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19
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Lin N, Zhang Y, Song X, Xu J, Luo C, Tian Q, Yao K, Wu W, Chen X, Hu L. Cataract-causing mutations S78F and S78P of γD-crystallin decrease protein conformational stability and drive aggregation. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126910. [PMID: 37739288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126910] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Congenital cataract is the leading cause of childhood blindness, which primarily results from genetic factors. γD-crystallin is the most abundant γ-crystallin and is essential for maintaining lens transparency and refractivity. Numerous mutations in γD-crystallin have been reported with unclear pathogenic mechanism. Two different cataract-causing mutations Ser78Phe and Ser78Pro in γD-crystallin were previously identified at the same conserved Ser78 residue. In this work, firstly, we purified the mutants and characterized for the structural change using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Both mutants were prone to form insoluble precipitates when expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) cells. Compared with wild-type (WT), both mutations caused structural disruption, increased hydrophobic exposure, decreased solubility, and reduced thermal stability. Next, we investigated the aggregation of the mutants at the cellular level. Overexpression the mutants in HLE-B3 and HEK 293T cells could induce aggresome formations. The environmental stresses (including heat, ultraviolet irradiation and oxidative stress) promoted the formation of aggregates. Moreover, the intracellular S78F and S78P aggregates could be reversed by lanosterol. Molecular dynamic simulation indicated that both mutations disrupted the structural integrity of Greek-key motif 2. Hence, our results reveal the vital role of conserved Ser78 in maintaining the structural stability, which can offer new insights into the mechanism of cataract formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningqin Lin
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China; Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Xiaohui Song
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Jingjie Xu
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Chenqi Luo
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Qing Tian
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Ke Yao
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China.
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China.
| | - Lidan Hu
- Department of Nephrology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
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20
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Xu J, Zhang Y, Liu J, Hu L, Luo C, Yao K, Chen X. Heteromeric formation with βA3 protects the low thermal stability of βB1-L116P. Br J Ophthalmol 2023; 107:1936-1942. [PMID: 36126102 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2022-322247] [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: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Congenital cataract is the leading cause of visual disability and blindness in childhood. βB1-crystallin (CRYBB1) comprises about 1/10th of crystallin structural proteins, forming heteromers to maintain lens transparency. We previously reported a CRYBB1 mutation (c.347T>C, p.L116P) affecting 16 patients in a congenital nuclear cataract family. In this study, we investigate the underlying pathogenic mechanism of βB1-L116P. METHODS Protein isolation, size-exclusion chromatography, spectroscopy, Uncle stability screens and molecular dynamics simulations were used to assess βA3- and βB1-crystallin thermal stability, structural properties and heteromer formation. RESULTS Cells that overexpressed βB1-L116P tended to form aggregates and precipitations under heat-shock stress. Thermal denaturation and time-dependent turbidity experiments showed that thermal stability was significantly impaired. Moreover, protein instability appeared to increase with elevated concentrations detected by the Uncle system. Additionally, βA3 had a relative protective effect on βB1-L116P after heteromers were formed, although βA3 was relatively unstable and was usually protected by basic β-crystallins. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that L116P mutation altered the hydrophobic residues at the surface around the mutant site, providing solvents more access to the internal and hydrophobic parts of the protein. CONCLUSIONS Decreased βB1-crystallin thermal stability in the presence of the cataract-related L116P mutation contributes significantly to congenital cataract formation. Moreover, its formation of heteromers with βA3 protects against the low thermal stability of βB1-L116P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjie Xu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Lidan Hu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Chenqi Luo
- Eye Center, Second Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ke Yao
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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21
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Li SY, Xue RY, Wu H, Pu N, Wei D, Zhao N, Song ZM, Tao Y. Novel Role of Molecular Hydrogen: The End of Ophthalmic Diseases? Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1567. [PMID: 38004433 PMCID: PMC10674431 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas which displays non-toxic features at high concentrations. H2 can alleviate oxidative damage, reduce inflammatory reactions and inhibit apoptosis cascades, thereby inducing protective and repairing effects on cells. H2 can be transported into the body in the form of H2 gas, hydrogen-rich water (HRW), hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) or H2 produced by intestinal bacteria. Accumulating evidence suggest that H2 is protective against multiple ophthalmic diseases, including cataracts, dry eye disease, diabetic retinopathy (DR) and other fields. In particular, H2 has been tested in the treatment of dry eye disease and corneal endothelial injury in clinical practice. This medical gas has brought hope to patients suffering from blindness. Although H2 has demonstrated promising therapeutic potentials and broad application prospects, further large-scale studies involving more patients are still needed to determine its optimal application mode and dosage. In this paper, we have reviewed the basic characteristics of H2, and its therapeutic effects in ophthalmic diseases. We also focus on the latest progress in the administration approaches and mechanisms underlying these benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Zong-Ming Song
- Henan Eye Institute, Henan Eye Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Ye Tao
- Henan Eye Institute, Henan Eye Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
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22
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Zhang X, Liu B, Lal K, Liu H, Tran M, Zhou M, Ezugwu C, Gao X, Dang T, Au ML, Brown E, Wu H, Liao Y. Antioxidant System and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Cataracts. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:4041-4058. [PMID: 37874455 PMCID: PMC10842247 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01427-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The primary underlying contributor for cataract, a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness worldwide, is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress triggers protein damage, cell apoptosis, and subsequent cataract formation. The nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) serves as a principal redox transcriptional factor in the lens, offering a line of defense against oxidative stress. In response to oxidative challenges, Nrf2 dissociates from its inhibitor, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), moves to the nucleus, and binds to the antioxidant response element (ARE) to activate the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant system. In parallel, oxidative stress also induces endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated during oxidative stress, can directly damage proteins, causing them to misfold. Initially, the unfolded protein response (UPR) activates to mitigate excessive misfolded proteins. Yet, under persistent or severe stress, the failure to rectify protein misfolding leads to an accumulation of these aberrant proteins, pushing the UPR towards an apoptotic pathway, further contributing to cataractogenesis. Importantly, there is a dynamic interaction between the Nrf2 antioxidant system and the ERS/UPR mechanism in the lens. This interplay, where ERS/UPR can modulate Nrf2 expression and vice versa, holds potential therapeutic implications for cataract prevention and treatment. This review explores the intricate crosstalk between these systems, aiming to illuminate strategies for future advancements in cataract prevention and intervention. The Nrf2-dependent antioxidant system communicates and cross-talks with the ERS/UPR pathway. Both mechanisms are proposed to play pivotal roles in the onset of cataract formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bingqing Liu
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Kevin Lal
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Haihua Liu
- Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Myhoa Tran
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Manyu Zhou
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chimdindu Ezugwu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Xin Gao
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Terry Dang
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - My-Lien Au
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Erica Brown
- School of Medicine, Texas Christian University and University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Hongli Wu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
- North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
| | - Yan Liao
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
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23
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Khadka NK, Hazen P, Haemmerle D, Mainali L. Interaction of β L- and γ-Crystallin with Phospholipid Membrane Using Atomic Force Microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15720. [PMID: 37958704 PMCID: PMC10649403 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly concentrated lens proteins, mostly β- and γ-crystallin, are responsible for maintaining the structure and refractivity of the eye lens. However, with aging and cataract formation, β- and γ-crystallin are associated with the lens membrane or other lens proteins forming high-molecular-weight proteins, which further associate with the lens membrane, leading to light scattering and cataract development. The mechanism by which β- and γ-crystallin are associated with the lens membrane is unknown. This work aims to study the interaction of β- and γ-crystallin with the phospholipid membrane with and without cholesterol (Chol) with the overall goal of understanding the role of phospholipid and Chol in β- and γ-crystallin association with the membrane. Small unilamellar vesicles made of Chol/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (Chol/POPC) membranes with varying Chol content were prepared using the rapid solvent exchange method followed by probe tip sonication and then dispensed on freshly cleaved mica disk to prepare a supported lipid membrane. The βL- and γ-crystallin from the cortex of the bovine lens was used to investigate the time-dependent association of βL- and γ-crystallin with the membrane by obtaining the topographical images using atomic force microscopy. Our study showed that βL-crystallin formed semi-transmembrane defects, whereas γ-crystallin formed transmembrane defects on the phospholipid membrane. The size of semi-transmembrane defects increases significantly with incubation time when βL-crystallin interacts with the membrane. In contrast, no significant increase in transmembrane defect size was observed in the case of γ-crystallin. Our result shows that Chol inhibits the formation of membrane defects when βL- and γ-crystallin interact with the Chol/POPC membrane, where the degree of inhibition depends upon the amount of Chol content in the membrane. At a Chol/POPC mixing ratio of 0.3, membrane defects were observed when both βL- and γ-crystallin interacted with the membrane. However, at a Chol/POPC mixing ratio of 1, no association of γ-crystallin with the membrane was observed, which resulted in a defect-free membrane, and the severity of the membrane defect was decreased when βL-crystallin interacted with the membrane. The semi-transmembrane or transmembrane defects formed by the interaction of βL- and γ-crystallin on phospholipid membrane might be responsible for light scattering and cataract formation. However, Chol suppressed the formation of such defects in the membrane, likely maintaining lens membrane homeostasis and protecting against cataract formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal K. Khadka
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (N.K.K.); (D.H.)
| | - Preston Hazen
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
| | - Dieter Haemmerle
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (N.K.K.); (D.H.)
| | - Laxman Mainali
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; (N.K.K.); (D.H.)
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
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24
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Paredes J, Wang Z, Patel P, Rose KL, Schey KL. Dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine in aging and cataractous lenses reveal site-specific consequences of spontaneous protein degradation. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1241001. [PMID: 38983090 PMCID: PMC11182102 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1241001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been associated with aging and age-related diseases. PTMs are particularly impactful in long-lived proteins, such as those found in the ocular lens, because they accumulate with age. Two PTMs that lead to protein-protein crosslinks in aged and cataractous lenses are dehydroalanine (DHA) and dehydrobutyrine (DHB); formed from cysteine/serine and threonine residues, respectively. The purpose of this study was to quantitate DHA and DHB in human lens proteins as a function of age and cataract status. Methods Human lenses of various ages were divided into five donor groups: transparent lenses (18-22-year-old, 48-64-year-old, and 70-93-year-old) and cataractous human lenses of two age groups (48-64-year-old lenses, and 70-93-year-old lenses) and were subjected to proteomic analysis. Relative DHA and DHB peptide levels were quantified and compared to their non-modified peptide counterparts. Results For most lens proteins containing DHA or DHB, higher amounts of DHA- and DHB-modified peptides were detected in aged and cataractous lenses. DHA-containing peptides were classified into three groups based on abundance changes with age and cataract: those that (1) increased only in age-related nuclear cataract (ARNC), (2) increased in aged and cataractous lenses, and (3) decreased in aged lenses and ARNC. There was no indication that DHA or DHB levels were dependent on lens region. In most donor groups, proteins with DHA and DHB were more likely to be found among urea-insoluble proteins rather than among water- or urea-soluble proteins. Discussion DHA and DHB formation may induce structural effects that make proteins less soluble in water that leads to age-related protein insolubility and possibly aggregation and light scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Paredes
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Purvi Patel
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Kristie L. Rose
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Kevin L. Schey
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Mass Spectrometry Research Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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25
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Dias RVR, Pedro RP, Sanches MN, Moreira GC, Leite VBP, Caruso IP, de Melo FA, de Oliveira LC. Unveiling Metastable Ensembles of GRB2 and the Relevance of Interdomain Communication during Folding. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6344-6353. [PMID: 37824286 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The folding process of multidomain proteins is a highly intricate phenomenon involving the assembly of distinct domains into a functional three-dimensional structure. During this process, each domain may fold independently while interacting with others. The folding of multidomain proteins can be influenced by various factors, including their composition, the structure of each domain, or the presence of disordered regions, as well as the surrounding environment. Misfolding of multidomain proteins can lead to the formation of nonfunctional structures associated with a range of diseases, including cancers or neurodegenerative disorders. Understanding this process is an important step for many biophysical analyses such as stability, interaction, malfunctioning, and rational drug design. One such multidomain protein is growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2), an adaptor protein that is essential in regulating cell survival. GRB2 consists of one central Src homology 2 (SH2) domain flanked by two Src homology 3 (SH3) domains. The SH2 domain interacts with phosphotyrosine regions in other proteins, while the SH3 domains recognize proline-rich regions on protein partners during cell signaling. Here, we combined computational and experimental techniques to investigate the folding process of GRB2. Through computational simulations, we sampled the conformational space and mapped the mechanisms involved by the free energy profiles, which may indicate possible intermediate states. From the molecular dynamics trajectories, we used the energy landscape visualization method (ELViM), which allowed us to visualize a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the overall energy surface. We identified two possible parallel folding routes that cannot be seen in a one-dimensional analysis, with one occurring more frequently during folding. Supporting these results, we used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques to confirm these intermediate states in vitro. Finally, we analyzed the deletion of domains to compare our model outputs to previously published results, supporting the presence of interdomain modulation. Overall, our study highlights the significance of interdomain communication within the GRB2 protein and its impact on the formation, stability, and structural plasticity of the protein, which are crucial for its interaction with other proteins in key signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael V R Dias
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Renan P Pedro
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Murilo N Sanches
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Giovana C Moreira
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Vitor B P Leite
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Icaro P Caruso
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Fernando A de Melo
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation (CMIB), São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Leandro C de Oliveira
- Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Humanities, and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
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26
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Greiner JV, Glonek T. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Protein Aggregation in Age-Related Vision-Threatening Ocular Diseases. Metabolites 2023; 13:1100. [PMID: 37887425 PMCID: PMC10609282 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13101100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is the etiopathogenesis of the three most profound vision-threatening eye diseases: age-related cataract, presbyopia, and age-related macular degeneration. This perspective organizes known information on ATP and protein aggregation with a fundamental unrecognized function of ATP. With recognition that maintenance of protein solubility is related to the high intracellular concentration of ATP in cells, tissues, and organs, we hypothesize that (1) ATP serves a critical molecular function for organismal homeostasis of proteins and (2) the hydrotropic feature of ATP prevents pathological protein aggregation while assisting in the maintenance of protein solubility and cellular, tissue, and organismal function. As such, the metabolite ATP plays an extraordinarily important role in the prevention of protein aggregation in the leading causes of vision loss or blindness worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack V. Greiner
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Clinical Eye Research of Boston, Boston, MA 01890, USA;
| | - Thomas Glonek
- Clinical Eye Research of Boston, Boston, MA 01890, USA;
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27
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Lu A, Li K, Su G, Yang P. Revealing Academic Evolution and Frontier Pattern in the Field of Uveitis Using Bibliometric Analysis, Natural Language Processing, and Machine Learning. Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2023:1-16. [PMID: 38427350 DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2023.2262028] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Numerous uveitis articles were published in this century, underneath which hides valuable intelligence. We aimed to characterize the evolution and patterns in this field. METHODS We divided the 15,994 uveitis papers into four consecutive time periods for bibliometric analysis, and applied latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling and machine learning techniques to the latest period. . RESULTS The yearly publication pattern fitted the curve: 1.21335x2 - 4,848.95282x + 4,844,935.58876 (R2 = 0.98311). The USA, the most productive country/region, focused on topics like ankylosing spondylitis and biologic therapy, whereas China (mainland) focused on topics like OCT and Behcet disease. The logistic regression showed the highest accuracy (71.6%) in the test set. CONCLUSION In this century, a growing number of countries/regions/authors/journals are involved in the uveitis study, promoting the scientific output and thematic evolution. Our pioneering study uncovers the evolving academic trends and frontier patterns in this field using bibliometric analysis and AI algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Keyan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guannan Su
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Peizeng Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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28
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Kundakci YE, Bilir A, Atay E, Vurmaz A, Firat F, Arikan ES. Protective Effects of Different Doses of Ginsenoside-Rb1 Experimental Cataract Model That in Chick Embryos. Curr Eye Res 2023; 48:817-825. [PMID: 37260421 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2023.2221415] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There has been increased interest in phytochemical antioxidants to prevent protein damage and aggregate formation in cataract treatment. In this study, the protective effect of different doses of Rb1 (GRb1), one of the ginsenosides of Panax Ginseng, in the experimental cataract model formed in chick embryos was investigated. METHODS Five different experimental groups were formed with 100 SPF fertilized eggs: Control (0.9% NaCl to physiological saline), hydrocortisone hemisuccinate sodium (HC), low dose (HC + L-GRb1 (1 mg/kg)), medium dose (HC+). M-GRb1 (2.5 mg/kg)), and high dose (HC + H-GRb1 (5 mg/kg)). All solutions were given to air sack at 15 days of incubation. On the 17th day, the bulbous oculi of the chick embryos were dissected. Cataract formations of the lenses, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant (TAS), total oxidant (TOS) levels, Caspase-3 H-score, and TUNEL index were determined. In addition, crystalline alpha A (CRYAA) gene expression was evaluated. RESULTS Cataracts were observed in the control, HC, HC + L-GRb1, HC + M-GRb1, and HC + H-GRb1 groups with a frequency of 0%, 100%, 75%, 56.25%, and 100%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the control and HC groups in terms of TAS, TOS, MDA, GSH, Caspase-3 H-score, and TUNEL index (p < .05). When the therapeutic effect of the GRb1 groups was evaluated, the HC group showed significant differences with the HC + L-GRb1 and HC + M-GRb1 groups in almost all parameters (p < .05), while there was no statistical difference with the HC + H-GRb1 group (p > .05). In addition, gene expression levels differed between the groups, although not statistically significant (p > .05). CONCLUSION 1 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg GRb1 applications show therapeutic properties on the HC-induced cataract model. This effect is more pronounced at 2.5 mg/kg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Emre Kundakci
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Abdulkadir Bilir
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Emre Atay
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Ayhan Vurmaz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Fatma Firat
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medicine Faculty, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Evrim Suna Arikan
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
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29
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Ek-Vitorin JF, Jiang JX. The Role of Gap Junctions Dysfunction in the Development of Cataracts: From Loss of Cell-to-Cell Transfer to Blurred Vision-Review. Bioelectricity 2023; 5:164-172. [PMID: 37746311 PMCID: PMC10516237 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2023.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations of lens connexins are linked to congenital cataracts. However, the role of connexin mutations in the development of age-related lens opacification remains largely unknown. Here, we present a focused review of the literature on lens organization and factors associated with cataract development. Several lines of evidence indicate that disturbances of the lens circulation by dysfunctional connexin channels, and/or accumulation of protein damage due to oxidative stress, are key factors in cataract development. Phosphorylation by protein kinase A improves the permeability of connexins channels to small molecules and mitigates the lens clouding induced by oxidative stress. We conclude (1) that connexin channels are central to the lens circulation and (2) that their permeability to antioxidant molecules contributes to the maintenance of lens transparency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean X. Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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30
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Fu JL, Zheng SY, Wang Y, Hu XB, Xiao Y, Wang JM, Zhang L, Wang L, Nie Q, Hou M, Bai YY, Gan YW, Liang XM, Xie LL, Li DWC. HSP90β prevents aging-related cataract formation through regulation of the charged multivesicular body protein (CHMP4B) and p53. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221522120. [PMID: 37487085 PMCID: PMC10400967 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221522120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cataract is a leading ocular disease causing global blindness. The mechanism of cataractogenesis has not been well defined. Here, we demonstrate that the heat shock protein 90β (HSP90β) plays a fundamental role in suppressing cataractogenesis. HSP90β is the most dominant HSP in normal lens, and its constitutive high level of expression is largely derived from regulation by Sp1 family transcription factors. More importantly, HSP90β is significantly down-regulated in human cataract patients and in aging mouse lenses, whereas HSP90β silencing in zebrafish causes cataractogenesis, which can only be rescued by itself but not other HSP90 genes. Mechanistically, HSP90β can directly interact with CHMP4B, a newly-found client protein involved in control of cytokinesis. HSP90β silencing causes upregulation of CHMP4B and another client protein, the tumor suppressor p53. CHMP4B upregulation or overexpression induces excessive division of lens epithelial cells without proper differentiation. As a result, these cells were triggered to undergo apoptosis due to activation of the p53/Bak-Bim pathway, leading to cataractogenesis and microphthalmia. Silence of both HSP90β and CHMP4B restored normal phenotype of zebrafish eye. Together, our results reveal that HSP90β is a critical inhibitor of cataractogenesis through negative regulation of CHMP4B and the p53-Bak/Bim pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ling Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Shu-Yu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Xue-Bin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Yuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Jing-Miao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Ling Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Qian Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Min Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Yue-Yue Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Yu-Wen Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Xing-Miao Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - Liu-Liu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
| | - David Wan-Cheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong510060, China
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Park J, MacGavin S, Niederbrach L, Mchaourab HS. Interplay between Nrf2 and αB-crystallin in the lens and heart of zebrafish under proteostatic stress. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1185704. [PMID: 37577747 PMCID: PMC10422029 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1185704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A coordinated oxidative stress response, partly triggered by the transcription factor Nrf2, protects cells from the continual production of reactive oxygen species. Left unbuffered, reactive oxygen species can lead to protein aggregation that has been implicated in a spectrum of diseases such as cataract of the ocular lens and myopathy of the heart. While proteostasis is maintained by diverse families of heat shock proteins, the interplay between the oxidative and proteostatic stress responses in the lens and heart has not been investigated. Capitalizing on multiple zebrafish lines that have compromised function of Nrf2 and/or the two zebrafish small heat shock proteins αBa- and αBb-crystallin, we uncovered a transcriptional relationship that leads to a substantial increase in αBb-crystallin transcripts in the heart in response to compromised function of Nrf2. In the lens, the concomitant loss of function of Nrf2 and αBa-crystallin leads to upregulation of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, thus mitigating the phenotypic consequences of the αBa-crystallin knockout. By contrast, abrogation of Nrf2 function accentuates the penetrance of a heart edema phenotype characteristic of embryos of αB-crystallin knockout lines. Multiple molecular pathways, such as genes involved in extracellular interactions and implicated in cardiomyopathy, are revealed from transcriptome profiling, thus identifying novel targets for further investigation. Together, our transcriptome/phenotypic analysis establishes an intersection between oxidative stress and chaperone responses in the lens and heart.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hassane S. Mchaourab
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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32
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Minogue PJ, Rodriguez SH, Berthoud VM, Beyer EC. Pediatric cataracts of different etiologies contain insoluble, calcified particles. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1213359. [PMID: 37441058 PMCID: PMC10338002 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1213359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Our recent studies in mice suggest that a crucial event for the development of cataracts is the formation of calcium-containing deposits. To examine the generality of pathologic mineralization as a novel mechanism of cataract formation, we analyzed lens material from different human cataract surgeries. Human lens material was obtained from routine cataract surgeries performed on three patients with dense, white cataracts: a 10-month-old with congenital cataracts, a 9-year-old with a uveitic cataract, and a 17-year-old with a traumatic cataract. The aspirated material from the cataract surgeries contained insoluble material that could be isolated by centrifugation. Many particles within the insoluble fraction stained with Alizarin red, a dye that stains insoluble calcified material. The appearance of these human insoluble, Alizarin red-stained particles was similar to some of those detected in homogenates from cataractous mouse lenses. These results support the hypothesis that pathologic mineralization may have a mechanistic role in the formation of cataracts of different etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Minogue
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sarah H. Rodriguez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Eric C. Beyer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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33
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Nourazaran M, Yousefi R, Moosavi-Movahedi F, Panahi F, Hong J, Moosavi-Movahedi AA. The structural and functional consequences of melatonin and serotonin on human αB-crystallin and their dual role in the eye lens transparency. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2023:140928. [PMID: 37330131 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2023.140928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Crystallins are the major soluble lens proteins, and α-crystallin, the most important protective protein of the eye lens, has two subunits (αA and αB) with chaperone activity. αB-crystallin (αB-Cry) with a relatively wide tissue distribution has an innate ability to interact effectively with the misfolded proteins, preventing their aggregation. Melatonin and serotonin have also been identified in relatively high concentrations in the lenticular tissues. This study investigated the effect of these naturally occurring compounds and medications on the structure, oligomerization, aggregation, and chaperone-like activity of human αB-Cry. Various spectroscopic methods, dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and molecular docking have been used for this purpose. Based on our results, melatonin indicates an inhibitory effect on the aggregation of human αB-Cry without altering its chaperone-like activity. However, serotonin decreases αB-Cry oligomeric size distribution by creating hydrogen bonds, decreases its chaperone-like activity, and at high concentrations increases protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Nourazaran
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Yousefi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Farhad Panahi
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, Freiburg 79104, Germany
| | - Jun Hong
- School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, People's Republic of China
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Pérez-Acuña D, Rhee KH, Shin SJ, Ahn J, Lee JY, Lee SJ. Retina-to-brain spreading of α-synuclein after intravitreal injection of preformed fibrils. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:83. [PMID: 37210559 PMCID: PMC10199563 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01575-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the aggregation of misfolded α-synuclein and progressive spreading of the aggregates from a few discrete regions to wider brain regions. Although PD has been classically considered a movement disorder, a large body of clinical evidence has revealed the progressive occurrence of non-motor symptoms. Patients present visual symptoms in the initial stages of the disease, and accumulation of phospho-α-synuclein, dopaminergic neuronal loss, and retinal thinning has been observed in the retinas of PD patients. Based on such human data, we hypothesized that α-synuclein aggregation can initiate in the retina and spread to the brain through the visual pathway. Here, we demonstrate accumulation of α-synuclein in the retinas and brains of naive mice after intravitreal injection of α-synuclein preformed fibrils (PFFs). Histological analyses showed deposition of phospho-α-synuclein inclusions within the retina 2 months after injection, with increased oxidative stress leading to loss of retinal ganglion cells and dopaminergic dysfunction. In addition, we found accumulation of phospho-α-synuclein in cortical areas with accompanying neuroinflammation after 5 months. Collectively, our findings suggest that retinal synucleinopathy lesions initiated by intravitreal injection of α-synuclein PFFs spread to various brain regions through the visual pathway in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana Pérez-Acuña
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Ka Hyun Rhee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Soo Jean Shin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Jeeyun Ahn
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jee-Young Lee
- Department of Neurology, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea.
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Convergence Research Center for Dementia, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
- Neuramedy, Seoul, South Korea.
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35
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Wu J, Chen S, Xu J, Xu W, Zheng S, Tian Q, Luo C, Chen X, Shentu X. Insight into Pathogenic Mechanism Underlying the Hereditary Cataract Caused by βB2-G149V Mutation. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050864. [PMID: 37238733 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital cataracts account for approximately 5-20% of childhood blindness worldwide and 22-30% of childhood blindness in developing countries. Genetic disorders are the primary cause of congenital cataracts. In this work, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of G149V point missense mutation in βB2-crystallin, which was first identified in a three-generation Chinese family with two affected members diagnosed with congenital cataracts. Spectroscopic experiments were performed to determine the structural differences between the wild type (WT) and the G149V mutant of βB2-crystallin. The results showed that the G149V mutation significantly changed the secondary and tertiary structure of βB2-crystallin. The polarity of the tryptophan microenvironment and the hydrophobicity of the mutant protein increased. The G149V mutation made the protein structure loose and the interaction between oligomers was reduced, which decreased the stability of the protein. Furthermore, we compared βB2-crystallin WT and the G149V mutant with their biophysical properties under environmental stress. We found that the G149V mutation makes βB2-crystallin more sensitive to environmental stresses (oxidative stress, UV irradiation, and heat shock) and more likely to aggregate and form precipitation. These features might be important to the pathogenesis of βB2-crystallin G149V mutant related to congenital cataracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, 158 Shangtang Road, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Silong Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Jingjie Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Wanyue Xu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Sifan Zheng
- GKT School of Medical Education, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Qing Tian
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Chenqi Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
| | - Xingchao Shentu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310030, China
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36
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Uvdal P, Shashkova S. The Effect of Calorie Restriction on Protein Quality Control in Yeast. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050841. [PMID: 37238710 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Initially, protein aggregates were regarded as a sign of a pathological state of the cell. Later, it was found that these assemblies are formed in response to stress, and that some of them serve as signalling mechanisms. This review has a particular focus on how intracellular protein aggregates are related to altered metabolism caused by different glucose concentrations in the extracellular environment. We summarise the current knowledge of the role of energy homeostasis signalling pathways in the consequent effect on intracellular protein aggregate accumulation and removal. This covers regulation at different levels, including elevated protein degradation and proteasome activity mediated by the Hxk2 protein, the enhanced ubiquitination of aberrant proteins through Torc1/Sch9 and Msn2/Whi2, and the activation of autophagy mediated through ATG genes. Finally, certain proteins form reversible biomolecular aggregates in response to stress and reduced glucose levels, which are used as a signalling mechanism in the cell, controlling major primary energy pathways related to glucose sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petter Uvdal
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
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37
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Zhang Y, Ren L, Wu W, Liu J, Tian Q, Yao K, Yu Y, Hu L, Chen X. Cataract-causing variant Q70P damages structural stability of βB1-crystallin and increases its tendency to form insoluble aggregates. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124722. [PMID: 37148932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124722] [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: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Congenital cataract is the primary cause of childhood blindness worldwide. As the predominant structural protein, βB1-crystallin plays an important role in maintaining lens transparency and cellular homeostasis. Numerous cataract-causing mutations of βB1-crystallin have been identified with unclear pathogenic mechanism. We previously identified the mutation Q70P (Q to P at residue position 70) of βB1-crystallin linked to congenital cataract in a Chinese family. In this work, we investigated the potential molecular mechanism of βB1-Q70P in the congenital cataract at the molecular, protein, and cellular levels. We purified recombinant βB1 wild-type (WT) and Q70P proteins and compared their structural characteristics and biophysical properties by spectroscopic experiments under physiological temperature and environmental stresses (ultraviolet irradiation, heat stress, oxidative stress). Notably, βB1-Q70P significantly changed the structures of βB1-crystallin and exhibited lower solubility at physiological temperature. Meanwhile, βB1-Q70P was prone to aggregation in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and was more sensitive to environmental stresses, along with impaired cellular viability. Furthermore, the molecular dynamics simulation indicated that the mutation Q70P damaged secondary structures and hydrogen bond network of βB1-crystallin, which were essential for the first Greek-key motif. This study delineated the pathological mechanism of βB1-Q70P and provided novel insights into treatment and prevention strategies for cataract-associated βB1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Ling Ren
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Eye Center of Zhejiang Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 12 Lingyin Road, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Qing Tian
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Ke Yao
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yibo Yu
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China.
| | - Lidan Hu
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310052, China.
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310020, China.
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38
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Rodríguez-Meza O, Palomino-Vizcaino G, Quintanar L, Costas M. Mercury ions impact the kinetic and thermal stabilities of human lens γ-crystallins via direct metal-protein interactions. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 242:112159. [PMID: 36827733 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112159] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Loss of metal homeostasis may be involved in several age-related diseases, such as cataracts. Cataracts are caused by the aggregation of lens proteins into light-scattering high molecular weight complexes that impair vision. Environmental exposure to heavy metals, such as mercury, is a risk factor for cataract development. Indeed, mercury ions induce the non-amyloid aggregation of human γC- and γS crystallins, while human γD-crystallin is not sensitive to this metal. Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), we evaluate the impact of mercury ions on the kinetic stability of the three most abundant human γ-crystallins. The metal/crystallin interactions were characterized using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC). Human γD-crystallins exhibited kinetic stabilization due to the presence of mercury ions, despite its thermal stability being decreased. In contrast, human γC- and γS-crystallins are both, thermally and kinetically destabilized by this metal, consistent with their sensitivity to mercury-induced aggregation. The interaction of human γ-crystallins with mercury ions is highly exothermic and complex, since the protein interacts with the metal at more than three sites. The isolated domains of human γ-D and its variant with the H22Q mutation were also studied, revealing the importance of these regions in the mercury-induced stabilization by a direct metal-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Rodríguez-Meza
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CdMx 04510, Mexico
| | | | - Liliana Quintanar
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), CdMx 07360, Mexico
| | - Miguel Costas
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CdMx 04510, Mexico.
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39
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Shi J, Zhu YX, Huang RY, Bai SM, Zheng YX, Zheng J, Xia ZX, Wang YL. Phase separation of α-crystallin-GFP protein and its implication in cataract disease. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4832. [PMID: 36964267 PMCID: PMC10039050 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31845-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cataract, the leading cause of blindness worldwide, is caused by crystallin protein aggregation within the protected lens environment. Phase separation has been implicated as an important mechanism of protein aggregation diseases, such as neurodegeneration. Similarly, cataract has been proposed to be a protein condensation disease in the last century. However, whether crystallin proteins aggregate via a phase separation mechanism and which crystallin protein initiates the aggregation remain unclear. Here, we showed that all types of crystallin-GFP proteins remain soluble under physiological conditions, including protein concentrations, ion strength, and crowding environments. However, in age or disease-induced aberrant conditions, α-crystallin-GFP, including αA- and αB-crystallin-GFP, but not other crystallin-GFP proteins, undergo phase separation in vivo and in vitro. We found that aging-related changes, including higher crystallin concentrations, increased Na+, and decreased K+ concentrations, induced the aggregation of α-crystallin-GFP. Furthermore, H2O2, glucose, and sorbitol, the well-known risk factors for cataract, significantly enhanced the aggregation of αB-crystallin-GFP. Taken together, our results revealed that α-crystallin-GFP forms aggregates via a phase transition process, which may play roles in cataract disease. Opposite to the previously reported function of enhancing the solubility of other crystallin, α-crystallin may be the major aggregated crystallin in the lens of cataract patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Ya-Xi Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui-Yan Huang
- Department of Pathology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Shao-Mei Bai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu-Xing Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhao-Xia Xia
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yun-Long Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.
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40
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Palomino-Vizcaino G, Schuth N, Domínguez-Calva JA, Rodríguez-Meza O, Martínez-Jurado E, Serebryany E, King JA, Kroll T, Costas M, Quintanar L. Copper Reductase Activity and Free Radical Chemistry by Cataract-Associated Human Lens γ-Crystallins. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6781-6797. [PMID: 36918380 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c13397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Cataracts are caused by high-molecular-weight aggregates of human eye lens proteins that scatter light, causing lens opacity. Metal ions have emerged as important potential players in the etiology of cataract disease, as human lens γ-crystallins are susceptible to metal-induced aggregation. Here, the interaction of Cu2+ ions with γD-, γC-, and γS-crystallins, the three most abundant γ-crystallins in the lens, has been evaluated. Cu2+ ions induced non-amyloid aggregation in all three proteins. Solution turbidimetry, sodium dodecyl sulfate poly(acrylamide) gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), circular dichroism, and differential scanning calorimetry showed that the mechanism for Cu-induced aggregation involves: (i) loss of β-sheet structure in the N-terminal domain; (ii) decreased thermal and kinetic stability; (iii) formation of metal-bridged species; and (iv) formation of disulfide-bridged dimers. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) revealed distinct Cu2+ binding affinities in the γ-crystallins. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) revealed two distinct Cu2+ binding sites in each protein. Spin quantitation demonstrated the reduction of γ-crystallin-bound Cu2+ ions to Cu+ under aerobic conditions, while X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) confirmed the presence of linear or trigonal Cu+ binding sites in γ-crystallins. Our EPR and XAS studies revealed that γ-crystallins' Cu2+ reductase activity yields a protein-based free radical that is likely a Tyr-based species in human γD-crystallin. This unique free radical chemistry carried out by distinct redox-active Cu sites in human lens γ-crystallins likely contributes to the mechanism of copper-induced aggregation. In the context of an aging human lens, γ-crystallins could act not only as structural proteins but also as key players for metal and redox homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Palomino-Vizcaino
- Department of Chemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Nils Schuth
- Department of Chemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - José A Domínguez-Calva
- Department of Chemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Oscar Rodríguez-Meza
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Martínez-Jurado
- Department of Chemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Eugene Serebryany
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Jonathan A King
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Thomas Kroll
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Miguel Costas
- Laboratorio de Biofisicoquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Liliana Quintanar
- Department of Chemistry, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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Blackburn BJ, McPheeters MT, Jenkins MW, Dupps WJ, Rollins AM. Phase-Decorrelation Optical Coherence Tomography Measurement of Cold-Induced Nuclear Cataract. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:25. [PMID: 36971678 PMCID: PMC10064939 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.3.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this work is to determine the sensitivity of phase-decorrelation optical coherence tomography (OCT) to protein aggregation associated with cataracts in the ocular lens, as compared to OCT signal intensity. Methods Six fresh porcine globes were held at 4°C until cold cataracts developed. As the globes were re-warmed to ambient temperature, reversing the cold cataract, each lens was imaged repeatedly using a conventional OCT system. Throughout each experiment, the internal temperature of the globe was recorded using a needle-mounted thermocouple. OCT scans were acquired, their temporal fluctuations were analyzed, and the rates of decorrelation were spatially mapped. Both decorrelation and intensity were evaluated as a function of recorded temperature. Results Both signal decorrelation and intensity were found to change with lens temperature, a surrogate of protein aggregation. However, the relationship between signal intensity and temperature was not consistent across different samples. In contrast, the relationship between decorrelation and temperature was found to be consistent across samples. Conclusions In this study, signal decorrelation was shown to be a more repeatable metric for quantification of crystallin protein aggregation in the ocular lens than OCT intensity-based metrics. Thus, OCT signal decorrelation measurements could enable more detailed and sensitive study of methods to prevent cataract formation. Translational Relevance This dynamic light scattering-based approach to early cataract assessment can be implemented on existing clinical OCT systems without hardware additions, so it could quickly become part of a clinical study workflow or an indication for use for a pharmaceutical cataract intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brecken J Blackburn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Matthew T McPheeters
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Michael W Jenkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - William J Dupps
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Andrew M Rollins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Amiruddin Hashmi M, Kausar T, Alam Khan M, Younus H. Assessing the inhibition of glycation of ζ-crystallin by thymoquinone: A mechanistic approach using experimental and computational methods. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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43
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Liton PB, Boesze-Battaglia K, Boulton ME, Boya P, Ferguson TA, Ganley IG, Kauppinnen A, Laurie GW, Mizushima N, Morishita H, Russo R, Sadda J, Shyam R, Sinha D, Thompson DA, Zacks DN. AUTOPHAGY IN THE EYE: FROM PHYSIOLOGY TO PATHOPHYSOLOGY. AUTOPHAGY REPORTS 2023; 2:2178996. [PMID: 37034386 PMCID: PMC10078619 DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2023.2178996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a catabolic self-degradative pathway that promotes the degradation and recycling of intracellular material through the lysosomal compartment. Although first believed to function in conditions of nutritional stress, autophagy is emerging as a critical cellular pathway, involved in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. Autophagy dysregulation is associated with an increasing number of diseases, including ocular diseases. On one hand, mutations in autophagy-related genes have been linked to cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal dystrophy; on the other hand, alterations in autophagy and lysosomal pathways are a common finding in essentially all diseases of the eye. Moreover, LC3-associated phagocytosis, a form of non-canonical autophagy, is critical in promoting visual cycle function. This review collects the latest understanding of autophagy in the context of the eye. We will review and discuss the respective roles of autophagy in the physiology and/or pathophysiology of each of the ocular tissues, its diurnal/circadian variation, as well as its involvement in diseases of the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma B. Liton
- Departments of Ophthalmology & Pathology, Duke School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
| | - Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael E. Boulton
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Patricia Boya
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science. Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Thomas A. Ferguson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ian G. Ganley
- MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Anu Kauppinnen
- Faculty of Health and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Gordon W. Laurie
- Departments of Cell Biology, Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Noboru Mizushima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hideaki Morishita
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Rossella Russo
- Preclinical and Translational Pharmacology, Glaucoma Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Jaya Sadda
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Debasish Sinha
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cell Biology, and Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Debra A. Thompson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David N. Zacks
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Velasco-Bolom JL, Dominguez L. Conformational stability of the deamidated and mutated human βB2-crystallin. Biophys Chem 2023; 296:106986. [PMID: 36905841 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.106986] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies propose that genetic mutations and post-translational modifications in protein crystallins promote protein aggregation and are considered significant risk factors for cataract formation. The βB2-crystallin (HβB2C) forms a high proportion of proteins in the human eye lens. Different congenital mutations and post-translational deamidations in βB2-crystallin have been reported and linked to cataract formation. In this work, we employed extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the conformational stability of deamidated and mutated HβB2C. Our results show critical changes in the protein surface and its native contacts due to a modification in the conformational equilibrium of these proteins. The double deamidated (Q70E/Q162E) and single deamidated (Q70E) impact the well compact conformation of the HβB2C. These post-translational modifications allow the exposure of the protein hydrophobic interface, which lead to the exposure of electronegative residues. On the other hand, our mutational studies showed that the S143F mutation modifies the hydrogen-bond network of an antiparallel β-sheet, unfolding the C-terminal domain. Interestingly, the chain termination mutation (Q155X) does not unfold the N-terminal domain. However, the resultant conformation is more compact and avoids the exposure of the hydrophobic interface. Our results provide valuable information about the first steps of HβB2C unfolding in the presence of deamidated amino acids that have been reported to appear during aging. The findings reported in this work are essential for the general knowledge of the initial steps in the cataract formation mechanism, which may be helpful for the further development of molecules with pharmacological potential against cataract disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- José-Luis Velasco-Bolom
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Laura Dominguez
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico.
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The Differential Expression of Circular RNAs and the Role of circAFF1 in Lens Epithelial Cells of High-Myopic Cataract. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12030813. [PMID: 36769461 PMCID: PMC9918043 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12030813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
High-myopic cataract (HMC) is a complex cataract with earlier onset and more rapid progress than age-related cataract (ARC). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in many diseases. However, their involvement in HMC remain largely unexplored. To investigate the role of dysregulated circRNAs in HMC, lens epithelium samples from 24 HMC and 24 ARC patients were used for whole transcriptome sequencing. Compared with ARC, HMC had 3687 uniquely expressed circRNAs and 1163 significantly differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcRs) (|log2FC| > 1, p < 0.05). A putative circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed based on correlation analysis. We validated the differential expression of 3 DEcRs by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using different sets of samples. We further investigated the role of circAFF1 in cultured lens epithelial cells (LECs) and found that the overexpression of circAFF1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and inhibited apoptosis. We also showed that circAFF1 upregulated Tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) expression by sponging miR-760, which was consistent with the network prediction. Collectively, our study suggested the involvement of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of HMC and provide a resource for further study on this topic.
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Butein Inhibits the Glycation of α-Crystallin: An Approach in Prevention of Retinopathy. J Fluoresc 2023:10.1007/s10895-023-03147-w. [PMID: 36648626 DOI: 10.1007/s10895-023-03147-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of lens proteins induced by glycation is one of the key drivers of diabetic retinopathy and development of diabetic cataracts. Moreover, glycation also causes numerous alterations not only to the tertiary structure of lens proteins but also to serum proteins. There are also evidences of covalent crosslinking among lens crystallins resulting in development of cataract. In this article, the inhibitory potential of butein was tested against the glucose induced glycation and the aggregation α-crystallin (α-cry). The results showed that there was inhibition of advanced glycation products (78.28%) and early glycation products (86.30%) following the treatment of butein. Additionally, the presence of butein caused a significant improvement in the tested biochemical markers of glycation. The treatment with butein reduced the free lysine modification to 23.67%. The secondary and tertiary structural distortions of α-cry were also protected. The mechanism of inhibition further investigated at the molecular level using biophysical and computational techniques. The interaction data showed the butein exhibited strong affinity towards the α-cry. The binding event was entropically driven and energetically favourable. The Gibb's free energy of the interaction was found to be -5.99 to -7.17 kcal mol-1. The binding site of butein in α-cry was deciphered by molecular docking and the dynamics was studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The simulation data showed that butein formed stable complex with α-cry under physiological conditions. Most of the tested parameters from molecular simulations, such as secondary structure, was found to be stable. The data clearly show the potential of butein in inhibiting the glycation induced aggregation of α-cry and hence can be developed as useful inhibitor in the management of diabetic cataract and retinopathy.
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Dawn A, Goswami V, Sapra S, Deep S. Nano-Formulation of Antioxidants as Effective Inhibitors of γD-Crystallin Aggregation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:1330-1344. [PMID: 36627843 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c03263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of crystallin proteins is related to cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Apart from surgical replacement of the cataract lens, no other alternative treatment is available till date for this ailment. In the current work, we carried out an in-depth investigation of the effect of polyphenol-loaded nano-formulations on the aggregation of γD-crystallin. At first, the protein was allowed to form amorphous aggregates under denaturing conditions. Several polyphenols were then tried to inhibit the aggregation of the protein. Among the polyphenols tested, resveratrol and quercetin were found to be the most effective. Since polyphenols are prone to degradation, they were encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles in order to provide ambient conditions for them to function effectively. The loading efficiency and polyphenol release kinetics were subsequently tested. Finally, the efficacy of resveratrol/quercetin-loaded chitosan nano-particles as inhibitors of γD-crystallin aggregation was confirmed in a series of experiments demonstrating the potency of the system in the prospective therapeutic intervention of eye ailments concerning self-assembly of γD-crystallin proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Dawn
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi110016, Delhi, India
| | - Vishakha Goswami
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi110016, Delhi, India
| | - Sameer Sapra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi110016, Delhi, India
| | - Shashank Deep
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi110016, Delhi, India
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Muacevic A, Adler JR, Xie W, Li M, Zhong L, Zhao S, Liang H. Novel Mutations of PAX6 and WFS1 Associated With Congenital Cataract in a Chinese Family. Cureus 2023; 15:e34208. [PMID: 36843716 PMCID: PMC9957680 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34208] [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] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital cataract is a common cause of blindness in childhood. About half of the cases have a genetic etiology, and more than 100 genes have been associated with congenital cataracts. This study reports the clinical and genetic findings of a two-generation Chinese family affected by congenital cataract. METHODS Ophthalmologic examinations were performed for clinical evaluation of the cataract patients. Whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were used to identify potentially relevant mutations. The online programsProtein Variation Effect Analyzer (PROVEAN) and Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT) were employed to predict the impact of variation on protein function. RESULTS Both the proband and her mother were blind because of bilateral nuclear cataracts, and the elder brother of the proband also manifested obvious bilateral cataracts. Sanger sequencing confirmed the mutations in the proband as well as in her mother. The elder brother simply carried the PAX6 c.221G>A variation. The WFS1 c.2070_2079del variation potentially generates a loss-of-function mutant. CONCLUSION The novel PAX6mutation (c.221G>A) is associated with congenital cataract, and the WFS1 mutation (c.2070_2079del) may interactively aggravates this process. These findings may increase our understanding of the genetic etiology of congenital cataract.
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Luo J, Chen X, Yang Y, Liu Y, Feng Y, Chen G. Association of MTHFR C667T Polymorphism, Homocysteine, and B Vitamins with Senile Cataract. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2023; 69:136-144. [PMID: 37121723 DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.69.136] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Senile cataract has become the leading cause of visual impairment and even blindness in the world, but there are few reports on its relationship with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms. This study is aimed to investigate the correlation between MTHFR gene polymorphisms or its enzyme metabolites and senile cataract. From January 2019 to June 2020, 663 patients with senile cataract at the Mianyang Central Hospital were enrolled as the observation group, and 646 healthy subjects were randomly selected as the control group. MTHFR gene polymorphisms (i.e., CC, CT, or TT genotypes) and serum homocysteine (HCY), folic acid (FOL), vitamin B12 (VitB12), and vitamin B6 (VitB6) levels were detected. The mutation rate of MTHFR C677T and HCY levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, whereas FOL, VitB12, and VitB6 were significantly lower. With an increase in the MTHFR C677T mutation, HCY showed an upward trend, whereas FOL and VitB12 showed a decreasing trend in both the observation and control groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that HCY and FOL were associated with senile cataract and MTHFR mutations; VitB12 was only associated with senile cataract. Compared to that with the CC genotype, CT and TT genotypes were associated with an increased senile cataract risk. Monitoring MTHFR gene polymorphisms and changes in serum HCY, FOL, and VitB12 levels could provide references in predicting senile cataract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Luo
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
| | - Xiaohong Chen
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
| | - Yuwei Yang
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
| | - Yunbing Liu
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
| | - Yue Feng
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
| | - Gang Chen
- Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
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Weinberg J, Gaur M, Swaroop A, Taylor A. Proteostasis in aging-associated ocular disease. Mol Aspects Med 2022; 88:101157. [PMID: 36459837 PMCID: PMC9742340 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Vision impairment has devastating consequences for the quality of human life. The cells and tissues associated with the visual process must function throughout one's life span and maintain homeostasis despite exposure to a variety of insults. Maintenance of the proteome is termed proteostasis, and is vital for normal cellular functions, especially at an advanced age. Here we describe basic aspects of proteostasis, from protein synthesis and folding to degradation, and discuss the current status of the field with a particular focus on major age-related eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma. Our intent is to allow vision scientists to determine where and how to harness the proteostatic machinery for extending functional homeostasis in the aging retina, lens, and trabecular meshwork. Several common themes have emerged despite these tissues having vastly different metabolisms. Continued exposure to insults, including chronic stress with advancing age, increases proteostatic burden and reduces the fidelity of the degradation machineries including the ubiquitin-proteasome and the autophagy-lysosome systems that recognize and remove damaged proteins. This "double jeopardy" results in an exponential accumulation of cytotoxic proteins with advancing age. We conclude with a discussion of the challenges in maintaining an appropriate balance of protein synthesis and degradation pathways, and suggest that harnessing proteostatic capacities should provide new opportunities to design interventions for attenuating age-related eye diseases before they limit sight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Weinberg
- Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Mohita Gaur
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Allen Taylor
- Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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