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Pimm ML, Haarer BK, Nobles AD, Haney LM, Marcin AG, Alcaide Eligio M, Henty-Ridilla JL. Coordination of actin plus-end dynamics by IQGAP1, formin, and capping protein. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202305065. [PMID: 38787349 PMCID: PMC11117073 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202305065] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell processes require precise regulation of actin polymerization that is mediated by plus-end regulatory proteins. Detailed mechanisms that explain plus-end dynamics involve regulators with opposing roles, including factors that enhance assembly, e.g., the formin mDia1, and others that stop growth (capping protein, CP). We explore IQGAP1's roles in regulating actin filament plus-ends and the consequences of perturbing its activity in cells. We confirm that IQGAP1 pauses elongation and interacts with plus ends through two residues (C756 and C781). We directly visualize the dynamic interplay between IQGAP1 and mDia1, revealing that IQGAP1 displaces the formin to influence actin assembly. Using four-color TIRF, we show that IQGAP1's displacement activity extends to formin-CP "decision complexes," promoting end-binding protein turnover at plus-ends. Loss of IQGAP1 or its plus-end activities disrupts morphology and migration, emphasizing its essential role. These results reveal a new role for IQGAP1 in promoting protein turnover on filament ends and provide new insights into how plus-end actin assembly is regulated in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Pimm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Brian K. Haarer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Alexander D. Nobles
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Laura M. Haney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra G. Marcin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Marcela Alcaide Eligio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Jessica L. Henty-Ridilla
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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2
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Thines L, Jang H, Li Z, Sayedyahossein S, Maloney R, Nussinov R, Sacks DB. Disruption of Ca 2+/calmodulin:KSR1 interaction lowers ERK activation. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4982. [PMID: 38591710 PMCID: PMC11002989 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4982] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
KSR1, a key scaffold protein for the MAPK pathway, facilitates ERK activation upon growth factor stimulation. We recently demonstrated that KSR1 binds the Ca2+-binding protein calmodulin (CaM), thereby providing an intersection between KSR1-mediated and Ca2+ signaling. In this study, we set out to generate a KSR1 point mutant with reduced Ca2+/CaM binding in order to unravel the functional implications of their interaction. To do so, we solved the structural determinants of complex formation. Using purified fragments of KSR1, we showed that Ca2+/CaM binds to the CA3 domain of KSR1. We then used in silico molecular modeling to predict contact residues for binding. This approach identified two possible modes of interaction: (1) binding of extended Ca2+/CaM to a globular conformation of KSR1-CA3 via electrostatic interactions or (2) binding of collapsed Ca2+/CaM to α-helical KSR1-CA3 via hydrophobic interactions. Experimentally, site-directed mutagenesis of the predicted contact residues for the two binding models favored that where collapsed Ca2+/CaM binds to the α-helical conformation of KSR1-CA3. Importantly, replacing KSR1-Phe355 with Asp reduces Ca2+/CaM binding by 76%. The KSR1-F355D mutation also significantly impairs the ability of EGF to activate ERK, which reveals that Ca2+/CaM binding promotes KSR1-mediated MAPK signaling. This work, by uncovering structural insight into the binding of KSR1 to Ca2+/CaM, identifies a KSR1 single-point mutant as a bioreagent to selectively study the crosstalk between Ca2+ and KSR1-mediated signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Thines
- Department of Laboratory MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation LaboratoryNational Cancer InstituteFrederickMarylandUSA
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Laboratory MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Samar Sayedyahossein
- Department of Laboratory MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Ryan Maloney
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation LaboratoryNational Cancer InstituteFrederickMarylandUSA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation LaboratoryNational Cancer InstituteFrederickMarylandUSA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and BiochemistrySackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - David B. Sacks
- Department of Laboratory MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
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3
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Pimm ML, Haarer BK, Nobles AD, Haney LM, Marcin AG, Marcela Alcaide Eligio, Henty-Ridilla JL. Coordination of actin plus-end dynamics by IQGAP1, formin, and capping protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.05.04.539490. [PMID: 37205555 PMCID: PMC10187324 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.04.539490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cell processes require precise regulation of actin polymerization that is mediated by plus-end regulatory proteins. Detailed mechanisms that explain plus-end dynamics involve regulators with opposing roles, including factors that enhance assembly, e.g., the formin mDia1, and others that stop growth (Capping Protein, CPz). We explore IQGAP1's roles regulating actin filament plus-ends and the consequences of perturbing its activity in cells. We confirm that IQGAP1 pauses elongation and interacts with plus ends through two residues (C756 and C781). We directly visualize the dynamic interplay between IQGAP1 and mDia1, revealing that IQGAP1 displaces the formin to influence actin assembly. Using four-color TIRF we show that IQGAP1's displacement activity extends to formin-CPz 'decision complexes', promoting end-binding protein turnover at plus-ends. Loss of IQGAP1 or its plus-end activities disrupts morphology and migration, emphasizing its essential role. These results reveal a new role for IQGAP1 in promoting protein turnover on filament ends and provide new insights into how plus-end actin assembly is regulated in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Pimm
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Brian K Haarer
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Alexander D Nobles
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Laura M Haney
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Alexandra G Marcin
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Marcela Alcaide Eligio
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Jessica L Henty-Ridilla
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
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4
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Hau B, Symonds K, Teresinski H, Janssen A, Duff L, Smith M, Benidickson K, Plaxton W, Snedden WA. Arabidopsis Calmodulin-like Proteins CML13 and CML14 Interact with Calmodulin-Binding Transcriptional Activators and Function in Salinity Stress Response. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 65:282-300. [PMID: 38036467 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcad152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells use calcium ions (Ca2+) as second messengers, particularly in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. These signals are detected by Ca2+ sensor proteins, such as calmodulin (CaM), which regulate the downstream target proteins. Plants also possess many CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which remain unstudied. We recently demonstrated that Arabidopsis CML13 and CML14 interact with proteins containing isoleucine/glutamine (IQ) domains, including CaM-binding transcriptional activators (CAMTAs). Here, we show that CaM, CML13 and CML14 bind all six members of the Arabidopsis CAMTA family. Using a combination of in planta and in vitro protein-interaction assays, we tested 11 members of the CaM/CML family and demonstrated that only CaM, CML13 and CML14 bind to CAMTA IQ domains. CaM, CML13 and CML14 showed Ca2+-independent binding to the IQ region of CAMTA6 and CAMTA3, and CAMTA6 in vitro exhibited some specificity toward individual IQ domains within CAMTA6 in split-luciferase in planta assays. We show that cml13 mutants exhibited enhanced salinity tolerance during germination compared to wild-type plants, a phenotype similar to camta6 mutants. In contrast, plants overexpressing CML13-GFP or CML14-GFP in the wild-type background showed increased NaCl sensitivity. Under mannitol stress, cml13 mutants were more susceptible than camta6 mutants or wild-type plants. The phenotype of cml13 mutants could be rescued with the wild-type CML13 gene. Several salinity-marker genes under CAMTA6 control were similarly misregulated in both camta6 and cml13 mutants, further supporting a role for CML13 in CAMTA6 function. Collectively, our data suggest that CML13 and CML14 participate in abiotic stress signaling as CAMTA effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Hau
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Kyle Symonds
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Howard Teresinski
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Abby Janssen
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Liam Duff
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Milena Smith
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | | | - William Plaxton
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
| | - Wayne A Snedden
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 4L8, Canada
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5
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Wang J, Ao M, Ma A, Yu J, Guo P, Huang S, Peng X, Yun DJ, Xu ZY. A Mitochondrial Localized Chaperone Regulator OsBAG6 Functions in Saline-Alkaline Stress Tolerance in Rice. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 17:10. [PMID: 38252225 PMCID: PMC10803725 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-024-00686-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated athanogene (BAG) family genes play prominent roles in regulating plant growth, development, and stress response. Although the molecular mechanism underlying BAG's response to abiotic stress has been studied in Arabidopsis, the function of OsBAG underlying saline-alkaline stress tolerance in rice remains unclear. In this study, OsBAG6, a chaperone regulator localized to mitochondria, was identified as a novel negative regulator of saline-alkaline stress tolerance in rice. The expression level of OsBAG6 was induced by high concentration of salt, high pH, heat and abscisic acid treatments. Overexpression of OsBAG6 in rice resulted in significantly reduced plant heights, grain size, grain weight, as well as higher sensitivity to saline-alkaline stress. By contrast, the osbag6 loss-of-function mutants exhibited decreased sensitivity to saline-alkaline stress. The transcriptomic analysis uncovered differentially expressed genes related to the function of "response to oxidative stress", "defense response", and "secondary metabolite biosynthetic process" in the shoots and roots of OsBAG6-overexpressing transgenic lines. Furthermore, cytoplasmic levels of Ca2+ increase rapidly in plants exposed to saline-alkaline stress. OsBAG6 bound to calcium sensor OsCaM1-1 under normal conditions, which was identified by comparative interactomics, but not in the presence of elevated Ca2+. Released OsCaM1-1 saturated with Ca2+ is then able to regulate downstream stress-responsive genes as part of the response to saline-alkaline stress. OsBAG6 also interacted with energy biosynthesis and metabolic pathway proteins that are involved in plant growth and saline-alkaline stress response mechanisms. This study reveals a novel function for mitochondrial localized OsBAG6 proteins in the saline-alkaline stress response alongside OsCaM1-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Min Ao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jinlei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Peng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Shuangzhan Huang
- Jilin Province Engineering Laboratory of Plant Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130062, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Peng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Dae-Jin Yun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, 132-798, South Korea
| | - Zheng-Yi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
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6
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Song F, Dai Q, Grimm MO, Steinbach D. The Antithetic Roles of IQGAP2 and IQGAP3 in Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041115. [PMID: 36831467 PMCID: PMC9953781 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The scaffold protein family of IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAP1, 2, and 3) share a high degree of homology and comprise six functional domains. IQGAPs bind and regulate the cytoskeleton, interact with MAP kinases and calmodulin, and have GTPase-related activity, as well as a RasGAP domain. Thus, IQGAPs regulate multiple cellular processes and pathways, affecting cell division, growth, cell-cell interactions, migration, and invasion. In the past decade, significant evidence on the function of IQGAPs in signal transduction during carcinogenesis has emerged. Compared with IQGAP1, IQGAP2 and IQGAP3 were less analyzed. In this review, we summarize the different signaling pathways affected by IQGAP2 and IQGAP3, and the antithetic roles of IQGAP2 and IQGAP3 in different types of cancer. IQGAP2 expression is reduced and plays a tumor suppressor role in most solid cancer types, while IQGAP3 is overexpressed and acts as an oncogene. In lymphoma, for example, IQGAPs have partially opposite functions. There is considerable evidence that IQGAPs regulate a multitude of pathways to modulate cancer processes and chemoresistance, but some questions, such as how they trigger this signaling, through which domains, and why they play opposite roles on the same pathways, are still unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Song
- Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, 07740 Jena, Germany
| | - Qingqing Dai
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, 07740 Jena, Germany
| | - Marc-Oliver Grimm
- Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, 07740 Jena, Germany
| | - Daniel Steinbach
- Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, 07740 Jena, Germany
- Correspondence:
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7
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Dai Q, Ain Q, Rooney M, Song F, Zipprich A. Role of IQ Motif-Containing GTPase-Activating Proteins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:920652. [PMID: 35785216 PMCID: PMC9243542 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.920652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAPs) are a class of scaffolding proteins, including IQGAP1, IQGAP2, and IQGAP3, which govern multiple cellular activities by facilitating cytoskeletal remodeling and cellular signal transduction. The role of IQGAPs in cancer initiation and progression has received increasing attention in recent years, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), where the aberrant expression of IQGAPs is closely related to patient prognosis. IQGAP1 and 3 are upregulated and are considered oncogenes in HCC, while IQGAP2 is downregulated and functions as a tumor suppressor. This review details the three IQGAP isoforms and their respective structures. The expression and role of each protein in different liver diseases and mainly in HCC, as well as the underlying mechanisms, are also presented. This review also provides a reference for further studies on IQGAPs in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Dai
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Else Kröner Graduate School for Medical Students “Jena School for Ageing Medicine (JSAM)”, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Quratul Ain
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Rooney
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Fei Song
- Department of Urology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Zipprich
- Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Alexander Zipprich,
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8
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Maloney RC, Zhang M, Liu Y, Jang H, Nussinov R. The mechanism of activation of MEK1 by B-Raf and KSR1. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:281. [PMID: 35508574 PMCID: PMC9068654 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04296-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
MEK1 interactions with B-Raf and KSR1 are key steps in Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling. Despite this, vital mechanistic details of how these execute signal transduction are still enigmatic. Among these is why, despite B-Raf and KSR1 kinase domains similarity, the B-Raf/MEK1 and KSR1/MEK1 complexes have distinct contributions to MEK1 activation, and broadly, what is KSR1's role. Our molecular dynamics simulations clarify these still unresolved ambiguities. Our results reveal that the proline-rich (P-rich) loop of MEK1 plays a decisive role in MEK1 activation loop (A-loop) phosphorylation. In the inactive B-Raf/MEK1 heterodimer, the collapsed A-loop of B-Raf interacts with the P-rich loop and A-loop of MEK1, minimizing MEK1 A-loop fluctuation and preventing it from phosphorylation. In the active B-Raf/MEK1 heterodimer, the P-rich loop moves in concert with the A-loop of B-Raf as it extends. This reduces the number of residues interacting with MEK1 A-loop, allowing increased A-loop fluctuation, and bringing Ser222 closer to ATP for phosphorylation. B-Raf αG-helix Arg662 promotes MEK1 activation by orienting Ser218 towards ATP. In KSR1/MEK1, the KSR1 αG-helix has Ala826 in place of B-Raf Arg662. This difference results in much fewer interactions between KSR1 αG-helix and MEK1 A-loop, thus a more flexible A-loop. We postulate that if KSR1 were to adopt an active configuration with an extended A-loop as seen in other protein kinases, then the MEK1 P-rich loop would extend in a similar manner, as seen in the active B-Raf/MEK1 heterodimer. This would result in highly flexible MEK1 A-loop, and KSR1 functioning as an active, B-Raf-like, kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Maloney
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Mingzhen Zhang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Yonglan Liu
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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9
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Principe DR, Aissa AF, Kumar S, Pham TND, Underwood PW, Nair R, Ke R, Rana B, Trevino JG, Munshi HG, Benevolenskaya EV, Rana A. Calcium channel blockers potentiate gemcitabine chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2200143119. [PMID: 35476525 PMCID: PMC9170157 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2200143119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently no effective treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). While palliative chemotherapy offers a survival benefit to most patients, nearly all will eventually progress on treatment and long-term survivability remains poor. Given the lack of subsequent line treatment options, in this study, we sought to identify novel strategies to prevent, delay, or overcome resistance to gemcitabine, one of the most widely used medications in PDAC. Using a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing and high-throughput proteomic analysis, we identified a subset of gemcitabine-resistant tumor cells enriched for calcium/calmodulin signaling. Pharmacologic inhibition of calcium-dependent calmodulin activation led to the rapid loss of drug-resistant phenotypes in vitro, which additional single-cell RNA sequencing identified was due to impaired activation of the RAS/ERK signaling pathway. Consistent with these observations, calcium chelation or depletion of calcium in the culture media also impaired ERK activation in gemcitabine-resistant cells, and restored therapeutic responses to gemcitabine in vitro. We observed similar results using calcium channel blockers (CCBs) such as amlodipine, which inhibited prosurvival ERK signaling in vitro and markedly enhanced therapeutic responses to gemcitabine in both orthotopic xenografts and transgenic models of PDAC. Combined, these results offer insight into a potential means of gemcitabine resistance and suggest that select CCBs may provide a clinical benefit to PDAC patients receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Principe
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Alexandre F. Aissa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Thao N. D. Pham
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611
| | - Patrick W. Underwood
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Rakesh Nair
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Rong Ke
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Basabi Rana
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
| | - Jose G. Trevino
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284
| | - Hidayatullah G. Munshi
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612
| | | | - Ajay Rana
- Department of Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612
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10
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Maloney RC, Zhang M, Jang H, Nussinov R. The mechanism of activation of monomeric B-Raf V600E. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3349-3363. [PMID: 34188782 PMCID: PMC8215184 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations in the serine/threonine kinase B-Raf, particularly the V600E mutation, are frequent in cancer, making it a major drug target. Although much is known about B-Raf's active and inactive states, questions remain about the mechanism by which the protein changes between these two states. Here, we utilize molecular dynamics to investigate both wild-type and V600E B-Raf to gain mechanistic insights into the impact of the Val to Glu mutation. The results show that the wild-type and mutant follow similar activation pathways involving an extension of the activation loop and an inward motion of the αC-helix. The V600E mutation, however, destabilizes the inactive state by disrupting hydrophobic interactions present in the wild-type structure while the active state is stabilized through the formation of a salt bridge between Glu600 and Lys507. Additionally, when the activation loop is extended, the αC-helix is able to move between an inward and outward orientation as long as the DFG motif adopts a specific orientation. In that orientation Phe595 rotates away from the αC-helix, allowing the formation of a salt bridge between Lys483 and Glu501. These mechanistic insights have implications for the development of new Raf inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C. Maloney
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Mingzhen Zhang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Corresponding author at: Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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Weako J, Jang H, Keskin O, Nussinov R, Gursoy A. The structural basis of Akt PH domain interaction with calmodulin. Biophys J 2021; 120:1994-2008. [PMID: 33775637 PMCID: PMC8204387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Akt plays a key role in the Ras/PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In breast cancer, Akt translocation to the plasma membrane is enabled by the interaction of its pleckstrin homology domain (PHD) with calmodulin (CaM). At the membrane, the conformational change promoted by PIP3 releases CaM and facilitates Thr308 and Ser473 phosphorylation and activation. Here, using modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, we aim to figure out how CaM interacts with Akt's PHD at the atomic level. Our simulations show that CaM-PHD interaction is thermodynamically stable and involves a β-strand rather than an α-helix, in agreement with NMR data, and that electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions are critical. The PHD interacts with CaM lobes; however, multiple modes are possible. IP4, the polar head of PIP3, weakens the CaM-PHD interaction, implicating the release mechanism at the plasma membrane. Recently, we unraveled the mechanism of PI3Kα activation at the atomistic level and the structural basis for Ras role in the activation. Here, our atomistic structural data clarify the mechanism of how CaM interacts, delivers, and releases Akt-the next node in the Ras/PI3K pathway-at the plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Weako
- Computational Science and Engineering Program, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ozlem Keskin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Attila Gursoy
- Department of Computer Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Ghosh C, Jana B. Role of Calcium in Modulating the Conformational Landscape and Peptide Binding Induced Closing of Calmodulin. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:2317-2327. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c00783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Ghosh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Biman Jana
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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Pleiotropic Roles of Calmodulin in the Regulation of KRas and Rac1 GTPases: Functional Diversity in Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103680. [PMID: 32456244 PMCID: PMC7279331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Calmodulin is a ubiquitous signalling protein that controls many biological processes due to its capacity to interact and/or regulate a large number of cellular proteins and pathways, mostly in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This complex interactome of calmodulin can have pleiotropic molecular consequences, which over the years has made it often difficult to clearly define the contribution of calmodulin in the signal output of specific pathways and overall biological response. Most relevant for this review, the ability of calmodulin to influence the spatiotemporal signalling of several small GTPases, in particular KRas and Rac1, can modulate fundamental biological outcomes such as proliferation and migration. First, direct interaction of calmodulin with these GTPases can alter their subcellular localization and activation state, induce post-translational modifications as well as their ability to interact with effectors. Second, through interaction with a set of calmodulin binding proteins (CaMBPs), calmodulin can control the capacity of several guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) to promote the switch of inactive KRas and Rac1 to an active conformation. Moreover, Rac1 is also an effector of KRas and both proteins are interconnected as highlighted by the requirement for Rac1 activation in KRas-driven tumourigenesis. In this review, we attempt to summarize the multiple layers how calmodulin can regulate KRas and Rac1 GTPases in a variety of cellular events, with biological consequences and potential for therapeutic opportunities in disease settings, such as cancer.
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