GAPDH siRNA Regulates SH-SY5Y Cell Apoptosis Induced by Exogenous α-Synuclein Protein

Monomethyl fumarate attenuates lung Ischemia/Reperfusion injury by disrupting the GAPDH/Siah1 signaling cascade

Monomethyl fumarate (MMF), a potent anti-inflammatory agent used to treat multiple sclerosis, has demonstrated efficacy in various inflammatory and ischemia/reperfusion (IR) models; however, its impact on IR-induced acute lung injury (ALI) has not been explored. We investigated, for the first time, whether MMF attenuates lung IR injury through inhibition of the GAPDH/Siah1 signaling pathway. Rats were subjected to IR injury using an isolated perfused lung model, and proximity ligation assays were employed to evaluate the presence and distribution of the GAPDH/Siah1 complex. In vitro studies involved pretreating human primary alveolar epithelial cells (HPAECs) with MMF and/or inducing GAPDH overexpression or silencing, followed by exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation. The findings revealed significantly reduced lung damage indicators, including edema, proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and apoptosis, in MMF-treated rats. Notably, MMF treatment inhibited GAPDH/Siah1 complex formation and nuclear translocation, indicating that disruption of the GAPDH/Siah1 cascade was the primary cause of these improvements. Our in vitro studies on pretreated HPAECs corroborate these in vivo findings, further strengthening this interpretation. Our study results suggest that the protective effects of MMF against lung IR injury may be attributed, at least in part, to its ability to disrupt the GAPDH/Siah1 signaling cascade, thereby attenuating inflammatory and apoptotic responses. Given these encouraging results, MMF has emerged as a promising therapeutic candidate for the management of lung IR injury.

Origin of Elevated S-Glutathionylated GAPDH in Chronic Neurodegenerative Diseases

H2O2-oxidized glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) catalytic cysteine residues (Cc(SH) undergo rapid S-glutathionylation. Restoration of the enzyme activity is accomplished by thiol/disulfide SN2 displacement (directly or enzymatically) forming glutathione disulfide (G(SS)G) and active enzyme, a process that should be facile as Cc(SH) reside on the subunit surface. As S-glutathionylated GAPDH accumulates following ischemic and/or oxidative stress, in vitro/silico approaches have been employed to address this paradox. Cc(SH) residues were selectively oxidized and S-glutathionylated. Kinetics of GAPDH dehydrogenase recovery demonstrated that glutathione is an ineffective reactivator of S-glutathionylated GAPDH compared to dithiothreitol. Molecular dynamic simulations (MDS) demonstrated strong binding interactions between local residues and S-glutathione. A second glutathione was accommodated for thiol/disulfide exchange forming a tightly bound glutathione disulfide G(SS)G. The proximal sulfur centers of G(SS)G and Cc(SH) remained within covalent bonding distance for thiol/disulfide exchange resonance. Both these factors predict inhibition of dissociation of G(SS)G, which was verified by biochemical analysis. MDS also revealed that both S-glutathionylation and bound G(SS)G significantly perturbed subunit secondary structure particularly within the S-loop, region which interacts with other cellular proteins and mediates NAD(P)+ binding specificity. Our data provides a molecular rationale for how oxidative stress elevates S-glutathionylated GAPDH in neurodegenerative diseases and implicates novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

GAPDH in neuroblastoma: Functions in metabolism and survival

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer of neural crest cells. It develops most frequently in nerve cells around the adrenal gland, although other locations are possible. Neuroblastomas rely on glycolysis as a source of energy and metabolites, and the enzymes that catalyze glycolysis are potential therapeutic targets for neuroblastoma. Furthermore, glycolysis provides a protective function against DNA damage, and there is evidence that glycolysis inhibitors may improve outcomes from other cancer treatments. This mini-review will focus on glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), one of the central enzymes in glycolysis. GAPDH has a key role in metabolism, catalyzing the sixth step in glycolysis and generating NADH. GAPDH also has a surprisingly diverse number of localizations, including the nucleus, where it performs multiple functions, and the plasma membrane. One membrane-associated function of GAPDH is stimulating glucose uptake, consistent with a role for GAPDH in energy and metabolite production. The plasma membrane localization of GAPDH and its role in glucose uptake have been verified in neuroblastoma. Membrane-associated GAPDH also participates in iron uptake, although this has not been tested in neuroblastoma. Finally, GAPDH activates autophagy through a nuclear complex with Sirtuin. This review will discuss these activities and their potential role in cancer metabolism, treatment and drug resistance.

Potential Molecular Mechanism of Guishao Pingchan Recipe in the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking

Objective: To investigate the potential mechanism of Guishao Pingchan Recipe (GPR) against Parkinson's disease (PD) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods: The main components of GPR were collected based on TCMSP database, Batman-TCM database, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and Literatures. The potential therapeutic targets of PD were predicted by Drug Bank Database and Gene Cards database. Cytoscape 3.8.2 software was used to construct herb–component–target network. Then, String database was used to construct a PPI network, and DAVID database was used for gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation of targets function. Core components of GPR and hub targets were imported into AutoDock Vina for molecular docking verification and results were visualized by Pymol. Results: 13 candidate components were selected and 288 corresponding targets of GPR for treating PD were obtained. The GO enrichment analysis mainly involved 135 cell components, 187 molecular functions, and 1753 biological processes. Moreover, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis mainly involved 200 signaling pathways. Molecular docking simulation indicated a good binding ability of components and targets. Conclusion: Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking, we found that sitosterol, 4-Cholesten-3-one and stigmasterol in GPR could combine with MAPK3, APP, VEGFA, and CXCR4 and involved in the cAMP, PI3K/Akt, Rap1 signaling pathways. It is suggested that GPR may have therapeutic effects on PD through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway and predict the relevant mechanism of the anti-PD effect of GPR.

Mechanism of GAPDH Redox Signaling by H2O2 Activation of a Two-Cysteine Switch

Oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) by reactive oxygen species such as H2O2 activate pleiotropic signaling pathways is associated with pathophysiological cell fate decisions. Oxidized GAPDH binds chaperone proteins with translocation of the complex to the nucleus and mitochondria initiating autophagy and cellular apoptosis. In this study, we establish the mechanism by which H2O2-oxidized GAPDH subunits undergo a subunit conformational rearrangement. H2O2 oxidizes both the catalytic cysteine and a vicinal cysteine (four residues downstream) to their respective sulfenic acids. A 'two-cysteine switch' is activated, whereby the sulfenic acids irreversibly condense to an intrachain thiosulfinic ester resulting in a major metastable subunit conformational rearrangement. All four subunits of the homotetramer are uniformly and independently oxidized by H2O2, and the oxidized homotetramer is stabilized at low temperatures. Over time, subunits unfold forming disulfide-linked aggregates with the catalytic cysteine oxidized to a sulfinic acid, resulting from thiosulfinic ester hydrolysis via the highly reactive thiosulfonic ester intermediate. Molecular Dynamic Simulations provide additional mechanistic insights linking GAPDH subunit oxidation with generating a putative signaling conformer. The low-temperature stability of the H2O2-oxidized subunit conformer provides an operable framework to study mechanisms associated with gain-of-function activities of oxidized GAPDH to identify novel targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.